Huting in rain
 

Do you guys stay home if its raining. If not how do you go about tracking? I ask this as I sit here watching it rain out of my office window. I would go with a gun but if I think the rain won't let up I have reservations about it due to the blood being washed away. Last year I shot a six point, perfect quatering away shot complete pass through. I came down and went to get a friend to help me retreive the deer. On our way back the bottom fell out . We got there to find no blood. Searched for 4 hrs to no avail. Came back the next day still no luck. A week later I saw some buzzards circling and went to have a look. The deer ran about 200 yard into a swamp that was inaccessible. Got some hip-boots and found the hornsMy best bow buck to this point. Now I kind have some heavy reservations about the rain.

RE: Huting in rain
 

I dont like hunting in hard rain. But a slight drizzle or small shower i dont mind. Especially if i know its going to let up.

RE: Huting in rain
 

If it's a downpour, I have better things to do. If it's a light rain/drizzle you bet I'll be out there. If it is raining heavy and I know it's due to quit, I'll be ready and in position to get to my stand. I love being in the stand when the rain quits. The bucks will be moving and making the rounds to freshen up those scrapes. That's how I got my best buck.

RE: Huting in rain
 

I feel the same way....I guess it's a chance you have to take. What if it quits then starts again... I really want to go this evening..just can't decide[>:]

RE: Huting in rain
 

Guess I look at this way, my worst day of hunting still beats most of my"good" days. :) Good luck!

RE: Huting in rain
 

I hunt rain or shine.I sometimes preffer the rain more if it is hot out.The deer seem to move more during the daylight hours when it is raining.Especially if it is hot out.So let it rain.You just have to be very careful to watch where you last saw the deer and listen for a crash.Sometimes depending on the rain you may have to start tracking earlier.Also I would suggest when tracking do it in a stalking style.So if need be you can take a second shot to finsh the job.

RE: Huting in rain
 

I got my first deer with a bow while hunting in a lite rain. Hunting on the ground with my back up against a tree. The deer passed 10 yards right in front of me. The rain helped keep my scent down.

RE: Huting in rain
 

I shot a doe not even 5 min after it stopped drizzling yesterday, good thing I sat out the rain. I always carry a compass in the woods with me, and trailing a deer is one reason for it. I firmly believe that you should not push a deer too early after a shot...rain or shine. I know that some people look immediately when rainingin fear of losing a blood trail. Don't do it, let'em lay downand die. After the shot Ialways watch and listen and determine exactly which direction(compass) I last see/hear the deer in relation to my stand. Most deer don't go any further than 100 yds or so. I can usually b-line straight to the deer without blood trailing.

RE: Hurting in rain
 

rain don't bother me i have tracked quite a few deer with little or no blood trail it even makes it easier after it rain or if the ground is wet

RE: Hurting in rain
 

Not me ,because of the trailing issue

RE: Hurting in rain
 

Hunting in a light rain or drizzle can be a great situation for several of the reasons stated above, but there is one main reason that I like hunting during a light rain/drizzle and that is moisture helps to increase the palitability of the food for deer. Since food tastes better to the deer then, I will often hunt over or near a food source. I havne't always seen a shooter buck during these times, but I have seen several deer when sitting over picked and standing fields of corn.

Goodluck hunting

RE: Hurting in rain
 

In a tree stand during bow season, no I won't hunt in the rain. Mainly because I'm a wuss and get cold really easy. Now if I'm out there and it starts to rain I will stay for a while. Deer seem to like the rain as long it's not heavy and loud.

During gun season in a blind, who cares;). I will hunt in a rain or snow storm, doesn't matter to me. I have a pretty nice blind though and use a small propane heater as well.

My version of gun hunting is not really much like hunting I will be honest. More like sitting around in a small elevated room eating snacks until something comes within snyper range[:o]. I'm limited to shotgun or muzzle loader though, so they have to at least get within 100 yards most of the time. The farthest shot I have actually taken was 80 yards.

