Northern hunters, DO NOT LAUGH

[springmom]

OK: This question is for those SOUTH of the Mason-Dixon line, I think.

On Friday morning, it is going to be around 20 degrees in my favorite forest. Needless to say, I can't resist. However, the hubster and I were talking about whether he can have a "bad sushi day" and come hunting (that's when you call your boss and you can't come in because you "ate some bad sushi" the night before.... but I digress). He was wondering whether there is such a thing as a day (down here) when it's actually too cold to hunt. IOW, if we have a REALLY deep cold snap (especially less than a week after we actually needed the AIR CONDITIONING for a day!!! ) does it negatively affect hunting?

And is there any point whatsoever in even bothering with deer scents (doe in estrus stinky stuff) when it's that cold?

Springmom, who can't wait and is sternly telling her hip tonight to shut up and stop complaining!

[hawken50]

sorry, i couldn't resist.

i don't know about down there, but up here it's got to be alot colder than 20 for the deer to quit moving.

(and i go back to grumbeling about shoveling the 2 feet of snow we have.)

[siotwo]

MOM, if your not out there during this cold snap...well your just crazy

[springmom]

....It kills the fire ants and fleas.

But seriously, what we were batting around was what the effect on deer is to have that BIG temperature drop. Sort of like if you got a 25 degree day in September. IDK about you, but I wouldn't stick my nose out of the door; yet after things have been cool off and on for awhile, 25 isn't so bad (if you're dressed for it).

So, since deer can't put on their longjohns and Thinsulate lined gloves and boots, what does that big old Arctic WHAM do to them? Do they huddle and stay warm like they do in a cold rain? Or is it "hot d$@n, time to party"?

Springmom

[Twycross]

I don't think temperature drops would have a really big effect on deer. After all, they are active in the (very) early morning, and up here, that can mean sub-zero temperatures.

*considers tomorrow's expected high of 23 degrees F, and chuckles*

[DimitriS]

Well south of the Dixie line from some people I know that have lived there or other hunters I have met online I got to say anything under 5C (Celsius dont know what that is in F sorry) is too cold for deer hunting

Now up here and for me personally There isnt a too cold to go out tempurature. I am too used to the cold and I love it as a matter of fact

Cold + Snow + Winds is much better then hot and humid

As for the deer if its old and windy from what I have been told they hide in the deeper parts of the woods to keep the wind away from them and they lay down

Dimitri

[impact]

springmom I have found the when we have a cold snap the deer stay put till it warms up in the middle of the day.

Now I have hunted up north and it is way different! If you can get out in the middle of a snow storm and wait? When the snow stops and the wind stops blowing the deer will be out. And I mean right after the snow stops. If you wait an hour after the snow and wind stops you are to late!

[Iowa Cornfed]

Well, actually most times a cold snap will kinda spur a little more movement. In fact if it's been rather mild, we're always hoping and praying for a drop in temps, and/or a storm of some kind to kinda jump start 'em.

But yeah, if the rut is over and the temps fall out of the bottom, they'll tend to hole up in the hollows. (which is why a huge majority of folks here in Iowa do the drive hunt thing. Not my kind of hunting, but gets it done)

Been real nippy here, our early shotgun season started Saturday, when I left the house to walk to my stand, it was 1 degree, today it was -4, and in the morning it's supposed to be -4 again with a high of 7 degrees. (the wind chill is supposed to be 25 below). But the deer are still moving (relative to the reduced rutting activity)

If the rut is still on in your area, and you like to use estrus scent, I'd go for it. I don't think the cool temps will impact that at all one way or the other.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!

[Capt. Charlie]

Actually, if that is a significant drop for your area, they will bed down. In the study of ecology, there are Black's Law and Brown's Law, both derived from the laws of thermodynamics. Now I get these two mixed up all the time, but one deals with the concept that larger bodies conserve heat better than small ones, and the other is based on the fact that sharp edges and points disperse heat better than round or spherical surfaces. How does this apply to deer (or most warm blooded animals, for that matter)? These are the (theorized) reasons that animals of the same species tend to be larger the further North you go (or South for you Aussies ), and that appendages such as ears tend to be thicker, more rounded off, and closer to the main body the further North you go. All of this means that they have adapted to their particular environment, and while northern deer may not be uncomfortable until the temperatures drop into the single digits, southern deer, adapted to higher temperatures, begin to become uncomfortable at much higher temperatures. 20 degrees to them would be equivalent to single digit temps in the northern US, or minus double digit temps at the arctic circle.

[Iowa Cornfed]

Actually, if there's a "significant" drop in temps I BED DOWN!

[spacemanspiff]

20 degrees is perfect skinny dipping weather.

the ability to handle cold temperature is all in your head. if you have convinced yourself that its 'cold' at a certain temp, you will always believe it.

