During todays squirrel hunt (temp@14 degrees). I was wondering what techniques you use to keep warm. Heres a few of mine:
- When its brutally cold, I wrap a scarf around my mid section. Learned this in the USAF while guarding B52s/KC135s@-50 degrees below zero.
- When I carry my bow, I keep my bow hand knuckles next to my wool vest.
- I carry a spandex Balaclava with me. (this is a love/hate item because I dont like anything on my face)
- I always drink a glass of water or cup of tea before I go out.
Have a great day!!
well for my feet hot moc boot covers, i can wear light weight boots and throw these on with a hand warmer or 2 in each bootie and they get hot and stay that way. its very amazing how well that works and has kept me on stand on brutal days. i think everyone should try it. you will be amazed and glad you did.
keep your neck and face covered as much as possible is huge help. and i have also found that i stay warmer by standing as apposed to sitting down.
use a heavy vest as a layer to keep your core warm and you wont have the bulk around your arm pits and arms to impend your draw.
When it gets brutally cold I usually do all my hunting beside the fireplace.Did it when I was younger ain't doing it now!
Ron La C;air sell the longhunter shirt that goes past your but, its made from blanket wool and is an ideal piece of clothing to wear when cold hunting.Check it out.
For me, a hot pack(chemical handwarmer) on the back of my neck is more important than toe warmers. It is my weak spot, keep this area warm on me and I can take quite a bit of abuse. Thanks to my Uncle who pointed this out, he has the same issue.
Above zero, I don't do anything special except dress warm. Do wear a muff to keep my hands warm.
When it gets brutally cold, i.e., below zero a lot, I do like cbCrow. Been there. Done that. Now, when it's brutally cold outside, I sit in my cabin with the doors open on my Franklin stove, smoke a stogie and sip on a whiskey. Makes me all warm and tingly. There's a time and place for everything. :bigsmyl:
Wool, chemical Warner's, or baked potato in foil still hot in your coat pocket, hard boiled eggs do good to and give you a snack. Layer up. I start with silk long underwear, then wool long underwear, then polypropylene long underwear, wool shirt over that with wool pants, if real cold wool KOM trapper. Oh, wool scarf and wool beanie knitted by my wife.
QuoteOriginally posted by Orion:
Above zero, I don't do anything special except dress warm. Do wear a muff to keep my hands warm.
When it gets brutally cold, i.e., below zero a lot, I do like cbCrow. Been there. Done that. Now, when it's brutally cold outside, I sit in my cabin with the doors open on my Franklin stove, smoke a stogie and sip on a whiskey. Makes me all warm and tingly. There's a time and place for everything. :bigsmyl:
Yeah, I'm liking the sound of this! If you have the extra energy...go after 'em!
If not, damn enjoy yourself while you can people!!!!
Some of the chemical warmers have an adhesive backing (body or toe warmers). On really cold days I stick one on each side of my base layer (merino wool) right over my kidneys. The warmer is not touching my skin but stuck to the base layer.Then dress accordingly.
It really helps me when sitting in treestand on a cold day.
heater body suit
I've posted this self taken picture before, but here I am a while back in a portable treestand during a storm at -34 (not counting wind chill).
Several pair of underwear, boot covers, a hand muff, lots of wool and the technique is called survival.
Walking out that evening, a policeman picked me up on the side of the road. As he was driving me to my vehicle he called in with his radio and announced that he had just picked up a "crazy gentleman" bowhunting!
(http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab16/Mehikan/DSC_1444_2.jpg)
(http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab16/Mehikan/DSC_1438_2.jpg)
I put a layer or two under my arctic shield bibs and jacket. depends on just how cold it is. also I keep my boots on a boot dryer the night before. cold feet will make you go home before anything. also dont forget those armguards when you wear bulky clothes.
I'm assuming you mean on stand, moving around I never have trouble staying warm. Sitting on stand though, that's another story. Since I perspire easily I carry as much of my clothing in as possible, sometimes even change my base layer when I get to my tree or blind. If I can avoid getting all sweated up I'm in pretty good shape. Clothing consists of merino wool, wool sweaters, bibs, jacket and most important of all, neck gaiter and good hat. No secrets there. I stay home when the clothing required to keep me warm makes shooting impractical. Then I like the idea of warm indoor activities for the evening.
Aside from good clothing, I do isometric exercises while on stand. I stand up as much as possible because I find it much warmer than sitting. You use more muscles and it's muscular activity that generates heat. I will do slow half squats, just a few inches and hold. Not enough to generate noise or be busted for movement. It's surprising how fast you warm up with just a little bit of exercise.
I'm with Orion and some of the other "mature" woodsman. lol
Creature comforts win out over most anything else nowadays.
Guys like Ken Taylor have my sincere admiration but unlike what York sais, if I have to put on three sets of long johns,
I'm stayin home.
