Deer movement in the heat

[Chasingdinner]

Anyone else noticed a correlation between excessive heat and deer movement? It’s pretty hot here in the south into October and easily in the 90’s when season opens in late September. The most deer I have ever seen while hunting or scouting ave always been on the hottest days. Always around or just above 100f. Often mid day to early afternoon. Typically in early to mid September. My best buck was in heat of almost 100f on opening day and he definitely moved earlier than I was expecting.
Not sure this applies to mature bucks, but was curious if anyone else has had a similar experience.

[Boogieman1]

Opposite of anything I have ever encountered. Best sightings I have is the 1st day of temp drop. Like a week of 100+ days straight then in drops to mid 80s seems to get em stirring. Also I like light evening showers in the heat

[backstraps]

Opposite of anything I have ever encountered. Best sightings I have is the 1st day of temp drop. Like a week of 100+ days straight then in drops to mid 80s seems to get em stirring. Also I like light evening showers in the heat

X2

My season opener is usually in the 80s we rarely hit a 100 but do have spells of 90s
First temp drop of 15 degrees or more I always see good movement and earlier than normal

[Lockdown]

Traditionally I don’t have the best luck on really hot days, but they were moving opening weekend last year. I ended up passing a buck I planned on shooting. Was waiting for Mr. Big but he never showed. Average temps are normally around 70 (I think) and it was over 90. That’s scorching hot for MN in September.

Definitely want to be near water.

[DaveT1963]

Deer living in Southern areas are acclimated to heat. What I will say is that heat and shade go together like a hand and glove when it comes to mature buck bedding - I often see bucks move to take advantage of new shaded areas in late AM and early afternoon.... if they are unpressured. One of my favorite scouting strategies is to walk creek bottoms in early summer and pay attention to those areas where you feel a noticeable drop in temp. I often find good bedding right at those specific locations. During the rut, on a hot day, when the bucks are in between does - they remember these spots also.

[Rich M]

I get 3-5 day hunts and it is usually 90+ during bow season. They're just used to it I guess. So aren't the mosquitoes too.

[Chasingdinner]

What I will say is that heat and shade go together like a hand and glove when it comes to mature buck bedding - One of my favorite scouting strategies is to walk creek bottoms in early summer and pay attention to those areas where you feel a noticeable drop in temp. I often find good bedding right at those specific locations.

Funny you mention this. The shade, mostly field edges, is where I was seeing almost all of the deer on their feet during the hot days I mentioned. Not just in one area, this was the case while driving around a 20,000+ acre chunk of public land. I was never able to find any other factor, other than heat, that I suspected could be linked to what I was seeing. No weather fronts approaching...etc. Again, this was only on the hottest of days.

The creek bottom and cooler spot thing you mention is something that ties in perfectly with a suspected bedding area on one of my properties, which backs right up to a very cold flowing creek. Probably no more than 10-20 yards of cover between the creek and field edge with an old fence row where a bean field and hay field come together on a very hard to access spot. I have pics of some nice bucks nearby and suspect the bedding to be in the corner I mentioned. Time to lace up the boots! Thanks for the tip!