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Archery Cold Weather Bowhunting

Cold Weather Bowhunting

Stripped down, I strapped my Fanatic suit to the outside of my pack, grabbed my bow and headed off into the pre-dawn darkness. My stand was a half-mile into the woods. At -11-degrees Fahrenheit (-24 Celcius), it was cold and I had a long sit ahead of me. With the deep snow, cold and variable terrain, I couldn’t risk overheating. Getting sweaty wasn’t an option. As a rule, I stop a couple hundred yards from my stand, cool down for a couple minutes, then dress up in all of my cold weather gear. Through trial and error, I’ve learned this strategy works well for me.

Ask anyone who has hunted northern deer from November through February, and you’re sure to hear captivating stories of brutally frigid days on stand. For those with the right apparel and other gear, perseverance and most importantly an insatiable desire to conquer the elements and tag a buck, bowhunting the extreme cold can be very rewarding.

Kevin Wilson is posing with the 10-point buck and bow he used to take it down.
Dressing properly and investing long hours on stand, paid off with a 20-yard shot opportunity on this late November mule deer.

As team members on Wild TV’s Bowzone Live show, my wife and I spend every November bowhunting Alberta whitetails and mule deer from a stand. This often involves sitting all day, regardless of the temperature, precipitation or wind. The only way to endure the discomfort is by layering with a good clothing system, understanding and adapting for your own limitations, and staying mentally strong. Fundamentally, the most important step to conquering the cold begins with dressing properly.

Stock up on Broadheads

Base Layers

Beginning with the layer closest to the skin, wear something that retains heat but most importantly wicks moisture. Despite the many different options, Merino wool is one of the better ways to go. The right base layer will help wick perspiration, you still need to be careful. A number of companies make base layers with Merino wool, but I’ve found the Sitka Gear undergarments to be ideal for both warmth and wicking. As I mentioned previously, if you have a long way to walk to your stand or blind, or you are working hard to hike through deep snow or up steep hills, it can be best to remove a layer or two for the hike in, and carry them in, to put on when you arrive at your destination.

Kenetrek Liner sock
The Kenetrek Liner Sock is worth considering as a base layer under a wool sock.

Insulating Layer

As a second or insulating layer, wear something that stops the wind, either a fiber pile or at a minimum Polartec fleece. Your challenge will be finding something that blocks wind, but also breathes. In most extreme cold weather situations, I wear either a Sitka Gear or Cabela’s Windstopper top. A few years ago, I added a rechargeable heated vest to my arsenal of cold-weather clothing, and I’ve never looked back. One vest worth checking out is the Whitewater Torque Heated Fishing Vest. Wearing a heated vest buys me hours of comfort in the cold.

Outer Layer

Over the last three decades, I’ve tried everything from the no longer available Raven Wear, to King of the Mountain wool, and even the newer Silent Predator wool garments. Each is extremely warm, but for bowhunting this comes with a cost; they’re all heavy and a bit awkward to move in. Through trial and error, the best cold-weather apparel option I’ve found for bowhunting in extreme cold conditions, is Sitka Gear’s Whitetail Fanatic line. Designed specifically for bowhunters, I’ve been unable to find any other manufacturer with something as quiet, warm, or lightweight. The angled zipper, collar, built-in pocket muff, pouches for heat packs, and rangefinder/call pockets are perfectly engineered for bowhunters. Using Primaloft and Gore Windstopper material, the Fanatic line is unparalleled.

Keep Your Hands, Head, and Neck Warm

Gloves, mitts or a muff are equally important in cold weather. I favor either wool mitts with the flip-open fingertips, or again the Sitka Fanatic Glove that is essentially a base layer-style glove with open thumb and pointer fingertip to accommodate shooting with a release. With the majority of body heat lost through your head, a wool hat and, if necessary, a warm hat or balaclava are a must. By keeping your head and face warm, you can buy yourself hours on stand.

An archer in a tree stand wearing full winter gear and holding a bow.
Gloves, mitts, a muff and a warm hat or bellaclava are a must for cold-weather bowhunting.

Footwear Matters

Footwear too, is critical. As a deer hunting guide in Alberta, despite my recommendations, the odd hunter inevitably arrives in camp with boots that simply don’t cut it in the extreme cold. In my experience, nothing beats the Cabela’s Trans-Alaska pac boot for sitting long cold hours on stand. Wearing either a quality rechargeable sock, or something like the Kenetrek Liner Sock and wool sock combination in this boot, keeps my feet warm even on the coldest days.

Weatherproof winter boots
Footwear matters. Pick up the warmest boots you can find.

Heat Packs

Rechargeable, or chemically activated, heat packs can be a lifesaver. Strategically placed in boots, mitts, throughout one’s clothing (i.e. over kidneys, arms, and on the back of the neck), can literally warm up your world. With heat loss being the cold weather stand hunter’s number one enemy, these accessories help retain body heat and keep you comfortable and alert for more hours on stand.

Mobility, Strength & Calories

Ultimately, the key to staying warm is maintaining blood flow. Sitting motionless on stand, your body’s core temperature falls. When core temperature drops below a certain point, involuntary shivering begins. When this happens, it becomes difficult to pull your regular draw weight. I recommend turning your draw weight down at least five-pounds for stand hunting longer hours in the extreme cold. Drawing and then holding at full draw when you’re shaking is next to impossible.

To stay limber and sharp on stand, every half hour or so, do a series of subtle exercises to keep fingers and toes flexible. By cautiously standing up, slowly bending and flexing all joints and tensing then releasing muscles, you can generate and retain warmth. Equally important, is ingesting calories. Energy bars, or even a chocolate bar, can help fuel your body and keep your internal furnace going.

No matter how you look at it, arrowing an animal in the extreme cold is an accomplishment. Only by preparing and gear up properly, persevering and putting in your time will you get the job done.

author avatar
Kevin Wilson
Kevin is an award-winning outdoor writer for over 30 years, team member on Wild TV’s popular Bowzone Live show, and operates Alberta Hunting Adventures. He currently lives in Alberta, Canada where he shares a passion for the outdoors with his family. As a professional outfitter and guide, Kevin offers his perspective on what it takes to have a successful hunt and shares his outdoor adventures.

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