Which do you prefer? Snow or bare ground?

[Grizzlyadam]

I voted snow. After thinking on it I would only prefer snow if it's been on the ground for a month or so. The most often used travel areas and bedding areas really stick out easily to me that way. Even though I find lots of tracks all over in different areas for different reasons they always seem to come together in the same spots. Most of the best bedding I find is used year round because it is the best bedding. Rubs are a good thing to see to tell that bedding is used more than just post season.

[greenhorndave]

Voting snow because I'm still hunting until the end of the month. Dramatically easier to find deer with snow. It might not show you where they are in September, but it can be invaluable for certain times of the year, plus what Dewey and some of the others have cited as well.

[Trout]

Like most things, it depends. If I wanna see how deer are using an area when there is snow, I want snow. When I want to see how deer are using an area when there isnt snow, I want the first snow. When I want to see how deer are using an area in the early part of the season, I dont want snow, I want to scout it in the early season. When I want to see how deer are using an area during the pre-rut, I dont want snow. Then I take all of that and put it all together and use it to figure out exactly how deer are using an area through the entire season. Sometimes, the sign says the same thing all the way through each part, hunt "here." Sometimes the sign says in the late season, dont bother hunting here, but hunt the heck out of it early. Etc., etc. So I guess my answer to the poll is I want both.

[Brian Clark]

The only time I prefer snow is when I'm tracking a deer during rifle season. Give me bare ground to interpret what the deer are doing in the marshes that like to hunt in NEPA. Snow also covers thin ice out in the marshes. Sucks stepping in water that goes over your boots when you least expect it!!!

[Dave0317]

I selected snow, but really each has advantages as has been pointed out.

I like snow for immediate use scouting/hunting info. Find super fresh sign and get to hunting immediately.

If I am trying to find beds and set ups for next years hunt, Nate ground. I’d rather have a few days of tracks and scat visible rather than the somewhat older sign being covered by snow.

With all that said, I live in Mississippi and we might get snow like one day a year here.

[Jackson Marsh]

Do I have to pick? In some areas I like snow for tracks. Hills I would prefer no snow, marsh I prefer snow, but not a lot of snow, and hard ice not that soft stuff where you break through up to your thighs every third step.

[Missionshooter]

I love seeing a big buck bed in the snow on the edge of thick cover