Hunting in EXTREME Cold -- How do you prep?

[Old No7]

Well, it was a balmy (-12 below) here in southern Maine when I started out fox/coyote hunting on Saturday morning, per the outside thermometer on one side of my house. And my wife says the other side read (-19 below) just before sunup, as that's typically the coldest time of the morning. I dressed with 2 extra layers of wool shirts under a wool vest, with heavy wool pants under my snow-camo jacket and coveralls and then put heater-pads under my toes, so I was never uncomfortable. Military surplus glove liners in the insulated gloves helped the hands too.

The only fur I saw, though, was in-between stands, when a nice red fox jumped across the tote road I was walking on, about 60 yards out in front of me. Of course, I quickly dropped into position and fired up my new FoxPro Crossfire, but the fox had seen me and wasn't fooled...

Anyway, I got to thinking this week...

* How did I know if my Triple Deuce Rem 700 would have even fired that morning???

As it was still (-5 below) when I got home...

I know the firing pin isn't heavily lubed, but I sure don't usually go to the range when it's that c-c-c-cold. I'm now thinking that maybe I need to go to the range at sunrise and let the rifle sit outside for an hour or so (while I sit in my truck with coffee and the iPad) and then fire a shot or two to see what happens.

It would be great to hear from others here on how you prepare yourself, your gear or especially your guns for hunting in this extreme cold.

My wife thought I was nuts (no, not the first time...), but I had a great morning and enjoyed the hunt in the cold, even though it was "furless".

Old No7

[Pete44ru]

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Coffee Royale lube, in me & (dry) powdered graphite lube, inside whatever gun.

Alternatively, I've found that there's often a nice/warm TV nearby. .



.

[Sixgun]

It ain't cheap, but neither is car insurance or real estate taxes.....and I get virtually nothing from them.

[yooper2]

I love being out early in the cold. Feels like you're all alone in the world until you jump a critter.

For serious cold (-5 or lower) where I will be moving slowly or sitting I wear the following:
-tight thermal long johns, top and bottom
-ll bean wool union suit
-wool pants
-heavy flannel shirt
-wool sweater
-insulated carhartt coveralls
-wool hat w/flannel liner
-linesman gloves with trigger finger tip cut off (I just pull my finger inside the glove until I need to shoot)
-wool socks and arctic Muck boots.

Same as above but without the thermals and flannel is good to 10 or so if I'm not moving much/slowly.
For running my trapline I usually just wear the union suit and carhartts w/gloves and hat. I have to cover about 2.5 miles on snowshoes to get to all of my traps.

Rifles can shoot to drastically different points of aim when it gets really cold. You might be surprised when you go try yours out at the range if you worked up your loads in the summer. I've also had loads that grouped great in the summer not shoot for beans in the winter so for some rifles I keep winter and summer loads. It's more noticeable with higher pressure/velocity cartridges. Never had a problem with handgun loads. If they ever show up for sale here I'd like to try some of the newer Hodgdon powders that are supposedly resistant to temperature changes. Until then I'll carry on with the IMR and Reloader series powders. I don't like an excess of lube on my guns any time of year, especially winter. A thin film of any good lubricant is sufficient and I've never had any problems in the field.


Eric

[Tycer]

I started following 86ers advice and I bought down booties to wear in the blind or stand. I hike in wearing lightly insulated boots and wool socks. Other clothing is layers of merino wool with either a shell or parka

[6pt-sika]

In days gone by I would have figured out a way to deal with the cold !

Now if it's that cold I get outta the bed go out in the hall and get another blanket outta the cedar closest put it on the bed and go back to sleep !

That isn't meant as a smart butt answer but rather the true fact anymore !

[OldWin]

You about nailed it with your rifle trial. Thats what I do.
When I test something for reliability, its always in the cold. The cold will always bring out a weak link.

You may need to re-zero also. When I work a load up, I take into consideration if I will use it in the cold. Some powders are more temperature squinky than others. Magnum primers can help.

As for clothes, its trial and error. Everyone is different, sitting or moving, etc. Most times, for me, I like wool......and don't sweat or your done.

[octagon]

Wife got me some merino wool socks for Christmas 2 years ago. They are great with insulated boots and a goose down parka tops me off. It rarely gets below 0 here, but the 30 mph wind is fairly constant.

[Paladin]

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Coffee Royale lube, in me & (dry) powdered graphite lube, inside whatever gun.

Alternatively, I've found that there's often a nice/warm TV nearby. .



