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The moment you have waited for all year is on the horizon, the beginning of
another archery season will soon be at hand, and you're feeling pretty good
about yourself and what you have done to prepare for the new season. You took
your compound to the archery shop had a safety check done on it, greased the
cables replaced that worn serving and waxed the string.
Then spent hours throwing arrows at a foam deer target in your backyard till
your fingers hurt, pretending with each shot that the foam target was the monster
buck you spotted when scouting the property you're planning to hunt the first
morning.
Finally the day arrives; you're seated in your stand waiting for the magic
time of the morning when dawn breaks. The morning begins picture perfect, as
the first soft light of the new day begins to appear on the eastern horizon
there's a slight breeze blowing through the hollow carrying along with it the
spicy scent of the fall woods, you inhale deeply filling your lungs with its
fragrance. The overnight frost that had softened the leaves which helped cover
your movements on the way in, the sun will soon be burning off and you know
that once it does you will probably be able to hear a squirrel coming from a
hundred yards away. Good, you think to yourself, no buck will be sneaking around
me today; all is well in my world.
When the sun begins to rise the breeze picks up and you detect something else
in the air, that clean scent that always seems to come before a rain fills your
nostrils, the sky on the horizon darkens, then you feel it, the first drops
of rain start to fall. As we all do, you make up your mind to stick it out rain
or no rain.
We all know where this is going don't we?
Because of the evenings before weather forecast that had promised a beautiful
fall day we either didn't bring rain gear or brought the wrong type. Sadly now
regardless of how determined we were to stay after an hour or two of sitting
in pouring rain we're now stomping out of the woods heading back to the car.
If you add cold winds and temperatures to this scenario it will shorten your
comfort level even quicker.
So what is the answer to this dilemma? First, I guess would be, don't count
on the weatherman or his predictions COME PREPARED. The hunter who has taken
vacation, traveled quite a distance or bought an expensive non-resident license
and spent a small fortune on gas to get to their hunting grounds does not want
to hear don't go if its raining.
Unlike the old days, today we are blessed with a wide range of waterproof gear
that will cover a hunter from head to foot and keep them comfortable even in
the worst conditions. But what is actually needed?
Let's start with the hat, my choice would be one of Gore-Tex, the one I wear
is a bucket or boonie style with a soft brim that reverses from camouflage to
fluorescent orange which I use when hunting states that require its use.
Next would be what you decide to wear under your outer camouflage clothing.
This would be dictated by the time of year you are bow hunting, the only common
denominator being that it be dark colored. Obviously if the weather is warm
you would want to wear something lightweight but even in warm weather if it
rains the temperatures often drop. I have covered this by including a lightweight
fleece vest in my pack. If I'm not wearing it I put it behind me and use it
as a backrest, which sure helps when you lean back and find that you missed
a piece of branch on that tree and its sticking out just enough to be an annoyance.
The camouflage jacket, pants or bibs you choose other than the preparations
you make for wet weather with your bow are the next single most important decision
you will have to make.
Again, I have chosen Gore-Tex, although it is expensive it is the best choice.
Because it has a breathable membrane, which prevents rain from getting into
the garment it also allows perspiration to pass through to its outside keeping
the hunter comfortable.
Good rain gear may be expensive but when you take into consideration it can
be used year round for many outdoor activities and it now is also available
in soft nap fleece finishes which are quiet and add an element of warmth without
weight it makes it that much more of a good investment.
Most camouflage manufacturers also offer gloves for both the archer and rifle
hunter in this same material and camo patterns.
I personally use and recommend:
- Game Hide Kickapoo Coulee Parka and Chase Bibs
Full assortment of top quality clothing and gear for any hunting use.
The last item but certainly not least is the choice of boots.
Many of today's hunters already prefer knee high rubber boots that help eliminate
human scent but I thought a few other things were worthy of mention here also.
Choose your boots carefully, although they may look good in the store they
may not perform well in the field. Boots with an improper fit or tread could
cause a multitude of problems in the field. A thin or light tread are good if
your choice is still-hunting but can be slippery in dry leaves or moss or when
climbing to your stand. A heavy tread that will not allow mud to release when
walking can be just as bad and could also cause a fall.
