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Elk hunting and wind direction? #5819738 07/06/15 06:14 PM
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Chunky Monkey Offline OP
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Hey guys and gals,

I was recently told by a friend and experienced elk hunter that the wind flows up in the mornings and down the slopes in the evening. He said this is always the case but it just doesn't make any sense to me. Maybe this sounds like a stupid comment but he swears by it. Am I misunderstanding what he is trying to tell me?

Thanks,
CM

Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5819747 07/06/15 06:16 PM
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Think of heat....

Heat rises.... cool falls


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Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5819768 07/06/15 06:23 PM
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It's the other way. Your friend is confused at best!


A true friend reaches for your hand but touches your heart.
Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Elkhunter49] #5819828 07/06/15 06:51 PM
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Coolest part of the day is day break. Usually... As a percentage.

Think of air...Cool air sinks/falls behind warm rising warming air..then at some point they mix enough they level off....But the times it changes are always very unpredictable and really depends what side the slope you are on.

A front changes everything... A strong steady wind on a flatter face will also negate thermals.

But for general reference morning down and after noons up...heat rises cold air sinks. Best bet is check it all the time. Think opposite of the sun




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Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5819883 07/06/15 07:24 PM
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thermals are sinking until the sun pops out, then it's a switch from heating occurring (think, foggy in the morning and waiting for it to burn off/rise). Evenings as cooling sets in again they start falling again. It makes it a pain in the early AM with deer sitting up high on hills, they're getting cooling from the shaded side behind them and heating in front of them, currents will just sit and swirl up where they're at and they are a PITA to get to without alerting them. That's one of the speculated reasons why mountain animals prefer bedding on the East side of N/S running slopes and waiting for the sun to hit them to get up to browse.

Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Elkhunter49] #5819916 07/06/15 07:37 PM
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Originally Posted By: Elkhunter49
It's the other way. Your friend is confused at best!


Don't think so.

Thermals, rise up with the heat of day and fall with cooling temps in the evening. Just what BOBO and Rifleman said.


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Dennis

Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5819948 07/06/15 07:56 PM
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If you're up on a big flat top not far off the Divide, only thermals you need to worry about are the ones you're wearing bc prevailing wind is the reason they're flat.

Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5820080 07/06/15 09:10 PM
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Years ago I was hunting Elk in New Mexico between Angel Fire and Red River. A herd of cows and the largest bull I have seen in the wild were coming toward me on a saddle. this was about 9 in the morning. the saddle was pretty narrow on the top so I got down about 50 yds where I could still see the top. The first cow that came by smelled me and the whole herd went off the other side. that was when I learned about the smell rising in the morning.

Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Western] #5820094 07/06/15 09:26 PM
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Originally Posted By: Western
Originally Posted By: Elkhunter49
It's the other way. Your friend is confused at best!


Don't think so.

Thermals, rise up with the heat of day and fall with cooling temps in the evening. Just what BOBO and Rifleman said.


I guess we need to define morning. To me morning means daybreak and the prevailing wind is damn sure not rising.


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Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Elkhunter49] #5820152 07/06/15 10:16 PM
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Originally Posted By: Elkhunter49
Originally Posted By: Western
Originally Posted By: Elkhunter49
It's the other way. Your friend is confused at best!


Don't think so.

Thermals, rise up with the heat of day and fall with cooling temps in the evening. Just what BOBO and Rifleman said.


I guess we need to define morning. To me morning means daybreak and the prevailing wind is damn sure not rising.


One thing is for sure, daybreak is cold grin ,but as soon as the sun shows, temps start to rise, even if we cant feel it. I have sat in holes that the sun didn't hit for several hours after daylight, felt cold as chi@ where I was, but looking at the sunny side of opposite hills and you can see the steam rising. All realative to where you're standing at the time.


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Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5820166 07/06/15 10:26 PM
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Thermals rise in the mornings as the sun heats air up and when the sun goes down they flow downward. Coldest time is often right at sunrise and until the sun actually starts warming things including air up the thermals can still be falling in the early part of the day.

It doesn't even have to be the mountains where you notice this. Have noticed it in the woods of Mississippi and Texas. Those rare no wind mornings it is not unusual to be able to feel sir rising in the mornings and often there will be a eastward flow in flat country as the sun heats air east of you and it is rising. Good thing is often a deer can be "downwind" of you in that scenario and not smell you since the air is also rising.


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Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5820471 07/07/15 01:16 AM
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So I guess you're saying that the morning hunt there will be a transition from falling to rising when the sun pops out. Evening should most likely still be rising. Right?

Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5820487 07/07/15 01:22 AM
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Evening it will start falling. Have seen it almost dark before you could feel it but at some point in the evening it will start falling


lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true
Mainstream news might be fun to watch
Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5820514 07/07/15 01:31 AM
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Originally Posted By: Chunky Monkey
So I guess you're saying that the morning hunt there will be a transition from falling to rising when the sun pops out. Evening should most likely still be rising. Right?



Yelp, I've seen it happen at different times...usually Quicker on an eastern slope then western slope in the morning and evenings it can shift quicker depending on what side of the slope your on also. An east slope will be quicker then west slope.

Biggest thing is don't confuse wind and thermals two different things. Use the hell out of your wind checker.

I screwed myself last year on a big mulie I waited for him to bed.... Clouds moved in quick that evening and thermals changed. I needed to cover 30 more yards and bamm he stood up and knew I was there. Four days worth of glassing and patterning went poof....all well before dark.


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Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5820546 07/07/15 01:45 AM
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"Biggest thing is don't confuse wind and thermals two different things. Use the hell out of your wind checker."

What you talking about BOBO?

Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5820581 07/07/15 01:58 AM
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Thermals are air moving up and down based on heat. Wind is a bulk movement.

Enough wind will over ride thermals.

I go through those wind checker powder bottles pretty regulary. Also a good excuse to caught your breath. smile


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Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5822389 07/08/15 04:02 AM
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Ok so the wind will either be moving uphill or downhill in the morning or at night, depending on wind direction. Got it.


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Re: Elk hunting and wind direction? [Re: Chunky Monkey] #5827159 07/11/15 12:20 PM
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Originally Posted By: Chunky Monkey
Hey guys and gals,

I was recently told by a friend and experienced elk hunter that the wind flows up in the mornings and down the slopes in the evening. He said this is always the case but it just doesn't make any sense to me. Maybe this sounds like a stupid comment but he swears by it. Am I misunderstanding what he is trying to tell me?

Thanks,
CM


I believe it's the opposite....air in the morning cooler, heavier, and sinking,...when the bottom land heats up the air goes uphill.
Most elk will bed down late morning in shaded draws with their noses pointed towards the bottom to catch any updrafts from predators.
Muley's do this also. yingyang


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