During the hunting season, many myths circulate about the wind’s effect on the movement of deer.
On the basis of these myths and personal experiences hunters debate, and draw their own conclusions. There is an old saying that deer move less in windy conditions.
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A lot of hunters agree with this and believe hunting should be avoided in windy conditions. They might have experienced a lack of deer movement, which may or may not have been the result of wind.
On the contrary, there are some hunters who have had successful deer hunts in strong winds.
Since there are a lot of contradictions in the debate that Do deers move in the wind, I had to find something solid to help hunters.
Fortunately, a lot of research has been carried out to help you understand deer movement in winds.
This article will cover research conducted by institutions and individuals and by the end of it, you will have sound knowledge about the effects of wind on deer movement.
Do Deer Move In the Wind? Analyzing Early Researches
Gabriel Karns, a post-doctoral researcher believes that deer movement slows down in high winds (30mph and above). Whereas in winds at 5-15mph, they make more movement.
James Tomberlin, a researcher at Chesapeake Farms used GPS collars on 18 adult bucks to examine their movement.
He took into consideration all factors that affect deer movements like breeding season, temperature, humidity and wind. He examined them for months and concluded that wind hardly influenced the movement of deer.
Stephen Webb, a researcher at Mississippi State University tracked the movement of 15 bucks and 17 does, using GPS collars. Like Tomberlin, He didn’t find a clear connection between deer and wind speed.
The New Study About Deer Movement
Penn State University is one of the leading facilities that research whitetails and study the behaviour of Whitetails. In Order to track the movement of whitetails in windy conditions, the PSU conducted a survey.
They asked 1600 hunters about the effect of wind on the movement of deer. 90% of these hunters believed that deer move less on windy days.
To prove the validity of this survey, they started their own research that lasted for 1700 days. For their study, they categorized wind as calm wind (less than 1 mph), light air (1-3 mph), light breeze (4-6 mph), gentle breeze (6-10 mph), and moderate breeze (above 10 mph).
The study proved that the wind had little effect on female deer in comparison to male deer. both bucks and does move more on windy days and less on windy nights.
However, in calm winds, deer movement slows down or comes to rest. Hence according to Penn State University, Wind definitely affects the movement of deer.
Benefits of Deer Hunting in Wind
Most hunters believe that hunting in windy conditions brings no reward, which is why they avoid going to the field in such conditions. But winds can prove beneficial for hunters if they know how to use winds to their advantage.
If a hunter is downwind from the deer (looking straight at the deer while the wind is blowing in your face), the wind will blow away his/her scent from the dear. A deer cannot differentiate between the sounds caused by hunter movements and that made by the movement of plants or vegetation.
Thus the wind will also serve as a cover for the slight movements made by hunters. Because of the old sayings and myths, a lot of hunters prefer staying home in windy conditions, which is why it is less likely to counter other hunters on the field. Fewer hunters on the field mean more chances of getting a good hunt.
Do Deer Move Wpwind or Downwind?
Deer don’t necessarily decide and choose whether they have to go upwind or downwind. However, some mature bucks choose to go upwind (having the wind at their back) because this way they can see any danger ahead of them. In addition, they will also smell the scent that is carried by the wind of a hunter behind them.
But since not all deer are mature, some deer might go downwind as well if they feel safe. As a hunter, this is what you have to wait for, finding a deer going downwind and bringing it home.
The best time to hunt during the day
There are two times in particular during the day when a hunter has more luck with whitetail hunting. A hunter has more chance of chasing a deer just after the sun rises because deer activity is quite high during this time.
However, an even better time to hunt is before sunset because during this time the deer gathers food and nesting materials. Since they are performing their activities, the hunter is less likely to be exposed.
Best Weather for Deer Hunting
Deer enjoy sunny days as it is easy for them to detect predators and gather food. Therefore as a hunter, you should rely more on rainy days as compared to sunny days. Because light rains improve deer movement more than that on usual days. If the wind is combined with rain, you’ll see an even improved movement, thus it would be easy to hunt and less likely to be detected.
