Hunting in the rain

[Zutt-man]

I posted this in the Flintlock section, but thought I should probably venture over here too and get your opinions!

I’ve been shooting muzzleloaders for over 20 years, but very rarely have I hunted in the rain. Even when I have, I had a percussion gun in hand. This won’t be the case this time around. There’s a massive cold front (40-50° drop in 2 days) moving through and you can bet I’ll be out trying to fill my deer tags. The rain it is bringing with it is projecting (not relying on the weatherman) to be light and widespread.

I might note I’ll be sitting for this hunt and not traipsing around the timber. Outside of a cow’s knee, what else do you folks do to protect your load, priming pan and gun in general, during these situations? Do you hold the gun a certain way? Covering it entirely? Just not go out?

Thanks in advance and happy hunting!

 

[SOLANCO]

I have read this but can not personally vouch for it:

Prime the pan. Close it. Seal the edges lightly with grease. Maybe white lithium? Then the cow's knee.

This I can vouch for: Sit inside by the fire with a little mature whiskey and watch the rain from your window.

 

[Zutt-man]

Sit inside by the fire with a little mature whiskey and watch the rain from your window.

I’d like to do this with a big buck hanging in the garage

 

[azmntman]

USE A BLIND (take yer drink inside). Load and Prime inside. Stay inside.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Get out there and get a big one, most of the bigger deer I have killed was in nasty weather they will lay down until pretty wet get up shake like a dog and walk around. As to keeping the gun in ready status a good cows knee well greased, with the gun tucked under your arm or coat works for me, I am not a stalker, find a place sit down stay as dry as possible and wait on bambi to stroll bye. You can put a bees wax seal around the pan and frizzen but I never found this necessary, the other thing is check the prime often and if needed wipe out the pan with a dry piece of cloth and re-prime. Good Luck.

 

[bushytail]

If I know it’s gonna rain, I’ll stay home. Plenty of things to keep me busy.

 

[pab1]

In light rain I use a cows knee. If it starts raining harder I use a Gun Slicker. Not traditional but it has always kept my gun and powder dry. It comes off quickly if you have an opportunity for a shot.

While out with my .62 Renegade smoothbore flintlock a few days ago it started raining. I put the gun slicker on and took shelter under a tree which provided good protection itself. Here are a couple pics under the first tree. You can see it was keeping everything dry where my gear is.

There was a break in the rain and I went back to hunting, then another wave of rain came through. It rained hard this time. The tree I took cover under on this wave didn't provide much relief from the rain. I held the gun horizontal the entire time to keep rain from entering the opening on the Gun Slicker.

Unfortunately the grouse didn't cooperate that day. I fired the gun before heading home. I'd had the same charge of 3F Goex in the pan all day. The gun went off instantly.

 

[toot]

I have read this but can not personally vouch for it:

Prime the pan. Close it. Seal the edges lightly with grease. Maybe white lithium? Then the cow's knee.

This I can vouch for: Sit inside by the fire with a little mature whiskey and watch the rain from your window.

I agree set in a nice dry spot with a warm drink, and do the hunt in your mind.

 

[toot]

Get out there and get a big one, most of the bigger deer I have killed was in nasty weather they will lay down until pretty wet get up shake like a dog and walk around. As to keeping the gun in ready status a good cows knee well greased, with the gun tucked under your arm or coat works for me, I am not a stalker, find a place sit down stay as dry as possible and wait on bambi to stroll bye. You can put a bees wax seal around the pan and frizzen but I never found this necessary, the other thing is check the prime often and if needed wipe out the pan with a dry piece of cloth and re-prime. Good Luck.

correct, most game does not move in inclement weather. they are not dumb!

 

[Daveboone]

I love hunting the slop, but am also new to hunting with a flintlock. In days gone by, they sat out the weather whenever possible. I chose to leave my pan dry with a feather in the touch hole, priming only once on stand and covered up, with a cows knee in place walking and draped over the lock when sitting. Change the prime frequently...thats where a little brush comes in handy.

 

[45man]

Long ago I found water was running in the barrel channel to the pan. Even with the tight fit I have where I have to peel out the barrel like a banana skin. To fix this I smeared a large amount of paste wax in the channel and seated the barrel, then polish the excess off the outside. A cows knee will then come in. However BP loves moisture and if you open enough cans in your basement you will not need a dehumidifier!
Best to sit it out.

