Rain gear.

Barbour waxed cotton coats, the dark green jobs- they were trendy and yuppie back circa 1990 and then suddenly not, at which time they went on clearance for huge discounts and I bought several different styles. But I already had a Beaufort model jacket, because of the large game carrier pocket and that they were styled for movement. What I appreciated was that the fabric was thorn proof, and even if penetrated by thorns the holes would seal up again, plus was breathable. Also, the dust from the dirt roads in my hunting area would coat the trees and bushes and wash off in rain, right onto me, but the waxed cotton would shed it without a care and look as good the next day as if it had stayed in the closet. My major other Beaufort model was a Northumberland model, which is twice as heavy and stands up to freezing rain and snow, and yeah a Border model for wearing in town. I know these are hideously expensive again but they are great, particularly unbeatable in thorn and blackberry country if you can get one.
 
And I have a Filson hunting coat for dry days. Neither that nor a Barbour has head protection, but a FUR FELT fedora style hat does everything in all weather, sheds rain and snow like a tin roof, and there's always a cheap blaze orange hunting cap for dry sunny days, blaze orlon or whatever for cold ones.

In Ontario, you always have to be blaze orange in colour, so I buy a size ###XL vest that will go over everything I own. A light fabric one, I already have plenty of thermal protection under it and might want to wear the vest in quite hot hunting weather (it's happened). The soft vest fabric tends to quiet down my outer wear when moving through brush but really if you think you can move in the woods without nearby wild animals hearing you, you're either The Last of the Mohicans or you're generally kidding yourself. Of course you don't want to wear something that makes actual loud noises, that would be like wearing a police siren.
 
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jjohnwm said:
I don't work locally at all, I just spend a few months a year looking for far-north or remote jobs that nobody else seems to want (don't usually work oil rigs, I'm an electrician by trade). It's funny how there is a sort of sub-culture of people who work in those places, you meet the same people and see the same faces each year. Even stranger is the fact that so few of them actually have any appreciation for the location...to many folks, every jobsite is the same, just another "God-forsaken hellhole" that they tolerate for the money. Life at a camp is so much more pleasurable if you can look around and say to yourself "Wow...what a place!" with some sense of wonder rather than a tone of disgust. :) When three grizzlies in B.C. kept a group of us captive in a bus for the better part of an hour, I was enthralled by them...but most of the guys just fell asleep!
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So true. I worked for over 4 years at a gold exploration project that we developed into a successful, profitable mine in the Russian arctic. It was 255 km away from the nearest town, no roads and only a winter ice road from Feb to mid April.

It was beautiful but after enduring 5-6 week 24/7 stints plus the stress of medivacs that waited on weather and sober Russian meteorologists and pilots my description would be:

It's not the end of the world but we can see it from here.
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Dogleg said:
Interesting, 3/4s of the guys from home worked the drills but when I get away from that circle of people it seems like few have even heard of them.
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I was a bit Nervous About going I can't speak French at all but up ther I found out that English and French are both second language up north
The best part of working up ther was getting weather in for 3 days at a time my Doubletime hours was three times more hours than my regular time

I mostly work with helicopters as a rigger for mine construction ,setting up bush camps ,and the od Bear monitor Job
 
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:HR:
Dogleg said:
If I get a 9 foot bear I'll get Angus to video me playing air guitar on my rifle in the rain.:cool:
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I'm holding both of you to that promise!!! :)

As for the rain gear issue, I envy your choice of Sitka gear. Just checked Cabela's and noted with horror that a set of Sitka jacket and pants in the "Downpour" series cost $730 plus tax! I don't even have any business suits that cost that much! Still, between you and me, I think rain gear for hunting is a better place to put one's money than a suit designed primarily to impress bankers and women :)

My own solution to the problem (and it may admittedly not be without limitations) is to wear Helly Hansen Impertech jacket and bibs ($200 for the set) while at the bottom of the mountain day after day glassing in the rain for something to chase. Once the game is afoot, I'll switch to some ultralight Gortex stuff I've used in the past for light duty satisfactorily. If it's raining so badly that the Gortex isn't going to keep me dry for a few hours, I figure it's raining too hard to be climbing after goats. And if I do shoot a billy, I'm sure I'll forget the rain and join your band. I'll play drums. :HR:
 
If your hunting with angus I guarantee he will do everything humanly possible to put you onto a bruiser. He's new at the game but a well established Hunter and knows his stuff. Just try to not pack to heavy. All that stuff has to go a long way into the bush. Good luck and stay dry
 
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