Spending a night in the bush, opinions please.

[birdman86]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

Personally, once bugs are no longer an issue I just use a tarp. I either pitch it like a lean-to or just peg 3 corners and use a stick to raise up the 4th. Use a sleeping bag system that will allow you to sleep comfortably at night, mine is a -12 bag shoved into a cheap over sized bag rated for 0C.

Under my tarp, in my sleeping bags wearing a base layer I've slept fairly comfortably down to -28. When its real cold, make sure you have lots of insulation under you though.


P1080087 by , on Flickr

P6270019 by , on Flickr

This makes me feel like a little ... after freezing half to death in the -8C this morning, 18 layers on and heat packs in the gloves and boots...

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by birdman86

This makes me feel like a little ... after freezing half to death in the -8C this morning, 18 layers on and heat packs in the gloves and boots...

Think about it, was it your top side that was cold or the side of you touching the ground?

More often than not I find that if I'm cold its because there isnt enough under me. When winter camping I make a big pile of spruce boughs, then put a groundsheet overtop and put my Thermarest on top of that. When sleeping out on the ice in my tent, I generally double up the sleeping pads on my cot. Too, I bring a base layer, balaclava, and sometimes toque as well specifically for sleeping so that they stay perfectly dry.

Another issue you can run into is that no matter how much insulation you sleep in, if you turn in to bed cold enough that your body isnt producing much heat you will have trouble staying warm in any temperature. Wear some extra clothing and keep your fire going in the evening with axe and bucksaw prior to hitting the sleeping bag... makes a huge difference.

On a canoe trip/hunt this fall I got totally soaked and frozen quartering a moose in heavy rain and wind. When we got the moose back to camp I put on all dry clothes and crawled into my sleeping bag... two hours later I still had not warmed up even though the temperature was only around 0C. The rain let up for a bit so I got up, chopped up a bunch of wood and lit a fire, I'd warmed up a bit by the time it started raining again, and climbing back into the sleeping bag I had to remove clothes to keep from sweating.

[colvert]

How about a hot water bottle if you can prepare one? that makes a big difference

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by colvert

How about a hot water bottle if you can prepare one? that makes a big difference

That would definitely help with getting warmed up. As I live in absolute terror of getting my sleeping bag wet when I am in the bush, I would never do it myself. Heard of people using fire heated rocks wrapped in a towel as well, but this too seems to have the potential for disaster IMO.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by colvert

How about a hot water bottle if you can prepare one? that makes a big difference

I like to drink lots of hot tea before hitting the sack.

For starters, it helps to rehydrate after stomping around in the bush and climbing trees.

Secondly, it's like having a hot water bottle inside you!

And, last but not least, you won't have any issues getting up early the next morning.

[aragor764]

Great input guys! keep em coming!

[kerthump]

Originally Posted by aragor764

Great input guys! keep em coming!

When I was younger I would drive into place the night before, kick back the seat to catch a few winks, then roll out for first legal light. More recently I’ve done many camping/hunting trips in a crew cab with an extra high canopy. Very primitive but comfortable sleeping platform in the back. For fall or winter camping, sleeping warm is easy. A bigger challenge is keeping your drinking water from freezing, or having the lid freeze shut. For one or two nights, I’ll just fill a few large thermos bottles with boiling hot water. Maybe one with coffee or tea ready to go for the first morning. For the shorter trips, I’m there to hunt, not luxury camping.

[waldedw]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

I like to drink lots of hot tea before hitting the sack.

For starters, it helps to rehydrate after stomping around in the bush and climbing trees.

Secondly, it's like having a hot water bottle inside you!

And, last but not least, you won't have any issues getting up early the next morning.

Or if you are older like me you will be up at 12:30, and 3:00 and finally at 6:00 when it's actually time to get up

[Big Grey Wolf]

Rather than a hot water bottle I think a young hot lady would warm your sleeping bag much better!

[dan1]

Rolling with a very similar system this week myself. It's been good for me so far. Good luck out there.

Originally Posted by aragor764

Hey guys,
I would like to know what you guys think.
My hunting spot is about 1.5 hours away from home, i took 10 days off in November for WT and frankly its about 100$ per trip for me with the price of gas. So i am thinking of maybe spending one night out there, never done it before, here is what i have for hardware:
- 8 person ice fishing tent
- Big buddy heater with plenty of propane (i would get a CO sensor)
- Cot and medium heavy sleeping bag.
- Small camping grill
- pickup truck

I know the are fairly well and there are many spots for camping, this is up in 512 so it can get cold very quickly.
Let me know what you guys think, im about 50/50 right now. thanks!

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

I like to drink lots of hot tea before hitting the sack.

