First year hunting gear.

[Dead Aim]

This is my first year hunting and im asking on what necessary gear i need, clothing wise. Should i get a big camo hunting jacket or is it cool just to use a regular jacket? Do i need both a hunting orange vest and hat or either or? Would it be cool to wear just jeans and regular boots(im hunting in PA) or should i invest some money and get quality stuff, and what are some good brands at reasonable prices for all that stuff? Basically what im saying is that do you really need all the big money camo stuff with all the scent lock, camo pattern jigamohohaha, or could i be just as successful with regular wear. thanks a million-dead aim
ps, is walmart or dicks sporting goods good places to buy

[DarkStar]

Hi Dead Aim

When you are looking for hunting attire, focus on warm and dry. It'll always be colder and wetter than you plan or would believe it can get. You don't have to spend major bux to stay warm and dry. Thermax, gore-tex, silk, and thinsulate or good old fashioned wool are good starting points. Dress in layers and don't forget good boots. You can't fill your tag if you got cold and left the woods. ;-)

And the latest camo pattern scent blocker nuclear gizmo will never replace good old woodsmanship and hunting skill. Those take time. The longer you're 'out there', the more the skills develop.

Good luck

Darryl

[rr41mag]

The last 2 years down here in south Miss we have dressed in camo shorts and matching tee shirts on opening day of deer season.
on the serious side remember to layer your clothes also most important you can take it off but you can't put it on!

[BadMedicine]

Many a deer have been taken in jeans and a flannel. Camo helps you remain unnoticed, but so does staying quite, using the wind, and not moving fast. I use very little "high-tech" hunting gear. I usually wear camoflauge BDU pants, and some kind of dark top, depending on how cold it is. Some times my black sweatshirt, sometimes my green and brown flannel, sometimes both, and in the winter, a camoflauge army field jacket. Boots depend on how cold it is when you're hunting if you want insulated, or non. I have insulated boots, and wear them even in the summer, because I like the extra padding. Probably not a good idea, in hotter climates. Hunter orange depends on state law, and concentration of hunter in the area. It's not law here, but sometimes we were an orange hat just to play it safe. were we hunt the concentration of hunters isn't that great. when we were kids our dad made us wear vests and hats, that was in idaho, and there were alot of hunters. I'm not worried about shooting another hunter, we're always carefull about where and what we're shooting at, but there're some real whack-jobs who don't know jack about hunting, or safe shooting. They also have hunter orange in a broken pattern. This helps hunter see you and still deer see no pattern, but it's about 5 times as expensive as a regular vest. You can take a perm. marker, and "fix" it yourself if you want. I would start with resonably priced stuff. until you get into hunting more, and decide what kind of patterns, and styles you want, I'd go temporary. Then, as you get into it more, you can invest in better quality stuff. One thing you wont want to be without is a good pair of binoculars. My pair are about $30. and I've had them probably about 6 years. Some people buy like $400. binocs, and there's really no need for that. You can get a Mighty fine pair for $100. I usually look through my scope at what-ever I see, but other hunters frown on finding themselves in your crosshairs And as for scent-locks, and all that hype, this is not bio-chemical war-fare, unless you are a professional hunter going after the biggest baddest record book buck that ever walked, I really find this expensive junk unnecasary. Mind the wind, and hunt smart, and you'll do fine. happy hunting.

[gfrey]

I'm in WI so I can't give PA specific advice.
Get good boots now, break them in before season. (no blisters during hunt.)

Can you talk to someone you will hunt with?
They would have some specifics, generally what they have. Remember to ask for two levels, bare minimum and nice to have. Start with the bare minimum first. If it is colder than -10 F you probably won't see any hunters, or deer.

