This is my first thread here on 24HrCF. I've read a lot of good posts and there seems to be a wealth of knowledge on this forum. Looking forward to contributing where possible.

I decided at the last minute to head to the deer woods this afternoon despite a steady rain, fully expecting it to lighten up towards late afternoon. Nevertheless, I went in full rain gear and brought the stainless Mini-30 with Hogue stock along. I have to say I've never hunted in a steady rain and after 45 minutes I was thinking twice about whether to stay. Stood another 1/2 hour and started to get packed up when out of the corner of my eye appears a medium size doe. I froze, she froze, and we watched each other for a bit. After about five minutes I looked away to see if any others were joining her and brushed against the tree... off she went through the heavy brush like it wasn't even there.

Even though I would typically not hunt in steady rain, just wondering how many here have seen and killed decent bucks during bad weather?

I have killed a couple bucks in the rain

I think personally why don't people kill deer in the rain because they don't hunt the rain

Hank

Thanks Wreck. You're welcome.

If one stays with it it can pay off.

Some just don't like to get wet.

Its been tough hunting for me...but i still try. Your a hunter...what else are you going to do? Stay in camp?

I’ve killed a few good deer in the rain. The only time I dont hunt the heavy rain is archery. I hunt hard just before and just after the storm system. Killed a real good archery buck after a 3 day storm a few years back. Oct 23 I got in my stand around 10am. Somewhere around 11 am the rain tapered off. Between 11a -1p, I passed up 2 does and 12 little bucks when he came thru. Arrow thru the lungs and he ranked #98 on the all time list for my state. HEAVILY pressured public land deer.

Yeah, a light rain for sure can have good hunting. A bad early cold spell before they have adapted to it can lay the deer and squirrels low. After getting used to the cold it seems to get them moving to stay warm. At times. It seems. (For the biitches, you know).

Good job, hunter.

I'd like to see a pic of that hoss.

Passed on three bucks during the opener monsoon two yrs ago.
Not worth it IMHO.
Friggin Ruger #1 RSI too.

Bought me a synth bolt rig for weather only half as crappy.

Light rain has been good hunting for me. Heavy rain blows.

If I waited for good weather here I’d not hunt much.

Deer don't care much about rain unless it's a storm. They'll still move and if you happen to be there after the rain, you'll really see a lot of deer.

It's funny watching them shake the water off.

archery i don`t like to hunt in the rain blood trails get washed away by a arrow hit deer,but rifle hunting if you use a bigger cartridge that will drop the deer its no problem,deer do move in the rain especially bucks.

160ish inch buck in an area that a decent buck is about 120, pouring rain, thunderstorm going through with a front. I left camp early that morning so Tiger and I got across the creek before it flooded. We sat in the Suzuki a bit as it poured, let up just a bit and climbed up in the stand and as we did there were a LOT of deer out, in steady rain. Got wet climbing up in the stand. Had to find a box of ammo in the backpack, get the mutt muffs on tiger etc... before I could shoot the deer.

We hunt in the rain. We hunt archery in the rain. No different than gun.

You won't kill em on the couch.

Now sometimes they dont' move in rain once its set in until after a day or three.

They almost ALWAYS move right as it quits or lets up so why not be out there. We used to sit tight and then try to get into a tree before they came out... Nope, lost that so learned to go out and sit. If archery we'd wear good rain gear. As it let up, take the top off so we were quiet on the draw.

That said there are times we just prefer not to hunt in rain or sleet or snow etc.... or even heat.

And you dont' always see or kill deer in rain. And for sure not always big bucks, big bucks are were they are when they are. I don't think the weather makes em much difference.

The only weather we usually don't see a lot of movement in is wind. Higher the less we see. Not really talking a norther blowing in but sustained wind storms. Ugh.

And as AK Duck notes in AK if you wait for good weather you might not hunt at all. Especially the area he is from in AK.

wreckster84, welcome to the campfire. A light rain will get deer moving. A heavy rain will usually get them holed up because they can't hear or smell threats. If a storm is coming you want to be out before it passes and the deer start moving. I've killed a few deer in rain.

I grew up in Louisiana, and killed a few bucks, though none big. If you hunt in Louisiana, you hunt in the rain....a lot! memtb

Best weather for hunting blacktail bucks outside the rut and in the woods, heavy downpour. Your best chance to see them before they hear you. And after it quits, they're on the move, maybe.

