Deer movement and the cold

[Bucks&Ducks]

I seem to keep coming across information about cold fronts creating peak opportunities in the fall. However my personal experience the last few years has been that whenever we get cold fronts during MN gun season, everything shuts down. Is it just a fact that it is getting too cold... ie articles are talking about 65 down to 45 and this is 30 down to 15. Perhaps there is something else at work here, I just have always assumed it was the cold weather.

Also when we get into the late season, I keep reading to hunt in the afternoon/evening because there is not a lot of movement in the morning and they usually just feed during the warm time of day and conserve energy the rest of the day. Is this happening when we get highs of 20 and lows around 0 this early in the year?

Any thoughts, tactics, experiences, etc.

 

[SD51555]

I personally haven't actually seen a rutting buck in person in about ten years. Of course there is sign, but It's been many moons since I've actually seen a buck trailing a doe. Seems to me, once the first shot cracks the rut is broken and dating takes to the night scene. I base that on no science, I just haven't seen it in years.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

This year in SE MN we got some snow and a cold front around Nov 11th and also yesterday. The deer were moving like crazy around here the day on each side of those cold fronts/snowfalls. I checked 2 trail cameras this morning and they showed that more deer were moving during daylight on those days than the other days when the weather pattern was a bit more stable.

 

[sandbur]

I personally haven't actually seen a rutting buck in person in about ten years. Of course there is sign, but It's been many moons since I've actually seen a buck trailing a doe. Seems to me, once the first shot cracks the rut is broken and dating takes to the night scene. I base that on no science, I just haven't seen it in years.

I had a buck chase a doe by me last year. (In zone 172 and after the first weekend. It happens, but not to me this year!)

 

[sandbur]

Extreme cold and deer tend to move to feeding areas only in the late afternoon. We are on the edge of these temperatures this week.

Heavy snow and move the deer and shut them down for a few days.

 

[Freeborn]

I seem to keep coming across information about cold fronts creating peak opportunities in the fall. However my personal experience the last few years has been that whenever we get cold fronts during MN gun season, everything shuts down. Is it just a fact that it is getting too cold... ie articles are talking about 65 down to 45 and this is 30 down to 15. Perhaps there is something else at work here, I just have always assumed it was the cold weather.

Also when we get into the late season, I keep reading to hunt in the afternoon/evening because there is not a lot of movement in the morning and they usually just feed during the warm time of day and conserve energy the rest of the day. Is this happening when we get highs of 20 and lows around 0 this early in the year?

Any thoughts, tactics, experiences, etc.

My observations are the same, movement increases during changes in temps when temps are higher (60-45) but when the temps are extremely cold deer movement shuts down. This past week was the coldest hunting season I can remember, the coldest morning was -2, and deer movement slowed. It appears the deer are saving energy an minimizing movement.

This is the second year of the cold temps during gun seson and I hope we have some more reasonable temps next season. Hunting in these temps is far less enjoyable and a pain wairing so many layers and my heavy boots.

 

[sandbur]

I am thinking of buying a Heater Body suit and really do not want a later rifle hunting season.

 

[Freeborn]

I am thinking of buying a Heater Body suit and really do not want a later rifle hunting season.

Art, take a look at the long range forecast. There is going to be a warm-up during the wisconsin opener. When talking about moving the hunting dates a couple weeks I don't think temps always decline in such a short time frame. I might agree with not having a later hunting date but we need more deer including more and better bucks. Maybe they should have buck tags like doe tags?

 

[sandbur]

Jerry-I've got to agree about this being an abnormal deer hunt as far as temps go. Buck tags like doe tags with a lottery?

It is probably best that we do not discuss the buck tags like doe tags. We have different perspectives and goals, as well as vastly different deer sightings!

 

[bat man]

I think these issues will continue to grow with the elimination of science based deer management. People always want more, and don't realize what effect their wishes will have. More time more weapons more this and more that equal less of the resource. Most will never figure it out.

When the majority votes for bigger bucks then science should be used to dictate the plan, not an f'n public opinion survey.

 

[bueller]

I've seen an increase in food plot usage during extreme cold, example last gun season. And from mid-morning on, not just late afternoon.

 

[BJE80]

I've found if it is real cold say 10 deg and less the deer don't move as much unless you are sitting right over a big and good food source. Otherwise things can be very slow. I'm wondering actually if the warm up on the Wisconsin gun season opener will actually help our hunting. Might get them to branch out a little more.

 

[Bucks&Ducks]

As far as rutting activity. I see bucks chasing or seeking every year during MN gun season including this year.

However things seem to be slow this year with the high winds and then came to a screeching halt with the cold front that gave us highs around 18-20 and lows around 0. Coming into the season I thought the cold weather would help but I think it just got too cold. Hopefully we can get back to some average November days (highs in mid 30's) next year.