Hunting in the rain; drizzle and temps between 38 and 50F

[wolfe28]

Good morning;

No luck last weekend, so my next chance to get out is tomorrow (11/22/2013). Problem; it started raining yesterday evening and won't let up until tomorrow night. It hasn't been raining hard, just kind of a constant drizzle, with lows around 38F, and the highs no more than 50F.

So, do I go out in the drizzle tomorrow, or just stay home and try again on the next dry day?

Thanks,
D

[runfiverun]

the deer are outside, you gotta be out there too if you wanna shoot one.

[LIMPINGJ]

If you stay inside that length of time think how many times you will move around the house to get something to eat. Deer get hungry too.

[Digital Dan]

A light drizzle does not deter deer from foraging.

[338RemUltraMag]

I have hammered many deer in the rain and snow, the deer still move around in adverse conditions.

[harley45]

I'll be the counterpoint here and say I've never had any luck on rain days, I have however had success the first clear day after in the AM

[randy_68]

I have shot several deer in a rain and usually right after I ask myself "What the hell am I doing here in this rain?" one will show up and make it worthwhile. Just gotta clean you gun real good when you get home.

[AlaskanGuy]

Dont wait.. Get out there Right Now..... Best weather... Dont think about it... Just go hunting

[338RemUltraMag]

Now I will say the BEST day to hunt is the day after a 2 or 3 day storm, I mean a bad one, I have always got a deer after a bad storm.

[white eagle]

can't shoot em from the couch
I have seen many times deer out and about in the lite rain or drizzle
I always hunt then because alot of guys don't

[farmerjim]

My neighbor shoots dear from his couch on the back porch.

[quilbilly]

Out here on the Olympic Peninsula, that is the best time to go out. The deer are on the move.

[Win94ae]

I have better luck in the rain, the advantages the deer have are lessened while raining.

[bhn22]

Rain and snow detract from the deers natural advantages. They can't hear as well, they can't smell as well, and they can't see as well. Kind of like us. It also quiets the rustling leaves, and us big clumsy humans make less of an impact on their senses. I'm as giddy as a school boy when I get to hunt in rain or snow. I just know I must be the worlds greatest hunter at that point. Go get 'em!

[HNSB]

I went out last Saturday when it was raining. My whole family told me I was crazy, but my season was coming to a close and I needed meat for my freezer.
I was on my stand maybe half an hour and two deer came through; I shot the larger one.
Nobody gave me grief about hunting in the rain when I got home.

[Lefty Red]

Rut is on around here, so the deer will be moving.
This is where a cheap blind would come in handy.

Lefty

[Geppetto]

For me, part of the decision is how much time do you have to hunt? If its during the WI 9 day rifle season, you can bet your keester that I'll be out in the rain, snow or below zero temps (which is about what I"ll be sitting in come Saturday morning). If I had 3 months to do my hunting and I know i'll have opportunities, I'd consider forgoing a day here or there.

I agree with the above tho, you are guaranteed not to shoot anything you don't go out, gotta put the time in. I've also shot plenty a deer on adverse weather days. Just keep your scope clear (if you have glass on the gun) and bundle up.

[sixshot]

Deer are like any other animal, squirrels, badgers, elk, rabbits, etc. If its raining they're probably feeding, if its pouring down rain they'll do just what I do, get under some cover & wait it out. They live it in 24/7 & if it starts to get ugly they brush up & wait a few hours. So, there's really no set answer but I'll go with the guys that say the first hours after a storm are best, because it is. Watch the barometer, when its dropping most game is brushing up, when that barometer starts to rise, flip the safety off, its time! I've shot deer in light rain or snow, if its heavy rain or snow I get out of it & so do most other people, just saying. I KNOW Lamar gets out of the weather, because he's usually in his truck!

Dick

[wolfe28]

Good Afternoon;

Thanks for all the input. I was thinking that unless it was really raining hard, I'd be well off to get out there. As someone said,
you can't shoot them from the couch

On the other side:

Now I will say the BEST day to hunt is the day after a 2 or 3 day storm, I mean a bad one, I have always got a deer after a bad storm.

This was what I've been thinking as well, but I wouldn't consider what we've got right now anything that classifies as a "bad storm". Light drizzle and cold is what I usually refer to as an average Boy Scout camping weekend (I swear they were all like that when I was a kid).

Thanks again,
D

[DxieLandMan]

Drizzle and those temps are just another day as the deer goes. They live in those elements. Go and go hunting. It is supposed to be like that this weekend when gun deer season opens here this weekend. It may be wet and nasty but to deer, it is just another day.

[w5pv]

I have always had better luck still hunting in lite drizzling rain,foggy but not real dense fog and on windy days.Try to hunt when the the moon is up during the day,all game will move better when the moon is up during the day light hours.If not try a couple of hours early in the morning and 2 to3 hours in the evening before dark,

[4719dave]

Hunt man HUNT ...... rain isn't going to kill you ..lol fair weather rider ha-ha .. im home sick as a dog cancelled my NY deer hunt not a good day here

[Jal5]

A little pop up blind like a teepee is great for just those kind of days. In fact that is what I plan to use this Sat. as the weather is supposed to be wet! Get out and hunt. Joe

[Springfield0612]

I found out my first deer rifle season here in WA that there is no such thing as water proof hunting gear. Opening day it rained so hard on us it started leaching the oil out of my gun stock. I poured out about 1 cup of water out of each rubber 800 gram thinsulate water proof hunting boots, and when I got home I had to run all my clothes through the dryer 2 times to get the water out of water proof Cabelas gear. Then we went back the next day and did it all over again and passed on a yearling buck in a any buck only season. I'll take wet over wind any day!

