Hi All. It's been a while since I've posted but I thought I'd throw out a question for y'all. The forecast is for high winds over the next few days. 20-30 mph with 40 mph gusts. In the past we've experienced a major drop off in movement in high winds. I'll be on a 200 acre mix of big woods, a few small food plots, rolling cow pastures, tree-lined ditches, fence rows etc. My question to you all is how do you change your tactics for high winds? As I mentioned above, we don't see many in the "usual" areas during high winds so I'm willing to change things up. What types of set ups have you all had the best luck with in high winds? All comments appreciated.
Living and hunting Oklahoma, windy days are more often than not. When the wind is at a sustained 25mph+ w/gusts hitting that 35-40mph mark, it is just a no go unless winds are forecasted to lay down before sunset. I will try to slip in close to a bedding area that I know offers good protection from the wind. I feel like I can get a little closer bc the wind is going to cover my sound and movement up a little. If it is sustained winds of 15-20 with 25-30mph gusts then I'm on whatever stand and just waiting for the magic hour. Two years ago we had sustained winds of 25mph+ with 45mph gusts during the rut, I think the high that day was 55°. Nothing was moving. I sat out all day and didn't see a thing which I super uncommon for that place. But the next day after the winds died down it was on.
I hunt as low in the terrain as I can. Try to find a place that really knocks down the wind. Next it has to be a reason deer are there or want to be there. Either it be bedding or some kind of food source. If you can put all three of those together, you will be in the deer. I did it on monday. We had 20 mph winds and lite rain all evening. I had deer moving at 3:30 and shot a doe by 4:00. When a big gust of wind came in, the deer would freezer and just stand there and listen and scan the marsh. Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Wind is starting to pick up today 15-20 mph forecasted. I'll get there tonight and start hunting tomorrow morning. Winds tomorrow are forecasted at 20-30 with gusts over 40. If the winds are around 15 in the morning I plan to hunt one of my normal spots near a food plot. When the winds pick up later in the morning I'll be more willing to try something new. I may hunt off the ground on the downwind side of the ditches that lead to plots and/or bedding.
High winds are the perfect time to stalk standing corn fields. I like to start on the down wind side of the field closest to thick cover and zigzag back and forth looking down each row before stepping into the next. Most of the time they are bedded with their back to the wind 15-20 rows in from the edge.
I despise hunting in the wind! Everything is moving and you can't hear at all. I find it frustrating as hell. The only thing worse than high wind, is high wind with blue bird skies. I like a cloudy day, as you don't have the shadows to deal with.
I'll be the odd man out. Give me wind over calm anyday. I tend to hunt in thick stuff and deer have no problem moving in high wind
I hunt thick stuff too, and agree they'll move in the wind. The thing is, I rely on hearing them before I see them, because by the time I can see a deer, it's already in bow range. The wind robs me of the ability to hear them coming.
get on the ground, get downwind of bedding and move in I have literally never done this but it works for THP.
