After a couple of recent posts from ND it got me to thinking. If you haven't hunted in weather below, say 15 degrees, you likely don't appreciate the increased level of difficulty in taking game.

So who frequently hunts in really cold weather?

I've hunted in weather below 15 F a fair bit. I deer hunt hard till waterfowl; if duck season is open in VA, AR or TN (home state), I'm chasing the birds.

Once you get temps that low, especially with solid winds, the elements leave no room for error. It is unforgiving of mistakes and dangerous once water gets involved.

Boat rides in single digits still make me nervous to be honest.

Whether deer or whatever hunting, you take your time and be sure of everything you do and involve yourself with.

One tip from me: take extra gloves and change them out. Only use gloves for things you don't wanna fight to recover, or have a hard time recovering, warmth from.

When I draw a permit in Colo I have been known to hunt @ -20 below. No one said I was intelligent!

I,ve done it. I usually have good success as well. You defiantly must dress for it, I have found hand warmers in the toes of boots, and fingertips of mittens makes all the difference.

It sucks. Can't stay warm, can't stay still. Much below 20 I bag it.

Used to rifle hunt up n MN in temps like that on a very regular basis.. And that's a lot easier than bowhunting!

I hunt when I can get an invitation to private land, regardless of the weather... But last time I bowhunted in really cold weather, I saw one skinny red fox all day long...

I don't mind cold, so long as I can be up and moving. One good thing when it gets REALLY cold is that the deer don't feel much like moving, either, so sometimes you can get surprisingly close, if they aren't sure that you've spotted them yet. Just have to act Clueless.

And at THAT, I am something of a true Master!! (ROFL!)

You're right on there deerhunt 51. Handwarmers in mittens and even in my bunny boots. Years ago I bought a full outfit of Cabela's Standhunter Extreme camo; look like a camoflaged Pilsbury doughboy, and have to keep my bow arm tight with big rubber- bands. That clothing wicks moister and you really stay warm. 4 years ago after sitting for 3 hours in 25 below in my ground blind, when I tried to get up, I was frozen to my seat!! That's my good friend Gene (Nodak) with that really nice dear; you probably noticed how cold he looked....but happy. RonR

I also love hunting our late archery season. There is an added element of difficulty, but the peacefulness is priceless. I'm ok deer hunting until it gets near 0 or there is a stiff wind in the mix. Past that it rapidly loses it allure for me;-)

The coldest I ever hunted in Wisconsin was some 30 years ago, just before the new year...-30º. Only exposed skin was about 1/2" accross my eyes.

My b.i.l. and myself were on snowshoes about a mile off the road, and I passed up 2 shots at does...the idea of removing my gloves to gut one out gave me reason to pause...and I granted both a stay, lol.

Really, if you're dressed right and moving about, you can handle some pretty bitter stuff. But, I don't believe I'll do that anymore.

Wearing solid white helps greatly when hunting cold weather with snow on..Most people don't wear white..I like Cold weather hunting best because you have the woods to yourself.

one of my favorite hunts was about 5 degrees ,, not that cold for some of you, ,, but for a texas boy that is cold,, made a nice shot on a doe,,, couldnt find her till next morning,, kept the meat nice and cool,,,

I don't do below zero, never did, never will. Luckily, it is a rare occasion here in southern Pa. that it would get that cold. 15 above is not that awful, but I prefer the 30's and 40's myself.

The mid-teens is about as cold as I will hunt in. If there's any significant wind I won't even go out in 15 degree weather. I can stay warm in lower temperatures, but the clothing required interferes with my shooting.

It's supposed to be fun, and when it gets too cold I don't think it's fun. Now if I were rifle hunting or chasing grouse or pheasants where you move around a bit, pretty much any weather is doable.

If it's frost on the ground after the sun comes out I'm at home. Six years of living in South Texas and blood thinners ruined cold weather hunting for me.

I've done it in Saskatchewan using Berber's extreme outfitter camo suit and the chemical heat pads. Part of my shooting method is dedicated to solving the difficulties of shooting with fingers during real world hunting conditions...

Did -4º once was not fun at all and I was 20 years younger then

Not for me

Dang cold in Alberta the last few days !

If I have an empty freezer I go out. I think -23 was the coldest I've gone out in.

I hunted when it was 34 here once. It was cold. RC I was in a stand..lol

I have camped and hunted pigs in Febuary when it was in the teens at night and high 32. RC

most 1st season bow hunts in the west are in September. it is usually very warm, sometimes hot, with the occasional snow depending on elevation.

for any seasons later in the year I am usually busy bird hunting with dogs, and have given up the bow until next year.

the coldest I recall big game hunting was about -10 degrees, but that wasn't a bow hunt. the coldest bow hunt probably with temps in the teens.

you won't have to compete with me when temps are that cold.

