Do you Perfer Bow hunting in Hot or Cool Weather? and why

[Thehunter]

I"m just interested in seeing what people perfer. I know for me the hotter the better. I find that you can targert the deer and elk much easier if the weather is hot. I personal like to see it about 80% by 9:30am or so. Sure it sucks, but for it's a huge advantage. I will say that there is nothing like the first rain. I'm sure other peopel have experiance such luck? Every corner has deer or elk on it.

The Hunter

[ehunter]

I will take a poke at this for deer I like it wet it is easier to get close it is awful noisey to sneak in hot and dry. For me I prefer cool dry weather for elk hunting. It might be better for a tree stand to set in warm weather but for some one who likes to walk it is awful. I also think elk are lot more active in cool weather. It is easier to find game along water sources when its dry but it not that much fun for me.. Becasue hunters also tend to be more concentrated.

Originally Posted by Thehunter

I"m just interested in seeing what people perfer. I know for me the hotter the better. I find that you can targert the deer and elk much easier if the weather is hot. I personal like to see it about 80% by 9:30am or so. Sure it sucks, but for it's a huge advantage. I will say that there is nothing like the first rain. I'm sure other peopel have experiance such luck? Every corner has deer or elk on it.

The Hunter

[BrianMaguire]

Originally Posted by ehunter

I will take a poke at this for deer I like it wet it is easier to get close it is awful noisey to sneak in hot and dry. For me I prefer cool dry weather for elk hunting. It might be better for a tree stand to set in warm weather but for some one who likes to walk it is awful. I also think elk are lot more active in cool weather. It is easier to find game along water sources when its dry but it not that much fun for me.. Becasue hunters also tend to be more concentrated.

I prefer moderate, the 40's and 50's are perfect.

[Rustyoar]

One word:

SNOW

[Thehunter]

ehunter; i would say use bear feet....Move very slow. They never even here ya.............

[ehunter]

I have worn out 2 pairs of bear feet now I am on to the carltons which do you prefer? The carltons are cooler in warm weather the bears feet are better in cold weather unless it freezing then every thing freezes to bottom:blush:

Originally Posted by Thehunter

ehunter; i would say use bear feet....Move very slow. They never even here ya.............

[Thehunter]

Do you were them all the time? I've had one pair for about 5 years. Sure some glue no and then but nothing to bad. I even were mine as slippers.

[ehunter]

We put a lot of miles on ours , mostly when ever we are on gravel roads. We hunt behind gates and use the roads and our bikes to get around but walking down a gravel road in boots sounds like some one walking around pounding on drums...saying here I am.. I wear them almost the whole season when deer hunting in Fort Rock with the family.

Originally Posted by Thehunter

Do you were them all the time? I've had one pair for about 5 years. Sure some glue no and then but nothing to bad. I even were mine as slippers.

[bajadan2000]

Originally Posted by BrianMaguire

I prefer moderate, the 40's and 50's are perfect.

This temp range seams to make both the deer and elk very active.

[ehunter]

Can I add no wind to the equation nice cool calm days when you can hear a bull for miles.

Originally Posted by bajadan2000

This temp range seams to make both the deer and elk very active.

[lor]

Cool because I don't have to worry about the meat spoiling and I don't have to fight bugs(bees, hornets, and flies) while cleaning the animal.

[nitrobass]

This one isnt even close...Let me at them when its hot...I'll be sweaty, grimy, covered in pine needles and filth, and wont be happier. Days are long and so is my drive...Let me at them!

[micah]

Kind of a toss up for me. If its hot I like to sit near water and wait for them to come in. If it's cool they're more active. My favorite is right after a good rain.

[toas243]

Ok I like it cold really cold cause when its hot the scent gets out there more

[RoscoeP]

The colder the better for me. The animals are active all day. I had my best action 2 years ago in a September snow storm. For some reason that first frost of the season seems to really get the bulls heated up. If you like to sit on a water hole, hot weather is great, but I prefer to be on the move.

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Hot or Cold, I don't care. I hunt it all.

Early season bow is always hot, and I generally concentrate on Mule Deer. Muleys seem easy to pattern in the summer, because they use the same trails, the same feed area, and same water source if they are not pushed that is.

It is always cold come November on opening day of the late season for Blacktails, so there is no choice there. I like the cold in late season, because it keeps the animals on the move trying to maintain that winter fat reserve by eating all day. The only bummer here is that I do sit a stand and it gets cold, very cold. An hour before daylight til dark makes for a long cold day if you don't bag one.

[Abalone]

For Blacktail Wet, Rainy, Windy and the nastier the better.

Elk, The bulls seem to be most active when a fresh low is coming in off the coast. When the wind shifts from a Southwest pattern to a Northeast pattern the bulls seem to come alive......

I don't like hunting in the heat.

[leadeyedbugger]

Cold......at least under 50, and i've always enjoyed hunting when its alot colder then that for some reason. I don't wanna have to worry about meat getting hot, bee's, hornets, and dehydration.

[Cornbread]

Cold cause I'm getting old and fat and I hate sweating it up in the heat

[Thehunter]

I will say that i'm very suprised by this. I know in my 7 years of bow hunting 50, 60 and most times 70 degree weather doesn't happen. I guess I mistaken my post.............

It's hot and cold in a day. Cold, hot and then cold. I don't hunt a noon. I'm normal hanging out at camp. I hunt mornings and evenings most of the time.

So let me ask this do you perfer hot noon temps or cool all day long?

[ehunter]

Cool all day it makes it a lot more pleasant to stay in the woods less flies and the animals are moving more on a cool day it increases your odds.

