California mule deer behavior

[Bcoonce117]

Hello, how long will you guys hunt high country for mule deer? (Our high country is considered like 7-10,000’) I am a believer if they aren’t chest deep in snow, then they will be there. Thoughts?

 

[Bcoonce117]

Hello, how long will you guys hunt high country for mule deer? (Our high country is considered like 7-10,000’) I am a believer if they aren’t chest deep in snow, then they will be there. Thoughts?

I guess I should clarify that I mean how late/ cold and snowy will you let it get

 

[WeiserBucks]

Where are you hunting that you think snow and migration might be a factor ?

 

[Bcoonce117]

In California at 9k-10k’

 

[Bcoonce117]

Where are you hunting that you think snow and migration might be a factor ?

 

[Bcoonce117]

D6 zone to be more exact. For obvious reasons I cannot say the exact location lol
.

 

[WeiserBucks]

The chances of enough snow in D6 to cause any deer to migrate are exceptionally small . It could happen, but counting on any appreciable snow during the general season would be the last thing on my radar .

 

[Smithb9841]

The chances of enough snow in D6 to cause any deer to migrate are exceptionally small . It could happen, but counting on any appreciable snow during the general season would be the last thing on my radar .

I would disagree with you on that one. It doesn’t happen every year but if we get a storm the last week of the season it definitely brings the deer down especially on the side of the zone Yosemite National Park is on.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I would disagree with you on that one. It doesn’t happen every year but if we get a storm the last week of the season it definitely brings the deer down especially on the side of the zone Yosemite National Park is on.

How many times have you witnessed it ? I've seen it once over 15 years ago. A few deer walking in the snow is completely different than a migration. It's not uncommon for Yosemite Valley to have a decent amount of deer in December and January.

 

[CApighunter]

I’ll be up in D5 for this storm. I think it’ll take more than two days of snow flurries to push the deer down. Could be some good hunting.

 

[Bubblehide]

Mule Deer do not migrate for a little snow, like Blacktail Deer do. Considering that we have been in a severe drought for the vast majority of the past 30 plus of minus years. As such, WeiserBucks is correct, and I have seen the data from collared deer to prove it.

What I have found though is that cold weather, rain, snow, no rain, no snow, but freezing weather during the season does cause the deer to move. Just not move to their wintering grounds. I have seen many more deer bedding in the transitions areas of summer bedding to fall/mild winter bedding areas. But I have never found them bedding on open southern slopes until after the season is over. The above 2 last sentences goes for bucks.

I have witnessed several migrations here in Ca. As WeiserBucks pointed out, it does not happen very often. But it has happened during the season. But it takes a very big storm that dumps a lot of snow to get them migrating. Is that likely to happen, unfortunately no. Can it happen, of course it can. Like many, I am hoping to have a valid tag and an open deer season when it does.

 

[Smithb9841]

How many times have you witnessed it ? I've seen it once over 15 years ago. A few deer walking in the snow is completely different than a migration. It's not uncommon for Yosemite Valley to have a decent amount of deer in December and January.

I usually have my deer tag filled most years that there has been enough But usually about every 4 years there will be an early storm that will push deer down. Will it push all the bucks down no. But there are a lot of deer and nice bucks that come down. I do agree with what bubble said the cold weather is really what pushes them down not so much rain storms but actual cold storms.

 

[amassi]

Hello, how long will you guys hunt high country for mule deer? (Our high country is considered like 7-10,000’) I am a believer if they aren’t chest deep in snow, then they will be there. Thoughts?

1- until they're gone down lower
2- when lower elevations have enough deer density and low hunter density that the odds of turning up a good buck without the effort of going up higher and competing with hunters- some drainages hunt real well with a couple guys tramping around above
3- lots of factors besides snow- alot of high elevation is summer range once it's out of water and forage bucks will move- also hunter pressure, pct hikers will all move bucks around.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[Bcoonce117]

My biggest problem every year is work. I usually work so much I don’t have time to go. And typically use most of my focus in archery season, so that why I was unsure how cold it would need to be for deer to drop a couple thousand feet in elevation. I have missed a few migration days during the season due to work lol.
I’m gonna keep hammering the high country. Hopefully start seeing less people now!

 

[Block]

Where I hunt in Cali the 7-9k stuff really looks BROWN and DEAD by the 2nd week of Oct...all the berries in the high elevation burns are gone... road hunters and tag eating camp groups pound the high country and send deer down into the canyons where acorns are ready to be picked up. I wouldn’t be caught dead hunting up high during general season.

 

[wjruss]

http://sierrabighorn.blogspot.com/2017/11/migrating-mule-deer-deaths-in-high.html

While quite unfortunate, I think there's some takeaways in regards to deer movement up high.

 

[CaliforniaMuley209]

I think the deer will move down simply because their feed burns off first, instead of snow pushing them down. Enough snow will do it I think but don't think one or two little storms will do much. All depends on the area and storm but I have heard of big California migrations in Late season storms in D3-5 / D6