High Winds

Interested in what the hunting tactics are for days when there are high winds since Saturday's forecast is calling for wind speeds of 20-30 mph. Is it best to hunt the low areas? Will the deer even move?

Inside thick cover works for me. They have to eat and shitt still

I have not had a lot of success during high winds. Light rain is a completely different story.

They're cautious about moving in high winds and will usually be pretty skittish. But this time of year the bucks will still move, and if you aren't in the field you can't kill one. Sunday morning after the winds lay should also be a great hunt.

If there are any hills, hunt the sides of the hills protected from the wind and any low thick places. Deer are extra jumpy when the wind blows, but they can be predictable also.

I am looking forward to Sunday after the winds quit.

Going to be a ice box out there sunday. Perfect conditions for moving deer!

Yea, Sunday definitely looks like prime conditions. Looks like I'll be getting home late Sunday night.

I watched a little spike two weeks ago when it was very, very windy in East Texas. He was jumpy, but he still wanted to eat acorns and visit his scrapes (that were being hit by several bucks). He still came out though. While I do not anticipate a whole lot of movement on Saturday, they will still be out chasing so I would rather be out as well. Sunday however looks to be promising. I took off all of next week to hunt so I will be out every day Saturday through Wednesday morning and then again on Friday through Sunday. Bound to see something (I hope!)

In our area they are used to the wind blowing. It doesn't seem to really bother them. I've seen as many big bucks out then as any other time.

If the deer didnt move in Paducah where I hunt they would die, cause it always blows.

find the deer to be more skittish with the wind blowing. They like to use their ears to help detect what's around. As mentioned above, if you can find a draw or back side of hill out of the wind or thick cover, you're going to better your chances. If the rut is still going good, there will be some bucks moving regardless. The thought of "Doe-reen" is too much for those guys to just lay down!!!

I love to still hunt / stalk in the wind.
Start on the south end of your property and slowly wokr north. Seen some of my best bucks on long slow still hunts.

^^^this

If the bucks are in rut in your area, wind shouldn't matter.

I just whacked a nice buck in 30+ mph winds. He's was definatly skittish. The reason I looked at him for a full 7 seconds before I squeezed. He was ready to bolt and even stepped quatered like he was going to run.
He Was the only deer we saw that day with the nasty winds. Next morning calm winds and cool deer moved again. Small windows of calm winds that have been blowing hard for a few days are always good for me. This weekend is looking great. We are here and ready. Hope to get a client of mines 6 yr old daughter her first deer. Good luck to everyone... May ur shot fly tru...

Yep, thought crossed my mind too! have a blind near the woods, kinda out of way,
out of the wind. One thing for sure deer will be skidish! big boys will be laying low,
i know for sure unless your in a rut area, then you might get lucky!

Looking for meat this weekend, sausage on the stick!.... deformed buck or devils deer!
or my little porkers around?



hunt safe.....

I'm headed out this afternoon. The forecast actually has the wind dying down around 5pm tomorrow afternoon. Should make for a solid evening hunt. I've got one spot in mind that fits all the descriptions above of good hunting areas (low spot, south side of a hill, thick cover, lots of doe activity), and I plan on camping out there all weekend.

Good luck to everyone out there!

So true Branden! Haha

My tactics when it's windy like this? Stay in bed! It's 25 mph winds gusting to 30s.

Dead quiet here...high hopes...

Took a 15 point opening weekend when it was calm. Gonna sit out this morning. That wind is insane. Gusts have to be pushing 40 in Knox County. Good luck to yall

Just as it got daylight all hell broke loose...the only deer I have seen are running around everywhere...gonna tough it out a bit...

It's blowing in Comfort hard only seen one deer.

Have 2 does at the feeder and my buddy has a 9pt that's borderline legal at his. Surprised to see anything moving in this wind.

I'm sitting in it right now. Wind is horrible.

Saw a little 2.5 y/o 5-point half hour ago. Heading to camp. This sucks!!!

