onX Maps
Playing the wind
Connecticut
Contributors to this thread:
jax2009r 08-Jan-20
Bigbuckbob 08-Jan-20
Mike in CT 08-Jan-20
longbeard 08-Jan-20
Notme 09-Jan-20
Bigbuckbob 09-Jan-20
jax2009r 09-Jan-20
Notme 09-Jan-20
Bigbuckbob 09-Jan-20
Notme 09-Jan-20
Bloodtrail 09-Jan-20
Notme 09-Jan-20
Loner 03-Feb-20
Loner 11-Feb-20
nehunter 11-Feb-20
From: jax2009r
08-Jan-20
So he is a scenery I ran into alot this year....hunting bigger pieces of state land ...

Based on cam and tracks in snow ....I had deer coming from 3 different directions...based on this the wind is always wrong for one of the directions.....In these cases I got high...sprayed down well and watched my scent ...rubber boots etc

Here is an example in late dec...one day I saw 4 does at 30...they came in down wind...jogging and then running away from my tree. No blowing...I assumed they smelled me....45 mins later a huge 10 point came exactly from where they ran to ...he did not smell me but never came I range ... .....what would you do ?

From: Bigbuckbob
08-Jan-20
Not much you can do aside from what you've said. Minimize scent and move the stand up high.

Having deer come from multiple directions has the advantage of never having a bad wind for two of the three directions as proven by the big buck coming in. I say hunt on, or pick one trail and back track it to a new stand location and take the other two out of the picture.

From: Mike in CT
08-Jan-20
Jax,

In that scenario I'd follow the trails to see if any of them pass an area where the topography or land features reduce the number of travel options the deer have and cut down the chances of having deer approaching from downwind of your stand.

Maybe a trail winds past a small pond or a steep rise in terrain; either of these will eliminate deer coming from that direction and improve your chances of not getting busted.

Of course the trade-off may be you see fewer deer; given this and the fact that you had buck come in I'd try to back trail him and see if you can find his rub line. As bucks can have a home range of 2-5 miles this gives you more opportunity to use the land to your advantage and limit his chances to catch your scent.

If you just don't want to give up all the options in your current spot I'd second what Bob said about hunting as high as you're comfortable with and I'd add, if your area has pines use a hang-on so that you can leave as many branches as possible to help mask your scent.

Basically you have a good problem to have!

From: longbeard
08-Jan-20
^^^What he said. There is no other option. Always play the wind as best as you can

From: Notme
09-Jan-20

Notme's Link
https://youtu.be/WeYsTmIzjkw

Here ya go Jax..lol cough cough lol

From: Bigbuckbob
09-Jan-20
Ohh notme taking us to his bad place. That is a funny song, and so true.

From: jax2009r
09-Jan-20
THX bbb...

Mike..yea ran out of time and snow this year...that is next years plan..hopefully the 10 pointer is not a ghost....a few cams will help too

From: Notme
09-Jan-20
".In these cases I got high...sprayed down well and watched my scent ...rubber boots etc"

Just in case..lol

From: Bigbuckbob
09-Jan-20
Notme, if you can "watch" your scent you have a problem.

From: Notme
09-Jan-20
Not my words, jaxs ...lol ooh brother!!

From: Bloodtrail
09-Jan-20
“I’d have to be pretty high, but yeah” “I bet you would Panama Red...”

From: Notme
09-Jan-20

Notme's Link
https://youtu.be/eKgB-3aANe0

Not that I know but I have a friend..

From: Loner
03-Feb-20
Roll the dice

From: Loner
11-Feb-20
Unless you use the "milkweed" test you can have thermals you never dreamed existed. They can ruin a hunt even when you think the set up and wind are perfect as I found out the hard way.

From: nehunter
11-Feb-20

nehunter's Link
I saw a video on thermals, the hunter owned 50 acres and set off smoke bombs from his stand. It drifted all over the property that day. It was amazing how the little hills and ravines made the swirl change 180 degrees. This isn't the one I watched but explains how it helped.

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