There is a cliche or saying among long time Montana Varminters - its often used in an invitation or a declaration like this: Hey do you want to go "paint some snow"? Or - Wow you really "painted the snow" with that one!
Being from Washington state (I know I am embarrassed about that!) I rarely ever had the chance to "paint the snow"! Maybe two or three times I got to partake in "painting the snow" when my spring Varmint Safaris took me to Montana or Wyoming and late snows would briefly cover the ground. Since I moved to Montana in 1998 I have been able to partake of this Varminting rendition of painting far more often!
What the Varminters are referring to with their "paint the snow queries" and declarations is the somewhat rare circumstances where the hoardes of Ground Squirrels are out from their winter hibernation or the Prairie Dogs just come up (I don't think the PD's truly hibernate as I have shot them literally in every month of the year!) and the Varmints find themselves walking around on a fresh snowfall! Then at these times certain Varmint Hunters venture out and start whacking away at the Varmints on top of the new snow!
The resulting mortifications (bullet impacts) on the rodents renders a clear red color on the snow! Sometimes it is in fan shape and sometimes more linear but it is distinct and sometimes in areas thickly populated by the Colony Varmints and handy for said Varminters the red coloration on the snow becomes profound!
This has been brought to mind for me by a day and a half long spring blizzard that just broke today here at noon! The conditions are ripe for a "painting" session! I think I will venture forth this very afternoon (March 24th 2,005) and paint some snow!
I realize many of you California Gopher Hunters or Prairie Dog Hunters that wait til the summer months may never have experienced this phenomenon but it is impressive and reminds one of just how much energy is imparted by even our rimfire cartridge bullets once they strike a Varmint!
The sun is bright and Rush Limbaugh is over for the day and my arms ache from reloading so I am heading out to "paint the snow"!
I will let you all know if I have any luck.
Long live Montana!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Bring back some pics of those paintings you make out there.

The exact same thought crossed my mind here in PA as we had a good snowfall yesterday. I have been seeing some chucks but the only one I saw in my brief and hopeful travels today was one on the prison grounds (and close to a guard tower as well). I figured that despite my desire to get my varmint season into gear, that was not advisable so I passed. It was unfortunate though as the ground in the area was completely covered with snow. A pretty picture would have been painted. Oh well, maybe another opportunity will present itself. Hope to hear some success stories from your day.

VarmintComrades: I managed to do some painting yesterday during the respit in this spring snow storm. Its snowing again today (3/25/2005) and we do desperately need the moisture. I am quite certain that ALL winter here in SW Montana we did not have three consecutive days that had snow fall!!! Now its into spring and this is the third day snow in a row snow has fallen! In the inimitable of todays "urban youth" I declare WHA's UP???
The just past months of December, January, and February each set all-time low precipitation amounts here in SW Montana! The fire dangers for this coming summer are already being planned for!
Sheesh - its always something!
The shooting yesterday though was really a warmer upper for me! The sun was out and I literally HAD to wear my Nikon Ice-Glare Preventing Sunglasses in between set ups as the sun was so bright and was reflecting so strongly off of the snow it actually would hurt my eyes when the sunglasses were off. Along with about twenty Ground Squirrels I also shot a nest raiding flying Varmint that made the mistake of landing in a bush about 140 yards from me. I used my 17 HMR's again yesterday as I wanted to assess the damage done by this cartridge from my pistol (10" barrel) as compared to my Rifle (24" barrel).
The painted snow seemed to show similar markings but realize I was using the pistol at much closer ranges than the Rifle - maybe things evened out.
I tried for one double but only harvested the front half of that duo!
The fields I Hunted had Antelope and Whitetails feeding in them as I arrived. They were taking advantage of the break in the snow to do some mid-day and early afternoon feeding. They soon departed but the Antelope only went off about 2/3's of a mile. The light report of the 17's didn't seem to overly concern them!
Normally Ravens, Hawks and Eagles swarm toward the sound of gunfire in the fields when I am Hunting these Colony Varmints, but it obviously is very early in the year for that sort of learned behavior to be reinstated!
I didn't see any other Gopher Hunters out in the two fields I Hunted. It was a weekday and it was right after a snow fall so I didn't expect to see many if any other shooters!
WunderDog: Yikes to that prison situation! I am sure you would have been hauled away in chains and shackles if you had tried for that Ground Hog! "But Warden, but Warden I was just shooting at a Varmint"! LOL!
Iwilliams: Alas I am a bit behind in the picture transfer technology! I am sorry I have not yet mastered the art of taking computer compatible photos and then sending them through cyberspace! I hope to get that expertise up and running soon! The VarmintWife has a new fangled computer camera and if she lets me use it I soon may be able to achieve that particular goal of mine!
Thanks for that prompt though!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy