Snow depth and scouting season?

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isitseasonyet?
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Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby isitseasonyet? » Sun Feb 17, 2019 2:24 pm

Does a lot of snow make scouting season longer?

I can see it either way. The longer it takes to melt, the more time before green up right? Or does the snow hide the sign and then once it melts does it get green immediately?


In all seriousness, I wish I could get my buck in October and scout until snow! Maybe next year :lol:


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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby isitseasonyet? » Sun Feb 17, 2019 4:20 pm

I mean for a year like this year where we have above average snowfall....

I guess how does it affect the spring scouting season?
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby Ack » Sun Feb 17, 2019 5:20 pm

It all depends on how the next couple months play out weather-wise, but there is always a window of 3-4 weeks after snow melt until green up, at least around here.

One thing you can be sure of though...with a lot of snow, there will be some very wet scouting conditions once it does melt.
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby tundra » Sun Feb 17, 2019 5:26 pm

I came back from the UP, and there is a lot of snow,,, however that is normal, and I do most of my post season scouting there in May,,, takes awhile up there,,,,, however its a shame, I saw over a hundred deer at one log job,,,,, you can not stock pile deer in the north, the dnr ask for a doe to be taken, but the NRC in Lansing, continues to kill it,,,,,

With the other day nocking snow down fast with 41 degrees I was out all day today in Washington and Sheboygan County,,,, it was easy travel, and good ice under my feet,,,, do not wait too long in SE, or it will be under water before you know it......

I do not deal with that in Hill Country, where I spend late March and April......
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby B Hunter » Wed Feb 27, 2019 6:21 am

Where I'm at we've had 15"+ of snow on the ground for weeks. I have it in my mind that scouting in that much snow is a waste. Maybe I'm just being lazy. Anyone find that scouting in that deep of snow can be productive?
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Feb 27, 2019 6:40 am

B Hunter wrote:Where I'm at we've had 15"+ of snow on the ground for weeks. I have it in my mind that scouting in that much snow is a waste. Maybe I'm just being lazy. Anyone find that scouting in that deep of snow can be productive?

No such thing as a wasted scout. If the snow is too deep strap on some snowshoes and do some exploring. You might be surprised what you find. Over the years just about all of my best primary beds were found while scouting in deeper snow. There is no easier time to track bucks back to their favorite beds that they use year round. Also it’s a great time to learn the lay of the land on new properties. You can cover a lot of ground on snowshoes pretty quickly.
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby greenhorndave » Wed Feb 27, 2019 7:40 am

Dewey wrote:
B Hunter wrote:Where I'm at we've had 15"+ of snow on the ground for weeks. I have it in my mind that scouting in that much snow is a waste. Maybe I'm just being lazy. Anyone find that scouting in that deep of snow can be productive?

No such thing as a wasted scout. If the snow is too deep strap on some snowshoes and do some exploring. You might be surprised what you find. Over the years just about all of my best primary beds were found while scouting in deeper snow. There is no easier time to track bucks back to their favorite beds that they use year round. Also it’s a great time to learn the lay of the land on new properties. You can cover a lot of ground on snowshoes pretty quickly.


I'm in kind of a similar boat with the original poster.

I like seeing the hair-in-the-bed spots and that just isn't happening right now with the snow and ice. The spots that look like decent marsh bedding might be too wet after snow melt? It's tough to tell right now if it's just snow collecting under some bushes/trees or is actually flattened bedding when it's under a layer of snow and ice.

I think the approach I am taking is to scout the stuff that looks good (but is under snow) and then throwing observation sits at them later in the spring to spot check. Is that good? Bad? Indifferent?
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Feb 27, 2019 8:06 am

greenhorndave wrote:
Dewey wrote:
B Hunter wrote:Where I'm at we've had 15"+ of snow on the ground for weeks. I have it in my mind that scouting in that much snow is a waste. Maybe I'm just being lazy. Anyone find that scouting in that deep of snow can be productive?

No such thing as a wasted scout. If the snow is too deep strap on some snowshoes and do some exploring. You might be surprised what you find. Over the years just about all of my best primary beds were found while scouting in deeper snow. There is no easier time to track bucks back to their favorite beds that they use year round. Also it’s a great time to learn the lay of the land on new properties. You can cover a lot of ground on snowshoes pretty quickly.


I'm in kind of a similar boat with the original poster.

I like seeing the hair-in-the-bed spots and that just isn't happening right now with the snow and ice. The spots that look like decent marsh bedding might be too wet after snow melt? It's tough to tell right now if it's just snow collecting under some bushes/trees or is actually flattened bedding when it's under a layer of snow and ice.

I think the approach I am taking is to scout the stuff that looks good (but is under snow) and then throwing observation sits at them later in the spring to spot check. Is that good? Bad? Indifferent?

