Wind based bedding timing

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Thermals
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Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby Thermals » Mon Nov 09, 2015 3:28 pm

Do to lack of good discussions i though of something good we can dive into.
Here is goes. Let's say you done some spring scouting found some beds and decided which direction there bedding for which wind, now let's just say you have a bed the he beds on a south wind and let's say it's hunting time and you have three straights days of a north wind and on the fourth day the weather man shows it will be a south wind. Do you think that a buck knows before day light that it will be a south wind and head to that bed or would you wait till you have a few days of a south wind to put better odds of him being in that bed. A lot of times here the winds will vary before sunrise till after the sun gets up good and the direction gets set for the day. I have never seen a buck get up and change beds durning the day. Not saying they don't, I could see this more on a knob or hub in hill country where he could get up and move a very short ways to Rebed.
What are you experiences. I think will start the first of the year with a camera on a good known bed and back it up with the wind a see.

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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby dan » Mon Nov 09, 2015 10:05 pm

I don't think there is any way a buck can forcast wind direction... Therefore, the most consistent hunts will be on consistent winds, or in areas that offer solid bedding for most predominant winds... I have seen bucks change beds when the wind changes, but I have also seen them stay put... I would guess a lot has to do with the amount of risk of a move... A short move is more likely than one that puts the deer at a huge risk... Pressure in an area probably has a lot to do with it as does other factors...
I see big bucks out feeding late mornings in Wisconsins big woods, this is something I do not see in Southern Wisconsins swamps marshes and farms... So, it would likely come natural for a buck to make a move in the big woods, but hold tight in this area... My best most productive spots have always been spots that cover just about every wind.
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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby TNstalker » Tue Nov 10, 2015 2:35 am

So what do u look for with a bed cover all or most winds?

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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby Thermals » Tue Nov 10, 2015 2:42 am

The problem I had this year was last spring all the beds o found was for a south wind as we mainly had south winds this year it has been all over the place so I waited it out for a south wind to hunt this spot. Could he have been there on other winds at this point I am not sure. Most beds I found are spaced out pretty far. But being we had some different winds this year it will allow me to see this spring if there are some different bedding for this winds and that will give me more options for the years to come.

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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby justdirtyfun » Tue Nov 10, 2015 3:50 am

Dan mentioned that good places have beds for multiple winds. The only way for me to see this is to look at Hill country. If the points are arranged in a circular pattern I think this is what he is describing. Then when thermals drop he can also drop and get a scent of the whole area.

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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby justdirtyfun » Tue Nov 10, 2015 3:59 am

In a river bottom near me the hills facing the river are 300-500 yards apart. One side is laid out well for N winds and the other points, across the crop field and river lay well for S winds. I have seen deer sign to suspect a big buck is crossing the river bottom and bedding according to wind.

Each area doesn't provide the safety he wants unless the wind is appropriate.

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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby Thermals » Tue Nov 10, 2015 4:09 am

That is the only way I see it as well. Like a hub with points all around but I have also then in person and it doesn't look that way. But it looks good on a topo to the eye

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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby dan » Tue Nov 10, 2015 5:13 am

TNstalker wrote:So what do u look for with a bed cover all or most winds?

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Not "a bed" but a bedding area with multiple beds that cover multiple winds... If we are talking swamp or marshes a lot of the time the beds are more sound based and in an area your going to have top make noise to get to. In the hills a point that points East will cover every wind except the uncommon east wind by shifting around the point. Even better if a short distance has an east bed...
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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby Stanley » Tue Nov 10, 2015 5:20 am

I agree with Dan no way a buck knows if the wind will switch directions. I also think that in some areas with a lot of bedding options. Bucks will get into a rhythm/habit of using the same bed. Once a bed starts to get a good smell to it, more bucks will use it. Lot of variables, food sources contribute a lot in some areas as to bed usage.

To me the food source is a big piece of the puzzle. If the buck you are after is not bedding on the property you have permission to hunt, the food source could be the draw you need. I think wind based beds are the norm. I think your camera on the bed idea is a good one.

This could also be tricky and is. Bed needs to be one that is used a lot, time of year are a factor also. I have had cameras on beds that were used by multiple bucks one year and then no usage the next year or the next year after that. So just because you have a camera on a bed doesn't mean you will get pictures. :think: Good discussion.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby Thermals » Tue Nov 10, 2015 6:06 am

Stan, Dan
I agree that a buck has no way of knowing that we can tell anyway. Most of my bed setups are down wind of the bed, which I feel it is the best for both of us. He has his wind to back and wind in my favor and maybe that works great if he leaves into the wind at night but if he is there on a off wind say west where heads or how he head when leaving could be a totally different way. Just makes me wonder if I should hit beds on different winds along as there in my favor. This is a good one to think on. I guess my camera idea was to see if I could figure any patterns out to what they do but every buck is different but the more you no the better

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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby TNstalker » Tue Nov 10, 2015 10:18 pm

So Dan are there anymore points in the hills that will cover every wind besides east point.

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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby Thermals » Wed Nov 11, 2015 2:28 am

I will also say most of my better setups has a scrape nearby and this helps me figure out which way there heading but they don't get good till later in October

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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby dan » Wed Nov 11, 2015 5:34 am

TNstalker wrote:So Dan are there anymore points in the hills that will cover every wind besides east point.

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Not sure I would say "every" wind... more like "most"... Pointing away from predominant winds is most common, but, you can also have an area that works for multiple winds cause a short move sets up with wind to back on an edge, and one bed works as a thermal tunnel, and the other works like a field edge bed, or a thick area that is noise based bedding... A combo of types of bedding close to each other.

Just cause its hills don't mean they don't bed like on farms, or in swamps, etc.
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Re: Wind based bedding timing

Unread postby Thermals » Wed Nov 11, 2015 2:38 pm

Anyone else has any info to add or experiences

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