Since we've finally achieved a degree of, ahem, "winter" here in SW MI (perhaps not like M12 Shooter's winter...), I am getting my PVC blind rigged up in anticipation of some snowy shooting. I will have it done and tested out (indoors) by the end of the month, ready to go out on 1 FEB--if there's still snow--and things are sorta trending in that direction. Pictures to follow and please don't laugh too loudly!
What are the rest of you going to use differently for snowy conditions?
a. if you have snow
b. if you can get the truck safely into the area--we couldn't hunt hardly at all last FEB & MAR here because it was >1' deep!!!
c. BH has turned me on to the fact that a small sled for hauling gear is "golden" under those conditions. I suppose snowshoes would be a plus for the deep stuff. But, one has to be sufficiently motivated with "Crow Lust" to get out in really deep conditions. I guess I would try, properly equipped.
We don't tend to change much on our set up for snow, other than the obvious changing of camo to snow camo. Our locations may change some, around here a fresh load of manure spread across the snow is like a buffet for the crows, so hunting near active farms can be a plus.
By the way Craig, we had the same trouble last Winter with the deep snow. While we could walk a ways through it, we could not get the truck off the road into any farm lanes as the road shoulders were 3' deep snow from plowing.
We don't tend to change much on our set up for snow, other than the obvious changing of camo to snow camo. Our locations may change some, around here a fresh load of manure spread across the snow is like a buffet for the crows, so hunting near active farms can be a plus. By the way Craig, we had the same trouble last Winter with the deep snow. While we could walk a ways through it, we could not get the truck off the road into any farm lanes as the road shoulders were 3' deep snow from plowing.
Re. deep snow: I remember all too well "postholing" my way through deep snow as a Boy Scout and on one occasion last FEB while hunting (I guess I forgot the Scouting incident). Wasn't much fun then and less so now at my advanced age. Snow shoes are looking better all the time. There will be some mornings where I will look out the window and say to myself that and and look a lot better than deep snow, but not too often.
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"Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave." -- Andrew Fletcher 1698
As we discussed last year, we had a lot of snow, too. I like my sled, although I did paint the black sled with some camo colors -- it's chipped a little, but so what? You can see it in the attached photo.
For real snowy conditions, I have used a plain white sheet with a hole in the middle worn like a poncho and one across my lap. I've even sewn up some very large mitten-like things (resembling field dressing gloves with a flap for the hands) that I can wear over the top of heavy winter clothes. I have also hung sheets in the bare bushes in front of me. Regardless, you still need to be hidden and they can still pick up white movement. I do not think that any kind of pattern on the sheets is necessary.
Real, actual white camo would be good, but I am cheap and a very large guy, so I don't bother. My son just picked up an oversized tyvek full suit from his fish lab in grad school that he plans to try this year (if he has time).
Very cold in NY this week. I hope it warms up a little by the weekend -- we are a Fri-Sat-Sun-Mon only state.
I bought snow camo from Cabelas a couple years ago, which blends and works very well in my area. I bought the coat a little big so I could layer under it..........as obviously the only time I wear it it's cold and snowy out.
Previuos to that, I also had just taken a white sheet and made a "poncho". I did take some flat black paint and make some random lines and marks on it, not a lot, but enough to keep it from looking solid white while standing in brush for cover. I am also a large guy, so I thought I should break up the solid white. Can't say that helped or hurt, but the poncho camo worked fine.
I have one of those "German/NATO" cloth, lightly camouflaged ponchos that works pretty well. Should be a good combo with what I have in the works for my blind.
We'll see.
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"Arms are the only true badges of liberty. The possession of arms is the distinction of a free man from a slave." -- Andrew Fletcher 1698
to get out in really deep conditions. I guess I would try, properly equipped.
and 
and 
look a lot better than deep snow, but not too often.
