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I hope that was moccasins and really heavy wool sox...Geo

For those who have never experienced the squeaking of the snow under foot while playing outdoors at 20 below zero, the creaking /squeaking of the snow is a unique sound and can never be forgotten.

Even now, with a bit of nip, I long to be outside on those coldest winter days.

Cold can do some strange things, when it was really cold up in ND my good Estwing hammer would chip off the face of it driving cement nails. How do you drive nails at -30 with mittens(leather choppers) on, you lick your mitten and stick it in the nail bag and the nails stick to it you just turn your hand till one of the nails is facing the right direction, start it and turn your mitten until the next one is facing the right direction

Really cold snow would wear on a snow blower blade like you were blowing sand through it (7' Erskine pull thru blower).

In my tent I had a 30 gallon Olive shipping barrel to keep my water in and it sat near the stove, it would freeze the bottom 6" of the barrel, the top would stay liquid. You could sit in my tent in a T-shirt but have to wear your sorrel liners to keep your feet warm.

Ice on the lakes would crack and the cracks would fill with water, freeze and expand. It would keep this up through the winter and push to ice up on the shore, wrecking any docks left in, on bad years wiping out retaining wall, boat houses even pushing up over the highway in some places. Highway 169 by Garrison, MN is one I remember it getting up on the highway

The morning I shot my first deer with a flintlock, it was -24 below zero F. I had to leave camp and drive to a designated State Game Lands about 20 miles away. My truck barely turned over, but the engine sparked to life just as I thought the battery was finished. As I drove the snow covered dirt road going to the hunting area, I noticed my truck was bouncing to the point that my head was hitting the roof. I thought the dirt road had really deteriorated. This went on for nearly five miles, and was very rhythmic, and varied with my speed. It gradually lessened and then finally stopped. I realized that the extreme cold had made the flat spots on the bottom of my bias-ply truck tires take a set overnight, and it took several miles of driving until the tires rounded back out.

I shot my deer at about 9:00 AM when it was still nearly -20 below. Removing my hunting coat and gloves, and rolling my shirt sleeves above my elbows for the gutting chore was nippy. After I opened the body cavity, I reached into the belly to roll out the stomach and intestines, etc. Sticking my frozen hands into those warm guts felt like fire, and I briefly pulled back because it felt like I was being scalded. Then I gingerly put my hands back in and left them for a long time to thaw out. Guts never felt so good! We had close to a foot of snow on the ground, and the top was frozen solid enough that in most places, I could walk for 50-60 yards without breaking through the icy crust. The deer also slid very nicely on the frozen surface, and that was by far the easiest drag I ever had.

As Clapper Zapper says, being out on sub-zero days is exhilarating, if it isn't too windy. What other time can you wet your whistle by sucking on ice in your frozen beard? Most of my hunting buddies don't share that thought, so I spend those days mostly hunting by myself. Probably not smart, but I love it. Typically, the only sign that there is another human in the world is to look into clear cold skies and see a contrail from a jet.

Well said Keith.

On those coldest days, we have the whole world to ourselves. Glad you were successful on the deer.

I don't think I could hit a nail at minus 30..

No work, no eat, Joe.

70� today...24� tonight.

Not 70, today:





About a foot, of fresh white stuff, here. It isn�t done snowing yet. The cold front will follow the storm, lows below zero degrees in the evening, highs around 5 above on Saturday.

It will be over, soon.


Best,
Ted

82F here this afternoon. Pine trees pollinating, vehicles turning yellow, daffodils blooming. Bass are likely already bedding.

SRH