# U.P migration bucks?



## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

I have often heard about this phenomeonom but i dont know much about it. Can some one explain a few things about this.
I imagine Once the snows start to fall along the superior water shed that bucks move south. How far south? They just dont all congregate at the michigan shorline do they?:lol:How do you know you found a migration path? How much snow dictates the start of migration? Are the paths ever running easterly or westerly. Are they just primarily southerly. I understand if you guys dont want to give away your secrets. If you feel like it just pm me.


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## Snowlover 77 (Nov 17, 2009)

brushbuster said:


> I have often heard about this phenomeonom but i dont know much about it. Can some one explain a few things about this.
> I imagine Once the snows start to fall along the superior water shed that bucks move south. How far south? They just dont all congregate at the michigan shorline do they?:lol:How do you know you found a migration path? How much snow dictates the start of migration? Are the paths ever running easterly or westerly. Are they just primarily southerly. I understand if you guys dont want to give away your secrets. If you feel like it just pm me.


I hunt migration trails every muzzleloader season, and it has the potential to be fairly effective. Usually the main migration period starts when snow depths start to exceed approximately a foot, or temperatures start to dip around the 0*F level, from what I have seen. Trails are primarily running south, but there are obviously east/west trails that crisscross different areas. No, they don't all just congregate at the Lake Michigan shoreline, but there are different traditional yard areas where deer hole up for the winter. Typically large cedar swamp areas, and in the areas that I hunt, usually south of M-28 as that is where the snow depth starts to decrease quite a bit. As far as finding a migration path, it helps to just start looking along natural travel corridors. I have found some very nice trails paralleling small creeks, terrain changes, etc. You can actually even see the trails in the fall without snow in some cases, the more heavily used ones anyway. 

Problem with hunting this way is that from what I have seen or heard, bucks typically don't use those main trails until after dark. You will see a lot of does/fawns throughout the day and some small bucks, but the mature bucks are a lot more nocturnal and if they do move during the day they seem to just blaze their own trail unless the snow is exceptionally deep. That said, they will still use them at times, and hunting near these trails can provide you with a chance at success. 

I am by no means an expert, so whatever I say here is just personal observation, talking to other local hunters, etc. Anyone else feel free to correct anything I have said if you think I have missed the mark.


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## Snowlover 77 (Nov 17, 2009)

Both of these bucks were caught on my trail camera last season on a migration trail.


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## Nork (Apr 29, 2009)

Snowlover's explanation is pretty accurate, from what I've seen. If you find a migration trail and you time it right, you can see a lot of deer. A couple of my co-workers don't even hunt until mid December when the migration occurs. By late January, you'd be hard pressed to see any deer tracks north of M-28.


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## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

As mentioned above some of the main migration trails can be found anytime of the year, as they are beaten down in the dirt from years of use. What I have seen quite often in the hill country where I hunt in the western UP, is that the deer will start to open the trails up as soon as we get 10-12 inches of snow. They don't however all get out of Dodge at once though. If the snows stops the deer stop and even retreat until more snow drives them on. Also the biggest bucks are often the last to be driven out of the high places and it takes a lot of snow to trigger them. The bucks will certainly make looping trails accross the migration trails to sniff out any receptive does and that's where some of them meet their maker. It's really something to see when they get the trails opened up and start moving to their yarding areass.


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## stagliano (Nov 10, 2006)

Pretty accurate descriptions of the migration. The only thing I would add is that the deer do not always go south. In the central UP, a lot of deer yard close to Lake Superior because the lake keeps the climate a little warmer and there is less snow. The deer move out of the high country and down to lake level where there is adequate cover and less snow/warmer temperatures. Every area is different and some deer do move inland and south.


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## yooperkenny (Jul 13, 2004)

brushbuster said:


> ...How far south? ...How do you know you found a migration path? How much snow dictates the start of migration? ....


All good info above but some points I might contest...my thoughts:

Yes, they migrate to traditional yarding areas when conditions warrant. I don't know if they hold a majority vote or what...

