High Wind Days

[fmscan]

Folks, Seems like the wind has been blowing every time I have gone out this year, have seen everything from skunks, turkey & several foxes. Have not seen a deer in 4 days of hunting. My theroy is the wind messes up their senses - eyes, nose and ears. Im talkin 20-30mph. Do you find the same thing and any suggestions?

[pdk25]

Get out and do some stalking in that weather.  That is the only time I have had much luck stalking whitetails and I have often found them bedded down in draws out of the wind.  I have had better luck using an approach quartering into the wind or having a crosswind.  Lots of times there were buck bedded down looking downwind, using the wind funneling to them from behind.  I have heard about the deer staying out of the woods because of fear of falling branches, but that has not been my experience.

[Rob W.]

I will take wind for ducks any day. For whitetails I hate it.

I use hard blowing wind days to slowly scout, hunt ducks or spend time with the kids.

[Wannabe1]

Yep, it's been my observation here in Oregon, on high wind days the deer won't move much. Can't hear well and they will usually bed down 'til the wind slows or stops.

[Stalker58]

I think windy days are the hardest days to hunt. Deer tend to be more cautious, and skittish. Plus it blows your sent all around.
Best bet, I found, is to hunt into the wind. Stalking very cautiously.

[Pointer]

In my experience no doubt about it..whitetails are cagey to begin with. Give them a day where they are being hit with scent from all directions in a high speed swirling wind and the just stick to thick cover. Impossible to hunt into the wind when its blowing every which way.

[Pointer]

In my experience no doubt about it..whitetails are cagey to begin with. Give them a day where they are being hit with scent from all directions in a high speed swirling wind and the just stick to thick cover. Impossible to hunt into the wind when its blowing every which way. If its my only day to hunt I'll go out but generally to explore a new area and with low expectations.

[monkeyball]

If the winds are swirling FM stay at home and pour yourself a glass of wine.

 Now if they are strong and steady coming out of one direction get your boots on and get your nose facing into them. Have a plan of attack and head out knowing you are going to see deer.

  Four steps at a time, you are a lefty so you will always want to start with your left foot first. That way you will always end on your right foot and be ready to draw when the time comes.

  Slow and steady wins the race here, as said above they may be a little more skittish during heavy winds,but you already have two of there senses beat......scent and sound.

  You spot them first and you stand a good chance.


                                    Good Hunting,
                                                    Craig

[wetfeathers]

What pdk25 said.  I absolutely MUST be hunting when the wind blows.  The nastier the better.  As a still-hunter,  I'm the one thing out there causing movement.  When the wind is blowing or even howling, everything is moving.  I've shot bucks on the ground with no cover between them and me during high winds.  I agree with pdk25 also,  look in the draws and ravines for bedded deer.  High winds are a great time to be still-hunting.  Good luck.

[Hopewell Tom]

I don't like the wind, but the rut timing plays into it, I think. 2 days last year I didn't go out because of the wind, I know of two very nice bucks shot. Gun deer, but the bucks were moving and I'm not sure anything but a heat wave will stop their movements at that magical time. I'll be out this year in the wind when that peak activity is on, for sure.

[dbd870]

Last weekend was very windy for me as well; only time it slacked off was Sunday evening and I still got winded. I don't go out on windy days anymore; never have taken one in high wind. Good time to do a few things around the house to make the wife happy. Now like Tom said, prime rut time I break a lot of my own rules!

[KentuckyTJ]

Great days for checking out new area's and hanging stands, making ground blinds. Leave your bow at home, unless you are doe hunting.

[fmscan]

Guys, Thank you for your feedback, some good points and I look forward to trying to still hunt in the draws. Monkeyball, thank you for telling me how to walk! I've been doing it for almost 68 yrs...LOL, you are always a guy who I look to for suggestions. Spent a lot of time sitting in my Waldrop seat (your suggestion) and I should have been still hunting into the wind esp. in draws and shelters out of the wind.

[onewhohasfun]

I have seen quite a few big bucks on their feet during high winds. My favorite time to hunt. Better for entry and exit of stands, especially close to bedding areas. 2yrs. ago, end of Oct. I saw 7 nice bucks in a five day span all during high winds. Beats heck out of dead calm winds when you get the "slow walkers."
Kind of like steelhead fishing a river. On a sunny day fish will be concentrated in the shade and the "dark water", not scattered all over the river. Bucks will do the same in high winds. Find those secluded pockets.

[monkeyball]

FM,
       Forget about that walk technique, I do not want to be responsible when you trip and break your ankle trying to figure it out.

                      Good Hunting,
                                        Craig

[KentuckyTJ]

Caveat to my initial post.

Unless its the rut. Then you need to be hunting.

[JohnV]

If we Iowans waited for calm-wind days to hunt, we would rarely get out.  With high wind days you don't have to worry about swirling winds.  If high winds are common in your area, the game is used to it and it has minimal impact on whether they move.

[DaveT1963]

Agree wiht John V - When I lived in MT it took a really strong front to put the deer down.  The wind was always blowing and the deer were use to it.  I do think that during higher winds that deer tend to work through more open wood lots.  Think they rely on their sight more when the wind is blowing hard.  Saw that a long time ago in Bowhunting Oct Whitetails and I have confirmed it out in the woods enough times

[rastaman]

I head for the pine thickets...especially where they transition into more open woodlots with sage and broomstraw fields in between.

[JMG]

For me, nothing beats cutting through rows of standing corn on a windy days!! I usually prefer to do this in the middle of the day with people up in stands on escape routes of the deer. I have been with in 10-12 yards of deer when sneaking  through standing corn on windy days.