Do Deer Move in the Rain?

For the past couple of decades, I’ve held the belief that deer move more in the rain. Not heavy rain, mind you, but light to moderate precipitation. I can count the number of times I’ve sat in a treestand or ground blind, had little deer movement, and then they came out of the woodworks as the rain started falling from the sky.

I killed my biggest buck ever in the rain, which I self-filmed for Realtree’s Monster Bucks.

I sat through a steady rain shower, and as it began to subside, deer poured out of the bedding area in front of me. First, a couple of nice 2-year-olds. Then a yearling buck. Then the giant velvet 8-pointer. Even more bucks, does, and fawns walked out afterward. They all fed out in the clover in front of me, all while it misted rain. Eventually, I got a shot opportunity and made it count.

That wasn’t the only incident I’ve seen or shot deer during or just after a rain event. It’s happened numerous times.

That said, I think rain is more likely to get deer on their feet on warmer days, especially during the early season. Generally, rain cools you down, which gives deer reprieve from the heat, effectively getting them up on their feet.

I think rain showers that occur mid- to late-afternoon have even more power to get deer up and moving. When conditions align with crepuscular (dawn and dusk) movement, I believe it increases deer activity, even more than crepuscular movements without additional triggers.”

The full article can be found here.

Photo Credit: Original Author