How To Survive While Hunting In Winter

Posted by Mark Wood on July 29th, 2018

Hunters count the appearance of snow as a blessing to them. Winter is usually an awaited season hunter take it upon themselves to go hunting in the woods, while it is an adventurous course to take, it is considered a risky one too due to the harsh weather conditions.

Every hunter knows that winter is the toughest season to overcome while hunting. Well, this is no mystery at all, since most perils come with the onset of the cold months.

Man is simply not made to withstand the cold temperatures on his own, but thanks to many innovations and inventions, there is an abundance of gear today that help hunters succeed with winter hunting trips. Thus, in this article, I’m going to tell you what you need for successful winter hunting.

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Top Winter Survival and Cold Weather Tips

Remain Calm

Panicking also accelerate hypothermia which speeds up sweating. While hunting in the winter should be all fun and adventurous, this is not usually the case especially for first-time hunters. Most of them tend to tense at the slightest thought of either losing direction or facing a snow storm.

Maintaining calmness is very paramount for this activity since it keeps hypothermia at bay. Once a hunter is tense, the rate of sweating hikes and in turn causes the clothes to be soaked through which evaporative cooling brings in cold. The biggest advantage of staying calm is that it helps one to stay as dry as possible even as they plot on their next course of action.

Prepare

Follow our winter survival kit checklist for tips on proper clothing, winter car kits, home supplies, and more.

Shelters

In the deep of the snow-covered woods, the shelter is a basic need just like any other. One can either decide on whether to carry with them a tarp that they can always use at night or resort into having a makeshift bed from a spruce tree or simple thickets.
All these are options that one can explore bearing in mind that they should have the least baggage and at the same time be comfortable.

Hunting Clothing

First and foremost, you need to secure enough sets of clothes that can help you withstand the low temperature. A good coat is simply not enough. You need to dress accordingly from head to toe if you want to survive in the harsh winter. Moreover, you need to dress warm enough just in case the weather turns for the worse.

Before you go out on your winter hunt, make sure that you pack a sufficient amount of clothes. Moreover, you should include all of these in order to ensure that you are set for the cold temperatures:

Essential winter Checklist You Will Need

• Gloves
• Snow pants
• Thick socks and undergarments
• High-visibility vest
• Warm headgear
• Scarf or ski mask for face protection
• Snow glasses

All of these are important, and it is imperative that you make sure that these clothes are warm enough. Insulation is key to fend off the cold, so if you’re going to choose the products for your trip, better make it insulated.

Another important thing to bring is the best hunting boots for winter hunting. If you’re going to hunt in sub-zero temperatures, then you need a pair of boots that will help your feet stay warm.

Fire Starting Kit

When you’re out in the open cold, you’re going to need a heat source to stay alive. Many bushcraft enthusiasts and hunters know that a fire-starting kit is one of the essential equipment to have in your pack. Other than that, you need to know how to use them.
Here are some items that you may bring that will help you start a fire:

• Stormproof matches
• Lighter
• Fuel
• Candles
• Magnesium blocks

On the other hand, you can purchase readily available fire-starting kits that contain almost all of the equipment you need to start a fire. The heat source is most important when out hunting in the winter. Thus, you should put a lot of effort into securing your fire-starting materials before you go out on your trip.

Boots

This is the best footwear for hunting in winter. They come in many designs but there are basic factors always to consider before choosing the boots to wear for a hunt: they should be well fitted for comfortability, long enough to enable layering with socks for warmth, they should be all-weather boots and odor proof.

Hypothermia and frostbite are the real dangers. Even in 50 F temperatures, you’re at risk of losing too much core and limb heat.

Protect Your Body Heat

Protect it, trap it, and treat it like the precious resource it is.
Keep covered Wind and exposure are the enemy. Exposed skin accelerates heat loss, especially through the wind.

Avoid sweating and stay dry: Besides moisture loss, sweating is bad because water on your skin makes you colder. That’s why we sweat, to begin with, it’s the body’s air conditioning system.
Snow is an insulator: Don’t be afraid to use it for shelter.

Conclusion

The best experiences are scary. Even with all the risks that come along with it, hunting in the winter is one of the best outdoor activities that people can engage in during the cold season.
One needs to just prepare adequately and be a creative enough to survive the cold. For people who love having fun, this is something worth a try. Good training for resilience and creativity.