Camouflage Coat
Staying Warm and Dry

The latest camouflage coat that I purchased is nothing like the hunting coats when I first started hunting. Our hunting clothes have evolved much like everything else has over the years. Years ago, hunting coats seemed to be made to keep BB's and briars from penetrating but didn't have much insulation.

Manufacturers have come a long way in designing camouflage coats that will keep you warm and dry. In the past you could get hunting coats that would keep you warm but when it rained you were left putting on some kind of noisy rain poncho. Modern technology has now given us the best of both worlds. Camouflage coats are now available with scent control technology and some are even bug proof.

About ten or so years ago I ordered a Whitetail Series camouflage coat from Cabelas. This coat was Gore-Tex lined to keep out water and Thinsulate insulation for warmth. It has kept me dry and warm over the years in temperatures into the teens with usually only a t-shirt or sweatshirt on underneath. The waterproof capabilities were a wonderful plus and still turn away water to this day. The only downfall I saw with this coat was that it only had two pockets. When you carry a lot of junk it's nice to have a lot of pockets. This past season the outer cloth on the coat has started to get a little noisy as though it has started to stiffen, but this coat has been through a lot and most of the time kept in a cold damp old farmhouse.

I now wear a Rocky Prohunter camouflage coat. It is very warm, comfortable and keeps me dry. It has a hood that I like to use when it's real cold or it is raining. So far I've been real satisfied with the Rocky Prohunter Coat.

There are many brands and varieties of camouflage coats available. My whitetail series coat from Cabelas served me many years and my new Rocky coat will likely do the same.

In the early bow season I like to wear a lighter hunting coat. I started several years ago with a military jacket but have evolved to a light jacket made specifically for hunters. One option would be to wear one of the coats above without the liner in it. The other option is to purchase a lighter jacket specifically for the early season.

There are several nice lightweight jackets available.

Of course all of my hunting coats are camouflaged. There are now more camouflage patterns than you can shake a cloth stick at. I do not have a favorite. I try to stick with greener shades for the earlier warmer parts of the season and brown shades for the later part of the season.

Here in West Virginia 400 square inches of blaze orange are required during the rifle seasons. During these seasons I wear a camouflage blaze orange vest over my camouflage coat. Is camouflage blaze orange an oxymoron?

As far as camouflage goes, I'm not a real stickler. I've shot deer in many different clothes including flannel shirts and jeans. My camo usually doesn't match between my pants, coat, hat and gloves even though I usually have camo on each of these now. I think that movement is the first thing that gets you caught by deer but the camouflage helps put the odds in your favor once a deer sees you. A lot of deer are killed by men in blaze orange blobs each year.

A few years back there was a lot of talk about the ultra-violet brighteners that are in our laundry detergents and how this made us look like we were glowing to the deer. Somehow this all died down. I couldn't tell if I was glowing or not, the deer wouldn't tell me. The latest is the scent stopping clothing. It is very expensive and I haven't seen fit yet to part with enough money to buy scent suppressant clothes yet. As opposed to UV, I am sure that deer do have very good noses. Unfortunately odors emit from every part of your body and I think that it is impossible to completely eliminate them. On the other hand, it is wise to do all that we can to reduce them and these new scent suppressant clothes are a good start if you have the cash. For the rest of us it is wise to keep human odors off of your clothes as best as you can and keep yourself clean as well. I think that this will go a long way. I have had deer come very close to me sniffing and not get alarmed if they do not see me move. The combination of scent and movement will get you a good look at a big white tail every time.

There are a lot of excellent hunting clothes available now. The warmth and waterproof capabities will help you stay in the stand much longer. Don't let yourself get cold and wet and miss your opportunity at a whitetail deer.


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