This has been a tough winter for pretty much all of the country. It’s been cold, snowy, windy and difficult and challenging to venture out and enjoy the outdoors.

Hunters, traditionally considered a hearty crowd for their perceived ability to rough bad winter weather, have some definite opinions and behaviors when it comes how cold is too cold to keep hunting.

There are indeed some fair According to a recent HunterSurvey.com, poll conducted by research firm Southwick Associates, the majority of hunters are still willing to hit the woods and fields even as temps plunge into the single digits. When it drops below zero, most agree that it’s time to call it quits.

The survey divided hunters into six regional groups: Great Lakes States, Northeast States, Northern Plains States, South Central States, Southeast States and Western States in order to best gauge how hunters in different parts of the country reacted to cold weather. Hunters polled were asked “at what temperature did it become too cold to hunt?”

Organized by region, the percentage of polled hunters who say it is too cold to hunt as temps fall to between 21 and 30 degrees were:

Great Lakes States                          3 percent
Northeast States                              5 percent
Northern Plains States                     3 percent
South Central States                       10 percent
Southeast States                              9 percent
Western States                                 8 percent

By the time temperatures have fallen between 1 and 10 degrees, the percentage of hunters who choose to stay inside are:

Great Lakes States                          31 percent
Northeast States                              40 percent
Northern Plains States                    18 percent
South Central States                       51 percent
Southeast States                             52 percent
Western States                                 6 percent

The tipping point seems to be 0 degrees when across every region except the Northern Plains states an additional 25 to 32 percent of hunters report it is too cold to hunt. In the Northern Plains, another 21 percent, are choosing a warm fire over a cold deer stand or predator setup.

“Some of the findings are about what you would expect with hunters used to cold weather in the Northern states more willing to hunt in slightly colder temperatures than those hunters in the South where it rarely gets that cold,” said Rob Southwick, president of Southwick Associates, which designs and conducts the surveys atHunterSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com.

“That being said, it isn’t until temperatures drop below zero that the majority of hunters nearly everywhere are ready to join their Southern brethren indoors for a hot breakfast.”

To help continually improve, protect and advance hunting, shooting and other outdoor recreation, all sportsmen and sportswomen are encouraged to participate in the surveys at HunterSurvey.com, ShooterSurvey.com and/or AnglerSurvey.com.