I would use the advice already given. Warm and Dry, layers better. A Clear poncho is good enough in the woods, camo will show thru enough, an orange vest could go over. (you want cheap? how cheap?)
It is very hard to compensate for not enough when you are getting cold, much easier to take things off.
If you go in the woods where there are deer and sit still, the other hunters who cannot sit still generall stir the deer past you. YMMV

I bought a blaze orange raincoat, and reversible heavy coat/snopants. I use bib overalls instead of regular pants when hunting. (or get yer crack iced up a couple of times and then see the wisdom of bibs. ) I haven't found coveralls to fit me, but you might.

The deer WILL see motion, camo or not. Cover your face and hands. (I found a mosquito net for $3 three years ago, I have used it deer, turkey, and waterfowl hunting)
Wal mart does have hunting stuff in season, but you get what you pay for. A lot of sporting goods shops will have stuff also, any army surplus type stores near you? Camping/outdoor supplies? A little footwork might get you a surprizingly good deal.
Too late now but Wal mart/ Kmart usually have a clearance sale right after the season.
Good to check for next year.

Good luck, shoot straight.
YMMV and FWIW,
Gfrey

[Vek]

1. Get in shape
2. Don't wear cotton if the weather is even mildly threatening. You can't go wrong wearing wool.
3. Get in shape
4. You probably don't need any funky camo if you can sit still and not fidget.
5. get in shape
6. If you want cheap, idiot proof clothing, go get military surplus wool pants and then go to the local secondhand clothing store and buy the place out of wool stuff.

[dZ]

somedays in PA the weather is 60 degrees on opening day
other days its 25 with a nice wind
some years its 40 and raining
some years you get a foot of snow the night before

don't like the weather?

wait a couple days

In PA i think you need 100sq inches of blaze orange

dZ

[Matrix]

Depends on the type of hunting you will be doing. Are you deer hunting from a stand?
If so, being comfortable will allow you to sit longer, which will increase your chances of success. I agree with surplus BDU clothes. I have a closet full of Mossy Oak camo, but I still sometimes wear surplus pants. If you splurge on anything it should be a good warm pair of boots and good socks.
Rocky and Lacrosse make good boots at affordable prices.
Wal Mart is a good source. You should also order the Cabela catalog, you can find about anything you want in there.

[Strayhorn]

It's been mentioned in other posts, but I'd like to put it at the top of the list:

Shoes

Good shoes, waterproof, that fit well. Don't buy cheap junk, go ahead and buy decent shoes from a known maker (Danner, Rocky, Red Wing, etc) and be sure they are broken in before you step into the woods. Go to a real shoe store and have your foot measured by someone who knows how to do it - believe it or not, your foot changes as you age.

If your feet hurt or are cold, you'll be miserable.

I have two sets of woods shoes - a "chukka" style hiking boot I got from LL Bean, believe it or not, for only $80 on sale. Waterpoof, comfortable, good for day hikes and moderate terrain.

For bad weather and worse terrain, I have a set of the Danner boots they make for the USMC - 8'' tops, waterpoof, lugged sole.

Best of luck on your hunt,

Ken Strayhorn
Hillsborough NC

[Poodleshooter]

Last time I shot a deer I was wearing a gray flannel pullover and jeans. Well, my boots were in realtree. Maybe that made the difference
that said here's my recommendations:
Warm-weather- BDU's
Cold Weather-thinsulate, tough boots, Gore-Tex and saddlecloth. Any combination or outfit using these will keep you warm,dry AND breathable

[Field-dressed]

We have a saying in Alaska: Cotton kills. If you're hunting in cold weather avoid cotton long johns, jeans, socks and sweats. That stuff gets wet and stays wet. Throw in getting turned around (lost) on the way back to the boat and you're down the path to hypothermia. Fleece or wool is the way to go, and its quieter too. Be sure to bring a basic survival kit, which for me consists mainly of fire-starting stuff. I agree with the others about the fancy-shmancy, high-falootin gear. Deer can't smell you if you're downwind no matter how bad you smell. There's also a lot of ways to deodorize your clothes and self to minimize spreading your scent around. Good luck!

[Legionnaire]

Check the regs on blaze orange; I think it's actually 200 sq.in. PA regs changed a few years ago, so a hat alone is insufficient. Don't know if you can wear the vest without the hat. I wear both in PA regardless, and in NY where no blaze orange is required.

