Those Nov winds sure do swirl........

[nhdeerchaser]

Hey everyone!

After reading all the articles about scent control, and playing the wind, I have a serious question that I hope all you vetrans out there can help with.
What can you do with a swirling wind?
I don't know about anyone else, but here in the NE, we rarely get a wind that will blow predominately from one direction.
Once it's in the woods, it will swirl, and seem like it's coming from all directions at once!
Is the key just getting higher in the tree, or finding a better stand?
I know it sounds like a stupid question, but this has had me scratching my head for a while.
How do you tackle it?

Mike

[TwistedX]

I would sa that being higher may help but wouldn't fix it completly. I would suggest extreme scent control, maybe not as far as gurgling doe urine, I aint sure who done that but I can't imagine that would taste good. I would just hunt what time you can, Like your quote, you can't kill'em sittin on the couch"

[JPH]

nhdeerchaser, it is not a stupid question at all! Swirling winds are a common problem and very little is said about dealing with them. Here is my take.
 
First of all, you should pay crazy attention to scent control at all times! This will not make you totally scent free but it may allow you to get away with a rogue breeze. Secondly, in terms of scent distribution, higher is almost always better.
 
Once you have dealt with scent control and hung your stands high, you should start working to predict how, when and why the winds swirl where you hunt. It is often an issue of terrain. Bowls and streams are known for swirling winds. If you choose to hunt these places, see if there are certain wind directions or times of day that reduce swirling. There are thermal patterns (morning updrafts vs. evening downdrafts) that will shape swirling winds. It is also important to find places where the wind does not swirl. Ridge tops and plains are both good places for more perdictable winds.
 
You may need to get one of those little puffers and do a lot of walking around where you hunt. In other words, scout the wind. Get topo maps or aerial photos and start taking notes baised off of a good weather site (I like www.weather.com). This may take a season or two, but you can actaully learn what the winds are likely to do. Be pateint and do your homework. Once you have, never hunt against the wind.
 
Hope this helps.

[Ohio farms]

It tastes a little salty TwistedX.
 
(That was a joke in case you are not sure)