cold feet......

FirstFredom has it right .... as taught to me by The Sierra Club mountaineering section years ago. Wickdry and wool.

But, like piercfh I learned while living/hunting/guiding in B. C. for several years that rubber boots, loose enough for the double socks, were my best solution. Used pacs (Sorel) some but found them not as comfortable. Also carried a couple of pieces of Ensolite - one under my feet, one under my butt when sitting! Keeps the cold off the boot soles some.

Even notice that when deer are seen or the ducks begin to come in the cold goes away!!!! :confused::)
 
I wear lacrosse rubber boots all year round with no insulation.
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+1 except for the name brand. Bring an extra pair of socks or two.

The best cold weather tip I ever heard was from my barber (actually he's nearly retired now), a guy who was a Marine in 1950 at the battle of Chosin Reservoir. He said to wear several pairs of socks and when the inner pair started to freeze take them off and put them on the outside. He also said that in extreme cold the smokers tended to get frostbite quicker than the nonsmokers.
 
Make sure that you dress warm enough while sitting, but for your walk in, make sure you are cool enough not to start sweating. No hat, jacket off, if you start sweating while walking, take a quick rest break to cool down. A good foot powder might help too.
 
Let us know results.
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Well.........:( pretty sums up my MN season.

One more week until the WI season.....unfortunately or fortunately (however you look at it) the wait for the opener is not what I'm agonizing over....

It is where to hunt. I've got several stand locations in some county land, and I've also got access to a private piece of property that I know has some MONSTER bucks.

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My father shot this buck off the private property about 3/4 years ago. Last season and this season while archery hunting, my father and uncle saw an even bigger buck with double drop tines.

So, I have a couple more days to ponder where to go....where to go...where to go....and keep my feet dry too......
 
I have had that cronic problem as well until now. I bought a pair of Rocky Prohunters, Gortex and 800 grams of thinsulate. I wore a thin pair of socks and a light pair of lambs wool socks over it and my feet were toasty warm. I walked 500-600 yards in them to my stand also.
 
Nosualc said;
ps - I always wear my orange hat and orange vest on the way to and while in my stand. How somebody could mistake a hunter for a deer amazes me, but I guess people do, so no use taking chances.
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There are just too many hunters that think bagging a Deer is the most important part of being in the bush.
When someone see's a deer, (some are tunnel visioned) checking beyond the target is a requirement that some just don't do well. The Blaze Orange will help the shooter see you.

Hey when it gets cold, I pull out the BUNNY BOOTS. size XL
I refer to the white felt boots that are so dangerously slippery that one wouldn't dare walk on a packed trail.
 
This may be something everyone knows so forgive me if it's redundent.

In the heal of the human foot there is a sort of swell in the viens that return blood from the foot up the leg to the heart. When we walk the act of putting pressure on the heal of the foot helps "pump" the blood back to the heart.

When we sit for extended periods the heart has to do all the work and what ends up happening is that the blood gets kind of backed up down there. Because of this there is not a continuious flow of warm blood going into the foot and the blood that is there cools down and the foot feels cold.

Most of us wiggle our toes to keep them warm, and that does work to some extent, but what we really need to do is to get that natural return pump working. So along with wiggling the toes try pumping up and down on your heals. This will move the cold blood out and allow the warm to move in. It will also use more leg mussels than just wiggling the toes and that too will help keep you warm.

And no I am not making it up.................................
 
i HAVE MUCH THE SAME ISSUE, and you can now buy those hot-hand thingies at wally-world that have adhesive on one side to allow them to be applied to your socks before walking in.

Another possible option is to get those overboots from Cabela's that you just stick your whole foot into once you get there.
 
If your boots have removeable sole liners, remove them and cut their shape on about 4 layers of newspaper. Put this under the liner in your boot to add some cold resistance.

The night before you go on a hunt, dust your feet with powder, even baby powder. If you shower before going out, repeat the process once your feet are completely dry. Leave just a thin film of powder will help both with chafing and moisture.

Someone mentioned circulation, smokers and frostbite. If you have circulation problems, smoke or you are diabetic, take one asprin (not tylenol, ibuprofen, etc.) with food before you go out. The asprin acts as a blood thinner and will help your blood circulate thru the capillaries in your feet better. This will not only keep them warmer, but it will also pull excess heat from your feet when moving.

Remember to bring water to your stand as you will dehydrate in cold dry weather just as fast as in hot dry weather.
 
cold feet

i used to wear full rubber pac type boots when it snows here. they had the felt type insul. inside. they worked ok. i outgrew them. my grandad had a pair of l.l. bean pac type boots. they did him alot of good. i ususally wear a pair of sorel pac type boot leather upper waterproofed with sno-seal with a rubber bottom. thick felt insul. inside i can't seem to find this model i have anywhere anymore. i wear them with either a pair of thin under sock and outer heavy wicking type. with a goretex bootie. or 1 or 2 pair or heavy wool socks with the goretex bootie. i have a 1/4 mile walk from my car to my stand. i have a problem also with my feet sweating alot too. i am able to sit still in my stand or on the ground for atleast 3 hours without a problem. on really really cold mornings or afternoons i carry a an old military surplus wool blanket with me. i'll wrap that around my waist allowing it to hang down and cover my legs and feet. sometimes i just stalk hunt instead of sitting down somewhere or in my stand. it depends on if i cut a fresh set or 2 of tracks in the snow. if we get snow. by the way anyone here in nj going out monday? rain or snow?

good luck to all this season
 
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