Wind question

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


User avatar
PApublic1187
500 Club
Posts: 582
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:02 am
Location: Northeast PA
Status: Offline

Wind question

Unread postby PApublic1187 » Tue Sep 14, 2021 1:50 pm

Hello Beasts,


So something has been sticking me up lately in planning for this season. Hunting different places all the time, should I look at the wind, and after looking at the wind select a piece of public that was scouted? Or should I pick a piece of public based on best chance in time frame of the year and play the wind in that spot however you have to do it. I guess what I’m saying is should I go with my knowledge on when I think that area will be best and just check the wind before entering and enter and setup accordingly, even if it isn’t the desired setup and I end up dating a fat chick. Let me know what you think guys I think this may help some other guys out as well.


Many Thanks


Nothing beats some tree therapy. Deer sightings or not
Deerkins
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Oct 08, 2020 2:41 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby Deerkins » Tue Sep 14, 2021 2:12 pm

Hunt where the deer are, then play the wind based off that.
User avatar
buttonbuck
500 Club
Posts: 760
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2019 12:41 pm
Location: SC
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby buttonbuck » Tue Sep 14, 2021 2:16 pm

Wind direction, expected area of movement, wind not going that direction, clean entrance and exit (as best). Sounds like you need to find some hot food sources near bedding, throw a fair amount of hunts out there and kill some does and young bucks. Get an idea of how to operate. Have fun with it and it’ll start to click.
User avatar
PApublic1187
500 Club
Posts: 582
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:02 am
Location: Northeast PA
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby PApublic1187 » Tue Sep 14, 2021 2:59 pm

buttonbuck wrote:Wind direction, expected area of movement, wind not going that direction, clean entrance and exit (as best). Sounds like you need to find some hot food sources near bedding, throw a fair amount of hunts out there and kill some does and young bucks. Get an idea of how to operate. Have fun with it and it’ll start to click.



I see, multiple variables impact a decision which makes sense. Now with a few different considerations I can start with that. Pretty low standards this year as it being my first year mobile beast style hunting. Heading to Ohio for opening weekend, but home state of PA so keeping my standards low and just having fun with it.
Nothing beats some tree therapy. Deer sightings or not
User avatar
brancher147
500 Club
Posts: 1414
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:46 am
Location: West Virginia
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby brancher147 » Tue Sep 14, 2021 10:52 pm

I plan everything off wind and thermals and will not hunt a spot that isn’t right. But it takes years of trial and error to find out what is right for your area and your spots. Sounds like you got a good idea and plan to have fun with it that’s the most important part.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
UncleBuck3268
500 Club
Posts: 677
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2019 12:52 pm
Facebook: NONE
Location: Sheboygan County
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby UncleBuck3268 » Tue Sep 14, 2021 11:39 pm

When you are scouting and find a bed, try to determine what wind the deer is bedded there on. Of course hills will change from swamps but out of the swamps of you can determine what wind they are bedded there on and also try to determine what time of season. Swamp bedding can be situational depending on the setup. You can then find where they might be going to feed.

Once you know this you can find a tree now knowing what wind they will be there on and their exit trail to the food source. This is where you need to be creative sometimes and make sure to use thermals and wind conditions correctly. Have to set up so beds are not downwind but also so that they will not wind you on their exit trail.
User avatar
<DK>
500 Club
Posts: 4484
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:02 am
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby <DK> » Wed Sep 15, 2021 12:31 am

Yes and Yes lol

I hunt purely based on wind direction. Where I go hunt will be based on alot of factors.

For example - I have a draw hunt for the first 10 days of the season and that is my priority. Right now day 2 shows a E/SE wind. Day 2 I will be on a different property bc iv waited for the right conditions to hunt a specific bedding area. Low temps the first week of the season and consistent E/SE wind.

When you have the wind on your favor, anything can happen. I probably have it least five success examples of going in blind or being unprepared, hunting solely based on the wind and having experiences w bucks. I shot one of the biggest bucks iv had a chance at like that. Actually had very low confidence in the sign but had solid access and solid wind. If I have low confidence in the wind for the setup, most hunts I come home empty handed.

Plans can change on a dime. Sometimes I know that I am too mobile. The best spots that weigh on me or keep me up at night are the ones I wait for the correct conditions to hunt. Sometimes those conditions dont come or they do and cant get off of work that day lol. I do credit a few kills to drop of a hat taking off of work bc things lined up right.

