This is topic Cold Weather Clothing in forum Predator forum at The New Huntmastersbbs!.
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Posted by RedRabbit (Member # 796) on February 09, 2006, 09:18 AM:
What camo clothing do you favor for the tempetures that one can encounter predator hunting in your area? and be comfortable all day and possibly through the night...
Posted by scruffy (Member # 725) on February 09, 2006, 09:39 AM:
When the temps are cold (-20 to 40) I wear dark brown insulated carhart bibs over jeans and maybe and/or fleece long unders. I also have a dark brown carhart jacket I wear most of the time (faded more than the bibs, but close) that I wear a realtree hardwoods HD fleece vest over to break up my outline. I also have an advantage timber camo fleese hood I put on with a stalking cap and a short brim water fowlers hat under it covering my head. Usually wear fleece gloves, fingerless variaty if it's warm enough. When it's really cold I (-20 to 10) I have a thick camo coat I wear with a dark brown carhart vest over the top of it, again to break up the outline. It's all warm and it is tough and has lasted a long time. After it's broken in it's comfortible and I have no problems wearing it all day. I have plenty of friends in construction that wear carharts all day also and wouldn't wear anything else for warmth and durability. And for me the mixing of dark brown and camo has worked out really good for breaking up my outline and helping me blend in.
I've heard rumors that carharts are going to start making camo stuff, even heard it from a couple of their store owners, but I've yet to see it on the shelves. I need a new set of artic insulated coveralls for the really cold calling, I'm kind of waiting to see if carhart makes that in realtree hardwoods HD or something like that.
In the not so cold temps, I usually wear my bow hunting stuff. Most of it is fleece, hardwoods HD, is very quiet and comfortible. When it really warms up I use my turkey camo. In Iowa a December through February day can be -20 or 75 degrees, you just never know...
later,
scruffy
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 09, 2006, 09:52 AM:
I just try to buy a variety of camos large enough to get on over warm clothes. If that's not possible, I have a couple of camo ponchos, like Higgins uses. One is a quilted poncho and the other is a piece of die cut military net stuff. In some places, all you need is camo for the upper body if the brush is high enough.
Good hunting. LB
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on February 09, 2006, 02:02 PM:
Early season, APAT army digital camo BDU's. Later after the grass goes dormant, add in Natgear bibs. As it cools, my Natgear jacket. Later when it starts to get cold, light longjohns, progressing on to expedition grade pollies when it's really cold. I put it on in layers so it can be peeled a bit at a time as the day goes along. All layers are camo for the most part so I can lose clothes, but not concealment. My snow cammies are 2XL so I can pull them on over pollies and insulated coveralls. Without the extra layers on, I swim in those things. I will say as a letter carrier I have found a pretty effective system of how to layer my clothes based upon the projected temps for the day. Gets pretty damned cold out there carrying mail if you're not dressed right. Only takes one bad day to learn how to dress right.
Posted by scruffy (Member # 725) on February 09, 2006, 02:08 PM:
Lance, if you don't mind me asking, what kind of boots do your wear? (both for work and for hunting?)
later,
scruffy
Posted by UTcaller (Member # 8) on February 09, 2006, 05:18 PM:
Carhart jacket,and carhart pants.And if it get real cold i'll throw on some carhart insulated bibs.
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on February 09, 2006, 05:33 PM:
Fleece lined with Gore-Tex, or tightly woven wool clothing on top of a fleece shirt. Poly-pro or some synthetic long underwear tops and bottoms. How you dress is really going to depend on how much walking or sitting your planning on doing.
Posted by Andy L (Member # 642) on February 09, 2006, 06:48 PM:
I got ASAT 3D camo, mesh with leaves, I bought two sizes too big. Works great in any weather. Wear it over heavy clothes or over jeans and tshirt. I love em.
When its real cold, I got some fleece lined goretex that kicks butt. And a heavy set of goretex bibs and coat, if its really cold.