A 10'x10' silnylon tarp and your trekking poles make long days in the mountains a lot more fun.

A wise man once said "there is no bad weather, only bad gear"


mike r

Isn't that why they make blinds?

[align:center][/align]The harsher the weather the more predictable deer become...

Be in rain, wind, heat or cold....

Half of the big deer I've killed have been playing the percentages on weather and where stuff should be at the time....

Cannot kill them sitting on the couch. They are still out there in the wind and rain. Put your mind to what they, or you, would do with the conditions ...

I don't look forward to it but sometimes there is not much choice. I was drawn for a highly restricted munitions plant on an archery hunt one time that was either hunt it that one day or not get to hunt it at all. It set in raining early and piss poured most of the day. I slipped up on a nice buck that was bedded and made a decent shot on it, but ended up losing it due to the rain washing away any blood when it hit a power line opening. I didn't have a choice but to push it.

A light drizzle doesn't make much difference to the deer as far as feeding and browsing that I can tell. Let the rain set in hard and the deer will most likely lay down, at least that has been my experience. If I am gonna stick it out during a steady down pour I will be on the ground slipping looking for deer laying down. If your prepared for it can still be a lot of fun.

A light drizzle or light snow fall is great for hunting because it is harder for them to hear and the woods are quieter. I notice that after the storm passes they will be out moving around. I think most people just do not hunt when it is raining or snowing. Here in Colorado I see more snow than rain.

I've taken deer in the rain, no big bucks though. An indian guide who hunted the neighbors property hunted all day rain or shine, he always got his deer no matter the conditions he just hunkered down up against the tree. I agree it is easier to move about in rain soaked woods without making noise and the deer can't hear any noise you do make because of the rain, they're less spooky in the rain too.

Steady rain is highly subjective. In Yakutat AK it'd meant something like torrents for two weeks. In Montana, omg, it's been raining for like 5 hours! In western Oregon it would matter most if it hadn't been raining for a while then did, heavy. But, after awhile, they'll just do what they gotta do.

At a minimum, one can use rain to their advantage in that it'll often keep deer feeding longer in the AM and get them on their feet earlier in the PM. If you can be in place and undetected when the rain stops, that's the best use of rainy weather IMO/IME.

Nothing more fun than sneaking on them in the rain.

Shot one last year still hunting in the rain. I think the shot was about 25 yards. He popped up, but it was too late.

That's the stuff. Whitetail?

My dad and grandpa claimed the blacktails held tight in the heavy rain cause they couldn't tell where the cougars were.

This^^^^. Easing through the woods in warm, quite wool a step or two at a time is the greatest.

Stalking during fairly strong wind after its blown a while and they have to feed is a good time to get a shot also but not as enjoyable.

Both conditions reduce their ability to hear and smell you and wind causes movement that yours blends in with. They get tired of jumping at every little thing.

Yep.

It's a yarding area/flat I try to put the sneak on every year.
The problem is lots of oak leaves and two pretty steep hills. Sometimes there's several sets of eyes. I usually end up with a doe on that hill.

When the ground is soft, it helps, but when its constant rain, you can still hunt right up to them.

Good luck this year, Hawk.

Oregon... you get to where you don't even notice it...

funny to see deer bed down in the yard after eating acorns, when its pouring down rain..

they just lay out there like its a nice 80 degree sunny day....

if it don't bother them.... then if the hunter wants to be where they are, it shouldn't bother him...

I try to stay dry and don't move a lot, as the deer will be....

Thanks, man! You too.

Constant rain really only bugged me one year.

It was a day of downpour freezing ran.

We still had no legal use of rifles yet, so it was the Beretta Pintail slug gun (auto).

Everything metal froze when it hit. I had my hand over that action all day and managed two deer. Everyone else that had autochuckers had malfunctions that day, except yours truly! Most of the guns did go bang once and we all tagged out.

Only time I've seen a road maintainer slide off the road crown into the ditch!

Nailed it.

It's been a long deer hunting run - a lot in the SW where rain is not as likely in the Fall, but sure have done so in heavy snow a few times - and more so with elk. Always have treasured the hunting days and weather is simply something to deal with. But, it can become messy while getting to the prize.

I agree with the person who said heavy rain and right thereafter is good buck hunting time. I learned that when living up in the Pacific Northwest and for a while in Maryland. I don't like being wet and cold any more than any other hunters, but it's what a guy has to do that day and those conditions have yielded some nice deer.

