Wind reading is hard. You need to read it at your location, at your target, and everywhere in between. A Kestrel is great for speed and direction at the shooters location, but it is useless for reading the wind all the way to the target. There are all sorts of cheat sheets that tell you what speed wind is when smoke rises gently, leaves move, branches move, etc. But, what exactly does it mean when "leaves move"?
Can we make the Kestrel a tool for reading the wind between the shooting position and the target? It is the best tool to calibrate our brains to judge wind speed. That makes it the perfect training tool.
Our brains are calibrating machines, and we can learn to guestimate wind just like the brain of a carpenter can guess measurements very closely within feet and inches.
So, how do you use a Kestrel to train your brain? Get the actual wind speed and then look at and feel the effects in reality. Its like picking up a board, guessing how long it is, and then putting a tape measure to it. You can learn the speed just like that.
Next time you are outside, stick your Kestrel into the wind and read the speed. Close your eyes, feel it on your cheek. Wet your lips and feel it. Feel it on your arms. Calibrate your skin as a tool to gauge wind speed.
Now, look at the vegetation that is local to you. What do the trees, bushes, and grass do at all the different speeds? And, pay attention to the wind speed low to the ground, now look at wind speed above the ground. Tops of trees will show the true wind speed, and below the tree line, you'll see differences. Shooting across hills, bottoms, and canyons, you need to know that.
We don't have maples or oaks in AZ, and cactus won't show most wind speeds in AZ. So, I need to look at what we do have. If you travel from the East to the West, vegetation will change, so your Kestrel should be a first tool out of your pocket if you are going to shoot long range. You need to look at what a juniper or scrub oak looks like.
You can do all of that without firing a shot. When you do go shooting, you will then be able to make educated guesses about what the wind will do to the bullet. When you miss, you'll be able to make more educated guesses.
I love my Kestrel, and the vast majority of my use of the Kestrel is during training.
Can we make the Kestrel a tool for reading the wind between the shooting position and the target? It is the best tool to calibrate our brains to judge wind speed. That makes it the perfect training tool.
Our brains are calibrating machines, and we can learn to guestimate wind just like the brain of a carpenter can guess measurements very closely within feet and inches.
So, how do you use a Kestrel to train your brain? Get the actual wind speed and then look at and feel the effects in reality. Its like picking up a board, guessing how long it is, and then putting a tape measure to it. You can learn the speed just like that.
Next time you are outside, stick your Kestrel into the wind and read the speed. Close your eyes, feel it on your cheek. Wet your lips and feel it. Feel it on your arms. Calibrate your skin as a tool to gauge wind speed.
Now, look at the vegetation that is local to you. What do the trees, bushes, and grass do at all the different speeds? And, pay attention to the wind speed low to the ground, now look at wind speed above the ground. Tops of trees will show the true wind speed, and below the tree line, you'll see differences. Shooting across hills, bottoms, and canyons, you need to know that.
We don't have maples or oaks in AZ, and cactus won't show most wind speeds in AZ. So, I need to look at what we do have. If you travel from the East to the West, vegetation will change, so your Kestrel should be a first tool out of your pocket if you are going to shoot long range. You need to look at what a juniper or scrub oak looks like.
You can do all of that without firing a shot. When you do go shooting, you will then be able to make educated guesses about what the wind will do to the bullet. When you miss, you'll be able to make more educated guesses.
I love my Kestrel, and the vast majority of my use of the Kestrel is during training.