My personal observations in both Marquette and Houghton counties are that migration will not begin until you're looking at 24" - 30" of snow on the ground. A foot of snow doesn't faze deer in my experience. During one mild winter I observed deer still hanging out in the high hills of the Copper Country in January when normally you'd never see as much as a track up there. I was able to drive to the area that year when normally you'd need a snowmobile.

I believe that generally, Keweenaw deer don't migrate south of M28, while those in Marquette Co end up in Delta, Dickinson, or Menominee counties.

If you stumble upon a migration trail in use, you'll know it!

Here's a link with some migration info:

http://www.upwhitetails.com/projects.html

An excerpt:

"A local herd of deer in Upper Michigan may travel seven to fourteen miles between their summer and winter range. A majority of the migration animals will travel 28-32 miles, while others will travel over sixty miles in Michigan's Upper Peninsula! During our radio collar project with Michigan State University a group of animals traveled fourteen miles overnight!"


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## Chuckgrmi (Nov 6, 2007)

I agree with what has been already said about migration. Where I hunt in Alger county. The deer migrate to two yards. One is 5 miles South of 28 and the other is 2 miles West of where I hunt. North of 28. It takes a lot of snow to move the big ones. Does still hang around where I am at with a foot of snow on the ground.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

Thanks for the info fellas. It doesnt look like snow real soon. Maybe things will change around xmas and i will take a few days and head up to an old haunt in Delta county with my bow. I remember seeing some huge runways and often wondered if these were the infamous migration trails.


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## MIpikeGuy (May 27, 2011)

I gotta say, I don't know anything about the UP and deer hunting.

But this is simply amazing, at first I thought brush was asking about some myth or old time story.

Then every single response confirmed it. Pretty neat.

Do they leave because they lack of available food to browse with the deep snow? Or just the warmer temps?

Anyone ever set up a cam on one of these migration trails?


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## WALLEYE SEEKER (Nov 30, 2009)

MIpikeGuy said:


> I gotta say, I don't know anything about the UP and deer hunting.
> 
> But this is simply amazing, at first I thought brush was asking about some myth or old time story.
> 
> ...


I think they migrate when the snow gets deep for one reason it gets more and more difficult to travel as the snow depth piles up. I beleive there is still plenty of food around but there instincts tell them to get to wintering grounds . Just as the past 100years have been done


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## MIpikeGuy (May 27, 2011)

WALLEYE SEEKER said:


> I think they migrate when the snow gets deep for one reason it gets more and more difficult to travel as the snow depth piles up. I beleive there is still plenty of food around but there instincts tell them to get to wintering grounds . Just as the past 100years have been done


Do you believe its because they have the option to do so? Where as a deer in canada doesn't have this option?


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## Snowlover 77 (Nov 17, 2009)

MIpikeGuy said:


> I gotta say, I don't know anything about the UP and deer hunting.
> 
> But this is simply amazing, at first I thought brush was asking about some myth or old time story.
> 
> ...


I think it is a combination of lack of browse and inability to navigate the deep snow. For example, where I hunt, in March of 2009 I measured approximately 40 inches of snow on the ground. That year, I was able to ride a snowmobile on at least a foot of snow until April 11. Deer cannot survive those snow depths, and effectively forage and move about without completely exhausting themselves. I think they migrate because of the excessive snow depths that are common (though they are less common in the past few years) and the fact that they can't browse effectively. Plus, it is a trait that has been passed down to all the deer in these areas. 

And yes, last year I had my trail cam out on a main migration trail in my hunting area for a week during muzzleloader season. I had over a couple hundred pictures of does/fawns and a few bucks, including the two that I posted above.


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## WALLEYE SEEKER (Nov 30, 2009)

MIpikeGuy said:


> Do you believe its because they have the option to do so? Where as a deer in canada doesn't have this option?



Not sure what the deer in western prov. of canada do but if they dont migrate to a yard i would suspect they dont get anywhere near the snow the northern u.p gets.

They can take the cold but if they have to burn more calories than they can consume going through the snow the end result is starvation.

