I readily admit that this hunting season was the first in which I tried to learn about and utilize the thermal currents. I am a novice. I have some questions that maybe some of you can answer in regards to thermals. You do not have to answer each individual question, but can summarize if you like. When do thermal currents become a factor? At daybreak, the sun rises and begins striking the bottom of the hill you are hunting. On this particular day, the temperature is actually dropping rapidly, from 45 to 30 degrees over a couple hours . The wind is blasting 20 mph. What effect do the thermals have in this scenario? 1 hour prior to sundown the temperature is 75 degrees. During the last hour of sunlight, the temps drop 10 degrees. There is no wind. Does a specific temperature have anything to do with thermal currents? For example, do thermal currents behave in the same way if for example the temps drop from 75 to 65 as compared to the temps dropping from 45 to 35? When are thermal currents rendered "obsolete" in regards to the temperature? 2 hours after sun-up, there is a 5 mph wind. The temperatures begin dropping slowly, from 50 to 40 over a 5 hour period, yet there is not a cloud in the sky and the sun is shining brightly. You actually feel warm. Falling temps, yet a warm sun and a mild wind....what gives in regards to the thermals? Should you set-up thinking that the thermals are falling or rising? I want to keep learning about thermals and how they effect deer movement. Thanks guys.
Pretty interested to see the responses here. Thermals are tricky to understand and my knowledge of them is novice at best.
Glad you asked this. I too was trying to become a master of thermals this past year with moderate success. Still have a TON to learn though.
What I've applied in my use of thermals has been basic. When the wind is less than 8-10 mph, it's usually gonna effect my hunt as my grounds are nearly all on some sort of slope and I mainly hunt evenings. They have less of an effect in the early season when the temp change isn't as great, but I usually check the hourly forcasts to see how much the temp is predicted to drop near the end of my hunts.
You are looking to deep into it. If the temp is cooling the heavy cold air always falls. If the temp is warming, it always rises.
So if the temps were 100 degrees at 4pm, and fell to 98 degrees by 5pm, the "cold" heavy air would fall? Even if the temps were that high?
Thermals are caused by rapid heating or cooling of the air tempature. The exact difference in temps needed, I do not have an answer for. Use your windicator. It will tell you everything you need to know about what is going on. Most autumn days you can actually feel the thermals. Sometimes you can also feel when they start to reverse as well.
I have felt the thermals change many times before, especially in the afternoon. I just think there is more to thermal currents than meets the eye.
I know how thermals rise and fall according to temps but terrain also comes into play. I have a bottleneck stand between two old coal mine strip pits thats located on a high wall. 90% of the time my thermals are rising. The highwalls greatly affect it.
IMO there is nothing more than what meets the eye when it comes to how thermals behave. What is more than what meets the eye is how those currents react with the terrain you are hunting. That is what will seperate your successes form your failures, learning and adapting to how those currents affect your specific setups.
Take bottom land for example basicly flat. Thermals settle in the evening an rise in the morning. Now add in a little wind or a shifting wind cutting through the trees pushing thermals in which ever direction is the easiest. Then throw your scent in on top of it. Leaves you scratching your head!?
It effects me on every hunt as in the fall the temps are all over the board when it comes to thermals.
Don't worry so much about wind directions and thermals!!!! Just get you one of those ScentLok or ScentBlocker suits, gloves, hat and boots and "Forget Aboutit". Hunt where you want when you want!! Sorry, I just had to say it....I am JUST KIDDING!!!
To be honest Brett, in the morning hunts I'm much more aggresive with my hunting setups on any "common weather" day. That is, a day that gets warmer when the sun comes up. The wind is secondary (in my mind) because as the air gets warmer you'll have upward thermals protecting you. In the evening obviously you have the opposite, the colder air falls carrying your scent with it and the wind plays a bigger role here. Thermals are more active during the morning and evening because (as Scott mentioned) the rapid temperature change determines how aggressive the thermals are.
the best thing i could tell you is to talk to your local biologist they are super smart in those areas and got alot of useful info. Me i know nothing but learn as i go along like most please let me know if you find any info pertaining to this matter
