Do the deer move in high winds?
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: maiden nc USA
Posts: 42
Do the deer move in high winds?
I'm Thinking of going out this evening, the problem is we had a front move thru this morning and now the winds are gusting up to 30 mph in some places. My question is do the deer move when the winds get that high or do they just hunker down and wait it out? I would normally wouldn't even think about going out on a day like this, but with work and honey dooo's I can't be selective on the days I hunt when I do get free.
RB
RB
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Warren County NJ USA
Posts: 3,899
RE: Do the deer move in high winds?
DEER MOVE IN ANY TYPE OF WEATHER, BUT HIGHER THE WINDS THE LESS THEY MOVE, FOR A FEW RESONS. 1) THEY CANT PINPOINT THE SMELL OF DANGER, 2)THEY CANT HEAR DANGER AS WELL, 3) CANT SEE DANGER AS WELL, SINCE BRANCHES, LEAVES, ETC ARE MOVING.
BUT IF YOUR LIMITED TO HUNTING, THEN BE OUT THERE YOU MAY JUST BE LUCKY, JUST BE CAREFUL, STRAP YOURSELF TO THE TREE, OR TRY STALKING.
BUT IF YOUR LIMITED TO HUNTING, THEN BE OUT THERE YOU MAY JUST BE LUCKY, JUST BE CAREFUL, STRAP YOURSELF TO THE TREE, OR TRY STALKING.
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Baltimore MD USA
Posts: 96
RE: Do the deer move in high winds?
No, deer will not move if it's windy. It is a little known fact that if it's windy for more than three days and nights in a row, all the deer die of dehydration ;-)
Just kidding of course. Deer need to eat and drink, and out of necessity they must move around no matter what the weather does. They might move differently than normal though- so patterns will change.
Just kidding of course. Deer need to eat and drink, and out of necessity they must move around no matter what the weather does. They might move differently than normal though- so patterns will change.
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Bonaire GA USA
Posts: 30
RE: Do the deer move in high winds?
I have hunted in high winds and seen and killed deer. However, the movement generally is far less than a calm or lightly breezy days. The one caveat to the wind day hunting is catching the wind on the last day that it is to blow hard. For example if a front pushes through your area and the winds blow 15 - 30 mph for 1 - 2 days, generally the wind doesn't lay much the first night, but the following evening, the winds tend to drop to calm or just a light breeze. When the winds die down, that is when I almost always see a dramatic increase in deer activity. Also, the deer tend to work the fields and cutovers after the wind dies down. I think it is because after 24 - 48 hours of their senses being reduced by the noise of the wind, the lack of smelling and the increased movement (limbs, leaves, brush) the deer are just wanting to get to a place where they can watch their surroundings. I've killed several on this pattern as well as hunting just as the rains end after a 1 - 3 day rain storm. Anyway, that's my .02 and it seems to work for me!
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: stow ohio USA
Posts: 23
RE: Do the deer move in high winds?
Afew years ago I was in the same boat as you. I went out anyway and did not see a thing and was ready to get down. I then saw a nice 9 pt.
I then saw several more nice bucks. 30 min. before dark I took my best buck ever, a 10pt. with a 25 inch spread. You can't shoot anything from your couch. Besides a bad day hunting is better than staying home and haveing your wife make you do something.
I then saw several more nice bucks. 30 min. before dark I took my best buck ever, a 10pt. with a 25 inch spread. You can't shoot anything from your couch. Besides a bad day hunting is better than staying home and haveing your wife make you do something.
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Someplace Ohio USA
Posts: 114
RE: Do the deer move in high winds?
its almost always windy on the farm I hunt and the deer still move around....but i guess they have no choice cuz if they waited for a calm day to get up they would starve first lol
sometimes on a really windy day the wind will just suddenly calm down about 30-40 minutes b4 sundown and the deer movement really seems to pick up at that time....but you gotta already be there when it happens since it is only a short window of time
and the worst day huntin is still better than the best day workin haha
if nuthin else use it for a good in season scouting mission....take your bow and sneak around abit ya may just come across that one reeeely hot scrape ya been lookin for or discover a new feeding pattern
** I almost got him but I refuse to take a marginal shot **
sometimes on a really windy day the wind will just suddenly calm down about 30-40 minutes b4 sundown and the deer movement really seems to pick up at that time....but you gotta already be there when it happens since it is only a short window of time
and the worst day huntin is still better than the best day workin haha
if nuthin else use it for a good in season scouting mission....take your bow and sneak around abit ya may just come across that one reeeely hot scrape ya been lookin for or discover a new feeding pattern
** I almost got him but I refuse to take a marginal shot **