Wind changing

[muskieman]

Was talking with a buddy recently about the weird winds we have gotten the last few years in Oct and November recently. My question is alot of times mid day we will have a pretty dramatic shift in wind direction, from a SE to say a W. Since bucks bed with wind advantages would most bucks in the area get up and re-bed with the wind back in their favor? If so I would think that would make a good time to be in the woods.

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[Arrowbender]

The easy answer is:
Of course they do!
But the fact of the matter is that there are no easy answers

I have watched bucks bed on calm mornings, at the top of a ridge, close to a field edge, seemingly waiting to figure out what the wind of the day is going to be. AND maybe trying to figure out just exactly how the topo features are going to manipulate that wind, to find the perfect place to lay up for the day. Then, after the wind gets going constant and the thermals are rising nicely, the buck gets up and beds down in his "daytime" bed. I am talking 1 - 2 hours after sun-up.

I am not saying that this is normal, but
Ii have witnessed it several times. I have never seen one get up late in the afternoon, only to bed back down again because of a wind change. But the fact that they do things like that at all......

Thinking of some of my favorite bedding areas; a wind change from SE to W would most likely not force a mandatory move on the bucks part. Meaning that there wouldn't be that much of a disadvantage based on his visual capabilities. That's not to say that moving 10 to 40 yrds wouldn't be better.

I think it probably depends on a lot of things; ie....time of day, strength of wind, bucks personality and past experiences.

But if I had to guess I would say that they don't get stuck in that situation very often just because of their keen awareness of the barometric pressure and the stability of the current weather conditions.

Oh.......they Know!!!

[dan]

A lot of the primary bedding areas have beds for most or all winds in close proximity... The shifts are not usually far... I can think of a few good points in hill country where the point covers West, North, and South winds, and across the vally close has an EAST wind bed almost in sight... If you new you were getting a midday EAST wind shift, I know where I would be... But, i really don't think your going to see major movement thru funnels and such... Case in point, the biggest buck I ecver shot I got because there was a major wind shift midday and I new he would not have a close bed to shift too... I new he would stay put rather than walk thru open danger.

[muskieman]

Interesting stuff guys. Thanks for the responses....

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[Horizontal Hunter]

I can think of a few good points in hill country where the point covers West, North, and South winds...

What characteristics make this particular point good for West, North, and south winds? Is it a longer narrow point that faces due east?

Thanks,

Bob

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[dan]

I can think of a few good points in hill country where the point covers West, North, and South winds...

What characteristics make this particular point good for West, North, and south winds? Is it a longer narrow point that faces due east?

Thanks,

Bob

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Take a look at this map. The center point on the crows foot... Winds and directions are color coded to match. In this example, a "straight" north or south wind would not be good most likely, but slightly west will work. If you look where he beds on West, South, And north, you see how he rotates his bed around the point as the wind shifts...

[Horizontal Hunter]

Thanks for the reply Dan. These threads are really helping me connect the dots on how they use the wind.

The west wind makes perfect sense to me as he would have the wind at his back while he is facing east.

On the north and south winds I would have reversed the beds so that he would have the wind to his back while facing down the point into the valley. What am I missing?

When he "J hooks" out of those beds I would expect him to "J hook" into the wind, correct?

Thank you,

Bob

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[dan]

On the north and south winds I would have reversed the beds so that he would have the wind to his back while facing down the point into the valley. What am I missing?

Your correct, I have the dots on the wrong sides Sorry.

When he "J hooks" out of those beds I would expect him to "J hook" into the wind, correct?

In hill country he will most likely jay hook from the base of the hill into the actual wind direction up to the bed.

[Horizontal Hunter]

On the north and south winds I would have reversed the beds so that he would have the wind to his back while facing down the point into the valley. What am I missing?

Your correct, I have the dots on the wrong sides Sorry.

When he "J hooks" out of those beds I would expect him to "J hook" into the wind, correct?

In hill country he will most likely jay hook from the base of the hill into the actual wind direction up to the bed.

Thank you so much Dan for your replies. I have the Hill country DVD and another of your DVD's and I have been trying hard to fully understand the wind and the relationship to travel and bedding. I have been hunting for quite a few years and your DVDs and this forum have really helped me connect the dots and understand the "why".

I can't thank you and the other forum members enough. You all have been great.

Thank You

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