Deer hunting and cold weather go together like peanut butter and jelly. The best way to succeed at hunting is to prepare for the cold. Over the years, I’ve learned that keeping warm is like that “weakest link” expression. That is, my body may be mostly warm, yet if my hands, feet, or head is cold, I feel cold all over.
Last week I spent a full week in an Arctic breakout that absolutely froze the Great Plains, yet using a few tricks and pieces of high-tech gear, I was comfortable moving, sitting, or both. The trick is to focus on the four elements of your body that seem to get the coldest.
Head: Hats and hoods are important because they prevent heat from escaping. Since heat rises, your cranium is the perfect smoke stack. Personally, I like a billed cap and often use a baseball-style cap to keep the sun from my eyes and place a warm knit hat over it. You can also use two ball caps for extra insulation. Ski masks and head nets greatly reduce heat loss and protect your face from the biting cold. Even a thin turkey-head net will contain an amazing amount of heat.
Hands: If a person approaches a fire on a cold day, they most often extend their hands. That’s because warming your hands gives your whole body a sense of warmth. This is one reason that chemical hand warmers are so popular. However, perspiration can develop if the devices are used too much. Placing a hand warmer under your wrist will help warm the blood flowing to your hands and keep your hands warm without causing perspiration. Mittens are warmer than gloves, yet lack the dexterity needed for hunting. Some mittens have fingered gloves underneath, or you can wear a light pair of gloves underneath a mitten. Carry an extra pair of gloves in your daypack in case you lose one. The wind in South Dakota was so bitter that bare hands became inflexible in seconds.
Feet: Many hunters suffer cold feet due to their distance from the heart and contact with snow or frozen ground. Moisture is your worst enemy when insulating feet. A loosely fitting boot will be warmer than a tight-fitting one since the loft of the insulating sock is not compressed. n many cases, wearing two pairs of socks is less insulating than one, due to the compression. If your boots have a removable insole, be sure to dry them each evening. Likewise, turn your socks inside-out so they will gain loft when they dry for the next day’s use. You want to match your boots to your walking and weather conditions, yet you can add extra insulation from the ground by standing on a barrier of sorts. A small piece of styrofoam or other ultra-insulating material will give your boots a boost. In a pinch, trace your foot on a styrofoam meat tray, cut it out, and place it inside your boot to boost ground insulation.
Core: Perspiration is often the culprit here as well. If you will be still for long periods, consider wearing a base layer to the stand and carrying your insulating layers in a pack or in your hand. Or wear a wicking base layer and an open insulating layer as you move to your stand. Carry your wind-breaking outer layer over your shoulder. Hoods on winter jackets make a huge difference; I’m never without one. Hand warmers can be useful here as well. I like to put one in my shirt pocket over my heart, where it will warm the blood flowing through my body. An insulating hot seat is a huge help as well. If your bottom is cold, your core will suffer. Cover these four bases and you’ll laugh at the cold (or at least have a lot more fun in it).
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