Hunting gear

[stan5677]

First time hunter need some advice on gear to buy mainly clothing not trying to break the bank just some basics to get started. PS I hate the cold.

[jimbob86]

What, where, and how are you intending to hunt?

[Mobuck]

Military surplus is your friend if you want warm clothes w/o spending an arm and a leg.

[jimbob86]

Military surplus is your friend if you want warm clothes w/o spending an arm and a leg.

Don't count on secondhand military Goretex to be waterproof.

One of the best pieces of equipment I have found for staying warm is a ground blind ..... but that may be unsuitable for where and what and how you are hunting.

[stan5677]

I'll be mainly hunting white-tail in VA doing the sit and wait approach.

[jimbob86]

Public land or private?

[stan5677]

Public land

[jimbob86]

Then you'll not be able to leave a ground blind in place all season as we do ..... and it may cause more disturbance setting it up than it's worth ..... there are some that are very fast and easy to set up ...... not terribly sturdy in the wind, though.

Really, though, when we started using ground blinds and chairs was the greatest leap forward in comfort in all my years of deer hunting- especially as I got older- sitting motionless on the ground in the cold for hours is a lot harder when you are older than than it was when you are young ...... getting out of the wind and off the cold ground and being able to move a bit to get blood moving without spooking everything within sight is a real advantage when trying to hunt in the cold.

This time of year would be a great time to get deals on cold weather gear. I would suggest not buying one really heavy layer ..... it's better to dress in several light layers that can be shed or added to, starting with some quality moisture wicking thermal underwear ..... milsurp polypro is awesome and inexpensive..... A milsurp wool scarf is a great thing, too. I always have a balaclava and a scarf or neck gaiter of some sort ..... and those little handwarmer packets are wonderful things when the temps are in the single digits ......

[jmr40]

Public land usually means covering more ground than private. I'd advise a small daypack to carry extra gear in. I dress very lightly for the walk in and out while carry extra layers to put on when sitting. And several light layers are much better than 1 heavy jacket. Especially if you plan to be mobile. Guys hunting from an elevated stand on private property who only have to walk 50-100 yards can make heavy coveralls and jackets work. Not such a good idea when you have to cover 5-10 miles in a day.

Don't get sucked into believing it has to be camo. Camo clothing is an asset when hunting waterfowl, turkey and archery big game. Not so much when big game hunting during rifle season or for upland game. Much of my gear is camo, but I find much better quality for less money by purchasing clothing designed for backpackers and hikers. Most of it is available in muted shades of green, black, brown or gray that works very well.

Summer time is a great time to get bargains on cold weather gear. There are some local hiking/backpacking stores that will put their winter gear on sale in June for 50% off. Anything left in July goes 70-80% off. I've picked up some high end gear that way for less than Walmart brands sell for. And a lot of the gear at Walmart isn't that bad. Just to remember to look in the athletic dept. too. Not just the hunting dept. A solid green or black fleece jacket sold in the athletic aisle is just as warm as the same jacket in camo, and often much cheaper.

I haven't purchased boots marketed for hunting in years. For less money I find mid height hiking boot to be much better quality and more comfortable. There are lots of deals out there on boots manufactured for the military too. They often have over runs and surplus boots show up at great prices on the internet.

[turkeestalker]

Layers.
First layer polypropylene long john underwear.
If it is really cold, the thick olive drab or brown military polypropylene is awesome.
If it's just cold but not really cold you need to find some lighter/thinner commercially made polypropylene.
What ever you do make sure that your first layer is NOT cotton.
Cotton holds moisture against your skin and polypro wicks it away from your skin, and that makes all the difference in the world.
Second layer can be just about anything but my preference is just basic sweats.
You can get them on the thick or thin side as needed and they're cheap.
You can double them up as well so long as your outer layer affords you the room to do so.
Roomy is good, air trapped against your skin is the key.

