Snowshoe Hunting

H

Hunter Customs

New member
I'm thinking about buying some snowshoes for coyote hunting in deep snow.
What brought this on was I shot a coyote yesterday and it was not a clean kill so I decided to track the coyote and finish what I started.
After a 3/4 mile hike through some very deep snow (at times up to my croch) I knew there has to be a better way so I though about snowshoes.
I feel I'm in pretty good shape for 62 years old, but that deep snow had this old man sucking some air.
I believe I want to go with traditional snowshoes, the ones made from wood and rawhide.
So I would appreciate any advice I can get from any of you folks that use snowshoes for hunting or hiking.
Please list the brand name of the snowshoes you use and how well they work in different types of snow.
Thanks in advance for any advice on snowshoes.
Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
nathaniel,
The Cabela's traditional shoes are the ones that's high on my list, the price sure seems right.
They also seem to have pretty good ratings from others who use them.
I'm thinking about the Alaskan II model.
The snow I'll be dealing with will range from deep powder (two to five feet) to snow with a slightly frozen crust on top.
Thanks for your reply.
Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
I have a pair of red feathers which I love for hiking deep snow. They're a tad more expensive, but easy and durable. Sierra T post always has some snow shoes of various types on special, too.
My wife has a set of larger snow shoes for winter camping. If I were big game hunting in the snow and had to pack out a quarter of elk or deer, I would probably take a bigger set to accomodate the extra weight.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/se...px?allwords=snow shoe&searchdescriptions=True

http://www.redfeather.com/scripts/prodlist.asp?idCategory=3
 
Bob-
Having hunted in snow with the "traditional" wood/rawhide snowshoes, I recommend you invest in a set of the new aluminum/plastic snowshoes. Cost just a bit more, but you don't have the upkeep/care and weight to deal with.
 
doofus47 and Scorch,
Thanks for the info.
The reason I was going with the traditional wood rawhide snowshoe even though they require more maintainence was, they are less noisey, less prone to breakage and actually lighter then the new modern shoes. These things I don't know for fact they are just things I've read or been told.
That's the reason I started this thread, I wanted as many opinions as possible and I appreciate and value each one I recieve.
Thanks again to both of you and I'll certainly take your suggestions into consideration before I make a snowshoe purchase.
Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
Is the area you hunt open fields or very brushy?

You may want the "bear paw" type which are more circular had support more weight, for th brushy area as the traditional long style is not easy to turn in brushy area.

Also, get a old ski pole to be a third led, use to and still have the "Michigan Style" used for snowshoe hare hunting in the UP of Michigan.
There you can fall and put your hand out to stop, but you keep going till you stop and can't touch anythinf with the arm you have now buried.
REad up first before buying.
 
Can't speak for the rawhide units....but the aluminum ones work great. Got a pair of the "Yukon Charlie's" last year when snowfall totals went over 50". Biggest problem was learning to maneuver through corn fields....soon learned corn fields are something to be avoided.

No....they're not short fence posts. More snow than I care to see again.
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jrothWA,
Thanks for the good advice and I will read and reserch more info before buying.

Rembrandt
Thanks a lot for the pictures.The old adage about a picture being worth a 1000 words sure held true this time.
One question I had was hunting corn stubble fields, your advice and pictures sure answered that for me.
The trail I walked the other day had some drifts as high as the top strand on the fences.
All the snow I walked the other day was as deep as my boot tops (12 inch boots) and deeper, most of it was above my knees.
I do have a couple of questions for you and the others that suggest using the modern type shoes.
Do the modern shoes work well in all types of snow?
Do they work well with hunting boots or do you need special boots for the shoes?
Thanks again to everyone for the good advice.
Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
I was going with the traditional wood rawhide snowshoe even though they require more maintainence was, they are less noisey, less prone to breakage and actually lighter then the new modern shoes.
Click to expand...

Really?
 
Hunter Customs said:
.....Do the modern shoes work well in all types of snow?
Do they work well with hunting boots or do you need special boots for the shoes?
Click to expand...

From the limited time I've had them, worked well in soft flaky snow and the wet stuff. I'd recommend getting a load rating above and beyond what you weigh. Load ratings increase with added length and width of the snowshoe, keeps you from sinking in further. Mine fit over sized Muck hunting boots with no problem.
 
