Man I love hunting in the snow.

[Sidney Smith]

Took the GPR out this evening to one of my local spots. Since it's on a northern facing hill, I figured thered still be a little snow there. I was right. I wore my new snow camo and settled into my spot. I love being able to see further into the nooks and crannies. I spotted at least 6 different does. All were too far out of range, but without the snow cover, I'd have never been able to spot them. I watched them all for about a good half hour, milling about in their little hideout. They never did get close enough for a shot, but it was nice to be able to watch them. It's been a pretty dry season, as in I haven't been seeing much deer. This snow definitely had them moving. I even saw a couple foxes. Hoping we get some more snow before the season ends.

 

[jackpine54]

Good luck, hope you get some more snow!

 

[Spikebuck]

I love hunting in the snow as well. I also do a lot of hiking in winter. Just yesterday I did about 5 miles in the snowy woods. It was a gorgeous day to be out....no sub-zero....a balmy 27F! I always carry my binocs and glassing numerous hillsides did finally spot three bedded does. Years ago I'd have found deer on almost every hillside but our numbers are no where near what they once were.

 

[oldwood]

One year here in Pa , the N.C.Mountains during the 1980's , we got a lot of snow over the 2000 Ft. elevation. Four weeks in a row , every Wednesday , we got a blizzard. Between the second blizzard and the third , it became impossible to break trail the mile back in to where the deer were yarded up. Between my hunting buddy and I, we originally had 2 permits each to last until the end of flintlock m/l season. My friend had used his permits early on , but said if I wanted to go out and play in the snow , he wouldn't let me go by myself. My son had a suggestion to defeat the snow , that being , some govt. surplus magnesium snow shoes from a local Army/Navy store. Last day of the flint season , 4 am in the morning , I was reading the instructions and fitting the nylon bindings onto the new shoes. At the gamelands parking lot , it took us 10 minutes to learn how to walk w/the new shoes on our boots. It was amazing to us that you could walk through the woods any direction ON TOP , of the waste deep snow. The magnesium shoes had teeth on the bottom and going up the steep elevation to a high flat was easy. Logs on the forest floor were below the top of the snow , so no hindrance to moving around. We stopped for a snack and refreshment where we could sit and watch for a deer. As we had seen few tracks in the deep snow , we figured no deer would be in our future for today , but ,low and behold about 200 yards across the flat , here came a struggling doe right toward us. She would fall through the crusted deep snow and very steadily lift herself back onto the frozen surface and proceed slowly on. I almost felt sorry for her ,but the taste of her meat caused me to do what had to be done to fill our last tag. Since my buddy had no gun to carry , he carried our .62 Jaeger rifle and I got the honors of pulling our prize the mile and a half back to the truck on top of the snow. Thus ended our last and only snow shoe hunt for deer................oldwood

 

[Lee44ShooterCnB]

 

[CapPopper]

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The french toast people are always prepared lol

 

[Brokennock]

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It's a "white sale."

 

[Christophero]

In December 2004, at the same time the tsunami crushed the shores of Indonesia, SW Ohio was snowed on with a huge, unusual snowfall. When muzzleloader season came in my second son and I tromped out in a large farm to fill a tag. By this point the heavy wet snow had settled to 18" minimum, so the traveling on foot was slow and tiring. I managed to tag out on a nice doe about 1/2 mile from the road. We went back to the house to eat and snag his older brother for assistance to drag her out. Fortunately another strapping teenager was visiting and all 4 of us went back to bring the carcass home. Sure am glad for young strong backs and legs on that task. I broke the trail ahead of them while they pulled the sled.
I, too, enjoy hunting in the snow. Maybe not quite that deep, though.

 

[oldwood]

Since Pa. vast majority of the years had snow for the post Christmas flintlock season , We learned to track deer in the snow. How to.....Find a fresh track in the morning when deer start moving...........Begin tracking very slowly , watching intently ahead. Be patient , patient , patient. Move very slowly allowing your eyes to do see the woods ahead. Head on a swivel. You may start at daylight , and make your kill an hour before dark. I've shot many deer , though not the one I was tracking , by allowing the tracked one to lead me to where the other deer are. Always hunt into the wind , never with the wind. Make no noise , when moving. Deer that are not spooked , sort of by nature ,poke along and feed , and look , The worst debacle to overcome is crusty snow , but again , the patient hunter will do far better than the foolish mover. Use the weather against deer. If the snow is unstable and crusted , wait for a front to come in with high winds. Once hunted here in Pa. when the weather was so bad with 45 mph . and gusting winds. there was a foot of snow , with an ice storm crust on top hard enough to walk on the surface like on a side walk. I watched the group of five deer go up hill looking for a place to lay down. By the time I crept up on them , they had all laid down and curled up with their noses in their tails sleeping. Being greedy , or , selective , whatever , I would try for the lead doe as usually they are the oldest and biggest. To get full view of her I had to get to with in 20 yards of the most down hill ,closest to me , deer in the group. All I could do was sorta silently shuffle my feet forward in the inch of fresh snow on top of the ice. When the biggest , lead deer's body could be seen ,the .62 spoke for the 40 foot shot . Was , no contest , she jumped up , stood there until I reloaded , and shot her in the eye.
One of the strangest deer hunts I was ever blessed to experience. In the middle of the sneaking up to the herd , drama......I had to stare at the closest sleeping deer's eyes , so if the eyes opened , I would have to shoot her instantly. In the early morning and stormy darkness , because a deer's interstitial glands near the eyes , stain the light colored hair around the eyes to the extent , the eyes are invisible when open even in broad daylight. Who knew??? All's well that ends well for the lucky hunter. The adventure was over by noon , and left the afternoon for a warm up stop at the "coffee" shop on the way home. .............oldwood