Deer season is in full swing, and temperatures are dropping every day. It’s important to ensure you’re adequately dressed, including your feet.
With long hours of hiking, hanging out in tree stands and ground blinds in your future, keeping your toes toasty warm will make your outdoor excursion more comfortable and bearable. Don’t let cold feet send you home prematurely before your hunt is deemed successful. Below you’ll find a handful of ways to keep your feet and toes warm so you can stay focused all deer season long.
Avoid Sweaty Socks
The number one culprit for freezing feet is sweat. If hiking to your tree stand or blind takes more than 5 or 10 minutes, which is often the case when hunting on public land, and you’re wearing thick socks in insulated boots, chances are your feet will start sweating like crazy! Avoid this issue by wearing a lighter pair of gym socks. Cotton material is fine for the hike, but you’ll want to pack a pair or two of insulating woolen socks in a ziplock baggie. Once you reach your stand or blind, change out of your sweaty gym socks and put your wool ones on. Your boots will be nice and warm from your hike, and you’ll be able to start your hunt off on the right foot: warm and dry!
Buy the Best Boots
It is well worth the investment to buy the best-insulated boots that you can afford for your specific hunting trip. Take a look at the type of hunting you’ll be doing and what the weather and temperatures will be before you pull the trigger. There is a wide range in quality and price when it comes to hunting boots, so you’ll need to find what best fits your budget (and your feet!).
Consider buying your boots in a half to a full size bigger than what you usually wear to allow room for extra bulk like socks or foot warmers. Even the additional air space is a good insulator for keeping your feet warm. Before you buy, make sure to try on the boots with multiple sock layers and walk around. Is it comfortable? Too loose? Too tight? Make any necessary adjustments from there.
Other Ways to Keep Your Feet Warm
- As previously mentioned, toe warmers are a great way to keep your feet warm during deer season. Just make sure you do not activate them too early, or your toes will get too warm, start to sweat, and then your feet will freeze.
- Add an insulating barrier between your feet and the base of your stand or blind, such as foam or old carpet, to avoid heat conduction.
- Make sure to keep your feet moving during your hunt. Curl your toes, bend your ankles, shift your weight from one foot to the other, and flex your leg and foot muscles. None of these movements will be seen by wildlife and will keep the blood moving.
Contact R & K Hunting Company
Every hunter has a method that works for them when it comes to staying warm during deer season. The best way to find what works for you is practice and trial and error.
Make sure to try out one or all of these tips on your next hunting expedition with R & K Hunting Company. Our guides have years of knowledge and experience that bring hunters back year after year, season after season. Book your next Rocky Mountain hunting adventure in Utah or Wyoming with us today!