Rainy Day Opening Day Blues

[SEOK Mountainbucks]

Extremely depressed about the weather forecast this weekend in SE OK. With my work/family schedule I don't get to spend nearly as much time in the woods as I would like. Between Bow and Muzzleloader, I have only hunted 4 times. I have been looking forward to this weekend but it looks like it could be bad. Any tips or thoughts about hunting in a driving rain?

 

[dennishoddy]

Killed my second biggest buck during a driving rain storm. Couldn't hardly pick him out in the scope. Keep your scope covers on until the last minute, stay dry and hunt away!

 

[undeg01]

Agreed. The largest (heaviest) buck I ever killed was on opening weekend in heavy rain. As a matter of fact, I shot him, stayed sitting for 15 minutes and followed up with a doe kill also.

And to give you an idea of how heavy the rain was, when I climbed down from my stand, I had to take my rubber boots off and dump the water out of them where it had run down my pants and into my boots.

 

[Mitch Rapp]

I plan to hunt, I figure some of the public areas I have hunted in the past should be less crowded. Was thinking of just spending the day stalking. I thought deer didn't move much in that kind of weather?

 

[OkieTac]

I plan to hunt, I figure some of the public areas I have hunted in the past should be less crowded. Was thinking of just spending the day stalking. I thought deer didn't move much in that kind of weather?

My experience has been that they move plenty in rain. If you and your significant other had Frog-Togs with a convenient, ez-open flap, wouldn't you get busy in the rain then go for a bite to eat afterward? That said, lightening and thunderstorms might be a different matter.

 

[Jeremy1971]

Extremely depressed about the weather forecast this weekend in SE OK. With my work/family schedule I don't get to spend nearly as much time in the woods as I would like. Between Bow and Muzzleloader, I have only hunted 4 times. I have been looking forward to this weekend but it looks like it could be bad. Any tips or thoughts about hunting in a driving rain?

I know what you mean but here is something I looked up that was encouraging. First, rain rates for Saturday during hunting light should be 0.02 inches per hour which is light. The real rain 0.18 inches per hour should get going by 7pm. This according to the NOAA and Sunday should be good to go!

Second, as many have shared, it is my understanding that the rain doesn't hurt and may even help deer movement. Bottom line for me is I am in the same boat you are. I gotta hunt.

And, my wife told be to quit whining about the rain, be a man, and get the hell out of the house and hunt this weekend. So, I'm headed SE first thing in the morning.

 

[Owasso]

My experience has been that they move plenty in rain. If you and your significant other had Frog-Togs with a convenient, ez-open flap, wouldn't you get busy in the rain then go for a bite to eat afterward? That said, lightening and thunderstorms might be a different matter.

Hilarious!

 

[2busy]

Only thing bad about the rain is you can't hear anything else. But I always liked being able to slip around in the woods and not sound like a herd of buffalo. But then nothing else makes any sounds either.

 

[Eagle Eye]

I know what you mean but here is something I looked up that was encouraging. First, rain rates for Saturday during hunting light should be 0.02 inches per hour which is light. The real rain 0.18 inches per hour should get going by 7pm. This according to the NOAA and Sunday should be good to go!

Second, as many have shared, it is my understanding that the rain doesn't hurt and may even help deer movement. Bottom line for me is I am in the same boat you are. I gotta hunt.

And, my wife told be to quit whining about the rain, be a man, and get the hell out of the house and hunt this weekend. So, I'm headed SE first thing in the morning.

I think what you are reporting are averages, and those can be very deceiving. Edit: Especially deceiving if it is not known how many observations were used to calculate the average.
I bet it will be more like 1.0 inch in 12mins, and then drizzle for 3 hours. Then another inch....followed by drizzle.

Either way Temperatures will be NICE, mid 50's at sunrise!! Get out there, get wet, be still, shoot a deer, dry off while eating backstraps.

 

[7stw]

Sure wish we could've had last weekends weather this coming one but instead we're getting a heat wave the rain well we need it and in my experience it won't affect deer movement much if any. Got my good rain gear ready to roll. To the op I get what your saying about only having so many opportunities afield. I make the most out of whatever mother nature has for me when I do get a chance to get out. Get out and enjoy it don't worry about it and let the weather ruin your hunt.


Sent from NSA wire tapped device.