Anything Positive @ This Winter?

[paleoman]

#6473

What is good about this winter for you? It’s a necessary evil for the cycle of things I guess:? Otherwise I’d move to Hawaii right now if I could. Best I can say is I’ll take this over hot and humid. What keeps y’all from losing your minds this time of year:wink:?

[Col Mike]

#51701

Paleo

Great day–high of +12. Our musher in training got on a sled for first time with 6 dog team–video’s will be on the u-tube site for Husky power dog sledding. Sarah is now officially a “musher”:D

We are just over 6 feet of snow and more coming tomorrow:evil: Yep time for that 2nd retirement.

Glad to join you in the Islands:D

Mike

[Doc Nock]

#51717

I’ve long joked there is no socially redeeming value for winter after the end of hunting seasons

Too old to sled. Bones hurt in the cold. Nah…I’ll stick with my long stated belief… NO redeeming values of winter after hunting season!

Yup…more snow (not a lot) due in tomorrow afternoon for sure. Been about once a week for a month now… yuk!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#51728

Best part about January?

Chukar are still open…

Nighty, night, chuk chuk…

[Ptaylor]

#51747

Yep, tree squirrels, cottontails, and jackrabbits still open. We’re in a drought here and its 60 degrees here today. We need weather!

[David Petersen]

#51774

Paleo asked: “What keeps y’all from losing your minds this time of year?”

Well, I permanently lost my “mind” decades ago, so I hardly notice the seasonal difference. This winter is amazingly mild so far (I’ll worry about drought next summer but not prematurely). The tourists are all gone. Restaurants and pubs run some great “locals appreciation” specials. Gas prices drop from outrageous to merely obscene. And there’s always good food, good booze, good smoke, good friends and best of all, good books. We don’t have TV so we don’t get distracted and all worked up by mobs of giant millionaires tossing their balls around. The only hard part is the long nights and we combat that with the luxury of “oversleeping.” For a decade I lived in SoCal where there are no seasons, at least on the beach. I frankly never missed them. But too many others felt the same way so we had to go, and no regrets.

[Ralph]

#51777

Yep, drought. Yep wind. Yep crazy temps, 6* this morning 58* this afternoon. Yep wind :D. Been thinking on a thread title “Shootin’ the Breeze”. May do it yet. By the way, that’s using the term ‘breeze’ lightly (ha, pun):). Could be snowed in. Right now that’d be great. When you have a dew point of -15* a snowstorm would be mighty welcome. At least I have coyotes and pigs to go chase.

Oh yeah, the wind is the *1 excuse around here. Never doubted. 😉

May have to adopt one of these guys.

[Ralph]

#51780

Oh yeah, Smith, good pics. I remember that country, closer to Mtn. Home though. Loved it up there. I shot a massive 6×4 mulie close to Anderson Ranch dam when I was 16. Someone stole the antlers from me.

[grumpy]

#51805

Every time it snows the gf and I pretend we are snowed in 😀

[paleoman]

#51862

Thanks for the pics Smithhammer. That is beautiful country. Good to hear from you all. Sure not a mild winter here in Michigan this year. More like Antarctica at the moment.

[William Warren]

#51978

Squirrel goes out the end of the month but rabbit and quail are in til end of Feb. Smithy’s pics made me think wistfully of days following my English Setter after Gentleman Bob, her stylish tail waving like a big white feather up ahead. The Chukar may live among the rocky crags but Bob will draw you right into the nearest catbrier hell. Briar britches and shirt sleeves are a must have. Makes for some sporty shooting though.

Beautiful dog and country there, Smithy.

[tailfeather]

#52355

Great photos, Smith. Beautiful dog and country. I’m real close to talking myself into another pointing dog. Been a long time since I had one.

We don’t have the winter most of you gents have, but it still seems cold and gray all over the world at times. I’m enjoying it, chasing small game, working on projects, homebrewing, etc…..and looking forward on gobbling time.

[bruc]

#52438

Enjoyed your pictures Smithhammer! Great looking dog. Chukar looks a lot like our Hungarian partridge.

Bruce

[paleoman]

#52499

Here’s the view out the front door this morning. Snow coming down in heavy bursts. Like living in one of the Christmas shaker balls. It is pretty.

[William Warren]

#52661

And I thought it was cold here this morning. At least it is not snowing. NCBA held its Bow Hunt for Rabbits today but I once again did not go. Maybe Steve Graf went and will post some pics for us wood stove huggers.:lol:

I’ve been busy building some new cedar arrows and feeding the wood stove today.

