Your thought on rain?

[FishingWebGuy]

My son and I took the DNR bow hunter ed class a couple weeks ago. In the class they stressed against taking a deer by archery in the rain because it would be difficult to follow a blood trail to recover.

In last weeks Outdoor News one of the columnists says that every good deer hunter is in their stand when its raining.

So what are your thoughts? I'm new to this and just looking for all the advice I can get.

Thanks,

[bottom-bouncer]

i agree you shouldnt shoot a deer in a steady rain it makes tracking a difficult task at best. but you should be in your stand when its raining if you know that it is going to stop soon because the deer seem to really move when the rain stops.

[jltimm]

I always thought for bowhunting that hunting in the rain was a BIG risk? Then someone in the O.N prints otherwise? How do you follow a blood trail when it gets washed away?

[maros91]

I think it's all about the shot and shot placement. If you have a gimme shot at 20-30 yards and know you can do it than I would shoot since you know that deer is only going a short distance and tip over. Now, longer distances and the deer is quarteing either way may be a different story.

[BLACKJACK]

In last weeks Outdoor News one of the columnists says that every good deer hunter is in their stand when its raining.

I caught that too, I just shook my head. I won't hunt in the rain because sometimes its hard enough trailing a deer blood trail even if it hasn't been rained on. Less than half the deer that I've shot have fallen within my sight, ethically I'm not going to risk hunting in the rain. Even 'slam dunk' shots can go bad.

[Bear55]

If its is a very light rain or mist I will hunt, or other days where you have rain on and off I will hunt but generally only shoot when its not raining and I know I have a slam dunk shot. However, if I am in a heavy or constistant rain forget about it, even on a perfectly placed shot that deer can travel 200+ yards in a short time. Sure we have all seen them tip over within 50 yards but you can't pridict what each deer is going to do. Like mentioned earlier after a heavy rain the deer seem to want to move so I alwasy keep a close eye on the radar and get out there asap after a hard rain.

[charliepete]

I'd never shoot one with a bow in a heavy rain. The blood trail washes out quickly and even a double lunged deer can cover some ground. I've double lunged 2 bucks that made it 200 yard or more before piling up. Without a blood trail I'd have never recovered them. I don't care how 'slam dunk' the shot is, some bow shot animals make it a ways despite an optimal hit.

With that being said I often hunt in light mists or drizzles. I'll even wait out heavy rain on stand, because action seems to pick up once it stops and the rain really eliminates your scent trail to the stand.

[BuckKiller]

I hunted in a light rain last year and had no problem following the blood trail once I found it, Just don't wait too long after your shot. Heavy rain maybe a little harder to sit in my stand.

[matthothand]

I hunt in the rain.

[bigbucks]

Light rain or mist is an awesome time to hunt, the deer tend to move in it & often all day. Like others said hunting in heavy rain isn't a very good idea, but it you're pretty sure it's going to quit, stay there & wait for it.

[paceman]

I don't mind a light rain/mist. Like Bigbucks stated the deer don't mind either.....

[buckx37x]

i love to hunt in rain not heavy though, deer do move well in it, the rain knocks down your scent, leaves are moving helping cover your minor movements, on the flip side though deer move very quietly and leaf movement mask them also. but theres something about rainy or drizzle weather that just bring out the primal hunter instinct in me.

[B-man715]

I like to hunt in the rain myself. I have shot several deer on a rainy day and have yet to lose one. But you must defy the logic of "letting them lay" and get right after them.

My very first archery buck was killed on a rainy day

On the other hand if you were to some how miss the boiler room then your odds of recovery decrease significantly.

When rain is forecasted I always pack along my treestand umbrella. It makes for a much more pleasant hunt!!!!

(Because even when you wear waterproof clothes, getting rained on sucks )

[tracker x-2]

Yup i think hunting in a ;ight rain is much better than on a blueb bird day. It magnafys every thing. weather its from ducks to deer the rain is like a invitation to get out there.

[WaitForIt]

Mist or very light rain is one of my favorite hunting conditions.. just enough to make the air heavy and thr ground silent.

I lost my only archery deer due to rain. I am 100% sure I made a fatal shot but shortly after the shot the rain picked up and I had to get down and start tracking. It was going well until I came to a clearcut clearing and was unable to continue the trail or find it on the other side. Very likely the deer was somewhere in the clearcut but the rain quickly removed the trail. Won't do that again.

[Wanderer]

My son and I took the DNR bow hunter ed class a couple weeks ago. In the class they stressed against taking a deer by archery in the rain because it would be difficult to follow a blood trail to recover.

In last weeks Outdoor News one of the columnists says that every good deer hunter is in their stand when its raining.

So what are your thoughts? I'm new to this and just looking for all the advice I can get.

Thanks,

I think you should be an experienced tracker to have confidence you'll be able to follow up in the rain.