How To Hunt Deer In The Rain

Hunting deer in the rain often has more to do with hunting around the rain than in the rain. How you choose to hunt deer in the rain relies on your ability to time the rain showers, to make sure that you are hitting the small windows of whitetail opportunity.

[WinTheWarWithMe]

Jeff is the easiest to listen to when it comes to advice on deer hunting. Guy has helped me allot over the years. Thank Jeff!

[andyrevisky]

Thank you Jeff for always trying to share as much of your knowledge as you do in all your videos. I have been following your channel for about the last year and have implemented many improvements to my property as a result. And I’m really looking forward to next year to see if my switchgrass plantings will allow me to hold deer on my property. But I just wanted to say thank you specifically for this video because it motivated me to go out in the rain this past Sunday morning and harvest my best buck to date, a mature 8 point with a heavy dark rack! And all I can say is that he must have read your script well, because I shot him less than a half hour on stand. I was in an oak flat located in a small 5 acre finger of timber that was connected to a large block of timber that had been logged and was surrounded by picked corn fields on three sides.

[YankeeWoodcraft]

THANK YOU for making sense!
There's too much bravado in the hunting community especially from the young bucks (no pun intended) who think you should hunt in any conditions. That just shows their lack of experience and their poor ethics. I remember allowing myself to be pressured into hunting no matter what and that was stupid and weak minded of me. It resulted in me losing my first deer and like the old timers say, 'you haven't hunted enough if you haven't lost a deer' and 'you only remember your biggest buck until you shoot something bigger, but you never forget your first lost deer.'

It's taken me years to learn to "be a hunter" and not just to "hunt" and to learn that there are days that are better spent sorting your gear or attending to life issues that you missed while out hunting. That's what poor condition days are for.

I LOVE scouting after a rain and after a nice snowfall. That's when I learn a lot about their patterns, when they're moving, etc..., but as far as hunting on windy or extremely rainy days? That's ego pushing you. Unless you're hunting to feed your family or because you have very limited days you can hunt of course, I get that; poor conditions days are good recovery days.

There is honor in letting something walk that you can't be 100% sure of hitting ethically and you know what? Any day in the woods is a good day even when you're not dragging anything out. It takes a lot more of a hunter's ethos to draw down and pass and I personally would rather get skunked than to lose another deer.

[Bobbjulie]

Hi Jeff,
I’ve been following you forever and I at age 87 feel that there is no tutelage available to further my expertise.. I have over 💯 kills in my lifetime and really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with your followers..If I was 30 I would certainly be planting food plots but now it’s only a dream.. Continued success to you and I can see a beautiful 10 pointer in your future..LOL

[mikekupetsky]

This brings back memories of when I worked at a large nursery operation in New Jersey we had 5 days of wind and rain leading up to hurricane Gloria. I told my 2 hunting buddies the minute it stops we need to be out in that woods and we were 3 of us shot four legal bucks and two doe in a matter of one hour from when the rain stopped

[coreygillum]

Wow! Hangin out In the garage with my Dad, watching the rain coming down. Are you kidding me??!! I wouldn't have thought anyone else ever experienced that too. Thanks for recall. Greatest days of my life. Sub for life now. Peace to you brother.

[betterthanyesterday]

I also have some favorite memories with my dad are sitting in the garage when there was a big thunderstorm going on.

[RS-msbz]

Great info Jeff. My son and I are going out Saturday...20 degree temp drop after a lot of rain and wind Thursday and Friday. Should be great for going after old Pronghorn. Good luck to you...rut is just about to bust loose!!

[georgemon]

Great total presentation of this video. Thank you

[sg]

Ive been in stand during 30-35mph winds and raining sideways. I remember all at ones, 9 deer came under my stand. 6 were bucks. IT was crazy!

[meikasroom]

Here in Alabama, we have alot of thick brush. So any chance I get to hunt in a light rain I'll spot and stalk since it covers up the scent my scent killer doesn't get rid of. Ive put plenty of venison in the freezer on a light to mild rainy spot and stalk. I do the same when it's really foggy. I just make good use of the grunt caller while doing it, deer make noise too so if you sound like a deer and they can't see you coming in, often times you can put yourself in good shooting position because the deer can't see well in the fog and thick brush. I don't know how this would work in other places but here in North Alabama where we have alot of thick brush, it's a great way to make a glum rainy day into a successful hunt!

[roberthummel]

Glad I watched this, thanks. It is opening day, muzzle loader here in NH, (Nov. 3) and heavy rain at 5:00 am. Keeping the radar page on. Hopefully clearing for this afternoon. Then 30 mph winds coming later. Tough start.

[goaheadmakeourdayscooterpe]

The only problem hunting in the rain gun or bow if you mess up the shot even just a little you'll likely never find that deer, after archery hunting 40 years I've had it happen twice and seen others plenty of times.

[mattkontyko]

Another awesome video Jeff. Biggest bucks I've ever seen in my few years of hunting have been in or around a light rain. Quiet access and early evening movement.

I have an unrelated question. Is there any resource you know of that grades trees for whitetail value? One property I hunt has a large stand of mostly Maple and black cherry, all of poor form and worthless as timber. I know maples provide good browse if I can get them to browse height through stump sprouts or hinge cuts, but I have found mixed writings about black cherries being a preferred food for deer or absolutely worthless. Any input?

[georgesakellaropoulos]

A light to moderate rain with a gentle, steady breeze creates some of the finest conditions for anyone who still hunts.

[nickarnold]

Great video.  What site do you prefer to use for analyzing previous weather?  I am in Indiana near the Illinois border and had a nice buck walk by my trail cam dec. 24th at 10:24 AM.  There are a lot of very nice rubs about 50 yards away and a scrape he may have been checking.  Although the 24th is pretty late for a secondary rut.   He was heading up a hill that I use to get in and out of my :/  What info should I be looking for from weather data that might have influenced him getting up?

[briankelly]

Can't wait to give this a try! We've been pummled with rain for the past few days. Hopefully it's letting up soon.

[backcountrysurvivalists]

Great tips! It’s hard to tell when the snow will stop up here in Northern MN

[barrybennett]

I love videos, will you announce on YouTube when your new book comes out

[randlerichardson]

We’ve got a 83 to a 67 degree drop coming Wednesday eve storms Wednesday rain Thursday then cooler lot cooler weather. Starts Thursday I’m looking forward to it. I went put a new blind on my stand this morn. Deer are hitting a big white oak bout 65-70 yards from my stand.