DuckSouth.com

Are you folks finding that the deer are laying up during the cold and not feeding? I have seen more deer when the temps have been 40-55 degree range as opposed to the temps we had this weekend. I wondering what you all were experiencing. Some of my better hunts have been in the rain this season and last.

I took a friend to my place yesterday morning in Chickasaw County. We stayed from 630am-11am. He saw 20, I saw 19 in spots where we'll typically see 3-5.

All were travelling, not feeding. But to answer your question, I see more when it's freezing cold with very little wind. Winds much more than 5-6 mph seem to make them want to sit tight more, which makes sense. I think sun combined with no wind makes it more attractive for them to get up and about, which would've put Friday and Saturday as less than ideal, and better on Sunday.

Regardless of temps, I see deer moving at around 9 am and especially 11 am.

I'll still hunt all day if I can. The week before the cold came, I didn't see any of the 9 bucks and countless does until 10 am.

Missed a booner last week that was chasing a doe in the blazing heat at 9 am. Killed a nice one this morning at 11 am chasing a doe. Some of the best bucks I've seen killed this year were when it was hot.

I think pressure (in my part of the world) has them moving later in the day.

I usually see more when it's super cold but still see a good many as longs as temps under 50. The cold snap last week was hit and miss. Saw lots on some hunts and none on others. I think this has to do with we never got plots planted this year with the lack of rain. Right now our woods are pretty open after being logged two years ago so not many thick spots to hold deer they just come and feed on us. I did kill my best buck to date Friday afternoon. The wind no doubt makes a difference. Saw most of my deer Friday morning during a short time when sleet and wind died down for a while.