How do you hunt deer in the late season with 12" of snow?!

VA Elite · January 24, 2016, 10:08:00 AM

I have cabin fever and we have about 12" of snow on the ground. This is not normal for my part of VA. We do however have a late doe season here and I am debating going out. I have never bowhunted in this much snow. Will these deer be freaked out and bed for most of the day and only move a little distance or will they be frolicking about looking for food. You guys up north will laugh at this, but down here, we just do not see this often.

BWallace10327 · January 24, 2016, 10:31:00 AM

I pray for 12" of snow during a hunting season... Best of luck to you. I am glad I filled my tag in December. I saw some deer out back last week towards the end of the late doe season and they were wading through 36"+ of snow. That is so out of the ordinary that I think my concerns would have been similar to yours, had I been trying to hunt.

ChuckC · January 24, 2016, 10:38:00 AM

Well, snow can certainly help you see where they are moving at the present time. They will likely bed out the storm, but they need to eat as much as they can during the winter. Deep snow or crusted snow cuts their options. Winter often sees them bedding out of the wind if possible, and on south facing slopes if possible. Getting whatever warmth they can.

Find some good trails and sit downwind.

12" of snow will NOT keep the deer from moving around. When you start getting multiple feet of snow, it causes issues, that they deal with in different ways in different places, from migration, to yarding, to, well, not making it.

ChuckC

damascusdave · January 24, 2016, 10:42:00 AM

I have a feeling your deer will adapt to the situation rather quickly...fresh snow is a great way to monitor deer travel patterns from the tracks...at the very least treat it as a new learning opportunity...one other thing to try you might never consider otherwise is still hunting...with that much snow you ought to be able to move very quietly and it is far easier to stay warmer when you are moving

DDave

VA Elite · January 24, 2016, 10:44:00 AM

the storm has passed and the sun is out. It snowed for two days straight. Yesterdays' winds were 30+ mph all day and into the night. It's calm now. I hope to get this evening.

9 Shocks · January 24, 2016, 10:46:00 AM

South facing slopes and cedars thickets. That's where I look late season. Places I know they will bed. If there is a south facing slope with cedars next to standing beans, then that is a guaranteed deer pit!

Iowabowhunter · January 24, 2016, 10:49:00 AM

Very easy stalking/still hunting conditions. Get on a fresh track, move slowly and keep your eyes peeled.

Make sure to wear your gaiters if you have some!

January 24, 2016, 10:55:00 AM

I can't answer your question. We have not had 12" of snow in the last 30yrs combined!!!!

Good luck!

Bisch

ALDO · January 24, 2016, 11:01:00 AM

VA Elite,
I travelled from Midlothian on Thursday to NJ just for this weekend. Killed a doe Friday morning, sat out the storm yesterday, hunting again tomorrow. Coming back to VA on Tuesday. Hope you get out I love hunting in this stuff. I would like to find a better place to hunt down in VA if you are interested in getting together let me know. I have only been in VA 2 years and have not managed to kill on there yet.
ALDO

Jack Denbow · January 24, 2016, 11:10:00 AM

Landon hunt them where they feed. We had 40" the last 2 days and last night after it stopped they were all over the driveway and even up on the front porch. Get out and look for a lot of tracks, they will be back if there something to feed on.
Jack

VA Elite · January 24, 2016, 11:17:00 AM

Good advice . If I can get out I will just walk until I find lots of tracks and then try to figure something out. I may not get out though, kids want to go sledding, they don't get this chance very often and I wouldn't mind doing a little sledding myself!! we'll see. thanks for the tips

jsweka · January 24, 2016, 11:18:00 AM

Dawn the snow camo, head out, go slow and you'll be amazed at how close you can get to them.

fisherick · January 24, 2016, 11:36:00 AM

12" snow is excellent for deer hunting. During the snowstorm and windy conditions they will hold up in thick pine/cedar woods bedding and browsing. When the sun comes out look at south facing slopes/ hardwoods. Spot and stalk hunting is great in snow unless it is crunchy, then take a stand in there normal patterns.

Ron LaClair · January 24, 2016, 11:55:00 AM

Time to break out the ShrewShoes

JMR · January 24, 2016, 12:00:00 PM

Snow is awesome! Look for food sources and pine thickets. They will bed in the pines where there isn't as much snow and head for food before dark. Good luck!

VA Elite · January 24, 2016, 04:21:00 PM

Well I didn't make it out..this old boy from down here does not know how to drive in this stuff and I got stuck...took a few hours and come-along but she came out...maybe tomorrow!

Killdeer · January 24, 2016, 04:38:00 PM

Four wheel drive, high ground clearance, and drive gently.
Be meek.

Killdeer

VA Elite · January 24, 2016, 05:20:00 PM

or just stay home...lol

bucknut · January 24, 2016, 05:26:00 PM

If you would have been on a food source just on the cusp of the storm you probably been amazed at the deer movement. However it isn't bad on the tail side either. Find the food = Find the deer!

LostNation_Larry · January 24, 2016, 09:34:00 PM

Interestingly we've noticed around here that deer like taking the easy route. If you walk a trail through the snow where deer are prone to travel, they will probably start using your trail because it is easier walking that all that fresh stuff. I had a nursery where they let me hunt rabbits, but then asked me not to come back because it encouraged the deer to use my foot prints. Oh well.