Question about hunting a buck bed

[Bowhunter4life]

This buck is bedded here on this point (red dot) on a west wind. I go in and set up on him (green dot stand location) and I get a few kicks of northwest wind, what should my next move be? Seems like every time I try to hunt an area with a certain wind there is always a few times throughout the evening it will change and blow from the worst possible direction. Do most of you get down once this starts to happen or do you think that setting up 80 - 100 yards away from the bed you are safe in most cases? This would be an evening hunt.



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[Singing Bridge]

I would get down... In the scenario you have here the buck will most likely wind you and the hunt is done. I'll certainly watch some milkweed seeds float off when I have that bad wind and see if I can still pull it off... but if not I'm out of there.

When I hunt big hills and bluffs in a scenario like you have here, I don't push the "80 - 100 yards" from the bed thing as hard as I do when I'm in swamps or marshes with excellent screening cover- bottom line, If I'm afraid the wind is going to give me away I back off.

[dan]

Looks like a good set up... I think I would stay put. I usually hunt high in hilley terrain because of varible winds there, and once your scent is on the ground the buck knows you were there anyway when he goes thru and hits your ground scent. So the spot is already burned...
One of the many reasons I hunt the head of ravines ( like you chose for your set up ) is that the ravine will funnel my scent. I use milk weed a lot and watch how wind channels with terrain. A north wind would want to turn and follow the contour of the hill... And, with rising thermals, and hunting high, your scent if it drifts in that direction, should go over him.

No doubt, if you play the game every now and then they are going to bust you. But if you don't push the envelope your probably not going to get many daylight opportunities.
If you never ever experience seeing a whitetail bobbing away from your set up, or hear the snort of the occasional buck, your probably hunting to far back.

[mauser06]

Like Dan said, you already setup on him...he is going to know you were there and feel the pressure...yes if he gets a nose full of your stink he isn't likely to walk right to you...he might blow outta there...he might sit till after dark...but you're on the edge of his bedroom...the spot is burned whether you stay or go...if you go you know you aren't gonna see him...if you stay you still might...

Obviously don't setup on a completely BAD wind...but sometimes you can't help a wind gust...especially pushing the wind envelope.. which is often the better setup..

Also like Dan said...thermals will be rising until late evening...and if you are hunting high enough on the hill and in the tree your scent likely blows right over him and his trails...


The first time I ever setup with the wind to my back I couldn't believe it worked..but it did...and does. .

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[Bowhunter4life]

Thanks for the advice here. I totally agree with you mauser, this year was a big change from how I have always hunted. I used to set up with the wind in my face and would always have the deer come up from the side of the ridge behind me. I never really put two and two together but now I realize they were bedding off on that side because of the wind direction. Was able to talk my dad into giving this type of set up a try this year with the wind to his back and he was set up above a deep cut with good bedding off this ridge. He told me he wasn't too confident in this set up but he gave it a try and sure enough that night he had a buck come through above the cut just a little ways out of range. It has changed the way me and him will hunt from now on.

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[Bigburner]

Looks like it would be tough on a calm wind being in that big bowl , especially in the evening when all the cool air starts to pool into the lower elevations. Awesome spot though. Looks like you you have a really good ingress and egress. Good luck.

[dan]

Looks like it would be tough on a calm wind being in that big bowl , especially in the evening when all the cool air starts to pool into the lower elevations. Awesome spot though. Looks like you you have a really good ingress and egress. Good luck.

That would matter if the buck was in the bowl... But its not, its likely to be bedded at the pink dot and when ne cuts the top of that ravine to move off to feed he will pass right by the stand. Scent down in the bottom won't matter... Have had many awesome buck encounters with this exact set up.

[dan]

Thanks for the advice here. I totally agree with you mauser, this year was a big change from how I have always hunted. I used to set up with the wind in my face and would always have the deer come up from the side of the ridge behind me. I never really put two and two together but now I realize they were bedding off on that side because of the wind direction. Was able to talk my dad into giving this type of set up a try this year with the wind to his back and he was set up above a deep cut with good bedding off this ridge. He told me he wasn't too confident in this set up but he gave it a try and sure enough that night he had a buck come through above the cut just a little ways out of range. It has changed the way me and him will hunt from now on.

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Most guys actually set up on the wrong side of the ridge. They always hunt with the wind in there face, so everytime they hunt a side, most of the bucks are bedded on the other side.

[Bowhunter4life]

Yes most guys do set up wrong according to the wind, in fact everyone I know that hunts around here sets up with the wind in their face. I think that tv hunting shows are to blame for this cause they always talk about setting up with the wind in their face.

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