Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


User avatar
Czabs
500 Club
Posts: 2460
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 8:32 pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Behind-T ... 0697772652
Location: WISCO
Contact:
Status: Offline

Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby Czabs » Wed Jun 29, 2011 6:40 am

I might have this down, but I'm not 100% sure so I want to clarify a few things. Now as a buck goes back to bed he is going to always want the wind in his face as he travels or just when he arrives within the bed to check for predators?

Now when is buck is bedded and he gets up to exit the bed will he always travel with the wind in his face? So if there is a bed to the north and a field he is eating to the south. The wind is going south, so will he go to a different food source because the wind isn't in his favor? I never really understood this clearly.


dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby dan » Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:12 am

as a buck goes back to bed he is going to always want the wind in his face as he travels or just when he arrives within the bed to check for predators?


FALSE... Most of the time bucks prefer to have the wind at there back as they approach there bedding area. I have seen deer circle a bedding area specifically to have the wind at there back when the arrive.
I believe the reason for this is ingrained in the genetics of the buck. Survival over time has been Dependant on smelling predators that are tracking them to there bed. If the buck enters his bed with the wind at his back, any wolf or other predator smelling his tracks will be smelt before it gets to him.
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby dan » Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:17 am

Now when is buck is bedded and he gets up to exit the bed will he always travel with the wind in his face?

False. I have watched a lot of bucks exit there beds and staging areas and my observations tell me that bucks will head in the direction they want to go when leaving there beds regardless of the wind. I have however seen more early movement on days when the wind is somewhat in the bucks favor. By this I mean he is more likely to move further in daylight before dark when he can smell whats ahead of him.
User avatar
kenn1320
500 Club
Posts: 3474
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 2:19 am
Location: Shooting my bow (MI)
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby kenn1320 » Wed Jun 29, 2011 10:55 am

Unread post Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds
Quote:
Now when is buck is bedded and he gets up to exit the bed will he always travel with the wind in his face?

False again... I have watched a lot of bucks exit there beds and staging areas and my observations tell me that bucks will head in the direction they want to go when leaving there beds regardless of the wind. I have however seen more early movement on days when the wind is somewhat in the bucks behavior. By this I mean he is more likely to move further in daylight before dark when he can smell whats ahead of him.



Dan, now Im a bit confused. I understand you not wanting to say they "ALWAYS" do anything, but isnt the heart of your style knowing a buck will bed in a certain bed, due to the wind direction that day, thus allowing you to set up your stand up wind of him, but not directly? This gives him that false sense that all is safe. Did I comprehend your method properly, or do I also have to have a good assumption on what the food source is, so I can set up close to his bed, but in the direction he will likely leave? Just when I think I have it figured out......... :lol:
"Its about taking the right shot at the right time with good equipment." Dan Infalt
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby dan » Wed Jun 29, 2011 11:13 am

Dan, now Im a bit confused. I understand you not wanting to say they "ALWAYS" do anything, but isnt the heart of your style knowing a buck will bed in a certain bed, due to the wind direction that day, thus allowing you to set up your stand up wind of him, but not directly? This gives him that false sense that all is safe. Did I comprehend your method properly, or do I also have to have a good assumption on what the food source is, so I can set up close to his bed, but in the direction he will likely leave? Just when I think I have it figured out.......


A lot of beds are wind specific... That has nothing to do with the wind direction they choose to enter or exit there be on. The wind direction the bed is chose for has more to do with safety while bedded, not with approach or leaving.

isnt the heart of your style knowing a buck will bed in a certain bed, due to the wind direction that day, thus allowing you to set up your stand up wind of him, but not directly

Thats a tactic, but certainly not the heart of my style...
My perfect set up would be on the edge of the bucks safe zone, where he is staging before moving off to feed. In that case, I don't need the wind to be favoring the buck cause most of the time he will move freely within the safe zone in daylight... A lot of the time, its not your "perfect" set up.
Sometimes you cannot get close enough to the safe zone to get an arrow into the buck. Say there is a lack of cover, noisy dry leaves, etc... Then you might need to hang further back. On those days its important to give that buck a little confidence by being able to smell whats ahead of him and feel safe to nudge out a little farther while you still have some shooting light.

I can set up close to his bed, but in the direction he will likely leave?

Most of my set ups, yes.
User avatar
PLB
500 Club
Posts: 6974
Joined: Sat Feb 20, 2010 3:49 pm
Location: NE Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby PLB » Wed Jun 29, 2011 3:56 pm

Much easier to do in Marsh type set ups than Hill Country!! Depends on the terrain you are hunting ;)
Obsession Bows
Lone Wolf Alpha and sticks
User avatar
Czabs
500 Club
Posts: 2460
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 8:32 pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Behind-T ... 0697772652
Location: WISCO
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby Czabs » Wed Jun 29, 2011 7:35 pm

Thanks Dan for clarifying that up. I guess that kinda explains some things.