When it comes to socks, merino wool is the only material to consider, the higher the wool content the better.
You can find thin polypro base layer socks to wear under them, but it's not really necessary.
If you layer your socks the main thing is air space, your boots can not be tight on your foot.
If they are they transfer the cold directly to your foot regardless of the amount of 'thinsulate' they contain.
Gore-tex or another similar waterproof layer is a must in your boots.
Don't expect them to remain waterproof for the life of the boot, but they'll actually be waterproof, unlike boots with just some waterproof coating or treatment on them.

Gotta get some gear on and hit the woods so I can't keep typing now, I'm sure others will.
There's a spring gobbler out there waiting for me I hope.

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Layered clothing and a good Cabela's hunting coat in the appropriate hunting color. (blaze orange) Mitts on cold days cheap cotton gloves on those warm ones. Navy watch hat will keep your dome warm and ears tucked out of the cold.
Lace up Rocky boots. They stink but they'll keep your feet dry for a few years.
There after its a matter how long you can sit still and only rotate you're eyes side to side.
Hunting ain't easy. Not everyone has the adaptability or patients for it as
Mother Nature requires dues to be paid first before giving up one of her prized possessions.

[Lohman446]

As noted above military surplus style watch caps. Great for keeping your head warm.

I favor Underarmour base layers - be aware that Underarmour makes several "levels" of Coldgear (gear designed to keep you warm). I have liked the scent guard extreme. If you sign up for Underarmour's e-mail system eventually you will get a $40 off $100 coupon and free shipping.

Wool outer layers. I have an old Browning wool coat off of e-bay that I think I paid $30 for about 5 years ago. It has been my every day coat in the winter and I use it for hunting. It does necessitate using an orange hat.

Layer socks - I use underarmour as a base layer and then heavy wool over them. I wear Muck chore boots in the winter a half size large to accommodate socks and let the socks provide warmth. They work for hunting

Good luck keeping your hands warm - its the hardest part for me.

[jimbob86]

Re: Boots Choice depends upon how you are hunting. If you are doing much hiking, then good, well broken in hiking/combat boots are a good idea..... amount of insulation should be limited, because if your feet sweat and get wet, they'll get cold when you stop and you'll stay cold and miserable until they are warm and dry. I don't usually walk more than 1/2 a mile to my stands, where I usually sit for hours, so loose fitting insulated boots are my choice for that. Pac boots might be an option, too. If I'm going to be hiking to push deer to others, I have several pairs of combat boots to pick from depending upon conditions..... a by product of my military career decades ago- if you take care of leather boots, they should outlast you.

[Don Fischer]

Just to get started, OK. Pair of jeans, long handle under drawer's, insulated t-shirt, Boot's with heavy socks, Carhart type jacket. Mine is a Whal's I think, cost a lot less. And a insulated flannel shirt with a hood. I wear mine under the jacket like a liner, similar to the military field jacket but mine has a hood on it. You may already have most of it. I read and hear about all the designer cloth's guy's by to hunt in but the truth is you could hunt in a bathing suit and a pair of sneakers! If you need a blind, get a checkered insulted flannel shirt and sit under a tree! Oops! Already mentioned the flannel shirt!

Something about hunting that escapes a lot of people, it doesn't require a lot of money. Most likely you have everything you need right now but just think you need more, just isn't so. Ya need cloth's, a rifle, a decent knife, ammo and that about it. When I walk out the door to go hunting you'd have a hard time telling if I as going hunting or to the store!

[jimbob86]

you could hunt in a bathing suit and a pair of sneakers!

I don't know the conditions where you hunt, but if you tried that stuff in mid November in Nebraska, you would find out that hypothermia is a real thing, and pretty quickly, most mornings........

Something about hunting that escapes a lot of people, it doesn't require a lot of money.

It's true. When I hunted as a kid, I went out with about what Don described: thermal underwear, jeans, sweatshirt, flannel shirt, blaze orange zip hoodie, an orange ball cap or stocking hat, a gun, 1/2 dozen shells and a knife.

Later on in life, Uncle Sam required me to buy a lot more stuff than I turned in, and a lot of that stuff still gets used, decades later.

I have purchased some nice insulated, waterproof raingear...... but I could get by without it, most days. Nice to have, but not necessary.

