Your. Most irritating piece of hunting gear... Mine gloves

[.308 Norma]

A stocking cap or face mask doesn't work well while wearing glasses either. There has to be a better way to keep your glasses from fogging.

I don't get out much when it's all that cold out anymore, but a balaclava always worked for me back in my mountain climbing days. And I wore bifocals back then too - actually they were prescription mountaineering glasses with very dark lenses.

 

[9x56MS]

There are antifogging cleaning sprays that will help. I use them on my glasses and scopes.

 

[entropy]

There are antifogging cleaning sprays that will help. I use them on my glasses and scopes.

Cat Crap. Available at Walmart.

 

[caribou]

I live on the cold water, both hard and liquid, and I personally go through dozens of lined leather gloves every year.
Good gloves can be life an death, I always have a spare pair in my travel bag, as spare pare tucked in a tool bag on my ride, a spare pair in the boat box, as spare pair when I hunt in my pocket, etc.
Some are toasted with blood from the hunt, soaked while holding the boat tiller, some from fuel contamination's, some from fish sliming, some from the sweat of holding a heated throttle handbars on my snowgo, some are worn through from splitting wood endlessly....
I hand wash and dry them, beat them soft over a chunk of wood or a doorway when frozen, and use them untill they are 'cold' , worn through or shrink tighten up, uncomfortably.

My biggest problem is my big hands, XXL can still be snug, and snug is cold. Gotta have 'em loos, and the lined soft leather ones I use 'break in' after 3 minutes or so.

 

[Dibbs]

Damn bottle of bug spray.

I either forget it, and the mosquitos are all over me, like the RAF in the Battle of Britain, or I remember it, and it's sloshing around in my pocket, the whole time. I forget it, so often, I've started leaving extra bottles at the tree stands I use a lot.

 

[courtgreene]

I forget it, so often, I've started leaving extra bottles at the tree stands I use a lot.

I know you're trying to be self deprecating, but that's actually a terrific idea. I usually use a thermacell, but I'm thinking that's a better idea. Then I wouldn't have to try to figure out how to walk back out without getting burnt every dang time (put a freshly extinguished thermacell in your pocket, you'll see).

 

[troy fairweather]

I've had to resort to leaving my deer urine at my hunting spots, after a indecent in 2008 I am no longer allowed to have it in the house.

 

[.308 Norma]

Before laser cataract surgery, my "most irritating piece of hunting gear" used to be my bifocals. I couldn't spot deer in the distance without them, and I couldn't see through my rifle scope with them! I eventually came up with a solution - I put a pair of those "crocodiles" on my glasses so that I could quickly drop my glasses down on my chest (after I spotted a deer) as I brought my rifle up. That worked, but it was still a pain.
Now that I've had laser cataract surgery though, I no longer need any correction at all in my bifocal's upper lenses for distance vision, and only +2.5 in the lower lenses for close up. So the bifocals I have now work fine for spotting deer in the distance, and I can see through my scope while wearing them.

 

[Laphroaig]

Gloves are sometimes a compromise. The ones that are sensitive enough comfortably feel the trigger are usually pretty thin and don't keep your hands warm when its cold. Thicker ones, say when it gets below 30*, need to be removed or have some kind of finger port in order to shoot. Once it gets below 15* they don't keep your hands warm either.

I have several pair of both light and medium gloves, and some rag wool mittens that my hands have never been cold with, going as cold as 10 below.

 

[vintovka]

Around 60 the skin on my hands went from leather to paper. I can draw blood just getting near a sharp object. I must have like 2 dozen pairs in various materials and always find myself without when i need them the most. Pretty warm here on OR coast so primary use is keeping hands injury free in woods. The strangest thing is i always wind up with more lefts than rights.

 

[ACES&8S]

I hate anything with velcro on it, I hate a ground blind seat that doesn't swivel + I hate swivel seats that pop or squeal at the deer.
Every year I would try a different seat, even made my own, and no don't try to sell me on one because there is no such thing!
I now have a bar stool dismantled in the barn that might be another failure. Because there is no such thing as a quiet swivel
seat.

 

[9x56MS]

I hate anything with velcro on it, I hate a ground blind seat that doesn't swivel + I hate swivel seats that pop or squeal at the deer.
Every year I would try a different seat, even made my own, and no don't try to sell me on one because there is no such thing!
I now have a bar stool dismantled in the barn that might be another failure. Because there is no such thing as a quiet swivel
seat.

