Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum Hunting in the snow

With the weather forecast for tomorrow night/Saturday morning in mind, how many of you have ever hunted with snow on the ground? I was talking to an older guy here at work and he says that Alabama deer shut down when snow is on the ground because they are not used to seeing it. I've never hunted in the snow but I will probably be out there giving it a try Saturday morning. Do you guys think they will be up and moving or locked down?
I realize this all depends on us actually getting some snow but James Span's update this morning is calling for 3 inches where I hunt.

A deer has to eat every 4 hours, their ungulates. Whether you see them or not thats another question.

I've seen then in the snow. I love to go. The best single day I ever had,I was hunting in a light rain,temp in the upper 40's. Around 2:00,the temp dropped and rain turned to snow. By dark there was about 3 inches on the ground. I saw deer the whole sit,and I don't hunt a place where that usually happens.

I will be out in it for sure, I figure they will move a good bit especially if it gets down in the teens or 20's Saturday morning...

Couple years ago when it snowed deer movement was basically non existent. After hunting I drove around the property and not a single track was seen. I feel like it freaked them out since they never have seen it and just locked down.

I hunted in Furman years ago when we had snow. I was the only one at the camp and hunted in snow for two days. Never saw a deer and I covered a lot of ground.

Hunted in the snow twice in Bama. You can hear them walking around before they get to you with all the crunching under their hooves. You can track their movements, as well.

Here's my thoughts ...

A deer has to eat. Lately we haven't seen a whole lot of movement, I believe because there are lots of acorns. If I were a deer and I could sit in a thicket most of the day then occasionally walk right outside of that thicket for a brief period and eat then I'd be lazy too.

With 3" of snow on the ground wouldn't that strategy be messed up? Wouldn't it be much harder for them to forage for acorns or can they smell them through the snow? If they can't smell them then wouldn't that force them to move more searching for food?

2-3 days of nothing can be expected, unless you go walking

Have you ever watched a hunting show from up north and see the deer burry half there head in the snow to dig out a turnip. Same thing. The deer will be able to smell them from what I can figure and if they know the location of the acorns then it will be that much easier.

I say next few days will have very good deer movement

I have personally killed deer in the snow and ice. 2 on gas lines in the snow. 1 chasing a doe next morning after ice storm.

I've killed Deer in the snow just about everytime I've hunted it...so I like the snow haha

Hunted in snow a couple years ago around Thomaston. Everybody saw deer, you can for sure see them in the thickets with that white background.

I've never done any good in the snow. Y'all hunt the same places as usual or switch it up?

a simple horsechitt will do here....

Most of the time ALL the deer will lock up in cover and not move. period.

Every great now and then it seems every deer on the place willl be up walking around. We hunted Sumpter Co in mid 60s in snow. I think everyone in the woods that day killed a buck, deer were everywhere and moving. Very rare event.

I have seen deer when it snows. I will be out there.

I killed a few good bucks and had good deer movement during & after snow including my best buck (as far as score goes) with snow on the ground.

This ideology is like the chicken or the egg. If you want to go, then go. If you see them good deal. if not, then you didn't.

Anytime out there is a good time to disconnect and enjoy the solitude with or without a companion along. I grew up in the upper Midwest and snow (except blizzard conditions) had no effect what so ever on the movements. Crazy to be out there in those conditions anyway.

Hunger trumps all in any QDMA studies I performed and if you were lucky enough to be able to do that on a piece of land over a year or more, you would see more patterns than a guess at snow which doesn't always come in the South. They have to eat and doe's are like women for a free meal anytime. They'll be there.

Go out and have fun, if you see them or not. At least you were there and experienced it but, be careful driving back as the human is more dangerous on the roads than anything you were in the woods with.