HOW TO HUNT DEER IN A SNOWSTORM
Hunt the Calm in the Middle of the Storm
 Editor’s
Note: Paul Butski, the president of Butski Game Calls
located in Niagara Falls, New York, also enjoys hunting
in snowstorms. "I hunt for deer primarily in New
York, Canada and the Northwest," Butski said. "Anytime
you hunt in snow country, you have about a 50/50 chance
you'll have to hunt in a snowstorm. Today, I'll share
all the secrets Butski taught me about hunting for deer
in a snowstorm.
"I've learned deer move through a storm the same
way I do," Butski explained. "They try to
get out of the weather and wind, moving through low
places where the storm will have the least effect on
them." One season, Butski hunted in Saskatchewan,
Canada. The hunters with Butski decided to put on a
deer drive. When he got out of the car, the snow blew
sideways.  Knowing
he'd have to brave the misery-causing elements for an
hour or more, he found a small, protected draw where
the trees blocked the wind and snow and made a calm
corridor where the deer could walk. "I'd only waited
in the woods 15 minutes," Butski commented. "The
drive hadn't even started when I saw a nice buck, at
least a 150-class whitetail on the Boone and Crockett
scale, coming up the small valley straight toward me.
Because I'd bagged big bucks before, I knew how to field
judge a nice buck."
As the buck approached Butski's stand, Butski mounted
his rifle and prepared for the shot. Studying the buck
through his scope while the animal had his head turned
away from him, Butski tried to more closely estimate
the size of the deer's antlers. "The season before,
I'd bagged a 150-class buck," Butski mentioned.
"I had decided before this hunt I wouldn't take
a shot, unless I saw a buck bigger than 150 points.
As I studied this deer's antlers, I wanted to squeeze
the trigger. But I knew the buck I already had on my
wall outsized him. However, regardless of the decision
I had made before the hunt, my subconscious tried to
talk me into doing what I said I wouldn't do when I
spotted a nice buck like  this."
When Butski looked at the antlers once again, he pushed
the safety off his gun just as the buck looked his way.
But then Butski changed his mind, relaxed his trigger
finger and moved the safety back to the locked position.
The deer finally saw Butski, snorted, ran 40 yards and
stopped again, still within range. Then the buck swiftly
retreated into the storm. That's the biggest buck I've
ever let go," Butski explained. "And I still
dream about him."
Remember, a snowstorm takes away the deer's defenses.
In a blowing snowstorm, a buck can't see, hear or smell
very well. The animal only has one or two actions he
can take to dodge danger. He either can bed down in
the thickest cover he can find, or he can get into calm
places like valleys, ditches or firebreaks that protect
him from the wind and snow. Then the buck can see, smell
and even  hear
better than in more exposed areas. But all the deer
will not bed down and remain there throughout the storm.
At some point, some of the deer will get up, move around
and feed. By looking for the calm spots where you can
see and hear the deer better, you most likely will find
the bucks because they'll see and hear you better in
those same areas," Butski said. "You also
must remember that during a snowstorm you usually have
more time to take a shot than in calm weather because...
* "deer can't run as fast through heavy snow as
they can when little or no snow covers the ground,
* "you can see the deer against the white background
at a farther distance than when the ground has little
or no snow and
* "a deer won't run very far when the wind really
howls if you spook him before he stops and looks back
to see what has spooked him. So take your time and wait
on the shot."
TOMORROW: HUNT THE GROCERY RUSH
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