RidgeGhost wrote:I don't know that I qualify as an experienced beast but I'll give my opinion.
Most (>90%) of my setups are anticipating the buck moving back up the point towards the main ridge. This ultimately puts him travelling wind to nose or some quartering to wind. I don't think he moves that direction because of the wind but because that's where he wants to go. (Food, water, does, whatever destination)
Another thing to note is most of my turf is pretty dang steep and rocky. It's just easier for the buck to stay on the point and work back to the ridge rather than drop off the side away from the point.
I think in my area, wind has little to do with how or which way a buck will leave the bed. Bedding here is very wind specific, however.
There are several guys on here that will say they see the complete opposite most of the time, and they aren't wrong. It's just locations specific and partly what situation you are better at hunting.
Between the both of us we killed six bucks last season (if I remember your hunts correctly) I killed my three coming down from their beds wind to back and you killed yours pretty much the opposite way. Like you said, I really don't think theres a set rule for how they leave the bed. It just depends on where the food/does are going to be when he's leaving his bed.