BigGameHoundsmen.com

If a dog can cold trail somewhat on bare ground, Does that mean He'll be able to cold trail a lot better in the snow?

Not neccesarily, it depends on the dog.

As a general rule a dog can run an older track in the snow than on dirt. But you first have to have a dog that is good at trailing. Some dogs just won't work an older track. It also really depends on snow. Good fresh snow is better than old frozen crusty junk, but that is better than melted out stuff. It just all depends. Only way to find out is to put them down and find out. Caught critters on tracks that looked horrible and botched some I thought were gimmees. The only way to gauge how tough a hunt was is after it's over.

Nolt, you are right. I dont hunt in the snow but I do know the best time to go is when you can! The cat I caught last Saturday I had know Idea I was going to catch a cat that day!

I think if he can cold trail on dry bare ground its a dang good start.

Snow conditions can very greatly and can generally hold scent longer than dry ground. I've seen times where an iced over frozen track has very little scent and a couple of days later as the weather warms, the scent is released and the dogs have no trouble running the same track.

MThound wrote:Snow conditions can very greatly and can generally hold scent longer than dry ground. I've seen times where an iced over frozen track has very little scent and a couple of days later as the weather warms, the scent is released and the dogs have no trouble running the same track.

Thats a good point

MTHOUND, In the winter while the deer hunters are in the woods I have some walker beagles that I hunt just to scratch the itch and I have seen the ground be frozen. Ice be spued up out of the ground and dogs just could get a wiff of scent. at daylight or 6:00 come back after the temp has thawed the ground 4 or 5 hrs latter and the dogs leave there on that same track trailing sounding like they were about to jump!