Late Season Bow Hunters

[Mayfly]

How do all you late season bow hunters stay warm?? I hate tons of layers and I hate loosing my flexibility. Has anything thin actually worked for you to keep warm??

Thanks!!

[jigglestick]

no. you go out there and shiver your a$$ off like everybody else.
dial in on as narrow of a window as possible.
I've been doing three hour sits with the muzzle loader. today wasn't to bad, but i can sure feel it here tonight.

I look at it as acclimating for the long ice season!

[Mayfly]

no. you go out there and shiver your a$$ off like everybody else.
dial in on as narrow of a window as possible.
I've been doing three hour sits with the muzzle loader. today wasn't to bad, but i can sure feel it here tonight.

I look at it as acclimating for the long ice season!

Well when I am dressed warm I don't shiver..I am not cold. I want to stay warm and wear less layers. Any tips on that?

In previous years we bow hunted in temps less than zero. So many darn clothes on to keep warm you can hardly draw your bow...

Guess I could just wear less and be cold but then I can't last as long.

[bowhunter73]

heres a good tip shoot your deer when its still warm out 

 not when its zero degres outside like last year   

[Moving2thecountry]

I went out muzzleloader on Saturday.  I thought I had good boots (I hunted with them in December for pheasant, and my feet were never cold).

But standing in a tree stand is a whole different story.  I stuffed a couple of hand warmers in my boots to keep my toes from going numb...and it was in the upper 20s where I was hunting.

I need to buy better boots next year.

[Cody Gruchow]

well i use scent lok base layers then ontop of that i use under armor cold gear top and bottoms then over that i have to pairs of socks on with one pair of wool socks over those then i have a sweatshirt(thinner one) then i put on my scent-lok jacket and pants, then ontop of that i put on my camo rain gear(breaths) the jacket and pants and so i really aint weighted down by to much and can still move pretty well, most of those are skin tight like the under armour and base layers. then for my head i just have a basic orange hat over my camo face-mask. and one of those just ear cover-like headbands for the back of my neck. then im good to sit for awhile.

[mathews4ever]

I got a tip from a John Eberhart video that works wonders. Take 2 of those adhesive body warmers.the chemical type you get from walmart. Stick them on your back right where your kidneys are located and it is unreal, you will feel like you can sit all day. match that with some boot warmers and a hand warmer in a muff and I have hunted comfortably in below zero temps.

[Grute Man]

Remember NO COTTON on the skin!!  I have polypropelene socks, gloves, undies (NOT blaze orange), head cover, and long johns.  Over all that, I wear wool pants.  Over that, I wear a fleece suit.  Over that, I wear my good old Navy surplus wool bibs and my camo coat.

For my hands its the poly and a big insulated mitten for my left hand.  My right hand stays in the pocket till buckzilla shows his knarly head.   

For my head, I have a ski mask that goes over the poly one and I also have a neck rap to keep that covered.

Some of that gear doesn't get put on until Im at my stand.  If I wear all that and walk all the way in, I'll be sweating bullets and then I'll only last about 2 hours.  I also take a break mid day and go warm up.  I'll hit the truck, crank up the heat, remove my boots and dry out my socks and boots.  (What a pain in the butt.)  But hey, it makes evening stand bearable.

[Joe]

One thing I would recommend is to get yourself a good pair of insulated bibs. If you can keep that draft off your back side you'll stay a lot warmer. I also use a hooded neck gator to keep the cold off my neck and shoulders. 

[dhacker]

I use a Heater Body Suit.

[Cody Gruchow]

you could always start your tree on fire....you'll be warm then...

[bowhunter73]

I use a Heater Body Suit.

do they really work?

 I have looked into them but I thought they would take alot of movment to get your arms out to shoot. (bow hunt)

So how do you like yours, over all???

[kenhuntin]

The best thing I have found to use is a Icebreaker or similar hand muff . The furry tube you buckle around your waist and put a couple of hand warmers in. I go bare handed in the stand with that thing and I think it helps keep your core temperature up. Another thing I found was at fleet farm, the got German military surplus sleep bags that have arms in them. The outside liner eliminates wind. I only use it on really cold days and put it on in stand. They are not silent but sound like crackling leaves if you move alot.

[22lex]

One thing I would recommend is to get yourself a good pair of insulated bibs. If you can keep that draft off your back side you'll stay a lot warmer. I also use a hooded neck gator to keep the cold off my neck and shoulders. 

I'm right there with you Joe. I always try and keep fingers, toes, head, neck, lower back, and most of my face completely covered by the elements. Layers, layers and more layers is what I do to keep warm. I sometimes pull up my hood on my hunting jacket to keep the head extra warm, and I actually shoot good with it up surprisingly, as I harvested a doe last year on the 22nd of December. I also take a few shots to make sure I can still function with all that clothing on after sitting in the mornings (although all I want to do is jump in the truck and blast the heater).

What I also found great for my treestands are a simple pad to cover up the metal on your footrest. This helps out a ton to keep the cold from coming up through the bottom of your boots.

Nothing better than sitting through 2 degree weather, with a stiff breeze making it feel 15 below. Brrrrr.......

[MnDeerStalker]

baby powder on your feet also helps a ton!

[letgofishing]

I used BENGAY on my feet then sock on then boots. it's feel like heat feet wow
it's work so remember deer will not smell cause it's cold air...

good Luck :fishing2:

[JohnWester]

tim, think of it as ice fishing training... but here is the best part.  YOU CAN MOVE AROUND WHILE ICE FISHING!!!   

[Mayfly]

Ice Fishing??   

[Cody Gruchow]

ice fishing? i just sit in my ice house and be warm.....doesnt everyone ice fish in shorts and a t-shirt?

[JCAMERON]

Well i'm usually in a robe and carpet slippers.