Using a tent during Nov for hunting

[cochranenite]

So I been thinking, I don't have a camper or an outfitters tent(can't afford one right now) But i have tent and (12x14 ) and I want to go hunting for 5 days plus days so to save gas and to be able to spend more time in the bush.
Cause from where i live to where i hunt it is about 1 1/2 to were we go. I would buy a tent heater

Just asking if there anything else to think of/ or has anyone else done this?

thanks CN

[riden]

We spend 5 days in camp every Nov in my outfitters tent with a good woodstove.

My first thought is how are you going to deal with getting wet? Your clothes will get damp, so will your sleeping bag and cot. Not sure if a camp fire will be enough in November?

I think you will need a lot of antifreeze at night in Nov if that bag gets damp.

[cochranenite]

Ya thats where iam trying to think of ideas of drying my stuff out camp fires at night, and a tent heater.

[Ice Fishing Maniac]

Used wall tents in the mountains for winter camp sledding. A good wood stove will dry up your clothes in the tent. Another option is the diesel heaters. We bought one for our bigger new tent a few years back....love it.

[riden]

I don't see the heater doing anymore than taking the edge off. It won't dry anything. We used on in Sept with the same sized tent, warms things up, but its not hot.

Are you driving a truck in? Hiking? Quad?

[Austin]

Also be aware if co2 gas is a result of the heating method you choose. Breathing co2 can be fatal

[cochranenite]

I would love a wall tent but I want to use a normal summer tent, I will be using my truck and will be bring my quad.

Or should i just suck it up and just drive down

[White Wolf]

Originally Posted by cochranenite

I would love a wall tent but I want to use a normal summer tent, I will be using my truck and will be bring my quad.

Or should i just suck it up and just drive down

People go winter camping all of the time with traditional tents. There are 3-season tents and 4-season tents on the market so depends on what you own. The biggest difference is that 4-season tents are constructed to not collapse under a snow load and they have less mesh so they hold the heat better.

More effort for staying dry is important when winter camping so the basics of wearing layers to prevent sweating and wearing clothes that wick away sweat are that much more important to remember.

[Speckle55]

yes i have done it, allthough -20 is a bitch .. oopps.. if you have a sleeping bag thats rate or two bags helps ..just use a heater to keep edge of in morning the bags should keep you warm wear a toque. i have both a kerosene and now propane(it will Jell at -25) ..also if using alot of heater or else kind of heat a co moniter/oxagen is a safety tool(cheap)..i did it for three days as a youngster too on a survial camp but just had a lean-to and a reflector fire

you will need to wear you jacket/pants etc right up to getting into bag

also if you have a camp cook she warms up sleeping bag nice ;;;;

my buddys do it with a CT portable garage and a stove seems to work but still cold

then to dry out things used truck and left running for half a hour heat on full

hope that helps

David

[BackPackHunter]

Sleep in Ur truck

[cochranenite]

I can close all mesh windows,, and the only mesh is at the very top of the tent in the middle.I think i remeber seeing the 4 season sign on the box. I would bring 2 pairs of hunting boots plus a a different pair for around the mini camp

[Tiguy]

If it gets cold and it usually does your summer tent is not thick enough to retain much heat from your heater. It will migrate right through it. A treated canvas tent such as an outfitters tent helps to hold a lot more heat. we use an outfitters tent with a wood stove and it works good.

[st99]

I've been camping in november with a 2 men tent for many years, the worst is when we get wet snow, the boots get damped and freeze at night. I would recommand a gaz boot dryer.

[Hat in the Cat]

I know when I go out in the winter (hiking or hunting) I found the key is to have two sets of clothes.

The first is your work/walk clothes, they will get damp but so long as you keep moving they stay warm (it sure sucks first thing in the morning to put them on).

The second set is for camp and should never get very wet. Avoid mass sweating and keep them dry. These should hold up for a week and will be the best feeling to climb into.

Next thing is to make sure you have good boots that hold off the water and enough socks and underwear (extra t-shirts are a great idea).

[220swifty]

This thought just popped into my head, so take it for what it is worth, but why not toss an insulated tarp over your tent to keep a bit more heat in?

[Redfrog]

I've camped/hunted in the mountains in the snow in nov/dec.

I've used wall tents and wood stoves. I've also used regular tents. the wall tent will deal with new snow better.

We used propane for cooking and heat in the regular tent.

Propane heater, three burner cook stove and a lantern of two kept that place warm from dark till bedtime. Remember it gets dark early. with damp clothes i found it best to just leave then on and go about your business for the evening, Supper, cards, a few drink a bunch of lies and by bedtime they were dry. Clean dry jammies or long johns for bed and you're gtg. I prefer fresh long johns and wear then the next day, that way in the morning, I'm warm putting on my cold clothes. We never had heat at night. Get the coffee ready to perk in the morning and light the cook stove, and heater, by the time the coffee is perked the chill is off the tent. BTW I have an excellent heavy sleeping bag.

