# Cold weather bowhunting



## swany25 (Sep 3, 2005)

Hey all,

It's going to be below zero all week and I still have not harvested a deer this year.

My questions is, when will deer move in this below zero weather. I'm willing to sit until i cant stand the cold, but would it be a waste of time.

I recently set up a stand along a heavely used trail between bedding area and a bean field.

Thanks
Chris


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## walkswithwhispers (Sep 18, 2007)

I was wondering the same thing. I'm going to give 'er the old college try in the evening and if that doesn't work try the morning. It seems like the deer are already bedded down at sun-up if the rut is over.

If you're going to do a long sit, throw some heaters in your boots and duct-tape a couple to the outside of your shirt on your lower back, right over your kidneys. That ought to keep you comfy for awhile.


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## nmubowyer (Sep 11, 2007)

im likin the pop-up blinds with a space heater, good luck to you guys, im still after another freezer deer too


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## ImpalaSSpeed96 (Aug 25, 2008)

Me too... I was planing on doing some bowhunting this year when I got out there but after being subjected to this weather, i don't think so... This stuff is insane. I've never been in weather this cold in my life...


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## Aythya (Oct 23, 2004)

In my experience, when the deer move is situational and depends on a number of factors. For example, one of the places I hunt has large food plots and when it is really cold the deer wait until about 30 minutes before sunset to move. But when they do, they come quickly.

In another spot, where food is farther away, they begin to move earlier in the afternoon.

One thing I have observed in years of hunting in really cold weather, and I mean cold as in -10 F and lower, deer seem less wary. They seem more focused on getting food than being really cautious.

When I can, I make snow forts to sit in out of the wind. Works pretty well and provides a good hiding spot. But even out of the wind when it is -15 or so I can't sit out there for more than about 2 hours on a calm day. Any wind and that time is reduced, even in the snow fort.


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## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

-17 with -45 wind chill here yesterday and the deer were moving well...

The question is how well will you be moving after sitting out there for a few hours?...


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## nita (Dec 11, 2008)

I was wondering if the cold is bad for my bow? If it would cause my bow to brake when I shoot it after it being in the cold for a couple of hours?


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## walkswithwhispers (Sep 18, 2007)

Nita,

I wouldn't worry too much about it. But just in case, what kind of bow do you shoot?

Impala,
I'm certainly not pointing fingers at you, but it's funny when guys come to ND from other states and start talking $%!t like they're the best thing since sliced bread but they whine about walking from the house to their car. Again, I'm not accusing you of whining or talking $*!%.

Not to sound like a chick, but eventually you realize that there's something really beautiful and amazing about the land being so frozen. It's like nature just kills and purifies everything in this blanket of white and time just stops. If you can learn to view the weather with an existential eye it can really open things up for you.

Also, tracking deer in the snow kicks @$$. I just love seeing deer move through timber when the ground is white.


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## nita (Dec 11, 2008)

I shoot a Hoyt 38 Ultra. Yeah the snow makes tracking a deer sooooo much better! It gets kind of hard tracking a dot of blood every now and then on ground covered with leaves and no snow in the dark. I been there and done that in Louisiana. It takes quite a while.


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## walkswithwhispers (Sep 18, 2007)

Oh ya, that Hoyt will have no problem with the cold weather. I was just wondering because some guys choose to use either traditional bows or pretty old compounds. The only thing I've heard about a newer bow having problems in the cold is that you might hear a little creeking that you didn't hear before but i think that even that is rare.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

Many people don't consider this but a bow will often shoot high in cold weather. I discovered this when I used to shoot archery league. My bow would be in my cold vehicle all day and when I first started shooting it often would be 4-6" high. It would usually take about 15 minutes for it to warm up enough to be back on zero. The limbs apparently stiffened up enough to increase the velocity and flatten the trajectory. I'm not sure newer type limbs are as prone to this but the old fiberglass ones were.

I am also becoming less tollerant of the cold as I get older. I used to manage about 1 1/2 hrs at 0 to -10. Now I need a couple weeks of aclimation at -10 to -20 before I can hold out for an hour. Actually I prefer to stillhunt when it is that cold. Its suprising how many deer are active midday when it gets that cold. I thopught i was done for the year but I have been outside working all day the last couple of days and will be for the next week. Subzero is starting to get comfortable.


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## deerslayer80 (Mar 27, 2007)

Just like mentioned above, deer tend to be less weiry when it gets this cold. They are extremely focused on feeding and tend not to bed to far from their food source. When they come they do come quickly. Deer in these temps have to get up frequently to move around and get circulation throughout their bodies to keep warm. This is why deer feed so heavy in the fall.

Work the day breaks and keep yourself between the bedding and feeding areas and you will have success. Put your time in and you will be rewarded.

Try to dress in as many thin layers as possible. This makes it easier to shot/pull back your bow. It's not a bad idea to shoot your bow a few times to see how it reacts to the cold.


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