Hunting in bad weather

[Troutman10]

I've been talking with a few people over the past couple weeks and they say to hunt in good weather, but bad weather as well. They say to stick it out and hunt. Theybest deer they've shot have been in really nasty weather. Does that hold true for most of you guys? What is your stance on huntingcrappy weather?

[wayomic]

The deer don't leave because it's cold or raining or snowing, so why should you. I shot my last buck on a cold, wet and foggy day when he strolled by 25 yards away.I've had my shots when it was-5 deg and during practicle whiteouts with snow. Depending on the type of weather,it may make them move even more than normal.
(Some of the best hunting for my father, brother and I has been when the weather turns crappy and all of the other hunters nearby pack up and head for home. Get's what is out there up and moving, pushing deer all over, and right into our sights)

[mauser06]

my dad shot his biggest buck in a nastttty downpour....or so the story is told lol.....i hunt in it ALL...if i got time to hunt im goin hunting! and i agree deer(and all animals for that matter) still gota eat and do deer business. cant kill em tucked in bed or sittin on the couch....this will be my first year bowhunting so i dont know if ill bowhunt in the rain....im just worried about tracking more then anything else....

[Phil from Maine]

In real windy weather I just ride the old dirt roads here as the deer
become very spookey. In rain and snow I find some of the best
hunting. As rain will help keep your sent down making it harder
for deer to smell you. On the first snow deer do not seem to move
much here. So if scouting around then and you see fresh sign
be ready for action. I enjoy hunting in stormy weather.

[rookiebowhuntr_PA]

I saw an interesting article in one of the bow mags a month or two back about this. The authors were saying that they shot their best bucks in the rain, also they saw just as much movementif not more during the rain.
I started paying attention to widelife after or during rain that week i read that article. I saw turkeys anda doe in areas I usually do not. I also notice during the rain or after the rabbits and groundhogs and squirell are always moving in my backyard..

[ChuckS]

I'd have to concur...I have my best sightings in the rain. But the worst is frozen leaves that cracle and pop. I just can't sneak up to a deafdeer on days like that.

ChuckS

[Troutman10]

Rookiebow,
I think I read a similar article the past couple months or in the spring then started paying attention to see what would happen to wildlife in the rain or snow. Just like you said, I saw deer in places I don't normally see them and other wildlife in places I don't normally see them. The articlebasically said that deer get cold if they justlay down on the wet ground andgetting rained on compared to a deer that is out in a open field that isn't getting as wet. All this is really interesting to me.

[Mike Hill]

I do not hunt in the heavy rain or snow as I found that the deer bed down and wait it out. That said right after a heavey rain or snow seems to bring out deer movement big time. It its a light rain or snow I'll stick it out but heavy or servire I'm going home. Hunting is suppos to be fun and to me sitting on a stand in that just is not.

[MikeVT]

I love to still hunt when it is raining. Due to limited opportunities, I cannot pick and choose which days I hunt, so I need to make the most of every day afield. I agree with ChuckS, frozen leaves or crusty snow leave me right on the stand, no use trying to sneak up on one in those conditions.

[Nord QC Bouman]

I hunt in all weather and actually prefer some type of weather out of the ordinary. The deer tend to act in a specific manner in certain weather and knowing this will actually give you an edge during a hunt.

Days that are rainy/windy the animals more since they cannot manage a good scent profile and they keep looking to get up wind into a neutral scent.While they are preoccupied withmanaging this activity you get a chance to stalk them more effectivly and with the rain hiding your scent and the wind making your movements - I have walked right in on small podsbrosing and nosing about.

Snow if the best time to hunt - formany of the same reason with rain, with the addedbenefit of tracking. It doesseem to me that deer can sight you better in a moderate snow, but if you more in slowbelow wind you can have some great oppurtunites.


I have takenmy animals 2:1 in poor conditions. I am also training my kids to get up as plannned and head out no matter what mother nature has cooked up.