Getting Started Clothing

To someone just getting started out in hunting, spending hard-earned money on special hunting clothing may not seem that important. That would be a mistake. Good quality clothing, designed specifically for the requirements of the hunter, can allow you to stay in the field longer and in greater comfort in the adverse weather conditions that so often occur during the fall hunting seasons.

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Hunting clothing has evolved tremendously in recent years. It wasn’t that long ago that “hunting clothes” were the same ones you wore to do yard work or to take your dog for a walk in the park. No more! Just pick up a current Cabela’s or Bass Pro Shops catalog and you’ll be treated to a mind-boggling assortment of specialized hunting clothing for every conceivable environment, hunting style, or weather condition. There are even companies that cater specifically to the clothing needs of women, taking their feminine physique and unique needs into consideration. So how do you decide what to get?

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Weather: To start with, think about where you are going to do most of your hunting. If you live in Texas, with its typically mild fall climate, your clothing needs are going to be different than someone who lives in Montana where subfreezing temperatures are the norm rather than the exception. In the Inland Northwest, where I live, hunting season can be both chilly and wet, so clothing with a waterproof function is a necessity.

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Fabric choice is another factor. Cotton and wool are the traditional fabrics for hunting clothing, and they are still the best choice in certain situations. But more and more synthetic fabrics are taking over the hunting clothing market. Synthetics have the advantage of combining the best qualities of both cotton and wool: they dry far faster than cotton, and are more comfortable than wool (non-itchy). Synthetics are generally quite durable too, meaning that if you take care of them you’ll be wearing them for years to come.

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Camouflage clothing for hunting is actually a fairly recent phenomenon. When I first started hunting 25 years ago it was mostly just bowhunters who wore camo. Rifle hunters typically went afield in their blue jeans and maybe a sweatshirt or flannel shirt, throwing on a non-camo insulated jacket if the weather turned cold. No more! Today, virtually every hunter, both bow and rifle, wears full camouflage when going into the field. There are many camouflage patterns to choose from, and while everyone has an opinion on which one is “best”, the reality is that most of them work well at concealing the hunter. Pick one that appeals to your eye – the deer really don’t care!

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Footwear. No discussion of hunting clothing would be complete without addressing the importance of buying quality footwear to protect your feet. It’s your feet that carry you to your hunting spot and bring you back again – possibly dragging a big buck behind you! But if you’re wearing poor quality, ill-fitting boots then that walk in the woods could be pure misery. Good footwear is even more important in bad weather; there’s nothing more uncomfortable (or dangerous) than cold, wet feet when you’re in the field, possibly miles away from your camp. More than any other part of your wardrobe, boots are where you should be willing to spend as much money as you can possibly afford.

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Many novice hunters (and some experienced ones) tend to overlook the importance of having good quality, well-made and good fitting hunting clothing as part of her hunting kit, focusing instead on things like rifles or bows, binoculars, knives, electronic gadgets, and even ATVs. But the reality is, it all starts with good hunting clothing, Without it, none of those other things matter because you’ll be so miserable that you won’t even want to go out hunting!