It would be impossible to remember how many times my feet got cold while hunting, but I certainly can remember one of the coldest.
It was a early November morning and when I awoke, the temperature was a perfect 22 degrees with zero wind. The rut was in full swing and I had my sights set on a giant buck that was on my lease, I had never seen him during the daylight, but he ran in front of my truck lights more than once. He was well known by the locals and had many a hunters laying awake at night hoping to get a shot at him.
As I prepared for the hunt I told myself, ” I need to stay in the stand at least till noon” the big boys were on their feet most of the day, and the farmer I leased from had seen him a few times during mid day. Money was tight back then, and I surely didn’t have the right hunting cloths for the task at hand, but I had determination, which I thought could power me thru the cold.
As I sat in the dark morning, I took a deep breath of frigid air, it tasted amazing, which was, and still is one of the best parts of hunting in the cold. But as the minutes turned to hours the cold was getting to my feet. It always seems to start the same, a light aching at the end of the toes, as the cold penetrated my cheap boots. I wiggled them and tried to get the blood circulating but after about 3 1/2 hours, the pain was getting to the point where I now had a hard time thinking of anything else but the cold on my toes.
That soon changes when a stick snapped and I could hear a deer trotting my why, I got to my feet and grabbed my bow, soon a small 4 point appeared and trotted past my stand. all the while making small grunts with almost every step,Yep the rut was on and I had to stay in this stand,but the pain was unbearable.
Another hour passed and It was now 10:45 AM and I made the decision to climb from my stand. The pain in my feet was so bad I didn’t think I could walk the half mile to my truck. As I made my way through the field, I literally had tears coming down my cheeks and thought I may have severe frost bite.
I got in my truck and started the engine and tore off my boots and exposed my feet to the heat now starting to come from the heater, they were a grayish color and thought this cant be good. As the heat warmed them the pain actually got worse and I contemplated heading to the hospital rather than home.
I decided to head home and take a nice hot bath and warm my entire body, but as I walked into the house the phone rang. It was the farmer, the giant buck was chasing a doe out in the field a mere 50 yards from where I spent the morning. I was heart broken, if only I would have,or rather could have stayed longer I probably would have gotten a shot at that monster.
So now here we are 25 years later, and I have the solution to keeping the feet warm while hunting all day long, Its INSULATED BOOT COVERS. I seriously would check out the BOOT SUITS, they can keep your feet warm even in the coldest conditions.