AM Thermals Q's

[JV NC]

Long time lurker - 1st time poster.

AM thermals.

I realize how little I know about these (in totality). I'm familiar with the basics. What I want to know is what can be mitigating factors to the "std"?

For my situation, I'm dealing with setting up on the highest ground in the general vicinity. What could make the AM thermal NOT be rising? It would be a setup on the edge of a doe bedding area with approx. 50yds in front of me (dir. of the bedding area) before a drop-off into a lower-lying area. This is a man-made and a natural break-line (man-made is area I or no one else can hunt. Natural is break between hardwoods and pines/scrub-brush).

I've hesitated (have not, to date) to hunt when the wind is blowing towards the bedding area. I also know better to go in there in the PM without a good wind. But, I have to think I'm missing out on a LOT of AM pre-rut activity.

What would mitigate the AM thermal effect, negatively (for my purposes)? Is there a time when you'd throw caution to the wind? What would make you do so (other than a late season gamble)?

Thanks.

[JRM6868]

Welcome to the site.

Nothing will stop your am thermals from rising and your evening thermals from dropping. Some things that actually affect the thermals will be hill height,shape of the hills and wind speed which instead of it rising straight up the wind can pull it one way or the other.
The thermals are kicking in about the last 30-45 minutes of daylight left in the evening to get them to start dropping about when the sun sets behind the hills before dark. In the am its the same before/as it rises you you ever get that chill right before/at daybreak? That's your thermals switching from down to up in the morning. If you can alter your stand with the wind and thermal knowledge you can use the thermals to your advantage knowing the thermal is rising and can have deer up wind of you in some instances and the thermal actually carries your scent above them with a strong thermal. Based on your height in the hills a higher hill will have a stronger thermal than a smaller hill. Depending on what side of the hill your on and the prevailing wind there's also a thermal tunnel that is created when the wind collides with the thermal rising if your in that yor scent will be swirling. Next time your in there take some milkweed and let it fly and watch it so you can see what your scent is doing. It's surprising sometimes.
I'm sure I missed some things some others can chime in.

[Mike]

Cloud cover can stop the thermals, overcast skys, rain etc. Generally the sun needs to be out to warm the valleys to get the thermals going up, otherwise they stay flowing down all day. In my area the thermals don't get going until a few hours after sunrise, you can usually feel the thermal shift.

I have a spot kinda like you describe and I hunt it with my wind blowing towards the bedding areas. You kinda just have to try it and see. If you are up above the area enough and the wind is strong enough you can get away with blowing right at (and over) the bedding area. Being at the highest point really allows you some safety with scent a lot of the time, and for sure once the thermals come up your home free til the evening.

[BigHunt]

[quote="Mike"]Cloud cover can stop the thermals, overcast skys, rain etc. Generally the sun needs to be out to warm the valleys to get the thermals going up, otherwise they stay flowing down all day. quote]


honistly ive never seen NO thermals ....there always there sometimes we cant feel it......

no matter what rain snow or shine theres always thermals the earth still heats up in the mouring no matter what ......

[Stanley]

ttt