Let's talk about this weather system (high buck)

[yakimanoob]

What do you guys think?  Will the snow and rain in the high country drive the deer down off the ridges?  Or will they hang out in the high country until real winter conditions start to come in later in the year? 

Trying to decide between a couple trailheads for this weekend.  Some have better ridgeline access, some are better for the basins.

[boneaddict]

No, they aren't going anywhere

[muleracks]

it has been our experience that a good cold rain is all it takes to convince the does, fawns and yearling bucks to exit the high country.  The bucks you will be after will stay at and above snow level.  The urge to migrate comes with a foot or more of snow or the hormones of late October.

[Skyvalhunter]

You have to go up after them.

[Watimberghost]

No, they aren't going anywhere

 

[grade-creek-rd]

Per a biologist that monitors one of the largest mule deer herds in Washington...they migrate out when the feed is degraded from it's nutritional value...in other words, when the feed freezes it starts to break down and when a deer eats all it can and is still hungry (not enough calories to stay warm) then it decides to move down. This is why when we have a "no snow" warm fall/winter and the guys who draw the "big buck" tags hardly see any big bucks, its because they stayed up high...nature usually coincides the degradation of feed and the rut as a way to improve the gene pool. Kinda cool if you believe this, as it really indicates the "bigger picture". Mission ridge usually gets its first real snow (sticks) around the last weekend of October...this is the indicator of the feed breaking down and the pre-rut...how ironic that our mule deer season usually ends right around then!

Grade

PS. long story short, the mature bucks won't come down until they have too...

[yakimanoob]

That makes a lot of sense, Grade, thanks!

[CGDucksandDeer]

If by "migrate down" you mean the mature bucks may spend less time in the exposed subalpine basins and are less likely to bed on top of 6,000'+ ridge lines where they spent the summer, and instead will spend more time in the timber, larch and brush a thousand feet or so lower, then I'd say yes. That was what I saw up there the last four days, and was my experience two High Hunts ago when we had similar September snow in the high country.

If you mean actually migrating down behind the does and yearlings into the mid-elevation forests and foothills where they'll spend the late fall, no. Not for another month unless we get some real serious snow.

[bigmacc]

No, they aren't going anywhere

 ...The big fellas will stay in snow up to their front bumpers(brisket), they know when its time to move. Food, water, and Mother Nature will be the triggers.

[heavyhorned]

 

Per a biologist that monitors one of the largest mule deer herds in Washington...they migrate out when the feed is degraded from it's nutritional value...in other words, when the feed freezes it starts to break down and when a deer eats all it can and is still hungry (not enough calories to stay warm) then it decides to move down. This is why when we have a "no snow" warm fall/winter and the guys who draw the "big buck" tags hardly see any big bucks, its because they stayed up high...nature usually coincides the degradation of feed and the rut as a way to improve the gene pool. Kinda cool if you believe this, as it really indicates the "bigger picture". Mission ridge usually gets its first real snow (sticks) around the last weekend of October...this is the indicator of the feed breaking down and the pre-rut...how ironic that our mule deer season usually ends right around then!

Grade

PS. long story short, the mature bucks won't come down until they have too...

[Bill W]

I believe the rut will move the big guys.  They will dust off their dancing clothes for disco fever.

[lord grizzly]

its funny how people think the high country just empties out September 30th. when I hunted Washington I spent October up in the "high buck" hunt, not September.

[Skyvalhunter]

Why would they leave so early? Besides 4 ft of snow forcing them down the does are not ready to breed so why not stay up. Chances are a lot of this latest snow will melt this weekend.