Deer Hunting in the Rain: Tips for Success
Deer hunting in the rain can be a fun and challenging experience. However, it can also be frustrating if you are not prepared for the weather conditions. This blog post will discuss some tips to help you have a successful deer hunt in the rain!
When it rains hard, it’s not much fun to be at deer camp. No one wants to get up, and no one wants to go outside. We all just sit around and complain about how the bad weather ruined our day.
Many people who hunt deer pack up and go home early if it rains. It is bad when they leave because it will change how your house feels. That means you will not be able to find the deer like before.
Hunters know that rain affects them, but many don’t know how it affects deer.
In general, deer don’t care about the rain. Unless it is really pouring hard, they will keep doing their business. But if it is light rain or a drizzle, they will continue doing. The only problem is that light rain might feel like heavy rain to a hunter to deer. This could make the hunter wet and uncomfortable.
Deer come to the field every day, but not on very hot days, extremely windy days, or when there is a torrential downpour. They show up at other times, including drizzle, light rain, or even heavy rain.
If it rains, deer are less angry and more content. Maybe the rain makes them feel better because they can hear it in the trees. They might not see much, but they know something is happening.
The deer walk into the field with caution on clear, dry, cold days. They have their ears up, and they look around to see if there is danger. On rainy days, however, they don’t worry about anything. They just go on and eat their food without any care in the world.
Rainy Day Strategies
You should not bring some things with you on a rainy day hunting trip. Do not bring any electronic gear, like your phone or laptop. You might lose them if they get wet. Also, don’t bring your wallet, keys, pocket knives, or flashlights. You don’t need them if you’re going to be hunting in the rain. Leave your pack at home too. And forget your camera, cooking gear, and anything else that will get ruined by the rain. Just bring only the necessary gear you will need to bag and tag your buck. Next, you will want to be prepared for the rain. Make sure to wear the appropriate amount of hunter-orange clothing as required.
Where To Hunt
Deer are out during days with steady rain. If it rains for a few days, they will also be out. They need to eat and socialize. They are active all day during this time of year because it is mating season.
Just like hunting turkeys on a ground blind, you also need to conceal yourself from the deer to prevent them from running away. Some good spots to hunt during a steady rain are the trails, runs, and feeding areas. You should get in there early and plan on spending some time at each spot. If you decide to move, do it around noon when deer are less active.
You may encounter a deer at any time during wet weather, but if you go after dusk, then they will be more active than during wet weather.
Find a good spot in the forest where you can see many things. Start hunting by 1:30 p.m. Stay there until it is dark, or about 6 hours later in the winter when it gets dark earlier in the evening. Then, you might be able to catch a deer that comes out late in the day when it’s raining outside.
Good places to set up your trap include:
- The ridge spines and saddles.
- Stream crossings.
- Crop edges on trails at least 40 yards from the woods.
You can also set them up near food sources like orchards and oak stands that produce acorns and other nuts.
Deer don’t change their behavior just because it’s raining. They just walk around more during the day, and they stay out longer during dawn and dusk because there is less daylight. The animals feel less threatened in periods of low light.
The same conditions that make hunting in the rain so appealing also present the most challenges. When it’s raining, you can settle in and hunt without being too noisy. However, everything is wet and slippery, so it’s easy to make noise yourself. And everything you touch will move because of the rain, which can sometimes make it seem like there’s a deer nearby.
The wet leaves and debris on the ground help deer move around without making much noise. This means the hunter must be very careful and always look for any movement. A wet deer can look a lot like a wet leaf, so you have to be careful not to miss your chance to shoot one.
Sleeper Hotspots
Rainy days are a good time to hunt in areas where other people usually hunt. There are fewer people out in the rain, and they are all back at camp. You can go to the spots you want without worrying about other hunters being there.
Rainy days can be a good time to hunt in state parks (if legal), small woodlots, urban areas, hedgerows. And any other site where there is usually human activity. This will help you avoid other people hunting in the area. Don’t forget about your neighbor’s backyard, where the deer always come out to feed on fallen apples or garden goodies. A quick hunt on a rainy afternoon can often put some serious meat on the table!
Take Your Shot at Rainy Day Whitetails
The only downside to hunting in the rain with a bow or gun is that tracking wounded games can be difficult.
If you shoot your deer, you can walk to him and tag him. So it is important to watch where your shooting lane is so that when you are climbing down from the stand, all you have to do is walk over there. Avoid shots that are too long or shots that are difficult for you.
If you miss your shot at a deer, you will likely lose the deer. This is because the blood with water in it is hard to see. If it rains, the blood will be washed away, and it will be hard to find the deer. If it continues to rain, there is no chance of finding the deer.
The best way to kill a deer is to shoot it in the middle of its back. If you hit it in this spot, the deer will die. If it’s raining, people can shoot arrows at the deer’s back without the deer noticing because of the noise of the rain. My last wet-weather buck was shot with an arrow behind its shoulder, and it kept walking for about 10 yards before falling over dead. I think that if it was clear outside, the buck would have seen me and ran away, and I would have had to track it.
It is easy to get your deer back to camp when it is raining. It can be difficult to get it back if there is no water on the ground. Then, your deer will be heavy and hard for you to move. But when there is water on the ground, you can drag it back easily and quickly. I like saving this job for people who didn’t go hunting with me in a storm because they stayed in camp. That makes sense because they would have been too scared of the storm if they went out hunting with me!
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Frequently Asked Questions About Deer Hunting in Rain
Generally, rain does not bother whitetails. Unless it is really pouring, they will continue going about their business. This is also true for other wildlife. But when it rains lightly or only for a long time, deer just keep going as if it were a sunny day.
Wait for the appropriate amount of time. When you find your deer, make a plan and go after it. Wear rain gear so you don’t get wet, and use a tree umbrella so that your bow or rifle doesn’t get wet.
Most deer will look for shelter under forest canopies if heavy rain comes. But mule deer are found in places where forests are scarce. When it rains, they find any kind of shelter they can find.
It is a little easier to tell after the rain has started. You can tell when it will stop or let up because of the weather. Deers will move around more after the rain because they are hungry.
Deer rely on their senses of smell and hearing to protect themselves. Rain can make it difficult to smell things because it washes away the scents.
In the rain, deer are less skittish and more content. They will walk into the field and give the blind a cursory look. They will then begin feeding without a care in the world. They seem almost docile compared to their behavior on clear days.
When the wind is blowing hard, and it’s raining or snowing, deer will be hiding in heavy cover. They will only move a short distance when there is a break in the storm. Try hunting at the edge of cover or near a food plot with thickets nearby.
Deer can sense when there is a change in the weather, like when it will rain. They do this because they have radar. It’s common in the Deep South, especially early in the season.
A deer can see at a distance of 20 feet what a human can see at 100 feet. This is because deer have more rods in their eyes which helps them see better in low light and detect movement more effectively than humans.
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