Trad Gang

Call me crazy, but the colder it is, the more excited I am about going hunting.  Seems to add an element of adventure and challenge or something.  But I have never killed a deer in extremely cold weather.  How about you guys?  

I would love to hear about it and please post pics.  And to clarify, by extreme cold I'm talking low teens and below  (I know... you for you northern guys that's nothing but it's dang cold for down here).  

My coldest hunt was a few years ago.  8 degrees.  Saw nothin but had a blast

 (http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/timsalters/IMG_7723_zps4b3a7d05.jpg) (http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/timsalters/media/IMG_7723_zps4b3a7d05.jpg.html)

Single digit temps and some fresh snow...
http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=141290

A few seasons ago I saved a tag for late season. I wanted to shoot one with snow on the ground. We finally got several inches after x-mas. I set a ground blind up in a good crossing. It was 1 above an kind of windy. When a big doe showed up I made good on a five yard shot. I can recall all the hairs on her as she looked all fluffed up in her winter coat. Its one of my favorite


(http://i1117.photobucket.com/albums/k592/jet26photos/68c4f51f-b53d-4fcf-91a9-761b02e01bf5.jpg)

My all-time favorite hunt,  9°F not including windchill.
 (http://i792.photobucket.com/albums/yy206/cottonwood88/DSCN0257.jpg) (http://s792.photobucket.com/user/cottonwood88/media/DSCN0257.jpg.html)

I'd love to hear from some of you Northerners who are laughing at me right now LOL

The coldest that I have ever been was on a late season elk hunt years ago near Jackson, Wy. There was only about 6 inches of snow on the ground, but with a temperature of around zero and wind blowing about 30 mph steadily, it wasn't pleasant. No elk were seen that day; I was pretty sure that I was going to freeze to death before I could get back to the truck.
My coldest successful hunt was a couple of years ago. I shot a whitetail doe in another one of those balmy Wyoming December days; right around 0 again, and wind that was 20 to 30 mph. There was about a foot of snow on the ground to keep things interesting. As I was gutting the little doe, the blood on my hands would freeze as soon as I got them out of the deer's innards. The drag to the truck was a wonderful adventure. I would have a picture, but my camera froze up. That should have been a clue that I should have been sitting by the fire, but NOOOO.
This little buck was taken on another brisk day, but at least there was no wind. Temp as I recall was about zero on this morning, too.
 (http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac67/peastes/a7245778.jpg) (http://s886.photobucket.com/user/peastes/media/a7245778.jpg.html)
As I write this, it is right around zero outside, with 6 inches of the white stuff on the ground. Guess who isn't hunting today; I am at times a slow learner, but frigid temps and hunting don't occur in the same sentence for me any more.

Several years ago, I was in the habit of going to North Dakota every weekend in December to make deer drives in the river bottoms where the deer congregated.  A group of trad guys would meet up for this.  It was an absolute blast and we were pretty successful.  I remember several drives seeing the woods come alive as 40 deer ran by.
One of the last years we did this was memorable.  it was the last day of the season.  January 2nd.  When we got up in the morning it was -38 degrees.  It warmed up to -18 that day.  We shot two does.  I shot one on the run at 10 yards.  All five guys had longbows that I had built and they held up fine in that extreme weather.  After dragging my doe to the truck I was so sweated up that I stripped down to the waist to get a dry layer next to my skin.  The steam just rolled off me.  
It was a great day except my steering went out in the truck and the bill for towing and repairs cost me close to 2000.00.  I have a picture somewhere but am not sure where it is.
CHad

Killed a nice buck three years ago in mid-November, a day after a snowstorm.  Temp dropped severely after the storm and it was 4 below zero when I went out just before daylight.  Can't take the cold like I used to but decided to give it a shot.  Carried a shirt, jacket and vest to my stand, dressed at the base and ascended the ladder.  Just got an arrow nocked and I thought I heard a twig crack behind me.  Then I heard a grunt.  

