Late season hunting advice requested...

[twoSevenO]

Am I the only one who thinks deer would have long migrated out of there?

Lots of snow and big timber, fine. Lots of snow and that shrubbery? .... I dont think so. I'd look for more of a wintering zone than that. Just my thoughts

[HarryToolips]

^^^I would think the same but I have been told that some deer stay high until the snow gets belly deep..I haven't investigated tthis myself because my late season spots are lower elevation ....

[twoSevenO]

^^^I would think the same but I have been told that some deer stay high until the snow gets belly deep..I haven't investigated tthis myself because my late season spots are lower elevation ....

sure, proguide preached it for years as well .... chest deep snow, but in big timber, where there's food dropping off the trees all day. This kind of terrain, i dunno .....

[joshbazz]

Am I the only one who thinks deer would have long migrated out of there?

Lots of snow and big timber, fine. Lots of snow and that shrubbery? .... I dont think so. I'd look for more of a wintering zone than that. Just my thoughts

Interesting, that's what I was wondering.... tracks looked somewhat fresh to my amateur eyes, but I didn't see any other sign...

^^^I would think the same but I have been told that some deer stay high until the snow gets belly deep..I haven't investigated tthis myself because my late season spots are lower elevation ....

Also interesting, would be cool to run into a big old buck...

[Kill-da-wabbit]

Some summary info from a mule deer study in southern BC. It contradicts the idea that the bucks are in the big old growth in the winter and in the new growth in summer - exactly the opposite actually. The study was called "Habitat Selection by Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in southeastern British Columbia. "

"At a landscape scale, females sought winter habitats with 46-65% crown closure, and fewer stands with <25% closure compared to the available landscape. These values vary slightly from the level of crown closure (≤ 40%) designated for mule deer winter range in the Kootenay region of B.C., however both sexes sought older stands in summer and younger stands in winter, contrary to current ungulate winter range designation."
" In winter, deer selected stands with 6-15% and 26-35% closure. In summer, deer selected for greater canopy closure with values higher than 65% preferred. ""In winter, both males and females selected for shrub habitats and avoided spruce/fir."

"Male and female mule deer responded similarly to both slope and aspect at the patch scale. Steep slopes were selected for in winter as were south facing slopes. Both sexes also used more east facing aspects than expected during both seasons although selection was less strong for females. "

[joshbazz]

Some summary info from a mule deer study in southern BC. It contradicts the idea that the bucks are in the big old growth in the winter and in the new growth in summer - exactly the opposite actually. The study was called "Habitat Selection by Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in southeastern British Columbia. "

"At a landscape scale, females sought winter habitats with 46-65% crown closure, and fewer stands with <25% closure compared to the available landscape. These values vary slightly from the level of crown closure (≤ 40%) designated for mule deer winter range in the Kootenay region of B.C., however both sexes sought older stands in summer and younger stands in winter, contrary to current ungulate winter range designation."
" In winter, deer selected stands with 6-15% and 26-35% closure. In summer, deer selected for greater canopy closure with values higher than 65% preferred. ""In winter, both males and females selected for shrub habitats and avoided spruce/fir."

"Male and female mule deer responded similarly to both slope and aspect at the patch scale. Steep slopes were selected for in winter as were south facing slopes. Both sexes also used more east facing aspects than expected during both seasons although selection was less strong for females. "

I wonder if this applies to Kelowna as well.... Thanks for the info!

[338win mag]

Where I am working, I haven't seen a deer in 2 months.
It is a wintering area that was loaded with old growth fir, there isn't much for the the big fir anymore which I suspect is part of a bigger problem.
I see a few tracks but no big deal, then it snowed heavy, about 2ft up higher, only about 6-8" below where I am working.

I can't get up high with the truck as I was pushing snow with the bumper, in the timber, lots of sign in the deep snow.
I figured the game would go lower to where I am working, but no.

It has been almost 2 weeks now since the heavy snow...and suddenly, there are tracks and sign down low, lots of it. I am not really hunting, then I see a nice big bodied buck @200yds, nose down, zig zagging looking for girls. I can't count 4 pts for sure so he walks.

My point....Mule deer will hang in the deep snow, bucks and doe's together, singular bucks are still cruising for girls and are not interested in food, but they will be interested in food again soon.

I haven't had time to hunt much this year until now, so....I am going to hunt a south-west slope with a couple inches of snow at the bottom and 2-3ft at the top. I am pretty sure they will be gathered mostly up high with the odd horny buck cruising lower.
I will hunt in the old growth timber and anything I see will be @100ft or closer.

The chances of me getting skunked are pretty good, lol, but I have shot crankers in there before and several days of silence is going to be good.

[joshbazz]

Now that you have laid down a trail, critters will be happy to use it too.
Next time in boots may be enough on the packed snow

Never thought of that, I’ll check that out. Thank you!

[joshbazz]

Where I am working, I haven't seen a deer in 2 months.
It is a wintering area that was loaded with old growth fir, there isn't much for the the big fir anymore which I suspect is part of a bigger problem.
I see a few tracks but no big deal, then it snowed heavy, about 2ft up higher, only about 6-8" below where I am working.

I can't get up high with the truck as I was pushing snow with the bumper, in the timber, lots of sign in the deep snow.
I figured the game would go lower to where I am working, but no.

It has been almost 2 weeks now since the heavy snow...and suddenly, there are tracks and sign down low, lots of it. I am not really hunting, then I see a nice big bodied buck @200yds, nose down, zig zagging looking for girls. I can't count 4 pts for sure so he walks.

My point....Mule deer will hang in the deep snow, bucks and doe's together, singular bucks are still cruising for girls and are not interested in food, but they will be interested in food again soon.

I haven't had time to hunt much this year until now, so....I am going to hunt a south-west slope with a couple inches of snow at the bottom and 2-3ft at the top. I am pretty sure they will be gathered mostly up high with the odd horny buck cruising lower.
I will hunt in the old growth timber and anything I see will be @100ft or closer.

The chances of me getting skunked are pretty good, lol, but I have shot crankers in there before and several days of silence is going to be good.

Thanks for sharing! Are you setting up camp out there, or day hunting it?

I’m trying to convince myself to try backcountry winter camping for the 1st time lol, and save the drive back and forth (about an hour each way) as well as the hike...

[338win mag]

Thanks for sharing! Are you setting up camp out there, or day hunting it?

I’m trying to convince myself to try backcountry winter camping for the 1st time lol, and save the drive back and forth (about an hour each way) as well as the hike...

Camper with wood heat. I am well rested for a full day of hunting, then back to camp for a leisurely evening. I don't like hunting all day then a longish drive home, then straight to bed. I also don't like a longish drive out to my intended spot. I just save up my time to hunt for a string of days, it works for me.