Buck behavior in high winds

[robAK]

As above. How do bucks behave with high winds. Obviously they get to lee side of the mountain to get out of it. But do they bed more in the open relying on eyes more than ears. Do you think they move more due to being unsettled. Thanks in advanced

 

[willfrye027]

I think in some areas where they get high winds often (just got back from scouting one of these), bucks don’t seem to change their patterns much. I’ve seen them bed in all kinds of places and not give it much thought.

In other areas where high wind is less common, they seemed to move much less and were harder to find glassing. Seemed to be in timber, Lee side of mountain, and deep cuts out of the wind.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

I hunted in the Rubies once. All week the wind blew and those deer wouldn’t stay still for more than an hour. Never seen deer move so much.

 

[Deerlove]

My history is they stay put, I think they feel more vulnerable.

 

[snowymtn]

Their big ears don’t allow them to hear through all that white noise of wind howling (so I’ve read). So they don’t move as much until the wind dies down. All nested up

 

[legacy]

Some of my best stalks have been because of high winds. Makes for a great distraction and it seems to me like the deer hunker down. That’s just my experience.

 

[Horsecorn]

I know most of the farm bucks stay out of the fields when it’s blowing. They can’t hear so they don’t like it.

 

[ICMDEER]

Deer do what deer do. They have to "get up and go to work" every day. They eat, drink, and sleep. They avoid predation. Deer in windy areas still have to eat, sleep, water every day (at least almost) and live their lives.

In southern Wyoming, we are in the middle of a really windy area.

I think high winds make it easier to find bucks. They don't hear you and are less likely to see you because everything is shaking in the wind. Just work your way into that rotten wind.

"Out of the wind" is relative. It could be on the downwind side of some brush or behind a small rock. They don't always go to a big, dense wooded area to get out of the wind. You still have to look everywhere and it is surprising where you sometimes find them. In the most obscure spots.

Best of luck.

 

[Horsecorn]

Well them Wyoming deer are different. It never stop blowing up there so they have to come out or they will starve to death. ?

 

[robAK]

Thanks for the input guys. Southern WY bucks being used to wind makes sense. Maybe it’s just better to keep the conditions in mind when planning a hunt and adjust accordingly