Hunting in the rain

[2nocks]

how about an elevated rest and vanes?  I have very limited time to hunt so when its booked and cleared with the wife I'm going.  That said, when it rains  I have an old tree fort with a shingled roof to hunt out of.

[Tajue17]

I use a 1 gallon zip loc over the fletching and then zip it shut just enough so it doesn't press against feathers and it doesn't come off..

also string trackers are worth thier weight in gold on rainy days.

[TraditionalGuy]

Originally posted by AkDan:
The fleece socks on the raptor and chief style side quivers will mash those feathers flat!

That's not true at all. I suppose a slight amount of mashing could occur, but nothing that will ever affect arrow flight. I've used it many times in very hard rain and never had a single feather mashed flat nor had a problem with wet feathers. It can make some noise when it leaves the sock, but if it's raining then that noise is far less than the surrounding noise of drops through foliage.

[Birdbow]

Another option is to fletch with goose feathers or second best with natural turkey feathers. Natural feather oils keep them good longer. But even birds need to preen after torrential downpours. Good hunting, Todd

[JohnV]

Light rain is okay but you really need to think about ethical considerations of hunting in heavy rain.  Water logged fletching and water saturated arrow pads are not condusive to accurate shooting.  Blood trails don't last long in a steady rain.  Do yourself and the animals a favor by sleeping in and working on equipment when you have a steady rain or heavier.

[yeager]

A cat-quiver works for me.

[m midd]

A catquiver works for me aswell. I like to hunt a light rain or right after it quits raining.

[Pointer]

I've had some luck with Fletch Dry and camp dry which is just silicone. It works ok in moderate rain. I don't like heavy rain due to the poor blood trail conditions. But a steady drizzle is great for sneaking thru the woods

[AkDan]

TG,  the chief has been my go to quiver for a number of years.  Though I've put it aside more recently for a bowquiver slung side quiver fashion for sheep, the chief gets the nod more often than not.  

I stopped using the hood after it happened a few times.  Mind you my hunts are normally (not always) prolonged hunts I dont return home at night.  Be it fly out, hike out, float etc.   Once the MC gets high enough that hood has squashed my fletching flat!!
The hood does make a decent spot to stash some small gear when in camp.  I've told myself a few times I need to take the thing off.  I think this mashing affect may be due to the difference in how we hunt or possibly how much moisture is coming down or in the air itself. I know as a guy who stalks more often than not, they were mashed before I added the plug.


I learned the plug trick after spending a day in camp with Dean Torges and Jay Campbell and complaining about mashed feathers.   Listening to the two go round and round made the trip. learning the plug idea has saved my fletching from ever being smashed again.  Well that is slightly a farce....on a moose float this year, we tipped the raft.  Thankfully we didnt loose much in gear but I did somehow break an arrow right at the quiver?!?!?! anyways, those arrows aftef a few days of snow and than a swim, were mashed flat even without the hood.   They were goose-turkey spliced and bounced back nicely once things dried.  

I disagree on the rain comments.  There IS hunts where SHOOTING is still viable.  In my case anyways bou/sheep are wide open critters and I venture to assume some of you have the luxury of hunting vast wide open areas.  even moose in the rain is still a hunt, where blood trails are usually measured in gallons not flecks lol.  I do agree that in many areas hunting in down pours is not a wise decision.  blood trails do exist in wet conditions though it does make things a bit harder, I think the shoot/dont shoot is a personal decision and theirs a host of factors to consider before I did or didnt dump the string.  That said  I would hardly sleep in!   A day in the woods whether I loose an arrow or not is good medicine, rain, shine, or hurricane!  I can honestly say these past few years for whatever reason I dont get out as much as I'd like too, so making the best of a rainy day is a heckuva lot better than sitting here at work reading TG not getting paid...thanks Obama!