Staying warm in the deer stand.

[Prof Young]

Hunted morning and evening today. Put one of those chemical warmer packets on my chest this morning. Works okay. It was still in my pocket and still hot this evening and i put it on the back of my neck, held in place by the hood of my jacket. Never tried that before. It worked really well. It seemed like having the back of my neck warm, warmed the rest of me too. Maybe warmed up the jugulars and that transmits to rest of body. In the mean time a two year old white tail came in just at dusk. We looked at each other, while I held still, for a long time before I could finally get the gun up to shoot. Fresh venison for the table!!!

Live well, be safe
Prof Young

[bamaranger]

Those things are great. I've put them in boots, breast pockets, coat pockets, dropped them down the back of my neck......no fuss either.

Beats the daylights out of the old Jon-e Warmers, no smell either.

One item that helps me with cold is a hood.....not good for hearing, but beats the chills. Another is a jacket that extends well past the waist.....parka length. Even a thin shell ( I like the old GI cold weather parka shell, no liner) really helps.

[jbarbourtrim]

I get the foot warmers (the ones with the sticky back) and stick one on each side of My chest (not directly on my skin but on a base layer) works great!


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[g.willikers]

What parts of the body get warmed up can make a huge difference.
The top of the head and back of the neck are a couple of good ones.
Do a search and check the web sites on the subject for more ideas.
Preventing heat loss is as important as warming aids.

[Mr. Hill]

Yeah I find that if I can keep the back of my neck and my back warm, I'm generally ok.

Congrats on the deer! Hard to stay still during a stare down! Had a doe walk right up to me one time (way too small) about 3 feet away. She kept stomping her hoof at me and trying to figure me out while I sat still. I finally burst out laughing and she ran off. One of my favorite hunting memories!

[Panfisher]

The big Thermal Care type.heat packs you can buy to relieve sore back muscles are fabulous for cold weather hunts. Wrapped around lower back, they will keep upper body toasty.

[ocharry]

Mr. Hill,,,that is a funny story,,,i got a good laff out of it

i have one for the books

deer hunting with a muzzle loader at my dads place and a buck and a doe came by,,,i shot the buck and went to reload and when i pulled the ram rod the doe ran up to me,,,i still laff when i think about it,,,i taped her on the head with the ramrod before she took off,,,,

that is my funny deer story,,,and it still brings a smile after all these years

ocharry

[Mr. Hill]

Yup Ocharry, the last doe I took in Kansas had another smaller doe with her (full grown, not a fawn) and I'll be darned if that little one wouldn't leave after I shot the larger one. She kept walking up to me and checking me out and wouldn't leave, even when I told her to leave. I finally had to chase after her and wave my arms to scare her away. I was worried some other hunter would take a shot at her while she was standing next to me!

Deer are very curious, especially the young dumb ones.

[Chainsaw.]

The neck is a spot where alot of body heat is lost. A simple scarf will do wonders. A short one, not to bulky like you need ladies wearing is all thats needed. Also closes up the neck of the jacket so heat can not rise out if it.

[rickyrick]

I would just leave if conditions threatened my survival without artificial heat.
having said that, I have stayed out with icicles forming on my barrel. layers and preventing moisture is the key, do not put your sittin still clothes on while you are moving or hiking. Once you sweat, its over.

[T. O'Heir]

"...warmed up the jugulars..." Nope. That sticky stuff running through 'em is at 98.6F. However, keeping your head warm will make you feel warmer. Most of your body heat is vented off the top of your head. You also need to keep your hands and feet warm.
You control your body heat by removing mitts, hats and opening the top button/inches of your coat. Using artificial heat isn't a really good idea.
Once you sweat, its over. That needed to be bigger.

[jbarbourtrim]

Using artificial heat is not a bad idea. This isn't a survival situation where he is 100 miles away from civilization. Lol

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[Iwanttoshootbettter]

Drink all the water you can keep the radiator full,an old man told me this years ago the more water in your body the more heat it will hold keep zippers open tho.

[globemaster3]

I use the same things, especially with the kiddos. Hit Walmart towards the end of the hunting season and they will mark them down significantly. I stock up then for the next season.

For the kiddos, I normally throw the smaller hand warmers into their jacket pockets and throw a couple more into their pants pockets at the truck. We shift them to wherever they need to be when in the stand.

[Blindstitch]

I use them occasionally but if you want an upgrade many companies make a 7 volt jacket liner that is ran off battery power. I have a friend that keeps two batteries and that covers quite a bit of time on low. Somedays a little heat help is needed.

It can also be used at football games, icefishing, or anything spending outside for long periods of time. http://www.thewarmingstore.com/heate...and-vests.html

[shootniron]

Using artificial heat isn't a really good idea.

Are you kidding????

This is hunting...nothing wrong with using artificial heat to stay warm.

Do you run your truck heater while driving to hunting location? ....duh

[Kimber84]

A Sitka neck gaiter made all the difference for me... best $35 I ever spent. Seals up my neck area and what a difference it made. Also the adhesive heating pads, in cold conditions I typically take 1-2 and place them around kidney height on my back.