The key is primary beds. These are preferred beds that are used year round no matter what the conditions are. When you find one you will immediately know it because it has the perfect mix of security cover and the buck has the ability to detect danger from a long distance. Find a few of these and plan how to hunt them and you will increase your mature buck sightings dramatically. Like I mentioned before if your not snow scouting to find those beds you are missing out on a big piece of the puzzle. The problem is if you wait till snowmelt especially in marshes and swamps more than likely you may not be able to access those primary beds. Mature bucks have a knack for finding primary security bedding that is surrounded by water giving them even more layers of security. As we all know the closer you can set up on the fringes of this the better your odds of seeing the buck in daylight. Get outside that staging area too far and your just wasting hunts. Gather up as many of those primary beds as you can. It will pay off later I guarantee it. Don’t let the snow scare you away.
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby greenhorndave » Wed Feb 27, 2019 8:37 am

Dewey wrote:The key is primary beds. These are preferred beds that are used year round no matter what the conditions are. When you find one you will immediately know it because it has the perfect mix of security cover and the buck has the ability to detect danger from a long distance. Find a few of these and plan how to hunt them and you will increase your mature buck sightings dramatically. Like I mentioned before if your not snow scouting to find those beds you are missing out on a big piece of the puzzle. The problem is if you wait till snowmelt especially in marshes and swamps more than likely you may not be able to access those primary beds. Mature bucks have a knack for finding primary security bedding that is surrounded by water giving them even more layers of security. As we all know the closer you can set up on the fringes of this the better your odds of seeing the buck in daylight. Get outside that staging area too far and your just wasting hunts. Gather up as many of those primary beds as you can. It will pay off later I guarantee it. Don’t let the snow scare you away.


I ain't scared of nothin no-how! :lol: Ok, maybe garage-door springs. But snow? Pffft.

The area I have that looks like primary to me is this:

Image

Has that bush on one side, a tree on the opposite side, with a river behind the tree. Lots of cats surrounding it all, with a view of an area where guys park just to the right of that bush. Feels like primary to me, yet I don't know if it's going to be underwater when everything thaws. (also don't know if a big guy is here)

Now, when there's no snow, I know this is a primary. (note: not the same spot as above) 270 degrees of cats, gradually shrinking trees that but right up against cats with swamp water and wet-cement-like muck toward the people side. (again, not sure on the size of the occupant, but it's super secure even though it's close to humanity)

Image

Maybe I just need to trust myself a little more on these when it looks like it's 80% true.
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Feb 27, 2019 9:42 am

greenhorndave wrote:
Dewey wrote:The key is primary beds. These are preferred beds that are used year round no matter what the conditions are. When you find one you will immediately know it because it has the perfect mix of security cover and the buck has the ability to detect danger from a long distance. Find a few of these and plan how to hunt them and you will increase your mature buck sightings dramatically. Like I mentioned before if your not snow scouting to find those beds you are missing out on a big piece of the puzzle. The problem is if you wait till snowmelt especially in marshes and swamps more than likely you may not be able to access those primary beds. Mature bucks have a knack for finding primary security bedding that is surrounded by water giving them even more layers of security. As we all know the closer you can set up on the fringes of this the better your odds of seeing the buck in daylight. Get outside that staging area too far and your just wasting hunts. Gather up as many of those primary beds as you can. It will pay off later I guarantee it. Don’t let the snow scare you away.


I ain't scared of nothin no-how! :lol: Ok, maybe garage-door springs. But snow? Pffft.

The area I have that looks like primary to me is this:

Image

Has that bush on one side, a tree on the opposite side, with a river behind the tree. Lots of cats surrounding it all, with a view of an area where guys park just to the right of that bush. Feels like primary to me, yet I don't know if it's going to be underwater when everything thaws. (also don't know if a big guy is here)

Now, when there's no snow, I know this is a primary. (note: not the same spot as above) 270 degrees of cats, gradually shrinking trees that but right up against cats with swamp water and wet-cement-like muck toward the people side. (again, not sure on the size of the occupant, but it's super secure even though it's close to humanity)

Image

Maybe I just need to trust myself a little more on these when it looks like it's 80% true.

If it’s not being used now I do not consider it a primary bed. A true primary bed is used 12 months of the year not just when the conditions are right. Snow, ice and water do not change this. It’s more about specific terrain features. Last season the water levels were very high yet my best primary beds were still high enough to be dry even though they were completely surrounded by deep water. They were much harder for me to get to but that didn’t make them any less appealing to the bucks. That’s a win/win for a buck as it makes the bed even more secure. Bucks know where these are and have been using the same beds for generations. Some of the best bedding areas my dad hunted 40 years ago are still prime today.
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby greenhorndave » Wed Feb 27, 2019 9:48 am

Gotcha. Thanks for the help on definition. So what I potentially found was bedding, decent areas, but not primo.

