Let's Talk Playing The Wind

[csoult]

So I made a mistake the other night and knew it was going to happen. I sat a draw like in the diagram that I posted. I was going to leave it for the rut because it is such an amazing funnel, having laurel on both sides of it, but the prevailing wind was perfect. The thought of the thermals switching and going down the draw came to mind but I ignored the thought. That was the mistake.

Well about twenty minutes before last light 2 doe start making their way up the draw and get to me with no problems, then the thermals switched and another deer from down in the draw that I couldn't see caught my wind. This obviously alerted the two deer underneath me causing then to stand and stomp for about 45 minutes. Needless to say I was pretty late getting out of the tree that night.

I think I've blown that spot for a while, well till the rut anyway. I'm just typing this really to vent on the frustration with myself, because I knew it would happen but I did it anyway. If I was hunting does it wouldn't have been a problem, but I already shot a doe on Saturday.

I've gotta stop making those stupid mistakes.

[Rich M]

The benefit of your experience is that it is now burned into your head.

How many folks set up in good area, have the thermals change and then not see or hear the deer that bust them? Then they go back for a couple of days/weekends in a row and the deer bust them a second and third time - the deer now know exactly where the hunter sits - begin to alter their travel pattern at that location.

[WV Bowhunter]

There is tons of good info in this one. I'm going to go back and read it a few more times to try to soak it all in.

[CallMeFishmael]

I want to ask you guys another question on playing the wind. I have heard Dan say in videos that he has never seen a buck bed facing into the wind. This means that they always (understanding there are a few odd exceptions probably and since I conceded this, let's not focus on this point) face down-wind. As a result, is there a much less chance of getting spotted putting up your stand and getting into your tree if you hunt a spot and playing a just off wind? It seems that unless you make noise and bring his attention back your way, he will continue looking in the opposite direction. Do you find this to be the case?

[JoeRE]

I want to ask you guys another question on playing the wind. I have heard Dan say in videos that he has never seen a buck bed facing into the wind. This means that they always (understanding there are a few odd exceptions probably and since I conceded this, let's not focus on this point) face down-wind. As a result, is there a much less chance of getting spotted putting up your stand and getting into your tree if you hunt a spot and playing a just off wind? It seems that unless you make noise and bring his attention back your way, he will continue looking in the opposite direction. Do you find this to be the case?

Yea, sound is the big issue if you are setting up with a just off wind. That and playing it just too close - one bad swirl and you are probably done. Deer swivel their heads around all the time while bedded they just spend a majority of time looking downwind.

A buck hears something and he will swivel those big old noise funnels of his around toward the noise to hear better. If its disturbing he will turn his head and look and might bust you or may even get up and move downwind, busted again. But I agree the just-off wind sweet spot reduces the chance of getting pegged visually.

I don't disagree with Dan on that statement, but to expand on it some beds I have found in hill country seem to have air currents dumping in from all directions. Sounds impossible but I have seen places where there doesn't seem to be a safe setup within a couple hundred yards. Often its down in a bowl or something like that. Sort of related to the "thermal hub" concept where basically everything is upwind of the bed. Those impossible beds usually hold the biggest/oldest bucks

[Stanley]

I want to ask you guys another question on playing the wind. I have heard Dan say in videos that he has never seen a buck bed facing into the wind. This means that they always (understanding there are a few odd exceptions probably and since I conceded this, let's not focus on this point) face down-wind. As a result, is there a much less chance of getting spotted putting up your stand and getting into your tree if you hunt a spot and playing a just off wind? It seems that unless you make noise and bring his attention back your way, he will continue looking in the opposite direction. Do you find this to be the case?

Great question. I set up 5 times this year and had bucks bedded or came in and bedded within 40 yards of the tree I was in. Every one of the bucks came in with wind at their back and bedded with the wind at their back. Windy days are a hunters ally. Bucks move their heads very little when bedded. They can move their ears more effectively.

[dan]

I want to ask you guys another question on playing the wind. I have heard Dan say in videos that he has never seen a buck bed facing into the wind. This means that they always (understanding there are a few odd exceptions probably and since I conceded this, let's not focus on this point) face down-wind. As a result, is there a much less chance of getting spotted putting up your stand and getting into your tree if you hunt a spot and playing a just off wind? It seems that unless you make noise and bring his attention back your way, he will continue looking in the opposite direction. Do you find this to be the case?

Yea, sound is the big issue if you are setting up with a just off wind. That and playing it just too close - one bad swirl and you are probably done. Deer swivel their heads around all the time while bedded they just spend a majority of time looking downwind.

