Hunting in the freezing rain?

[Partikle]

We're supose to get freezing rain tomorrow and I have the opportunity to get out for an afternoon hunt before the season ends on Saturday. I don't get my jolly's from sitting in the freezing rain so I thought I would ask, has anybody ever caught anything in the freezing rain other then a cold or am I waisting time that could be spend in a dry warm house?

Partikle

[BOB VANDRISH]

Partikle,one of the biggest bucks I ever saw taken when I used to hunt in Vermont was taken in an absolutely torrential rainstorm!
Three of us stayed in camp and drank Tia Maria and coffee,and the hardiest guy decides to go out anyway.
He picks a twenty foot deep ravine,about a hundred feet across,filled mostly with evergreens and dense bush,and just ever so slowly works the bush,watching more than moving.
This huge buck jumped out of it's bed,and was so close that he had to shoot it from the hip!
It fell right into the creek bed,and we had to go back with a jeep to pull it out.
It was 210 lbs dressed,and ten pointer!
I have pictures of me reaming out the rear end,in the same pouring rainstorm! LOL!
We then went back to the camp and had some more Tia Maria and coffee to celebrate!
Bob.
I guess that the moral of the story is,you can't shoot them from inside the camp!!

[Woody Williams]

Hunting in the freezing rain......is NOT fun.

[Partikle]

Partikle,one of the biggest bucks I ever saw taken when I used to hunt in Vermont was taken in an absolutely torrential rainstorm!
Three of us stayed in camp and drank Tia Maria and coffee,and the hardiest guy decides to go out anyway.
He picks a twenty foot deep ravine,about a hundred feet across,filled mostly with evergreens and dense bush,and just ever so slowly works the bush,watching more than moving.
This huge buck jumped out of it's bed,and was so close that he had to shoot it from the hip!
It fell right into the creek bed,and we had to go back with a jeep to pull it out.
It was 210 lbs dressed,and ten pointer!
I have pictures of me reaming out the rear end,in the same pouring rainstorm! LOL!
We then went back to the camp and had some more Tia Maria and coffee to celebrate!
Bob.
I guess that the moral of the story is,you can't shoot them from inside the camp!!

OK Bob, your not just saying that so that I head out in the freezing rain and freeze my arse off while your laughing yours off are you? Should I be packing a bottle of Tia Maria to keep me warm?

From your story it sounds like the buck was laying down and not moving until he was stepped on. I'll be sitting still in a tree stand, what are the odds a buck will be moving?

Nick

[BOB VANDRISH]

Nick,I guess that the hidden message is that the deer,especially the big bucks,rarely move in the rain,so you have to go and flush them out.
I used to think they were all flown out of the bush via helicopters,and then parachuted back in when the sun came out!!LOL!!
You can get them,but it won't be from a tree stand.
You have to do exactly what this guy did,and I have done many times too,is pick the likely areas where they are most likely to conceal themselves,and work it REALLY slowly,and it will pay dividends.
I have come onto deer in a blinding snow storm too,and walked right up on them when they were looking the other way.
I have also come on them right in a small opening,right in their beds!
It takes a lot of patience,and it depends how hungry you are!!
Bob.

[OneShot]

Deer ; like humans can caught in the oddest places!

When a sudden storm hits; we can find ourselves far away from where we think we need to be.

I have seen some big bucks in a torential downpour and or an ice storm.

Like they say timing is everything!

You will never know unless you take the time to sit out in any weather ; what came round to get thier picture taken !

Oneshot.........

[frisky]

If this was bow hunting , I would say stay home. I always figered that the rain washed away the blood trail.
Gun hunting another story. I put a large clear plastic bay over all my clothes, to try to stay dry. Yes I have done it. Your call... weather men have been wrong!

[DesertRat]

My concern would be a couple of things. If it is actually freezing rain while you are on stand, you would risk having a frozen safety, trigger or other moving parts. My biggest concern would be safety. What will it be like climbing into/out of a stand when there is ice on the tree, the pegs and the stand itself? Groundblind, I would go out. Treestand? Looking for trouble in my eyes.

[Partikle]

I've negotiated with the boss to stay home today with the freezing rain to watch the kids while on Christmas break and go hunting tomorrow. Tomorrow is supose to be clearing in the morning with a high of minus 5.

I don't mind sitting in the bad weather but if I'm waisting my time I won't bother.

Thanks for your advice.
Nick

[Buck Fever]

I was out yesterday and didn't see a thing, I only stayed in my stand till the freezing rain started around 3. I was out by noon and thought I would stay out as long as I could. The wind was swirling and not helpful at all. This was the only time I didn't see a deer at that stand this year.

[Maritimer]

I say go for it Partikle, you never know. When I lived in North Bay Ontario I harvested a large whitetail in the freezing rain. I was ground hunting and stopped to watch a small clearing. I was there for approximately 30 minutes when a buck got up of its bed not 30 yards in front of me. When he stood up I thought I was see things for I could not believe I had not seen him sooner. I ended up harvesting that buck, I was using a compound bow at the time. So dress warm and get out there.

[A.W]

Warm clothes and some Coffee Royale. That should keep you warm.

[Partikle]

I say go for it Partikle, you never know. When I lived in North Bay Ontario I harvested a large whitetail in the freezing rain. I was ground hunting and stopped to watch a small clearing. I was there for approximately 30 minutes when a buck got up of its bed not 30 yards in front of me. When he stood up I thought I was see things for I could not believe I had not seen him sooner. I ended up harvesting that buck, I was using a compound bow at the time. So dress warm and get out there.

I've found the deer don't move a lot in the freezing rain? It's supose to clear up over night and be cool, -5 and clear tomorrow. That means a change in presure as the storm ends. I think the deer should be moving tomorrow and the weather is much nicer so I've swapped today for tomorrow. Friday will be my lucky day... I hope

[Maritimer]

Best of luck to you, and I beleave you will enjoy the hunt much more when your not wet and cold.

[chris4570]

I was out today looking for a doe. It was pretty miserable with the rain and cold. I didn't see any but when I got down from my stand to do a little scouting there were plenty of fresh tracks about a hundred yards from where I was sitting.

I was thinking about hunting tomorrow but I get the feeling everything will have a layer of ice on it. It's not worth climbing into a treestand when every step is covered with ice. Perhaps setting up on the ground, as previously mentioned, would be the better, safer way to go. I imagine walking anywhere will be quite noisy.