We've Got Enough Snow For Christmas

One of the basic problems of life is faced every Christmas season by children and some adults. The old saying that the only difference between a man and a boy is the price of his toy.

Kids want this toy, and that one for Christmas, and every plaything seen on television goes on their immediate want list.

Some kids get everything they ask for but most do not. Now me, I'm beyond the toy stage, but I still have a wish list of a different sort.

My wish is no more snow for awhile.

My wish a few days ago was for colder temperatures and light snow. Hello, we've got it. There has been enough snow so far the past two weeks  to make travel treacherous, and I'm going to pass on hunting tonight.

Too much snow is the reason, which makes me say: be careful what you wish for. You just may get it. Well, we've got all the snow we need for December. Mushing through snow in a standing corn field isn't much fun.

Much of the snowfall the past two weeks has been lake effect. I've measured 83 inches at my place in the last 14 days.

The temperature is anchored at 24 degrees at this writing, and the wind is blowing but not hard. I went out to get the mail earlier today, and brought in the garbage cart that holds our refuse. It has wheels, but wheels don't work well if this kind of snowfall isn't blown away from the house. The trash container pushed up big ridges of snow all the way to the garage.

No deer hunting tonight. It might be possible to get to my hunting area but getting back home could be a major challenge. Besides, in my humble opinion based on watching deer movements in heavy snow for many years, the animals stay tucked away in some thick cover and wait for the snow to end. It's not snowing now is there are predictions for possible now tomorrow.

That means if we don't get much snow, the deer should move quite well tomorrow. But who knows how long any storm will last or if we'll get a story. I grow tired of trying to second-guess the weatherman.

Snow has been building for two weeks.

Snow really wasn't forecast for this area. I have no clue if we will get belted this weekend as they originally predicted or not, but yesterday's forecast showed that we would dodging this snowy bullet. Enough is enough, already.

Timing is everything with snow storms. Deer often move two hours before the snow hits which means had I been in my tree stand instead of nursing a sore back in bed this morning, I may have seen some deer early today. One food plot near the house is all tracked up.

The snow we already have has brought out the snowmobilers, and hopefully all of them will use the common sense required to keep from killing themselves by impacting immovable cars and trees.

Is this what I meant when I wrote that cold weather and snow will make deer move? The temperature at 24 degrees isn't cold, but when it becomes coupled with strong wind and snow, the deer probably will not move until the snow stops and the front moves through. It's supposed to be partly cloudy and nice today so we'll see what happens tonight.

Me, I love hunting in the snow but not when the wind chill factor is closing in on zero. It's a night to sit inside, do computer work, fill a few book orders, and wait for the storm front to move on. Frankly, I'd like to see a thaw soon, and perhaps do some winter steelhead fishing.We don't

We don't need a repeat of last winter's hugesnow  storms.

If a wind and snow storm arrives and then stops tonight, while some cold weather hangs on, we'll may have all the makings for good hunting over the weekend. I plan to take advantage of any weather change.

And then, I'll join forces with my buddy Dennis Buchner of Grawn, Michigan's largest wholesale live bait dealer, in praying for cold temperatures to lock up area lakes with ice ... without a foot of slushy slop on top of it.

So that's my next wish. Solid ice, cold weather, and no more snow until the lakes all freeze tight with safe and solid ice. That will make my December, January and February ice-fishing plans come together nicely.

So, my advice for tonight: stay off the roads if any significant snow should develop, and take it easy. Grand Traverse County's Road Commission will not be plowing secondary roads as often as in past winter. That can lead to more traffic accidents, and frankly, I choose not to join others in becoming a back-road accident statistic.

Posted via email from Dave Richey Outdoors