Do you have what it takes to ride out brutal late season bowhunting conditions long enough to zap a whopper buck?
If your pocket still contains a 2015 buck tag, I encourage hunting right down to the bitter end to fill it. I use the word “bitter” quite literally, because those of you who hunt North America’s coldest climates know exactly what conditions you’ll be facing in the coming weeks.
Late season bowhunts can be brutal. Are you dressed for success?
Wisconsin – my home state – is one of the coldest places I’ve hunted. Nail-biter temperatures persist for weeks at a time. Heck, spring usually doesn’t come until May. We’ve even gotten May snowstorms.
Entering late season’s final weeks with an unfilled buck tag takes commitment. In pressured areas, most deer are still moving nocturnally from the firearm ruckus. Putting together a kill plan and carrying it out on a mature buck is going to be difficult – very difficult. Perhaps the most testing aspect is combatting frigid conditions. Those who hunt North America’s ice-box regions know exactly what I mean.
Let’s review some stay-warm measures that will help you stay in your stand longer and keep you from shaking incessantly when the buck you’re after makes a beeline toward your 20-yard shooting lane.
Why Hunters Bail Early
Many hunters misconceive the process of getting cold. Most believe extremities become cold first. Dennis Zuck, Sitka Gear’s whitetail product manager, disagrees.
“Once your core temperature drops, your body goes into survival mode and begins limiting blood supply to both your hands and feet by closing down the blood vessels that supply them,” Zuck said. “Most would say, ‘My feet got cold.’ Honestly, your core got cold first.”
Layer Up
Since the earliest days, outdoorsmen and women have understood layering’s role in staying warm. Today, we have access to advanced products that help us do it more effectively than ever before.
“Effective layering means you first manage moisture on the skin with a good, wicking base layer,” Zuck said. “This is critical and often overlooked. Next, add warmth in the mid-layers with lofted insulation or high-pile materials. Remember: if you compress these, you’ll lose most of their insulating value. Also, consider how quickly they’ll dry, assuming some sweat from your base layers could reach your mid-layers. Finish with an outer layer that protects your system from the elements of wind and rain with a technical shell.”
A great layering system to keep you warm is the key to success in the late season.
Walking to the Stand
A mistake hunters often make is dressing at the truck before walking to their stands. The movement naturally generates heat – sometimes too much heat. Sweating and trapping it inside your outer shell is the surest way to freeze out early.
To avoid overheating on the walk in, try carrying your jacket, and even bibs, for the walk in. By the time you hike to your stand, climb the tree and settle in, you’ll likely be sweating. Take the time to cool down, and let your sweat evaporate before packing on your heavier garments again in the stand.
Dress to Kill
Your outer garment selection is critical, not only for staying warm, but also for being able to make the
Scentlok’s Covert Deluxe System provides the warm you need for the late season and the maneuverability you want to make the shot.
shot when the moment arrives. Sure, you can stay bundled up and warm by dressing like Santa Claus, but can you still make the shot?
Alex Jones of Scentlok says that’s exactly why their Covert Deluxe Windproof Fleece System performs so well in the late season. “When you’re making long sits in cold temps, our Covert Deluxe System will keep you in the game,” says Jones. The Covert Deluxe series features a windproof membrane paired with fleece and softshell paneling designed to provide warmth where you need it and durability where you want it. Yet the Covert jacket and pant aren’t over-bulky hindering your maneuverability for the shot. The Covert Deluxe system features Carbon Alloy technology for maximum odor adsorption, a four pocket design (2 chest & 2 extra large waist), safety harness access opening, and center softshell back panel for improved mobility & durability in the stand against trees.
A couple great products from the Sitka line geared specifically for late-season archery hunting are their Fanatic Jacket and Bib. These garments use premium-mapped Primaloft insulation protected by a Berber face that’s laminated to Gore’s Windstopper films.
Conclusion
If you haven’t notched your buck tag, there’s still some time left to capitalize. You may log serious hours on-stand waiting for that golden opportunity to unfold. Do it comfortably by wearing a cold-weather system designed for warmth and functionality. That may be the final element that keeps you in the game through frigid conditions so you can clutch trophy antlers during the season’s bitter end.
