DIY Wind Checker- Milkweed

[R.K.]

Decided to try something out this year for a wind checker. The smoke in a bottle works fine, but it’s hard to see past 10 yards. Milkweed seems to float on the wind better than anything, especially when it’s fresh out of the pod.

I put a rubber band around the pod to keep it from splitting before it dried, then snapped off the tip and wrapped in electrical tape to keep it from crumbling. Was able to attach it to my bow riser with an elastic hair band. If i run out of the floss, I’ll slit the tape to get access to more of the pod.

Hopefully this works out. It’s pretty nice being able to see where your wind is going 50-60 yards out or more- depending on your current eye prescription.

Anybody try this before?

 

[Steiny77]

I keep a pill bottle of that in my Hunter Safety Systems vest at all times.

 

[R.K.]

I keep a pill bottle of that in my Hunter Safety Systems vest at all times.

I thought about that, but the idea of having to stuff all that fluff inside the house made me wince a little. Plus, it seems to float better fresh from the pod.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I’ve tried it in the past but never got a good storage system to keep it handy. Milk weed is a great wind indicator in its own right

 

[Gellar]

I use milkweed for a windicater. I just keep it in the pod, cracked open and a few loose wraps of electrical tape to give some rigidity.

If you are traveling make sure your milkweed is native to your destination.

 

[Wyoming270]

I think fred bear invented using milkweed pods for wind sometime in the 60s. Thistle also works. I dont rig them to anything i just grab a pod or two while im out hunting.

 

[Wyoming270]

I thought about that, but the idea of having to stuff all that fluff inside the house made me wince a little. Plus, it seems to float better fresh from the pod.

Sometimez you should fluff up a few pods into a 5 gallon bucket and then drop a match. Dont stand close to it when you try that.

 

[R.K.]

Sometimez you should fluff up a few pods into a 5 gallon bucket and then drop a match. Dont stand close to it when you try that.

Used to burn cottonwood fluff like that