Deer Rutting Season
Rutting season falls between October and December. Deer behaviour can be quite unpredictable during the rutting season but it isn’t impossible to adapt to it. Rutting season can prove extremely beneficial for hunters if they adapt to the behaviour of deer.
Bucks are more active because of chasing and making a lot of movements. If you spot a buck in rutting season, there are chances that you might find a doe as well since they mate during rutting. A good time for hunting during the rutting season would be the last two weeks of October or the first two weeks of November.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do deer move more in windy conditions?
Yes, deers move more in windy conditions but this doesn’t apply to all deer and it also depends on how strong the wind is.
Is Wind a significant factor in deer movement patterns?
Not necessarily, but yes deer movement patterns are affected by wind because mature bucks try to use the wind to their advantage.
What time of day are most deer killed?
Expert deer hunters provide that most bucks are hunted from 9 to 10 am.
Final Thoughts
With the information we have collected so far, we can say that deers move in the wind, however, we cannot exactly be sure how much and under what conditions.
As you saw that the information and researches contradict each other up to some extent. This is because the movement or study of deer like most wildlife animals is a complex subject. The results varied depending on conditions and different geographical locations.
Although it can be said that hunting during windy conditions isn’t a bad idea and can reward. As long as you know the behaviour and movement of deer, you are good to go. To better understand the deer in your area, you have to set out in the field and observe yourself. We help the article was helpful!
Additional Common Questions
What are the environmental problems associated with deer?
It’s an interesting and quite startling fact that deer, despite their beautiful and innocent appearance, can pose a range of environmental issues. One of the most significant problems is that overpopulation of deer tends to have a considerable impact on the richness of species diversity in the forest ecosystems they inhabit. Essentially, when deer populations get too high, they can voraciously consume a high proportion of shrubs and seedlings of trees, leading to a pretty stark decline in the understory vegetation. Not only that, but deer are also known for having quite an appetite for many species of native wildflowers, which can further limit plant diversity. As a plant ecologist, it’s quite a sight to walk into a forest and witness the effects of heavy deer browsing – it’s like walking into a different world where the usual layers of vegetation are simply stripped off. The over-abundance of deer can straightly lead to a significant reduction in plant diversity and the disappearance of tree seedlings in the forest.
What is triggering the issue of overpopulation in deer?
The main culprit behind the deer overpopulation issue boils down to the lack of natural predators. In the past, predators like cougars, wolves, and mountain lions used to control deer populations, but sadly, their numbers have seen a steep decline in recent times, particularly in the US. There’s an interesting irony here though. The same actions that have forced these predators out – deforestation – have inadvertently created conditions that deer thrive in, thus contributing to the issue of overpopulation. A decrease in the number of predators such as cougars, wolves, and mountain lions is the primary factor leading to the overpopulation of deer.
What factors could negatively impact the survival of deer?
In my experience as a wildlife biologist, there are an almost overwhelming plethora of factors that can hamper the survival of deer. Some of the most significant include diseases, predator-prey relationships, degradation and destruction of habitat, food availability, hunting pressure, and adverse weather conditions. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle, where every piece constantly shifts and changes, altering the overall picture. The population of deer is not a constant; it’s a living, breathing entity that reacts and adapts to a multitude of influences. Diseases, prey-predator relations, habitat destruction and degradation, food scarcity, hunting, and weather changes are all crucial aspects that could interfere with the survival of deer.
What could be the repercussions if the deer population surpasses the carrying capacity of its environment?
If a population outgrows the capacity of its ecosystem to sustain it, the results can be catastrophic. As an ecologist, I’ve seen instances where ecosystems have been pushed past their limits, and the results are never pretty. From a mathematical perspective, ‘carrying capacity’ represents the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely. When the deer population exceeds this limit, it means that the ecosystem might not be able to support the deer any longer. This overpopulation could lead to the depletion of resources, eventually causing the deer to die off if the resources run out completely. When a deer population goes beyond the carrying capacity of its environment, it could lead to resource depletion, rendering the ecosystem unsuitable for deer survival.