What is everyones take on hunting in the rain? it is supposed to rain here for the next couple of days, But i just got permission to hunt a new area. the good news is that there is an old barn that i can get up in the loft and sit in and it has a real good sized window that looks out onto a thick field that I think they are using to bed in. is it worth goin out in the rain or wait until it stops?
I agree with GMMAT here. I'm not a big fan of bowhunting in a steady rain and I'm not nearly a good enough shot to simply fling arrows when there is a chance that rain will wash away the blood trail. I'd limit myself to a shot 20 yards or less, but that is just moi.
They move. They really don't have much choice since they have to feed. My father, brother and I hunted on the Eastern Shore of VA last week during the Noreastern that was all over the news. 9 inches of rain with constant winds for 4-5 days in the 30-40 mph range with gusts up to 65. We saw deer every day, about 20+ sightings in 3 days and that's not counting the dozens we saw after dark riding around. It's uncomfortable hunting and my tactics changed a little but still pretty exciting. Luckily it never got cold as that could have changed everything and on a side note I have been shopping online for some waterfowl gear designed for wet and cold. It's expensive but even if I only have to use it once or twice in a season I figure it will be worth it. After seeing all the deer I saw last week in that weather I will never use the weather as an excuse not to go hunting again. Bowhunting is different though, I don't love the idea of trailing in wet weather.
I won't hunt in a down pour. 99% of the shots I take with a compound regardless of weather, I consider slam dunks, so not much changes there.
I hunted in a pretty stiff rain yesterday and deer sighting were nil. It snowed an inch that morning and I thought deer would be moving but when that rain came down they ceased to move in a well traveled section of property that I always see some deer movement. On the other hand, a buddy of mine hunting in the same rain shot a doe. You never know unless you try.
I know deer still move in the rain....maybe not a tempest...but average rain yes.... my micro buck I shot on sunday was in the rain....but yea...blood trail washing away is a problem....
there are so many reasons to hunt in the rain and only one viable reason not to in my opinion. the biggest only reason not to hunt in the rain is the obvious reason stated previously, blood trail washing. the reasons I like to hunt in the rain? when there is any precipitation, snow or rain, it screws with a deers vision. it washes scent trails left by the intruder, you. quiet. wet leaves don't crunch. this helps to slip into a core area a little tighter than one might normaly want to. often times, the days I have off in the fall are on account of the rain. (construction), so I must take advantage of these days just to be able to get out while I'm still working. how often have you ran into another hunter on public land? how often have you ran into another hunter on public land, in the rain? like stated again, earlier, shot choice really must be perfect. pick ahead of time your limit, and take no chances. a well placed shot in the boiler maker will do the trick 99% of the time. I'm comfortable with anything under 20 yards. it seemed like we had rain here the entire month of October. after several wet sits, I finaly went and bought a very nice camo coverup, top and bottom. I will not waste those days, there are to few of them the way it is.
deer will most likely move in light rain but if it comes to a down pour deer will bed down in thick timber