Doesn't make my intel a dud, but helps me understand it better.

Thanks!
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby JAK » Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:34 pm

Dewey wrote:
greenhorndave wrote:
Dewey wrote:
B Hunter wrote:Where I'm at we've had 15"+ of snow on the ground for weeks. I have it in my mind that scouting in that much snow is a waste. Maybe I'm just being lazy. Anyone find that scouting in that deep of snow can be productive?

No such thing as a wasted scout. If the snow is too deep strap on some snowshoes and do some exploring. You might be surprised what you find. Over the years just about all of my best primary beds were found while scouting in deeper snow. There is no easier time to track bucks back to their favorite beds that they use year round. Also it’s a great time to learn the lay of the land on new properties. You can cover a lot of ground on snowshoes pretty quickly.


I'm in kind of a similar boat with the original poster.

I like seeing the hair-in-the-bed spots and that just isn't happening right now with the snow and ice. The spots that look like decent marsh bedding might be too wet after snow melt? It's tough to tell right now if it's just snow collecting under some bushes/trees or is actually flattened bedding when it's under a layer of snow and ice.

I think the approach I am taking is to scout the stuff that looks good (but is under snow) and then throwing observation sits at them later in the spring to spot check. Is that good? Bad? Indifferent?

The key is primary beds. These are preferred beds that are used year round no matter what the conditions are. When you find one you will immediately know it because it has the perfect mix of security cover and the buck has the ability to detect danger from a long distance. Find a few of these and plan how to hunt them and you will increase your mature buck sightings dramatically. Like I mentioned before if your not snow scouting to find those beds you are missing out on a big piece of the puzzle. The problem is if you wait till snowmelt especially in marshes and swamps more than likely you may not be able to access those primary beds. Mature bucks have a knack for finding primary security bedding that is surrounded by water giving them even more layers of security. As we all know the closer you can set up on the fringes of this the better your odds of seeing the buck in daylight. Get outside that staging area too far and your just wasting hunts. Gather up as many of those primary beds as you can. It will pay off later I guarantee it. Don’t let the snow scare you away.

I would agree with Dewey no time in the woods scouting is a waste. I scouted a spot i knee deep snow last winter and found some beds that had rubs in them. So i took that as not just posible rut bedding but bedding all year. And ended up seeing 2 bucks come out of there the only time i hunted it.

And rubs arnt coverd by snow so that can give u a good ibdication of what might be in there without finding beds. Then u can come back at a later date and rescout for beds
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby tundra » Wed Feb 27, 2019 1:42 pm

87.2 inches in Tomahawk Wis,,,,,, 53.5 inches in Iron River MI,,,,,, so what do you think is happening?,,,,,,,,,, 303 inches on the marker just 45 min north of me,,,,,,,, wolves are doing well, kill every one you see,,,,,, someone says kill the coyotes .... really what coyotes the wolves have them too

the northern deer herd is taking a beating
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby tgreeno » Wed Feb 27, 2019 3:35 pm

Dewey wrote:If it’s not being used now I do not consider it a primary bed. A true primary bed is used 12 months of the year not just when the conditions are right. Snow, ice and water do not change this. It’s more about specific terrain features. Last season the water levels were very high yet my best primary beds were still high enough to be dry even though they were completely surrounded by deep water. They were much harder for me to get to but that didn’t make them any less appealing to the bucks. That’s a win/win for a buck as it makes the bed even more secure. Bucks know where these are and have been using the same beds for generations. Some of the best bedding areas my dad hunted 40 years ago are still prime today.


Another golden nugget from Dewey!

I'll be out Friday & Sunday, looking for a few of those primary bedding areas Dewey.
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Re: Snow depth and scouting season?

Unread postby greenhorndave » Wed Feb 27, 2019 5:16 pm

tgreeno wrote:
Dewey wrote:If it’s not being used now I do not consider it a primary bed. A true primary bed is used 12 months of the year not just when the conditions are right. Snow, ice and water do not change this. It’s more about specific terrain features. Last season the water levels were very high yet my best primary beds were still high enough to be dry even though they were completely surrounded by deep water. They were much harder for me to get to but that didn’t make them any less appealing to the bucks. That’s a win/win for a buck as it makes the bed even more secure. Bucks know where these are and have been using the same beds for generations. Some of the best bedding areas my dad hunted 40 years ago are still prime today.


Another golden nugget from Dewey!

I'll be out Friday & Sunday, looking for a few of those primary bedding areas Dewey.


Same here. I might be asking guys that might I bump into if they’re tgreeno. :D
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