As a general rule, do bucks enter their beds with the wind to their backs, or into their faces? What has your experience and research taught you? I've been confounded by this for a while now. Last season I actually had a buck make a full circle around his bed before heading in. Is there a consistent pattern of entry?

My guess would be they would enter the bedding area with the wind to backs so when they do bed down the wind would be blowing to there face so the wind would warn them of ant danger coming there way but i could be wrong that's just my opinion.

I could be wrong too...but I think they bed with the wind to their back so they can still smell the danger they cant see and see the danger they can't smell type of idea.

The last buck that I watched "bed up" entered from down-wind (slightly cross winded). He was about a 120 class 8-pt and bedded about 75 yards from my stand.

During the next hour (I tried grunting and rattling, etc but could not get him to come any closer) he stood up and circled his bed about five times, finally getting in a knock down fight with a similarly sized 6-pt buck...the 6-pt did the knocking down...

The fight ended rather abruptly at the arrival of a monster 160-class ten point that challenged both of them (at the same time). They both turned and fled...then I missed the 10-pt with my bow (shot about an inch below him). I'm still looking for him.

How do bucks enter their beds?

Up the stairs!

Interesting observations so far guys. I know that when bucks bed down, they typically do so with the wind to their backs. But I'm still trying to figure out an entrance pattern.

I doubt you will find an entrance pattern. I would be safe to say they enter from all different entrance points with all kinds of different winds. Once they bed they usually do bed with the wind to their backs.

Good point that would be my best guess also.

They enter with the wind to their nose. When they get there, they position themselves with the wind at their back. Exact position depends on the terrain.

A deer, and bucks in particular, love to be high. They will usually bed 2/3 way up a ridge. the wind will be at the back sohe can smell danger from behind while watching for danger. That deer will bed in a place he feel secure, a place he has never had a hunter approach. If hunters invade his bedding area, he will head to one of many other places that offer the same security.