It SNOWED!!!!

[bamaranger]

Peak of the deer rut in my area, and it has SNOWED, big time for the deep south 8-9 inches in our location.

Bamaboy missed a doe w/ .243 in a quickie hunt just before the storm, poor guy, had we been just a few minutes earlier, we could been more set up and I know he would have made the shot, but..........he had to improvise w/ a field rest and did not connect.

I am going to resume hunting, but am not sure how what is a heavy snow for us will effect my deer patterns. I suspect they will hunker down for a few days in cover till they get over the surprise. I figure the bucks will move, and hope to bow hunt a funnel tomorrow AM close to home. Its been YEARS (like 20) since I hunted in any real snow.

Welcome any comments on heavy snow, hunts and the rut. We are relying on food plots due to a mast failure, and now the plots are buried. The travel corridors for wandering bucks should still be good, yes? That's my logic anyhow.

[BIG P]

Hey BAMARANGER I was out today also in n.GA hog hunting. We got the heavy snow also 8'' anyway I was cutting through the thick pines toward the food plots jumped 6 bucks & 2 doe off the bed about 10.30,they had been there a while because there was no snow in the bed.They were only 40 yards off the food plots,but our deer season went out the first.caught up with the hogs 2 hrs. later about 600 yrds. up the hill in the same set of pines.All the game I seen were in the thermals of the pines.dont know if that helps but there it is good luck it was in the teens when I came out.Oh yea they were still on the late season travel pattern.

[hooligan1]

I would hunt them even harder, stay out there, because even the trickiest old bucks stand out like a sore thumb in the snow, and your chances of connecting with bonus critters go up signifcantly!! Happy huntin Ranger Man.

[DiscoRacing]

Ya poor ole fella...

... now ya see what the northern hunters get every year.

[sc928porsche]

Ive always enjoyed hunting after a snow storm or during a light one. The game is much easier to spot, definately easier to track, and if it is a light snow at the time, the game will tend to hole up in thickets and other cover instead of being out and on the move.

[Gbro]

We do not always get snow early in season here, but had snow 1/2 way through second weekend.
We always get exited with a fresh snow as the tracking is so easy.
However I can remember many times when it would be a couple days sometimes befor the deer realy started to move after a heavy snow, but for sure their activity is always more active just before.

... now ya see what the northern hunters get every year.

Or hope for until we get too much.

[.284]

Stay on your food plots, they'll paw'em up. I'm from Michigan and when the snow hits up here, deer don't wander too far from known food sources.

[cnimrod]

Up here they are herded up in the thick stuff - counted 34 in an hour long hike in my back woods yesterday. no antlers that I could see (some still have em)
Have to wait till the wknd to get out hunting. you're right it's fun!

[bamaranger]

I got my first hunt in today after the big snow. Ended up bowhunting on public land close to home on a neck of cover that connects two larger pieces.
I had seen a nice 6pt there last hunt before the snow, but he "cut the corner" and came in down wind and I did not have a chance.

Did not see any deer. But deer sign was plenty evident. A new scrape had opened, visible from the tree I'm climbing, on the trail I'm watching. Also, there were considerable tracks out in the weedy cutover, which I suspect are being made at best in twilight and likely at night. All in all, I'd say the patterns have changed very little.

The site is wind specific and I will only hunt it when the wind is just so. There are 4 days of gun hunts coming, but also some more bad weather also (rain), I'm hoping the buck will survive and I'll get another chance at him.

Oh yeah, it was 15 when I left the house this AM. I hunted 3 hrs.

[BIG P]

Good luck that 15 degree stuff is hard to take

[Deerhunter]

I find that (in PA) the deer will get up and move early before a snow. Even after they start getting pressure from the season. If there is snow coming late in the afternoon or over night the deer are up moving early. They also like to go bed up through the storm. Then (if it snows a good bit) they will be up moving once it stops.

