Bears and wind?
Contributors to this thread:Wisconsin
From: wisconsinteacher
08-Sep-20
My best bait is getting hit but I don't know if I should hunt it opening night. The bait is 19 yards from the stand. The bait is down a slight hill in a creek bottom. From the stand the bait is NNW. The wind tomorrow afternoon is SSW 0-3 mph. So, would you hunt the stand? The next best wind is Sunday the 13th. Do you wait that long to hunt a stand?
From: Reggiezpop
08-Sep-20
What direction is the bear entering from? Can you move your stand? Kind of sounds like wind and the thermals will be working against you in the evening.
From: skookumjt
08-Sep-20
That's pretty much down wind and down slope. You should stay out.
I would move your stand. SW is prevailing wind in September.
From: Screwball
08-Sep-20
I hunt it. Bear know you are there anyway. Since I first started bear hunting I quit worrying about the wind. You only have so many days to hunt. We always set up for SW winds but hunt no matter what. Bears, circle, scent check, if they are hungry or curious they come in.
From: woodguy65
09-Sep-20
0-3mph in the bottoms means no wind - I would hunt it. Hell I would hunt it regardless of wind direction - the bear knows your there. Take a wind checker with you - its probably not doing what you think its doing anyway. Either way good luck!
From: skookumjt
09-Sep-20
I disagree. Many, especially the mature bears, will not come in if they know you are there. Why put yourself at a definite disadvantage when there are so many other things that can go wrong that you can't control.
From: Ridge Runner
09-Sep-20
What about the rain ? Sitting in camp watching it rain and deciding whether to go out My brother has a tag (first time for him so carrying his rifle )Cant really decide ,I have shot 3 already so I’m not sure I want to go sit with him But he is anxious and kind of wants to go Sucks to wait this long and have a crappy day
From: Ridge Runner
09-Sep-20
What about the rain ? Sitting in camp watching it rain and deciding whether to go out My brother has a tag (first time for him so carrying his rifle )Cant really decide ,I have shot 3 already so I’m not sure I want to go sit with him But he is anxious and kind of wants to go Sucks to wait this long and have a crappy day
From: wisconsinteacher
09-Sep-20
I can't wait until Sunday!!! High pressure and NW wind with a rising temp. I think Sunday will be good.
From: Screwball
09-Sep-20
I have shot several in the rain. Bear are in the rain all the time, I have left stand for lightning, and horizontal rains. Tracking issues arise and ethically creates an issue. Rain breaks animals move more. I'd be in stand. I have been totally soaked on stand several times. Long way into baits in Ontario at times.
From: Ridge Runner
09-Sep-20
No bears tonight Rain let up for a while at 5:15 which is the break I was hoping for and what you said Screwball but then started raining again pretty hard all night Oh well you gotta try
From: Jeff in MN
10-Sep-20
I know 3 people that are hunting around Hayward. They are using up bait I have leftover. They have one MONSTER on camera, I saw the picture. They did not see anything yesterday which surprised me. There was a little rain but nothing that would affect the bears.
From: wisconsinteacher
10-Sep-20
We didn't hunt. It is my wife's tag and she made the call. When I checked baits this moring, both were hit but the bears were there before the rain. I wish we could have hunted yesterday morning.
From: wisconsinteacher
10-Sep-20
I think that cold snap slowed the baits down.
From: skookumjt
10-Sep-20
If anything the cool weather would make them more active. You're seeing the changes that happen every year when the woods is flooded with people, natural forage changes, etc.
From: Stoney
10-Sep-20
Sitting on stand right now in Juneau County waiting for my "guide" to rebait. Bait was hit last night but I got washed out by the rain at 6PM so I don't know what time. A perfect night now with a NW wind & bears coming from the N/NW. One could die tonight.
From: Reggiezpop
10-Sep-20
Good luck and be safe, guys. Stories and pics after the successful hunts, please!
From: Stoney
10-Sep-20
Going to be 39 here over night with frost warnings so hopefully that will get them moving early.
From: MjF
16-Sep-20
Stoney, bear activity slows down when it gets colder
From: Hoot
17-Sep-20
Correct Mike with colder weather. We also had three hunters opening day kill bears in the rain.
From: MjF
17-Sep-20
Yes Jim, I was very surprised with the crappy weather that many bears went down, NWO had 10 for opening day, but it rained up by you guys more than down near Washburn. My friend was in Corni and saw 5 bears but switched stands after it started pouring out.
