Where should I set up near bedding areas?

By Grant Woods,

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← Grant's Answers — Hunting Tactics
Question
I just had a quick question about scent and wind. My question is if I have a known bedding area and I want to set up a stand near the entrance do I want the wind to be blowing into the bedding area? And if so, why would the deer not smell me if I was on the edge of that bedding area? I do take scent precautions but am just confused if I set up with the wind blowing my scent toward where the deer are coming from. Is that correct or not?

Josh,

It’s tough to set up near bedding areas. I try to find a location with a cross wind. That is to say the wind and thermals carry scent away from the bedding area and travel route where deer enter and exit the bedding area. Such setups are very difficult to find.

If this setup isn’t available where you hunt then the next best situation is to set up for either only morning or afternoon hunts so the direction of deer travel can be forecast with some accuracy. This often means that the wind is blowing toward the bedding area in the morning or away from it during the afternoon.

You may wish to watch the GrowingDeer episode #309. This shows an actual setup that I’m preparing for gun season – using a cross wind to hunt two bedding areas and feeding area.

Enjoy creation,

Grant

October 29, 2015