Does he try to leave with the wind in his face? A cross-wind? The wind at his back? Is there any consensus on this or general pattern or does it just seem random? I'm thinking about how to approach afternoon sits.

Depends on if he wakes up on the wrong side of the bed lol...

I'd think the wind in his favor is going to be the most likely. But his pattern can change quickly if there's too much pressure in the area. Rut will also change his pattern.

ive watched them get up, and move 20 feet and plop back down when the wind shifts. So I am sure they have some plan, I just don't know what it is.

My guess is he walks in the direction he smells food or pu**y.

The older they get, the more I catch them with wind to their butts. Big boar hogs too.

I almost think the travel downwind until the concentration of human smell dissipates enough they feel safe, I don’t know if this is what big cats and bears do too?

Or opposite of a hunter lol

Away from any danger he smells, hears or sees. I've jumped several that went into the water or jumped off a bank to avoid me. Every situation is different.

Usually running like his hair is on fire.

I’ve watched mature big game animals all over the place more often than not walk right over bait and lures to get gone during daylight hours. I believe at 5 years old they put human avoidance above all other factors.

I think the oldest bucks stay super close to their beds until complete darkness, like less than 100 yards. One of the bucks i killed this year, got out of his bed 45 minutes before dark and came into the feed on a big white oak. The white oak was surrounded by super thick stuff and i figure if i hadnt killed him when i did, hed of hung around close in the thicket until dark.

This^

On his feet 😁

Ok maybe I need to be more specific with the parameters. You know where he beds and on what wind he beds there. You wanna sneak into within 150ish yds of that and kill him before dark. Not jump him, not have him wind you etc. Is there any info, article, experiences you've had that lead you to think he leaves the bedding area in a certain direction.

True. You gotta be in his bedroom before daylight to kill him before he lies down, at least with regards to morning sits outside of rut activity.

in hilly country they will travel downwind with does in front of them....eyes in front nose to rear.

If you believe Dan Infalt, it's going to be directly towards either food or does (depending on the time of year)... and wind doesn't matter.

The ones I witnessed usually sit up then scratch their junk before moving on...

How does a spike go about scratching his balls?

The badass sumbitches I kill have the 8 and 10pts in the area come over and scratch them for em...