Coldest Temp you have camped/hunted in?

mitchellmountain

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 20, 2020
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238
Hunted -26, slept at -35 in that hunt. Was a once in a lifetime hunt because I’m not doing that again....ever. 3rd season elk hunt in the late 90’s. Above tree line over 12000feet, we killed one but it wasn’t worth the agony, maybe it was at 20 years old but it sure wouldn‘t be now.
Outfitter was Rudy Rudibaugh(spelling), outside of Parlin, CO. Hunt was very memorable in a lot of ways.
 
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bcimport

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Mar 15, 2013
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500
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BRITISH COLUMBIA
-25c but that was day hunting. Probably around -15c for backcountry stuff. The older I get the more I’m interested in a mid day fire and a wood stove at night.
 

Patton

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Joined
Aug 26, 2019
Messages
197
Just got home from hunting/camping in -7° in a SO Redcliff. On Monday, it only warmed up to 9°..
 
Joined
Oct 28, 2020
Messages
18
Location
Central Michigan
-20 degree wind chill and snowing. Me and my brother went out rabbit hunting because we where bored. We got one or two but I remember it being so cold that the action froze up on my old .410 pump.
 

Rabbit57

FNG
Joined
Oct 27, 2020
Messages
7
I was looking at the forecast for my upcoming elk hunt and noticed it is supposed to get down to 3 degrees at night. That got me wondering what is the coldest others have camped and/or hunted at? I love the cold weather for hunting as it seems to really get the animals moving but I sure am glad I will have a canvas tent and Mr Buddy heater to go back to!
Well. When I was 327th Infantry Regiment stationed at Ft. Richardson, Alaska, my first assignment there was in a forced recon platoon for a year.our platoon wasn’t allowed to use any tents or Yukon Stoves. It was always cold, but the worst was in Delta Junction (-65!!!)

ok. I know That’s not camping.
 

badshot

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Nov 30, 2017
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122
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Oregon
I was an idiot and went coyote hunting where the high was 19F in the windy eastern Oregon desert. I then tent camped on top of packed snow when the low was 4F and about 35mph wind. Worst night I have had in the outdoors. It was supposed to be a 3 day weekend trip but after that one night I was up and on the way home as soon as I could. I dont know that I really got any sleep that night I was so cold.
 

Jn78

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Joined
May 9, 2018
Messages
290
Second rifle in Colorado got cold this season. -15 was our coldest night. We backpacked in about six miles and it seemed like we were the only ones who abided by the fire ban.
 

stonewall

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Joined
Jul 29, 2016
Messages
716
Location
TX - Texas
You all are tougher than I am. 19 was the coldest for me. Can’t remember if we slept in the popup camper or the run down cabin on the place. Either way def wasn’t in a tent. Coldest tent trip was maybe high 20s.
 

Appalaskan

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Joined
Nov 26, 2019
Messages
168
Got a polar bear on the 11th day of a 10 day mid-Feb hunt on the ice out of Resolute, Nunavut. Temps were -35* to -40* and we did have winds with zero visibility a couple of the days. We camped out the whole time in a dual walled tent heated by a Kerosun heater, plus a Coleman gas stove and lantern when we were awake and inside, whichn was quite a bit due to the very short days that time of year (the sun returned the week before I got there). Slept on caribou hides over foamies. Inuits are tough dudes and love the winter weather.
What was your clothing system for that?
 

Steve O

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Feb 29, 2012
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I’ve hunted Mountain Lion in Montana quite a few days from -20 to -23. It felt like a plus 30 day here in Michigan. Not bad at all.
 
Joined
Sep 9, 2012
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BC
What was your clothing system for that?


I wore the typical clothes I’d wear for any mountain hunt as my base layers....poly merino blend next to skin, heavy KUIU zip off longjohns, Super-down zip-offs, Attack pants on the bottom

Top was a second poly fleece pull-over, Cabelas Microtex shirt, hooded Superdown puffy, Costco down jacket over that.