I like to do a real slow stalk into the wind and sun at my back. When the white stuff is on the ground it reflects the sun and makes it hard for you to see walking into it, same for the deer looking into towards you. Stalk real slow, and with it being white the deer will show up better also.

They likely wont change their travel patterns too much. They will change when they get up and move based on snow. DISCLAIMER...this is just what I have experienced in the places that I hunt

[markj]

Hunting in the snow makes things easier. Hard to hide a track in snow, blood sign lites up. We love the stuff snow sleds go over 100 mph now and that can be a fun all its own.

[Cowboy_mo]

Ditto on the easy tracking & shiny blood trails in the snow.

Unfortunately we almost never get snow during our gun seasons in Missouri

[Gbro]

Oh yeah, it was 15 when I left the house this AM. I hunted 3 hrs.

It was almost 15F (12.5F) this morning. We call that Balmy this time of the year.
But I do sympathize with you all as that is Burrr Cold until you get a few -20 somethings behind you. 5-6 years ago we had -17F on opening day in November and that was very harsh. Not many of us spent much time hunting unless the propane tank was along.
Good luck and stay warm.
A bunch of years back a couple (identical twins) hunting buddy's bought new 700 Remington's
and both had opportunity's during that cold season but the rifles would not fire. The lube was so stiff that the striker would not snap down, but just slowly slide to the fired position. These twin rifles caused those twin hunters a double bad day.

[bamaranger]

bro,

That is why I do not live in MN or any other place better suited to polar bears and penguins. You folks are just plain tougher than me, I concede.

Fifteen is plenty cold enough for me, and especially here. Back to OP, deer are moving. Saw a pair of scrub bucks running a doe while at work this AM.
Fresh scrapes are opening at many locations.

I will get to hunt tomorrow PM after work. No fixed plan, yet, as I have not gotten a report on wind.

Keep ya posted.

[markj]

Got a text from my nephew, he just returned from Afgan, he is in San Diego told me they was headed to the beach they were here over Christmas then left for his last months in before his discharge. We got snow and cold. Was a 3 dog night here last couple, I for one would welcome the warmer weather you guys get.

[Gbro]

If I ever get depressed because of it being cold, like the winter of '97 when it hit -50F while I was working night shift servicing equipment in the iron ore mine, and stayed -30 for 8-9 day all I have to do is think about those long crawling things with teeth and the cold just magically, "Matters NOT", so;

You folks are just plain tougher than me, I concede.

It is "Not even close", and I will Concede to you tough southerners.
Before you loose all that neat white stuff, put a pile in front of your regular backstop and fire a few rounds through it.(I do this with handguns) It dose not take to much of a pile to stop a bullet and they will be laying on the ground when the pile melts with no damage.

[bamaranger]

The white stuff has lasted a week, and is still there on some sheltered and northern slopes. It gave an interesting window on deer travel patterns and after about 12-16 hours, seemed not to effect deer movement a bit.

Deer kill on the local WMA went up, the rut is further along, and all the shooters could no doubt see deer considerably better in the snow.

I have located a second spot to hunt on leased land and will likely dust off a carbine to do it. Not enough lanes and openings to thread an arrow w/o major clearing, which I do not want to do. Figure I can thread a bullet more easily 30-40 yds in either direction.

Bamaboy and I have made 2 hunts on a ROW just down the road, him w/ .243 and me as a coach and spotter, and have seen deer every trip, including a nice racked buck which he spotted first, but at a distance (300 plus) which I was not willing to let him try. And, he passed a shot tonight on does, due to bad light and possible obstructions (limbs). Proud of the guy, and I feel we'll get him one yet.

Two weeks left in the season, snow going fast. thanks for all replies.

Oh yeah, Gbro, the revolts long over, we're comrades and brothers now for what looks like several reasons.

[jake556]

Snow is tough to hunt in fair weather hunter? I think so

[markj]

Two weeks left in the season

Our first shotgun is a Saturday to Wensday, then the next shotgun is a saturday to next sunday. Rut was over months ago here.