I spent a few days at Drum in midwinter. Felt like a few months.
Winter Shooting
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Jedidiah
Old, Grumpy & still kickin !
I feel that you get no Gold Stars for intentionally torturing yourself! If there is a good reason to go out in weather that can "kill" you without even trying hard, I have yet to come across it! When the temps drop below 40 degrees i need a good reason to go shooting. Afterall, it is supposed to be fun, not an endurance test! IMHO
Years ago I was deer hunting In below freezing temps, maybe in the teens. I slept in the back of my pickup ( it had a cap) with a foam mattress and inside a good sleeping bag. My rifle was inside also but I didn’t have any heater.
The next morning I had a nice shot lined up for a doe and pulled the cock back, took aim, pulled the trigger and in the corner of my eye saw the cock slowly, ever-so slowly drop and rest against the frizzen.
Turns out the main spring cracked and broke.
I don’t know if it was the very cold conditions or that it was one of those early cast mainsprings on the L&R lock, or a combination of both, but that was it for that hunt. (Now I have spare mainsprings).
The next morning I had a nice shot lined up for a doe and pulled the cock back, took aim, pulled the trigger and in the corner of my eye saw the cock slowly, ever-so slowly drop and rest against the frizzen.
Turns out the main spring cracked and broke.
I don’t know if it was the very cold conditions or that it was one of those early cast mainsprings on the L&R lock, or a combination of both, but that was it for that hunt. (Now I have spare mainsprings).
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Jedidiah
Old, Grumpy & still kickin !
Just talked to my brother via text. He is going hunting in Northern Penna, McKean Cnty, Bradford, the "ice box" of Pennsylvania! The temps are sub zero, with snow etc. Rugged area. It is Muzzleloader season, and he never misses one. He is 76 yrs old! Current temp is 9 degrees with winds up to 21 mph! Been there done that. Now I say, no thanks!
rodinal220
36 Cl.
It's been -3 to -11 last few days. Too cold for me. I can shoot when its 20F and above, that's about my limit now.
Couple of decades back I enjoyed winter. I still do, but only as an indoor avocation.
Fire. Window. Book. A wee dram of a peaty whiskey.
Fire. Window. Book. A wee dram of a peaty whiskey.
Living in eastern interior Alaska sub zero is a normal day, that being said -30 is my usual cutoff to be out and about other than just working around the cabin. Like others have mentioned at temps colder than -30 things start to break and things that might not be to big a deal at 0 can be fatal the colder it gets. I've gone through the ice a few times including sinking my snogo, at those temps my bibs were like a suit of armor within minutes and I could barely walk. Being able to start a fire quickly is a must and I carry a couple of small flares for just that purpose. One of the biggest reasons people get cold is by wearing the wrong clothing at the wrong time- sweat is your enemy. Tight socks and tight boots that don't breath make your feet cold. For hunting I wear beaver fur mitts with a harness and thin wool finger gloves so when I have to shoot I can throw off the mitts but my fingers are still protected from the cold metal. It's also important to wear something in front of your mouth and nose, this helps to pre heat the air before it goes in your lungs, I always carry a couple so as they get iced up I can switch them out. Happy hunting............
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Col. Batguano
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And you think that's actually cold???
Jedidiah
Old, Grumpy & still kickin !
it's all relative. For me, it's cold. Your mileage may vary.
user 53891
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It was 50 here in Southern Colorado the other day and we were in short sleeve shirts.
user 53891
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If you guys had been at Valley Forge......we would still be a British Colony!
Bring on the cold!!! My wife hooked me up with some traditional duds, it has to be -30 to wear it otherwise it's to warm!!
user 53891
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NANUK OF THE NORTH.....Awesome friend!
The mitts look like beaver fur. Is the coat caribou? Pretty nice cold weather gear!
Jedidiah
Old, Grumpy & still kickin !
Might as well paint a large "bullseye" on your back if you wear that outfit in the woods? LOl,LOL!
Yes beaver mitts, caribou parka, and lynx hat. Funny you should say that about the " Bullseye " one of the elders from arctic village was telling me that they quit wearing the traditional parkas because after they started using rifles a few people got shot on accident. I only plan on using the parka out on our trapline which is in a remote area so being a bullseye shouldn't be an issue.
Col. Batguano
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Obviously those tracks were laid under a government contract. They were paid to lay "X amount of track" and no more.
Jedidiah
Old, Grumpy & still kickin !
Someone wanted a decent piece of steel for something?!!!
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