It's Cold, Stay Warm

With this year's deer season in full swing, I am reminded of a few simple things you can do to keep warm during cold weather activities, whether that entails sitting in a deer stand, skiing, snow shoeing, etc.

The first thing to remember is that, if you are not moving, you will get cold - it's just a question of how long it will take. If you are moving, you need to try to limit how much you sweat.

If you are not moving, your warmth can be prolonged by wearing layers, preferably not cotton. Putting cotton next to your skin is a sure way to get chilled because it retains moisture and moisture is the enemy in cold weather conditions.

Your feet are going to get cold - I do not use foot warmers - they make your feet sweat, and remember, moisture is a bad thing. Instead, I use a wicking sock, surrounded by a plastic bag, and then a wool blend sock on top of that. Like I said, my feet still get cold, but this delays the inevitable.

Always wear something on your head - most people know that we lose a lot of body heat through the head. One more thing - eat. Your body burns a lot of calories trying to keep itself warm in cold conditions, so you may have to increase your caloric intake to help it do so.

With all this being said, being comfortable in the cold is not easy, but the challenge often makes the activity worthwhile.