Decoding the winter landscape: how animals and hunters adapt

Winter transforms the hunting landscape in many ways, shifting the game from a test of patience in the heat to a high-stakes battle against the elements. For hunters, the frozen landscape sets the rules unlike any other season, demanding adaptation, consistency, and expertise.

Meet our valued Pulsar Ambassadors—Riccardo Tamburini from Italy and Joel Henrysson from Sweden—whose long-term experience in the field has helped them gather practical strategies and stories that serve both a motivating push for newcomers and valuable tips for fellow professionals.

: Riccardo Tamburini

: Joel Henrysson

The strategy of survival: how wildlife adapts

Without a doubt, winter is a tough season for both animals and hunters. A heavy blanket of snow covers the land along with primary food sources like crops, chestnuts, or berries, making it a challenge for wildlife to dig through the stiff, thick layers. Every movement and effort becomes a calculated decision, as all activity consumes hard-earned calories—their essential energy source.

Conserving energy becomes even more critical since leafless trees and an all-white background erase their camouflage, exposing them to predators. This precaution, balanced with the desperate need for food, forces animals to move differently than in any other season.

However, an experienced hunter who has spent countless hours observing these natural cycles can predict the behaviors of specific species. For example, Joel, who mainly hunts wild boar and deer, explains that in the first days of snow, there is no activity in wild boars. “They are basically waiting, as they can afford to wait, while the deer cannot. Then, after a few days, once they get used to the snow, they become very active and develop clear daily routines in their search for food. If you have feeders out, you can see them arriving at the same time every day, going from feeder to feeder. They also tend to avoid open fields and can instead be found closer to human activity. When it comes to hunting them during snow and cold, I usually give it two or three days before I head out so they have time to adapt, and the hunting can be more efficient.”

In contrast, deer show activity from the beginning. As Joel says, “The snow gives them new movement patterns, and their food search becomes sort of ’never ending.’ Suddenly, you can see them in the middle of the day – something you usually wouldn’t expect. They also tend to herd up a bit in the wintertime, and you can see packs of roe or fallow deer in really high numbers. They are not well adapted to large amounts of snow, while the wild boar, if they find enough food somewhere, become very stationary.”

Riccardo expands on this, noting that “wild boars are nocturnal by habit; during the day, they prefer to stay covered inside brambles or under large fallen trees. The same applies to deer, because they feed only four or five times per day, spending the rest of their time bedded down while digesting.”

Wild boars are nocturnal by habit; during the day, they prefer to stay covered inside brambles or under large fallen trees. The same applies to deer because they feed only four or five times per day, spending the rest of their time bedded down while digesting.

Riccardo Tamburini

Reading the map: interpreting winter trails and tracks

The knowledge shared by Joel and Riccardo proves that being attentive to detail builds the confidence needed to read the land like a map. As nature sets the rules, the hunter must listen, adjust to the wildlife rather than the other way around.

In Joel’s opinion, snow provides a wealth of information regarding which animals have been in the area and how they move. “As their food search intensifies and they gather up, you might suddenly feel like you have larger numbers of animals on your hunting ground, and that you can shoot more. It is important to have good knowledge of the populations all year round to avoid overshooting. Especially close to feeding stations, which become extremely attractive to wildlife. Never skip the ethical part of the hunt.”

“During winter, animals cover a larger area looking for food, which means they leave more tracks. They use the same trails daily, and thanks to the dry leaves and snow, it’s easy to follow their paths. Wild boars spend more time out of the woods looking for food, digging the ground like a plow. It’s very easy to see where they have been feeding at night,” explains Riccardo.

Regarding preparation, Joel prioritizes his “homework”: “Feeding areas become extremely well used, sort of like a fast-food restaurant. Setting up a trail camera is a fun way of observing game as they arrive to eat. I also like to go out with just my camera to get some nice photos, leaving the rifle at home.“

The ethical choice: when to leave the rifle at home

Reacting to environmental signs helps hunters make well-considered choices that benefit both the hunters and the animals. For Joel, that means avoiding hunting with the dogs if the snow gets too deep or stopping when animals lose access to energy resources, as it is simply no longer a fair chase.

“I’ve been on driven hunts in heavy snow where animals use the same game trail, moving in large groups like a long string of pearls. Overshooting becomes a risk because they have a hard time moving off the established trails. I’ve seen deer with their tongues hanging out, completely exhausted, trying to get away. You can see the physical toll winter takes on them. In those moments, the rifle stays at home. I focus instead on providing extra food and giving them a chance to rest,” he explains.

As Joel puts it, his approach to hunting is “old school”: “I believe that the game should always have a fair chance, and with heavy snow or extreme cold, they basically lose that possibility.“

I’ve seen deer with their tongues hanging out, completely exhausted, trying to get away. You can see the physical toll winter takes on them. In those moments, the rifle stays at home. I focus instead on providing extra food and giving them a chance to rest.

Joel Henrysson

Every season comes with challenges, yet Riccardo stresses that “a hunter has to study a lot, not just books, but also observing the animal behavior in the field.” Failing to understand these natural habits can easily turn a day in the field into wasted time. Ultimately, the true mark of a woodsman is not just the harvest, but the deep respect and understanding one shows for animals during their most vulnerable season.