Wind in the face vs cross wind...

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Schultzy
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Re: Wind in the face vs cross wind...

Unread postby Schultzy » Tue Oct 01, 2013 3:51 pm

Jim Wallner wrote:I don't worry about wind. 19 years doing this and it doesn't matter. The bears know the hunter is there, the bear just has no reason to be afraid. Yet. We hunt deep spruce an cedar swamps. So the wind swirls most if the time.
At least for where I hunt I gotta 100% respectively disagree with you. I've saw 100lb bear get my wind and leave. When you throw lots of hunting pressure into the mix everything changes. Hunting pressure where I hunt Is my biggest obstacle. Without It I'm sure we could get away more with where our wind Is going but we HAVE to hunt the right wind. We've proven this time and time again where we hunt. I'm not saying all bear are like this being the biggest bear that's been shot out of our group (20 13/16) came in down wind without a care in the world. One other big bear my dad shot did the same thing but for the most part we never shoot bear with a bad wind. Not even the smaller ones. We used to hunt any wind back in the day. Were set up close to our baits (10 to 12 yards). I can see where If one was 20+ yards away from the bait or if their gun hunting and are hunting in a more open area wind wouldn't have the effect on them then It does us. I can think of at least 10 different big bear in the 24 years I've been bear hunting that circled me. 90% of these bear gave me heck too when they would circle and get down wind. They would smack their lips/chop their teeth. I'm sure they were saying this is mine, get out of here. :D. I had one follow me out no further then 12 yards away from me one night. I forgot my light in the truck and he had already been circling me out of sight chopping his teeth 45 minutes before dark. He decided to follow me out after my hunt that night. I was very nervous on my walk out. He followed me for 30 yards and then quit. If I would've had a light I'm not sure I would've shined It on him to see how close he was. Somethings are better not knowing. :lol:


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Re: Wind in the face vs cross wind...

Unread postby Stanley » Tue Oct 01, 2013 3:55 pm

Jim Wallner wrote:I set all my stands just off the bait trail going in. I don't want any hunters coming close to the bait site. NEVER. I have guys spray themselves down with scented spray before. UT WORKS.

I don't worry about wind. 19 years doing this and it doesn't matter. The bears know the hunter is there, the bear just has no reason to be afraid. Yet. We hunt deep spruce an cedar swamps. So the wind swirls most if the time.

Dan is right if a hunter doesn't shoot on first night it's because the bear is wondering what the is different.

You have to keep a strict routine an keep it.

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I agree and mentioned that in my earlier post (most bears know the hunter is there) . I have been on guided bear hunts and the outfitters never paid any attention to wind direction. When I did my DIY hunts I always paid attention to the wind. I came in from water I knew where the bear was coming from(not the water). Same way if hunting close to a road (not from the road). I always tried to set up in this manner.

I think another thing about bears, a camp bear is more adjusted to human scent than a bush bear. If you have established bait stations it is easier to kill a bear than setting up a bait station out in the bush where bears don't encounter humans much.
When you go in to bait, the bear knows you were there. When you go in to hunt you hope the bear doesn't know you are there.

I do know when a big bush bear smells or sees the hunter it is usually game over. When a big camp bear smells or sees the hunter it is not necessarily game over. So I think not paying attention to wind direction will work with smaller bears and camp bears. Pretty sure you better pay attention to the wind direction dealing with a big bush bear.
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Re: Wind in the face vs cross wind...

Unread postby dan » Tue Oct 01, 2013 9:21 pm

I certainly wouldn't say wind don't matter.... But some bears do come in knowing there is a person there. But, I also believe that older more mature bears are more likely to not come in with a hunter there knowing he is there. Most of the big bears i SHOOT HAVE BULLET AND ARROW WOUNDS... These wounds are valuable lessons learned... If your just out to kill a bear. Wind probably don't matter a lot, but if your after the biggest and oldest, I think it matters a lot.
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Re: Wind in the face vs cross wind...

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Wed Oct 02, 2013 2:19 am

This is an excellent thread with great information. That being said, it is going to be very confusing for hunters without a lot of experience in the bear woods. I see a lot of apples being compared to oranges, oranges being compared to banana's, etc...... so to speak. Lets look at some of what has been tossed out here already-

* Dan, a very experienced and successful bear hunter setting up to hunt "pressured" bears, that have previous experience with hunters. He has to take into account how these bears will react to a bait due to their previous interactions with hunters / being shot, etc.

