I've had thermals override a good wind before. In fact I had a giant buck coming in when I was hunting hill country. Wind blowing downhill hard with rising mid day temps. Buck comes in from below me and didn't smell me bc of the thermals. So he starts semi circling me bc I had rattled and I was so confident in my wind that I let him walk by at 25 yds to get a better shot. He got above me on the hillside and locked up. Backed up and ran....I couldnt believe it. I learned a lesson that day that thermals can defeat the wind in the right environment. So I'd say it's a good possibility that deer smelled you.
Nothing this AM, this afternoon I was down in the swamp and saw 4 bucks, 3 baskets and one nice 120ish 8 that I absolutely would have shot except for the fact that he was 30 yards onto the private. He was headed in towards me on an angle from the private and looked like he was going to cross onto public less than 40 yards from me but on the private across the road from me maybe 5 or 600 yards away somebody unloaded with a semi-auto, 4 quick shots. He paused and then started working directly parallel to the property line. I grunted at him a few times and while he paused he didn't seem too interested, until I snort wheezed at him and he whipped his head around and just stared in my direction for a good 3-5 mins but just would not come in. He moved really slow and almost kind of gimpy unless he's just a ridiculously careful deer. I'm actually kind of hopeful that he's the same 8 point that I shot back about a month ago and tracked for 700 yards on blood the whole time until the end with no beds. Either way he was a nice buck. Hope to see him in the AM- on this side of the property line. GREAT JOB @virginiashadow
Heading in. Going to be warm (compared to the last 2 weeks) 45f now up to 55f later. Only seen 4 does yesterday about 11am. On my way out about 500yds from my stand I had 14 deer eating in a field about 50yds from me. One deer started running and then followed by a buck with his nose on the ground. He chased her into the woods for a few seconds then back out into the field. They were blocking my way out so I slowly walked towards them and they scattered. Now if they could bring it 500yds my way that would be great. Good luck everyone!!
Saw nothing yesterday, except squirrels and some recreators on public land...got home late. Slept like a rock. My wife tells me she's going back to bed...had to take my daughter and her cat to the emergency vet last night. Had to have the cat put down. So I guess I'm digging a hole today. I'll probably see more deer digging the hole...or take up squirrel hunting.
I’ve been on stand since s half hour before daylight. Nothing moving yet but I feel like it’s just a matter of time.
Beautiful morning out with the gun. Flock of 21 turkeys (all hens) just swung by my bling. Have a little 6 chasing a doe. Coffee is hot. Life is good. Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
I really hate a “light and variable” wind Does were coming in just like I expected. They were crossing the road coming to me when the wind swirled and that was that.
I'd take this buck all day with a bow. Just hanging out at 20 yds. It's like they know. Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
BHH - that's fantastic blood! Nice job. Thanks for the pics. Jim - thermals may have got you. What if you get up a tree a ways? Maybe the wind help blow scent away before thermals drop them. Good luck today LFTS. Keep on killing.
Me too! I do believe that had at least something to do with me not seeing the number of deer I expected to see this season from my natural ground blind location. When I thought I had a good direction, I believe the "variable" aspect is what made deer that I never saw avoid my immediate area. Just a guess, but it does make sense.
Id say he's about 130. Doesn't have a lot of width. I know there is a 140/50 and a 160/170 somewhere close, so holding off with the gun. Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk
Just finished straw run. Checked cam, ZERO Doe but a night full of young buck and one mature. Wow the # of new spike and forks, many never seen before. Looks like buck are herding up. Big guy at 4:38a.m. Again I have to screen shot. System is all messed up since the hack, plus old as the hills in pc terms...lol
At 9:45 does were coming in from the west. The wind shifted and I got winded again. I mumbled “screw this”, packed up and came back to the house. It’s supposed to rain this afternoon so I’ll skip that and I’ll skip tomorrow morning also. The forecast for tomorrow says “light and variable” also. I may just skip the entire day and save myself some frustration. Then again, I’d have a better chance with a squirrelly wind if I got on a ridge top instead of a valley. Still a lot of season left.
This especially includes my target buck. Which could easily be the reason I only saw him once in two months of hunting him. He knows ALL the tricks! Even after all my years hunting, I learned a lot this season about wind direction on very uneven ground. Most of the hunting I've done in the past was on pretty flat ground, where the winds are mostly consistant, and predictable. This wasn't at all the case where I hunted this year.
