Do you think the deer will be able to smell you more or less with a 15mph wind? If the wind is blowing that hard would it bust up your sent?Blow it by the deer so fast they cant really smell you? Or just amplify your sent and just give the deer a heads up at a father distance?

Won’t change much concerning their ability to smell you. But I like a decent wind speed to flush my scent and take it in a consistent direction. Light and variable is the bad wind, or just calm - doesn’t take your scent anywhere.

I wouldn’t hunt a strong wind wrong on purpose thinking it will help.

This is a great question IMO.

Do scent molecules disperse at a greater rate of wind speed or in a wider fashion, thus decreasing the ability for a deer to detect it?

Additionally, does temperature factor into this? Would 30 mph wind on a 30-degree day affect scent molecules differently than on an 80-degree day?

Also, does the size of the source of the scent molecules make a difference in both? We can easily smell a huge landfill miles away on a summer day but not as easily in winter. Can a deer smell a hunter - a much smaller scent-emitter - in heavy winds like they do with a gentle breeze, no matter the season?


My three cents: I'm going to do whatever I can to blunt my scent including situating myself with the wind in my face. But I think high and constant windspeeds, at 25mph or greater, affects a deer's sense of smell and is one reason they often hunker down to use their eyes and ears.

The higher the wind the longer but narrower your scent cone.

I think many factors affect their olfactory abilities.

I've read several studies that indicate mature bucks actually move more with high wind speeds (25+ mph, I think it was). I've witnessed this on occasion. I think it certainly hampers their ability to pinpoint where a smell is coming from and with the increase in wind speed, the movements and sounds in the woods are also increased. The ones I have seen are always moving at a fast walk and are extremely nervous.

I use HuntPerfect to correlate deer sightings with weather conditions, moon phase, time, pressure, etc. The deer on my property absolutely don’t move above a 7mph wind and it slows drastically at 4mph

They might never move in Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska or Oklahoma. LOL

we averaged a 12 mph hr wind when i was in IL and saw deer everywhere. i guess it is consistent environmental factors to the area that influence them.

That is a great question and I was waiting on a decent answer from one of our smellologists.

Wont affect their ability to smell you if you remain down wind of them. If they are down wind of you they gonna smell you no matter the wind speed.

Winner

Dr. Robert Shepherd did a 20 year study on weather affects on deer in Alabama... according to his research "high wind days" were one of the best predictors of deer movement. Obviously might not translate everywhere... but he has the data to show it.

https://sportsmensnation.com/podcasts/the-science-behind-deer-movement-with-dr-robert-sheppard-1

Absolute best days to kill a mature buck at our place are days with a good North or west wind 10-20 mph they are gonna get up and get out in the open so they can see since they cant hear

Unless you confuse their Olfactory system they can smell you regardless. Big Bucks and Boars often move down wind too so it throws many wind theories out of wack.

I killed a nice mature buck Saturday at 4 yards traveling with the wind.

There are studies about wind speeds and deer movement.

Its really easy to confuse or neutralize an animal’s olfactory and I’m an expert. I won’t give away any Top Secret information.

I’ve actually based my whole methodology on his work. I read his book years ago and started my own data collecting and no longer use apps or old wives tales..... I use my own research from my own property

On really windy days I prefer to hunt wide open woods near a food source or bedding area. Been my experience that they can't hear as good so they want to be able to see as far as they can

Maybe on flat, open ground with no trees or hills. Wind is just like water in a creek , when it comes to a obstacle like a hill , rock, large grove of trees it changes course , swirls and such. I'd also think the higher the wind speed the greater and faster the direction change, swirl . I rarely have one smell me in the mountains with a really high wind , but let it be about 1-5 MPH and they may be blowing and running like crazy.