Have killed some nice deer in rain, especially in a thunderstorm. As for hearing the deer???? I almost never hear them coming. I remember once hunting with my treestand leaned against a tree that was at the edge of a HEAVY briar thicket. I saw a nice buck off to the right. He worked around and was coming behind me through, you guessed it, that HEAVY briar thicket. Had I not seen him I sure would not have heard him in the thicket.

Hey, size may not matter but it sure IS nice!