Bad Weather = Good Hunting?

Bad Weather = Good Hunting?

My ideal weather conditions for a day of bow hunting whitetails would be overcast skies, a low around 25 degrees, a high of 40 degrees, and little to no wind. While those days do occur several times a year during the Iowa archery season what do you do when Mother Nature throws in some rain clouds and a 30 mph wind? Hopefully your answer is not to stay in bed until the weather clears!

While harsh conditions such as wind, rain, and snow are most certainly not want hunters like to hunt in those conditions may give you a better chance at tagging a deer this season. I know that sounds completely crazy but if you focus in on what a deer will do during inclement and what benefits bad weather can provide to a hunter you may just increase your chances of tagging a deer this year during less than ideal conditions.

Rain

Its raining its pouring the old deer hunter is snoring! Rain gets a bad rap because a lot of hunters don’t like or want to sit out in the rain and for good reason. Lets face it rain is uncomfortable; it makes you cold, wet, and miserable. The only way to escape its misery is to wait it out in the truck or sleep through it at home. In fact to this date I don’t know anyone that truly loves to hunt whitetails in the rain. However I am here to tell you that you need to hunt during the rain, so long as it’s not a torrential downpour or a thunderstorm on the horizon.

Deer don’t have the option of going inside during the rain and contrary to a lot of hunters beliefs most of the time rain has no affect on deer movement. In fact, barring a heavy downpour, deer may move more in daylight hours during a light to moderate rain. It isn’t known for sure why deer tend to move more during rain, but some guesses include 1) Lower light conditions during rain showers allow deer to feel safer during shooting hours. 2) Deer feel the need to put on the feedbags in the event of an approaching storm front. 3) Deer have been conditioned to know that fewer humans are outside when it’s raining. Whatever the reason may be deer for the most part have no issues moving during light rain conditions so you the hunter should be out in the timber hunting.

In addition to deer possibly moving more during a rainy day the rain itself gives hunters other advantages. Rain lessens a deer’s ability to uses it senses. During rain showers scent is not as widely spread due to the fact that the raindrops are suppressing the odor molecules. Another added benefit is that rain quiets everything; the earthen materials on the ground are soft and make little noise allowing the hunter to move about quieter than on a dry day.

The best strategy you can use during rain showers is to be in your stand. Deer won’t do anything out of the normal during light rain conditions except for possibly moving more during daylight hours. So I repeat myself the best strategy you can use is to be in your stand.

Hit The Window

I have already covered that deer will move in light rainy conditions, but what if a big storm is approaching or the forecast is calling for steady periods of heavy rain for the entire day? This is the one time where you need to take a break until the storm passes. Never hunt during a thunderstorm or heavy rains along with being dangerous deer won’t move during heavy downpours and violent storms.

Just like humans deer will seek out shelter to weather the storm. However not all is lost. If you know when the storm is going to hit and end you can time your hunt before the approaching storm and after the storm has ended.

Deer have a sense about them that can detect storm fronts and will move more before a storm hits and after it has ended in order to eat. So if the weatherman calls for thunderstorms or heavy showers take note of when they are being forecasted for and hunt until its time to take shelter. Then once the floodgates have been closed get back out in your stand. The deer will be up and moving to make up for lost time the heavy rains have caused.

Please take note that with thunderstorms the chance of lightening is always present. The instant you see a bolt or flash of lightening get down immediately and head for the truck, even if the approaching storm is a ways off. Lightening can travel many miles ahead of storm posing great danger to hunters.

Clothing

Hunting in a light rain is a good bet, but you have to take some preparations if you are going to stick it out. It should come as no surprise that rain will make your clothes wet. I know, I know this isn’t ground breaking news but if you chose to make the wise decision to hunt in the rain you had better have a waterproof jacket and pants to help you through the discomfort. Rain is miserable enough to sit in, but it is far worse to sit in when it is drenching every inch of your body.

Safety

Rain will make everything slippery that you step on or grab hold of. Make sure you are aware of each and every move you make especially climbing into your stand and out of it. If you don’t climb your tree with a climbing belt or have a safety harness once you get into your stand you should. They may cost some extra money but you need to ask yourself is saving a little cash worth the price of a broken back or even worse death? Also take note of walking up or down a hill, over a creek or logs, as the ground won’t have as much grip as it would if it were dry, which could lead to a fall.

I don’t mean to paint a scary picture but accidents do happen and the chances of an accident is heightened by the rain. Protect yourself and your family by taking all the precautions you can.

After The Shot

A negative to rain is that if you do happen to shoot a deer when it is raining or a storm is on its way the blood trail will be washed away. If you shoot a deer during rain you have to make a decision on when to track it. If your shot is good and you know the deer is going to expire fairly quickly and rather close then you have nothing to worry about.