I know parts of ontario i hunted the deer do migrate to a yard but this area gets lake effect just like the u.p


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## fightem (Sep 21, 2008)

Where I hunt In Ontario ,the deer do migrate and yard up in traditional yarding ares. I once saw a biologist tracking deer and she was at the time observing a collard deer that with all the asking wouldn`t tell me exactly it was bedded ,hehehe. But I asked her how far deer will migrate to yarding areas. She told me the particular deer she was tracking travels a little over 80 miles every year one way. Wow that is a long way to go every year. The weirdest thing she told me about that deer was that ,every spring it would travel to a small wooded lot in the center of a northern town. It would raise it`s fawn and then start to migrate in early September to the wintering yard..Then back to fawn in the early spring. One year up there the deer were yarded up early and they had a heavy snow storm . The local towns people all shot deer .It was like they had no chance. Then the next few years deer were hard to find . Well you all have a good one eh??:coolgleam:coolgleam


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## duxdog (Apr 13, 2008)

Love hunting the migration. Tagged out though so gonna miss it this year:sad:


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## [email protected] (Oct 6, 2014)

When deer hunting my camp area of the U P I have found over the years that during the 1st week of rifle season there are very few deer unless the rut is active. We usually get snow by the 2nd week. 3-4" is enough for the deer to start moving South. They may linger for a day or so and then continue the march south. By this time, the rut is waning. The doe and fawns are herding up. We see plenty of deer at this time, hunting from morning until dark. Once in a while a buck may show up but is usually a yearling. With 5 guys from my camp and then the other camps stirring up the woods, the bucks are moving mostly at night and don't show themselves. A daytime sighting of a buck is when he is chasing a doe.


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## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

This is an old thread but being I'm sitting in a tree overlooking about 12-14" of snow on the ground on Nov 17th , it has me thinking about migration. John 9712, I believe you are more in line with my experience than others about I have read. Here in upper Alger county near Marquette county around Kiva, the deer do start migrating before we see a foot of snow. IF, just IF your lucky, you'll see new bucks daily heading south from Marquette county thru Alger to Delta counties whitefish river basin where yarding occurs. This year, Marquette as I write this has only a trace of snow so hoping Autrain has more and will push deer south thru my area. It's really an unpredictable phenomenon. Unpredictable because you never know exactly when the deer will start migrating.


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## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79136_79608_81471-339639--,00.html


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## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

Tilden Hunter said:


> https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79136_79608_81471-339639--,00.html


Is that a Savage Model 99 or a Winchester Model 88 on your profile ?


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## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

It's the tackiest 99 I've ever seen a picture of. A full camo paint job. I don't remember where I found the pic.


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## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

Tilden Hunter said:


> It's the tackiest 99 I've ever seen a picture of. A full camo paint job. I don't remember where I found the pic.


Was curious. I have a Winchester model 100 and a Winchester Model 88 one is in the 284 and others in a 308 I just love them. Never owned a 99 Savage but I'm guessing it's a nice gun as well.


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## hunthunt (May 28, 2015)

A few things to add......

I have seen zero snow on the ground in the middle to end of rifle season and not a deer left where I hunt in the central yoop. Lots of deer actually don't migrate at all too. They instead flock to neighborhoods where they get fed all year.


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## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

I like them a lot. I've got five 99's. Four are in 300 Savage, and one in 308 Winchester. Also I've got an 1899 in 303 Savage. I used to use them more for hunting when I was in an area with doe permits. Now that I'm down to a single buck tag I have to take my best gal to the dance, a Remington 700 in 8x57.


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## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

Tilden Hunter said:


> I like them a lot. I've got five 99's. Four are in 300 Savage, and one in 308 Winchester. Also I've got an 1899 in 303 Savage. I used to use them more for hunting when I was in an area with doe permits. Now that I'm down to a single buck tag I have to take my best gal to the dance, a Remington 700 in 8x57.


