Love Cold Weather Hunting

[neonomad]

@CZMark I also have Raynauds which isn’t getting any better as the years go by. Sometimes my right pinky toe goes numb quick.

Running more cameras past five-ish years I prolly see more daylight opportunities on deer in December than I do in November on cams, especially that mid month second rut period in Ohio. For me it’s a nice combination of local bucks not roaming as far but still chasing the occasional doe.

 

[Exhumis]

Some of my favorite hunts have been when it was snowing. Hanging off the side of the tree, set my heated vest on high, situated my bibs just so, nestled my head down into my jacket collar, close my eyes and just listen to the sound of the snow falling. So peaceful.

 

[gcr0003]

We got snow I think the day or two after Christmas (rare in the south) last year and it got cold (for the south). I think it was 9 with the wind chill and I was feeling every bit of it. I had my ski bibs on and hand warmers in the boots. It got so cold that when I dropped my gloves my hands were so stiff after a couple minutes I aknots wasn’t able to manage my rope to rappel down.

An area I hunt ruts around Christmas and it was soo cool to watch bucks chase does all over the white covered swamp, crashing ice and having tons of fun and leaving tracks everywhere! The following morning with the snow on the ice I noted watching a hare trot off leaving its tracks, soon tailed by a coyote, and a mink that was jumping around seemingly having fun in the snow also.

It is really something special to hunt in the snow. I wouldn’t want to fight the cold like y’all but every now and again a taste is nice. Being able to follow deer tracks is too cool.

 

[Seekbigger]

Snow and cold weather is my favorite combination especially if we get a long cold snap with good snow cover because the deer become more predictable on natural winter food sources or corn piles. Also enjoy the enhanced visibility of seeing the brown ones in the white background! Don’t fret the cold at all anymore since I bought the Iwom XT last year, absolutely the best purchase I have ever made for cold, wet and windy conditions! I hunted last year from my saddle, in 0 degree weather with -25 windchill for two days and was completely comfortable. For the guys who can’t stand the cold you truly need to consider one! Didn’t bag a buck but I did put some meat on the table during that cold snap!

 

[DroptineKrazy]

By the way, tomorrow morning should be a good morning and we’re definitely getting some snowfall. Unfortunately I can’t go out in the am as I have to take an elderly family member to a dr’s appointment. I do plan on getting out in the afternoon however.

You need to train them family members of yours better so that they work around your hunting schedule. lol.

 

[BTaylor]

Think I will keep the snakes and skeeters. Screw being frozen. Had enough of that all the years I chased ducks as much or more than deer.

 

[bigmike23]

Didn't have a single snow hunt this year unfortunately. Bummer

 

[krub6b]

Hunting in the snow is my favorite, it's a rarity anymore here in MO, but it's still the best time to be out

 

[elk yinzer]

Like 2 or 3 days of it at a time aren't miserable, properly equipped. Then I'm good. My drive loses its stamina. My wife is out of patience too.

Some year when the kids are grown I am going to hit it hard and kill a late season buck. That time is not now.

 

[woodsdog2]

Blessed are those that get it done early, grateful are those who do it late!

 

[casts_by_fly]

2" of snow? sure. love it. 28 degrees? I don't mind and can dress for it. Anything over 10 mph wind with all of that? I'm going home.

 

[NATHAN]

Love it AS LONG AS I can stay warm and deer are still moving.

 

[ricky racer]

I enjoy late season hunting more in the big woods of upper Michigan more than farm country in southern Michigan. Down here it always seems to be so windy with all of the open fields.

 

[Still Kicking]

I love winter deer hunting but when it gets into the low 20's I have to go to the ground because I'm not limber enough for climbing with the layers needed for 75 years of adventures.

 

[boyne bowhunter]

I hunt public land in a state without much agriculture. So, there's no "here's the deer num nums to get my weight back up after the rut" areas that I know of to hunt. I see very few deer after rifle season. Like I've hunted 8 days in December and only saw a few does total (one year I remember).

I do like being the only person in the woods though.

Rinella from Meateater said there's different types of fun, and one type is where something was really tough and you enjoy it more looking back on it than when actually doing it. I think hunting in extreme conditions is like that, especially when other people won't do it.

You've just described the areas I hunt in northern Michigan. No Ag, big woods. You have to locate the late season food sources, i.e. snow buried acorns or beechnuts or head for the wintering yards where they'll eat cedar boughs for the rest of the winter.

I’ve grown more fond of it as I’ve gotten older. I don’t mind the 20-30 degree days really, it’s when we get that temp range or lower with a 10+ north wind, I question my sanity then. But the woods are less crowded and the quiet has some sort of serenity that’s just…different.

Part of me likes it but as soon as I read @raisins post I identified with that so maybe I’m just a masochist. I remember the really cold days I stuck it out and how good it felt to gut a deer a couple of those times, both for pride and warmth, and I had some of the most fun I’ve ever had in the woods not shooting a deer last year when it was brutal and I did an all dayer, didn’t see another car let alone person.

