Wind indicators...feather or powder ??

[tuxdad]

Hey all,

I've been fighting with figuring the wind in this new spot I'm hunting.. I was wondering what you all prefer as far as wind checkers(indicators) go..

I was thinking of maybe just some dental floss as a checker, but have heard others liking feathers or thsoe powders..

Thanks in advance for your help..

Tux

[doug77]

unwaxed dental floss for me

doug77

[cacciatore]

I carry both,a feather is always ready and fast to check,but for more consistent reading the powder gives you a better reading.

[ishoot4thrills]

Powder for me.

[Recurve50 LBS]

I use a piece of dental floss on the tip of my upper limb but I also carry and use powder in conjunction with the floss.

[Hopewell Tom]

I just have a piece of red sewing thread on the tip. But I've been eyeing the powder in 3Rivers. You say the powder is a better indicator and I can see that.

[Littlejake]

The white fluffy milkweed seed you get out of the pods works great you can watch it float a long way. And the best thing about it It's Free.

[rastaman]

i use a wind feather tied on my string with dental floss, but with a swirling wind i get a better reading with powder.  i occassionally use a cotton ball and pick a piece of fluff off and let it sail away on the currents.  That gives a good reading also.

[MJB]

Originally posted by Littlejake:
The white fluffy milkweed seed you get out of the pods works great you can watch it float a long way. And the best thing about it It's Free.

X2  

[sticbow]

milk weed...or tearing small pieces of a cotton ball an let it go...if you are using powder try the h.s. strut it seems to be the lightest it really stays in the air as is cheeper than most..

[mikebiz]

Originally posted by Littlejake:
The white fluffy milkweed seed you get out of the pods works great you can watch it float a long way. And the best thing about it It's Free.

And straight from nature.  This is a great idea.

[ChuckC]

I use just a frayed up strand of dental floss taped to the inside of my upper bow limb.  Don't really need anything else.  

On occasion, especially in spots with wierd wind, I have used pieces of blaze orange or chartreuse salmon-egg-fly yarn.  Keep a 6" piece in your pocket or tied to the quiver.  pull off some fibers and they almost float with no wind at all.  You can watch them float, sometimes 100 yards away.  Heck, we have been doing that since the 80's or so.
ChuckC

[dnovo]

I use the milk weed also. The cool thing about it is when you can watch it float off and change directions a few yards out from you. Gives you a much better idea of what the wind is actually doing than the powder.

[Mike Bolin]

Plain old baking powder in a squirt bottle from the Wallyworld craft dept. Have floss on the bow as well, but the powder gives me a better feel for the way the wind is moving away from my exact spot. Mike

[WDELongbow]

Always used my senses (vision to see leaves, skin to feel).  If that fails, I would suggest the down type feather on ultra-light string.

[Pat B]

I carry a bottle of the powder while hunting for a better down wind picture. I also have unwaxed dental floss tied to the top limb of my hunting bow for quick reference at my location.
 When I can get milkweed pods I use that too but I also use other similar seed fluff from weeds near my hunting area.

[skilonbw]

For powder you can also buy unscented baby powder and it works really well also since it comes already in a squeeze bottle.

[3arrows]

Milkweed lasts for years,when you find some in fields stock up.

[Shedrock]

I like a piece of thread on my bow tip when stalking.

When hunting from a stand, I will tie a piece of thread on a branch out in front of me.

[Stumpkiller]

Why do you kneed to know where the wind is blowing from once you're on the stand.      

Still hunting - definately.  Approaching the stand  - certainly.  In the stand . . . Just to know what direction to face?

I used feathers for years.  Then found (after they rip off) the thread works about as well.  So does long ear hair - the only advantage to getting old.  Milkweed pods fluff is also great.

Anyone else notice - from a stand - that the wind at the top of the trees is often different from the ground breeze?  I note in my spot a strong wind from the West - over the nearest rise - blows towards the East at the treetops and to about 25 ft off the ground but there is an eddy blowing back UP the hill to the West below that.