Clothing and Equipment

There are a few basic differences between the clothing best suited to big-game hunting and the best clothing for upland bird and waterfowl hunting. Generally speaking, the bird hunter will be hunting at lower altitudes and in warmer weather than the big-game hunter. Bird hunting is generally done early in the fall before snow, usually in brushy terrain. Thus the bird hunter's clothing may be lighter than the big-game hunter's. It doesn't have to be brightly colored for safety purposes but it should be more snag-resistant.

The clothing for waterfowl hunting, too, serves a different purpose than the big-game hunter's duds. Waterfowl hunting involves water. And around lakes, rivers, and ponds there are always breezes, winds, and often howling gales. The air moved by these currents is always high in humidity, more so than inland. The waterfowl hunter spends a greater proportion of his hunting time just sitting, or in some cramped and immobile position, than the upland-bird or big-game hunter; and often he must remain concealed.

Such a combination dictates the overall type of clothes for the duck and goose hunter. They must be drab in coloration to match the foliage in which he conceals himself. They must keep outside moisture and water from reaching his hide, yet keep him from becoming cold and clammy inside his outer shell.

UNDERWEAR

For the upland-bird hunter, cotton underwear is generally best. It may be either the shirt-and-shorts worn at home, or the two-piece thermal-knit cotton garment meant for slightly cooler weather. Seldom in upland-bird hunting is it necessary to wear woolen underwear. The hunter's move­ment usually keeps him warm, and during midday or any other time he becomes too warm, it is always easier to shed an outer garment than to stop and change underwear. For this reason, as well as for the fact that wool itches next to the skin, the upland-bird hunter is generally more comfortable if he starts the day in underwear a bit too light or skimpy than in a garment too warm or heavy. An extra shirt, in cool mornings, will make up any difference, and is easily removed later.

SHIRTS AND PANTS

Shirts, similarly, should be chosen according to the weather and climate. A hard-finished cotton shirt of gingham or denim is fine. A lightweight woolen shirt is adequate for the cooler days.

Pants for upland-bird hunting are very important. Since briars, brush, snags, thistles, burrs, and similar pants-grabbers are common, hunting pants should be tough but lightweight. Pants should also be relatively loose-fitting for ease in walking and climbing over fences and other obstruc­tions. Because weeds and burrs always find their way into boot tops and socks, pants should be tapered, or snug-fitting at the ankles, to go inside the boot tops.

Heavy-cotton duck, denim, and similar fabrics of hard finish and tough weave make fine bird-hunting pants. For the worst briars, such cotton pants faced on the leg fronts with Naugahyde are better, and are entirely snag-proof. Marsh brown, or tan, is one of the best colors.

FOOTWEAR

The bird hunter's boots are most important. They must be light, must keep weeds and burrs from his feet and ankles; must be comfortable and keep his feet free from galling during long hours of heavy walking and hot hunting, yet be relatively waterproof.

A long-time favorite in a hunting boot which fills all these needs is a leather boot, 8 or 10 inches high, with light, water-resistant uppers, moccasin-type bottoms, light cord or crepe soles, laced to the top. Such boots come in two types-, insulated and regular. For most bird hunting, the insulated boots are not necessary.

Any boot meant for hunting should be ample in size to accommodate the natural swelling of the feet during prolonged walking. New boots should be broken in before the hunt. One way of quickly breaking in a hunting boot is to put it on, wade quickly in water so that the leather just begins to become wet, then wear the boot continuously until it dries.

Lightweight socks of cotton or wool are adequate for upland-bird hunt-

Suitable  clothing  for  the  upland-bird   hunter:  woolen  shirt,   light jacket, strap-on bird bag, and Naugahyde-faced pants.

ing. Their reasonable bulk, plus the "breathing" of unwaterproofed boots, will prevent excessive perspiration from wetting the feet. Care should be taken to see that socks used for hunting should fit perfectly. Few things are more annoying than a sock that gradually works down inside a hunting boot.

