Question for the cold weather hunters


RangerClay

Recommended Posts

Greetings,

At our hunting camp we are going start having a bring your children weekend. It will give us a chance to bring our kids that are too young to hunt. We are going to build some 2 person box stand tree houses to hunt out of. This brings me to my question. For those of you who hunt in cold weather, by cold weather I mean below 30 degrees, do any of you use heaters? If you do, what type do you use and is it odorless? Is there one available that is odorless? Perhaps my Canadian neighbors have some good ideas in this area.

Thanks

Ranger

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Question for the cold weather hunters

If the kids aren't shooting then just pack em up tight and warm, like that kid in the Christmas story movie with the pellet gun, where the kid gets all packed up to go to school and falls down, but can't get up, because he's got too many cloths on...LOL grin.gif

It's the hands and feet that are always the first thing to get cold. Once they start going, it's not long before you have unhappy campers. wink.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest deldeer

Re: Question for the cold weather hunters

we hunt out of box's here also, we have plexi glass windows, so sometimes body heat alone will keep them warm. but when it drops down in the teens i will take a army blanket or one of my old insulated shirts for the kids to rap up in, & NEVER let them wear cotton next to the skin. cotton is the coldest material to wear on your skin. good luck.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Question for the cold weather hunters

I rely on hand warmers, and good clothing. I think a heater is just another hassle, and another way to spook deer. I have no experience with box blinds though, so that may be a different ball game. I would say do whatever you need to to keep the kids happy and comfortable. smirk.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Question for the cold weather hunters

Seriously now guys......I like the idea of family hunting..and use a box blind myself with plexiglass windows and I use a product called the Portable Buddy which runs of a propane bottle this works great and doesn't emmit any oder. This can be purchased most anywhere ( Cabela's,ProBass,Amazon,and camping world ) carry them for about $80.00 this is not a bad price since these can be used camping or for power failures and a re completley portable. hope this helps !!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Question for the cold weather hunters

I use a Coleman propane heaters in my buddy's blinds. They work good if they are a solid blind with air vents in them or windows to open once in a while, but a vent at the top like 2 inch pvc pipe works best to let out the fumes and not let cold air in.. They put out more of a radiant heat and will last about 4 hours on one bottle. They workreally well to warm hands and feet quickly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Question for the cold weather hunters

Well, when I bring my kids in the cold. I dress them nice and warm with a face mask. I always bring them a jug of hot cocoa, and I always put a few potatoes in the Nuke machine before I leave and then wrap them heavily in foil. When we get hungry we just eat the nice and warm potatoes and drink the hot cocoa.

Wigs

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Question for the cold weather hunters

Yes I have used a heater in my box stands and have been successful while using them. In -20*F, with wind chills below that.

I bought a Colman Black Cat propane heater. Its a flameless type made for inside tents and uses the 1 lbs bottles. With windows open it will not keep the heat pumping, but placed right in front of me, so the heat flows up in front of me, it keeps the hands, face, and boby very warm.

With the windows closed it heated a 4x8 box stand in minutes..

I will be using a "Buddy Heater" this fall/winter. Its one we use in our ice fishing shanty. It cranks BTU's and will most likely keep the inside of the stand warm even with windows open...

I actually hooked up a gas grill tank and 12' hose, chained to the base of my box stand, and run the hose up threw the floor for continous heating this year.

Before we were using just the 1 lbs bottles, and although they worked for a continous 8 hours, it always seemed to run out when I was there.. LOL

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Question for the cold weather hunters

[ QUOTE ]

Portable Buddy heater is very good. It will shut down if the oxygen level gets low.

[/ QUOTE ]

MAKE SURE THE BOX HAS A VENT!!! OTHERWISE YOU CAN DIE FROM CARBON DIOXIDE POISONING!!! PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU CAN SAFELY HAVE ANYTHING BURING INSIDE YOUR SHELTER!!!

crazy.gifcrazy.gifcrazy.gifcrazy.gifcrazy.gifcrazy.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re: Question for the cold weather hunters

I dont take my kids when the temps drop real low, by that I mean near zero.I on the other hand hunt every day of the late season and it can be way below 0 here in Jan.Last year I hunted several days when the wind chill was - 40 or lower.It migh seem kinda stupid to go when the weathers like that but late muzzleloaders a relatively short season compared to bow season here and the temps can stay like that for days at a time, costing you a big chunk of the season.Plus while theres not any other hunters out, the deer still seem to move good, maybe even better in an effort to stay warm during this time, and theyre bunched up giving you the chance to see deer numbers you never see during the early season.

Stay outta the wind, the box blind should help with that.Dress the kids in layers, long johns, tshirts, a wool lined flannel, sweatshirt, a pair of coveralls, then a coat over the top.Facemasks are essential, you dont want any exposed skin if your outside of the blind.Heat loss hapens fast through the head anyway so Ive been told.Fingers and toes get cold the fastest.I like a pair of mittens with the top that flips back, and a pair of lightwieght gloves under them.Feet I like the neoprene socks they make for ice fishing, with a pair of regular socks over the top of them.Dont put the neoprene on till your in the blind though or your feet sweat and it defeats the purpose.I also cram handwarmers in the fnger area of the mittens when its real cold, and keep extras in my pocket just in case.A pair of insulted boots and you should be able to sit for a couple hours in any weather with or without a heater.Dont take the kids if its real cold, to much room for mistakes and frostbite plus freezing to death kinda takes the fun out of it for them.It only takes 45 minutes to get all this on to grin.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.