Do deer move more before or after a cold front?
Both. The 24 hours before a cold front arrives produces a feeding push as deer fuel up ahead of the system. The 12–36 hours after the front clears — once the barometer rises and temperatures stabilize cold — produces the strongest daylight movement of the cycle, especially during the rut.
The pre-front window is food-source-driven: does pile onto remaining mast and standing crops, and bucks shadow them. The post-front window is movement-driven: cold air, rising pressure, and clear skies push every age class of buck onto its feet during shooting hours.
Schedule rut sits to overlap the post-front window inside your state's peak breeding dates. Two days back-to-back on the back side of a strong front are the highest-percentage 48 hours of the year for many hunters.