Just trust your gut!
User avatar
PApublic1187
500 Club
Posts: 582
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:02 am
Location: Northeast PA
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby PApublic1187 » Wed Sep 15, 2021 1:58 am

<DK> wrote:Yes and Yes lol

I hunt purely based on wind direction. Where I go hunt will be based on alot of factors.

For example - I have a draw hunt for the first 10 days of the season and that is my priority. Right now day 2 shows a E/SE wind. Day 2 I will be on a different property bc iv waited for the right conditions to hunt a specific bedding area. Low temps the first week of the season and consistent E/SE wind.

When you have the wind on your favor, anything can happen. I probably have it least five success examples of going in blind or being unprepared, hunting solely based on the wind and having experiences w bucks. I shot one of the biggest bucks iv had a chance at like that. Actually had very low confidence in the sign but had solid access and solid wind. If I have low confidence in the wind for the setup, most hunts I come home empty handed.

Plans can change on a dime. Sometimes I know that I am too mobile. The best spots that weigh on me or keep me up at night are the ones I wait for the correct conditions to hunt. Sometimes those conditions dont come or they do and cant get off of work that day lol. I do credit a few kills to drop of a hat taking off of work bc things lined up right.

Just trust your gut!



Thanks for the detailed response. Planning to learn through trial and error this year and what I’ve already learned from here and try and take it into the woods and just have some encounters. Trying to grasp the concept of weighing the importance of different variables and make the best decision based on the variables. I know this comes with time as this will be my first season beast style hunting, and I’m likely to have screw ups, but in hopes in 10 years I can look back and have a good chuckle when I think about the beginning stages of learning this style.
Nothing beats some tree therapy. Deer sightings or not
User avatar
buttonbuck
500 Club
Posts: 760
Joined: Thu Feb 21, 2019 12:41 pm
Location: SC
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby buttonbuck » Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:32 am

PApublic1187 wrote:
buttonbuck wrote:Wind direction, expected area of movement, wind not going that direction, clean entrance and exit (as best). Sounds like you need to find some hot food sources near bedding, throw a fair amount of hunts out there and kill some does and young bucks. Get an idea of how to operate. Have fun with it and it’ll start to click.



I see, multiple variables impact a decision which makes sense. Now with a few different considerations I can start with that. Pretty low standards this year as it being my first year mobile beast style hunting. Heading to Ohio for opening weekend, but home state of PA so keeping my standards low and just having fun with it.


Don't get hung up on just bow hunting either. If you step back during rifle season, don't shoot everything that moves but watch a few times and take a few deer. You'll get to know the trails, food sources and patterns, while also harvesting deer. Most these great hunters also hunt with a rifle, they just don't always talk about it. Most the areas people are killing bucks of off they have a lot of experience with. They've seen that buck come out of that hidy hole a few times and know just what to do.
User avatar
PApublic1187
500 Club
Posts: 582
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:02 am
Location: Northeast PA
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby PApublic1187 » Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:58 am

buttonbuck wrote:
PApublic1187 wrote:
buttonbuck wrote:Wind direction, expected area of movement, wind not going that direction, clean entrance and exit (as best). Sounds like you need to find some hot food sources near bedding, throw a fair amount of hunts out there and kill some does and young bucks. Get an idea of how to operate. Have fun with it and it’ll start to click.



I see, multiple variables impact a decision which makes sense. Now with a few different considerations I can start with that. Pretty low standards this year as it being my first year mobile beast style hunting. Heading to Ohio for opening weekend, but home state of PA so keeping my standards low and just having fun with it.


Don't get hung up on just bow hunting either. If you step back during rifle season, don't shoot everything that moves but watch a few times and take a few deer. You'll get to know the trails, food sources and patterns, while also harvesting deer. Most these great hunters also hunt with a rifle, they just don't always talk about it. Most the areas people are killing bucks of off they have a lot of experience with. They've seen that buck come out of that hidy hole a few times and know just what to do.



