I have always noted with great interest the strong opinions many hunters have concerning wind and their stand sites and hunting methods ... there is such a great deal of talk about "waiting for the right wind" and "playing the wind" and "watching the wind" ... especially on the hunting shows.
With all the "wind opinions" and "wind talk" that goes on, I'd like to suggest that some of all that "windy" opinion and talk is hot air.
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Not all, mind you ... don't anyone get their hackles up ... but I don't think wind issues when hunting are nearly so cut-and-dried as many hunters let on.
I'll tell ya why:
I spend lots of time in the woods, during hunting season and at other times, and I don't just hunt. I do other things when I'm out, and one of the things I often do when rambling about is stop, build a quick fire, and brew a cup of coffee or a cup of tea ... maybe eat a bite, if it's time and I'm hungry:
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Now, years of experience have taught me this:
Even though my region (Eastern Carolina, where the Wright Brothers came for the breeze!) is known for it's unusually steady winds, it doesn't matter what the wind seems to be doing in the field or in any open area when I go in, or even in the tree-tops ... in the woods, on the ground, the wind shifts about constantly ... the smoke from small fires blows this way and that, that way and this, each and every which way ... all within the space of the hour or so that I stop. This occurs in the morning, at midday and in the evening too. Very rarely have I known the smoke from a cookfire or campfire to blow in only one direction. I could honestly count the times I've seen that on one hand, with fingers left over to point out that it's not very likely!
I have also noticed that no matter what the vegetation seems to indicate as wind-direction, smoke still swirls about and blows every which way!
I have observed all of this so many times in so many situations that I have absolutely no doubt that what happens to smoke also happens to scent ... in other words, it blows around all over the place, here and there, there and here ... no matter what the "wind" seems to be doing by other observation.
I'm mostly a ground and short-stand hunter, and I've also noticed that when I'm on stand, even up to 12' or so, that at one moment the wind is sighing upon my cheeks ... the next, it's kissing the back of my neck ... the next, blowing in my ear. It's rare that I notice anything like a really steady wind in one direction ... it's all over the place.
I've noted these things here in Carolina, in Virginia, and in Indiana ... in flat and hilly terrain.
Now, I am aware of mountain thermals and other general rules of wind behavior, but in spite of all that, time and experience have led me to this conclusion:
In my opinion, there is only one way be reasonably sure of fooling a deer's nose in the woods, and that is to get way high above them, where the wind issue isn't even an issue.
So, here's my dual proposition:
If you're in a nose-bleed seat, you're above the problem anyway.
If you're in the woods on the ground, or even close to the ground, all that "playing the wind" talk is so much wind!
You can do your best according to what you see, but your stink is gonna be out there ... and there ... and there ... and there ... everywhere!
At least, that's what I think.
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What think ye?
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