Hunting the wind?

[paceman]

Everybody and their Brother talks about hunting the wind. I am just curious as to what that means to you. I have read many articles that say you should place your stand so your scent doesn't blow to the deer but if you have spots in the middle of the woods and deer come from all directions that is really not possible. Sometimes deer head into the wind, sometimes they walk with it, they go where they go. I see and have shot plenty of deer, but I usually don't worry about the wind. I will place stands in correlations with food scources/bedding areas. Funnels areas have deer traveling through no matter what the wind is doing. I would like to hear what folks do to HUNT THE WIND.

[lungdeflator]

Are you talking bowhunting or rifle? I know rifle hunting it doesn't matter because MN chooses to have their rifle season during the rut and bucks/deer in general are running everywhere (during the chase phase). Any other time of the year (maybe not late season) the wind does play a factor, although I don't think it plays as big a factor in the big woods of northern MN as it does AG country. I think the deer do what they want as long as they are comfortable. The deer are more times than not comfortable with the wind in their favor. So hunting the wind (aka not allowing your scent to blow where deer are coming from) works more times than not.

With that said, I don't think the wind (while on stand) makes as big a difference unless your hunting bluff country where the thermals and wind swirls do make a big difference. I do believe your entry and exit routes make much more of a difference. Ex. The other night I was hunting early season ND. Had a good lead on what the deer were doing so I took a gamble with the wind. While I was on stand, no deer downwind winded me. But the first doe that came through crossed my entry route, stopped in her tracks, did a 90 degree turn and followed the exact trail I took right to my stand. A mature buck is not that curious and will turn tail the other way rather than follow the scent trail.

[lungdeflator]

When hunting during the rut (about Oct. 26th-Nov 12) I hunt funnels and "islands". These spots that I hunt are far from roads and from human impact so the deer are not only comfortable, they always follow these traditional "rutting routes" as I like to call them. No matter what the wind.

[ClownColor]

I set up using basic wind blowing east and thats as far as i take it. Like you've said, shot many deer walking with the wind, cross wind...movements scared most my deer away, second is noise...but i guess i don't know what deer i spooked that i never saw that smelt me down wind.

[Scott K]

I have some spots that I am in the middle of an area they come from all directions, so you can only play the wind for certain sides. I have been busted several times because they have came in from down wind, and would stop, and take off running backwards. Sometimes I wear scent cover, some times I dont, I guess it depends on if I remember, and if I feel like putting it on.

[Bear55]

You can make this as complicated or simple as you want. In general you just need to be aware of what your scent is going while on stand and also going to and from you stand. Try not to let your scent get into any bedding area or direction you think a deer might come from.

[lakevet]

I walk upwind or crosswind. Best drives are cross wind with standers up wind, crosswind and downwind.

lakevet

[fishhound2013]

I hunted on a guys land in mississippi for a number of years who would walk out front and check a flag and come back in and say you can hunt these stands and if the wind changes to this direction come back to camp or if it changes to this direction make sure to be watching this way. He knew his deer really well.

[leech~~]

I check the wind each morning and then go to the other side of the woods and wait for the Deer to come to me since they all travel into the wind!

[CodyDawg]

Someone said that the wind doesnt matter during the rut...that right there may be the single worst piece of advice I have read on this forum in a long time. You let a doe get a snootfull of your scent and you wont have to worry about if the buck smells you or not. Maybe he was just trying to make a political point about the hunting season and the rut.

Hunting the wind is about playing the odds. Most stands have a direction that the deer are most likely to come from. Do not let that be the downwind direction. You will not fool a deer's nose. However you hunt, do whatever you can to make sure that your path in and your stand is not upwind of where the deer are expected.

[DonBo]

Even in big woods, where they can come from any direction, I like to set my stand on the downwind side of where I expect them to be. You are usually hunting a ridge, or a funnel, or an area where two (or more) trails come together. Hunt downwind of that.

[WalleyeVision]

Excellent response CodyDawg. Too often we think that those bucks aren't very smart during the rut, but we forget that they will only go where the doe takes them.

That being said the most important thing is to find a spot where you can see the most traveled trails, especially areas that funnel, ridge lines, and other popular routes for buck/does during the rut. If at all possible setup so that your sent blows into an area around your stand that is less traveled. I don't go overboard on the scent piece, but if you apply common sense to how you travel to and from your stand and you setup in your stand in a way that will give you an advantage with the wind you'll be a step ahead.

[mainbutter]

What do I do?

Nothing special. I just go to my stand and sit in it.

I have not been "busted" from my scent by a deer I could see. The best I can do is guess as to how many deer have decided to not come my way because they smelled something in the wind though.

I use unscented soap, deodorant, and laundry detergent, and leave clean clothes outside overnight if it's not going to rain. I take it easy on the way to the stand to minimize sweating. I don't buy any special "scent" related products. After having does walk upwind in my direction and either not smelling me or not caring, I'm confident that sitting in the stand is never a bad idea, and putting in more effort regarding wind or scent ruins the fun of being in the woods.