I have to do my cow work no matter how cold it is, so if I need to hunt when it's cold it's no different.

Late season is my favorite , if you can prepare well for the cold sometimes it's very rewarding.

Frank

My hunting partner Journeyman

I have in the past but now 20 and above during the winter is my target. Old age and all. Can't imagine going out in minus temps. You guys who do are nuts, IMHO. But my hat's off to you.

been known to hunt in the cold a time or two.

plenty cold on this day. We do drives in the late season, the walkers stay plenty warm but the posters have to dress for the weather and learn a few tricks to stay warm. Coldest day I remember was in the -30F. It was brutal but productive

When I was 10 years younger really enjoyed it and have the cloths to stay warm but as I aged it became less and less until one day I thought if I don't have my deer early then I am going to have to face a lot more pain as well as dangerious conditions while traveling and getting to spots and these older bones and issues say don't be foolish why even take a chance. I will go out to scout in the truck with fresh snow not iced up but that's about it and bird hunt in snow as long as its not iced up. Just not worth it these days. I put all my time in when I was young when it was more enjoyable and things didn't bother me in the cold with pain. If I was in better health I probally would sit in blind and maybe get a heater for it for some predatores. Guys have said come on lets go ice fishing and I say whats your set up? Tent with heater and nice chair? Drive out on ice? Naugh no thanks enjoy yourself drop some fish off if you'd like I would appreciate that. Anymore I won't even go out and work in bad conditions its better for me to be safe than to take chances.LOL

Back in the day on a freeze up on the bay we used to bust ice to get out and on the water its much cooler and on saltwater it gets really cold before it freezes up. Dangerious as all get out but if you can find an open spot in the ice and hunt that you'll have birds picthing in while your standing up shooting at them its like they don't even know they are being shot at and want to commit suicide. Rember those times well but was hard on equipment.

I haven't regularly hunted in extremely cold temps. I did take my musk ox in -30 temps and my polar bear in -40 however.

weathers not a factor in my hunting. My coldest was a late seson elk hunt in Montana. Going out in morning was -35 to -40, but it warmed up during the day to a balmy -25. I hunt one thing or another all winter.

One good thing 'bout those sub-zero days...sceeters ain't too bad...

Our deer season only runs to Dec. 15 up here on the border so no matter the temp, I hunt. I only groundhunt so I stay warm even at -20. This afternoon it was in the 20's. I was still hunting with wool bibs, a wool shirt, and an Asbell pullover, and I was plenty warm. Rifle season is on now, so bowhunting is hard. I wear an orange hat and tie an orange clothe on to my daypack. So far I have seen 18 deer this season, missed a huge buck that was only 20 feet from me on full alert, that jumped my string. I aimed low because they always duck the arrow. This was the first time I had one leap straight up and I shaved his underside. I couldn't hunt until Nov 1st because of my coaching duties so it has been a hard go of it. Lost Sept and October. Praying for tracking snow these next two weeks.

I live in North Dakota and have hunted in extremely cold temperatures many times. Probably the coldest air temp was -25F but add in our almost constant winds and the wind chill can get really nasty. And in some of the places I hunt there isn't much to break the wind. I have made snow caves on numerous occasions to get out of the wind. I will also freely admit that the older I get the less cold I can take but I do like hunting the late part of the season. Not as many people out.

I live in North Dakota and have hunted in extremely cold temperatures many times. Probably the coldest air temp was -25F but add in our almost constant winds and the wind chill can get really nasty. And in some of the places I hunt there isn't much to break the wind. I have made snow caves on numerous occasions to get out of the wind. I will also freely admit that the older I get the less cold I can take but I do like hunting the late part of the season. Not as many people out.

I live in North Dakota and have hunted in extremely cold temperatures many times. Probably the coldest air temp was -25F but add in our almost constant winds and the wind chill can get really nasty. And in some of the places I hunt there isn't much to break the wind. I have made snow caves on numerous occasions to get out of the wind. I will also freely admit that the older I get the less cold I can take but I do like hunting the late part of the season. Not as many people out.

Many years working on the water dept. repairing water breaks in the middle of the night, in jan. and feb. kind of cured me. I don't want to turn bowhunting into a job, when it gets too cold, I usually head in, my toes get cold pretty quick, and that spoils a hunt. I guess I'd say around freezing and a bit below. Obviously, that wind plays a huge part as well. Brian

I don't hunt in below zero weather much anymore, but it was 4 below zero when I killed a buck last year.

Late season whitetail hunting was -33 Deg C. The diesel truck froze up right after.

Sorry for the multiple posts. Slow internet tonight and I hit the submit button three times before post loaded.