Try using 90 weight gear oil in the bearings on your swivel seats it quieted mine down to silent. Even works when it gets cold. I put it in a marinade injector to get it in the bearing raceway. Don’t need a lot then spin the seat 10 revolutions in both directions to coat.

 

[FL-NC]

I usually use a thermacell, but I'm thinking that's a better idea. Then I wouldn't have to try to figure out how to walk back out without getting burnt every dang time (put a freshly extinguished thermacell in your pocket, you'll see)

I got a nice case for my thermacell I bought on amazon that I can put it in and hang it from my backpack. Before that, I had a loop of 550 cord on it and snaplinked it to my backpack.

 

[courtgreene]

I got a nice case for my thermacell I bought on amazon that I can put it in and hang it from my backpack. Before that, I had a loop of 550 cord on it and snaplinked it to my backpack.

I like your thinking. I don’t use a backpack though. I’ll look into one of those cases. Thanks.

 

[Lineman65]

Everyone I know has got at least one piece of gear they are looking to replace every year,worn out, fed up, doesn't fit whatever the reason seems like nearly every year something has got to go.

For me, its gloves.. I have yet to find a set of gloves that I've been even remotely satisfied in during the January permit season in jersey. Granted January in jersey is no picnic, the last few years it's been single digits or teens and fighting a breeze. The running joke in the family is what's the coldest week of the year, my hunting week if course, but true it is .... Year after year.

Perhaps I have unrealistic expectations that jamming one or two hot hands inside each glove, and protecting them from the wind will keep my fingers from a total loss of function in two hours but that's what I'm after.

I've probably got 4 sets of varying brands of "heavyweight gloves" that disappoint every january. I'm not afraid to spend money on them, I've learned long ago, in a general sense if you spend good money on sporting goods you will have then for years. But the gloves are an epic fail every year.

Granted I have trouble with gloves in a general sense being that I am apparent part Neanderthal, with my wide thick palms and stumpy fingers. But I have accepted long ago that practically every glove that fits my palm, will be long over the finger and can work around it.

Glove recommendations that I wont have to take a mortgage out on please.

I looked for serious gloves when I scheduled a caribou hunt in Northern Quebec some years back. I’d been mountaineering for years by that time and had a pretty good handle on what wasn’t going to work.
I ended up getting a pair of US Army surplus extreme cold weather mittens. They’re bulky but extremely warm. They come with a string to attach them, like kids mittens.
Underneath them, I wear a pair of lightweight fleece gloves. When trigger time comes, I just slip a hand out of the mitten.
In Quebec I dropped a hand warmer in for extra warmth, but that hasn’t been necessary for late deer season in Pa.(January) or for Snow Goose or late duck season either.
I got mine from Coleman’s Surplus. They have a website and are located here in PA. I’ve had good service from them. I think you can get them for around 40.00.https://colemans.com/gloves-extreme-cold-weather-arctic-m-1949-used

 

[Lineman65]

To the OP, if you have not yet found gloves or mittens that will keep your hands warm, I doubt you will find any that will do so and be acceptable for hunting. My hands typically don't get cold if I'm walking, but they do when I sit all day. In those situations, no mitten or glove has worked for me. I guarantee you will never have cold hands again if you do the following.

First buy an insulated hand muff that straps around your waist. Something like this: https://www.sportsmansguide.com/pro...PLA&utm_source=Bing&utm_campaign=CI&gclsrc=ds

I am not endorsing that particular hand muff, its just the first one that I could easily find on an internet search. Many companies make them.

Then you buy either the chemical handwarmer packs, or if you really need more warmth, you buy a Zippo hand warmer, like this: https://www.zippo.com/collections/hand-warmers/products/12hour-realtree-hand-warmer

Your hands will never be cold again and it won't matter what gloves you choose to use. I use thin gloves that are easy to take on/off. In fact, you will have to be careful to not let your hands get so warm that they sweat if you use the Zippo. When I use the Zippo, I typically have the heater going in the hand muff and put my gloves in there with it. Then I keep my hands inside the muff as well. Hands are perfectly toasty. Then I just slip on the gloves if I want to take my hands out of the muff. Sometimes I keep the gloves on and put my hands in the muff as necessary.

The other advantage to this approach is you can adjust easily. Only a little cold - just put your hands in the muff as necessary. Colder - put a chemical handwarmer in the muff and put your hands in as necessary. Very cold - use the Zippo in the hand muff and put your hands in as necessary. Extremely cold - use the Zippo and keep your hands in there until you need to take a shot. Any colder than that - stay home.

Those Zippo hand warmers are great. Old school tech that seem almost like a secret these days.

