hunting with high winds

[rochester coops]

High winds here tonight and through tomorrow. I know Stanley has said he has killed some good ones in heavy cover during windy days, so I 'm looking for some more advice. I've never specifically hunted heavy cover on high wind days and I've also never really seen much on windy days. Soooo, just curious if am/pm is still the best time to hunt the cover on windy days, or do they get up and move more mid-day within the cover? Also, I've heard it said and am starting to have seen it that they don't really like cat-tails in the high winds. Any other input with that, as it limits the 'heavy cover' I have available to hunt. Do deer like crp on windy days?

Open to other options too. Considering stalking through corn fields. I've done it some, not with much success, and not at all with bow. If they bed with wind to back, I'm guessing your only shot will be down the row, with them facing you. How do you pull that off with a bow?

[spiker2930]

I would try still hunting the lee ward side of the thicket very slowly. Watch very carefully as you move and be ready to shoot quickly. I have walked up on several bucks over the years on my way to a specific location and noticed on extremely windy days they lay right on the edge with the wind at their back and watch the more open area in front of them for visual dangers. If they see you they bail deeper into the thicket. If they smell you they bail fhe other way before you see them typically. They dont seem to bed in those locations on a regular basis only on the extreme high wind days. I assume for a wind break along with an overall effective defensive position for the conditions. Only my 2 cents. Good luck! Cant kill them from the couch

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Crazinamatese]

In my experiences, I have seen deer moving in strong winds during high pressure weather (fair weather), or before an approaching storm system. Rarely I see them during low pressure weather system when a storm is pretty much overhead with overcast skies, gusty winds, rain, or snow. The deer seem to lay down during the storm. I prefer days with a good steady wind at 10-15 mph. That wind speed seems to cover your noise just enough when you walk thru the woods.

[JoeRE]

In hill country, high winds are a big plus. Deer will all be on the leeward/protected side of ridges or in the bottoms. I love a 30 mph wind and cold temps hitting the ridge tops this time of year, deer just stack up in protected spots, big bucks included. The tricky part can be getting in there with all the deer concentrated.

[Stanley]

High winds here tonight and through tomorrow. I know Stanley has said he has killed some good ones in heavy cover during windy days, so I 'm looking for some more advice. I've never specifically hunted heavy cover on high wind days and I've also never really seen much on windy days. Soooo, just curious if am/pm is still the best time to hunt the cover on windy days, or do they get up and move more mid-day within the cover? Also, I've heard it said and am starting to have seen it that they don't really like cat-tails in the high winds. Any other input with that, as it limits the 'heavy cover' I have available to hunt. Do deer like crp on windy days?

Open to other options too. Considering stalking through corn fields. I've done it some, not with much success, and not at all with bow. If they bed with wind to back, I'm guessing your only shot will be down the row, with them facing you. How do you pull that off with a bow?

I really don't like most CRP ground to hunt. It is normally not thick enough and no trees. That said if you can find CRP that butts up to a timber and get get on the leeward side of the timber you may do ok. I have seen bucks move under these conditions. CRP ground is almost always hilly so there would be slight valleys for bucks to get out of the wind. This is still less than ideal to set up on.

A good friend of mine and a good hunter says he believes bucks move in the wind knowing they are less visible to predators. He also hunts heavy cover in the wind. I might tend to agree with him. A buck hates to be seen that is a bucks the first line of defense, getting out of sight.

[hoyt]

I 've had fairly good luck in high winds..not redicuously high, but whipping around pretty good. I don't pay any attention to it anymore and just go hunt..if it's strong enough to get the tree moving where I couldn't hit anyting I get down and come in.

I also stay out of dead tree areas..pine beetle infested..due to falling limbs and trees.

[whitetail4ever]

In hill country, high winds are a big plus. Deer will all be on the leeward/protected side of ridges or in the bottoms. I love a 30 mph wind and cold temps hitting the ridge tops this time of year, deer just stack up in protected spots, big bucks included. [glow=red]The tricky part can be getting in there with all the deer concentrated[/glow].

So...any tips on how you do get up there and set up? That is, if you can't access the top of the ridge from the opposite side...

[Chasman]

It is tough to sit in high winds because our minds tell us deer won't move. Well from my past especially this time of the year any time sitting is worth it. I still won't eat a piece of Brachs coconut chocolate candy because I was unwrapping one in 25 mile hour winds and had a 130 class walk by my tree at 1:30 pm. I seen two other bucks that day also. Don't eat Candy in high winds!