A Foggy Morning In The Winter Woods

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

I strapped on my snowshoes and went out hunting this morning at 6 am.
I was carrying the 25 cal. Hatsan 125 rifle and had high hopes for a successful hunt.

I got skunked. 


It was a windless overcast morning, the temp was around +17 F
For some reason it was very foggy this morning and I was hunting by creek bottom which made the fog worse.
I stayed out about 3 hours and then packed it in.


All I saw was Fog, Trees and Snow. 



All in all ....it was still a great day to be in the winter woods and I had a good time. 

I'll try to get out tomorrow or the day after....... before the COLD weather sets in.



Best Wishes - Tom

[Chris USA]

All them critters were all holed up at home,... like you should have been! 

Hat's off to you for getting out there! Too cold for me even dressed in my best winter gear.

[maraudinglizard]

At least you got out of the house for a minute. The wind has not let up in the last 2 days around here and the temperatures have been crazy, one day we are in the 80's, the next day we are in the upper 40's. It has fouled up the wildlife to no end. The pictures are pretty. Good luck tomorrow.

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

All them critters were all holed up at home,... like you should have been! 

Hat's off to you for getting out there! Too cold for me even dressed in my best winter gear.

Hi Chris.

Thank you for your reply.
Maybe your right ! 
I could have stayed home this morning and done just as good, but I truly enjoyed the walk in the woods.

I just thought I might get out and do some hunting while it is still relatively "warm".
Thursday night, the temperature is supposed to start dropping.
By Sunday it is supposed to be -3 F for a high and then get colder still.


Best Wishes - Tom

[screwwork]

Tom,
Good job on getting out before it gets cold, it's better to just go hunting and get skunked vers wishing you went hunting and regretting not getting out at all IMO. I like calling it armed hiking vers skunked, saying skunked to me just makes me think I got sprayed. You're a real trooper getting outside in the snow, fog & +17F temps for a hunting trip into the woods. 
I am glad you still had a good time out in mother nature. Nice photos too.

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

At least you got out of the house for a minute. The wind has not let up in the last 2 days around here and the temperatures have been crazy, one day we are in the 80's, the next day we are in the upper 40's. It has fouled up the wildlife to no end. The pictures are pretty. Good luck tomorrow.

Well... Hi there Kris !

I am sorry to here that is what's going on in sunny Florida.

We are going to get the exact opposite of what you are experiencing ...for a while.
So far... we have had a really Mild Winter... but that is about to change.
Hopefully this cold snap that is coming, doesn't last too long.


Best Wishes - Tom

[mrbulk]

Oh well, better luck next time Tom. At least you got your daily dose of Vitamin D

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Tom,
Good job on getting out before it gets cold, it's better to just go hunting and get skunked vers wishing you went hunting and regretting not getting out at all IMO. I like calling it armed hiking vers skunked, saying skunked to me just makes me think I got sprayed. You're a real trooper getting outside in the snow, fog & +17F temps for a hunting trip into the woods. 
I am glad you still had a good time out in mother nature. Nice photos too.

Hi Randy !

Thank You for your reply.

Wow.....Armed Hiking !   NOW......I Like That !

OR...maybe ..Armed Reconnaissance.



Best Wishes - Tom

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Oh well, better luck next time Tom. At least you got your daily dose of Vitamin D

Hi Charlie.

Thank you for your reply.

Yup "better luck next time" is quite right.

I was a little short on the vitamin D today...not much sun until later on this afternoon.



Best Wishes - Tom

[Lt. Dan]

I strapped on my snowshoes and went out hunting this morning at 6 am.
For some reason it was very foggy this morning and I was hunting by creek bottom which made the fog worse. I stayed out about 3 hours and then packed it in. All in all ....it was still a great day to be in the winter woods and I had a good time. 

Best Wishes - Tom

Tom the best thing about today is that you had a good time.
I enjoy my woods walk around the property.  Sometimes I see game to take sometimes I don't.  I always enjoy my time outdoors. 

