Pennsylvania Game News - January 2009 - 57

are more enjoyable than early morning hunts because deer are active and I find the temperature more endurable. Over the years, I’ve developed several strategies that keep me warm and enable me to stand motionless for the better part of two hours, and make hunting as enjoyable as it can be in late fall. In cold weather, archers must be as warm as possible while being unencumbered by heavy clothing. First, for me, proper footwear is a must, because nothing encourages me to leave my stand quicker than extremely cold feet. To keep my feet warm, I wear a pair of heavy wool socks over a pair of light nylon socks inside my Extreme Weather hunting pacs. The Gore-Tex lining inside each pac keeps my feet dry, while an insulating bootie worn over my socks reflects the heat back towards my feet. In principle, the bootie works much like a space blanket. I’ve used these pacs for several years and can honestly say my feet have never been a source of discomfort. As seasoned outdoorsmen know, layering is the key to keeping warm in cold weather, and what you wear is as important as how much you wear. Experience is a good teacher, and I no longer wear “long johns” as a base layer because the cotton material absorbs moisture and, after only a short while, I get cold. People who spend time outdoors in cold weather understand that the base layer must quickly transfer perspiration away from the skin. Modern man-made material has excellent wicking properties and should be considered as the first thing a hunter puts against his skin. In addition to its “wicking” properties, the base layer also has an insulating quality and in some cases, depending on the manufacturer, it also controls human odor. Some hunters wear a common cotton T-shirt next to their skin under the base layer, but that is a mistake. To work properly, the base layer must be able to absorb perspiration and then wick it away. A cotJANUARY 2009 ton T-shirt does not do this; it will hold the moisture. For a cold weather hunt, I start with a snug, thin undershirt made of modern moisture wicking material. That way, if I perspire walking to my stand, my undershirt will remain dry and keep me much warmer. Scent-Lok, Remington, Under Armour, and others make good base layer clothing that has the added benefit of scent killing or scent suppressing technology. After donning my base layer shirt, I put on several thin layers of clothing. To properly draw a bow, it is imperative that a person’s arms are not restricted by heavy clothing. To minimize bulk on my arms, my next layer is a sleeveless, light down vest followed by a fleece overshirt. On top of that, if the weather is especially cold, I’ll add a heavier down or fleece vest. My bow hunting jacket tops off the outfit. This may seem like a lot of clothing, but the air trapping qualities of the inner layers keep body heat in without adding too much bulk. I’ve found the layers of wool, down, and the softer outer fleece and chamois material, keep me as warm as does much bulkier clothing. Most importantly, the vests insulate my body well without adding bulk to my arms. This means my arms can move freely to draw the bow. Recently, thin, lightweight and warm extended cold weather underclothing has been developed for the military and it is available on the market from larger sporting goods stores. Commercial products are made of Polartech or other man-made fibers and quickly wick away perspiration. These materials dry twice as fast as cotton, and are highly breathable without a lot of bulk. Although layering is important, I find a fleece neck gaiter indispensable for cold weather hunting. The gaiter protects my neck from harsh wind, and I think psychologically, if not physically, it makes me feel much warmer. If the weather is particularly biting, I simply raise the gaiter to keep my nose, cheeks and ear lobes warm. 57

Pennsylvania Game News - January 2009

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - January 2009