No, you don't need all the fancy, expensive camo stuff. It's cool, and if you can afford it and want it, go for it. Different take if you are bow hunting, though. There camo and scent are much more significant. But even there, I don't think you need scent-lock garments. Just wash with a scent-killing deoderant soap, and launder your hunting stuff the same way . . . and then don't smoke around it, hang it in the kitchen, or spill gasoline on it when driving out!

Advice on layering is good. Over a typical day, temperatures may range dramatically. Also agree with avoiding cotton if wet weather threatens. On really cold days, I wear wool/poly thermal underwear, wool pants, wool shirt, wool sweater, down vest, then cover everything with insulated bib overalls and jacket. The bibs and jacket, and sometimes the vest, get rolled up and tied to my day pack when hiking in. You want to avoid working up a sweat getting in to your stand.

If you're a stand hunter (tree stand or ground blind) and plan to sit still for long periods, do invest in some good rubber soled pack boots. Mine are a half size larger than I usually wear for extra layering of polypro and wool socks. And take an extra pair (or two) of dry socks. If my feet get sweaty walking in, I pull the boots and change into the dry socks. Another trick I picked up is using a scent-free stick deoderant on my feet in the morning; it keeps the feet from sweating as much. The inexpensive chemical foot warmers work too (get the foot warmers and not hand warmers for your feet, as they are designed to use in boots, where air is more restricted).

I carry lightweight and insulated pairs of gloves, and change as needed.

Bottom line: It ain't fancy gear that gets your deer. You need skill and patience. It's easier to be patient if you are warm and comfortable. Layering lets you adjust to changing conditions. But the layers don't have to be high tech, new-fangled, super-blend-in, six-color, leafy-tree-patterned camo. I had a deer walk right up to within six feet of me in Potter County, PA, trying to figure out what I was. I was dressed in complete blaze orange from head to toe, plus a spand-o-flage head net and sunglasses. Doe didn't smell me, and I didn't move, and she finally wandered off.

So start off cheap, but start off smart. Good luck!

[This message has been edited by Legionnaire (edited October 05, 2000).]

[Dead Aim]

I hate to sneak in another question but here it is, I have a pair of timberland boots, which are more of a dress style boot but i guess they are outdoor too. My question is if these would be adequate for semi cold hunting conditons? FYI-im going doe hunting with a muzzleloader which will result in a lot of tracking and walking throughout the countryside. Ive been looking at the lacrosse?, and other types of boots and im debating on getting them. Seeing that they are of upwards of $150 im not too sure on making a purchase. I would much rather spend that money on a rifle then on boots. This is my first year hunting so i want to have a semi succesful hunt by getting all the basics down. Getting a kill would be awesome, but im mostly happy just being in the outdoors with my friends and family. Side note-- ive also been looking at the blaze orange jackets with the built in etched camo patterns. I figure im killing two birds with one bullet by buying this so i dont have to buy a regular jacket plus a vest which will be more expensive and may be more prone to making noise. Im real excited for my first doe hunt in a few weeks but ive got buck fever. I lay awake thinking about that monster 10 point walking into my cross- hairs. I know many people that lose that hunting interest after a year or two of bad hunts, but for some reason i just want to kill.
later dead aim

[Eric of IN]

Timberland boots aren't a very good boot. They're your feet, but I've never found Timberlands to be very warm, or waterproof. Good boots are expensive, but they are also worth it. I bought a pair of Rocky's Corn-Stalkers (I think that's the model) in 1988. The lug sole is still in good shape, and they're still very warm and dry. IMHO Boots are the most important piece of equipment on a hunt.
Eric

[BadMedicine]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> Boots are the most important piece of equipment on a hunt. [/quote]

Yeah, next to the choice of weapon. You can hunt deer bare foot, the natives did it, but you ain't gonna kill a deer with your boot.

well, ok, not very often.