Hunting in the rain
#12
staying dry
I have some Gor-Tex gear that has kept me pretty dry in the past, so getting wet is not really too much of a concern to me. I know deer hunker down in a heavy rain rain, and I am not very good at stalk hunting. So I was thinking on stalk hunting during a heavy rain to hide sound and smell to see if I could sneak up on one.Bad or good idea? I have a lot of options which itself is almost a problem.
#15
I try and stay out in the rain as much as I can. If Im in a box blind I will stick in out and try to stay alert. I will admit, I do see fewer deer when it gets beyond a drizzle. If it gets heavy and I put my head back and take a little nap, waking up every 15 minutes to take a look. I probably have missed many deer that way, but I don't think too many. I did fall asleep once in a ground box blind and wake up and have 3 does 15 feet away and I wanted to fill my doe tag that day too!
If im in my climber or ladder stand, I have rain gear to wear but if it gets bad, heavy down pour or lightning, Im heading in. I watch the weather though carefully. If it has been raining all day and plans on letting up before dark, I want to be in my stand when the rain stops. If the deer have been laying all day, there going to want to get up and move around as soon as its over.
If im in my climber or ladder stand, I have rain gear to wear but if it gets bad, heavy down pour or lightning, Im heading in. I watch the weather though carefully. If it has been raining all day and plans on letting up before dark, I want to be in my stand when the rain stops. If the deer have been laying all day, there going to want to get up and move around as soon as its over.
#16
Spike
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Monticello, Florida
Posts: 17
I don't think deer will bed down for an entire day if it's raining. Deer have to eat, something like every 4 to 6 hours. Think about it. Most of the time, during hunting season, it's rather cool to down right cold when it's raining. Even with all that fur, deer have to burn calories to keep the internal stove blazing.
I'm sure that they may bed down for the first few hours on a rainy day, but after that they're up and moving. Hunters see lees deer during rainy weather because most hunters head for home/camp. Those who stay in the woods may not see any deer because of all the noise. Think about it. Ever notice how when you're sitting in your stand/blind and it's really quiet, you seem to be able to make out every little detail your eyes see? Your brain has literally decided to not rely on your senses of smell and hearing, instead focusing most of it's power on your sense of sight. When it's raining, however, there's tons of noise, and your bain devotes much of its attention to that sense, instead of sight. Just rambling....sorry
I'm sure that they may bed down for the first few hours on a rainy day, but after that they're up and moving. Hunters see lees deer during rainy weather because most hunters head for home/camp. Those who stay in the woods may not see any deer because of all the noise. Think about it. Ever notice how when you're sitting in your stand/blind and it's really quiet, you seem to be able to make out every little detail your eyes see? Your brain has literally decided to not rely on your senses of smell and hearing, instead focusing most of it's power on your sense of sight. When it's raining, however, there's tons of noise, and your bain devotes much of its attention to that sense, instead of sight. Just rambling....sorry
#19
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: northern nj
Posts: 267
Hunting in the rain is not a issue ,but with certain weapons or shots blood tracking in the rain definitely will be .
They will move during the rain but the activity is definitely cut down,
during the rain what i noticed sometimes that they would bed down close to their main food source .
good luck
They will move during the rain but the activity is definitely cut down,
during the rain what i noticed sometimes that they would bed down close to their main food source .
good luck
#20
Rainy days are the best! Especially breaks in the rain, for turkeys and deer. They will bury themselves in thick evergreens to stay dry if it's raining extra hard or it's cold too. But there comes a point when no matter what they do they will get wet and cold and moving warms them up. If it's the rut almost nothing but death will stop them anyway.