For many deer hunters, rainy weather can be a nuisance. It interferes with their ability to see and it makes the ground slippery. This is often when they get discouraged and quit for the day. However, there are still plenty of benefits that come from hunting during bad weather if you know how to use rain to your advantage!
Rain Helps Reduce Noise
Rain dampens the ground and makes it less noisy while you’re walking on it. This is important if you are planning to hunt in the rain because deer have very sensitive hearing, especially in windy conditions when the leaves are rustling above them. Rain will also help reduce any noise caused by your clothes or body movements.
This is great because it means that you can walk much more stealthily. Most hunters take advantage of this by walking as slow as possible and standing still when they hear any noise or signs that the deer may have noticed them already.
Using Deer Movement to Your Advantage
If you’re thinking about hunting in the rain, you might have several questions. How will the deer act differently? Will they stay still or move around more often than normal? Many hunting enthusiasts have questions like do deer move in the rain, how much do they move in the rain or how can I use that to my advantage? Deer move in light rain but will bed down in heavier rain. If you are hunting deer, pay attention to the weather forecast and plan your hunt accordingly. If the rain is really coming down, it’s best to stay put. The deer will be bedded down and you are unlikely to see anything moving. However, if you are already out in the field, don’t give up. There is still a chance of spotting a deer, especially if it’s in a rut.
Deers move after the rain stops and it is one of the best times to hunt deer. You can get up early in the morning or head out just before dark and wait for the deer to come out of their hiding places after they have had some time to dry off.
Rain Helps Mask Human Scent
It’s no secret that deer have a great sense of smell, but rain will definitely help reduce any human scent. The scent is nothing but tiny microscopic particles traveling through the air as a medium. The rain precipitate will pull these particles to the ground thus, reducing the human scent traveling to a deer. Try to approach your target from downwind and always be aware of where the wind is blowing.
You Are Less Likely To Scare Deer Away
When it’s raining, deer are less likely to spook due to the fact that their senses are a bit blurred. It is believed that their eyesight isn’t very clear when rain falls so this will give you an advantage if there are multiple deer in one area.
This means that you can be around a large group of deer without them becoming aware that you’re there and running away. You can then wait patiently for the right chance to take a shot as they eat and travel through the area.
Hunting during rainy weather can be a challenge, but if you know how to use rain to your advantage and follow these tips, it could lead you to the perfect catch. It’s important to wear the right gear so that your equipment is not noisy or leaky if it gets wet. You should also test out your hunting gear before going into the field so there are no surprises!
