What to Buy?

[dels322]

Hey all,

 

I recently have decided to get into hunting in particular i intend on bowhunting the east end of long island and my cousins property upstate, well if the federal sharpshooters leave anything for me next fall out here  Anyway i have begun my journey on and have purchased my bow, arrows and the like.  next on the list is my jacket and pants, then i intend on possibly buying a treestand aside from all the little things here and there i am to get.  Anyway i am a bit overwhelmed by all the product the patterns the fabrics and dont quite know what to buy.  i am trying to do this off season as to save a little money and make purchases as we become closer to the season so that i dont have to watch a large chunk of my paychecks disappear all at once(somehow this make it less painful)  anyway.  Back to my original question what to buy the general concensus out here has been any mossy oak pattern from what i can gather from my friends.  Now the question becomes so i get a bulky jacket/bibs guaranteed to keep myself warm in the dead of the season, one of those 4 in one parkas from cabelas or the like i figure it is the most versatile? but will it be too cumbersome? or do i go with something like the scent lok velocity jacket and pants a little more streamlined probably a little quieter and less bulky but possibly not as mush room for layering in december? which brings me to my second question with deer ever encroaching on property are they no longer threatened by our smell and is getting something with scentlok worth it or will i get the same effect from washing my clothes with scent away or something?  Will a bigger jacket hamper my ability to perform in the field.  I have practicedoutside with a number of differnt jackets and just feel like my carhartt canvas jacket seems to get in the way a bit.

 

If anyone has any feedback or suggestions it would be greatly appreciated.

 

At this time my budget for my pants/jackt combo is around 300 but for the right reasons can go up?  I also would appreciate something i would only have to buy once. and it would last a number of seasons both down here and upstate around cooperstown

 

Mike

[Woodjr55]

Hunting cloths are expensive. For me personally I still use camo purchased from Walmart because I can't see paying 100-200 for a pair of pants. So layering is key to me on a average fall day in temperatures say 20-40 degrees I will wear a couple layers of long underwear and my camo pants. During late season (gun season) being camouflage is less of a priority because I'm wearing a bright orange vest so on those cold days I'll wear a pair of insulated carhart bibs. Again my opinion some will recommend others. Good luck be safe

[Jeremy K]

You could always buy non hunting clothes and layer them, treat them like hunting clothes as far as keeping them scent free . I like to use one of those jacket/pants combos that is really light weight and has the loose leafy material as an over layer, those are rather cheap and you won't stuck with the huge price of hunting clothes.

[virgil]

To each his own.  But, I would recommend buying the highest quality you can afford- that way, you only buy once.  I have definitely found that you get what you pay for with hunting clothes.  Cabelas sells great stuff and you can find some great deals in their 'bargain cave'. 

You'll want to avoid very bulky jackets for bowhunting- spend your money on base layers that'll keep you warm without the bulk.

Good luck.

[Hock3y24]

Not that this will help you this season but next year after the season there will be a lot of quality items on clearance . I got a scent blocker fleece 150$ for 40$. Cabelas is a good place to find quality clothing also.

[dbHunterNY]

I don't ever pay full price for hunting clothing.  like hock3y24 said toward the end or after the season stuff goes on clearance.  also places like Cabelas has the bargain cave.  it's not necessarily bad stuff, it just means they've got a lot of it not sold or a newer version has come out.

 

I wear Under Armour Coldgear as a base.  fleece shirts and possibly pants are worn over those.  over those layers i'll wear one or two fleece vests.  then you have outer wear jacket and pants.  vests work well as they keep most bulk where it's needed, at your torso.  you get maximum range on movement in your arms still to mount a gun or draw a bow.  collars for base layers are silly and get in the way but most will have them to deal with.  layering will allow you to stay comfortable with the changes in temps from early AM to mid day to late evening.  you can wear less if you've got a good outer layer that blocks wind and doesn't get you soaked when it's wet.  I really like chest pockets for stuff like cellphone, license, wind checker, cloth for my glasses, etc.  they're easy to get into with treestand harness on or sitting down with little movement.