A buck hears something and he will swivel those big old noise funnels of his around toward the noise to hear better. If its disturbing he will turn his head and look and might bust you or may even get up and move downwind, busted again. But I agree the just-off wind sweet spot reduces the chance of getting pegged visually.

I don't disagree with Dan on that statement, but to expand on it some beds I have found in hill country seem to have air currents dumping in from all directions. Sounds impossible but I have seen places where there doesn't seem to be a safe setup within a couple hundred yards. Often its down in a bowl or something like that. Sort of related to the "thermal hub" concept where basically everything is upwind of the bed. Those impossible beds usually hold the biggest/oldest bucks

Joe, I have seen that myself... A couple times you know a big buck is bedding in a spot and you cant figure out why till you figure out all scent travels there. Especially in the bowl type scenario you described.

[dan]

I want to ask you guys another question on playing the wind. I have heard Dan say in videos that he has never seen a buck bed facing into the wind. This means that they always (understanding there are a few odd exceptions probably and since I conceded this, let's not focus on this point) face down-wind. As a result, is there a much less chance of getting spotted putting up your stand and getting into your tree if you hunt a spot and playing a just off wind? It seems that unless you make noise and bring his attention back your way, he will continue looking in the opposite direction. Do you find this to be the case?

Back to your question, remember there eyes are on the side of there head. They can sometimes pick you off from behind. They can swivel that head around like a possessed catholic girl too... So it probably helps, but don't think its the cure all...

[westmichigander]

I have been going through and rereading all these "best tactical threads" as well as listening to a lot of old podcasts with a lot of the Beasts on here as well as Dan.
I have read them all previously and heard most of them already but I seem to be picking up much more this time around.

That said, The hunting Beast Podcast Episode 1 "Wind and Thermals" I heard Dan say something that I may have missed prior but I really liked & thought I would share.

I don't remember the exact quote but it was something along the lines of

"It's not where the wind is hitting you.... it's where it goes after"

[muddy]

I'm always looking for cross wind locations, or a place where I can move 50-100 yards and hunt it on differing winds.

[Uncle Lou]

Well, this thread is deserving of a bump. Incredible discussion in this thread. I have been wondering lately about hunting wind switches of all types. On a front the main wind direction can switch 180 degrees in a day. Thermals definitely qualify as wind switch. Really just curios about how others approach wind shifts.

I hear often how people will move during the thermal switch, or move there stand if the general wind direction changes during the day, just wondering how some plan this into a hunt.

[Uncle Lou]

I'll throw out something that made me dig up this old thread.

I have a spot across the lake I bumped a buck off a few seasons back. He has this low spot off a point and can smell everything from North, West and South with any wind that is SSW to N, the way the wind swirls and funnels off this point. Then he has a huge water barrier to the east. The time I bumped him, I was easing along the top of a small hill west of him (can't remember the wind, sometimes I still hunt/scout and don't really care about getting busted). Sat down for a while, when he couldn't take it anymore and dove in the water and swam east. If he didn't smell me - yet. I think it heard me creeping slowly above him. When I went motionless, ie: quiet, I think it made him nervous and he bailed.

So after my poor explanation of that deer encounter, what I am getting at is, I often think of looking for a a wind switch from any westerly wind, to an east wind on a front. One, I just love weather changes, rain and wind to hunt, but I am thinking that he is bedding based on Westerly wind and if it switches anytime after he has bedded to east wind, and before he can move, I think I could catch him vulnerable.

Just one thought on how I may plan a wind switch hunt this upcoming fall.

[Groundhunter@1]

I have a hard time wrapping around my head how complicated many make deer hunting. Yes Wind is King, always. However not being a trophy hunter and taking what is given me, that attitude has presented me more trophy opportunities.

I hate to tell you the shots I have had, when winds were wrong.

Here are my rules. Hunt when you can, eveni if
it's only the last 20 minutes of the day.

Have enough spots to not worry about screwing up an area since you can move on

Hunt where big bucks live. During the rut you have no idea where he is coming from..

Good luck to all

[upwind predator]

I love when these ol threads get dug up, makes me wish i was on this forum at those times so i could see the pictures and drawings! Cause with hill country i need visuals haha.

[Uncle Lou]

I have a hard time wrapping around my head how complicated many make deer hunting. Yes Wind is King, always. However not being a trophy hunter and taking what is given me, that attitude has presented me more trophy opportunities.

I hate to tell you the shots I have had, when winds were wrong.

Here are my rules. Hunt when you can, eveni if
it's only the last 20 minutes of the day.

Have enough spots to not worry about screwing up an area since you can move on

Hunt where big bucks live. During the rut you have no idea where he is coming from..

Good luck to all

I think along those same lines, but lack a wall full of biguns, but I do enjoy the chase