Does Record Rain = Deceiving Sign?

[AvidHunter88]

Basically my question is, with all the rain we got this Fall where I hunt, is intel/sign from post season and spring scouting from last year more important than what I'm seeing this year? Assuming 2019's season has a more average rain fall that is. Or put another way, is sign that I'm seeing from this most recent season not as valuable unless we receive similar amounts of rain again?

[Dewey]

Basically my question is, with all the rain we got this Fall where I hunt, is intel/sign from post season and spring scouting from last year more important than what I'm seeing this year? Assuming 2019's season has a more average rain fall that is. Or put another way, is sign that I'm seeing from this most recent season not as valuable unless we receive similar amounts of rain again?

Depends where you hunt. If you hunt swamps and marshes absolutely. This past season was a wet one. I just read that my area had 51” of rain for the year which was a record. Water levels were very high at the start of the season but noticed they dropped quite a bit from where they were by freeze up. If we don’t get much more snow this winter we will be in good shape again by spring. Bedding was obviously changed a bit from normal but all you can do is adjust to the seasonal changes. Keep this past season in mind if you adjusted for flooded bedding and use that intel for future wet years. Every season is a learning experience.

[Kraftd]

I think the other thing to make sure to do as you stack years of intel on top of each other is consider how water levels impact everything, because chances are we will see a wet year again soon, and it can put you ahead of the curve. Pay as much attention to how it impacts other hunters. We had a very dry year a few years back and it really seemed to allow way more people to venture deeper in than in previous years.

For me this year I saw lots of sign of bedding happening off of the public I hunt, which has limited high ground, and happening more on the higher private ground.

The sign may not be directly applicable ot next year, but will help the next wet year we have.

[ghoasthunter]

one thing too think about when scouting is the constant flooding has also washed out a lot of sign. deer poop wont last as long scrapes wash away trails will not have tracks after a good rain beds will be harder too see ect. your going too have too pay attention to the little details too sort threw all the clues.

[Horizontal Hunter]

Depends where you hunt. If you hunt swamps and marshes absolutely. This past season was a wet one. I just read that my area had 51” of rain for the year which was a record. Water levels were very high at the start of the season but noticed they dropped quite a bit from where they were by freeze up. If we don’t get much more snow this winter we will be in good shape again by spring. Bedding was obviously changed a bit from normal but all you can do is adjust to the seasonal changes. Keep this past season in mind if you adjusted for flooded bedding and use that intel for future wet years. Every season is a learning experience.

This was the wettest year I can ever remember and it drastically changed bedding on one property I have hunted for years. There are several traditional rut circuits on that property that went completely dead due to the changing bedding locations.

Bob

[Boogieman1]

Still have many places I can't get into due to standing water. All the rain really through a monkey wrench in typical deer movement for me. Everything from food sources, travel routes, bedding and even historic rut circuits. Also seemed I had a lot less deer to play with even when I did line up on them.

Best I can tell the majority of the deer took to the hills on the high ground closest to food that wasn't flooded.

But a lot of things changed this season in my area, so narrowing down the root causes for lack of activity has been tough. Was not near the pressure on them this season due to all the rain giving hunters access probs. Then suspect a lot of cruising bucks got cut off from all the flooded creeks which were running at a pretty good pace. Majority of the acorns soured right out the gate.

Sure as bad as it seemed it could have been the best season ever if one could line up on em. Atleast you know where they are not at which helps narrow things down. If I had it to do it all over again I would have spent a lot of time finding where a good size herd is feeding then back track.

[d_rek]

one thing too think about when scouting is the constant flooding has also washed out a lot of sign. deer poop wont last as long scrapes wash away trails will not have tracks after a good rain beds will be harder too see ect. your going too have too pay attention to the little details too sort threw all the clues.

This is the case at one of my best pieces of public - it's a low lying oxbow that when the river crests because of ice dams in late winter/early spring it will cover the entire oxbow with upto 4' of water. You almost have to get in and do post or in-season scouting if you want to see fresh sign.

[ghoasthunter]

one thing too think about when scouting is the constant flooding has also washed out a lot of sign. deer poop wont last as long scrapes wash away trails will not have tracks after a good rain beds will be harder too see ect. your going too have too pay attention to the little details too sort threw all the clues.

This is the case at one of my best pieces of public - it's a low lying oxbow that when the river crests because of ice dams in late winter/early spring it will cover the entire oxbow with upto 4' of water. You almost have to get in and do post or in-season scouting if you want to see fresh sign.

i have a couple spots i over looked this year from same reason im glad i hung a cam in there it just felt good even though i had no actual sign. whats good about it is if you cant find sign nobody else can either makes it a overlooked spot in plain sight some times. cameras are a great tool when used right just make sure you got them above the flood line.