Glacier Peak Wilderness mule deer migration and rut

[Skyvalhunter]

Yes the manson unit. The fall migration across lake Chelan is incredible. They get in these Huge rafts and float across the lake. From years of doing this they know to float in the morning before the winds of Chelan pick up in the afternoon. Then the Spring trek back is a thing to behold but they are not as worried as they are in the fall with their big racks potentially poking holes in the rafts. Its a migration everyone should witness.

[400out]

Yes the manson unit. The fall migration across lake Chelan is incredible. They get in these Huge rafts and float across the lake. From years of doing this they know to float in the morning before the winds of Chelan pick up in the afternoon. Then the Spring trek back is a thing to behold but they are not as worried as they are in the fall with their big racks potentially poking holes in the rafts. Its a migration everyone should witness.

I will go watch it if you sit there with me 

[Skyvalhunter]

Oh don't say that as I might just take you up on it just to take along the binos just to be out there reguardless.

[alecvg]

The rut gets bucks on the move -- be it in the high mountains or the low valleys.  This can drive a certain amount of deer down.  Heavy snows will bring the others down.  If a big buck as a fawn was taught to stay up high until he couldn't make it anymore then "migrate" down, I'm sure he will be a late "migrator".  If a buck as a fawn was taught to move down to easier conditions upon minimal weather, I would assume he would be an early "migrator".  Some of the deer are local (more than I bet a lot of hunters think).  Some of those elusive high country boys in my opinion, don't like anything but solitude.  I'm not sure if they even care too much about the rut.  My overall opinion is, the rut will get a lot of deer moving and noticible to hunters;  winter weather will bring the others down depending on severity.  

 

[wilsongideon]

Try this:

http://www.chelanpud.org/rr_relicense/study/reports/4768_3.pdf

well according to this deer do swim the lake? or am I looking at those gps tracking dots wrong?

[Lowedog]

That is what I got out of it.  Doesn't surprise me.  I have seen deer swimming across Banks Lake before and have heard of them swimming the Columbia. 

[JimmyHoffa]

They swim across the straits and between the islands.  Fishermen have seen them out past Neah Bay deer paddling their way across.

[kerrdog]

Sweet Picture!

[muleracks]

You guys are Full of It.   All the deer do migrate across the lake to sunny Manson, get eaten by the Methow Valley wolves and are never seen again.

That's way we call it the Deerless Entiat. There really is no reason for anyone to hunt the GMUs south of Lake Chelan (Entiat, Slide Ridge, Chiwawa, Clark, Swakane, Mission, Alpine); wolves ate them.

[Lowedog]