[strait-aero]

#52678

On a positive note,I got a job last Monday and am now gainfully employed at the Hopedale Mine as the Utility man. I’m loading coal trains,shoveling coal(keeping in shape),and doing whatever the foreman has me do. The bad part is working out in zero degree weather…..The good part is I’ll be operating equipment that I’ve been trained to operate…bulldozer,front-end loader,and skid steerer. Worked 56 hrs. this week,so there’s plenty of overtime. After 6 mos.of being unemployed,things are kind of looking up!:roll: Wayne

PS Great photos,Bruce!May go afoot and stalk deer this afternoon. Just kinda resting now….spending a lazy day with my better half.8)

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#52751

Thanks, folks. It was a fun (but all too short) trip. Next to bowhunting, chasing wild birds in big country with a good pointing dog is just about my favorite thing in the world. As you can tell, central Idaho does not have much snow for this time of year. I’m a little worried about what things are going to be like, come summer. But at least we saw LOTS of elk and mule deer sign!

[Col Mike]

#52810

Bruce

Great pictures, it doesn’t get much better then hunting with your dog. Right to worry about the lack of snow. We are getting hammered again wind and snow. Heard from friends in AK they are cancelling dog sled races due to warm temps and lack of snow:shock:

Mike

[wahoo]

#52825

just got done shoeing but as said we need snow bad – feels like spring – drinking a soft drink in the driveway – shooting my bow raking pine needles for the dog kennel – yes it’s Jan but feels and looks like march talking river trips and training pup all is good

[David Fudala]

#52851

Only 101 days to go until turkey season!!!!

[Fallguy]

#53480

Cross country skiing this year has been great!!!! We now have enough snow to get the snowshoes out and enjoy the woods with no ATV’s and no crowds. I love winter because it thins the herd around here. Most of them hudle around the TV in the ice house and tell there wives they are fishing. They have been lead to believe by the media that you well freeze to death in 20 minutes in temperatures below zero. Peace and quiet I Love it.:D

[Northener]

#53526

Yes, it’s been a trying winter here in Mn. just brutal cold, actually damaging cold, it’s really really hard on vehicles, homes not to mention people and wildlife.

Fallguy has it for me as well. Solitude outdoors, not many around here brave the colder temps.

Emerald ash borer also takes it in the shorts in this weather too.

[James Harvey]

#53792

Smithhammer wrote: I’m a little worried about what things are going to be like, come summer.

Is that usually a big water source up there is it Bruce?

Great photos by the way. I’m impressed at the commitment you’ve made to safety orange, why you must be wearing a whole square foot of it 😉

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#53852

ausjim wrote:

Is that usually a big water source up there is it Bruce

Yeah, you could say that. The surrounding mountains in those pics feed one of the largest tributaries of one of the largest rivers in N. America. And the majority of Idaho’s water, state-wide, is reliant on seasonal snowpack. There should be a lot more snow in those pics for this time of year.

ausjim wrote: I’m impressed at the commitment you’ve made to safety orange, why you must be wearing a whole square foot of it 😉

Thanks!

[Col Mike]

#53894

Something positive:D After 3 days of grooming our trails a total of 96 miles at average speed of 5mph we just may be able to get a dog sled out tomorrow a little over 8 feet of the white stuff so far—temps are due to plunge to – tomorrow, another gift from Canada–and we are 15 miles south of Lat 40 the good ole Mason Dixon line, you all.:roll:

Oh no it’s snowing again. Wish I could send some of this your way Bruce.

Mike

[Jeremy Holden]

#53901

My son and I discovered ice fishing! Who knew sitting on a bucket staring at a 7″ inch whole in the ice could be so much fun? But those blue gills, crappie and perch sure do taste delicious with some hush puppies on the side. I found a new reason to appreciate 20″ inches of ice on the water.

-Jeremy

[Troy Warner]

#53988

Jeremy Holden wrote: My son and I discovered ice fishing! Who knew sitting on a bucket staring at a 7″ inch whole in the ice could be so much fun? But those blue gills, crappie and perch sure do taste delicious with some hush puppies on the side. I found a new reason to appreciate 20″ inches of ice on the water.

-Jeremy

Jeremy,

Ya know with a couple pieces of ply wood and some old canvas with 2 4×4’s for runners you can make a fold up ice house. Then you can stare at a 7″ hole with out the wind chill.:D

[archer38]

#54006

On the bright side, there seems to be an abundance of snowshoe hares around my area this year. On the down side, we have waist deep snow so chasing after them can be a bit more than a challenge !

