Hunters may want to do some extra scouting before the gun-deer season opens this Saturday. Deep snow conditions are likely to change how deer are moving around.
DNR Wildlife Biologist Jeremy Holtz says snow on the ground will help hunters see and track deer, but several feet of snow could make it challenging to traverse the terrain. He says it will also affect where the deer are to be found.
“The kind of snow we’ve had in the last couple of weeks, it’s definitely changed some deer behavior patterns. They’re not dispersed as widely as it used to be, they’re probably more concentrated in areas where it’s easier to get around. And because we don’t have frozen conditions like in wetlands, bogs, marshes, the deer probably aren’t as likely to move around in those areas yet either.”
Holtz says that makes it more important to do some pre-season scouting before the hunt opens on Saturday.
Relatively warm temperatures in the 30s are forecast for this weekend, which could help reduce the snow pack and bring more people out into the woods.
