Hunting in the Rain

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

I hate rain.

I have bear camp coming up this week, Thursday through Sunday. Forecast shows a high chance of rain most of the week, so it looks like we will be hunting while wet. I was wondering if those of you with more experience have any tips or tricks for camping and hunting in the rain?

I'll have a tarp under the tent, edges tucked under so water won't pool between the tarp and tent. I applied a spray waterproofer to my rain fly and will have an extra tarp to go over that. We will have rain gear and a tarp to set up while glassing.

Anything I'm overlooking? Do you have tips to staying dry/sane during a rainy hunt? Would you suggest bailing on the area I scouted to find a location with a more promising forecast? This is MT so the forecast is worth about as much as an armless barber. We can't change the dates, as my buddy can't get time off.

Thanks for the advice and input.

 

[thusby]

Even with heavy duty rain gear you still end up drenched in misting rain. I make sure to have a dry bag in the tent that has some dry heavyweight wool tops and bottoms in it that never leave the tent so they are always dry. Without a stove to dry your gear you will be stuck putting on some damp clothing in the morning if it continuously pisses rain. I guess its not the worst thing this time of year.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I guess I'd say make the most of it. I actually love hunting bears in the rain as long as it's not a complete downpour and you can see chances are still there to get into some bruins. Sometimes these are the cards your dealt especially hunting in this state. As far as staying dry, a tarp shelter when glassing is a lifesaver IMO and if you have a decent tent with a ground sheet you should fair pretty well if its only a couple nights.

I see a lot of bears in the rain and even some spring snows, like I say as long as its not a downpour for 48 hrs then you should be good. Those breaks in the weather during the weekend will even make it sweeter.

Good Luck!

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

I guess I'd say make the most of it. I actually love hunting bears in the rain as long as it's not a complete downpour and you can see chances are still there to get into some bruins. Sometimes these are the cards your dealt especially hunting in this state. As far as staying dry, a tarp shelter when glassing is a lifesaver IMO and if you have a decent tent with a ground sheet you should fair pretty well if its only a couple nights.

I see a lot of bears in the rain and even some spring snows, like I say as long as its not a downpour for 48 hrs then you should be good. Those breaks in the weather during the weekend will even make it sweeter.

Good Luck!

This is encouraging, thank you!

 

[diamond hitch]

Sounds like you have covered all the bases that you can. We used to have to camp in the cascades and in Southeast Alaska, places where a good rainstorm would yield verticle whitecaps on the outcrops, we would put in a diversion trench on the uphill side with a pulaski.

When I used to have to hunt in the rain one of the issues was the humidity and wet clothes. Being damp to soggy for a number of days tends to lead you towards a moldy outlook on life. If not a stove in the tent, then a tarped enclosure where gear can be dried. I prefer wood as propane without a chimney will increase the humidity or at least it does in an ice house.

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

Sounds like you have covered all the bases that you can. We used to have to camp in the cascades and in Southeast Alaska, places where a good rainstorm would yield verticle whitecaps on the outcrops, we would put in a diversion trench on the uphill side with a pulaski.

When I used to have to hunt in the rain one of the issues was the humidity and wet clothes. Being damp to soggy for a number of days tends to lead you towards a moldy outlook on life. If not a stove in the tent, then a tarped enclosure where gear can be dried. I prefer wood as propane without a chimney will increase the humidity or at least it does in an ice house.

Never thought of a tarped "outbuilding" for drying gear. That's a great idea! Thank you.