He was working his way toward me from behind through thick brush. I hadn't even had time to pull my tab out of my pocket.  He finally broke clear at about 15 yards, and I shot him ( with bare fingers) at a slow walk broadside.  Shot was a little back, but he only went 50 yards, bedded and died.

Wasn't in my stand 5 minutes before he came by.  A good thing because I doubt I would have been able to take it more than three or four hours.  Had spent 12 consecutive days hunting dark to dark  before that without an opportunity at a mature deer.  

Don't know how to post pix, but would send it to someone if you will post it for me.

-5deg, -20deg wind chill on this December 31st Northern MI hunt back in 2013:

https://youtu.be/KFgUF-pam-8

If it gets much below 40* here, that is extreme cold!    :biglaugh:    :biglaugh:    :biglaugh:  

I would like to kill a deer in the snow sometime though just so I can track it. That is, if I can to sit out there long enough to get it done!

Bisch

-15 without the wind...you really like to get your hands into an animal but you sure don't want to take them out!

I like this thread!!! I have spent many of  0 degree days on stand with nothing to show for it but some cold toe's. But I'd rather be out there enjoying the opportunity. I've recently started taking a small thermos with coffee. I also got me some boot blankets that I'm looking forward to trying out.

Steve Jr

Guys.... These are all epic hunts and awesome stories!!  Looks like Chad has the coldest kill at -18 but some of the others sound brutal with 30 mph winds!!  

And Bryan, that is an awesome video!!!

Thanks for sharing everybody.  Keep'em  coming.

Here is Jerry's (Orion) buck.

 (http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/timsalters/DSC01348_zpsmzyhuz7c.jpg) (http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/timsalters/media/DSC01348_zpsmzyhuz7c.jpg.html)

Awesome Jerry...thanks for sharing it!

Several years ago I got it into my head that I wanted my first yote with my long bow from the ground. This was the year it never got above 0 for like three months. So I decided that at -40 I would go sit behind a log in the swamp near my farm.  Honestly if I had seen a dog I would have invited him into my HBS to warm me up.  I was so cold I forgot my quiver and didn't go back for it until a week later.

I used to hunt no matter what the weather was. These days I have trouble deer hunting once it gets very cold.

I had a scary though unproductive cold morning hunt a few years ago. My wife and I were camped in the Indiana national forest. I don't know what the temp was but I was cold. LOL

I managed to stay on stand until the sun was up a bit and the wind turned wrong...maybe 2 1/2 hours.

I guess I didn't realize how cold I was until I started getting ready to climb down and started to wonder if I was going to be able to.

By the time I got out of the tree I could barely hold my bow. Fortunately my stand was only a short distance from camp and my wife had a raging fire going.

Years ago I almost died hunting late season in Wisconsin.  I was hunting state land somewhere  east of Osseo about a half hour.  There was a scenic over look parky thing where I parked.  Ealier from that over look I tried to stalk a bear.  I had to put my feet against one side of a crevice slot on a rock cliff with my back against the other side.  there was a bog on the bottom.   I blew the stalk.  That day just a few degrees above zero I hand to find a different way down.  There were deer across the way.  My stalk was going good until I almost step on a bedded doe.  She took the herd with her.  On my way back to the cliff, I broke through the ice on the bog and got wet up to my neck.  I was getting very clumsy and could barely walk.  From somewhere snow mobilers saw me, a group of six.  They picked me up and brought me around fast.  They had a giant fire, hot chocolate and coffee.  There was an out house at that parky thing.  They had me put on a snowmobile suit while my clothes dried.  As I started feeling better we had brats and junk food.   they were not planning on eating lunch that early, but they said they were hungry anyway.   When the food was ate and my clothes were dry, I thanked them in every way that I could think of and went home.
i have shot a few late season deer in Iowa.  One in particular, we were having a lousy Christmas, we didn't have enough money to get the kids anything good for Christmas.   I was fairly crippled from a back injury that fall and needed to walk with a cane. Christmas Eve afternoon, it was a blizzard.  I got in my ford car and went out to my friends farm.  He has a corner of set aside that has switch grass and bushes.  There were deer in there earlier.  The snow and wind was much worse than I thought, with rapidly falling temps.   The snow was getting deep in the sheltered area and visibility was less than 50 yards.   i was sneaking through the little cedar trees and jumped a doe, it slowed a little and with my 79 pound Jerry Hill bamboo pushing a Jerry Hill broadhead arrow, I saw the arrow disappear through the doe.  I forgot my knife and I wanted my son in on the tracking and drag out.  When I got back to the farm I called home to tell them.   My bearded face was almost solid ice.  Mike came home right then and could not believe how froze I looked.  We went to town with his four wheel drive to get my sone.  We used his diesel four wheel drive tractor to go out to his back 40.  Even though the snow was falling hard, there was a very heavy blood trail.  The doe only went about 15 yards from the hit.   Every  one still brings up my Christmas Eve blizzard deer when they talk about me doing things that are flat out nuts.

