Weather and migration

[ksberry209]

Now that we are towards the end of the season where are you guys going? Early season I tend to hunt the higher elevations but haven’t seen much. Im curious how your adventures are going. I’m hearing there are a lot more deer in the foothills vs mountains. Did they start migrating to lower elevations earlier this year? It’s been a pretty mild summer weather and heat wise at least in northern CA.

The problem I have with the lower elevations is the lack of public access. There is a lot more private property in the lower elevations.

 

[MQ]

Was up around the snowline this AM, looking for signs of life, tracks, anything. This was in D5 at 6000 to7000 ft. Saw more dog tracks than deer tracks. Definately more deer down lower.

 

[Oldtool]

Duck hunt this weekend. Will try to hunt lower elevation d5 next weekend. Be focused on lowest NF lands

 

[#1Predator]

Lots of things influence deer movement. Food and water are big ones. This has been a dry year in the high country, but we are in a heavy mast (acorn) year. This happens every 3-5 years. Deer need about three quarts of water for every 100 pounds of body weight every day, maybe a bit more this year because acorns don't contain a lot of moisture. Find water sources and check for sign.

Deer will migrate vertically up and down in elevation (unlike caribou which migrate horizontally) but it takes about 6"-8" of snow for bucks to move downhill. If there is a lot of buck brush (Ceanothus cuneatus, a very important food source in the winter), deer will browse on the leaves and use the brush as shelter even in areas with lots of snow. In cold weather, hunt the south slopes. In warm weather, hunt the north slopes.

As we get closer to the rut, bucks will follow does. Does will come into estrus based upon the length of day. All wildlife is influenced by the amount of light that strikes the back of the eye (the retina) not only for the rut but also for hair growth or loss. This is why show animals (horses, dogs, etc.) are keep in areas with a light on for 10-12 hours a day. They never grow a shaggy winter coat and keep their sleek summer coat year round. Weather has nothing to do with hair growth.

Hunting pressure (vehicle noise, people noises, camp fires, etc.) will cause deer to move to areas with less "people noise". This could be anywhere from a few hundred yards to a few miles, depending on area roads and/or the terrain.