[Hamish]

YOU WON'T BE PHYSICALLY ABLE TO HUNT FOREVER! The rut is on, it's overcast, the moon is waning, the ground is quiet, the rain will help mask your scent,,,,,,,,CAPISCHE?????

[waksupi]

That sounds like the perfect hunting day that I'm always sure to be out in the woods.

[Crawdaddy]

Go out and hunt.
I am headed to the lease tomorrow, it is about five hours away. A storm is moving in, temps dropping to the low twenties and snow likely.

It will be a heck of a drive but aim am not going to miss opening day in Texas.

I bought a new pair of cabelas stand hunter coveralls. Glad I did, it is gonna be nasty.

You can't kill them from home.

[wolfe28]

Good morning;

Well, I went out yesterday, and had the whole place to myself almost. No other hunters, no deer, only the occasional squirrel and bird. The day started off with light rain, about 54f, and heavy fog, which stopped me from getting to the spot I was in last week, just because I couldn't see, and didn't feel like falling off the ridge. So, I setup on the trail about 1/3 of the way there (about 1/2 mile in), and waited for sun up (about 0730 here). Didn't see or hear anything for the next 1.5 hours, so I slowly and quietly headed off to where some other hunters had luck last weekend.

Got to another spot where a couple of ridges meet (down in a valley, with a small stream running through), and hung out for another hour or so. Still didn't hear or see anything (other than a few tracks). So, off to scout around some more.

By now it's about 1030, the rain has stopped, the fog has lifted to low over-cast, and the temps are slowly falling. I didn't see anything on my valley floor look around, so back up the hill to investigate other places where folks had luck. By the way, this is all on public land. Down the next ridge trail/fire road and still no luck. Due to all the wet weather and the trail, it was easy to be fairly quiet, but in 2.5 miles of walking, all I saw were some spent hulls and a few tracks.

So, back to the vehicle by 1300 and off to try one more spot. Didn't expect to see much, and that's what I saw, not much. A few more squirrels, but I couldn't see shooting them with a 357 Max. So I called it a day.

Guess that's why it's called hunting (although since I have still not gotten any quary that I've set out for, I think a better description is "hiking with a rifle").

D

[TXGunNut]

Guess that's why it's called hunting (although since I have still not gotten any quary that I've set out for, I think a better description is "hiking with a rifle").
Wolfe28

Sure beats what I did Friday! Agreed about a light rain helping your chances, rifles need a detail stripping now and then so it's no big deal. I even have one rifle that only gets uncased when it's raining. We only have so many days to go hunting, don't waste them.

[taco650]

... I think a better description is "hiking with a rifle".

D

I understand this feeling, one of those "been there, done that" sort of things for me. There was a time when I got really mad because I couldn't fill my tag. Due to life choices and other circumstances I haven't hunted for over a decade. After reading how you describe the woods in your last post, I found I missed the sounds and smells and QUIET of it all. Now I think I'd enjoy just being out there "hiking with a rifle" as much as the thrill of making the kill.

[wolfe28]

There was a time when I got really mad because I couldn't fill my tag.

Good Evening;

I can definitely relate. I had to wait almost 30 years before I could start hunting, and I've had tags the past 4 years (including this one), and the closest I've gotten is a bolting doe that I couldn't even get the rifle up on. I'm not getting "mad", but frustrated, definitely.

D

[taco650]

Good Evening;

I can definitely relate. I had to wait almost 30 years before I could start hunting, and I've had tags the past 4 years (including this one), and the closest I've gotten is a bolting doe that I couldn't even get the rifle up on. I'm not getting "mad", but frustrated, definitely.

D

I guess I would suggest you try to focus on the fact that you aren't at work, you're not doing honey-do's, that you're having some "me" time and enjoy the moment. If you really have a desire to get some deer meat, I'm sure there's a wild game butcher near you who has unclaimed meat that they'll sell. Maybe this isn't what you wanted to hear but its the best I can give so you don't end up hating hunting.

[sixshot]

Not sure about the game laws in other states but its illegal in Idaho for a butcher to sell or give away unclaimed venison. Many years ago I had a good friend who went to jail for doing just that. Customers wouldn't come & get their wild meat & he was going broke so he sold some of it, bad deal as it bankrupted him. The state of Idaho now fines those who don't pick it up within a certain time.

Dick

[taco650]

Not sure about the game laws in other states but its illegal in Idaho for a butcher to sell or give away unclaimed venison. Many years ago I had a good friend who went to jail for doing just that. Customers wouldn't come & get their wild meat & he was going broke so he sold some of it, bad deal as it bankrupted him. The state of Idaho now fines those who don't pick it up within a certain time.

Dick

Check your local ordinances. Don't want you to get into trouble over some steaks.