Cold temps

[PaddyMac]

Last weekend 0°. That's pretty common. Killed a stump. Didn't see any thing else.

I've hunted lots in much colder weather, but never with my recurve. I'm going out again this weekend for bunnies. Will probably be around 10° with 3 new inches of snow, which will help a lot. I am finishing up my new electric green arrows tonight. I have hares through March 15!

I still haven't got a good plan for keeping my string hand warm. Best yet is a neoprene steelhead glove cut all the way down to my knuckles and wear that over my archery glove. And keep my hand in my pocket.

Still wearing regular predator camo, but there is some King's snow shadow over pants and parka over at Rawson's that wants to come home with me. Still not sure if camo is really necessary for hares.

No need for snowshoes yet, but will for sure.

Balaclava or ski mask for sure!

[Jeff Strubberg]

I hunt for fun.  There's nothign fun about those kind of temps.

I agree with Ric.  I'm at home drinking coffee and planning my next hunt.

[Mark Baker]

In Montana, just like many places out west, or the upper midwest, or for sure Canada, eh?  Alaska too....it's pretty much a given for hunting in sub-zero.   Lot's of mornings I've spent in 20 below.   I can take that for a time.  Our problem around my house is the cold with a killer wind, that can drop windchills easily to minus 60 or 70.   Having said all that, I never really keep track, as it is just a normal part of hunting here, but here's a few pics I've pulled up from photobucket of some sub-zero hunts here.  

Last year, temps were well below zero, but a 40 to 50 mph wind made conditions unbelievable cold!  I figured I could last perhaps an hour....so went out (cause you can't kill nothing at home and the season was running out) and took this doe.   My first harvest with a recurve in 25 years.  

 

I took this cow elk several years ago, with a board bow I was sure would blow on me.   Temps were easily near the 20 below mark, but no wind, so a 3-mile hike, spot, and ambush ensued...with good results.

 

 

And here's a few more sub-zero hunts with some recognizable characters, and another last day buck.

 

 

 

[Altiman94]

It 'can' get pretty cold here in IA.  I'm guessing I've maybe hunted down to -20* F, but didnt last long.  My best hunting late season has been with 12" or more of snow on the ground and at least 0* F.

[kpete]

-14 in a treestand for whitetails in the Nebr. Panhandle.  Shot a doe in 16 inche of fluffy snow.  Blood sank down in the snow and could not be seen.  The doe fell down in the snow and disappeared too.  When I saw her fall I looked back up the trail and a nice buck was coming, but my tag was filled.  
1 pair longjohns
2 pair wool pants
1 insulated bibs
2 wool shirts
1 down vest
1 camo jacket
3 pair socks
size 13 pack boots with extra pair of felt liners
Mittens
weak link was my shooting glove.
Tang on knife stuck to my fingers like your tongue on a cold flagpole.

[Mark Baker]

I forgot to add....I wear lots of wool with some sort of windbreak among layers.   No good options for gloves, just keep them in pockets until the last seconds for a shot.   If you are on the ground and stalking or moving, you can keep warm a lot easier, for sure.   Good boots are a must...and learn every "tip" that you can as far as keeping warm goes.

[calgarychef]

-25/-30Celcius with a hell of a wind on a steel treestand.  That's cold, no doubt about it.  I've hunted in older temps but I was walking or sitting on the ground with great big heavy clothing.  Trying to do that in clothing that you can actually fire your bow in is kind of interesting.  

If you miss hunting those days you might well miss the day the big buck comes in.  I never shot a deer while I'm hiding inside and "putting another log on the fire."

[Terry Lightle]

3 above

[Duncan]

I hunted in 5 degree weather in Illinois once and once in NC the temp fell into the low teens in a freak cold front. Both trips were near water and the water froze over before our eyes. But hey that is nothing to you northern guys. My toes are hurting just reading this stuff. -60? yikes! Just wondering, anyone ever get frost bit answering the call?

[Michael Pfander]

The year I got married my wife to be and I drove back home. It was the X-mas break.  I decided to sit in my favorite tree on the back of our farm.  It was about -25 or so.  I froze.  At that point I had been living in the southern climates [Houston and Tucson] for 3 years and my blood had gotten thin.  By the end of the trip it was no problem.  I had gotten tough once more.
MAP