.

This is what they trained us to do for the guns and layers for the body.

[cas]

1. Look at thermometer.
2. Go back to sleep.


The longer I hunt and the older I get, the higher the temperature that decision comes at. Guilty sleep is some of the best sleep.

[jnyork]

1. Look at thermometer.
2. Go back to sleep.


The longer I hunt and the older I get, the higher the temperature that decision comes at. Guilty sleep is some of the best sleep.

+1. I don't even feel guilty any more.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I agree with 6pt-sika +1. Turn up the heater and switch the channel to a hunting show.

Actually I have given some thought to going back to archery because the early season is warmer/dryer. Washington used to have an early muzzle loading season that I loved because I could carry my flinters without having to constantly worry about it getting wet.

[Griff]

Yep, dry graphite lube for the guns... and layers for me... tho' here in TX it seldom gets that cold.

[6pt-sika]

I agree with 6pt-sika +1. Turn up the heater and switch the channel to a hunting show.

Actually I have given some thought to going back to archery because the early season is warmer/dryer. Washington used to have an early muzzle loading season that I loved because I could carry my flinters without having to constantly worry about it getting wet.

The only time anymore that I'll endure the elements (IE: extreme cold , rain or mosquitoes) is the two days I get to hunt the Blackwater NWR , rest of the season I defer to COMFORT !

[bigbore442001]

Ok. Don't laugh but early in the year I start to take luke warm showers to acclimatize my body to colder temperatures.

Dressing is in layers and no cotton at all. Cotton as we all know absorbs moisture and will lose its ability to insulate the body from cold weather. It doesn't have to rain or snow either. Your body is producing perspiration all the time. This is absorbed by cotton so after a period of time the garment becomes worthless.

First layer: Wool or synthetic long underwear.

Second layer:Polar fleece or wool pants. Polar fleece top or wool sweater.

Outer layer: If it is not windy I wear a Polar fleece coat. If it is windy I wear an IDEAL hunter orange coat. Our deer seasons are in December for the most part so by New Years Eve it can be very cold and snowy.

Predator hunting: If there isn't any snow on the ground I wear a one piece suit over all of the above. It more or less acts as a great windbreak and I can deal with below zero temperatures.

Feet: Wool socks with a liner and Schnee's boots.

In my day pack I have a small thermos drinking cup. I keep it filled with hot tea and some honey. Don't laugh but a couple of sips now and then help out.

[wolfdog]

Easy, move to Florida. Worked for me.
Hunted plenty in cold weather all over Michigan when I was young, real wool inner clothes, and wind breaking outer clothes, good pair of boots, and really warm headgear. Light oil for all firearm internals and it all worked.
Went back and deer hunted a few times, and hunted deer and yotes in upstate New York for aobut 10 years. Locals were amazed by the weather I would stay out in all day, days they wouldn't go out at all. If they asked me I told them the secret. I was only there for 10 days 2 weeks at a time, then I would be back where it was 80, while they had to put up with it for 4 or 5 months.

[BigSky56]

#7 I completely degrease my gun with a aerosol gun cleaner then I use G96 syn grease on my rifles & pistols for the parts that need that kind of lube its rated down to 50 below and I use wd40 specialist on the inside & outside it really protects the firearms. wool you cant beat it, from watch cap to socks. danny

[Old Ironsights]

Clothing: Wool, silk.

Gun Lube: None, maybe a bit of graphite.

Gear: almost nothing modern except an outer layer of Goretex or similar. The rest will get you dead by morning.

Two winters at NWTC breaking gear for Unka Sam taught me that there is no substitute for Natural Fibers and Dry Lubricants.

[7.62 Precision]

several people mentioned changes in POI and in accuracy. Largely, this is due to ammo temps. Carrying ammo next to your body can help.

[Old Savage]

I am not even stepping on the first tee unless it is calm, sunny and in the 50s

[1894]

I admit that I've never tolerated the cold very well

When I look out the window and see this :



Or the wireless says this :




I just feed this some more :



And go into the kitchen and make a big breakfast
The worst part is the trip to the outhouse

[Griff]

And go into the kitchen and make a big breakfast
The worst part is the trip to the outhouse

Eat a smaller breakfast!

[GonnePhishin]

Old No 7,
I never realized that it got that cold in Maine. Thought it only got that cold here in the Dakotas
My advice to you is to wear a good pair of long underwear; either wool or polypropylene and then layer, layer, layer. No cotton, like what bigbore442001 said.
A good pair of wool socks, and insulated hunting boots and booties over that if you are going to be sitting still for long periods of time.

