Deer movement on the eastern/western slopes during evening

[virginiashadow]

Have any of you seen any differences in deer movement on the eastern or western slopes as the sun begins to set? Do you find the deer prefer to move in the shadows of the sun on the eastern slopes as compared to the western slopes? Do the earlier shadows on the eastern slopes cause downward thermals to act differently than the western slopes as the sun begins to set?

If any of you see any differences let me know. Anything that helps push me even 1% more in the right direction on afternoon set-ups in hill country is good. Thanks.

[dan]

The preferance on moving on a ridge by a mature buck in day light is going to be on the "leeward" ridge... This means wind direction is going to mean more than polar direction.
However, when shadows hit the valley floor, the thermal direction should drop, rather than rise...

[virginiashadow]

So Dan, if you get a nice west wind and the shadows are in the east from the sunset, that leeward side should be really good, right?

Do you notice any difference of having to set up lower on a hillside when hunting the shadows on the east side of a ridge and having the leeward side of the ridge on the east as well?

[dan]

So Dan, if you get a nice west wind and the shadows are in the east from the sunset, that leeward side should be really good, right?

Do you notice any difference of having to set up lower on a hillside when hunting the shadows on the east side of a ridge and having the leeward side of the ridge on the east as well?

If the thermal is dropping I would set up lower... However, most of the time this has to be anticipated because the thermal is generally rising when you set up.

[Edcyclopedia]

Good question Brett and would like to add my experiences where I hunt.

The mountain my camp is on is @ 1,250 'ish feet above sea level and rises to over 2,900' within approximately 1.5 miles (I believe) - relatively steep!
It is also the eastern side of the Mtn.
In the past I have arrowed a couple of deer and also a bear but never really taken much stock to your theory until now.

What I remember about these evenings was I got to my stand later than my normal 2-2.5 hours prior to quitting time (sun still shined)
Hence - the thermals started to reverse due to the shade could be a good theroy to expand on?!!!?
I also notice that the animals like to take the fingers / knolls down the Mtn. verses taking the valley's on the way up in the AM...
Wish I kept notes back then but will surely pay close attention this year. Also our wind is predominantely from the SW,
but this Mtn. creates massive swirls and wind redirection which makes it difficult to guesstimate a good wind, also no internet to pull up to the minute info for.
- Usually just print the weather the day before leaving which can be inaccurate...

The green & blue lines are old logging roads and I hunt within about 1/2 mile on either side.
The top spot marked is .85 miles by GPS from camp.

[virginiashadow]

Cool stuff Ed. Lets keep an eye on what the thermals do this year on the downwind/shadow sides of hills. I have a spot I am going to hunt this year that is going to be a s/sw wind spot near a swamp as it slopes off some steep hils. I am looking forward to learning how the hills/swamp/backwaters/sunset work together in terms of thermals.

[Stanley]

Great stuff Ed. Man that terrain looks rough & tough to me. I'd be lost big time hunting that mountain stuff.

[Edcyclopedia]

Great stuff Ed. Man that terrain looks rough & tough to me. I'd be lost big time hunting that mountain stuff.

Me too
I mean I am

[dan]

I like to compare mountains to hills... But, I have never hunted in real mountains, so I am sure there are things I could certainly learn on the subject.