Yea barometric pressure is a hard one to figure out. Its more complicated than just looking at a number and saying good deer movement or bad. Its really an indicator of a lot of other weather conditions. The more I look at it the more certain I am pressure by itself means anything to a deer. Its what conditions the pressure comes with is what matters. High pressure usually means sunny, low humidity and cool temps. Low pressure means overcast skies and storms. Rapidly changing pressure often comes with high winds at the same time, in front of or behind storm systems... I love hunting right before fronts. As long as it's not raining during those feeding times. Mornings are usually pretty good following a night rain.
After the front passes, it can be great. But you have to time it pretty well imo. Fronts that end right before prime feeding time can be a slam dunk. Those big boys get up a lot earlier than their usual 30-45 mins before dark.
I can write for a long time on this, so I'll just keep it short.
I like to try to predict when I will see a lot of deer out feeding in fields around where I live and while I am driving around for work - its good practice but I still have lots of days that surprise me.
I am pumped at spots, knowing a system is moving in,,,,, best day, its sunny to cloudy, and as the day, continues, here comes the clouds, and light snow or rain,,,,, man that can be a deadly time..... either way, high winds kill it, a lot of times......
I like hunting in the rain, as long as it is not in a downpour,,,,, I like light rain, ,,,,,,,,,,
If I know that after hunting hours, rain will bet worse, or heavy snow, I put on my string tracker,,,,, never had an issue with one, and it has worked great for me at times,,,,,,,
Hard to find, I own 3 of them,,,,,,,
High pressure days I am most likely to see deer only the first and last hour of daylight.
High pressure days are phenomenal. Especially during the rut. Those are, if not the best days to sit all day. Like I said before, it's a combination of things and I don't just look at the number, but when I see 30.3 or anything higher, you can just about guarantee some good movement. If not great movement.
Low pressure will usually bring in a front. It's great for a short time, usually....Then puts them down for a little while during a good weather system
I was not considering the rut during my previous post. I was thinking more less non rut times because we know during the rut their going to move almost no matter what. Unless it's 70 degrees like last fall. Or the wind is blowing like a hurricane.
These are only my experiences hunting farms where the deer are a lot more exposed when the get up to eat/drink. I'm certain they move around differently when utilizing big woods.
On those real foggy mornings. My observations are swayed cause of visibility. Fog means a steady thermal and no wind. I think it depends on where and how your hunting. Ive seen deer stay in fields later in the mornings when the fog is there countless times. I've killed deer in dense fog going back to bed and have heard deer moving in it but I couldn't see them.
You say 9-10 am on seeing good deer movement I think proves the deer have been up that whole time and are just making their way back to bed as the fog lifts.
If it is the rut, I sit, but you have to be extra alert on a foggy day,,,,, from what I have seen, deer do not care, but I may be wrong
Good thread.
You're settled in and at 8:30 it's still so foggy you can just barely make out the trail accross the creek. It's been quiet all morning so far.
You decide to hit the horns and grunt a time or two. Immediately following your racket you hear a loud guttural grunt! It's not more than 60 yds away. Not ten seconds later you hear a bush being thrashed less than 50 yds away! After 15 seconds of that you grunt again and all goes silent. You softly grunt again and get a response! He's coming and it's clear he's on your side of the creek. You surmise he's at 40 yds and closing. Through the dense fog you now catch the distinct sound of breath and stiff legged walking. You know it's a giant coming in but you can't see him yet cause it's just too foggy.
You're ready though! You know that any second he's going to clear the fog and the deer of your dreams is going to be broadside at 15 yds! Hands shaking, ready to draw and out steps a forky!
90% of us won't shoot him but 100% of us just had our hearts beating out of our chest. That's what huntings all about and foggy mornings provide that extra anticipation.