Feet had two pair of Costco wool trail socks. Used stick on toe warmers each day. Topped with -100 Baffin boots.

I bought a decent bomber hat...only piece of clothing I purchased. Did buy ski goggles too.

Those clothes mentioned above never came off for the hunt duration until I got back to Resolute.

The Outfitter also fit me with summer caribou hide, hair on knickers and hooded parka. They never came into the tent. Were always removed and left in the snow next to the sled runner. Apparently they would get damp if brought into the heated area, just like your glasses and the ski Goggles steam up. The caribou clothes were amazing as you’d be cold, put them on,..they were -40* from laying out all night, and you’d be instantly warm! The guides mom and sister had made them using short summer haired caribou as apparently winter hair was too warm! They loaned me fox haired mittens that were great as well, with a hand warmer in each.

I did have to remove the caribou parka to shoot my bow. Prettty dang cold without it despite all the layers. Froze the tip of my little finger in about a minute taking pictures with the phone, also about the duration for the phone to freeze up. The battery booster fixed it quickly, both kept in inner pants and shirt pockets along with the rangefinder the entire trip.
 

archp625

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Joined
Jan 17, 2018
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St. Joseph, Missouri
The coldest I have ever camped in was 0 degrees last week in Montana. It was cold and we did not get a good nights rest. I had a WM Badger bag and a SE Cimmaron with a Medium U Turn Stove. I bet I woke up every hour to put more wood in the stove.
 

Appalaskan

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 26, 2019
Messages
168
I wore the typical clothes I’d wear for any mountain hunt as my base layers....poly merino blend next to skin, heavy KUIU zip off longjohns, Super-down zip-offs, Attack pants on the bottom

Top was a second poly fleece pull-over, Cabelas Microtex shirt, hooded Superdown puffy, Costco down jacket over that.

Feet had two pair of Costco wool trail socks. Used stick on toe warmers each day. Topped with -100 Baffin boots.

I bought a decent bomber hat...only piece of clothing I purchased. Did buy ski goggles too.

Those clothes mentioned above never came off for the hunt duration until I got back to Resolute.

The Outfitter also fit me with summer caribou hide, hair on knickers and hooded parka. They never came into the tent. Were always removed and left in the snow next to the sled runner. Apparently they would get damp if brought into the heated area, just like your glasses and the ski Goggles steam up. The caribou clothes were amazing as you’d be cold, put them on,..they were -40* from laying out all night, and you’d be instantly warm! The guides mom and sister had made them using short summer haired caribou as apparently winter hair was too warm! They loaned me fox haired mittens that were great as well, with a hand warmer in each.

I did have to remove the caribou parka to shoot my bow. Prettty dang cold without it despite all the layers. Froze the tip of my little finger in about a minute taking pictures with the phone, also about the duration for the phone to freeze up. The battery booster fixed it quickly, both kept in inner pants and shirt pockets along with the rangefinder the entire trip.
What a memory to have. I suppose there’s a reason people have survived for thousands of years using hides.
 

chinook907

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 1, 2014
Messages
118
Tons of times checking traps between -20 and -40, shooting ptarmigan or a snowshoe hare occasionally along the way.

A few times at -20 to -30 for caribou. One hunt for bison when it was between -20 and -35 during the day.

You just have to dress for it and minimize exposing your skin. Having said that I've mildly frosted my ears a number of times. You find out you frosted them a few days later when the skin starts peeling like a sunburn.
 

SonnyDay

WKR
Joined
Jul 22, 2019
Messages
404
Camped and climbed in -60F... and hunted and camped in -20 night/0F day. Toasty warm all the way through. As others have said... it's all about having the right gear!
 

spur60

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jul 14, 2020
Messages
233
December goose hunt, -22F when we set up, I think the high was around -15 that day. Had a good shoot.
Have shot a lot of yotes and pheasants in negative temps as well.
 
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