Who know deer behavior during winter ranging?

echoman · Jan 28, 2009

Back in the middle of December I found about 100 head of deer in the foothills of the mountain that I hunt every year. I watched them at least every other day for about 3 weeks. Each time out I was able to enjoy watching and filming two HUGE bucks through the spotting scope. I even took it one step further and found out who owned the property (640 Acres) and asked for permission to shed hunt it and GOT IT!! I was stoked! Then one day I went out and not a single deer to be found. A substantial amount of snow is still on the maountain and I can't find these deer for anything!
I guess my question is, do deer usually have a couple different areas they winter in? This area still has alot of feed and water, its on private ground, it seems perfect but then I'm not a deer. Do any of you have a pattern as to where and why deer winter and migrate? I'VE GOTTA FIND THESE SHEDS!!!!!!!!!!

JakeH · Jan 28, 2009

It almost sounds as if someone or something blew them out of there, that or they have moved to a different part of the property or a different property. Were they fairly easy to see from a main or fairly main road if so it wouldnt suprise me if some dumb ass didnt go spook them to see if they could get the bucks to drop there horns.

Good luck finding them.

Jake H. MM Member since 1999.

SHEDSTALKER · Jan 28, 2009

You're sure there is ample feed to support them still and that they haven't browsed the area clean already huh? If that really is the case, then what Jake said is probably a good bet on what happened.

HUNTINFORLIFE · Jan 29, 2009

That is about the same pattern that some deer i watch every year do about the middle of December they slowly start moving out. about the first or second week of January the deer start showing up in another area to shed there horns. I would start lookin a little further south for those deer.

one_dryboot · Jan 29, 2009

I think alot of it depends on snow depth, temp, feed. If there is not very much snow they will be up high. if there is alot of snow they will be down low. a few weeks ago there wasnt much snow and they were up high. They will change there area looking for a better spot with better feed, and all that good stuff.

or something spooked them? if they were chased out and they like the area they will be back

NeverStopHuntin · Jan 29, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Jan-29-09 AT 11:24AM (MST)[p]Pattern- Muleys???? Never heard of such a thing

Some of the deer i watch do that same thing. Mid december when the last of the rut has come to an end everything disappears

Another area i like to photograph the deer always take off about the first part of february.

There is a nice buck i've been watching this winter that seems to move every few days. He has traveled in a small group of bucks about five miles since the first of the year.

640 acres isn't enough land to contain a big number of deer for too long IMO

jcmuleys · Feb 8, 2009

I had a buck i was watching last year and the same thing happened but when i went in to look for him found a lion kill. Lions are great at relocating deer!
jc

BucksBullsandBroncs · Feb 9, 2009

I understand your frustration. I had been watching the deer herds all winter, but now the weather has turned warmer and they are scattered over at least 15 square miles of sage brush WMA. On top of that, it looks like the southern slopes in the higher country has melted. Where those bucks are.. who knows.
I would say the best bet would to be very mobile and carry a good set of binoculars. I'm trying to find a horse to ride also to cover more ground, plus you are higher up so its easier to see the sheds in the tall sage.
I did find something yesterday that really made my stomach churn. It looked like either someone lost their horses, shot them, or a critter got them. Their were two dead horses in a canyon on BLM land. Barf. I thought.. two elk... no, not elk. Who knows what the story behind that is.