Ohio Valley Outdoors Magazine

Coping with the cold...

By Tony Seals

Nothing can turn a whitetail hunt sour faster than numb fingers and toes. What is meant to be a fun-filled day in the outdoors can sometimes turn into an endurance test — you against Mother Nature. Cold temperatures can drain the excitement from an outing in a hurry, leaving only misery and pain. So, why do we do it? Why do we torture ourselves? In my case, I may be a couple bricks shy of a load (I’m sure that my wife would agree), but most serious bowhunters know that deer tend to search out food when the temperatures plummet, and those of us who also participate in the short firearm and muzzleloader seasons know that the show goes on regardless of the weather. There are several ways to combat the cold, some old and some new. Here are a few ways to keep Old Man Winter at bay so that you can get the most enjoyment possible from your days afield this season.

Boots and Clothing
When it comes to boots and outdoor clothing for cold weather, hunters have more choices today than ever before. Let’s start with base layers. Under Armour is leading the way with undergarments that wick heat robbing moisture away from your body at the source. Keeping the area surrounding the skin dry is half of the battle, and these shirts and leggings seem to live up to everything that they claim and a little more.

When it comes to mid-layers, again, there are several choices, but a garment made with wool or fleece is hard to beat. On the coldest days, you won’t catch me without some type of wool mid-layer, usually a sweater. Synthetics still can’t beat the insulating qualities of this natural material. On less severe days, a heavy fleece pullover of some type should do the trick.

When it comes to cold weather, outer-wear, such as, parkas, pants, bibs, hats, gloves and face coverings, garments made from micro-fleece are hard to beat. The material is warm, soft and quiet. Several companies make micro-fleece clothing, but some are of better quality than others. Clothing that has a Gore-Tex or some other waterproof, breathable outer-shell is a plus. Look for garments with reinforced seams for durability, plenty of pockets, including hand-warmer pockets, all in a camouflage pattern that blends well with the bare, late-season woods.

When it comes to boots, look for quality. Cold feet are what send most hunters back to camp early, so spend a few bucks. For cold weather stand hunting, boots with a temperature rating of minus 100 degrees or lower should do the trick. The rating system is based on the coldest temperature protection for a person who is walking. If not rated, look for boots with 1000 grams of thinsulate or more.

Accessories and Chemical Warmers
Cold weather accessories can help to make a bitterly cold day tolerable, especially for the tree-stand hunter. Boot Covers, made by Arctic Shield are a good example. These insulated covers are designed to slide over your hunting boots, once you get situated in your tree-stand or blind, adding an extra layer of protection to your feet. The Covers roll up for easy carrying and they work great.

A hand-muff is another accessory that helps hunters to battle the cold. The most common ones are made of fleece and attach to the waist with an adjustable nylon strap. They are cylindrical, with openings on each end to insert your hands. Most have at least one zippered pouch for storage. Being a late-season bowhunter, who does not like to wear gloves, these things seem almost heaven sent when the temps dip below freezing. By adding a couple of the chemical type hand warmers to the main pouch, my hands stay toasty all day.

As for the chemical type hand warmers, they may just be a hunter’s number one ally for fighting the cold. The warmers usually contain a mixture of iron powder, water, activated charcoal and salt. When exposed to air and mixed by shaking, the mixture gives off odorless heat (120-150 degrees F) for several hours. They also come in several shapes and sizes, from small, rounded models with adhesive tape on one side, which are designed to stick inside the toe section of your boots, to large body-sized warmers that can last up to 18 hours. Strategically placed warmers can definitely lead to a much more comfortable hunt. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Being a family oriented magazine, I can’t discuss all of the areas of my body that I have put these things in an attempt to stay warm, but let’s just say that I’ve tried about every angle that there is and leave it at that. They do work. When it comes to purchasing foul weather gear, the basic rule-of-thumb is to buy the best quality that you can afford then get creative if need be.

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Tony Seals, of Lexington, Ohio, is a veteran whitetail hunter with much experience in scouting and food plots. He recently graduated from North American School of Outdoor Writing and is a member of the Outdoor Writers Association of America and Outdoor Writers of Ohio. Seals can be reached at whitetailwriter@earthlink.net.