Yet another weather question

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Huntress13
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Yet another weather question

Unread postby Huntress13 » Thu Oct 31, 2019 12:29 am

Yeah I know you can't kill them from the couch.

What do deer do in high winds? I hear people say the deer do move when it's very windy but I've never seen them do it.

Friday I can take off work, weather is forecast colder with high wind warnings, possible gusts to 50 or 60, be aware of possible falling trees or power outages. So do you hunt that and how?

I'm frustrated because there are only certain days I can hunt this one property, no weekends and aligning days I can take off work and weather is annoying.

Thursday is going to be windy with heavy rain all day. And while I don't mind hunting in the rain, with my bow I need a good blood trail and don't want to shoot one and not recover it.


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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby EllieTheChubb » Thu Oct 31, 2019 1:06 am

Wether or not deer are moving 50-60mph gusts are gale force winds verging on hurricane force winds. Safety would be my biggest concern. I think I would stay home on the couch.

Also your arrow flight in those winds would potentially be erratic.
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby may21581 » Thu Oct 31, 2019 1:15 am

[quote="Huntress13"]Yeah I know you can't kill them from the couch.

What do deer do in high winds? I hear people say the deer do move when it's very windy but I've never seen them do it.

Friday I can take off work, weather is forecast colder with high wind warnings, possible gusts to 50 or 60, be aware of possible falling trees or power outages. So do you hunt that and how?

I'm frustrated because there are only certain days I can hunt this one property, no weekends and aligning days I can take off work and weather is annoying.

Thursday is going to be windy with heavy rain all day. And while I don't mind hunting in the rain, with my bow I need a good blood trail and don't want to shoot one and not recover

I've seen and killed more big bucks on windy days than any other time.
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby Huntress13 » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:04 am

may21581 wrote:
I've seen and killed more big bucks on windy days than any other time.


In woods with the trees cracking and banging? I did kill one deer on a windy day in shotgun season, but it was on a field, not in woods.
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby Huntress13 » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:06 am

EllieTheChubb wrote:Wether or not deer are moving 50-60mph gusts are gale force winds verging on hurricane force winds. Safety would be my biggest concern. I think I would stay home on the couch.

Also your arrow flight in those winds would potentially be erratic.


Yes, I'd keep shots at 20, preferably less.

I guess I will look at the forecast and see if the winds are forecast to come down by afternoon and maybe give that a go if it looks like it is lessening.
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby greenhorndave » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:20 am

50-60 gusts are no joke. Trees topple in that stuff. I wouldn't mess with it.
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby Huntress13 » Thu Oct 31, 2019 3:02 am

Weatherunderground shows this:

Clipboard01.jpg


But there is the high wind watch that says, "30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 60 mph possible."

Without that, it looks like it would be perfect conditions coming off certain rain the day before, a significant temperature drop, and rising barometer. Ugh.
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby Trout King » Thu Oct 31, 2019 3:28 am

They still move, they may move slower and more cautious.

Studies show that bucks actually move more as wind increases to a certain point.

https://ecosystems.psu.edu/research/pro ... r-movement
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby megavites » Thu Oct 31, 2019 5:02 am

shot a nice buck two weeks ago in 20mph winds
20191017_202815.jpg
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby stash59 » Thu Oct 31, 2019 5:10 am

Has really strong winds with much higher gusts on Oct 12th. 25-30 steady, gusts to 45-50. Lotta branches falling, including 1 I thought was coming through the ground blind! But they calmed to 10-15 just before sundown. Missed my shot on a solid 3.5 Y.O. right at quitting time.
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby 1STRANGEWILDERNESS » Thu Oct 31, 2019 5:19 am

Sometimes I tend to get in trees that are potentially unsafe, half alive or whatever. I wouldn’t do something like that on a day like that. That’s some profound wind..

My experience in farm country with high winds was not good. In bigwoods it seems the wind may put them on edge but they move very well in it.
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Thu Oct 31, 2019 5:50 am

I can't answer that...
For what it's worth - I've never seen movement in +25-30mph, really over 20mph...
Although it looks like it's after a rainy day...
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby may21581 » Thu Oct 31, 2019 6:02 am

Best bucks seen and taken were with 10-20 mph winds.
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby moog5050 » Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:27 am

I too have off to hunt on Friday next door to you - 8H. I am planning to play it by ear. If there really are gusts in the 40mph or more range, I will sit it out. But if we are talking 15 to 20, I will be out there in a somewhat protected valley area. Good luck and be safe!
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Re: Yet another weather question

Unread postby Oceana » Thu Oct 31, 2019 12:35 pm

20-30 gusts in Michigan last weekend and the deer were moving. Had a nice entry because the wind covered my sound... I use it as an opportunity to hunt thicker areas that would be difficult to enter undetected on calm days. My only problem is you cannot hear deer approach!

Edit- the 50-60 mph gusts may be dangerous or just flat out unenjoyable to hunt


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