Rainy day antelope question.

[SixShooter14]

Trying to cover what-if scenarios.

Suppose you set up your blind on an active water hole. Then a couple hours into the day it starts raining. Or it rains just as you get to the spot.

Do you stay put?
Try stalking hoping the rain covers your scent and sound?
Go back to camp?

Do antelope move during a rainstorm? Or just lay down behind a hill.

Edit: this is mostly for bowhunting antelope.

 

[badgerbob]

I stay put as long as I can. I'm not patient enough for long term blind hunting.
I don't stalk unless I have spotted something. This is my favorite way of hunting. Get some elevation and glass. See something, go for it.

 

[SixShooter14]

I stay put as long as I can. I'm not patient enough for long term blind hunting.
I don't stalk unless I have spotted something. This is my favorite way of hunting. Get some elevation and glass. See something, go for it.

Same apply for archery?

I was thinking the same. If it starts raining, I'd sit and try to wait it out. But if it's going to be an all day thing, I might try glassing and stalking. The rain can cover a lot of noise, scent, and movement.

 

[Umpqua Hunter]

I have not hunted antelope with a bow, but many times with a rifle and muzzleloader and have been VERY close many times (several times I wished for a bow). Their primary defense is their eyes, much more so than their than nose or ears. I rarely make the wind my primary issue when stalking. Even with their incredible eyesight, you can get away with some crazy stuff, like angling towards them in plain sight (not straight at them) in the first and last 20 minutes of daylight when the light levels are changing. Changing light levels seem to throw off their eyesight. I think it's like when you walk into a dark room on a bright day and it's hard to see. I think stalking antelope with a bow would be doable from my experiences. You would just have a lot more blown stalks than with a rifle.

I have seen videos of guys using cow decoys successfully with a bow as well, again angling towards the antelope, not walking straight at them.

 

[SixShooter14]

Great, I really don't want to rely solely on blind-water hunting.

I'm also thinking about glassing them then work around the hill to get in front and let them graze past.

Being as this is my first try for lopers, I'm not going to be picky. I want meat.

 

[Dark Mavis]

If it starts raining, don't waste time sitting at a waterhole. The antelope will get the water they need from puddles during and after the rain. Get the glass out, find a antelope, and get sneaky. I wouldn't waste time sitting in camp either. Put the rain suit on and hunt.

If dries out a day or two after it rains, you can go back to the water hole setup.

 

[SixShooter14]

Thanks, I was kinda thinking that.

Will they be up and moving during the rain?

 

[Hilltop]

It really depends on the amount of rain. I have sat on days where a shower came through but it all soaked into the ground quickly and didn't form puddles- didn't change water hole action. If enough comes down to form puddles, the water hole action will really go down. If that happens, go stalk an area far from your water hole. No reason to spook your antelope your hope to take from the blind later.

 

[HiMtnHnter]

It really depends on the amount of rain. I have sat on days where a shower came through but it all soaked into the ground quickly and didn't form puddles- didn't change water hole action. If enough comes down to form puddles, the water hole action will really go down. If that happens, go stalk an area far from your water hole. No reason to spook your antelope your hope to take from the blind later.

If it's rained enough to make puddles, it's a crapshoot. In my experience you are worthless as teats on a bore high sitting in a blind when it's wet. . .

 

[SixShooter14]

If it's rained enough to make puddles, it's a crapshoot. In my experience you are worthless as teats on a bore high sitting in a blind when it's wet. . .

That was my thoughts as well. If it's a quick shower that dries up in 10 minutes then the water hole is ok. But a several hour downpour will probably mean spot- and-stalk.

 

[troybackman]

This is all really good advice. My advice is to practice long shots. It's very doable to stalk within 70 - 90 yds but anything closer can be tough. There eyes are AMAZING. I actually shot mine this yr by getting in front of them and letting them graze by. It worked great. It all depends on the terrain though. Good luck and make sure to post pics.