Hills & Thermals Whitetail Hunting Web Class

Login  

Use Thermals to Your Advantage!

Did you know that most of the bucks featured at the top of this page on my wall were shot hunting hills and thermals? It's true!

Yet many of the most experienced hunters I know even have trouble with thermals.

Let's face it, 50% of all whitetail hunters hunt in enough hills to experience thermals and to really learn why you would you hunt in one location in the morning or another location in the evening—or vice versa.

There are a lot of tricks and tactics that you can take advantage of and throughout this Web Class, I'll teach you how to "cheat" the wind and how you should use the wind to your advantage.

I'm hoping that the experience that I have with hills and thermals—going back to the early '90s—will guide you to success!

Hills and Thermals Screen Cap

Learn from an innovator in whitetail hunting since 1995

Featuring 16 online video lessons in over 8 hours of video grouped into 3 modules, you’ll learn:

  • Saddle, Bench, Draw and other topographic terms and what they mean during the hunt
  • Morning and Evening Thermal Trends
  • How to "cheat" the wind and "forecast" it
  • How food affects where bucks bed in hill country
  • Determine the right location during the right time of day and how elevation plays a huge role
  • Why your stand location and elevation affects your scent
  • How deer move through hills
  • Using ditches and draws to your advantage
  • How to hunt in an actual valley (very tough!)
  • The quiet "Lee Side" Hunting Advantage

... and much, much more!

Jeff With Buck

Your Instructor

Jeff Sturgis takes decades of pursuing his passion, and then professionally transfers those pursuits into the enhancement of his client’s, reader's and viewer's hunting and habitat experiences, across the entire country. Jeff prides himself in creating the healthiest free-ranging deer herds in the world of whitetails, as well as taking on the challenge of hunting the oldest bucks in the neighborhood. Not only has he been able to create, own and operate a successful business in the whitetail industry since 2005, but he has been able to work along side his wife Diane while doing so.

Jeff received the QDMA's Deer Manager of the Year award in 2004, and hasn't stopped learning since. After studying and creating over 1000 whitetail videos and articles, as well as working on over 1000 client lands across 26 whitetail states, Jeff is in a league of his own when it comes to the ability to design your habitat, herd and hunt - anywhere a whitetail roams!

Thanks for the advice. I have lots of work to do. But next year hopefully I can implement all of your information.
—Neil

Every time I think of something I'd like to hear you discuss, you end up doing it within your next couple of videos. Keep up the quality info. Thanks.
—Jesse

Awesome Video. I love these monthly “To Do” videos. Thanks Again For Your Help!
—Mel

I would highly recommend following Jeff to anyone who is serious about managing for wildlife and taking their land stewardship to the next level.
—Justin

Rock solid knowledge. I consider everything you preach about lol. I’m sure you hear it all the time but you’re very knowledgeable on the white tail!
—Josh

You help us out more than you know. Read all the books and love implementing your techniques. Thanks again from Mississippi!
—Hunter

I’m a true believer. Keep up the great work. I’ll be sure to give my neighbors a smirk and head nod from the seat of my 4 wheeler this summer.
—Dem

I wish I would have found out about your channel a couple of years ago, you consolidate everything I’ve learned... into simple information. Thanks!
—Andrew

God love ya Jeff. Easter Sunday and you’re making available yet another informative video. You are so passionate when it comes to this!
—Paul

Once again great info and content, keep it coming Sir, you are the boss.
—Doug

Course Curriculum

Section 1: The Advanced Basics of Hills, Thermals and Whitetails
Elevation Advantage Rules (24:43)
Food Positioned Bedding (07:56)
Common Topo Terms (11:16)
Hill Country Scent Control (08:37)
Section 2: Critical Hills and Thermal Hunting Strategies
Where Do Bucks Bed In Hill Country? (27:25)
Forecasting the Wind (13:15)
Using "Clean Air" Above The Soil (09:02)
Lee Side Hunting Advantage (18:01)
How to Cheat the Wind (11:53)
Section 3: Exactly Where To Hunt In Hills and Thermals
Mid & Lower Point Hunting (15:06)
Evening Thermal Trends (26:42)
Morning Thermal Trends (26:48)
How To Hunt In A Valley (17:04)
Hunting the Top of a Draw (16:29)
Risk and Reward of Ditches and Draws (09:02)
"Plan B" Thermal Attack (21:06)

Hills

PLUS: Exclusive bonuses...

Exclusive WHS Hat

Most deer hunters love hats, and we know you will enjoy this exclusive, high quality hat made exclusively for this web class! Hopefully you will want to collect them all!
$30 Value

Workbook

Make sure to follow along with your web class workbook that will be personally signed by Jeff and mailed to your shortly after your purchase. For this second class, there is room for notes on each page, as well as pages to begin designing your program towards the end of the book.
a $30 Value

3ebooksincluded

... worth over $120!

Free eBook Collection

Along with the “How To Design Your Deer Hunting Parcel” web class, enjoy our first 3 eBooks as further foundations of content to assist you in more accurately designing your hunt, habitat and herd.
—$60 Value

Future Discounts For Upcoming Web Classes

After you purchase this web class, we're giving you a 20% Off savings code for a substantial savings on any other web class series that is in our library in the future. (This offer extends to retail price only, and your savings code can be used at any time after the initial 30 day introductory price for each web series.)

