Deer movement in extremely cold weather

[fairchaser]

Looks like we are getting some extremely cold weather coming up in the next few days. That's great for deer hunting right? Deer have to eat. But, do deer move at their regular times or do they move later in the morning after the sun warms things up a bit? It's going to be tough staying on stand anyway without adding a couple more hours. Do you sleep in and get on stand an hour or two after daylight and hunt till noon or brave it at dawn?

I've hunted places in the south during extremely cold conditions and deer didn't move. They hunkered down and waited it out. They knew it would warm up soon enough.

 

[MUP]

You know, I've been thinking a lot about this, and not just this year. I've yet to see hardly any deer movement immediately following an arctic blast coming in. Seems they have to have a day or two to adjust, or something. I may go in at daylight instead of an hour or so before during the first couple days. But yes, I believe they will move later in the mornings, at least for the first couple of days of the cold.

 

[TDW05]

Only killed 1 deer in my life when it was extremely cold. It was about 9-11 degrees and I didn't shoot until about 9:30 or somewhere around then. I think our deer prefer 30-40 degree weather over the teens and single digits.

 

[MUP]

I did kill one as well when it was 12 degrees out on the mtn. And IIRC it was around 8:30-9:00 as well. I heard him coming a mile away tho thru the frozen leaves.

 

[woodsman04]

In my experience, if it's in the low 20s they don't move u til 8-9 when the sun really starts shining. Also heavy snow, which I ain't seen much of, keeps them bedded up too.

About 28-32 degrees is my favorite temperature and I think I see the most movements


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[Lost Lake]

Most of the time, I've never seen good deer movement right after a bad cold front. If the weather hangs around for awhile, they seem to get back to a more regular pattern. I've had a little better luck during the first few days of it by making sure that I'm hunting the south side of a more open ridge, and not expecting much until later in the morning.

I know these big cold blasts excite a lot of hunters, but I'm not crazy about em. Mainly because if I'm not gonna see many, or any deer, I'd rather not freeze to death during the wait. But, rut action this time of year can change all that with a hot doe.

 

[Matador]

I have seen deer move in all types of weather including extreme cold. With rut fast approaching I am going to be in a stand early. If it is too cold, I will be in a shooting house with heater. As already stated if there is a hot doe there will be a buck or bucks after her. We wait all year for this opportunity, it is time to hunt. My .02

 

[catman529]

Mornings they usually move later and go to sunny places to feed. Evenings are pretty normal from my experience


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[catman529]

Y'all saying they don't move when it's really cold. They have to get up and eat to stay warm. They usually go to the warmest places and move a lot more in late morning or mid day.


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[Omega]

I have a hill facing south that is right by my stand, I've witnessed deer come to the hill and lay down to warm up. I normally don't see any movement until the sun is high enough to start warming up places like that. I figure they are just like us, they don't want to get up off the spot they've warmed up.

 

[megalomaniac]

Catman and Omega have got it.

Temps below 20 degrees negatively affects deer movement for sure in TN, esp in early season.

BUT, they love to hang out in overgrown fields on hillsides facing east or southeast in the mornings after the sun hits them and warms them up.

If it's really cold, I usually hunt in a shooting house till 8-9am, then move to an exposed ladder and hunt till 11am or so before breaking for lunch.

Regardless, I'd rather be dealing with temps in the low 20's this time of year than temps in the 70's. And I think the very low nighttime temps actually help the afternoon hunts on food sources.

 

[Spurhunter]

I agree with the majority here. My experience has always been when the temps get below 25 the deer don't move much. Especially prior to 8am. That doesn't affect how much I hunt though. If he moves I want to be there.

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[MUP]

Catman and Omega have got it.

Temps below 20 degrees negatively affects deer movement for sure in TN, esp in early season.

BUT, they love to hang out in overgrown fields on hillsides facing east or southeast in the mornings after the sun hits them and warms them up.

If it's really cold, I usually hunt in a shooting house till 8-9am, then move to an exposed ladder and hunt till 11am or so before breaking for lunch.

Regardless, I'd rather be dealing with temps in the low 20's this time of year than temps in the 70's. And I think the very low nighttime temps actually help the afternoon hunts on food sources.

I have just such a ridge. :mrgreen:

 

[catman529]

Regardless, I'd rather be dealing with temps in the low 20's this time of year than temps in the 70's. And I think the very low nighttime temps actually help the afternoon hunts on food sources.

I agree, I've seen good evening movement in fields on those arctic days in late season


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[fairchaser]

I know I can only stay on stand about 4 hours unless I'm seeing deer. Usually, that's 6-10 am. When I check my cameras I see a lot of activity after 10:00 am. I'm not sure if this is related to hunting pressure or other factors. I'm an early riser so I usually get out early and plan on staying late but I start fading around 10:00 unless I'm seeing deer. As the rut approaches I can stay later knowing things could bust loose anytime. I killed a buck once at 12:30 pm chasing does but only because it was one of those mornings that was electric with activity. With this cold weather coming, the ground is frozen and loud and any crops could have a heavy frost. We are in the early stages of the pre rut so I don't expect much to happen at first light.

