As the northern hemisphere slowly pulls away from the sun, the days shorten, bringing crisp mornings. Excited dogs pant plumes of steam into the brisk air as hunters stamp feet and rub cold fingers. A frosty morning in the field is arguably the quintessential American upland hunting experience, but cold weather brings unique challenges and hazards.

These risks only increase as the first storms of autumn transition to all-out brutal winter conditions. Such weather hastens the departure of some hunters for the warmth of quail country, but those who remain in the north must find ways to keep hunting despite the cold.

As a wilderness first responder and ski patroller, I have learned how to plan for the cold—and what can happen if I don't. As hunters, we can choose to exercise a little foresight. That way, we can scratch the itch for the next flush while keeping all our fingers and toes.

Start With a Plan

With a myriad of weather apps available on our smartphones, the modern hunter has little excuse to be surprised by the weather. Start by looking at the predicted high and low temperatures for the day. Usually the first hour or so of daylight is the coldest. Next, look at wind and precipitation forecasts for the day. Keep in mind that wet and windy conditions can exponentially increase your risk for cold injuries.

It’s important to have a working knowledge of how to interpret weather information. For example, don’t assume a 30 percent chance of freezing rain means you are probably in the clear. Rather, recognize this means it’s probably going to rain somewhere, there’s just a 30 percent chance it will be at your location. Even the best meteorologists can’t perfectly predict the timing, location, or severity of weather. When in doubt, plan for the worst.

Temperatures below 10 degrees Fahrenheit should prompt caution. If you can, delay your start till warmer temperatures come later in the day. If your schedule offers you any flexibility, try to hunt on slightly warmer days. Regardless of when you hunt, always have a plan for how you will mitigate the impacts of the cold. How will you warm up if your toes go numb miles into your loop? What will you do if the weather changes? How will you stay warm through the night if your vehicle leaves you stranded?

Insulation

Humans wouldn’t last long in cold conditions if not for our technological advantages. Make use of technical outdoor clothing to increase your comfort and safety, but do so in moderation. Graham Prather is a wilderness EMT and instructor with NOLS Wilderness Medicine. He thinks most people have a tendency to overdress in cold weather. “Once you realize that you can start hiking a little on the cold side, and that the exercise will warm you up in just a few minutes, then you save time having to stop and adjust layers early on.”

It’s important to still have warm layers in your bag when you leave your vehicle, but it is just as important to avoid sweating through your base layers because of overdressing. Graham recommends avoiding cotton-based garments, as they tend to retain moisture. “Wet cotton clothes just sap the heat right out of you. Better bets are going to be wool or synthetic fibers that will manage moisture a little better and insulate better when they are wet.”

Proper apparel will vary for different cold weather upland hunts. You’ll likely want different gear for busting cattail sloughs in South Dakota than you will in the chukar canyons of Idaho. As a rule of thumb, dress lighter as your aerobic output increases. Start with a base layer of synthetic or wool long underwear overtop your actual undies, which should also be breathable. Layer hiking pants or light overalls on your legs.

For your torso, choose a light synthetic or wool long-sleeved shirt. For warmth, use an ultra-breathable synthetic jacket or wool flannel on high output hunts, but always have a heavier down or synthetic ‘puffy’ jacket on hand. Cold rain or wet snow require a water-resistant outer layer, usually a light rain shell works fine.

A light wool stocking cap is nice, as is a synthetic neck gaiter that you can pull over your ball cap to cover your ears. In the coldest conditions, choose a balaclava or other mask that covers as much skin as possible.

Your extremities are the first part of your body to suffer in cold conditions, so it is paramount to protect your hands and feet. Carry two pairs of gloves- lightweight liner gloves that allow good dexterity, and insulated winter gloves-or even better, fold-away mittens. For your feet, carry an extra pair of wool socks in case your feet get wet. Avoid stacking multiple pairs of socks though, as this can lead to blisters. For fast and light hunts, use an athletic winter boot or insulated hiking boots. Pair these with gaiters that cover your calves and keep snow out of your cuffs. For slower hunts, a pair of muck style winter boots work great, provided they fit comfortably and provide good traction.

Packable Heat

There are numerous products on the market to provide warmth on the go. Chemical hand and toe warmers are cheap, and can really make a difference when that dreaded numbness sets in. For toe warmers, make sure your boots are roomy enough to accommodate them. Tight footwear can reduce your circulation, and a heat pack only reduces that space. Electric footbeds and socks are a little more complicated, but can be very effective so long as their batteries last.

Hands down, one of the best heating devices you can carry is a thermos full of hot liquid. Not only can you drink it, but you can also hold it against your cold fingers, toes, or your core. It’s also worth adding a small backpacking stove to your kit. With it, you can melt snow to drink or even whip up a hot backcountry lunch. A reliable firestarter could also be a literal lifesaver, should you be stranded in the field.

