Tell me what you think

[Jzehr92]

New spot im looking at, only access is by boat where i have it highlighted. I walked this and found that the white shaded area is all acorns, the red shaded area has scattered bedding looks like maybe doe bedding. the pin labeled "potential bedding" has a large well defined trail going from that tree in the cattails back to the island. when i scouted i didnt have any chest waiters so i wasn't able to go out and actually find a bed but based on how well used the trail is I feel i can assume there is a buck bed out there. the trails leaving the island go back to a large 500 acres woodlot. the part that is confusing me is why there is a buck bedding on the upwind side of the island ? I expected to find beds on the down wind side which i did but they seemed to be summer time doe bedding. has anyone ever experienced a similar situation where a buck beds on the up wind side of both a food source and doe bedding ?

[rfickes87]

New spot im looking at, only access is by boat where i have it highlighted. I walked this and found that the white shaded area is all acorns, the red shaded area has scattered bedding looks like maybe doe bedding. the pin labeled "potential bedding" has a large well defined trail going from that tree in the cattails back to the island. when i scouted i didnt have any chest waiters so i wasn't able to go out and actually find a bed but based on how well used the trail is I feel i can assume there is a buck bed out there. the trails leaving the island go back to a large 500 acres woodlot. the part that is confusing me is why there is a buck bedding on the upwind side of the island ? I expected to find beds on the down wind side which i did but they seemed to be summer time doe bedding. has anyone ever experienced a similar situation where a buck beds on the up wind side of both a food source and doe bedding ?

This is coming from a PA hill country guy, I've never stepped foot in wetlands but i just wanted to lend some advise...

I can tell you know what you're doing when it comes to scouting. That red area does look ideal for buck bedding. Even though you didn't positively ID a buck bed I would still assume there is buck bedding in that area somewhere. Hunting with a NW,WNW I'd think would give you that off wind to hunt those stand sets you marked while accessing from the south like you show. As far as that possible buck bed on the island. If there is a bed there, its because that buck feels he's got an advantage. A sight/security advantage could trump a wind advantage. you could do a few observation sits any time now and see what's happening. But don't feel like the bed won't work because the wind is normally west and you'd think he'd only use it on an east. I can 100% tell you from experience in the PA hills I used to disregard bedding areas on my local game lands because we hardly ever get east winds so I disregarded all my west facing points. In recent years I've changed my thinking. I recently scouted a west facing slope which had thick laurel growing all over it and just found a big buck bed worn to the dirt. From where he beds he has our typical westerly wind in his face. but the cover he has is awesome and you could never get near him. Perhaps the wind and thermals mix created various winds for him to check. But just don't ever disregard a great looking potential bedding area b/c you think the wind would never work. If you think it could be good go scout it on foot and see. Good luck man

[Boogieman1]

I’ve seen many cases where the lay of the land and predicted wind direction makes things appear as if it’s the upwind side. Yet when u start letting the milk weed fly u see a different situation as it swirls and rolls back around the other ridge. Not saying that’s your scenario. But I 100% believe a deer doesn’t really trust its eyes or ears. But it’s nose is there lively hood and a older deer buck or doe knows how to get the advantage.