Do you ever call with the wind at your back?

I try not to in most situations. I do have a couple stands where I can get away with it. I stiil prefer a crosswind, but It can be pulled off just because of the general lay of the terrain.
 
I think coyote will be more careful with their approach depending on the time of day you're hunting.
I've had coyote follow the trail I walked to get to a stand during the night and circle around 200 yards to get downwind of my stand during the day.
That's why I prefer hunting at night.
SJC
 
Unless you have a straight continuous wind in your face, you just got there, and the dog is stupid as can be, he knows you are there. Just his want for the 3 Fs (food, fun, f…) bypass his caution.

Calling with the wind at your back is going to be effective if the yote isnt educated.

We like to think we are keeping our scent from them, but we arent. They can smell on the molecular level just like all k9s, they can sniff out cancer in blood… they know we are there.

I actually prefer a little wind behind me so im not trying to punch through it with the call.
 
BBK said:
We like to think we are keeping our scent from them, but we arent. They can smell on the molecular level just like all k9s, they can sniff out cancer in blood… they know we are there.
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I have seen hundreds of coyotes over the years that were within 3 feet to 150 feet of my e-caller and me on the upwind side and they never smelled me or my e-caller.
 
derbyacresbob said:
I have seen hundreds of coyotes over the years that were within 3 feet to 150 feet of my e-caller and me on the upwind side and they never smelled me or my e-caller.
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Or never cared, or had no reason to associate that smell with danger. A police k9 can track a person for miles just by shoe scent from a running suspect. Those yotes smelled you and the caller, they just didnt have a reason to react to it.
 
BBK said:
Or never cared, or had no reason to associate that smell with danger. A police k9 can track a person for miles just by shoe scent from a running suspect. Those yotes smelled you and the caller, they just didnt have a reason to react to it.
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Also, scent pockets and scent trails are not linear. What i mean is the scent isnt always going only down wind, scent does weird things with light wind… there are YouTube videos on aerodynamics and air disruption that shows how scent can be pushed to the ground and then actually go “upwind” for a ways due to grass/vegetation disrupting the flow and causing back currents. Same with higher up, your scent can rise and then be carried above the ground wind (which is sometimes only 50-100 foot) back to the upwind side. The longer you stay the more goofy things your scent trail does. Pretty much the only way to ensure your scent is going away is to set up facing a 10-20mph sustained wind on flat open ground, and theyll go downwind on you almost every time in that situation anyways.
 
Decades ago l would set off smoke bombs on treestand platforms to see if l could get away with different wind directions/velocities in our hills and hollows. Eye opening to say the least in the woods anyhow—could switch 360 and/or go up/down in just a matter of a few yards. Still makes me wonder how l ever arrowed any bucks in the recurve/longbow ranges.
 
If you live in the South then you call from the wind at your back, a crosswind, and a head wind all in one setting. Unless the wind is 7mph plus, you’ll get every wind direction there is. I can check the wind at the truck and it change 3 times before I get to where I want to call from.
 
Spurchaser said:
If you live in the South then you call from the wind at your back, a crosswind, and a head wind all in one setting. Unless the wind is 7mph plus, you’ll get every wind direction there is. I can check the wind at the truck and it change 3 times before I get to where I want to call from.
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This is the status quo in the desert too. "Light and variable" is the weather man's kiss of death for calling hereabouts. I go anyway and just cuss more. :)
 
Those swirly winds can just be the lay of the land or how the air moves through the brush and are very localized drafts, not extending your scent in any one direction far enough to spoil the set. For a long time I thought feeling a draft on the back of my neck was a kiss of death for the stand, if it doesn't last very long it might never push your scent far.enough to spoil the stand. Some day I'd like to set up with me flags that reach above the brush and see if what we feel sitting in our stand is actually what is happening.

Down here in the desert we have major wind shifts. Early morning the wind can be out of the NW and at 9AM shift all the way around to the SE then at 3PM double in strength and come out of the SW. This is common enough that it is predictable and actually will show on the hourly weather forcast for the day. One of the lakes I carp shoot on I can get a few hours of shooting before the wind turns and fills the bays with riffles you can't see through.
 
The wind sucks, It is constantly swirling where I hunt. I can be on stand for 5 minutes and the direction will have changed 90 degrees. After 10 minutes it has shifted 180 degrees. Move to the next stand and start the process over. It's a pain, but I put up with it because I love to be out hunting.
 
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