It’s a good idea to have a foil ‘space blanket’ in your pack just in case. Back at your vehicle, you should have an emergency sleep system, including a down sleeping bag. A spare pair of dry footwear and a boot dryer are also prudent additions.

Physiological Considerations

Don’t just plan your gear for a cold weather hunt, plan your body as well. Graham says, “Consuming adequate calories before and during your hunt as well as hydration are two easy things folks can focus on.” He also notes, “Substances like alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine can predispose you to cold injuries, so I would advise using those in moderation, if at all, if you're worried about cold injuries.”

Hydrating can be easy to forget when you’re in the middle of an exciting cold-weather hunt, but you’ll be glad you stopped to chug some water when your buddies are crashing later in the day. Put a few high-calorie snacks in your vest to keep your furnace burning.

Chronic medical conditions that affect your circulatory system can make you much more susceptible to cold injury, so be sure to discuss these risks with your doctor. It’s also critical to keep any medications like an inhaler or epi-pen close to your body and warm.

In cold conditions, it can be easy to forget to protect yourself from the sun. With snow on the ground, UV exposure dramatically increases. It's important to use sunscreen on exposed skin, and to prevent snowblindness with sunglasses.

Cold Injuries and Their Treatments

Local Cold Injuries: When body parts are exposed to cold, local vasoconstriction can lead to frostnip. Toes and fingers are especially prone to this condition. Simply removing yourself from the cold is the best treatment. You can also place the affected area against a warmer part of your body—or a good buddy’s. The armpits, stomach, and groin allow for a little more surface body heat. Avoid rubbing the affected area, but increase blood flow by waving your arms and stamping your feet. It’s normal and good to feel some uncomfortable tingling as you thaw.

If frostnip isn't reversed, it will lead to frostbite, the actual freezing of your tissues. While extreme cold can lead to frostbite, so can extended exposure to more moderate cold. Frostbite is marked by a change to pale or whitish skin color. The affected area will feel unnaturally firm, and will be so numb that it loses sensation and pain. Frostbite is hard to treat in the field, and it becomes imperative to get somewhere warm. Frostbite warrants a visit to urgent care or the hospital.

If possible, thaw the frozen area with warm (not hot) indirect heat. A bowl of warm water can work well. Frozen skin is filled with ice molecules that will tear up your tissue if you try to rub the injury. Frozen tissue also can’t thermoregulate, so it’s critical to avoid overheating the area, or re-exposing it to cold after thawing. Leave any frostbite blisters intact if you can. Extreme pain accompanies a thawing frostbite. Have over the counter pain medications ready. Even better, get to a doctor that can prescribe something more effective.

Less of a risk for bird hunters, immersion foot can occur with prolonged exposure to cool, wet conditions. After hours in soggy boots, your skin starts to ‘prune.’ If your feet don’t get a chance to dry out, blood vessels near the surface can be damaged, putting the area at risk of infection.  Predictably, this condition can be treated by simply switching out to dry footwear.

Hypothermia

While both problems can occur at the same time, hypothermia differs from local cold injuries because it is systemic, affecting everything touched by your circulatory system. With prolonged exposure to cold, a hypothermic person will exhibit shivering, drowsiness, slurred speech, crankiness, clumsiness, and confusion.

The body first tries to compensate for the cold with elevated heart and breathing rates, but eventually these vital signs slow. In severe cases, irregular heart rhythms occur.

A hypothermic person is usually unaware of the seriousness of their condition, requiring the intervention of others. Field measures should include the ‘mummy treatment.’ Handle the patient gently. Remove any wet layers they might be wearing, wrap them in as many dry insulating layers as you can find, and evacuate them to a warm place.

If the person is alert enough, give them warm beverages to drink. Try to keep them horizontal if possible, and avoid re-exposure to the cold. Just like with frostbite, avoid direct heat sources as these can cause tissue damage. Hypothermia always warrants medical intervention, so don’t skip a visit to the emergency room.

Be Prepared, Be Safe

While the purpose of this article is to focus on caring for yourself in cold conditions, remember that you also have a responsibility to care for your dogs and hunting partners. Your buddies may not know how to properly handle the cold, and they may be hesitant to complain even if there is a serious problem.

Your dogs can’t complain much at all. If you are cold, so are they. Be sure to give them the same attention you give yourself when hunting in cold conditions. Make sure their kennels have adequate insulation during travel, or let them ride in the cab with you. Watch your dogs for warning signs in the field, like lethargy, excessive shivering, or limping.

Graham Prather points out that cold weather safety starts long before you hit the field. "First aid training is an invaluable tool…the NOLS Wilderness First Aid course is two days long and will cover these sorts of issues and many more things." As upland hunters, we spend many days training our dogs and practicing our shooting. Educating ourselves on how to address problems in the field gives us skills that will pay dividends long into the future.