I've been out bowhunting in -25 degrees temperature :knothead: ,that is a few years ago,dressed like brown bears,we did liked to brave the elements and we did on several occasions.Today,in my early 50's,I'm not tough like I use to :( ,when the mercury hits 0 degree F,I rarely venture too far.
How far would you folks go against mother nature,weather be,cold,hot,windy,etc....?
Any extreme weather hunting stories you want to share?
Serge
I'm in my early 50's also and weather conditions do not keep me from stalking.... Window to window, front porch to back deck, if ya know what I mean. Hey! Ain't it the same as a blind or big tree stand? :rolleyes:
... mike ... :D ...
The older we get the smarter we become. I've hunted in sub-zero temps. only to find out I couldn't pull my bow to anchor. Fished when it was so windy and rough you had no bait control. Now I go when it will be enjoyable to be out, no need to prove to myself that I can take it.
I'm still a dumb butt. I tend to go out when I can without regard to temp *but* lower temps mean I won't sit as much.
Good one Mike :D :D
Mr. LONGHORN,
We still hunt down to -35 degrees below 0 (F). Otherwise would miss too many opportunities to be out an about. At 70 years of age, am enjoying the time left while still able to do so.
Best Wishes
Sawmill Creek, Alaska
I,m the same age and the wind chill is suppose to get to -35 this afternoon, I,m going right after I get out of work, but it really makes me wonder why I passed up all them shots when I was hunting in just a sweatshirt, I think that will be my new years resolution, I always think of that young 8 pointer that walked by at 8 yards when my face is about ready to fall off in this cold. He better not walk by this afternoon.
WindWalker-AK,I tip my hat to you sir,maybe I should go and spend some time up there,that would make me appreciate what we think is cold here :notworthy:
Best wishes
Man...we were out in the middle of December stalking hogs...snow on the mountain peaks around us...sunny weather...about 50 degrees...There are SOME good things about being a hunter in California!
I find I am willing to brave the weather or not depending on what I am hunting. I have a bunch of doe tags left and find myself waiting till it gets above 10. If I was going bunny hunting it could be almost any temp and I'd go. Dan F. I understand why your going out in that cold, good luck hope he comes 10 minutes into the hunt. While you can still move.
WindWalker- I also salute you...I go out no matter what the temp here in the interior and I actually had my whiskey freeze to the consistency of a thick slurpee on a Caribou hunt in Feb. 95! I just hope I will be doing it when I am your age-that's awesome! Jeff Cooper
PS--coyotes and fox get easier to call in when the bottom drops out (-50F range)
I was stationed at Eielson AFB near Fairbanks in 1985 -88. When I got there I was 19 and bullet proof and nothing could stop me from going hunting. That is until I shot a moose one day at -63 and he shattered like glass upon impact. I tried to salvage the meat with a rake but it didn't work very well.
I know how Mr Longhorn hunt, and I can tell you that "not too far" for him can be a long walk for others!
:wavey:
I wish you the best of luck for the late season my friend!
I'll be overseas in a few hours, wishing to be in your neck of the woods!
F-Manny
To paraphrase Toby Keith "I ain't as tough as I once was ...." thats why I am doing some cyber bowhunting today instead of the real thing! I thought about going pheasant hunting but with the cuurent temp. at 3 degrees and a 35mph NW wind I decided I like my dog too much to do that to him!
I'd rather hunt 30 below than 50 with a steady rain. We get 48 days to deer hunt each year, I try to use every one of them, but a steady rain keeps the bow home.
That phrase has been around a lot longer than Toby. Regardless, I don't know if it holds for me today. Even once, I may not be as tough as I once was. Will still go out in below zero temps, but I watch the wind a little more. Almost bought the farm about 20 years ago in -25 temps with about a 30 mph wind blowing. Stayed out too long and almost didn't make it back to the truck. Then I couldn't get my keys out of my pocket much less get them into the door lock. Managed it eventually with the keys wedged between both hands.
Remember that one F-Manny? I forgot how cold it was,but man we had fun anyway :knothead:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v76/udboss2/sambrutus008.jpg)
I guess I'm not that tough either. Instead of deer hunting today, I'm on Tradgang and drinking coffee waiting for my pancakes to get done. It's -4 here as we speak (type) and the wind is just howling. Don't know what the wind chill is, but when I let my dog out this morning, he almost froze in mid-grunt. To top it off, everything is covered in ice from the storm we got on thursday. Nothing has thawed out at all as it's been below freezing ever since then. Really pretty out, pretty darn cold though. But hey, what should we expect for the first day of winter? Where's all this global warming I keep hearing about?
I don't know how much it has to do with being tough, smarter probably, certainly more experienced. We aren't quite as anxious to kill a deer or other game as we were when younger. We've done that. Oh, I'm in my mid-50's too....and maybe I should be speaking for myself only. I used to be out there, period. Not anymore.
For me, wind will keep me in the house quicker than either temps or rain. I don't mean light breezes but wind blowing 20-40 mph. Right now the wind chill is between 10 and 15 below and I have no desires to be sitting in a tree or even stalking through the woods. Rain doesn't bother me much unless it is a downpour, even when hunting with my flintlock.
Vic
I'm 50, and my hats off to all of you who hunt when the temp drops below zero, and the wind is howling. I can put up with some wind, but not 20-40 mph like it is blowing now. I've been under the weather the last couple of weeks so no hunting at all, but if we get a break between x-mas and new years I'll be out stalking as I have a couple of vacation days left. However, this time of year it is hard to sit when its cold and blowing. Good luck and stay warm.
I don't have a problem with hunting in sub 0 weather but that wind is another story. The mercury was +1 this morning and I was up and ready to go until I opened the door and at 30 mph gust of wind hit me in the face. This round to the deer if they are up moving around in this. Made some coffee, threw another log on the fire and paced in front of the window. Still got a couple of weeks left. dino
I'm with Dino, I used to go out in dang near anything, but I'd like to think I'm a bit smarter now than then. Truth is, I'm a bit softer.
Don't mind the cold, but in Alaska it was always calm when cold so it was OK. Here today we're somewhere around -15 with the wind chill and I'd much rather hunt in a calm -40. Although I always worried that my bow would break in that cold, it never did.
Yeah we have a couple weeks left. We'll get some more time out in it. Now more because it's almost over.
I always make it a point to hunt the last day of season no matter how bad the weather is. That to me is the true passing of another year. It's a bitter-sweet moment that I like to savor each year. With a prayer or two...
todd
I actually tried to go out today, minus 8 with 25 to 35 mph winds. I was not able to get within 3 miles of the spot I intended to hunt due to drifting snow. Probably just as well as I think even the deer have enough common sense to hunker down in these conditions!!!