Jan 27, 2023 5 min read

As I watch a certain member of my family, who may or may not be a judge, prepare to depart for a morning’s hunt, I am taken back to our childhood days of dressing for cold weather hunts in bluejeans, cotton waffle long underwear, felt pack boots, etc.

Just because he is smarter than me doesn’t mean he is smarter than me. By our own admission, we are traditionalists. We like to wear what we like to wear because that’s what we like to wear. It doesn’t have to make sense to the rest of the world. It also does not mean that our current fashion trends are most efficient in keeping us comfortable while enjoying Mother Nature.

As I grow older, I am no longer in competition with myself or others to display my masculinity by remaining on stand for as long as possible in the most uncomfortable conditions possible in the name of harvesting a deer. I am a sissy and become a bigger sissy with each passing season. I also manage to take a buck every decade or so and occasionally stumble into an unsuspecting doe with which to fill our freezer.

After spending a morning on stand, I swing by to pick up Glenn, chip the ice off the end of his nose, and we make our way to the house for a cup of coffee and some lunch. We are not all-day hunters. I confess that I/we nap, religiously, between a.m. and p.m. hunts. I use way too many hand/foot/body warmers. I buy my boots intentionally too large because they are warmer that way. My neck is always covered when the temperature is below 30 degrees so that I do not end up immobile at day’s end. And I almost always wear a light pair of leather gloves. But I am warm.

These are a few of the tricks that I have learned, over the years, mostly by trial and error:

• I love wool. Wool keeps you warm even when wet, it breaks the wind and it is durable. My old red and black Woolrich “Elmer Fudd” coat is one of the warmest garments I own. It is also one of the heaviest garments I own. When wet, it becomes increasingly heavier. Wet wool stinks. There are better fabrics for hunting.
• Start with a wicking base layer, not cotton long johns. Nylon or silk skins move moisture away from the skin, which is what causes heat loss.
• Add a fleece layer or two, next. While it adds bulk, fleece is light, vents perspiration, dries quickly and is quiet. Quiet might be the biggest factor in spooking deer, other than scent.
• Top your new deer hunting outfit off with a windproof outer layer. Waterproof is even better. Wool is great. Cotton duck canvas that has been washed a few times makes a more quiet outer layer. Experiment. The key here is trapping warm air that the fleece creates and keeps it from escaping. The outer layer needs to be a bit oversized in order to trap pockets of air. Also, try a big vest as they add less bulk than a coat but keep the core warm.
• Hand/foot/body warmers – Because the key, for me, is trapping large amounts of warm air, it seems to make sense that anything that produces warm air would be a bonus. I duct tape hand warmers over the tops of my toes/feet directly to my socks. Buying a larger size boot traps warm air better. Drop a body warmer on your belly or back or back of your neck. Anywhere blood flows closest to the surface of the skin is ideal. Keep a hand warmer or two in your gloves or pockets so you never get cold in the first place. Don’t let people see your collection of warmers or they will taunt you. Just pretend that you are naturally warm blooded. No need to show off.
• Fleece neck gaiters, turtlenecks, scarves, a warm cap, etc. make a huge difference. Personally, I wear a baseball cap with a neck gaiter underneath but I go to the winter cap when conditions call for it.
• Lastly, don’t overdo it. Less is more. Don’t think that the more layers means warmer. It is not the number of layers but rather the trapped warm air.

You will have to play around to find what works for you, but I have discovered, over the years, that even in my hyperactive state I am able to remain on stand longer, and more comfortably, when I am warm, which allows me to take deer more consistently.

I am proud of the way my brother has embraced new fabrics and new methods when it comes to our bird hunting attire. He is truly a 21st century man. But, alas, as we prepare to hunt deer, it will always be 1970 for big brother. I hope he’ll warm up to the idea.