How to hunt based on wind

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


Sparkey
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:55 am
Status: Offline

How to hunt based on wind

Unread postby Sparkey » Sat Dec 05, 2020 6:47 am

Image
Image
what do you call this type of small swamp pictured?
. Its surrounded by relatively open jackpines and some oaks to the ne along the trail. Day before gunopener i found my first confirmed buck bed bit it seemed to be older maybe since it was nov 14th the buck was not using his normal bedding? I did some scouting into the complete opposite side of this swamp where i normaly hunt and ended up back towards this south facing point again but jumpes a couple deer in the lower part of the ridge where it gets a little thicker... i thought it was an elk the body had a lot of mass i saw the white tail and the track inthe road were massive
I didnt see any confirmed bedding my phone was dead and i was supposed to be in a different spot for last day of rifle i wish i woulda just sat there i was right next to the road didnt need my cell phone..

TLDR: HOW to hunt the terrain based on NNW wind? Seems like the 1 or 2 spot to set up would blow my scent into the small swamp or at the deer

as i type this i was supposed to be setting up but i just cant if i think its a dukb move.. before this my stand sat for 2years in the same spot thanks for looking


Sparkey
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:55 am
Status: Offline

Re: How to hunt based on wind

Unread postby Sparkey » Sat Dec 05, 2020 6:50 am

Secondarly i didnt want to bump a dead topic... i saw multiple times talk of hunting the upwind side of a doe thicket... wouldnt this blow your scent into where the deer are?
User avatar
<DK>
500 Club
Posts: 4484
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:02 am
Status: Offline

Re: How to hunt based on wind

Unread postby <DK> » Wed Dec 09, 2020 3:15 am

Hey there man. Thats a sweet looking area, great picture.

Id like to help you out but im very confused by your post. So you want to hunt where is says 'Jumped 3', jumped them on a NW wind, saw a very large body and youre concerned about the wind blowing into the swamp?
Sparkey
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:55 am
Status: Offline

Re: How to hunt based on wind

Unread postby Sparkey » Mon Dec 14, 2020 7:04 am

<DK> wrote:Hey there man. Thats a sweet looking area, great picture.

Id like to help you out but im very confused by your post. So you want to hunt where is says 'Jumped 3', jumped them on a NW wind, saw a very large body and youre concerned about the wind blowing into the swamp?

Sorry to have missed your post and the fact im no good at explaining. You understood me right it seems like they cross the road there at night however that day they were either bedded or moving in the low conifer cover. Last night we got our first snow but it was 8 inches..anyway
i tried to find a set up kind of where that ridge meets the "south facing ridge" that is north of the swamp but it didnt seem right and i pushed on because i think there is possible bedding north east of there and there was a north wind ran out of time....anyways on my way back i cut some big tracks in thw road and it actually crossed my walk in close to where i wanted to set up but didnt seen anything i liked but didnt look HARD...i followed it all the way back to the other aide of the swamp and there was a bed on the ridge there . Ive been there plenty of times and never jumped a deer i think he was bedded there because of the storm and the RARE east wind?? However the tree markings looked established but old. Also my first and only confirmed buck also it seemed "old" was on that southern point along that riddge. It is now a west wind.
Cut traxks and followed back..Image
Bed on rare east wind
Image
Southern point mid novemeber and mid december
ImageImage
User avatar
<DK>
500 Club
Posts: 4484
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:02 am
Status: Offline

Re: How to hunt based on wind

Unread postby <DK> » Tue Dec 15, 2020 5:30 am

Ok. I think I am following you. You seem to know whats going on pretty well. I dont want to comment on your buck situation, just trust your gut and hunt.

I am not a swamp hunter, the map is sort of tough for me to read. Plain and simple I think you have a good idea of what to do. That hard transition line around the swamp looks like it can both help and hurt you. The map shows a hill on the other side but I dont see how large it actually is. On a NW wind id imagine you get a swirl in that bowl. A lot depends on the terrain, wind currents and exit trails. Below is just general spots marked - If I hunted the E side id want to be farther right to avoid possible bad winds.
Image
Sparkey
Posts: 90
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:55 am
Status: Offline

Re: How to hunt based on wind

Unread postby Sparkey » Tue Dec 15, 2020 6:20 am

<DK> wrote:Ok. I think I am following you. You seem to know whats going on pretty well. I dont want to comment on your buck situation, just trust your gut and hunt.

I am not a swamp hunter, the map is sort of tough for me to read. Plain and simple I think you have a good idea of what to do. That hard transition line around the swamp looks like it can both help and hurt you. The map shows a hill on the other side but I dont see how large it actually is. On a NW wind id imagine you get a swirl in that bowl. A lot depends on the terrain, wind currents and exit trails. Below is just general spots marked - If I hunted the E side id want to be farther right to avoid possible bad winds.
Image

Thx 4 the response what is the big blue arrow?
I meant to update last night.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Go ahead and comment the only reason it seems like i know what im doing is because this is the only area ive hunted 4 3 years. I found this site mid season and have since moved by set up for the first time by myself. After actually packing the millenium sticks farther than 50 yards i immidietely bought some hawk helium 20 inches based on raving reviews and all the old model modders.
Let me tell u the only time i felt beasty was when i snapped these buttons that hold them together.. this is after i trimmed them too GARABAGE. For someone just getting into it i was not impressed with how high i got with a set of 4 and if the strap button is made out of the same material how is it supposed to hold my fat but succumb to my arm strength?
Anyways it is not a very large swamp and the surrounding is all jackpines and then oaks.. i feel like this is the wrong time for me to attempt to get mobile with the stand when it seems like everythings in the thickness. I feel like i should at least be on the other side of the trees that are in front of me but i already thought inwas pushing it with a west wind and it was natural shooting lane.. i didnt snap another i had an identical lane at my 9 oclock . As far as entrances and exits im still trying to get and understand better. It would be way harder if it wasnt december.
User avatar
<DK>
500 Club
Posts: 4484
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:02 am
Status: Offline

Re: How to hunt based on wind

Unread postby <DK> » Tue Dec 15, 2020 11:30 am

Blue arrow is your NW wind.

I would much rather hear from a swamp/marsh hunter about your spot. As far as hills go, I do like the white spots I marked. A buck has many options for bedding based on the wind and he can drop off a point, move the next one for a wind shift. I also like you pin dropped in the swamp where the thick vegetation is. I like some of your pins on the Left bc they can watch that access trail easily. If you have snow then I would look for the buck tracks. I would also suggest be pickier about posting ariel maps.

Image


  • Advertisement

Return to “Scouting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 29 guests