Is wind really that important?

[fairchaser]

There's no question, a deer's number one defense is their nose. Everybody that's deer hunted knows that. But, the real question is how effectively a hunter can use the wind to their advantage to avoid that nose.

Most of us choose our stand locations based on that day's prevailing wind. I do! In open country with few obstacles, maybe this works. But, we don't hunt open country. We hunt hardwood hills and hollers. We hunt the edges of fields and over swamps. We hunt food plots and thickets. Additionally, the wind changes directions and stops and settles and gusts. Terrain and vegetation changes the winds direction. The sun coming up and going down affects the wind currents too. So let me ask you. Can you really guess the wind during a 4 hour sit?

The next time you're debating which stand to sit, ask yourself if you could go to any spot regardless of the wind, where would it be and should you not go based on the wind or go and hope that buck comes from a direction that fools his nose?

I know we should try to put all the odds in out favor but can we really or just get in his area and hope for the best?

 

[catman529]

Depends entirely on the location, the forecast wind, the actual prevailing wind, thermals, tree canopy, etc etc. If you know how the wind works in a spot and you have a really good idea where the deer could come from, yes you absolutely can hunt the wind. There are some spots I won't hesitate to hunt a sketchy wind, but there are other spots I only hunt when the wind is right. There's no cut and dry answer. Part of woodsmanship is learning how the deer use the woods and how the woods affect the wind. And making an educated guess based on what you've learned.

 

[megalomaniac]

The next time you hunt, ask yourself the question 'are you doing more harm than good?' when you hunt a stand with the wrong wind direction.

That being said, there can be exceptions to the rule... it seems deer have a hard time detecting you downwind if the winds are more than 15 mph. And I'd rather hunt with a consistent wind in one direction, than swirling winds going every direction.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

All you can do in the mountains 90% of the time is hope for the general behavior of thermals. A steady Wind direction is not a thing here where I live.

 

[Hduke86]

All you can do in the mountains 90% of the time is hope for the general behavior of thermals. A steady Wind direction is not a thing here where I live.

That's the truth, I will try to get far enough away from where I think the deer will be traveling but still within my range of shooting. If I can get on one ridge top looking 100-150 yards away towards the ridge or saddle they are using then that's my ideal set up.

 

[fairchaser]

Depends entirely on the location, the forecast wind, the actual prevailing wind, thermals, tree canopy, etc etc. If you know how the wind works in a spot and you have a really good idea where the deer could come from, yes you absolutely can hunt the wind. There are some spots I won't hesitate to hunt a sketchy wind, but there are other spots I only hunt when the wind is right. There's no cut and dry answer. Part of woodsmanship is learning how the deer use the woods and how the woods affect the wind. And making an educated guess based on what you've learned.

I agree Catman, it depends on the location and the wind speed. A very light wind can go anywhere. Plus, you must know where the deer will travel to and from. This is called woodsmanship! The more you know, the better your odds.

 

[fairchaser]

That's the truth, I will try to get far enough away from where I think the deer will be traveling but still within my range of shooting. If I can get on one ridge top looking 100-150 yards away towards the ridge or saddle they are using then that's my ideal set up.

I will also try to get as far and as high as I can get and still shoot. I will take full advantage of my shooting ability and my rifle's ballistic capabilities.

 

[Hduke86]

I will also try to get as far and as high as I can get and still shoot. I will take full advantage of my shooting ability and my rifle's ballistic capabilities.

After my season this year I think I need to brush up on my shooting. I might as well been trying to hit something at a 1,000 yards lol

 

[fairchaser]

After my season this year I think I need to brush up on my shooting. I might as well been trying to hit something at a 1,000 yards lol

Shooting is a skill that declines without practice. I shoot over 1000 rounds every year and it makes a difference. Get out there a shoot! It's fun.

 

[Hduke86]

Shooting is a skill that declines without practice. I shoot over 1000 rounds every year and it makes a difference. Get out there a shoot! It's fun.

I hear ya, between my two boys they shoot a crazy amount. My last trip to Dead Zero resulted in 600 rounds between rifle and pistol shot. I took about 10 shots and after that I was watching them and making sure they were having good form. At 10 and 13 they can flat out plink steel on the pistol bays.

 

[smalljawbasser]

One of the best things I've learned from THP is milkweed. It will show you amazing things about wind where you hunt.

Thermals are really tricky where I hunt. Up isn't always up and down isn't always down.

 

[Lost Lake]

There are spots that I've absolutely ruined by hunting them with the wrong wind, and I learned that lesson hard, especially if I want good results on future hunts.

Then, there are spots that I can get by with hunting extremely high, but I still run the risk of blowing them out if they smell me on my approach.

Yes, I think wind is very important. I can fool their eyes and ears most of the time, but I ain't slick enough to fool their nose.

