Hunting & Fishing New hunter need outerwear advice

[dlxcupid]

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum but I'll be hunting for the very first time this winter. My buddy's hunted before and he'll be taking me along. We'll be after whitetail. I took the hunter's safety course and am legal to hunt.

I've got a Browning A-bolt Stainless Stalker in 30-06, just picked up a pair of 1200gram hunting boots from cabelas. I got base layers, gloves and head/facewear covered.

Now I need a parka and some pants. I'd want at least Gore-Tex or similiar, scent control is preferred but not necessary. What are you guys using? I really like the Cabela's MT050 but man are they expensive. I want something warm, as St Louis can drop down into single digits every once in a while. I'd say 20s-40s are the norm here in the winter. Was wondering if anyone had suggestions or recommendations I can look into. Thanks in advance!

 

[264win]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

make sure whatever you get doesnt make much noise when you move while wearing it . i like use rivers west for most cold weather hunting . good luck .

 

[kellogg2185]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

Cupid, what county are you hunting in? I hunt both Macon Co. and in Vandalia, Mo. It gets a bit cold in Mo., but nothing too crazy. I'm guessing you hunt out of a stand, like I do? Go to any Uncle Sam's surplus store, you can pick up some overstock stuff real cheap. I got a set of Realtree-ish coveralls for around $40 two years ago. Wear those, layer efficiently, and you're all set. I wore my moderate weather Danner USMC combat boots the last two years, paired with dress socks, GI boot socks, and a pair of thick wool socks, and was just fine. Some good advice that I read off this forum the other day was to loosen up your boot laces as soon as you get in your stand. Haven't tried that yet, but will this season as it makes sense. Good circulation = staying warm. MO gets cold, but nothing extreme. Wearing an UnderArmor type baselayer (I go with cheaper stuff, lol), with waffle-style long underwear over that, then jeans and a thick flannel shirt plus the coveralls, my Danners, and a solid piece of headgear keep me warm enough through pretty much anything MO has to offer. I'll be back in town come Nov. 13th myself, hoping to bag something decent. Good luck this season, hope something I said was useful.

 

[tireys]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

The temps during rifle season can do anything so expect anything. Wear your base layers and then layer everything else. I've seen temps in the teens to 60's ( you know what we say around here, if you don't like the weather stick around an hour it will change). I wear camo Carhartts insulated and then I also keep some uninsulated stuff in my totes as well. 1200 gram boots are pretty good but I also carry Acrtic Shield boot blankets. I normally sit all day unless of course Mr. Big walks by. If you put some foot warmers in there it heats the air around your boots and keeps you nice and toasty. I believe 2 years ago the Friday before the second weekend it was 14 degrees in the a.m. and then last year we were wearing short sleeves. You can always take something off if it gets too warm but its a long walk back if you don't have enough on and get cold. Good Luck

 

[kellogg2185]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

Stealth Mode, what ranges do you go to? Know of any range not too far outside of St. Charles that are longer than 100m? Only one I know of is the 200m range off the Mo Bottom Rd. right across the bridge.

 

[tansinator]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

Wool, and Hunt the wind. Nothing better!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dlxcupid]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

Kellog - I'll probably be hunting in Washington, Warren or Franklin county . My buddy's dad has got some land out there so we'll take a shot at that this season. I don't want to try any public hunting grounds yet until I get comfortable. Yea we'll be hunting out of a stand, we plan on building a platform on a tree and set up a tent or some kind of blind system. If we get impatient we'll probably go stalk them down or something.

StealthMode - I know what you mean about the weather here. I still remember playing golf last winter in just a thermal and polo and slacks.

Hunting gear is so expensive! I'll probably head down to Bass Pro today to check their stuff out. I'll drop by Uncle Sam's too. Thank for the kind wishes and advice guys! Keep them coming!

 

[tireys]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kellogg</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Stealth Mode, what ranges do you go to? Know of any range not too far outside of St. Charles that are longer than 100m? Only one I know of is the 200m range off the Mo Bottom Rd. right across the bridge. </div></div>

I don't usually shoot anywhere but on private property. I have been to the one your talking about and they have q few lanes out to 200. In a pinch I would use it but for regular shooting $12 an hour could get expensive. There is a club in Wright City but you have to go with a member.

