Dr. Bronson Strickland is the co-director of the MSU Deer Lab and is a wildlife specialist. He shares his insight from years of research on the whitetail deer and deer movement.
Deer movement is motivated by food until breeding season. But most of the year, deer bed where they feel secure. Deer are ruminants and during that bedding time is when they are fully digesting their food. When the deer gets hungry again, they go back out to feed. Those movements are typically at sunrise and sunset. There are times when deer move throughout the day, but they usually bed during the day and at night. If there is increased hunting pressure, you may see that movement decrease. Deer may tend towards shorter distances and time of movement during hunting season. When they do move in high-pressure times, they will move more in cover than out in the open, exposing themselves to deer hunters.
Home Range of Whitetail Deer
About 70 percent of yearling bucks will disperse from where they are born. Once they set up their home range, it's usually between 600 to 1,000 acres. This area also depends on the quality of the habitat. Deer need food, cover and water. If a habitat meets all those needs, then deer won't move as much. They may be confined to 200 to 300 acres if an area meets all the deer's needs. During the rut, that home range expands.
The Mature Buck’s Travel Range During the Rut
Whitetail buck movement increases during the rut. They will move miles away from where they normally range in search of a doe to breed. There are some bucks that will stay in their home range, others will move away during October and November and others may extend somewhat from their home range but not too much. A buck's movement during the rut just depends on that individual deer's personality.
Best Weather Conditions for Deer Hunting
Anywhere you can go with the least amount of disturbance to the deer is when you need to go deer hunting. Deer are going to move every day, so rainy weather affects the hunter more than the hunted. The main weather factor to consider is the wind. You want to be sure the wind conditions and wind direction are favorable for you to get in and out without being detected by deer.
How Does a Cold Front Affect Deer Movement?
Deer will move every day, but you may find some increased activity as the temperature gets colder. That activity is always associated with some extreme event, such as an extreme temperature change, wind increase or barometric pressure change that occurs in concert with the weather change.
Moon Phase Movement
Another factor that may affect deer movement is the moon phase. It seems that for every theory on deer movement during a given moon phase, there are three conflicting theories. There is also a degree of superstition around moon phase movement. If a hunter takes a mature buck on a full moon, he will forever believe that deer move more often on a full moon. Dr. Bronson has also researched deer movement during the moon phases to determine if it has any effect on when deer move. For more on deer movement and all things moon phase, check out Dr. Bronson’s work, as well as other biologists at Mossy Oak.
Every deer hunter is trying to determine when there is buck movement. Not just when they are moving, but why they are moving. There is no simple answer to these questions. Variables like the rut, food source, cover, water, wind and weather all affect buck movement. We are lucky that biologists at the MSU Deer Lab are researching the when and why of deer movement. The hope is Dr. Bronson has helped you process what is fact, fiction and superstition. The science behind the when and why could put you on a big buck this year.
FAQs
4 Key Factors To Predicting Whitetail Movements
- The Sun. It's no secret that deer are Crepuscular creatures, moving mainly at dawn and dusk on the edge of darkness. ...
- The Wind. What exactly makes a mature buck feel safe? ...
- The Weather. ...
- The Moon.
A high, stable barometer is also good hunting. After compiling our results, whitetails seem to move best when the pressure is between 29.90 and 30.30 inches with the best movement occurring at the higher end of that range, around 30.10 to 30.30 inches.
What triggers deer movement? ›
"Temperature drives movement more than rain, so changes in temperature that can occur with rain or storms may cause deer to change their movement patterns based on whether they are trying to stay warmer or cooler. It does seem like deer may move more pre and post rainstorm...
What is the way of movement of a deer? ›
When deer are on their feet, they tend to use the wind to their advantage, even if they don't walk straight into the wind. They'll circle downwind of areas they aren't sure about, wait until dark to move when the wind isn't in their favor, etc.
What is the best app to predict deer movement? ›
DeerCast predicts whitetail movement down to the hour based on weather variables in your area. With maps, a deer recovery tool, and thousands of hunting videos and articles, it's everything you need in one app!
What affects deer movement the most? ›
However, it is easy to forget one of the most significant weather factors in deer movement: barometric pressure. It's only common for us hunters to start paying more attention to the weather as deer season starts. Naturally, we are aware of every single change in the atmosphere.
Do deer move more when pressure is rising or falling? ›
“The higher the pressure, the better the movement,” said Mark Drury of Drury Outdoors. “That movement just follows the pressure. Much like the stock ticker goes up and down, the deer movement goes the same way.”
What causes deer not to move? ›
There are times when deer move throughout the day, but they usually bed during the day and at night. If there is increased hunting pressure, you may see that movement decrease. Deer may tend towards shorter distances and time of movement during hunting season.
How often do deer travel the same path? ›
Although a buck may not take over a similar route for 1-2 years, you can count on another buck to pick up the same travel pattern typically within 2-3 years.
How long after sunrise do deer move? ›
Deer Move Best 2 Hours After Daylight, and This Study Proves It - Realtree Camo.
In general, rain means nothing to whitetails unless it's pouring cats and dogs. When this happens, all wildlife (and human life) activity stalls until the storm is over. But when rain is light or only a steady drizzle falls, deer just go about their business as if it were a sunny day.
What time do deer move the most? ›
Deer are crepuscular, which is a fancy way of saying they are most active during those twilight hours of dawn and dusk, which is when most deer hunters, including myself, are out trying to bag a deer.
How do deer sleep? ›
What is this? Deer sleep in short bouts while they rest to maintain alertness, and their head position changes constantly. They may lay their head on their side, like this young buck is doing, or sleep with head up. Different species obviously must sleep differently.
Can deer see you move? ›
That, and the physical arrangement of light-sensing rods and cones (more on that in a bit) are why deer don't see elevated hunters as well as those at "eye" level. They still pick up movement, and can shift their attention with a simple tilt of the head, but they're generally less concerned with what's above them.
Where do whitetail deer go during the day? ›
Most deer will spend their daytime sleeping peacefully in their bedding areas but in some situations they may venture out to feed or explore new territory. During daytime, deer are most active when in rut or when it's raining – they will be looking for shelter fast.
Can deer see you if you don't move? ›
“You'd probably do as well with a blurry camo. That's why deer struggle to see stationary objects, but easily see moving objects. Their eyes catch movement much better than our eyes can.”
What is the best time for deer movement today? ›
Time of Day: For whitetail deer the most active times typically occur around dawn and dusk, with periodic increases in activity overnight. Plan ahead and get out there during the right time of day to increase your chances of success.
What time of day do deer move? ›
Deer are most active during the twilight hours of dusk and dawn. Most sleep during the day. They typically feed in the early morning hours before sleeping and then again in the evening and through the night. However, deer can also be active during the day and even midday, especially during rut and around the full moon.
