Thread: Reading Wind

Had a search through but nothing stood out.

Can we have all the tips, tricks and even links to helpful info here please.

use a lighter for direction

yip good in the bush, meaning more for longer ranges. watching grass, trees etc but how to translate into speed.

Something I read on here ages ago and can not remember who posted it. A piece of white cotton taped to the muzzle end of your barrel it is light enough that the wind can move it and it works

Tactile and Visual Indicators

0-1 MPH Wind imperceptible.
No grass or leaf movement.
Smoke rises straight up.
Mirage runs vertical.

1-2 MPH Cooling effect of wind may be noticed.
Light movement of grasses.
Only a few leaves on any given tree in motion.
Mirage begins to lean to 12:30.

3 MPH Wind pressure can be felt on bare arms.
Grasses obviously in motion.
All leaves on any given tree in light motion.
Mirage leans to 1:00-1:30.

4 MPH Wind pressure can be felt on face.
Small twigs bearing leaf clusters begin light motion.
Mirage leans to 1:30-2:00.

5 MPH Tips of smaller branches begin motion that hold the leaf limbs.
Mirage leans to 2:00-2:15.

6 MPH The trunk branches start to move. These are the heavy limbs holding the smaller branches.
Mirage leans to 2:15-2:30.

7 MPH Larger (trunk) limbs begin motion.
Young (softer) leaves begin to flip over on windy side of trees.
Mirage leans to 2:30.

8 MPH Tree tops are in light motion.
Mature leaves flip over on windy side of trees.
Mirage leans to 2:45.

9 MPH Tree tops show obvious movement.
Almost all leaves flip over.
Mirage leans to 2:45-3:00 and begins to run.

10 MPH Wind pressure can be felt against the body.
Tree tops show substantial movement.
Mirage runs slowly and parallel to ground.


11 MPH Mirage runs quickly along the ground, begins to break up.

12 MPH Wind pressure can be felt against the body.
Mirage runs very quickly in sheltered places, mostly broken up in exposed areas.

12-15 MPH Dust is raised.
Lighter debris moves around.
Mirage blows off completely in exposed areas.

15-20 MPH Dust clouds blow around.
Debris blows around.
Smaller tree trunks sway.
Major limbs on larger trees in constant motion.

20+ MPH Difficulty walking.
Larger tree trunks sway.

Off something I just bookmarked

Go to longrangehunting.com and search for Shawn carlocks articles on reading wind. He has some great info.

Here is a wind scale reference card and diagram that I made. Sized to fit into the pocket of the stock pack on my LR rifle:

Originally Posted by Bryan

Here is a wind scale reference card and diagram that I made. Sized to fit into the pocket of the stock pack on my LR rifle:
Attachment 31606Attachment 31607

Awesome mate cheers. Will be no good in Dannevirke mate, doesnt go up to 90mph

Generally I tape the barrel. If it is a breezy sort of a day I will put cotton on. On a still day I find I spend too much time watching the end of the barrel and not enough looking up trees for deer.
At times I wish I was still a smoker. That was by far the best way. Watching the smoke move through the trees

get a wind meter

Originally Posted by scoped

get a wind meter

I use a wind meter in conjunction with the chart, helps me to better learn wind strengths for those occasions when I don't have the wind meter with me. Same as having a rangefinder makes you better at estimating distances.

Originally Posted by scoped

get a wind meter

Got one but as we know it only tells you the wind where you are standing

There is a good section on @Norway DVD on grass movement to judge wind speed. nice and easy to remember. Perhaps he would be happy to post that segment up? Or you can borrow the DVD if you promise to be a good boy.

Originally Posted by Barefoot

There is a good section on @Norway DVD on grass movement to judge wind speed. nice and easy to remember. Perhaps he would be happy to post that segment up? Or you can borrow the DVD if you promise to be a good boy.

I would love to watch it mate. Im always good i have watched most of norways blogs. Im just interested in everyones methods.

Originally Posted by Gibo

Got one but as we know it only tells you the wind where you are standing

That will make a good starting point mate, I have found the rest will come more easily the more you practise shooting in the wind.
I find it's more the wind angle at longer ranges that's harder to read rather than the speed.
Particularly with crossing gullies etc
As you no it blows a little bit where I hunt


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