Are deer harder to hunt/ find in -20 weather?

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viking365

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Hi guys,

First year hunting, so I don't have a lot of experience. I was bow hunting most of the season, and I would like to try rifle hunting this week. There are a few areas of my province (AB) open until Dec 20th, but it is going to be very cold all week (high -22).

Are deer still in their normal patterns now? Do they still come out to find food where they normally do, or do they stick to the trees more when it is this cold?

Thanks in advance for your help...I am trying to decide if I should leave tonight as planned, or wait for another year.
 
Yes its a chore, just being out in those temps, hunting is good , just gotta stay warm, treestand location critical , gets mighty cold 25 ft up in the wind,and 25-30 below. Caution climbing up or down. Your stiff ,Branches break easy etc.
I killed a deer,a 9 pointer one year , it was mighty cold that day, and I was way up there 25 ft, cause of the area topography.
I got a double lung with my recurve, and the blood beaded on the snow , looked like little black seeds, till you rubbed it between your fingers, and it returned to red.:eek:
 
In Ontario, deer yard, when the snow gets deep enough. This year that's already happening in some areas.
That makes them hard to find, outside of the yard.
Some deer, notably bigger ones, don't necessarily yard. That may make the ones you do find worth it.
 
If they dont need to breed, they still need to feed.:D

Yes, they will move and definitely to you're advantage if you know where the feed might be?;)

I'd take every opportunity to get out there and have some fun and enjoy this season.

Dont put off till next year, what you can do this year cause you never know what next year might bring.
 
If you shoot one in that cold-eskimo dress it instead of gutting it. Lay it on its belly-split it down the backbone-peel out the backstraps-quarter it-then carve out the neck meat for sausage. There's not much worth eating on a deers ribs anyway. You can do a deer up pretty quick this way and skin the quarters out right there or else later one. Wearing a vet glove over cotton gloves will keep your hands warm enough to gut one in the cold if you are quick.
 
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It was -25 the morning I caught this old boy out dogging a doe-I think the coldest I ever shot a deer was -40. The coldest I've ever been was about -25 with blowing snow-I had to post up in the open to outwait a buck. I almost froze but he's dead lol.
 
Find what feilds they are feeding in and they should not be bedded too far away.I find they don't travel as far to feed conserving energy and fat reserves in case of a long,snowy,cold winter.Find where they are eating, bedding and intercept in between.:)
 
Northern Rancher said:
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It was -25 the morning I caught this old boy out dogging a doe-I think the coldest I ever shot a deer was -40. The coldest I've ever been was about -25 with blowing snow-I had to post up in the open to outwait a buck. I almost froze but he's dead lol.
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Northerner Rancher, welcome to the board.

Very nice deer. Man he has a big body! How far North did you get him?

Ted
 
My best deer have been shot in the deep cold, on the wrong side of -20 to -30. In my area, the deer tend to lie around in the deep bush and relax when it's warm - almost have to kick the buggers to get 'em moving anywhere. We push bush in the farmland, so if it's colder the animals get more skiddish and we tend to have more luck. Most times when it's cold I just go for a walk and see what comes across my path.

So, long story short, when there's frost on the mercury, gramma git the gun!

-M
 
To the original Q:

If your nuts were hanging out in the open cold, wouldn't you want shelter?

Moose are exempt because their size has replaced their intelligence (don't mistake intelligence with instincts either.)
 
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