Sorry that I don't have a picture but my friend and I once went out on a New Years Eve hunt in WI that was really cold! When we were about to leave the car, we heard on the radio a warning to stay inside as the chill factor was -67 with an actual temp. of -18. We sat for about an hour and a half. He killed a nice doe that night and I missed a buck probably because I couldn't really shoot well with all the clothes I needed to have on to stay alive. What a fun memory!!

I've never figured out pictures for this site but my last cold weather deer was a doe in Iowa on Jan 7th 2014, about -7 If I remember right. One deer I remember distinctly was one I shot at quitting time New Years eve as I was walking back to my truck. In MN those years you had to quit at sunset so the time was 4:33 pm, It was -21 when I left the truck at 3:15 and I couldn't sit long so I slowly walked. This little buck was lying under a cedar tree when I saw and stalked him to within 20 yards. I was shooting a 65# Zebra Grevy and when the arrow went through him he stood up and slowly walked away. I found him maybe fifty yards away. For a few years after that we had a five deer limit and 3 years in a row I ended up shooting deer on New Years eve but don't remember the temps. Its 5 degrees now and I'm going out this afternoon because starting Tues it's not predicted to get over 5 and I'm getting to old for this cold weather crap, One of my buddies made this rule when he turned 70, the 20-20 rule. If the wind is blowing over 20 miles an hour and the temp is under 20 degrees stay home by your fireplace. We'll see, I've got a couple years til 70.

It was 3 degrees when this pic was taken and single digits at the shot. A very cold week of hunting single digits and 20-30 mph winds.  It got colder with temps below zero.  We were staying in a camp trailer and our generator broke so sleeping with no heat. We had the stove burners for heat. Quite an adventure.

 (http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/kadbow/imagejpg3_zps28f7dd09.jpg) (http://s20.photobucket.com/user/kadbow/media/imagejpg3_zps28f7dd09.jpg.html)

Sometimes not filling your tag before the gun season gives you the ability to hunt late season when the deer get back to a routine. I like to hunt the cattail sloughs where they bed, use their trails. My first traditional whitetail was on the last day of season with the temp around zero with a 20 mph wind. I did a 1/4 mile stalk through the cattails as a group of does fed along the edge. The wind covered a lot of the movement and noise until I got close. Then the final 30 yards were slow and cold. But I eventually got a 15 yard shot on a doe. She only ran about 40 yards and bedded down. I sat there freezing until she expired and called a buddy to come help me drag it out.  someone mentioned the joy of warming up cold hands in a warm field dressing job, it was needed. That has been my favorite hunt in the past few years.

Awesome stories guys!  Here is the pic of Randy's (mnbwhtr) -7 degree doe...

 (http://i1105.photobucket.com/albums/h344/timsalters/randy%20doyle%20doe%20iowa%202014_zpssxhreteh.jpg) (http://s1105.photobucket.com/user/timsalters/media/randy%20doyle%20doe%20iowa%202014_zpssxhreteh.jpg.html)

Nice job Randy!

