Friday, October 2nd, 2026

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Friday, October 2nd, 2026

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

How temperature changes cause the wind to move, and what that means to whitetail hunters

All deer process the world around them through their noses, which means whenever they can, they use thermals to their advantage. This uphill movement in the morning, and downhill movement in the afternoon, can cause you to get busted even when the horizontal wind is barely blowing. Understanding what causes thermals and how likely they are to affect your treestand time, will help you tag more bucks. (Contributed photos)

Hunters across the country talk about thermals.
Out west, if you spend any time chasing mule deer or elk in the mountains, you will feel the air rush up the mountainside in the morning, and down the mountainside in the evening. With enough elevation, it’s pretty easy to understand when the thermals are moving. In the whitetail woods, they’ll be much more subtle, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore them.

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