[hivel37]

Cornfed's got the right idea. I hunted during the Christmas freeze of 1983 near Crockett, TX. Temps were in single digits. Saw nothing. Never again.

[DimitriS]

the ability to handle cold temperature is all in your head. if you have convinced yourself that its 'cold' at a certain temp, you will always believe it.

Thats exactly what I tell people I know!

Now I have met someone that understands. Cold is cold sure but its all in your head. Unless ofcourse your getting frost bite

Dimitri

[spacemanspiff]

if you just stand out in the cold, yeah it gets to you. but if your mind is focused on something in particular, you forget everything else.

there are two important things to remember when prepping for cold temps:

layer your clothes.
dont trap all the heat in, because that will make you start to sweat. 'breathable' clothing is your friend.

[Twycross]

20 degrees is perfect skinny dipping weather.

the ability to handle cold temperature is all in your head. if you have convinced yourself that its 'cold' at a certain temp, you will always believe it.

+1. For me, cold begins when it hits single digits, factoring in wind chill. Until it gets there, I'm in a t-shirt. It's all mental. Unless, of course, you start losing appendages.

[SeekHer]

When it gets cold, deer have to eat far more for their little internal heaters to keep them warm, usually will mean earlier moving for feed and maybe more times than the normal breakfast, supper and late snack (which you can't hunt legally) sometimes all day long if it is really cold...where I am at this moment it is -12C/10F and they have been moving into the fields around supper time (4PM) and will move again about 11PM for a snack, bed down until 5:30 AM when they'll go for breakfast and if it's cold enough they will stay all day on the fringes of the fields and eat at their leisure.

[solothurn]

Here in Kansas i have some of my best luck hunting right before and right after a cold front moves in. Deer seem to move more just before the front moves in. I don't know, could just be the area that I hunt in.

[Iowa Cornfed]

Happens that way here too Solothurn.

Opening day it was 1 degree, got situated on stand and then the beginnings of the snow storm started, and the snow came hard. Sat and watched about 2" of snow accumulate on my coveralls, and through the white-out at about 75 yards out 3 bucks walked single file across the corn stubble-field from one timber to another. (I couldn't judge head-gear through the snow, and I've got my heart set on a big fella I've been glassing lately, so I'm not touching off based on body size. Although the 3rd one looked really big!)

Next day it was -4

Next day -9

This A.M. it was -6, and I stayed in, figuring to hunt this afternoon. Plus I knew I needed to go to my daughters house and work on her furnace.

At 10:30 A.M. I look out the window into the cornfield (stubble) and see a buck crossing. My wife says "He's a nice one" And I'm like, "yeah, but he's not Mr. Big" It's warmed up to just above zero and I see light snow starting to happen. I'm thinking this afternoon there may be a lot of movement.

But if not, it's no prob, 'cuz with a landowners permit I can hut the late season if I don't take a deer the first one. (Just prolongs the hunting!!! )

[shureshot0471]

Ok yall here it comes I am a guide here in East Texas live 30 miles south of Tyler and hunt on the trinity river when the temps drop hunt that day not the next they will bed that day to adjust then there after that hunt your a** off cause the deer in Texas love when it gets cold I have killed nemrous Big Deer in the 32 and under temps and that will sometimes kick off the 2nd rut there are two the 2nd is sometimes better than the first pick your spots carefully though deep woods hunting is the best =when it is cold like that put out some tinks and tickle them antlers theyll come and see youy or should I say you can see them on the ground killed A 138 7/8 in 40 degree killed a 1541/4 in 33 degree and a good many 120 to 130 deer in the cold good luck and safe hunting P.S. where you hutin at and it aint sushi day it is hey Bossman Im goin huntin day lol

[johnbt]

I was in the mountains Thanksgiving day, but my waterfowling buddy down on the Rappahannock River went out in the marsh at 6 a.m. and while he was setting out decoys 8 deer swam across about 50 feet behind him. It was 25*F.

Maybe we should take up deer hunting.

John

[springmom]

Sad thing is, the hubster IS THE BOSSMAN. All that means is he has more work than any two people ought to have to do. :barf:

We hunt the Sam Houston National Forest because it's free. I have trouble getting way back into the deep scrub because of my arthritis, but I have a couple of trails that look promising that will get me back there without throwing my hip out again (I hope). I'm giving some serious thought to having my own bad sushi day about midday tomorrow. It's going to be in the low 20's tonight, and as much as I'd like to be out there at daybreak, the old joints and muscles say "no you don't" so I can't quite do that. But I may sneak up there about midmorning and see what I can see.

I'd like to be able to hunt the San Jacinto but there's no public hunting land bordering it. I want to do some exploring down near Lake Conroe too, there are some public lands that do border that, I think.

Springmom

[shureshot0471]

I have heard about the lake conore aeras and it was all good liviing in the spring area you should be able to find a lease pretty cheap and sry bout the husband being the bossman it will get better good hunting and good luck