[sinawalli]

#56360

Personally, I would lose my mind without winter! Love being in the snow/cold, especially hunting in it! Figure my after life will be a fair bit “warm”!

[Ben M.]

#56872

Here in our family, we live outdoors just as much in the winter as in any season. We just bundle up and keep on enjoying.

It was about 15*F when we got out to do this:

These pics were taken on my annual mid-winter solo prairie run. Got a break on the temperature this year (~30*) but had a stout 25-30mph north wind the entire day. Twelve miles this year.

[Bernie Clancey]

#57297

Had to run the snowblower through 6 inches of fresh snow, but at least I had something to look forward to when I came in.

I finished fletching 6 arrows for my Kodiak Magnum. I think I might put a little cresting on them at the end of the arrow wrap. Nothing complicated, maybe a single yellow stripe to match the nock color.

The plow hasn’t come by yet, so I will likely have the snowblower going again in the morning before work. We seem to have fallen into a pattern with snow every Wednesday, which makes for really tough bunny hunting on the weekend.

[Stephen Graf]

#60142

Duncan wrote: And I thought it was cold here this morning. At least it is not snowing. NCBA held its Bow Hunt for Rabbits today but I once again did not go. Maybe Steve Graf went and will post some pics for us wood stove huggers.:lol:

I’ve been busy building some new cedar arrows and feeding the wood stove today.

I’ve been busy like crazy last few weeks and have missed my tradbow fix lately… But I did manage to make the NCBA rabbit hunt. Drew back 3 times and was waiting for that perfect moment, which of course never came. But 2 rabbits were shot and both close by so I got to watch:

One was shot by a guy that had never hunted before. He drew back his recuve and shot a running rabbit in the head at about 15 yds. He should have bought a lottery ticket that day. I am afraid he is now under the impression that that is how rabbit hunting works…

The other was shot by a guy who was at least 70. He shot it at something over 15 yds and hit it in the rear quarters. Seeing the rabbit still going he ran and dove on it like a linebacker. Being on the side of a steep slope, he then proceeded to role down the hill toward me. Thankfully I had the presence of mind to drop my gear and fall over him flat on my ars. At this point the rabbit was indeed dead as I think he had been rolled under about 400 pounds of ragdoll man.

In the end Bob, the old rabbit tackler, got right up like it was nothing. So I had to do the same. We shook hands like old friends and proceeded to talk about how he was going to skin that flat old rabbit.

[John Mabry]

#60617

My 10 year old trad shooting partner and I found a new hobby snowshoeing this winter. Cannot get enough of it.

I will not complain about snow until it is melting into my basement.

[David Petersen]

#60659

John– welcome here! And your buddy too. I remember back to around the ’80s when the new age of metal snowshoes first came in. I think the brand was Sierra and at the time they had a lock on the hi-tech shoes, no competitors, and as businesses go, they were asses to deal with. I think and hope they’re long out of business. In any event, the new shoes–whose only really significant improvement was and is their bindings, not the flotation platforms–were advertised like crazy in high-end yuppie rags like Outside and Backpacker, showing people jumping off cornices and running and trying to make it sound like more fun than skiing “And you don’t need a ski slope!” As you know, it ain’t. Snowshoes aren’t sports cars, they are tractors. They allow people who live like I do to get around and take care of business when we couldn’t otherwise. They allow anyone to get into the winter woods. They are the toughest damn cardio and leg exercise I know of short of squat-thrusts (a favored Marine boot-camp torture). Neanderthals may well have had them. They are down to earth and practical and when viewed as a tool to help us stay outdoors, rather than an end in themselves, they are an example of good technology in a world killing itself with bad technology. Keep ‘shoeing! It’s a whole lot cheaper than a snowmobile. 😆

[wahoo]

#60671

love shoeing but we just had a nice well needed dump this last week so I took the opportunity to hike back to a favorite powder stash and cut it up a little .

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#60719

Welcome, John! It’s too easy to get lazy and stay inside this time of year. I heartily support all forms of (preferably non-motorized) transportation in the snowy backcountry.

