Down Wind

I'm a newb compared to a lot of the guys on here but I'll try to explain. You want to set up a stand close to where you think the deer are going to be. If your stand is facing a deer trail to the North of you, you don't want to hunt when there is a South wind that day because your scent will be blowing towards the deer. If there is a North wind, you're good. The wind does change so that's one of the many reasons for multiple stands- so you can pick one or stay away from one depending on the wind direction that day.

I like to place stands on the south or east side of a trail because the normal prevailing wind is northwest. But as stated above, avoid those stands when the wind will send your scent in the direction you expect the deer to be coming from. Multiple stands set up specifically for various wind direction are helpful, as well as mobile setups like climbers. It is also helpful to Check out how obstacles will effect wind direction. A west wind coming over the tree tops will often roll back eastward as it drops into a field or a ravine. A scent smoker has become a popular means of "hiding" your scent, making wind direction less of a factor.

A climber, a good harness, and a Scent Smoker is all you need!
I like my climber just because of this reason. I'll hunt out of that thing until I'm too old to drag it in the woods with me.
As for smoke......heck....I shot a doe 20 yards downwind of me this season. She didn't know I was there until I hit her and I was on the ground sitting on a rock. I'd rather hunt in a smoked up hunter orange head-to-toe jump suit I've been working in all day than hunt in my Scent Lock shit without smoke. I'm not kidding. Smoke evens the playing field considerably.

I'll play the wind game as much as possible but using the scent smoker has put less of a emphasis on it....

I didn't really play the wind this year and it didn't matter because I had the scent smoker.

IMO, even though I'm a huge believer in the smoke and its effectiveness I will always play the wind to my advantage. That goes for my entry and exit to my sets as well. Now if the wind shifts some or blows from different directions after I've been hunting in a stand I won't move as I will rely on my smoke for cover than risk being seen or caught flatfooted during a last minute stand switch.
The only reason I would switch stands is if my gut or an observation tells me I'm in the wrong stand.

finelyshedded said:

IMO, even though I'm a huge believer in the smoke and its effectiveness I will always play the wind to my advantage. That goes for my entry and exit to my sets as well. Now if the wind shifts some or blows from different directions after I've been hunting in a stand I won't move as I will rely on my smoke for cover than risk being seen or caught flatfooted during a last minute stand switch.
The only reason I would switch stands is if my gut or an observation tells me I'm in the wrong stand.

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I agree completely. When setting a stand or blind I always try to play the wind as best as I can too. An old habit and a good habit that will never die. Smoke levels the playing field considerably but I'd rather not lay all of my eggs into the same basket. I can't deny it's effectiveness though, one of my deer this year was 20 yards dead down wind when I shot her and the other had just walked right through my wind a couple minutes before I killed him. Neither of them had any clue I was there until it was too late. It works well but there's a lot of other ways to get busted in the deer woods. A blanket of smoke doesn't make you invisible. Always play the wind.

lol....I wonder how long it'll be before our Ohio deer are freaking out every time someone lights a match.....