fair weather or not?

3807 Views 15 Replies 11 Participants Last post by turner, Dec 8, 2011

Predator

Discussion Starter · Dec 5, 2011

what weather conditions do you prefer and what do you feel more has contributed to the of success of most of your hunts?

sunny, overcast, rainy, snowing, windy, dry, hot just to name a few. add whatever conditions apply.

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1 - 16 of 16 Posts

timberghost

· #2 · Dec 5, 2011

I like those cold, frosty mornings in which the frost amplifies the footsteps of any animal on the brittle leaves. I also like the snow that covers the ground. That gives great visibility.

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Hunting Man

· #3 · Dec 5, 2011

Archery, misty overcast morning 38-45*; rifle/ml, light snow 2" cold enough to hold the snow.

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Crawdaddy

· #4 · Dec 5, 2011

I've had good luck in every weather condition except very hot or very windy.

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scribe

· #5 · Dec 5, 2011

Clear and cold following a period of rain.

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bigevil1

· #6 · Dec 5, 2011

overcast slight breeze around 20*

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3212

· #7 · Dec 5, 2011

Hunting conditions

Since deer are more active in low light conditions,an overcast even misty day is good.Also,a couple inches of snow so I can see their tracks,beds and movement patterns.This is how I got my first buck.

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scribe

· #8 · Dec 5, 2011

3212 said:
Since deer are more active in low light conditions,an overcast even misty day is good.Also,a couple inches of snow so I can see their tracks,beds and movement patterns.This is how I got my first buck.

Just out of curiosity, what data did you use to determibne deer are more active in low light conditions. Surely you aren't basing that on nocturnal deer movement tendencies, are you?

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scribe

· #9 · Dec 5, 2011

The number one factor in deer movement is weather. Included in that is temperature and barometric pressure change. Another large factor is food source. It is certainly possible to high movement under almost any condition except blinding rain, snow or fog.

One of the major consideration in deer movement is their ability to detect danger. Therefore they tend to move less under conditions that hamper that. Vision and smell are paramount and to a lesser degree, hearing. On rainey, snowy and windy days, deer tend to move less and for shorter periods of time. It is important to consider where you are hunting and adjust to the most normal conditions there.

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tator

· #10 · Dec 5, 2011

1 inch of snow on the ground,, temps in the upper 20's, wind slight at 5mph or less, with cloudy skys and overcast.

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3212

· #11 · Dec 6, 2011

scribe said:
Just out of curiosity, what data did you use to determibne deer are more active in low light conditions. Surely you aren't basing that on nocturnal deer movement tendencies, are you?

Just my personal experiences.These are often the conditions in PA's rifle season. I remember several times on a ridgetop dirt road when we had dark misty conditions all day.I was bumping into deer on the road while walking in the middle of the day.

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Hellbilly

· #12 · Dec 6, 2011

scribe said:
Just out of curiosity, what data did you use to determibne deer are more active in low light conditions. Surely you aren't basing that on nocturnal deer movement tendencies, are you?

experiance. 98% of all my kills have been during the last 30min or less of shooting light

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Hunting Man

· #13 · Dec 6, 2011

90% of my kills first 2-3 hours of morning. I like dark overcast mornings with a fine mist or following a light rain for archery hunting. Most buck kills were on these type of mornings. Rifle hunting really doesn't matter to me a light snow is perfect. Windy condition not good. Hunting prior to a major weather change can be great too.

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rdrader2002

· #14 · Dec 8, 2011 (Edited)

From everyone's post so far, I guess that I'm just going to have to be different.

Weather here in Central Texas during season can range from low 20's to upper 80's. I shot one buck during the rut when it was 80+ degrees out. I had to move back from my open blind to the shade due to the sun beating down on my head. When I heard two deer jump the fence off to my left, I moved back up into position. The doe ran across without stopping about 50 yards in front of me. Natural curiosity caught the buck's attention and he paused for a moment to look. I took advantage of that pause and put him into the freezer.

Most of the time I don't go out when it's real windy. Typically, the deer just don't bother moving at all. This year I tried it - went out on opening afternoon for what I thought would be a three to four hour rest with nothing but the trees and the wind for company. Was there less than 30 minutes when this 8 point came along and just ruined it for me - just had to get my attention. Mama even asked me what I was doing back at the house so soon. She didn't expect me for another couple of hours either. She was shocked when I told her that I had a deer waiting for me to go pick up.

Last year, all three deer I got were killed with less than 30 min of daylight remaining. This year it's been one mid/late afternoon and one morning kill so far. But then again, from what I'm hearing from just about everyone else in town, the deer are all coming out at weird times all over the county this year.

Y'all asked, so I'm just telling it like it is here in Texas. (or has been for me)

RR

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Predator

Discussion Starter · #15 · Dec 8, 2011

I just cant imagine deer hunting when it is 80 degrees. I would think that you would make quick work of field dressing and icing down your deer very soon after the shot.

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turner

· #16 · Dec 8, 2011

Since most all my hunting any more is stand hunting, I prefer cold frosty mornings with light winds. I will not hunt when the weather is really warm or hot, I simply do not enjoy it as much. We are lucky here in Tn & Ky that the seasons run during the primary & secondary rut. Most of the influences I use, reference deer movements, are tied to the rut and bucks looking and/or chasing.

I also prefer to hunt mornings over afternoons, not enjoying guting and dragging in the dark as much as I used to.

I'd have to say my harvests are split between morning and afternoons, but I most enjoy getting to my stand an hour before SR and watching the birth of a new day as the woods wake up. I will hunt most any weather, especially at the beginning of a season. Heck I was out yesterday morning in sleet, snow & rain for several hours.

The biggest buck (rack-wise) I ever killed was on a nasty rainy morning. The biggest buck I ever killed (body-wise) was on a cool, clear morning after a night of hard rain.

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