Deer Movement in Freezing Rain?

[The Baron]

Well, tomorrow is the opener for our ML season, and I woud like to go out. But, the forecast is for significant freezing rain overnight changing to rain by tomorrow afternoon. We will be hunting typical mixed hardwood bush with lots of deer sign.

What do you guys think the deer might be doing in freezing rain/rain? Are we better to stand hunt? They might be holed up, but I expect walking in the woods will be dreadfully noisy if we get the 1" of freezing rain they are calling for. Will I be wasting my time to go out? Am I better to wait until after the dirty weather passes and try to catch them moving then? Any advice? :hmm:

 

[rabjr]

:hmm: I've seen it both ways...we've killed a few in a down pour before from stands. Didn't seem to effect their movement. And we've had times none were seen until someone took a walk through a stand of pines or hemlocks and walked up on them bedded down. I think the wind has a lot to do with what they do here. If you have a combination of rain and a high winds I think you'll find them bedded down. Just rain no wind during the rut? They'll move.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

Not hardwoods and not the same species of deer, but around here rain -freezing or not- doesn't seem to bother deer much. Wind makes them nuts, though, and they'll aways seek out sheltered terrain.

My overall rule of thumb with deer is this: If the terrain is noisy, sit still and let them make the noise. If the terrain is quiet, it's a lot more fun to sneak up on them than to sit and hope they wander by. Not everyone's cup of soup, but it's my favorite flavor.

BTW- An important time around here is on the weather change, whether getting better or getting worse. Animals of all species use it as an opportunity to resettle, so it's important to be out.

 

[jtmattison]

If you are getting ice accumulation on the ground it's probably best to sit by the fire and drink coffee.
If it's just rain then I'd be out still hunting the feeding and bedding areas.
I guess it's just a matter of your local deer and what they're used to.

HD

 

[buttonbuck]

I am going to sit in my tent type blind and hope to shoot one as I am leaving in 30 minutes and aim to stay dry.

 

[PreglerD]

All kind of deers don't like wind. Rain or coldness is not so bad for them. Compare it with wearing a fur coat in winter.

Regards

Kirrmeister

 

[The Baron]

Thanks for all the advice fellas. Where we hunt is about 40 miles north of here, and they just updated the forecast there to be all snow, not freezing rain. :grin: Says 4 - 6" snow overnight and then up tp about 35 degrees in morning with snow/rain but temps will dip again through the day and change back to light snow. Winds from the east about 5 - 10 mph and changinng to NW, so not too windy. Might be a decent day to bag my first ML deer.

 

[Mad Professor]

Something I always wanted to do but never did was to "stalk a deer" , then touch the deer ( not hunting).

I've come VERY close many times but the closest was in a snow /rain. Heavy/snow/sleet/rain, picked up a whole bunch of tracks, and followed..... Wind was great so started to follow faster, got VERY close (4-5 ft), wind switched, and I was done.......deer 4ft away smelled me.......

 

[PitchyPine]

Thanks for all the advice fellas. Where we hunt is about 40 miles north of here, and they just updated the forecast there to be all snow, not freezing rain. :grin: Says 4 - 6" snow overnight and then up tp about 35 degrees in morning with snow/rain but temps will dip again through the day and change back to light snow. Winds from the east about 5 - 10 mph and changinng to NW, so not too windy. Might be a decent day to bag my first ML deer.

That`s my favorite deer hunting weather, wet snow and coming down hard, stalk, stalk stalk. :thumbsup:
Good luck.

 

[jethro224]

Around here they hole up when the ground gets coated with ice. I think it's hard for them to walk. Hoofs and ice sounds tricky to me...

Regular rain doesn't bother them at all. A real gullywasher might.

We had all of the above + nasty wind here the last 2 days.

You got great news with that revised forecast! :thumbsup: Good luck out there. We'll look for the pictures.

 

Man I froze my butt off today sittin in my tree stand in the freezing rain and light snow. Thought for sure I'd get a shot, first time I didn't see one deer since opening day! Stuck it out till sunset and the temp never got above 25 degrees. Got out of my stand and could hardly walk my feet were so froze. lol Then I looked at my hawken and ICE had formed on the barrel in spots! Holy cow first time I've seen that!

Good luck and knock em dead, I't taking a break tomorrow...well maybe I might sneak out in the afternoon. :grin:

 

[wildeagle]

Mad Prof , About 4 yrs ago I was archery hunting. Was sneaking along a grassy path, had on a leafy suit. There was a bush that jutted out into the path. I saw a deer way in front of me coming towards me on the trail. I hunkered down behind the bush and waited. In no time at all the deer was right in front of me, thats when I realized the deer wasn't as far away as I thought, it was because it was a young fawn. The deer passed by me at mere inches, I had my head down and it never knew I was there. As it was looking away from me I reached out and touched it on its rump. The fawn turned 180 degrees and walked back up the path. I was blown away, then I got cocky and thought I'd sneak up on it again. After about twenty yards 4 deer busted me and the little fawn ran off with a large doe. I think the fawn thought it's mother was behind her the whole time she was coming down the path towards me, and when I patted her rump she thought it was mom nudging her. I didn't bag any game that year but it is probably the most memorable season I've ever had. Earlier that season I had shot a tree rat with my bow( wheels and bells and whistles, I hunt with a longbow now )but never got a chance to get it. Shot it from my stand about 20 feet up. Now here's a tree rat impaled on a 31 inch arrow and all I can do is watch a large red tail hawk swoop through the trees and land on MY tree rat and fly off arrow and all. I stood there with my mouth open and my chin on my boots for about 15 minutes not quite sure if what I saw was real or not. Still has to be the greatest season I ever experienced.

 

[KyFlintlock]

I've seen some big deer in the worst weather...a buddy shot his largest buck in the middle of an icestorm.

Wess