Tips & Tactics

Feather & Floss Wind Indicator

Feather & Floss Wind Indicator

By Christine Miller

Bird hunters, save the downy feathers from your pheasants, doves, quail and grouse for a foolproof feather wind indicator.

I like to attach a feather to an 8 to 12 inch length of dental floss, then tie the other end to my gun barrel and let the feather swing freely.

Simply ease your barrel out and away from your treestand and let the feather catch the wind, showing you wind direction.

It's much quicker than reaching into your pocket for wind indicators or powdered sprays, and it costs next to nothing.

If you are a stickler for scent control, make sure you use unscented dental floss.

And, if you break off the feather, there's plenty more to use. You'll always know the wind direction!

Editor's Note: Christine's tip also works for bowhunters. Just tie the dental floss to your stabilizer bar as you would a gun barrel.

I also like to use this in conjunction with milkweed indicators. The floating milkweed pod will tell you exactly what the wind is doing as far as thermals (up and down), and it'll show you swirling winds as it's carried away and to the ground.

The dental floss/feather tip works well for giving you a general idea of wind direction at stand-level without a hunter having to use his or her hands.

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