If  you’ve ever spent any time on any type of hunting forum, or even if you’ve sat around a campfire listening to hunting stories, I’m sure the subject of wind, and the effects it has on deer, has come up a few times.  This subject is actually quite controversial sometimes as well, and why that is I’m not sure, but the opinions really tend to vary on how the Whitetail handles high wind situations.

I think the overall consensus among hunters is that high winds will limit the amount of time that deer are on the move.  High winds tend to hurt the Whitetail’s ability to detect movement, and also effect his sense of smell, so it seems obvious that in high wind situations the Whitetail would tend to limit the amount of time they’re  the move……..you would think.

Other people have the opinion that high winds will actually make some Whitetails nervous, and because of that, it makes them move in order to detect danger more easily.  They have the opinion that deer will get nervous sitting in one spot during high winds, and get up in order to ease their anxieties a little bit.

Normally I don’t even pay attention to either side of this particular issue.  Unless the winds are dangerous – in the 30 plus mph range and I feel unsafe in a treestand – I still hunt regardless of wind conditions.  In the beginning I relied to heavily on the opinion that deer didn’t move in high wind and got burnt – I went home on two different windy days, Jeff went hunting, and he came home with a deer.

Also, I think that the timing of the wind plays a big part as well.  If you’ve been experiencing 30 plus mph. winds for two days, and today they’re down into the 25mph range, it’s probably a good idea to be in the woods.  Any break in the wind at that point is more than likely going to trigger deer movement.  Deer have to move in order to survive, so at some point they will be on the move again……….and sitting at home, regardless of weather conditions, is never going to end in a successful hunt.

It has been windy here for the last couple of days, but even though those winds are continuing today, I will still be heading out this evening.  After 5pm the winds are suppose to subside a little, and you can bet that I will be in a treestand waiting for an unsuspecting buck to come strolling by. After all, he’s probably been bedded up a good portion of the last few days, and will be anxious to find some food.  What time is better than now to catch him off guard?

Bottom line:  If you can hunt safely in windy conditions, do it.  You can never shoot a deer from the couch.

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