OUTDOOR TIPS OF THE MONTH
BRACE YOURSELF FOR HUNTING’S COLD WARS Editor’s note: Each month, our Paul Atkins will offer a tip outdoorsmen and -women can use as they prepare for an Alaska adventure. This month: Getting ready to hunt in seriously cold weather. BY PAUL D. ATKINS
M
y hands were freezing and the thought of drawing back a bow in such cold weather scared me. But the muskox bull in front of me couldn’t wait, so wrapped in
several layers of clothes I carefully drew the bow back and placed the 20-yard pin right behind his shoulder. All the time I prayed my bow wouldn’t explode in the minus 30-degree weather. It didn’t and moments later we had a muskox down.
THE COLDEST OF HUNTS Hunting in extreme cold can be tough on anybody, especially when you’re using a bow. Unlike a rifle that will usually perform in most conditions, a bow takes special
care and attention. If you’re careful, it is just as deadly as anything you could use. However, a rifle needs care too and consideration needs to be taken if you plan to use one in cold weather. Hunting in Alaska during the months of January, February and March can be brutal. Below-zero temperatures and fierce winds combined with snow and ice can be tough not only physically, but mentally as well. Making sure you have everything in order and are prepared long before you leave is the key to not
For many Alaskans, especially those who participate in subsistence hunts this time of year, hunting in the heart of the state’s brutal winters means being prepared for the harshest of weather conditions. Author Paul Atkins recommends having a good tent like an Arctic Oven, which will help keep the chill out. (PAUL D. ATKINS) aksportingjournal.com | JANUARY 2022
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