drawing and shooting accurately when you are cold

[goosespirit]

Hi guys,

Last year in Montana, I almost got a shot at my first bull, a real nice one.  We hiked for over an hour, then hunkered down.  So, I got sweaty, then sat in the cold for a few hours.  Luckily the bull did not come in, as I learned I could not draw my 55# recurve I was so cold.  This has happned to me since whitetail hunting, and it is really bothering me.  When I get cold, and get the shivers, I either cannot draw my bow, or cannot make an accurate shot as my muscles dont work.  Any suggestions?  Thanks, MIke

[rastaman]

You need to find a better system for layering and unlayering your clothes.  If you sweat, when you stop to set up, carry a spare set of base layers to change into.  Carry lots of pocket hand warmers to activate also if you are going to be sitting for awhile.

[lpcjon2]

rastaman, is on the money/ You should invest in some polypropylene,wool,goose down,and never cotton. Layer clothes so you can add and take off as needed figure out what you may wear when you stop and set for the hunt and practice in that outfit.Get some high energy food sources that pack easily.Stretch and flex your muscles to keep them loose,and so you know shivering burns way to much energy than what can produced to keep you warm.You don't want to get to the point that you are shivering,thats why you need many layers of clothes to suit the hunt.

[Kip]

Takedown bow or another lighter bow .I go down about five lbs. in wgt.when I put too much clothes and too cold.Five lbs. makes a lot of difference to me.Kip

[goldflinger]

I agree with Kip, I drag out the 45 pound bow when it is real cold. It doesn't get that cold here, but the North wind has been known to blow pretty hard and make it feel cold.

[Night Wing]

I have the same problem as you, but I've learned to cheat. It will also probably sound foolish to some people, but it works for me. When it's warm where I won't shiver, I shoot my 42# bow. When it's cold enough to make me shiver, I shoot my 37# bow.

[OkKeith]

When I am hunting in cold weather, I make a strong point to stretch as frequently as possible and do some exercises that don't require moving around too much.

A good one is to put your hands together, palm to palm, and push HARD for 30 seconds. Relax for 15 then repeat. I do these 8 or 10 times to keep the shoulder muscles loose. If you’re sitting in a tree stand or a blind, it's good to push down hard with your left leg on the ground then do your right. Alternate this for 10 or 15 repetitions. This helps keep your upper legs and lower back from being stiff.

I draw my bow every hour and a half or so, if the situation allows. I have started hunting ground blinds and pop-up blinds more and more. I can get away with a little more movement in them and it helps stay warm.

Last year, around New Years (I guess that would actually be this year), the temps were down in the single digits. My wife and I hunted 3 or 4 days straight. It's always nice to have someone in the blind that can help keep you warm, even if all they do is pass the coffee and the Little Debbies!

Staying warm while stationary, especially after periods of activity, is an age old dilemma. The military has gone to great strides in trying to figure out how to keep soldiers warm. They say the same things folks have already posted. Wear layers you can peel off or pile on. Stay mobile when possible and keep your body loose.

Sometimes it just gets TOO DANG COLD! I try and not be a knucklehead or a "tough-guy". If it's too cold to enjoy stationary hunting I try something else. Truth is, I am far more likely to be able to stick it out in the cold than I am to stay out when it's hot. I'm built for cold weather I guess.

Staying warm is also a mental game. I always bring warm liquids and high energy foods (Little Debbies!). Sometimes the shear monotony of a really cold morning (I’ve never been too cold when I am seeing deer) can be broken up if you do some mental gymnastics. Count the Red Birds, use your field glasses and pick apart a tree line. If I keep my mind busy I don’t notice the cold as much.

Good luck with your cold weather hunting. I like “hunting in the freezer”. I usually have it all to myself.

OkKeith

[eagle24]

Re-evaluate your clothing.  Layers with a good moisture wicking base layer are crucial.  Also re-evaluate your draw weight or how much shooting you do during the season to stay built up.

[cacciatore]

Hunting from a tree stand for many hours require the right clothing and footwear.I drop 10# in draw weight and i try to draw the bow from time to time.Too bulky also makes more difficult so I wear a lot of vest staff,that keep my upper and mid body warm but the arms free to draw.
Elk hunting is another story,I don't want to become wet and I take off as many clotes as needed when on the move and put them on as soon as I stop.I draw the bow very often to keep those muscles warm and if I start to become to cold I move again.

