Wind Reading in the Field

dev110

In my last thread Declan1980 said my wind reading should be fairly good after all the target shooting. I started to wonder how has my wind reading improved in the last few months.

I can safely say there has been a huge improvement as I can now read the wind properly, see pick ups and let offs and I can tell if there is a directional change.

In FTR it is easy to see changes in the wind as there is two rows of flags from the firing point to the target board.
What is there to use in the field? Trees, grass and ditches that could be set at all different distances to the target.
Are you able to read the wind from what you have available to you?

I went out today for a ramble and took a shot at 350 yards at a crow. I looked at what I had available to me. There was grass in front of me for 150 yards, tall trees, a ditch and grass just in front of the crow.

I was able to look at everything either with my eyes and through the scope and make a wind call. I put 1 MOA left on the scope and fired. The round fell about 1/2" left of the crow. I had just a little to much on but if it was a fox, goat, deer it was dead.

I believe it is very important for people to go out and shoot in the wind to see how their ammo behaves.

Do you train for the wind?

garv123

I use a hmr, I have to compensate if the cow in the next field might fart :D

Seriously though, Ive been trying some longer shots lately for the hmr and i am seeing how much of a factor the wind can be. Its much harder to judge than the drop but I'm starting to get my aim in a bit better now.

I found even in a normal day with a bit of wind you are better off 0'n a bit high at 50 as it wont be as effected by wind at like at 100.

This winter i hope to get a box or 2 off in the day at paper to really try and get the hang of the wind.

tomcat220t

Best and cheapest way on learning to judge the wind is practice 100-200-300 .22lr shooting in variable weather conditions ,imo.
Wont learn without getting out in those windy days .

dev110

I agree about the .22 being cheap and you have to notice every change in the wind put practice will still be needed with your .223 or what ever as it will act differently than the .22lr

tomcat220t

dev110 wrote: »

I agree about the .22 being cheap and you have to notice every change in the wind put practice will still be needed with your .223 or what ever as it will act differently than the .22lr

.223 would be tuff to master in the wind:p
Your right ,what ever your planing to shoot on game ,you must have an intimate knowledge of drop and drift in the wind .

declan1980

I've found that since I got the hmr, my wind reading has improved. Centrefires spoil us to a certain degree. Especially if we do a lot of lamping, since most foxes are shot within 200 yards it's usually just point and shoot.
Plinking with rimfires at different ranges really challenges your wind reading, and your ability to correct at ranges other than standard 100, 200, 300 yards. It's more applicable to hunting or varminting if you set up your targets at random ranges. A game we play is we set up small targets which would represent the killzone of a fox or rabbit at various ranges, then one lads calls a target for the other lad to hit within 5 seconds, then another at a different range, and so on and so forth until your mag is empty. This not only challenged your wind reading, but your ability to make good calls for holdover on the fly. I know that this is technically not allowed, but what would be worse, practicing like this, or going out and wounding animals because you can't shoot accurately for the conditions you're in