Another question about deer behavior

[txfireguy2003]

Okay folks, what, besides hunting pressure and hot weather, causes deer to be totally nocturnal?

I was thinking predators, but they are nocturnal also, so that would seem to make the deer move during the day when they can see better.

What else would cause them to move like crazy in the dark, but freeze up and bed down as soon as the sun comes up?

[Puggy625]

Moon phase.

[Mike Murphey]

I think that human scent and hunting pressure is the number one reason to send deer totally nocturnal, moon phase will but that is only temporary until the moon starts waning down. Heat can send them nocturnal but you will still see some deer early morning and late evening...but a big mature buck, hunting pressure will send them totally nocturnal never coming out during the day time until the rut...

[RascalArms]

Food availability....for example, when acorns are readily available why travel during the day?

[LWD]

Wind, at least in the parts of the state where it's not usually as windy as it has been recently.

LWD

[txfireguy2003]

Okay, it's not wind or the moon, both of those are temporary and this is a permanent problem. It could be the food, or the human presence. It's just really strange, our deer hardly move at all during daylight hours, even during rut. Heck, maybe it is the human presence, but we were seeing lots of deer during bow season, but it's been really slow since the rifle opener. We are a bow only lease, so I would think the rifle hunters would actually drive then to us like a sanctuary of sorts. Oh well, I'm figure it out eventually.

[Fishndude]

Patterning hunters

[RealTreeHunter]

Hog doggers...

[lovemylegacy]

Okay folks, what, besides hunting pressure and hot weather, causes deer to be totally nocturnal?

I was thinking predators, but they are nocturnal also, so that would seem to make the deer move during the day when they can see better.

What else would cause them to move like crazy in the dark, but freeze up and bed down as soon as the sun comes up?

Individual characteristics

[tex4k]

There's way to many influences that can be a factor and can't be addressed with the limited information you've given. Example; the deer that come in to my yard will only come in at night, they have to travel a fairly good distance and then deal with the human activity.

[jooger17]

There's no such thing as totally nocturnal. They're moving somewhere during the day. It's all but impossible for a deer to lay still for more than 4-5 hours at a time. They may not do anything more than stand up, walk in a 25 yard circle, and lay back down, but there is no such thing as nocturnal. You're simply hunting them where they want to be at night.

[Scoobyh]

Yep they just come sleep in my yard during the day lol
This is what my wife sent me yesterday while i was a work.

[Draco]

I feed the deer here at my house every day. Some times we see them here every day for a month or so and then suddenly they go night time feeding only. It can be extended periods and at all times of the year too. Just seems to be no rhyme or reason to their movement at all.

[boomerball]

How much does just having less daylight / longer nights play into it?

[redfish76]

I (and I believe quite a few other people) are experiencing what you are this season. This year has been completely different than last year with respect to movement. Last year big bucks came sparingly to feeders during the day, but they made appearances nonetheless. Also, there were always groups of does, fawns and young bucks at feeders. This year, only one mature buck has come to a feeder during shooting hours (my 12 yo shot him on Saturday at 7:20). Does and 1.5 yos still feed a little during the day, but less and in smaller groups. Lots of deer all night, since Sept/October.

There is relatively little hunting pressure in our area and on our place. There are only 2 of us and we have probably hunted 6 times total. Other than my son's shot on Saturday, I havent heard a single gunshot when ive been out there.