Hunting the Wind

[Born4it]

I've never been taught how to properly hunt the wind. I've been hunting since I was 9 (22 now), and have always been very careful to take showers with scent eliminating soap and keep my clothes washed with Scent Killer detergent and store them in scent safe containers/bags with scent wafers. I've shot many good deer, but I think I could do better.

I've not concentrated on hunting the wind enough. My natural thoughts would be to go to my stand against the wind, and hunt stands where I think most of the deer will come from upwind. When I place my stands, though, I try to find places where they'll come from different directions... Could someone please clear this up for me? Thanks!

Ryan

[buckbuster11]

Well if you want to see more and especially bigger bucks, hunt the wind. If you really like a spot and you are concerned about how it's going to setup with how the wind normally blows, get two or three spots in that area ready that will work with different winds.

A couple other things to think about are, stands in the bottoms or valleys can be tricky because the wind will often times swirl around. I try to concentrate alot of my stands on ridges where the wind will blow in a more consistant direction.

In those areas where you expect deer to be coming from multiple directions, if I can't get downwind of everything, I try to leave those until the rut if there is a good possibility of older bucks in the area. You don't want to risk one of the big ones getting a nose full of you this time of the year. You might be able to get away with a little more when the bucks are running all over the place chasing does.

[Born4it]

I guess I should probably clarify...I already "hunt the wind," but I'm not sure if my definition of hunting the wind is exactly right or not. I just want to make sure I'm taking the right things into account.

Thanks!

Ryan

[fly]

Not sure of an official definition of "hunting the wind"???

Buckbuster made excellent points.

I would define it as: (given a wind direction) one places their body in a location that will allow his/her scent to be blown in the least likely direction deer are or will be.

Walking in to the stand places scent on the ground which is not exactly the same as hunting the wind. I guess I'd call it hunting the ground. Same concept as above applies. Walk into a stand/blind from a direction deer are least likely to be or be at.

[davetucker]

ya i'm really learning from this also!!This will be my first yr in stands!!I usaully hunt in homemade ground blinds!!This is a good thread!!(I'm going to watch this)

[GWSmith]

.......Buckbuster made excellent points.

I would define it as: (given a wind direction) one places their body in a location that will allow his/her scent to be blown in the least likely direction deer are or will be.......

I agree...Great points given so far!

I'd like to add few more I've picked up:

When the wind is high is a perfect time to forget about the treestand. For one...it's safer to be on the ground. Two...it's the perfect time to Still Hunt!!!

Walking into the wind is not always the best idea though. Walking crosswind is much, much, better! You can start working crosswind and not ruin any of the area you want to hunt. When you get to the part where you need to turn around and start back all you do is move upwind a short way and start back with the wind on your opposite shoulder. You can hunt more of the property without casting scent downwind;)

Hunt the "Bottoms" in the morning. Not all the way down into the lowest part though. Give the deer a chance to walk under where your stand is and still allow the natural thermals in the morning to carry your scent up the hill behind you.

In the afternoon hunt the field edges because in the evening your scent starts to "Sink" as it gets closer to nightime;)

[Flintlock1776]

Not passing gas on stand is the best way to avoid a bad wind I say:eek: