Wind Indicators

[whitespringer]

Hello to all. We all know the value of knowing which way the wind is blowing. It can be the difference between a successful hunt and a miserable failure. Share your tips, tricks, hacks and experience with the puff indicators, the fancy battery powered units and the like. Cheers

[444marlin]

I use corn starch in a small plastic squirt container. I keep in my bino buddy so it is easy to access.

[mrdoog]

the ole wet forefinger works in a pinch

[warnniklz]

I lose mine often, so gave up packing them

[whitespringer]

I heard of some guys using a finger condom on the muzzle and a bit of thread tucked in. Have to keep the muzzled pointed in the right direction lol.

[ghost]

Light a smoke. Good thread topic corn starch is what I am familiar with

[Harvest the Land]

Milk Weed. Its way better than any powder because you can watch it float for a long ways and it will show you what the wind is doing even 30-50+ yards away from your stand depending on the conditions and how light outside it is. And if you know where it grows or plant some in your yard, then its free

[Redthies]

I keep a piece of electrical tape over the end of the barrel on all my hunting rifles (yes, I have tested at the range, and no, it doesn’t have any effect) and every one of them has a 5” or so long piece of thread under the tape. You have to carry your rifle to see it, but I don’t hunt with a gun on my pack so it’s a moot point.

[ekul246]

I use corn starch in a small plastic squirt container. I keep in my bino buddy so it is easy to access.

This is what I do.

[Pacemaker]

Small squeeze container of Kootenay Smoke, which is basically very finely powdered talcum powder or some similar thing. Works really well...

[cameron0518]

I just buy a little bottle at any store like Cabela's or Canadian tire. Scentless powder of some sort. $5-6 will cover it or just make it yourself for cents.

[Bigdoggdon]

In the fall when it's cold out I wear fingerless wool gloves. When I want to check the wind I pick some lint off the back of my gloves and see which way it drifts when I drop it.

[daniel73]

I'm new to hunting. This is a good thread to learn from

[J-F]

I keep a piece of electrical tape over the end of the barrel on all my hunting rifles (yes, I have tested at the range, and no, it doesn’t have any effect) and every one of them has a 5” or so long piece of thread under the tape. You have to carry your rifle to see it, but I don’t hunt with a gun on my pack so it’s a moot point.

Exactly what I do too.

It's not working well when the thread gets wet, that's the only big limitation.

[Treed]

I carry powder but I look at the lichen on tree branches all the time.

[twoSevenO]

Just buy a bottle of wind checker for like $5.99. It lasts years.

[FlyingHigh]

I use some of the carpenter's colored snap line chalk in a little squeeze bottle. It's cheap, especially since I always have a bottle in my tool box for my snap line. It's also a good way to use up the last little bit that's left in the bottle after filling my snap line.

[Treed]

Anybody else use lichen on the trees?

[MOOSE MILK]

Thread with a small down feather tied to it taped under the barrel, far better than the squirt bottle. It is working all the time and requires no movement to detect the slightest of breezes.

[Redthies]

I always watch lichen too.

J-F: The wet days can be worked around by using super lightweight monofilament like tippet.

I had a roommate back in the early 90s who was doing a carpentry apprenticeship in Whistler. They were doing a huge foundation in mid winter and he was just getting confident enough that he wasn’t asking for help with things. After spending about two hours trying to plumb a long high set of forms it was all twisted with the screw jacks all over the place. Another friend (who told me the story) was far more experienced and walked over to see what the hell was going on... apprentice’s plumb line had frozen to the forms! ��

[J_T]

"Smoke in a Bottle". Lasts forever, not talcum based, doesn't clump up. The best.

[Omineca]

Far away, look for ripples on lakes, leaves and trees swaying in the wind. Nearby, pick up some leaves, moss or grass and throw it. I usually wear a collar or hoodie, but not while still hunting or stalking in variable wind. The hair on your neck can be sensitive to wind if you're attuned to it.

[Fallkniven]

I buy thick wool thread (knitting wool) tie a length about 12in long to the D ring on my sling and 'fuzz up' the dangling end. It pics up the slightest breath of wind and you don't have to move or squeeze bottle to see the wind direction, just glance down. Especially good if you are stalking up an animal, as the rifle being in front of you you can see the wind movement and if it changes.

[Jrax]

What i like about the wind checkers/smoke is that you watch it and can see what it does after going a distance. Sometimes it swirls and heads off another direction and you can see what it does near slope breaks. One time i thought the wind was steadily north and thermals were pushing it slightly up on the slope i was on. Soon as i approached the northfacing slope i was going to drop down into i checked the wind .... and when the powder reached the slope it dropped like a stone downward on the northside into the basin.