Hey guys, So I just came back from a 2 week long hunt in northern Missouri with my family and I froze my *** of;this was my first hunt ever, and I grew up in south Florida. We had about 3 inches of snow and I think the average temp while I was there was around 25 with the coldest temp around 8 and warmest around low 30s; everyone kept telling me that this was freak weather. I had to borrow some gear from family, as I had no idea even what to bring, needless to say I got some kind of idea. I recently moved around the Springfield area of Missouri and went into the Basspro and picked up some of the Redhead CWS Bonedry bibs and jacket. My only concerns are I think I might be over doing it (warm wise) and I think the bulk might be a problem when trying to draw my bow back. I am thinking of trying the Under Armor Storm coldgear because it looks light weight and more sensible to the "normal" climate here. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? Or live in a similar climate and what the appropriate attire would be? Looks like I need something good for temps around 70 in Oct to mid to low teens in January.
The best thing to do is dress in layers. when the temps start dropping I put on under armor but any form of a base layer will work, keep layering from there. I seldom use bibs or a coat unless temps are under 15* or so. I normally dress light and pack clothes with me so I don't overheat on the way to the stand. one other thing to look into is a neck gaiter (sp?) these things are great IMHO. mine is made of fleece and it keeps my ears and neck nice and warm. hope this helps
study some of the clothing systems out there. I remember doing a lot of google research on layered hunting clothing, and camo, etc. having switched to a "system" (mostly Sitka), i will say it's worth the investment. I was hunting in sub zero temps and in bitter cold rain this year and was dry and comfortable. I think my base layers are a mixture of UA, Scentlock, Redhead, and others. The next layers are almost all Sitka with some Scentlock and others. it can be pricey, but it is worth it.
Seems like layering is going to be my best option. I really liked the under armour stuff, I was able to try it on, the only thing I didn't like was their option for bibs. I really liked the bibs as they keep me warm, and imo much more comfortable compared to pants.
I think dressing in layers is the best advice. I normally wear a couple thin base layers and then sweat pants and sweat shirt along with my hunting pants and coat. That's enough to normally keep me warm in 20 degree weather, yet I don't feel overly dressed and it's not too bulky to the point I have a tough time moving around quietly and freely. I also agree that gaiters are a great way to help with the wind hitting your neck, I have a gaiter that I wear just on my neck for colder weather and then wear a winter beenie on my head, you could always go for a full winter face mask that will also work nicely. I also am very picky about my outer layers being some sort of scent control clothing, whether it be under Armour, Scent-Lok, Scent-blocker ect.. (I personally use the Scent-Lok but they are all comparable IMO) although all of these brands are normally quite pricey, if you're going to be serious about bow hunting you're better off doing it the right way the first time around. It's also great advice to pack some of your clothing in a bag for when you're walking to get to your stand, it's better to feel a little cold while you're moving than it to sweat, because as soon as you sit down you will get cold every time if you end up sweating just trying to get to you stand (plus you will be much easier for the deer to smell), so dress lighter when you're moving and add layers once you sit down in your stand or blind. You could also spend a few dollars on hand and foot warmer, "hot hands" hand warmer can last up to 10 hours and will normally stay pretty warm for a entire day of hunting and can sometimes be the deciding factor on whether you can handle the cold for a whole day or you freeze your butt off and have to find some place warm before the day is over.
Yup good advice. I'd rather be bulky, warm, and physically able to shoot my bow than cold, stiff, and in pain limiting my ability to shoot well or even sit in the stand... as far as Under Armor is concerned I can't say if it's worth the money or not. I always thought they were over priced for what you got so I steered clear, but they say say you can't knock it 'til you try it :-) Back before all this nice cold weather camo half of us would cut our left sleeves off or wrap tape around the left sleeve so the puffy jacket sleeves didn't interfere haha!
All of my base layers are Under Armour and they are indeed worth EVERY penny. Comfortable and warm. I ended up in a men's MED in the Coldgear (black and neon green) and other than a bit of extra fabric in places I LOVE it! I have tons of UA from light to cold to INFRARED and it's top notch. At any of the big retailers (Cabela's, BassPro, etc.) you can try on a coat and try shooting a bow at the range.
