Cold weather and dealing with bulky clothing.

[RedShaft]

How do you guys deal with shooting and staying warm. today we had high winds and mid 30's with spitting snow. to be able to at least sit till 12(wanted to sit all day) i have to wear pretty heavy clothes and layers. it just gets so cumbersome to draw and try n shoot. thats not even that bad, it usually gets allot colder here in archery too. i try to wear vest to cut down on bulk in my arms and have good wool long underwear. it just gets to a point, you either have to dress so you can still shoot accurately, but end up getting cold quick. i hate giving in and coming down but i also cant draw and shoot wearing all the clothes. esp when its the rut and i try to stay out all day. its great if you can sit but, you blow an opportunity cause you stiffen up or couldn't draw is no good either. sorry for the rant      

[NoCams]

What are you wearing on your head ? Remember tons of heat lost thru your head. You said you had wool long johns, what thickness ? Are your outer layers windproof ?

[stykbow67]

It sounds like your on the right track with the layering, You might also try some chemical hand warmers in your pockets and taking some practice draws while the actions slow helps considerably. Certain kinds of food also help to keep your fire burning inside like high protein/calorie type foods I think. Do a google search and I'm sure you can get some good info. Hope this helps!

Steve

[RedShaft]

yes a neck gaiter, wool face mask and beanie cap, wool or fleece. outer layer i wore this morning was windshear. wool long underwear is kuiu. i can stay warm, just not stay warm and not be bulked up enough be cumbersome drawing. im a die hard ice fisherman, if that make sense. but i hate being bulked up while bowhunting.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Get out of the dad burn tree and walk around some. 3 hours is max for me sitting anywhere....i don't see how you guys do it sitting in a tree stand all day.

Your feet and your head is the most important thing to keep warm. those hot packs in your pockets are great for hands.

[RedShaft]

those hand warmers are a life saver! i do use them esp for my toes as my feet sweat. and i have to use those with hot moc boot warmers when its bitter out.

[RedShaft]

ha ha Kirk. thats usually only way i can get deer is by outlasting others sitting. it is rough though esp when its nasty out and your not seeing any deer. make for a very long day. i am usually physically exhausted at the end of the day. i think due to my body fighting to stay warm, it will wear ya out.

[LBshooter2]

Boot blankets with hand warmers int hem, feet stay warm no matter what the temp is. I also put hand warmers in my pockets and wear ashirt with pockets o the chest and put a warmer in each. Wind proof rain gear under my out layer and if that doesn; t work for you then you might want to look into a heater body suit, I have heard good things about them.

[Gump21Bravo]

Nothing like moving around on the ground focused on everything around you to take your mind off the cold.

If you don't like bulkiness of your clothes while you draw why not try a sleeping bag or something that you easily slide out off when the opportunity presents itself?

Good Luck

[RedShaft]

LB.. those heater body suits would be awesome for the late season. and the wool shirt i got for next to the skin has a chest pocket! it worked perfect this morning with hand warmer.

[KSdan]

All day is very hard and wears you out- but I do it every year on key days.  

Though I am the traditional wool preference guy, I have found that fleece is less bulky and lighter in wt. allowing better shooting than wool. So, here in the midwest. . .

Light merino wool base layer (and an extra if really cold out), wool sweater, insulated fleece vest, windstop fleece outer jacket (Love the predator brand for quiet and fleece wt!). Bottoms are similar with wool pants instead of fleece.  HOWEVER, I also carry in an extremely XXL fleece pants with elastic band.  They are extremely light, but are awesome to pull on over all my other stuff- almost like a Heater Suit. They go up to my chest. It saves the day!  

Chemical handwarmers, including one in a small bag or sock tied to hang from neck against my chest- makes a wonderful little furnace!  I then sit with the jacket bloused away from my chest to provide dead air space.

Also a strong believer in extra hats and covering your neck.

Big pack boots. . .    a thermos of hot tea. . .snacks.  And if the day gets long, I just get down and take a nap next to the tree.  Would rather be there than leave!

Good for the day
My 2c
Dan

[NoCams]

Redshaft,
Sounds like you are doing everything right bud.... You have also been given great advice by all as well. Maybe do as KSDan said and take some hot tea or other hot beverage to give you something to look forward to at noon ? I am convinced a lot of the game of staying warm is purely mental. If you dwell on how cold it is that is all you will think about and eventually find yourself packing it in early.

Maybe I am crazy.... however after watching a training show about US Navy SEALS and them sitting in tubs of ice water maybe I am not ??? Mental toughness is a big part of being able to stay on stand when others are packing it in. Good luck bud and imagine yourself on a sunny beach on those brutal cold days and let us know how that works.....  

