Frustrated on spot with wrong wind or swirling wind

[Seeker529]

I’ve tried hunting this location 3 separate times and have failed every time by getting winded! There’s three different buck beds in a wet swale hole that butts up to a small section of tall trees! The swale hole is red brush, briars and tall grass.. I picked this spot cause the trail they use to enter the field and it’s the only trees big enough to hunt out of within bow range. Every single time no matter what the weather says the wind always blows from SE ... yesterday they called for straight west wind so I gave it a Shot and dropped milk weed and I see it was coming out of the s.e again!! I always get winded when the bucks 20 yards from the field edge but due to brush I can’t see him good nor get a shot? So my question is how do I hunt this location when there are no tall trees within 80 yards of the beds or trails on the down wind side? And how do you cope with swirling winds? Thanks for the help and taking time to read all this!

 

[Hillclimber]

Question is did they wind you this year? If so, youll need a way different entry route, because those deer will be staged to catch you again. If you can get below them in the shadiest coolest pocket you know of that will help. The closer to dark, the better. You may have to wait for the best weather. What about a blind?

 

[Napali]

How far are you from the beds? Is this hilly terrain? walking on the other side of the trail does the wind change? Looking at this it is tough to see but you may consider hunting this spot in the rain when it knocks down your scent.

 

[rhagenw]

I’ve found several spots with similar wind effects...I’ve found it takes either zero wind or so windy it’s scary to be in the tree to avoid the “wind tunnel”

 

[kyler1945]

I’ve tried hunting this location 3 separate times and have failed every time by getting winded! There’s three different buck beds in a wet swale hole that butts up to a small section of tall trees! The swale hole is red brush, briars and tall grass.. I picked this spot cause the trail they use to enter the field and it’s the only trees big enough to hunt out of within bow range. Every single time no matter what the weather says the wind always blows from SE ... yesterday they called for straight west wind so I gave it a Shot and dropped milk weed and I see it was coming out of the s.e again!! I always get winded when the bucks 20 yards from the field edge but due to brush I can’t see him good nor get a shot? So my question is how do I hunt this location when there are no tall trees within 80 yards of the beds or trails on the down wind side? And how do you cope with swirling winds? Thanks for the help and taking time to read all this!

Why do you think the bucks bed there? It seems obvious to me.

Can you zoom out and show your options for access?

 

[Seeker529]

I did get winded there Saturday night! I was wondering about a blind to help keep scent down! I am about 30 yards from the first bed and 80-ish yards to the farthest bed! I never thought about hunting in the rain or extreme wind conditions but makes sense it might be the only way! It’s more of a swamp with the field being a small rolling hill... I think the bucks bed there cause it’s close to the food source and the way the wind pulls down the hill on the field towards the pond/swamp..other then the thermals and wind always blowing the way it does I’m not sure why they bed there. I did locate the three beds in spring time there. I attached two zoomed out pics one with contour lines to help show the small hill

 

[Bowmanmike]

Can you get closer to the water? That should help to pull the thermals there...

 

[Seeker529]

I’d have to try and find a spot! There’s not trees bigger then 2-3 inch diameter all around the swale... the next decent tree is way out of shooting distance? What’s everyone’s take on ground hunting?

 

[Letemgrowitllshow]

I was just gunna say try it on the ground once. I've gotten real close to deer on the ground and they never had a clue. Just gotta have the right wind. If it's crazy windy out, that would help you conceal the noise a bit

 

[kyler1945]

you have 360* access to the spot?

 

[Seeker529]

The right wind is tough cause it is alway swirling.. so I’m gana guess it have to be extremely wind day!! But not sure if the deer would bed there if the wind doesn’t swirl for them

 

[Bowmanmike]

I’d have to try and find a spot! There’s not trees bigger then 2-3 inch diameter all around the swale... the next decent tree is way out of shooting distance? What’s everyone’s take on ground hunting?

If you got to be in the ground,be on the ground. It is more difficult to get away with any movement,draw really slow etc. But if that gets you closer,do it. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain.

 

[Napali]

I did get winded there Saturday night! I was wondering about a blind to help keep scent down! I am about 30 yards from the first bed and 80-ish yards to the farthest bed! I never thought about hunting in the rain or extreme wind conditions but makes sense it might be the only way! It’s more of a swamp with the field being a small rolling hill... I think the bucks bed there cause it’s close to the food source and the way the wind pulls down the hill on the field towards the pond/swamp..other then the thermals and wind always blowing the way it does I’m not sure why they bed there. I did locate the three beds in spring time there. I attached two zoomed out pics one with contour lines to help show the small hill

I would not put a blind up now. Older deer usually do not tolerate change. That wasn't there last time and this is not summer so they get very wary of anything new. You can fool younger deer but older does and bucks will re-route or change time of travel.

 

[Seeker529]

you have 360* access to the spot?

Yes pretty much I can access anyway I need to

 

[ofor]

Go in 2 hours before daylight from the North or East and set up in the timber on the N side of the trail and catch them coming back to bed

 

[Hillclimber]

If the wind swirls id try the blind idea (as natural looking as possible, brush it in maybe). Or the last 20 minutes of daylight when its dead calm. Have you ever watched a buck just stand like a statue with the wind whipping back and forth taking it all in. Almost no one can get by with those kind of conditions, unless your John Eberhart.

 

[ThePennsylvanian]

Yes pretty much I can access anyway I need to

The hunt the high side of the trail,(the right side of your picture) and enter from that side. You wind is blowing directly to those deer hunting where you did before. Come in from the right of the trail and hunt from the right of the trail, its still risky but high risk could mean high reward... that is to say that you havent blown those beds out after multiple sits getting busted. Me personally I'd be moving on for the year.....

 

[Seeker529]

The hunt the high side of the trail,(the right side of your picture) and enter from that side. You wind is blowing directly to those deer hunting where you did before. Come in from the right of the trail and hunt from the right of the trail, its still risky but high risk could mean high reward... that is to say that you havent blown those beds out after multiple sits getting busted. Me personally I'd be moving on for the year.....

yes I did and observation sit last night and nothing... I think I blew up the area! Next year I’ll be game planing to sit somewhere else

 

[Allegheny Tom]

yes I did and observation sit last night and nothing... I think I blew up the area! Next year I’ll be game planing to sit somewhere else

Patience man, patience.
I guarantee you that during the course of a season, ANY area will eventually have favorable wind. It might only happen one or two days per month, but it will happen.
Prep the spot, then sit back and wait until the conditions are right.
In 2011, I waited 3 weeks for a North wind so I could hunt a great spot (that would have been risky with any other wind). We got a North wind, and I slipped into to a fresh stand and shot a 133" 10 point that 1st day of that favorable wind.

 

[D.AKINS]

Go in 2 hours before daylight from the North or East and set up in the timber on the N side of the trail and catch them coming back to bed

Do this, or earlier.