For starters, it helps to rehydrate after stomping around in the bush and climbing trees.

Secondly, it's like having a hot water bottle inside you!

And, last but not least, you won't have any issues getting up early the next morning.

Hot tea by itself doesn't last for heat. The human body needs water and fat to create heat. Eat a 1/2 lb of bacon with your tea before bed. You'll be snoring on top of your unzipped sleeping bag. On cold days spent outdoors eat good amounts fatty meats and foods with your tea or water.

Metabolism is the process that converts fat molecules into energy. It does this by breaking fat or triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids. These are then absorbed by the liver, kidneys and muscles tissues until they are completely broken down by the chemical process. One of the byproducts of metabolism is heat which helps the body regulate it's warmth.

Vegetarians get their dietary fats from nuts, oils and coconut products but I don't think that diet generates enough heat for this winter climate. It seems most of the vegetarians I know complain of being cold all the time. Logic would suggest vegetarians could offset the cold by wearing real fur to keep warm. Sort of like 'If you don't eat it, wear it'.

This is just my opinion. Sorry to sound like a lecture. Just trying to help the cold folks know to eat more fat.

[Big Grey Wolf]

Red excellent explanation on body heat process. If you eat large steak for supper you will be toasty in any sleeping bag. If you eat veggies you May! live long but you will be cold in Canada.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Excellent explanation, Red Bullets!

Nuts and fatty meats are definitely on the menu when we're out in the cold.

[KegRiver]

Each individual is different, not just in size but in body heat production.

For most of my life I slept best when it was cold, mostly because when I fell asleep my body heat would go up. On a warm summer night, say 70 fahrenheit or 20 celsius, I'd wake up sweating in the middle of the night. I seldom sweat.

Back then I slept in tents, the back seat of my truck, under a tarp and even in the ditch along hwy. 5 in the NWT. It got down to +5 c that night but I slept okay with just a light bedroll for protection. No tarp, no tent. Just the bed roll.

More recently because of my diabetes I don't get as warm when I sleep so I've resorted to sleeping with a lot more protection.
For a few years I slept in my truck when I was on the road, doing gun shows, but I found it too cramped for my liking. I
I'm 6'2" tall and over 220 lbs. Not a little fellow.

So I got myself a slide in camper for the back of my truck. It works for me down to minus 20 c.

I think it would be impossible to say what works for me will work for you.

I have slept in conditions man today could not even imagine. And I know that the people from the generation before me slept in conditions I could not imagine.

A lot depends on what you grew up with. For me, there was no furnace in our house when I was growing up. Just a wood cook stove. I think that conditioned me to be able to sleep well in the cold.
For a person who grew up in a forced air heated home that may not be the case.
What I find comfortable they may find miserably cold.

All the suggestions so far are good suggestion, but only you can say if they work for you.

As someone said, try it in the back yard first. Better to have a warm place to escape to then to spend a night shivering.

[fordtruckin]

If your hunting an area that has lots of boulders or cliffs you can build your fire against the rock. Face your shelter towards it if your doing the tarp thing, that way the rock will act like a heat sink and reflect the heat back to you. It will also hold the heat longer so your not always up stoking a fire. Like others have said proper insulation under you is very important. I’m not a big fan of cots in cold areas as the cool air under you chills you off quick.

[Mb-MBR]

A lot has been covered here and has been suggested, what works for one might not work for another. I think it is also fair to say, you will not get it right the first time, heck you may not get it right after a half dozen times but only you will know what you need to change to keep improving your set up.

I am lucky enough to be able to handle the cold so my overnight set up is as been suggested, get yourself off the ground or have a good barrier. I would also suggest wool clothing.

Experiment and adjust, cold weather camping with no mosquitos, bears or bugs is priceless.

Good luck....

[dth_]

I've slept in my insulated widebottom fishing tent for the last 2 hunting seasons for a week or more at a time. Last year it was -25 over night a couple times and found my propane heater was too warm even for that. I just slept on a cot with foam pad in my good synthetic mummy bag with merino long underwear and the heavy helly hansen fleece pile suit. I would fire up the heater in the morning to take the edge off. This year with the warmer weather I experimented with a small wood stove, which I am hoping will work better with some modifications. With your setup I wouldn't hesitate to camp for a week or more in -15 or colder.

[7mmremmag]

Delete

[aragor764]

Well, thanks to all for your suggestions. I did spend the night on Monday, and all went well, as it was suggested i used a cot with many layers on top of it to keep the cold from coming under, also used a tarp for the floor, managed to keep the Big buddy heater on low for the whole night without any issues, I used a pipe as an intake for the heater as suggested, made a big fire, had a great time. Didn't get a deer but it was well worth it, thanks again!