I'm sure there are things I can do to optimize my hunts, but frankly I'm having so much fun already I'm not worried about a few deer that might sniff me.

[Bear55]

mainbutter I do zero scent control and have deer downwind of me every year. A lot of time the younger deer just don't care, they will wind you and stick their nose up you and still go about their business. The older they get the more they react. If I was all scent locked up I would think I was wearing a miracle product.

[Fever]

We have this convo every year about this time. lol.

I look at it like this. There are so many variables when it comes to hunting. I to my darnedest to control as many as I can when deer hunting.

1. The prevailing winds in our area of the country are from the west north west. If you are planning on setting up a permanent stand. Put that stand on the south east side of a trail, field, bedding area that you expect the deer to be moving to or coming from.

2. Limit your visits to your hunting area. Deer, especailly mature deer will notice anything that isn't "normal" and will often associate that with a threat and will avoid the area afterwards. No need for that. Limit your visits. If you have a camera - check it once a month or once every 2 months rather than once per weekend. Buy the more expensive batteries and the larger memory sd cards.

3. Use scent control. Don't be that guy that says - I don't need it, I've had does and young bucks directly down wind of me etc etc etc. You simply NEVER know when that 180-200 inch monster of a buck / buck of a life time walks by following a doe directly down wind. Trust me - at that moment - you don't want to be that (I don't need to worry about my scent) guy. What I mean by this is - wash your outside clothes in scent free detergent - twice. Hang them out to dry / away from any non normal scents - smoke, dog dump, exhaust etc.then put them in a rubber maid tote that you've washed out with scent free soap and shut the tote tight. Also, wash all your clothes that will be your layers in scent free soap and also hang dry, also put in garbage bags or another tote. Do not wear your clean / scent free clothes in your vehicle on your way to your spot - that has all those air fresheners in it... Put your hunting clothes on after you exit your vehicle. Dont eat a breakfast of bacon /eggs etc with your clean scent free clothes on, don't smoke a cigar, pipe etc... Common scents.... lol

Treat every thing with scent killer spray of some kind prior to getting into your stand. I mean your grunt call, your gps, gun, your rattling antlers, your back pack, everything you bring with you.

4. I use Special Golden estrus, Deer Dander, and Code blue products as estrus and calming attractants. I know this system works as I have had 2-3 year old bucks as well as does walk directly beneath my stand.

5. Finally, on your way in or out, don't touch branches leaves, trees, etc with your bare hands. Limit the contact you have with the natural environment. I hunt way deep (about 800 plus yards) into a Oak ravine area in the north woods. Area is surrounded by swamps, bogs, and pine thickets. I have no choice but to walk a specific route regardless of the wind that day. I've taken the time to make my path easier to walk by cutting down a path. Once at the stand, I settle in for a full day of sitting. Deer can and do come from all directions. I use my estrus scents to help bring deer in from down wind while focusing most of my attention on the up wind trails. Maybe this sounds like a lot of work for some of you - but I'll tell you this - it is fun, it is a confidence booster and helps me stay in the stand, and frankly - it works. BUT>>> i must digress - Last year I had a huge dandy of a buck following a doe come in. The doe got uneasy about something as she was about 35yds away and almost down wind of me... she spooked and trotted up a ravine, stopped and tried to figure out what she smelled. He walked away, I snort wheezed, he turned around and angled toward her / quartering away from me up a ravine. I rushed my shot a bit and should have been more patient but he was at about 75yds and I shot through some young willows. (had a shot I thought as he stopped and I had confidence in the 30-06), No hit... I missed, looked for 2-3 hours using gps. No sign of blood. UGH! I've been replaying that memory since Nov.10th 2012

Ultimately it comes down to your own personal goals and where you hunt. This system is a work in progress for me and I'm frequently tweaking it.

[Bear55]

Good post Fever, I agree with most of it. Just been busted too many times going full blown scent control to give it any effort any more. Now its more about scouting and having dozens of good hunting locations I can hunt with any wind. It also doesn't hurt to be mobile so I don't have to force myself into a setup with a bad wind.

[Fever]

Thanks Bear. I've been hunting Whitetail now for about 25-26 years. Needless to say I've learned a lot. Started out doing deer drives in the south / south west part of Mn back in the mid 90's. Didnt give a rip about scent and I / we frequently took questionable shots at running deer and had the if it's brown its down mentality. After a few years of that - it lost its luster and I needed something different. I started scouting more, learned more about deer, and learned more about how I needed to approach them.

Bear, I too have been busted a few times even after my scent control efforts. I've come to realize that attention to detail is much more critical than most realize. I don't think it takes much to render even the most detailed scent control approach insufficient. I chew tobacco at times while I sit on stand though, and I'm nearly certain this has cost me a few opportunities. It is probably my main vice while hunting - but when I sit from dark to dark - it keeps me in my stand. I'm guessing that is what probably got me busted when I did by that doe last year. Sucks - but at least I think I know why.

