A lot of hunters dream of tagging a trophy buck in full velvet, but actually getting it done requires leg work—and a lot of planning. For starters, you'll want to identify the handful of states that offer the best combination of big bucks and seasons that begin early in the fall before velvet sheds and antlers harden.
Some states, like Colorado and Utah, are known to hold full-velvet muleys into late September and early October. For other states—like Kentucky, which is known for giant velvet whitetails—you'll want to be in the stand as early in September as the season opener allows. Timing aside, you should concentrate on a state that produces top-tier velvet bucks year after year. The following list contains twelve of the absolute best.
Mule Deer
1. Arizona
Arizona is all about elk, Coues whitetails, and muleys. Of these, mule deer are the most abundant. They exist virtually everywhere in the Grand Canyon State other than the southwestern corner. While season dates vary greatly, some archery openers fall as early as August 23 and carry into September. Dates like these offer a legitimate shot at big velvet bucks.
2. Colorado
While the Centennial State is known for its elk herds, you can find a lot of mule deer there as well as season dates that offer a real shot at a velvet monster. Most mule deer bucks will shed their velvet sometime within the first few weeks of September. However, about a third will carry velvet into late September, according to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
3. Utah
Utah is a velvet-deer hunter's dream. Just look at Bowdy Gardner's 218 2/8-inch velvet P&Y record of proof of that. Gardner killed the buck in September 2012 on the famed Paunsaugunt Plateau, but Utah muleys can carry their velvet well into October. As for regular season dates, archery season starts August 17 and runs into mid-September. Muzzleloader begins September 26 and carries through October 3. The "early any legal weapon" season spans October 9-13.
4. Nevada
Nevada is another excellent state for big velvet muleys. For proof, check out Frank Cheney's 205 6/8-inch Lincoln County giant, which is listed as a World's Record for typical mule deer in the Pope & Young books. Opening and closing dates vary widely by unit in Nevada, but most archery seasons run from August 10 to September 9. Most muzzleloader seasons (but not all) open September 10 and finish up October 4. A lot of resident and nonresident mule deer hunt units (any legal weapon) kick off as early as October 5.
5. Wyoming
Finally, don’t sleep on Wyoming. Like others on this list, it offers a good shot at velvet mule deer, and the Cowboy State is known for producing massive muleys in general. For most hunt areas, archery season opens September 1 and closes September 30. General season runs from October 1 to December 31.
Whitetails
1. Idaho
Idaho is an underrated state for whitetail in general, but especially velvet whitetails. Most whitetails live in northern part of the Gem State, and the northwestern corner is especially good. Archery season (antlered only) opens August 30 and runs through September 30 for most units.
2. Kentucky
Kentucky is one of the best states in the nation for velvet deer. Each year, hunters bag massive velvet-clad bucks—like this 200-inch giant taken by Jacob Deaton on opening day 2024. Archery season opens the first full weekend in September. The closer the opener falls to September 1, the better your chances of bagging a full-velvet buck. When the opener is closer to September 7 or 8, that window is significantly shorter.
3. Montana
Montana is a consistent producer of velvet bucks. That said, these bucks tend to shed velvet a bit earlier, and most are out by September 10. A few will carry velvet into mid-September. In the Big Sky State, archery seasons for deer and elk typically open on September 7 and close October 20. That offers a short but reliable window of opportunity for velvet antlers. Hunters who pre-season scout and find a target buck on a bed-to-feed pattern should find success.
4. North Dakota
North Dakota is another underrated whitetail state that includes prime velvet opportunities, and the state is known for big-bodied whitetails that carry impressive antlers. That’s especially true for deer living in parts of the state with high quality soils and good buck age structures. In North Dakota, archery season opens on September 1.
5. Wyoming
The Cowboy State is another velvet-whitetail-producing machine, and Shane Sanderson’s 2013 state record whitetail is proof of that. Sanderson killed the massive 10-point on opening day of the 2013 archery season. Today, Wyoming's archery season still begins on September 1, plenty early enough to get a big velvet whitetail on the ground.
6. South Carolina
Although it gets minimal press, South Carolina is a solid velvet state thanks to mid-August openers in the Midlands and the Low Country, where deer densities are high. On private lands in both zones, archery season begins August 15. And in zone 3, gun season kicks off on September 1. This unusually early rifle season for Zone 3 makes South Carolina one of the country's best states for bagging a full-velvet whitetail with a centerfire rifle.
7. Tennessee
While Tennessee is relatively new to the velvet hunting scene, Volunteer State hunters now have that opportunity. The state's special velvet hunt (which applies to private lands only) spans August 23-25. The three-day season has produced a lot of big velvet bucks in recent years—like this 168-incher taken with a bow in 2023 by Kelton Wells of Springfield, Tennessee.
