Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

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rochester coops
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Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby rochester coops » Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:36 pm

I tried stalking some public land today that I've never been to. Mostly through wetlands, cattails, etc. Found some beds, no deer. The wind was to my face or crosswind. It was raining on and off and breezy, but not the almost 30mph forcasted. Now I wasn't totally in stealth mode as I had a buddy hunting w/me and was okay bumping deer toward him, but didn't notice bumping anything.

So i'm wondering if it being opening day and the woods filled w/other hunters (no evidence of anyone venturing into this area though) routed them away from these beds this morning, or if the weather drove them for more canopy cover. Have you guys noticed a lack of deer in cattails/open areas w/out trees when its pouring?


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RaisedByWolves
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby RaisedByWolves » Sun Oct 16, 2011 2:38 pm

rochester coops wrote: Have you guys noticed a lack of deer in cattails/open areas w/out trees when its pouring?


I have, seems like if the rain is bad enough they will head for pines, cedars or other areas with good overhead protection. I know of some thick areas with lots of rock and cedars where the beds are so sheltered, they barely even get wet in pouring rain..the way the rock is formed, the rain washes out another way through the nooks and cracks.
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby PredatorTC » Sun Oct 16, 2011 3:36 pm

Not sure about the rain factor but I have seen it many times where they will bed in open areas when its windy. I was hunting a 180 class buck two years ago and kicked himout of some cedars multiple times. I went in to hunt him one windy day and jumped him in a big open area where he could watch everything going on.

I went for a walk a few days ago during a heavy downpour with no wind and jumped the 5.5 year old I have been after. I went up to the bed after he left and he had no cover from the rain. He was out in the wide open
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby dan » Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:10 am

I am not sure if they bed with better cover during the rain. Quite possible. But I am sure they would not want to bed in relitivly open cattails as bedding in those types of spots is based mainly on hearing predators approach. The rain will keep them from hearing that in some cases...
Im not saying they won't, just saying I am sure it has some influance on there decision where to bed.
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby rochester coops » Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:41 am

I was hoping to use the rain and wind to MY advantage by going after them. Guess they already knew that :lol: and were staying one step ahead of me. Maybe I should have stuck to the woods with my stalk, but no one else was hunting the wetlands. It was good info for any future hunts though, I'll know where to go when its a little dryer.
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby dan » Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:00 am

People who never hunt in the rain, never learn what deer do in the rain ;)
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby jlh42581 » Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:06 am

Friday was high wind and rain here. I got out of work at four and opted to head to a farm point that was thick bedding cover. 6pm, they stood up out of the tall grass in the field, no way you couldve beat them.
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby PredatorTC » Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:29 pm

This is the situation i am talking about... Here is the photo thats missing in that post.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=843

[imgImage][/img]
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby PredatorTC » Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:34 pm

dan wrote:But I am sure they would not want to bed in relitivly open cattails as bedding in those types of spots is based mainly on hearing predators approach.


Makes sense to me... In the photo above you can see all the cattails are nocked and blown down so he could see anything going on in and around them
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby dan » Tue Oct 18, 2011 1:29 am

Predatortc, in some areas I see the biggest bucks move to tree lines in wide open fields in wind or rain so they can see predators aproach...
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby Czabs » Wed Oct 19, 2011 6:34 pm

Interesting thoughts and observations. So do you guys opt to not hunt near or in the swamp/cattails when its raining or windy?
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby dan » Wed Oct 19, 2011 8:22 pm

Czabs wrote:Interesting thoughts and observations. So do you guys opt to not hunt near or in the swamp/cattails when its raining or windy?


I still see deer in the public marshes near the cattails when its rainy... My comment was in refferance to wide open cattails and I am usually hunting structured bedding within a transition.
I do believe even in the structured bedding they make some adjustments. Sometimes I see them bed right on an open island rather than in the transition for example.
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Re: Rain influence a deer's bed choice?

Unread postby Czabs » Thu Oct 20, 2011 5:22 am

dan wrote:
Czabs wrote:Interesting thoughts and observations. So do you guys opt to not hunt near or in the swamp/cattails when its raining or windy?


I still see deer in the public marshes near the cattails when its rainy... My comment was in refferance to wide open cattails and I am usually hunting structured bedding within a transition.
I do believe even in the structured bedding they make some adjustments. Sometimes I see them bed right on an open island rather than in the transition for example.


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