Me personally, every time I climb that tree I don’t feel right unless my bow is in hand. Have shot some bucks in my youth days when I was 12-17. Now since last year I pretty much only hunt with the bow. I will hunt rifle but mostly it’s with my bow, besides the first day but that’s about it. Thanks for the tip on watching the deer during the winter rifle season months, lots of land to see at that point of the year. Maybe I’ll give the rifle another go. Thanks for the response
Nothing beats some tree therapy. Deer sightings or not
User avatar
szwampdonkey
500 Club
Posts: 1755
Joined: Tue May 21, 2019 3:44 am
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby szwampdonkey » Wed Sep 15, 2021 4:24 am

Always consider the wind as it’s the surest way to ruin your hunt.
Moose
500 Club
Posts: 2677
Joined: Sun Dec 29, 2019 12:39 pm
Location: IA
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby Moose » Wed Sep 15, 2021 10:14 am

I always hunt the wind that best sets up for the buck bedding that I already scouted. If it's new ground then I will hunt it on a just off wind where I think a bedding area is by e scouting.
User avatar
PK_
500 Club
Posts: 6894
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:10 am
Location: Just Off
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby PK_ » Wed Sep 15, 2021 1:04 pm

PApublic1187 wrote:Hello Beasts,


So something has been sticking me up lately in planning for this season. Hunting different places all the time, should I look at the wind, and after looking at the wind select a piece of public that was scouted? Or should I pick a piece of public based on best chance in time frame of the year and play the wind in that spot however you have to do it. I guess what I’m saying is should I go with my knowledge on when I think that area will be best and just check the wind before entering and enter and setup accordingly, even if it isn’t the desired setup and I end up dating a fat chick. Let me know what you think guys I think this may help some other guys out as well.


Many Thanks


In general, I hunt the properties I believe to be best for the time of year and current conditions. Actual daytime wind may or may not dictate the specific spot I setup at, but almost never the property. But I also hunt very large pieces of public…

I don’t want to be hunting the right spot with the wrong wind or the wrong spot with the right wind.

Most ‘spots’ setup for only certain wind directions, but some can be hunted in multiple wind directions, you may just have to change your access or ‘final approach’ to the spot and exactly where you setup.

Hopefully that makes sense. If you need anymore details on any of that lmk.
No Shortcuts. No Excuses. No Regrets.
Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
Rich M wrote:Typically, hunting FL has been like getting a root canal
User avatar
PApublic1187
500 Club
Posts: 582
Joined: Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:02 am
Location: Northeast PA
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby PApublic1187 » Thu Sep 16, 2021 7:22 am

PK_ wrote:
PApublic1187 wrote:Hello Beasts,


So something has been sticking me up lately in planning for this season. Hunting different places all the time, should I look at the wind, and after looking at the wind select a piece of public that was scouted? Or should I pick a piece of public based on best chance in time frame of the year and play the wind in that spot however you have to do it. I guess what I’m saying is should I go with my knowledge on when I think that area will be best and just check the wind before entering and enter and setup accordingly, even if it isn’t the desired setup and I end up dating a fat chick. Let me know what you think guys I think this may help some other guys out as well.


Many Thanks


In general, I hunt the properties I believe to be best for the time of year and current conditions. Actual daytime wind may or may not dictate the specific spot I setup at, but almost never the property. But I also hunt very large pieces of public…

I don’t want to be hunting the right spot with the wrong wind or the wrong spot with the right wind.

Most ‘spots’ setup for only certain wind directions, but some can be hunted in multiple wind directions, you may just have to change your access or ‘final approach’ to the spot and exactly where you setup.

Hopefully that makes sense. If you need anymore details on any of that lmk.



I think I understand. Begin your entrance in a “negative terrain” easy access area and when coming in proximity of your spot, switch your entrance based on wind conditions. Only thing that I may get caught up on is how close to the presumed spot to hunt do you change your approach?
Nothing beats some tree therapy. Deer sightings or not
User avatar
oldrank
Posts: 6158
Joined: Wed Nov 27, 2013 7:32 am
Location: USA
Status: Offline

Re: Wind question

Unread postby oldrank » Thu Sep 16, 2021 10:43 am

The wind is your friend. You can use it to set up wind drives for yourself on pressured public, using wind and other hunters to your advantage. You can also use it to trick bucks into a false sense of security.

The right treestand position on a bad wind can payoff. Setting up early with a just off wind and high stand height can be deadly. If you are just outside of the bucks staging zone he will not bust from his bed. He may smell your entrance but a public land buck is used to human intrusion. With an early set up he will forget about the danger by night fall. When you get high enough you can put your wind above him. The only thing that will get you busted at that point is your thermals. Know your thermals and adjust accordingly. Golden setup.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: rhagenw and 58 guests