Hot Weather Patterns

[Guest johnc]

I know that the weather for this weekends coues hunt is going to be extremely hot throughout the state. My question is this does the warm weather create more movement in the evenings as the deer are thirstier and want to water or does it keep them down longer and they water at night? If the deer are getting up early to water, it could be a good time to get them in the afternoon. I have scouted and have seen several bucks, and I'm wondering if there patterns will change due to this heat. There are some monster bucks this year and I hope this weather doesnt screw up all the time I've scouted. It is hard to find them if they bed at 7 in the morning in thick stuff. What do you guys think they are going to do.

[More D]

I was also going to post a question about this same issue!

My question is about how the HOT weather combined with the fact that there is no moon affect this first hunt? Will they water at night? I would think (HOPE) that they will not water at night becaues of the lack of moon light. That combined with the fact that it is so HOT they will water during the day!?!? I don't know, what are your guys thoughts? Past experiences?

 

 

[CouesWhitetail]

Hi All,

 

I was out glassing for deer last weekend for the juniors hunt in unit 23 (roosevelt lake area). It was extremely hot!!! The weather forecasters said it was about 15 degrees above normal, and normal around there is still pretty darn warm this time of year.

 

Anyway, what we found was that they deer were most active from first light to about 8-8:30 am. But they were still only barely moving around. They were staying in the shade even in the early hours and only moving 50-150 yards all morning. Very small movements, in the shady areas. So it was very difficult for anyone to find them. In places where in January I might glass up 20 deer, I would see 3.

 

In the evening it was even worse. Deer seemed to not be moving around much at all in the evening.

 

Coues deer frequently water during the middle of the day, generally between 11-1 pm. I would expect them to do that in this hot weather. So if you sit a tank, make sure you watch it at least until early afternoon.

 

If you have already found some deer during scouting, they will probably be in the same areas. Just concentrate on glassing the parts of their home area that are the coolest and shadiest.

 

Also, in late morning concentrate on glassing the bedding areas that are well shaded. It is always harder to glass bedded deer, but they do get up and move around throughout the day to find a more comfortable spot. If you are glassing diligently, you may see them make these small movements.

 

The other way you might get some deer if you are unsuccessful glassing is to slowly walk the bedding areas and you might jump one up and get a shot. Or have a buddy walk the bedding area while you are across the canyon looking for the deer getting up.

 

Good luck to everyone!

 

Amanda

[cmc]

I took a few rookies out Coues hunting this weekend and that's what we found too.

 

Movement opening morning till about 8-9 then you either had to jump them or glass them. When or if they did move it was at the bottom of the canyons.

 

Friday I packed out a nice little 3X3 a friend got around 5pm but didn't see a buck on Saturday. The wind combined with the head didn't help much. Burned up lots of shoe leather and still trying to pry my eye balls off my Wind Rivers.

 

I got the Nov hunt and hoping for cooler weather.

 

cmc

Edited January 1, 1970 by cmc

[Arizona Griz]

Our boys hunt was the same way. The heat kept the deer, what little there were, from moving much past 9 o'clock. The wind didn't play much of a factor until after Saturday afternoon.

Arizona Griz.