Whitetail Deer Hunting Gain a better understanding of the World's most popular big game animal and the techniques that will help you become a better deer hunter.

Staying warm in a tree stand

Old 11-29-2013, 08:13 AM
  #11  
Nontypical Buck
 
VAhuntr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 3,116
Default

Originally Posted by flags
Nope. Aspirin and alcohol are not the same in the way they work. When you get cold, your body begins to restrict the blood vessels in the extremities (hand, feet, finger, toes) to keep the blood in the core. Since aspirin acts as a blood thinner, it helps overcome this. This is also why they give heart attack victims aspirin, it helps make it a little easier for the heart to pump blood. Alcohol does not thin the blood it merely gives a warming sensation but by the time it goes through the digestive system it is chemically broken down and has no effect on the blood. That is why alcohol is bad because it gives the sensation without actually giving the benefit.

As to the blood being colder when it returns to the core, that would only be true if you weren't wearing gloves or boots in the first place or if you allowed everything to get cold before taking the aspirin. That is why it is recommended to begin the aspirin an hr before getting in the stand. Remember, blood is flowing so it isn't going to stay in the fingers and toes for more than a second or 2. Aspirin is so effective at this that it is even listed as one of the items recommended for people attempting to climb Mt Everest. Not the following:

Aspirin based medicines help thin blood and are very effective for a high-altitude headache.

http://www.traveladvisortips.com/top...est-gear-list/

Bottom line, the aspirin trick is something the military has used for decades for cold weather operations and training. Every cold weather mission or training evolution I've been on, aspirin has been dispensed. But I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you have never been in the service have you?
Aspirin works very well. I used it working on the flightline during the winters in my USAF days. This is a little off topic but aspirin has a lot of benefits. I have read it can also reduce your risk of cancer by as much as 40%.
VAhuntr is offline  
Old 11-29-2013, 09:27 AM
  #12  
Typical Buck
 
vapahunter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Midlo, Va
Posts: 561
Default

Never take one full aspirin an hour. This is dangerous and could lead to further complications if you get hurt. Ask any doctor and see what he says. The aspiron you take for a heart attack is once and the ones you take dailey are low doss. NEVER TAKE ANY EXCESIVE DOSES OF OVER THE COUNTER MEDS. If you have your blood thinned out that much and you cut yourself you could be in big trouble fast..
vapahunter is offline  
Old 11-29-2013, 12:06 PM
  #13  
Nontypical Buck
 
VAhuntr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA, USA
Posts: 3,116
Default

Originally Posted by vapahunter
Never take one full aspirin an hour. This is dangerous and could lead to further complications if you get hurt. Ask any doctor and see what he says. The aspiron you take for a heart attack is once and the ones you take dailey are low doss. NEVER TAKE ANY EXCESIVE DOSES OF OVER THE COUNTER MEDS. If you have your blood thinned out that much and you cut yourself you could be in big trouble fast..
I assumed flags is talking about low dose aspirin...not the full dose. That is what I would use and recommend.

Last edited by VAhuntr; 11-29-2013 at 12:08 PM.
VAhuntr is offline  
Old 11-29-2013, 04:41 PM
  #14  
Typical Buck
 
Murdy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North Central Illinois
Posts: 848
Default

"Bottom line, the aspirin trick is something the military has used for decades for cold weather operations and training. Every cold weather mission or training evolution I've been on, aspirin has been dispensed. But I'm going to go out on a limb and guess you have never been in the service have you?"

Actually, I was Army Infantry for 4 years. Stationed in Fort Bragg and Germany -- about 20 years ago. Didn't do much cold weather training in North Carolina, but some in Germany. I don't recall the aspirin trick. Not saying its wrong, just looking for more info. I did a little more reading, and I see that there is some disagreement on whether alcohol is a blood thinner, but I also come across info that its a vasodilator, which would result in a similar effect to thinning the blood (i.e., dilated capillaries equal more blood being brought to the surface of the skin -- http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10...lcohol_warmth/ ). So even if the mechanism (thin blood vs dilate blood vessels) is different, the net effect would be the same (or similar).
Murdy is offline  
Old 11-29-2013, 05:07 PM
  #15  
Fork Horn
 
RaySendero's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: US South
Posts: 444
Default

Originally Posted by jrfrmn
Staying warm in a tree stand - What can I do to stay out longer?
Set you up a box stand!
RaySendero is offline  
Old 11-29-2013, 05:45 PM
  #16  
Nontypical Buck
 
crokit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: elmira ny
Posts: 1,676
Default

Walk in extremely light, and change before getting in stand. Layers of polypropelyne { sic } and wool. Outside layer needs to be a decent wind block. Couple of old hunting socks stuffed with handwarmers around your waist and neck.
crokit is offline  
Old 11-29-2013, 05:47 PM
  #17  
Fork Horn
 
Grawlix's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 123
Default

Wool, man, wool.

Many thin layers of wool.

Does the trick for me.
Grawlix is offline  
Old 11-29-2013, 05:49 PM
  #18  
Nontypical Buck
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Eastern wv
Posts: 3,619
Default

google holly's hot sock
RR
Ridge Runner is offline  
Old 11-29-2013, 10:02 PM
  #19  
Giant Nontypical
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,227
Default

Originally Posted by VAhuntr
I assumed flags is talking about low dose aspirin...not the full dose. That is what I would use and recommend.
Yep. Just didn't put it in the post. Baby aspirin works really well for this.
flags is offline  
Old 11-29-2013, 10:11 PM
  #20  
Giant Nontypical
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 9,227
Default

Originally Posted by Murdy
I did a little more reading, and I see that there is some disagreement on whether alcohol is a blood thinner, but I also come across info that its a vasodilator, which would result in a similar effect to thinning the blood (i.e., dilated capillaries equal more blood being brought to the surface of the skin -- http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/10...lcohol_warmth/ ). So even if the mechanism (thin blood vs dilate blood vessels) is different, the net effect would be the same (or similar).
Not quite, if you are trying to stay warm, you don't want the blood vessels close to the surface since that is the source of the cold. You want them deeper which is why aspirin is preferred. Besides, are you really trying to say that alcohol use in a tree stand to stay warm is good? Anyone advocating that alcohol is proper while in the field is pretty irresponsible. Is that waht you're saying?
flags is offline  

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.