[moog5050]

First, I wouldn't put too much faith in scentblocker to trick the deer's nose.  You will have to play the wind no matter what, so scentblocker would not be a top priority (but it doesn't hurt).

 

Personally, I really like the open patterns like predator fall gray, but do wear others and sometimes different patterns top and bottom. 

 

If I were starting all over again, I would buy:

 

(1)  two sets of merino wool base layers - I have minus 33 brand (can be layered if really

cold) - better than the UA stuff in my opinion;

 

(2) a decent set of bibs (the gander outfitter line is warm);

 

(3) light pair of pants and windproof jacket (I really like the core4element stuff on camofire.com)

 

(4) a predator fleece (be sure you have room to layer with the windproof jacket as the fleece is not windproof);

 

(5) lastly some decent rain gear

 

I also have a set of asat leafy gear which is pretty reasonable and can be worn over anything early season.

 

Don't forget, warn beanie, gloves for those cold days and good boots (i like muck because they fit me well).

 

Good luck.

[JALA RUT]

In addition to clothing I use a camo backpack to carry assorted gear, food, and water (hot chocolate on really cold days) into the woods as well...Good Luck

[G-Man]

bargain cave at cabellas, sportsmangude, clearance...camo patterns are for people to look at, you dont need camo at all...not moving and slow movements will get you close to any game. buy clothes you can layer..a light layer you can put over warmer clothes or wear by itself. is a good versatile garment. your warmer clothes can just be regular clothes you are comfortable in.. remember a deer can dissapear quiickly and its just brown and white.. paying big bucks for a pattern is crazy.. more deer have been killed in carharts and red and black or green and black plaid wool jackets than by camo patterns.. my neighbor still hunts in plaid coats killing turkey and deer doesnt matter to the animal at all 78 years of hunting cant be wrong. his advice dont fidget, and move slowly when you must...

[philoshop]

Most important for me has always been noise. You have to move to draw a bow, and combining noise with that movement is a definite no-no. Lightly scratch your fingernails on the fabric. If you hear anything at all there's a good possibility a deer will hear it from twenty yards away. I don't buy any outerwear that I can't hold in my hands for a scratch test first.

As stated above, layering is the way to go for most of bow season, with a relatively lightweight and quiet outer shell. And  buy the clothing early enough that you have time to wear it during practice so that you are comfortable shooting in it.

Best of luck

 

[A Sportsman]

SoMe good comments here. My .02, my bowhunting clothing really doesn't take much abuse. I don't scout in the clothes I hunt in. And when I hunt I generally walk to a treestand and back. My clothes have lasted for years despite not being all that expensive. My suggestion is to buy at least two sets of camo. One for cold/wet conditions (I use a fleece camo with cabelas dryplus for this)and one for warm conditions. Use layering and long underwear for added warmth when needed. Much of the bowseason is not very cold, and sweating while hunting is not good so thin camo clothes get plenty of use.

As for boots, rubber is what I use for bow. But again, I never found a need to spend a lot on them. To walk to a stand and stand there or sit, what's the point. I use 40 dollar rubber boots. The ones with removable liners.

Lastly, on LI ticks are horrendous. So I scout wearing light colored regular clothes that I treat the same as my hunting clothes (descented).

Good luck.

[dels322]

So after some deliberation this is what i am thinking

 

https://www.cabelas.com/user/wishlist_search_detail.jsp?id=S2FXjDKnRcU%3D&firstName=MICHAEL&lastName=DELALIO&state=NY&key=b7734caa8f10340f4fa32dc14f6deb41&sFName=&sLName=DELALIO&sCity=&sState=NY&sLocation=USA

 

A little over budget but since when has anyone stuck to a budget

 

Should I order one size bigger to make sure it will fit with the layers?