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Would you hunt these conditions?
- Thread starter VAHunt
- Start date
SaddleUpPartner!
Well-Known Member
If you’re gonna do it, hunt the thick stuff so they don’t hear you coming from the wind. I’ve found they don’t move a lot in windy conditions but others may have different accounts than me.
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If its rut where you are I would say yes but as mentioned, hunt in cover and if you have some scrapes to sit over in dense cover that might be the way to go. If the scrapes get rained on the buck may feel compelled to come refresh them.
Temperature is the single best predictor of daytime movement. Temperature delta rather. Cold weather, or cooling weather, relative to current temp, drives deer movement.
Knowing nothing else, your odds are low tomorrow, compared to your odds if you were hunting after a cold front just passed through. Whether those odds are worth it, is up to you.
But the odds stink. No two ways about it. It’s worse than you think it is. Obviously, you can write a story about specifically why your odds are higher. If you can and want to do that, go hunt.
If you just want to quantify your chances, they suck.
Knowing nothing else, your odds are low tomorrow, compared to your odds if you were hunting after a cold front just passed through. Whether those odds are worth it, is up to you.
But the odds stink. No two ways about it. It’s worse than you think it is. Obviously, you can write a story about specifically why your odds are higher. If you can and want to do that, go hunt.
If you just want to quantify your chances, they suck.
VAHunt
New Member
Thanks guys...generally how I was feeling too (not good odds). I'll still go sit for a couple of hours since I need to move a camera anyways. Sunday weather is much better (cooler) but no Sunday hunting allowed at this particular spot.
I'm going to skip tomorrow morning because it looks like I'm going to have that weather in the morning with it moving out early afternoon. This time of year I'm not sitting in that especially since it's supposed to get nice about 1300 (for me anyway).
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I always play the odds game… and it’s always 50/50. That’s good enough odds to get me in the woods when I have time.
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Don't forget warming weather. That will get them moving, hunting a thaw.
Saw this more than most years while hunting this November. Weirdly warm days coming off below-freezing temps, bucks were up and at ‘em. Does seemed to be moving the same.
VAHunt
New Member
I'm in SE VA. Not much below freezing temps yet. We really won't see those temps until Jan/Feb timeframe. This is a snapshot of the last few weeks.
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I’m in the same weather pattern you are & am not hunting in the morning like I had planned all week…… gonna try & squeeze out this afternoon & then wait on something better next week
Also like this advice, sort of.
Deer will spend more time “not moving” in daylight hours on a warming trend.
Yes, I know in extreme cold climates, the opposite could be true. Not Virginia.
Warm, wet, humid, non deer daylight moving weather is a great time to go find out where they “live”. Or where they “bed”. I like to define it as where they are when they aren’t moving around in daylight hours.
go jump them out of their beds. Go find new bedding areas. Go find thick stuff. Go find the hidey holes.
But don’t think “I’m going look for a tree to hunt on a southwest wind today.”
I think that weather forecast looks like great conditions to try to sneak in close to a bedding area, and the rain will be minimal which I appreciate for tracking. Ideally I'd sneak in while it's raining and it would end before the shooting starts.
Iron_llama
Well-Known Member
Windy days are perfect for aggressive still-hunting or tracking out deer. Work upwind. I don't know if I'd want to be in a tree with 30mph gusts. Look at this as an opportunity to scout the property, and maybe kill something.
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Actually, I've hunted in VA a bit and it's not always tropical. The warming trend definitely applies to VA deer, when conditions are such that it applies.
OP has added more context now.
But to add to your scout search and hunt tactic, bump and climb (bump and dump?) is an option.
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For sure It can get sketchy depending on how it's gusting. And depending on the habitat, even hunting from ground could be sketch if it's persistent.
SW Va. is looking not that bad for in the morning, not as bad as SE Va. I'm hunting.
Now would I hunt your forecast? Depends.
I would not be hyped about going especially if I was hunting the late seasons. I usually give the deer a week or two to calm down after the rifle doe day, but then right back after it.
If I was not hunting the late seasons, or knew I would only get a few days in the late season, I would hunt it. As others have pointed out, wind is a great day to burn bumping deer and scouting.
Now would I hunt your forecast? Depends.
I would not be hyped about going especially if I was hunting the late seasons. I usually give the deer a week or two to calm down after the rifle doe day, but then right back after it.
If I was not hunting the late seasons, or knew I would only get a few days in the late season, I would hunt it. As others have pointed out, wind is a great day to burn bumping deer and scouting.