Where Do Deer Go When It Rains?

Deer are incredible for a number of reasons, a prominent one being their seemingly endless versatility. These creatures seem to thrive in any environment, from densely packed forests to open landscapes and meadows. But, how do they react when the weather begins to turn sour? Since humans are often the ones to close the shutters and stay inside, it’s interesting to learn how our forest friends react to such conditions. In this article, we’ll be evaluating the behavior of deer in rain.

Studying the behavior of deer can be useful to many. That’s because it gives in-depth insight into their survival strategies and techniques. Understanding these can be useful to anyone from deer hunters to wildlife photographers. Although, you definitely don’t need to be a professional to be interested in the patterns of these gorgeous animals. This way, the next time it starts to shower outside you’ll know exactly where these antlered animals are taking shelter.

How Rain Influences Deer Behavior

As humans, we usually aren’t going to intentionally venture outside of our homes during inclement weather. We avoid it when we can, especially if the rainfall is particularly strong. Deer, on the other hand, have a much different set of behaviors during rainy weather! Deer in rain are actually more likely to go out and forage than during times of clear skies.

That said, they aren’t going to go venturing out if there’s a storm or particularly strong winds. If all we’re dealing with is heavy showers, though, then they utilize this opportunity to safely get around without fear of predators. Deer are prey animals for a number of predators, humans being one such type.

When it’s raining outside, the sound of the droplets provides a solid cover for the sound of their movements. This way, they can move around as they please without worrying about any noise they might be making. Not only does it cover up their sounds, but it can also help to hide their scent! The smell of the rain masks their natural musk, making them much more difficult to track.

Where Deer in Rain Go to Take Shelter

Once those showers start getting too strong, deer in the rain might call it quits on their foraging and search for a place to hide. When scouting out potential spots, comfortability is at the forefront of the deer’s mind. It’s unlikely that a deer will pick a hiding spot to stay in that they wouldn’t be alright with sleeping in. These are often referred to as bedding areas, and they’re a top choice for deer to stay in while the weather passes. But, what qualifies as a cozy spot for these mammals?

Heading For The Woods

Instinctively, deer are going to head for dense woods to seek cover. The shielding of the underbrush is an excellent way to help them stay dry. Some top tree choices for these deer would be cedar trees, which are undoubtedly quite thick, and conifers, which have closely packed needles that can act as natural umbrellas.

Shelter Under Crops

Another possible place that deer would venture toward when needing shelter is a field of crops. Any place with thick vegetation and even terrain is a good spot for them, so crop fields fit the bill pretty perfectly. Especially if there’s a place that has something like soybean or corn stalks, which both grow to be quite dense and tall.

Hiding With Humanity

Deer are adaptable, and with humanity expanding more and more into their natural habitats, they often have to make do with what they have available. This means that, sometimes, you might notice a deer taking shelter in a nearby manmade structure. Places like barns, sheds, or sometimes even the underside of decks can provide them some temporary relief from the storms. While some homeowners might not enjoy their new guests, others quite like providing a safe space for these animals.

Do Deer Know When It’s Going to Rain?

While deer don’t technically “know” when it’s going to rain in the same sense that humans do (like via the television forecast), they do possess some interesting biological processes that allow them to detect changes in the weather quite well.

One indicator that there’s impending rainfall is a change in barometric pressure. Many animals, including deer, are sensitive to these shifts. They also have particularly acute senses of smell and hearing, so if there’s a storm on the way, it’s likely that their senses will give them at least a bit of notice. And besides, animals have been evolving for millennia to help them adapt. It wouldn’t be surprising if, over time, deer have simply picked up responses to incoming rain.