How does the snow/cold affect the Mule deer behaviour

[Logan]

Alright so after hunting for most of October I found a really great spot to hunt that people couldn't get to from Quad or road so I wasn't dealing with a billion road hunters every time I went out. Thing is that I went in there a few times, saw deer every single time, and then I left on Sunday night as it was starting to snow and the does were there.... I went back the other night and hiked in and sat and sat, and walked around, and I couldn't find any sign of them!~ Have they left because it snowed? Also I was wondering if anyone has used those scent sticks or rattling to bring in mule bucks?

I Mon and Tues off work as well as the stat for remembrance day next week, so I really hope to use this little vacation to get my big buck this year and any suggestions would really help. I know its a little early for what I understand as the peak rut but its all I could get off work.


thjx

[mikeman20]

If the snow covered their food they might go looking where the snow is less deep

[wideopenthrottle]

If the snow covered their food they might go looking where the snow is less deep
I agree with this for does especially.....and once the rut is on the bucks will go to where the doe s are

[tomahawk]

The snow would have to be pretty substantial to push the does away if in fact they are in that area to eat and be safe. I hunt every November in 8" to 20" of snow at 5000ft above sea level. Does are always there year after year, when the snow gets deeper then that I notice a drop in numbers.

The area you hunt must have south facing slopes where there is less snow and easier access to food? How much snow was there? There wild animals so anything is possible.

[4pointer91]

Over the years I have noticed that mule deer do not move as much doing a snowfall, once it stops snowing they seem to move around a lot more. This is just my personal experience.

[Salty]

Not all Mule deer migrate much if at all but some do big time typically out of higher elevation areas to wintering grounds. It starts in some areas as early as the first heavy frost that kills all the herbaceous plants (tender leafy plants that die in the winter). Some of the common areas that deer migrate out of are 100 mile area, upper Kettle Valley and uplands of the Fraser river in the south Chilkotin. Maybe your area is an area where MD migrate?

[Logan]

there was probably only 4 inches of snow where I was hunting, and there is a mix of slopes facing all directions, it is a fairly large area. they could still be nearby but not on the face that I had previously seen them a few times I guess? the elevation certainly isnt 5000 ft tho

[Logan]

i'm hunting near Kamloops. I did see one doe in the area as i was driving out just when it was getting dark, but I never saw the herd of about 8-10 I had seen in previous days just before the snowfall. i'm just trying to figure out if I should stick it out in the area and hunt it hard, or if I should move on and find somewhere else as I only have from this Saturday until Remembrance day to do the rest of my hunting for the year :(

[Logan]

And does anyone use those scent sticks? it looks like incense, and I actually think it smells kind of good. I bought some for just to see but I dont wanna keep spending money if it doesnt work lol

[Coachman]

Where i hunt, the mule deer seem to hang around a spot for a couple days, move for a couple and then come back. Like they are on a loop..

Perhaps this is the case? . Id head back in there and check for sign. Easy to see if the sign is new seeing as you know when the snow fell.

Every area is different, and this is just my observation from the area I hunt.

[Logan]

I will be heading back in there Saturday morning with my headlamp on you betcha. Hopefully I see some big buck tracks in the snow!! If not I have a second place scouted out, but it can get a bit busy with people driving around the area looking from the roads

[Sofa King]

they ain't gone just because of some snow.
in fact, everything gets better WITH the snow, tracking, blood, quiet(unless it gets crunchy), easier to drag, etc.
and beer stays cold all by itself now.

[Logan]

hahahaha ya maybe I can call a buck in with the sound of cracking open a fresh can of Pilsner?

[two-feet]

I would for sure go back to the same area

[Jagermeister]

Makes it harder for them to hide their tracks.

[tomahawk]

you have the right spot, lots of does and no humans. now work it over . let us know what tracks you find this weekend. 4 inches of snow doesn't faze on them at all, they are just hangin in another part of the area, find it

[dino]

Where i hunt, the mule deer seem to hang around a spot for a couple days, move for a couple and then come back. Like they are on a loop..

Perhaps this is the case? . Id head back in there and check for sign. Easy to see if the sign is new seeing as you know when the snow fell.

Every area is different, and this is just my observation from the area I hunt.
this is one of the few ways MD pattern. I see this in the early season almost every year, if the sign is there they will eventually loop back.

[Ferenc]

Did you find any beds in this area.. If so this is the first place I would go to in your area : )

[Logan]

I haven't noticed any beds, although I went in this morning and I saw about 6 does and a little spike buck!! argggg where are the 4 pointers lol

[northernbc]

good job so far, with those does there I bet that there is a bigger one around,he will let the spiker hang around until the does are ready then move in and take over. stay with them and your time will come.