HEADGEAR AND GLOVES

Most bird hunters use the standard peaked hunting cap made of canvas or heavy duck. Some prefer a light leather cap such as is used in big-game hunting. Any waterproof cap should have ventilation eyelets, and an adequate peak for a sunshade.

Many westerners like felt hats, either fedora or ten-gallon type, for upland-bird hunting. Hats provide better sunshades for the eyes than caps, and better run-off for water in case of sudden rain. The single fault of hats is that they are harder to push through heavy brush.

Hunting gloves are generally unnecessary for upland-bird hunting. Where they are needed, a light, tight-fitting glove is best, or one of the special shooting gloves having provision for the quick removal of the trigger finger.

COATS

The coat for upland-bird hunting should be water repellent but not water­proof. Perspiration caused from waterproof clothing produces a miserable clamminess. The coat should be amply large, both to go over adequate underclothing, and to allow freedom of movement when shooting. The shoulders should be fully wide and not bind.

A hunting coat must provide space for bagged birds, a supply of heavy shells, and such incidentals as a small camera, dog whistles, and lunch. Most hunting coats have a variety of large pockets in the front, and a bigger game pocket at the back.

Over the many years, and the combined experience of numerous hunters, a more or less standard hunting coat for upland-game hunting has evolved. This garment, though a compromise, does the overall job fairly well. It is a coat made of cotton duck, having the necessary hard finish and tight weave. Collar and wristbands are of softer corduroy, both for comfort at these points and for appearance. The garment is cut full across the shoulders for its chest dimension, and has provision for weight distribu­tion. This consists of a half-dozen or more large pockets on the front, and a waterproof game pocket in the back. The load may be shifted between front and rear pockets as game is collected. Often a recoil pad is built into the shoulder.

A lighter version is a sleeveless vest made on the same order. In some vests, individual loopholes are sewn in series around the front to hold shotgun shells. The vest is a fine hunting coat for milder days when a full coat would cause too much perspiration.

Instead of the game pocket, many hunters use a neck-loop for lugging dead birds from the belt, but this is usually unwieldy.

CLOTHING FOR THE WATERFOWLER

The seasons for waterfowl hunting vary more than for upland-bird hunt­ing, often running from October well into winter. This is especially true for split seasons. Because of the wide range of temperatures and weather involved, clothes for waterfowl hunting are more varied.

As in some forms of big-game hunting, the waterfowler's clothes must perform three functions. They must keep him warm. They must keep him waterproof. And in order to do both, clothing must provide some means of soaking up perspiration or allow it to evaporate. An additional function of the waterfowler's clothes is that they must camouflage him.

UNDERWEAR

Temperature control, for the duck and goose hunter, is best regulated at his hide; and the most important garment for keeping him warm is his underwear. By a correct choice in underwear, the waterfowl hunter can be comfortable regardless of weather or season.

For the cool days of October, in most areas, a two-piece suit of woolen underwear is perhaps the best. If the weather is exceptionally balmy— making it poor waterfowl weather—the thermal-knit cotton underwear, either in two-piece or union-suit type will often suffice.

As the cold weather increases, heavy woolen underwear is needed with the necessary bulk and insulation both to absorb any perspiration and to keep the coldness of outer garments away from the skin. Two-piece gar­ments may be used one piece without the other, regulating the warmth to the type of outer coat and pants.

For hunting in late season, often in snow and blizzard conditions, the newer insulated underwear is a boon to the waterfowler. The two popular materials in this garment are Dacron and down. Dacron is easier to launder, with down having a bit better insulation. Insulated underwear allows the hunter to keep down excessive bulk in outer clothing, which is an aid to better shooting.

With suitable underwear, geared to the expected weather and seasonal conditions, outer clothing can be chosen. Usually a light wool shirt and woolen pants will take care of most weather and temperature conditions. In balmy weather, even cotton shirts and pants may do, especially during midday.

