Let It Snow

Most deer hunters don’t like the phrase “let it snow.”  For many hunters, this is the signal that the hunting season is coming to a close for them.  But for those who are willing to bear the cold and snow, some of the best hunting of the year can be theirs for the taking.  Most of my hunting has been late season of the past few years since I have to put school work first every once and a while.  I’ve had some amazing hunts this time of year and some of the benefits of the snow can make the cold worth it.

What’s good about the snow is the visibility.  When you’re in the tree stand, you can see those deer coming from much further away if you’re really on the watch for movement.  The drawback to this increased visibility is that the deer can see better too.  We all know how calm the woods can be with no wind and a new snow on the ground.  If you’re doing jumping jacks in the tree, or just moving in general, those deer are going to see that movement from a long way away.

Another good part of the snow is the tracks.  If you’re hunting near the end of the season with snow on the ground, those deer tracks can tell you where to be if you’ve had a rough season.  I know I’ve said that you can’t trust tracks, and it’s true.  But these tracks are fresh.  You can bet that if the deer are funneling through a spot regularly on fresh snow then they’ll be back.  The reason you still can’t trust them completely is because they may have been through their regularly, but it could be happening at night and that isn’t going to do you any good.

You can make it big hunting it out through the snow.  The challenge with the snow is the cold.  The deer are still on the move and all they want to do is keep on eating.  The food is the key.  They want to eat, they need to eat, and you want them to think that way.  This way, the deer are at least a little more predictable in their movements and the snow only encourages them to find what they need buried in the snow.