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Wind Management

Stand CraftLevel 2 — Intermediate

Prerequisites

Stand Setup

Unlocks

Multi-Person Stand SetupRecovering Blown Stands

What It Is

Strategic use of wind direction to control where coyotes approach from and ensure they enter a shooting lane before detecting the hunter. Counter-intuitive insight from world champions: visibility of the downwind area matters more than having perfect wind in your face. Includes caller placement relative to wind, forcing coyotes into open areas, and adapting to wind shifts mid-hunt.

Correct Execution

Hunter can see the downwind approach. Caller is placed to force coyotes through a visible lane. Cross-wind setups are effective — wind blows scent into an area where the coyote can't approach from (water, cliff, property line). When wind is at your back, the hunter faces downwind knowing coyotes will circle to get scent — the key is having visibility of that circling path. Don't abandon a good stand because wind isn't "perfect." Weather Underground 7-day forecasts help pre-plan setups for two wind directions.

Progression Levels

Diagnostic Tree

Coaching Cues

  • "If wind is bad, make it so you can see where it's bad." — Al Morris, core wind principle
  • "Forget the wind, just hunt." — Al Morris, anti-dogma
  • "Setup visibility trumps wind perfection." — Al Morris, prioritization
  • "Coyotes innately circle to get the wind — they want to know what's making that sound." — Al Morris, behavioral explanation
  • "90% of coyotes approach from downwind on prey distress." — Tony Tebbe, behavioral rule
  • "Vocal calls ignore wind rules — they come from any direction." — Tony Tebbe, exception to the rule

Common Errors

  1. Abandoning good stands for "bad" wind: Missing productive setups → Visibility > perfect wind; set up where you can see downwind → Al Morris
  2. Only setting up with face-wind: Limiting yourself to one wind direction → Cross-wind, back-wind both work if you can see the downwind lane → Al Morris
  3. Not planning for wind changes: Single wind-direction setup → Pre-mark two configurations; check Weather Underground 7-day forecast → Al Morris
  4. Applying wind rules to vocal calls: Expecting downwind approach on howls → Vocal-triggered coyotes come from any direction; scan 360° → Tony Tebbe

Edges

⚡ Conventional Wisdom Is Wrong

Forget the Wind

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Visibility of the downwind area matters more than having wind in your face. World champion Al Morris previously obsessed over wind ("puff puff puff" checking constantly) before realizing: coyotes will end up downwind regardless. The question isn't "is my scent controlled?" but "can I SEE where they'll circle to?" A stand with "bad" wind but clear visibility of the downwind approach kills coyotes. A stand with "perfect" wind but blind downwind lanes wastes time.

What most people do
Abandon productive stands because wind direction isn't ideal. Spend more time testing wind than actually calling.
What the best do
"Forget the wind, just hunt." Set up where you can see the downwind lane. Accept that scent will blow — ensure the approach path is visible and shootable.
Why it's an edge: Doubles the number of huntable stands. Every stand you skip for "bad wind" is a missed opportunity if the downwind terrain was open and visible.
How to exploit: Next hunt, deliberately set up a stand you'd normally skip for wind. Position so you can see 200+ yards downwind. Call normally. Track whether coyotes appear in the visible downwind lane.
Cross-domain parallel
Poker — most players fold hands that aren't "perfect" preflop and miss profitable spots. Playing imperfect positions well (with positional awareness) makes more money than waiting for premium hands.
Al Morris, MWW Coyote Hunting Tips (2025)
💎 Elite-Only Behavior

Wind Is a Funnel, Not a Wall

stand-craftwind-management →

Experts use wind to CHANNEL coyote movement into kill lanes rather than treating it as a constraint to manage around. By placing the caller to create a specific scent cone and positioning the shooter to cover the forced approach vector, wind becomes a predictive tool. Pre-marking two wind configurations for every proven stand eliminates wind as a variable entirely.

What most people do
React to wind — adjust setup AWAY from wind, or abandon the stand.
What the best do
Engineer wind — choose caller position and shooter position to create a single predictable approach path. Use crosswind to push the scent cone into areas where coyotes can't approach (water, cliff, property line), forcing them through visible ground. "We will mark exactly where we sit, where Garvin puts his collar, where I put my collar — I don't leave anything to chance."
Why it's an edge: Wind goes from a problem to solve into a weapon to deploy. The coyote's instinctive downwind circling becomes your targeting system.
How to exploit: For your top 5 stands, visit in off-season and flag two configurations: one for predominant wind, one for secondary wind. Mark exact shooter, caller, and parking positions for each.
Al Morris, Coyote Hunting 101 (2021); MWW Coyote Hunting Tips (2025)

Sources

  • Al Morris, Predator Hunting Basics (2019) — Downwind circling behavior, crosswind setups, forcing coyotes into open lanes
  • Al Morris, Coyote Hunting 101, Soulful Hunter Podcast (2021) — Pre-marking two wind configurations, Weather Underground planning
  • Al Morris, MWW Coyote Hunting Tips (2025) — "Forget the wind" paradigm shift, visibility > scent control
  • Tony Tebbe, Predator University (2024) — 90% downwind rule for prey distress; vocal calls ignore wind entirely