Double layer of wool underwear, it works better than extra bulky top layers.......EAT!EAT!EAT!.....your body generates heat breaking down food and also provides calories needed for heat......HOT WETS, Hot chicken noodle/broth in the thermos, a couple swigs when sitting still to help keep your core warm......
Ken that view is awesome and even worth a cop thinking your a crazy gentleman!!! :biglaugh:
Hunt close to the fire pit
Rustic,
You're right on with the point about hydration. Back in my mountaineering days staying hydrated kept you warmer, longer. Good hunting!
I carry all my outerlayers, and always change everything down to the underwear i wear in. Damp underlayers will send you to the truck. That and KOM wool pants shirt and beavertail vest and Im good for anyhting ive run into. Thats how I do it. I kept my daughter warm using the therma care heat wraps for people with back problems. There like a giant chemical warmer inside a thin elastic belt that you can velcro around you. I put one on her kidneys and one around her chest and you could feel the heat coming out the top of her coat.
Some great stuff in this thread!
A couple of things I've found to help me stay out in the colder weather here in Minnesota - both I picked up years ago from Paul Brunner and several other guys hunting in the cold months in Montana -
Mickey Mouse boots - I've got bad circulation and the original military grade Mickey Mouse boots are the only thing that has kept my feet truly warm after 4+ hours out in 10 degree weather or colder. I also wear a couple layers of wool socks inside of them. I've found that if my feet are warm - I can tolerate alot more than when they aren't! These are not the best if you are doing alot of moving (pretty heavy)- but great if you are sitting.
Screaming Eagle also used to sell a simple light-weight vest (layered along with appropriate underwear and woolens) that had pockets located just about where your kidneys are in the lower back. I just tuck a couple of chemical hand warmers in them and it is amazing what the difference is! I'd be surprised if other companies do not have something like this - they should if they don't!
Just a couple things I've used over the years to add on to what has been said already.
Terry
Underwear layering with wool (I have come to the conclusion that tech base layers stay damp too long for me- I like merino wool; always warm, damp or not). . .
- Chem handwarmers on back of my hands, under my gloves, keeps blood warm.
-hand muff
-Large chem handwarmer in a sock hung around my neck- furnace against my chest.
-Chem handwarmer on back of neck in scarf or in balaclava.
-Anti-perspirant on feet keeps things drier longer.
-For sitting- I made a tie-on-backrest to insulate me when I lean against a tree in bitter cold. I have even used an insulator to place my feet on before.
Other ideas too- but that is enough for now.
Dan
Been there, done that when it's really cold. Gotta try me some of that Crown Royal Black and work on some arrows.
Thick Poly long johns, as many wool outer layers as it takes. Thick wool socks with a poly/nylon liner.
Layering on the core, moisture wicking but warm under garments, and several lightish (but warm) layers so you can still pull and shoot your bow. Keep your appendages warm and you can last through most weather. I bow hunt in +20 to -30 'c (I draw the line at this temp.) up here through the fall. Up here if you stay inside when its cold you likely will miss certain hunting seasons. pac boots, warmer packs, hand muff, neck warmers and ballacavas are my standard fair. Wear bibs not waste pants (keep those kidneys warm) and cold air can not get in at the waste line.
Yep all of the above,
The handwarmer on the back of the neck.
Body warmers with adhesives for my core.
Bunny boots if I'm not hiking too far, or Schnee's pack boots with overboots by Wiggy's
Bibs for short hikes, Pants with flip up kidney guards from Day One for longer hikes to the stand.
Face covered with light pull over
Wool,wool, and more wool.
Handwarmer sling so I can keep my string hand bare or lightly gloved.
I pack a back pack with most of my clothes and hike in as little as possible. START COLD is always the mantra. Sweat is a killer once on stand.
The back of the neck warmer (I've heard) warms the vertebral artery and Cerebral spinal fluid. This fools the brain into thinking you are warmer than you really are. When you're cold the body starts sacrificing the extremities and shunts warm blood to the core. Thus if you reverse this it keeps copious warm blood flowing to the extremities. That equals warm hands and feet for much longer.
Yornoc your uncle may not have understood this, but he was on to something.
Jeff
Heh, yeah he's like that with a lot of things.
I have to agree on the merino wool long underwear next to my skin. I've used under armour cold gear, poly pro, silk, quite a bit of Cabelas different materials. Merino is one of the best things I've ever done to combat cold sitting after walking in. Under Armour definitely holds moisture longer on my skin. I can feel it, and I can feel it cooling down. Never felt that with merino.
I can't stand a zippered neck though. I know its for ventilation but I hate it. Ulfrotte makes some incredible merino, but the models for super cold have zippered necks made of METAL!!!!! Really? Cold plus metal equals cold metal! If I could ever find merino in a mock t neck I'd buy hords of it.
David Minus 33 has merino turtleneck tops. No zipper. Great stuff, good price. Check hanksclothing.com