Membership In WHS Private Facebook Group

This is a private, “Members Only” Facebook page that is only available by invitation to web class purchasers and site visit clients. Are you tired of wading through the plethora of poor online advice? Then you can take advantage of high-quality discussions with passionate hunters and habitat managers who share a common goal of getting it done right the first time.
Priceless!

Learn from my decades of experience hunting in hill country

From the first time I hunted 700 foot elevations in Pennsylvania back in the early '80s and then moving to Wisconsin and Minnesota in 2002 and beyond, I took those decades of experience and have narrowed all that knowledge down to the best content you'll find in this web class.

I talk to hunters all the time about hills/thermals. And I even have clients where I'll come to their property—clients who've paid pay me a lot of money for me come check it out—and even though they've hunted hills for decades, they're really not experienced when it comes to making good decisions throughout the hunt guided by hills and thermals.

These concepts work, and have been originated by me personally and have been proven over decades of work by tens of thousands of viewers, readers and clients. While these are the concepts that flood my books and over 1000 articles and videos that can be found on my website and YouTube channel, this is the most comprehensive set of content that can be used to effectively hunt hills – within the steps that you should work to complete them in.

My WHS Web Classes are the next best thing to having me come teach you about thermals on your land in person, and I am excited to open the availability of these classes to a far greater number of folks than the number I personally work with per year – at a much more affordable price!

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the course start and finish?

The course starts now and never ends! It is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.

How long do I have access to the course?

After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.

What do I need to access the course?

If you have an Internet connection and a modern web browser, you'll be able to view the content.

Can I download the course for offline use?

Not at this time but please let us know if this is something you need. We might be able to make accommodations due to your circumstances (eg spotty/slow Internet, plane trip, etc.).

Is the course available on other formats (eg DVD, audio only).

Not at this time. However, please let us know if this is something you would find useful.

Are there closed-captions / transcript available?

Not yet, but please let us know so we can make accommodations.

What if I am unhappy with the course? Is there any refunds?

If you are unsatisfied, please let us know so we can address your concern.

I purchased the class—how do I login?

After you purchase the class, you will be prompted to create a password to this website and setup your account. If you forgot your password please try resetting it.

What Others Are Saying


I had a fantastic experience working with Kevan this past winter. I am very new to hunting and have learned so much valuable information on herd development through land improvements. Based upon the site visit , Kevan really took the time to understand where we were at in our hunting journey and from there built our stand and food plot locations. We have had a successful 1st year no till food plot experience using buckwheat! ( I have a picture attached of the buckwheat plot). I have also taken the hunting hills web class to better impact my hunting skills in North Central PA. Jeff is a great educator. I am now prepared to hunt from my stand locations based upon winds/thermals in the hill country of PA. I simply can not that WHS enough for their help. We are excited to apply our new found education to hunting this fall.
Thank you again!
Carrie

Carrie V- Pennsylvania

Jeff visited us in Central Michigan for the first time in the spring of 2022. In the 3 years we have hunted the property before Jeff’s consultation we had shot 4 bucks all scoring between 95”- 105” Jeff came out and gave us a plan. The biggest take away for us was to create significantly more depth of cover and access. Jeff had us move our food plots away from the middle of the property to create layers of bedding and helped us understand how to use the topography of our property for hunting access. I watched hours and hours of Jeff on YouTube and had a pretty good idea about what he was going to recommend, but having him in person able to apply his management philosophy to our property specifically directly made it easy. We started making changes immediately and that first hunting season, shot a 130” 5 year old 10 point.
This year, our switchgrass is coming in our food plots are expanding, and our blinds and stand locations are even better than before. We still have plenty of work ahead of us, but now, we have a plan. Thanks Jeff and the WHS team!

Bryan K- Michigan

I’m 62, I’ve hunted deer for fifty years. In the previous four years I’ve harvested only wall hangers.
This year makes it five. Not only my fifth one for the wall in as many years, but a target buck, a resident buck, a pretty well patterned buck, a buck I had two previous encounters with but he never knew it. At 7:15 this morning he stopped to survey the valley 15 yards from my perch. Only my fourth sit of gun season, first in this stand. I sat out all this warm days waiting for this.
All because of you Jeff. I can’t begin to thank you enough. I live about 20 miles from you if you ever need someone with a strong back and a weak mind to help with anything I’m you’re guy!!!

Kevin F

These are my top 5 archery bucks i've taken all from the same property over the years using all the tactics i've learned from watching his video's!! The biggest in the middle scored 171-3/8s! Got my first archery buck when i was 15 & I'm turning 28 in June soo it took abit of time, but in my area I'm fairly well known for getting these bucks in that short time cause most hunters here maybe get lucky & shoot one like that in a whole lifetime lol

Tyler S

Jeff's concepts make a lot of sense and I can't wait to apply them to my 130 acre property located in central Michigan. If you own or lease hunting property I encourage you to read Whitetail Success by Design. Not only is the book informative and easy to follow, it is very interesting and fun to read. I am excited to get to start working on a number of his ideas this spring.

Bill C

Hills & Thermals Whitetail Hunting Web Class

Sign Up Now for
Just $599 $499

Help us celebrate the launch of our NEW web class with a special introductory offersave $100 for a limited time!

Purchased another web class?
Make sure you're logged into your dashboard then come back here and we'll automatically apply a 20% off discount based on your past purchase.

Haven't bought one of our other classes yet?
Purchase 2 more now and save!