Anyone have any deer hunting tips with this deep snow?

[HorizontalHunter]

OH, and while I'm wishing, how come I never never draw a doe permit? So many this year

My license number is cursed isn’t the new system. I have been applying in Zone 8 where you have a 75% chance since we went to the new system. IIRC I have gotten two doe permits since we went to the new system.

Bob

 

[Coyote33]

Good luck Pupchow, I think tomorrow morning will be the day. After Tuesday when the slush freezes up, it will be all over.

I really wish that muzzleloader season was a week in October or early November. I live at 1800' elevation and have only seen 1 year out of 10 that the hills weren't all iced up

OH, and while I'm wishing, how come I never never draw a doe permit? So many this year

Yup, yup, ...

PS- This morning would have been perfect. Damn the Sunday restriction

... aaaand yup!

 

[pupchow]

Putting up the Christmas tree with the grandkids today. The placement of new stand locations is on hold.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

It's a flat area with oaks and beech, with a stand of hemlock nearby. It was absolutely loaded with sign. Tracks all over the place, beds, droppings, signs of feeding. They even have their own private watering hole at an opening in rocks at the base of the incline. Just not sure I'm going to hunt this area because of arduous climb out required. I will be using a stand near the top of the ridge where there's a travel corridor, when the wind is favorable.

Build one of these and you will have no problem getting a deer out of anywhere as long as there is a tree to attach it to.

Bob

 

[Wickedcoolname]

Did a lot of slow walking today. LOTS of tracks, but no deer seen. Hips are hurting, so I'd say ibuprofen for the pain.

Fell about 3 times, which really ticked me off, as I try to keep my shotgun in pristine shape. That reminds me, I should go over it with some paper towels.

Does anybody use WD40 after getting guns wet?

Anyhow, to answer your question, and as a bit of a reflection on today, I think the smarter strategy is to find a lot of trails, and plant yourself there. Bring a square boat cushion to sit on and stay dry. There were tons of tracks, and not a hunter to be seen, nor a single shot heard.

WD40 is all is use on my guns, and it's all I've used for 40 plus years. My guns don't have a trace of rust or corrosion and none of my guns are safe queens.

 

[Mark from MA]

PS- This morning would have been perfect. Damn the Sunday restriction

They should have moved this morning. I had -7. Cold as shit.

Deep snow here has a lot of people out of the game at least in my area. All the off road parking spots and pull offs are impossible to access thru the high snow banks. MDC hasnt plowed most of them. Lowest pressure ever.

 

[Drix]

PS- This morning would have been perfect. Damn the Sunday restriction

I was out there this AM, 1 degree in my neck of the woods with 18-20" of snow cover. *Nothing* Moved between 5am and 10.

How did I get around the sunday restriction? I hunt about 20' over the border.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

They should have moved this morning. I had -7. Cold as shit.

Deep snow here has a lot of people out of the game at least in my area. All the off road parking spots and pull offs are impossible to access thru the high snow banks. MDC hasnt plowed most of them. Lowest pressure ever.

For sure; and once the rain comes next week and turns all this to ice it will continue to keep the pressure off.

Bob

 

[rocket500]

WD-40 is about the worst gun oil.

One quart of Mobil 1 synthetic oil is a lifetime supply of good gun oil. Most any of the gun oils you’d find at the gun store work well too. Rem oil, CLP, etc.

Did a lot of slow walking today. LOTS of tracks, but no deer seen. Hips are hurting, so I'd say ibuprofen for the pain.

Fell about 3 times, which really ticked me off, as I try to keep my shotgun in pristine shape. That reminds me, I should go over it with some paper towels.

Does anybody use WD40 after getting guns wet?

Anyhow, to answer your question, and as a bit of a reflection on today, I think the smarter strategy is to find a lot of trails, and plant yourself there. Bring a square boat cushion to sit on and stay dry. There were tons of tracks, and not a hunter to be seen, nor a single shot heard.

 

[Mark from MA]

I was out there this AM, 1 degree in my neck of the woods with 18-20" of snow cover. *Nothing* Moved between 5am and 10.

How did I get around the sunday restriction? I hunt about 20' over the border.

What do you mean by get out of the restriction?

Hunt NH with the rifle on sunday if you are that close. ( season ended already).

 

[Mark from MA]

WD-40 is about the worst gun oil.

One quart of Mobil 1 synthetic oil is a lifetime supply of good gun oil. Most any of the gun oils you’d find at the gun store work well too. Rem oil, CLP, etc.

