LouisianaTomkat

This thread stems from some points made in another recent one concerning hunting the wind.

In your experience with "mature" bucks, are they more prone to keeping the thick stuff(bedding) and wind at their back, side, or quartering to there nose, when heading into openings? (ie., fields, open woods, etc.)

Thanks, LT

GMMAT

LT...Do what you want, here.....but if the data people give you are from rutting bucks.....I don't know what you're gonna learn from it.

Pre-rut....I'd say they enter field/open woods with the wind at their backs....if this is an area they plan to stay in and feed.

Hunter_59

I would agree with this statement. Look for them feeling more secure feeding on the downwind side of a timbered area which in most cases would entail them traveling with the wind at their back or crosswind to access these areas. I would think that any place they feel vulnerable, they will have the wind at their benefit.

LouisianaTomkat

I must pose the question (to add to previous question), "How do rutting "mature" bucks cruise these areas?"

Do they always keep the wind to there nose while rutting? Do they keep wind to their nose while walking out of thick cover into an opening while cruising for does? I know rutting bucks just like early fall bucks will leave bedding on certain trails, but when the rut kicks in, do they leave these beds (no matter which way they are going, whether it be cruising for does or to feed) with the wind at their back or nose? Which is more likely in your experience?

Thanks, LT

GMMAT

I can only give you examples of the ones (mature bucks)I've encountered......which would be 5 in 4 seasons.

Buck No. 1 - Willy-nilly ....as he was chasing every time I encountered him....paying no attention to the wind (day after t-giivng...'06 was 1st encounter.......12/9/06 was the second. He was rutting on both occasions). I had 2 encounters with him....and took him on the second encounter.

Buck No. 2 - I had SEVERAL encounters with him. On the first occasion....he acted as I described, earlier. He came into an open field with the wind at his back (thick stuff behind him....upwind). Second encounter.....same thing. Third encounter.....he was on the downwind side of a doe bedding area...scent-checking the area. Encounter No. 4.....he came from dead downwind of me....but honestly the wind had JUST taken a shift. Otherwise....he'd have entered the staging area just like I described above.....coming from the thick stuff to an open area (same staging area as above) with the wind at his back. I killed him 30 seconds, later.

Buck No. 3 - He was chasing does....and this buck (on this occasion) was coming from the thick stuff with the wond in his face. He DID run ALL OVER THE PLACE, though......wind in his face and at his back. He was in the chasing phase......and I don't think he cared one bit what the wind was doing. Date was 10/23. I saw him again on 11/5.....a mile away from the 1st encounter. This time he was chasing.....and he was all over the woodlot, willy-nilly. He was already in the open when I spotted him. I saw him again on 11/21/08 (when iamyourhuck was here) about 40yds from where I'd seen him the first time. No does present....and he was coming out of the thick stuff into a quartering-to wind. I thought I had the really thick stuff where he couldn't get downwind of me. I was wrong.

Buck No. 4 - He came from the thick stuff on 10/31/08 with the wind at his back......dogging a doe. I shot him 30 seconds later.

Buck No. 5 - Thanksgiving day.....only time I saw him. He came from the open stuff towards the thick bedding area....with the wind in his face (thoughI believe this would also reinforce what I was saying, earlier). He was dogging a doe.....but was also on the downwind side of their bedding area.

LouisianaTomkat

So, a "mature" buck really has no care for wind direction during the rut, unless scent-checking for does? I find this hard to believe/understand. A deer (buck) no doubt gets careless (for lack of a better term) during the chase and rut, being the reason a higher percentage of good bucks are taken during the rut. Yet, people here continue to harp on using the wind. I have about come to the conclusion that I would "always" rather hunt where the buck/deer will have a wind quartering to their nose rather than straight at them or straight behind them. Is my logic screwed up in thinking this way?

LT

dukemichaels

I feel like I just tackled this one with my opinion the other day.

In my experienece.. whitetail bucks try as much as possible to use at least 2 of their senses when moving.. bedding.. feeding.

I usually observe them keeping wind blowing from heavier cover towards the back.. or crosswind towards their back while they are able to see what the dangers are ahead. Using both senses to locate danger.

But its not always true. Factors like timing of the year (rut) and of course human pressure seem to be the largest factors I notice of them moving differently.

But it is my belief they want to use at least 2 of their better senses.. like the nose with the sight.

GMMAT

IMO....yes.

Buck leaves a bedding area/thicket.....with the wind at his back. He can now wind-check the danger area (where he just came from) as he feeds.......and use his eyes and ears to protect him in the open area in front of him.

Your way of thinking.....he's unprotected in the area where he just came from.

Vabowman

LT I have nothing to add here, but I was always taught that deer always walk with the wind in their face....after hunting for 20 yrs I found that they will walk with the wind blowing in their face, behind them, sideways, upside, etc...

LouisianaTomkat

Please expound further on this according to your experience. I hunt land that is pretty much pressured from all 4 sides from mid Oct. to late Jan. What do the deer do differently under human pressure "regarding the wind"? I believe bucks are primarily using sight during the rut to pick up danger where I hunt, and scent for does. Is this your experience as well?

Thanks, LT