Sleep
Contributors to this thread:Elk
From: luckyleo
22-Mar-17
When in spike camp do you sleep in your hunting gear or do you pack in extra clothing?
From: Fulldraw1972
22-Mar-17
I always slept in a base layer. Last year I left my hunting clothes on and it made it easier getting out of a warm bag to a chilly morning. No getting dressed in the morning when it's chilly out.
From: LKH
22-Mar-17
Even sheep hunting in Alaska I sleep in almost nothing unless it gets really cold. I sleep better. 2 years ago I found that my Cat's meow bag required long underwear and a couple nights I jacketed the bottom of my bag.
From: IdyllwildArcher
22-Mar-17
If it's cold, I hate getting out of a warm sleeping bag. I sleep in my base layer and often times my first layer of hunting clothes.
From: Backpack Hunter
22-Mar-17
I do not pack in extra clothing.
From: Kurt
22-Mar-17
Depends on how cold it is.......base layer in the bag as a minimum up to sleeping in all the clothes I have with me. I've been on hunts where my pants didn't come off for a week above treeline in September.
From: TD
23-Mar-17
I don't pack in extra clothes.
WRT what I sleep in....... that varies...... um, greatly.....
From: JohnB
23-Mar-17
Put your base layer in the bag with you then you have some warm clothes in the cold morning.
From: IdyllwildArcher
23-Mar-17
^tried that. You still freeze your ass off putting them on. I like to pop out of bed and put my jacket on. Holds the heat in.
From: Glunt@work
23-Mar-17
I dont pack extra for sleeping. Usually just base layer and a warm cap. I do like to take an extra first bottom layer. After a few days X a few miles each day, its time for some fresh skivvys or laundry day at the creek.
From: oldgoat
23-Mar-17
Depends! I can sleep in nothing if I have the wood stove along, pop a couple of sticks in it and get it going before I climb out of the bag! Bivy hunting I usually take my pants off and leave my shirt on and ohhh it's tough getting out of the bag in the morning!
From: txhunter58
23-Mar-17
I take one change so when the first one gets wet. I don't sleep in base layers as that turns my hair the wrong way and is uncomfortable. I do put my base layer in the bag with me so at least it is warm to put on.
From: Pigsticker
23-Mar-17
Sleep naked and wear a pile cap and put base layers in the bottom of the bag. Eat a small high carb snack prior to climbing in and do not drink to much where you have go in the night and then have to reheat your bag.
From: elkmtngear
23-Mar-17
What Pigsticker said
From: sticksender
23-Mar-17
On cold nights I slide into the bag wearing an ultra-thin Polypropylene base layer, with an empty Gatorade bottle alongside.
From: Jaquomo
23-Mar-17
Depends on how cold it is. +1 on the Gatorade bottle except I use the collapsible backpack pee containers sold at Wal Mart and REI.
From: ELKMAN
23-Mar-17
I carry antimicrobial bag liner and sleep in merino
From: patdel
23-Mar-17
I sleep in merino boxers, and that has always been plenty in Colorado and Wyoming in September. I do have a good sleeping bag tho.
I'm with Ike, I hate getting out of that warm bag in the morning. Takes a triple fist pump and iron will. I freeze until I get walking and get some blood pumping.
This year I bought a kuiu puffy and I'm putting it on before I get out of my sleeping bag and wearing it while I eat breakfast.
From: Fuzzy
23-Mar-17
silk pj's
From: LINK
23-Mar-17
I sleep like I do at home, tightie whites. My next to skin layers in the feet of my bag. The pre hunt bowel movement is the frigid part I don't like.
From: elkmtngear
23-Mar-17
"The pre hunt bowel movement is the frigid part I don't like".
X2 !
From: Scar Finga
23-Mar-17
X3 Link!
From: NoWiser
23-Mar-17
I sleep in just my briefs. The cold mornings aren't fun, but it wakes you up and get's you moving. It's really not too bad until you hit about -10. After that the suck factor increases quite a bit.
From: ohiohunter
23-Mar-17
Any breeze at all is a convection cooler on the huevos.
From: BigRed
23-Mar-17
Camped at the road, I'm getting comfy and generally sleep in as little as possible. If it's cold I throw my clothes for the next day in the bag with me so I'm not getting chilled out of the bag. I also dress from the top down as I come out of my bag.
A spike or bivy camp is totally different. About the only thing coming off is my boots. I never sleep well the first night or two. Pads aren't that comfortable, and you hear every little thing. I actually sleep better if the wind is blowing because you don't hear the snaps and pops, which sucks because something could walk right into your camp and you'd never know it. Night three I'm usually so beat I'll sleep through anything...
From: RonS
23-Mar-17
I sleep in my base layers and I also have the empty Gatorade bottle within reach.
