RE: Playing the wind..a different view
One evening in 06' I was hunting a hedgerow with the wind coming from the south at a decent clip. to my west was an intersecting hedgerow and a field planted to sudan and part of it to milo, neither had been harvested and there were some nice bucks hanging out, out there. I was set up right where the 2 hedgerows meet and in the course of about 30 minutes, i had 7 bucks cruise by me, everyone was within 40', yes, feet, i was on the ground with a large hackberry at my back, as each buck got down wind of me, they would become somewhat nervous, more alert, none of them spooked and ran, they just seemed to go ontheir way. I dont mind the wind, so long as i can get to the deer before they get the wind from me. a cross wind is fine.
last year, different location, i was in a tree stand, south wind blowing, i had a Alpha Doe south of me start blowing at me from over 80 yards away . She came out into the clearing, literally walked to my tree and looked up at me, to this day i dont think she ever smelled me, i think she saw me on the sky line. she turned a 180, raised her tail and sashayed off into the woods. should have shot her, but didnt have a Doe tag.