Lately it hasnt been nearly cold enough, not for a couple years, to wear it. Soooo, I normally just wear jeans and a couple sweatshirts under it.
Its gotta be pretty cold for that not to work for me. I take cold pretty good. Especially callin where your not out but a little bit at a time.
Andy
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 09, 2006, 07:34 PM:
I can't handle cold, at all. As a kid, I froze my hands and feet so many times that the capillaries have never recovered. I'd be out skating all night where I couldn't feel my feet, at all, packing snow for forts or stockpiling snowballs, sledding, tobogganing, all the things kids do. Anyway, my extremities have been in bad shape since I was young, I really need to dress well, when it gets cold. Sometimes Peach or Blackberry Brandy takes the edge off the chill, but the experts say alchohol makes it worse?
Good hunting. LB
[ February 09, 2006, 07:34 PM: Message edited by: Leonard ]
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on February 09, 2006, 07:37 PM:
Scruffy,
for work, we're required to wear Postal Service approved non-slip foot gear. In my case, I like the Rocky TMC shoes. They're specially made for the postal service and damned comfortable. I did buy a paire for my brother who had two disks operated on in his back a year ago and had been having a lot of pain ever since from walking around the courthouse where he works. He had to settle for black, but the soles are designed to absorb the shock to your back with each step and he loves them. He's tried $400 custom-built shoes and tossed them for these $90 mailman shoes. I get about 3,000 miles out of a pair prety easy.
As far as hunting, when it's cold, I've got a pair of Itasca (?) boots with Thinsulate that I wear. When the weather's nice, believe it or not, I prefer the good old desert tan Marine Corp BDU boot. I don't spend a ton of ching on footgear as you can tell. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Posted by RedRabbit (Member # 796) on February 09, 2006, 11:23 PM:
Scruffy, I just got back from Sportsmans Wearhouse and I bought me a Carhart insulated jacket Realtree Hardwoods HD camo (its not a rumor anymore). I love it! They did'nt have any insulated bibs though but they had the regular camo whatever the material is, but thats ok I think my Natural Gear fleece pants over my jeans will continue to suffice. I dont think Ill have to layer as much anymore... Thanks for pointing it out. Cost me 90 bones, no storm flap, though, but worth every penny. Kings had some awsome sage stuff but not in the insulated and so did Mossy Oak in Brush camo, but not in 2x...I think my snow camo shell will fit over the jacket well.
[ February 09, 2006, 11:25 PM: Message edited by: RedRabbit ]
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on February 10, 2006, 04:36 AM:
Leonard,
That Blackberry always worked good for me as well.
Lance,
Do those shoes come with a Steel toe? I'm not required to wear a steel toe, but I've found they make real handy dog deflectors when I leave my can of Halt in the truck.
Posted by scruffy (Member # 725) on February 10, 2006, 06:35 AM:
RedRabbit, that's great news!!! I'll have to check the carhart website and see if they have the site updated and list all that is available in camo. I have a small shop here in town that will order me whatever I want. My fathers day "want" list is getting pretty long!
Lance, I'm also wearing insulated itasca's when it's cold with no complaints. I'll also look at the Rocky website. Do they off the "mailman" shoe to just mailmen? No big deal if they do, my neighbor is a mailman.
later,
scruffy
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on February 10, 2006, 07:35 AM:
If you're talking cold, like Wyoming cold, there is nothing that beats wool. Carhart stuff is great, till it gets wet, and then it will freeze you to death. There is nothing worse that wet Carharts. It looses all insulating properties. On warmer days, I wear carart pants quite a bit trapping and calling, but if you get the knees or the butt wet, you are in for as long miserable day. I am an absolute believer in wool. But the good stuff sure isn't cheap. I really like the stuff Weatherby made. I think it's discontinued, but I have quite a bit of it, and Cabela's has some pretty good stuff too. I don't have any of the really high end stuff like the "Sleeping ****** " brand, but if I ever get rich, I sure will.