 

[TerryK]

I tried a bunch of things, and I don't have it figured out. My best solution is a towel wrapped around the lock to absorb the water. Humidity also soaks the prime, so it is good to dump the prime often.

 

[appalichian hunter]

correct, most game does not move in inclement weather. they are not dumb!

Like I said do not know about you but some of my biggest deer were killed in the worst weather, but then again you need to be out there with them, not hiding in the house .

 

[david w]

I use bees wax to seal the pan. I hunted all day long in a steady drizzle, and bagged a buck at the end of the day with one shot. Of course, I used a cow's knee and a frizzen cover. The frizzen and the flint was coated with RMC Wonder Powder. It does in fact, repel water.

 

[Rudyard]

I doubt any one in NZ sits in trees & hides baits ect they plough along like a dislodged boulder wet or dry . I just kept a quill in the vent if wet .But then they don't have pokey little fields just endless bush mostly 'Crown lands' National Parks ect no seasons or tags or any such just a block permit that coverers thousands of square miles its free. Deer are classed as vermin 'Noxious animals' are the terms used no bag limit no seasons However they tend to' graze at 30 miles an hour' . Can't blame them ' What you can do on Cockie's paddocks is up to the owner you can spotlight on private land but not State Forests . But the Cullers did it anyway in my time at that caper .likley still do . But cullers didnt 'Cull' if it moved it copped a bullet . No Gillies, tweed attire or clean table cloths that's UK stuff here its bush huts on bush tracks & rude Bivvis sometimes you just made do for the night best you may they didn't worry if you didnt get back then next day they might think about it & not till the third or forth day would a search be instagated I you broke your leg 'tuffers' till then .But it was rare any culler got' bushed' they where " as fit as Buck rats " had to be in that job.
Rambleing Rudyard ..

 

[david w]

I doubt any one in NZ sits in trees & hides baits ect they plough along like a dislodged boulder wet or dry . I just kept a quill in the vent if wet .But then they don't have pokey little fields just endless bush mostly 'Crown lands' National Parks ect no seasons or tags or any such just a block permit that coverers thousands of square miles its free. Deer are classed as vermin 'Noxious animals' are the terms used no bag limit no seasons However they tend to' graze at 30 miles an hour' . Can't blame them ' What you can do on Cockie's paddocks is up to the owner you can spotlight on private land but not State Forests . But the Cullers did it anyway in my time at that caper .likley still do . But cullers didnt 'Cull' if it moved it copped a bullet . No Gillies, tweed attire or clean table cloths that's UK stuff here its bush huts on bush tracks & rude Bivvis sometimes you just made do for the night best you may they didn't worry if you didnt get back then next day they might think about it & not till the third or forth day would a search be instagated I you broke your leg 'tuffers' till then .But it was rare any culler got' bushed' they where " as fit as Buck rats " had to be in that job.
Rambleing Rudyard ..

How big are the deer in NZ? What species?

 

[Rudyard]

The Red Deer are most common but Rusa,Sambar,Fallow Jap Deer & White tails where scatterered liberely to 'Go forth & Multiply' great Idea at first but no harsh winters no bears ect & lots of tucker they did just that until the original one pound liscence gave way to open slather no holds barred I've missed some species & not counted Wallabys Opposums Stoats ect all heaviy trapped these days but won't make a dent hence the Deer are not protected .We called them' donkies' but cullers would hunt rarer species just for the challenge . Rudyard

 

[SOLANCO]

Our last home sat on the edge of several thousand acres of a pine plantation which was owned by the Chester Octorara Water Authority and surrounded a big artificial lake created by damming the river. They screwed up by planting only one pine species. When a pest or disease arrived it would make big clearings which reverted to early successional habitat. BONANZA!
I liked to walk the plantation in rain out of season. You could walk up on groups of deer bedded down in the scrub. They behaved as you described. It was posted and I admit I poached it for small game. But only in season. The Game Commission officers were well aware of the property.

 

[gunpa]

Don't forget to cover the muzzle.

 

[hanshi]

Back before I stopped hunting I spent quite a few days in the rain - sprinkle to downpour - but didn't like it. I've always been a fair weather hunter but sometimes you either get caught on a seemingly "nice" day or have no choice but to hunt anyway. I only used my armpit, coat tail, hunkered over the lock or trusted my fairy godmother. Even my flintlocks always fired with no change of prime. The only time I've had prime failure is when the piece has been fired and muggy weather.