Why I Like the Wind
Posted By
Bill Winke
at
10/27/2010 12:00:00 AM
These last few days have gotten me thinking about wind. I love hunting in the wind. I am not so sure I want to be out there in 60 mph gusts (at least not strapped to a tree) but typically “windy” days are ideal for deer hunting. In the first place, I believe a little wind makes it much, much easier to get in to your tree stand without alerting any deer. They don’t hear you as easily and even a small bit of movement is overlooked because branches, corn stalks and weeds are all swaying.
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| I shot this buck during the 2008 season on a very windy morning. I love hunting under windy conditions. |
Still Days:
Consistently, the worst hunts I have experienced occurred on still days. Still days with warm temperatures and high humidity are even worse. I am not sure exactly why the deer avoid moving in these conditions. I would only be guessing if I threw out an idea, but I have seen it so many times that I have to think it is the rule and not the exception. Still winds typically produce little daylight activity. It seems that on still evenings the deer move just after darkness sets in and they move with gusto, but they don’t move much during the day. Maybe they are nervous without their sense of smell (no wind to bring them signs of danger) so they wait until the cover of darkness to move.
Windy Days:
Regardless of why, there is something in the deer (at least here in the Midwest) that makes them more prone to move on windy days. So the question begging to be answered right now is, how much wind is too much? I remember a hunt back in 2003. It was about November 9 and we had a wind gusting to 55 or 60 mph. I stayed out all day in those conditions. The deer were moving throughout the day, believe it or not. At one point I climbed down to sneak up on a buck that was pacing the nearby ridgeline with a doe (they had been up there all morning). Just as I got within 70 yards, another buck came of the ridge and piled right into him. Though they were trying to kill each other just 70 yards away, I couldn’t hear their antlers clashing over the roar of the wind in the tree tops! It was amazing. Just I was getting into position to take a shot, “my” buck lost and the smaller buck ran him out of the area. It still stands out as one of my most memorable days on a stand. So back to the question: how much wind is too much? I think that during the rut, you should be out there regardless of wind speed as long as the conditions are safe. If the tree you intend to hunt is whipping like a willow, stay on the ground. If there are dead trees around your stand, get out of there in case one should fall.
I have no issues whatsoever being out there in a wind gusting to 45 mph because I know the bucks will move. Don’t let the wind discourage you. It is the rut, you need to be in a tree.