I usually spray down with some scent eliminator and keep all my outer gear in a trash bag containing freshly fallen cottonwood leaves (which have a strong odor not unlike many of the "forest floor" cover sprays out there) ..... I have had some success using a bit of doe urine both on a drag or by dipping or spritzing a turkey feather and sticking it in a round hay bale where the breeze will blow the scent downwind...... and that stuff will work even if it's not fresh, regardless what the guys selling it say: I have had bucks follow my trail in to my stand when the doe pee I was using had been in the bottle (kept under the seat of my truck) for several years.....

[Lohman446]

A lot of people do not have reasonable attire to sit in the woods in the bitter cold and still be able to move. You can only put on so many layers before you start to become a combination of a stick figure and the Michelin man.

[T. O'Heir]

"...in VA..." Cold isn't an issue. 'Wet' probably is though. Depends on where you are though. In any case, your boots are the most important item of clothing. Milsurp is ok, but a lot of that gets turned in due to being worn out.
Carry extra socks in something waterproof(like a zip lock bag) too.
Buy a good hat as well. A baseball hat is not a good hat. Cabela's "Frogg Toggs Boonie" is a good hat.
"...Camo clothing is..." Not allowed during the rifle season in most jurisdictions. Up to you to know your local regs. Should have been covered on your hunter's safety course. Virginia requires a minimum of 100 sq. in. of blaze orange during the gun season. And visible from 360 degrees.
https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/huntin...tions/general/
You'll need to know this stuff too.
https://www.dgif.virginia.gov/wp-con...ordinances.pdf
"...Uncle Sam required me to buy a lot..." Liz's minions were like that too.

[stan5677]

Already know the blaze orange requirement have a hat and vest in storage.

[Danoobie]

Originally Posted by Lohman446

A lot of people do not have reasonable attire to sit in the woods in the bitter cold and still be able to move. You can only put on so many layers before you start to become a combination of a stick figure and the Michelin man.

This said, remember your brain prioritizes, thermostatically,through a process called homeostasis, body heat. Priority
one is the head, priority 2 is the internal organs, priority zero is the extremities.
A good, warm hat will keep your head warm, allowing the rest of your body to also
stay warm.

OTOH, when your hands and feet start to get cold, your body is restricting warmth to
the extremities, in order to keep the head and organs warm.

Other gear, besides clothing: A good set of binoculars, Thermacell, bug spray, loaded
rifle, maybe some hand warmers. Don't make it too complicated.

[turkeestalker]

Continued...
After the sweats, just about any outer layer will work depending on the weather.
I like cotton when it won't be wet, and the WallyWorlds have a bunch of it for dirt cheap around here after the season ends and that's the time to buy it.
Simple camo, (not really necessary but I like it), pants and shirt and or jacket.
Of course cotton camo fades badly when washing so it's good to buy it cheap and toss it when it fades enough to stick out in the woods.

It is wise to invest in good rain gear, both cold and warm weather, but that doesn't mean that you have to pay high dollar for it.
This past Christmas I outfitted both of my sons with good quality Gore-Tex type material lined warm and cold weather rain gear for about $200 per son.
The warm weather gear I got them includes light weight bibs and a hooded long tail jacket.
The cold weather includes insulated bibs and 4 in 1 parkas.
All of it made by an overseas outfit called WFS (World Famous Sports) Element Gear.
Picked it up all new from mostly one seller on eBay, but there are closeout sellers other places online.
You can spend the big money if you want for the latest and greatest break-through bestest sales pitch crap, but you certainly don't have to.

There are some pretty big dollars spent each year on scent blocker type clothing, gimmicks, and gizmos, don't buy into the hype as it is 100% geared to steal your money.
Masking scents used sparingly are not a bad idea, nor are some attractants, but don't for a second buy into the idea that you can fool the nose of a deer.
You can't... no matter how much money you spend trying to.
Do you remember those blue and red plastic balls for infants, with the yellow plastic pieces that fit only in the same shape holes in the ball?
That's a deer's nose more or less.
Human scent fits in a certain slot in their nose.
You can try to hide it, but it's always there.
Regardless of what else is going in there, they'll still know you're around.
Use too much or the wrong kind of scent and it's worse than them smelling you.

