Does rain discourage deer movement? It seems like every time I go out hunting, and it rains, the hunt ends without seeing anything. I know that this could just be coincidence, but has anyone had good luck hunting in the rain pre rut?
It was just raining the other day when i was hunting and i didnt see anything but im almost positive i heard deer moving towards a bedding area right before dark
I had one of my most memorable sits in the rain. As long as it's not a deluge I'm there all day long. I sat a full day in November with it lightly raining all day. Was enough to be annoying, but not enough to go home. I seen bucks on their feet all day, not always in range but you never know. Got annoyed at one point, climbed down and reset an old ground blind smashed during a previous ice storm. Blind rattled and had a mature six across a creek a few minutes later. Like to think he responded but who knows. Wasn't comfortable judging yardage at that time, was probably 25 yds, but it looked far lol. He walked down the trail, I snuck out and seen where he was going to cross, knew he'd be 15 yds or less when he came back into the open. Drawed back and waited, and waited and eventually let down. Snuck back around using a big oak as a block, seen his *** end 40 yds away and walking. He never crossed, but I sat the rest of the day with a smile knowing what almost had been
light rain actually helps when hunting Blacktail out here, would assume the same for whities as well cause the woods are quieter, and scent doesn't carry as well... but when the winds blowing and the rains coming down hard, too much noise and the deer get real nervous and hole up
Im pretty sure it dampers deer activity unless its light rain. It inhibits their senses. Cant smell or hear as well so they might not be as active. During the heavy rut i dont think it would matter unless it was gushing pretty good. But my buddies dad has three nice bucks on his wall in garage that he calls his "Rain Deer". Shot them all in the rain if the name didnt give it away. so it can be done obviously
I've had some of my best luck in a drizzly, misty, rainy day. The deer were really moving. As far as a down pour. I'm out. Done that once. That was too many times.
Light to moderate rain does not impact them. One thing to keep in mind is the impact of rain to a blood trail.
I sat in the rain yesterday. It was raining when I got there and it was thunder storming when I left. It was the slowest sit I've had in awhile. It was supposed to stop about 1 hour before dark but it never did.
As long as it's not a hard rain the movement is still good. As others have said, a hard rain keeps them from hearing and smelling well enough to feel comfortable. But if it is a hard rain you need to already be in the stand the minute it stops because that's when they will start moving again.
I got a nice buck one year, early November, hunting in a light rain. I also got a nasty case of pneumonia from it as well. If you do it, make sure you are dressed properly! Getting over that was PAINFUL.
