How can determine Deer areas Fall Vs Winter Ground

[kush]

I'm Wondering how I can find out the whole 'deer migration' thing.

If I went scouting this summer from Merrit to Quesnel, would those dear also be there in October? November? December?

Are there some general rules to go by, or is it area by area / case by case?


Thx

[rocksteady]

They usually migrate out of the high country to lower elevations where food is easier to find. It's instinctual, I have seen them migrate down with no snow and have also seen mulies up to their bellies in snow.

they do not migrate halfway across the province like tundra caribou or wildebeests in Africa.

[HarryToolips]

Depends, some deer stay in their wintering areas year round, some move up as it greens up in the spring through fall etc...scouting is key year round..

[brian]

A big determining factor is snow levels. If snow levels are too deep then the deer need spend too much energy just moving around. Good winter range has a thick enough canopy to intercept a lot of the snow. Deer need three things in their winter range browse, thermal cover, and security cover. If their summer range does not provide any of this in winter then they will migrate. Local populations are non migrating deer in areas that meet these three basic all year round. Often local deer will follow snow lines as they move up and down the mountain side. So it all depends on the area, how much snow it typically gets, and whether it will meet the deers needs and when.

[wideopenthrottle]

A big determining factor is snow levels. If snow levels are too deep then the deer need spend too much energy just moving around. Good winter range has a thick enough canopy to intercept a lot of the snow. Deer need three things in their winter range browse, thermal cover, and security cover. If their summer range does not provide any of this in winter then they will migrate. Local populations are non migrating deer in areas that meet these three basic all year round. Often local deer will follow snow lines as they move up and down the mountain side. So it all depends on the area, how much snow it typically gets, and whether it will meet the deers needs and when.

wow excellent, comprehensive, and concisely explained

[RBH]

A big determining factor is snow levels. If snow levels are too deep then the deer need spend too much energy just moving around. Good winter range has a thick enough canopy to intercept a lot of the snow. Deer need three things in their winter range browse, thermal cover, and security cover. If their summer range does not provide any of this in winter then they will migrate. Local populations are non migrating deer in areas that meet these three basic all year round. Often local deer will follow snow lines as they move up and down the mountain side. So it all depends on the area, how much snow it typically gets, and whether it will meet the deers needs and when.

Good summary. I read a book by biologist Valerius Geist (Mule Deer Country) in which he explained that in mountainous areas bucks in particular tend to follow the snow lines because that is where the most digestible and nutritious food lies. In spring the snowline growth is new and highly digestible; in late fall with the advent of cold weather certain plants go through a change in cell structure that affords more energy to the deer. But generally, my understanding is that as stated by others there is some migration but it is food and shelter based and not wholesale migrations such as for caribou. Geist indicated that bucks move more than does and their young (and of course bucks will move to breed with does).