 

[fairchaser]

There are spots that I've absolutely ruined by hunting them with the wrong wind, and I learned that lesson hard, especially if I want good results on future hunts.

Then, there are spots that I can get by with hunting extremely high, but I still run the risk of blowing them out if they smell me on my approach.

Yes, I think wind is very important. I can fool their eyes and ears most of the time, but I ain't slick enough to fool their nose.

Your right Lost Lake. I should have said " is prevailing wind that important"?

There are spots I can hunt with the wrong wind because the tree I hunt is on a high bluff and I can skyscrape in that tree which puts me 60 feet over the deer. I've killed a couple nice bucks in that tree down wind.

 

[Lost Lake]

Your right Lost Lake. I should have said " is prevailing wind that important"?

There are spots I can hunt with the wrong wind because the tree I hunt is on a high bluff and I can skyscrape in that tree which puts me 60 feet over the deer. I've killed a couple nice bucks in that tree down wind.

Yes, prevailing winds. Even though they seldom blow from the same direction all day, I have to depend on them as my best guess.

The only way I've been able to defeat squirrelly winds is by hunting in the clouds, or backing way off if the terrain allows it, which in my case isn't very often. It's super thick in most places that I've targeted particular bucks in the last decade or so, and I'd wager I've lost before I even got started good in a lot of instances by being forced to use terrible approach routes, and I knew better.

I've learned to leave those spots alone, even if it means missing out on hunting that area the entire season, even if I was fairly sure that the buck I was after was using it in daylight.

 

[huvrman]

Shot a good 9 last year using the wind. Had seen it right at dark 2 days earlier moving north to south in a funnel following a doe. Went back 2 days later, set up under a tree approx 20 yards west of his expected north/south travel route with the wind steady from north to south. He came by at a much closer 5 yards, following his same north to south route, while focusing on a doe that walked by 20 seconds earlier. Neither the doe or the buck saw me (or smelled me) although I was sitting on the ground just 5 yards to their right. Although, the farther south the doe got, the greater the risk of being winded. The rest is history.

 

[TNDeerJP]

As we all know wind is one of many factors that make or break a hunt. I will avoid going to certain stands, especially ground blinds, if the wind is going to be wrong when I get there or my approach will cause wind to give me away. But if I have to use a stand anyway or not hunt that day due to having little time to get to other stands that day for some reason, I may still go there but will just keep in mind that I have to expect any deer coming from a certain direction to get tipped off to my presence possibly requiring an earlier or longer shot depending on his direction of approach. You won't kill anything if you aren't out there.

Where I really pay attention to wind direction is by checking the online weather sites before I go out if I'm thinking of using deer scents. I've had good luck using deer scents (often but not always) especially if used along with a deer decoy with scent but only if the wind is right. I remember once having a hard time getting a nice buck to come out of a bedding area of pines (using rattling antlers and a grunt tube) to come within arrowing range of my elevated stand because the stand was in a more open oak flat next to the pine thickets. So when the wind was right and the online weather site said the wind was going to blow air toward the pine thicket bedding area, I set up a doe decoy about 20 yards in front of my stand after using a cloth rag scent drag dipped in estrus urine creating a path from outside of the pine thicket to the doe decoy that had a little scent sprayed on its tail.

A little after day break that buck stood for a minute at the edge of the pine thicket and then almost literally charged the doe decoy and circled it in front of me right before I sent an arrow through the boiler room. But the wind must be right or they might just never come out of the bedding area.

 

[102]

GREAT topic!!!
Thanks Fairchaser for bringing it up.
IMO...the better question is, "how accurate are the wind forecasters in a given area" ? (and I hunt MULTIPLE areas 100's of miles apart)

Because most, by far, are HORRIBLE at forecasting the correct wind about 30% of the time!

When I hunt near big thickets, I generally try to hunt the downwind side in the evening. And crosswind in morning. Closer to the nearest food.

It never ceases to AMAZE me how many deer come from downwind!

 

[TnKen]

I think a lot has to do with the deer you are hunting. There are some areas that I hunt where they are more tolerant of human odor because they experience it more often. I have a new area that hasn't had much human interaction and I have a lot more blowing than any other area I hunt.

 

[BSK]

I think a lot has to do with the deer you are hunting. There are some areas that I hunt where they are more tolerant of human odor because they experience it more often. I have a new area that hasn't had much human interaction and I have a lot more blowing than any other area I hunt.

Darn good point.

 

[tellico4x4]

We probably take wind consideration to the extreme when choosing stands to hunt. Have a spreadsheet posted in camp house next to the check-in board, that has all the stands broken out by wind direction. Also have a weather station mounted on top of the skinning rack next to camp house. That way we know what the wind is at our location & not at some airport 50 miles away. Everyone chooses where they are going to hunt from the spreadsheet. We have alot of stands and there are 30-40 choices for any given wind direction. Whenever we add or relocate a stand the wind direction is the #1 consideration as to where it is placed. Over the years we also moved all our stands out of the hollows and placed them higher up on the sides to combat the swirling wind currents. OnX is the mapping app we use and all stands on it have the stand name & wind direction listed ex. S9, S-SW-SE.