Posted by RedRabbit (Member # 796) on February 10, 2006, 01:47 PM:
Cal, That wool looks like it can become heavy when wet. Does it shed water that well? I dont plan on going out in the rain or snowy conditions, however If I do I think my Natural Gear Snow camo shell will keep the jacket dry if I apply some sort of water repellant. I dont usally get my butt wet, since I use a sitting pad Ive got a couple of them that work great without a probem.
Posted by Cdog911 (Member # 7) on February 10, 2006, 07:08 PM:
Tim,
No steel toes in my hsoes. I've got enough to carry without ten pound shoes, too.
Scruffy, all they offer is black, and to letter carriers. I get mine from Skaggs for about $80 a pair. Rocky does have a boot that carries a transluscent looking tannish sole material that might be close. I'll have to do some looking.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on February 10, 2006, 08:17 PM:
All the wool I have is water resistant. And even wool thats not designed that way, get pretty resistant with time. The weave shrinks up to where unless you jump in the creek you won't get wet. But if you do soak it, it does get heavy. But I like heavy and warm better than light and cold. My Weatherby pants, I can call all day in snow without a pansy pad, and not get wet or cold. I have heard of outfitters up north that literally require wool clothing, and tell you to bring nothing else or don't come. That may be a little overboard, but it is the best stuff for cold. I do have goretex stuff for straight rain conditions, but for snow and cold, I'll stick to wool.
Posted by RedRabbit (Member # 796) on February 11, 2006, 12:49 AM:
Cal, I was considering some night hunting for coyotes, I just took a look at the thermometer and it reads +2 now thats pretty dam cold for SE Idaho for this time of year, so do you think the wool stuff will keep me comfortable for a few stands, or do you think Id need something a little more serious. Ive stayed out till dark, but never went out in the cold hunting after midnight.
Posted by Lonny (Member # 19) on February 11, 2006, 07:38 AM:
RR, A high quality wool will do a good job of shedding water and keeping you warm in the temps you just described. The drawback is that the high quality stuff is expensive. The upside is that wool will last you for many years and is very durable. I've had some Filson stuff for almost twenty years and its holding up well. Wool is very quiet also, much quieter than the lined synthetics. Cal is right about the wool requirement. I know several outfitters who tell new clients to have wool clothing for their elk hunts.
The drawbacks to wool? It does get heavy when wet, and is a pain to dry if you don't have a wall tent and stove like on a backpack hunt. I've been wet in wool many times and while I can't say it was warm, it did keep me alive. I do have the Gore-Tex stuff and it keeps me dry in rainy wet weather. It also dries quickly. You don't want to sit to close to a campfire with the synthetics stuff though, sparks and high heat can ruin it.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 11, 2006, 09:53 AM:
You know how the British are? Always something different. The Ventile jacket they sell for $800 is just cotton, but it's supposed to be waterproof and also breathes like Goretex. Then they wax some fabrics. Another thing that I have seen in the Orvis catalogs is "boiled wool". Now, I'm thinking; that has to be warm?
Cabelas and others $ell surplus military wool uniform clothing. If you don't mind Swiss pants and Italian jackets. I will tell you one thing, (which you don't see anymore?) The U.S. Army OD field pants and field shirt were wool, worn under The standard Field Jacket and pants made from the same material, but I don't remember the exact nomenclature? That was a combination that did the job. At one time, the ODs were the standard uniform of the day in Korea, and troops were not allowed to wear civies, even off duty. Occasionally, when I see the ODs offered for sale, invariably, it is in sizes that are too small for an average man. But, if you can find the genuine U.S. issue, go ahead and buy it; I would. Watch out for moths, store in a plastic bag. I had a real real heavy Pendleton wool shirt, but gave it to my grandson because I have outgrown it, somehow? I mean, that shirt would stop a bullet, it was so thick!
