Method: You've a long hike, it's cold and you WILL sweat profusely
09-26-2012, 05:10 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,473
Method: You've a long hike, it's cold and you WILL sweat profusely
Logistically, how do you prepare for hunts where that will be the case?
This is something I've struggled with since I started hunting a few years back. Sometimes the walk to my hunting spot isn't that far, so it's a non-issue. But sometimes the walks are deep into public land and I may or may not be lugging a tree stand. Or, more notably, once per season I'll be invited up to a property in the mountains where it is very cold, the trek is very long and the hills are very steep.
Basically, the point is that, one way or another, I'm going to be working up a good sweat, and the weather is going to be cold. That means packing out my heavy clothing (sometimes along with a tree stand), which, along with a gun, makes the hike more burdensome.
Even with my outer layers packed, the base layers are pretty much going to get pretty damp, regardless of their moisture wicking abilities. Let's assume a long, hard hike up into the mountains where you will sweat a ton. When you reach your destination, is it better to "hope" that your moisture-wicking layers will do their job, or is it better to wear something else for the hike and pack ALL hunting clothing, then strip down to the buck and put your wet clothes in a ziplock bag and then put on all your hunting clothing?
Of course, for the scent-control freak crowd, how does that work? I mean, you are sweating. Profusely. No matter what you do, you are gonna be putting out some serious scent. I'm not poking at you...I have not made up my mind either way about scent control aside from watching the wind. I'm just curious what you all do in this type of situation.
I'm hoping there is a genius here who has figured it all out!
This is something I've struggled with since I started hunting a few years back. Sometimes the walk to my hunting spot isn't that far, so it's a non-issue. But sometimes the walks are deep into public land and I may or may not be lugging a tree stand. Or, more notably, once per season I'll be invited up to a property in the mountains where it is very cold, the trek is very long and the hills are very steep.
Basically, the point is that, one way or another, I'm going to be working up a good sweat, and the weather is going to be cold. That means packing out my heavy clothing (sometimes along with a tree stand), which, along with a gun, makes the hike more burdensome.
Even with my outer layers packed, the base layers are pretty much going to get pretty damp, regardless of their moisture wicking abilities. Let's assume a long, hard hike up into the mountains where you will sweat a ton. When you reach your destination, is it better to "hope" that your moisture-wicking layers will do their job, or is it better to wear something else for the hike and pack ALL hunting clothing, then strip down to the buck and put your wet clothes in a ziplock bag and then put on all your hunting clothing?
Of course, for the scent-control freak crowd, how does that work? I mean, you are sweating. Profusely. No matter what you do, you are gonna be putting out some serious scent. I'm not poking at you...I have not made up my mind either way about scent control aside from watching the wind. I'm just curious what you all do in this type of situation.
I'm hoping there is a genius here who has figured it all out!
09-26-2012, 09:42 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Champaign County, IL
Posts: 345
I have a pretty long walk to my stand in really hilly country and I wear the base layer and then pack my winter gear in. I know it can be a burdon but I have found this to be the best way for me. I also take my time getting to the stand. If I have to leave earlier then so be it. I take lots of breaks when walking to my stand to help me keep from sweating.
Also have you ever thought of a sled or anything? you can just pack your stand and winter gear on the sled and drag it in. It will make some noise but shouldn't be to bad if you take your time.
Also have you ever thought of a sled or anything? you can just pack your stand and winter gear on the sled and drag it in. It will make some noise but shouldn't be to bad if you take your time.
