Spokane area deer movement

[Kpem]

What is everyone noticing as far as activity and time of day the deer are moving. I've been hitting an area where I KNOW deer are present for the past week or so and I'm always in an hour before sunrise in the AM and stay till it's too dark to see in PM. I haven't been seeing nearly any deer in comparison to weeks prior and beginning of September.

How affected are the deer by the real clear days we've been having and the full moon?

[Miles]

Full on rut.  They're chasing.






 

[HunterofWA]

Could be the rut but you'd expect more daylight activity if that was the case, I assume that the deer have just got there winter coats and there trying to avoid moving around during daylight because they get a lot warmer with that big fur coat. During this time, deer will be most likely bedding next to creeks and bedding on north facing slopes in shading areas. The way I harvested my BT doe this year was because I was hunting on the edge of a clear-cut (used by deer as a transitional zone)  that was covered my mature conifer and deciduous trees that helped shade out the area thus making it a cooler and more comfortable place to bed down during the hot hours of the day. 

[Kpem]

Idk if it's rut yet... but the deer I've seen have been hard horned. Shouldn't they respond well to grunts and rattling right now if it's even pre-rut/rut?

I sat on a north facing slope today at a decent vantage point where I'm pretty sure deer bed near. But only heard a little activity here and there (cracks, rusting, ect.) but nothing reared its head.

On the upside I did hear some long off bugles and very close cow calls for those elk hunting

[DaveMonti]

I think we are a good month away from any deer rutting, and probably more like 6 weeks.  It's just hot and they are nocturnal. 

[Kpem]

My thoughts exactly. And full bright moon doesn't help at all. Hoping the weather pouring in this weekend will help get em moving Saturday morning or tomorrow afternoon even.

Till then I'll keep sitting above the north facing slopes till late and I'm early.

[DaveMonti]

I missed the chuckle face at the bottom of Miles post!  I was wondering why someone would think the rut is on, and "full on"
 

[Kpem]

Hahaha damn. Also guilty, at least I decided against coming across like a total *censored* lol

[Miles]

I've had days like you are taking about around Spokane.  Keep putting in the time because it can all change in one day and there are deer moving around everywhere.

I used to like hunting one of my spots when it rained.  On a sunny bluebird day they would just bed and hold tight.  I still hunted an area one morning and didn't see anything.  Around noon it started raining and I saw over 20 deer in about two hours all up moving around.

Good luck and yes I was joking about the rut.  .  Wait till the last three days of late season for that around Spokane.

[jasnt]

I think we are a good month away from any deer rutting, and probably more like 6 weeks.  It's just hot and they are nocturnal. 

[Henrydog]

I live in Spokevegas as well, I have a old apple orchard behind my house.  The deer show up right at dark and flee for the greenbelts at dawn, I have to watch for the little suckers when I leave for work.  I think they bed for the vast majority of the day, and let us stupid people go to work make noise all day, when everyone goes to bed, they come to out eat

[Kpem]

Good to know. This morning on the way in it was at least an hour before sunrise prob almost 2, and there was deer out moving. Right now as I write this all movement has calmed down the past 40 minutes or so. I agree, think they're moving at night with the big moon and hot days. Tonight might get them moving though with the storm coming in Saturday. Fingers crossed.

[HunterofWA]

You'll definitly see a difference in deer activity right as the rain stops this weekend, and possible more just before the rain

[DaveMonti]

Go get them!  Let us know how you do and what level of activity you see!

[dwils233]

I can only speak to the more urban deer in the 9 mile area but I still am seeing most movement well after dark in that area and I only see the bucks at that time. I think its still just a little too warm and early for more daytime movement