How much wind is too much

[Roverrich]

Tomorrow is forecasted w/ up to 15 mph winds. My hunting lease is pretty flat w/ fingers of timber through out, not too much wind break. Got me to thinking about how much wind it too much to hunt w/ trad gear?

[centaur]

If we didn't hunt in 15 mph wind in Wyoming, we wouldn't hunt much. I regularly hunt in 20-30 mph wind with no problem. When I used to live in Casper, a 20 mph wind was a low wind day.
I would love to see Mark Baker chime in on this, since he lives in Livingston, Mt., which is one of the windiest places around.

[goldflinger]

I don't like the strong wind, but like centaur, If I did not hunt in it I would not hunt much. tomorrow in Western Oklahoma it is forecast at 10-20mph and that is not too bad. I'll be out in it. I see the deer moving in all kinds of windy situations. It also help cover movement.

[old_goat2]

We had some windy days during elk season this year, was camped on a treeless plain and hiking up adjacent ridge to hunt timbered ravines. Did some practice shooting with broadheads across the wind and with the wind. Across the wind sure caused a lot of fishtailing, upwind and downwind had minimal negative effect. Don't know what the wind speed was exactly but it was moving at a pretty good clip. As you would expect, shooting with broadheads, the wind makes a lot mord difference!

[LB_hntr]

I hunt a lot in high winds as well. I think the deer move becasuse they are uncomfortable sitting when the winds pick up. I see deer just as much in the wind as I do when its not windy. add in some light rain and you have the makings for a great night on stand imo and in my area. my area is heavily pressured. so I think the deer know that when the weather is crappy the woods is empty of hunters. just like they move a lot more mid day during hunting season then during the off season.

[Mint]

Good timing since tomorrow it the wind is going to increase to 25 -30 mph in the evening. Here on Long island the deer do not like to move when the wind is over 20 mph, but duringthe rut all bets are off.

[VictoryHunter]

20 mph seems to be about where I draw the line.

[ThePushArchery]

I was hunting in gusty wind up to 25 mph last Saturday with pelting rain. I was holding onto the tree with one hand and had my bow and fletchings tucked under my wool vest in the other hand.

Witnessed a doe standing in the middle of a cut cornfield through it all grazing as if it was the most beautiful weather. The storm blew over as we planned, and all hell broke loose in the woods.

Full chasing action for the rest of the night.

Can't kill them from the couch is what we like to say.

[nineworlds9]

I love the noise and movement camo that wind provides.  Course if it's loud enough I can't hear critters coming either haha.

[SERGIO VENNERI]

Same as Walleye fishing 9 MPH.

[dbd870]

15mph I'd be out and up; once you get toward 20 I won't go up a tree. Never had much luck in 20+ mph wind. However if it's prime time I'll ground hunt even in higher winds.

It is 20 gusting to 30 here today. We are going out anyway.  The deer around here don't seem to pay much attention to wind, I am always surprized to seem them out and about in high wind conditions. It does justify the use of Hill broadheads over large wide broadheads.

[The Night Stalker]

If you limited yourself to 9mp around here, you wouldn't be hunting much.

[LookMomNoSights]

12 to 15 mph,  I shift gears....out of the blind/stand,  and on with the still hunting!  Remember, you can always go looking for them!  Keep the wind in your face and explore! Ive walked right up on deer nesting in blow downs....wind was perfect,  noise was masked...they didnt know I was coming!  The instance that comes to mind,  was a year I did NOT have a doe tag!!!

[frassettor]

30+ gusts today and tomorrow, I'm going out! Never know

[Mark Baker]

You guys are talking "calm" days around here!  Try 50 to 60 mph for days, even a month on end, with gusts reaching much higher.   Deer move normally around here...they are used to it...have to be or they'd starve.  

Real windy days are great stillhunting days, and you just adjust and use other tactics.   I killed one 6 by 6 on a day that the wind derailed 13 boxcars off the tracks nearby....from the ground of course.   There are days I stay not only out, but away from trees, and head for brush or "out of the wind" hidey holes.  So to answer your question....around my neck of the woods, it's almost never too windy.

[SELFBOW19953]

When I get motion sickness while sitting in a tree, it's too windy!!!

[centaur]

I knew Mark would jump in here! Livingston makes Casper look tame for wind.

[Rob W.]

I start rethinking my spots after 10mph. I don't remember killing a deer over 15mph or so and I hunt regardless.

Rob

[Knawbone]

Windy? Love it, Don't think about getting in a tree stand, it's time to hit the ground. Spot and stalk if possible. Corn fields are my first pick, overgrown fields with or without hedgerows can hold big bucks during high wind. When big bucks can't smell whats coming, they want to see whats coming. Stay low......crawl if you have to! High wind can be a fantastic advantage to the bow hunter. The Deer want protection from the wind in the winter.