Warm Weather Tips

[EastTN123]

REMOVED

 

[MUP]

Nothin' wrong with those mtn boys! Might learn a thing or two from him even! ;)

 

[Bone Collector]

Nothing you can do with the warm temps this late in the season, except go and see what happens.

I saw a bunch of deer on the way to work in the morning yesterday and it was 50+ when i got up. I would guess most the movement will be early and then right before dark as the temperatures will be cooler then, but it is not a given that that will happen.

 

[catman529]

I am considering going smallmouth fishing tomorrow instead of hunting. If I was in the mountains of east TN I would definitely be fishing without second thought


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[jd1983]

Browns are biting pretty well on the South Holston, so my plan is to throw some flies their way. I have a tough time wanting to be in the deer woods when it is 70 degrees in December.

 

[larry ipock]

I agree, its hard to hunt, when the temps are fishing temps

 

[TNGRIZZLY_]

Hunt the morning or three hours before dark. If you got a food source close to a water source set up in-between them. You can't kill them if you are not in the woods.

Welcome to the site and congratulations on a deer and adoption your son. Keep them hunting and don't be afraid to ask any questions. GOD Bless

 

[Scioto]

I coach my son's 3rd grade Y team and our first game is Saturday. That and family activities today and tomorrow has me planning a half day off from work Monday. Looks like we will get a good rain overnight through 5-6 am Sunday/Monday. Hoping to get into a ladder I've got just off the top of a secondary ridge point. But it's going to be windy 15-20 and probably above but less warm 50-60. Might instead bring my climber and set up down below given that wind.

Haven't used the climber once this year.

 

[Mike Belt]

You can't kill him off the couch but still, when it's this warm I generally stay at home. My rule of thumb is when it's 50 degrees before sunup I don't usually bother going. I can afford to do this because I can hunt every day. If I was limited to weekends, etc. I'd be there every chance I got.

 

[losthunter]

School me on this weather thing. Why do most hunters not go when it's warm? I'm clueless on this

 

[pb10point]

Deer hunt till it starts warming up them go walleye fishing the rest of the day.That is what I did today in East Tenn.

 

[Nimrod777]

School me on this weather thing. Why do most hunters not go when it's warm? I'm clueless on this

Deer don't move unless it's below 40 degrees. In fact, during the summer months, deer only breathe once daily due to the heat.

 

[TboneD]

My nephew shot a good nine pointer at 9:30 this morning in fairly open timber. He was in a stand by a pond but the buck didn't stop for a drink. My son had been hunting that area with him and thinks the buck was scent checking downwind of a scrape line.


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[TNGRIZZLY_]

School me on this weather thing. Why do most hunters not go when it's warm? I'm clueless on this

Deer don't move unless it's below 40 degrees. In fact, during the summer months, deer only breathe once daily due to the heat.

:tu: :super: good one nimrod777

The real reason is because the meat can ruining faster in the heat. You only have an hour to few hours depending on how hot it is. Plus movement is slow to none during the day.

 

[UTGrad]

Deer do move though in warmer weather, just closer to the edges of darkness than when it's cold.

 

[DaveB]

Deer move a LOT LESS in warm weather when it is supposed to be cold.
(1) They have a winter coat they cannot remove
(2) They have fat they want to conserve



You can find them anywhere as some deer will continue to move about. Mostly you will find them on the North facing slopes and -or in thick cover. Early in the AM is probably the best bet.


Once you have a deer on the ground you need to gut the deer quickly, get the hide off soon as possible, get the meat cooling down.

 

[catman529]

Deer are in their full winter coats which are designed to keep them warm. When temps get unseasonably warm, they don't need or want to move as much. My guess is they don't need as much food to eat because they aren't burning as much energy keeping their body heat up. Either way there will be less deer movement on these warm days, but a few will still show themselves. I saw several in cut bean fields on the way to work this evening at dusk.

There are some places I'd hunt no matter what temp and some places I would leave for colder days. Depends on the deer there, the habitat and food sources.


