Thread: Hunter's Rain

I was going to go hunting for a deer later this week, but the weather report says rain. I am tempted to not bother, but I reflected that when I have been out and had no choice about the matter that I have acutally had some fine success hunting in the rain.

I used to hunt a flat bit of ground on the west side of the island, not far from where I made a campsite. Open bush mostly, and where it wasn't you could still duck through some tunnels the deer had made. Deer trails in this place all seem to lead in one direction, to and from one clearing and over to one more smaller spot that I used to sit and wait for a deer to come out in the evening. I used to sit there under a bank, half-asleep cradling my rifle, with my one rule that I couldn't look until it was twilight. Then I would look over the top. A third of the time I would catch a hind feeding fifty metres away just outside the bush, or just inside. I never managed to shoot one, as chance would have it, but I liked knowing I could catch one out anyway, and never felt bad about it.
When the weather was bad, driving rain and wind pushing the beech trees around I would stay "at home". But if it was light rain with no wind, I would get bored enough to get out and go and have a look anyway. I realised after a while that I have had the most success at pure bush hunting when I was working in light rain or drizzle, and with no wind.
It seems that the rain meant the deer couldn't smell as well as they usually could. It seemed that they couldn't hear as well as usual either. I wear an old army goretex rain coat that is too noisy in the bush, but it never seemed to matter. They also seemed to be out and about in the rain throughout the day too.
So I have decided to go hunting even if its raining, as long as its hunting rain.
Like eskimos and their words for snow, we New Zealand hunters should have ten different names for rain. Light rain with no wind is called "Hunter's rain.'

When you can't see your outstretched hand, that's coaster's drizzle.

When you look up and cop one fair in the mosh and it near drops ya. Thats fat rain

Light drizzle is perfect for dropping Sika in light Manuka, they observe you as if they had never seen a human.

23 December between 7pm and dark there was light rain. It freshened up all the grass and the deer came out in droves.Fascinating to watch with the Swaros.

Love hunting in the rain. Almost always have success, especially after a bit of a dry spell. The deer love dressing on their grass!

Bring the rain!!

Yep I think most of us would be stoked to see any kind of rain at the moment.

I think I found duck hunters rain up in Kaweka. Cleared as I was walking out

It's been drizzle/cloud the last two days in the Kaweka high country

A good freshen up won't do any harm, eh. Should bring them out.

Biggest problem around here is when its rain there is little to no chance of a wind less then 10 - 15 mph

Originally Posted by Tahr

A good freshen up won't do any harm, eh. Should bring them out.

They're forced out by the conditions regardless. Kaweka is pretty barren country and the Sika need to get in while the goings good. Mountain tutu is the pick of the crop but a bit of "dressing" always appears to make it that much sweeter. Any old scent is also knocked down (as I m sure you'll know) so give you a clean slate so to speak.

Eastern kawekas is like a bloody desert up high, any kind of rain would be good for hunting.

Originally Posted by MSL

Eastern kawekas is like a bloody desert up high, any kind of rain would be good for hunting.

Mountain Daisy's, tussocks and shale are just as unappetising wet I'd guess.