The 6 Best Deer Hunting Books – Reviews 2023

best deer hunting books, whitetail deer hunting books

Photo by Boston Public Library / CC BY

Hunting is easily one of the most popular sports in America today and has been for many decades. And not only is it fun to actually hunt, but it’s also fun to read about hunting, such as proven tips on how to ensure a successful deer hunt on your next trip or thrilling stories about other people’s successful hunting trips.

The truth is that deer hunting books, even in the age of the internet, can still be some of your best sources of information when it comes hunting. They’re great to read while sitting around the fire at your hunting camp or even throughout the year so that your anticipation for your next hunting trip only grows.

In this article, we will go over 6 of the most informative and best deer hunting books on the market and then go over a list of topics that any deer hunting book on your reading list needs to cover for them to be of any worth to you.

The Total Deer Hunter Manual (Field & Stream): 301 Hunting Skills You Need


Field & Stream is currently one of the most reputable outdoors magazines out there, and the reason is because they have the top and most experienced hunting experts from around the world who work for them. Their deer hunting manual is no different. It gives you literally hundreds of the most useful tips that a deer hunting could need, regardless of whether you’re a rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, or a bow hunter. Examples of tips that you will learn about in this book include how to track a deer like a professional, how to plan out your deer season months in advance, the best times of year to find a big buck, and how to field dress a deer in moments. Hands down, this manual is among the best deer hunting books period.

Strategies for Whitetails

One of the world’s foremost experts on white-tailed deer, Charlie Alsheimer, reveals through a combination of witty writing and beautiful photographs, his personal experiences with hunting and observing white tail deer. Alsheimer talks about the best times of year to search for a trophy buck, common whitetail deer behavior depending on the season or environment, and even how you can cultivate your own land to produce a healthy herd that includes trophy bucks.

If you want to better understand how whitetails live and act in order to increase your odds of making a harvest next hunting season, there will be few books that give you as much information as this one, which is easily one of the best deer hunting books out there.

“How to Bag the Biggest Buck of Your Life” by Larry Benoit

“How to Bag the Biggest Buck of Your Life” is arguably the most famous book on deer hunting. The primary theme of the book is how old hunting techniques are not at all different from newer techniques used today. The book was first published in 1975 and is a must have in any hunter’s library. Larry Benoit himself was one of the most highly regarded hunters, and all of the knowledge that he had on hunting deer from his own experiences were written down into the pages of this book. This is easily among the best deer-hunting books you can buy.

“Whitetail Nation” by Pete Bodo

“Whitetail Nation” is not a traditional hunting book in the sense that it lists out and describes information in regards to deer hunting. Rather, it tells the story of the hunter Pete Bodo’s journey to finding and killing his first trophy buck. Along the way, Bodo also talks about the history of whitetail deer hunting across the United States. With moments of humor, excitement, and even some philosophy, you’ll be in for a highly entertaining read with “Whitetail Nation.” Bar none, it’s one of the best whitetail deer hunting books for the money.

“Mapping Trophy Bucks” by Brad Herndon

The beauty of the book “Mapping Trophy Bucks” is that it does exactly what the title says: it provides you with maps that can lead you right to your next trophy buck. Using a combination of aerial photographs and topographic maps to point out the best areas, Brad Herndon points all of the best deer areas and routes in the United States.

Many hunters forget to use maps before heading out on their next adventure, which is a huge mistake because maps lay out the whole land for you before you even take one step in it. With this book, you won’t just become with the whole area before you set foot in it, but you’ll also know exactly where you need to go as well.

“The Art of Big Game Hunting in North America” by Jack O’ Connor

Jack O’Connor is widely regarded as one of the most foremost authorities on hunting in the entire world, and this classic book “the Art of Big Game Hunting in North America” is an absolute must read for any deer or non-deer hunting. This book comes packed with lots of useful information, including information that you may not find online.

Examples of information that this book comes loaded with include the best habitats to find specific game, animal behavior, feeding habits of animals, and different methods for finding different kinds of game. Of course, it includes all of this information and more on deer as well.  It’s old–original publish year is 1967–and might even be out of print, but it’s a classic, and one that’s worthy of buying used, like a vintage watch.

What Should the Best Deer Hunting Books Cover?

Obviously the only way that you’ll truly become a better deer hunter is if you actually go out there and hunt yourself and learn from your experience. But there’s also no doubt that you’ll stand a greater chance of making your next deer hunt more successful if you read from the experts themselves via the books that they have written.

Yes, we have the internet today and there is loads of information to be found on there. But hunting books still pack a lot of useful information themselves, and furthermore you can take them with you while actually hunting and read them when taking a break or around the campfire in remote locations where internet service is more than likely not available. And, let’s be honest, it’s far more comfortable reading your book lolling on a coach then getting eyestrain in front of a monitor!

The old saying goes to never judge a book by its cover, but nonetheless, you would still be wise to put much research into the specific deer hunting books that you should read before buying one. After all, you want to make sure that the information in the book is accurate and not false before you begin reading.

Some deer hunting books are written as novels and tell the story of a hunt, while others are written as factual books with specific information written down. Regardless, the information in your deer hunting books needs to be as accurate and as specific as possible. If it’s not, the book will only lead you astray and make your next hunt only less successful.

Beyond the accuracy of the information, another important quality that your deer hunting book should meet is that it should be well written and an entertaining read. If it’s not, you’ll become disengaged from the book and be less looking forward to reading it, which will be a shame if the book is packed with lots of good information. So search for deer hunting books that are well written and will keep you turning the page and taking in the information.

Last but not least, and usually the best indicator for whether a hunting book will be accurate or a good read is if it’s come from a reputable author or not. Each of the four deer hunting books that we have recommended are from actual deer hunters who have written their books based on their personal knowledge and experiences. When looking for additional deer hunting books, invest good research time into the authors so you can confirm they’re people who know what they are writing about and you’re sure to find the best deer hunting book for your needs. Good luck!

Whitetail Hunting Tips 101: Deer Senses

  • Owner of Reloaderaddict.com, Boyd Smith is a major handgun enthusiast, and although he owns Glocks, he prefers the revolving wheel type. His go-to guns are a Smith & Wesson 642 Performance Center for carry and a Ruger GP100 in the nightstand biometric safe (he has kids). He loads both revolvers with old-school 148-grain Federal Gold Medal .38 wadcutters. It’s OK if you think he’s a wimp. Email him.

Share the Post and Images

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *