RE: rain
Think about it this way. People tend to stay in when the weather sucks. Deer figure this out. So they move. Sure in the worst of it the tend to hold tight. but when it slows a bit they are up and moving again. If your not out there you will not see them.
Actually the day I shot this one it was a steady downpour. I had seen nothing all morning untill he ran three does in front of me. There wasn't much time between seeing him and putting him on the ground I assure you.
I think they move alot before a storm and in the lulls in the storm. It did seem to slow after I shot him...though I wasn't really paying attention after that. It was still raining in the pics even though it doesn't show much.