Thread about using the wind, and scent control issues

[Dannmann801]

This is what I'd like to see - a discussion (much like the one Dave started on safety issues) where guys chime in about how they plan their hunts and their movements in relation to the wind. With discussion about wind in the face / crosswinds. Explain thermals. Show marked up sketches or diagrams. Or marked up topo maps. Aim the discussion to educate a novice hunter.

Some guys might think "pffftttt - what's to discuss" - but I'm telling you I wish someone had sat me down and given me an explanation when I started out.

 

[giles]

Deer can hear you and be fine. Deer can even see you and be fine. If a deer smells you, it’s over.

Nothing will take the wind out of my sails while hunting like a breeze on the back of my neck.

 

[hickslawns]

Do not allow your scent to blow into an area deer will be entering from. If you are hunting the north edge of a woods, would you ideally want a south wind? Maybe. Depends on where the deer are coming from. If you are hunting an evening and anticipate them to exit the woods into a field then the answer would be YES. You want a south wind. We need to think about the directions of travel and time of the day. Deer come from every direction at times. The best I think I can do is try to narrow my scent down to a quadrant. I'll set up my stand so my scent is blowing away from major travel patterns and certainly away from bedding areas whenever possible. That is the best I can do.

 

[CJD3]

Hunting "more open land" usually allows for a more consistent wind direction ( like the edge of a corn field or hill top) to factor in when choosing a stand to hunt that day. Big woods however can cause a incredible amount of back drafts and swirling pockets where the wind will backwash and disperse in various directions. (hill/mountain lands was well) A little less once all the leaves are on the ground. One trick I have used for years is to keep a Milkweed pod in my pocket. Buy releasing a "fluffy" without the seed attached, I am often surprised at the meandering wash of a mild to slight breeze takes down the woods. (even save and broadcast the seeds later where you found the pod for the Monarch butterfly's)

Of course, elevation can help like a tree stand but I do love a good Still hunt.
Morning thermals will help carry your scent up as the sun starts to warm the woods and the evenings cooler air may force your smell down to the ground... ( usually, the shooting lane...)

You could tie a very fine piece of thread to a limb near by for slight wind direction checks too.

 

[Carpn]

You could write a book on this subject . There are to many variables and it is rarely a black and white decision . . I normally hunt some sort of mobile setup for this reason as it allows me to reposition slightly according to current conditions .

My favorite set up would be a stand on the edge of a hard break where my wind is blowing off the hill and over any deer on the downhill/downwind side of me . But as with everything even that isn't a simple black and white . Because on a light wind , in the evenings your scent may carry downhill due to thermals .

 

[OO2]

Very rarely do I ever seem to get a “perfect wind”. Where all my scent is blowing away from any and all noses. When I do seem to get a “perfect wind” for myself I typically don’t see any big bucks. I believe this is because typically they aren’t going to travel into a setup that isn’t in their favor. With all of that being said, I try to hunt with winds that are just off. 60/40 in my favor/deers favor. For example, I’ll setup on the north side of a fence line with the wind hitting me SE with the expextatation that a buck with be traveling the south side of the fence line moving east and cut over to me right when he gets into range based on holes in fence etc. In a perfect world, that deer will be smelling smoke and getting hit with an arrow within a few seconds.

This tactic has worked in my favor a couple times. While at the same time, the wind has swirled more E for that example above and the deer got nervous and stayed on the south side of the fence.

I’d say it really isn’t one cut and dry right answer.

 

[OhioWhiteTails]

Ideally we all want the wind in our face, downwind of the expected trail the deer will use. However, how many times have they come from the wrong direction, for me, too many times. It's a lot easier to plan for the wind up here in the flats, but god damn, while hunting the hills of the southern part of the state I couldn't figure out the swirl. That's something I need to work on as I start pinpointing good public parcels down south. I have also started experimenting this year with hunting winds that are boarder line being upwind. Not directly upwind, but more so a cross/diagonal wind. Early October I started an excel sheet of all the bucks I had on camera, noting the wind direction for the day and which direction the deer came in from. If you can imagine, more than 80% of the time, the bucks came from down to slightly down wind. All of my encounters with shooters this year, I had a diagonal wind direction. They were able to come in with just enough wind in their nose to feel comfortable. Most certainly a risky game to play, but if you can get the set up just right to allow these conditions it can be fool proof.

 

[Outdoorsfellar]

Just like yesterday ..... I was sitting with the wind in my face. No problem. Mature doe came in at an angle, walked by right in front of me. No problem. Two fawns followed & got to my right & busted me. The wind swirling? The fact that they were even closer than mom ? It's a crap shoot most of the time.