We know that weather conditions have a huge impact on deer movement. Fronts moving in, changes in pressure or the pending rain storm all have the potential to get Mr. Big up on his feet like this buck shot by Ross Weber during a mid-October cold front. As hunters, we need to be stacking odds in our favor by utilizing shifting weather patterns to our advantage for a chance at a mature whitetail. Below are a few of our favorite tools and strategies to track and analyze the weather as it pertains to hunting while conditions are favorable.
Ross Weber took this 191″ SE Wisconsin buck during a mid-October cold front. Click the photo for the full story!
The Best Weather Tracking Tool
I’ve used a whole host of weather websites and apps to track pending weather patterns for hunting or upcoming backcountry trips. In my experience, I’ve found Wunderground to be the best resource available on your computer or phone (available on Android and iOS).
My favorite function of this weather multi-tool is the forecast graph seen below. Here you can monitor upcoming weather trends and easily track changes in temperature, precipitation, pressure and wind speed. Using this view (pictured below) makes it extremely easy to pick up on any big fronts or drastic weather changes moving through, which are key times to be out in the stand. Below I’ve called out a slight drop in temperature as well as a rising pressure trend.
Using Past Behavior to Predict Future Movement
Trail cameras are powerful tools for surveying property and collecting an inventory on what bucks are running around your property. Beyond the photo itself, you can take the information captured by your trail camera to the next level by correlating when that photo was taken and researching what the weather was doing at that time.
Let’s say that Boone & Crockett buck shows up on one of your cameras. Using the time stamp from that photo, you can look back to see what the weather was doing at that time. Wunderground again provides a historical view on a variety of weather data points that help paint the picture for that day. If you have a specific buck you’ve been targeting over the years, you can catalog this information and gain a deeper understanding of the weather conditions that get him up and moving. This will give you a more holistic view of his movements to make sure you’re in the stand the next time a similar weather event rolls through.
Track Actual Deer Movement in the Field
There’s no better substitute for understanding deer movement than being in the field and observing how deer behave. A great tool to help you build up that knowledge of when and where deer are moving is the Quiver Hunting App. This free mobile app is an extremely powerful tool for tracking deer movement. It allows you to better understand how current weather conditions are impacting deer activity.
Think of Quiver as a journal without the hassle of writing out each item. With a few simple taps on your phone, you can log deer activity, take notes, capture a photo or record a shot. Additionally, weather data such as wind, pressure, moon phase and temperature are all captured automatically.
As you track more hunts, you build a history of activity throughout the season. By going back through previous hunts, you can start to connect the dots on what type of weather patterns get deer moving in your area.
Download for free today in iTunes.