Using the wind to your advantage is the ONLY sure bet... until it shifts at the most inopportune moment... and it will.

The second pair of socks is a good idea to be able to swap them out mid-day, and a must in a pocket or pack is a stocking cap, (orange if required), when it's cold.

The last thing I would suggest is buying laundry detergent with out scent or brighteners to wash your hunting clothes in.
You don't want to 'glow' in low light while smelling like a tropical breeze.

Oh... yeah no gobbler this morning, just a nosey hen... and then the rain started.

[Lohman446]

You also have to define what you mean for "success" Those of you out hunting the biggest, baddest, oldest, and wisest animals will need every advantage you can get. I look for the dumb ones that I can hunt while wearing high visibility gear and not sitting very still

I was once chasing a flock of turkeys while wearing full out high visibility running gear because they were standing in my front yard when I came back from a run during spring turkey season. I went inside to grab my shotgun and they were just taking their time leaving. For the record turkeys can run pretty quickly but I did manage to run them down (ok I managed to loop in front of them) and got one. It was not the wisest of the flock.

I'm improving the herd genetics

[Panfisher]

In addition to things already said, a comfortable place to set, if you can be comfortable you can stay longer. Also the hot hand/feet things are good, a thermal wrap thing for you back is a wonderful thing in the cold.

[bamaranger]

Depending on where you are in VA, it could be dang cold in deer season. Somewhere at elevation in the Blue Ridge could be well below freezing, with significant wind to boot.

One of my favorite hunting apparel items are USGI wool pants, from the Korean war era, usually labeled Trouser, field , wool, M1951. There is also a shirt to match, but I do not have any of those. The pants are easier to find in the small and med sizes, not a lot of L and XL. Mine have worn like iron for decades, extremely rugged and usually found very cheap. Check on ebay, and an Army surplus joint may have a few pairs still too. If you can get them large enough to wear a pair of poly-fleece pants beneath when needed, you will have a very warm set up. for the bottom half of your clothing.

Another item I like is the wool commando sweater (not the acrylic version). I bought mine at a second hand goods store. The only drawback is that it does not unzip to cool off when exerting. I also like a zipped polyfleece hoodie, you can get something like that about anyplace that sells outdoor clothing.

I get a lot of use out of a USGI parka shell, usually labeled; Parka, extreme cold weather.....but I just use the shell, there is a liner made for it, but I do not need it as far south as I live. The shell is big enough it can go over any jacket I might wear, or I can wear it alone with the hoodie or commando sweater beneath.

I wear felt lined shoe pacs, rubber bottoms, leather uppers ....Sorels,..... in cold weather, the kind like folks wore in the 1960-70's. Sorel still makes'em, and there is nothing warmer. But they are expensive. When temps are above freezing, say 40 degrees , I wear either insulated or uninsulated rubber boots, some times I buy them at Walmart...but they generally only last a season, at about $35.00 a pair for the uninsulated versions, a bit more for the insulated ones.

Avoid cotton clothes for any type of cool weather outdoor wear. I heard one search and rescue trainer call cotton "death cloth". Jeans would be about the worst example of trousers to wear for warmth in cold/wet weather as an example.

[Don Fischer]

Originally Posted by jimbob86

I don't know the conditions where you hunt, but if you tried that stuff in mid November in Nebraska, you would find out that hypothermia is a real thing, and pretty quickly, most mornings.....

Aw, man up!

[jimbob86]

A lot of people do not have reasonable attire to sit in the woods in the bitter cold and still be able to move.

After thinking about this for a bit, I do believe that you are right, Sir.

People nearly always filter a problem through their own experiences ...... to those of us that basically grew up outdoors, or for those that have spent a good portion of their working adult life outside ...... having those clothes and dressing in them appropriately for the anticipated weather is second nature ..... and then I look at my own teenage son, who insists on wearing basketball shorts and a t-shirt, even in the winter in a full blown blizzard ...... he's got warm clothes ..... just believes he won't need them- he'll only be outside for a few minutes........