Bowhunting in the rain

[outdoorstom]

I was just curious what your policy is when it comes to bowhunting in the rain. Do you think it's a good idea? Bad idea? Do you think it's ethical?

[Steve D]

1 minute ago, outdoorstom said:

was just curious what your policy is when it comes to bowhunting in the rain. Do you think it's a good idea? Bad idea? Do you think it's ethical?

None of the above matter to me. I ain't getting my Mathews wet or myself soaked.

[Buckmaster7600]

Depends on the rain, light drizzle no problem hard rain not worth the risk.


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[Salmon_Run]

I hunt at least once every year in the cold rain just to make sure I still don't like it !!

 

[rob-c]

I don’t like hunting in the rain bow , gun etc. Me personally it’s not worth it during archery, if you happen to make a low percentage shot and run the risk of a poor blood trail the wet ground will not help in tracking.. 

[grampy]

I don't bowhunt in the rain very often. And only when it is a very light rain, with no heavy rain in the forecast. Also only take high percentage shots. And my max range shrinks from 30 yards to 20.

With the wet leaves and ground, a light blood trail can be diluted quickly and made almost impossible to follow.

[BowmanMike]

I am with buckmaster and grampy,i would go in a light drizzle if i am motivated enough. Hard rain or threatening hard rain i stay home.

[Merlot]

There have been times bow hunting where I have been caught in the rain and stuck it out for awhile and saw bucks on the move in the rain. I would have to have a great high percentage bow shot to shoot in the rain. 

[JRod 8G8H]

agreed... light drizzle OK however I don't like my mathews in freezing rain... however i did read that deer like to feed on cold/wet veggies, it's a tasty snack to them... and I'm colorblind so I don't need any other disadvantage when it comes to finding blood

[moog5050]

I stick with compound and will hunt if it’s not crazy heavy and I expect it to end before closing time.  That post rain period can be very good.  

[nodeerhere]

I hunt in the rain most times! I don't like the pouring rain. But a light rain I will hunt. The deer don't care! It's not like there going back to there nice dry cabin! So I figure if there out there why not be out there too! Oh! And my Hoyt ain't scared of the rain like those Mathews in the above post. Lol!!!! 

[The_Real_TCIII]

If its Saturday/Sunday, I'm hunting. The tree umbrella is your best friend

[LET EM GROW]

Only during a light drizzle in or around the rut.. my effective yardage shrinks dramatically to around the 20-30 yard max.. Too many factors to take in effect.  I love hunting a cool damp or light drizzle kind of day. Just seems a bit  magical in and around the rut.. more times than not.. 

[NFA-ADK]

I use to do it all the time but being smart about the blood track makes me leery.  Like stated above if it is light and stopping ok but no heavy rain due to tracking issues. 

[greensider]

Groudblind groundblind groundblind 

[wfmiller]

Bow hunting in a drizzle or like it is today around hear (just a sprinkle on and off) yes I am hunting. If it's a hard rain I will watch the radar and try to get out before it stops because the deer start moving after the rain ends. Gun season I don't care how hard it rains, I'm hunting. That's why I have ground blinds.

[Nomad]

Like many ,it’s not as much  me getting a little wet, it’s the loss of a good blood trail, so not often will I bow hunt in  the rain . Now that I’m retired even less .

[DDT]

Funny, I had this discussion this morning. I don't bowhunt in the rain. For me too hard to blood trail. I've always had a  flexible schedule so I can go during more favorable weather. I would  practice in the rain too if I were inclined to go though. Makes a difference in the arrow flight. 

Gun hunting, always

[Jeremy K]

I'll go out in almost anything ,there's enough pine trees to stand under . The severity of the weather I am willing to put up with is directly proportional to the number of deer I'm seeing.

Edited October 1, 2018 by Jeremy K

[BigVal]

Depends, certain shots in a light rain can be ethical. I shot my first deer in pouring rain with a bow and was tough to track but we got him. Not something I'd wanna do again though.

[doebuck1234]

Don't really like hunting the rain at all.light drizzle this morning was ok.had a break in rain then really started coming down and I was done.requested day off  from work for bow opener a month ago.any other time wouldn't of went due to rain.

[philoshop]

I've always loved hunting in the rain. Especially when stillhunting. (real stillhunting, not just walking around in the woods) Not a horrible downpour/monsoon, of course, but a light to moderate rain or drizzle does a lot more to dull a deer's senses than it does mine. It quiets things down; it pushes odors to the ground; it greatly affects their ability to detect movement because everything is moving in the rain...

I have never taken a long or low-percentage shot in the rain, because that's not smart. But I've taken a number of deer at 8 to10 yards or so in the rain simply because it's easier to get that close. And if a deer walks by grazing at 30 yards, and your woods skills are up to snuff, there's a very good chance in the rain that you can get ahead of that deer and get the close shot. Your mileage may vary.

[andr3wxmma]

Yeah ive been avoiding it mainly because of the challenge of recovering a deer when the blood trail washes away.4

[DirtTime]

I don't hunt in the rain with a bow due the same reason others have posted. Rain washes blood away pretty fast. A bad shot can lead to no recovery. 

[turkeyfeathers]

On 10/1/2018 at 12:19 PM, greensider said:

Groudblind groundblind groundblind 

Not much help in tracking an archery deer however. Keeping you dry yes