Is it worth hunting in the rain?
 

Do deers move around in the rain? It is opening day here and I have about an hour to make up my mind if I will be going out to hunt in it. I never have hunted in it before but, I have the fever really bad and need to know from more experienced hunters if it is worth going out in. Please give me some input.:sad0064:

Ive shot loads in an easy to moderate rain. The only issue is the lack of blood trail. One of the best times to be out in the field is right after a storm. Some of my best days have been just on the heals of a thunderstorm. During a storm, its no good, stay home.

In my experience deer are not really affected by light to moderate rain. An extended, driving rain combined with wind may keep them hunkered down. I really like to still hunt during nasty weather, you can sneak right up to bedded deer, but that's usually with a gun.

Your ability to bloodtrail can be affected by rain.

i bow hunt in the rain, and see deer, but not if it is a nice day and then the rain comes, but when its been raining fer a few days, i never had any luck if it just started rainin that i can recall. but definatly if it had been rain more than a day.pourin rain, dont i sit in it, i will find cover and wait it out, til dark cause the best luk is after the big rain and its starting to head out, i find the deer celebrating

I don't like hunting in the rain, unless it is just a light rain. Easy to lose a blood trail if its raining pretty good. But I love to be out after it stops raining, and so do the deer...

I lost a doe several years back because it started raining right after I shot her. I am self employed, bow deer season lasts a long time, and I can't see the point in possibly losing a buck of a lifetime due to rain. In reality, after a shot, a deer should be allowed several hours, if not overnight to lie down and not be pressured after a bow shot. The only deer I have not found in my life have been a couple of deer that I pursued way too soon after the shot. They went and layed down, blood was everywhere in their bed, but my over eagerness to get my deer, caused them to jump up and run, and I lost the blood trail. I have no doubt in my mind, that if I had just left them lay, I would have recovered them both. You can't let an animal lay for several hours or over night when it is raining. So to answer your question, No, I will not hunt in the rain on purpose.

I agree 100 %

Only deer that get left overnight for me are questionable hits. If I hear it go down, I slowly pack my stuff and take up the trail.

That said, I am not going out in a pouring or steady rain. I killed one on opening day a few years ago just as it started to rain. Personally, I like it.

Kent pretty much summed it up!

I agree. I always seem to have a ton of activity RIGHT when the rain stops. One of my favorite times to be in a stand is right after a storm. I also get worried about blood trails in the rain, but I haven't experienced that yet..