Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

Ok.... So hereare my questions.....

How many mature bucks have you taken during "nasty" weather..... Heavy rain and snow,strong winds or extreme cold?

Do you let the weather dictate when you will hunt? What inclement weather do you hunt in and what weather do you turn the alarm off and roll over?

This year was my first "nasty" weather buck as it was raining pretty good all day long. I have also saw quite a few "good" (P&Y class) bucks in heavy winds and rains over the years. This year was just the first time it all came together in those climates for me.

I'm curious to see others experiences.
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RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

Anyone?

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

My first big buck a 125 8pt came in a blizzard!! and he was the smaller of the two.. Walt

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

I have shot 0 mature bucksduring nasty weather. I haven't seen any either. If the wind starts to get up to 25+ mph, I may not hunt. If it is pouring rain, I usually don't hunt either. Now, a light rain or drizzle is another story. That type of rain seems to be the best conditions to see deer in.

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

I like hunting in light rain. It really lets me sneak into the woods and get in my stand quitely. Plus I have killed a few nice deer on those types of days. If it is pouring I don't go. I have enough other days I can hunt. I also like to hunt really cold temps., I see a lot of deer movement on real cold days. Haven't killed one on a real cold day yet, but cold weather doesn't bother me. Don't get many chanches to hunt in snow any more. It seems the deer don't really move during a heavy snow. But I love getting out right after the storm ends. They gotta fill their bellies after sitting out the storm.

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

i shot a doe in 40+ winds and - temps but no monster bucks

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

I have to agree with Greg .... I have never done good in heavy rain or wind ... I have , however had success BEFORE nasty weather comes ...

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

I will hunt in hard rain, cold and wind.

With a hard rain, I hope it will let up just a bitduring hunting. Most times I just get soaked but I managed to get a shot at this guy during a lull in the rain...

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

The one thing I never do which I should try is still hunting the bedding areas ( cattails sloughs here for the most part ) on windy, cold, nasty days. I've walked up onquite a fewbucks and does doing this with rifle. I am talking getting within feet of bedded deer.

With bow it is always about not blowing an area by tromping through it. Rifle it doesn't bother me at all since I know the places will get hammered by other rifle hunters during the 2.5 week General Season. Someday I am going to throw caution in the wind andtry with bow.

Tim

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

I killed my biggest buck in a soaking November rain. He was the only deer I saw all day, and you seriously could've wrung me out after I climbed out after the shot. I stuck it out until around 11:00 when this guy came through.

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

Never killed any bucks in "nasty" weather but some of the biggest bucks I have seen while hunting were in nasty weather (mostly heavy rains). My buddy missed a big 140" class 10 point several years ago on a cold rainy day. We sat in our stands just getting soaked all afternoon, I never saw a deer but it was one of the most memorable days in stand that he has ever had. He was in a stand on the edge of a golden rod field. He had a large crab apple tree in front of him and a small pond about 15 yards behind him that sits right on the woodline. He said that he just got a feeling to turn around and as he slowly turned his head a big rack just appeared and it was looking right at him. He was picked off but he sat still and the buck calmed down a bit. As the buck walked parrallel to him he was able to draw back. When the buck got broadside he stopped it, settled the pin and let it go just to have the arrow hit a branch and sail over the bucks back.

I have seen more deer while hunting during breaks in heavy rains, as soon as the rain stops the deer get up and move.

High winds are probablly my least favorite condition to hunt in. I never see deer moving when the winds are 15mph or higher but I still sit in stand. Just this past season I sat in stand for about 3 hours when it was about 30 degrees out and we had a 30 mph wind with gusts in the upper 40 mph range. Just before legal shooting light ended the winds settled down and that evening I saw 3 shooter bucks, two were easy P&Y's and the other was very close to it.

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

Yes.. it seems that the weatehr is just horrible there, and i usually wear a jacket if it is raining.. let me know of your secret to stay bone dry like in this pic;)

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

Maybe the pic was taken the next day? Maybe he changed his clothes for the pic? :eek: Whats with people always questioning what somebody else posts?

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

Buck was shot in the evening and found the next morning. No secrettobeing dry in the picture that any wannabesherlock should have been able tofigured out.;) :D

Tim

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

Ummmmm..............well....................I uh.............[&:][&o][&o]

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

Nice buck Tim. I like the nasy cool rainy days. Not a hard rain but a steady drizzle seems to get the bucks up.

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

Tim,

You mean that flannel shirt isnt gortex? :D

Great buck, love that pic.

Nasty weather, ie drizzle, rain, snow storms..

For the most part the biggest/oldest bucks I have seen during mid-day hourshave been during the late rut in a steady drizzle, snow storms or steady rain. I've always felt the rain/drizzle dulls their sense of smell and gets them moving, couple that with the the late breeding phase whenold boys are searching for those last remaining does... even the most nocturnal bucks seem to show up in my parts at these times. I love the fact that most hunters pack it in on those nasty days, I make sure to be out there. Mostveteran bucks have the hunters patterned andsense the lack of pressure.

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

[quote][Nasty weather, ie drizzle, rain, snow storms..

For the most part the biggest/oldest bucks I have seen during mid-day hourshave been during the late rut in a steady drizzle, snow storms or steady rain. I've always felt the rain/drizzle dulls their sense of smell and gets them moving, couple that with the the late breeding phase whenold boys are searching for those last remaining does... even the most nocturnal bucks seem to show up in my parts at these times. I love the fact that most hunters pack it in on those nasty days, I make sure to be out there. Mostveteran bucks have the hunters patterned andsense the lack of pressure.

/quote]

Okay Scott, is Troys response enough to get you to shut up for a lil while :D:D:D:D

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

I've killed deer in nasty weather. The day I arrowed my buck from this season, it wasn't nasty weather as the temperature wasn't bad (40's) but the wind was 30-40mph. Even at 15 yards, I grunted loud (2x)to stop him, but he didn't even hear it. But the deer are used to it, and as long as you don't mind swaying in the tree a little, the hunting is usually just as good.

But overall, even hunting in conditions of sleet, snow, and below digit temps, I've noticed the hunting to be as good. My game plan does change though, as the deer tend to stay in different areas depending on the weather.

Good Post.

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

The biggest buck I've ever seen while hunting was durring a steadycold rainin the midmorning of late October. He seemed almost depressed and wanted nothing to do with the calls I threw at him.50yds was the closest he got. I believe hewasbed hopping for a hotties.

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

Great time to catch a buck on his feet, especially right after a long-hard rain, or on the beginning of a cold front!

RE: Nasty weather and monster bucks
 

Cold and Precip dont keep me from the woods, but when its windy (25mph+) I generally stay in. I have spent time in the woods during these winds, but when I look back at my log I realized it wasnt worth it. Last year I hunted in 35-40mph and I saw 2 deer, a spike and a doe (different times) both running full speed and not down wind of me. I think the strong winds break branches and spook them and they realize they can no longer rely on their hearing or their smell really and bed down out of the wind. The only time it might be worth it is during the rut.

However, you never really know. LOL:D