Good hunting.

[65bee]

Regarding ballistics in extreme cold, a good friend who was a civilian gov't. employee in the early 1960s and involved in testing the M-16 .223 for the Ordnance Corps informed me about testing they did in Alaska in extreme cold (-20 and below). He said that the air becomes so dense at those temperatures it actually caused the bullets to lose stability and tumble and keyhole. The discussion came up because I mentioned how it seemed I never could shoot as close groups in the winter as during warm weather.

[OldWin]

several people mentioned changes in POI and in accuracy. Largely, this is due to ammo temps. Carrying ammo next to your body can help.

Yes, but it doesn't help the ammo in your rifle once you've loaded up and been out for a while. I actually try to keep my spare ammo cold like that in the rifle for consistency.
Of course, all this only matters if you are out for an extended period, hunting or whatever.

[Old Time Hunter]

Old No 7,
I never realized that it got that cold in Maine. Thought it only got that cold here in the Dakotas

My advice to you is to wear a good pair of long underwear; either wool or polypropylene and then layer, layer, layer. No cotton, like what bigbore442001 said.
A good pair of wool socks, and insulated hunting boots and booties over that if you are going to be sitting still for long periods of time.

Good hunting.

Pretty much the same here too! I just jump out of the sack and roll in the snow outside the cabin before I get dressed, when it is sub zero (was -37'F a week or so ago). The plus thirty to forty degree interior of the cabin feels darn right warm then.

After chipping the ice in the sink so I can brush my teeth and make coffee...you start to get comfy, long underwear, wool socks, Sorel boots and insulated jump suit (snowmobile suit)...heck, I'm ready to go!

Always load with Hodgdon's extreme, cut down the cold/hot weather velocity differences a bunch over IMR. On my 444, the IMR 4198 lost over 200 fps @ -20'F from +90'F, only lost 50 fps w/Hodgdon's 4198. Not as drastic using 4895 with lighter bullets, but still over a 100 fps.

[bigbore442001]

Here is a way to prep for cold

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U86VQfbio-s

[Tactical Lever]

Regarding ballistics in extreme cold, a good friend who was a civilian gov't. employee in the early 1960s and involved in testing the M-16 .223 for the Ordnance Corps informed me about testing they did in Alaska in extreme cold (-20 and below). He said that the air becomes so dense at those temperatures it actually caused the bullets to lose stability and tumble and keyhole. The discussion came up because I mentioned how it seemed I never could shoot as close groups in the winter as during warm weather.

The only reason for a tumbling bullet is a rate of twist that is too slow. I imagine a reduction in velocity due to cold sensitive powder would play a role.

I try to get somewhat acclimated. When I met my wife, she came over to the house and I had the temperature set to about 50 degrees F.

I use regular oil on my guns (Butches right now and not sure its that great), but in cold weather I would probably strip it off. Graphite is a good lubricant, but if I am bringing the rifle in and out, I would have some concerns about it collecting moisture. Don't have a favourite lube, but I should get some cold weather stuff.

When I go out I'll wear long underwear, usually a synthetic, or wool blend when its very cold. Polar fleece pants sometimes. Other times jeans and my camo overalls and jacket. Or insulated coveralls. Medium boots, rubber with a felt insert good for about -30 C. Good wool blend socks, diplomat style fleece hat, scarf, possibly neoprene face mask. Good gloves. I have the biggest challenge keeping my hands warm, but usable. Sometimes heavy welding gauntlets with a liner, if I don't need too fine a control with my fingers.

I find that its more about total coverage, and usually don't get too hung up on what I use. I don't like the -100 style boots. I tried them, and even at -45 C or -49 F, they were clumsy overkill that made my feet too hot. Maybe if I was just sitting around...

Hit -52 C or -62F briefly here a year or 2 ago. After a couple weeks of -40, -30 C is kind of run of the mill cold. After all the layers that is. I enjoy getting out in the cold once in a while.

[handirifle]

I stay inside!!! Brrrr Extreme cold here is 20 deg. ABOVE zero.

[soon 2 retire]

Clothing: Wool, silk.


Two winters at NWTC breaking gear for Unka Sam taught me that there is no substitute for Natural Fibers and Dry Lubricants.

I agree; I have not found anything made by Smartwool that wasn't simply great.



Bob in Friday Harbor, WA