wild guide

Unbearably cold weather can ruin a hunt , but dress for the conditions , plan accordingly , and you can hunt in comfort .

The months of November through March present some crazy cold conditions . For outdoorsmen , beating the cold can be an exercise in experimentation , but once we find the magical combination of gear and strategies that keep us warm , we tend to stick with them . Whether you ’ re a deer hunter or a predator hunter , if you want to spend time in the winter woods , frigid temperatures are part of the equation .

Take the whitetail rut for instance . Deer hunters often face the first sub-zero temperatures of the year . A shock to the system , we bundle up to counter the cold . With the mercury commonly plummeting well below -20 Celsius , if you don ’ t have the right gear , you may as well stay home ! Whether we ’ re moving around or sitting motionless on stand or in a blind , here ’ s how to dress , from head to toe , to beat the cold .

by Kevin Wilson

BASE LAYERS

Hiking up and down hills , over and under fallen trees , and often carrying a pack - when we ’ re out in the woods , we exert energy . This means we sweat , sometimes a lot . In frigid temperatures , especially if there ’ s snow on the ground , most of us bundle up and this means our body heat is held in . If there ’ s one thing I hate , it ’ s getting soaked with sweat , under my clothing , and not being able to dry out ! Having a base

layer that wicks the moisture away from my skin and dries quickly is a necessity .

Thankfully today , a few high-tech fabrics have literally revolutionized our cold-weather clothing options . The term ‘ base layer ’ has become a household phrase with hunters because of its relevance to what we do . It literally refers to the layer of clothing or ‘ underwear ’ if you will , that is closest

to your skin . Like all apparel , base layers come in a variety of different weights . Under Armour , for example , offers an affordable line of cold gear base layer options from light to heavy weight . I ’ ve used their 2.0 Base layer in this line for several years and , while it works , I have found that other fabrics wick better . The challenge with this particular base is that it ’ s made of a 4.7 oz . polyester / elastane fabric , so it doesn ’ t provide the same insulating value that some others do . Hands down , if you ’ re looking for the highest quality thermal base layers around , several manufacturers now offer their garments in 100 % Merino wool . For instance , Icebreaker Merino is currently considered to be one of the goto choices for coldweather base layer garments . They , and

other companies , make a variety of crew and turtleneck tops and form-fitting long underwear or ‘ leggings ’ that are tough to beat .

As far as coldweather systems go , I am a firm believer in Sitka Gear ’ s line of compatible coldweather garments . One of the biggest challenges with base layers is that they can quickly take on unpleasant body odor after you wear them for a while . For men and women , Sitka makes a warm Core Heavyweight top and bottom with , what they call a Permanent Polygiene Technology , that neutralizes smell by stopping the growth of odor-causing bacteria and fungi . I ’ ve worn this as well , and it works great , especially when I ’ m sitting in a treestand for long hours in the extreme cold .