Well, since I think I will go hunt with Albert in Saskatchewan this coming season, maybe I should look into some "Wyoming class" gear? Hell, I ran out of gas twenty-five miles from Kemmerer, once. Piece of cake. (gets a little windy, at times)
Good hunting. LB
Posted by RedRabbit (Member # 796) on February 11, 2006, 10:53 AM:
Daaamm!! I took a look at the Sleeping ****** design suff and talk about sticker shock a size 2x Outfitters Jacket will run you $532.90 For the real serious the Extreme Wind River Parka will run you $647.90 and the On Stand Bibs run $527.90 That would be $1060.80 to $1175.80 for the full outfit.... Geee, let me see my wishlist here, that interferes with oh! can we say a nice set of binos, a decent rifle scope combo. Ouch! I want to get that CZ 527 .204, or .17 rifle, even if I bought the Outfitters jacket, or bibs alone, that would mean The rifle would have to be put on the back burnner...Ill have to pass at this point.
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on February 11, 2006, 11:19 AM:
I have a pair of the Swedish mil-surp pants (unlined), for $20 they were a great bargain, another $16 got me a pair of duo-fold fleece pants to wear under them.
I can wade through waist deep, wet, sword ferns all day and never end up with wet or cold legs.
The jacket I always wear is micro-fleece in M.O.B.U. (semi waterproof), mid/lightweight. And if it's raining I wear matching insulated bibs
I am usually too warm (if I am walking to and fro coyote hunting, and just right sitting in my duck blind all day).
If it's really pouring, I wear a black poncho, and sit by a burned stump or slashpile.
Krusty 
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 11, 2006, 11:44 AM:
"if it's really pouring.." Who are you kidding? It's always raining up there, except for the first two weeks of July. That constitutes summer. I bet your black poncho gets a lot of use? Did I ever mention that I hate the coastal Washington climate? Throw in Oregon, too. If I ever see my brother or sister again, they will have to come south. No use for gloomy overcast rain, rain, rain! My sister-in-law needs sunshine therapy when there is over 180 days straight of rain. Eight days, and I'd come down with an extreme case of cabin fever.....I could handle Spokane, maybe?
Good hunting. LB
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on February 11, 2006, 03:26 PM:
Krusty, The Swedish Mil-surplus stuff is pretty good. I have had several pairs of the pants and they are OK. I usually have to give about 20 bucks for them when I can find them.
As for the other stuff, it is damn expensive, but lasts well and I get myself into predicaments that may be life or death every winter. I run my traplines on days I shouldn't, and I'm prepared for the worst. Many times I'm thirty to fifty miles from town and by myself with no cell signal. No big deal if it's 40 above, but at 10 or 15 below and windy thats a different story. I know that some of you guys have been calling in the same situations, that if you broke down you were going to be there at least overnight. I have spent over 200 bucks on a wool coat and I have some pants that cost that much, but it beats freezing to death. A fire is great, but many places in the plains here you'd be hard pressed to find much to burn. I usually have a bunch of the little heat packs stashed somewhere, wool clothes, wool cap, high end pacs, high end gloves. I'm not planning on freezing, but I may starve to death! If you have ever been truly, life threateningly cold, and I may have a time or two, a thousand bucks worth of clothes and pacs will seem cheap. I know a lot of guys right here though, that would think nothing of putting a thousand dollars worth of chrome rims on a pickup, but would never buy any hunting clothing that they couldn't get at Wal-Mart. Priorities I guess.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 11, 2006, 05:19 PM:
You guys want cold, try night hunting in the mountains, high pressure, clear and cold, with a little wind chill factor! It's brutal. Utah Nevada, Wyoming, same difference. Come morning, I don't care what you are wearing, fatigue causes the cold to seep into your bones and all you want to do is sit in the cab with the heater at full blast, and sleep. I usually forget to eat! That is one of the major things that helps to keep you comfortable.