 

[270grdeerbullet]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tansinator</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wool, and Hunt the wind. Nothing better!!!!!!!!!!!</div></div>

Down in that country expect the wind to blow 15 mph on the low end and temps could be any were from 70 to 10. I have never hunted down there but i would think still hunting would be the way to go. Again WOOL

 

[mtstcon]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

+1 <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: tansinator</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Wool, and Hunt the wind. Nothing better!!!!!!!!!!! </div></div>


Does MO. require any hunter orange you might need to take into account?

 

[dlxcupid]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

yea it's required i believe but that can just be a vest or a cap or beanie.

 

[jayd4wg]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

I cover orange req's with a slip on vest and hat. it just does not make sense to me to spend alot of money on orange gear only to have duplicate camo gear as well. I'm too fawkin cheap for that.

Big fan of wool in western PA - it stays warm when wet. I was just about to say it does not get as cold here as it does there, but last winter, i spent half a dozen days trudging around in single digits with sub zero windchill BEGGING for bambi so i would have a warm place to stick my hands. I maintained sanity with a good pair of waterproof microfiber pants with a base layer, a thermal layer and the outer pants. Cotton kills. Not a big fan of synthetics...they seem to break down too fast. I've had the same wool undergarments for a long time and they work well. I have had to take them in quite a bit as of late due to a gastric bypass and the loss of quite a few inches. up top, I layer, usually a wool fleece over a base, thermal and poly fleece. plenty warm and my wool fleece is wind proof. on days that I need water proof upper, i go to the camo parka, which this year needs replaced.

the only part i hate about all the layers (and i just KNOW i'm gonna take heat for this on this forum) but when it's 2 degrees, you gotta whiz and your winky smells cold air, tugging your acorn out of 4 layers of pecker gates in your britches can be a little awkward. take your time and don't pee into the wind. :shrug: Try not to piss on your gloves

 

[Pat M]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

K-mart or Walmart for cheap, quiet orange vest to go over better Gortex jacket & if warmer the cheap light weight orange fleece zip up is good

 

[dlxcupid]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

Thats what I figured. I'll just pick up some quiet but cheap flourescent vest from walmart. What do you guys think of wearing some ski/snowboard pants and have some thin goretex camo pants to go over the snowpants?

 

[jayd4wg]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

every pair of snowboard pants i've had were NOT focused on quiet fabrics. they were hard noisy fabrics. would work if you were on stand probably, but i doubt you could stalk a deer with them on.

 

[chain]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

What tansinator said, WOOL. I have tried everything else,wool is the best

 

[former naval person]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

Lots of good surplus wool stuff from German and other European armies. I know...nothing is worse than a bad camoflage day. All has to match. What I do know after 70 years...the deer don't read "Sports Afield". Get what you can afford and 1...Hunt the wind and 2...Don't move. JMHO

 

[sootstorm]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

got my coat red head brand from bass pro, one of those zip out mutilayer things. inside jacket is heavy with zip off sleeves turns it into a vest and is blaze orange. outside layer is their waterproof bone dry system thats lite like a windbreaker in real tree and has a removable hood. its been all I need varmints to big game, summer and winter. cost me $129 IIRC
pants, I use their real tree BDU's and scent lock or similar base layer. pants are $35 base layers $15-80 your choice
hope that helps

 

[DanW]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

The MTO50 stuff is great. I had my parka on while duck hunting on a few mornings when it was -3. All I had on underneath was a t-shirt, never got cold. I've had it now for probably 8 yrs and it has held up great, still water proof. It's the best piece of hunting clothing I've ever bought. I've since purchased the MTO gloves and bibs.
Wool is good, especially if it is with windshear. Cabela's Dry Plus wool clothing works well. I've used it for bear hunting in the past. Wool is just a little too heavy for me. Just like anything else, the more you spend the more you get, generally speaking.

 

[dlxcupid]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

Thank you guys so much for the help and vast info. I think I'm just gonna buck up and get the MT050s. They fit the best and feel the best for me but the price is not the best. Thanks again!

 

[grouse]

Re: New hunter need outerwear advice

Good layering system is critical. As far as outerwear goes, you get what you pay for. I've found it's usually cheaper in the long run to buy the good stuff first. As stated wool is a good choice, if you are a stand hunter. Other options are to use layering and get a good shell like sitka gear or riverswest. good luck