I have both the modern aluminum-frame snowshoes, and a couple of styles of the wood-framed ones. The aluminum ones are great if you're in snow that's not too deep, or on relatively steep terrain where the built-in crampons under the ball of your foot are a real plus. Since they're short, they're also pretty maneuverable in woods and brush.

But if you're in deep, soft snow, they don't have the flotation to keep you on top of it -- you'll sink in quite a bit, and have to work even harder to lift not just your foot but also the snowshoe and the load of snow it's now carrying on the solid neoprene "foredeck." If you're carrying a pack, or think you might be packing game out, so much the worse -- the more weight, the worse the flotation.

You can get wood-framed snowshoes with neoprene lacing instead of rawhide. They need a lot less upkeep than the ones with rawhide lacing, as the neoprene doesn't absorb moisture the way rawhide will if it's not sealed properly -- you just need to varnish the frames if they develop bare spots.

As to style, it depends a bit on the terrain... the long, "Alaskan" style snowshoes give maximum flotation and track well in deep snow, but they can be awkward in woods or brush. The little bearpaws are the most maneuverable, but don't have so much flotation. The "Huron" model on that Cabela's page is the closest to my favorite pair, which is what's called a beavertail-bearpaw -- they're a decent compromise between flotation and maneuverability, and the tail helps them track in deeper snow, as well.

The type of boot that'll work well depends a bit on the binding you get with the snowshoes -- some work best with a soft, mukluk-style boot, others with a hiking/hunting boot -- if you're out in really cold weather, you want a binding that's large enough to accommodate a pac boot with a felt liner.

The bindings on my aluminum-framed snowshoes are actually the thing I like best about them: they're stiff enough to be easy to slip on and off, I can easily adjust them to any pair of boots I want to wear, and they're very secure. I keep thinking I'll put that style of bindings on my other snowshoes, but I just don't seem to get around to it... :o
 
Buzzcook,
I was just stating things I read or been told.
I've made it clear in this thread that I have no first hand experience with snowshoes, just trying to learn.

2Old2Change,
Thank you for your opinion.
What model and style of the modern shoes are you using?

Rembrandt,
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions, I do appreciate your very informative response.

Vanya,
Thank you for the very informative response.
It sounds as if you have a lot of experience with different types of snowshoes.
This is exactly what I'm looking for and the reason I started this thread.
I feel the more information I have the better my decision will be.
I do have a question that you may be able to answer for me.
I know this can and will depend on the size and style of shoes but could you give me an ideal of what the traditional shoes weigh?

Thanks again to everyone for your help.

Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
Hunter Customs said:
I know this can and will depend on the size and style of shoes but could you give me an ideal of what the traditional shoes weigh?
Click to expand...
I don't know offhand, and I don't have a scale handy...

But according to the Iverson website (they're the maker of my wood/neoprene shoes), their neoprene-laced, wood-frame snowshoes give twice the flotation of aluminum snowshoes of the same weight -- so they compare pretty favorably. And that fits my experience just using them: in general, the wooden ones seem to require less effort to walk in, overall, unless I'm on packed snow or going up and down steep terrain, where the design of the aluminum ones (with crampons built in) is useful.

Another style to look at is the Ojibwa -- like the Alaskan, but with upturned, pointy toes. I don't own a pair, but I've used them, and they're nice in brush because they're easy to push through it. And they look very cool...
 
I own three pairs of snowshoes. Traditional Huron/Michigan and Bearpaw, and a pair of modern Snowshoes with solid decking. Each works very well within their parameters and for me, they each have a specific purpose. In new deep powder when wanting to go long distances or be on them all day, I'll choose the Hurons. With their traditional webbing, they support well and the powder that falls onto the decking falls out easily. Their upturned toe and the type of binding I use means one does not walk with them, but basically you raise your leg only high enough to bring the toe up and then slide them....similar to traditional cross country skiing. They do take a while to get used to and one must be wary of stepping on your heels and having enough room to turn around. They work well for breaking trail and altho not as fast as the Alaskan type, are more maneuverable and packable. In deep powder when going short distances(such as going a few hundred yards to a deerstand or checking a short run of traps) the bearpaws work better as they are much more maneuverable. One walks in these as opposed to sliding them. Problem is their width, which makes one walk bullegged and one also has to lift their foot higher to take the next step. This is much more tiring when used for long periods of time. The modern solid decked snowshoes I generally use late in the season when snow is old, crusted or wet. They will keep you up on this type of snow better than the webbed designs and one does not have to worry about snow collecting on the top of the decking on each step. With wet/crusted snow, traditional webbed decking will allow snow easily thru the decking when weight is applied but allows it to stay on the decking when the foot is lifted. The solid decking does not allow wet/crusted snow thru at all and because the snow is wet/crusted, one does not have to worry about it "falling in" on the shoe. This design can be very tiring in deep powder as they work almost like a snow shovel when you try to lift them. They also can be slid in X-country ski style with the proper bindings.