[Friend]

Getting sweaty before having to sit in the cold for an extended time almost always ends with an unpleasant experience. There are many ways to prepare as mentioned above and 'yes' performing isometrics in the deer stand does alleviate some of the chill. I have done routinely for years and concentrate on Back tension ones as an animal approaches. Your hunts will be much more enjoyable and possibly successful once you employ some sound layering techniques.

I have found that it is much easier to stay warm when practice drawing a 90 pound longbow during frigid hunts.  I did not say that it is easier to shoot accurately with that heavy bow, maybe I should take a heavy bow to keep warm and then a lighter one to actually shoot with.  I have found that it is best to get up and move with the proper clothing on, then to try to shoot accurately while suffffffering ffrom hypothermia. Deep knee bends and constant practice draws is what I do most of the time.

[magnus]

Less clothes when moving and bulk up Shen sitting after you cool down. I have to take extra socks and change them after I sit. Once my feet are cold I'm done. No cotton for me at all even undies. TMI? sorry !

Keeping the faith
Magnus

[Jock Whisky]

I had my wife sew a couple of pockets into the back of my hunting shirts right at shoulder blade height. When I'm on a stand on a cold day I put a couple of handwarmers in the pockets. Keeps the muscles toasty. This is in addition to all the above. I've tried poly long underwear but find I always go back to wool. Coldest I've been able to sit is -26F.

JW

when I was younger, I used to take an extra large goose down mummy sleeping bag.  I had a blind that turned into a snow blind with a padded wooden gramma chair that I bought for a dollar at an auction.  Comfortable and warm. Did I get a deer doing that, not one, not even a shot, they never got close enough and conditions were never such that I could put a stalk on them.

[BEN]

A lot of good points here!!

One thing I didn't notice , so I 'll add:  Make sure you're practicing alot duing the off season and during season!! If you are shooting heavy bows but can only draw/shoot accurately a few times before getting tired---you're not going to b e able to draw it well if at all when cold. Cold muscle strength is going t be below what you can do when warmed/loosened up!  Make sure you can EASILY draw your bow and hold/shoot steady at your desired  weight many, many times while warm, so that you can draw it that ONE time when you're cold but it really needs to count.    

Static exercises. tightening and relaxing muscle groups.Slow, easy stretches ----esp. in the shoulder areas--all help too.

[Bowwild]

I just read a statement someplace recently, I think it was a book I just finished on climbing K2.  The mountain climber's credo is to start cool, stay, cool, and end cool.  

I usually do my walking very lightly clothed (cool) to keep from overheating. If I start to overheat the first thing I remove is my hat. I pack in warmer clothes so when I stop (I hunt tree stands in the east) I can (after cooling down for 15-30 minutes) then begin to layer up.

I always draw my bow (slowly, starting with 1/3 draw, 1/2 draw, and then full draw) as soon as I'm all set in my stand.  The colder it is the more often I would do this. Of course being careful that no game is watching.

I really like Under Armor sweatshirts and goose down vests.  I'm about to splurge though and purchase Sitka clothing. Especially the under layers and the down jacket for wearing under also.

[katie]

I stick the Therma-care back care sticky pads on my upper back at shoulder level.  They stay warm for hours and keep my muscles warm.  Some toe warmers that shake-up have sticky on them as well.  I put them on my knees so they don't get so stiff that I can not walk home.

[harvestmoon]

Great idea those back pads...used the boot pads and never realized they made them for the back area...must try.

[Davt]

One other thing that enters into this is deconditioning. It is not uncommon that we shoot more before season and when hunting is on we have little time to go to the range to practice. As the season advances, and gets colder, we have less reserves to draw from when our system is challenged. It is important to draw your bow several times at least every other day to keep thoses bow pulling muscles in shape. Even though it will be harder when you are cold or tired, you will be drawing (pun intended) from a stronger base.

[straitera]

Sweat going to your stand to sit & you;ll freeze (feet especially). Move to stand in cold with minimal clothes. Once there, add clothes layers as needed.