As we strive to grow and develop as Whitetail hunters, we begin to take notice of hurdlers and obstacles that play into our successes and failures. We try and think as a Mature whitetail would as far as their needs such as food, water, bedding and mating. We also consider the deer’s senses being sight, sound and the one that comes up time and time again is trying to fool a mature whitetail buck nose. Today we are going to talk about one of my most favorite topics and hopefully this will be tailored to help you be successful in this up-and-coming deer season.
Wind Direction and Ground Blind Placement
Wind direction is of the upmost importance in terms of the topics we're discussing along with food sources, and of course, ground blinds! That’s the who, what and where of special ingredients in hopes to cook up and create a perfect scenario and help to get close enough into bow range to allow yourself to put a perfectly placed shot on a trophy Whitetail!
Depending on where you're located in the country, your predominant wind direction is going to be Vidal in setting up your ground blind location in association to the food plot you’ve spent so much time preparing all pre-season. Predominant wind direction simply means the wind direction that is most consistently blowing in your area. I am going to use my Southwest Missouri home location as an example of wind direction going forward. I continually notice we have a Predominant southwest wind. What this means is, year after year I find myself catering to the nose of a Mature whitetail by setting up on the Northeast Side of the deer’s location on almost all my set ups.
Variables to Consider: Cold Fronts and Rut Phases
However, there are some variables that come into play that we should take into account during the hot summer months long before we make our final decision on the ground blinds location. A couple of the biggest wild card hands that you may be delt is, Cold Fronts and of course the Rut “rut phases”. First one being, as the season progresses and we move from early season to the pre-rut, when scrapes on field edges are regularly being checked and now, we must contend with the primetime peek of the rut! This is when Bucks’ behavior shifts, and travel patterns change making their movement more unpredictable.
The second is when a cold front begins to move into the area. Any opportunity you have you can take advantage of a cold front you must seize the opportunity because it could turn out to be the best hunts of the season. An abrupt drop in cold temperatures tends to get deer up and moving on their feet. When a cold front hits, the wind comes from the northeast and is the opposite of what I see most days when checking the forecast and planning for a hunt. This makes the Southwest wind set ups, much harder to hunt, all because of not planning for a cold front. Having multiple options for different wind directions can save you a world of regret with the temperature drops and the rut begins to happen. Especially when the setups are primarily for early season and warm Southerly winds. Plan for a Long and eventful season and give yourself multiple options NE spots as well as a SW location.
Entry and Exit Considerations
You also should consider your entry and exit points on the property, not allowing your scent to be blown into the food source area. Nine out of Ten times a buck’s nose cannot be fooled; however, it is always best to practice scent control on your clothes, boots and jackets before entering the ground blind. This goes hand in hand while leaving the truck and approaching the blind, not only after you’ve settled in for the hunt. Quick and Quiet routes in and out sounds like a small detail but these tips can make the world of difference. Also give plenty of time to allow any deer remaining in the field to move off in the dark after the hunt ends. This will keep deer from getting spooked and sounding the alarm on your exit route out. If your potential shooter buck hasn’t shown his face before the last light this will ensure you’ve done everything possible to not disturb the area for your next visit to the ground blind.
Scouting and Terrain Analysis
Hopefully you've spent time during the pre-season scouting the surrounding area of the food source and were able to locate some deer trails entering and exiting from the timber line. Backtracking these trails to locate bedding, staging areas, water sources, scrapes, and rub lines will all affect your final decision on where you should be placing your ground blind for your shot opportunity.
Take notice of varying terrain, such as points that extend out from the wood line, end cropping’s, small elevation changes, even the smallest unnoticeable differences in elevation to humans maybe affecting deer movement into the field! You may have to choose a smaller, micro food plot within a larger field, this will also narrow possibilities and help funnel in the deer’s feeding. You may decide on clover, soybean, or another choice of annual perennial depending on your location.
Archery Setup and Shooting Distance
Your skill level as an archer will also determine the distance of where you will need to be set up in conjunction to the entry and exit trails for archery range! Being within 40 yards distance of where you anticipate your target buck to be standing broadside will help increase your chances of being able to make a lethal shot in the heat of the moment. Mature bucks tend to be very cautious and allow the younger deer to enter first and are one of the last deer to show their face in an open field.
The Hunt: Patience and Observation
As the hunt begins and you're sitting within your ground blind, anticipating the sound of the dinner bell and suddenly, you see a train of young deer entering the field! You sit patiently as the night progresses, then a couple of large mature doe step out of the wood line right on the trail you’ve ranged at 40yrds! You begin to get excited because you know where the doe’s lead the bucks are sure to follow. All it will take is the Hit list shooter buck come and do exactly what these Does are doing to be successful. As your eyes are intensely scanning, you catch a bit of movement still within the tree line. BIG BUCK! He’s right in the staging area that you located during your scout and spotted an annual scrape the bucks tend to visit right before entering the food plot.
The light begins to fade, the temperature slowly drops, and the wind begins swirling. But you know you’ve taken every precaution to account for wind direction and have the perfectly placed ground blind. The Does are already in the field and stop eating to raise their heads with their nose up in the air! Your heart stops as you anticipate the dreaded sign before a mature doe begins to Blow! However, with a quick shake of her head and a flick of the tail she lowers her head and continues to feed.
With a sigh of relief, you refocus your attention on the edge of the field line just in time to see the silhouette of a heavy hoofed, large barrel necked buck, emerging from the shadows. You immediately identify the unique characteristics of his tall and wide antlers as the buck you’ve been playing cat and mouse with all summer. His eyes are locked on the does, that are now only 20 yards away. The Mature Shooter Bucks begins to walk down the trail, closing the distance into bow range. You calm your mind and go to full draw…
Planning for a Successful Season
How the story ends now up to you, this is the way we should look at the start of every season and why we spend countless hours doing everything, we can be successful. By being mindful of the predominant wind direction and planning for multiple wind directions during different times and conditions of the season will help you potentially punch your tag on a Monster buck this season. Remember we will never 100% be able to fool a whitetail’s nose, but we only need to allow ourselves enough time and opportunity to be successful.