A light rain - advantage or disadvantage?

[Chipdasqrrl]

I know that moisture helps deer smell better, but what if it's raining? I would think that the rain would diminish the scent in the air, but I really don't know.



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[Elkaddict]

I find a light rain tends to get deer up and moving while quieting the woods. I also feel a light rain creates its own scent. I like hunting in these conditions. I don’t like bloodtrailing under such circumstances

 

[tlh2865]

I personally love to hunt a light rain, or even better a light snow, my experience is similar to yours Elkaddict, a light precipitation seems to get deer up for some reason, drowns out noise, and drowns out a small amount of movement. I cannot speak to scent specifically from experience, but I do get nervous about going through low-lying areas under such circumstances.

 

[boot]

I know moisture holds and can amplify scent, thats why bird dogs can track better when there is some moisture on the ground. Personally I never seen a noticeable affect with deer.

 

[lakngolf]

I enjoy sitting in a dry shooting house during a light rain. Don't know if it helps my chances, but I enjoy. Tracking in the rain is a PITA

 

[THE LLC]

I have been deer hunting for 40 years. In several states and every region in Georgia. I have hunted every type weather you can encounter and I can count on ONE FINGER the number of deer I've seen when it is raining.

 

[dogghr]

I have been deer hunting for 40 years. In several states and every region in Georgia. I have hunted every type weather you can encounter and I can count on ONE FINGER the number of deer I've seen when it is raining.

Which finger??? Interesting observation. It rained today and deer came out as soon as it quit, then went back to bed soon after. I'm like you, I find deer movement poor in a rain.

 

[THE LLC]

The middle one. LOL

 

[Chipdasqrrl]

Windy days are the days I never seem to see anything. I usually manage to see at least one deer on the rainy days


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[THE LLC]

When we're in Nebraska, if the wind ain't blowing 20 the deer don't move. So rare not to have wind I guess calm wind makes them nervous.

 

[OkieKubota]

I have seen deer in all of it...wind, rain, heat, cold...they move in all of it when you hunt big woods...

 

[Berserker]

I enjoy sitting in a dry shooting house during a light rain.

Ya it is peaceful.

Age old question. Dunno answer. Will be debated over and over. Woke up this morning. Tempted to get back in bed, but can't hunt mornings, cause work. Nothing happened. But things have been slow. So proves nothing, other then my new blind roof seems good.

 

[Jerry D]

I like a light rain or a light rain over night. It's peaceful when your in blind and it makes the woods and leaves silent to walk on.

I've seen deer on warm days cold days. The 1st snow day. Right after a full moon. In the rain and in the sun.

The more I hunt the more everything just happens randomly.

 

[j-bird]

I don't like how hunting in the rain. Tracking in it just sucks. If given the choice I prefer to get on stand in the rain and be ready when it stops. Especially if it's a decent storm or has been raining for a long time. Killed a nice 130+ 8 point that way once. He though he owned the place!

 

[Mennoniteman]

In my experience deer don't move much in the rain but move right after, especially to eat in a green field, they like to graze wet clover. The question is, given how dependent a bow hunter is on a blood trail to retrieve his game, is it ethical for archery hunters to hunt in a steady drizzling rain?

 

[lakngolf]

In my experience deer don't move much in the rain but move right after, especially to eat in a green field, they like to graze wet clover. The question is, given how dependent a bow hunter is on a blood trail to retrieve his game, is it ethical for archery hunters to hunt in a steady drizzling rain?

It has been my experience that the blood trail is better on a bow shot than with rifle

 

[Tap]

I have been deer hunting for 40 years. In several states and every region in Georgia. I have hunted every type weather you can encounter and I can count on ONE FINGER the number of deer I've seen when it is raining.

Sorry brother, I don't mean to sound like a (whatever), but I can't believe you've never seen deer in the rain.
My home is surrounded by cover and plots. I watch deer pretty much every single day of the year, and some of the best days for watching deer is when it's raining.
Today was a prime example...We got around .75 inches of rain today and at times it was heavy rain...deer have been out all day long.

 

[Chipdasqrrl]

Update: It's been raining here for the past 2 days, haven't seen a single deer. Light rain is a disadvantage for me


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[Tap]

Update: It's been raining here for the past 2 days, haven't seen a single deer. Light rain is a disadvantage for me


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Is this another example of local herds doing their own thing? We read posts all the time about deer doing stuff that other guy's herds never do.
Example...
Brassica use... and some other forage use comes to mind. Some herds pound certain forages at different times of usage and other herds won't use it at all.
I can't believe that weather conditions can be compared to feeding habits, but, my observations here on my place absolutely prove without a doubt that most rain events have ZERO effect on deer movement.
I've read this thread with a critical eye and, since this thread began, i've confirmed in my mind what I've watched over and over (and over and over again) that deer are out and about during rain.
Not trying to say I'm some expert on the subject, but I've lived among deer habitat and movement since 1986 and rain has had little to zero effect on deer movement on what I watch out my window, in my plots and cover, any and every time it rains.
I realize this is my anecdotal observations, but I've watched this behavior many times over the last 30 years.
Sorry guys, but I think you are wrong when you say deer don't move in the rain.

 

[Chipdasqrrl]

Is this another example of local herds doing their own thing? We read posts all the time about deer doing stuff that other guy's herds never do.

I've been thinking about it all day, and I think it may have to do with where I'm set up. I'm hunting the edge of a swamp, so if deer aren't traveling back and forth from hardwoods to swamp I don't see anything. We've gotten so much rain that there's more standing water than usual, and I'm thinking maybe deer don't like that so they're avoiding the swamp. Other than that, I can't figure out what's going on.



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