When he doesn't show...

[RidgeReaper]

OK so I went out on Saturday which was the opener. I had a SE wind at daylight which then switched a little to the SW. I figured a buck would've bedded at the top of the hollow where I was on stand and figured he'd be within 100 yds or so. I seen plenty of does and a spike but no shooters showed up. I have plenty of big bucks in the area but none showed. Do you think it was because of the wind switching? What should I do when that happens again? Do you hunt the same predicted bedding area until they show or do you just try different ones until you connect?

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[dan]

Keep moving till you connect. 1st off, the bucks will know you were there cause they will smell your ground scent. 2nd, if he was not there, he is likely in one of the other spots.

[whitetail_addict]

It definitely could have been because of the slight shift in wind direction, assuming there was a buck there. I had two nice bucks working straight to me earlier this season where I was setup near bedding over three loaded apple trees. The wind was just off enough to create a bit of swirling where the bucks were coming from and I witnessed them bed down right in their tracks when they caught my wind. It wasn't enough to spook them or make them blow but that little swirling effect was just enough to put them on alert and keep them bedded until dark. I watched them lay there 70 yards from me as the sun set.

I'll add too, I've hunted that apple tree spot a couple of times since hoping for a doe, not expecting to see a buck there during daylight again anytime soon, and you guessed it, I have not seen a buck out of that tree since. It only takes one little whiff and they will know you've been there.

[RidgeReaper]

Thanks for the info. I was assuming that too that maybe since the wind sort of shifted maybe they moved or whatever before daylight as the wind switched. Looking back...when I was in the top of the said hollow...I heard a stick break as if I'd jumped one and it was only one crack just to the west of me and a bit over a knob. When I think about it...maybe he bedded on the west side of that knob instead and was set up for the switching wind and I bumped him.

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