Observations and a Hypothesis

[DaveT1963]

Good info on the drives Joe. I think we can all agree that what sets a Whitetail apart is they are adaptable and just seem to have better survival insticts/intuition then most critters.

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[mheichelbech]

How do you judge what wind direction a deer is using in his bedding? One small lot I hunt the bucks and does bed on the upwind side in the mornings from what I can tell. I have observed bucks and does coming from the north into a south wind in the mornings. They seem to be bedding up against the neighborhood houses (30-60 yards) and looking out over the field. From what I've seen so far they bed more based on sight than wind.

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[Stanley]

How do you judge what wind direction a deer is using in his bedding? One small lot I hunt the bucks and does bed on the upwind side in the mornings from what I can tell. I have observed bucks and does coming from the north into a south wind in the mornings. They seem to be bedding up against the neighborhood houses (30-60 yards) and looking out over the field. From what I've seen so far they bed more based on sight than wind.

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Great question. I can't give an answer because it is next to impossible for me to tell what the wind is in relationship to a buck bed. This is an eyes on thing and I don't see that many bucks in beds. Not only that but you would have to monitor the bed and who is to say the wind won't change or the buck won't shift positions in the bed?

If we had a lot of data from cameras set up on beds we could develop a pattern. That said not many guys want to set cameras up on beds they hunt. The last buck I saw in a bed entered the bed from down wind he did bed with wind at his back. He stayed for about an hr. Then got up heading back into the wind did a j hook and then headed the other direction with the wind to his back and left the area. This was a 5.5 year old buck. Interesting topic for sure.

[dan]

All beds are set up based on predators, not just edge beds... Your absolutely right that bucks are setting up watching down wind to see predators coming from down wind...

Beds are not picked "randomly" as most probably think... Bucks pick there beds to survive, and the older and smarter they get, the better they get at it.

Beds are based on smelling predators with wind and thermals, and with hearing approaching danger (in thick) and seeing danger approaching from down wind. Usually its a combination on at least two of these.

And on top of that there needs to be a good escape... Studying beds for nearly 40 years has had me look at a lot of fresh beds and almost always mature bucks are facing down wind, whether its wind or thermals. I have seen them spin there head and look into the wind for long periods when they hear a sound or sense something... and I have seen some rare exceptions.... But for the most part, if a buck leaves an area open for attack where he can't smell or see he don't live to be mature.

[TNstalker]

I new to finding beds but have found one that was different from what I've heard or seen. The buck is bedded with a sloughs cross crossing from the left front to the tail end and behind that there is a river he is on a point facing north east. The bed faced a gravel road open timber an parking lot where he thought danger would most likely come from. Feel like it was a mature deer because he had every angle cover an I don't know if it is wind specific just yet. At least it's not for our normal winds during season based on where he is at.

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[Zona]

How do you judge what wind direction a deer is using in his bedding? One small lot I hunt the bucks and does bed on the upwind side in the mornings from what I can tell. I have observed bucks and does coming from the north into a south wind in the mornings. They seem to be bedding up against the neighborhood houses (30-60 yards) and looking out over the field. From what I've seen so far they bed more based on sight than wind.

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I see this in the suburbs quite a bit. Housing developments usually mean safety if there the residence are not stomping all over the woods. They will bed in this safe zone regardless of wind.