Deer hunters are fully aware of the impact of weather, daily temperatures and the wind upon hunting success. Although these naturally occurring elements are nothing we can control, there are smart ways to approach working with these factors rather than against them.
“A principal in learning these weather-impacted hunting tactics is monitoring the conditions before every hunt so appropriate judgments can be made to adapt to every weather situation as it develops,” Gary Blakeney said. “The key is trying to stay ahead of the curve so preparations can be made for a variety of unfolding scenarios.”
With today’s availability of technology via cell phones, Blackberry’s, iPods and even simple weather radios, there are few excuses for a deer hunter not to know what environmental predictions are for the next 12 hours, a day ahead, the coming week or even an overview for an entire month. Hunters should always check with these resources before going hunting.
Historic temperature trends
Just for reference, here are some historical temperature averages for three sectors of the state for a recent December and January:
Temperature Trends (average highs vs. average lows)
December
Tupelo: 57-36 degrees
Jackson: 61-40 degrees
Hattiesburg: 66-41 degrees
January
Tupelo: 50-31 degrees
Jackson: 55-35 degrees
Hattiesburg: 60-36 degrees
Of course, there were days in December and January when an occasional daytime temperature might have risen over 70 degrees. There were also numerous days when the low temperature dipped below freezing. It happens more often than hunters might realize, so adaptation is a big part of this game. How do our deer react to these varying temperature conditions, especially during the rut?
Prevailing Wind Speed and Directions
December
Tupelo: 4-15 mph WNW
Jackson: 5-14 mph West
Hattiesburg: 2-16 mph WNW
January
Tupelo: 10-26 mph NNE
Jackson: 14-22 NNW
Hattiesburg: 11-26 NW
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