How Are Talcum & Cornstarch Used for Wind Direction When Deer Hunting?
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Tools
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Purchase unscented talc or regular cornstarch and a squeeze bottle. Minimize contact with these ingredients to prevent transferring your scent onto them. Fill the bottle. Six ounces should be sufficient.
Prepackaged, prefilled bottles are also available. If you find a bottle works well, keep it and refill it as you use the contents.
Test
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Test the method before you go out onto the trail to make sure you understand the procedure. Squeeze the bottle lightly. This will release a small amount of powder into the air. Watch and note the direction the powder carries.
If you feel you need more coverage, you can cut the tip of the bottle to allow the release of more powder.
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Science
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Talc and cornstarch are lightweight, do not carry a scent that might alarm and are easy to carry. The powder is visible; being able to see the movement of the powder in the wind is more reliable than tactile sensation. Picked up by the wind, these powders can show the direction of even small breezes which may be otherwise difficult to discern.
Talc resists heat and electricity, so static will not cause a misread. Cornstarch is an anticaking agent. Each moves freely and remain suspended in air.
Superiority
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This method of wind testing is preferred because there is no need to expose (or wet) skin in harsh environments. Other methods (such as dangling a thread) may be influenced by the user's muscle movement. Crushed leaves may make an unwanted sound or may not be available.
Talc and cornstarch are inexpensive and readily available. The powder test is dependable, able to render even small changes in wind direction visible. The powder test can be performed repeatedly without concern for environmental harm.
When to Use
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Test for wind direction any time the lay of the land changes. If you move from flat ground to low hills, if the pattern of brush changes, if the weather is fluctuating, it is a good time to test. The general idea is to keep the wind in your face, blowing your scent behind you and toward your tracks.
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References
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- Photo Credit Photo by ionushi @ Flickr via everystockphoto