Interesting. Didn't know Remington made an 8x57. Still using the combo tags up here. Sometimes regret it but really don't care to come up to UP deer camp and shoot anything smaller than 3 a side. Seems the deer are recovering up here.


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## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

From about 1980 till 2005 Remington made a Classic series. Each year it would be chambered in some unusual round. I think they made the 8x57 in about 2004. I quit the combo tag shortly after I quit baiting, because I just don't have enough time to comfortably count points on walking deer. Especially having to distinguish between three or four points.


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## 98885 (Jan 18, 2015)

Tilden Hunter said:


> From about 1980 till 2005 Remington made a Classic series. Each year it would be chambered in some unusual round. I think they made the 8x57 in about 2004. I quit the combo tag shortly after I quit baiting, because I just don't have enough time to comfortably count points on walking deer. Especially having to distinguish between three or four points.


That's been the biggest challenge since the DNR put that in place. See a big bodied older age class buck moving thru the woods and only see forks no brows and forced to pass him. Certainly an old age class deer but forced to pass due to poor ID. That's the sad part of that 3/4 side combo option. Some guys at camp only buy the single tag anymore for reasons you mention.


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## codybear (Jun 27, 2002)

I found that if the yard they are heading to isnt that far away, they wont use a consistent trail.. Some years I have had them go right through my yard, sometimes during the day and sometimes at night.. The yard was about 5 miles from my house.. But once they go through, you wont see another deer track until spring, LOL


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

I always buy the combo tag. It’s pretty easy to count all the way to 4 on one side. Rarely do I fill both tags in the UP but I can always run below the bridge and fill it on a late season doe.


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## Trap Star (Jan 15, 2015)

So do the deer go back to the same area when they head back north? How often you northern YOOPers see the same bucks year after year on camera?


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## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

Does and fawns go back to the same areas according to tracking studies IIRC. Not sure about the bucks. I've never used a camera. I tried to this year during bear season, but it was a cf I never sorted out.


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## Trap Star (Jan 15, 2015)

Just to clear things up, I never see bucks year after year on camera in SWLP either. Not because of migration though, because I shoot them.


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## nothbound (Dec 22, 2016)

Sure be nice if they made a app showing the traditional trails... I've searched long and hard. Know of a few definite yard areas but can't find the travel routes to them. It's just like bam, all of a sudden a area I hunt in dickenson county has deer everywhere. Actually makes it unhuntable in a way for late season bow as you start having does blow at you a few steps from the truck


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

Extended family member shot one 15 years ago or so that had been tagged in a winter yard by the paper company that owned the property. He killed the 6.5 yo buck 35 miles from that yard.


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## Tilden Hunter (Jun 14, 2018)

nothbound said:


> Sure be nice if they made a app showing the traditional trails... I've searched long and hard. Know of a few definite yard areas but can't find the travel routes to them. It's just like bam, all of a sudden a area I hunt in dickenson county has deer everywhere. Actually makes it unhuntable in a way for late season bow as you start having does blow at you a few steps from the truck


The link I provided has descriptions of the various yards and where the deer usually come from.


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## nothbound (Dec 22, 2016)

Tilden Hunter said:


> The link I provided has descriptions of the various yards and where the deer usually come from.


Yes I've seenthat and sure enough my yarding spot is on there. I just can't find the elusive beaten trail into the area


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Trap Star said:


> So do the deer go back to the same area when they head back north? How often you northern YOOPers see the same bucks year after year on camera?


Can’t say with any certainty on bucks but some of the does do return every spring. A couple were easily identifiable. One had a mane another had no tail. They are gone for 5 months plus.


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

Trap Star said:


> So do the deer go back to the same area when they head back north? How often you northern YOOPers see the same bucks year after year on camera?


Easy, It's the same spike 3-4 consecutive years.


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## Trap Star (Jan 15, 2015)

QDMAMAN said:


> Easy, It's the same spike 3-4 consecutive years.


Lol same one every year!


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## SMLC (Nov 9, 2018)

QDMAMAN said:


> Easy, It's the same spike 3-4 consecutive years.


Sure seems that way a lot of years


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