I agree that most folks buy a snowshoe that does not properly support their weight. Most of us consider ourselves lighter than we actually are and do not realize how much weight heavy boots, clothing and other gear such as packs and guns can add. Too big can be clumsy, but too small means one is not gaining the advantage that a proper shoe can give. Shoes that worked well for me when I was young and trim, now hang on the wall, replaced by shoes that now properly support my more "mature" figure.
 
buck460XVR -- that's an informative post...

Funnily enough, this morning the following turned up on a birding listserve I subscribe to -- I think it's also informative....

Yesterday (Saturday) I lead a group of eight 12-year-old Boy Scouts and three other adults on a 4-hour snowshoe hike through woods & bog, just outside of Duluth, and they really enjoyed the wildlife. We watched Pine Grosbeaks and Gray Jays, saw Snowshoe Hares, interpreted tracks in the snow (Short-tailed Weasels chasing rabbits, Gray Wolves marking territory and hunting rabbits,raptors catching birds in the snow, Pileated Woodpeckers excavating, bark pealed from trees by possible Black-backed Woodpeckers, etc.).
...
Large snowshoes are recommended--the small aluminum-framed snowshoes were not big enough to keep any but the lightest of the kids from punching through the 30+ deep snow. I got to break trail for the group by virtue of being the only one who brought 54" lightweight Michigan-style snowshoes, which kept me on top of the snow nicely.
...
Click to expand...
'Nuff said, I think. :)
 
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Whatever you get, stay away from supposedly good deals you may find on military snowshoes. They are worthless except for their magnesium frames which in a pinch will get a fire going for you.
 
Vanya,
Thanks for the follow up in answering my questions.
You have posted a lot of good information and the links are a big help.

buck460XVR,
Thank you for the very informative post.
I will not have to use snowshoes all that much especially in a normal year, so I'm looking to purchase only one pair.
With the information I've received from you and Vanya I believe a traditional type of shoe may be my best choice.
The kind of snow I'll encounter most will be powder type snow that's drifted or like the snow I walked the other day that was powder under a very thin crust on top.
Most of the terrain I'll cover will be flat or rolling type farm ground.

stevelyn,
Thank you for the info, it's appreciated.

Thanks again to everyone for all the help
Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
 
I also aggree that the Traditional Cabela's Huron is the best shoe available.

I have Modern Tubbs and Atlas shoes and have used the Cabela's Outfitter Gear models.

The only time that I ever use the Modern shoe is when the snow is not deep enough to cover the rocks... I would rather destroy the aluminums than the woody's.

My wife got into snowshoeing with me and she also tried every style available... she also chose the Huron Cabela's. since she is only 115lbs, (dress, armed with ammo), floatation for her was not an issue, (I weigh 220 without a stitch)for her it was weight of the shoes and the Noise! She hated all the noise the modern shoes made. Not peaceful or stealthy at ALL.

I do/did a lot of back country Snowboarding in Jackson Hole WY, run a back country trapline in MT and just like to get out and treck around the wilds and shoot at stuff...
One trip into the back country of Jackson Hole with a group of friends, I was the only one with the woodies... In the Morning everyone had a laugh and they all made fun of me, by mid day attitudes had changed quite a bit, and by evening, there was a lot of talk about taking the expensive aluminum s back to the store and shoving them up the salesmans @$$:D:D


The best advice I can give is to get the Huron Cabela's, a can of Marine varnish and enjoy.

I did add a small snowmoblile cleat to both our shoes to make them complete... We both consider this addition to be a must... I just used a pice of leather and bolted it to the cleat so that it is right under our heal.

If you choose this route and would like to see the cleat addition just PM me and I'll see about getting some pics for you.
 
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