Author Topic: Below zero hunting advice (Read 1537 times)

valvesinmyhead · « **on:** January 02, 2010, 04:46:23 AM »

What are the deer doing when it is freaking coooold?

hunt-m-up · « **Reply #1 on:** January 02, 2010, 05:02:37 AM »

I can't see any from where I'm sitting in here and don't intend to go find out right now...high of maybe 1 today. I do still have a MZ tag to fill by next weekend.
Usually around here they bunch up and have to feed more often to get what they need to survive. Food sources, find the ones they are hitting the hardest, sheltered areas with southern exposure and the least amount of snow cover. It seems they start feeding 2,3,4 hours earlier than they normally would. Good Luck

Dee · « **Reply #2 on:** January 02, 2010, 05:20:10 AM »

Who cares what their doin if it's below zero outside. Every body is on their own.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 02, 2010, 05:29:44 AM »

Well first of all dress in layers. Second move slowley so you don't sweat on your way to the stand. The colder it is the more deer need to eat. Also those chemical heat packs work great I duct tape them to the bottom of my socks. Here in Minnesota the deer yard up in big herds in the deep snow so if you get in the right place hunting is easy.

Cuts Crooked · « **Reply #4 on:** January 02, 2010, 05:39:09 AM »

Quote from: billy_56081 on January 02, 2010, 05:29:44 AM

Also those chemical heat packs work great I duct tape them to the bottom of my socks.

The company that makes those things also makes them specifically for yer feet, they already got adhesive on em! They call em "Toasty Toes"

Dave in WV · « **Reply #5 on:** January 02, 2010, 06:52:08 AM »

Quote from: valvesinmyhead on January 02, 2010, 04:46:23 AM

What are the deer doing when it is freaking coooold?

Can't say, nobody is out to know.

Graybeard · « **Reply #6 on:** January 02, 2010, 08:10:47 AM »

When it's that dang cold do what the deer are doing. Stay home by the fire and watch TV or check the forums. Errybody knows that's what smart deer and smart deer hunters do when it's that dang cold.

Land_Owner · « **Reply #7 on:** January 02, 2010, 08:15:29 AM »

WTH izat?

There's a zero after the "8" here in Florida.

From what I have learned...a Native Floridian will freeze to death if the temperature drops below 72 degrees F. I know. I have done it several times.

Dee · « **Reply #8 on:** January 02, 2010, 09:39:29 AM »

Be easy on him GB. He's from Nebraska. Nebraska also fought on the wrong side during the Great Northern Aggression. Some are still a little confused.

valvesinmyhead · « **Reply #9 on:** January 02, 2010, 11:35:54 AM »

It is suppose to be above zero tomorrow so I'm going out. 7:50 sunrise. I'll be stalking at 7:20.
I here ya Land Owner. I was stationed at FT Bliss in El Paso TX. When it hit 50 people dressed like it was below zero. My first X-Mass down there was 75 degrees. Weird.
Trust me Dee Nebraska is on the RIGHT side now. GO BIG RED!

Dee · « **Reply #10 on:** January 02, 2010, 12:05:04 PM »

Well valvesinmyhead, I've been in Nebraska this time of the year, and if you wanna deer hunt you might as well dress warm cause it's gonna be cold everyday.

Lon371 · « **Reply #11 on:** January 02, 2010, 02:15:16 PM »

A little after daylight I took a ride through the country. It was 10 degrees and 1 below with windchill. I can tell ya what the deer here in southern Indiana were not doing. They were not in any of the normal fields for breakfast

I am thinking they were still huddled up somewhere watching the news.

Lonny

valvesinmyhead · « **Reply #12 on:** January 03, 2010, 05:27:15 AM »

Well it was -1 this morning. I wussed out and stayed home.

pozoutdoors · « **Reply #13 on:** January 03, 2010, 12:09:36 PM »

Yes, it was cold this morning. But, I took my oldest boy rabbit hunting this morning. We got seven rabbits and one pheasant!!! We're having a good supper tonight!!!!

Land_Owner · « **Reply #14 on:** January 04, 2010, 01:01:26 AM »

WTG...pozoutdoors! There is always something to whack when kids are taken to the woods and kids love quantity over quality.