 

[Pinwheeled]

Interesting thread... I moved to TN from IL (Thank God) When I lived up there, absolutely colder the better for deer movement. A little snow made it that much better. Like others have said, seems to be good for late morning movement. My father in law hunts almost exclusively over a grass pasture. He has noticed over the years that on mornings with a heavy frost, he doesn't typically see squat until the frost starts burning off.


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[fairchaser]

Interesting thread... I moved to TN from IL (Thank God) When I lived up there, absolutely colder the better for deer movement. A little snow made it that much better. Like others have said, seems to be good for late morning movement. My father in law hunts almost exclusively over a grass pasture. He has noticed over the years that on mornings with a heavy frost, he doesn't typically see squat until the frost starts burning off.


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You mean deer don't like Frosted Flakes? :lol:

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Regarding deer movement on frigid cold days, I have seen much more deer movement in the afternoons. I typically get out there well before daylight regardless, and hunt until around 9:30 am. After 9:30 - 10 am, depending on the deer action, I will typically go around and glass some south facing slopes of select-cuts we have on the walk back (If I'm not already set up on one that morning) - If I am set up on one of these already, I may sit there as long as I possibly can.

It has been my experience of not seeing many deer the day following an arctic blast, but rather 2-3 days thereafter. With the front and rain looking to be starting late tonight and proceeding into Thursday (my area), I suspect there will be many shots fired Saturday and Sunday.

 

[catman529]

Well, I'll be tent camping with a 0 rated bag and little buddy heater. I know I'll be up early and moving and eating so I can warm up.

be careful with that heater in the tent. Bring a couple warm blankets to go with the sleeping bag. You will need at least a good blanket, sleeping bags are rated for survival, not comfort


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[Grnwing]

On cold clear days I'll hunt early and and focus on travel routes to feeding areas. Deer seem to move a little earlier on cold afternoons going to feeding areas and have had some great sits on crisp afternoons. I have noticed in TN, that if it starts snowing the deer really shut down.

 

[scn]

Another complicating factor for next week is the full moon on Nov. 12. I typically see later in the morning movement on full moon days. That, coupled with some below morning temps may cause me to start and stay later. But, it is really hard for me to not be there in the stand at first light. I may just bring a book to read until they start moving.

 

[UTGrad]

Unseasonably cold temps shut down deer movement. Also I've heard it mentioned deer have to get up and eat. I disagree. Part of the reason deer put on extra fat for winter is to survive periods when they hunker down in bad weather to conserve energy.


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[catman529]

Unseasonably cold temps shut down deer movement. Also I've heard it mentioned deer have to get up and eat. I disagree. Part of the reason deer put on extra fat for winter is to survive periods when they hunker down in bad weather to conserve energy.


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I have put the smack down on some does on the single digit days during late season. Late morning and evening movement seems to be pretty good for me


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[Dakota10]

The largest buck I have ever seen was on a 19 degree morning in Franklin, TN at 8:30 in the morning. He was pushing does with another respectable buck in a secluded field. An absolute giant deer but on the neighbors property. It was a week of cold weather like next weeks forecast.

 

[fairchaser]

The largest buck I have ever seen was on a 19 degree morning in Franklin, TN at 8:30 in the morning. He was pushing does with another respectable buck in a secluded field. An absolute giant deer but on the neighbors property. It was a week of cold weather like next weeks forecast.

I've heard of this type thing before. These ghost bucks that will never stand up in daylight must get up to eat to stay warm. That one time they make themselves vulnerable to a hunter.

 

[gobblesandgrunts]

So with it being low 20's friday night and mid 30's sat night, what is everyones opinion would be a better morning?

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[megalomaniac]

So with it being low 20's friday night and mid 30's sat night, what is everyones opinion would be a better morning?

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This time of year, temp doesnt matter if you are hunting a big buck.... it's all about finding the hot doe.

If you are hunting any deer, Sat eve and Sun morn will be the best

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[gobblesandgrunts]

So with it being low 20's friday night and mid 30's sat night, what is everyones opinion would be a better morning?

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This time of year, temp doesnt matter if you are hunting a big buck.... it's all about finding the hot doe.

If you are hunting any deer, Sat eve and Sun morn will be the best

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Thanks for your input, I guess the does could be ready for some action any minute now

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[MUP]

So with it being low 20's friday night and mid 30's sat night, what is everyones opinion would be a better morning?

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With what I've said about not seeing movement early, I will STILL be out there early. You can just never tell about them. I killed probably my 3rd best buck, a nice 130+ 10 pt during ML season that came thru as early as I've seen any buck before, around 6:30ish IIRC, following a doe. It wasn't brutal cold, but still about the earliest I've seen a good buck in that area. This time of year, just be out there as much as you can IMO.

 

[JJ3]

When it's really cold (like low teens to single digits), I see that effect of them moving mid-day. Normally I think mid-20's to low 30's are ideal. But last Friday with that first really good frost here in the west, I didn't see any deer until after 9:15. My daughter and I both saw good bucks at first light today.