Staying Warm When Hunting

[mscher]

It's getting harder to do each year. Is it the body heat going first, that causes the hands, then feet, to get cold?

Anybody use the "body armor" types of under layers? Since they are $50 or so each piece, and advertise scent blocking more than warmth, wondered how thse types of products performed.

I currently use insulated jacket and bibs (not gore-tex, etc. ), which are about medium weight, not sub zero stuff, with a zipper sweatshirt underneath. Goretex sock cap on the head. Also polypropelene long johns, which does a great job for an hour or so, then I start cooling. Tried many different types of gloves/mittens, even that ones that use heat packs.

Don't want to be a wimp, but when the fingers are numb, they are numb.

Any input appreciated.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

I wear Walmart brand knock-off UnderArmour in the winter. It does a pretty good job. I only wear it because it is thin under my work uniform. For warmth, I don't think you can beat the brownish heavy military poly pro long johns.

Are you walking into an area and then hunting from a stand? If so, you downfall may be dressing too heavy for your walk in causing you to sweat. Once you get there and cool down the sweat is giving you the chills. Sure, polypro and other synthetics wick away sweat better than cotton, but it still won't keep you 100% dry. I hunt out of a stand that is a hard 45 minute hump up a mountain. I pack all of my clothes up and walk in whitey tightes. Yep, even when it is 20 degrees. Once I reach my stand, I wipe off the sweat with a baby wipe or two and get dressed. Sounds extreme, but it keeps the chills away.

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

Down here in central FL, it's just the opposite problem. I went scouting on Thursday and it was 92 degrees, which is well above normal average here, but we do see temps in the 80s at times during hunting season. It's been unusually dry this year too. We've had zero rain for October.

Archery season ended the 24th and muzzle loader season is this weekend, just 3 days. Temps did drop over the last 24 hours and the low this morning was 61 degrees here at my place. General gun season starts Nov 13th and we'll still have highs in the 70s and possibly the low 80s at season start.

The problem that I run into is that most hunting clothing is geared toward keeping the hunter warm, not cool. Makes it tough sometimes.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

In that Fla. weather, I could easily hunt in a pair of Walmart Wrangler camo cargos or even cargo shorts and an el cheapo camo t-shirt....The only thing that would suck would be killing a deer and trying to beat the heat before it spoils.

 

[rbh]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

Unless you constantly moving, I think everyone gets alittle cold.
I personnely would start out with a big breakfast to fuel the furnace.
Something that is carbs like porridge, and some meat and eggs for the protien (bring snacks).
and do a little walking first to get the heart rate up before you hit your area and start to wait.

And if you are one of those people that sweats like crazy, bring spare socks and a t-shirt or two.

 

[MTboatguy]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

I found the best way in the world to stay warm while hunting!

I bought a house in the middle of my hunting area in Montana and now I can sit on the couch drinking a cup of coffee and let the other guys run around and stir the deer up! then run into the yard and I shoot them!

No kidding the last two bucks I have got, one in the front yard, 35 yards from the front door and one from the back door on T-Day he was about 40 yards from the door!

Never got cold once! in fact I was in my sweats and a T-shirt!

 

[BWR1953]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

In that Fla. weather, I could easily hunt in a pair of Walmart Wrangler camo cargos or even cargo shorts and an el cheapo camo t-shirt....The only thing that would suck would be killing a deer and trying to beat the heat before it spoils.

Yeah, when I scout I wear dark shorts, shoes & socks and a short-sleeved camo shirt. Gotta be careful of the skeeters though... they can be rough! I'll be ordering some scent-free insect repellent for when I actually go hunting. Right now I just use regular Off! to keep the bugs away.

 

[foodfisher]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

Pocket warmers. Availiable for the feet too.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

I dress for the type of hunt.

When I am mobile and moving I wear lighter stuff.......

When I am in a stand and not moving I dress heavier and I have found that a nice wool scarf around my neck, wool cap and a hand warmer muff work nice. I even carry an arctic face mask in my pack just in case.

 

[mudslinging79]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

i aquired a set of foul weather gear, navy issue, old style. fur inside and heavy od green canvas tupe of material. parka and bib alls, keeep me nice n toasty.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

Build yourself a deerstand that you can heat.

I wear fleece. Fleece seems to be a warm fabric. When it gets really cold I wear quilted underwear too. It's filled with goose down. Always think layers. I think peoples feet and hands get cold first because the blood vessels are the closest to the surface of the skin in those areas.

