Primary bedding and wind advice needed

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mheichelbech
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Primary bedding and wind advice needed

Unread postby mheichelbech » Mon Nov 06, 2017 9:46 am

So I jumped a heavy buck today from his bed. He sounded like a horse taking off. Didn’t see the rack but I am assuming a mature buck. His bed is in the classic hill country position, military crest....and looks to be for a south wind, clearly a primary bed based on the usage...at least I am pretty sure it is...also has the classic rubs around it and in the vicinity.

My question is, what is the likelihood he would use this bed in a north wind? The terrain is extremely steep past a bench right below his bed. South wind it’s coming over his back, north wind would be coming from opposite ridge...very steep also.

I was able to get a really good set made today with the high winds and I am anxious to hunt it in the morning but a north wind is predicted.

Should I wait for a south wind or go ahead and hunt it? Storms tonight and 20 degree drop in temps.

By the time I finished setting up my stand, I was too hot and exhausted to walk over to the opposite ridge to check for north wind bedding.

Not high pressure at this time.


"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
hunter10
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Re: Primary bedding and wind advice needed

Unread postby hunter10 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:08 am

I would doubt he'd bed that with a north wind if its setup for a south wind coming over his back. It would set him up with a north wind to have wind blowing in his face with his backside vulnerable. If he turned around in the bed he'd have wind at back coming up the ridge but his sight line would be looking up the ridge /crest giving a very short sight line to check for danger.. I could be wrong in my theory though
mheichelbech
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Re: Primary bedding and wind advice needed

Unread postby mheichelbech » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:43 am

hunter10 wrote:I would doubt he'd bed that with a north wind if its setup for a south wind coming over his back. It would set him up with a north wind to have wind blowing in his face with his backside vulnerable. If he turned around in the bed he'd have wind at back coming up the ridge but his sight line would be looking up the ridge /crest giving a very short sight line to check for danger.. I could be wrong in my theory though

You are correct. I was hoping to read something to the contrary...lol.

I do think the one wild card here is the rut and the fact that in this area, the wind does switch a lot. I am wondering if the bed could be more terrain oriented and not wind oriented.

Also, within a quarter, maybe half mile at most is a major river and a major creek which I think could cause even more variability in the wind. This is a brand new property to me and I haven’t been able to get any wind history on it.
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
mheichelbech
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Re: Primary bedding and wind advice needed

Unread postby mheichelbech » Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:43 pm

Any other input appreciated.
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
mheichelbech
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Re: Primary bedding and wind advice needed

Unread postby mheichelbech » Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:46 pm

mheichelbech wrote:So I jumped a heavy buck today from his bed. He sounded like a horse taking off. Didn’t see the rack but I am assuming a mature buck. His bed is in the classic hill country position, military crest....and looks to be for a south to east wind, clearly a primary bed based on the usage...at least I am pretty sure it is...also has the classic rubs around it and in the vicinity.

One other interesting item is that we had a west wind yesterday which is not a wind on which you think he would bed there on.

My question is, what is the likelihood he would use this bed in a north wind? The terrain is extremely steep past a bench right below his bed. South wind it’s coming over his back, north wind would be coming from opposite ridge...very steep also.

I was able to get a really good set made today with the high winds and I am anxious to hunt it in the morning but a north wind is predicted.

Should I wait for a south wind or go ahead and hunt it? Storms tonight and 20 degree drop in temps.

By the time I finished setting up my stand, I was too hot and exhausted to walk over to the opposite ridge to check for north wind bedding.

Not high pressure at this time.
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
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Re: Primary bedding and wind advice needed

Unread postby DaHunter » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:45 pm

Probably won't bed there on a north wind if it removes the main reason he beds there in the first place (security). I'd wait until u get another south wind, as hard as that can be (to wait)
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Re: Primary bedding and wind advice needed

Unread postby Ugly_Duck » Tue Nov 07, 2017 3:22 am

I hunt primarily wetlands and find myself confused as to what direction they bucks will go in orientation to the wind when they get up from bedding. Also the land I hunt has lots of potholes and ditches so I am not sure which areas to setup on in what wind direction. For instance, will a buck bet with his back against the water so he can see and smell upwind or do they typically bed with the wind to their back and looking downwind. There are 2 smaller water pockets and one larger pond all covered by tagalders on my land and having difficulty determining where to setup on which wind direction. Obviously new to the beast method so didnt do preseason scouting just going by what ive puzzled together over the years. Its 40 acres that I have access to so I would hate to go tromping around looking for beds during prime season.
In wildlife ethics the hunter ordinarily has no gallery to applaud or disapprove his conduct. Whatever acts, they are dictated by his own conscience rather than by a mob of onlookers. Its difficult to exaggerate the importance of this fact -Aldo Leopold
mheichelbech
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Re: Primary bedding and wind advice needed

Unread postby mheichelbech » Tue Nov 07, 2017 4:09 am

Ugly_Duck wrote:I hunt primarily wetlands and find myself confused as to what direction they bucks will go in orientation to the wind when they get up from bedding. Also the land I hunt has lots of potholes and ditches so I am not sure which areas to setup on in what wind direction. For instance, will a buck bet with his back against the water so he can see and smell upwind or do they typically bed with the wind to their back and looking downwind. There are 2 smaller water pockets and one larger pond all covered by tagalders on my land and having difficulty determining where to setup on which wind direction. Obviously new to the beast method so didnt do preseason scouting just going by what ive puzzled together over the years. Its 40 acres that I have access to so I would hate to go tromping around looking for beds during prime season.

If possible, your best bet might be an observation sit, away from where wind or scent could do you damage but you can still see the area.
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
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Re: Primary bedding and wind advice needed

Unread postby Ugly_Duck » Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:17 am

mheichelbech wrote:
Ugly_Duck wrote:I hunt primarily wetlands and find myself confused as to what direction they bucks will go in orientation to the wind when they get up from bedding. Also the land I hunt has lots of potholes and ditches so I am not sure which areas to setup on in what wind direction. For instance, will a buck bet with his back against the water so he can see and smell upwind or do they typically bed with the wind to their back and looking downwind. There are 2 smaller water pockets and one larger pond all covered by tagalders on my land and having difficulty determining where to setup on which wind direction. Obviously new to the beast method so didnt do preseason scouting just going by what ive puzzled together over the years. Its 40 acres that I have access to so I would hate to go tromping around looking for beds during prime season.

If possible, your best bet might be an observation sit, away from where wind or scent could do you damage but you can still see the area.


The trouble I run into there is being a tagalder swamp my selection of trees is very limited at best and trying to see within the thicket is nearly impossible. I am coming to the conclusion I may need to do multiple sits to see which areas are used for access. The question I run into would be which side to observe on under what wind. Again new to bedding area hunting so forgive my greenness. I bought Dans swamp bedding DVD and both marsh ones. A wealth of information there but still trying to piece the puzzle together on my specific parcel. Almost have to sit down with a notebook and rewatch them a few times. :idea:
In wildlife ethics the hunter ordinarily has no gallery to applaud or disapprove his conduct. Whatever acts, they are dictated by his own conscience rather than by a mob of onlookers. Its difficult to exaggerate the importance of this fact -Aldo Leopold


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