I have a question about wind direction and making a one or two man drive. I was brought up that while making a drive, you should have the wind in your face because the deer will move into the wind. This will push the deer in the desired direction. I have found this to be just the opposite. It seems that the deer being pushed will move with the wind at their back so as to smell the driver. I have some hunting partners that tell me I am full of shit and I am pushing the deer the wrong way. So, the question is, will the deer move with the wind, against it or dosn't it matter.

I am certainly no whitetail deer expert but I believe they are one of the most unpredictable critters in NA. It has been my experience they choose escape routes based upon a function of 1) proximity of threat; 2) proximity to escape cover and 3)size of threat. So, if they smell you coming and feel they have enough time to get to their escape cover of choice then thats what they will do. If you get close enough that they hear or see you at a distance they will try and get to escape cover but if they feel they can't they will simply go opposite of you until they feel they can get to escape cover of choice (i.e. this why you sometimes hear they have "circled around"--they dismissed the immediate threat by putting a short distance between you and them, now they want to get to cover) I have seen no evidence to suggest that wind direction guides them as a predator avoidance mechanism (us being the predator in this case).

IV

Ideally, The watchers will have the wind in their faces, while the drivers have the wind on their backs!
The drivers noise and scent will be dispersed toward the watchers! Hopefully, that's the way the deer will go!

Sometimes it seems that the deer pay little attention to the wind! One of those times is when the wind is swirling or gusting!

You have learned well. When doing a drive the posters should be in position well before the drivers even begin. It is the posters that need to have the wind in their favor otherwise they will be made and the deer (mature) will NOT move to them but rather circle, lay down or otherwise elude the drivers. I don't do drives anymore as I hunt solo, but done right and with proper strategy drives are VERY effective in taking deer of all ages & sizes.

Sorry if some of this was repeated by the previous posters-I did'nt read their replys.

I sure missed not hunting deer in MN this season.

-Ron

Common sense (no pun intended! ) indicates that drivers benefit from having the wind at their backs, and posters the wind in their face.

But...

In practice, factors such as IV described probably take precidence. Also, terrain, particularly funnels, seem to influence greatly where the deer will run.

I know our most successful drive in Wisconsin is a narrow North to South funnel. We shoot loads of deer out of that one--and the best shooter has a lever full of 45-70's!

We always drive that with a South wind, and the old-timers swear it isn't worth spit when the wind is in any other direction.

But come to think of it, I don't know that we've done that drive with any other wind--at least not in living memory. We might just have to try it someday!

friar

Ok it seems that everyone focused on TWO man drives and ignored the ONE man part. When doing a one man drive you should walk into the wind. You dont want the scent to alert the deer before you are close enough for a shot or they will get up much farther out. When Im doing a one person drive or sneak, because I preffer to know where they deer are before I start walking and try to catch them unaware, I always try to keep my scent behind me and I pause frequently to do a grunt or bleat, that will often get them to raise thier heads and look around a little, it helps a lot if you are in taller grass. No reason to shoot running if you can shoot them laying down.

Frankly I'm not sure the wind direction means squat when driving deer.....usually there's so much human scent in the woods during deer season that it makes no difference.

My experience with Whitetails depends on the age/size of the deer. In a 2 person drive, the poster needs to be in place well before the driver, and have the wind in his favor. If the driver keeps the wind at his back, the younger deer will go directly away from the driver to the easier escape route. Older deer, especially big bucks will do one of two things, leave immediately upon the entry of the driver through a safe route(driver may be several hundred yards away) or the deer will get in a position to see or hear the driver go past and either lay down or wait till the driver is past and leave on an escape route at an angle to the driver.

If the driver has the wind in his face, he can get very close to the deer, especially if he still hunts. The deer will usually take off when they see the driver with the older deer going behind the driver and the younger going directly away. Big bucks will sometimes watch or listen for the driver, not moving a muscle and stay hidden until the driver is well past. At that point, they may simply stay hidden or leave at their leisure. I think this is the preferred way. Many times the driver will get a close up running shot(as close as 10 yards), or the poster may bet a shot at a walking deer that thinks he has avoided detection. Either way, the larger/older deer seldom leave in the direction of the majority.

Different terminology for different parts of the country!

What you describe here is (in our neck of the woods) STILL HUNTING! This means you are alone!

A drive means you have one or more hunters moving through the woods in the same general direction, with one or more WATCHERS, STANDERS, POSTERS, etc at the far end! The idea is for the drivers to move the deer to within shooting distance of the watchers!

Therefore, ideally the driver(s) should have the wind on their backs, while the watchers have the wind in their face!

quote:

Originally posted by stinkers:
Ok it seems that everyone focused on TWO man drives and ignored the ONE man part. When doing a one man drive you should walk into the wind. You dont want the scent to alert the deer before you are close enough for a shot or they will get up much farther out. When Im doing a one person drive or sneak, because I preffer to know where they deer are before I start walking and try to catch them unaware, I always try to keep my scent behind me and I pause frequently to do a grunt or bleat, that will often get them to raise thier heads and look around a little, it helps a lot if you are in taller grass. No reason to shoot running if you can shoot them laying down.