Hunting equipment for winter hunting.

November 4, 2021

For winter hunting to be comfortable, you need to worry about the correct equipment in advance. Equipment, special equipment, and optics for the winter have their own specifics. We will tell you how to keep warm during the winter cold and be effective while hunting.
Specific of winter hunting.
Winter gives additional extremely to hunting in the form of low temperatures, abundant snow cover, strong winds, snowstorms, and the danger of avalanches. Many hunters are concerned about the danger of hypothermia and frostbite. An additional difficulty is the freezing of water, both in reservoirs and in a backpack. During severe frosts, humidity drops, and hydration becomes vital. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the possibility of heating water, preparing food, and heating and drying things. All types of equipment operating on batteries or batteries lose their charge much faster in frost than at normal temperatures. It is necessary to take this fact into account and have spare batteries. All weapons, thermal imaging optics, and night vision devices will require additional protection from extreme weather conditions during transport. Soft covers are suitable for day trips. And for long-term hunting, hardcovers will be more useful. Winter equipment includes many more items than summer equipment, which affects the additional weight of the backpack. It would help if you did not take unnecessary things, but the necessary minimum and an additional kit for survival for several days are required. Winter hunting requires a solid hunter's experience, correct behavior tactics in harsh conditions, and a competent equipment selection.

Winter hunting clothing.
Controlling the moisture content of clothing is a major factor in keeping warm. Hypothermia occurs as a result of wet clothes. Any moisture - snow, rain, water, condensation, sweat, frost permeates clothes and cools the body. Therefore, we pay attention to fabrics with moisture-wicking properties - wool, synthetics, fleece, membranes when choosing hunting clothing. We never wear cotton. It retains moisture. Layered clothing effectively retains heat and wicks moisture away. The base layer consists of wool or synthetic thermal underwear and socks. Medium includes full-zip fleece or wool hoodie, padded vest. The outer layer is a set of insulated jackets and trousers, protected from water and wind. We pay special attention to winter warmed hunting boots and a pair of gloves. Choosing the best boots we can afford. They should be tall, warm, strong, anti-slip tread, good shock absorption, and water resistance. For extra warmth, we take with us warmers for the body, arms, and legs. You can use insoles, socks, and a heated vest. It is extremely effective during periods without movement. In extreme conditions, we use shoe covers for boots, clutches for hands. It is advisable to take gloves, not one, but several pairs. Firstly, thin shooting gloves. Second, insulated mittens for movement. Most of the heat is lost through the bare head and neck. If it's not very cold, then a fleece hat and a scarf or balaclava are enough. In severe frost, we put on a two-layer warm hat, raise the hood. Be sure to take extra warm socks and gloves. You may need orange monochromatic or camouflage garments or inserts of these colors into clothing to avoid accidents. In snowy conditions, a dark hunting suit can be covered with a white camouflage suit.

Special equipment for winter hunting.
In snowy areas, it is advisable to use special equipment to move to the hunting area. It can be a truck, SUV, ATV, snowmobile. But they are suitable for flat terrain. When the terrain is difficult, you will have to get there on your own. For short distances and the low weight of the backpack, it will be enough to use sleds, skis, snowshoes. Snowshoes are more versatile and do not require special boots like skis. The sleigh will be useful for transporting things and trophies through dense snow. A camping stove is useful for heating and cooking. A tent and an insulated sleeping bag will be needed for shelter from the weather and overnight. If waiting in an ambush is planned, ladder racks are handy. They are accompanied by protective curtains that hide the hunter from animals and bad weather. They can be installed on busy paths for more comfortable and discreet observation. Night vision monocular or night vision binoculars are useful for observing nocturnal animals. For shooting, a night vision scope or a night vision clip has proven itself perfectly. Night vision goggles are useful for free movement at night. They free your hands for weapons and provide a three-dimensional image of the area.

Weapon and optics for winter hunting.
Frost and high humidity impose some peculiarities on the operation of optics and weapons. During winter hunting, it is necessary to monitor the icing of the optics glasses. In case of icing, wipe with a soft cloth. We try to prevent the breath from freezing on the glasses. To prevent icing, keep the scope cover closed until the last moment. During the day, in good weather, ordinary optics are sufficient. On bright moonlit nights, we use binoculars, a monocular, a night vision sight. With a lack of light, we supplement the weapon with an infrared flashlight. For hunting on a complete night, thermal imaging binoculars, thermal imaging monoculars, or thermal imaging sight are perfect. A thermal imager is useful not only at night but also during the day in difficult weather conditions. Thermal optics will detect the beast on a white snow-covered plain when ordinary binoculars fail due to sun glare. With snowfall, he will also be unmatched. Note that the combination of night vision optics with a thermal imager gives excellent results. Each hunter has its own preferences in the choice of optics and weapons. The most popular winter hunting rifle is the bolt action rifle. Rifles with Mauser-style controlled round feed are also excellent choices. In a rifle for winter conditions, looking for more free space in the chamber is necessary. The cartridge requires additional space to accommodate the frost. The floating bolt heads on rifles make small adjustments to the size of the case in the chamber and allow the cartridge to move when icing or wet. In addition, cartridges that have more tapered, shallow protrusions perform better in cold weather than their sharp-shoulder, straight-walled counterparts. But any weapon will freeze in the cold due to condensation inside and on the surface of the iron parts. Therefore, wipe the weapon dry and leave the bolt open after use. Winter lubrication helps reduce corrosion and prevents chuck seizing. During transportation, the weapon should be kept in a waterproof case to prevent the ingress of snow and moisture. If this is not possible, then you must cover the muzzle with a lid. Cartridges can reduce combat power in frost and high humidity. It is necessary to make an amendment when shooting, taking into account this fact. Before use, make sure that the cartridges are crimped, and the primers are sealed to prevent wetting of the gunpowder.
Harsh winter conditions are not a reason to sit in front of the TV at home. This is a reason for rational gathering, disciplined hunting behavior, expanding your experience, and a way to increase your self- esteem. We wish you great weather, abundant trophies, and pleasant winter hunting experiences.