Weather Warriors?

depends

I will not bow hunt in heavy rain, thunder/lightning. I hear that going on, and I roll over and catch up on sleep. Our 100 day season lets one do that some. I don't like to climb trees in high winds, and spend those kind of days either in holes that limit the wind, or scout, covering ground.

I'm pretty good at sleeping in the truck if I know it will break in a few hours.

When the ruts on, your liable to see a buck anywhere, anytime and I push a little harder then. I've spent a lot of hours in shooting houses in downpours in the rut, 95% of the time or more w/ nothing to show.

Turkey season is so short that I try to capitalize on any time I have, and that is another whole different story.
 
Some of the areas I hunt are remote & I have delayed & cancelled hunts in the past due to bad weather. One spot I hunt deer involves a 2 hour drive through winding mountain 4WD trails that after severe storms have been known to be closed for weeks due to erosion & fallen trees.
Another property I hunt pigs on the plains is black soil country where if it rains more than a few inches, you are stuck for a few days.
A bit of rain, or a hot or cold days hunting never bothered me, but if the weather forecast is for Storm Force Wind Warning- by definition it means winds of 48 to 63 Knots where I come from- I wont be going hunting.
 
Safety related question

For those of you who will push out, into bad weather, what safety precautions do you take?

Do you limit how far you will travel?

Do you carry cold weather survival gear?

Communications and signaling equipment?

Or just an extra set of long underwear?
 
Since hunting time is limited I'll usually head out anyway. I'll head into the really thick cover like immature pine trees and try to stumble on something. I really don't mind being out in the heavy weather. As long as your warm and dry its a really neat feeling to see the weather raging around you. Once you get soaked its a different story. Supper always tastes delicious after these kinds of hunts! Hot chili Mmmmmmmmmm!
 
For those of you who will push out, into bad weather, what safety precautions do you take?
Do you limit how far you will travel?
Do you carry cold weather survival gear?
Communications and signaling equipment?
Or just an extra set of long underwear?
Click to expand...
I mostly hunt private land in Central NY and SW PA. As a consequence, I'm rarely more than half a mile from a decent road. I always carry a survival kit regardless of weather, that has basic first aid, compass, matches, fire starters, space blanket, extra knife, whistle, mini-flashlight, etc. I always carry a high quality rain poncho in my backpack, and often an insulated poncho liner. Those two together make an excellent expedient shelter and/or sleeping bag. I wear layered clothing, and pack has a spare set of wool socks and extra gloves. If it looks like rain, I carry one of those collapsible, strap-on-the-tree umbrellas. I carry my cell phone (turned off) and sometimes a handheld GPS (which I also turn off after setting my starting point). I always let someone know where I'm going and when I expect to return, and I check in with my wife by phone at the end of shooting hours.

If I'm hunting new-to-me property, I'll triple check to make sure I have all these basics covered.
 
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Legionnaire...

... if I had to guess, you've been through a military cold-weather survival course. Your list of items and things to do sounds very, very familiar.
 
Beware of holding a rifle in a lightning storm!

Hi All,
Last week a hunter (not far from Pretoria - South Africa) ended up in ICU (only a miracle that he survived) after his rifle was struck by lightning.

Bad weather is one thing, but be carefull in a lightning storm.

Brgds,

Danny
 
MLeake, I'm flattered, but no. I've been a year-round hiker and camper and worked with a close friend who was an Eagle Scout to train our kids in outdoor survival skills. Taught 'em all how to build fires in snow-covered woods, build temporary shelters, and spend a night out with a sleeping bag and a plastic sheet. Good fun. I was also a NYS DEC-certified hunter safety instructor, and tried to impress on the youngsters in my classes the importance of being prepared when out in inclimate weather. Always told the kids that if they get lost, better to stay put and put your energy into surviving the first night warm and well. Like as not somebody will find you next day. So to practice what I preach, I try not to go into the woods on a hunt without bringing along what I'd need to survive a night warm and dry.
 
Legionnaire...

First, congratulations on working with kids, and showing them there' more to life than the net, tweets, and XBox.

Second, kudos for leading by example.

Last, having been involved with a few SAR operations (between Civil Air Patrol as a kid, and later as a Navy pilot) - searchers always prefer when the people they are trying to find, make a good shelter, and stay put.
 
Deer or elk season I'm hunting, rain or shine. Bird or predator hunting if it's nasty of too hot I'll take the day off. Here in AZ we have a lottery for deer and elk and we get one week to hunt. A rainstorm ain't keeping me from hunting those days!
 
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