thinking about stomping around in the backbush but its kind of deep now. anyone else throwing some snow shoes on and heading out with the shotgun or 22?
I've done some walking around in them for kicks and giggles in the field last year but havent actually hunted with them before. any pros out there?
Sounds like you are going beagle-less, which is fine. Once you get good at snowshoes you will go with a .22, but for now use a shotgun.
It doesn't take a lot of hares to make a lot of tracks, so hunt the good concentrations of tracks. Go painfully slow and study the bush until your eyes water. Like you are stalking deer, but on a smaller scale. Look for the brown ears or the black dot of the eye. Look under evergreen "tents" and snow-bent bushes. If you jump one, you can track it in fresh snow, they don't go far if lightly pressured.
Bring a partner of you can, this will up your odds greatly. Take turns moving. One of you takes a post in a spot with some visibility and decent main runs (they use the same runs lust like deer do). Stay absolutely still and silent. Your partner then slowly walks a circle around you (approx. 50 yard radius) depending on the cover. The stander will get most of the shooting.
Don`t think I have seen enough snow in Eastern Ontario to use snow shoes in 10+ years
With the snow we had suprised haven't seen any jack reports yet. Only real pain comes when you got to cross a fence. Found if you are not using them regularly it can sure tire the legs out fast as it seems you use different muscles. For me the cadence is some where between a walk and a waddle.Quote:
Originally Posted by punkrockerpj
Went hunting yesterday in the grey highlands area and the snow was to my knees. I was tired for sure and always thought of giving snowshoes a try but whats stopping me is how do you stomp around where these cedar ghost are hiding with snowshoes on.
you'd be looking at a bear paw design as opposed to the beaver tail designQuote:
Originally Posted by tom gobble
I have used many types of snowshoes, for any type of bush Iroquois snowshoes with a tan rubber harness is the way to go. Pointed on the front helps a lot. The rubber harness is easiest to remove for fences, though if snow is deep enough you will get good at crossing without removing
Was also out in grey highlands yesterday. Man deep snow, havnt had snowshoes in a few years. Time to buy again. Ended up with one hare, the dog has slept all day today lol.Quote:
Originally Posted by tom gobble
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i had my buddy text that a doe was at the trail cam. i strapped on the snow shoes and treaded out there. sure enough a group of does busted me from far away but then this buck we've been seeing on the camera was just standing there. i moved in another 50 yards and lined up the scope on his boiler room and... I MISSED!!!! grazed his back and no blood just a bit of hair.
oh the pain its worse than child birth!!!!
Oh man, I feel for you lol
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So I've seen Iroquois snowshoes and bear paw styles recommendations. Where is a good place to buy from?
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I went with Bearpaws..being 6'2" at 240 the extra width of the shoe keeps me higher in the snow. Also hiking in the bush your not dragging a tail over the downed logs etc...makes it easier to manoeuvre.Quote:
Originally Posted by trigger02
I can't help with the buying...I bought mine at LaBraons and they have long since gone. Maybe MEC has them, but they've gone with the high tech aluminium ones for the most part....which aren't that bad. My wife has a pair of them and they sure work well for her.
The OP was looking for snowshoe hare hunting tips. Just sayin’ ��
and someone asked about showshoes...used to hunt snowshoes hares..so on topic...just saying :)Quote:
Originally Posted by ninepointer
I'm so confused now....:confused:
Sorry, I read the op as wondering if people use snowshoes. My mistake
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I'm thinking OP is asking about snowshoeing tips, not so much rabbit hunting tipsQuote:
Originally Posted by ninepointer
"with them" seems to refer to foot apparelQuote:
Originally Posted by punkrockerpj
for them would of referred to the bunny
In either case all good info
oh you know me boys i just talk to hear my own voice and type expecting to win some nobel peace prize.
dont ask me a day later what i was talking about, most of the time I just am talking out my a s s
happy new year! shoot straight and have fun!
Thanks, good to know for next time ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by punkrockerpj
Lol, happy new year fellows
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no problemQuote:
Originally Posted by punkrockerpj
did you get out?
If so how was it?
The showshoeing and /or hunting?
I have used various types of snowshoes while hunting. I have a couple of pairs of traditional snowshoes and a pair of modern snowshoes. The traditional ones generally provide better flotation, but the weak point is the rawhide bindings which take longer to put on and take off, and don't hold your feet as securely as modern bindings. This results in the shoes twisting a lot, which is annoying when you are in tight spots and trying to maneuver. My modern snowshoes are lighter and more secure, but I mostly use them when the snow is not too deep because of the flotation issue. This year I decided to buy some modern bindings and try them on my traditional snowshoes to see if I can get the best of both worlds. Note that if you buy the traditional style, they will require more maintenance to keep the webbing and leather bindings in good shape (if you go with leather bindings). I bought the modern bindings at Sail, and I noticed that they sell traditional-style shoes without any bindings, and they have both styles of bindings available for purchase. The brand was GV I believe. The traditional plus bindings was about the same price as modern shoes, but there are often sales on the modern styles.
Regarding using snowshoes for hunting, it is really no different than normal hunting, except that you will tire more quickly and will have less maneuverability, so you should probably go in with lower expectations. Depending on the game you will be hunting, and the snowshoes you use, noise might also be an issue. The modern snowshoes are generally noisier since most of them have an aluminum frame. They also tend to squeak a lot.
Rf2,
A word of caution... I had an ash and rawhide set of modified bear paws that served me well for over 25 years. Then I added modern bindings for the same reasons you mentioned. What I didn’t notice was that the new bindings were causing wear on the main rawhide thong, which eventually snapped. They are now wall hangers :(
Quote:
Originally Posted by finsfurfeathers
thanks for asking!
i did get out but it was when i chased after those deer. because there is a layer of ice over the snow, it was very helpful for me to be using the snowshoes as i covered more ground faster and actually felt i spent less energy than knee deep stuff. when i spotted the deer, they spotted me actually and took off... i took off the snowshoes. they could hear me a mile away.
i then did a slow walk towards the buck who was just looking at me. he assumed he was hidden enough i think or he just didnt give a rip because this is farm country. in the thick stuff they will stay bedded basically until you kick them up when the weather is warm and cover is thick.
again... i missed a 40-50 yard shot that i typically made with ease. wind played a factor and my logic went out the window i think. my bad.
the funny thing is i went to make sure he wasn't hit the next morning. no blood and a bit of hair. i spoke with a tracker who said i likely just grazed his back when he jumped the string. after following my own snowshoe tracks the bugger walked IN my tracks the night after i shot at him and took a dump and relieved himself about 50 yards from my barn, about 700 yards from where i shot at him. That means he followed me after i went home, late in the night. Likely because he is a real A S S H O L E and wants me to know who is king around here. I've been following this guy for the past two years and hes showed up on my camera a few times so it only adds to the fun in it all. i hope we can meet again next year under different circumstances.
but enough about bowhunting this is a small game forum. When the snow becomes powder again, for sure I'm going to be snowshoeing again. I have a pair of modern ones from costco that I mainly used up in sudbury and shot a few partridge when i used them. up there the birds are less wary and basically just wait for you to shoot them. I've yet to shoot a rabbit while snowshoeing so this is my goal between now and feb 28th.
I installed the bindings just a couple of days ago and I did notice that the modern bindings did seem to be putting a lot of torsion pressure on the attachment point. I just figured I would keep an eye on it. How exactly did yours fail? Due to torsion on the thong, or did the metal crampon rub and cut it?Quote:
Originally Posted by ninepointer
It wasn't the crampon. It was either toque tension or friction at one of the attachment points.Quote:
Originally Posted by rf2