{"id":138266,"date":"2021-01-04T19:02:44","date_gmt":"2021-01-05T00:02:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=138266"},"modified":"2024-08-03T19:49:26","modified_gmt":"2024-08-04T00:49:26","slug":"hunt365-pro-tips-for-thriving-in-the-cold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/hunt365-pro-tips-for-thriving-in-the-cold\/","title":{"rendered":"Pro-Tips for Thriving in the Cold"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Pro-Tips<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A lot of hunting is waiting. Hunting season in most of the country comes with cold weather. Hunting can be exciting, there is nothing like finding the buck or shooting the duck, but when you have to sit in the cold it can lose some of its luster. Let\u2019s beat the cold and harvest that game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a great story by famous adventure writer Jack London, “To Build a Fire<\/a><\/strong>.” If you have never read it, you should take ten minutes and check it out. A man wants to make a short trip to visit friends. In spite of warnings, he underestimates the harsh conditions and slowly begins to freeze to death. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through a combination of ineptitude and bad luck, he slips into unconsciousness and dies of hypothermia. It is a cautionary tale, but you don’t have to go to the Yukon to die from hypothermia, it can happen well above freezing. One of the first effects of cold is confusion and poor judgment. Poor judgment is a leading cause of accidental death and injury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone can be cold, there is nothing noble about that. Being cold can make you miss a shot or make a bad decision. Even worse, being really cold can take fingers and toes or kill you. In addition to good clothing choices, you should pack shelter, insulation, and fire-starting gear. Don’t survive by accident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan Ahead<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Let’s stay warm; the first step is planning. Look at the weather forecasts and analyze your activity levels. You should plan your nutrition, hydration, activity, rest, and dress accordingly. Your metabolism is the furnace that keeps you warm, start by making sure it is properly fueled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stay Hydrated<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Make sure that you are drinking 5 or 6 quarts of water a day. In cold weather, people tend to drink less than they should. Avoid nicotine and alcohol as they dehydrate. Hot juice or soup can keep you warm while hydrating and providing needed calories. If you don’t know this trick, yellow urine is the first sign of dehydration. If it has been hours since you have taken a leak, you are dehydrated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pro-Tips<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In cold weather, your caloric requirements may increase by 25-50%. To stay warm, you should snack throughout the day with calorie-dense food like dried fruit, nuts, cheese, or jerky. Try to eat hot food and drink warm beverages. Carry emergency rations for unexpected delays. Eat a large snack at night to keep warmer during sleep and prevent shivering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Calories needed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 moderate exertion – 4500 calories\/day<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 extreme exertion – 8000 calories\/day<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dress Warm: The Basics Of Layering <\/strong> <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Warmth comes from insulation. The most efficient way to provide insulation is trapping air. Layering is the process of using various items of clothing to provide adjustable levels of insulation that trap air in clothing. Key Take Away: As conditions and activity levels change, so should your layers of clothing.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are three basic layers of clothing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Base Layer (Wicking Layer)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Middle Layer (Warming Layer)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Outer Layer (Protective Layer)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pro-Tips
The base layer is a thin layer of clothing that you wear next to your skin. These long johns from Beyond Clothing<\/a> may help warm you a bit, but their main purpose is to wick away sweat. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Pro-Tips
This Army surplus fleece jacket is cheap, light and warm. It is one of my favorites.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Pro-Tips
The Army field jacket liner is one of the greatest accomplishments of clothing design. It adds little bulk and is practically weightless while providing great insulation. It is a great piece to have in the outer pocket of your ruck to pull out when you stop. If you roll into its sleeve, it is self-contained and makes a great pillow.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The middle layer or the warming layer. Its thickness is determined by conditions. Flexibly functional, you want to select enough insulation to keep you warm. Something which will hold loft and dry quickly when wet. Two of my favorites are a military field jacket liner and a polyester fleece jacket. Polyester is renowned for its insulation. It can maintain quite a high-temperature difference on its two sides. In our case, it is the inside and the outside. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pro-Tips
A soft shell outer layer resists water and breathes dry. These are Level 5 PCU outers from Patagonia<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The outer layer is like a protective shell. This layer wards off the wind or rain or snow and traps body heat and prevents it from leaking out. There are two types; a hard shell, like a Gortex parka which repels water or a soft shell that resists water and breathes dry. In wet weather above freezing, you may prefer a hard shell. Below freezing, there is no need for protection from water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Pro-Tips
A hard shell, like the Slumberjack<\/a> Gortex parka and pants, repels water. In wet weather above freezing, you may prefer a hard shell. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Pro-Tips
Slumberjack<\/a>‘s Incog Down Jacket is a perfect three season softshell outer or winter intermediate layer for any outdoor activity.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Picking Your Layers<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Army teaches the acronym COLD for dressing for cold weather:<\/p>\n\n\n\n