Frankly, I love the preparation for the hunt just as much as the hunt itself. I like running cameras throughout most of the year, getting to know the deer and watching them grow. I use a product called Lucky Buck for my mineral sites and absolutely love the results it has provided. The scent control approach just allows me to further immerse myself. I wish I had the opportunity to put up multiple stands and then use the wind to decide which to use. In my case - that isn't possible as I'm on public land near Leech. I also don't use a climber, rather I have two ladder stands (one is a double and heavy). I use one up north and one I put in a small block of woods closer to home that I have permission to hunt. (just in case I strike out up north).

[BLACKJACK]

Just been busted too many times going full blown scent control to give it any effort any more. Now its more about scouting and having dozens of good hunting locations I can hunt with any wind. It also doesn't hurt to be mobile so I don't have to force myself into a setup with a bad wind.

I agree. Tell you the truth I stink on the stand, only time I wash my clothes is when I get blood on them. Being downwind of the deer is the key and NEVER hunt a stand when the wind isn't right.

[Fever]

Well... if you "stink" on the stand and "Never" wash your clothes unless you get blood on them - I'd certainly recommend you not hunting at all UNLESS the wind is favorable.

I think posts like these BLACKJACK, don't help many people out. There are thousands and thousands of hunters in Minnesota alone that do not have multiple set ups to pick from, that are forced to hunt public land, and have to walk a ways through that land to get to a spot. For these people - stinking isn't an option, for these people, dozens of spots is simply not an option. So - if you have one or two spots to hunt total and you have 3-5 days to hunt them and the wind isn't favorable at all for that time period, do you then not hunt that year?

But - they do have other options at their disposal to increase their odds.

What is an option however is to take measures to reduce or to remove your scent. "That" is more in peoples control.

I wouldn't go into the woods with the intentions of harvesting a mature buck without taking precautionary scent control measures.

[Bear55]

I'm downright smelly all season, most of the places I hunt aren't easy to get too either, about half mile is the closest and that usually involves crossing some nasty stuff. Most hunts are closer to a mile back and sometimes much further all on foot or sometimes I take a canoe out. Unless I have 3 extra hours to waste I can't get to those places without breaking a sweat and stinking it up anyway.

I think its important to keep an open mind when deer hunting, there are a lot of ways to get it done and no right or wrong way to setup. You just have to do what works for you and hunt the way you feel puts you in the best position to shoot the animal you are after. Scent control or no scent control.

[Fever]

Very True. We all live and learn and try to do the best we can. My approach certainly won't appeal to all. Hopefully, a bit here or there can help someone to have success that they otherwise might not have.

I too have to walk a ways and because of that, I dress very light on the way in and have my heavier blaze coveralls, face mask, hat, heavy gloves, etc - in my back pack. I put them on once I get to my stand rather than prior to my walk in. No sweat...

Also, I pack a lunch, so I put that lunch into two separate zip lock baggies.... Like I said above - attention to detail is critical.

[Greenhornet84]

I use some spray and have an older scent lok suit, not that I really believe it works anymore it's just comfy and quiet. I play the wind and luck game, because like said before I am usually sweating by the time I get to stand early season any way. I hunt some pretty open areas and think sitting still is just about if not more important.

[BLACKJACK]

I think posts like these BLACKJACK, don't help many people out.

[Fever]

Seriously? Don't be an @zz. I didn't lecture at all. What I said was - your approach simply isn't realistic for 80-90% of deer hunters - which... it isn't. I'm sure you are well aware of that. Clearly - you haven't walked a mile in most peoples shoes that cannot take the approach that you have taken. If you understood that - you'd have understood my response to you rather than taking offense to it. If that approach works for you - awesome / I'm jealous and wish I could do the same. Bottom line is - it isn't what most people "can" do even if they want to. There are limitations to time, money, land, family commitments, work schedules - etc that hold people back. Many may want to do the multiple stand thing and be able to hunt a different stand each time to not burn them out, and to never hunt a spot when the wind isn't in your favor - but - that isn't the case for most.

Most hunters get a weekend or two to deer hunt. Most hunt from one stand. So - with that being said - scent control efforts of some kind - ARE the way to go. Hopefully - I've cleared that up.

I didn't post here to get into some kind of [PoorWordUsage] match over who is right or who is wrong and which way is better, rather I posted in the hopes of helping readers improve their odds at closing the deal on a deer this fall. Simple as that.

[BLACKJACK]

Fever,

'Apology' accepted.

I probably should have left that last line out, I knew it would rattle your cage but you were giving me dump about being smelly and not washing my clothes vs just stating your case for scent control.

Rereading your response, what comes to mind is that its all a matter of priorties, plus you get out of hunting what you put into it.

Good luck.