How Rain Affects Whitetail Movement & Quail Tech Moving the Needle in Quail Research and Conservation

What this episode covers

Henry and I packed the truck up after Thanksgiving and headed to our 700 acre deer lease. The forecast called for rain most of the weekend so expectations were a bit tempered. However, we ended up seeing more deer movement during the rain than we had at any point in the season so far. So much so that the 7 year old said “dad, we should always be sure to hunt in the rain”. What we saw and the success we had (he took his first doe and I shot a nice buck) got me thinking about how precipitation actually impacts whitetail behavior. After doing some research I invited Deer and Deer Hunting’s VP Dan Schmidt on to discuss the topic. Whether you bow are rifle hunt, the rain allows you to get away with alot more if you can just deal with the discomfort. We discuss how the rain affects a deer’s senses, how they move across the landscape during a shower and what to do once you’ve taken a shot during a storm. Henry looking like a drowned rat with his doe: Next I’m joined by Texas Tech University Professor and Quail Tech Alliance’s Dr. Brad Dabbert. We discuss Quail Tech’s research model and current projects that are facilitated by grant monies from Park Cities Quail . In addition to current quail research we also get into season dates/bag limits and the idea that one should harvest most of their quail earlier in the season vs later. Bobwhite chick outfitted with radio transmitter, just one of the many ways Quail Tech studies these beautiful birds.

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