Dan

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

I strapped on my snowshoes and went out hunting this morning at 6 am.
For some reason it was very foggy this morning and I was hunting by creek bottom which made the fog worse. I stayed out about 3 hours and then packed it in. All in all ....it was still a great day to be in the winter woods and I had a good time. 

Best Wishes - Tom

Tom the best thing about today is that you had a good time.
I enjoy my woods walk around the property.  Sometimes I see game to take sometimes I don't.  I always enjoy my time outdoors. 

Dan

Hi Dan.

Thank you for your reply.

Your right...getting... "Out-And-About"... sure beats...getting...  "Cabin Fever" 



Best Wishes - Tom

[ranchibi]

Tom! So glad you were able to get out! Doesn't matter if you get any shots, just good to get out. You are a trooper!

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Tom! So glad you were able to get out! Doesn't matter if you get any shots, just good to get out. You are a trooper!

Hi Randall !   (The Master Rat Slayer) 

Thank you for your reply.


You know what ?   I really WAS a trooper once... way back when.
I was a US Army Infantry Grunt from 1967-1973.


Best Wishes - Tom

[Wayne52]

Great outing that you had there Tom !!! I need to get out some myself because at the end of March will be the last big squirrel hunting days til next season here.

[A.K.A. Tommy Boy]

Great outing that you had there Tom !!! I need to get out some myself because at the end of March will be the last big squirrel hunting days til next season here.

Hi Wayne !

The last day of February is my last day.

I haven't done much hunting at all this year.
The wife & I contracted covid around November 5th and that pretty much was IT for me up until today.
I spent Sunday afternoon and Monday morning sighting in the 25 cal. Hatsan 125 with 19.91 Vortex Supreme's in preparation for my final month of hunting.
I posted the results with the 25 cal. 125 Hatsan in the Turkish Air Gun Gate. > https://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=183400.msg156091940#msg156091940

I hope you can get out too !
Happy Hunting Wayne.


Best Wishes - Tom

[dk1677]

Always nice to get out on nature Tom

[Bicycleman]

Tom, if only you had asked me, I would have told you to sleep-in.  In my experience hunting squirrels, the foggy mornings are not good.  For whatever reason, the squirrels don't like the fog and don't move.  But sometimes I go anyway. 
I bet it felt good to get out and move around.
Stay well, my friend.

[Blowpipe Sam]

Glad you are back Tom.  Loved the pictures! Dang that looks like fun!  I got out yesterday for a couple of hours.  Temps in the 40s, gusty winds and an overcast like lead.  I saw no squirrels or wild mushrooms but it was a great walk.  I was all bundled up in my winter duds when a hiker passed me barefoot and in shorts.

[DLP]

Critters or not, to be outside in the woods is priceless by itself! Glad you got to go. Haven’t had enough snow here at one time for the snowshoes. My treat from the workday is to take a walk around the farm. Get home at 5:00 and walk, sit or hunt till dark. Good to be able to walk out the back door. You need to do it as often as you can.

[only1harry]

Sorry to hear that Tom, but at least you enjoyed being out. 
Like Mike said, the nutters don't come out when it's foggy.  It could be because of limited visibility for birds of prey or any predators in general.  Try again when it's clear and sunny and you will see them hopping around.  They also like the warmth of the sun rays in the winter and often hang out sunbathing.  I had a big maple tree with a hole on 1 side that was the winter den of many squirrels, before a nor'easter knocked it down 6 or 7 years ago.  I used to see the Grey's come out when it was sunny out even in the coldest days.  They would hang out 10 to 15 feet from the den sunbathing on a big branch.  The sun is behind me in the morning, so they always faced me, namely the back of the house to expose themselves to the sun making it easier for me to spot them.  I shot many of them on sunny days while they were trying to get a sun tan, usually between 8 and 10am after they had breakfast or their morning exercise. 
The woods don't let in much sun though, which explains why you might see them at the tree tops where they are farther and harder to shoot, or get a clear shooting lane.  Anyway better luck next time.