Wind based bedding...

[dan]

Dan just curious what you think of this, I agree marsh/swamp bedding is less wind specific but I do seem to notice some of the marsh/swamp beds are more likely to be used on days when the wind is coming from a favorable direction.

Depends on a lot of factors... Sometimes you just start to notice a trend. It helps to keep a detailed log book of what you see, and on what winds, dates, moon, and weather conditions, so you can notice trends more easily.
Most of my marsh bedding is not wind specific, but some is...

[dan]

I saw one of your clips from an old tv show where you talk about deer quartering into the wind. I see this more often than not sometimes, they just dont care, gene wensel said "some deer just never learn to use the wind" and I believe that to be true. Probably explains a lot of the LUCK we all saw early in our hunting career. Obviously if they were masters of the wind always, we wouldnt ever kill them but comes back to how consistent are you on mature bucks. Where I live, for every 5000 deer there might be 1-3 that are 3.5 or older but even a 3.5 here would be considered mature in my eyes.

I am not sure what I said on the TV show your reffering too. But as of now, I am convinced that most of the time outside of the rut that deer travel with little regard to the wind unless they feel they are in danger. There are some exceptions to that. But I see deer leave bedding in every direction, however, when the wind is in there favor, it seems you get a little earlier movment.
The biggest trend I see with deer moving in regards to the wind (again outside of the rut ) is when approaching a bedding spot. They seem to like to approach with wind to face. They sometimes J-hook to walk around to the downwind side then move in to the bed.

[Stanley]

I think one thing someone could easily overlook when thinking about these scenerios and not just getting close enough to the bed is the second piece to the puzzle. Where is he wanting to go when he leaves. I firmly believe that most of us are probably still moving way too fast to get as close as you do. Without having that immediate shot, youre going to need to setup between that bed and destination still. Pick the wrong trail for that day, he goes the other way, you never see him, think you failed to get on it.

I saw one of your clips from an old tv show where you talk about deer quartering into the wind. I see this more often than not sometimes, they just dont care, gene wensel said "some deer just never learn to use the wind" and I believe that to be true. Probably explains a lot of the LUCK we all saw early in our hunting career. Obviously if they were masters of the wind always, we wouldnt ever kill them but comes back to how consistent are you on mature bucks. Where I live, for every 5000 deer there might be 1-3 that are 3.5 or older but even a 3.5 here would be considered mature in my eyes.

I think we sometimes unintentionally forget they use all their senses not just the wind.

[Edcyclopedia]

Whenever Dan starts to expound like this, I get ready to copy and paste...

I'm going to start off with open areas... many of the swamps / marshes I hunt, the bucks not only like to bed with an opening on the downwind side- the opening also doubles as a barrier. Some of the barriers / openings I have found downwind of buck beds include beaver ponds, blueberry bogs, streams, impassible muck areas... you get the idea.

In these two pics I am kneeling near the bucks bed facing downwind. Those areas are relatively open, and contain muck and water that you could sink a buffalo in and never see him again...

In the first buck bed / pic, the cedar island in the top right part of the picture contains perennial doe bedding.

Do you have a topo to go with these pictures so we can see some surrounding terrain, points, etc?
I think it would be a big help - thanks!

[Singing Bridge]

Do you have a topo to go with these pictures so we can see some surrounding terrain, points, etc?
I think it would be a big help - thanks!

These bedding areas are in marsh habitat, completely surrounded by a huge conifer swamp. The topo map in this area shows very little. There is nearly a mile of distance between contour lines with only a ten foot break between them. Its just a whole lot of green with some swamp symbols, and a creek here and there. I have found that a better way to seek out these potential buck bedding areas is to use aerial photo's of the huge conifer swamps. I posted on page one and two of Dewey's recent cedar swamp scouting post... to get a little better idea of what I look for here's a link:


viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11965

[dan]

Also... Wind specific bedding especially beds that are not on the thermal tunnel often have an obstacle upwind of the bed... The buck will have his back against the obstacle ( fallen tree, log, big rock, brush, etc. ) and be looking down wind.

In this picture the fallen tree in the background is the obstacle, the wind would be blowing right at the camera, and the deer would be facing the camera

[dan]

This is where it gets weird... In some hill country "thermal tunnel" beds, I have seen them bed on the wrong side of the obstacle. In the picture below, the buck was bedding above the tree, and looking around it towards, the bottom "where danger would most likely come from... This is an exception, not the rule, but I have seen it more than a few times on hill sides.

[dan]

tree obstacle upwind of bed


Heavy brush obstacle behind and up wind. Opening is down wind

[checkerfred]

Awesome info! Looking at the beds they are all worn down to the dirt. Does this mean they are used a lot or do the bucks clean them out first? All the one's I find in hardwoods just look like depressions.... No dirt showing.

[ Post made via Android ]

[dan]

Awesome info! Looking at the beds they are all worn down to the dirt. Does this mean they are used a lot or do the bucks clean them out first? All the one's I find in hardwoods just look like depressions.... No dirt showing.

[ Post made via Android ]

Most of them are as you described, the ones pictured above were used as examples because they were very visible. And yes, because they were used a lot.

[Edcyclopedia]

Ill add one that I would have never guessed if the deer didn't almost plow me over @ 5-yards!
Must have watched plenty of hunters pass to be that savvy...
The way I approached was a cross wind with the wind blowing towards just left of the tree in the background.

[Darion]

Some great information on this thread, I can't wait to scout more of the area I hunt. I said it already but it is really starting to feel like i am 'hunting', my 'hope he walks by' days are history.

[Singing Bridge]

This is where it gets weird... In some hill country "thermal tunnel" beds, I have seen them bed on the wrong side of the obstacle. In the picture below, the buck was bedding above the tree, and looking around it towards, the bottom "where danger would most likely come from... This is an exception, not the rule, but I have seen it more than a few times on hill sides.

I find buck beds like this in hill and bluff country whenever the terrain is quite steep. The uphill side of the very large trees wash out and flatten, creating a horizontal and comfortable spot for the buck to bed. The steep slope below the huge trees do not lend themselves well at all to buck bedding. Another time I see these beds quite a bit is when the prevailing downwind side of a steep bluff or hill doesn't contain classic "knobs" or small side points that the bucks would typically use. Look for the biggest trees in the thermal tunnel and check the uphill side of them for these beds.

These trees also create perfect positioning for gun hunters that want to hunt a funnel located below the hill or bluff- no stand required. I ski down the hill with my hands and feet until I get to to the huge tree. The uphill side of the tree is flat and perfect for a folding stool and you use the sides of the big tree to stabilize your gun. If you are on the downwind side of the hill or bluff, the rising daytime thermals take your scent away from the funnel and you deck the buck when he goes through it with your gun- they really don't know what hit them.

That was the exact method I used to take this buck:

[dan]

Great info Bridge... Never thought about it much, but your reasoning sounds spot on.

[cbigbear]

This is one of those steep slope uphill tree beds. The buck was bedded looking around the tree with the wind coming from his back. You can see the slope just above the bed & this finger ridge continued at this slope until it hit the bottom. I jumped this buck approaching from an eastern finger ridge. He was down & out of site in two jumps.



[ Post made via iPhone ]