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I'm an avid tree stand bow hunter.
How can we best gain the best knowledge on wind direction. I've seen the recent hunting shows on TV. Most all of the hunters use a small puff sprayer which sprays a small amount of powder into the air. From the ground, it will show a hunter the wind direction at their present elevation. But what about the tree stand hunter? I have found wind currents can differ depending on elevation and the ecosystem and topography at ground level. The powder sprayer will tell me what the wind direction is at my elevation in my tree stand, but will not always tell me what changes are present at ground level.
The solution for me; I now carry a small 35 mm. film canister packed with cotton balls. When I get into my tree, and several times throughout my hunt, I'll check wind direction. The wind velocity will determine how much of the cotton fibers I use, but in all tests, I simply remove a small amount of cotton fibers and release them into the wind. The white fibers are easy to follow for long distances and they tell me two very important things: 1) They show me if there are any wind direction changes at ground level and where those changes are and 2) The fibers either rise or fall as they travel. This tells me the present thermal conditions of the wind currents. In mountainous areas, this could be especially valuable, but is also valuable information for the tree stand hunter.
Give it a try. I hope it helps your hunt!
How can we best gain the best knowledge on wind direction. I've seen the recent hunting shows on TV. Most all of the hunters use a small puff sprayer which sprays a small amount of powder into the air. From the ground, it will show a hunter the wind direction at their present elevation. But what about the tree stand hunter? I have found wind currents can differ depending on elevation and the ecosystem and topography at ground level. The powder sprayer will tell me what the wind direction is at my elevation in my tree stand, but will not always tell me what changes are present at ground level.
The solution for me; I now carry a small 35 mm. film canister packed with cotton balls. When I get into my tree, and several times throughout my hunt, I'll check wind direction. The wind velocity will determine how much of the cotton fibers I use, but in all tests, I simply remove a small amount of cotton fibers and release them into the wind. The white fibers are easy to follow for long distances and they tell me two very important things: 1) They show me if there are any wind direction changes at ground level and where those changes are and 2) The fibers either rise or fall as they travel. This tells me the present thermal conditions of the wind currents. In mountainous areas, this could be especially valuable, but is also valuable information for the tree stand hunter.
Give it a try. I hope it helps your hunt!
