Buck cruising patterns in relation to wind

[RidgeGhost]

The buck I killed in Ohio Friday was walking with the wind mostly in his face. Maybe slightly coming across him from the top of the ridge(leeward side). My question is: Is it common to see a buck using the wind that way? Obviously, unless a buck walked a straight line with a consistent wind at his side, the wind will always be changing for him. As he angles around ridges and other obstacles, at some point he will be walking with the wind more in his face or at his back.

With the wind slightly in his face, but still coming over the top of the ridge, he could protect himself a little better from walking into trouble it seems.

Maybe this buck just happened to be coming around that ridge with that wind, or maybe he felt more comfortable having what he thought was the wind advantage for his walk. Unlucky for him I had the thermals dropping my scent down the ridge.

I'm curious what guys with several years experience have seen. It could be used to set up on a ridge with a more angled wind vs a wind that hits the ridge at a 90 degree angle. I hope what I'm saying makes sense.

Dan, any input?

[Boogieman1]

I'll give u my opinion on the matter. I feel if a buck is comfortable moving through an area and feels the urge to move he will take it under any conditions. I feel any quartering wind is best whether that's upwind or downwind. My local bucks tend to run oval shaped circuits so depending on where u see him in his travels he could be under many different winds. Set ups for me prob differ from most and probably even frowned upon. Ideally I would want a angled wind coming over top of ridge a very narrow valley and I would set up on oposite side of ridge with wind in face. These set ups are few and far between. So I adapted, I don't mind blowing over them, bank shoting it or having my wind cut the corner. It's gotta blow somewhere and each spot is diff. I would rather be in a spot that is hot with a iffy wind, than the next ridge over which is a ghost town with the perfect wind. If it's hot I will blow it right down the pipe to one side. This isn't ideal cause u cut off one direction of travel but again when its hot I'm gonna give it my best shot. I know if I lay up I have 0% chance. So I risk it for the biscuit.

[RidgeGhost]

Yep, it definitely puts you at risk of blowing it. But like you said, if the deer is comfortable being there in that wind, you need to be there too. Gotta push it sometimes