* Mike, a top shelf guide who has the opportunity to "condition" bears, but who also has to add into the equation the steps he has to take because of the crazy things his clients will do... leaving the stand before prime time, too much curiosity and noise making, failing to follow the guide's instructions in so many ways... how guys like Mike keep their sanity is impressive, I would blow a gasket at the things clients do (standing out at the pick up spot or road a half hour before dark because they are afraid of the dark).

* Very little of the thread takes into account a do-it-yourself hunt in an area with virtually no bear hunting pressure whatsoever (many areas of Canada, for example). Areas where bears of all ages and sizes have not learned to be "exceptionally" afraid of hunters. These areas have an entirely different dynamic- the bait (it only takes one bait, see the difference already?) is literally overrun with bears of all ages and sizes, including huge and mature bears. In this scenario how the bears interact with one another appears to be much, much more important than other factors the typical bear hunter worries about.

Clarifying the hunting conditions up front will keep all of us on track with the great information being put forth here.

Dan wrote: I feel you get one shot doing this cause bears do not put up with walking around near the baits where you don't belong... Your scent on the down wind trail seems to send big bears packing or makes them nocturnal. I have found my best success in having the baiting trail go right past the hunter tree so there are no scent surprises for the bear when you hunt...


I agree with not walking around the bait where you don't belong, without a doubt.

I disagree with the second part, however. The bears know where your baiting trail is- they will often check it and encounter your fresh scent- there is a huge difference between the scent you just left behind approaching your stand and the scent you left behind when you baited the stand yesterday (or whenever). It is fresh and a "surprise" to the bears, in my opinion. They now likely know that you are ahead. Their noses are that good. I have noted on multiple occasions that they scent check this access trail far enough away from the bait that you have no chance of seeing or hearing them (I cut their tracks doing this).

Dan wrote: So, what I have noticed with circling bears that don't figure out your kill tree ( because its on your bait trail ) is that they circle downwind of the bait, not the hunter...


I disagree with this unless you are hanging your stand for the first time as you hunt. The scenting ability of bears is so strong that even the little fellas will find it immediately and with ease. Even if it was a deer stand that you haven't approached for 3 years that you put a bait out next to and avoided the stand until you hunt, they are so curious they will go up and look at a well concealed stand that "looks different."

great thread. 8-)
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Re: Wind in the face vs cross wind...

Unread postby Schultzy » Wed Oct 02, 2013 2:25 am

Solid post SB!
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Re: Wind in the face vs cross wind...

Unread postby Stanley » Wed Oct 02, 2013 2:40 am

Singing Bridge wrote:This is an excellent thread with great information. That being said, it is going to be very confusing for hunters without a lot of experience in the bear woods. I see a lot of apples being compared to oranges, oranges being compared to banana's, etc...... so to speak. Lets look at some of what has been tossed out here already-

* Dan, a very experienced and successful bear hunter setting up to hunt "pressured" bears, that have previous experience with hunters. He has to take into account how these bears will react to a bait due to their previous interactions with hunters / being shot, etc.

* Mike, a top shelf guide who has the opportunity to "condition" bears, but who also has to add into the equation the steps he has to take because of the crazy things his clients will do... leaving the stand before prime time, too much curiosity and noise making, failing to follow the guide's instructions in so many ways... how guys like Mike keep their sanity is impressive, I would blow a gasket at the things clients do (standing out at the pick up spot or road a half hour before dark because they are afraid of the dark).

* Very little of the thread takes into account a do-it-yourself hunt in an area with virtually no bear hunting pressure whatsoever (many areas of Canada, for example). Areas where bears of all ages and sizes have not learned to be "exceptionally" afraid of hunters. These areas have an entirely different dynamic- the bait (it only takes one bait, see the difference already?) is literally overrun with bears of all ages and sizes, including huge and mature bears. In this scenario how the bears interact with one another appears to be much, much more important than other factors the typical bear hunter worries about.

Clarifying the hunting conditions up front will keep all of us on track with the great information being put forth here.

Dan wrote: I feel you get one shot doing this cause bears do not put up with walking around near the baits where you don't belong... Your scent on the down wind trail seems to send big bears packing or makes them nocturnal. I have found my best success in having the baiting trail go right past the hunter tree so there are no scent surprises for the bear when you hunt...


