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Blizzard Hunting

My experience is more of a warning. It is crazy easy to get lost or walk in big circles. This was way before onx or smart phones. There were cell phones but not smart phones, i.e. no apps period.

Just check whatever gps app you use frequently, and make sure you got some supplies in case something happens. At the very least carry something to start a fire.

I would still go, and actually a little jealous, but I would play on the paranoid side while in the woods.
 
I'm going to tac-on here. Not like you guys in NY but snowing and more coming here in W MI, thankfully!

How early is too early to setup in these conditions? I've got a spot I'd like to get in early, there's good sign if I can catch him... I can shoot at 7 or so. If I'm in my tree at like 5:45 is that crazy? Supposed to be fairly to pretty cold. Pretty sure I got busted waking in in the leaves last week, haven't been back in since
 
It actually has worsened substantially.
I did a real quick sit in Ashtabula county OH this evening. In an hour I had 3+ inches accumulate where I stood at the base of the tree (and on me).

They'll almost be right on top of you before you see them in those conditions.
 
There are places to the northwest of me with reports of 4-5 feet of snow!! For the first time ever since I began hunting my buddy and I are seriously contemplating not going out in the morning and waiting until it subsides a little.
 
There are places to the northwest of me with reports of 4-5 feet of snow!! For the first time ever since I began hunting my buddy and I are seriously contemplating not going out in the morning and waiting until it subsides a little.

With driving bans in the region unlikely to be lifted before sunrise, some of us gonna miss out too.
 
Hey @woodsdog2 and @Plebe , could you come inform west Michigan that we've got it easy?

Glad you're well equipped for it, or I hope y'all are! Happy hunting if you choose or get to get out!
 
Hey @woodsdog2 and @Plebe , could you come inform west Michigan that we've got it easy?

Glad you're well equipped for it, or I hope y'all are! Happy hunting if you choose or get to get out!

I was in TC when they had the devastating October storm in WNY. It was pretty much the same weather in TC but without the population density. I actually shot a buck as the storm struck. It started to snow so hard I didn't wait at all, and climbed down to take up the search. It was two days looking to find my buck, maybe 50yds at most from where I shot him. My bootprints were frozen in the snow mere feet from the buck, but I couldn't see him the snow fell so heavy so fast.
 
I did a real quick sit in Ashtabula county OH this evening. In an hour I had 3+ inches accumulate where I stood at the base of the tree (and on me).

They'll almost be right on top of you before you see them in those conditions.

There was point last evening where the snow picked up suddenly and I couldn't tell if I was snow blowing the driveway or onto the lawn or which direction the house was. At first I thought the wind picked up and it was blowing/drifting snow, but it was in fact just an all out snowfall.

Sometimes it's not just the deer that have survival challenges when hunting. Nature is a powerful beast, but beautiful. It was exceptionally peaceful last night.
 
There was point last evening where the snow picked up suddenly and I couldn't tell if I was snow blowing the driveway or onto the lawn or which direction the house was. At first I thought the wind picked up and it was blowing/drifting snow, but it was in fact just an all out snowfall.

Sometimes it's not just the deer that have survival challenges when hunting. Nature is a powerful beast, but beautiful. It was exceptionally peaceful last night.
Yeah it finally got past sunset and even though I had my tracks to follow out (some places not so much) prudence dictated I should probably get down and head out with a little light. I've gotten twisted up in heavy lake effect blizzards before in mid-day light, dark adds a whole new twist.

A few years ago when 7 feet (yes, that is a correct number) got dumped on the Erie PA area in a day, I experienced that directly. I'd rather deal with that than hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes and wildfires though.

Good luck to all you NY folks out and about.
 
Western NY is getting 3-6 feet of snow for our gun opener on Saturday. Winds expecting 15-20 mph. Anyone have any experience hunting with that much snow coming down? What do you it's going to do for the deer activity?
Two years ago in OH I got literally frozen into my saddle during a 3-4’ accumulation. My carabiners and ropes were frozen in place and ice covered my tree sticks. I saw a possum, a coyote, and a feral cat that day. A group of does huddled a couple hundo from my tree but they were not moving even for the second coming in that mess. The next day, less snow and more sun; the deer were moving (slowly) to make up for lost calories, saw a good buck and several hungry does.
My point: I would personally bank on hunting the front/rear of that big storm, for my own safety and because the deer may be just as uninterested in moving through that mess as the rest of us.
 
Are you out @Plebe ?

Snowblowing again. A bit of shoveling down the road to help someone out. Hunting, nope. Subject to the driving ban.

I did see three deer while I was walking down the road. They were hanging low, in a pine thicket/swamp. The first two were on the move and in my minds eye I imagined it was a buck chasing a doe, but it was probably two does working hard to traverse the snow. I don't hunt around the house, but enjoy seeing them and it was particularly nice given the circumstances. On the one hand I'm hoping to get out and kill a nice buck, on the other it's good to see deer alive and well after this crazy storm.

Not sure where things will stand for tomorrow. Possibly we're on for another 2.5 feet overnight.
 
Two years ago in OH I got literally frozen into my saddle during a 3-4’ accumulation. My carabiners and ropes were frozen in place and ice covered my tree sticks. I saw a possum, a coyote, and a feral cat that day. A group of does huddled a couple hundo from my tree but they were not moving even for the second coming in that mess. The next day, less snow and more sun; the deer were moving (slowly) to make up for lost calories, saw a good buck and several hungry does.
My point: I would personally bank on hunting the front/rear of that big storm, for my own safety and because the deer may be just as uninterested in moving through that mess as the rest of us.

Yep. My plan was to drive and hunt one spot I like that was't in the path of the storm. But that wasn't possible.

I love your story, I've had a few hunts like that. A cat actually cost me a buck once, not too fond of them now. But there's a local legend about a cat that brought one hunter great fortune. I probably shouldn't tell that one...it convinced me that cats must really have 9 lives.
 
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