snow shoes... not the white ones the ones you put on your feet!

[finsfurfeathers]

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!

no problem
did you get out?
If so how was it?
The showshoeing and /or hunting?

[rf2]

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.

[ninepointer]

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

[punkrockerpj]

no problem
did you get out?
If so how was it?
The showshoeing and /or hunting?

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.

[rf2]

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

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?

[ninepointer]

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?

It wasn't the crampon. It was either toque tension or friction at one of the attachment points.