In this episode of Backbone Unlimited, Matt Hartsky breaks down one of the most overlooked factors in successful mule deer hunting—weather. Every front that sweeps across the West changes everything about how deer behave. It affects where they feed, bed, travel, and rut. Whether you hunt in Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, or Colorado, understanding how weather drives mule deer movement from October through November can completely change how you plan your hunts. Matt explains how early cold snaps, shifting wind, and temperature drops cause does to move first—and how those movements trigger bucks to follow. He covers the patterns before, during, and after a storm, revealing how pressure changes and snow depth determine whether deer stay high or start migrating down. You’ll learn how to identify productive mid-elevation transition zones, how to time your glassing sessions around weather windows, and why post-storm recovery periods often offer the best visibility of the year. From high-country bachelor groups in early October to full rut activity in November, Matt shows how to read the signals—frost, wind shifts, and barometric drops—that predict deer movement days before most hunters see it coming. He also breaks down how terrain, elevation, and sunlight exposure combine with weather to shape mule deer behavior across the West. If you’ve ever shown up to a basin that felt empty overnight, this episode explains why—and how to stay one step ahead of every weather front that moves through the mountains. Learn to hunt the rhythm of the weather, not the forecast, and you’ll start finding deer where everyone else just left.