I agree with not walking around the bait where you don't belong, without a doubt.

I disagree with the second part, however. The bears know where your baiting trail is- they will often check it and encounter your fresh scent- there is a huge difference between the scent you just left behind approaching your stand and the scent you left behind when you baited the stand yesterday (or whenever). It is fresh and a "surprise" to the bears, in my opinion. They now likely know that you are ahead. Their noses are that good. I have noted on multiple occasions that they scent check this access trail far enough away from the bait that you have no chance of seeing or hearing them (I cut their tracks doing this).

Dan wrote: So, what I have noticed with circling bears that don't figure out your kill tree ( because its on your bait trail ) is that they circle downwind of the bait, not the hunter...


I disagree with this unless you are hanging your stand for the first time as you hunt. The scenting ability of bears is so strong that even the little fellas will find it immediately and with ease. Even if it was a deer stand that you haven't approached for 3 years that you put a bait out next to and avoided the stand until you hunt, they are so curious they will go up and look at a well concealed stand that "looks different."

great thread. 8-)

Great post SB...... when speaking of Canada for the benefit of all interested, spring and fall hunting should also be thrown into the equation. Bid difference in those bear hunts.

This bear thread discussion is really informative. Hope all the bear hunters are following along, lots of stuff to learn here.
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I

Unread postby dan » Wed Oct 02, 2013 4:37 am

Out of the bears that have tracked me to my stand on a bait trail only one ever spooked and thats because it look ed up and saw me and my camera man, and I shot it anyway... Been experimenting with this for a few seasons now, and am seeing far better results in bear reactions to the stands that are along the bait trails, lets face it, you can't do that in every set up, but thats good, it gives good comparison.
I generally either set up my stand when I set the bait up, or the 1st time I hunt, its usually the 1st time I hunt... Cause I will shift around to a different tree based on daily winds if I have too.
Bears generally don't come from behind me on my set ups in daylight, but it does happen sometimes an d when they do, they generally just walk straight to the bait or stop and smell the tree I am in, and then wander to the bait... But, the reactions to my hunt tree when I am hunting away from the bait trail have been about 50% negative, and the baits get a lot colder after the 1st sit.
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Re: Wind in the face vs cross wind...

Unread postby djl » Wed Oct 02, 2013 7:55 am

Great thread and a lot of valid points.

I'll never forget my first bear (biggest to date). We did the two man in and one man out deal. After we got to the pit, I climbed up into the stand and bro in law finished baiting, restacking logs and leaving. He followed normal routine with noise etc. Nothing changed. Now I am in stand northwest of the pit (wind is out of southwest.) So this would be a crosswind with my scent blowing to the north east.

One hour later I see this bear coming from the southeast. The bear first circles to the south and than heads straight west. It got to our baiting trail and stopped with just it's head in the trail. He looked left and than he looked right. He looked down the trail in both directions, turned around and than headed back to the east where he came from, circled north and than when he hit the bait scent stream he came right in from the east swinging his head back and forth. He never did get to the bait as I shot him at 8 yards as he was eyeing the bait.

I do agree that someone's new scent to the bait site will shut things down for awhile.
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Re: Wind in the face vs cross wind...

Unread postby Bearman13 » Thu Oct 03, 2013 1:33 pm

I wanted to add that what the hunter does in the stand affects the hunt big time. Examples, opening containers pop water food etc. wrappers etc constant standing up an sitting down etc.

I tell my hunters. Eat big breakfast, light lunch an get a nap. Relieve yourself before the hunt. Get in stand while I bait, get ready an stay ready.

Dinking around in the stand has saved more than one bears hide. Movement spooks them more than scent. They have better eyes than most people give them credit for.

I hunt some super remote spots an private. It's a split. Some bears walk in like hey own the place some slow roll in. Once a bear is inside that magic area he's committed.
Fast movements are a no no. I tell guys take your time an let him get into the bait. Then their yours.

Like I said I hunt deep cedar an spruce swamps so the wind just swirls. I hunt a lot of beaver flows also. Dead an active. Bear magnets. Some baits I've had are 30 plus years old. The bears have no fear.

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Re: Wind in the face vs cross wind...

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Thu Jul 17, 2014 2:38 am

bump.

Was looking for something else and found this.
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