Truth be told, if I’d been back in Pennsylvania I wouldn’t have gone hunting that afternoon.

The wind was strong, with upper-level oak tree branches bending like palm trees in a tropical storm. As a result, the steady rain seemed to lash us sideways as we walked to our stands.

North Carolina hunter Joe Brooks and I were hunting in Quincy, Illinois, located in one of the state’s top counties for big bucks. Despite the lousy weather, both of us had opted to spend the afternoon in tree stands, although the lodge guides told us we were crazy. I saw a lot of bucks that afternoon — and missed a big one.

When we met after dark, Joe also reported seeing lots of bucks, however, his shot had connected. What was going on? Both of us agreed that according to hunters’ beliefs, deer didn’t move when it was windy and rainy. But they did move. Recently, Pennsylvania researchers have reached the same conclusion.

In fact, Joe and I weren’t the only ones who believed wind and rain decreased deer movement. Researchers had conducted a survey: 90 percent of respondents thought wind would reduce deer movements and about 50 percent believe rain reduced deer movement.

According to data collected by researchers (the Pennsylvania Game Commission, U.S. Fisheries and Wildlife, Penn State University, in a joint effort), male and female deer were moving more during windy days and less during windy nights. Even slight air movement made a difference in deer activity. With regards to precipitation, females were not affected but males traveled significantly less on rainy days.

Wind speed levels were separated into three categories: Calm (less than 1 mph), Gentle (between 1 and 15 mph) and strong (between 16 and 27 mph) Rain was categorized as simply rain, or, no rain. Using data from tracking collars on deer, researchers calculated deer movement during three time periods: day, night and crepuscular (dusk and dawn). They merged that information with weather data from Weather Underground, and separated male and female deer movements during those three periods during the three wind levels and rain.

Here’s what they learned: Wind and rain had a greater effect on males than females. Bucks increased their movements when a gentle wind was blowing, but only if it was not raining. A strong wind caused buck activity to increase significantly, whether or not it was raining. Bucks moved less on windy nights.

Deer respond differently when there is wind and rain together. Rain alone causes a decrease in buck movement, but rain or not, strong winds increase buck movement. Females showed little change in their movements in response to wind speed and/or rain. Researchers learned that it only took a light air movement for bucks to increase their activity. Bucks seems to like stronger winds and move more no matter how strong the breeze or rain. Females didn’t seem to care either way.

In other words ... tuck this information away for hunting season, and don’t stay home because it is windy.