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Storms

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Storms

Postby Swede » 06 28, 2020 •  [Post 1]

Personally, I prefer warm sunny weather when it comes elk hunting time. Cool mornings and evenings are fine, but I don't like wet. Still, I don't make the weather. I just deal with it, and don't give up. Where I hunt it does not snow much, or often in September, so I don't have to contend with it very often.
Rain can come at any time and will eventually shows up on every long hunt. When it comes, I usually get out of my stand and sporadically call from different places until the rain is over. I may road hunt by driving out and taking short hunts from an old road. As I drive along I look for fresh tracks. I have a deer tag in my pocket, so a foolish buck is of interest to me then. The benefit storms bring is that they can get the animals to move around. I see that situation just before the storm and the critters stay up feeding longer when the storm continues on for several days.
When I have a storm to deal with, I come back to camp for a hot meal at mid day. I may even come in a little early for a hot dinner.
So what are the storms like where you hunt and what is your routine?
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Re: Storms

Postby Fridaythe13th » 06 28, 2020 •  [Post 2]

The afternoon pop up showers is the most common in are area, but they dont bother me to much, but the windy days can kiss my a$$ I HATE WIND.
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Re: Storms

Postby saddlesore » 06 28, 2020 •  [Post 3]

When I hunt in September,it can be 80 degrees during the day and 35 at night. Anything from howling wind to a raging thunder storm, with rain and the some times snow all in the same season.. There have been times I set out before daylight and I can see stars and then by 8 am I am sitting under a big pine wrapped up in my lash trap trying to stay dry. I hate to get wet. One year, I thought it was quitting so I mounted up and headed back to camp.Out in a big meadow, it poured gain,with no protection. I met a packer taking food into camp. We both had good rain gear but the animals were miserable. We sat there and chatted in the pouring rain for twenty minutes or so trying to convince each other how much fun we were having.

In rifle season it is snow. Last year I got out opening day and found elk , but by Saturday night it was a howling blizzard. I sat in my camper three days with snow coming down. Kept the animals fed and watered pushed the snow off the top of my pop up camper. On day four it quit with 15 " at camp and outfits making their way out said there was 2 feet up where we hunt.I already had cow in the freezer from ML season, so we packed up and came home. I am done hunting in that weather. Better things to do for an old man than freezing his butt off. I'll let the young bucks have their fun in it.
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Re: Storms

Postby Elkhunttoo » 06 29, 2020 •  [Post 4]

Around 12 years ago my cousin was sitting in a tree stand during a rain storm. He only had a few days to hunt so he was staying in his stand but feeling super foolish. Next thing he knew a young 6 point bull was coming in for water. He had been so un-confident That his bow was hanging up still tied to the string and no arrow ready. He was able to get it all ready and got the bull but he said lesson learned.
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Re: Storms

Postby 7mmfan » 06 29, 2020 •  [Post 5]

If I'm elk hunting in mid/late October and it's pouring rain/windy, I'm either in the wall tent drinking coffee or maybe driving around road hunting. If my time is limited you'll find me in a deep canyon out of the wind still hunting the timber trying to sneak up on bedded animals seeking some refuge from the storm. Same could be said for snow conditions. I do love hunting in falling snow, because if you cut tracks, man they are fresh. Ideally though I would be at it as soon after the storm lets up as possible.

For coastal blacktail, I don't even bother going if it's bright and sunny in October. I wait for those first coastal fall storms of the year. My best hunting has been in sideways rain with trees falling in the forest.
I hunt therefore I am. I fish therefore I lie.
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Re: Storms

Postby Swede » 06 29, 2020 •  [Post 6]

7mm, I too have found that still hunting in the timber can be productive. My experience is that it takes several days of rain before the still hunting is going to find elk standing around in that cover. Another thing is that you can walk around very quietly and the wind is often steady.
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