High Wind Hunting

[Ugly_Duck]

Looking for opinions on hunting in high winds in somewhat close proximity to bedding. Tough it out and sit all day this time of year? Late Morning into afternoon? Afternoon to dusk? Not at all?

Tomorrows forecast shows wind speeds 20-30mph.

[Boogieman1]

The way I do it and not saying it's the best way..just what I like is if I'm sitting close to doe bedding in the morning expecting them to come from the direction of food and nothing shows. I get down late morning and try to find some fresh sign revealing where the current action is and set up there. If the does showed to the bedding and just didn't see a buck I would stay put and wait them out.

[Jonny]

Don't go 30' up in an 8" tree

But high winds are nice in that they cover up a lot of noise. Problem is that deer figured that out too, and in my experience, don't move as much as they would on a calmer day with a slight breeze.

[oneflag]

A few seasons ago we had a tornado watch and warm temperatures a day during rut. Crazy but I went out and my plan was to walk around and look for fresh sign. I wanted to check out a distant ridge that I had saw deer on while in a stand but never walked it. Very windy I was standing looking at some tracks, I turned around and a nice buck was at 30 yards, his nose down and walking fast. I took off after him and tried to get a shot (it was firearm season). No shot but soon after I spotted some does walking towards a pin thicket. I followed them and was able to catch up and put one on the ground. I never thought I would see a deer that day. So, my point is just go scouting with a weapon anything can happen. Might just learn something , I did.

[Ugly_Duck]

A few seasons ago we had a tornado watch and warm temperatures a day during rut. Crazy but I went out and my plan was to walk around and look for fresh sign. I wanted to check out a distant ridge that I had saw deer on while in a stand but never walked it. Very windy I was standing looking at some tracks, I turned around and a nice buck was at 30 yards, his nose down and walking fast. I took off after him and tried to get a shot (it was firearm season). No shot but soon after I spotted some does walking towards a pin thicket. I followed them and was able to catch up and put one on the ground. I never thought I would see a deer that day. So, my point is just go scouting with a weapon anything can happen. Might just learn something , I did.

I like it thanks!, Here in WI its bow season right now. I have 2 days allotted off work for hunting so I decided to take Friday and Monday off when the wind will be lower and will be premium direction for the stand I plan to sit. Had it been rifle season though I would go out walking for sure. Good luck this year!

[Bedbug]

My opinion on high winds is.. HUNT THEM.
My personal experiences have made me question why so many people choose not to hunt windy days.
IMO the deer feel vulnerable in their beds. Even mature bucks I see them on their feet earlier and moving outside off dense cover.
As far as all day sits... It can become a mental toughness game very quick. But that depends on the climate your in I guess.
Where I'm at if it's under 30 degrees and blowing 30 mph i simply can't dress warm enough to pull off an all day hunt.

[Polack]

I was looking for some input on high wind bed hunting on in a mixed marsh with some cattails. Winds are calling for 20-25 mph today in Michigan around 55 degrees. Im thinking about making a bold move close to known buck beds 55-60 yards away. I think the deer will have the wind in their advantage and they should be bedded there. Just curious if anyone has had any success in this type of high wind scenario. Its about .75 miles back off the road. Do you guys see bucks bedding inside the cattails when the winds are very high? They have little trees inside the cattails with little humps they can bed on. Thanks!!

[Ishi Spirit]

Find a big tree ..... strap in good and enjoy the ride!

[Polack]

Find a big tree ..... strap in good and enjoy the ride!

Hahaha, I think im gonna go in THP style in the ghillie suit and try and ground swat em!

[Crazinamatese]

You can get away with alot of movement on windy days. If anything, think leeward edges during those conditions.

[phade]

Windy days are great days to hunt IMO. They can be tough to ensure, but the hunting is good.

My personal experience is that deer are on their feet more than we think during windy days. They seem to mimic a late season day where deer concentrate. For high wind, I think they prefer low areas or areas where ground cover will not make it hard for them to use their vision. I see alot of deer on those days in wide open spaces. Low areas out of the wind will allow them to use more of their defense skills.

You can really get away with movements, too. Problem is alot of times I find myself just as shocked to see a deer as they are me when it happens on those days, ha!

I also like bumping deer too if in a hunting group. Deer seem to get confused on where to escape - shot a few does on slow 1-2 man pushes where they run and then really get stuck on which way to go.