Hunting in this wind

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Dewey
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Hunting in this wind

Unread postby Dewey » Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:06 am

What is everybody tactic for hunting this wind we are having right now? I have been still hunting in the swamps in Vilas County the last few days and have been seeing quite a few deer including three bucks. Two of them were shooters but couldn't get a decent shot. I think hunting from a treestand is a waste of time right now since the deer are holding pretty tight to thick cover because of the wind. Time to hit the ground and go in after them in their bedding areas. I usually won't push it that much but since I won't be back up here until gun season I have nothing to lose. Beats sitting at home complaining about the weather I guess. You have to adapt to the weather conditions.

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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby Indianahunter » Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:20 am

Good attitude Dewey and good tactic. I sat in the tree until it got a little too rowdy this morning and came back home to get some work done. However, after my vacation starts.....we will do what we have to do to get the job done.
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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby headgear » Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:40 am

That is a pretty cool tactic Dewey, I might have to give that a shot some time.

Just curious did you happen to bump these bucks off their beds or where they moving in the bedding area around prime time when you saw them?

I do like hunting beds on these windy days, you can get a lot closer with the wind covering any noise you make.
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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby Beauford » Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:27 am

I was going to make this post good thought. I skipped my hunt this morning and got a nice workout done. I am planning on hunting in the morning and give it a try. Plans when I get down are to still hunt/ scout and check the area out.

I would think all this wind even affects the deer at night. I don't think they like staying in the open fields and lay down and chew cud etc. so when this dies off I would think the deer would be on feet longer.
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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby Dewey » Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:32 am

One buck was bedded and the other two were moving in the thick bedding area. With the heavy wind they won't travel too far from their bedding area because I would think that they can't hear or smell you quite as well. With everything blowing around they cannot see you moving as well either. Just got done shooting in the wind and think I will limit my shot to 15 yards or less if I get an opportunity this afternoon. Actually feels good getting out of the treestand and stretching the legs a bit. I know I will be in the tree plenty enough soon during the rut. :)

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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby Dor » Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:33 am

Dewey wrote:One buck was bedded and the other two were moving in the thick bedding area. With the heavy wind they won't travel too far from their bedding area because I would think that they can't hear or smell you quite as well. With everything blowing around they cannot see you moving as well either. Just got done shooting in the wind and think I will limit my shot to 15 yards or less if I get an opportunity this afternoon. Actually feels good getting out of the treestand and stretching the legs a bit. I know I will be in the tree plenty enough soon during the rut. :)

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Windy tactics used well Dewey! Good job and good luck.
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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby dan » Sun Oct 16, 2011 5:39 am

You can get away with a lot more noise. and a lot more movement on windy days... Stalking bedding areas is a good windy day tactic.
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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby James » Sun Oct 16, 2011 2:12 pm

My daughter and I decided to hit the marsh and hunt right on top of the bedding tonight. The wind gave us excellent cover noise for getting in and hanging stands. No bucks tonight but we had a doe come out of the bedding we expected a buck was using.

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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby Dewey » Sun Oct 16, 2011 4:03 pm

My plan didn't work out so well today. Didn't see a deer all day and then the wind died down nicely before dark! That wasn't supposed to happen according to weather forecasts. I should have been in the treestand. Oh well....you win some and lose some. Just got back from shining and the deer are coming out everywhere now that the wind died down some.

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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby Milk Weed Seed » Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:28 am

Don't forget the Dramamine!!! If you sit in a tree. Yesterday was crazy. Wish I went this morning nice and calm.

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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby GRUD » Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:29 am

Saw two bucks last evening and a doe and fawn. They seemed to hold close to the heavier cover. I was hunting open woods along a fence line. I could have shot one of the bucks but let him walk to grow up a bit. They were on their feet before 6pm with huge wind gusts and all. The moon phase was around 4pm local time here so I figured they would move and they did despite the wind. It's funny that I saw them early with the high winds and saw nothing close to dark when the wind died down.
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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby kenn1320 » Mon Oct 17, 2011 1:39 am

I went out last night, pretty darn windy. Turned my head to the left quickly without thinking about it and there was a doe looking right at me. She had snuck in and obviously caught my movement, even in this wind. She bobbed her head a few times and then circled around to get down wind of me. I got to my feet, had the longbow ready, but she kept stopping behind brush. When she finally stopped with an opening on her vitals, it was right on my entrance trail and down wind of me. I wasn't going to take a shot, knowing she was on full alert. She smelled some tall weeds my legs brushed thru and then 1 snort and 2 bounds, then walked away. Everything went as planned, I just screwed up thinking this high wind would hide any movement I made. I also noticed 1 big gust for sure that went the wrong way, but that was after the deer had left. I like a subtle wind, so I know where my scent is going. These gusty days however can have that lake affect, where a gust blows your scent the right way, then seems to pull it back the other way like a wave crashing the shore line.
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Re: Hunting in this wind

Unread postby Chasman » Mon Oct 17, 2011 4:06 pm

I find my attitude goes a little south when faced with hard rain or strong winds. I did get close to bedding area. Darn turkeys came in to roost. So I had a barking wind and 10 turkeys roosting. Not a good scenario for good buck. Then at dark walking out all the turkeys flew out. Not good.

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