SOCKS

For most waterfowl hunting, the extremities get coldest. Special care should be taken in selecting socks. in normally bad weather, the heaviest woolen socks, or several pairs of lighter woolen socks will keep the feet warm inside the rubber boots or waders normally worn. In freezing weather, insulated socks, or small boots, made of the same down or Dacron construction as insulated underwear are better. They may be worn as is, or over light socks. For older hunters with poor circulation, the recent electric socks will keep the tootsies warm when other socks fail. These are battery-operated from cells carried at the belt, and may be turned on or off like an electric blanket.

GLOVES AND HEADGEAR

Gloves and mitts for keeping the hands warm range in material from cotton jersey gloves, to fur-lined driving gloves and down-filled mitts. A useful mitt for most temperatures is a new plastic-outside, insulated-inside mitt with knitted wristbands and an opening in the palm of the hand for getting the trigger finger out in a hurry. This opening is closed by a flap when not in use.

For extremely cold weather, pocket hand-warmers are excellent. These little metal gadgets cost only two or three dollars, slip handily into a side pocket, and will operate all day on a filling of cigarette-lighter fluid or even white lantern gasoline. One in each side pocket will keep a goose hunter happy when others have to give up.

Caps for the waterfowler should be at least fairly waterproof. They are made of cotton duck, corduroy, and leather. A good cap for mild wet weather is a rubber Northwester hat such as sailors use. For the coldest weather, a down-insulated cap is warmest of all. Any cap for cold weather should be equipped with ear flaps.

FOOTWEAR

For pits, permanent blinds, boats, and under other conditions where no deep wading has to be done, foam-rubber insulated rubber pacs 10 or 12 inches high are often sufficient, and keep the feet warm over any well-chosen socks.

Likely the most common footwear for the waterfowler is the hip-length rubber boots. These boots seem eternally useful in setting out decoys, launching and beaching boats, wading out to retrieve birds, or going to and from shallow-water blinds. Nothing though is colder than a gum-boot in frigid weather, unless amply insulated inside with adequate socks. Es­pecially if they get wet inside.

For this reason, rubber boots should be amply large, to accommodate heavy socks. Ankle-fitting rubber boots are more comfortable if they will allow enough socks to go inside easily. For standard wide-ankle boots it is often necessary to take a pair of small webbed straps along. These, buckled snugly around the boot ankles, will keep the boots from pulling off when walking in deep water and mucky bottoms.

Waist waders such as fishermen use are often used in waterfowl hunting, either in going back and forth to shore blinds or for standing midstream in sparse concealment. They, too, should be amply large to prevent binding and splitting at the crotch when used over heavy clothing. Web straps around the ankles are often useful.

COATS

The coat for hunting waterfowl must serve several important functions. It must keep rain and snow out. It should have an ample amount of pockets for the inevitable small items. It must allow freedom of movement for good shooting. And the coat must keep out wind, not only from the upper part of the body, but from that vital area around the neck and face.

Some hunters use a hip-length sheepskin-lined coat with mouton-fur collar. The high collar is turned up against wind and cold, and a light raincoat is worn over the coat during rain or snow.

A better hunting coat is the hooded parka, worn with or without a hunt­ing cap. This may be of a material suited to the expected cold, should be waterproof, and hip length so that no appreciable gap is left between coat and rubber boots.

CAMOUFLAGE SUITS

All hunting clothes should be chosen to conform in color as closely as possible to the expected surroundings. Marsh brown is the best all-round color for coats and caps. The brown-green boots are preferable to black rubber boots.

The new rubberized two-piece camouflage suits made especially for hunt­ing purposes are excellent. The mottled, green-brown design makes contour-identification impossible at any distance, and literally blends the waterfowl hunter into his surroundings. Only the coat part may be worn in conjunc­tion with waist waders. Or, for boat or stalking use, both pieces of the garment may be needed.

