jstgsn

Hmmmm.. several thoughts pop in my little brain right away.

Sitting in a tree stand, about 20 feet off the ground, and the sky begins to darken. Hmmm, had seen a deer a few minutes ago, I'll wait it out. Put up my tree stand umbrella as the sky continues to darken. I'll wait it out. oops. holy underwear! The wind hit the woods sounding like a horror movie in stereo. The next thing I know there are branches falling all around me, and within seconds a 50 foot tree crashes to the ground right in front of me. I don't remember climbing down, but I'm sure I set a world record. Left my umbrella up in the tree. Let the climber attached to the base of the tree, grabbed my bow, pack and hot foot it to the car. By now the rain in blinding me as it came down sideways. Branches rained down on me. By the time I got to the car I was soaked, my fletching was flat against my arrows, and when I took my boots off I could pour water out. Did I mention the lightening and my sudden desire to go home and watch football? It passed as fast as it arrived. I retrieved my gear and went home. I found out later a near by barn lost it's roof to the sudden shear winds.

Now on another note, on a different day. I saw the sky darkening, and not wanting to take a chance, took my time, got down, (left my stand attached to the tree) went to the car and watched the storm and caught a nap. Soon the storm passed. It was easy to slip quietly back to the stand and climb the tree. No sooner was I up in the tree and there were deer everywhere! As soon as the storm passed, they came out of the woorwork. Great time to hunt then, and I was dry.

so there's my two main memories on storms.

scottycoyote

i know what youre saying on the tracking....i wouldnt call it unethical but you definitely are decreasing your odds on a recovery if much tracking is involved. Have you seen those tracking systems where a string attaches to the arrow and the string feeds out of a container mounted to the front of your bow (kind of like a bowfishing setup). You could always use one of those in the rain and it might ease your mind.

26drawny

Due to the fact that I don't know what my day or days off are going to be I hunt when I can even though I traded vacation this year I have gone out in moderate rain with my blind. I am restricted at times to when I can hunt so I try to get out every chance I can even when I only have one day off. If it rains it rains and I will still be out there. My days off are never the same they are always changing.

Game Chaser

Hard driving rains are rarely productive and usually by the time it quits you are soaked and just don't care anymore. When it stops is the best time

wallhangr

Unethical - No. The smartest thing you could do, No on that one as well.

I have a feeling you're not talking about driving rain and 25mph winds as I think most of us are smart enough to get down from a tree by that time anyway. During light rain there should be no problem if you limit yourself to good broadside/quartering away shots from a reasonable distance. Many times I've sat in the cabin waiting for the "hard stuff", to quote Bill Murray, to come to an end to get back in a stand while there's still a little rain falling.

LI archer

light rain np, but when the trees start to bend over backwards..afew times i stuck it out and was greatful i did. other times got the heck out of there. but if i did take a shot in the rain as wallhangr says is the best way...

SouthDakotaHunter

Rain does make the blood trailing aspect tougher for sure but you also gain in other aspects of tracking in general... IMO - for example, much easier to follow hoof prints on wet ground than hard dry ground... Just something to consider...

mfonts

I don't think it is unethical by any means, just remember you may not have the best blood trail, as always, make a great shot!

Ben / PA

Shots get limited. BUT.....deer do move when it stops. Just remember, just because you're out there, you don't have to loose an arrow.