Vest recommendation-Early season Texas

[guitarpreston]

Planning on bow hunting this year for the first time. Early season it will be hot and I will probably wear my core lightweight hoody, I have a stratus jacket for colder sits. Looking for a vest that sits right in the middle for those days when its hot when I get in the tree but that last hour and a half of the evening is chilly. Debating the FL sawtooth hybrid vest, a stratus vest maybe, or open to other suggestions. Any in put is appreciated.

 

[Rich M]

if is is like in the 60s I wear jeans and a long sleeve T. 70s-90s I wear some lightweight pants and very breathable shirt.

Will carry a fleece vest and maybe jacket if it is gonna be cold. I live & hunt in FL.

 

[guitarpreston]

if is is like in the 60s I wear jeans and a long sleeve T. 70s-90s I wear some lightweight pants and very breathable shirt.

Will carry a fleece vest and maybe jacket if it is gonna be cold. I live & hunt in FL.

What are the temp swings there? Here it’s very likely to fluctuate 20 degrees or more. Those days where the high is in the 80s then it drops into the 60s are when I’m thinking about.

 

[Rich M]

I'm just giving you a little crap. I'm in FL. Mostly it is about what you get 60s at night 80s day and back to 60s. The first week in December we get a warm spell and it gets to like 90 - I don't hunt when it is that hot anymore. Nothing moves during the day, no sense sweating to death if nothing moves..

What I hate is the very wet woods in the morning - all the dew. We go thru basically a jungle (always have leaves and palms) to get to our stand trees and usually show up soaked to the skin. Like quick drying stuff - carry a fresh shirt, fleece beanie, and fleece vest in my lumbar pack to stave off any chill.

I'd probably get some kind of synthetic clothes if they weren't so expensive. Grew up with wool up north and find fleece is about the same, being warm when wet so, that applies in my choices as well.

 

[WBT]

What part of Texas and what do you mean by early season? Typically in my part of the state (north central) you don’t have to worry about cold temperatures in early October. It’s typically pushing 90 for a high and at best 70 for a low that time of year.

 

[guitarpreston]

East and archery only. I’m not expecting to need much at all if anything. Some afternoons in box a blind during rifle it got miserably warm…especially when I had to keep the windows up to get the wasps out…that’s more my expectations but who knows.

 

[WBT]

If you’re going to be in a box blind, a black or dark vest or fleece will probably work well if it’s cool enough to need it. I have metal Ranch King blinds and they get toasty early season. I typically end up sitting in my underwear and a t-shirt during October due to heat. But, we always get a mild cold front or two and I pack a Patagonia R1 fleece just in case. I have an old wool sock I cut the toe off of that I pull over my forearm to prevent my string from hitting it. It’s been quite awhile since I’ve needed a fleece in October. If you’re hunting from a tripod or tree stand, I can see the need for a camo vest.

My final word of advice is to hang a no pest strip or medicated cattle ear tag in your stand well in advance of the season. It’ll help keep the wasps out.

 

[guitarpreston]

I’ll be in a saddle for early season. Really debating the stratus vest vs FL sawtooth hybrid. Camo fire has the stratus for 180 today and FL is running the sawtooth for 120. I am leaning towards the sawtooth thinking it’s a bit lighter.

 

[ghenson82]

Buy whichever one is the most quiet and makes the least noise when you move (draw back). I dont own either of the ones you listed above, but the Sitka looks quieter and I hear great things about their whitetail set up.

 

[Long Cut]

Sitka’s new bug resistant early season stuff is what you need. Either that or whatever cheap, lightweight synthetic stuff you can find. Magellan has good deals on lightweight stuff. As does a lot of the turkey hunting clothes from Nomad, Ol Tom, Drake etc..

Spray down with Permethrin and wear snake gators.
I hunt Central to South GA, typically expect 85-100F for our September season. Have seen it stay in the 90’s into Mid October on rougher years.

Thermacell & Permethrin is crucial.