When the Ground freezes hard, do you still hunt?

[dirtlooter]

Fortunately where I live, the ground doesn't freeze hard on a regular basis but it does. It is the same way with the snow, we may not get any or we might get a lot. But when the ground is too hard for me to dig easily and I still want to detect, I go. I usually don't even try to dig but I will mark some of the better hits with various markers for when it does warm up. Sometimes I come back with a different detector and see how good of a hit it is with it. I can't imagine nor do I want to, how some of you have to hack and chisel your way to a target. I have a hard enough time with the rock hard clay rock mixture we have around here in the summer time. If you can afford it, a hunting trip down south can help I'm sure.

 

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[Woodsy]

A small cordless circular saw for cutting plugs. The dirt would be soft underneath the frozen layer.

 

[Digger_O'Dell]

I'm in Wisconsin, and yes I hunt pretty much year round. When fields and such freeze too hard to dig, I'll move to wooded areas that are more protected and freeze later. The advantage is lack of mosquitos and ticks this time of year.
But, in the deepest and coldest part of winter I go water hunting. Inland lakes freeze up first, then rivers and streams much later if at all. Lake Michigan doesn't freeze at all except in certain inlets and protected harbors, but sometimes late winter we get ice dams that make access impossible.
People think I'm crazy because I'm out hunting even when its -30. But heck, I'm in insulated gear and the water is still above freezing so much warmer than the air!

 

[Bum Luck]

I have to admit that I don't even detect if the ground is dry-hard.

Since there's so much trash, it just doesn't pay to dig on hard ground. Like it ever pays, but pays in excitement anyways.

 

[Digger_O'Dell]

Forgot to add this photo

 

[Oddjob]

Depends on how frozen it is, and or the location as well as what I am hunting and what the signal is.

I have never marked it before, few times wish I had of course and came back but never found the target again. Darn wife likely went back for it.

But the way you talk about marking it, maybe coming back with another detector to see how good it is. Man that is like shaking Christmas presents before the big day. Glad to see your young at heart, that is so cool.

 

[xcopperstax]

Where I am you can go to the salt water beaches, they almost never freeze but being at the beach when it's that cold and windy is an experience in itself. The woods will rarely freeze as long as there are leaves / pine needles to insulate the ground. I prefer the woods I've never had much luck at the beach. Just found out yesterday that the deer ticks who can carry lyme disease are still out and about even after frost. It's important to know that... I thought I knew.

 

[Digger_O'Dell]

Where I am you can go to the salt water beaches, they almost never freeze but being at the beach when it's that cold and windy is an experience in itself. The woods will rarely freeze as long as there are leaves / pine needles to insulate the ground. I prefer the woods I've never had much luck at the beach. Just found out yesterday that the deer ticks who can carry lyme disease are still out and about even after frost. It's important to know that... I thought I knew.

I've never had an issue with post frost ticks if it froze well enough. But then it could have something to do with the extra clothing layers too. Dont know...

 

[Tpmetal]

Not near me. Ground freezes deep and it's already a soil with lots of clay. I tried a few times and once you chiseled just a few 8 inch deep holes, it's time to go home cause it's dark already

 

[Megalodon]

Forgot to add this photoView attachment 1654331

Now that is hard core.

I finally asked my doc about my unusually cold hands and he asked me how many times I had frozen them in the past. I told him hundreds of times ice-fishing. Apparently, just freezing your hands once, let alone hundreds of times, is sufficient to damage blood vessels and cause cold hands even indoors, decades later. Careful out there!

 

[gunsil]

Nah, my older bones don't like the cold much. Ground freezes, I'm done 'til the spring. Hunted much colder weather in my 20s and 30s but that was a long time ago. Kneeling to dig on frozen ground kills my knees and I never did cotton to wearing knee pads.

 

[ticndig]

I hunt south east facing hillsides , warmed by the sun . same hillsides used by the civil war soldier in winter camp.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

If the digger will penetrate the ground in the woods (usually doesn't freeze) or an area with all day sun.

 

[No gold in NY]

I've been out when it is a chore to dig into wood chips at the tot lot.

 

[TooManyHobbies]

When it gets cold, I just change what I'm hunting. From Sept to Jan, I hunt deer instead. I get back to detecting in March, sometimes Feb.

 

[Megalodon]

I have become a spoiled fair weather treasure hunter. Because i split my time between fossil hunting and metal detecting, I switch to the one that is better for the season. In the winter, we have better direction and stronger winds that produce blowout tides. With strong NW winds, I found a small Megalodon tooth yesterday and a larger one today. The cycle of freezing and thawing will break apart clay boulders and that might expose more fossils by late winter. Fossil hunting tends to be good when metal detecting is miserable and vice-versa.

 

[Holyground]

Yes, way south.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

"When the ground freezes hard do you still hunt?"

Yes. Whitetail deer with recurve bow and then firearm Oct - Dec, then grouse and rabbits with a flintlock shotgun Dec - end of Feb. In March I take a month off to tie flies and reload. ;-)

 

[Tpmetal]

"When the ground freezes hard do you still hunt?"

Yes. Whitetail deer with recurve bow and then firearm Oct - Dec, then grouse and rabbits with a flintlock shotgun Dec - end of Feb. In March I take a month off to tie flies and reload. ;-)

Man we gotta hang out sometime, sounds like you know how to have fun. You gotta be close to me I am near the pa in south western/central ny near the pa border.

 

[Raider19962]

Now that is hard core.

I finally asked my doc about my unusually cold hands and he asked me how many times I had frozen them in the past. I told him hundreds of times ice-fishing. Apparently, just freezing your hands once, let alone hundreds of times, is sufficient to damage blood vessels and cause cold hands even indoors, decades later. Careful out there!

Yup. After serving in the army in Washington state and Alaska for a bit, getting frozen on a regular basis, my hands will turn pale white and numb in the slightest cold. The only place I want to see ice again is in a tall glass.