Mini Migration of whitetails

[Jack Whitmire Jr]

Any of you ever see a mini migration of whitetails?

Where I hunt/live the woods are broke up in small parcels (150 acres or less, mostly less)that has family ties and family hunts those parcels . My small parcel including the neighbors is 68 acres . If we have a total mast failure like this year the deer go somewhere there is green grass .

I can drive 2-3 miles away and see 50 deer in the fields . But they are sparse here at the house . During years of a good acorn crop they are everywhere . Anyone else see that ?

[Don Stokes]

Yes.

[Izzy]

My family property in mid central NY is absolutely barren of deer after a couple feet of snow but they don't go far, just down the mt a couple miles to corn/alfalfa fields.

[S C Mercer]

Absolutely.  They are grazers and will, without exception, follow the food source, even if it is miles away.  ~Steve

[TJK68]

I see the same thing. This year had plenty of nuts on my farm, but have saw what you are talking about in the past. I am fortunate in the sense though I have several big fields that border my farm, so when it happens, I just change my plans a little.
Tom

[onewhohasfun]

Back in the mid 90's I had a 400 acre farm to hunt in mid Michigan. We got 10 inches of snow in mid October, way early for that part of the country. I had about 120 whitetails come by my tree that morning, heading for the pine plantations in the hills. Never seen anything like it before or since.

[A.S.]

absolutely Jack, I am experiencing the exact same thing this year.

[ron w]

Up north of me in the Adirondacks the deer migrate great distances once the snows start. Even here in the Mohawk valley when the herds were up they would gather from miles around and stay till mid March. Food, water and shelter, that's what it's all about!!

[Cory Mattson]

Yes - where I hunt in WV deer will disperse into and remain heavy during mast drop - but leave in winter to reclaim and green fields sometimes miles.

In NC deer do seem focused on edge and private land covers be it horse pasture - neighborhood edge cover  - but also disperse into our hardwoods covers often adjacent public land during bow season - and every december these peidmont deer shift to green fields power lines by dec 1st - sometimes miles

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[TRAP]

Perfect example of the Optimal Foraging Theory.

[Gen273]

Originally posted by onewhohasfun:
Back in the mid 90's I had a 400 acre farm to hunt in mid Michigan. We got 10 inches of snow in mid October, way early for that part of the country. I had about 120 whitetails come by my tree that morning, heading for the pine plantations in the hills. Never seen anything like it before or since.

I bet that was something to see!

[Roadkill]

Got a pic of several hundred elk from  two weeks go. They were moving down for the winter enmasse

[Hopewell Tom]

I don't think a 2-3 mile "re-location" is an abnormality. Certainly bucks will travel that and more during the rut. Going to where the food is only makes sense.
That being said, it's very frustrating to have your woods suddenly empty.

[Cory Mattson]

yes lots of good points here - my deer "shifting" from hardwoods to green fields I would not consider a migration - but my deer in WV move 10 sometimes more miles so I"m thinking "mini" migrations. Both cases though these deer are up and gone - new cover - new bedding.

The other big point here is that for most of us we are no longer "free range" in that we hunt where we own, lease, have permission or use a piece of public land - in most of these cases if deer move or mini migrate we are not allowed to follow.

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[flinthead]

The woods behind my house are open without much food on the ground. During acorn season am usually overrun with deer. This year rarely see deer, and the ones around are heading to fields. Just hoping some big buck will take his current love around here to hide out with her.
Worst nut failure in at least 27 years. Guess the deer and squirrels will have to go to Hardees drive thru for lunch this winter.   Roy