Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! Help!

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freeboro
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Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! Help!

Unread postby freeboro » Thu Oct 16, 2014 2:26 am

Ok, so the wind is all over the place today! It starts in the SW at 2am today, then switches to NW at 5am, then out of the SW from 8-11, the from the SE at 2, then the NE at 5 (when I'll be arriving), then switching to due E.

I marked the map below with the property lines in orange, my intended entry and exit in green, and the suspected bedding areas.

I think they'd bed in the northern most area with the NW wind we had around 5 when they were headed to bed initially. But I don't know if they'd move to the middle area during late morning / early afternoon with the wind switch. I'm also not sure how much it matters if I'm trying to catch them as they move out to feed. I'm going in blind and just planning on following that old tram road to about where it ends, depending on the wind and setting up somewhere along the funnel at the top of that draw / ravine.

Part of me thinks this is a good plan, part of me disagrees...

Any input?

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Re: Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! H

Unread postby whitetail_addict » Thu Oct 16, 2014 2:51 am

It might be hard to pinpoint where a buck would even bed based on the variable winds in the morning, let alone trying to move in on one without being detected later in the afternoon. If you do hunt that area, focus on the early morning wind direction and the late afternoon wind direction because those are the times the deer will likely be choosing a bedding location and the afternoon is when you should probably be hunting them. Everything outside of that doesn't really matter.

Maybe sit this one out and scout or sit an observation stand instead. If the conditions aren't optimal, don't go in there.
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Re: Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! H

Unread postby Justin85 » Thu Oct 16, 2014 2:55 am

Some days just aren't condusive for hunting no matter how bad you want to go. Sucks sitting days out when you want to go and have limited time, but I'll take not blowing a spot today on an iffy wind in order to have it still fresh next week or two weeks with the right wind.

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Re: Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! H

Unread postby PLB » Thu Oct 16, 2014 3:28 am

Light and variable winds suck...

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Re: Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! H

Unread postby freeboro » Thu Oct 16, 2014 5:07 am

I guess I'll look into another spot to hunt, or back off onto a food source.

Thanks for the advice!
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Re: Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! H

Unread postby headgear » Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:04 am

I wouldn't push it with crazy winds, you just end up blowing your scent everywhere and all the deer know what is up. I generally try going somewhere new or taking the kids hunting on those days.
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Re: Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! H

Unread postby freeboro » Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:42 am

Ok, plans B and C. Both of these areas are within a couple miles of the spot pictured above so the winds are going to be the same. Both are fairly flat pieces of ground (<30' elevation change) so that's not a huge factor.

I'm pretty much just going in playing like I have no idea where the deer may be bedded, because with this varying wind, I don't. I have VERY little time to hunt so I really want to get out. If I booger a spot, I booger it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. I have 2 different areas on each map I'm thinking about setting up at.

Plan B, no crop field near by, likely feeding in the interior of this wood lot on mast or maple leaves.
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Plan C, this area has several standing corn fields around it, including the one I'd walk in along. The wood lot contains a large amount of mast as well.
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Re: Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! H

Unread postby PLB » Thu Oct 16, 2014 6:49 am

I like plan B better as far as taking an educated guess on bedding and feeding based on fickle winds. Test the wind at your spot and take an educated guess where to setup. Plan C seems kinda risky for bumping deer with all the crops standing around the area and fickle winds... Just my .02

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Re: Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! H

Unread postby freeboro » Thu Oct 16, 2014 7:43 am

Yeah, if they're in that standing corn, I'm screwed at Plan C's location.
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Re: Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! H

Unread postby Stanley » Thu Oct 16, 2014 10:39 am

If the wind is going to be from the east at hunting time. I would look for a west entrance and proceed from there. All the other winds are moot if you have an East wind during the hunt.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Wind is all over today, not sure what to do tonight!! H

Unread postby freeboro » Fri Oct 17, 2014 1:30 am

I went with Plan B, following the route depicted above and set up at the first "left" just off the edge of that thicket (HUGE grapevine tangle). It was noisy going in as that is one of those early growth forests where the ground is covered in little sticks. I mean it's literally impossible to go through it quietly, there are branches under nearly every step. However, the interstate did a good job of covering the noise I think. If there was a break in traffic, I waited to move until more came past. I blew nothing out with my scent, but they may have heard me or seen me.

I saw nothing but a fresh rub and a fresh scrape, but learned a few things about the property:

- That woodlot is quite thick in a lot of areas. It has grapevine tangles, cattails and some other really tall, thick grass with a tossle on top. Those stands are impenetrable for all intents and purposes.
- While it's a young woodlot, I did find 2 oak trees dropping acorns, and since there was no sign around them, I suspect there are others that are getting hit.
- There are a few OLD tram roads in there, that's where the rub and scrape were.


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