QDMA: Stay Warm in the Stand, Stay in the Game

Quality Deer Management AssociationHunting is unpredictable, but that’s what we love about it. You can go from being bummed and not seeing a thing one minute, to harvesting your biggest buck ever the next! Unfortunately, weather can be just as unpredictable, and sometimes half the challenge is just being able to stay out in the field.

As a typical woman, I am always cold. I’m also a bowhunter, so staying warm while still being able to draw a bow is yet another challenge. Over the years hunting in my home state of Iowa, I have had to learn from trial and error what works to keep me warm enough to stay in the game, especially in the late season. The main thing I have learned during cold hunts is that you must have a complete system. One simple thing forgotten, whether it is a major or minor component to your system, can leave you too cold to function, enjoy the hunt, and properly concentrate on the tasks at hand.

Layers/Staying Dry
Starting out as a bowhunter, it didn’t take me long to learn that bulk was my enemy. A slap of the bowstring on the arm of your coat is enough to warn a deer enough to react to your arrow or to affect the accuracy of your shot. How do you stay warm without the bulk? When preparing for cold-weather hunting, there are two main points to remember: wearing layers and staying dry. These go hand-in-hand. Click to read remaining part of story

print