in coastal bc if we didn't hunt in the rain we wouldn't hunt much. my best blacktail was shot in such a heavy rain i could hardly see to shoot at about 30 yards. he just stood there looking at me. there is no way he could smell anything.
Hunting in the rain.
- Thread starter BIGREDD
- Start date
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
That's why you never see "Ole Tree Shooter" Boddington here on the Island....it rains alot here.
If I ever met Craig I would be tempted to ask him what bark tastes like.
If I ever met Craig I would be tempted to ask him what bark tastes like.
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
Excellent point.
Which reminds me, safety , be careful not to get Hypothermia, extra socks
Short breaks , a fire, food, keep dry as you can.
Navigation will have you checking the nav aids more often, not having the sun out there. Also check the wind often , or remember which bearing its coming from, this may help you in not spooking that monster buck.
rain will knock down scent, but if there is a break , and fog shows up, thats bad, fog will hold the scent airborne for much longer.
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I'll hunt in whatever, whenever. It depends more on what day off I have, than the weather. Although SOme days it's so nasty that it's more productive to stay in bed, and throw the leg over the gal than go hunting.
Whiel I'm not a big fan of Boddingtons article writing, his books are very good, and he has hunted inmore areas, for more species, than most of us ever will. He's no armchiar hunter, he's done it all, literally.
i don't agree with him on lots of things, but that is because he has his experiences and I have mine. doesn't make either one of us rigth or wrong...
Whiel I'm not a big fan of Boddingtons article writing, his books are very good, and he has hunted inmore areas, for more species, than most of us ever will. He's no armchiar hunter, he's done it all, literally.
i don't agree with him on lots of things, but that is because he has his experiences and I have mine. doesn't make either one of us rigth or wrong...
Gatehouse said:I'll hunt in whatever, whenever. It depends more on what day off I have, than the weather. Although SOme days it's so nasty that it's more productive to stay in bed, and throw the leg over the gal than go hunting.
Whiel I'm not a big fan of Boddingtons article writing, his books are very good, and he has hunted inmore areas, for more species, than most of us ever will. He's no armchiar hunter, he's done it all, literally.
i don't agree with him on lots of things, but that is because he has his experiences and I have mine. doesn't make either one of us rigth or wrong...
I am the same way about him. He does get to do a lot of up scale guided hunts but he has also put some serious time in out in the field. I like hunting just before or just after bad weather. Just after is usually the best. If it is raining it won't stop me from hunting, that would be crazy.
Jacky
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
You hunt with a canoe paddle.....most guys use a spear.
I agree that hunting in the rain is actually advantages but I think it depends where you are hunting also. Maybe the author is just not fond of the smell of his own wet socks?? I know it makes me sick ............
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One of the reasons I quit buying Petersen's Hunting was I got tired of nothing but Boddington and Sitton articles, overlapping and repeating articles again and again. They have shot a pile of game but boy, it is almost like they will simply take a pay off froma company and then praise the crap out of that one product.
I have bashed most of my game just before, during and after storrms whether it is rain, freezing rain, sleet or snow. I love how stealthy I feel.
One little buck dropped to my 30-06 after sitting in freezing rain very ill-prepared for two hours, it was hard to pull the trigger with the symptons of Hypothermia well on their way. Not to mention a very nice layer of ice on the rifle and myself!
Make sure you are prepared for the worst scenario and enjoy!
First out and last in gets the big buck, or elk, or.......
Noel
They have shot a pile of game but boy, it is almost like they will simply take a pay off froma company and then praise the crap out of that one product. I have bashed most of my game just before, during and after storrms whether it is rain, freezing rain, sleet or snow. I love how stealthy I feel.
One little buck dropped to my 30-06 after sitting in freezing rain very ill-prepared for two hours, it was hard to pull the trigger with the symptons of Hypothermia well on their way. Not to mention a very nice layer of ice on the rifle and myself!
Make sure you are prepared for the worst scenario and enjoy!
First out and last in gets the big buck, or elk, or.......
Noel
as it was stated earlier rain keeps the good weather hunters out of the bush which is a bonus when you hunt on crown land with a gazillion other hunters i actully prefer to hunt in the rain or other inclimate weather that way i can assure that the chunk of land i hunt on has less then 10 other hunters on it
troutseeker
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Prince George, BC
Those expert magazine writers know it all after all... We should all just hunt when it's nice out and the guide outfitter say's it wont get ugly for a while. I read those magazines partly for comic relief...
I love hunting in the rain, everything seems quieter, the earth smell better and the critters don;t hear me or smell me as much.
Troutseeker
I love hunting in the rain, everything seems quieter, the earth smell better and the critters don;t hear me or smell me as much.
Troutseeker
A few guys have mentioned the period just before and just after a rain... this is good info. If I know the weather is going to change I try to be out hunting before it does. Just before a Weather Front moves in deer become more active and your odds go way up. Conversely the same applies to the passing of the front, although the activity is usually not as frenetic, the game will move immediately when the rain quits as well.
I would like to qualify with regard to severe weather... electrical storms (lightning) and high winds are not conducive to hunting success or safety!
I would like to qualify with regard to severe weather... electrical storms (lightning) and high winds are not conducive to hunting success or safety!
There are so many different styles/types of rain .... and couple that with
cloud ceiling/fog, temperature, & wind .... and you have a real hodge-podge of conditions that can arise. You might as well forget a day with a wind-driven rain for most any game .... but a day with a light rain/drizzle, no wind, and an even ambient light is the best for grouse/ deer.
cloud ceiling/fog, temperature, & wind .... and you have a real hodge-podge of conditions that can arise. You might as well forget a day with a wind-driven rain for most any game .... but a day with a light rain/drizzle, no wind, and an even ambient light is the best for grouse/ deer.
Blacktail are best hunted in crappy weather. If it's a grey day with a bit of drizzle and some wind blowing - they'll be out during the daytime often enough. Even noon or early afternoon is a good time to hunt then.
I guess it depends on the game and what part of the world you're in.
I guess it depends on the game and what part of the world you're in.
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
Forget about Boddington ... Rutledge or Koller are better reading to do with
hunting whiteys.
Heavy pounding rain ( like a cow pissing on a flat rock) ... I generally hole up in camp - there's always some chores and clean-up desperately needed, but in a light drizzle, I've found deer to be quite active and have harvested more than a few of them in such conditions. Same with high wind ... if you're careful, it's a great time to find deer (and moose) bedded-down ... and have shot several in their beds when the "widow-makers" were crashing down. Like the rain diminishing scent and sound - a good stiff wind causes lots of movement in the bush ... a deer's sharp hearing and even sharper eye-sight are compromised to the hunter's advantage.
hunting whiteys.
Heavy pounding rain ( like a cow pissing on a flat rock) ... I generally hole up in camp - there's always some chores and clean-up desperately needed, but in a light drizzle, I've found deer to be quite active and have harvested more than a few of them in such conditions. Same with high wind ... if you're careful, it's a great time to find deer (and moose) bedded-down ... and have shot several in their beds when the "widow-makers" were crashing down. Like the rain diminishing scent and sound - a good stiff wind causes lots of movement in the bush ... a deer's sharp hearing and even sharper eye-sight are compromised to the hunter's advantage.
BIGREDD said:Personally I love hunting in the rain, and I find the advantages far outnumber the disadvantages. The rain takes the games ears and nose out of the equation to a great extent which makes stalking much easier.
What do you guys think. Is Boddington blowing bafflegarb or what.
BIGREDD, you are right on. I have never had any trouble taking an animal I stalked while it was raining.
Ted
