Warm Weather Whitetails

[paleoman]

#4854

Here in Michigan, it’s hard for me too get excited until the weather cools off a bit. It was near 80 today. That said, do you southern guys that have no choice early on bother hunting mid-day when it’s that warm? Or anyone else for that matter?

[Ralph]

#34473

I know what you mean. it’s been near 90* here all week. Cold front gonna blast through Friday night and Saturday so Sunday we going. Would go earlier but I have no desire to hunt in 40-50 mph winds. Some say it’s doable but when there is no forest to block the wind…………….. 😀

I was out a couple of days ago and nada moving in the hot weather. Cool down should help.

[1shot]

#34483

early Bow here in Az it was hitting 102 in the valley, 90’s in the MT’s… Mozzies and chiggers feasting…

[Col Mike]

#34505

Paleo

Thanks for that post. Although season has been on for a couple of weeks temps have been in the 70’s. I just don’t feel right unless there is a nip in the air. Good time for scouting. Whitetails here are moving very early and very late.

I will wait for cool weather.

Mike

[Doc Nock]

#34509

Deer have on their winter coats up here where it gets cold. We had the last 3 weeks of great cool days and chilly nights…now like you, 80-83* today and into the weekend for our opener on Saturday… all I’ll do out there is stink up my stand location! 😆

But it’s 3 hrs away, so I’m going to go and sit for a while anyway. I figure they’ll not move much in the heat of the day… can’t peel layers like I can…so I might just need to take a snooze in the back of the truck!

[Ptaylor]

#34733

You know I usually do the early morning til the thermals shift take a nap hunt the evening. But I’ve seen does, bucks, and bears out feeding in the middle of the day when its hot. In a book called “Blacktail Trophy Tactics”, Boyd Iverson states that big bucks will get up during the middle of the day to eat, staying within 100 yards of their bed, and if you know where they bed you can have a chance. And he also says that in the early seasons when bucks are still looking for nutrients to grow antlers they move more during the day.

Sometimes I wonder if I’m missing something during my midday naps…? But I’m with you guys, it feels a lot better with some chill in the air.

[Doc Nock]

#35123

I’ve tried the “all day” thing when I was younger. Two observations:

ONE: If the climate tends a bit more warm, I suppose that the deer can acclimate, but if it’s an area that is normally cooler, then a late hot spell will shut down actual travel

TWO: Your good point about being close to bedding areas makes total sense. We lack bedding areas in the area I hunt…we’ve purposely cruised it off season and never found a single bedding area except a few “resting” spots that vary.

When it’s this HOT, I’ve not seen anything move when it’s to be more temperate and animals have their winter coats on!

Alas, perhaps it is just ME that has gotten where sitting all day with sweat running down my nose just doesn’t seem to cut it in the deer hunting and scent management department!

[tailfeather]

#35148

This time of year, as hot as it is, I only hunt early and late.

[Dan Sweeney]

#35313

I am not a fan of hunting in the heat (at least for deer. Dove…different story.), but I will do it. Down here the past few years, if I waited for cold weather, they’d be all shot out and nocturnal before I ever set foot in the field. We haven’t had a winter to speak of since I moved back to arKansas. Pretty much skipped from late summer to mid Spring every year. It’s a little unsettling.

But in short, I will hunt in the heat, but it’s less than the ideal experience.

[mhay]

#35332

I prefer those glorious days that start out in the 30’s and top out in the mid-forties . But , we can’t have all of them the way we want , can we ?

This week end will be my first time out this season , for deer that is . Warm or not I will be going . It’s going to be warm saturday,,,cooler on sunday . If I am furtunate to make a harvest I’ll simply have to hurry things along to get it quartered and in the fridge. Hunting less than 10 miles from the house is a convenience . Once the cooler air of fall settles in I’ll be on the public hunting area which is a mite farther from home .

[William Warren]

#35745

Not retired yet so can’t be too choosy about when I go so if we have highs in the 80’s I go early and late although the deer do move at midday I just don’t care to hunt in the heat. As was already said if we wait too long they will be spooked by the other season hunters out “scouting” and putting up stands etc. However, I do look forward to the first few crisp mornings with the leaves changing and falling all about. Nothing like it.

[jason samkowiak]

#35995

Like you Im a Michigan guy and dealing with the heat as well. In the evenings I hunt just the last 3-4 hours.

In the mornings in my area (big woods northern Michigan state land) I find that when the days are hot the deer really use the cooler mornings longer. Just the other day on 10-2 I hunted a spot in the am and saw deer traveling a funnel I was in just about every half hour all the way until 12:15. then it died off and I got down at 1pm.

On the opener I hunted a different spot in the am and saw 3 does right after first light, then nothing until 11am when I saw 2 does. then 10 minutes later a spike, and at 11:40 3 more does.

I think they know when its gonna be a hot day so they use up as much of the “comfortable” morning as they can then bed down until evening. where as normal temps they move some mid day.

Also last year i don’t remember the temp on opening day but killed a nice doe at a little after noon. Also killed a doe the next day on private land at 10:50am and a coyote at 11:30.

So i like to stay longer in the mornings as in my area the deer move later.

[Doc Nock]

#36300

Thanks, Jason. I’m headed out today to a central PA area to hunt our opener tomorrow.

That makes some fine sense what you wrote…I’m glad I caught this before I left. I was torn on how to handle the heat before heading back, but this really makes some good sense!

I’m on new ground this year, so will have to play it by ear and try to let my “gut” make some judgements. The deer always like when I do that, cause 90% of the time my gut is wrong!

But i like your logic and might see if I can hold out longer in the AM tomorrow!

With mid 60’s forecast for overnight, I’d hate to shoot one late and then not be able to find it in the thick understory… till daylight.. Sour deer would sour my whole year!

[David Fudala]

#38416

You guys are spot on with my own personal observations as well. As soon as the winter coats come in, the bigger the deer, the less they move in the heat. Morning travel corridors are gold during warm weather and of course a secluded water source late in the morning can be magical! Afternoons can be terribly slow as deer will tend to wait for the temps to drop close to dark. Ya got to sneak in real tight to bedding areas to increase your chances of catching one up early.

[Ralph]

#40957

It has cooled down for a few days, mid 30’s at night. I went out today and saw several whitetail does early and a 3 buck gang of muley bucks. A small 4×4, a forky, and a spike. Seems they outsmarted me by bedding on a north slope with south wind at their backs and a clear view forever. Clever devils! I elected to try another day rather than spook them into the next county. The area they’re in is best hunted with a north wind and we have one coming Friday 😛

[Doc Nock]

#41535

Good luck, R2!!

Our opener was as expected…soaking wet sweated till I humped up the ridge to my stand. Cooled down after a bit, but even slow moving didn’t help…very humid. Fog, etc.

No acorns in those woods anywhere to speak of, red, white or chestnut oaks didn’t bear fruit. Got down about 10 to scout more since its a long haul to where I hunt and I don’t get much scouting time… and something moved off in a hemlock thicket behind me…

Saw nothing until a cloud cover moved in, light drizzle for 10 min… that evening it was still HOT, but some doe/fawns moved into a open winter wheat field! 200 yrds is a long shot for my longbow!

[Author]

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