Physical Conditioning and Clothing

Physical Conditioning

Hunting demands more physical exertion than you’re accustomed to doing. Conditions that hamper your ability to hunt safely and responsibly include:

• Allergies or asthma
• A heart condition
• Excess weight
• Poor physical conditioning
• Vision or hearing impairments

Your mental condition impacts your performance as well.

Prepare for your hunt by getting in shape well in advance. The amount of time that it will take to get in shape will depend on your physical condition and the difficulty of the planned hunt. Consider being examined by your family physician, who can best judge your overall physical preparedness for hunting.

Clothing

Clothing also can affect your ability to perform safely and responsibly. Select clothing based on the weather you expect, while being prepared for the worst.

In warm weather, wear a hat and light clothing that covers as much of your skin as possible to prevent heat exhaustion or sunburn.

Cold weather conditions call for clothing that is worn in layers. Layers offer superior insulation. Also, as weather warms up, you can shed a layer at a time to stay comfortable. Layers should include:

• A vapor transmission layer (material such as polypropylene)—worn next to the body; it should release moisture from the skin while retaining warmth.
• An insulating layer—weightier or bulkier; it should hold warm air around you.
• A protective outer layer—available in various weights and materials according to conditions; it should protect the inner layers from water and wind.

The most important clothing choices are a daylight fluorescent orange hat and daylight fluorescent orange outerwear—a shirt, vest, or jacket. Daylight fluorescent orange clothing makes it easier for one hunter to spot and recognize another hunter because nothing in nature matches this color. The orange color of the clothing should be plainly visible from all directions. This is required by law in many states.

Wool is the best all-around choice for insulation because it still provides warmth when wet. The best clothing combination in bad weather is polyester or polypropylene underwear and shirt, wool pants, heavy jacket, and water repellent rain pants and parka. Soaking wet clothing can lose heat several hundred times faster than dry clothing. Cotton clothing (underwear, T-shirts, jeans, flannel shirts) is a poor choice for cold, wet weather. When wet, cotton loses its already limited insulating ability and can cause rapid transfer of heat away from the body, increasing the risk of hypothermia.

Other Clothing Essentials

• A hat or cap with earflaps and gloves to retain body heat—most body heat is lost through the head and hands; gloves also protect your hands from abrasions and rope burns
• Footwear that is sturdy, suitable for the conditions you’ll encounter, and broken in before the hunt
• Two layers of socks—polypropylene against the skin and a wool outer layer