its snowing

[jasnt]

Finally got some snow hitting the ground. I'm lacing up my boots and headed out to hopefully cut some cat tracks      

who's cutting tracks in the snow? What are you finding?

[mulehunter]

Not FAIR...   

[boneaddict]

200 miles of freezing rain between me and my destination.   Cozied by the fire today.  Goodluck

[KFhunter]

Finally got some snow hitting the ground. I'm lacing up my boots and headed out to hopefully cut some cat tracks      

who's cutting tracks in the snow? What are you finding?

bummer it stopped, not enough to cut sign

nm, it started back up again 

[jasnt]

Well 4miles today.  Nothing was moving but squirrels and deer.  I think the snow started too late today. But I'll be back at it come first light tomorrow.

[Payne]

I'm thinking about heading out tomorrow morning... getting some good snow here, I would guess it will be gone by tomorrow night though...

[jasnt]

I'm thinking about heading out tomorrow morning... getting some good snow here, I would guess it will be gone by tomorrow night though...

I love going out when it snows most the night. Good luck. Looks like we got snow coming Sunday so I'll be out mon-wed

[jasnt]

Been a crunchy/slippery week so far.  Predator hunting thick woods is tough!  Looks like a cold spell is coming, I'm ready for more snow!!!!!

[JJD]

Jasnt,
No snow here yet but sure cold enough today.
I'm just west of you a bit.
I love the snow too. I snowshoe the rims of the canyons with a light rifle and could litterally walk for days without running out of new territory.  At daybreak, if ya move slow, ya take more critters than you'd think.  Quieter than anything with a motor and being over 60, the exercise doesn't hurt either. 

[jasnt]

Yup. I look at my legs like they're the ultimate all-terrain vehicle lol.  I don't have snowshoes yet. I just tough it out till the snow is more than knee deep. I just love being out there. Looking for sheds and varmints.  Hope we get more snow soon cougar always closes the first of the year in my gmu. I like moving really slow too. I just watch and listen as I meander threw the areas, watching for tracks or movement.

[jasnt]

Well we got a little snow Tuesday night so I was out Wednesday morning at first light. Checked all the regular spots along the way but no cats, on two of these spots are known cougar toilets.  Not seeing any sign i decided to make a stand by the river. Called off and on for 45 min to an hour then headed up more north, found 2 old kills from last winter, bucks that had shed already, noses crushed and most the bones buried. Still not cutting tracks and snow melting fast we headed back to the truck, on the way back we passed one of the toilets and see a fresh pile of pine needles. Yup cat had been there where I had just been 2 1/2 hours earlier.  The snow was pretty much gone by then so no way to tell where it went.  We ducked down and started calling. Started with cougar whistles and ended with fawn distress. We heard something moving up on top but never spotted it.  Sure wish we could get a good 2" of snow. Only a matter of time before I catch up to it.

[Wanttohuntmore]

Have you been successful before tracking down cats?  Just curious if its better than blind calling.

[jasnt]

Not yet. Idea is track till I feel I'm getting close,without bumping, Then set up and call.  I feel it helps knowing the cat has been in the area,and could be still close. That's why I hit the fresh snow as quickly as I can. Gives me an good idea how long ago the cat was there,direction of travel and approximately how big. 

[fast1]

I use to do the same thing to get time and size, but would also get a ruff idea of direction and try and figure out where it was headed. Then I would try to circle around and get in front of them and do some calls.

[jasnt]

I use to do the same thing to get time and size, but would also get a ruff idea of direction and try and figure out where it was headed. Then I would try to circle around and get in front of them and do some calls.

only issue I see with that is often tracking the cats I've found they pretty much wonder and often change course, even making a huge circle in about 4hours time just to cross its tracks and go a different route.  I have also tracked them relatively straight for several miles.  I'm also mostly hunting smaller peace's of public land. So I feel I need to get as close as I can before it leaves the public land.  I'm sure hunting the nf areas you can try to get in front of it easier.   currently I'm hunting one specific cat on an 1800 Acer public land area.  I've found many of its territory markers( toilets /scratches ) trying to pattern this cat has been futile.  The only pattern I've seen is no pattern at all. He simply seems to wonder. Maybe it will just take alot longer to figure him out than the last 2months. Time will tell