One solution is to use a ground blind. A pop-up blind like a Double Bull that's been brushed in well can fool a late-season deer. It's not easy, but if the blind isn't too close to the trail and you use shoot-through netting on the blind openings, you can take your late-season buck from ground level. That is very exciting and puts you into places that you can't hunt from a tree stand. Another benefit of a ground blind is that it gets you out of the cold wind so that you can do some moving around to keep warm without fear of spooking deer.

WHEN YOU CAN
For most of us, bowhunting in December is restricted to weekends or days off. We can't always hunt when the weather is right, so we just have to hunt when we can. I know it's tough getting out of bed on a cold December morning and climbing into a tree in the dark, but once you're in the tree, you'll be glad that your alarm didn't fail you.

The best time to hunt in the late season is: whenever you can. Daylight is short at that time of year, so you can't afford to be fussy about when you get out. I love morning hunting, because I usually have the woods to myself. It's not easy -- but then, if I were looking for easy, I dang sure wouldn't be a bowhunter!

DRIVES
Sometimes a late-season bowhunter just has to take things into his own hands. Years ago, we used to get together with some bowhunters in the Bismarck/Mandan area and make drives in the Missouri River bottoms south of Mandan. Some would set up in tree stands while others did the walking. It didn't always work, but occasionally someone would get a shot. Size and gender weren't issues for most bowhunters in the group. Some were holding out to the last day for a good buck, but the rest were content to get some venison before the season ended.

It's possible for a small number of hunters (as few as two) to push deer to waiting bowhunters. The drivers should go slowly and quietly to allow the deer to move out in the belief that they're slipping away undetected. Push too hard, and they'll run like the wind, offering no shots. You'll likely have to make several drives until something good happens, but don't get discouraged. Just keep trying.

SPECIAL HUNTS
Another late-season option comes in the form of special herd reduction bowhunts. One is held in Bismarck, another in Mandan; these usually run all the way through January. A fixed number of special permits for antlerless whitetails are issued for these hunts, which are great for putting venison in your freezer. Be sure to check current deer hunting regulations before hunting by visiting www.discovernd.com/gnf.

REGULATIONS
North Dakota's bow season starts in early September and runs through the end of the year. Residents pay $20 for an either species/either sex license, and can buy it at any time during the season. The same goes for non-residents who pay $200 for a license to hunt whitetails statewide. "Any-deer" tags, which allow the non-resident to hunt mule deer as well, must be applied for in March.

Bowhunting late-season deer presents many challenges. We haven't even discussed battling the cold. Locating deer, discerning their pattern and putting yourself within bow range add up to one monumental task set in December. Maybe that's why it's so sweet when, with runny nose, cold feet and wind-burned cheeks, we make a good shot on some last-minute venison. That deer, regardless of size or gender, is a hard-earned prize to be proud of. They're all trophies in December.