Sitka for South Louisiana
- Thread starter spivach
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Gmack
Senior Refuge Member
on the south east side of the state. I hate being cold. Key is layering with the right things.
Most of my hunting is out of a boat. During the sale last year I picked up delta wading jacket, duck oven jacket and gradient pants.
Christmas Eve I hunted and it was 22f with ice everywhere. Wearing heavyweight merino wool pants/shirt, gradient pants/duck oven jacket and goretex bibs/jacket I was never cold.
Tomorrow will be high 50’s and rain. I’ll wear merino wool base and goretex bibs and jacket.
Most of my hunting is out of a boat. During the sale last year I picked up delta wading jacket, duck oven jacket and gradient pants.
Christmas Eve I hunted and it was 22f with ice everywhere. Wearing heavyweight merino wool pants/shirt, gradient pants/duck oven jacket and goretex bibs/jacket I was never cold.
Tomorrow will be high 50’s and rain. I’ll wear merino wool base and goretex bibs and jacket.
William Reinicke
Senior Refuge Member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2018
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I love my sitka, early season here is in the 60's and hot, and late season is single digits to 30. Here is what I find the best.....
Waist down -
If temps are up, delta waders with grinder pants (no you don't have to get grinder pants, you can do jeans or any sweat pant you like). If field hunting, then sweat pants and bibs of your liking. If temps are cold, then gradient pants under waders or bibs. No way around this one, I like those gradient pants for cold mornings, super cozy and warm. Not for super long walks though, you will get so hot in them. When I set decoys in a field, most mornings I set all decoys just with these on and then will put my bibs on once I am ready to get in the blind and the moving around is done. Keeps the blood and conditions off the pant once the hunt has started. In waders, they aren't too bad to walk around in because the cold water keeps you cooled off but in a field, be careful, you will get splat balls... if you know what I mean.
Waist up-
If temps are up, I just run a hoodie or thick long sleeve shirt with my dakota vest. (I am a vest guy, I like their dakota vest, I wear it all the time. I have always worn vests, don't judge, but thats me. If You aren't a vest guy, then just wear a hoodie to your liking).
If temps are cold, I run the traverse hoodie (this replaced the gradient hoody, and I like it more because its more of a jacket than an actual hoodie and easier to shed in the field), dakota vest and Duck Oven or Hudson. I like the duck oven for insane cold mornings and I can hunt out of it pretty darn well. I have found I only use my hudson for boat rides at this point. THAT THING IS ROASTING, but really nice for those longer boat rides in frigid temps! As mentioned above, the delta wading jacket is probably more suitable to your climate and if I could do it all over again, this is the route I would of gone. Honestly though, I bet you wear a long sleeve shirt, traverse hoodie, and you won't need much else. In 30 degree weather, this will be flat out warm. Add a delta wading jacket for those super windy mornings or rainy days and you will be set. The Traverse does a pretty good job cutting wind, but it isnt waterproof by any means. In a light rain, it will shed water for a little while but you won't want to be out in the rain for very long with that on.
Hope this helps. I went down a Sitka rabbit hole a few years ago and have WAY too much of it. But I haven't been uncomfortable hunting in quite awhile now.
Waist down -
If temps are up, delta waders with grinder pants (no you don't have to get grinder pants, you can do jeans or any sweat pant you like). If field hunting, then sweat pants and bibs of your liking. If temps are cold, then gradient pants under waders or bibs. No way around this one, I like those gradient pants for cold mornings, super cozy and warm. Not for super long walks though, you will get so hot in them. When I set decoys in a field, most mornings I set all decoys just with these on and then will put my bibs on once I am ready to get in the blind and the moving around is done. Keeps the blood and conditions off the pant once the hunt has started. In waders, they aren't too bad to walk around in because the cold water keeps you cooled off but in a field, be careful, you will get splat balls... if you know what I mean.
Waist up-
If temps are up, I just run a hoodie or thick long sleeve shirt with my dakota vest. (I am a vest guy, I like their dakota vest, I wear it all the time. I have always worn vests, don't judge, but thats me. If You aren't a vest guy, then just wear a hoodie to your liking).
