Why?

[JackalNeck]

I jsut love to watch the dogs work in the snow. You can see the bunnies much better and therefore watch there line better. I also trust the dogs a little more, you can see what they are chasing. not that they run off game, but you never know. And its also beautiful lookin. Just love huntin in a couple inches of snow.

[NorWester1]

Shady Grove wrote,

I think the fascination with snow and "snow hounds "mainly comes from the folks who live up north and don't have a choice in the matter.

I agree there for sure

It's a fascination that becomes a challenge and then an obsession, if you want to hunt snowshoe hare anyway. You'll only find snowshoe hare where there is snow and winter is the hare's world. It can be a tough way to hunt rabbits that's for sure.

It snows about 8 months of the year here where I am and there are no cottontails. Up until last year while down in MN I'd never even seen a wild cottontail so all I know about rabbit hunting involves hunting and running hare in the cold on snow.

Jim Matuszewski wrote,

it's not a big deal about running on snow the biggest chalange is finding a few dogs that are consistantly good at it

AIn't that the truth, eh Jim?


Swampman wrote,

As for the ice balls building up on their nails, I don't have that problem and don't know why either

I never have that issue here either or with the dog's bells gumming up with snow and ice except maybe in the spring when there is a meltdown going on.
There's no moisture in the snow. A dry snow doesn't stick to anything.
Doesn't hold much scent either unfortunately.

[Bunnyblaster]

Man I sure would love to see some pics of you getting a tailgate full of bunnies on that snow Joey..............I sure do LOVE to see them pics!

[madcatter]

some think snow is 2 inches,other think snow as 2 feet.this are mine out for a walk after a big snowfall.the folks up north live in this and i am sure they kinda laugh when someone says thier hound is a snow runner when its not even past a bootlace.

[ANTHONY KERR]

We have had about 22" of snow and sleet this rabbit season here in the Northern piedmont of North Carolina. We have had to hunt in some snow and have had some pretty good days. This past Friday we missed most of the snow and got some of Rabbit Earls rain. It made the left over snow slushy for Saturdays hunt. The running was pretty good at times in the morning. As the day went on it got colder and snowed a little more, The dogs pounded the next to the last rabbit for about an hour. The days that seem to be the toughest are when the ground and snow crusts over after a night in the teens. I have been suprised at times at how well the dogs run when they don't have much experience on snow. I guess it must be their Hare Hound pedigrees. One thing I have noticed is that snow running is tough on the dogs physically.

[Steve Mikkelson]

.

[PAhardwoods]

rain snow who cares?? Why is it that you dislike running in the snow so much?? if the dogs can run um on the snow who cares...if they cant why own um

[jim matuszewski]

Her in northeast wi. snow on the ground 6 months of the year. I'm with you Pahardwoods Why own them

[Joeyman]

well its not that the dogs can't run them on the snow. its the fact that its harder to find rabbits. they won't run for ya and hole quick and its hard on a person to walk aroud in it and harder on the dogs running thru it. That is why.

[Swampman]

Welcome to our world, we're suppose to get 8 to 12 inches today and tomorrow.
Finally some good snow on top of this block of ice we've had the past 5 weeks.

[mike crabtree]

2 big differences for those of us on cottontail . Hare leave more scent for 1 and 2 a Hare will not hole up. These cotton tails get so much predator pressure they just hole up when you jump them.

[NorWester1]

Hare leave more scent for 1

[Swampman]

Actually, I live in cottontail country and hunt them every weekend.
Also, I hunt snowshoe up at my cabin every chance I get, I'm about two hours south of snowshoe territory.
Having actual experience of running both in tough conditions, and in my opinion, cottontail do seem to have less scent, yes they hole up, and seem to cause more checks.
Snowshoe on the other hand really stretch out, I've seen 5 feet between strides, all day endurance, and in the spring actually leave the section and not come back, not to mention they are hard as h_ll to see in the snow because they are WHITE!
So both have their challenges.
With that said though, I still look forward to hunting them both in the snow and tough conditions, admittedly I really don't have a choice.

Swamp

[mike crabtree]

Norwester,

Dont you think Hare leave more scent??

I have ran both, I dont drive all the way to the U.P.every year because scenting on Hare sux.

[Joeyman]

just got in from feeding the dogs walking around in the snow and guess what its all powder snow. Great just great.....