Variable Winds

[genesee_mohican]

Another morning here in 8M where the winds are shifting all over. SW one minute, NE the next. It's been like that a few days this week. No way I'm going into one of my good stands. 

[wheelieman]

The wind has been horrible for most of my stands the one time it was good it started swirling at around 6 pm, grrr its 10 days in ive sat 3 times, i did manage to harvest a nice doe though, 

[Hock3y24]

Switching every 2 minutes here in 7s

[turkeyfeathers]

• Hunt 9H in Bliss area about a good mile up a mountain. I catch thermals all the time. Always have to reposition myself in the ladder stand on which way I'm facing. Makes for a rough time in the climber

[Doc]

Don't you just love it when the wind is finally just right for that afternoon stand for almost all of the day and then right at the end of the day when the deer really get moving, the afternoon thermals kick in and start blowing your scent right to the trail you're watching.

 

That's where it is nice to have a lot of experience with some of these stands so that you don't get blind-sided by the thermals.

 

Another thing is that I have certain stands around a huge ravine on the hill where the wind always channels up and out of the ravine, and while it may be a steady predicted westerly wind everywhere else in the world, along that ravine there will be a consistent easterly wind right out to the trail. Eventually I learned about that and rebuilt my stands to compensate. There sure was a lot of frustration before I figured that little peculiarity out. Sometimes forecasted wind direction at certain spots will never agree with wind directions at your stand.

 

And yes there are some spots where the terrain shunts the wind all over the place in ever-changing directions. Again, a bit of experience on the same parcel of hunting land tips you off to these areas and you finally figure it out that there is no way of hunting those areas. It's all the beauty of hunting hill country ..... lol.

[growalot]

I think the winds may have got me this morning ...those deer were looking very skiddish...but the moment they past it went dead calm....hahaha...like thats a surprise

[518BowSlayer]

same here in 4C, changing direction at least every 1/2 hour

[Grizz1219]

Yup.. light and variable sucks... 

[mac]

Saturday am ., confirming air was changing every 10 minutes . friday overnight was a little gusty so maybe it was the the end of the system moving through. cant wait for the cold still air with frosted on the ground.. coming soon 

[NYbuck50]

Had this all morning yesterday thankfully i planned for it. In light and variable winds i hunt stand on steep terrain above where the deer come through in the am, and below in the pm, allowing my thermals to push my scent up the hill in calm conditions, and if that wind does push my scent below me towards deer trails, its pushed out above their heads.  Had about a dozen below me yesterday.