General newbie wind question

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


Tydaniel2340
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2020 9:18 am
Status: Offline

General newbie wind question

Unread postby Tydaniel2340 » Fri Oct 16, 2020 12:37 am

I’ll admit, I’ve never really cared about the wind before. I know, I know, I’m an idiot. I am completely submerging myself into the beast lifestyle now and trying to learn as much as I can. I understand the basic principals of hunting the wind. Stay downwind of the bedding, and a General sense of thermals. My newbie question(s) is this:

1. Do deer always bed on the leeward side of a ridge?
2. Do they position themselves so they are walking with the wind in their face when they are on the move?

For a situation I face this is valuable info. There is a small ridge that the deer seem to bed along. If there is a north wind they would be able to bed on the Leeward side. If there is a south wind there is not much of a Leeward side due to the slope of the ridge. The trails seem to indicate that they are working from the beds in the north to the south towards the food. So if there is a southern wind, they wouldn’t necessarily be betting on a Leeward side because there isn’t much slope to shelter them. However, there is still some. I am not sure how I would set up for this


Jdw
500 Club
Posts: 776
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:00 am
Location: SE Ohio
Status: Offline

Re: General newbie wind question

Unread postby Jdw » Fri Oct 16, 2020 9:49 am

Try not to think of anything as always or never. Bucks have different personalities and tendencies. Also the conditions in your specific area will make a difference.


I hunt hills a lot and generally see bedding on the leeward side of the Spurs and points but not always.
In my experience they usually go whichever way they want to go when they get out of bed but in areas with high hunting pressure I have seen them angle into the wind. I have watched them feed with the wind at their back on multiple occasions also.
User avatar
fenderbender62
Posts: 60
Joined: Sat Sep 28, 2019 3:41 pm
Status: Offline

Re: General newbie wind question

Unread postby fenderbender62 » Sat Oct 17, 2020 1:42 am

One thing ive been noticing is their tendency to quarter into or even have a crosswind if they have a hard edge on their downwind side ( a bluff,marsh,steep drainage etc.)

So if you have a point of land sticking out to the North and there are deer bedded there with a West wind, when the deer get up they will walk to the East side of the point and travel the East side. That way they can smell the entire area to their West and feel like theres nowhere for danger to lurk to the East. If they smell anything they have an easy escape to the East.

This has been a successful way for me to hunt lately. I hug tight to that hard edge. They feel safe and I have the wind. Also your thermals will drop off that East side.

Nothing revolutionary here, but its a tactic that Ive been keying in on lately.

good luck
what one man can do another can do
User avatar
brancher147
500 Club
Posts: 1414
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:46 am
Location: West Virginia
Status: Offline

Re: General newbie wind question

Unread postby brancher147 » Thu Nov 19, 2020 12:36 pm

To answer your questions No and No. It depends on a lot of factors. With the info you provided I would setup based on sign and bedding in a location with the wind in your favor. See what happens and adjust from there.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
User avatar
Crazinamatese
Posts: 5602
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2012 3:25 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: General newbie wind question

Unread postby Crazinamatese » Fri Nov 20, 2020 2:57 am

The biggest bucks I have seen were always on non-leeward sides, if that helps. Of course, human pressure might have influenced that?. Hard to say.
The cave you fear hides the treasure you seek!!!
MichiganMike
500 Club
Posts: 1024
Joined: Thu Jun 11, 2020 11:47 am
Status: Offline

Re: General newbie wind question

Unread postby MichiganMike » Fri Nov 20, 2020 3:13 am

I would say no and no also. windward sides (on lighter winds)I've bumped them bedding on the lower 3rd of a ridge. My theory- but I believe occasionally they bed down there looking up the ridge and/or along the bottom to catch movement. And also then they can smell and hear behind. Im sure there is some sort of wind/thermal tunnel effect in there also.

When they are on the move I notice they don't always move wind to face or front quartering. They go where they need to despite, but I am sure they have their senses covered somehow. To us it seems to be a puzzle, but to them it's not- especially outside of rut. I've seen them move through on a tailwind. When they reach a destination though (food, bed, scrape area etc.), I have ALMOST ALWAYS seen them hook downwind before entering.
User avatar
WIswampdweller20
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 8:58 am
Status: Offline

Re: General newbie wind question

Unread postby WIswampdweller20 » Thu Dec 17, 2020 4:55 am

Someone must have mentioned “Security” LOL... bucks just need some software and they’ll come out in the open.

Great topic!

