A Storm Approaches

Perhaps there has never been a greater equalizer than Mother Earth herself. She has the ability to provide you with some of the most glorious hunting days you could possibly ask and then, in a flash, take them away. Looking forward we are painfully aware that no matter how effective our modern day clothing and gear is the continuous pounding of bad weather can make even the most dedicated of hunters question themselves, their dedication. Tonight, walking around my small town I was reminded of one of her most refreshing and demoralizing tricks…the rain storm.

With a turn of my doorknob I am instantly tossed into here dark world. As I gaze up to the heavens I can only see the gray clouds rolling in over the mountains and there is little doubt as to what is coming. Her soft rumblings can be heard in the distance and you quietly pray to yourself that the lightning stays far off, beyond the horizon.

The raindrops are heavy, falling by the millions. What once started as a spring shower is now a spring storm. The tire marks down my grass driveway are hidden beneath deep puddles and the dirt that was blowing with the slightest wind yesterday is now a caked, greasy mud.

Farley is quickly off to explore his new world and it only takes a few minutes before he is well soaked through. My oiled slicked jacket does its best to fight of the onslaught of water as I walk down the street. Without gloves I can feel my hands already loosing heat. I glance up to see the raindrops are now collecting on my hat and drip, drip, drip, they fall off the sides.

The gutters around the local mercantile are rushing with water to the point of overflowing, dumping into the streets. Puddles form and collect water at every turn and you quickly realize the boots you’ve worn may not stand up to the test. Looking around, clouds weave in and out around the town giving only passing glances of the mountains to the west before closing in again. The streets are empty and everyone has returned to their homes to weather the storm. Nobody likes to be wet.

For hunters, it is no different. There are endless elements to overcome but the two that are possibly the hardest to deal with are wind and rain, the former being worthy of post unto itself. Hunters can overcome incredible odds, brave through endless days and nights in the wilderness and be in peak physical condition, but rain has a way of putting all that to an abrupt halt.

As the moisture penetrates your every layer and your boots and gloves begin to give way you can feel the moment coming; the moment when you stop avoiding the rain by ducking under trees as you move through the woods and just accept your fate. Your gun is also fully soaked and your grumble a little knowing you will have to take it completely apart when you get home.

And then there is the matter of wildlife and, just like us, they choose to remain as dry as possible, as often as possible. While I am quite sure there isn’t a deer or elk in the woods that can read they no doubt have an intimate knowledge of just how quickly rain can make life incredibly difficult. In this weather they make their way to the thickest timber and brush groves to wait out the dark skies.

Perhaps there are days when a light rain coming down is nothing to stop anyone with an ounce of dedication but heavy rains, will drive almost anyone home or back to camp. As such, we wait for the good days; the days when the sun returns or the clouds at least hold their moisture. However, any hunter worth their salt has more than likely been out on one of these rainy days and to those of you that have gotten completely soaked, head to toe, we tip out hat. It’s making it through those days that makes the good days, all the better.