While whitetail opportunities during the early season are few and far between, there are still a day or two per week that just can't be missed! The weather forecast like nothing else, can reveal to you exactly when you should sit for a target buck that you are after! Here is your whitetail weather forecast for October 6th, 2017:
*Weather trends are very similar across the North 1/2 of the country, slowly moving from West to East. While your weather may be a bit earlier than the above chart for Chicago, or a bit later, you will most likely experience a similar forecast within a day or two. For your own forecast, check out the Weather Underground.
Key Whitetail Weather Forecast Factors
Make sure to keep an eye on the forecast! While this is the whitetail weather forecast today for the next 7 days, the weather patterns will most likely shift a bit, in particular before next Wednesday. I estimate thru this weekend the forecast is between 80 and 90% accurate for Friday-Sunday, 70-80% for Monday and Tuesday and 60-70% for Wednesday. However, the overall weather pattern for setting up a great day next week, is nearly 100% accurate. There willl be shifts in timing, amount of rain, speed of winds and even temperature change (for better or worse), but overall the major weather changes will exist and can be roughly planned for, nearly to the day.
1. Friday and Saturday's wet, warm, unstable and low pressure weather sets the stage for Sunday, regardless of the temp drop. Major changes in weather conditions from rain to clear, usher in high pressure and create a quality day for hunters to sit on Sunday - the first "clean air day". Make sure to avoid the temptation on Saturday and Sunday, to save your best stands until Sunday.
2. Sunday is a great day to take an evening seat near a food source. I say near, because even know the season is early, sitting on a food source and spooking deer on the way out, could have a significant impact on pre-rut actities, which are only a couple of weeks away. Keep in mind that if the forecast holds, Wednesday features an outstanding early season opportunity! What does that mean? I personally wouldn't go near a stand location that I am saving for Wednesday, during my Sunday hunt.
3. Monday is a similar forecast to Sunday, but because a day has already passed since the front blew thru, the sit value is much lower. This is a great day to work, spend time with family, friends and any other priority in life.
4.Tuesday is a tweener kind of a day. While there may be a decent opportunity depending on the strength of winds and rains that blow thru during the day, Wednesday looks to be a lot better day! I always love to hunt the day after the front blows thru and although Tuesday doesn't look bad due to the overall temp drop, the instability of the air and chance of wind and rain, makes it a potential noticably lower value than Wednesday.
5. Wednesday's forecast for now, looks great! However, because the pre rut is still at leats 2 weeks away for most areas, I would only plan for an evening sit. In my experience and the way that I have hunted by managing the priorities of life other than hunting, I would trade Friday, Saturday, Sunday morning, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning, for a Wednesday evening sit! If the forecast stays the same, Wednesday evening's value will be higher than all of the previous sits combined (taking out the Sunday evening sit). Many hunters say, "I just can't hunt the best days because I have a family, career", etc. However, the way that I have managed that thought since the mid 90s, is to work, spend time with family and friends during the many poor to low value days, just to be able to not miss 1 high value sit. It's all about priorities and if you want to consistently shoot mature bucks, the value of quality over quantity will deliver.
*Check out what happened when Nick Bauman read these whitetail weather forecasts and made a special trip to hunt a high value day, for this cold weather WI Giant!
6. Thursday features temps slightly rising, pressure slightly falling and a chance of am rain. After a high value Wednesday, Thursday will definitely let you down if you are late to the party.
7. When Temps and Pressure meet, it's time to hunt! In my rut video below, it is amazing how nearly all of my best bucks have been shot when temps and pressure meet. Sanday and Wednesday are great examples of this, and I have tried to illustrate this by scribbling a black circle around the meeting points of the forecast.
*Would you like the formula to create your own accurate whitetail weather forecasts? Then you need to make sure you read my 2017 Rut Forecast.
Conclusion
No matter what time of the season it is, navigating the whitetail weather forecast isn't about hunting more and pushing the real priorities in life (family, friends, career, etc) aside. Instead, it is about not missing the 1 or 2 high value sits over the course of 7-10 days, to hunt a long weekend or to find more time in the stand. Less is more when it comes to mature buck hunting, in particular in the high pressure states of MN, WI, MI, PA, NY, IL, IN, OH and others. While the forecast will shift and change a bit over the coming days, major weather patterns do not. I urge you to check out your own forecast and to do your best to not miss a high value day to be in the woods. Good luck!
