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How do you guys feel about hunting in the rain?

DannyBoy

DannyBoy

Well-Known Member
Just wondering what everyone's opinion is on hunting during the rain. I for one will hunt the rain. But I don't have a whole lot of time to hunt so it's either get wet or don't hunt at all. No brainer there! I actually shot my buck during a rainy morning sit on October 23 last year.

Today's weather kinda got me wondering, so... Does anybody feel it slows movement? Does it help? Are there stands you've found are better to hunt than others when a little adverse weather hits?

I'm not talking about torrential downpours here. I personally have hunted in them and it seems it completely shuts deer down. I also believe that right before and directly after always seem good, but I'm talking WHILE it's raining.

Let's hear your thoughts...
 
Early season I'd rather drink beer than hunt in the rain. During the rut however when I'm burning vacation from work, I'll definitely hunt in the rain. Last year I finally got smart and bought one of those heavy duty canopies to put above my stand and had one of the best days of the year around mid November during an all day rain event.
 
Hunted today in the rain and it down poured at times which kind of sucked. It didn't really shut any deer movement down though. I still saw a ton of deer but no bucks.
 
I think if you are there right when the rain quits...that is the ticket. I don't really like to hunt in the rain, but sometimes you gotta go with what you got.
 
I think deer like moving in rain. Dark,,quiet,,,but following blood,,,not so good. Especially as it gets dark, and rain is washing trail away.
 
I won't bowhunt in a rain. I was on a couple blood trails years ago that deer were lost because of rain washing away the sign.
For me, I'll wait for a better day.
 
I will hunt the rain in a heartbeat. I have killed 2 seperate 200 inch deer in the rain. They were muzzleloader hunts so the rain washing a trail away didn't come minto play as severely as with a bow. Now,...I'm always a little worried about that very situation but if I have time to hunt, and it's raining, I'm still out there
 
I lost a doe several years back because it started raining right after I shot her. I am self employed, bow deer season lasts a long time, and I can't see the point in possibly losing a buck of a lifetime due to rain. In reality, after a shot, a deer should be allowed several hours, if not overnight to lie down and not be pressured after a bow shot. The only deer I have not found in my life have been a couple of deer that I pursued way too soon after the shot. They went and layed down, blood was everywhere in their bed, but my over eagerness to get my deer, caused them to jump up and run, and I lost the blood trail. I have no doubt in my mind, that if I had just left them lay, I would have recovered them both. You can't let an animal lay for several hours or over night when it is raining. So to answer your question, No, I will not hunt in the rain on purpose.
 
This time of year I don't get too excited about hunting. Mainly because I don't want to miss the fast action of the rut and don't want to be tempted too early in the season by something so I will sit on the sidelines if its pouring. If it is early muzz then you got to hunt because you only have so many days.

During the rut, I will hunt in any conditions mother nature will throw out me. If a curve ball is thrown and its too dangerous to sit in a tree, I will hunker down in a brush pile even though I don't have much confidence in that. I guess its better than nothing.

I have never lost a deer in the rain, but can't say I ever shot a deer in the rain. Those cold November days where it is slightly raining off / on are the best days to be in the field in my opinion. I would take that over a bluebird day anyday. I have seen some absolute giants when it has been slightly raining. Not so much when it is pouring out though.
 
One of the best days I have ever hunted was a misty dark day three years ago in November. Seemed the deer felt more comfortable and I witnessed movement basically all day. I know it was the rut, but this was better than anything else I had seen in terms of big buck sightings. I love cloudy days with light rain in late October/November. As for tonight, I want to hunt. I'll be out there unless its basically pouring.
 