09-26-2012, 09:48 AM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NY: NYC to Watertown
Posts: 897
have to find the balance with pace/layers where you dont break a sweat,
you sweat, will be wet, when you stop will be wet and cold
layers that unzip help to cool you off without removing them,
if hiking in snow, think about a cheap sled you can drag,
easier to drag gear than carry it on your back,
hiking in very cold temps i often change layers pretty often,
you sweat, will be wet, when you stop will be wet and cold
layers that unzip help to cool you off without removing them,
if hiking in snow, think about a cheap sled you can drag,
easier to drag gear than carry it on your back,
hiking in very cold temps i often change layers pretty often,
09-26-2012, 10:44 AM
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: West TN
Posts: 847
Been there done that 7.62. I used to hunt on a large (12k+ acre) ranch in southern MO for 20yrs and some of the woodlots up there were over a mile across and I had some stands DEEP within those woodlots. (And being southern MO it was VERY steep and hilly terrain so it was no easy, flat walking) After several years of various tactics dealing with clothes and equipment, I finally came up with a system that I thought worked perfectly and was actually quite cheap!
It came to me one day while sitting in the stand tired from a long walk in with my rifle slung over my back while holding my bulky coat and bibs. I thought, "I need a LARGE, nearly weightless, mesh type backpack to carry all this crap in." I wanted mesh so I it would breath so that I wouldn't sweat between it and my back and I wanted it to essentially collapse into nothing so I could hide it under the leaves at the base of my stand while hunting. Suddenly a plastic/nylon mesh decoy bag made perfect sense. It will hold EVERYTHING you can carry (INCLUDING your rifle if you want to!) and they are available from many mfgrs for $20-$30. I bought an Avery mesh decoy bag. (Click on the link to see the pic)
http://www.averyoutdoors.com/images/...ng_enviro2.jpg
It came to me one day while sitting in the stand tired from a long walk in with my rifle slung over my back while holding my bulky coat and bibs. I thought, "I need a LARGE, nearly weightless, mesh type backpack to carry all this crap in." I wanted mesh so I it would breath so that I wouldn't sweat between it and my back and I wanted it to essentially collapse into nothing so I could hide it under the leaves at the base of my stand while hunting. Suddenly a plastic/nylon mesh decoy bag made perfect sense. It will hold EVERYTHING you can carry (INCLUDING your rifle if you want to!) and they are available from many mfgrs for $20-$30. I bought an Avery mesh decoy bag. (Click on the link to see the pic)
http://www.averyoutdoors.com/images/...ng_enviro2.jpg
09-27-2012, 01:05 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 2,414
7.62,
I walk pretty deep into hilly public land carrying my gear and climber also. Generally, i will hike in with the lightest possible clothing on (even when very cold)
When i get to the tree, i let myself cool down some, take the clothes off, put them in a large ziplock wipe down, spray down and start slowly putting on the hunting clothes a layer at a time so as not to get over heated again.
I also walk in very slowly and leave plenty of time to be up in my tree settled in and ready to hunt 1 hour before light. I know that takes getting out there pretty darn early but that's how i do it
Dan
I walk pretty deep into hilly public land carrying my gear and climber also. Generally, i will hike in with the lightest possible clothing on (even when very cold)
When i get to the tree, i let myself cool down some, take the clothes off, put them in a large ziplock wipe down, spray down and start slowly putting on the hunting clothes a layer at a time so as not to get over heated again.
I also walk in very slowly and leave plenty of time to be up in my tree settled in and ready to hunt 1 hour before light. I know that takes getting out there pretty darn early but that's how i do it
Dan
09-28-2012, 05:36 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Texas and Arkansas
Posts: 1,496
Yeah, I use to have that problem more before I lost 110 lbs. I still have that problem some, but I leave early enough to allow myself to move slowly. Walking usually isn't the problem. It is climbing in a climber that makes me sweat more. I leave my outer layers off until I get high, and use scent free wipes to wipe myself down when I get up there.
09-28-2012, 12:39 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: East Stroudsburg, PA
Posts: 149
Ive done the 0230 hike a few miles deep on public land. No 4 wheelers allowed and go for monsters worth the heart attack drag out. I pack in gear for an overnight survival mode if need be. Got lost a few years back and crawled out of the woods 24 hours later.
Last edited by PAThwacker; 09-28-2012 at 12:43 PM.