I spray wd when gun is wet to displace water. Then dry and follow up with any good oil.

If I can take gun fully apart. I do that and dry fully. Then reoil

 

[Mark from MA]

For sure; and once the rain comes next week and turns all this to ice it will continue to keep the pressure off.

Bob

This snow wont be really going anywhere. It might knock it down to 8 inches of solid shit. I doubt it will even hit 50 where I am.

The question willbe if you can walk on too without busting thru. If you can people may go out.

Everything will be ice and there still will be nowhere to park.

 

[Fixxah]

Look for cedar swamps and other low lying areas where they yard up and hide near a trail. They will ev eventually get there.

 

[Mark from MA]

Try hunting areas near snowmobile trails. This past weekend all the trails were packed by sleds. As of this morning in Royalston, access to all the best areas has nicely packed trails.

During the week I bet most trails are not used at all, on the weekend they will be empty until 9AM and maybe even noon.

After the refreeze thursday, this will be an option.

Today and tomorrow youll find yourself walking in 8 inches of wet slush on those trails.

I just drove up my driveway and had 2-4 inches of unscraped wet slush ruts.

So now I need to scape that off before it hardens. 42 degrees at my house. No where near 55.

 

[44marty]

Well that was a miserable Monday morning. I did finally get a glimpse of three doe and passed on a little buck. Oh, I was tempted, but hunting my own little area I try to limit myself to bucks 3 years and older.

 

[pupchow]

Deer aren't moving much at all in this slush muck, but I still can't get one in my sights. I'm done with recon. They're yarded up in a valley that's a bitch to get to, legally.

Here's the only mammal seen today

 

[Woodsloafer]

I have about 60 acres of land with some nice trails that I rode/packed with my snowmobile yesterday hoping I will be able to take a stand along or still hunt on once things set back up (I am sure I will need my yaktrax to walk safely). I figured the snow won't melt completely and what will be left may not have enough of a crust to support me (I'm a heavy guy). I had not been out yet shotgun hunting because of the snow but hope to once this storm passes and, hopefully, the trails will help me. I had my nephews do the same thing on the land behind their parents house, they went out in the deep snow but it was not too much fun (and probably still won't be if there is a foot of snow left with crust on top).

 

[rocket500]

As a water displacer it’s OK. I don’t bother though as it’s fresh water, I just leave the gun outside of the safe for a couple of days until it’s dry then wipe down with an oily rag.

I spray wd when gun is wet to displace water. Then dry and follow up with any good oil.

If I can take gun fully apart. I do that and dry fully. Then reoil

 

[44marty]

Tues AM light rain and pea soup fog up here in the hills. Might almost as well be using a spear today, being able to see 30 feet

Might be a good idea to stay in and search YouTube for deer and lariats??

Or are there any special opportunities / strategies for thick fog that I am missing??

 

[Mark from MA]

Shotgun season for me is over. Headed south for rest of the week.

I think this year has the potential to be a record low shotgun kill west of 495.
More rain for the last Saturday and absolutely too much snow and rain for the first week will definitely affect it.

Lot of guys cant park or get where they want to go might either go east or not go at all.

 

[DJBrad]

Shotgun season for me is over. Headed south for rest of the week.

I think this year has the potential to be a record low shotgun kill west of 495.
More rain for the last Saturday and absolutely too much snow and rain for the first week will definitely affect it.

Lot of guys cant park or get where they want to go might either go east or not go at all.

Come east. One area was hot even at the end of week 1. I’m looking at my options with this ridiculous weather pattern. I have off the rest of the week after today. Unfortunately I don’t have a climber and may have to use a one man stalk technique like I already did which takes a lot of energy and effort. Finished with one deer and now I have room for one more (to my wife’s disdain).

 

[DJBrad]

1-4 inches of snow coming south central Ma and northern CT starting late tonight. I think this will certainly add value to stalking.

 

[ThePreBanMan]

I'm seeing deer almost every time I go out. Haven't seen any trophy class animals though. I need to move to a new piece of land. I think the deer drivers discovered where I had been going during shotgun season and drove everything in the woods and killed it. A neighbor told me they was a possie there on opening day - and it's not a big piece of woods. I've noticed a big decline in the class of animal I'm seeing since then. It could be pressure, or they could be dead. Probably a mix. But it's time to move on, either way.

Not a fan of shotgun season. I miss the nice quiet woods during archery... Will be over soon enough though.

