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Author Topic: Weekend weather for blacktails  (Read 3884 times)

Offline JimmyHoffa

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Re: Weekend weather for blacktails
« Reply #15 on: October 18, 2019, 08:02:35 AM »
Agree, they do things a little differently depending on the weather they're dealt.  Adjust and hunt accordingly.  Colder than normal, heavy rain, high winds....anything different from 50 degrees/partly cloudy/no wind.

Offline The Marquis

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Re: Weekend weather for blacktails
« Reply #16 on: October 18, 2019, 08:31:48 AM »
Anybody ever hunted blacktail in the thunderstorm?

Offline Spuddieselwwu

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Re: Weekend weather for blacktails
« Reply #17 on: October 18, 2019, 09:51:27 AM »
Anybody ever hunted blacktail in the thunderstorm?

Yes - shot my first blacktail in a thunder/wind/hail storm.  Oct 30, 2012.   It was crazy.  Was slow creeping through an alder patch trail and looked off the trail 40 yards and he literally stood up from his bed, shook off like a dog would and I popped him.  He didn't know I was there until he heard my safety come off.  He ran 50 yds and expired in a super steep creek - was a PITA getting him out of there - but fun.

Offline npaull

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Re: Weekend weather for blacktails
« Reply #18 on: October 18, 2019, 09:52:46 AM »
Quote
I'm not sure they love rain (or even better - wind and rain) as much as it makes them nervous when they are bedded in the timber.  As we hunters know, the sound of rain covers our noise and allows us to travel with much more stealth in the deer woods.  Also, a steady rain is pretty good at knocking down scent, both of which leaves the deer lacking a couple important senses it uses as primary defense against predators.  When it is really windy and rainy (think blowing tree tops, knocking tree top trunks, limbs crashing down in the forest etc.), the deer are now overburdened with so much noise that they feel defenseless in the smell and hearing sense categories, which requires that they stand up and use their last defense against predators: sight!

So when it gets ugly out there, BT hunters go in the woods because they see more deer (because the deer are now standing up or up moving to safer/quieter localities, or feeding quickly before the real storm hits etc.)  Early in the season, they'll often just wait out the mild rains in their beds.  If it is cold out, the rain also cools their bodies which requires they replace the calories and thus, feed more often.  Add in the coming rut and bucks beginning to cruise for does - late October rains can be just what the doctor ordered for finding deer up and moving during the daylight hours.

I think this is likely spot-on. Regardless of whether they "like" it or "hate" it because they have to be more in the open, the fact is they are MUCH more visible and MUCH more approachable/stalkable in bad weather. The weekend hunting is going to be awesome.

Offline opdinkslayer

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Re: Weekend weather for blacktails
« Reply #19 on: October 18, 2019, 02:15:48 PM »
The big key no matter the weather is to be where the dear are to begin with. If you miss on that you just end up getting wet with no benefit. :chuckle:

Offline fishnfur

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Re: Weekend weather for blacktails
« Reply #20 on: October 18, 2019, 10:55:04 PM »
Good input from hunters with many years experience on which to base their conclusions.  Ultimately though, it seems nearly impossible to guess exactly how the deer will respond to a specific weather event. 

Things that factor into how a deer responds to a storm likely include: 

Rate of barometric pressure drop.
Terrain of the area in question
Wind direction in relation to the terrain
Wind speed
Time of day
Rate of rainfall
Probably about twenty other factors as well. 

Being flexible and considering alternate strategies is probably huge in bad weather.  Some people like to hunt ridge tops in the changing winds because the deer will often get up and re-bed on the other side of the ridge as winds change.  Some like hunting cuts when it gets ugly, 'cause the deer bail out of the timber when the wind is blasting. Many huge mature bucks are taken from small forest opening during massive storms, because they apparently go there to stand and watch for predators while the storm is raging.  '

 It is a well known fact that deer are often very active just prior to and just after a major storm.  In the middle of a constant storm with little change in wind direction or other factors, you may just be up against it until things change a bit.  I have yet to see a buck up and moving in really bad weather, so while I spit this stuff out, I cannot say with first-hand knowledge that it is correct.  Looking like it is going to be a nasty day tomorrow.  Good luck all!
“When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”  - Will Rogers

Offline Turner89

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Re: Weekend weather for blacktails
« Reply #21 on: October 18, 2019, 11:08:21 PM »
A couple Halloween's ago was a nasty day. I decided to get up on this knob in the middle of a 5 year old cut.  I approached with the 15-20mph wind and rain in my face. I got about 30-40ft from the top and realized there was a 2 point bedded down at the top. He never knew I was there until I threw a stick at him.  It was early in the morning and wanted his dad.
 I got skunked that year :chuckle:
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Offline PolarBear

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Re: Weekend weather for blacktails
« Reply #22 on: October 18, 2019, 11:17:04 PM »
I have killed a bunch of blacktails in 40+ mph winds and torrential downpours.  My buck from last year was killed on one of those days. I have 8 friend who killed 3 points or better during that nasty storm yesterday (Thursday the 17th).  It's not fun hunting in the crap but the results can be spectacular.  The added bonus is most of the other "hunters" are at home or afraid to leave the comfort of their rig.

Offline fishnfur

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Re: Weekend weather for blacktails
« Reply #23 on: October 18, 2019, 11:25:04 PM »
A couple Halloween's ago was a nasty day. I decided to get up on this knob in the middle of a 5 year old cut.  I approached with the 15-20mph wind and rain in my face. I got about 30-40ft from the top and realized there was a 2 point bedded down at the top. He never knew I was there until I threw a stick at him.  It was early in the morning and wanted his dad.
 I got skunked that year :chuckle:

I think that was four Halloweens ago.  Nasty, nasty day.  I went into big timber next to four year old reprod.  I didn't see jack all afternoon, got soaked and went home early 'cause I was too cold to hunt   I heard three hunters shots from the reprod while I was sucking in the timber.  Bad choice (again) but learned to always have a spare set of dry gear when I hunt, just in case!

Polar Bear, I was thinking of you when I mentioned the ridge tops.  Seems storms this early in the season have more unpredictable, less favorable results.  What do you think?
“When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”  - Will Rogers

Offline X-Force

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Re: Weekend weather for blacktails
« Reply #24 on: October 18, 2019, 11:28:25 PM »
Little antidotal but I live well within town and had a spike and doe in my yard at 3 this afternoon and saw a doe and 3 pt in the county on my way into work for some OT. Blacktail  should be really good this weekend.
People get offended at nothing at all. So, speak your mind and be unapologetic.

Offline fishnfur

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Re: Weekend weather for blacktails
« Reply #25 on: October 19, 2019, 09:53:43 PM »
Weird how the weather didn't match up to the forecast.  Go figure!  I was expecting 16 mph winds with gusts to 24 all afternoon, but it was calm and sunny until 6:00 PM.  Active in the morning but dead from 10:00 AM  until last light.  Saw a couple of bucks that would have died a few years ago.  They still walk the planet.
“When I die, I want to die like my grandfather who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”  - Will Rogers

 


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