Sounds like you tried all you can with your gloves. May just have to live with it. Sit on your hands if it keeps you in the stand longer. Buy the best boots you can afford. I have a pair of Rockys with 1200 grams of thinsulate. Your feet may be sweating already and keeping them cold. Layer a couple pair of socks too. A thin pair of wicking socks next to your skin may help....

Keep that thermos of coffee handy....

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

I guess if your in a tree stand or something I can see getting cold, I have never had a problem but we spot and stalk/DIY in the rockies so were moving all the time. Seems like were in the snow for two months up there near timberline but if your moving your warm, sit and glass for a bit then when you start getting cold move, glass some more and repeat until the time comes to get your hunt on. Me and my hunting partner are in our mid fourties we average about 12 TO 15 miles hiking a day so were never cold for long. Do a couple spike hunts in Bow season and maybe another in rifle season other wise we hike in and then back out to camp each day, if we get into them then its probably a spike day so were always prepared. And your never cold hiking an Elk out either!

 

[sea hiking]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

look into trying a warm bag(warmbag.com) I bought one, and I walk in dressed light. wool socks uninsulated boots,light insulated underware,jeans and light jacket. wool cap of course. The coldest so far (new jersey) I've been in it was 23. I can sit all day and stay comfortable.

 

[mudslinging79]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

either majorsurplus or cheaper than dirt had a sleeping bag made into a pajama type thing, had legs and arms, yet you wear it over your clothes like the snuglie.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

Now that you mention it I think you can order Camo snuggies online!!

http://snuggiesightings.com/snuggie/snuggie-camo/

Here is your answer!!

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

Here Here!!! Although sometimes, we lay down with the "hoochie mama" and call em in. That can be some freeze your arse off time in the early a.m. Especially if you are lying in the white stuff. We just layer the HE!! out of it.

Oh yeah! when the time comes and they are close enough to start calling them in you bet layers layers! Funny thing is I don't remember being cold about the time I nock and draw! My adrenaline is racing I could be in the arctic naked I don't think it would matter!!LOL Or you could have this year when it was 70* at 13,000' all september and they just aren't moving much and hunting just sucks!!! Then rifle season comes and they are everywhere you can knock them down throwing rocks at them and you brought a 7mm magl. I love hunting but the challenge of hunting Elk with a Bow makes hunting with a rifle seem like shooting fish in a barrel sometimes.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

Here's what I've done when I was to poor to buy fancy insulated clothes and hunted deer for the meat.

I took a coffee can, punched a few holes in it near the bottom, put about 2 inches of small rocks in it, and built a charcoal fire in it. When I went out to the stand, I'd take a handful of finely split pine pieces to start a fire, and about a double handful of charcoal I had pulled out of the main wood stove and smothered out cold.

The deer don't seem to mind the smell. In fact I think it covers human scent somewhat, and may even make them curious enough to investigate.

When I left the stand, I'd put a tight fitting pan lid on the coffee can to put out the fire.

 

[j_martin]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

I found the best way in the world to stay warm while hunting!

I bought a house in the middle of my hunting area in Montana and now I can sit on the couch drinking a cup of coffee and let the other guys run around and stir the deer up! then run into the yard and I shoot them!

No kidding the last two bucks I have got, one in the front yard, 35 yards from the front door and one from the back door on T-Day he was about 40 yards from the door!

Never got cold once! in fact I was in my sweats and a T-shirt!

I've shot em out of the back door while in my BVD's, but I put on something red to go retrieve them.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

Well if you were wearing your union suit instead of BVD's you would have been legal!

 

[mscher]

Re: Staying Warm When Hunting

Tried Underamour "base layers" and a Cabelas fleece balaclava. Temp this morning was 19 degrees. Was a definite improvment, but I only lasted about 1 1/2 hours before my hands started getting really cold. i had 3 different types of gloves, so I fidgeted with different pairs, to see if there was any improvement (there wasn't). Opened two "hot packs" and put them in my outer coat pocket, but hey barely got warm. Lasted about 1 more hour then decided to go stalking, to warm up a bit if nothing else. The deer were all elsewhere today, anyway. The feet did pretty good today ( i added wool socks), considering the temp.

I might need better insulated bibs and jacket (I'll wait for season closeouts)

The heavy fleece balaclava is great! On sale for 15 bucks (50% off) too at Cabelas.

Getting there. Temps are supposed to be in the upper 20's tomorrow. A heat wave.