Not to mention that I feel way more comfortable on a cool day I much prefer adding clothes than not having to wear any...wait that came out wrong it is easier for me to adjust to my personal comfort on a cool day than a hot day:grin:

Originally Posted by Thehunter

I will say that i'm very suprised by this. I know in my 7 years of bow hunting 50, 60 and most times 70 degree weather doesn't happen. I guess I mistaken my post.............

It's hot and cold in a day. Cold, hot and then cold. I don't hunt a noon. I'm normal hanging out at camp. I hunt mornings and evenings most of the time.

So let me ask this do you perfer hot noon temps or cool all day long?

[whtelk]

Blacktails...cold , rainy and windy.
ELK = cold clear mornings. Hard rain kegs them up.

[Thehunter]

Ehunter, do you bow hunt?

[ehunter]

Yes!!

Originally Posted by Thehunter

Ehunter, do you bow hunt?

[Abalone]

What ?

Morning hunt, Afternoon hunt ??? Rain or shine !



There is only one hunt per day, One hour before till one hour after dark..

[bajadan2000]

[quote=Thehunter;1590521]

I don't hunt a noon. I'm normal hanging out at camp. I hunt mornings and evenings most of the time.

/quote]

On hot days, there is not much elk or deer movement until around noon. They feed at night then bed down early. Then get up around noon and move to points and benches that get a nice afternoon breeze to keep the bugs off and cool them down. Sounds like you may be missing some of the best hunting times on a hot day.


Years ago, the OR. archery season was Sept. and the WA. archery season was Oct. We could archery hunt for a long time. During that time we would go through many temp cycles. Each temp cycle gets hunted differently. The WA. Oct. archery elk hunt had the best elk movement all day long because off the cooler temp. Too bad the two states now have the archery seasons almost at the same time in Sept.. I loved the Oct. archery elk hunts.
.

[Thehunter]

I"m pretty Dang sure I can out hunt you any time or place. Per haps we need a little friendly wager..............Anything, I have nothing but faith in my hunting skills and knowlege. I'm pretty sure my wall mounts feel the same.

[bajadan2000]

Originally Posted by Thehunter

I"m pretty Dang sure I can out hunt you any time or place. .

I am 100% sure you are right. I am a lousy archery ground hunter. I need to live in a tree for a couple of weeks to get my elk and deer. That is why I need movement. Never could sneak up on one that was bedded down. But I have a pretty good idea of when and how they move under different conditions. Oh, I have a few critters on the wall myself taken by bow.

[Hookset]

Originally Posted by Thehunter

I"m just interested in seeing what people perfer. I know for me the hotter the better. I find that you can targert the deer and elk much easier if the weather is hot. I personal like to see it about 80% by 9:30am or so. Sure it sucks, but for it's a huge advantage. Every corner has deer or elk on it.

The Hunter

Are you huntng from a tree stand over water? Maybe a ground blind leading to water? These are the only methods I know of that can help a hunter in hot weather.

Every corner has deer or elk on it.

What's your definition of "corner"? Is this the same as pockets of cover, transition areas, breaks in terrain, bench on a ridgeline.

From my persepctive; hunting hot weather means hunting bedded animals, unless your hunting a water source from a blind/tree stand. When the weather gets 80 and above, elk will bed down early, often by 8am. I've had the opportunity to sit with elk for an entire day on a few occasions where they bedded down at 8am and never moved until 4:30pm. Of course elk in different locations may prove different, but the areas I frequent in eastern Oregon this seems to hold true.

So I prefer cooler weather and love cloudy and wet conditions, the animals seem to move around a lot more.

For those people who prefer to hunt hot weather, maybe you can share the "why and how" behind hunting warm weather periods. I'm always anxious to learn something new, suppose that's why I continue to buy all those hunting magazines every month. :smile:

You can always send me a PM if it's to secreative.

have a nice day,

Gregg

[Abalone]

For those people who prefer to hunt hot weather, maybe you can share the "why and how" behind hunting warm weather periods. I'm always anxious to learn something new, suppose that's why I continue to buy all those hunting magazines every month. :smile:

You can always send me a PM if it's to secreative


No secrets.....

I am by no means an expert on the subject. I prefere cooler weather because in my experience I have more sightings. But you can't really expect to have a great deal of success at hunting if you don't pay your dues. I hunt hot weather, cold weather or any conditions that are set for the day. There are only a few days of hunting available to us so we have to make the best of it.

Last year was a tough year. From talking to local Sherrif and property managers few Elk were taken. Why ? The heat probably.

But the animals were still there so where did they go ? It took the whole season hunting every day to figure that out. But figure it out I did because I was persistant. The Elk were where they always are only not in the open. The name of the game this year will be " get there before they do " if conditions are the same.....

No matter what your preference for weather you need to be persistant. You cannot control the weather so I say Hunt in any condition and learn to adapt.

If it were easy everyone would do it....

The danged elk have big fur coats on them and when the weather is hot they like to be in the shade..... Why didn't I think of that.

I think one of the things that might trip someone up is expecting the Elk to always do what they did before, it's like they have a mind of their own or something.

This is the year ! I am going to bag one I can feel it.

[SalmonSeason]

Originally Posted by BrianMaguire

I prefer moderate, the 40's and 50's are perfect.

[retaliate]

Cooler & wetter is good. This year I decided to Hunt the last week...cause It's too hot, & dry in early season for my likeings most years, last year was espically Bad, I will Hunt closer to home for the early weekends tho. I think ODFW should bump the whole season up 2 weeks just for this reason. I do know a few good water holes that would make for a good Treestand spot in hot weather, but it seems many others know of these places also. Bow hunting has gotten too crowded over the years, many ex-Riffle hunters are now Bow Hunters, & the first week has always been a Family week, I used to take my family every year first week, my Kids are grown up now...so It's just me & the Wife, altho we still meet up with Friends if the timing is right. Good Luck! to All this upcomming Bow Season.