Rain ?

[Guy Miner]

Looks like an extended period of cool, rainy weather headed my way the next five days or so.

Has been a nice, partly sunny weekend so far. Didn't hunt today, but am going after mule deer off and on for the next few weeks. Rut hasn't kicked in yet.

What do you think? Hunt in the rain, or wait it out? My tag is good until 20 November.

I'm okay with hunting in the rain, this is Washington after all... :grin:

In your experience, are the mulies likely to be out and about, or laying up somewhere, during the rain?

Guy

 

[truck driver]

Unless it is a deluge I would hunt. Though I have never hunted Mule deer it has been my experience that the rain keeps the scents low and the deer are less skidish in wet weather.

 

[Anonymous]

Not much experience with mule deer...but hunting in the rain is better than not hunting at all- especially with a tag ticking down.

I've had seasons where if I didn't hunt caribou in the rain, I'd never hunt. Caribou don't seem to mind as they tend to move around as usual.

 

[DrMike]

When I went seriously for big mule deer, I found them in the rain--especially if it was not a drenching downpour. A Washington mist (missed Washington and hit British Columbia) was the usual condition for hunting coastal blacktails and mule deer farther inland. If you waited until it was dry, you'd never hunt. I'm older now, with a much more delicate constitution which precludes being wet and/or cold. Sure restricts hunting opportunities. :grin:

 

[wildgene]

...well, they can lay up for about 24hrs., but @ some point they need to move, to water, to feed, back to thermal cover. I'd look for bigger mule bucks on higher, sheltered benches just below a ridge line where they have an escape route during inclement weather...

 

[Vince]

...well, they can lay up for about 24hrs., but @ some point they need to move, to water, to feed, back to thermal cover. I'd look for bigger mule bucks on higher, sheltered benches just below a ridge line where they have an escape route during inclement weather...

Sounds like being out there would be the thing to do. Never know when you're going to cross paths with that monster and you can't do that if you're sitting at home by the fire.

Vince

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[Oldtrader3]

Given the total unreliability of Seattle based Newscaster, weather forecasters, I would not change my plans. During the 11 years I have been living in Blaine WA, the Seattle news has correctly forecast rain in Whatcom county maybe 6 times out of 3600+ forecast days. Usually Seattle TV weather forecasts are no more accurate for you than those forecasts for Whatcom County. I would not plan around their TV weather forecasts.

 

[wildgene]

...when I lived in Cd'A, I'd just watch the satellite views & still get it right more often than the weather forecast... :roll: :mrgreen:

 

[gerry]

Man if we didn't hunt in the rain here we wouldn't get out much :lol: Can't add too much more but hunting in rain does have a couple of good advantages in that it keeps your scent down and helps you move quieter. Couple that with the bush itself being loud because all of the dripping you can get surprisingly close to your animal.

Merino wool base layers and good old fashioned wool top layers are nice when it's wet.

 

[Elkman]

The Blacktail bucks around my house are chasing the does. When I used to hunt Mulies, we would find them on the edges of openings, when it rained. My dad said thats because all of the dripping noise, bothers them and they move out where they can see as well as hear. Don't know of its true but that's what he said, and we killed a lot of deer.
Another thought is that if it rains hard all day then stops an hour or two before dark they will be out immediately. I think that's pretty much all I know about Mule Deer other than Blacktail taste better. Good luck and get a really "big" buck!!!!

 

[salmonchaser]

Guy, don't know where you're hunting but the mule deer are rutting hard right now down in the blues. Had big bucks walk right up to me while elk hunting last week, and it was raining, snowing and fogging. Crappy weather. Good luck.
Don.

 

[Too Tall]

The deer will only lay up for awhile. Then they have to feed. Look in the timber when it raining, and out in the open when it quits. They head out of the trees, as soon as it quits. It drips in the trees for awhile after the rain stops.
Glassing is tuffer in the rain, but it works. Look as far as you see details.