Deer movement and warm weather....?

[ron w]

I was told a long time ago....the only foolish question is the one you don't ask! So, I'm sitting in upstate New York at the end of October and it's 50 degrees. I see very little game movement today. I was always told deer don't move when it's warm, and I'll buy that to a point. But what about down south.....places it's always warm. Are deer just acclimated to that kind of constant heat or do they slow down also. You see this is what happens when you sit for 3 hours and don't see anything....  

[GRINCH]

It's 80 plus down here Ron,deer do get acclamated to the weather conditions,down here we see movement during the day moving from one bedding to another,just have your high beams on when you drive at night.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Ron, deer movement definitely slows down in warmer weather,  as larry said down south they do acclimate to warm weather.  when its 50 degrees down there I bet the deer move more than when its 90-100.  

That being said sometimes you see deer in the hehatt of day.  sometimes they are bumped by someone or something. sometimes a young buck gets an urge, sometimes its just a hungry deer stiff from laying down too long.  

You never know, its best to be in the woods when you can, sometimes peices all come together.

[goldflinger]

Ron, I am sure waiting for the cooler weather that is supposed to arrive Friday here in Oklahoma. Saturday evening we were sitting in 82 degree weather and swatting mosquitos and dodging wasps. Very warm for October 20th. We also hunted Sunday morning and the temp. was 70 degrees at sunrise. Saturday some of our party saw deer moving but it was right at dark after the sun had set. Sunday the deer were moving early, but not much after an hour. It was also very windy. I think the warm weather slows the movement down some. I know I would sure rather it be cool, but cool here is 40's to 50's. I call 30's cold   :p

[gringol]

Deer still move in the heat.  Down here it's still 80 with lows of around 70.  You do see them move during mid day at times, but in general they spend most of their foraging time at night.

[GRINCH]

Goldfinger I grew up in oklahoma,In Ponca City,I now live in alabama and the weather here is pretty similar,at least in jan and feb it gets cold there.Go COWBOYS.

[ron w]

Thanks guys, I can remember hunting on opening day in the northern zone [Sept. 27] a few years ago and it snowed and move than once South of me I hunted on election day with 3 inches of snow on the ground.......the good old days...lol! My biggest problem when it's this warm is staying awake.

[Tim]

Warm down here in PA also.  Very little movement except by the young bucks and buttons.  They refer to this as the October lull, where the does are staying in their bed to prevent harassment from the younger bucks.  A little cold snap at this point should really get things going for the next couple weeks.

Even though it's warm I race to my stand late in the day.  Warm or cold it sure beats sitting at home or in the office!

Good luck buddy.....Tim

[Lee Viv]

I agree with Tim. Been warm here, and noticing most movement either before or after legal shooting hours. Of course a lot of that has to do with me hunting public land as well.

Typically the activity around here picks up the week of Halloween, which is next week, and it's supposed to get colder. I am in the woods right now, and it's 75 degrees!

Like somebody once told me, you can't see them or kill them sitting on the couch at home, so unless its a downpour, I am trying to get out as often as possible.

[Fritz]

Even in SW Louisiana warm temps mean night time movement, mostly.

[Mojostick]

Deer will still move, maybe not as much, but I've seen good deer on warm "later" October sits. The bigger concern with warm temps is finding and gutting the deer before the warm weather takes its toll.

[Longbow917]

Ron-  Had one of my best nights ever with my son last night, 72 degrees, but cloudy and humid (I think that helped).  Saw a 13pt, a 10, a 9, two 8s, a spike, and several does.  13 and 10 did battle for a short time, called the 10 (about a 150") to within 30-40 yds but he wouldn't close the distance.  Had the 9 (about 125") right at 25 yards from my son but too far for him!  It was an awesome night, the biggest deer my son has ever seen on the hoof.  We heard bucks grunting, yearlings bleating, he will remember it for a long time.  And it beats freezing your tukus off!  Cold snap for the weekend though and that ought to get them stoked, I can't wait!

[ron w]

LOL...Longbow917.....6 bucks in one sit, I don't care how warm it is that's just incredible. There is just not that kind of numbers here...even when it's cold...lol!

[cahaba]

I also have seen deer here move in the middle of the day when it was 80 deg.. I had rather have it cool though. I believe it helps.

[Roger Norris]

80 degrees here right now....

[Rob W.]

The cold is on its way this weekend. I bet the conditions are right to be the best weekend so far here. I'm going try to pull an all day sit Sat.

[USN_Sam1385]

I opted out of hunting this morning or afternoon due to the temps. I am going to hunt Friday evening when the front is just starting to roll through and Sunday early morning to mid day. Hoping to see a Buck or two..

[Longbow917]

I think Rob and Sam said it, pre-rut is really getting wound up and this cold snap coming through the midwest should really stir things up good.

[ron w]

Good luck with your cold front....we are looking at almost 70 here on Saturday.....      

[manitou1]

Depends on the climate those deer are acclimated to.  In the cooler climates, deer put on their winter coat, which has hollow hair.  This hair is much like us putting on a down coat.  The growth of winter coats, as-well-as most other seasonal physiological changes in the deer is triggered by "photoperiodism, or the length of daylight in any given day. When the days shorten, they develop heavy winter coats, whether they want to or not.  Anything over 60 degrees here in the Midwest and it becomes very warm for a deer to move around... kind of like us going to build fence in July with a down coat on.  Not saying they don't, or won't move as we all know better... but they their movement will slow down.
Southern deer have different reactions as their sub-species has been acclimated to NOT put on as much hollow hair and (probably) body fat due to the warmer climate.