Last year when I shot my buck I was on a point that extended out into cattails and on the end of that point is where the deer were bedding. The end of it was sparse trees and grass and thick vegetation. I set up with a wind in 100% favor for me, no way was a deer going to smell me.

I shot my buck with about 15 minutes left of shooting light. I stayed up in the stand celebrating to myself and texting my buddies when a bigger buck came out in the dark. I could barely make out his tall white rack in the moonlight. Now If I was sitting with a wind in favor of him do you think I might have gotten a shot at him during daylight?
User avatar
Czabs
500 Club
Posts: 2460
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2011 8:32 pm
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Behind-T ... 0697772652
Location: WISCO
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby Czabs » Wed Jun 29, 2011 7:59 pm

Here is a quick map I made up of an area I might possibly hunt. This possible bedding area is right next to a very busy highway and I was thinking out of the box a little bit and I bet NO ONE has stepped foot in this chunk for years, unless someone went into it gun hunting. I never scouted it and I was wondering if you think it is too late to scout it (look for beds)? If so, can you guys maybe lead me into a direction on how and when to hunt it. My plan was to sneak in down the highway (the red dots) and set up there in the morning on the north face side of it. Get in really early and quite and hopefully a buck will be bedding there with a Northerly wind. Catch him getting to his bed and kill him. He will be coming from the North or Northeast most likely.

Image
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby dan » Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:07 pm

I shot my buck with about 15 minutes left of shooting light. I stayed up in the stand celebrating to myself and texting my buddies when a bigger buck came out in the dark. I could barely make out his tall white rack in the moonlight. Now If I was sitting with a wind in favor of him do you think I might have gotten a shot at him during daylight?

Yes... With the favorable wind and/or the right moon phase I think you may have gotten a daylight shot.
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby dan » Wed Jun 29, 2011 8:09 pm

I never scouted it and I was wondering if you think it is too late to scout it (look for beds)?
I would go in now and scout it.... You will do some damage, but you will be better off than not having scouted it.
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby headgear » Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:10 am

dan wrote:FALSE... Most of the time bucks prefer to have the wind at there back as they approach there bedding area. I have seen deer circle a bedding area specifically to have the wind at there back when the arrive.


Dan do you think the way a buck enters his bed has a lot to do with the terrain and the layout of the bedding area? In the marsh it makes perfect sense for a buck to do exactly what you are saying because he can smell anything tracking him and he has little fear of a predator ambushing him from the cattails as he enters his bed. I know Singing Bridge has a good post a while back how a buck bedding in a cedar swamp might cross upwind of his bedding area so he can smell anything following him from his bed and then loop around and enter his bedding area from downwind to scent check for predators. Another scenario I have found a couple of times in bigwoods settings is a buck would go into the bedding area with the wind in his face and kind of scent check the area, he would then pass by fairly close to his bed and loop back and enter the bed with the wind at his back. I think magic has found something similar on his tracking adventures. Maybe this is more common in areas with healthy wolf populations, not sure. I also know on the Hill Country video you talk about a buck entering his bedding area with the wind in his face, this way his scent trail and scent stream are both in a line and he can watch both at the same time, this makes perfect sense in a hilly setting or other areas where a buck has a great view from his bed.
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby dan » Thu Jun 30, 2011 1:17 am

Actually in hill country the wind is usually in the bucks face when he enters the bed in the dark or at dusk but when the sun rises and the thermals come up his entry trail is down wind
( because of rising thermal).
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby headgear » Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:17 am

dan wrote:Actually in hill country the wind is usually in the bucks face when he enters the bed in the dark or at dusk but when the sun rises and the thermals come up his entry trail is down wind
( because of rising thermal).


Good point about the thermals bringing scent from his back trail, I should have remembered that. Entering their beds with the wind/thermal at their back trail certainly is the most common theme here, they just seem to have different ways of doing it based on the terrain.
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby dan » Thu Jun 30, 2011 2:41 am

I should point out that while deer seem to enter beds most often with the wind to there back, they don't always. There are always exceptions and a good hunter should concentrate on the percentages, but keep an open mind.
User avatar
Dewey
Moderator
Posts: 36727
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:57 pm
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Entering and Exiting Beds

Unread postby Dewey » Fri Apr 03, 2015 5:41 am

Bump

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


  • Advertisement

Return to “Scouting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 30 guests