Love high winds

[Bobby B.]

At noon today, I was deliberating whether or not to watch a certain field or still hunt the bush at another location. The high winds today made the choice for me. I was still hunting at my regular slow rate and criticizing myself for everything I was doing wrong: cracking a small branch here and there or not always waiting for a wind gust to move. The usual stuff. Then, an hour and one half later, not more than 40 yards in front of me a WT buck stood up. As he moved to get a better look at what had disturbed him, I put the crosshairs on him. Nice looking 150 class buck with good width, good heigth but could have carried more mass. Needless to say, I was pretty pumped. Doubt if I'd sneaked as close if the wind hadn't been so strong. Next to a 4" blanket of fresh snow, I'll take a windy day for sure.

Bobby B.

Sounds like a rush!

I was staring out of my office window today, wondering the same thing... If I was out hunting in this wind, would I sit or stalk?

Looks like you made the right choice.

I grew up hunting in Lethbridge area so i guesse winds are a bit more normal but we always used them to our advantage. Deer would always be bedded in sheltered spots and after a bit of scouting it always became apparent where these were. Was sure easy to get within 40 yards of the normally cagey mule bucks on 90 km/hr wind days, now if wind didn't have a huge impact on archery gear i would have been in business. Doesn't seem as optimal in thick brush as the deer are much harder to locate (to exact beds). I'm hoping for snow (and a slow down at work ) so i can skip out and go find me a whitetail as well. This warm windy weather seems to follow me wherever i go.

[Rockymtnx]

"Gee, Toto, I don't think we are in Kansas anymore."

[BigRackLover]

So did you shoot him?

[Bobby B.]

No, I didn't shoot him. I don't need another 150-160 class head in my hunting room. What I need is a gagger in my hunting room. I stopped shooting non-gaggers awhile back and passed up many non-gaggers so as to tag a gagger. Had a few chances at gaggers but something was always wrong for me to score. Either they were standing on the wrong side of a fence, I was cleaning someone elses' deer at the time when the gagger appeared, it was before legal light to shoot, or just after, or something. My next WT will be a gagger unless I overestimate the rack before I shoot and end up with another 150-160 class WT. You can't tag a gagger if you shoot non-gaggers, that's the price you pay. Nonetheless, it feels good to be out hunting WT gaggers again. Maybe this will be the year.

Bobby B.