Deer tracks / paths in the snow

[Desk Jockey]

I don’t have a ton of experience hunting whitetail in snow. This year we have had standing snow in PA long enough for the deer to establish paths along their lines of travel on my property. They appear to be largely overlapping with where I have observed trails previously with some notable exceptions - they aren’t doing as much side hill and mid slope travel, more ridges and bottoms.

is this generally consistent with others’ observations? Do deer usually follow the same trails with and without snow?

 

[camping1601]

IMO no. It all comes down to food and cover and those change with the seasons and even within days if a food source gets eaten up or froze out. I've thought I found hot spots that turned into duds the following years because there was no snow . I'm in PA traveling some norther areas almost daily and I've never seen deer herded up like this before.

Another good example is the deer around my house destroyed a lot of neighborhood landscaping last winter and haven't been around this winter.

 

[RC_]

Agree with the above. Any changes in patterns or movement is likely due to a change in food, cover, security, etc. as a result of the snow and less to do with topography.

 

[Jfitz]

Winter is a different beast. They’re going to food.

 

[WCB]

Depends on where you are at. In ND where I hunt the deer really yard up late winter and travel from a LONG ways. the normal trails ae used sort of but because of the number of deer and everything new trails (highways) pop up everywhere. Now this is late in the season like Jan-March.

Normal fall early winter even in those areas and here in MN, YES, They use the same main trails and obviously you find the random wandering tracks. In fact properties I hunt around home I use the same stands from opening (mid sept) till the last day of season (Dec 31st). Exact same trails and movement coming and going in the same direction.

In deeper snow you will get more concentrated movement and less side trails or wondering. Now deer moving to food and vacating an area or certain bedding spot is one thing but IMO if you find where the deer are they generally will use the same trails in that are but as stated above it may be more concentrated to certain trails.

 

[Foggy Mountain]

As you see it changes year to year. Very dependent upon conditions. That goes for every season btw

 

[Brian Fahs]

Pa guy here. I've seen this all my life. In deep snow, south facing slopes and creeks or seeps are king. Least snow and less digging or travel for food. Find thermal cover [cedar or pine thickets] for bedding. This is survival for the deer nothing more nothing less.