[cochranenite]

thanks for the tips guys, sounds like geting a generator would help and a propanes heater., I have 2 very good sleeping bags.

thanks for your pointers so I can start planning

CN

[ishootbambi]

Originally Posted by Austin

Also be aware if co2 gas is a result of the heating method you choose. Breathing co2 can be fatal

carbon dioxide is actually pretty harmless.........carbon monoxide (CO) can sure kill you though. we know what you meant.

back when i was a little tougher but a little dumber i let a friend talk me into sleeping in a crap tent in november. it was -27C overnight and i didnt sleep one second. i shivered violently all night, then spent a good chunk of the following day sleeping when it was warm enough in the truck. ill beat my nuts flat with a wooden mallet before doing that insanity again.

did kill a real good buck on that trip, and made some great friends along the way. that trip changed everything about how i hunt whitetails.

[riden]

Originally Posted by ishootbambi

ill beat my nuts flat with a wooden mallet before doing that insanity again.

Pretty much where I am at too. That wouldn't be a lot of fun.

But the older you get, the more comfortable you make camp.

[creeky]

Originally Posted by Speckle55

yes i have done it, allthough -20 is a bitch .. oopps.. if you have a sleeping bag thats rate or two bags helps ..just use a heater to keep edge of in morning the bags should keep you warm wear a toque. i have both a kerosene and now propane(it will Jell at -25) ..also if using alot of heater or else kind of heat a co moniter/oxagen is a safety tool(cheap)..i did it for three days as a youngster too on a survial camp but just had a lean-to and a reflector fire

you will need to wear you jacket/pants etc right up to getting into bag

also if you have a camp cook she warms up sleeping bag nice ;;;;

my buddys do it with a CT portable garage and a stove seems to work but still cold

then to dry out things used truck and left running for half a hour heat on full

hope that helps

David

ahemmm, some pics would help. Oh and her phone # too please

[Rhinoridr]

Hey Cochranenite,we usually take a large tarp and set it so that it is high enough to have a fire under it ,and it provides us with a dry area to set up a cooking and eating area.You could set your tent up at one end and keep the fire towards the other end , you could string a line up below the roof or hang clothes off the back chairs ,just watch for sparks .we have also close in some of the side walls with other tarps,just leave the side walls low enough to leave the smoke out at the ends if you do something like this.Sometimes you get things smokie before you get it figure out .LOL It takes a bit of time to set up but it might help you till you can get a wall tent.

[Sushi]

It will work for 1-2 nights but you may want to head home after that to thaw out. Last time I stayed out, I spent the evening around the campfire and slept in the back of the Rav curled up a bit and it was -20. In the morning, I was pretty cold but I just reached up and turned on the key. Half hour later I was warmed up and ready to hunt.

[calgarychef]

I think Cabelas has an external propane heater with a duct that you pipe hot hair into the tent. I don't know if they work well but it's an option. It's pretty important to be able to dry out your clothes or you won't get much beyond 3 days and be wanting to go find a warm hotel room.

[CanuckShooter]

I've done the winter nylon tent hunting thing....one other thing to consider is to take something for under you on your bed [a foamie] and a goose down duvet or a good quilt on top [plus your 2 bags]....staying warm in bed is of utmost importance. And having a toque to wear in bed helps keep things warm too.

I wouldn't want to have any sort of heater in the tent while sleeping, but would have a propane lantern that you can light before crawling out of your bed in the morning....they will help warm things up a few degrees before you crawl out of your bed.

[Sushi]

I forgot to mention the intolerable part....during the night all of my food and water froze solid. That really took the fun out of it.

[Gunner22a]

Pretty much everything has been said except water. You don't want to be melting snow. Bring lots! You can never have enough and make sure to keep one in the tent if its cold. Even if you heat the tent just a bit when you are in it you can keep it from freezing. Frozen solid it's just about useless. Last point would be start putting away whatever bucks you can here and there for a wall tent. Untill you have lived in one with a good wood stove you have no idea just how comfortable it can be at 20 below.

Good luck on your trip

[cochranenite]

As for the water freezing if you add gatorade. Powder it will help it not to freeze

And thanks for the tips

[nof60]

Tent does not matter much Sleeping bag is what matters. I spend nights out a -40 when I am mushing. No prob, dig a trench in the snow, get in my wiggy's and go to sleep.

[SmokinJoe]

I have a wall tent for sale, used for 3 days, make an offer,

[sinawalli]

Originally Posted by Redfrog

I've camped/hunted in the mountains in the snow in nov/dec.

I've used wall tents and wood stoves. I've also used regular tents. the wall tent will deal with new snow better.

We used propane for cooking and heat in the regular tent.

Propane heater, three burner cook stove and a lantern of two kept that place warm from dark till bedtime. Remember it gets dark early. with damp clothes i found it best to just leave then on and go about your business for the evening, Supper, cards, a few drink a bunch of lies and by bedtime they were dry. Clean dry jammies or long johns for bed and you're gtg. I prefer fresh long johns and wear then the next day, that way in the morning, I'm warm putting on my cold clothes. We never had heat at night. Get the coffee ready to perk in the morning and light the cook stove, and heater, by the time the coffee is perked the chill is off the tent. BTW I have an excellent heavy sleeping bag.

Yup, what he said!! Nothing beats a wall tent, wood stove combo!! You will be so warm when that stove is humpin', you'll run outside in your shorts ant t-shirt just to cool off! If you throw your clothes that you plan to wear the next day (inner layers, as long as they aren't wet) in your sleeping bag with you, they will be warm when you put them on in the morning. Get a decent sleeping bag!