Here ten points will win the sobriquet of "deluge".

Used to have to hunt when I could get off, rain or shine. Now I can be a bit pickier. Still, I think hunting in a steady drizzle or even light rain is very effective. Rain and wind together are the pits.

Don't have "rain gear" per se, but I do have a couple of waterproof coats that keep me dry and warm. Wool is good too in light rain. The problem I've had is that pants that aren't waterproof channel water down my legs into my waterproof boots (no, I don't tuck them in).

When stand hunting, aloft or on the ground, one of the tree umbrellas is great to have if there's no wind. Even a pretty hard rain can be bearable with one of those.

30+ years, never shot one in the rain. Don't recall ever seeing one either. Afterward nice quiet walking of course for sneaking about.

My favorite time to hunt, especially a cold rainy day.

I have seen and killed the most deer right after the rain ends and it statrs to clear up. Deer bed down to keep dry, then go to feed as soon as it clears up as I've observed.

I've killed them in light rain, and on days when it's raining on and off I have seen bucks pop out just after the rain stops. Have been able to put the sneak on feeding deer as well, as the light rain muffled everything. Never killed one in pouring rain though.

deer don't care if its raining. they live in that 24x7. i always figured it was good hunting because it kept the scent from wafting as much. i don't think i've shot any bucks in the rain but i know i've shot does. i remember one when i was hunting in a freaking downpour. we must have gotten an inch an hour for hours. i was completely soaked, miserable as hell but i had hiked waaaay up on a mountain top to a great spot so i was sticking it out. the only bummer was i was hunting with my really nice rem 600 350 mag and it was getting soaked but it was what i brought. after hours and hours, a herd of does came down and i dropped a big one. then i had to take off my coat and gut and drag this thing waaaay back down the mountain. so by the time i got it to the truck i was head to toe, inside to out soaked. all i needed was a bar of soap. but that was in my younger, hungrier days. these days i think i'd spend a day like that in camp, sitting by the fire drinking coffee and eating fatty foods while watching it rain.

After reading all of these great replies, from AK to LA, I won't pass up a chance to hunt in the rain just because it's raining.

Don't let a bit rain ruin a good hunt.

Bottom line put on your Rivers West good boots and go kill something

Hank

Agreed, I have the ameristep version. That, and a five panel turkey blind make a nice, fairly weather tight quick blind, that weighs very little, and give good visibility with a tree at your back and a low Turkey seat. Blends in well, but very portable.

I've killed some of my best bucks in a soaking rain. They are always out there.

Were they up and moving without being jumped? Feeding or looking for does, Bh?

Washes away your corn ??

😂😄

Sometimes yes, up and moving. Back in 1994 opening day was damn near hurricane conditions here. Driving rain and gusting winds of probably 30-40 mph. Trees swaying, branches falling. I was a bit late getting out that morning {almost didn't go because of the storm} but as it turned out didn't have to endure the weather for long. Killed a big 8 point as soon as I got to my stand. In fact, I never even climbed up. Was getting my pullup rope out and fixing to tie to my rifle when I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and here he comes. His rack looks nice hanging here in the living room.

We did not bow hunt last night because of the rain and I went to watch a couple of out fields. Twenty minutes before dark a 150 class buck came out and started feeding by a bunch of does. He was right where I had taken a muzzleloader buck a few years earlier. I should of been in the popup in that spot.

I’ve killed a few in the rain, bow hunted a lot in the rain.

The deer are out there. Hunt the thick stuff.

-Jake

They aren't whitetails, but I've shot a number of fallow and a sambar in the rain. In fact rainy weather - especially if it is just drizzle - is about my favourite for getting a deer. As others have mentioned, it damps down scent and noise, and it isn't as if the deer can go down a burrow to be out of the weather. The only thing I'd add is that if it is raining I don't want a scope - it is one of the reasons I like scopes in hand-detachable mounts. The weather's probably going to mean I'm bouncing deer in close anyway, and I don't want to miss the chance due to too much rain or fog on a scope's lenses.

The only negative of hunting in the rain is blood trails on marginal hits get diminished or disappear if it is too heavy.

I have not had much luck hunting in steady rain, but then I don't often hunt in steady rain.

We have a few blinds that let us sit out of the elements. It is, therefore, no big deal for us.

What I can tell you is that our deer generally don't like heavy rain, sleet, or graupel. However, you will frequently find them out before, and especially after one of those events.

