Wind...to hunt or not.

[Monkster]

It was about the same time last year, wind was howling pretty good, just like it is supposed to do today! Since my chances to go out in the stand are few and far between (kids and coaching), I usually take the chance if the direction is good! I know wind direction is by far more important than velocity...within reason. I remember thinking that the wind is supposed to settle down in the evening, so I am just going to go sit. So sat I did, for 2.5 hours with the wind in my face in a ground blind! It was getting close to the end of shooting time and I see a big eight coming in from my left at a steady pace. He got into my shooting lane at 15 yards, I got him to stop with a grunt. Bring my bow up and the broadhead catches the edge of the blind knocking my arrow off and making quite a bit of noise...he just takes a couple of bounds and disappears just as fast as he appeared.

I never used to go out in this wind, but that changed last year. I know the big eight could have been pushed, a dog could have barked, a grouse hunter could have made him get out of his bed, etc. I believe I am going to take that chance for a while with big wind, as long as it is out of the right direction.

How does everyone else feel about wind velocity?

[TruthWalleyes]

I'm speaking from a gun hunter perspective, but i love extremely windy days more so than a calm day. The noise from the wind covers up your noise, allowing you to stalk/sit. I think on the windiest of days these deer may be relaxing in some cover, and it is a perfect time to sneak up on them with the wind in a constant direction.

IMO, use it to you advantage.

I'm also a big fan of rain, sleet and snow storms while hunting. I may be a fair weather vikings fan, but i enjoy the worst weather mother nature can deliver.

[Rippinlip]

I am debating the same thing right now.

I have a couple of sets that are good for a west wind, but the velocity of the wind would affect the shot pretty bad, these are areas that even though are in the woods or on the edge the wind gets to you pretty good.

I may take in some public land today where I know there is a deep valley out of the wind.

Seems like I do not see as many when the wind is a howling.

Guess I can't harvest one on the couch either.

[Scoot]

Sounds like your thinking is similar to mine- I don't like be wind, but time in the stand is a huge predictor of success. "Can't kill one from the couch"!!! Deers' natural defenses are messed up when it's really windy- the can't hear much and they can't pick up movement from a predator as well because everything is moving in the wind. Accordingly, they don't move as much.

But I've still seen deer when it's windy. Like you, I have lots of reasons to not hunt- kids, wife, work, home, etc. When I get the opportunity, I go.

[ducksnbucks]

Gun hunter here too, but I have had great success in the wind. Howeve, I have not had as good of luck hunting in the open (fields) with a strong wind but have done very well in the woods while windy. I agree 100% that the wind noise covers your noise and you can get away with a few more thigns you normally couldn't when calm. Have to keep you head on a swivel though, becuase it is just as hard to hear them coming!!

[reinhard1]

i also have had poor results during windy days. maby it was just a day they didn't come by my stand. my brother has shot deer on windy days, but he is more of a stalker and i'm more of a sitter. good luck.

[BLACKJACK]

I learned my wind lesson many years ago, woke up during gun season, the wind was roaring and it was 5 degrees out, said to heck with it, but couldn't sleep so I went to a stand in the woods that was relatively calm - and shot one of my most unique bucks ever, a spiker with two long 10 inch tine but no brow tines. Nowadays I don't let the wind stop me, but as a bowhunter, I will try to find a calmer stand so that the wind won't blow my broadhead and arrow around.

[goblueM]

i've had great success on windy days... my limitation is more of I don't like being in a tree that's swaying around like crazy, and I don't want the wind messing up an archery shot

[Meat-Run]

One windy evening last week helped me blend into the surroundings better then if it was dead calm. Yes deer are a little on edge with the wind but you can get away with your profile better if your in a brushy area or forked tree now that all the leaves are off. I wear a leafy suit all the time and it really convinces the deer that I'm just some brush with leaves still on the tree.

mr

[John478]

For me when it comes to gun hunting the more wind the better. Now bow hunting I'm more worried how it affects my shoot. Nothing worse then wounding a deer a loosing it because of a bad shoot.

[Bear55]

When I hunt windy days it either seems like the deer are either moving really well, although a little nervous, or they just don't move at all. I don't really know why they might move under some windy conditions and not others but the wind sure won't keep me out of the woods.

[fr0sty]

My first buck was shot on opening day about three years ago. It was plenty windy and he was walking with the wind too. Nice 2.5 year old 8.

[sticknstring]

If you opt to stay out of the tree, take advantage of the strong winds to trim shooting lanes, hang new stands, check cameras, hunt cornfields, etc.

