However in heavy rain lots of deer will bed down and seek shelter in evergreen woods to protect themselves. Deer do not seem to like or dislike the rain and hunters have learnt how to use the bad weather to their advantage. Deer can sense oncoming storms and they are more active in the hours leading up to said storm.
They forage for food before they bed down in deep woods under heavy rain, a lot of hunters see their best game in the hours leading up to a storm. It all depends on the severity of the rain and their location. But lets have a look at how different species of deer deal with the rain below.
Whitetail deer are medium-sized deer found from South America up to and across Canada, they get their name from the white underside of their tails. Game-management measures managed to bring these deer back up in population and they are now one of the most popular game animals.
They will stay in more densely wooded areas when it is raining but their daily habits will not be altered. Hunters have noted that in light rain, whitetail deer still follow their usual routes and appear in open fields to graze. There has also been reports that rain makes deer more docile as they feel less threatened in lower light, which is a common accompaniment to rain.
Blacktail deer are found in the Pacific Northwest of Northern America, commonly occupying coastal woodlands. They are a sub-species of deer and got their name because of the prominent black stripe on top of their tail.
The coat of a blacktail deer changes through the seasons, being reddish-brown during the summer months whilst in winter their coat is brownish grey. Blacktail deer are not bothered by the rain and sometimes they become more active in the rain, possibly an evolutionary trait developed because hunters are more reluctant to go and hunt in the rain.
If the rain is torrential and accompanied by strong winds, they will often find sheltered areas to shield themselves from the downpour. They will find this shelter in densely packed forests along the coastlines. Mule deer are a large species of deer native to western North America. This species encompasses a variety of subspecies, including the aforementioned Blacktail deer. These deer prefer more open landscapes and seem to feel less threatened by humans as they have somewhat integrated into city life.
Some populations of mule deer migrate over long distances, females leave first and males will then join in winter months for the rutting season. When faced with heavy downpour most deer will seek shelter under forest canopies, but mule deer are found in places where these kinds of forests are scarce.
In heavy rain mule deer will seek any form of shelter they can find, often hiding under stray foliage where possible. That being said, Mule deer are used to light rain as they live in open country. Hunters that have cited increased deer activity in the rain and this has led to speculation as to whether deer simply prefer the rain. Now that you know deer are active during light showers and intermittent storms. You might be wondering how you hunt in the rain. Those who hunt out of blinds can feel free to skip this step.
Even if you wear your best raingear, rain is still going to get through and you will still get wet. If you are making the effort to hit the stand, you might as well be prepared to sit for as long as possible and wait for a deer. Need some motivation to embrace the bad weather? Read the next section. If you are trying to find a reason why it is a good idea to go deer hunting in the rain, this might pique your interest.
Mature bucks in general, do not like to move in the daylight hours. They try to limit daylight movement as much as they possibly can. Luckily for hunters, big deer move before, during, and after any type of weather activity, excluding a torrential downpour. This can be one of the only chances a hunter will get to see that huge whitetail they see on their trail cam. If possible, it is vitally important that you stay out on the stand all day long.
While the majority of whitetail deer hunters focus on early morning or later evening hunts. In general, but especially in rainy weather, deer can show up at any point. Stay for as long as you can and you might well be rewarded, as deer move erratically during inclement weather. You need to be prepared to be uncomfortable for a long period of time. It is important to keep something in the back of your mind: rain washes away blood trails.
This is especially a key point for archery hunters. It is imperative that you only take shots that are close and sure shots. If you know you can quickly kill the deer from that distance and angle, then do it.
The important thing you need to decide is whether you will wait for the deer to bed down and expire. This depends on the forecast and how hard it is raining. The combination of noise, motion and suppressed scent conditions gives hunters a distinct advantage that should not be discounted.
Still, you can't win the game if you don't go out there and play! The most critical thing you can do on a rainy day is get out of bed!
If I had a dollar for every time I sallied forth into the torrent while everyone else in camp crawled deeper into their sleeping bags, I wouldn't have to worry about the mortgage payment. No matter what the weather, you can't shoot a deer if you don't go after them! Before I tell you what you should bring with you on rainy day hunts, I'll explain what should be left behind.
Don't bring electronic gear unless you are willing to risk losing it to moisture. Forget your wallet, keys, pocket knives, extra flashlight and GPS unit. Leave your pack behind. Don't bring cameras, cooking gear, tripods, range finders, space blankets, survival gear or anything else that rain will ruin. Think of your rainy day hunt as a minimalist outing. Bring only the necessary gear you will need to bag and tag your buck. Next, expect to get wet.
I sweat profusely under any kind of rain gear especially during bow season , so I opt for wicking-type long-johns, which keep me warm even when wet. I wear the usual camouflage pants and shirt, a fleece jacket if it's exceptionally cold , a hat, face mask and gloves. Of course, wear the appropriate amount of hunter-orange clothing, as required. Other than my bow or gun, a sharp knife and a bottle of water, I carry only my climbing stand and a strap-on umbrella.
I like the umbrella because rain running down a tree trunk will eventually fill your boots with icy water. Deer will be active all day during a steady rain, especially if the wet weather lasts for several days. Don't let these conditions discourage you! The deer are out there and they must eat and socialize especially during the rut. Plan on being out there with them! Hotspots during steady rains include all the trails, runs and feeding areas you scouted prior to the season.
Get in there early and plan to spend several hours in each spot. If you decide to move, do it around noon, when deer are least active. You may bump a whitetail at any time, of course, but those standard pre-dusk deer will be out and moving much earlier in wet weather. Find your spot, get set up and start hunting by p. Stay put until dark because the bigger bucks may not move around until the last minute, and on rainy days that "last minute" may come 15 minutes or more before actual sunset.
Good places to set up include ridge spines and saddles, stream and river crossings, crop and field edges on trails at least 40 yards inside the adjacent woods , or near natural food sources such as orchards, oak stands and other mast-producing trees. Deer won't alter their behavior merely because it's raining.
They simply meander more during daylight hours and extend their dawn and dusk routines because there is less daylight. The animals simply feel less threatened in periods of low light. The same conditions that make rainy-day hunting so appealing are also those that present the most challenges.
Settle in to hunt, and you'll quickly realize it is not only wet in the woods; it's very noisy! Falling rain can be deafening, and everything those raindrops hit will move, often enough to make you think it was a deer!
The soaked leaves and debris also allow deer to walk almost silently through the forest. This means the hunter must be extra vigilant, constantly scanning his surroundings for signs of movement. Wet deer look surprisingly like wet leaves. If you don't pay attention, you could miss your opportunity for a shot. Rainy days are excellent times to hunt those spots that often hold other hunters in balmier weather.
During rainy periods, far fewer vehicles are parked along woods roads, giving you your choice of hotspots because everyone else is safe and warm back at camp. Rainy days are also great times to hunt state parks where legal , small woodlots, urban areas, hedgerows and any other site where human activity normally precludes serious hunting.
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