Lon371 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 04, 2010, 10:10:56 AM »

Quote from: pozoutdoors on January 03, 2010, 12:09:36 PM

Yes, it was cold this morning. But, I took my oldest boy rabbit hunting this morning. We got seven rabbits and one pheasant!!! We're having a good supper tonight!!!!

Great job.

We also went out yesterday morning. It was in the low teens. We were trying out a new coyote call. It worked. Yote ran out but was to cold to stop moving. So a little later we agreed and went home

Before calling, we checked the fields for deer in out area. No deer, they were still on the couch I guess.

Lonny

valvesinmyhead · « **Reply #16 on:** January 04, 2010, 01:00:23 PM »

When I was a kid I didn't even think about the cold. Just went out.

DennyRoark · « **Reply #17 on:** January 04, 2010, 02:35:53 PM »

So the census seems to be stay home and hunt vicariously with Wadell? Ohio MZ season coming up, single digits/low teens, I'll be in my box blind (shooting rails, carpet, nice swivel chair and Coleman Sportcat heater). What can I say, I frostbit my toes in the army and it ain't never been the same

pozoutdoors · « **Reply #18 on:** January 04, 2010, 04:09:43 PM »

As long as I'm on the move, I don't have a problem staying warm. I usually alway find deer. If it is cold they are laying down, if there is wind I use it. I come from down wind and they don't hear me as well. It's worked really well this year. Here in Iowa it's been cold and windy most of the time and i've shot alot of deer with muzzleloader, shotgun and handgun!!!

jager · « **Reply #19 on:** January 04, 2010, 05:01:10 PM »

Pozoutdoors - I'm with you "staying on the move" when hunting in your area. I lived up there for about 5 years, and the first time I climbed into a tree stand when it was well below zero, was my last. I was a frozen "layered, popsicle" in a few hours and probably couldn't have shot anything if I saw it. From that time on I kept on the move and took some fine deer that evidently wanted to stay warm too. I did find out, the hard way, that you definitely don't want to work up a "sweat" by moving to fast or "field dressing" an animal with all your "layers" of clothes on. I used to hunt deer a lot by myself when in Iowa and had gotten "hypothermia" once, and knew I probably wouldn't be found for a day or two if I didn't pay attention to the effects of the cold. I did appreciate the "snow" making the "deer dragging" easier and the fact the "lay of the land" was never very steep. The "corn fed" meat was mighty tasty and made the effort well worth it.

pozoutdoors · « **Reply #20 on:** January 04, 2010, 05:12:23 PM »

The land i've been hunting is really steep. But, when I am group hunting it isn't too bad!!! What part of Iowa did you live??? There's many types of land around here. Just got to love it!!!!!

jager · « **Reply #21 on:** January 05, 2010, 08:13:21 AM »

Poz - I lived in Ames, but hunted mostly around Boone and Nevada. The last year I was there I hunted some around Red Oak with a friend I worked with; and the terrain was a bit steeper. At the time I lived there you could only hunt deer with a shotgun or muzzle loader. I never was fond of hunting with a "slug" gun. (I usually used a 50 cal T/C Hawkin.) However, you could use a rifle to hunt varmints

I understand that has changed, of late, to allow rifles in some counties, plus pistol hunting statewide. I enjoyed your state and its people, but you can keep your "winters"

(My Wife and I just got back from the Des Moine area where we visited our Daughter and her family, so I know what I'm missing

) Regards, Jager

Cuts Crooked · « **Reply #22 on:** January 05, 2010, 03:35:52 PM »

-13 degrees (actual, not wind chill) the morning I dropped a nice sized button buck near lake Red Rock last week. It's cold but doable iffin ya cn' work the wind and get into position early.

What are the deer doing They are eating nearly constantly on any food source they can access. Normal feeding patterns are out the window right now! The deer need to stoke up on feed almost constantly to keep warm. And predators in this area keep them from going into a energy saving mode and bedding down most of the time. Yarding behaviour is prevelant, but not strict. Anytime you can find standing corn, there are deer in there and nearby! Try hunting sheltered south facing slopes and frozen marshes with lots of thick cover and/or corn neaby.

Two hunters together can be very successful in this weather. One standing while the other does a button hook drive, around and then back through heavy cover, is a super tactic right now! It's also easy to spot main travel corridors and escape routes for the stander to cover. Three of us have filled eight tags last week.