Sounds like some of you need to buy some good raingear! I hunted yesterday in the downpour and stayed nice and dry, I wouldnt say that the deer movement was great, but not bad considering the weather and moon phase. Saw two bucks on their feet by 430 but nothing huge. As far as losing deer in the rain, sounds like some of these boys need to practice a little more before season, a properly hit deer will die in less than 15 seconds so if your deer is still alive in 2 hours you made a terrible shot PERIOD. But I do agree that in a rain you definately need to be a little more picky on the shots you take, but dont let the rain keep you in the house, you aint gonna melt :)
 
I also don't get a lot of time to hunt, so pretty much rain or shine if I have the time I'll be in the woods. As a matter of fact I'll be out in the rain this afternoon trying out my new matrix 360:). Hopefully the pitter patter of rain hittin the blind won't be too loud. In years past I've always hunted in the rain if it wasn't a thunderstorm and haven't seen it affect deer movement too much.

Others made good points about losing deer in the rain. Though I haven't had it happen to me I will definately keep that in my before I squezze the release. If ya decide to hunt in the rain good luck and take extra time climbing a wet tree:way:
 
If I had the luxury to hunt when I wanted, then I probably wouldn't hunt in the rain.

But I don't have that luxury, so I hunt regardless of the conditions!



Sat in a 35-40 mph wind this past weekend and ended up seeing my best buck so far this season. Can't shoot 'em from the couch!!!!!!!
 
I hunted in rain/sleet for three straight days last year (Nov.8th-10th) and saw several good bucks, two were potential booners. I didn't get a shot at any of them, but the time was right...and when the time's right it doesn't really matter what the weather's doing (except for the wind :way:)

Maybe HCH will afford me his treestands if it's raining during the rut...:confused:...the only deer I've lost were due to poor shots, not if I let them lay long enough. If you hit them right you don't need to worry about tracking:p
 
the only part of hunting in the rain I don't care for is my equipment getting all wet. I always worry that I will get a squeek in my bow from it getting wet.
 
Trailing my daughter's youth season buck in the rain last week really opened my eyes. She had hit him perfect, although we could'nt thell that because of the smoke from the muzzleloader. He was gone from our view in seconds. When we started on the trail an hour later the rain came. Because we were unsure of the hit and the heavy rain we backed out. It took me 5 hours the next day to find the buck even though he was only 60 yards from where we lost blood and 120 yards from the hit. (very thick cover)

No one plans on making a bad hit. Even those who practice often can hit a limb, the deer can move, as well as many other possibilties that could result in a poor hit. While I will likely still continue to hunt the rain, after this recent experience I will keep a close eye on the weather forecast and probaby limit my shots to chip shots if the rain is going to be heavy enough to wash away a trail. I would hate to lose that buck I've been dreaming of for the past few years!;)
 
I, like most, will hunt the rain if it is during a time of the season when "seat time" is the priority. Last season was the first that I carried a Blackberry device which I could check internet radar. It definately helped me evaluate the conditions better and also helped push me through some rain during times when the radar showed me that it was going to pass before the end of the hunt.

As far as trailing issues, each hunter needs to assess the circumstances with the best judgement they can. Everyone has made some valid points within this post related to trailing during or after a heavy rain. Good luck and safe hunting everyone. :way:
 
I can hunt most every evening and all day on weekends and I still choose to hunt in the rain. When it's raining, or there is a high likelyhood that it will soon rain, I try to sit stands that are more open, rather than stands in the thick stuff. I've found tracking to be much simpler when you actually see the deer go down :). I also wait for "slam dunk" shots, cutting your range down definitely helps make a good shot, especially if it's a deer that really gets your heart going.
 
bowman said:
No one plans on making a bad hit. Even those who practice often can hit a limb, the deer can move, as well as many other possibilties that could result in a poor hit.
Click to expand...

WELL SAID!


I lost a bear a few years back and I should have known better. I heard the rain coming, with in 20seconds of the shot it was like someone poured a bucket over me. I waited 1hour and went back I found 30yards of blood and it was gone. :( I have no doubt that my shot wasnt perfect, video confirmed it, but I still should have had a better trail than 30yards.

Its a rarity for me to hunt in the rain. Cold, wet, and on a metal stand...Not my ideas of fun. Yea, rut + november I'll be there, but other than that I'll try anything else first before I head to a tree. Sides if its raining it should be good duck hunting.:D
 
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