Migratory or Resident Deer?

One of the first things a hunter has to do is determine if the deer in a particular area are migratory or resident animals. Resident deer remain in the same general area all year while migratory deer move from summer to winter range and back each year—meaning that they won’t be everywhere at once. For obvious reasons, then, making the distinction between migratory and resident deer is important to hunters. For example, if you choose to hunt on winter range on opening day before the annual migration begins, chances are good that you won’t find even a track. You have to adapt and go to where the deer are at a particular time. Generally speaking, the deer of the southern California mountains, the southern deserts and the coast ranges are resident animals. There are also some resident deer living around foothill reservoirs, in the riparian habitat along rivers, and in some agricultural areas. Many resident deer inhabit areas that are on private land while most migratory deer spend some of their time high in the mountains on public land. Most of the deer of the Sierra Nevada Range, the Cascade Range, and the other northern mountains as far west as the Trinity and Marble mountains, are migratory and move up and down with the seasons. That goes for both mule and black-tailed deer, depending on the region. If you hunt the A, B-1 or B-4 zones, you’ll be hunting mostly resident deer. The same is true if you hunt practically anywhere south of Bakersfield. The biggest difference in the behavior of resident and migratory deer is that resident deer spend their entire lives within a few square miles of habitat, while migratory deer inhabit separate ranges at different altitudes that are sometimes many miles apart. Resident deer stay put, which means that the deer you see today will be somewhere close-by tomorrow. Whether or not you can find them is, of course, another matter. Actually, it’s possible to pattern resident deer somewhat, especially if they aren’t under a lot of hunting pressure. The deer will bed down in the same general areas, get their water and feed in certain places, and generally use the same trails to and from current food sources and bedding areas. Once you know their habits you will be well on your way toward tagging a resident buck, or a doe if that’s what your tag calls for. While migratory deer may shift areas completely because of weather changes, resident deer just change their normal routine while remaining within a certain area. If you bump a resident buck one day but can’t harvest the animal, it may be a good idea to back off and leave him alone for awhile. If the buck wasn’t too scared he’ll probably bed down in the same general area again, giving you a chance to find him on another day. At that time, it would be best to plan your approach carefully and try to avoid another accidental, and usually fruitless, meeting. The key to finding migratory deer during the first part of the open season is to go high, if possible, and hunt the deer in the areas where they spend the summer. Where there is road access into the mountains this is not a problem. However, in many cases you’ll have to hike or ride horseback into a productive area. Regardless, you should think about, and take into account, the natural movement of the deer in a particular location. Some long-time deer hunters in northern California will tell you that the deer begin to migrate during the first full moon in September. Whether or not that’s true, there are obvious changes in the deer density on some parts of their summer range shortly after the opening weekend of hunting season in September. It’s not unusual for migratory deer to completely vacate certain areas during the first half of the season while they remain in at least fair numbers, for whatever reason, in others. When a deer hunter learns to recognize the changes that take place as the season progresses, he or she can adjust accordingly by switching locations as needed. For instance, some hunters know certain areas well enough to predict where the deer will be on opening day, two weeks later, during stormy weather and on the final weekend of the hunt. Even though the deer may move many miles, they are tied somewhat to a basic routine.
There are several factors involved in the 31 Migratory or Resident Deer? annual migration of deer throughout the state. It is widely believed that the first fall storms are what really trigger the movement, but many deer herds do start downhill at around the same time each fall, storms or no storms. The movement, however, may not be as sudden or complete if there is no inclement weather to hurry it along. In the fall, deer may respond to food availability as well as to changing weather. Rainfall immediately starts the fall green-up and thus creates a new food source for the deer at lower elevations. Migratory deer that summer in the mountains above foothills dotted with oak trees (generally not the situation with deer in the Eastern Sierra or the Northeast Region) seem to know instinctively when acorns are abundant and they may start to vacate their summer range early to take advantage of a substantial acorn crop. Some years they stop in the acorn producing oaks and stay there as long as the weather cooperates and the food is available. Hunters who key on food sources, such as acorns, learn to identify which oaks are producing and which are not. For instance, some years black oaks will produce acorns in abundance; other years it may be live or blue oaks. Obviously, hunters in the know can save time by going directly to the most likely areas once they realize that the migration is, indeed, under way.
, indeed, under way. What all of this means is that the deer have several options open to them within the annual An established deer trail like this will show the effects of heavy use during migration. John Higley photo. Tracks in fresh snow tell this hunter that numerous deer are moving through the area. John Higley photo. migration cycle. Certainly, they will move out of the high country in the fall, but they may not move all at once, and they may not wind up on the lower end of their range while the hunting season is open. Then again, they may ... It’s a fair bet that any downslope movement will be slight during the opening days of any deer season in the state. The situation can change rapidly, however, and the hunter who does not recognize the signs may very well miss out on the best opportunity to harvest a buck.