The just off wind.......

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Zap
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The just off wind.......

Unread postby Zap » Sat Oct 01, 2011 1:47 pm

How often do you play the just off wind?

Hoping the deer will move to you and you will be able to kill em before they smell you?

How often has it backfired?


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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby muddy » Sat Oct 01, 2011 2:01 pm

I had it happen accidentally last year, the wind would've been close to screwing me from one direction, and hot cherry pie dripping on the ground from the opposite. Fortunately my buck came from the good side and I followed the hot cherry pie drips to his body and then I rejoiced.
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby BigHunt » Sat Oct 01, 2011 2:02 pm

Zap wrote:How often do you play the just off wind?

Hoping the deer will move to you and you will be able to kill em before they smell you?

How often has it backfired?

i do it alot mostly when im hunting bedds
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby dan » Sat Oct 01, 2011 2:30 pm

I do it often... It occasionally pays off, and occasionally backfires.
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby BCam » Sun Oct 02, 2011 2:46 am

dan wrote:I do it often... It occasionally pays off, and occasionally backfires.

Does it backfire by other deer busting you and putting your buck on alert or just from the buck getting into your wind stream? I'm actually faced with this issue tonight. The wind is right for where a buck is bedding but I know my scent is going to be going right into doe bedding. My worry is the buck will witness the deer scattering and stay put? :o
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby Arrowbender » Sun Oct 02, 2011 4:20 am

It's very hard to plan "just off " wind in hill country. 1st of all the weather sites aren't accurate enough to discern NNE from N or NE, which to me is the difference of "just off ". 2ndly, on evening sits the wind changes more than that because of thermals anyway. So I think you are better off to enter your stand according to a good for you wind and set up on a "just off " thermal current for when the deer are getting up anyhow.

Hunting field edges and swamps is a different story, there the thermals aren't as big af a factor and the predicted wind is a little more dependable.

IMO ($.02)
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby dan » Sun Oct 02, 2011 4:58 am

Arrow, I fully agree... However there are some instances, like where you have deer that bed on a point and travelup that point to feed. They bed at a certain spot on that point only when the wind blows down that point and are traveling into the wind... You need to hunt them when they bed there and hunt in the direction they go.. So if you don't "play" that wind you don't hunt that buck...
Generally by looking at the wind up top and figuring which edge you can get on and have your wind blow over the valley you have a crack at the buck if the wind is still blowing down the point giving the buck a false sense of security.. Thats just one example. But in general? Yes, playing the wind is tough in hill country and can cost you if you don't consider thermal changes and such.
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby dan » Sun Oct 02, 2011 5:10 am

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kenn1320
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby kenn1320 » Sun Oct 02, 2011 5:29 am

I think the just off wind mainly pertains to hunting a bucks bed/staging area. When I'm hunting does, I'm only looking for the wind to be in my favor and set up where they transition from bedding to feeding.
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby headgear » Sun Oct 02, 2011 6:44 am

Most of my sets I try and play the just off wind or at the very least a cross wind. When it works it is a thing of beauty, when it doesn't work it is still fun although I don wonder how often I get picked off and never know about it.
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby Hodag Hunter » Sun Oct 02, 2011 7:01 am

When Dan mentioned hunting the "just off wind" a few years back I gave it a shot. Made a huge difference in my buck sightings.

Yeah got/get burned a time or two but overall was one of the best things I changed up vs. always hunting the hunter's best wind.
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby RaisedByWolves » Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:33 am

I usually always try to hunt the "just off" wind...I have so many spots scouted out to hunt, I often check the weather (i dont hunt hill country) to see the wind, and then check google earth or topo to see what my best options are. I've been hunting this way for deer in general, and buck beds. Haven't had it give me away yet, and also had some great experiences.
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby Schultzy » Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:47 am

I've done It allot. How many times has It back fired? Here and there but haven't a clue really. It could be a ton. Can't see what their doing when/If they smell me from where I can't see them.
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby swamp-assassin » Sun Oct 02, 2011 1:57 pm

most of the time i play the just off wind..seems as though otherwise i would not see as many deer because ive noticed that they love walking into the wind around here in the public...but i havent seen a deer all season so what do i know! probably playing it wrong...tough topic that if mastered can lead to success
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Re: The just off wind.......

Unread postby cwoods » Sun Oct 02, 2011 2:35 pm

Ive started doing this alot of late and have had sucess.


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