East winds and Whitetails ????????

[skychief]

I've been scouting a new farm to hunt. Considering access, bedding and feeding areas, it begs to be hunted with the wind coming from the East.

Tell me your experience with hunting Whitetail with such a wind.  Deer movement, activity and so on.

Much appreciated, Skychief.

[Bob B.]

For me in south west Wisconsin, during hunting season an east wind is tough.  A south east wind can be real good during the chase phase.  Breeze from east in November can mean flat grey skies and cold, deer movement  is minimal.  When the breeze turns to wind, it means a cold front, usually by me that also means snow or freezing rain.  Wind from the east kinda sucks.

Bob.

[Jack Hoyt 75]

I agree with Bob B. but Wisconsin could little different due to different temperate zone and the great lakes?

Does not seem like a true east wind happens that much?  Most weather comes from W, N, SW, NW around here so if you can only hunt a E wind seems limited IMO.

I believe in moon phase and hunting when moon is above horizon more than wind direction.  Since you brought it up I will take note of E wind and animal movements this year.

[K.S.TRAPPER]

I've killed several of my biggest bow bucks including a  B/C buck on east winds and my son killed one of his B/C  bucks too but it works for our spots. We tend to get great deer movement on east winds consistently cant say what will work in your area though I'm sure not going to stay home and sit on the couch just because it's a east wind.

Tracy

[Cyclic-Rivers]

In WI it seemed as Bud says. When I was in Missouri, I saw deer every single time i sat an east wind.

[CoachBGriff]

Here in MO we typically get an east wind right after a front moves through which can often create some pretty good deer movement.  Just the other day I had about a 135 10-pointer come by at 8:30 in the morning... with an East wind!

[FoCoBlackWidow]

We used to dread east winds in Wisconsin but pray for them now that I'm hunting in Nebraska. That said, if you could help spread the word that east winds are terrible and everyone should stay out of the woods when they're blowing, I'd greatly appreciate it.

[kbetts]

Where I'm at, east is great.  I like a good north/north west, but the farm I hunt mostly begs for an east.  A couple years ago my brother and I doubled on nice bucks during the rut because it put our hunting area on the downwind side with fields as a backer.  We saw a ton of action that morning.  I shot my 6x5 thirty minutes before he shot an 8 and we were only about 300 yards apart.

[Ray Hammond]

how can a wind direction be bad except in the context of a particular stand?

[T Folts]

North south east or west, I dont think it makes a difference what direction it is blowing as long as it is good for that spot. I have spots I only hunt with a east wind because its best for my stand and approach. I will not go into my best spot with a east wind because the deer are generally coming from the west and you might just as well wear a neon sign and have a marching band with you. I dont hunt with the wind to my back or go into a area that way. I will hunt a cross wind if I can pull it off, a few degrees can make or break a spot. You have to know your area. .02

[Roger Norris]

Originally posted by Ray Hammond:
how can a wind direction be bad except in the context of a particular stand?

I agree. On the 1200 acres I hunt near home,  I have spots selected for any variety of wind.

I do agree though,  that an East wind is part of a changing weather pattern.  

One of the best spots on our lease requires an East wind, but getting in it before the rain starts is the challenge.

[Skipmaster1]

One of my best spots requires and east wind to hunt. It's a ridge top bedding area and I only have access to the western edge. Not only do I need an east wind to hung it, it drives all the bucks to the west edge to scent check the bedding area. Taken 8 nice mature bucks from there in 6 years. The fact that it only gets hunted during a rare east wind, days a lot about how good the spot is. I'm not sure if the wind direction plays a role other than its ideal for this location.

[dbd870]

East wind is a problem for both properties I hunt in IN. Now they are small tracts, both  ~15 acres so that makes it tough to adjust for the wind direction.

[KentuckyTJ]

Papaw used to tell us "Wind from the East, fishing and hunting the least" There is something to it around here. I really think the wind rarely comes from that direction and the wildlife patterns aren't oriented around that wind and they may be hesitant to move around.    

[Pat B.]

Here on the Gulf Coast an east wind will most often see deer hanging tight and not moving as much..  Been observing that pattern for 50 years.

[achigan]

That stand is great for a back-up, when the wind is right for it and wrong for your primary locations.

[MnFn]

It usually means rain for my area.

[Wabasis]

I've shot my 2 largest bucks hunting an east wind. We set stands for east winds as well as other wind directions. Here in Michigan it seems like we get quite a few hunting days with east winds.Some guys will say I'm not going out tonight, I don't have any stands set for an east wind. I think that they are missing out on some good action. I like east winds once in a while because it gives you opportunities to hunt those good locations that just don't work with the wind blowing from other directions.    Denny

[15andin]

I believe in an East wind more than any other wind.  I have shot my best bucks on East winds and have seen my best and most predictable movement on East winds.  It almost always means a front with precipitation is moving in and a lot of times in the fall it means colder air moving in resulting in bucks being on the move earlier or later in the day.  This is especially true during the seeking and chasing phase of the rut.  My stands hung for an East wind are easily my favorites whether they are afternoon or morning sets.

[huronhunter]

Yep, just like Rodger said when hunting in Michigan .An east wind is a weather pattern that produces a normally cold wind and rain.
Those days are for catching up on chores!