Stand choice -- wind

[Dahitman44]

A question I ponder too mucch -- need some thoughts. --

If I had a stand that was on the edge of the woods near a field and the wind was blowing in my face and sending my scent in to the woods, would that still be better than having the wind blow my scent into the field?

If they come from a different area, my scent is in the field and I am caught. If it blowing into the woods that will be worse because they come out of the woods, Right???

[VMS]

I would say much of that depends on where the trails are coming out of the woods relative to where your stand is (if you are looking to place your stand on the edge of the woods with the wind blowing into you). If your stand is directly over the trail or the trail passes behind and downwind of you that is not the best possible place to be. If you have a stand location that does not allow your scent to pass over the trail and you can get there without creating a scent line that crosses the trail, you should be fine.

If it's blowing away from you and out over the field, I would hope the shot can happen before they scent you, but again, I think this is dependent on the wind itself. If blowing directly away from you, I would set up so that the main path to the field will give you a shot before they scent you.

A good cover-up scent would be crucial in cases like this...especially for pressured animals.

Steve

[harvey lee]

If the stand is a evening stand and the deer sre coming from the woods to the corn,you do not want the wind blowing from the corn to the woods as your scent will then be to the deers nose.

What I always try to do is to have the wind blowing in the direction that the deer are not coming from.In other words maybe easier,have the wind blowing always the same direction that the deer are coming from.If the deer are coming from the west,then you want the wind blowing to the east and then your scent is away from them.

In the morning if you are hunting the edge between the corn and the woods,then I would want the wind blowing from the corn to the woods as that is the direction the deer will be traveling from the corn to thier bedding area in the woods.

You are always going to get winded from the deer not coming the right way.I do get busted a few times every year.

I will not hunt a stand no matter how good it is if the wind is wrong.

[snapcrackpop]

I sat in the cattails with the wind in my face yesterday morning and this morning, downwind of a nice woods below a good sized slope.

I was surprized how much the wind swirled!

Yesterday I had 6 does and fawns walk within 30 yards but 0 today.

No bucks and the does were too small.

I'll try this spot again in a week or so.

Anyone else crazy enought to hunt the last 2 days?

Any other interesting setups?

[Dahitman44]

I hope to try it tonight -- not sure what to think.

[colonel42]

I'll be in my stand in about 45 minutes. Even lucky enough to have the day off tomorrow so plan on doing my first morning hunt of the season. Look forward to seeing the sign in the woods on the new fallen snow. Would be great to stick one tonight and sleep in tomorrow.HMMMMMM

[Dahitman44]

C-42 --

You lucky dog.

Enjoy.

[B mac]

Welcome to the world of archery hunting! That's the biggest challenge we all face. You definitely want your wind blowing away from their bedding area when afternoon hunting. However, once they get past you out into the field, the does will blow you out in a hurry. Bucks will never be the first to the field...they will stage in the thicker cover before venturing out. If they hear a doe blow the whistle, good bye buck.

Find a stand location and wind direction that blows away from the field and bedding area. And only hunt the spot under those conditions.

Also, if you are set up directly on the field, it will be very challenging to get out of the stand. The only reasonable option is to have someone scoop you up in a vehicle. I do this from time to time. Just quickly jump in the back after the deer clear the field. I don't think I've ever heard them blow when a vehicle arrives...they just run into the edge of the woods.

Once you blow a spot out (spook a mature buck), you may as well stay home until next season.

[archerystud]

With the wind we've had the last couple of days, I would say that there is no good stand choice.

Had a doe last night to the East of me at a touch under 30 yards. NW wind was so strong and gusty I couldn't hold the pin on her to shoot, the wind was knocking my pin completely off the deer as I was trying to aim. Decided to pass on the shot and hopefully see her another day.

Of course the 8 point buck was only 12 yards away at the same time but I couldn't use a doe tag on him!

[96trigger]

Hitman, I hear you. I have this problem all the time. If you are hunting a field edge like I do, the deer seem to come from all over the place. I always seem to see deer entering the field close to me, but not always from my trail. Lets face it, deer will enter a field from a dozen different locations. You have to get really lucky for one to walk on your trail. It seems however that when they are in the field, they will often walk along the woodline, mill around, and many times come within shooting distance of your stand. For this reason, I usually try and have the stand on a corner of the field where the trail runs N and South. Where the field is on my west side. I hope for a wind that carries my scent to a corner of either the woods or the field, that way, I have 75% of the area covered and only a 25% chance that the deer will come from area where they can wind me. Its hunting, its a dump shoot, I've had some deer come real close. I also seem to kick out deer everytime I get out of the stand, I just have enough stands that I only do that at most once a week. I still usually see deer every night. I don't leave until its dark and sometimes I make noise when I get out of the tree stand (like drop something, or bump my bow a couple of times on the ladder) so the deer scatter but don't see me. Most of the time you will here them run in the woods a little ways, then I usually book it to my truck as fast as I can, as quietly as I can) I have went out and shined the field 20 minutes later and seen plenty of deer in the field. That said, you need to really have a good scent regimen, shower before going out with scent free soap, and I can't praise scent lok enough. Good luck, hope that helps a little. Its just what I have learned over the years.

[bigbucks]

All the posters have made good points. I hunted last night in my spot that I go to when the wind is howling from the West or NW. It's a hayfield edge that starts well below the crest of a big hill to the West, so it's very protected. The first two I saw came from the North way down in the valley below me to the East. They were 250-300 yards. I should have just ignored them, but it was getting late, so I messed around trying to call to them & then decided to use the range finder on them as I had never ranged any critter far out since I got it last year. I had to hang up my bow to do that, so I wouldn't drop it. As I'm concentrating trying to range them suddenly I see out of the corner of my eye a nice younger doe, yearling or two year-old come walking fast into the field from the North. When I see her she's at about 20 yards, walking fast, trying to find the calling deer. Had I ignored the others I'd be cutting her up tonight... Even though I froze, she had me too pinpointed from the calling & saw me, ending my opportunity.

The spots for these conditions exist, there aren't many, but in some ways that makes it easier, you find one & you have a for sure place to go in this weather.

[Dahitman44]

96 --

Thanks.

A buddy of mione is just getting into bow hunting and he doesn't think the scent thing is a big deal. he said, "I have three big bucks on the wall, that must count for something."

I keep telling him there is a big difference between bow and rifle hunting.

[jltimm]

You ain't a kidding about the difference between rifle hunting and bow!

[bigbucks]

Yes, gigantic, good gun stands in our case usually are not good bow stands. The whole natural movement vs. pressured movement, on top of that, who sets up a gun stand to try to ensure shots under 30 yards?

Scent plays a much smaller role in gun hunting, at least in heavily hunted areas. There's scent everywhere, they have to rely more on hearing & vision.

[Dahitman44]

Right on guys.

Now convince my hard-headed friend.

The other day he met me out hunting with his little boy and I could smell them -- I'm sure the deer could as well.