The American Beagler Forum

what the heck is the fascination with hunting in snow? I was just walking thru the plant here at work and one person goes hey joey its snowing you know what that means good rabbit hunting bet you can't wait.

I don't understand it. Why does everyone like to rabbit hunt in snow?

ok off my soapbox now...

Wow, never really thought about it?? It seems that here in WV if it aint raining its snowing so I dont have a choice in the matter. I like the snow when running young dogs, so I can see what they are running. Lots of deer in Lewis Co. Also I run bobcats so this is another plus for training up young dogs. Im starting to hate snow though: hard on dogs feet, my legs, and it smashes down the cover so I cant shoot. Been a ruff winter

I dont know if it is a fasination or not,it is not to me I would just as soon go without it because you cant only be lucky enough to only get 4 or 5 inches, once it starts it keeps snowing.By March there is usually 4 to 5 feet.To most people that dont get snow they want it, and to the people that get a lot of it dont want it. Keith.

i think up here snow usually means kill season. my self would rather have bare ground any day. that way i cant see how bad the dogs do by the tracks in the snow it is interesting sometimes wondering about what happened then walking over and reading the story.

later, dave

I have been running my dogs on snow in the last week. These cottontails don't turn white like those hare up north. To me it seems like shooting fish in a barrel. I can see almost every detail on how the rabbit is running. They can't sneak thru the briars like they can when there is no snow. JMO

oakhill

are the rabbits running for you or do you find them holing quick?

Joey,the 2 things I like about the snow are #1 it usually means I'm not going to work,so I can rabbit hunt.#2 It knocks all that crap like pollen and such from the vegatation so the dogs eyes don't take such a beating.It's snowing/drizzling here now and I took the dogs out for a couple of hours.Only got up one rabbit and the dogs and I both were soaked.

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 lived up north in New Hampshire for 45 years and ran dogs for about 30 of those years.I don't have any love or fascination for running in the deep snow or the frigid temps of Dec.-March!If you live up there and those are the conditions and you want to hunt then deal with it.I can appreciate the beagles that do a good job in those conditions and kudos to them. But, in all honesty I don't really care that much about being out in the woods when it's below zero and humping around on snowshoes all day about tears up my lower back to the point of agony.
My buddies in the north country lose a lot of running days when the they get a really bad icey crust and the dogs don't/can't run at all during their winter.Here in Tn. I seldom lose a day because of weather.In the summer it's sometimes real hot and you have to start at 4:00 am to get a couple of hours of running in and in the winter sometimes you need your rain geart as it does rain a lot but I never lay up in the house cause it's too cold or the snow is too deep,icey,crusty,etc.
I give you nortthern folks all the credit in the world for having a quality hound that can account for his game in those conditions and I pray for you that you have to rabbit hunt in those conditions.I'll be thinking of you tomorrow when I'm on a hunt with the temps in the 40's!

Any of you guys up North have any remedies/tips to keep ice balls from forming on the dogs nails and toes. I've tried vasoline to keep a barrier but it didn't work like I hoped. My wife didn't like me putting the dogs in the bath tub to thaw out! Kind off topic but since we're talking aobut snow I thought I'd throw this out there.

Joey- about them holing up....yes and no. I think it depends on the snow (heavy/wet vs. dry/powdery) It can be frustrating

Ran in 6in heavy wet snow today,with it still comeing down fast. Most fun I have had all winter.

we are getting a wet snow. slushy wet snow. it rained for awhile now it turned into snow and I've got a big rabbit hunt going down sunday so thats why I started this post.........lol

think about 6inches by tonight. No snow saturday and gonna hunt sunday start around 10am

Rabbit made two circles before he went in a hole(hounds lost it, lol) No, they haven't been hitting the holes as far as I can tell.

In the North we grew up only hunting on snow so a fresh snow meant all of the old tracks were covered and
the crust ice was gone. I prefer bare ground because it is more predictable but it takes you back with a fresh
snow on Saturday morning.

Maine Hunter

It is a lot easier to see and shoot a rabbit running in thick cover on snow.
Keith

i like the responses.
it also shows the dogs abilities.running in the same conditions is easy for a hound,put down some snow,make it really cold and see what the dog is made of.some will learn quicker than others,some just cant get it done in snow.it may not be a fascination to hunting in snow,but it will show if a dog can or cant.
i find it interesting of folks who say thier dogs can "do it all",anywhere anytime",and the dog has never even ran on snow but a handful of times.