How does rain affect rut activity?

[andersonjk4]

With some serious rain in the forecast toward the end of the week, what are people’s experiences with rut activity during the rain? This is my first year hunting elk in September, so I’m still learning. Was planning on heading back over to Idaho Wednesday to hunt a couple days and get away from the weekend crowd, but with rain forecast Thursday and Friday, I’m thinking about pushing it back to Friday-Sunday. Thoughts?

[sneakyjake]

Place and time and luck.   I was in the Lewis and my buddy was in the Naneum.  They were screaming where he was and I got a one and done.   Rain, smoke or not.

[JakeLand]

Roosevelt’s like it !!

[MAVsled]

2019 eastern WA GMU

heavy rain moved in middle of September archery elk season; elk shut down. 3 days rain, 2 days later elk started up again...on day of season closure.

Elk were talking, chirpin, bugling heavy for 2 days before rain storm moved in...especially bugling on full moon, clear nights.
130am, I stood outside the wall tent, called a bull to edge of camp road 2 nights in a row.

[xX Let ER Rip Xx]

Didn’t seem to bother them where I was at...!!!

[xX Let ER Rip Xx]

My self calling and the bull bugling, my buddy filmed that short video with his phone....

[luvmystang67]

I was going to ask the exact same question.  Trying to plan my weekend now.  Most of the places I'm looking in Idaho call for rain out until Sunday.

It can shut them up... sometimes not? Depends on how heavy the rain and if it comes with any wind or not.  I think rain bothers them less than wind does... wind seems to scare them out of the timber.

Rain just gets in your boots and makes the baby hemlocks like small trail waterfalls.

I have to imagine on the coast that rain just gets them going... haha.

[xX Let ER Rip Xx]

I remember I hunted Idaho a few years ago, it rained for 4 days straight out of 7 I was there, during the rain they were pretty quiet, but after the rain it was like a switch was turned on. They were vocal and willing to play. This year out by the coast they weren’t too bothered by that, but when it was super smoky there, they didn’t seem to be very vocal at all. Two came in completely silent and winded me at about 20-30 yds.

[MAVsled]

friend of mine just got back yesterday from Colorado OTC archery. Being retired, He was there 3+ weeks. Hunted archery even during last week's muzzleloader season. Which he said sounded like a war zone of shots the first 2 days of muzzie opener. They observed 12 bulls hanging that weekend within their drives from/back to their camp.

1.5 weeks prior to muzzie opener, an early big snowstorm rolled in. In SW CO, dumped several inches of snow. Before the snow the elk started talking, bugling, even in the 80+degree heat.
snow storm rolled in for 2 days. The elk shut down, didn't start up until day before muzzie opener.

he came home early, the early snow, EXTREME muzzie hunt pressure, push elk in the area down very low, into the private ranchlands.
And he never leaves early, so prospect must have been bad and very discouraging. However 3 weeks is a long time to be away from home, even when retired.

[andersonjk4]

Got back from Idaho today. Rained hard Wednesday night, sprinkled off and on Thursday, poured rain Friday, huge thunderstorm Friday night and COLD and clear this morning. Temp was 35 well into mid morning this morning. We didn’t hear a single bugle. Found fresh bull tracks and a fresh makeshift wallow in a mud puddle in a logging road. But never heard him make a sound. This rain/cold snap sure seemed to shut them down, this is just my novice anecdotal evidence. Still good to be out and learning the art of September elk hunting.