24 February Snowshoes for Late Winter Adventures February 24, 2020By Joe Cavanaugh Announcements, General Information Idaho wilderness hunts, Public Land, Snowshoes, Wolf Hunts 0 For those of you who are itching to get outside and do some predator hunting or general, backcountry reconnaissance—late winter is an advantageous time of year to do so, and snowshoes are the optimum means of travel. By March, deep snow has covered much of the downed timber and brush, and warm afternoons followed by cold nights have formed a hard crust on the snow. That crust is key for traveling in country burdened with deep snow as it can easily support a man on snowshoes, and a loaded toboggan in tow. Where you floundered in deep powder in early winter, you can now skip along the crust, a full 3 feet above obstacles that would slow you down in the fall. Once deep snow has crusted-up it’s go-time for productive winter adventures. Late-winter conditions also make it advantageous for hunting predators, such as wolf, for by now food sources have dwindled and hunger has set in. Predators are forced to search far and wide for game, and take risks they would otherwise hesitate to do, like running to a game call in broad daylight. Or, on the other extreme, deep snow has confined game herds, offering predators an easy meal, though they too are concentrated to a relatively small area now, so look no farther. Scouting new country for future hunts is phenomenal in late winter, as you can travel with ease over the crusted snow and clearly see the lay-of-the-land. Deciduous trees and shrubs have dropped their leaves, and snow has covered brush and smoothed out irregularities in the terrain, which collectively enhance the earth’s contours. You’ll find that in many places it is now easier to define how the land lies than at any other time of year, or at least the blanketed, barren landscape offers you a unique perspective of it. For more on predator hunting see Castle Creek Outfitters' Jan. 31 blog post or Wild Idaho Outfitters’ Feb. 10 blog post. For complete wolf hunting regulations see the Idaho Big Game Seasons & Rules brochure on gray wolf hunting and trapping.Days are getting longer now—get outside and enjoy!Joe Cavanaugh Related Posts Winter 23-24 Predator Hunting (Mt. Lion/Wolf/Bobcat) It’s winter again here in Idaho and that can only mean one thing! Wyley can’t function without thinking about chasing mountain lions! I swear the boy was born for this and simply wants to do it as often as possible. What does that mean for you? It is time to book that Idaho predator hunt you have always been talking or thinking about but haven’t pulled the trigger on. We have openings for 2 more hunters this winter (2023-2024) between now and when the snow quits flying. Winter Book Review: Elmer Keith’s Big Game Hunting Over much of the country we’re in the dead of winter now, with cold winds, deep snow, and bitter people to deal with. Next hunting season feels so far away. I can think of no better approach to stay focused on hunting and cope with nasty winter weather than to find a warm, quiet place and get absorbed in some good hunting literature; and, no other hunting book is more fitting to the Northern Rocky Mountain region than Elmer Keith’s Big Game Hunting. The End of Winter and the beginning of Spring Bear Hunts Anybody else getting antsy yet? I sure as hell am. Stuck working in the cold and watching the weather roll in everyday, just daydreaming of spring. Down here in Texas we don't get “spring fever” the same as our friends up north. The grass has been green mostly all year, and we have only had a few days that dropped below 30. But I still get worked up being stuck down here in the mud. I want to be in the mountains. Cure Cabin Fever with an Idaho Spring Bear Hunt The first day of spring is officially here! It has been a long time coming and it can mean only 1 thing: Idaho Spring bear hunting season 2023 is literally only days away! With this winter feeling like it has been the longest winter in the history of all mankind…at least here in Challis, Idaho, cabin fever is running rampant, and we are ready to get out, start setting bear baits, shoeing horses and mules, riding colts, setting camps and simply enjoying watching mother nature come back to life after a long winter’s siesta. Spring Means Babies Ten days. Only ten days until spring officially starts. The start of spring means different things to different people. Some celebrate with a Spring Equinox party, some start seeds in the house for the garden, some go shopping for a new wardrobe, some just crab about winter never ending. Spring Bear Drop Camps With Idaho’s 2021 spring bear season beginning this week, we are grateful that we are pretty much booked up on our guided hunts, but new for 2021, we are offering spring bear drop camps for those DIY hunters who to prefer the challenge of hunting on their own and more of the spot and stalk element of bear hunting. This is a more affordable option over guiding, puts you in charge of your own schedule and may just be the ticket for that pent up wintertime cabin fever! Comment (0) Comments are closed.