[Monkster]

Bear, that's really what I was thinking. I wouldn't doubt the wind gets them a little nervous, especially the big boys, and then they just get up and move because their unsure, who knows. Maybe the movement I, and others are seeing is towards the end of a long sit for them because of the wind and they just need to feed or drink. I guess it really comes down to just "wanting to be in the woods"

[deerminator]

Read a good Outdoor News article talking about how deer still get up to feed and drink during windy and light rain. They're just more wary and its tougher conditions for the hunter. Conversely, you can use the noise and quiet that come with to your advantage. I also can't tell you the number of times the wind has been roaring, only to die down for the last 10-15 minutes of shooting light and deer start appearing out of thin air. Like Scoot, I get out when I can with family, work and other committments. So far its only been three times for a total of about 7 hours. I like to ration the most of my hunting time for the last two weeks of October through the first week of November. Starting with MEA next week, I plan to ramp up my sits to several evenings a week no matter the conditions and then a couple of all day wait em outs if needed.

[Rippinlip]

Went to a new location tonight with the climber and when I reached some positive sign when I got in walking into the wind I found a tree and up I went.

Nothing but Turkeys, birds and squirrels until that last 1/2 hour, then a doe showed up from up wind of me and I was thinking "backstraps", but all the loose clothes I had on and didn't have my armguard on the compress the clothing.

Well because of that the arrow pushed off to the front side of her, but thankful the wind made her not really nervous and offered another shot at about what I thought was about 25-30, over guessed that yardage and I was 0-2 tonight on the same Doe.

Oh well, still a great night, even with the carnival ride up in the tree.

Mark

[benbosh]

I probably wouldn't be going out tomorrow because I've had little success hunting in wind also but it is pheasant opener tomorrow. The land where my west wind stand is on, is right next to about 250-300 more acres of CRP so I'm hoping someone pheasant hunts it and kicks some deer out of there towards my stand since I know plenty of deer bed out there, which they probably will be with the winds. So keep in mind if you got some grassland near a stand that someone will probably pheasant hunt, it might not be a bad idea to try that stand if the wind is correct.

[BradB]

I'm targeting a metro bruiser, and the only way outside the rut I can hunt him is in tremendous winds. He beds on a high spot in a 100 yard extension of cattails, behind a hill, around a lake. He can hear and smell anyone coming near this small area, and stays in the cattails until it starts to get dark. My only chance is strong winds where I can hide between the cattails in a gap between them and the woods. Winds blow the scent in every direction behind the hill, and I assume it's hard for him to tell where the danger is because of it.

I was 40 yards from him on the last really windy day--I was able to get in undetected with all the noise of trees banging together. I hunted the ground because setting up a stand might have made a metal clink. The problem was that the cattails were moving so much that I couldn't stay hidden. I sat stock still for 25 minutes while he did the same looking directly at me. Once too dark to see, off he went.

Let it blow!

[tracker x-2]

Its not preffered by me, but i think its just kinda a myth. heck yesterday morning it was sure blowing and i seen four buck in the stand.

There is also a write up about this in the outdoor news about this.

[Archerysniper]

I have been skipping the windy days this season,so I have been out a lot less. Once late Oct hits I dont care how windy it is they will be moveing, I'm trying to hunt smarted this year and not burn any stands before it starts getting good. Now in the Muzzy season my big bucks have all came in the nastiest coldest snowy blowing 20+ days of the season. They got to eat and they save more energy eating during daylight and bedding at night when it's freezing.

[Bear55]

I'm targeting a metro bruiser, and the only way outside the rut I can hunt him is in tremendous winds. He beds on a high spot in a 100 yard extension of cattails, behind a hill, around a lake. He can hear and smell anyone coming near this small area, and stays in the cattails until it starts to get dark. My only chance is strong winds where I can hide between the cattails in a gap between them and the woods. Winds blow the scent in every direction behind the hill, and I assume it's hard for him to tell where the danger is because of it.

I was 40 yards from him on the last really windy day--I was able to get in undetected with all the noise of trees banging together. I hunted the ground because setting up a stand might have made a metal clink. The problem was that the cattails were moving so much that I couldn't stay hidden. I sat stock still for 25 minutes while he did the same looking directly at me. Once too dark to see, off he went.

Let it blow!

Solid plan Brad, I like to do the same thing. On these windy days you can really sneak into those super thick areas undetected and setup close to the deer. I am going to dive into a super thick swamp tonight.

[Meat-Run]

Tony Peterson does a great job writing about windy/rainy days in the ODN and I have found out to have same results.

mr

[96trigger]

I am convinced it depends on where you hunt. In bluff country, if its windy, you need to get out of the wind and get to the bottoms of the bluffs. Might be different in flat land, but there were almost no deer feeding in the fields last weekend on the bluff tops.

[sdmark21]

I went out this weekend and braved the wind. I hunt the bluff country, and found a spot a little out of the wind. But deer were moving. On Friday I had a nice 8 right below my stand at 20 yards, and saw a big 8 working the scraps(except the one I was hunting over) and several doe's hanging out in the field. So the wind didn't seem to bug them much. They still need to eat and sleep, so if you can get in between those two spots, I like to believe you have a chance of seeing something no matter how bad the weather is.

[96trigger]

I agree, if you can get out of the wind, you will seed deer. I have a couple of stands in places like that, but I didn't have time to get to them. I don't think they like to feed out in the open when its windy.