If we see a 3 day rain coming, we'll frequent pack up and go back to town until we can see it clearing. Once the rain goes and the temperatures start to drop, the deer will come out and feed. That is one of the best times to be out.

It's probably raining 50% of the days I hunt. If the wind isn't howling I really haven't noticed a difference in how much deer move in rain vs no rain...if it's blowing hard they seem to bed. I love to still hunt in the rain and have been very fortunate to kill some nice bucks while doing it.

I've killed a schit load of deer in the rain. I don't think it affects them that much, they still have to eat. I think the only time it affects them is if it's a driving torrential downpour with 30 mph winds. I'm not a fan of it though, because you can't hear anything and you can't rely on a blood trail if need be. Better make a good shot. Like others have said, if you can be out there when a cold front moves through and it stops, the ones that were hunkered down get up and move.

I've learned to beat the rain with a good rain suit, a tree stand umbrella, good boots, and gloves with Gortex. The tree stand umbrella is worth it's weight in gold. I've got 3 of them. About 20 years ago for Christmas, my daughter who was about 10 at the time, gave me one as a gift. To show my gratitude to a little kid, I told her how great that was and how much I loved it. However, in my mind, I was thinking that this was another useless hunting gadget that I probably would never use. I put the thing down in the basement with the rest of my hunting stuff. Because of my stupidity, I never took it out of the box for several years. Then came an opening day and it was going to pour down rain all day. I thought about that umbrella and dug it out of hiding and used it. It's probably one of the best hunting gadgets anyone has ever come up with. I highly recommend them. If it's windy, they don't work so well. I've tried them in the snow, but snow never falls straight down, and it makes noise when it hits the nylon.

I've got the Porta-Roofs, but it looks like they are out of stock.

https://www.amazon.com/Allen-Instant-Roof-Treestand-Umbrella/dp/B06X6JGLT1

Here's another one from Big Game Treestands. Looks about the same.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/Big-Game-Treestands-Pop-Up-Umbrella/1619030.uts?slotId=0

Stonecutter, I have carried similar umbrellas for years too. The only issue I have with mine is when the cover is stretched taught the great big rain drops will sound off like a bass drum when they hit.
Fortunately the ones I have can still be used in a more relaxed position that eliminates the issue.

Yeah, I'd agree with that. It's probably not much louder that the rain hitting everything else, but it beats the hell out of being soaking wet.

we skipped opening day this saturday due to the steady rain, I've got about 3 more months to hunt so why bother. We went out yesterday afternoon after the son finally came out and saw 15 deer and a big pic. Probably the first opening I've missed in 30 years.

Stay dry sitting in the Scottsdale, be sweet if she had power windows.

The old guys around here call that a Detroit blind

Add me to the list of having had good success hunting in a light rain. Especially when it rains just hard enough to send the other hunters packing and I have the farm to myself...

I have an old barn and sit up in the loft in rain , its been a lucky spot when I don't take a nap .

I have hunted in rain. Deer move good in light rain and they move good after a heavy rain. They lay low during a heavy rain.

We always hunted in the rain when I was growing up. We were 20-25 miles inland from the Oregon coast at the base of some mountains where the clouds were forced upward, cooled, and dumped. It was pretty normal to get 3-5 inches of rain a day toward the end of deer season. Didn't know there was any other way to hunt. I'd generally wear a tee shirt, flannel shirt, and maybe a light vest, and jeans under neoprene bibs and an neoprene jacket. Head gear was a cowboy hat with a plastic rain cover. One of my buddys painted his cowboy hat with Thompson's Water Seal.

I don't really like hunting in the rain anymore but it can be very productive. IMHO the first day of rain sucks. The deer keg up in the dry spots. You need to give it time to soak through so everything is equally drenched. After that, they give up and go back to doing what they do but they can't hear you over the rain and it also takes away your scent.

Rain is not your enemy. Wind is a bigger problem, at least hunting brush, because everything is moving making it harder to detect moving deer.

If you really want to learn about hunting deer in the rain, talk to the guys who hunt Sitkas along the SE Alaska coast and blacktails on the Olympic Peninsula. Wet as we got, I think we were pikers compared to them.

If you understand that you approach the after shot stuff differently, IE Correctly. Its not that hard to find a deer without a blood trail. Of course our dog makes that much easier and fun too, but without dog you just have to make sure you leave em alone IE don't go look AT ALL, and give em time, and then they usually aren't far off, just go look.

Good deal.