Hunting Clothes

[Wick]

For all you that live hunt in cold areas what do you wear to sit in the stand and not freeze. It seems that no matter how many layers or what I wear I still get those uncontrolable shivers while out hunting. Just curious to see what others have found to work for them. Thanks

 

[dun]

With only 1/2 of my heart working I get cold easily. I ussually wear a couple of layers and insulated boots and insulated gloves. But since our stands have sides on them, I have a small candle that I burn between my feet and keep may hands fairly close and hunker over it, even with the gloves and the layers it helps to ward off the cold. I also sit on piece of styrafoom an inch or 2 thick. Yup, I'm offically a pansy when it comes to cold.

 

[Angus Cowman]

I started using the long johns like the military a few yrs ago only wear them when it is real cold usually them jeans and a pair of carhart bibs and on the top the LJ a turtle neck a hooded sweat shirt and a carhart coat and that is when i am running the dozer and it is below 20 degrees leave the sweatshirt off if it is over 30

 

[HOSS]

Having spent many, many hours in cold deer stands from Tennessee to Canada to Idaho to Wyoming, Illinois, West Virginia and Ohio.... I can give you a few pointers. I have hunted in weather as cold as -30 and survived

I buy the best hunting clothes I can afford. It lasts for years and will keep you dry and warm. I really like the Cabelas Super Slam stuff. Good boots are very important as well as gloves. When your extremeties get cold the rest will follow as the blood circulates out to your hands and feet it cools down then goes back to the heart where it cools the body. I like Rocky and Danner boots. A good insulated hat will help you retain body heat. About 60% of your body heat is lost through the head.

Staying dry is very important. When making that trek to the stand wear as little clothes as you can without freezing. Get started early zso that you use little exertion getting to the stand. A big mistake that most folks make is getting warm and sweaty going to the stand and then after they sit for a while they start freezing when the sweat gets cold. I carry my warm clothes in a back-pack and put them on prior to getting in the stand.

Buy some wind stopper shirt and pants to wear as an under layer. Wind will suck the warmth right out of you.

Put some of those big hand warmers over your kidneys (I tape them). You keep the kidneys warm your body fluids stay warm. Kidneys get cold the whole body gets cold. I also put some in my pockets for my hands and if it gets really cold I have put them on my toes inside my boots.

 

[Bez+]

Hunting to 40 below (dry conditions) as follows:

Felt lined boots with rubber / nylon outers (ski doo boots is what we call them) - a couple pairs of socks - your choice on the socks.

Light long underwear, pair of jeans and then some unlined coveralls for the bottom half. If it is windy I might go to the lined coveralls - farmer brown style.

T-shirt, long sleeved shirt and a down jacket for the top half. Sometimes I use my barn coat - it is a winter / lined Carhart knock off - I think the brand name is Tuff Duck

Wool toque - or knit wool cap for you folks that do not know toque. One that just reaches down past the ears.

Light gloves covered by three fingered mittens - usually leather gauntlet style - finger hole cut out with my jack knife so I can pull the trigger.

I can sit in a tree stand all day with this and a couple of cups of coffee.

Deer up here are quite smart but do not seem to mind the barn smell or the coffee smell or the fact that I just p!ss off the stand.

Moose are even easier.

Perhaps it is because there are far less people - hunter per square mile density is probably way less than 1 (one) when all of Canada is figured into the equation, but I always figured some of those fancy hunting clothes were highly over rated.

Bez+

 

[dieselbeef]

plastic bags (like a trash bag) under yer jacket will also keep wind out. and can be easily removed but not always typically quiet enuff

 

[R.T.]

If you are hunting in a blind with chairs you can
use a old sleeping bag that is past it's prime.
Step in boots and all, zip it up, and sit down.
Thanks,
RT

 

[codymccue]

my old neighbor wears whatever...just keeps the truck runnin... :nod:

truth is layer are the answer.wind break,insulation and very importantly...wool base layers to wick moisture away.oversize boots that have lots of room to wiggle your toes...nothing worse than tight boots.
sweat pants will keep you warmer than jeans,are more comfy,and flexible.

I designed a custom bow suit years ago with a insulated front"muff"pocket(add a hand warmer when super cold out) and insulated thigh patches so the cold didn't come through when resting your weapon on your lap...bibs and turtle neck polar fleece...I modified it first trip out with my jack knife...had forgotten to put a fly in it... :lol2:

 

[yme]

Lots of answers come to mind including rolling up the window but doing layers is the best answer. Last year I built my first enclosed portable box blind with windows in it I just turn on my little heater to stay warm. I have spent the last 25 years cold sitting in a tree but last year my son (4 this year) wanted to hunt so I decided to build something we could stay in for an extended time, move around and still be warm. It has been in place for over a month now and the deer just walk by paying no attention to it.

Back to the topic. Years and years ago I was given a pair of "fish net" long underwear and thought how could these silly keep you warm but they really work. They keep a small "pocket" of air next to your skin and they wick sweat away from you. You feel like an idiot putting they on (and look like one) but that is the best layer I ever put on. I also use the military jump boots, also called Mickey Mouse boots on my feet with wool liners and my feet stay nice and warm in them. As others have said one layer also has to be wind proof IMO. I use hand warmer packs in gloves to keep my hands warm

 

[backhoeboogie]

Tee Shirt, Wranglers, Jacket and carry gloves along. Get out of the warm truck up at the gate. Walk to wife's stand. Put on the gloves because the steel rungs in the ladder are cold. Climb up the ladder, open the door, gingerly place wife's gun in corner, gingerly take my gun off of my shoulder and place it in the other corner. Fire up the stove - on low. Open the windows and ensure the wife is all comfortable. Watch the deer and wake her up when one meets her specs.

After she shoots it, go to the truck and get the coveralls, knives and truck.

It aint much fun to deer "hunt" when it is more akin to shooting cows.

Oh, and I don't care about horns and I don't raise LH cows either. I prefer bucks with horns about 2 to 3 inches long.