 

[daniel craig]

Everyone I know has got at least one piece of gear they are looking to replace every year,worn out, fed up, doesn't fit whatever the reason seems like nearly every year something has got to go.

For me, its gloves.. I have yet to find a set of gloves that I've been even remotely satisfied in during the January permit season in jersey. Granted January in jersey is no picnic, the last few years it's been single digits or teens and fighting a breeze. The running joke in the family is what's the coldest week of the year, my hunting week if course, but true it is .... Year after year.

Perhaps I have unrealistic expectations that jamming one or two hot hands inside each glove, and protecting them from the wind will keep my fingers from a total loss of function in two hours but that's what I'm after.

I've probably got 4 sets of varying brands of "heavyweight gloves" that disappoint every january. I'm not afraid to spend money on them, I've learned long ago, in a general sense if you spend good money on sporting goods you will have then for years. But the gloves are an epic fail every year.

Granted I have trouble with gloves in a general sense being that I am apparent part Neanderthal, with my wide thick palms and stumpy fingers. But I have accepted long ago that practically every glove that fits my palm, will be long over the finger and can work around it.

Glove recommendations that I wont have to take a mortgage out on please.

Arctic mittens/gauntlets solved the glove issue for me. After that I don’t have gear issues anymore because I’ve found things that work now.

 

[daniel craig]

I looked for serious gloves when I scheduled a caribou hunt in Northern Quebec some years back. I’d been mountaineering for years by that time and had a pretty good handle on what wasn’t going to work.
I ended up getting a pair of US Army surplus extreme cold weather mittens. They’re bulky but extremely warm. They come with a string to attach them, like kids mittens.
Underneath them, I wear a pair of lightweight fleece gloves. When trigger time comes, I just slip a hand out of the mitten.
In Quebec I dropped a hand warmer in for extra warmth, but that hasn’t been necessary for late deer season in Pa.(January) or for Snow Goose or late duck season either.
I got mine from Coleman’s Surplus. They have a website and are located here in PA. I’ve had good service from them. I think you can get them for around 40.00.https://colemans.com/gloves-extreme-cold-weather-arctic-m-1949-used

Yup that’s what I use too!

 

[PonyKiller]

I may finally settled onto what works for me, its been bitterly cold this year therefore a good test of gear.

What I settled on was a set of Columbia heavyweight omni heat gloves for moving around in the cold. Can still operate the safety and trigger.

I got a branded heated muff, that when I stop to sit i put on some thinner more dexterous gloves and crank the heat up.
So far its been a winning combo on this cold season, hasn't made the deer come any closer though.
Thanks for the advice

 

[Ranger99]

As far as trying to hunt deer and swivel a
chair and cover a 360 kill zone, I gave that
practice up some years ago.
I've been busted ( usually a wary old doe)
too many times trying to look one direction
or another only to turn back around and
see a deer staring straight at me from 10
or 20 yards away and of course as soon as
I make a move it blows and takes any other
deer with it. I just watch a 90 degree area
where I can scan just moving my eyes and
stay with my back to an area of impassable
brush and various obstacles. I devote my
time to what I can see in front of me and don't fret over what may pass to my rear.
Since I can't make a safe shot behind me where I've been hunting at, it works out just fine.

I use some old chairs that were tossed
when the waiting room in the service dept at work was remodeled. I bought some
cushions for $5.00 at wm and rotate
those out each time.

This last season I finally started carrying
a cheap blanket to cover up with after
mulling the idea for some time.
This next year I'll pick up an inexpensive
sleeping bag to cover up with like I've been thinking of for years now

 

[BreechFace]

SAVIOR HEAT Heated Hand Muff, Electric Heating Hand Warmer Pouch for Winter Outdoor Hunting Camping Golf Photography https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B08FX3VMYF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_05TQN2FHV5C5QT0CMRRH?psc=1

 

[WestKentucky]

Rifle. My .270 is shot out and needs replaced. Want another bolt but just never buy one.

 

[HowieG]

Rifle. My .270 is shot out and needs replaced. Want another bolt but just never buy one.

New Barrel?

 

[HowieG]

As far as gloves, the old school solution is Trigger Finger Mittens M1965 used with Trigger Finger Mitten Inserts M1948.

View attachment 1055162

 

[toivo]

Flip-top mittens are great for shooting in the cold. Avoid the ones that have a separate flap for the thumb; it's an annoyance that's aimed at people with an incurable texting addiction.

Something like this: Berne flip-top mittens

These are cotton. Depending on your needs, you might want to spend a little more to get leather and/or waterproof.