Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Snow question

Hey all,

Forecasted to be snowing in northern MN next weekend (rifle opener). I just started hunting a few years ago and haven't experienced a hunt in the snowfall yet. I do know that snow on the ground will be good since it helps absorb sound and increases the visibility of deer (provides that great contrast)... But if it's actively snowing while I'm out in my stand, are the deer likely to be less active / bedded down? If it were rain, I'd imagine that's the case. Snow's a bit different though.

Appreciate any shared experiences

Matt

I'm not from that part of the country, but my experience is that when snowing, deer are often still wandering around. Wind is what often will get them to bed, or at least be in more predictable places (ie leeward sides of hills).

There are no hardfast rules though. Deer are where you find them and when they are there.

Hope this helps.

It depends on how hard it's snowing. next weekend I don't think it is supposed to do much more than flurries, so it would be normal, hunting wise.

It seems like the deer come out and "play" in the first snow that sticks to the ground. Much like a dog does when you let him out.

Even a dusting will help you see them better.

I have had some of my best days hunting,when it is snowing.I have had very good luck stalking, when it is snowing.Of course,where I hunt,espcially in blackpowder season,it snows almost every year.

A light skiff of snow is helpful. A full on blizzard will slow down movement, but not stop it, and you will be able to get closer to the deer when you do find them.

My experiency hunting in heavy snowing conditions is that deer do move. Snow doesn't change the fact that Hormones are working overtime during the rutting season.

Snow is good for seeing to a point. But if it gets exceptionally heavy the snow sticks to the brush and the branches and the long grass and you have a devil of a time seeing anything, especially with a scope. For me, thats when the good old 30-30 Model 94 comes out.

It really depends on the wind. A gentle vertical snowfall won't keep the deer bedded down, but a windy day will.

Don't count on that. Often snow is VERY noise. New wet snow crunches and frozen snow CRUNCHES.

WIMN--- No matter what anyone tells you about deer activity -- whether it's the time a day , wind, sunshine, rain, snow, full moon , no moon, 1/4 phase, or eating habits there are no set rules on deer hunting-- Being in the woods is what counts. Yes there are times when you may see activity drop off , but that's not always true--- No set rules. Web

If it's snowing - I'm in the stand.

In the woods, an not on azz on couch

Make sure you have a compass with you, easy to get disorientated with it snowing. Other that keeping dry and warm there is not a whole lot different. Scope covers and maybe some Blue tape on the muzzle of your rifle. I has to be Blue its a 24 hour Campfire thing. Use black or some other color and you might not fill your tag.

Snow can get em moving. Browsing hours can extend into daylight hours for nocturnal deer when the snow starts flying.

Dead deer slide like heck on white snow.

Blood tracking, seeing...

Everything is good.

Come on snow!!!

I know it crunches, but when it blankets the ground it absorbs sounds that are produced. i.e. sound doesn't travel as far


Thanks for all the advice everybody... Gonna be practicing shooting my bolt action .22 every day this week. Then before I head north on Friday shoot the .06 a few times to make sure I didn't bump the scope or something after sight in. (It's a new Model 70 and the bolt is a bit stiff, so I've been operating it while watching tv with periodic cleaning and oiling. Possible that scope may have gotten bumped a bit during the process.)

Sound waves that hit the snow are absorbed. Waves in the air aren't. Ol' Radar Ears will hear you coming.

There's all kinds a snow fellers.

I like the silent snow for still hunting, take a walk with a carbine lever through the sneaky pines, cedars... big fluffy gobs of snow falling like goose down from a pillow. Your feet wade through it the height of a 9" boot. Silent, we're talking north woods ninja silent. Of course the deer are silent too, so it's a vision game. Walk a bit, stop and crouch or kneel.. scan through the timber below branch level, looking for movement, an ear twitch, a leg, a tail... creep along further and stop again...

The deer tracks are just drag marks through this snow, actual tracks don't press in well and if they do they are covered partially by loose lofty snow falling into the tracks.

I love that kind of snow.

Wet pack snow, it compresses and sticks as a footprint under your boots. It releases clean from your boot tread for the most part but partial boot print molds carry loose from the ground and release laying out of their tracks behind you as you walk. Same for deer, elk, moose tracks. They compress clean and leave perfectly molded tracks, occasionally sticking to the animal's feet and flipping over to the side where it lay like a hoof mold that you can pick up with your hand.

This snow makes a distinct sound as you walk, like squeezing a snowball in your hand.

Crusted snow, this is a contender for loudest snow. It's crunchy because it did a partial daytime thaw/settle that fused a crust on the surface as it froze hard again overnight. It's freaking crunchy, that's all there is to it.

Hateful for walking to the stand in, but nice for hearing deer movement. Get someplace and sit still for as long as you can with this snow. Your only hope is to catch one moving through that wasn't in earshot to hear you crunch your way out to your spot.

Fifteen below zero snow. Nothing sounds like sub zero snow except for sub zero snow. It may be a tie with crunchy snow for noise, possibly worse. It kind of squeaks when you walk on it, like the snow is screaming under your feet. And the sound carries like crazy when it's cold enough to make the snow squeak under your feet. Deer tracks show up well in squeeky snow.



Those are the basics of hunting snow conditions. Sticky snow is best for dragging deer but any snow is better than no snow in that respect.

Crunchy snow is best for blood tracking, fluffy snow is best for sneaking.

Squeaky snow.... Well, calls and rattling do well with this because sound really carries. Deer drag well, blood track well... But all this being said... if it squeaks it means it's cold as hell so you can only sit in it for so long without freezing out, your hands freeze quickly in it field dressing a deer, it's noisy as hell.... Squeaky snow is hardcore stuff. If you find yourself out hunting in that stuff and you do well with it, then you have some bad ass'edness to catalog in your personal confidence library.

ND may be a goofy sucker, but that is some good advise to the noobies looking for snow hunting tips.

Snow sucks for hunting period.

Is that squeeky snow when you plunge your hands, arms and knife in it to clean up and the blood/lard from the animal creates a mess?

Squeaky snow is just some bad chit plain and simple.

careful where you set your knife while dressing out a deer in the fluffy snow.

Actually scratch that... don't even bother trying. if you are field dressing a deer in the fluffy snow your knife will fall into the deep fluffy snow no matter what the hell you do. You WILL be digging around in 8 to 10 inches of fluff grabbing for a sharp knife with cold fingers, it's a given.