Hunting the Patterns: What to Do When the Weather Changes

Hunting the Patterns: What to Do When the Weather Changes

By Ryan Graden

On November 10th, 2020 the weather was nice. To be honest, it wasn’t a great day to be out in the timber for bow season. The sun was out, the temperature was warm, and the deer movement wasn’t perfect. The rut was happening, but for some reason there wasn’t too much chasing happening.

I had been in a tree most of the morning hoping to see a target buck that I knew was in the area. There were a few other deer that I had my eye out for, but this morning, he was on my mind. As the hours ticked away, noon quickly appeared and I vacated the stand not seeing a deer all morning.

Out of frustration, I chose a completely different area to hunt for the evening. This was the territory of a buck we had called “Droptine Einstein”. Although I had never seen him in person over the last two years, we had some pictures that proved Einstein had grown into quite a trophy.

Midafternoon came and I climbed up into a stand and I still did not have much hope for sucess. The weather was still warm, the wind was still, and frankly my attitude was poor. I had decided this was a wasted day. However, I might as well finish it out and come up with a plan for the next morning.

As I thought through where I might go before sunup the next day, something began to happen all around me. I looked to the west and noticed a weather front that I was not expecting. One of those “pop-up” weather situations. The clouds thickened, the temperature dropped at least 15 degrees, and the wind picked up and began to blow about 10-15 mph. In addition, a light rain shower came through taking about 15 minutes to place a layer of moisture on the forest floor.

It was magic! When all this began to happen, deer started showing up out of nowhere! Does came piling out of the timber and into the nearby field which had been recently picked. And as the does appeared, so did the bucks. Small basket-racks first, and then a few mature ones followed.

As I watched the field come alive with activity, a large-bodied deer ran into the mix of the herd as if he was the boss of the town! His sheer size and posture made it known to all that he was there to challenge anybody who was willing to take him on. At 300 yards out, I couldn’t identify the buck, but it did look like he had a tree branch stuck in his antlers.

Because of his bully-like behavior, I thought a good grunt might make this boy come in for a fight. I pulled out my grunt call and gave him a loud sounding roar that carried over the wind that had picked up in the last hour. As soon as the sound reached him, he turned his head and came charging my direction into the timber! It startled me! I quickly reached for by bow and did my best to prepare myself for what looked too good to be true.

The buck approached the fence between the timber I was in and the neighbor’s field where he was with all the other deer. He paused to take in the scene as I, in my head, encouraged him to jump the fence. Seconds later, he exploded over the fence and ran to within 20 yards behind my stand. I now knew who the buck was! He was a giant and I was doing my best to keep my heart under control.

Einstein postured with his head high ready for a fight. I carefully drew back, took a few calming breaths, and let my arrow fly. It hit high but true, and Einstein expired shortly after. When I gained my composure, I will be honest, the timber might have heard a few overly excited hollers from this hunter in his treestand!

I have thought about that hunt many times over the last few years as I look at Einstein’s shoulder mount that now resides on my wall. The factor that changed that hunt from bad to good was the sudden change in weather. I learned a lot that night that has proven a benefit in the years following. Hunting during changing weather patterns can be a beneficial tactic to those who can read them and are willing to hunt them. Let’s discuss a few common changes that might be useful to you for this upcoming season.

Warm to Cold
It is a generic situation, I know. However, what I’m talking about here is a sincere temperature drop from a “comfortable” temperature to a much colder temperature. Something better than twenty degrees in change. Most often, this is the change that deer hunters hope for during the fall and especially the rut.

Let me explain a few of the benefits of a dropping temperature. When fall is moving to winter, temperatures will bob for a number of weeks here in the Midwest. We might have a day in the 50s to 60s only to see that thermometer show 30 a day later. That might be the case for a few days, and then it might get warm again for a few, this happens a lot in October.

If you look at the “average” that is happening during that time, temperatures are generally moving downward towards a constant winter cold. Winter cold, to deer, means less food availability. It also means that deer have to eat more calories as well as have a layer of fat to endure the extremes of winter.

Temperature drops like these often drive deer into feeding frenzies. Calories are needed to produce internal heat. In order to get calories, feeding needs to happen. The colder the temperature, the more it will press deer to feed. Some will be seen feeding during midday hours, which is when deer are usually bedded and sleeping.

If the forecast is showing a large temperature swing to colder temperatures, you’d best make plans to be in the timber!

Bad to Good
In a strange way, deer are a bit like humans in this area. When bad weather rolls in during the late fall and winter months, we all like to “hunker” down. Be it extended rainstorms, snowstorms, blowing wind, whatever. If it’s happening, we tend to stay inside and only go out if we need to.

Deer are much like us in this way. Granted, they can’t just go inside and escape it all like we can. They can, however, find a good hiding place that offers them some shelter from rain, winds, and snow to lay low and let everything pass. However, after a few days of bad weather, it’s time to get up and do something. For deer, that means feed!

Deer spend a lot of time in the late summer and early fall putting on the pounds. They know that there are going to be times in the upcoming seasons where weather might keep them from eating for a few days. When weather hits that will keep them down, they can manage for a few days. However, much more than that is a strain. You can bet, as soon as the weather has any kind of a break, deer will be up on their feet looking for food. My advice to hunters, after an extended storm or harsh weather pattern, you’d better be in a stand or blind when it breaks. You just might get the shot you’re looking for!

Cold Spells
This is a great weather shift to pay attention to during the late seasons where it is most likely the coldest temperatures experienced during the year.

This is a weather pattern that has proven very beneficial for me during the late muzzleloader season. During late December and early January there can be a series of days where the temperatures can reach some brutally cold digits. During those days, deer are hard to find. They still do their best to eat, but they don’t cover much ground moving through the woods. They will conserve as much energy as they can.

If the deer can endure, there is always a “break” in these spells. Sometimes those temperatures will still be “cold” but they might be 20-30 degrees warmer than they have been. When this happens, deer movement will explode. There is an increased amount of movement and feeding. That’s when I’m on the edge of a food plot or any picked fields I have permission to hunt. Deer will come. Oh yes, they will come!

General Knowledge
Weather dictates much of a deer’s movement throughout the year. The other two factors affecting movement would be food sources and breeding. Nevertheless, weather could arguably be the most affecting element in a successful deer hunt.

The topics mentioned above are all patterns that would be wise to watch for. There are still a few “general” weather issues that can happen randomly without being in patterns that last days on time.

First is the temperature. This is probably the most effective element on deer movement. Generally, deer move more when it’s colder. However, if extreme colds happen, they will slow their movement. So keep in mind, on a cold day, you are more likely to see deer.

Second is rain. If there is rain in the forecast, consider staying home. Now, it’s not impossible to kill a deer during a rain storm. It is just less likely. When it is raining, deer movement will slow way down. If it were a sprinkle, I’d be in the timber. But if it’s a legitimate rain storm, take the day off. It is best to leave an area alone and give it a break from your presence.

Wind is a third factor that you need to be aware of. Deer typically will not be out feeding on windy days. Now, it doesn’t mean that they won’t be up at all, they just will avoid the windy areas for feeding and community. Wind inhibits they ability to hear and listen. It sometimes messes with scents and their ability to smell the surroundings. A harsh wind just makes everything a little tougher for a deer to feel safe. Thus, the will avoid windy areas on windy days.

In conclusion, my friends, use weather changes to your advantage! If you can recognize certain patterns and changes, who knows, you just might have a memorable hunt that you’ll remember for years to come!