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Bowhunting in the rain?

Fgirtyman

Fgirtyman

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Apr 24, 2022
Messages
507
Location
Northwest Wisconsin
Your feelings about bowhunting in the rain. I’ve done it… don’t like doing it. I understand deer often move well during rain drizzle and it may be the only time you have the opportunity to hunt.
Like to hear your thoughts.
 
I think it depends where you live. This question gets answered in different ways depending on where people are from. At least that's my observation.

I think places where it rains often the deer respond differently.


I'm from Kansas and the best time here is hunting in abnormal weather, rain/snow. But we don't get weather often. I've have 3 deer on the wall that were harvested in light rain or snow so if I have to be uncomfortable I don't mind. On a side note my bow has some rust on some of the bolts even though I try to dry it out and keep it clean, so that's kinda annoying.
 
I’d prefer to hunt when it’s 50 degrees with a slight wind in my favor on the private land that only I have permission on with food plots in front of my stand location.

I hunt public so…if you’ve got the money honey I’ve got the time. Just going to keep going every chance I get. Still haven’t gotten one from my recliner.
 
I’ve found that a light rain or snow will get the deer up and moving. Not sure if it’s because it cools them off (particularly rain when it’s been hot out) or because they’re conditioned to know that hunting pressure declines (in general) during that time since a lot of hunters won’t go out then.
 
Hunted in the rain tonight. Plugged in the air compressor as soon as I got home and used it to blow the water off my bow and arrows in my quiver. I don't enjoy hunting in the rain but do it when I need to. If I'm on a hunting trip and the forecast only has one or two days of rain, I typically spend those days scouting to cover ground quickly/quietly to find new spots.

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I am sure I am one of the few but I really enjoy hunting in the rain. Makes sneaking around the woods a lot easier and I have been able to spot and stalk a lot of deer in the rain. I rarely sit in a tree when it is raining and prefer to walk around. I hunt hilly big woods and when I can spot a deer and the direction it’s heading I can sneak out in front of them and ambush and have been very effective. I do notice when it’s raining the deer tend to be up and moving a little more than normal but not as alert to sounds, they don’t move very quickly and scent doesn’t travel as far. They are easier to spot and pick out because they shake the water off so often and all around seem a bit more relaxed than dry days where the woods are full of crunchy leaves and squirrels running around. Even the birds that alert them when walking around on a nice day are hunkered down so walking around doesn’t get them excited which draws a deers attention normally. Add a little wind to the mix and you can almost walk at a quick pace to where you think they are without being noticed and then slow down as you approach a ridge or thicket and watch for them hanging out or bedded down.
 
I don’t “enjoy” hunting in the rain per se but in my experience, once the rain slacks off or stops all together, deer usually tend to be on the move, especially in the woods. Again, in my experience, I haven’t seen that to be as true when hunting food plots.


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Slight rain and drizzle as a major rain event is ending can be excellent hunting especially if it’s been raining for awhile. The deer have to eat and the bucks instinctively know they need to freshen scrapes in my opinion. This could be a secondary behavior to overall movements related to having to keep their rumens filled however ending rains seem to trigger buck and deer movement overall for whatever reason. I do not beleive hunting in pouring down rain is ethical as a bowhunter for obvious reasons. But as the front subsides….. get out there if you can. I like the previous advice provided, you can’t kill anything on the couch.
 
Biggest buck I've seen with my eyeballs on public land came out of the marsh and fed on the high ground for about 5 minutes during a brief patch of sun, in-between rain showers..... and the buck fight I witnessed was during a unending drizzle day....
 
I don't mind hunting in the rain. However, I don't like one sticking in the rain. So I'll take regular climbing sticks.
 
I chase cold fronts. It often leads to hunting in rain. I won't hunt in a straight up downpour, unless some unique circumstances would arise. But my usual encounter with rain is heading out when everyone else is looking at the cloud on their iphone weather app and assuming its just "raining". I try to be in the woods for as much of the 48 hours following a front passing through as possible. This often means walking to a set, scouting, stalking, or setting up in rain, as it is beginning to let up. Sometimes I'm off on my timing a little or have a long trek, and I'm heading in while it's pouring.

I take shorter shots. I don't climb difficult trees, if I climb at all. I minimize any risk of injury, or of not putting a broadhead where it needs to be.

But taking these things into consideration ahead of time, and knowing that in the southeast (everywhere, really) deer will move more in daylight with big swings in temperature (cold fronts), I don't even think about rain. It is not part of the equation, unless as I said before, it will just be pouring for hours.
 
I hunt in the rain as long as its not a down poor. I like to walk and stalk in the rain during gun season, helps block your noise.
I had plans on sitting in the saddle this weekend but the morning is calling for rain and 33 degrees. That's a pass for me, I will be hunting but I will be sitting in the blind.
 
There's great opportunity to be had in the rain. That said I can't stand the soaked gear for days on end afterward, even when wearing my Kuiu Yukon set.
That said, if I had limited days to hunt weekend warrior style I'd hunt no matter the conditions except a thunderstorm.
I hunt over 30 times a season so see no need to get wet
 
Alright, if i had one secret tactic to give away, it would be this: i alway hunt when its pouring down rain.

I dont know what it is but i always see more deer. Could be they know there is less pressure, or could be i cover more ground cause i can run through the forest almost silently. Again, will never know the true why but man, my rain gear gets worn more than any of my other clothing pieces.

edit to add: only other time i see more deer is when a cold front is coming. I think they can smell it and they feed more during day ive noticed.
 
i'll hunt in light or medium rain but not in a downpour... i am more apt to hunt in the rain if it is going to stop while i'm on stand....i do not hunt in storms with high winds or lightning...just too risky to be in a tree in those conditions.....2 years ago i had the wind blow a large dead limb off a tree 15 yards in front of me and it scared the crud out of me....i guess one good thing about the saddle is that as i heard it cracking to fall....i was ready to swing to whichever side of the tree gave me the best protection from it if it somehow came my way

it also made me more diligent in checking not only the tree i plan to climb but also all the ones near enough by to be a concern
 
I've spent many days hunting in the rain. Generally I try to avoid hunting during the rain now, and I prefer to hunt as the front comes in or right after it breaks. As mentioned blood trails are the problem. I've had blood trails washed away by pop up showers that weren't even on the radar. Random side note, I got back on the track of one of those does when I was actually down on my hands and knees and looked up and saw blood on the bottom of the leaves! All of that said if the situation is right I may hunt in the rain, or I may go out in the rain hoping to be there when the storm breaks.
 
redsquirrel said:
I've spent many days hunting in the rain. Generally I try to avoid hunting during the rain now, and I prefer to hunt as the front comes in or right after it breaks. As mentioned blood trails are the problem. I've had blood trails washed away by pop up showers that weren't even on the radar. Random side note, I got back on the track of one of those does when I was actually down on my hands and knees and looked up and saw blood on the bottom of the leaves! All of that said if the situation is right I may hunt in the rain, or I may go out in the rain hoping to be there when the storm breaks.
Click to expand...
If the situation is right I hunt in the rain. If it’s just a light mist. I’m always nervous about loosing blood so I make an extra effort to keep shots in a little closer. Always more movement around any front rain or snow.
Good thoughts on safety like lightning, high winds and slick trees. I never thought much about that! Thanks
 
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