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[1bow4me]

Jmo. But I dont understand the whole warm weather / dont hunt thing. If thats the case then why does bow season start in sept. Deer usually have their winter coats by mid-late sept to oct. How many times has the weather stayed warm up until November and yet with bow in hand we hang on the side of a tree swatting mosquitos? If you want to hunt when warm in december then by all means do so. The deer dont have a calendar in their pocket. Lol. Late season hunting is slower because the deer are worn out from rutting activities. Bucks are weaker from chasing and fighting. Does are weaker from being chased by every wanna be suiter in the woods. They will still eat and move around, just not as much until their strength is regained. Think of it this way... You train for a marathon by running ten miles a day. But when you run the marathon it is twenty five miles. Yes you make it thru but you are completely spent and it takes a few days to recoup. Warm or cold make little difference. Again.. JMO

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[catman529]

Jmo. But I dont understand the whole warm weather / dont hunt thing. If thats the case then why does bow season start in sept. Deer usually have their winter coats by mid-late sept to oct. How many times has the weather stayed warm up until November and yet with bow in hand we hang on the side of a tree swatting mosquitos? If you want to hunt when warm in december then by all means do so. The deer dont have a calendar in their pocket. Lol. Late season hunting is slower because the deer are worn out from rutting activities. Bucks are weaker from chasing and fighting. Does are weaker from being chased by every wanna be suiter in the woods. They will still eat and move around, just not as much until their strength is regained. Think of it this way... You train for a marathon by running ten miles a day. But when you run the marathon it is twenty five miles. Yes you make it thru but you are completely spent and it takes a few days to recoup. Warm or cold make little difference. Again.. JMO

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when deer spend all that energy they need to eat to replenish. They don't move as much as often when it's warm because of their winter coats. Bow season is often slow going when it's hot out too. Do you not notice the fewer deer you see on a warm December day? I don't see as many when the weather is like this. Wait till it cools off I bet I will start seeing more even in the fields driving to work.


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[Mudbone]

I see more deer in bow season than any other time of year. Well, first week of mzl is usually great but also warm.

 

[UTGrad]

Don't forget all it takes is a hot doe to get a chase going. I've seen some of the best buck/doe chases during weather that would not be considered good.

 

[TboneD]

Jmo. But I dont understand the whole warm weather / dont hunt thing. If thats the case then why does bow season start in sept. Deer usually have their winter coats by mid-late sept to oct. How many times has the weather stayed warm up until November and yet with bow in hand we hang on the side of a tree swatting mosquitos? If you want to hunt when warm in december then by all means do so. The deer dont have a calendar in their pocket. Lol. Late season hunting is slower because the deer are worn out from rutting activities. Bucks are weaker from chasing and fighting. Does are weaker from being chased by every wanna be suiter in the woods. They will still eat and move around, just not as much until their strength is regained. Think of it this way... You train for a marathon by running ten miles a day. But when you run the marathon it is twenty five miles. Yes you make it thru but you are completely spent and it takes a few days to recoup. Warm or cold make little difference. Again.. JMO

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when deer spend all that energy they need to eat to replenish. They don't move as much as often when it's warm because of their winter coats. Bow season is often slow going when it's hot out too. Do you not notice the fewer deer you see on a warm December day? I don't see as many when the weather is like this. Wait till it cools off I bet I will start seeing more even in the fields driving to work.


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You're right, of course. Colder the weather the better, unless it's a blizzard. I don't think we have to worry about that, though.

Bucks obviously move in the heat like the post rut mature 9 pointer my nephew took off pressured land yesterday at 9:30 am. He was probably stretching his legs, but also sniffing downwind of his scrapes to see if any hot does had visited them. (Yes, does will visit scrapes in the daytime. I've seen it.) Yes, the possibility of hot does will make a buck move, despite other negative factors like pressure or bad weather.

But the fact remains, the more comfortable the deer are, the more they'll be on their feet. Like Catman mentions, consider those cold mornings in October before the deer are pressured and they're moving everywhere. My son quit counting at 20 in mature timber on one such cold morning this October and he said they weren't even picking up the acorns he was on. They were all just out and about, enjoying the cool air on this north facing slope, including one nice buck. This was way more deer than either of us have ever seen in one sit where we hunt. Anyhow, think of it like this. The deer have more time to move when the sun is down, than when it's up this time of the year. So yes, hot days mean nighttime activity is preferred for the deer. Only makes sense.

For deer to move REALLY good post rut though, it's got to get REALLY cold. In other words, it has to get cold enough, long enough, for their metabolism to REQUIRE them to start feeding more during the day. And if you add sunlight and little wind, that's when they'll be out and about, again, without the rut being a factor. This is when you're libel to see does eating shrubs on the sunny sides of suburban homes when the owners are all at work. Don't think we'll see that kind of weather till January, though, and as y'all say, you can't shoot em from the couch...


