Mule deer bedding

[Az Rancher]

My grandson killed a buck this year. 4x5. He didn’t bed until 12:30 pm and of all things bedded in a camp sight 30 feet from a 2track rd. He laid down in a bed of rocks 15 feet away from the juniper that was shading him. S emend weird to me !!!!!

 

[CoastalOR]

Does wind play a role in things? Their first line of defense is smell so is a draw with a steady breeze going to be preferred for them? Would a breeze coming from behind them also be favorable to hopefully smell what they can't see?

 

[Grassymike]

Wind absolutely plays a role. Mature bucks always bed with the wind blowing up their backside so they can smell what they can't see.

 

[bowhuntercoop]

Wind absolutely plays a role. Mature bucks always bed with the wind blowing up their backside so they can smell what they can't see.

For whitetails yes, mule deer not so much imo. I feel they use sight based bedding much more. The terrian matters, but I feel like they use rising thermals much more then wind to back bedding.

 

[Grassymike]

Have you hunted in Southern Alberta ? To me rising thermals are part of wind, however they will always bed in a position where scent will warn them on the side their eyes are not covering. Then there are just those massive ears to beat...

 

[bowhuntercoop]

Have you hunted in Southern Alberta ? To me rising thermals are part of wind, however they will always bed in a position where scent will warn them on the side their eyes are not covering. Then there are just those massive ears to beat...

No just the lower 48, normally steep bluf country or high alpine.

Most the times in bluff country they actually can’t bed with wind to back like the traditional whitetail. They often times have a cross wind and are smashed tight to the boulder behind them.

I find most of them bed based on sight and sound, not wind biased like whitetails since they almost never bed in thickets. I’m sure every place is different though.

 

[Grassymike]

Here in prairie country they bed on the lee side of low hills with there eyes covering downwind. Lots of times also at the top end of coulees where mid day thermals allow them to smell what they can't see. Most of my succesful stalks I approach crosswind.

 

[Marble]

For whitetails yes, mule deer not so much imo. I feel they use sight based bedding much more. The terrian matters, but I feel like they use rising thermals much more then wind to back bedding.

That's my experience as well. Most of the time they have been facing the wind. But they also have escape routes in multiple directions.

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[Pafarm]

Like others said they kinda just do whatever. I have had good luck finding deer bedded in mixed timber. Obviously they bed in big lots of it but you can't really glass it.They always like to see and smell what's going on.