The American Beagler Forum

Anybody ever have trouble running in real wet snow? Had a pretty good thaw over the weekend and the snow was pretty wet. Not yet slush, but close. Couldn't seem to get any good races going. I know the bunnies didn't hole because when I would walk towards the check, I bumped the bunny several times in a few different races. I thought these would be ideal conditions but I could be wrong. Thanks.

Tim

We have our best running in wet snow? Dogs are like anything else they have bad days in the best of conditions to.

I have seen it be to wet also if water is laying on the snow in the runs they have alot of trouble.

I have run dogs on all types of snow conditions from real wet to super cold (-40F), and from my experience a slushy wet snow can be the worst of all. Like when it is dripping from the trees etc. Can't really expain it, just the way it is.

yep - same as snowshoe run. them real nice days when the sun is out and the snow is getting wet and packy are real bad. my brain tells me that it should be good and the snow should hold the scent but it just doesn't. on those days i get out early and quit early.

I also wonder if the amount of wet snow has anything to do with it. Like, if it was 3 inches deep and wet or 12 inches deep and wet. The last couple days we had a warm up and the snow is very wet, and still 12 inches deep. The dogs had a hard time with it. The rabbits went right to hole within 50 yds. and the dogs still had a tough time making out the short run.

i went this morning jumped alot of rabbits but the seemed to go straight to the hole when they would first jump it sounded like a sight chase then all of a sudden a bark here n there n then nothing dogs came out n went looking elswhere i thought the dogs would really pound those bunnies this morning wrong again went sat to same place had a real hard crust i could stand up on it in alot of places not like that this morning jb

When snow is melting the temps are up and the ground thaws and heaves, thats why so many people have trouble with pipes bursting. I ran yesteray in the melting snow and we had 7 dogs on the ground. We never had a good race the whole day, barely a circled rabbit all day. Today I went to the same place with 3 of the same dogs and I don't know if I have ever seen better running. Late last night and early this morning we had about 1/4 in of rain and the rest of the snow left here. We had over a foot of snow on level ground, but the last 4 day or so the temps have been working on it. When I was a kid on the farm my dad would always say after a snow had melted that the ground was crawfishy. He always liked to sew the seed for the spring on top of a snow so when it melted and the ground would open up and suck the seed right in the ground. I don't know how to technically explain it but all my life I have never seen dogs run good when the snow was melting real fast.

i hate real wet snow, never seem to have good days when the snow is real wet especially if there is water laying in the snow. my best days always seem to be on days when the temp is in the 28 to 32 degree range. went out yesterday temp was 28 when we got out of truck, dogs ran great for first hour and a half and then it started warming up and the running got tough, hunted for three hours it was 38 when we got back in truck i know the wet snow is what slowed them down.

I found the running bad this weekend also. We had a crust of ice on top in the morning and as that softened it was a little better. We had one run that looked promising at the start of it and then the dogs lost it. After luch it got wet and slushy and it was bad again. We were jumping enough rabbits so on Sunday we jump shot three for dinner and went home early. We will try it agian next week. A bad day hunting is better then a good day at home wondering if your missing out on good running.

By the way i read it the question was about wet snow not melting snow?? Two different things. I love wet snow. Hate thawing snow. I understood him to say some of it had thawed and what was left was wet and slushy><

mobeagle in my opinoin nailed this one fresh wet snow here almost no always good scenting conditions old snow thawing fast always bad scenting conditions at least here innorthern wi.

It was not fresh, wet snow. It was around 43 degrees with a 2 week old snow on the ground.

Tim

Tim, I have seen this problem several times over the years, not just with rabbits but with coyotes also. Temprature and barametric pressure can have a big effect on scent conditions. This weekend was the same for me and I knew it would be but I still went anyway.

wet snow = bad running