From: midwest
23-Mar-17
" I don't sleep in base layers as that turns my hair the wrong way and is uncomfortable."
Another good reason to manscape, Tex. :-)
From: Cheesehead Mike
23-Mar-17
Merino base layers and sometimes a down puffy jacket if it's really cold.
From: Kevin™
23-Mar-17
Naked for sure.
If you don't manscape like a millennial you'll have a natural base layer to keep you warm.
+1 on the pee bottle
From: TD
23-Mar-17
I hope you're taking notes and writing this all down....... this info is second only to a manscaping thread......
From: bfisherman11
23-Mar-17
I remember a picture of Fred Bear hunting I believe on the Little Delta river back around 1959. He was peaking out of his tent and had on a pajama set. Ha, back then people were so formal. When traveling they wore suits and ties.
When I hunted in AK I slept in my base layer.
Was not that cold though.
Bill
From: Kodiak
23-Mar-17
I sleep in my clothes.
From: luckyleo
23-Mar-17
Last year we started hunt on September 8th in Colorado and froze our $&!)&))? off for 10 nights. Wore every piece of clothing that we had!! Was last year unusually cold?? Thanks Leo
From: Griz34
23-Mar-17
This is why I won't buy a used sleeping bag.
From: Jaquomo
23-Mar-17
It was unusually warm all season in N. CO. I hunted all 30 days and just went through my journal. But other parts of the state may have been much different.
From: deerslayer
24-Mar-17
Bought a $10 poly blend blanket at Wally world that I use in conjunction with my Big Agnes bag. It helps a lot. I also wear a hoodie and long under (base layer) to bed.
One of my least favorite parts of elk hunting, waking up at 4 am and getting out of my bag to get dressed in the cold. burrrrr......
From: GDx
24-Mar-17
i tend to sleep in 1 or 2 layers depending in the temperature. if its too hot, I get oven crotch and have started wearing a base layer cowboy style. base layers tend to help keep oils and dirt off your bag if you don't use a liner. I have read about using a VBL on extended trips with a down bag to keep it dry. I have yet to try this on an elk hunt as I am normally able to dry bag in the sun a couple of days.
From: sfiremedic
25-Mar-17
I sleep in my hunting shirt, pack fresh socks and undies... will sleep with fresh socks.
From: huntnfish808
26-Mar-17
I bring a spare baselayer long underwear and a set of socks in my sleeping bag. Doesn't weigh much or take up a lot of space. We got soaked to the bone wet and freezing one day, I'd say pre hypothermic, and being able to change into something dry for bed was a life saver. This is my bivy setup. If it's a preset spike camp then I'd bring a full change of clothes.
From: TreeWalker
26-Mar-17
You sweat at night. I never wear the clothes I slept in and generally sleep in long underwear with wool socks with stocking cap with eye mask with ear plugs or less depending on the temperature. I find the eye patch reduces my exposed skin to not much and I sleep well even in very cold temps. I have put clothes on top of the sleeping bag if very cold and even opened a couple of those heater pads that fit in your gloves. The ear plugs help if is raining or windy but also if is very cold. I use a sleeping pad to help insulate the underside and use a cot if in a wall tent where the truck or horses carried the cot to the tent.
From: BIGHORN
26-Mar-17
All of my sleeping bags are rated -20 and they all have hoods. I'm not sure what the material is but it is cold for about 10 seconds when you get in and, then it warms up right away. I do wear a pair of PJ bottoms and a t-shirt on top. When it gets down to -10 or so I wear a pair of socks. Also, I take along a very small pillow. The gator aid bottle is a must and it is worth taking a large bottle to hydrate yourself on the way in. I always take along a 3/4 length pad. I was hunting with a friend in his tent trailer and it got down to around -15 and it was windy. He slept with everything he owned on and was freezing. I gave him a wool blanked that I was not using and I think it helped a little. You could see your breath in the trailer.
From: Chasewild
29-Mar-17
For CO/MT/WY in Sept:
Harder part for me is not getting clammy -- usually use a super light wool T and leggings/tights/wool pant on the bottom to prevent too much moisture.
Keep light weight hunting pants inside my bag at the foot, or if they are wet, between my bag and pad (that will not work in sustained wet conditions).
Keep my puffy next to my pillow to grab in the morning. That goes on when I'm making coffee and putting in my contacts.
By the time the coffee is done, the tent is warm.
From: donnybowhunter
29-Apr-17
I sleep in base layer.. hang hunting clothes out to dry and air out.
From: earlyriser
30-Apr-17
Underwear and socks for me
From: Missouribreaks
30-Apr-17
I sleep in base layer, generally long underwear of some type. Kind of depends on where I am hunting and the weather.