 

[BSK]

Hunting in ridge-and-hollow hardwoods, you better have a keen understanding of how terrain effects wind-flow. In addition, you better know how thermals work in hilly terrain. The very best days for playing the wind are those days with a steady 10-15 MPH wind. In those conditions, scent is going to be concentrated in a 90-180 degree arc downwind. The very worst days are the "light and variable" wind days. On those days, in a 4 hour sit, your scent is going to go in every direction several times during the hunt.

 

[BSK]

We probably take wind consideration to the extreme when choosing stands to hunt. Have a spreadsheet posted in camp house next to the check-in board, that has all the stands broken out by wind direction. Also have a weather station mounted on top of the skinning rack next to camp house. That way we know what the wind is at our location & not at some airport 50 miles away. Everyone chooses where they are going to hunt from the spreadsheet. We have alot of stands and there are 30-40 choices for any given wind direction. Whenever we add or relocate a stand the wind direction is the #1 consideration as to where it is placed. Over the years we also moved all our stands out of the hollows and placed them higher up on the sides to combat the swirling wind currents. OnX is the mapping app we use and all stands on it have the stand name & wind direction listed ex. S9, S-SW-SE.

We do the same. have an internet-based weather station at camp so everyone can see the current wind and wind history leading up to a hunt. We have a paper I have right next to the stand map listing each primary and secondary wind direction and then a list below of each stand that can be hunted with that wind direction.

 

[Snake]

Wind direction is IMO one of the most important aspects of hunting but also how you approach your hunting stand is as equally important. Now to be honest at times you can get away with the not so perfect wind . Stands that deer approaching come from many different locations wind direction is not that important but these stands I usually hunted with virtually no or not much wind and in the mornings hoping the thermals would help . High stands with benches underneath them is another stand location that you can get away with the not so perfect wind . Experience is the key also in choosing stand sites based on wind direction . Those that go through the great pains of scent protection can probably get away with the not so perfect wind for hunting a particular site . But if a hunter don't pay attention to wind direction in choosing a stand site then IMO he's already got the odds not in their favor . # 1 defense of a whitetail is his nose most hunters will agree to that .

 

[Tom Collins]

Very mindful of the wind and scent control. I will say though, if i have a spot I know the bucks are using DURING the rut.. I'll often roll the dice (with a questionable wind) and it's paid off numerous times. Of course it's hard to quantify the risk reward payout in this situation over time but I'll only do this during peak rut.

 

[fairchaser]

We probably take wind consideration to the extreme when choosing stands to hunt. Have a spreadsheet posted in camp house next to the check-in board, that has all the stands broken out by wind direction. Also have a weather station mounted on top of the skinning rack next to camp house. That way we know what the wind is at our location & not at some airport 50 miles away. Everyone chooses where they are going to hunt from the spreadsheet. We have alot of stands and there are 30-40 choices for any given wind direction. Whenever we add or relocate a stand the wind direction is the #1 consideration as to where it is placed. Over the years we also moved all our stands out of the hollows and placed them higher up on the sides to combat the swirling wind currents. OnX is the mapping app we use and all stands on it have the stand name & wind direction listed ex. S9, S-SW-SE.

I'm curious if these changes have resulted in better sightings of deer or even mature bucks. If deer know that they can sense danger by approaching from a certain direction to a certain area, you might be training them to avoid stands.

 

[fairchaser]

Hunting in ridge-and-hollow hardwoods, you better have a keen understanding of how terrain effects wind-flow. In addition, you better know how thermals work in hilly terrain. The very best days for playing the wind are those days with a steady 10-15 MPH wind. In those conditions, scent is going to be concentrated in a 90-180 degree arc downwind. The very worst days are the "light and variable" wind days. On those days, in a 4 hour sit, your scent is going to go in every direction several times during the hunt.

This is so, so true. As a competitive shooter, I've come to learn so much more about wind currents and how terrain and many other variables affect the wind especially when it's light.

 

[fairchaser]

Hunters should know that when the weather report says the wind will be SW. That means sometimes it will be from the South and sometimes from the West and all points in between. Occasionally, it will completely reverse and that's without the terrain or vegetation moving it. Bottom line is that wind is fickle.

 

[BSK]

Bottom line is that wind is fickle.

You said a mouthful there! The best we can do is play the wind the best we can.

 

[archer19]

As long as the winds not rocking the stand
i just go hunt

 

[BigAl]

For some reason the winds seemed more fickle this year. Or was I just paying attention more?
I have two spots I like to hunt where the deer can be seen or move in any direction and any spot regardless of the wind.
What do you do in those spots regarding the wind?