52 Nebraskaland • October 2019
MIXED BAG
Hunters obsess about the wind. Wind
can carry human scent long distances,
either alerting animals like deer and
elk to a hunter's presence or wafting
scent away where they aren't likely
to detect it. However, understanding
wind currents in hilly, broken terrain
can be incredibly frustrating. Hills and
thick stands of trees often create a
vortex of air, recirculating scent back
toward a hunter's position. Luckily,
nature provides hunters with the
ultimate long-distance wind checker
– milkweed pods.
Milkweed pods contain hundreds
of tiny feather-like seeds that float
on the lightest air currents. Milkweed
plants rely on the wind to disperse
these seeds, so using them to visualize
downrange wind makes sense. I
especially like to use them before deer
season while deciding where to
put a tree stand. It's amazing
how often the wind seems
perfect, but not far downwind
the air is doing something
completely different.
I drilled a small hole into the
bottom of a pill bottle and stuffed
the seeds inside with the fibers
facing toward the hole, and then
secured the cap. When I want to
check the wind, I pull out several
seeds and release them into the
air. This practice has led to a new
understanding of the wind, and
I've moved several tree stands that are
now much more productive.
Milkweed is a native wildflower
important for bees and other nectar-
seeking insects, especially monarch
butterflies. In fact, monarchs lay
their eggs on just one type of plant –
milkweed. By using milkweed pods to
check the wind, you'll know exactly
what the wind is doing and help
spread a native wildflower, benefiting
both you and the ecosystem.
NATURE'S WIND CHECKER - MILKWEED
By Ryan Sparks