I’ve made a commitment to xc-ski this winter at least 3-4 times/week, and I’m really glad I did. It keeps me (and the rest of the Hammer clan) a lot happier through the short days. 😉

[John Mabry]

#60868

I appreciate tbe welcome messages. The snow machine comments are interesting, as mine recently went out of service for good. It occurred to me while out today with my daughter on our shoes that I am not going to miss snowmobiling. At all.

Very similar to knowing I would never miss compounds when I finally switched back to traditional. JM

[mgerard]

#61517

Winter is wonderful! It puts the snakes to sleep, it covers up the dead of autumn while preparing for the life of spring, icefishing, and keeps the scorpions and unwanted visitors away!

[Col Mike]

#8702

Ice storm last night and this morning. Power out since 1030. wore hard hat outside as ice falling from trees was impressive. Found the down line about 1/2 mile from our place crews are working hard but we are out there you know. Battery power getting low back on the net when we get this mess cleaned up. I love winter–fire place is nice:D

Mike

[grumpy]

#8753

Was scouting in a WMA last week. Lots of squirrels, and deer (tracks and rubs), but no turkey sign. Sure I flushed several as the tracks were so fresh (crunchy snow). Slipped on Ice. Walking one second, staring at the sky the next. Landed on my lower right side of my back (didn’t hit my head). Dr says cracked ribs, and worried about fluid in my lungs. Snow cover is a blessing, alergies are better (less caughing and sneezing).

12 inches of powder fell today, still coming down now…

Waiting for a bigger storm this weekend. Thinking I’ll finally buy a pair of those light aluminum snowshoes, ash and rawhide are getting heavy. Besides those I have are way bigger than I need.

Got a BOHNING fletching jig, and about to replace all of the feathers on all of my arrows.

Oh, btw storm today was bad enough to close the used bookstore. Got to get there before Sunday.

Pete

[paleoman]

#8814

Good luck colmike and Grumpy. Snow is belt deep out here in places. Can’t do much but wallow w/o snowshoes this year.

[skifrk]

#8894

Been enjoying the snow with lots of skiing, including teaching my 2 year old this year. However when I went out to shovel tonight I left her in since it is so brutally cold here. i.e. -10

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#13949

I’ve reached a momentous, potentiall life-altering decision: I am getting rid of the several pairs of “modern” snowshoes that we own. It suddenly occurred to me that I can’t stand the things. Infernal contraptions that are way too noisy, and a classic case of trying to complicate something that doesn’t need to be in the name of hip merchandising.

So to “the Bay” they go, and I’m in the market for a pair of trad shoes. Probably Iverson’s or Maine Guides…

Whew. I feel better.

[Col Mike]

#14333

Bruce

Main guides get my vote. Give them a call–we have modified bear paw (I think:?) as I remember they have a new model called the rabbit hunter–will probably try them next year.

Your right about the modern metal contraptions impossible to wear with moosehide mukluks.

By the way if you want a real workout come on east and break trail with me in front of 10 or so eager husky’s with their nose up your rear end yelling come on boss faster:D

Supposed to get 1-2″ last night—got a little over a foot.:shock:

I love winter8) Apr. 18 spring turkey but whose counting.

Mike

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#14524

Thanks, Mike. The MG’s re what I’m leaning toward – either the modified bear paws or the rabbit hunters.

And wait – you’re breaking trail in front of the huskys?!? They sure have you trained well!

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#14525

Got up into the mid-40’s here today. Time to get the Thunderchild outside.

[Anonymous]

#14955

Winter is a wonderful time of much cooking indoors (and my wife is a phenomenal cook). A time of catching up on indoor projects and beginning new ones. A time where when I do tromp around this infernal concrete mess that we currently have to live in, that I am often alone (which I prefer) and when it snows, at least the disgusting refuse of “humanity” (and I use that term very loosely) is covered from sight. A time when my trips out of town are centered around more firewood collection, and of a wonderful warm fire almost every night in the fireplace at home; warming both hearth and heart. A time of reflection of that which has passed and anticipation of that to come. A time of brisk, clean, cleansing cold; of sharp winds and of crystal skies.

Winter is as necessary and as wonderful as the blooming of spring, the heat of summer, and the colors of autumn.

To those of you who live in places that are not afflicted with syphillization, enjoy it all the more.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#16457

Another tropical day in Hammerville. 8) Got out on the skinny skis this morning for a little tour over the state line into Wyoming. We certainly have no lack of snow at this point!

Now, why do they call them “lodgepoles” again?

I was just reading about ‘Ol Jed last night…

My preferred kind of two-track:

Gotta keep the shack nasties at bay…

[sinawalli]

#16653

Smithammer, that’s some sweet countryside! Looks like Alberta foothills!