My coldest traditional bowhunt was close to 20 years ago before I added traditional muzzleloading to my arsenal and now usually spend my December time out with a flintlock.

This was mid December and the air temperature was in the low single digits.  The deer were hard to find after all the gun seasons, but I finally found good sign in a snow-covered alfalfa field.  Not a lot of sign, but it was fresh.  I backed up into a large oak deadfall that was still full of leaves and started my sit mid-afternoon.  

Around sunset, I could hear crunching in the hardened snow coming from the ridge that bordered the field.  Shortly, a small buck meandered out into the field about 75 yards away.  Light was fading and I could not wait to see if he would work my way.  I took out my call and did some very soft doe contact calls.  His head popped up, but instead of coming my way, he started to walk back out to the ridge the way he came in.  I called again and I heard him stop briefly, then I could hear his steps coming my way on a steady beat.

He had my call pinpointed so well that he actually tried forcing his way through the thick deadfall mere feet away from me. I barely even breathed for fear of being detected, he was so close to me. Fortunately, the light wind was perfect and he failed to detect me.  Finding the mass of branches too thick to work through, he walked around the downed tree and took about one step into the field looking for the doe that had called to him.  I had to hold my longbow nearly horizontal and lean way forward to get a clear view of his vitals and clear branches near me. He was a mere 6 or 7 steps away.

My finger touched anchor and release was immediate.  I could hear the arrow strike and I knew I had made a hit.  Just a second or two later I heard a crash.  The zwickey-tipped cedar arrow had done it's work well.

This cold weather hunt was one of the most exciting and rewarding I've ever experienced.  Braving the cold and getting a highly pressured buck with a longbow, my own handmade cedar arrow, and off the ground at extremely close distance is something I'll never forget.  

 (http://i1207.photobucket.com/albums/bb472/spikebuck/LongbowBuck.jpg)

Here's an article I wrote for TBM that ends on an extreme cold weather miss     :biglaugh:    :laughing:     http://www.tradbow.com/public/Reflections.cfm

Chilly out today. Hunting during our first snow storm of the season
 (http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn125/frassettor/IMG_0679_zpsaeyo8uks.jpg) (http://s303.photobucket.com/user/frassettor/media/IMG_0679_zpsaeyo8uks.jpg.html)

 (http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn125/frassettor/IMG_0681_zpsuzv5yqu4.jpg) (http://s303.photobucket.com/user/frassettor/media/IMG_0681_zpsuzv5yqu4.jpg.html)

here is one from a few years ago...in the minus 20's
with an all wood bow I made (with teaching)..a 60# bamboo backed and bamboo belly  60" shot at about 8 yards..went about 100 yards..

 (http://i1233.photobucket.com/albums/ff383/bte1958/P1030251_zpsfbw6s30b.jpg) (http://s1233.photobucket.com/user/bte1958/media/P1030251_zpsfbw6s30b.jpg.html)

My Coldest hunt came about 12 years ago, a buddy and me would drive for 45 minutes to a hunting area, it was late December.  We drove over one morning and hunted from stands, we stayed on stand for 2 hours, then met back at truck, both of us half froze, not seeing anything and found out the temp. was 0 with -16 with windchill.  We went and got a hot breakfast and plenty of coffee and talked for few hours.  Both of us haven't seen anything, and he was thinking of calling it a day, but we decided to go back out.  We both carry in and pull stands each time we hunt (public land).  As we was driving to another "spot", I told him to pull over and told him, I would stalk.  He looked at me like I was crazy, "You know how cold it is?"  I smiled and said "yes, I will be fine".  I told him I will just stalk through the timber, and meet him back at vehicle from where he is hunting.  After lengthy discussion and me convincing him I would be fine, off he drove.  I walked across the corn field and entered the timber and sat, to give him some time to get in and set up.  AFter a while I began to stalk through the cold timber. To keep it shorter, I seen 18 deer and one flock of turkeys.  I ended up shooting a Doe, dressed/tagged then drug her to the closest road.  I went to the truck, (which we keep keys in a place for things like this, a good tip), I went loaded her up and went back.  I waited for an hour.  I seen him coming and got out of truck.  As he walked up, just warming up.  I asked, "what did you see".  He replied with "Not a **** thing, nothing moving in this weather".  He then stopped, dazed, as he went to put his stand in the truck bed.  He looked at me and I smiled, "Yes, there is one less moving".  A great memory for us both.