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[catman529]

You're right, of course. Colder the weather the better, unless it's a blizzard. I don't think we have to worry about that, though.

Bucks obviously move in the heat like the post rut mature 9 pointer my nephew took off pressured land yesterday at 9:30 am. He was probably stretching his legs, but also sniffing downwind of his scrapes to see if any hot does had visited them. (Yes, does will visit scrapes in the daytime. I've seen it.) Yes, the possibility of hot does will make a buck move, despite other negative factors like pressure or bad weather.

But the fact remains, the more comfortable the deer are, the more they'll be on their feet. Like Catman mentions, consider those cold mornings in October before the deer are pressured and they're moving everywhere. My son quit counting at 20 in mature timber on one such cold morning this October and he said they weren't even picking up the acorns he was on. They were all just out and about, enjoying the cool air on this north facing slope, including one nice buck. This was way more deer than either of us have ever seen in one sit where we hunt. Anyhow, think of it like this. The deer have more time to move when the sun is down, than when it's up this time of the year. So yes, hot days mean nighttime activity is preferred for the deer. Only makes sense.

For deer to move REALLY good post rut though, it's got to get REALLY cold. In other words, it has to get cold enough, long enough, for their metabolism to REQUIRE them to start feeding more during the day. And if you add sunlight and little wind, that's when they'll be out and about, again, without the rut being a factor. This is when you're libel to see does eating shrubs on the sunny sides of suburban homes when the owners are all at work. Don't think we'll see that kind of weather till January, though, and as y'all say, you can't shoot em from the couch...


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yes January is a frustrating time, when it gets colder and acorns run out, and deer are everywhere eating in the open without anyone shooting at them. I'm looking forward to this year's extra 5 days of doe hunting on private land only. No extra pressure on the WMAs but extra opportunity if you have a place to hunt in unit L. Maybe it will be cold by then, just maybe...


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[TboneD]

You're right, of course. Colder the weather the better, unless it's a blizzard. I don't think we have to worry about that, though.

Bucks obviously move in the heat like the post rut mature 9 pointer my nephew took off pressured land yesterday at 9:30 am. He was probably stretching his legs, but also sniffing downwind of his scrapes to see if any hot does had visited them. (Yes, does will visit scrapes in the daytime. I've seen it.) Yes, the possibility of hot does will make a buck move, despite other negative factors like pressure or bad weather.

But the fact remains, the more comfortable the deer are, the more they'll be on their feet. Like Catman mentions, consider those cold mornings in October before the deer are pressured and they're moving everywhere. My son quit counting at 20 in mature timber on one such cold morning this October and he said they weren't even picking up the acorns he was on. They were all just out and about, enjoying the cool air on this north facing slope, including one nice buck. This was way more deer than either of us have ever seen in one sit where we hunt. Anyhow, think of it like this. The deer have more time to move when the sun is down, than when it's up this time of the year. So yes, hot days mean nighttime activity is preferred for the deer. Only makes sense.

For deer to move REALLY good post rut though, it's got to get REALLY cold. In other words, it has to get cold enough, long enough, for their metabolism to REQUIRE them to start feeding more during the day. And if you add sunlight and little wind, that's when they'll be out and about, again, without the rut being a factor. This is when you're libel to see does eating shrubs on the sunny sides of suburban homes when the owners are all at work. Don't think we'll see that kind of weather till January, though, and as y'all say, you can't shoot em from the couch...


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yes January is a frustrating time, when it gets colder and acorns run out, and deer are everywhere eating in the open without anyone shooting at them. I'm looking forward to this year's extra 5 days of doe hunting on private land only. No extra pressure on the WMAs but extra opportunity if you have a place to hunt in unit L. Maybe it will be cold by then, just maybe...


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A little off topic but the acorns ran out in cedar forest second week of muzzleloading. So opening morning of gun season sounded like a war from the direction of the farms. Gun season in the woods has been TOUGH, and all the deer that we've killed have been relatively close to the property lines of those farms. I don't mind that but don't like hunting close to poachers that actually hunt the private fields, trespassing with no orange on. We called TWRA on one and did everything we could to help them but I know he came back a week later and did it again.


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