Good hunting. LB
Posted by RedRabbit (Member # 796) on February 12, 2006, 02:18 AM:
Leonard, thats exactly what Im talking about, but you left out Idaho. Got some clear nights going on right now and cold, not bitter, but it has a little bite right now. Try two helpings of oat meal and mix in two tbsp. of butter, has to be butter, some maple surup to taste sweet your body burns it good and it helps fight the cold....BTW I just bought some Rocky 1200 gram Thinsulate boots, a Varmint CZ 527 .17 Rem., a fleece balclava, some hotshot gloves, and one of those tube hand warmmers. Had to make a compromise between the rifle and some cold weather clothing. I have to wait a couple a weeks for the rifle, as they had to order it. I been wanting one, since the late 70s now its official. Ive been baptized by .223 and now join the .17 Rem communion of coyote hunters....IM JACKED UP!!
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on February 12, 2006, 04:13 AM:
Redrabbit,
Once you get used to that 17, you will never want to carry that .223 again
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on February 12, 2006, 08:49 AM:
Well, you will be in my prayers.
Posted by RedRabbit (Member # 796) on February 12, 2006, 11:29 AM:
LOL..Leonard... Hey Tim do you own one? what do you like about it. I dont think it will pile drive one at longer ranges, you have a small margin of error right? I like this rifle because of the craftmanship and it has a set trigger, gotta love that feature..what bullets shoot the best?....I tried my new boots and jacket out this mourning they work great boot has 1200 grams thinsulate, but they still got cold a bit, but not bad for being out there 6 hrs the carhart jacket worked good also.. called in a pair but they would'nt come any further than the section of CRP they were on. Both of them just skirted it then left. I figure that be there boundry. I was thinking coulda, shoulda, woulda.
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on February 12, 2006, 12:21 PM:
I own one, and just ordered a new barrel to make another one.
We probably have different opinions about Long Range, but inside of 300 yards, it's a bang flop rifle. Provided that you hit them in the boiler room.
17 caliber rifles aren't worth a tinker's damn if you tend to shoot coyotes in the belly guts or in the butt.
Leonard would love one if he would ever give one a fair chance. He's just too hard headed to admit it.
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on February 12, 2006, 01:10 PM:
Leonard,
My black poncho (and the green one it replaced) were used for hunting five times in five years.
It rarely rains here, like in the midwest or even like L.A., it's more of a slow steady drizzle, or a "falling fog", for longer periods of time.
Real rain is generally accompanied by severe winds here, so there's no use going predator hunting then.
To me the perfect day is 56° and overcast, with the humidity around 76%, and a very slight ocean breeze. ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Cal,
I rarely get myself into "predicaments" of the same level you can, it's just not that cold here (unless I am in a high alpine environment).
Another thing is, that a few hundred feet of change in elevation and/or location can bring a big change in temperature/exposure.
Building a fire is easy here, even in the scablands, we grow some pretty big sagebrush out this way.
Krusty
Posted by RedRabbit (Member # 796) on February 12, 2006, 08:22 PM:
Tim, have to shift gears for yotes. yeah! Id say inside 300 yrds. I figured that little pill, goes pop! and it better be in the right area to give a leathal blow. Gonna have to get me some dies, so I can wring it out some. How many good shots you get before accuracy falls off?
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on February 13, 2006, 05:04 AM:
You should be able to get 1500 - 2000 rounds before the throat burns out. But that depends on how well you take care of the barrel, just like any other barrel. If you take it to a prairie dog town, and fire shot after shot with out letting it cool, you won't get 1,000 rounds.
Both the 25 grain Hornady and Berger work about the same on coyotes. It's just a personal preference as to which you use. That little bullet only gets about 2-3" after making contact, then it vaporizes. It turns the coyotes heart and lungs into red Jell-O. Head shots turn the coyote or fox's skull into a bean bag. ( For fox and coon hunting, use the Berger 15 or 18 grain pill ) I've never recovered a 17 caliber bullet from an animal. I've seen just a couple of pieces of shrapnel, but that's it.
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