I'll play along. This was a few years ago pursuing blacktails in sw Oregon November buck hunt. I was just learning how effective treestand hunting is for us stickbow hunters and I was anxious about this years hunt. I had most of the 4 week season to hunt and was going to hold out for a good mature buck since I had taken a buck the previous two seasons.
The entire season was fantastic  with several young bucks passing by my stand and had an absolute giant Booner buck cross the road early in the season and another giant 5x4 in a clearcut. The season was going great then I got what I was waiting for a slug of a buck on game camera came by my stand one evening shortly after I had got down from my evening hunt. It was 4 days later and the temps were in the 20's when I finally saw him, a majestic 4x4 with a 19" spread. I was pretty cold that evening when he came by and I had to really work at keeping my composure but I shot him perfectly. He didn't go far and is one of my favorite hunting seasons of all time.

  (http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj157/sightsee1/ifish5/ifish6/P1030926_zps06dec13f.jpg)  


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Cold in the Northern rockies, like in the upper Midwest, unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view) is the norm rather than the exception.   The good thing is that game tends to be active on really cold days for much longer...they need calories just like us, to survive.   But you need to have a way to deal with it - the cold. That is where good gear comes in as the most important thing you take to the woods, second only to common sense. Here is a number of pics of animals taken in single and below zero conditions for me over the years.   I find the cold is usually tolerable, but the wind is the thing that will keep you out of the woods.   That wind, coupled with that kind of cold, is deadly...period.  Most of these are selfbow, or woodbow kills, and there are too many to tell the stories, but suffice to say it was COLD on all of them.   One thing...the snow does make tracking easier!

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/toughbuck3.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/toughbuck3.jpg.html)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/latecow3.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/latecow3.jpg.html)

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/shortybuck3.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/shortybuck3.jpg.html)

This last buck, it was so cold we went back to camp for coffee and breakfast and let the sun come out and warm things up to single digits before going back for pics and chores.  My son Kory was hunting with me and watched the whole hunt unfold from his own stand across the field.

Here's some more...

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2006selfbowbuck1.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2006selfbowbuck1.jpg.html)

Here's a doe taken from my buddy Walt Francis' stand on the day after Christmas, I think.  Again, a cold morning....

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2005MarksDoewithWalt.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2005MarksDoewithWalt.jpg.html)

This one was a couple years ago, ahead of a cold front, with strong (30mph-plus) north winds and sub-zero windchills...

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2013%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0285_zps1f23458e.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2013%20hunt%20pics/DSCN0285_zps1f23458e.jpg.html)

This doe...I had to dig to find this pic...was the coldest "kill" ever I think, for me.  We had knee-deep snow already and still falling, and north winds in the 30 - 40mph range...all on top of minus 20 temps.  With everything cold-weather trick I knew, I could only stay on stand for about a half-hour at a time.  Fortunately for me, the hunting area was only a couple miles from home, and it was November, and I was "off" from work with nothing else to do...

 (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v508/woodwizard/2010%20hunt%20pics/Mdoe1.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/woodwizard/media/2010%20hunt%20pics/Mdoe1.jpg.html)

I think that Mark is trying to fool us. Everybody knows that there is never any wind around Livingston.

Ha! Pat...the camera does a good job stopping the wind!  And a 30 or 40mph wind really is not a wind around here...or even around your neck of the woods!

