Wind

[Chef]

I know this has been discussed 1000 times but I hear so many people say they hate the wind while hunting. To me the wind has always been a good thing and I'll make my case. I would also love to hear what you think.

 

1. wind means a front has just come through. High winds usually signal a frontal passage and this time of year it's usually a cold front.  This usually sparks movement and on these days you typically see more deer.

2. For us stand hunters the wind allows us to get away with a little more movement. With everything blowing around up there it is much harder for them to pick about of the tree.

 

3. along the lines of number two it is noisy suppression as well.  The roar of the wind in the woods covers up and little noise you may make.

4. Takes their nose out of the game a bit. When the wind is whipping and I mean truly whipping  I feel like it is much harder to get winded. It confuses their nose and even down wind of you it's harder for them to tell what is what.

 

the only downside to the wind for me is that it can be uncomfortable to sit if you don't have top notch cloths 
 

 

[Nontypical]

Find a lee from the wind and you’ll find the does. Big bucks will move more on a windy day during the rut. The first day the front comes through is always better than the second day to catch mature bucks on the move. 

Edited November 12, 2024 by Nontypical

[The Back 40]

There have been a bunch of studies on this that show deer move more on windy days. There is actually a correlation between wind speed and travel speed of bucks. The higher the wind speed the more and faster the bucks move.

[Stubborn1vt]

I believe the wind is good for reasons stated, but only up to a point.  I haven't seen a big benefit when it's blowing much over 20 mph, other than on a cold front.  That's usually a short window of activity in my experience.

[dbHunterNY]

i agree with most of what you're saying. i do think when the wind and really cranking the deer change their patterns a little and aren't as relaxed when on the move. i've seen them bed more with the wind is really blowing in many cases. cold fronts causing a temperature dump make them move and obviously the rut does regardless of conditions. it does depend on what type of cover or lack of that you're hunting.

i really like 10-15 mph wind with gusts though as stays more consistent.

[will12785]

The only thing I don't like about the wind is swaying back and forth in the stand. Hard to fling an arrow with confidence in that situation. 

[HeavyUser]

It's already been proven that wind increases deer movement.
 

It also helps to muffle sound and makes it easier to understand scent travel.

 

Give me all the wind. 

[Wolc123]

If I’m hunting or fishing, I can handle any two of the following in combination but will stay in the house (or an enclosed box blind), when we have all three: 1) High winds (over 20 mph), 2) Rain, 3) Cold (less than 35 F).  
 

 

[yfki1983]

I don't mind a little wind but I feel like deer by me are skittish when winds are high, especially if they're swirling. 

Other thing is I get cold faster. If wind is low, the temps have to be pretty low for me to get too cold to stick it out 

[grampy]

Hunting wind in hill country can get interesting. Like hunting halfway up a south slope, with a strong north wind. And have the wind where you are, out of the south. Picture the curl of a wave. That's the best way to "look" at the wind. 

[Versatile Hunter]

It's pretty cool when you're up a tree and you hear a gust roar as it's coming in before you feel it. What I still struggle with is accounting for thermals and how wind affects them. For instance, does wind shift the thermal direction (like a vector sum) or will it spread it (widen the cone) and make your scent more diffuse? 

[lucky118]

Around here it just pushes them into the fields it seems. Plus they seem to run everywhere lol

[mowin]

I don't agree with the deer move more in the wind.  I see far less deer movement during high winds. Especially late season and very cold weather. 

[SportsmanNH]

I agree 100 percent . Hunting up in Maine for the last 44 years , the one thing we can always rely on is on windy days the deer would be in the thick conifers at the lower elevations . They go in there because they cant rely on their nose or their ears out in the hardwoods with the wind blowing 4 ways at once . Still hunt through there quietly at a snails pace and keep your eyes scanning for a part of a deer or anything that looks out of place . Sometimes you almost step on them bedded in there . 

Edited November 13, 2024 by SportsmanNH

[The Back 40]

10 hours ago, mowin said:

I don't agree with the deer move more in the wind.  I see far less deer movement during high winds. Especially late season and very cold weather.