Hunting while on country skis is not a very common or particularly productive activity, for the kind of motion that cross-country skiing provides will most likely send most game animals scurrying or running to get out of your path. However, cross country skis can help in scouting and tracking your quarry before the hunt begins. They can also help with pulling camping and hunting gear into a hunting area or they can assist in towing a large carcass from the woods to the nearest pickup point.
Use your skis to do the preliminary scouting that is so necessary before the actual hunt begins. Many prized game animals have short seasons, so getting to know the animal's habits before hunting season opens is essential. Cross country skis can help you cruise the open country and farmland, but tracking game through a thick forest on skis is very difficult and probably not worth the effort.
Enter the forest wearing your cross country skis but carry a pair of snowshoes tied to your pack. The snowshoes can be used as an alternative for better movement through thick forest and deep snow.
Pull a sled behind you so you can carry extras gear, which you can cache if you have to while you are hunting. The sled can also be used to drag out a cleaned and skinned carcass of any large game that you are fortunate enough to find and bag.
Use your skis and a sled to haul all gear and supplies to your cabin or campsite.
Use the skis to do preliminary scouting in the area of your camp or cabin.
Hunt on skis in open, level terrain. Flat terrain with a lot of isolated brush piles and hedgerows might also be suitable for hunting with skis. Walk slowly when wearing the skis and keep sharp eye out for small game and birds.
Use your skis and sled to pull gear (and carcass) from the hunting area.
