The more (imo) one learns of the wind, it's currents and thermals the more one understands how almost impossible it is to "hunt the wind".

How many guys who say this slogan really even have a clue as to what to do and how to apply the tactics to their personal setups?

On top of understand the wind and it's changing currents and thermals.....

I know the deer I hunt often come from unexpected directions. How does the term "hunt the wind" combat this phenomenon?

Thoughts?
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I use the slogan "play the wind", but I still have a lot to learn about actually doing it.

Where I hunt, and "play the wind", I usually know the general area the deer will come from. I play the wind so it is in my favor when, and if they do come from that way.

I know one stand, my best, in fact...it is almost impossible to hunt. The wind swirls big time in this stand loca...er set.

I have been saying this for years!!! The wind changes 10 times an hour some days I am in the woods.

And when hunting a food source, which way do you want the wind blowing? If it blows into the field, the does you let pass waiting for Mr. Big will bust you. If it blows into the woods you won't see a deer. If you have a cross wind, that blows half of the entry into the field.

And how many times when you setup for a certain wind direction, do the deer actually come from where you expect them toAND pass on the downwind side?

Now I will agree there are certain stands that lend themselves to hunting a certain wind direction. And others that make sense to stay away from on some days. But most of the time it is going to be a roll of the dice where the deer come from and which side of the stand they pass on. After all, isn't the ideal stand site where many trails come together? You cannot stay on the downwind side and cover all of them. That is assuming the deer are on the trail anyways, which more times than not they aren't.

JMO

I agree buckeye, obviously we have to take in the predominant wind direction into consideration. But there is no guarantee that it's going pay off. IMO, that's why scent CONTROL is extremely imporant... there's no way we can be scent free... God didn't make us that way.

The deer that I killed this year came from directly down wind of me, I had a north wind and the deer came from the south. I had taken all my scent precautions as I usually do, and it paid off.

As for thermals, I'm going to venture a guess here that 75% of bowhunters either don't know what thermals are, and if they do, they don't know what to do with them.

I totally agree with you... "Hunt the wind" has sort of a lost meaning.

I think this is more of a slogan used to sell products.

I can not take advantage of the wind but maybe 30% of my hunts. The thermals are always changing from morning to noon then in the evening. I think alot of people that say they hunt the wind say it because "it sounds good".Really the only time that you can use the wind to your advantage is on a day when there is an approaching front in the near future. On some calm days you can work them in the morning an evenings. But, really how oftendoes that come around.

I know there are going to people that think what I said is unthinkable but whatever. Just think how many times the wind changes directions during an evening sit or for that matter an all day hunt in one stand.

I like to pick stand sites that block deer from coming from a certain direction. The wind does switch a lot (ever sit by a camp fire?). Wind will often blow then back up. I still always play the predominant wind direction! The predominant wind will carry away scent from the minor switches that occur. some of my stands will always have a different wind then when I checked b4 entering the woods. changes in terrain will tend to bend the wind or make it swirl. Just like water in a stream.
Play the predominant wind. use the terrain to block deer. Learn how wind works at your stand sites. Hunt only when the wind is prefect for your site. and do as much as you can to control your scent.

Good topic, the more I learn about thermals, the harder it is to choose my stand locations. I follow a few general rules with the windand try to stay as clean and scent free as possible. I always hunt the wind but now I watch the thermalsalso[:@]On still days with little or no wind, in the morningthermals move upward asit heats up. In the evening they move downward as it cools off.This is not always the Case, just how its supposed to happen[&:]

You are exactly right Scott!! That is why in the last several years I use a very Strict Scent Free regimen. It may buy you a couple of seconds and/or even avoid spooked Deer.

Dan

Wow.. alot of interesting posts in this one.

I am a scent control fanatic.. from the moment I always shower before the hunt to the clothing I wear.. and from my top of my head into my body and way down to my toes..

But I will say I do use the slogan to hunt with the wind. I do understand wind current and thermals and how they work.. maybe not to professor status.. but I do understand them. The key is knowing how the deer use them for everyday survival.. and they do.

I believe my biggest successes over the past few years have all been directly linked to my understanding of whitetail and how they use the wind while traveling under natural conditions. (all except the buck i stalked in 06'.. he just picked the wrong place to bed with his doe..)

Honestly.. I normally expect the deer to come from exactly where they come from nearly 100% of the time.. truthfully. I have many instances of places I have on video where I have never hunted before where I point to that direction (based on wind).. and bamo.. the next scene I'm standing over a good deer. A book actually showed me the way to look at it.. and I haven't looked back since.. I trust my instinct.. and do implement a hunt with the wind strategy (on many occasions).

I cannot fathom that in many of the places I hunt either in the big woods/reclaimed strip minessouth of meor locally where everything is cutout regrowth. They can and do bed any where around my spots.... Sure I can narrow it down but no where near 100%... I would put mine at 70%.