-40 C Hunting Gear

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gelatine

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Hi,

I'll have a chance to go to north (inland, Baker Lake) for hunting in April next year, which will be around -40C I believe.
I now started to making list and preparing for the gear.

I totally have no idea what to prepare for such cold weather for such a long time outside.
I meant, I lived in Toronto for a while, did some photographs in cold weather arounf GTA, but never stayed outside lower than -20C whole day long.
So far, there are only few things in my mind. I sure need good parka, pants, boots, unders, whatelse?

Luckily, we will not live in tents, searching will mainly on snowmbile, most of the luggage will leave in the camp. Will not have to have a sleeping bag, tents, stoves, cooking wares....
Bad news is I have only a darn heavy rifle, and a super heavy camera, which makes me little room left for my luggage, and you know what?
My luggage weight limitation is FIFTY POUNDS！

Here's what I have in my list so far:

No.1 BOX
Gun Case / Gun / Cleanning kit / gun camera attached

No. 2 BOX
Ammo Case / Ammo
(Will fly to Winnipeg from Toronto. Ammo and firearm GOT to be in different luggage. Wondering if I can combine ammo and other luggage together?)

No. 3 BOX (Suit case + bakpack)
Camera
?? Range Finder (Using mill dot?)
Emergency Food (Just in case, and for snack, few packs)
Aid Kit
Water Bottle
GPS
?? Knife (I may not need to skin the trophy myself)
?? Flash Light (Attachable to my rifle?)
Glove / inner glove
Warm Pack
Wool Socks
Boot
Goggle / mask
Battery
Folding Saw
Tooth brush, paste, toilete paper, personal cleanning item
Some water proof bags
Cellular, IPAD, recharger.

What else?
My idea is to have a small backpack in the suitcase. When we arrived our camp, I'll only take main hunting gears in the backpack.
ANY comments are welcome. Brandname? Thanks again.
 
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I have spent a fair bit of time at -40°
My suggestions:
Boots must have removable liners and insoles so you can take them out to dry at night.
Not gloves, mittens. Gloves aren't warm enough. Your fingers need to be in contact with each other to keep warm. A mitt with index finger separate for shooting and detail work is acceptable, you can put your index finger in with the rest when you don't need the dexterity.
Why bring a folding saw? no trees.
If you want to carry a water bottle it should be a thermos, no point in bringing an uninsulated one. It would freeze in a short time.
Wool, really expensive non itchy Merino is by far my favourite underwear and sock material. Smartwool, Icebreaker, etc.
No cell service, so why the phone?
 
You pretty much don't want to have any skin exposed. Neck warmer. Balaclava. I'd wear a thin inner pair of helly Hansen gloves to shoot with. It helps a lot if your hood comes a long ways over your face and it's better if you can tighten it up a bit to keep the wind off of you. It's probably not as bad as you think for wearing layers of clothes. I wear arctic muck boots with a thick pair of socks, long underwear with jogging pants and a cheap pair of snow pants to block the wind. For my top I wear long underwear, t-shirt and a heavy coat. Probably a good idea to bring some toe and hand warmers.

I've spent quite a few days out in -40, but I've never hunted in it. One of my concerns would be my rifle freezing up. I've been out shooting in about -30 and haven't had any problems.
 
At -40 the gun powder in your bullets burns very poorly, good enough reason to stay indoors where it will be 60'C warmer
 
Curious how electronics like gun camera and LRF work in those temps...as well as your gun / load. Want to ensure no grease or moisture anywhere
 
Light and heavy Helly Hansen underwear. You'll figure out pretty fast whether you need light, heavy or both. Ski pants don't matter much, if they don't fall apart ones as good as the next. Snowmobilers figured out wind proof and ventilation on jackets a long time
Ago so not much use trying to reinvent the wheel. A super warm option that can be worn instead of or on top
On the skidoo jacket is a Canada Goose parks in expedition weight. Neck warmer, ski googles, helmet liner and warm hat, toque or whatever. Fistful of hand and toe warmers are handy.

With the above list you could likely take a stab at walking to the North Pole. 40 below isn't all that bad if you're dressed.

Take your rifle bolt apart and clean it. There's tons of good lubes; plain old dirt and crud causes most of the problems.
 
my favorite for minus 25 to minus 40 is some comfortable layers under a pair of insulated duck coveralls. I get them a size top big so I can keep a lot inside of then if anything needs to stay warm. a balaclava or two a pair of 3 finger mitts and good wool socks and you're pretty much set. the one thing I've never found a good pair of is boots. I have had possibly every brand of poly eurathane work boots and some regular insulated and haven't found a pair that will always keep my feet warm.
 