I’ve found mastering the wind can be an exercise in futility and even if you manage, it doesn’t always follow the script. I’m still learning, but as others have posted I find it’s best to work off general rules of thumb for keeping your scent out of their wind feed with your focus on the travel corridors and security cover they will likely follow. I’ve also learned to be mindful multiple possible travels routes based on the numerous times deer have popped up where I wasn’t focused and completely unraveled my scheme. I hunt very keen- pressured animals, that seem to have defensive bases covered at all times, I’ve found that sets more directly downwind of travel sometimes can be tricky because they concentrate on looking harder where they can’t smell, of course set height and concealment cover or back drop
can help with this.

Interested to hear from some Beast Style Veterans on this.
User avatar
<DK>
500 Club
Posts: 4484
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:02 am
Status: Offline

Re: General newbie wind question

Unread postby <DK> » Thu Dec 17, 2020 5:23 am

Tydaniel2340 wrote:1. Do deer always bed on the leeward side of a ridge? No, Its a general rule. Until I find a deer doing something different, its a good formula to follow.
2. Do they position themselves so they are walking with the wind in their face when they are on the move? Yes and No. Many factors determine what he will do. But in general its good to assume he will have wind to his nose or side winds.

For a situation I face this is valuable info. There is a small ridge that the deer seem to bed along. If there is a north wind they would be able to bed on the Leeward side. If there is a south wind there is not much of a Leeward side due to the slope of the ridge. The trails seem to indicate that they are working from the beds in the north to the south towards the food. So if there is a southern wind, they wouldn’t necessarily be betting on a Leeward side because there isn’t much slope to shelter them. However, there is still some. I am not sure how I would set up for this


Push the envelope, ride that fine line and try to use those slightly off winds. If they bed on a N wind but you will get busted - then try a NW or NE.
User avatar
WIswampdweller20
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 8:58 am
Status: Offline

Re: General newbie wind question

Unread postby WIswampdweller20 » Thu Dec 17, 2020 5:34 am

WIswampdweller20 wrote:Someone must have mentioned “Security” LOL... bucks just need some software and they’ll come out in the open.

Great topic!

I’ve found mastering the wind can be an exercise in futility and even if you manage, it doesn’t always follow the script. I’m still learning, but as others have posted I find it’s best to work off general rules of thumb for keeping your scent out of their wind feed with your focus on the travel corridors and security cover they will likely follow. I’ve also learned to be mindful multiple possible travels routes based on the numerous times deer have popped up where I wasn’t focused and completely unraveled my scheme. I hunt very keen- pressured animals, that seem to have defensive bases covered at all times, I’ve found that sets more directly downwind of travel sometimes can be tricky because they concentrate on looking harder where they can’t smell, of course set height and concealment cover or back drop
can help with this.

Interested to hear from some Beast Style Veterans on this.

Sorry this wasn’t more specific to your question. I’m primarily in wetlands in my area, and though I’ve traveled and spent some time in hill country, I have a ton to learn. This ties in to one of the challenges I’ve encountered in this terrain, once you
manage the essential task of first identifying the likely bed location, which I understand is often on the leeward 2/3rds or below the peak(?), you then have to overcome the range of vision they have from this vantage point and anticipate thermal activity as well. Then account for the wind swirls as it’s funneled through valleys or hits thermal and you basically have a formula out of Good Will Hunting.
User avatar
WIswampdweller20
Posts: 85
Joined: Wed Dec 09, 2020 8:58 am
Status: Offline

Re: General newbie wind question

Unread postby WIswampdweller20 » Thu Dec 17, 2020 8:05 am

Tydaniel2340 wrote:I’ll admit, I’ve never really cared about the wind before. I know, I know, I’m an idiot. I am completely submerging myself into the beast lifestyle now and trying to learn as much as I can. I understand the basic principals of hunting the wind. Stay downwind of the bedding, and a General sense of thermals. My newbie question(s) is this:

1. Do deer always bed on the leeward side of a ridge?
2. Do they position themselves so they are walking with the wind in their face when they are on the move?

For a situation I face this is valuable info. There is a small ridge that the deer seem to bed along. If there is a north wind they would be able to bed on the Leeward side. If there is a south wind there is not much of a Leeward side due to the slope of the ridge. The trails seem to indicate that they are working from the beds in the north to the south towards the food. So if there is a southern wind, they wouldn’t necessarily be betting on a Leeward side because there isn’t much slope to shelter them. However, there is still some. I am not sure how I would set up for this


As for part 2- in my experience mature bucks will often times move in the same ways they bed, particularly during rut phases, where they keep the wind coming through the thickest cover and maintain line of sight downwind. So I try to set up on security cover that catches them moving cross wind, or set up cross wind on a funnel or path. Like anything though, the second you take this for gospel, they do what you least expect.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Hawthorne, seazofcheeze and 73 guests