hubby11

I was hunting early this morning till noon in some heavy woods (we have a late antlerless only season here in VA) at a stand that was just near the top of a north/south ridgeline, about 1200’ elevation. The weather was clear, cold (from about 25° to just– just below freezing) and VERY windy. I did not think it would be so bad as the forecast called for 5-10 mph winds. It was more like 15-25 with occasional gusts above 30, with the wind coming from the west, right up to my stand. I did not see one deer and this area has a good population. I don't always get a shot due to the heavy cover, but I almost always see something.

So where were they? I checked the leeward side of the ridgeline. I found quite a few bedding areas and the ridgeline itself is like a deer super highway with trails and such but I did not see or hear anything. I’m thinking that in high winds maybe the deer stay in the valleys to avoid the worst of the winds. What do you think?

Gunplummer

I got one in WV this year on a windy (Bad) day by slowly walking the creek bottoms in the low areas out of the wind. If nothing like that is around, try really open areas. They produce, but usually the deer spot you at a couple hundred yards and get up and sneak off.

allenewaff

lol,sounds awesome.

Bocajnala

They hide in a hole. But really, find the lowest, thickest, most protected area. And that's where they'll be. On windy days I've had a lot of luck by walking the top edges of ravines and watching down in them. The deer bed where the wind won't hit them. Try that next time.
-Jake

scribe

Low and thick or wide open fields.

7.62NATO

Those are polar opposites. Explain why the deer would seek an area with the most cover and shielding from wind but also seek an area with the most exposure to wind.

The only reasoning I can come up with is that they would seek a wide open field so they could see you coming a mile away since there are no blowing trees, etc to disguise your movement or the noise you might make.

Bocajnala

Nato,

You basically got it IMO. The fields where they can bed down low in the grass. I've always thought they did this because the woods blowing around, braches breaking etc, scares them. They probably can't hear very well in the woods when the wind is blowing hard. But the field they can see, and don't have to listen to all the snapping trees.
-Jake

scribe

Boca got it dead right. In the Midwest, the land of big fields, I have many times seen the deer right in the middle of the big fields when it is really windy. They also head down...as low down as they can get in the hardwood and pine country.