Playing the wind.

[Scbasshunter]

If this coming weekend is my only chance to hang the 2 stands I have, and I won't be able to get back out there until opening weekend, how do I go about setting the stands for the wind? As far as I can guess, it's just going to be a guessing game. I have a climbing stand, but I'm trying to avoid sweating my butt off climbing in August.

[wtnhunt]

Usually can look at weather.com or other sources to find out what the prevailing wind direction is for a specific area. Try to set for that wind and for the next most common wind direction to give multiple options. Try to take in account for the areas terrain, hills and other potential natural wind breaks.

[hoosierhunter]

Playing the wind.

The wind should be blowing at least a 90 degree angle to where the deer are coming from. Obviously they can come from anywhere but you want the deer to pass by you without winding you coming or going.

You also want to avoid crossing trails when entering and exiting the stand. You leave a scent trail wherever you walk.

[Ravin R10 man]

Each stand site could have two stands set opposite from each other...that would give the most options depending on wind direction.

[dbHunterNY]

not sure how hilly it is where you are in SC but one thing you have to be careful of is thermals. early mornings and late evenings winds at times die down. then thermals kick in to determine wind direction. in the mornings as the sun warms things up air tends to rise carrying your scent up a ridge or hillside. in the evenings air cools and tends to drift down the same faces pulling your scent down the hill or into the "guts" within the landscape. a lot goes into great stand placement. if you don't have one of those wind checker "puffer" bottles full of talc then you should get one. they're probably one of the most important pieces of gear you'll carry.

[Scbasshunter]

Playing the wind.

What I'm trying to get at is that I only have 2 ladder stands to hang. I can only put them up this weekend. I have to pretty much guess at what the wind will be like on August 16th. I also have a climber but am trying to avoid climbing in August since it is so hot.

[dbHunterNY]

set one up for a southwest wind and set the other up for a north west wind. in the rare event it's a wind from the east, use your climber in a different nearby tree or prep a different location all together.

[dbHunterNY]

underarmour heat gear compression tops work well to keep you cool and dry when it's hot. everyone I see takes longer to get in with a climber to stay cool but then climb just as fast and still burn up. plan on take at least 3 times longer to get up the tree. I've even caught myself hurrying up the tree to get setup and ready.

[Rhino]

Not sure any of us here can tell you what the prevailing wind direction is for exactly where you hunt in SC. The topography is going to have an influence, especially if your hunting close to where it gets more severe in the NW part of the state. If you've been hunting there for years, I'd think you'd have a feel for the predominant winds during the fall up there. For what it's worth, I googled this site up for SC. South Carolina State Climatology Office According to it the predominant wind in the fall is NE. In the winter it's NE and SW. Based on just that information, I'd play the odds that the majority of your hunting time will be NE and SW. There's a good chance that a stand set best for a NE wind will also allow you to get away hunting it with other wind directions, including N or E or maybe even a SE. A stand set up best for a SW should also give you additional wind direction hunting options. The wind is never perfect.

Every place around the country is different. The predominant early bow season winds in MS are NE & SE. Having any W winds are rare. Where I hunt in MO the predominant wind is going to be NW or SW. Having any E winds are rare. I plan accordingly and make notes on what wind directions I can get away with hunting each stand I set. There's always going to be other wind directions I can hunt them when it's not the perfect wind. I probably set ~80% of my stands for the predominate winds that I'll have during the season and the other ~20% for winds I rarely get.

[dbHunterNY]

our prevailing wind up here is west. guess it didn't occur that it could be an easterly wind down there. makes sense now that i think about it the way the jet stream that carries high and low pressure zones shifts.

[redkneck]

The only thing I know about wind here is most days it's going to change ten times before you get down esp in the afternoons. You can set your stand with the best wisdom possible but good scent control is the best strategy.