Jimmy S

NH Archery Season opens Sep 15th Sunday. I will get some time in the woods during Saturday to do some scouting. I am very familiar with this area. With little scouting and heavy rain expected, what's your strategy? There should little if no pressure from other hunters. I can hunt from the ground, or bring my self climber, but with nasty weather expected, what would you do?....Thanks to all in advance...Jimmy S

amosgreg

I'd spend some time looking at the weather radar and figuring out if there are any breaks in the rain. I'd then try to be in the woods(wet yes but still there) near some feeding areas when the break occured.I would plan on hunting from the ground as most noise will be minimal and mask from the rain soaked ground and dripping water off the trees. Still hunt and or stand and glass the surronding area if there is a good deal of visability. Also pay attention to the wind or breeze and work into it but keep checking your back trail.
I really like this type of weather.


Greg

"Getting close to the game is the joy of Bowhunting for me, the harvest is a bonus."

Live 15 ft Python after eating a small Antelope!

Tazman

Jimmy unless it is going to be downpours I would be in the woods the whole time. Deer move a lot more in light rain, and if has been raining hard they will start moving heavy after it either slows down or stops.

The Tazman aka Martin Price
Founder and President of
Virginia Disabled Outdoorsmen Club

Jimmy S

TAZ...I will be there the whole time...Rain does not bother me, especially this time of year with the temps near 75. You also made a great point, something that I live by as a hunter....Deer will absolutely, positively move as soon as a heavy rain has let up. I consider this the best time to be in the woods. The longer it has been raining the more chance in seeing deer. It seems that every deer in the woods is up and about as soon as heavy rain has let up.

BeaverJack

Yall got me memberin' my days of chasin' whitetails. Used to love a cool morin' after a rain storm. Leaves are soaked. Woods are quiet. I like to find 'em cold. Used to scout just to break up the summer a lil'. Didn't care much fer snipin' deer so I kept my tactics to stalkin'. It takes 'bout 2 minutes on a deer trail to tell ifn there's bucks around. More populated or agricultural areas take more time I reckin'.

BJ

UMPIRE

Deer get a false sense of security with any light precipitation and will feed during these times even in the middle of the day. With everything being soft from the rain, you won't make much noise if you need to get into position to make a shot.
However, in heavy precipitation, they will head to cover until it's over.
I would be out in the woods. Just watch your climber on those wet tree trunks.


ALWAYS CALL YOUR SHOT.

Bulzeye

Everything so far sounds like good stuff to me.
Last year I also had to start the season without much scouting done because of some other commitments. I used my firtst couple of days to still hunt and just scouted as I went. It would be a total shot in the dark to set up a stand without having a chance to check things out first. So, I just threw my tripod stool over my shoulder, in case I found a spot to set up on the ground, and off I went.

Take this for what it is worth since I didn't even see any deer.
It sounds good on paper.

Keep 'em all in the Bull.

okbwhtr

I usally hunt the field eges with pop up blind, keeps me dry and deer dont seem to avoid.

Skyhigh

Jimmy S,

I too live and NH and am PUMPED about tomorrow. I just logged on to review the weather. Looks like a 70% change of rain during the morning and 100% in the evening. Southwest wind which will work in either of my stands.

I plan on being in my morning stand (climber) by 5:00am and staying until 9am if the rain isn't too hard. Then I'll eat lunch an move to my evening stand anticipating the deer will arrive at the feeding area well before dusk if the rain is light.

I just finished packing my pack, screwing in my broadheads, and my clothes are in the washer (scent away). I took Monday off too, just in case.

Good luck and let me know how you do!!!

Skyhigh