[Madocmike]

there is a lot of good tips here on this post. Personally if it was only the one night I'd likely use my crew cab F-150 and fold up the seats and put down foam and then the sleeping bed. If it's more than the one night, you cannot underestimate the importance of being able to dry out your clothing. This is where the pop up tent with a heat source out ranks the cab of a truck. I've spent overnight before "directionally challenged" in big bush. There is not a quality sleep happening when you find yourself in this position not knowing where the camp / truck is. I never leave the truck now without a gps and my compass...

Michael.

[eberlestock]

Sounds like you have enough gear 764. I would add to you sleep system though! I like to put a smaller sleeping bag inside a larger bag. This lets a guy sleep in pretty cold weather. I put my mr buddy next to my cot so I can fire it up from bed in the morning. I also have a thermos of coffee right there too. I fire up the buddy and have a coffee in bed. By the time my first cup is done the chill is off the tent to get up and get dressed.

[MountainTi]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

Hot tea by itself doesn't last for heat. The human body needs water and fat to create heat. Eat a 1/2 lb of bacon with your tea before bed. You'll be snoring on top of your unzipped sleeping bag. On cold days spent outdoors eat good amounts fatty meats and foods with your tea or water.

Metabolism is the process that converts fat molecules into energy. It does this by breaking fat or triglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids. These are then absorbed by the liver, kidneys and muscles tissues until they are completely broken down by the chemical process. One of the byproducts of metabolism is heat which helps the body regulate it's warmth.

Vegetarians get their dietary fats from nuts, oils and coconut products but I don't think that diet generates enough heat for this winter climate. It seems most of the vegetarians I know complain of being cold all the time. Logic would suggest vegetarians could offset the cold by wearing real fur to keep warm. Sort of like 'If you don't eat it, wear it'.

This is just my opinion. Sorry to sound like a lecture. Just trying to help the cold folks know to eat more fat.

Just one more reason on the long list of many to eat more bacon
Good post Red!

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by aragor764

thats not a bad idea, i have a half ton chevy...anyone done this before? Im 6,1, 230lbs will i fit comfortably in there?

Throw insulated tarp over box, put good pad down or short height cot with good pad, buddy heater. Lots of room, cuts way down on gear.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Throw insulated tarp over box, put good pad down or short height cot with good pad, buddy heater. Lots of room, cuts way down on gear.

Lots of condensation doing that. Always lots of condensation in the fall/ winter but thats the worst. Did it once and havent had any incling to try it again. Just me.

Thought about making a frame I could stick in the box rail pockets and raise one end, could use the headache rack too but it would be PITA to get in and out.

[sns2]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

I like to drink lots of hot tea before hitting the sack.

For starters, it helps to rehydrate after stomping around in the bush and climbing trees.

Secondly, it's like having a hot water bottle inside you!

And, last but not least, you won't have any issues getting up early the next morning.

This is a reel shtty plan if you are having prostate issues, Justsayin

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by aragor764

Hey guys,
I would like to know what you guys think.
My hunting spot is about 1.5 hours away from home, i took 10 days off in November for WT and frankly its about 100$ per trip for me with the price of gas. So i am thinking of maybe spending one night out there, never done it before, here is what i have for hardware:
- 8 person ice fishing tent
- Big buddy heater with plenty of propane (i would get a CO sensor)
- Cot and medium heavy sleeping bag.
- Small camping grill
- pickup truck

I know the are fairly well and there are many spots for camping, this is up in 512 so it can get cold very quickly.
Let me know what you guys think, im about 50/50 right now. thanks!

So what did you do .....Motel ?

[270hunter]

Originally Posted by aragor764

Well, thanks to all for your suggestions. I did spend the night on Monday, and all went well, as it was suggested i used a cot with many layers on top of it to keep the cold from coming under, also used a tarp for the floor, managed to keep the Big buddy heater on low for the whole night without any issues, I used a pipe as an intake for the heater as suggested, made a big fire, had a great time. Didn't get a deer but it was well worth it, thanks again!

Originally Posted by -JR-

So what did you do .....Motel ?

Sounds like he had a great time.

[aragor764]

Alright lets revive this thread!
As stated last year i did end up spending a night in the bush in my Eskimo ice fishing tent. This year I am aiming for 3 nights, my setup was very good, but there is one thing i would change...I would like to get wood heat in there as opposed to propane heat, dry heat would be great. Anybody on here has done the wood stove conversion to their ice fishing tent?
I am trying to get a setup similar to this one below, looking for feedback and do's and don'ts, TIA!

[aragor764]

That was my setup last year btw.

[marky_mark]

I was going to do this with mine
Need get a stove jack sewn in