 (http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu178/ryanderlago/ryanBuck2010009.jpg) (http://s645.photobucket.com/user/ryanderlago/media/ryanBuck2010009.jpg.html)
Killed this buck during a storm and if I recall it was -23. That's Celcius but still cold. Hunted a few times at -40 but I'm only good for about 4 hours.

QuoteOriginally posted by Manitoba Stickflinger:
   (http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu178/ryanderlago/ryanBuck2010009.jpg) (http://s645.photobucket.com/user/ryanderlago/media/ryanBuck2010009.jpg.html)
Killed this buck during a storm and if I recall it was -23. That's Celcius but still cold. Hunted a few times at -40 but I'm only good for about 4 hours.

That's a cool picture!!! I'm hoping to do a whitetail buck hunt up there in the next couple years. Would love to get some advice from you some day.

Thanks for contributing everyone.  This has been a lot of fun reading.  Keep's coming!

Mark - awesome pics!!  You might have the record cold weather kill with that doe!  Incredible.  

And Ryan... I've been waiting for you and your heater body suit to chime in.   Awesome buck in the snow!

Thanks Tim. Seriously though...guys talk about staying warm on stand. Nothing compares to a HBS.
 (http://i645.photobucket.com/albums/uu178/ryanderlago/ryanBuck2010013.jpg) (http://s645.photobucket.com/user/ryanderlago/media/ryanBuck2010013.jpg.html)

Had to go put on a long sleeve shirt just looking at the pics, (and thanks for the great pics).

Ryan,
That is a really nice buck.  I have been thinking about the HBS recently.  Being in front of a computer in a warm office most of the time, the body doesn't take the cold as well as when I was on in the field.

Like Mark, I hunt exclusively with a Selfbow.  It was around -20 the day Mark shot the elk.  Mark, I believe it was -23 when we left the trucks that morning with the usual 10-15 mph wind.  That stand accounted for over fifty deer, a lot of them when it was below zero.  I know Doug took a doe from that stand one morning when it was -18.

Looking back over the years, a lot of my critters were taken in temperatures below 20.  Regarding bow performance, my bows are so slow I can't tell if the cold has any affect on them.  None have failed due to being used in cold weather.  

Here are a few cold weather critters taken with selfbows:

Around 5 degrees:

  (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/Slivershooter/2012-01-08_09-33-52_50.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Slivershooter/media/2012-01-08_09-33-52_50.jpg.html)

Around zero to minus 10 with a 15 mph wind:

  (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/Slivershooter/Buffalo2007020.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Slivershooter/media/Buffalo2007020.jpg.html)

It was 10 when I shot this one:

  (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/Slivershooter/1289757255688.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Slivershooter/media/1289757255688.jpg.html)

It was -15 when I shot this one:

  (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/Slivershooter/Piggers1st-2005.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Slivershooter/media/Piggers1st-2005.jpg.html)

-20 when I found the tracks, between zero to ten when we got to the tree:

  (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/Slivershooter/mountainLionLenny022.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Slivershooter/media/mountainLionLenny022.jpg.html)

Around Zero

  (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/Slivershooter/Picture008.jpg) (http://s3.photobucket.com/user/Slivershooter/media/Picture008.jpg.html)

Way to tough it out guys! Those are great animals, especially when the cold is factored in.

My coldest endurance test was with a -25 wind chill. Got on stand right at first light and waited maybe a half hour before I grabbed the rattling horns. Clashed them together during a brief lull in the wind and moments later a small 10 pt waltzed (no pun intended, Walt) through a shooting lane. Hit him well enough to pull the stand and climb down immediately. In the few minutes it took to get to the blood trail, it was frozen pink. So was I. I recall the pain whenever I withdrew my hands from the warm chest cavity during field dressing.

As others here will attest, there isn't a whole lot of competition in the woods on days like that.

