Don Higgins’ 2026 Big Buck Forecast: The Worst He’s Ever Seen

Don Higgins’ annual Big Buck Forecast is here—and his outlook for the 2026 whitetail season may surprise a lot of hunters.

After decades of running trail cameras across multiple properties, counties, and states, Don says this has been the worst summer he can remember for finding mature bucks.

So what is happening to our mature whitetails?

In Episode #341 of Chasing Giants, Don and Terry break down what Don is seeing across his trail-camera network, how mature buck numbers have changed, what role increased hunting pressure and technology may be playing, and why Don believes hunters who want to continue chasing mature whitetails need to start paying attention.

They also discuss:

• Why hot weather has crushed recent deer movement

• Hard-horn bucks beginning to show up

• Whether you should plant fall food plots in extremely dry conditions

• The winner of the Lester’s Feet South Texas hunt

• Why Don believes fewer 150"+ bucks are surviving to maturity

• How technology is changing mature buck hunting

• Whether the world-record typical whitetail will ever be broken