Paul

RE: Hurting in rain
 

Its raining right now ...deer are feeding out back

RE: Hurting in rain
 

I hunted yesterday in the rain for 4 hours. I bought one of those tree umbrellas from wally world and kept me completely dry. It was a steady rain too it was quite comfy.

RE: Hurting in rain
 

I do hunt in the rain but won't shoot if it is a heavy rain or downpour. A well placed arrow in a light drizzle or mist can still result in a good blood trail and a quick recovery.

RE: Hurting in rain
 

If a can see I'll be there

Tim

RE: Hurting in rain
 

my only concern is that if i have the oppurtunity to shoot then i won't be able to track it but for the most part i'm stayin' out there in any and all weather conditions...even a tropical storm...lol...but that was just stupid on my part.:D

RE: Hurting in rain
 

I like when there's a light rain or drizzle, the deer seem to feel more secure with thier movements plus it makes it easy to getin and set up QUIETLY!

RE: Hurting in rain
 

i'm not no long time hunter i'm a youngin but from wat i'm learnin i like to hunt in the rain mainly a drizzle...seems like the bucks and does move around more because the woods is wet wich means they can be even more quiet as so can I...plus the cool off from the rain is pleasing in the early season!!

RE: Hurting in rain
 

If it's going to be a downpour for all day, I'll stay in. If it is a lighter manageable rain, I'll hunt, or if it is only chances of intermittent hard rain, I'll hunt. I've found several deer with little to no blood trails for one reason or another.

RE: Hurting in rain
 

As long as its not downpouring when I head out Im staying even if its starts raining hard after Im up. I'll stay in my tree. Ive seen allot of movement when it rains. Your scent gets reduceda bit also. You all need to get the tree umbrellas, best $20 I ever spent. I went in dry, it started pouring then eventually stopped, and I came out dry. My buddy got saturated ..... again. I think he is finally going to get an umbrella now :)

RE: Huting in rain
 

It never bothered me to hunt in the rain untill 3 years ago. I was sitting in my ladder stand at around 430pm along one our access roads in our woods when all of a sudden here comes the biggest buck I have ever seen, including some of the ones on TV. I swear this guy wasMASSIVE!!!! He came straight in from the west walking straight towards me, all I could see was horns. I was in disbeliefe when he decided to stop and have a bite of corn fromthe corn pile. When he was done eating, he steped behind a huge oak tree no more than 10 yards from my stand in front of me. I knew this was the time to draw. Once he stepped out for a perfectly clear shot I let one fly hitting him just behind the shoulder but a little high. I waited about 35 minutes and met my brother out in the field who said he had just shot a monster as well....Then it began to rain......needless to say, neither of the two bucks were found. We searched for 3 days to find the bucks. We believe that they may have crossed the river and went on to some leased land that noone is allowed on. This really upset me for months. I even brought in a professional tracker the day after the shot, and with the rain it was hard to tell what the heck they did. But by looking at the tracks, he told me that Ihit bone and the buck is still alive....kinda lifted my spirits a bit but was I depressed for the longest time, I almost quit bow hunting all together. But I sat down and said to myself over and over, it happens, it even happens to the pros. Ill never forget that buck for as long as I live. I now call him, Heart Breaker. Many people in my area have been seeing a huge buck crossing the river from our land to the leased land on the north side of the river, we believe its him, all 14-18 points of him. He apparently walks with a limp. Maybe this year hell give me a second chance. There for, if its more than a mist, and I go hunting, I wont shoot. Not taking the chance on losing another one.

RE: Huting in rain
 

Thanks guys. I do believe deer move more in light rain. I WILL hunt in the rain even a downpour, just leery of bowhunting in the rain for tracking issues.

RE: Huting in rain
 

Wis Bow Hnt thats a great point about possibly not being able to track a bllod trail well in rain. However, if you didnt get in your stand and stick it out in the rain, you never have seen him, or had a shot at him. Unfortunatly your shot wasnt a perfect hit, maybe only missed by an inch or 2,or you probably would be posting about a great success rain story. Hopefully the Heart Breaker gives you another opportunity.