If temps are cold, I run the traverse hoodie (this replaced the gradient hoody, and I like it more because its more of a jacket than an actual hoodie and easier to shed in the field), dakota vest and Duck Oven or Hudson. I like the duck oven for insane cold mornings and I can hunt out of it pretty darn well. I have found I only use my hudson for boat rides at this point. THAT THING IS ROASTING, but really nice for those longer boat rides in frigid temps! As mentioned above, the delta wading jacket is probably more suitable to your climate and if I could do it all over again, this is the route I would of gone. Honestly though, I bet you wear a long sleeve shirt, traverse hoodie, and you won't need much else. In 30 degree weather, this will be flat out warm. Add a delta wading jacket for those super windy mornings or rainy days and you will be set. The Traverse does a pretty good job cutting wind, but it isnt waterproof by any means. In a light rain, it will shed water for a little while but you won't want to be out in the rain for very long with that on.
Hope this helps. I went down a Sitka rabbit hole a few years ago and have WAY too much of it. But I haven't been uncomfortable hunting in quite awhile now.
duckbuster5901
Elite Refuge Member
Delta Wading jkt for rain and wind break. Buy a size larger than normal shirt size. Dakota Hoody will work for temps your describing with merino wool base layer and something like an Under Armor Cold Gear pullover over that & under Hoody for coldest you,ve mentioned. Get the Dakota a size larger than shirt size also as theres no room to layer under with normal size. Duck Oven is very warm & will carry you into low 20,s or farther with just a heavy weight merino base layer under it . Wind proof but not water proof. Normal size will work in them if no additional heavy layers are worn under it.
Bclick
Elite Refuge Member
Get an old army gortex jacket and layer underneath it
I've become a firm believer in Sitka .
I used to work construction in Minnesota in the winter and truly did spend much my days outside hunting fishing trapping.
So I learned how to dress for the weather.
But on a snow goose hunt in South Dakota we got 2 .5 in of rain .
I was wearing Cabela's cold weather clothing. and wool
All of the guys that I was hunting with that day or wearing Sitka rain gear and clothing I was done hunting by 9:30 in the morning They weren't hardcore hunters yet they hunted all day in that weather.
If it isn't too painful to purchase. I would definitely own all Sitka outerwear
I used to work construction in Minnesota in the winter and truly did spend much my days outside hunting fishing trapping.
So I learned how to dress for the weather.
But on a snow goose hunt in South Dakota we got 2 .5 in of rain .
I was wearing Cabela's cold weather clothing. and wool
All of the guys that I was hunting with that day or wearing Sitka rain gear and clothing I was done hunting by 9:30 in the morning They weren't hardcore hunters yet they hunted all day in that weather.
If it isn't too painful to purchase. I would definitely own all Sitka outerwear
Sitka is a waist of money for Louisiana waterfowl hunting.
Hunted most if my life in swla. Just get some frogtog rain wear or whatever rain wear you prefer for when its rain.
Other then that any old camo will work, just check the weather the night before and later as need be.
I hunted this morning wearing cheap walmart 6 pocket mozzyoak pants and a long sleeve shirt under a camo hoodie.
Hunted the river with that cold NE wind blowing right into my face. Never got cold.
Did have my merino wool socks on though, so I guess I was cheating and useing high end clothing.
Hunted most if my life in swla. Just get some frogtog rain wear or whatever rain wear you prefer for when its rain.
Other then that any old camo will work, just check the weather the night before and later as need be.
I hunted this morning wearing cheap walmart 6 pocket mozzyoak pants and a long sleeve shirt under a camo hoodie.
Hunted the river with that cold NE wind blowing right into my face. Never got cold.
Did have my merino wool socks on though, so I guess I was cheating and useing high end clothing.
Timber Hole
Elite Refuge Member
To me nothing Beats 1-4 layers of cheap fleece jackets. I just bought the famed Sitka Duck Oven and after wearing it a few times I’d say it’s not as comfortable or warm as the cheap fleece I’ve been wearing the last 10 years.