On the other hand what if you made a less than perfect shot? Such as a liver or gut shot? Here is where your decision comes into play. The blood trail will instantly start to deteriorate from the rain. Do you give the deer 3 hours to expire like you normally would, and risk having no blood trail to track? Or do you give the deer less time and risk bumping him? I have had this experience twice in my hunting career and both times I have recovered the deer. The choice is up to you, but my advice is to give that deer the time it needs to expire. Tracking a deer with no blood trail is not easy but if you give it time to expire it is a lot easier to find a dead deer than it is a bumped deer that you tracked to soon.

Next time you are faced with the decision of to hunt during light rain conditions or sleep it off I would advise you to head to the woods. The deer won’t be sleeping so neither should you. It’s wet, cold, miserable, and uncomfortable but it quite possibly could be the best time to hunt during the entire season.

Wind

I can’t stand high wind conditions and neither can deer. The rule of thumb is the higher the wind the less deer will move. While rain slightly affects a deer’s senses wind can wreak havoc on them. High winds will diminish a deer’s ability to see, hear, and smell, the three senses a deer depends on for survival. In return a deer doesn’t feel comfortable on its feet and will usually bed down until the wind has subsided.

Even though deer do not move all that much during windy conditions they still have to move in order to eat, drink, and do their business so not all is lost during windy days. Plus wind gives a hunter benefits that ideal conditions do not. When its windy out you can pretty much guess where deer are going to be…mainly places it is not windy. Makes sense right? Also since the wind battles a deer’s senses a hunter can hone in on this and use the wind in his favor. Below are several things a hunter can do to help put a tag on a windy day whitetail.

Hunt Closer To A Bedroom

Deer will seek refuge during the day from high winds in a bedding area, but even then they will still get up periodically to get a drink, munch on some browse, or go to the bathroom. If you can get close enough to a bedding area without being detected you might be able to catch a deer on its feet stretching its legs. Make sure to play the wind direction as much as possible. Even though your scent is harder to detect during windy days we are talking about one of the best noses in the world.

I strongly advise you not to hunt the bedding area itself but rather on the outskirts down wind of the area. Bedding areas are the key to your hunting property and the last thing you want is to spook deer out of them. Stick on the outskirts during a windy day and you may get lucky by having a deer stepping a bit farther out than they should of.

Hunt The Morning and Evening

During windy days there is typically a break in the wind during the morning and evening hours. Deer will sense this and may; depending on if it’s the morning or evening get on their feet later or earlier. As a hunter this is the time when you need to be in the stand. You can bypass the midday when the winds are howling but make sure you are in the stand for the morning and evening because if the wind dies down it is a good bet the deer will be on their feet.

Hunt Wind Blocks

Certain areas of terrain act as wind blocks, such as cedar tree groves, leeward sides of timber points, and depressions or bowls in timber. It is a good idea to have a stand placed near these geographical areas because they are less windy and deer feel more comfortable being on their feet in these areas.

Still Hunt

Windy days are the best time to stretch your legs and put a stalk on a deer. When the wind is to much to bear in a tree stand get down and glass areas of your land for bedded deer and still-hunt them. Remember a mature buck, will typically bed with the wind facing its backside so that it can use its eyes to detect danger approaching from downwind while using is nose to detect danger approaching upwind. The best approach method to use once you have spotted a bedded deer is the 90-degree method. If the wind is blowing from the north then you want to make sure you approach from the east or west, this will give you your best odds of not being busted by a deer’s nose or eyes.

We have covered that hunting deer in windy conditions is no easy task. However deer will still move to a certain extent, if you can be in the right place at the right time you may just be able to shoot a deer on a windy day.

Snow

Snow much like rain is best in moderation for the sake of hunting deer. If the forecast calls for light snow don’t let that deter you from heading out to the timber. In fact it should bring a smile to your face. With colder temperatures and approaching and passing storm fronts deer will be on their feet more during light to moderate snow.

In addition to deer being on their feet more snow provides several other benefits.

Benefits of Hunting During Snow:

Snow, just like rain will make it easier to quietly navigate to your stand or to put a stalk on a deer.

Along with providing stealthy movement the tracks a deer leave in the snow can give a hunter a good idea of where a deer came from and where it is going; valuable info to a still hunter and even a stand hunter.
Blood trailing a deer on snow-covered ground is much easier than ground that is covered in leaves and grass.

Ground that is snow covered provides a white background, which in return makes it easier to spot moving and bedded deer.

For the upcoming season if you are faced with adverse weather conditions remember that barring a torrential downpour, blizzard, or hurricane there really isn’t such thing as “Adverse” weather conditions when it comes to hunting. Some of my best hunts have come during rain, snow, and wind; in fact my biggest buck to date came directly after a heavy rainstorm. Granted I wasn’t in the stand while it was raining sideways, but I headed out immediately after the rain had stopped and found a 160” 10-pt on his feet at 2pm.

Just because the weather isn’t ideal doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hunt. The deer are forced into living with the weather so you must force yourself to hunt in less than ideal weather. The deer will be there, will you?