In some of the northern country, late flights or a split hunting season may make it necessary for the waterfowl hunter to hunt under snow condi­tions. In fact some of the best river hunting for late geese often involves snow. When the hunter must conceal himself in fresh snow, no blind is better than a white costume.

Some hunters simply take a bed sheet, cut a hole in the middle for their head, and drape it over them. A 25-pound-size flour sack pulled or tied over the cap completes the outfit. The net result is usually something awe­some to behold, but will fool the honkers. Another style is a cape some­thing like a judge's robe, but sewed up loosely at the sides, with an at­tached hood—all of any white cotton material.

There are hazards in both these types of white costume, as a personal experience may indicate. A partner and I were hunting geese along a river in deep snow, concealing ourselves in the snowbanks along shore, and whanging at the honkers as they passed up and down the stream. My partner's costume, conceived and executed within ten minutes after I had asked him to go along, was made of a bed sheet. My own was patterned after the cape design.

We had waited perhaps an hour when six honkers came down the river, and luckily we rolled a couple. One of them fell, only winged, into the middle of the river and immediately began swimming downstream. My partner let out a yell and started to lope out to midstream in pursuit. The river there was 2 feet deep, with mush-ice running and smoking fog and below zero temperature.

At this inauspicious moment, my partner discovered that his costume was too long. He repeatedly stepped on the sheet, tearing it into strips and ripping it half off him. But in a sprinting splash, with sheet strips flaying like banners behind him, he overtook that flapping gander.

I was of much less help. At the first stride I took riverward, I made a momentous discovery. While standing in the shore water, the white shroud had frozen all around, just above water edge, in a 2-inch circle of ice. In truly masculine manner, I neglected to lift my skirts before take-off, and stepped on the frozen skirt-hem. I landed in the river with a greater splash by far than the gander.

ACCESSORIES

Other items for the waterfowl hunter include decoys, duck or goose call, and usually lunch for the day. Generally speaking, the more decoys the better. However, hunting partners often combine their decoys, cutting down on the equipment of each. With regard to calls, it is always wise to know the right tune to play when decoying waterfowl. Unless the hunter knows from the "talk" of the wild birds which calls will attract them, he should learn the calls in advance, either from an experienced caller, or from a phonograph record of authentic bird calls. A good idea is to tie any call to the hunting coat with a thong, to prevent losing it overboard.

Lunches vary in elaborateness. For an all-day hunt, one of the very best containers is the two-bottle sandwich-box. The vacuum bottles may be filled with a quart each of something hot, and the entire kit fits together nicely in a case with carrying handle. Such a kit, used with a beverage cooler, makes an ideal lunch-carrying combination for the upland-bird hunter. Block-ice for cooling beverages can ordinarily be purchased en route, or the box may be filled with cube-ice from the home refrigerator. The kit and a small cooler will hold the lunches for two or three hunters, and is usually left at the vehicle till lunch time.

In desert country containing rattlesnakes, a good item for the quail hunter is an anti-venom kit. He may only need it once in a lifetime, but once is enough.

Another item of importance for any bird hunter is a good pocketknife. It need not be large, but the blades should be kept sharp.

A majority of hunters simply use the family sedan to get from here to there. They dump in the gear, often in one great conglomeration, whistle for Rover, slam the door after he jumps in on top of everything, and take off.

It is possible, however, to provide a more sensible arrangement. Boxes for equipment, which will serve both en route and for home storage, should be built in advance. Dog cages for hauling a dog or two are easily made. And cheap sheets of plastic neoprene will protect car seats from hunting gear, as well as provide waterproof covers for gear after the hunter gets there.

Pickup trucks and station wagons are better for hunters than are family-type cars, and more and more hunters are coming to use them. Jeeps, four-wheel-drive vehicles, swamp buggies, propeller-driven "mud boats," and similar specialized vehicles for rougher hunting country are all part of the overall equipment. It isn't possible, of course, for every hunter to own a hunting vehicle, but often he can team up with a partner or two and acquire or build a suitable rig for his purposes.

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