Drug a doe damn about 3/4 of a mile through knee deep snow. 18-19 years old and it took me hours, first thing one of the guys at the farm said as I was rolling in was “No way I’d shoot a doe back there, not worth the work.” I like to think he was wrong.

I definitely have gotten more used to (or just don't care anymore) about the effect of cold on my hands/toes as I've gotten older. I've always like the late season but as I've gotten older I have become less bothered by its affect.

I like the snow, as long as the temps don't get to cold and windy. 20-30 degree afternoon with snow and some sun shining is gorgeous. Down state we seem to get a day of cold and snow, than 35 and rain. Which is almost worse.

Do you change anything in your set up when the snow is on the ground? Are you still 1stick climbing? Then rappel? An issues with ice clogging anything?

Still hunting exactly the same as I do on Oct. 1st, just climbing with more/heavier layers in my pack. My first year one sticking I climbed and hung on my rappel rope. I discovered during that season that you can rappel on a frozen rope just fine but coiling it back up to put in the pack doesn't work well. For that reason I climb and hunt on a short tether and leave the rappel rope stored until Its time to get down. It stays dry that way. No icing issues.

The thing I can't really explain is that after walking in I can one stick climb, without gloves, and set my platform in some really frigid temperatures without having any issues with numb hands. However, after the hunt is over setting up to rappel just hooking the rappel rope to the tree will numb my fingers. By the time I've swapped to the Safeguard, pulled my platform and stick and rappel from the tree I pretty much have lost all feeling in my hands.

You are the man! I don't mind hunting in the 20's - 30's, but I'm not fond of hunting when it gets in the teens. Not sure how you guys do it, but I guess you get used to it. I do enjoy when the orange army disappears and it feels like you have the woods to yourself. Temps can get down low here and into the teens, but I'm glad its not normal for my area. I do think advancements in cold weather clothing and gear sure make it more tolerable.

Remarkably I don't use any high tech/high end cold weather clothing. I also don't use the little hand warmer bags. My cold weather hunting clothes are just wool based. I've found I can manage the cold without breaking the bank on high end clothing.

I grew up in WNY near Buffalo and still live and hunt here exclusively, We can get feet of snow in a night due to lake effect squalls and blizzards. To me it’s just a part of hunting season. Do I enjoy freezing? Not really and brutal wind chills are definitely not enjoyable. But a cold crisp morning with a fresh snow and low to moderate winds….. that’s huntin’!

Trust me, living in NW Michigan I understand lake effect snow . . . worse yet, the lake effect rain that we get throughout October. Personally I'll take the lake effect snow every day of the week. The only downside is I can lose access to hunting areas almost overnight. Its not the actual snow depth as much as banks plowed up by the snow plows that prevent access to the back roads. The only other issue to access is a great many of the seasonal back roads and two tracks become groomed snowmobile trails in the winter. Once the groomer starts running they're off limits to wheeled vehicles.

Wow. Sometimes I love late season. Last weekend I sat four hours in the rain in 65 degree temps debating whether or not to fire up the thermacell to combat the occasional mosquito.

I think I saw 3 mosquitos all season. I'll take the snow and cold over the bugs and snakes all day, every day!

 

[woodsdog2]

Yep a lot of access shut down with heavy snowfall. I love snowshoes for that very purpose! I park on the side of the road and snowshoe in. I realize sometimes you have to be able to drive in a lot further back to access state game lands to begin with but it is a viable option for some reason properties.

 

[boyne bowhunter]

I like it a heck of a lot more now that I've figured out sweat control and gear a bit more so I can stay without losing feeling in my feet and shivering so much I think I'm going to cramp... But I dunno, I'd still take a T-shirt hunt over a late season one most days.

This is the key for me. I walk in and climb even down into the 20's in just a long sleeve T-shirt. If I'm not cold when I start my walk I know I'm going to be sweating by the time I get up the tree. Staying dry is the absolute key to staying warm in cold weather conditions.

 

[boyne bowhunter]

Yep a lot of access shut down with heavy snowfall. I love snowshoes for that very purpose! I park on the side of the road and snowshoe in. I realize sometimes you have to be able to drive in a lot further back to access state game lands to begin with but it is a viable option for some reason properties.

I do that too but I also hate parking on the side of the road, shoulders are narrow and the snowplows unforgiving.

 

[just1776]

There's a beauty to hunting in the cold snowy weather... Unless the wind is blowing! Then I'm out!

 

[woodsdog2]

There's a beauty to hunting in the cold snowy weather... Unless the wind is blowing! Then I'm out!

That’s when the deer are on the lee sides of ridges, ridge spurs and hills out of the wind. It’s surprising but like a different world when you find those out of the winds areas that the deer gravitate to for thermal cover and wind blockers. It’s like a winter wonderland.