This day was -1* (that's like -419 Celsius, if I did my Canadian conversion correctly).  Gloves went on right after the picture was taken.  Yeah, it sucked, but we killed a couple pheasants.  If I close my eyes, I can still hear the sound of the squeaking snow.  I sure do wish my dog, Grizz, was still around to keep me company.  I'm sure everyone has had a dog like him before, if not, you need one.

    (http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab28/miklvines/Tradgang/001_2.jpg) (http://s846.photobucket.com/user/miklvines/media/Tradgang/001_2.jpg.html)

Awesome pics and stories Walt!  You must have hot coffee in your veins cause you don't even look that bundled up in those pics!

Tim,
Lots of thin layers with some form of wind stopper.  A couple of the pictures were taken after long hikes or after transporting the the critters home.

Mark,
You are correct, it was the day after Christmas.  The last picture, dated 12/26, is the small doe I recovered later that evening.

1995 I think - Montana - below zero - 9X5 buck - and a large doe - camera had film and I have old pics in an album none digital to load here. Tell ya what though I was cold but I have felt colder at the Paradise Hunt Club in GA - just saying
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Man O Man, I'm feeling cold just reading these stories. The coldest I've ever hunted it was 18 degrees at the barn and I was headed to the river bottom so probably a couple degrees colder down there. There was no wind that morning or I would have never gotten out of the truck. I always wear thin gloves so I can handle the bow. I do use the chemical hand warmers. Zero and below with windy conditions        :scared:      !!! I take my hat off to you guys. Great stories.

I had to work outside one time in my younger days when it was -17 wind chill. I wouldn't, and couldn't do it now.

I thought about this thread again this morning while I was shoveling my sidewalk at a balmy 27 below zero. It came back to me then why I don't hunt in those kinds of conditions any more. Definitely crossed off my bucket list.

I'm pretty sure some of you guys cold set an extreme cold weather kill record tomorrow morning!  Who's going??  Post pics for us.  

As for me...I'm snuggling with my wife in the morning as we celebrate our 23rd anniversary.      :bigsmyl:

It will be -12 here in southern Iowa in the AM,,,
https://weather.com/weather/hourbyhour/l/USIA0505:1:US
For once,,I'm glad that it's still gun season,,,,   :D

I once hunted in South Dakota, at -30. I managed to stay on stand for 3 hours.
My bow had a strap on quiver (that I had over stretched the rubbers straps), as I released on a buck both ends of the quiver went flying. The hood went forward, and the gripper slid all the way down the bottom limb.
I don't even remember where my arrow went, but it never made it close to the buck!   :biglaugh:  

chris <><

Congrats Tim!!

Come on guys!  I can't let this thread slip to page 2... I know there are more extreme cold weather kill stories and pics out there.

I killed this buck during the cold snap that hit most of the mid west in early November of 2014 (some of you probably remember the one I'm talking about.)  

Temp was 9 degrees that morning with a stiff breeze. Not extremely cold by northern standards but it felt pretty cold that morning.   I had planned on boating into to my stand but when I pulled up to the launch ramp I found the river frozen solid.  I went to the stand that morning with intentions of sitting daylight to dark, but luckily this buck interrupted those plans at 10:45 am  

(http://i.imgur.com/geDPFzB.jpg)

A buck in 9 degree weather.... Awesome!!  "

Dark Timber...that's a dandy.  And YES...I remember early November 2014..take 15 or 20 degrees off your Arkansas weather and that's what we had in Southern MN.

 (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a137/SteveHohensee/Ox_130_Fav_1.jpg) (http://s10.photobucket.com/user/SteveHohensee/media/Ox_130_Fav_1.jpg.html)

Hope this works.  Minus 35.

I think 35 below on a musk ox hunt qualifies as 'cold'. Quite the 'cool' trophy.

Holy crap Steve H!!  -35!  You sir now hold the record!!!  At least for this thread.  That's awesome... Thanks for sharing.

Was pretty cool to figure out where a herd of muskox were behind a hill by the fog rising from their breath!