Are Thermals Always Present?

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TomMurphyNY
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Are Thermals Always Present?

Unread postby TomMurphyNY » Wed Oct 20, 2021 9:31 pm

This is a question I don’t have enough experience to answer. It’s somewhat specific to the conditions but let’s say a cold front rolls in overnight in hill country with light rains in the morning. The temperature is dropping overnight and stays even or drops more as the next day goes on. Do you expect the thermals to have the same effect in the morning? Dulled down? Non existent? Any changes to how a deer would use this scenario or would they generally still use the military crest to their advantage? Thanks in advance


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brancher147
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Re: Are Thermals Always Present?

Unread postby brancher147 » Wed Oct 20, 2021 11:04 pm

If it’s cloudy and temp dropping thermals should also be dropping unless they are overpowered by the wind. From my experience it’s not going to change deer behavior much as to what terrain they use, it will just change how you setup in relation to thermal or wind
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Bucky
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Re: Are Thermals Always Present?

Unread postby Bucky » Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:31 am

Thermals are not always present no. If cloudy and dropping temps there will be inconsistent thermals
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Re: Are Thermals Always Present?

Unread postby A5BLASTER » Thu Oct 21, 2021 10:26 am

Yes they are always present. Every day 24/7/365 days a year.

Sometimes they are over powered by prevailing winds, some times they are inconsistent. But they are always there.
Bowtech1
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Re: Are Thermals Always Present?

Unread postby Bowtech1 » Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:56 pm

Yes always present. 100% of the time but the wind can and will overpower them sometimes
Exophysical
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Re: Are Thermals Always Present?

Unread postby Exophysical » Thu Oct 21, 2021 6:39 pm

A5BLASTER wrote:Yes they are always present. Every day 24/7/365 days a year.

Sometimes they are over powered by prevailing winds, some times they are inconsistent. But they are always there.


And in my opinion, they are always important. They may feel like a minor wind variable a lot of the time, but in hill country they are usually about the most predictable variable, and in my observations game will often relate to the thermals as much or more than the prevailing winds.

My own findings have been different then brancher's. If the thermal remains falling through the day, I've found that deer in hill country will often be bedded and traveling lower down.
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Lockdown
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Re: Are Thermals Always Present?

Unread postby Lockdown » Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:24 am

Thermals aren’t always present, but they often are when I don’t want them to be :lol:

That happened on my last hunt.
Rich M
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Re: Are Thermals Always Present?

Unread postby Rich M » Fri Oct 22, 2021 1:59 am

Thermals alway exists. Sometimes the wind overpowers them, usually we get a mix/blend of wind and thermals.

If you disregard the thermals it will bite you sooner or later.
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Re: Are Thermals Always Present?

Unread postby Huntress13 » Fri Oct 22, 2021 2:06 am

I'm not an expert, but I say always present. But how much of a pull is happening at any given time is very dependent on other factors. I've seen a falling thermal so strong, you could feel it like a steady breeze (opposite of what the wind was doing). Other times in the same place at same time of day, it barely seems to move it's so slight. Also, what part of the season?
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