Bow Hunting New Places

[sweet old bill]

play the wind, if you are a trad bow hunter it is a true must, if you are in a tree stand it also will be a major issue with the deer. I even keep a small piece of dental floss on the string to see if the wind is changing. It sure does help if you want shot that are close.

[Witty]

Do you guys change stands in the middle of a hunt if the wind changes?

[phade]

If the wind changes for the bad - I'm not staying there.

 

Why? Because the stand is set up based on what I know. And, if the wind is blowing into a bed or through a funnel....it's not going to happen.

 

People try all the time to say they've shot deer upwind, with or without scentlock, etc. The problem is they don't understand "wind"....thermals and currents can make scent cones do funny things.

 

Carry milkweed with you and test the wind. The wind could be blowing X direction, but letting it go, you'll see the wind lifts here, settles there, turns here, etc. Chances are that buck shot "upwind" didn't just ignore your stink (face it, we do), it just didn't reach his receptors.

Edited June 11, 2013 by phade

[PREDATE]

Do you guys change stands in the middle of a hunt if the wind changes?

I do.

I'd rather hunker down behind a bush, than have a buck catch my scent.

 

I try to visualize the terrain as a stream bed. Just like water is affected by logjams, boulders, steep banks, thus creating eddys, backflows, swift runs, Etc. Wind currents will do the same.

What phade said is very true. Last year I had a small 4pt. buck walk 10yds downwind from me and never even acted spooked. I was sitting in a fallen tree about 6ft. off the ground with a thick stand of pines at my back. The stronger(unobstructed) wind above the pines was actually pulling my scent upwards right over the deer.

[sweet old bill]

if the wind is wrong or changes you had better just walk out and go to another stand or take a nap because you will not see anything. Deer number 1 use there nose first and then eyesight to stay safe.

[Doc]

Do you guys change stands in the middle of a hunt if the wind changes?

Absolutely. There is no point to staying if your wind is drifting right into the area that you are expecting the deer to come from. I get all nervous and jerky if there is just one brief reversal of wind direction that heads out toward where I am looking for the deer to come from.

 

In fact the question that always comes up in my mind is just how much damage has been done by that one contrary back blast of wind that has carried scent molecules out across the trail. I know that scent trails are made by the adherrence of scent molecules to the ground and bushes and weeds, etc.  Perhaps this accounts for those reports of deer having a sixth sense. maybe it's their sense of smell detecting your scent molecules from that forgotten isolated moment of back-flo that dispersed scent molecules in an area that you didn't realize.

 

Anyway, back to your question ..... if you know that your wind direction has changed and any incoming deer is likely to encounter your scent, there is no point to educating the deer in your area as to your presence and the location of your stand. Better you should get the heck out of there and hope that you haven't stunk things up already.

[Witty]

Just picked up the farm to the north of the first one. Pretty excited here is a picture of it. Going to put some cams out tomorrow.

[NFA-ADK]

Ask the farmer!  Person on premise has the inside scoop.  In so far as scent, when on stand or blind it is critical to be down wind.  While I have not stand hunted in years the scent game and wind is critical to ambush.  Glassing from a good vantage point can really help as stated.  Nice property, good luck!  Looks like great potential!!!  If you need help covering the property during season let me know. 

 

My best ambushes have been at first light with little to no wind.  Shame I missed them both...  Tracked both deer the day before with out their knowledge both in snow...

[Witty]

The property owner said her apple tree in the front yard is a good place, she kicked out a buck yesterday morning eating the apples off the tree lol

[Doewhacker]

When do you want me to walk with you? I'm free next weekend. If we can't with our schedules I can send you some maps with dots on them.

[Witty]

I was going to text you yesterday but it got late. I'm off Sunday, I should know Tuesday or Wednesday if anything is going on. Saw a nice little six point over there yesterday.

[PREDATE]

Looks nice witty, there could be some good spots there. If you can find the food, bedding zones, and water that's a good start. Keep an eye out for last years rubs too, they're still visible.

[Danny]

Using scents (doe n heat ect...) doesn't that go against playing the wind? if you sent up down wind of an area you think the deer will be traveling from the doe n heat would only be working by attracting deer from downwind, no?

[PREDATE]

Scents can attract the deer if you put it upwind/crosswind or it can act as a calming scent that deer smell as they walk past. Hopefully when they stop to smell it you have a clear shot. This is where scouting pays off, so you don't have to guess if a deer is going to walk past.