Wind reading. How many of you get out and challenge yourselves?

[gitrdun]

There was a time, a few years ago when I was just a grass hopper to this target shooting game that I only shot my rifles on target when there was NO wind. I've now come to appreciate the wind which is pretty well a given here in God's country. The challenge of steering your bullets into the POI with winds that not only change velocity and direction makes this shooting sport addictive, more so than some drugs, I suppose. Putting a round into the ring with a 25 kph wind and holding over to correct, sure makes one feel "sniper like". Obviously, my load development targets are shot without wind conditions. But once a stellar load is found, it's time to get out and challenge the reading skills. I truly enjoy that because I have the facilities to do so. Wind shooting has truly become one of my favorite activities in the shooting sports.

Now, "wind shooting" may be considered to be somewhat related to those that only shoot paper or steel targets. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hunters, would greatly benefit from this practice to make long and ethical shots. Your feedback and opinions are welcome, and let's not talk about those Huskemama optics please.

[elkhunter11]

A few of us used to shoot clays off of the 500m berm Sunday mornings before skeet, and it sure helped us with our wind estimations. These days , I enjoy shooting ground squirrels at 200 yards plus, where a slight windage error usually results in a miss.

[tikka250]

i seems im always shooting in the wind. the nose hills gun club has some "fun" variables to play with. with the wind blowing through valleys and down hills its not un common to see multiple wind flags doing different things at each distance. i always love pushing guns and calibers more than what they are intended for just to see if i can learn the drop and drift. 357mag at 300? sure why not! 30-30 at 500? lets give it a go!

[gitrdun]

Here's what I've learned. Please feel free to correct me.

The wind will gust and change velocity, no matter where you're at. So , read the flag and adjust your hold over according to velocity. Send it downrange at matching wind conditions.

The wind will change direction, no matter where you're at. Read the flag. Do you have full value or half value?

The wind will swirl. Meaning that it may be from a different direction from your shooting position than that of your target. However, that is a component of the lay of the land. Read the wind where your bullet has slowed down and is most affected by strong wind conditions where the bullet has slowed down.

I have found through practice that a head on wind in your face (zero value) will actually drive your bullet slightly upward.

[tchardy1972]

I shoot in the wind all the time. Because it seems I have no other choice, the wind never quits. There are still lots of days though when I can't figure out what is going on. There is usually a condition that will sneak up and throw a bullet way out of the group and sometime completely off the target. I do like the feeling i get when i catch a condition change and still manage to land the next shot where its supposed to go.

[gitrdun]

Originally Posted by tchardy1972

I shoot in the wind all the time. Because it seems I have no other choice, the wind never quits. There are still lots of days though when I can't figure out what is going on. There is usually a condition that will sneak up and throw a bullet way out of the group and sometime completely off the target. I do like the feeling i get when i catch a condition change and still manage to land the next shot where its supposed to go.

Shut the hell up. I don't wan't to talk to you. Pizz me off anyways.

[tchardy1972]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

Shut the hell up. I don't wan't to talk to you. Pizz me off anyways.

I did nothing to you. You asked and I answered.

[gitrdun]

Originally Posted by tchardy1972

I did nothing to you. You asked and I answered.

Dude, it was a joke. I was highlighting your shooting skills. T'was like the kind of talk we'd have around a campfire. Relax.

[6MT]

I shot the wind on Saturday. At Edson, there was a 15 to 20 km/hr swirling wind for most of the day. The hits were difficult past a kilometre. Even the .338LM was struggling in the gusts with 300gr SMK's. The .308 and .223 were pretty much restricted to less than 700m.

Fun though.

