Northwest Rut Report, Week 8: Bomb Cyclone Disrupts Deer Hunting Plans

Northwestern hunters are familiar with wildfires, thunderstorms, and blizzards disrupting hunting season but a bomb cyclone might be a new one. It’s not just a media buzz word; according to meteorologists a bomb cyclone is a fast-developing winter storm that occurs when atmospheric pressure drops at least 24 millibars over 24 hours. That’s exactly what pummeled the Northwest the week before Thanksgiving.

Washington received the brunt of the storm with Oregon also seeing some of the effects. Hurricane-force winds gusted up to 80 miles per hour, toppling trees and causing over 200,000 people to be without power for days. The storm brought dangerous wind chills, heavy rain and snow in the mountains. These deadly conditions also forced late-season deer hunters out of the woods.

Luckily, Kristie Morgan tagged out just in time. She shot a mature blacktail buck during the final days of Washington’s late firearm season. She reported seeing a lot of rut action during her hunt. She saw bucks fighting and chasing. She said the buck she shot had puncture wounds on his hindquarters from fighting and was missing all the hair between its antlers.

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Late season archery for blacktails, whitetails, and mule deer is still open in parts of Washington but hunters might have to wait a while to get out. Another storm is expected over the weekend and this one could bring coastal flooding, heavy rains, and more than a foot of snow to the mountains.

The bomb cyclone made its way inland, bringing several inches of snow to Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, where hunters have about a week left of general season. Overall, Montana has experienced a warm, dry, and windy general season. According to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks these conditions have been favorable for hunters getting out in the field. Some check stations have recorded record numbers of hunters. But that hasn’t necessarily translated to higher harvest numbers. In Southcentral, mule deer harvest numbers are below average while white-tailed deer harvest rates remain average. However, in Northcentral, whitetail and mule deer harvest numbers are up this year, with mule deer harvest up 37% above average.

For hunters looking to target a mule deer in the final days of the season, the peak of the rut has passed in many areas. Many of the mature mule deer bucks have disappeared and even does are moving a lot less during daylight hours. If you’re looking for rut action, look to the whitetails. The rut has finally reached its peak for Montana’s whitetails. This week I glassed mature whitetail bucks moving during the day including chasing does through wide-open agriculture fields at noon.

With the arrival of the worst storm of the winter but some of the best rut activity in many areas, hunters will need to be smart and safe as they pursue bucks in the days before Thanksgiving.