When buying your boots also make sure you wear the same type socks that you
will be wearing in the field, often you will find that a size larger may be
needed. Make sure that the boot has a snug fit, especially around the ankles,
which will allow some support, as long as you can wiggle your toes, they should
be good. Remember, loose boots rubber or leather will cause blisters.
For cold weather boots in rubber or leather are available with both insulation
and Gore-Tex the choice is yours and depends on what particular weather and
terrain you expect to encounter.
- Irish Setter Boot Company www.irishsetterboots.com
Buck Tracker knee high boot with scent ban
Very comfortable knee high "side zip" lightweight boot with good traction
and fit, wore these off and on from Oct thru Dec.
- LaCrosse Boot Company www.lacrossefootwear.com
Alpha Burley boot
Unusually well fitting and comfortable knee high rubber boot with very good
ankle support and good traction, also wore these off and on from Oct. thru
Dec.
I do not work for any of the companies who's links I have included but have
personally put the recommended items through rigorous field-testing during various
weather conditions last year during both bow and rifle season here in Pennsylvania.
As a writer I am often approached to evaluate this or that new product and write
an article regarding its performance, and just as often many of the manufactures
of those products are somewhat astounded when I tell them, "sure I will evaluate
the product, but rest assured NOTHING will be candy coated when the evaluation
is written". As you can guess there are times offers are then reneged upon.
I will recommend NOTHING to my readers that I myself would not use or have faith
in; you have my word on that.
Now that we've discussed clothing one should have, let's talk about hunting
bucks in the rain.
I am no different than any one of you, I don't like hunting in a downpour.
If I must hunt in rainy conditions I prefer to hunt when it's only overcast
or a soft or misty rain is falling. This serves a twofold purpose, as you move
through the woods visibility is improved because there are little or no reflections
from the light and the forest floor now being wet allows one to move much more
quietly. Several well-informed writers have said that deer move by the amount
of daylight not by the clock this time of year, thus if the sky is dark they
should leave their beds earlier. So if you're posted in a stand near a feeding
route during this time the chances that a buck will show up when you have plenty
of shooting time left are greatly increased.
The rain can present other problems also.
If you do hit a buck and find yourself having to track it very far, faced with
a heavy rain blood droppings and tracks could be quickly washed away.
An arrows flight may not be that easy to see in these conditions so a pass
through or a lost arrow could also present problems. One way to remedy this
situation is to equip your arrows with one of the new-lighted arrow nocks such
as:
Both will allow you to track the arrows flight, see the hit and should it be
a pass through locate the arrow so it may be evaluated. Through testing of both
of these lighted nocks I have found that they do add a minimal amount of weight
to the arrow but it is easy to adjust your sights to compensate for the additional
weight and it has no adverse factor in arrow flight.
Your broadheads should also be sprayed with an anti moisture agent or rub a
light coat of Vaseline on them. Keep in mind the slightest moisture will cause
rust to form on the critical cutting edges of them if they are not treated.
Rain also demands your shooting distances be lessened. It's a known fact that
the better the hit and penetration the quicker the quarry will go down. I have
seen well hit deer travel varying distances from ten to over two hundred yards.
It is critical during these situations that we strive to get the best placed
shot possible, I would much rather pass up a good buck and come back another
day to get him than take the chance of merely wounding him or worse not finding
him at all.
It is essential that the hunter remain calm and motionless after a hit as not
to alarm the animal more causing it to run further on mere adrenalin because
it spotted the hunter.
As bowhunters we all probably have witnessed a deer at one time or another
who was hit well, show little alarm during the hit and stood motionless looking
around for what it was that had struck them, only to walk away and drop within
sight of the hunter. That in essence is what we should try to accomplish when
hunting under these conditions.
Should you hunt in the rain? That choice is yours, but I do hope that some
of the suggestions I have made and items that I have suggested will help to
make your experience more enjoyable, safe and rewarding should you choose to
do so.
Hunt hard, hunt safe and hunt fair. H. "Bumper" Bauer is a freelance outdoor
writer and wildlife photographer and is a pro staff member of McLaughlin Game
Call Company of Reynoldsville Pa. and Pennsylvania Back Country Television.
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