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

Heater body suit all the way! All the warmth with no bulk when it's time to shoot. Top it off with a fur hat and you can sit all day....easily!

I guess it all depends what you're there for. If you want to actually get a shot a something you're likely better off sitting still and investing in a suit. If you want to push the deer onto neighbouring properties for guys to shoot that are sitting still in their heater body suits then go for it. Don't mean to sound rude but it's the truth. How many guys actually consistently shoot deer with Trad equipment by walking around? That said...if hunting becomes no fun due to the cold then certainly walk to warm up.

There is some validity in my words as I've used the suit/fur hat set up multiple times at -40.

Good luck staying warm.....Ryan

[wooddamon1]

You can slip those hand warmers between layers on your lower back near your kidneys, I do that on very cold days and get by with a fleece base layer and 2 wool layers with a nice lined wool vest on top. Not bulky at all really. Add a good wool or fleece stocking cap and flex those muscles once in a while (without moving much)...

A Thermos of your favorite hot beverage helps a lot too like has been suggested.

[RedShaft]

thanks for the advice guys!!
Nocams.. i belive your rite about the mental toughness. i take allot of pride in toughing it out and sitting all day when others are leaving the woods. esp if you put one on the ground afterwards. you are also rite about the food.  i take x amount of food and pic a time and eat then, what it does is gets me through till the next couple hours and then over again. works really well.

KSdan. i started using fleece this year also, you are rite it is more mobile/flexible than wool or others, but you have to get it with windshear. i was going to get it with the 4 way stretch fleece but it was more expensive due to the reason it had scent-lok in. i hate that stuff so wouldn't buy it and ended up with cabelas legacy pro fleece with windshear. i like it so far.

[RedShaft]

Originally posted by Manitoba Stickflinger:
Heater body suit all the way! All the warmth with no bulk when it's time to shoot. Top it off with a fur hat and you can sit all day....easily!

I guess it all depends what you're there for. If you want to actually get a shot a something you're likely better off sitting still and investing in a suit. If you want to push the deer onto neighbouring properties for guys to shoot that are sitting still in their heater body suits then go for it. Don't mean to sound rude but it's the truth. How many guys actually consistently shoot deer with Trad equipment by walking around? That said...if hunting becomes no fun due to the cold then certainly walk to warm up.

There is some validity in my words as I've used the suit/fur hat set up multiple times at -40.

Good luck staying warm.....Ryan

i totally understand what your saying. im a sitter through and through. all i ever do is jump deer and scare em, get glimpses. i never had deer walk my direction while still hunting. and there is no way i can catch up to or head a dear off in the woods around here without getting caught making noise.

[Montanawidower]

Hear in Montana our rut hunts start off around 0 and warm to maybe 30 degrees.   Its a real mental test some times but here are some of the non body suit tricks I use.  

1)Hot hands makes these "body" heaters with adhesive that  are large compared to the small hand warmers and last 6-8 hours.   They kind of cycle though and getting cooler then heat to crazy hot.   I stick two of those inside some layers on my chest.

2) Good head coverage

3) boot overboots.  


4) small nissan thermos of super hot tea.  I swear when I've had enough and can't' take the cold any more.  I drink 4 or five ounces of piping hot tea.  That really changes the disposition.   It will buy you hours of extra time.  

5) Hand warming muff or tube strapped to my waste.    I usually glove my bow hand a little more heavily but only use a thin gun shooting glove cut to fit my tab.  I keep my hands in the tube with with two hand warmers.   I keep that string hand tucked until right before the shot.

[Jerry Jeffer]

wow, I'm in PA too and I don't wear that much until it gets real cold. Are you sweating on your way in to your spot? How much do you put on before going in. When it is cold, I often walk in just wearing my base layer. Also, tree stands get pretty cold. I'm on the ground all the time.

[TxAg]

I gota try the boot blanket trick with some hand warmers slipped in them.  I can tolerate the cold as long as my feet stay warm.

One trick i learned was to spray anti persperant on your feet before putting your socks on. It'll kep themfrom sweating, therefore staying warmer.

[owlbait]

This weekend we were in the 30's. Hunted twice with an Asbell long sleeve pullover covered with an Asbell pullover vest. Not bulky at all and toasty. My TwoTracks vest comes out when it gets colder or high winds. It absolutely stops the wind and with a lighter weight insulayed top under the vest I have plenty of mobility. Handwarmers in the pockets, Smart Wool socks, and a good facemask helps a bunch too.