Barometric Pressure

[fire29]

Who knows about it? How to read it? And how to use it to our advantage? Does any one have their own journals and research to prove yeah or neah barometric pressurse does or does not affect hunting whitetails. I have been hunting deer for 26 years and never paid attention to the pressure, because if I have had time to hunt I do it. More time in the woods the better...Right?? But now I am trying to corrilate deer activity, to other things {weather, moon, etc}. Just curious, I have been doing some research and would like to hear what you think. Or know. I understand hunting before and after rain or snow should be better. Im just wondering if anyone knows details, like numbers that may help us all. Hopefully this can be a learning experience for more than just me. Thanks.

[musky hunter]

Barometric pressure is really a simple measurement. Without getting technical, get a barometer and read the thing. 28 millimeters is really low, 30.5 mm would be high. But look at the skies. If they are clear, generally that indicates high pressure, clouds would be associated with low pressure. Water vapor, contrary to what one might think, is acutally less dense than dry air. Hence, the generally lower readings when humidity rises, and high humidity is associated with clouds. So I know how to read it. Sometimes ahead a a storm (falling barometer) deer might be unusually active, presumably an instinct to put on the feed bag ahead of harsh weather. But other than that, I cannot tell you how deer react to the barometer.

[fire29]

So how far before some weather does it affect the barometer? And how quickly after does it affect it? They say to watch the barometer and when it starts rising or falling get in your stand. Just wondering if it is a gradual thing or if it is all of the sudden.

[musky hunter]

It's not always like a light switch. A fast moving thunderstorm front will produce rapidly dropping pressure. The northwest winds that move in behind a low will usher in rising pressure. In a typical fall pattern, you can expect stable relatively stable pressure as high pressure systems slowly move across. They may take five or more days to pass. Temperature gradients are a good indicator of when the pressure will change. If a cold snap is predicted to move in, then the pressure will start to rise in the hours before the temps drop. You might google the topic, there is lots written on it. If you are really interested, the National Weather Service conducts annual storm spotter training classes for free each spring. You can get a lot of weather training in a very short time this way. These classes have been helpful for me, not because I want to spot storms, because I want to understand the weather patterns whether I'm fishing or hunting.

[vister]

a high steady pressure is second best to a rapid dropping pressure. like today for instance. yesterday and the day before had high pressure, and early am it started to drop, hence the deer activity. when ugly weather moves in, the pressure drops. low pressure equals clouds moving in, which means deer sense foul weather, and move earlier and longer to stack up on groceries! as pressure goes up, clouds give way to clear skies. deer move all the time. but as the pressure is falling, deer know its time to eat when the eating is good, so they are out earlier. make sense

[96trigger]

I would like to know what the difference was in pressure between Saturday evening and Sunday evening. Saturday we went for a drive and saw probably 50 deer feeding in different alfalfa and bean fields. Sunday night, same drive, same time, saw maybe 10. Real nice 10pointer both nights, in roughly the same spot though. The only thought that crossed my mind was that there was difference in barometric pressure. Everything else was pretty similar.