I hunted in these, yesterday.....but just refused to do it, this morning. I'm wondering what you guys experiences have been in high winds. They WEAR ME OUT. First of all....I was in a new spot. I wasn't exactly sure of where they'd be coming from (other than the places that looked good on the aerial/topo). Second....I usually HEAR 90% of the deer I encounter coming. In this wind, I can't do that. So, I sat 5 hours in the winds (afternoon sit)and never sighted a single deer (which isn't an issue, either, due to where I was hunting).
Just getting a general idea of everyone's wind experiences. I have a lot of time to hunt, right now.....and I pick and choose my times to NOT hunt, also. I'm just choosing to sit this morning (and probably afternoon) out in these winds......maybe get back in there tomorrow afternoon.
That is....unless I'm pleasantly surprised by the replies.
With my experience the last week with high winds I found that the wind doest really effect much of the deers movements. I also read this in an article once. Just have to be very careful in your stand and the trees you choose to place yourstands. Thats why I love mighty oaks. Big enough to where two people can barely reach around them.
I understand they still have to eat and drink......but I'm wondering if the wind maybe throws them into a different "mode". Maybe they take different travel routes in windy conditions? Maybe stay bedded more? Longer/later/earlier back? They have to be on edge during high winds (due to not being able to detect predators as well). I know the rule is.....turkeys go to fields in the winds and rain. I just wonder what deer do?
Jeff I think that like you the deer can't hear as well as they would like to in high winds and therefor will stay bedded longer. However its getting too close to the rut for me to miss any time due to weather. You just never know when that big boy might be out checking scrapes.
Also, for me, I'm hunting so far from home now that I have to get out at every opportunity. I can't let the wind stop me until it gets unsafe to be in a tree.
With my limited experience, I have found that when hunting high winds I want to beon a bucks favorite travel route. Mourning stands I want to be between feed ( thats where the does are) and his bed. Mid day hemlockbottoms or south facing slopes (thats where the does are). EveningI want to be on the lee side of an oak ridge because ( well you should get it by now).
I"™ve killed or seen deer on windy days, but overall I"™d say I experience less deer movement in high winds. If they are REALLY in the chase mode, that is about the only time I"™ve seen the winds not slow them down. But otherwise, they don"™t seem as likely to move and are skittish when they do.
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Just a regular guy who likes to hunt
Jeff I feel the same weather pattern as you do, and Im not going to sit in the woods and hold on for "deer" life...I don't see very many deer in the wind or rain, and Im not going to go in it unless the rut is going hard, which it is not here in this area, so I will opt out today..
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The ability to get close to game remains the essence of all bowhunting today.
sunday the wind was 30-40 mph and i seen 4 does and 4 bucks........my dad also hunted and seen 15 does and 6 bucks, 3 of those bucks being 8 pointers that were above pope.....we didnt expect to see much but suprisingly. we seen a lot
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hoyt katera
Magnus stingers
Black Gold sight
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I guess the thought process is different in all of us.
We spendmillions on calls,gadgets, blinds, &scents to outwit a deers natural defenses, yet when mother nature deals us pocket aces many of you chose to fold your best hand for unknown reasons.
You don't hunt the rut like you hunt hunt the early season ,so why would you think that hunting your normal patterns would work during a period of high winds.
When a bucks defenses are being compromised by mother nature you should be happy to take advantage of the situation.
Bucks don't like the wind any more than you do ,so if you are being blown about in your tree, you are in the wrong tree.[:-]
20MPH winds
I don't see very many deer in the wind or rain, and Im not going to go in it unless the rut is going hard, which it is not here in this area, so I will opt out today..
