Is windward side always a bust?

[backstraps]

In the mountains there is a lot of bedding on what would generally be considered windward here in the broad sense with the prevailing S/W winds. On bigger ridges you can find leeward pockets on a windward ridge (if that makes sense) tucked into folds, hollows, sloughs...whatever you call them in your neck of the woods. I find they don't spend a lot of time in the dark North facing timber that is windward in the broader sense. North aspects are generally more open junk timber in my experience. South facing gets more sunlight and thicker cover. But the whole never/always rule too.

I find this a lot! Excellent point

[wmihunter]

I saw
A giant cruising on the windward side at the 1/3 elevation last fall on nov 12. I expected he would only cruise this when it was an opposite wind making it the leeward side. It definitely surprised me as I expected movement through the saddle and this buck stayed below the saddle

[may21581]

I saw
A giant cruising on the windward side at the 1/3 elevation last fall on nov 12. I expected he would only cruise this when it was an opposite wind making it the leeward side. It definitely surprised me as I expected movement through the saddle and this buck stayed below the saddle

Do you suppose he may have been scent checking a known doe bedding area on the opposite side of the valley or hollow? I have seen this before myself.

[wmihunter]

I saw
A giant cruising on the windward side at the 1/3 elevation last fall on nov 12. I expected he would only cruise this when it was an opposite wind making it the leeward side. It definitely surprised me as I expected movement through the saddle and this buck stayed below the saddle

Do you suppose he may have been scent checking a known doe bedding area on the opposite side of the valley or hollow? I have seen this before myself.

There is doe bedding and food down below so technically he could scent check. He could
Scent check when this side of the ridge is leeward or windward

[may21581]

In hill country especially when the hollows are deep and the hillsides are steep I have seen this. There noses are so powerful that they can cruise the opposite side and still smell them. Again this is why spring scouting is critical so you can find this info out.

[JonNc]

I scouted a spot this year on a non-leeward side that has a ton of sign and the leeward sign has none. This is in big woods area. Don't know the exact reason for it, but I have some hypothesis of why there is. I think because of how the topography lines up in the area that this is the shortest and easiest travel route between doe bedding in the rut and why it is tore up with buck sign. Also there is more food on that side.

My plan is to hunt it on an East wind if I can as it will then be the prevailing wind side. East winds are rare here so it would be nice to have a spot for that. Plan on tucking up next to doe bedding and see what happens. I didn't find any buck bedding for sure, but I expect possible bedding on the one point that is on the leeward side. Also good potential for them on the non-leeward side on the one point. Going to throw a sit or two in there and see what happens.

I scouted a spot yesterday just like this. ENE would make this side leeward which are rare here too. There were several heavily used trails with the biggest rubs I’ve seen in the area so far. A turkey hunter also found 2 mature sheds from different deer there this spring (he won’t hunt it bc it’s too steep . I also found a bed with lots of hair and rubs. I definitely think this spot an easy travel route between bedding areas and should be a hotspot during rut. I’m finding traditional hill country is pretty predictable and spot on with leeward winds and finding beds exactly where I think they should be. Actual mountain deer seem to behave a little differently. They seem to be tougher to nail down movements. I can’t wait to hunt this spot, but it will be tricky with the wind. I’m thinking about setting up on a point 100 yards east from the spot I scouted that would at least put me downwind of most of the deer travel on a normal W or NW wind. You guys have experience hunting spots like this? What tactics did you use?

[Tennhunter3]

I had a nice buck last year walk kinda windward I sat in the stand thinking what on earth he was cutting into the wind after leaving bedding.

[NYBackcountry]

In the mountains there is a lot of bedding on what would generally be considered windward here in the broad sense with the prevailing S/W winds. On bigger ridges you can find leeward pockets on a windward ridge (if that makes sense) tucked into folds, hollows, sloughs...whatever you call them in your neck of the woods. I find they don't spend a lot of time in the dark North facing timber that is windward in the broader sense. North aspects are generally more open junk timber in my experience. South facing gets more sunlight and thicker cover. But the whole never/always rule too.

This/

I will also add that you can find unique features on windward sides that provide excellent bedding. For example, in the mountains i find rock outcroppings and boulders tend create eddies with the wind and provide great protection/bedding.