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Looking for opinions. Hunt? Or not?
Hunting is good in the rain. BUT, you will lose a blood trail very quickly. So many people lose deer in the rain. the only shot I would take in the rain is an absolute chip shot in an area where I can watch the deer go down. (there aren't many of those)
Not for me. Like bigwoods said, rain washes a blood trail away in minutes. To easy to lose a deer in the rain. Once the blood is gone who knows what way the deer went. My son shot spike years ago. We had a 5 minute rain come and the blood was all but gone. We luckily found the deer grid searching but I said at the point I wouldnt do that again.
Sorry for those that want to hunt it today but I was hoping for rain today. We will have a nice clean canvas to work with tomorrow :)
Hunt whenever you this time of year!
I'm about to hate myself, but I'm a firm believer in rule/step number one of hunting: you will never shoot a deer unless you go out hunting. A few hours of hypothermia isn't too bad for a chance at a second buck, or doe
I am out for the afternoon hunt. Snug as a big in a rug. Warmer out than the past few days but the rain should treat the deer fine.
It’s pouring here z8. Think I’ll pass till tomm
Sitting in a class room wishing I could be out in this snow!! Dead calm and 2" on the ground! Tmrw am I'll be out
"I am out for the afternoon hunt. Snug as a big in a rug. Warmer out than the past few days but the rain should treat the deer fine."
Long as you meet the obligation to recover the animal.
Ligt rain is awesome for deer movement but i dont bowhunt in t rain anymore. As others said, bloodtrail is gone in minutes. I have 3 more days off this week im gonna hold off
Raining well now here in Leominster - not pouring, but steady. A light rain that is not expected to get heavier or a drizzle can be golden. I've seen a lot of deer in those conditions so, I guess I've been trained to like them. But if there is a chance for heavy rain I'm not into it. To much risk of losing a blood trail on a iffy shot should that occur.
It's also a pain for me to dry my gear. The clothes are not to bad... but the back pack, it's contents, my bow, etc can be a PITA to dry well.
I guess, I'm getting to be lame in my ripe old age (kidding, I'm only 43)... I can remember hunting in monsoon's when I was in my late teens and early 20's... I guess that sort of answers the question another way though... ;-)
I only get so much time off so i got the hawk umbrella. First use today. It was awesome
proline.... I hear ya no worries
Theres 2 sides to this... yes, hunting in the rain can be great for movement and you cant shoot them from the couch. But man, how shitty will you feel when you hit one and don't recover it because you don't have a blood trail? that's on you. You killed a deer and didn't recover it because you wanted to hunt in the rain knowing the consequences. You better be able to live with that. The deer doesn't deserve that.
Tree umbrella is one of the best pieces of gear I ever bought.
Couldnt agree more bigwoods............... spot on.
I was out this afternoon for a couple hours. We had just a steady drizzle going in my part of zone 10. I started off very comfortable and finished pretty damn miserably cold and wet.
BC and BB, does that umbrella create any sort of strange noise? I thought about buying one last season, but was afraid of the noise rain drops would make on a waterproof material like that.
Well here is my first time hunting in the rain with it experience,.. it was great. So I got out there thinking/guessing it would rain and normally I would come in when it started. So yesterday I hoisted the umbrella (it is cheap and only weighs a pound). This allowed me to stay out there,.. for 2 hours it rained and then cleared up I was still out there and dry and comfy,.. this allowed me finished up the afternoon hunt.
I know some here get all upset about losing a blood trail and so maybe you decided not to shoot when raining? dunno ,.. either way it allowed me to ride out 2 hours of rain and stay in the stand,.. was all in position for the afternoon as the rain ended..
I probably would not say,.. it is going to rain all day so I will go hunting,.. but it allows me to say 50% chance of rain this afternoon,.. bring the tree umbrella and go HUNT! That is exactly what I did on Monday and it worked out really nice.
As far as the noise goes,.. during the rain all could hear was the rain,.. period. I realized that would be a sight only thing,.. you are not going to hear a deer moving around when it is raining. There is the patter of rain all around you before I put the umbrella up,.. and yes now when umbrella is up there is the patter of rain above you also,..
Another noise issue is my Hawk model opens up like a regular umbrella but then it has the extension arms that clip down,.. so 3 fairly loud clicks to deploy extendo arms. And you cannot deploy or retract it with gloves on. :(
It also collapses up small 16 inches? long and about 2 inch roll and could be bunjeed onto my hipsack or onto the stand quite easily for transport.
I would rate it as one of my better purchases,..
This image is the Hawk tree umbrella,... it is rolled up a bit longer than my prior guess of 16 inches,.. probably 20? it is the roll tucked between summit climber seat and stand. I put it there for size perspective,..
See above post if you have limited days to hunt like me,.. rain will never stop ya again,..
I actually bought two,.. got a couple hunting buddies and wanted them to be able to join with a wetter than desired hunt,.. So I have a loaner umbrella that I hand to anyone who is joining me for a wet day,.. they can't say no then LMAO!
If anyone else has a preferred brand I would love to hear why you like it etc,.. I have limited experience with just this one brand,.. I have found in general Hawk equipment to be well made by hunters for hunters,.. most of this stuff is though,..