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[jimbob86]

I have found that keeping heat from escaping from my head and neck by wearing a neck gaiter or scarf and a balaclava and a large stocking cap will allow me to stay in the blind for hours even if it's 8 degrees and the wind is howling and I'm seeing jack squat .... add in a single hand warmer ( when you are cold, a little bit of extra heat has an amazing effect on morale) to play with ...... I'm good.

[jersurf101]

I have used the chemical heaters in extreme cold but Jim Bob and I will agree on this one. I have a fleece neck warmer/hood that has always been a lifesaver. Good boots and gloves are a must. I really like the mittens that can expose your fingers to shoot. Your cell phone will heat up too, ugh welcome to 2016.

[rickyrick]

Why do you assume I have a truck with a heater? Not all of us do. I never assume such a vehicle would start anyway; even if it's in tip top shape. Broken truck, no phone, if you're struggling in a deer stand, you're gonna struggle even more when you're stranded. Try a broken leg or hip because you slipped.
If I am struggling to make it, I'm going home, no set of antlers is worth the risk.

BTW, I did after hours emergency road service back when I was a truck mechanic. Many of the winter call outs were hunters broken down, in the latest testosterone fueled rig available... they ain't so tough after sitting in the cold for a few hours.

Sure, there's nothing wrong with using something to keep warm, but the necessity for such a device is my indicator to start making for a better situation. Uncomfortably cold, that's one of the evolutionary signs that let's you know that your situation needs correcting. Pain, hunger, thirst, burning and cold sensations are all signs that will keep you alive if you correct them appropriately.

Appropriate dress is more important than anything is all I want to convey. If you find yourself needing stoves or hand warmers, you should reevaluate your hunting attire.
Keep the warmers handy in case you need them. Just don't rely on a truck for survival or anything else but you. Trucks break, hand warmers run out and phones don't always work, then the cold is forever.

[lefteye]

Chemical hand warmers such as Hot Hands are terrific. There are gloves, mittens and socks made with pockets for the warmers. It is very important to avoid tight fitting boots, pants, shirts, belts and even hats. Loose clothing and boots permit good circulation - an absolute necessity. It isn't fun to walk to or climb up to a tree stand with loose boots and heavy clothing. I usually strapped a vest and jacket or coat to my back pack and didn't wear any hat when walking to a tree stand. I couldn't even guess the number of hours I've spent in tree stand over the 30+ years. And finally, AVOID COTTON. It absorbs sweat and becomes very cold.

[jersurf101]

I always warm up a lot when I start moving and get out of my stand. Sitting still in a deer stand is a lot colder than being up and active. You are going to have some cold and discomfort iin this environment. Getting creative and using your resources to be more comfortable. I respect the dangers of hypothermia and reliance on gadgets is a bad thing but ingenuity and using what you have on you is what .makes us human. HelI I've used my thermocell as a source of heat and packed blankets into box blinds. Stay warm out there.

[TXAZ]

I'm not getting back into a stand until Holiday Inn Express starts renting them out.
Not my idea of fun anymore.

[buck460XVR]

Chemical hand warmers such as Hot Hands are terrific.

Yes they are, and when bought in bulk at the right time are relatively inexpensive compared to the comfort they give. Many times they made the difference for me staying on stand and getting a deer, as opposed to going back to the truck to warm up. While one can get up and walk around and still have chance to get a deer when hunting with a gun, it don't work that well when one is using a bow or when one is hunting small parcels surrounded by private land with no permission to access. Then sitting and sitting still is the key to success. While some may claim the use of such items is not the "manly" way to hunt, there is not a legitimate reason to suffer needlessly from the cold, when there is such a simple and inexpensive alternative.

I too have found that putting two of the large chemical warmers on my back above the beltline, tends to keep me comfortable as long as I can keep my hands and feet warm. My doctor, who also hunts, tells me this is because your kidneys lie close to the skin at that point and thus their high volume of blood flow is being warmed, thus warming the whole body. Similar to running cold water on your wrists on a hot day to cool off. Keeping dry is also important as is keeping your head covered. On those days I intend to stand all day, I carry most of my heavy clothing in my backpack and dress when I get to stand to prevent sweating.Many times unless it is very cold and/or windy, I don't wear a hat either till I get on stand. This allows excess heat to escape and reduces sweating. Flexing toes and fingers vigorously periodically keeps the blood flowing to them and produces little or no visible movement while keeping them warm. Chemical warmers in jacket pockets not only keeps your body warm, but warms cold fingers too.

[ocharry]

i had a gal i knew that sewed all her life make me some over sized bandanas out of flannel,,,she made several in different colors,,,and i had her make 3 in a grey

these things are the best cold attachment i own,,they work great and can be adjusted tight or loose

dont care much for artificial heaters,,,guess they work ok

but the "DON'T SWEAT" advise is the best going,,,,because ONCE YOU SWEAT,,,ITS OVER

my .02

ocharry