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Lightning

Dang what are the odds? Were they in the woods or on the edge or in a pocket of some in a field? Like the chance of striking a tree is odd much less the tree you’re in. Crazy.
 
Well.... We are lighting strike capital of the US so maybe we just more cautious than others. An early season thunderstorm around here can have u huddled and whimpering under the cabbage palms....u know, cause we the sunshine state
 
Opening morning this year (Oct 1) I was set up in a tree when strong thunderstorm passed a couple miles north of me. The dark was lit up with multiple flashes and I thought about sticking it out but a glance at the weather radar indicated another storm may pass through where I was. I "chickened out" rappelled down and walked the .75 miles back to camp. It turns out that storm never materialized but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

FWIW my daughter's detached garage took a direct hit by lightning from the storm that passed north of me and they still haven't been able to get back into the house yet. The bolt destroyed their well casing (as well as a bunch of other stuff) and also bounced a basketball size rock from the back yard over the garage and into the front yard. It's not something to mess around with.
 
I've had 3 close encounters but never while out hunting. Once over the initial shock u notice all ur hairs standing on end and smell and taste "ozone"

I'll sit elevated during the rain no issue but if I can hear the thunder im getting out of a tree....I would think ur bow/gun 20ft up is probably the highest/tallest metal thing around maybe increasing ur chances of angering Zeus
 
Weldabeast said:
I've had 3 close encounters but never while out hunting. Once over the initial shock u notice all ur hairs standing on end and smell and taste "ozone"

I'll sit elevated during the rain no issue but if I can hear the thunder im getting out of a tree....I would think ur bow/gun 20ft up is probably the highest/tallest metal thing around maybe increasing ur chances of angering Zeus
Click to expand...
I will offer that getting out of the tree is not going to help you. You either stay out there or you get inside somewhere. I agree better safe than sorry, but you just are not really safer on the ground; take cover.
 
Weldabeast said:
I'll sit elevated during the rain no issue but if I can hear the thunder im getting out of a tree....I would think ur bow/gun 20ft up is probably the highest/tallest metal thing around maybe increasing ur chances of angering Zeus
Click to expand...

Years ago a guy in neighboring camp to ours got fried in a tree stand. In this area, if you know what lightning struck trees look like it’s pretty common to see actually.

I don’t mind hunting in the rain either but if thunderstorms are threatening I’ll ground hunt someplace that’s not too far from the truck.
 
My grandfather was struck by lightning, decades before I was born. He was wearing a poncho and riding a horse. The charge traveled along the outside of his poncho and killed his horse, he was shaken up but unharmed. Dad liked to tell that story to illustrate what a tough SOB his dad was.
 
Years ago my dad and I had a hang on in a tree with screw in steps on the edge of a horse pasture. Pre-season the owner of the pasture would let us practice shooting out of the stand into the pasture. When we got to the stand to shoot one day the bark under each step was peeled which we thought was odd. We've used screw in's for years without tree damage. When we climbed up to the the stand we thought that a squirrel had chew on the seat cushion right where your crotch would be. Upon closer inspection the foam was melted. Lightning had struck the seat and traveled down the tree step to step. I'll never be in a tree during a thunderstorm after that.
 
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