I have the option to hunt sweaty in early October to freezing cold temps late season here in Indiana. That's the hardest part is dealing With such a variety of weather conditions so close together

I have hunted here in WV before when it's that cold but since we've had global warming the temps in bow season don't get that cold. I did musk ox hunt in weather well below zero.,

There's cold and then there's really cold at a given temperature. For example, today, I shot at 33 degrees and calm. Had a blast! I often hunt down to around 27 degrees. Not bad at all. Even 15 is not too bad, unless it's humid and windy. My county is ranked as the 5th worst place to live in America, based on climate and scenery. We get an icy, windy cold that can and does kill people. On those days, nothing moves. You have to sit or stalk in a protected area. If the wind hits you, your eyes water and the tears freeze. I bundle up so well, I feel like a beach ball. I'll do it, but only if I have to get out.

Joe

All you wussies and the cold weather....how about 95 degrees while chasing turkeys for Thanksgiving here in San Diego.

Sorry, couldn't resist??

I've hunted in the cold late season many times. The coldest I recall was -20 below 0

Ron has a snow camo beard!

Joe

I'd rather hunt in the cold and snow than any other time. The colder the better for seeing more game. They have to be up and feeding, and I always see more. Can track, and be quiet. I don't get cold easy unless I sit too long. I'd rather move about anyway, and stalk/ track 'em down. Stealth and an unaware shot are what keep me after it. I've seen some really big mulies in Montana on below zero days, always in November, always with does. Cold is the ticket.

Coldest hunting would be Alberta.

-15 C. or 5 °F.

The coldest I've been out was -5 F and that was awhile ago. I kept moving. Nothing else was. It was pretty much a roving session.

These days if it is colder than 20 F I stay home.

Jawge

I have, but not with a bow. The extra layers of clothing make it difficult to snoot a bow.

i always get late muzzleloader season here in ia cause i love hunting in the cold. and very few hunters out

Don't know how cold it was but my water bottle froze and I had to thaw my chili to cook it!

No problem at all...took this from a stand at my hunt camp. I usually like to be on the ground in the snow. Best time to hunt as far as I'm concerned...quite walking and easy to track deer.

Not my favorite time to hunt but I sure love hunting with snow on the ground and the two usually go together here in Colorado! Sure nice not having to worry about spoiled meat like we do in elk season!

Usually when we do get snow here in Maryland, the season is usually over.In 39 years of bowhunting I have only taken one deer in the snow here in Maryland, but it is certainly not for lack of trying.

Tony

I hunt in a part of the state where it might well be 0 or 35 at daylight anytime during hunting season. I've hunted in temps that make no earthly sense. In both extremes. If I have the time, minus a heavy rain, I'm hunting regardless of temps. God Bless

6*, South Texas, 1982, killed my largest buck, body and horns! Awesome hunt, still hunted thru the mesquite and blackbrush! Shot him at 7:20am. Can't remember the date, sometime in mid-December, I think. Wind blowing 25mph plus!

Snow - yes, often (I'm in Upstate NY). Cold? Coldest I ever stuck out was -15°F and I actually killed a small buck. By that time it was maybe -12°F, and -10°F was as warm as it got that day.

Field dressing him was like sticking my hands in fire. But after the initial burn it felt g..o..o..d.

Anymore is it gets below 10°F I stay in and snuggle up to the fire.

Snuffer- Looks like you didn't get much of a blood trail, lol!

Joe

Frisky, believe me, it was quite easy to follow the blood in the snow. It stuck out like the proverbial sore thumb. The first and only time I ever tracked a deer in the snow. I certainly want to do it again. I just think it seems so authentic to take a deer with snow on the ground, especially with a traditional bow in your hands.

Tony

I usually don't even see the kinda temps I mentioned in my post, but it was a late season(January)elk hunt just outside Yellowstone. We were hunting the elk migrating down to lower altitudes. I knew there'd be some huge bulls so greed sent me out into those -25 to -40 day to hunt.

Snuffer- I think a blind man could have followed that trail, lol! Good job!

Joe

Just came back from a late season elk hunt, tent camping. A few days in, after a snow storm when my propane ran out, I was ready to quit. But I don't quit. Just when things looked like they couldn't get much worse, the storm broke and the sun came out. Refurbished with propane from town, all was well again. But in our deep forgotten history, there must have been some tough tough times. All respect for our hunting ancestors...

David.....some true words. Our ancestors most certainly endured some tough times.

I well remember the story's of my grandfather during the depression.

You made every bullet count. Hunting was ALL! about food, and you used everything and wasted nothing.

Far as hunting in the cold i've hunted in below zero fairly often in the late season, mostly northern PA, can't recall hunting much below -10 degrees or so.

sure been a warm fall and winter here so far this year.

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