Must Read Deer Hunting Books

Mapping Trophy Bucks – Brad Herndon

Author Brad Herndon breaks down how to utilize topographical maps and aerial photos to increase your chances of locating trophy bucks. Interpreting topographical features and predicting deer movement is an art that Brad has perfected, and he does an excellent job of educating readers through diagrams and other illustrations, all of which helps to explain Brad’s tactics in detail. Not only will this book teach the reader how to utilize maps to improve their hunting success when pursuing mountain bucks, but it also outlines how deer utilize terrain features and will help you determine when and where to make a move!

When this book was written, paper maps were the hunter’s only option, however, you can take what you learn from Brad and apply it to digital scouting tools like OnX Hunt or Hunt Stand. Mapping Trophy Whitetails is a book that you will enjoy reading and re-reading for seasons to come!

Giant Whitetails: A Lifetime of Lessons – Mark & Terry Drury with Mike Hanback

Mark and Terry Drury are a wealth of whitetail knowledge and this dynamic duo of natural-born big buck killers spew whitetail knowledge every time they speak. This book will speak to a reader interested in hunting and managing their land for mature bucks. Mark and Terry provide the reader with tips and ideas for tagging big bucks through their experiences. The Mad Scientist has a knack for detail and his detailed stories help to educate the reader as he explains a multitude of deer hunting tactics.

White-tailed Deer Management and Habitat Management– Steve Bartylla

You cannot manage a property for mature whitetails without first managing the habitat on the property. Author Steve Bartylla has a wealth of knowledge with land management and habitat improvement that specifically targets whitetail deer. Whether you are hunting private property or public land, Steve’s perspective will help you learn where big bucks reside in your neck of the woods. For those that are hunting private property, this book will provide details on how to improve your property to hold and grow big bucks.

One of the biggest hurdles in hunting mature bucks is being able to hunt where big bucks live! This book will detail how to improve your property so that your local deer herd finds it more desirable, increasing your chances of holding and harvesting the biggest buck in your area.

Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails – John and Chris Eberhart

The Eberhart name should ring a bell to any diehard whitetail hunter and if it does not, you need to buy this book. Bowhunting Pressured Whitetails teaches the reader how deer react to pressure and how to hunt them. With the increase in popularity of hunting pressured public lands across the country, this book should be riding shotgun with you as you traverse across the country in search of new hunting opportunities. Some of the intriguing concepts of this book include how to use other hunters to your advantage and understanding that deer live in places where the average hunter does not go. You will want to read this book again and again!

How to Bag the Biggest Buck of Your Life – Larry Benoit

Learning new hunting techniques is a great way to improve your odds in the whitetail woods and How to Bag the Biggest Buck of Your Life by Larry Benoit is a great way to enhance your hunting IQ! The Benoit family is famous for killing big bucks in the snow! Their unique hunting method of tracking down big bucks in the snow is an effective method of hunting that is helped hunters across the country put more deer on the ground. This book is targeted specifically to areas that are impacted by snow, but I would recommend reading it regardless of where you hunt. Understanding how the Benoit’s interpret fresh sign is an essential trait for any whitetail hunter.

Hunting Big Woods Bucks: Secrets of Tracking and Stalking Whitetails – Hal Blood

This book is perfect for hunters in snowy environments. Hunting Big Woods Bucks: Secrets of Tracking and Stalking Whitetails details the author’s experiences in the big whitetail woods of Maine. The author shares his secrets to success, as well as the gear he utilizes. Hunting big woods bucks in cold climate conditions like Maine is challenging but Hal has fine-tuned his process and you’re in for a treat with this book.

The Wilderness Hunter – Theodore Roosevelt

This book paints a picture like none other! Readers will be captivated by the true-life adventures of the 26th President of the United States of America and the “Father of Conservation”, Theodore Roosevelt. Theodore Roosevelt may be the most influential hunter to ever live! His legacy lives on thanks to the conservation of 230 million acres of public land! Now, this book does not dive into Theodore Roosevelt’s Legacy, it simply tells the story of his rugged, backcountry wilderness hunts from across the country. This book provides a rare glimpse into our hunting heritage.

That Wild Country – Mark Kenyon

Author Mark Kenyon has revolutionized the hunting industry through his popular podcast Wired to Hunt. Mark has spent years interviewing some of the best deer hunters from across the nation and there may not be a better resource for the whitetail deer hunter than Mark’s Wired to Hunt Podcast. Mark recently applied his knowledge and passion into his first book “That Wild Country.” That Wild Country celebrates Mark’s experiences on public lands while educating the reader on the history, politics, and possible future of our natural resources. The reader will find this book educational and inspirational as we fight together to protect our wildlife and wild places!