Cold weather effecting deer?

[BALLS DEEP]

I wanted to post back during deer season but forgot. I was just curious about how the deer react to different types of weather. For example; how and what do they do with cold temperatures, wind, warm weather or snowy conditions? I have heard from people that during periods of low temperature the deer move around to keep warm. But let's say that there are high winds and a snow storm, wouldn't they be in a thick and heavily wooded area to be sheltered from the elements?

[lineman49]

  I am not sure, but the other night we had -3* and two deer were laying in my back yard getting snowed on for 2 + hours & never moved just stayed there chewing their cud.  My wife ask why they were not under the pine trees to get warmer & out of the snow?  I said maybe this is their favorite type of weather that they like! lol.  I like to hunt on cloudy, overcast days just after a  rain or when its foggy, but thats just me. 

[Fish Hunter]

Have seen over the years that they'll congregate in lower areas with cedar/tag alders and also prefering south/southeast facing slopes, unless of couse a mean, stiff, cold south wind, which there are very few of those.

[Gill-T]

Deer will go where the food is.....it is that simple.  During winter food sources change.  Standing corn and browse are king.  Deer will go into energy conservation mode and plop down in a clearcut and not travel further than 50 yards in a day.  Thick pine forests offer shelter during storms, but if there is no food around they will leave these areas as well.  Huge tracts of continuous forest will become deerless if there is no browse around.  Take a walk with your snowshoes and a coyote gun.....you will learn a lot as everything is spelled out in the snow.

[ray koziatek]

they lay where they are,snow is a insulator,grouse know this too as they will divebomb when their is 12 plus of the fluffy stuff in sub zero temps.In most of ny (except extreame snow belt),the weather wont steer them to a secluded spot where they can brouse,and drink.Up in Alberta it is not unuasual to find several sheds from the same buck in a tiny patch of brush or cover.But after the first week of hunting this year I think they have tunnels and all hide in them when its warm,so maybe they use them in the snow too...jst joking about the tunnel thing I think?

[rolmops]

The cold will kill a lot of ticks that are detached from the deer specially when they drop off the deer in the snow.

That should increase the deer's chance of survival.

Edited January 1, 2014 by rolmops