snow shoes

B

Bob Peters

Well-known member
I'm done for the year hunting, but just wondering for all the blabbering about snowshoes and upland hunting, do you wear them the entire time and shoot with them on, or do you wear them until you get to where you want to go, and then remove them?
 
I posed that question earlier this year because my wife wanted us to get into Snowshoeing for a change up in burning a few calories and getting the dogs exercise. Needless to say, we ended up buying some decent ones. Yesterday, we had our first legit trial and went through a lot of cover I had actually hunted during the season. I was happy at how they performed. Here are a couple of insights I took away:
  • Good workout but not as bad I as I was expecting. Went three miles. Much easier than trying to walk on top of snow and sinking through here and there.
  • Used poles but not necessary. Definitely can see myself hunting while wearing them.
  • Under conditions similar to this year, I can see myself wearing them to certain cattail locations then removing them and putting them to the side and walking those cattails.
 
If it were me i would wear then to the area i would like to hunt then take them off if snow levels allowed. I see thm as a way to get thru the drifted areas where you want to hunt.

I could see it being an issue in cattails trippin you up as you hunt. Ive used them in the woods for work and snowshoe hare hunting and you had to oay attention to every step.

The newer shoes are much nicer and shorter then the old wood ones, may have to start throwing them in my gear for my trips just in case.
 
I have the bearpaws i've used to hare hunt, downfall is they don't have a curved tip so you really have to lift your feet, plus the are very wide and short so more maneuverable in the bush. Turning is like doing a 3 point turn on the road, don't know how many times i was trying to step and tripped myself as i was standing on my shoe.....
 
NDPheasant said:
I posed that question earlier this year because my wife wanted us to get into Snowshoeing for a change up in burning a few calories and getting the dogs exercise. Needless to say, we ended up buying some decent ones. Yesterday, we had our first legit trial and went through a lot of cover I had actually hunted during the season. I was happy at how they performed. Here are a couple of insights I took away:
  • Good workout but not as bad I as I was expecting. Went three miles. Much easier than trying to walk on top of snow and sinking through here and there.
  • Used poles but not necessary. Definitely can see myself hunting while wearing them.
  • Under conditions similar to this year, I can see myself wearing them to certain cattail locations then removing them and putting them to the side and walking those cattails.
Click to expand...
Which brand did you end up purchasing?
 
I have snowshoes, but if the conditions are such I need to wear them, I am not going to hunt and stir the birds up. The only times I have worn them was to walk in to feed the pheasants a few years ago, when we had some tough conditions. Made 5 or 6 trips in that year until the snow melted down (and the barrel was empty) where they could more readily find food. Our food plots were crap that year, bad timing. Good food plots this year for them, have 55 gallon drum of corn placed in a hedgerow, just in-case it might be needed. I guess I can see if you have nothing invested in the birds or the habitat, you might not share the same concerns for them.
 
Glock said:
Which brand did you end up purchasing?
Click to expand...
I am 6'2" and 250. I thought about using a 4x8' sheet of plywood on each foot but decided to go with Tubbs Black Wilderness 36". They work great. I like the ease of use with the bindings.
 
I've used snowshoes plenty over the years. You need deer trails in the cattails to use them but often run out of trails so ......tough. Not easy to shoot in them.
Without a doubt they will save you hours of conserved energy when in deep snow either getting to your place or hunting in them.
To answer the original question, yes. Sometimes you take them off and leave them to return. If you are moving on to the next slough, its not too tricky making an elastic H harness and velcro them to your back. You won't notice they are there. As an older gent, I prefer them when crossing deep drifts vs dropping in and sweating to get out.
BEST improvement I have found is the BOA lacing. It's a wire lacing system that you wind with one hand instead of reaching around and tightening three straps. Easy on and off.
Snowshoes have their place and are good exercise when not hunting but just out looking at tracks or working the dog.
Regular use does depend on Latitude or the occasional freak show vortex we are experiencing.
 
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