Some sort of mat to keep you off the ground, I'm assuming that using a heavy rifle means you will be shooting prone or kneeling, also even in -40 with a ton of gear and pushing through snow it's not hard to break a sweat, layer appropriately and some form of ventilation built in to the winter gear can help avoid this. Get damp and sweaty in your base layers and you will be miserable. For emergency food I would pack some good protein bars, guy burns a lot of calories in the cold. I'm basing this off of my experience as a heavy equipment technician, spent a lot of 12+ hr days outside in -40 or worse in my career. I have also found that layered socks can be just as good as linered boots, decent set of thinner socks under some thermal socks with bama boots over that and you are set, the advantage being that if it's a balmy -25 you can adjust your footwears insulation to match, I don't even own winter boots, just normal work boots a size bigger for winter (Original Shoe SWAT boots waterproof). I spent all winter outside around Ft Mac this last winter and we had some brutally cold days, only really got cold when I stopped moving or was in laying on the ground or a track which would negate a lot of my winter gears insulation, that's where some sort of mat come in. A blanket of some sort if you will be prone or sitting calling prey helps a lot as well. If you will be moving pack as light as possible to avoid breaking a sweat. Just my experience.
 
sask31 said:
my favorite for minus 25 to minus 40 is some comfortable layers under a pair of insulated duck coveralls. I get them a size top big so I can keep a lot inside of then if anything needs to stay warm. a balaclava or two a pair of 3 finger mitts and good wool socks and you're pretty much set. the one thing I've never found a good pair of is boots. I have had possibly every brand of poly eurathane work boots and some regular insulated and haven't found a pair that will always keep my feet warm.
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Agreed, usually winter boots are just heavy. Regular work boots a size bigger than normal with multiple layers of socks with bama boots is the best I have found, but if you sit for too long they get just as cold as anything else, just A heck of a lot lighter. The only real way to keep your feet warm is to use them. In my experience anyways.
 
for the lubrification of the rifle use graphite powder and remove any oil or it will freeze ...

if you are in the komatik (assuming muskox hunting) you will love to be cover from head to toe and do tell your guides when you are cold do not wait ...

i really like helly hansen bibs and as suggested take one side above your regular one.

i will use a no itchy merino then a polypro layer ...

forget bama they are made of coton and will freeze your feet up to frosbite.

you need bunny or mickey boots you will thanks me.
 
medvedqc said:
look what bama are made of ... they are great but for that kind of cold ... look where im located ... and i do hunt or fish even when it s cold ...
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I believe you, I just haven't experienced this, polyester weave with tri-cotton fibers. I usually don't wear mine unless my sock layers aren't keeping up, usually when I'm stuck laying under a piece of equipment for extended periods of time. I'm always on the look for new tech to keep me comfy though.
 
Uisge said:
I believe you, I just haven't experienced this, polyester weave with tri-cotton fibers. I usually don't wear mine unless my sock layers aren't keeping up, usually when I'm stuck laying under a piece of equipment for extended periods of time. I'm always on the look for new tech to keep me comfy though.
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i used them when i was cutting wood during the fall but will never rely them in the real cold. if for any reason your feet are starting to sweat they will keep the moisture and will freeze ...

try a better grade cold shoes/ boots with a propylene liner then an heavy wool sock ....
 
I work in -40 all winter each year its not that bad if you dress for it
I like my insulated coverall (duckies ) for working a mustang type survival suit mite be better in your case I know I keep looking at them but haven use them before
hand warmers (hot pockets, hot hands) are impotent its no fun trying to do any thing with frozen fingers and you can slip them in your boots so get lots of them they don't last long in the cold
a good fur hat with ear flaps really helps
 
It won't be -40C air temp in April unless you get a freak arctic inflow. Still, you need to be well prepared. You need layers. Several layers. Base layer needs to wick the sweat away from your body. I've done well with polypro baselayer, polypro long johns, Helly Hansen sweatshirt, heavy snowpants, mid-weight down jacket and a good anorak. I also like to go over the top with a windproof set of whites like those sold by Northern Outfitters. Layer your hands too. Helly Hansen makes a good polypro contact glove or wear a set of wool gloves. Then heavy gauntlets. For your feet go with wool...I like merino and then for real cold I layer with good old nasty grey wool. Acton boots are the warmest you can buy and a second set of liners is cheap insurance. I like a heavy fur hat like the "Mad Bomber" hats with a polypro balaclava. Neck gaiter is a must as well as a wool scarf to cover your face. Good snowmobile goggles is a must as well because in April the days are long and the sun on the snow is bright.

Degrease your rifle completely and ensure that the firing pin mechanism is lubricated with powdered graphite. Take ammunition primed with magnum primers. Some will say this makes no difference but it's cheap insurance.

Your pack is your carry on. Pack it with as much stuff as you can fit. Here's a tip...in the North you can often back a hellishly heavy carry on. I had one one time that was probably 150 lbs. I've seen people pack boxes of laundry soap as their carry on. Your range finder will probably freeze and not work so leave it home. You're not going to be taking long enough shots that you need to worry about it. Zero for 250 is you're worried about it. Take one smallish good quality knife and a small diamond hone. Lose the gun camera. Lose the flashlight. Take a headlamp. Lose the saw. Lose the extra batteries. Lose the water bottle...it will freeze solid. Take a good thermos and take warm/hot water with you when you leave every morning. Don't take food unless there is something you just need to have. You can buy snacks there. If your camera is heavy, lose it and buy a good quality smaller camera for a couple hundred bucks.

Pack all your gear in Rubbermade Action Packer. They are the workhorse of the North. Don't pack a bunch of extra clothes. You can wear your undies for several days in a row with no ill effects.
 
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