 

[pupchow]

I'm in some big woods (for being in MA), where I can head in one direction for 5 miles and not cross a road. The deer are huddled up and not moving very far between bedding sessions, as they're feeding on acorns which are very plentiful. I found plenty of sign while out yesterday but nothing very fresh, other than an active moose. I can only cover so much ground in an attempt to bump them, and it's not working in this slop. They could be anywhere, and seem to not be moving during the day right now. It was very easy to be quiet though.

 

[Mark from MA]

I'm in some big woods (for being in MA), where I can head in one direction for 5 miles and not cross a road. The deer are huddled up and not moving very far between bedding sessions, as they're feeding on acorns which are very plentiful. I found plenty of sign while out yesterday but nothing very fresh, other than an active moose. I can only cover so much ground in an attempt to bump them, and it's not working in this slop. They could be anywhere, and seem to not be moving during the day right now. It was very easy to be quiet though.

Same here. Same story. They are fullboat nocturnal now in the heavy snow and with whatever pressure they are seeing now.

Eastern little woodlots are a lot easier. Less snow bump deer around. With guys in the woods you should be seeing deer. Plus you guys have more deer. It should be easy to kill one there.

 

[Mark from MA]

I'm seeing deer almost every time I go out. Haven't seen any trophy class animals though. I need to move to a new piece of land. I think the deer drivers discovered where I had been going during shotgun season and drove everything in the woods and killed it. A neighbor told me they was a possie there on opening day - and it's not a big piece of woods. I've noticed a big decline in the class of animal I'm seeing since then. It could be pressure, or they could be dead. Probably a mix. But it's time to move on, either way.

Not a fan of shotgun season. I miss the nice quiet woods during archery... Will be over soon enough though.

Trophy class animals either dont survive if their hangout is found orif they do they wont be back to it.

They go nocturnal, move at night to find a sanctuary and stay there.

 

[Mark from MA]

Come east. One area was hot even at the end of week 1. I’m looking at my options with this ridiculous weather pattern. I have off the rest of the week after today. Unfortunately I don’t have a climber and may have to use a one man stalk technique like I already did which takes a lot of energy and effort. Finished with one deer and now I have room for one more (to my wife’s disdain).

Ill go south and crossbow hunt private land with 40 deer per square mile. Sit in the quiet stand and watch a bunch of deer hoping that the recent gun season or rut doe has pushed a big deer into one of my lightly hunted sanctuary type properties.

No offense but going east with a bunch of MA overzealous shotgunners shooting and driving everything that moves, brown is down is not my cup of tea.

Not trying to sound snobby, just shotgun driving deer im not a fan of.
Its legal and ill back anyone that does it legally. Just not going to participate in it. Nor do I need to.
Ive worked to secure good private land in CT and keep it lightly hunted, this year its been barely hunted.

 

[DJBrad]

Ill go south and crossbow hunt private land with 40 deer per square mile. Sit in the quiet stand and watch a bunch of deer hoping that the recent gun season or rut doe has pushed a big deer into one of my lightly hunted sanctuary type properties.

No offense but going east with a bunch of MA overzealous shotgunners shooting and driving everything that moves, brown is down is not my cup of tea.

Not trying to sound snobby, just shotgun driving deer im not a fan of.
Its legal and ill back anyone that does it legally. Just not going to participate in it. Nor do I need to.
Ive worked to secure good private land in CT and keep it lightly hunted, this year its been barely hunted.

I’m with you on that. I would prefer a private, quiet, sanctuary type environment but that takes time to obtain. I’m working on it though and after what I’ve experienced thus far I will surely find myself going the route of bow hunting in a mobile setup. I’m already gathering some funds for a Mathews and Lone Wolf.

 

[pupchow]

Build one of these and you will have no problem getting a deer out of anywhere as long as there is a tree to attach it to.

Bob

I do have a rope hoist block and tackle. Plenty of trees around, but it'd be one hell of a chore.

The snow depth here in Zone 4S has diminished significantly but I didn't venture out. My calf muscles are burnt from yesterday, but I'll get out tomorrow.

Part of yesterday's 4 mile hike:

 

[Mark from MA]

Here in zone 5 the temp topped out at 49 degrees. Never hit 50. We lost most of the snow off the roof and hilltops. We still have 8-12 inches of snow In most areas and now it will be rock solid and crusty by Late tomorrow. Its already back to 38 here and im sure will be spitting snow soon. Back to reality.

They are talking rain Saturday in Boston, but odds are here it will be ice, snow or snizzle.