[Charles Ek]

#17321

Fallguy and Northerner,

I grew up in MN, where the family farm was at a location I’m not “Embarrassed” to mention and my mom remembered a -54º morning there. I used to camp a lot in the state parks in winter, at a time when I had them completely to myself after dark. One of my early inspirations was Calvin Rutstrum, whose name you might recognize from his books. Here’s an excerpt from “Paradise Below Zero” that has stuck in my mind from the moment I read it more than forty years ago:

“Along the various arctic coasts, the first major snowfall produces a sense of exhilaration in every Eskimo village — a jubilation that strikes young and adult alike. This, we may be sure, is no mere caprice of mood prompted by the effects of weather. For the Eskimo, snow foretells a major change in his mode of living — a sudden heightening of seasonal interest, the beginning of travel by dog sled or motorized toboggan, the visiting of remote villages and outlying trading posts.

Increased mobility obviously does not provide the only advantages to the seasonal change. The very essentials of snow and ice themselves brighten the life of the Eskimo and expand his scope.

When we compare the Eskimo’s response to winter in the arctic with the despairing attitude in metropolitan and rural areas of the Temperate Zone toward approaching winter, perhaps we need to examine rather critically the reaction to weather in general as it underlies our own overall mode of life.

. . .

Unfortunately, just about every aspect of urban existence is negative toward the advantages of winter. Superheated home, office, and factory require clothing adaptable to the indoors, with little conversion-facility to cold and snow. . . . And since the urban population lives in homes that are essentially machines , and their travel is primarily in machines, a snowstorm — natural and magnificent as it can be — instead of becoming an interesting phenomenon to enjoy, tends to foul up the mechanized order of life, until season after season, city life, maladjusted to winter, sags into a kind of chronic discontent.

Man has largely been fighting the natural elements instead of adjusting to them since he first wandered away form nature’s indispensable benefits. . . . He is not likely to exercise vigorously indoors, and if he does, under indoor winter conditions of extremely low humidity and unbalanced oxygenation, the exercise is of questionable benefit, if not harmful — at best a tragic and needless substitute for the refreshing outdoor life available to him by a few simple rules of daily application.”

[Charles Ek]

#17349

For Smithhammer and the rest of you nuts:

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#17714

eidsvolling wrote: For Smithhammer and the rest of you nuts:

Hey now – I’m nowhere near as nutty as that guy. 8)

And those of you that know me better not chime in….

Wait – is that you?

[Charles Ek]

#17721

Smithhammer wrote: [quote=eidsvolling]For Smithhammer and the rest of you nuts:

Hey now – I’m nowhere near as nutty as that guy. 8)

And those of you that know me better not chime in….

Wait – is that you?

That would be me, in a paean to the Finnish ski troops who fought off a certain bear in the Winter War: Battle of Suomussalmi

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#17728

Ha – well done.

Are you planning a part deux – mano a mano?

[Col Mike]

#17733

Eids

A fitting salute. That battle is still studied in our military schools. Classic infantry small unit leaders overcoming a numerically superior force—darn tough bunch of soldiers.

Semper Fi

Mike

[Charles Ek]

#17736

I did go back once afterward to look for tracks, but it was probably still a little early. There’s a largish boar that used to hang out in the vicinity, but I haven’t seen any sign of him for a while. I don’t hunt bear, but I’m a huge admirer of the non-human kind.

Should probably mention that two of my four grandparents emigrated from Finland. The theme music for the video is “Finlandia” by Sibelius. Some of you might remember it from a different, somewhat more modern context …

[Alexandre Bugnon]

#22184

I love winter hunts!

[Ralph]

#23240

Winter stayed up y’all’s way today for sure. 78* here, dead calm.

Age has it’s advantages sometimes. Two retired buddies and myself got four hours of stumping time. The rare calm days come around we drop everything and go, as long as it’s OK with momma of course :wink:. The warm temp was just a bonus.

We’d be more than willing to share some of that snow with you guys though. 😀

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#23287

AlexBugnon wrote: I love winter hunts!

That’s a great pic, Alex.

I got out today (though not with the bow) and saw lots of hare tracks. Our trip up the canyon was cut a little short by a couple of moose. Still, it was a really nice day out, and conditions were darn near perfect for a pair of nordic skis.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#29696

Somewhere in western Wyoming yesterday morning…

[Author]

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