high winds and deer hunting

To each their own, but I’ll often take a pass on high wind days. Not because of deer behavior, but because of tree behavior. If you’re going out, be real careful of if widowmakers. Especially if you’re in beaver country. I went out on a high wind day in 2015, and in a matter of hours I heard 16 trees come down. (Beavers were newly active in the area.)

Anyway, just be careful.
 
I’ve hunted in all kinds of weather. You never know when they might show up. I usually rattle antlers and sit and wait. They will circle and come into the wind. In 40 years of hunting whitetail only hung my tag on the Christmas tree twice. Ha ha ha any day is a good day.
 
I suppose it depends on where the hunting is going on, but 35 KM / Hr is hardly "high winds" where I live. More like a normal day. I agree with the majority here, hunting in high winds is often less productive, but better than staying home.
 
kodiakjack said:
To each their own, but I’ll often take a pass on high wind days. Not because of deer behavior, but because of tree behavior. If you’re going out, be real careful of if widowmakers. Especially if you’re in beaver country. I went out on a high wind day in 2015, and in a matter of hours I heard 16 trees come down. (Beavers were newly active in the area.)

Anyway, just be careful.
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Yup, during and after heavy wind storms I spend more time looking up as around when moving in the bush.

This season I had one top half of a rotten tree break off about 35 yds from my stand. It hung up on a maple tree... until I was sitting there dozing off with the sun on my face and two squirrels chased eachother across it. Suffice it to say, I was wide awake after that thing hit the ground.

I ended up having to change my normal route in and out because of some large limbs which are precariously hung up, and I don’t care to walk under them in the pitch black.
 
I like walking in the wind. (As opposed to perching in a stand or blind) Covers just about any reasonable noise you’re going to make, work with it and hit up sheltered graze areas and bedding spots. Pack a nice hot thermos of tea or coffee for warming up.
 
When the weather conditions change you need to start thinking like a deer.If you are uncomfortable in the wind so are they.Look for geography that provides cover and protection from the elements/wind. South facing slopes ie: a sunning/bedding area with a protective view.Pockets of bush ,ditches or dugouts.Abandoned homesteads and farm buildings.I've been successful in -50 moving bedded deer,you could locate them by the steam given off by their body heat in the diamond willows.Hunt methodically like a predator.We relaxed a nice 4x5 mulie buck yesterday afternoon.
 
Longwalker said:
I suppose it depends on where the hunting is going on, but 35 KM / Hr is hardly "high winds" where I live. More like a normal day. I agree with the majority here, hunting in high winds is often less productive, but better than staying home.
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Yeah sorry. Pilot brain read that as knots (probably because I already had that number in mind because this morning they’re calling for 35 kts by 10 am here, and I’ve had to adjust a bunch of flights)

35 knots is 65kph, which is too windy for me in the tall timber I hunt. 35 kph I’d still go.
 
for low country deer ive noticed they stay out of the wind, but up in the high country, many times had deer on windy faces!! unexpected to fringe hunters, or newbie mountain hunters though its not to sy a good percentage of deer will still be out of the wind!!

this is sambar im talking , fallow would be different as the whiteys over there
 
A few years ago I found the remains of a Whitetail buck that appeared to have died from a tree falling on him.
 
A good amount of wind is great for hunting and 35 km/hr isn't bad. I'd rather 35 km/hr wind than a crappy slow wind that spreads my scent 360*.

Now I wouldn't take this advice for turkey hunting, I find that you will barely see them out of cover on high wind days...
 
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