Deer hunting in the rain

[Dphariss]

Dan's picture reminded me of this. I do not recall anyone having trouble with ignition.
All but 2 were shooting flinters. Steady dusting of fine snow.

Temp of the day and that of the firearm is the key and care by the shooter. If the rifle is COLD enough and its below freezing the snow is not really an issue. But shooting warms it up. Hunting many times where I live even with snow the temp can be around freezing. +- and if having to lay the rifle down or stand it under a snow laden tree? It has to be in a case. The only time I wetted a Fl I had shot two deer a couple of minutes apart and laid the reloaded rifle on the last one a little carelessly, and the pan touched the snow and got REALLY wet real fast. But I had left the cover in the pickup because this was a fast hunt, the rifle was cold and I was not worried about the stalk and shooting in creek bottom brush. Had I had a cover with me it would have saved  me some trouble. There is a beaded cover shown with the Dickert Rifle in the first Moravian book and the English trade rifles that came into Canada during our revolution came with canvas (IIRC) covers. I never could figure how a cows knee was supposed be very effective.

[Dphariss]

This was the same day and roughly same location. 2 of the lads in this picture are no longer with us.
Brad and Chris in my first and second picture, and Chris on the left.
RIB boys, you are both missed.

Good fun. Snow or no.
The problem with living is friends leaving us and the void that can’t be filled that comes with it.

[alacran]

I placed a ground blind up a couple of days ago. It is for an upcoming whitetail hunt in the Midwest three weeks from now. That will be my go-to if we get rain.
When I hunt deer or elk out West, like Dan says, I find ground blinds and tree stands impractical. That is unless I am hunting Coues deer over a water source.
However, I prefer spot and stalk over sitting on my butt waiting for something to happen.

Where are going to put a blind?

[hanshi]

I never liked hunting in the rain but sometimes it's unavoidable.  I've been in the rain with percussion and flint locks, mostly with flintlocks.  I found that by being careful and using the armpit, lower coat flap to cover the lock or even leaning the body with the back against the wind. 

If it was raining when the clock alarmed I usually just turned over and dozed off again.  Often I got surprised by rain while on my stand and had to just put up with it.  Never had a "cow's knee" or any separate cover device.  Incredibly or not the gun always fired without a hiccup.   

[Martin S.]

Well, I went hunting.  Rain was sporadic.  Didn't see anything.  Deer tracks in the dirt roads, but I saw nothing all weekend.  The one game camera (I should have used more) showed mass quantities of hogs, and only 3 does over a month's time.  I guess I should think about a night scope and start hunting hogs a lot when I retire in 2026.  Of course, in spite of all the hog pics, I didn't see hogs, either.  Last year's game camera pics had a lot more deer, with a group of 7-8 does practically every day or night.  I am not sure where all the deer went, but I read somewhere the hogs might be scaring them off.

I am doing forest regeneration on the land, so there have been major disruptions.  The site prep is mechanical, because there was too much fuel and it has been too dry to burn.  The plan is to rake the wood into piles and burn it, but we need more rain before the burn ban will be lifted.  It seems like the bulldozer operator is in no hurry.  So currently the scrub trees have been leveled, but the rake bulldozer is not even on site yet.  No idea when that will happen.  They were supposed to be planting the trees in November/December, but that will have to wait on rain.

After the replanting, there will be two areas of hardwoods, one near what used to be stream that is now dry.  The neighbor to the north put in a stock pond, which is blocking the water that used to be an intermittent stream.  A separate area to the south never had a stream, but I think was just a low spot that has typically not been harvested.  I am slowly trying to eradicate the Sweetgum and eastern red cedar trees, which grow like weeds, and no one seems to want to buy them.  I am favoring oaks, and will plant chestnuts and maybe pears after all replanting is complete.  I am also considering drilling a well for water, but that is going to be costly.

I am discouraged, but will try to hunt again before Thanksgiving. 

I hope others have better luck.