Atleast you all are seeing stuff. I'm in it and haven't seen a thing yet

Rough up on this ridge this Mng ....ROUGH

nothing at the feeder this mornin usually have a couple of small bucks and a few doe. nada this mornin. I only hunt 10 mins from the house so I am posting from the house. The wind won today

Scooter, it sounds like it could end up being a "bloody Mary morning"

Gonna be some good bucks taken from now thru Thanksgiving weekend. Cooler days will help that. And he will follow her wherever she goes. In the draws would be a good place to start! JMO

Brutal here in eastland. Sticking it out with a 7 and 10 year old. They're being troopers. Boy wants his first deer. Nothing yet and I don't have high hopes for today.

We just had a guy take an old 7 point with a crossbow at 10am. I already had breakfast cooked and feet up.

We hunted most protected setup here in Southern Oklahoma until 11:30 and didn't see a thing. I'm optimistic for tonight wind starts really dying after 4 pm and those bucks will be extra motivated to move. Hunting Wednesday and Thursday the bucks were cruising like crazy, saw 2 different shooters bow hunting. Trying to get my 75 yo mom on rifle buck this weekend.

I have been going out about twice a week since opening day of bow season and I have noticed that I see much less on windy days. The deer just don't move as much.
As someone else stated, Sunday evening should be money. I too will be out and will probably get in trouble for getting home late.

I'm sittin in mine now. Stand faces the north so I'm gettin blasted. The wind is actually picking the front of the stand off the ground every now and then lol. I am seeing deer though..

Back at it after a short break. Wind still blowing and kids motivation is down. Not as bad as the morning though.

I'm in the blind with my son in Palo Pinto county. Wind is starting to lay down a little now. Hoping to see some deer moving soon!

Ripped cedars for 4 hours through lunch on the other side of the property. Back in the blind. Lots of wind. Tons of dove. No deer. Got a stew going that'll be done at 6:30. Sure hope I miss supper!!

Reckon the winds win. I'm starting to shiver.

With the exception of a 5 pt and 2 jack rabbits, I have seen nothing today.

Ended up seeing 9 doe but no bucks. All doe started to move after 5 when the wind started to die down. Saw the Bucks opening weekend, none today. Any theories out there as to why they might have been following the does. Already with another lady??? In eastland btw.

Wind didn't slow em down at all. It was brutal, but they were all over the wheat fields. Every hunter saw animals and I was the only person who didn't shoot. I saw a great buck in the neighbor's wheat. I looked like he was going to knock on their camper door.
We had 2 misses today, but a miss by the father became the sson's luck as a spike came out an hour later and the 15 year old showed his dad how is was done. Dropped the deer in the same spot his father missed.
His dad took huge pig shortly there after.
30 mile an hour gust. Hunt the fields

I didn't hunt today but saw around 20 deer and 10 turkey here by the cabin. Seen a interesting buck just a little down the road, he was an 8pt but the right side of his rack grew down behind his ear. Most likely a injury earlier in the year and will be back to normal next year.

The wind was brutal. I didn't even want to climb up on one of the feeders to fill it.

Our winds died down with about 90 minutes left of shooting, but it didn't improve the activity. Looks like bucks moved about midnight, saw 2 different ones on camera half mike apart.

Eight pt pased back and forth along fence before coming over yesterday evening. Old Dime Box , Lee cty.

I climbed in the stand in Gorman, Tx, Eastland Co. at 3:30 Saturday, with the wind still whipping pretty dang good. I wasn't expecting any action till closer to dark when the wind was projected to die down. At 3:37, this buck busted across the field, headed straight into the wind. I can only assume he was looking for love instead of love, he found a 30-30 160 gr Hornady LeveRevolution and didn't make it out of the clearing

In Throckmorton, we opted out of the morning hunt on Saturday. It was gusting 30-35mph, and judging by some of the comments from Saturday on this thread, we may have made the right decision. We decided to get in the blinds early on Saturday afternoon. The forecast called for the wind to die down around 4, and the weatherman was actually right. According to the on hunter that hunted a wheat field, the wheat fields were loaded with deer. Said he saw 12 does being chased and pushed around by 3 young bucks. As the sun went down, this guy peaked out into the field to get in on the action. I guess he bit off more than he could chew... I especially like his brow tines.