Snow pushing deer out of patterns above treeline. ?

[Jordan Budd]

Hey guys and gals... So I've been hunting a particular mountain above timberline about 10,500. I had a group of bucks patterned all summer and the first couple days of season.. I was able to get back up there September 13 and it had snowed the 10th then again the day I packed in. With consistently seeing 8 different bucks the first couple days of season, it's now a ghost town up there. Most of the snow has now melted, and I just packed out to grab more food and possibly look at a different area.

Is it possible they will take back up their high pattern once they've been pushed into the trees now that the weather has moved through? More or less trying to figure if I should move to plan B spot that is also the same altitude or move below tree line all together. Thank you.

-Jordan


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[Muley Buck]

I had the same thing happen to me last year. I dealt with a lot of pressure on opening weekend too. I went back 6 times total and caught up with one of the 3 bucks on the third trip. We caught each other off guard and I took a hasty shot at 270yds and missed him. Never saw any of them again. I did see quite a few of the does back taking advantage of the area though.

 

[mtnrunner260]

I'd love to hear more experienced hunters tHan me weigh in, like Robby.
But I've had several "old timers" tell me that mature bucks don't start moving down until their man parts are dragging in the snow.

 

[SteepNdeep]

Stick with it in the high country I hunt about 10k ft and see this same thing yearly depending on how bad the storm is they will pull into the bottom of the basins into stands of pines or thick cover for 2-3 days. They will work there way back to the basins with no pressure. mtnrunner is right i've seen the big boys pushing snow with their belly's before trailing down.

 

[MuleyFever]

Like with most things deer related the answer is probably "it depends". I was in the high country this week for the CO muzzleloader hunt and the weather was turning to snow/colder situations. I hit a few spots from about 10k to 12k and did not see a single mature buck. I saw lots of does and 1-2 year old bucks. I know there were mature deer around earlier in the year.

 

[Bar]

Younger bucks and does move from snow fairly fast. The mature bucks will hang out up high longer. Of course, when getting nearer the rut the bucks will come down no matter what the weather is.

 

[justin davis]

The unit I was in the big mature bucks dropped down into the trees fairly quick. Weather was colder and wetter this year

 

[Bar]

Yes, in the trees below timberline, but not down to lower altitudes. Which to me means under 9000ft.

 

[wyodog]

I'm not sure of the dates you returned to hunt but the moon was approaching full around the time you mention. The moon can absolutely have an effect on mule deer feeding and movement patterns. I'm not discounting the weather but in my experience it takes a bunch of snow to move the big bucks early in the season. Hunting pressure, if there was any, will also play a big part in making the big boys hole up in cover and only come out at night. I found a group of bucks this past week that had completely relocated to a new basin during the night due to hunting pressure.

 

[Sierra stalker]

If the area gets much hunting pressure, I doubt a mature buck will return up into the open. After living thru 5+ seasons they know to stay out of the open. If the area recieves very little pressure there's a chance a mature buck could return. Lots of variables though.