[obsessed1]

Love shooting in wind. It by far the most difficult part of hitting at long range for me but the more I do it the better I get. I managed a one shot kill on a coyote this past winter at 730 yds with a 10 o'clock 25 mph breeze with the 243. No way I'd even try something like that without training. As a hunter I train hard at all distances and in all conditions so I can make ethical shots. Knowing where your particular ethical line is is important. But if a bull elk pops out on a cut line 6-700 yd's out I want the ability to take the shot. Same with a hung up coyote

[Deer Hunter]

Originally Posted by gitrdun

Now, "wind shooting" may be considered to be somewhat related to those that only shoot paper or steel targets. Nothing could be further from the truth. Hunters, would greatly benefit from this practice to make long and ethical shots.

As a hunter, I find that these types of wind-reading turret-twisting flag-following posts have very little to do with hunting.
To me, a strong wind means a hunter can usually get closer.
I like your passion for accurate long range shooting. But pretending your "sniper like" shooting skills make you a better hunter is blowing wind alright.

[gitrdun]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

As a hunter, I find that these types of wind-reading turret-twisting flag-following posts have very little to do with hunting.
To me, a strong wind means a hunter can usually get closer.
I like your passion for accurate long range shooting. But pretending your "sniper like" shooting skills make you a better hunter is blowing wind alright.

And I too understand your statement Deer Hunter. As a long range target shooter, I apply my knowledge to my hunting skills. Of course, as I hunt I do not have flags and all of the tools available to me when I hunt. However, those have enabled me to feel what a breeze on my face, or a skirmish of the grass or tree leaves relate to wind velocity. As such, I use those clues to direct my hold over. And, as you've stated, I do try to get much closer to my quarry. However, I do have physical disabilities, but in spite of that, I remain an ethical hunter however do rely on longer shooting abilities. Just so you know, I've had 2 hip replacements, 1 knee replacement. My body joints have failed me for the past 15 years. And yet, I walk with a cane to a hunting spot, a gun shouldered on my right side and a cane on my left. And yet other younger men and fully capable are driving past me with their pick up trucks.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

As a hunter, I find that these types of wind-reading turret-twisting flag-following posts have very little to do with hunting.
To me, a strong wind means a hunter can usually get closer.
I like your passion for accurate long range shooting. But pretending your "sniper like" shooting skills make you a better hunter is blowing wind alright.

I once watched a guy with a 300 Wetherby gut shoot a buck at 200 yards because when I mentioned holding off for the wind he said " no need to with these 180 bullets and 300 mag"
Yeah the wind makes a difference - maybe not at 50 yards but ona stiff wind at 100 it. An make aDifference between a clean kill and a not so clean kill with many rifles .
Cat

[Robmcleod82]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

I once watched a guy with a 300 Wetherby gut shoot a buck at 200 yards because when I mentioned holding off for the wind he said " no need to with these 180 bullets and 300 mag"
Yeah the wind makes a difference - maybe not at 50 yards but ona stiff wind at 100 it. An make aDifference between a clean kill and a not so clean kill with many rifles .
Cat

Must have been some kind of wind!! my calculator puts a full value wind between 60-80MPH to take a 180 out of a 300bee from a deers heart to the guts..........

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Robmcleod82

Must have been some kind of wind!! my calculator puts a full value wind between 60-80MPH to take a 180 out of a 300bee from a deers heart to the guts..........

Enough that I wouldn't take the shot with my 6.5WSM on a slope that I had shot at often and wanted to try and get closer.
The buck died on the way down the hill but it was not a good shoot in my opinion
Cat

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Robmcleod82

Must have been some kind of wind!! my calculator puts a full value wind between 60-80MPH to take a 180 out of a 300bee from a deers heart to the guts..........

Interesting!
I just opened up my program to check it and it reads a 25 MPH wind is enough too take it out of the lung area at 200!
I never put a wind flag up on that slope but the grass and tree branches were moving pretty hard.
Cat

[Robmcleod82]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

Interesting!
I just opened up my program to check it and it reads a 25 MPH wind is enough too take it out of the lung area at 200!
I never put a wind flag up on that slope but the grass and tree branches were moving pretty hard.
Cat

Usually most guys I hunt with dont try to shoot deer in the back of the lungs.... kind of nice if you can hit the heart as well.... Maybe it was a small deer????