I have an old farmer friend with the same ailment.  He says the udder balm is doing no good.  I've had a couple nurses tell me the only thing that will help him out is to put vaseline in the fingers of white cotton gloves, then wear those to bed.  He's too proud and manly to try that- so far anyway.  Give her whirl if you fancy.
Dave

If my hands get bad, I use Udder Cream at night and put on a pair of latex gloves before bed.  Uncomfortable, but it sure works.  I also will wear latex gloves outside in colder weather, under my work gloves.  Keeps hands from drying out and warmer, too (evaporation is a heat removing process).  If you can get used to wearing the latex gloves, they sure help. I often need to wear them at my new job, so I had to get get used to working with them.  I haven't tried shooting with them on, though.

Bag Balm and Corn Huskers lotion.  Bag Balm at bedtime...Corn Huskers several times during the day.  Corn Huskers will rub in and not be greasy!

It sounds like is eczema (Dry skin) Normal skin lotions only hydrate the top layers. You need to get further down. Try Desoximetasone 0.25% twice a day (prescription) Lac-Hydrin Five (Over the counter) twice a day.

Barney, I noticed you are a home builder. I am a carpenter, when I do a lot of sheetrock work is when my fingers crack the most. Usually Carmex does it for me. Good luck on finding a solution.

My doctor told me to get a toilet bowl wax ring from the hardware store and coat my hands with some of that,rubbing it in.It seals things realy well and gives some relief.Whatever you use,make sure you coat them before bedtime.I used to have problems with the soles of my feet cracking when out for long periods of time walking in severe winter weather.Coating my soles at night with vaseline and wearing socks to bed,usually was all I needed.

I Have had the same problem all fall. Super Glue does the job.

Barney once you get them healed up prevention is the answer , so use a good lotion before they get to that shape. My heels crack every winter unless I keep lotion on them. Just can't walk across the hardwoods with lotion on your feet.I work out in the weather and have to keep my hands lotioned 5-6 times a day to keep them in decent shape.

Jack

bag balm

Another user of SUPER GLUE here.  It serves as an artificial scab and is also an antiseptic.  I used to be a mail carrier and nothing kept the cracks from occurring through the winter.  Bag balm helps, but I still have to get the super glue out.

I have the same problems. Lotion 3-6 times a day and then use Vaseline at night and cover them with latex gloves.

you can also get vitamine E capsules and open the and put the oil on your hands,pr look in the baby isle at the store foe "A&D  OINTMENT" have used it fir years in the nursing homes where I was a nurse and still use it where I work now,also eucerine cream is good too.Hope this helps It works for me and I was my hands 100+ times a day.
David

This is going to sound goofy but take black pepper and pack it in the cracks and put a
band-aid around them at night before you go to bed.It works,heals the cracks.Use the lotions or creams to help keep them from coming back.

Martex Men's Hand Cream. I found it at the local Farm and Fleet. I looked for a website but they have none. I think they also make veterinarian supplies. Best stuff I have found. Also Chapstick is good for putting into a current crack. But for most cracks, it's Super Glue.

I'll go along with ronp on this one. Use udder cream. Wal MArt carries it. When it gets bad put it on and then put on surgical gloves on your hands during the day even or when your shooting. My fingertips got really bad when I lived in Alaska because its like an Arctic Desert, Cold and very dry. That was my remedy and it worked. I did this and also at night put neosporin on the cracks. It healed them right up. put that uddder cream on your hands about 5 times a day after your cracks heal up so they won't come back. Thats my .02 cents worth. Hope this helps.

Another fan of gluing the would shut with Newskin/superglue. wearing gloves with cream helps, but I think the fact you get the hands to sweat in the winter time helps the most the sweat pulls oils from the inside out which causes healing very quick.

I notice that every time I treat my leather hunting boots with Obenauf's Heavy duty leather preservative that my hands got much better. You apply it with your hands, body heat melts it.

I've just started treating my boots more often and my hands haven't had any problems.

http://www.obenaufs.com/product_info.php?cPath=33&products_id=11&osCsid=2a2a9247cf2610b774d903be298b806c

Alot of new ideas, thanks to all.    I'll keep trying till something works.

Also, wear rubber gloves when handling solvents etc., and switch to a "Chick" soap like Dove for a while.

Lost Arraw reminded me of something. Last couple of years I have built sinewed bows in the Winter. The hide glue done wonders for my hands. Kinda makes sense when you think about it.