Heaters and Whitetail Blinds

[HighCountryBC]

Been using a small propane heater in my whitetail blinds for a few years now but it doesn't quite cut it for the times when it's really cold.

Looking to upgrade and wanting to hear your experiences with the good, the bad and the ugly. What works well and what should I stay away from? A lot of units online have real mixed reviews.

For those that have used them please chime in.

Thanks fellas!

[Elkaholic]

From everything I have been told and seen about them the heater body suit is the best bang for your buck. Toss in your little propane heater and I would think you would be good to go.

[btridge]

electric jacket, works great

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I use a Coleman catalytic heater that uses white gas (Coleman fuel).

100% silent and you can buy them used for pretty cheap.

Probably get a day and a half out of one tank of fuel.

[knighthunter]

I hunted out of my homemade blind, made out of 3/8 plywood and 2x2's in down to -25 several times. During the winter it was my ice-fishing shack. It was 4x6ft in size. I tried different heater's and the best I found was a 2 burner camp stove. Turned on low it never made a sound. I would sit in there for a couple of hours in the morning and again in the evening, with my ears uncovered and my gloves off.
This was before I moved to Surrey when I lived in Manitoba. Sometimes them deer would come up to 15-20 yards from the blind, but they were keeping a close eye on me. If I made a sudden move in the open window they were gone.

[Wild one]

I hunted out of my homemade blind, made out of 3/8 plywood and 2x2's in down to -25 several times. During the winter it was my ice-fishing shack. It was 4x6ft in size. I tried different heater's and the best I found was a 2 burner camp stove. Turned on low it never made a sound. I would sit in there for a couple of hours in the morning and again in the evening, with my ears uncovered and my gloves off.

Have good ventilation doing this co2 can be an issue

[knighthunter]

I had an open window that was 4 ft long & 16 inches high. Was covered with burlap to cover my siloutte, but was always open.

[Whonnock Boy]

Too late. The effects got to him. He moved to Surrey. :)


Have good ventilation doing this co2 can be an issue

[knighthunter]

You got that right.

[Wild one]

Surrey poor bugger must have lost your mind lol

[Ourea]

I use just a cheap and cheerful Coleman heater for moderately cold temps (-5 to -10).
It's on the left.

When it gets nasty (-25) I break out the drywall heater with the propane tank and have absolutely no issue packing it in as the reward is worth the effort. No down jackets or electic clothing required as it is Pina Colada weather inside. Only challenge being one can get a bit noddy when your blind is 80 degrees.

An old door mat or scrap of carpet, so your feet are not on the snow or frozen ground, sure helps as well.
You can never be too warm in a blind, but you sure can be too cold.



https://i.imgur.com/b0fuVQe.jpg

[knighthunter]

Surrey poor bugger must have lost your mind lol
I saved just enough sense to get out last fall.

[Fisher-Dude]

I use this one.

Combined with the heated seat, I'm toasty warm.


https://cdn3.volusion.com/ojrvp.wzvke/v/vspfiles/photos/climate_repair-2.jpg?1389174049

[Wild one]

I use this one.

Combined with the heated seat, I'm toasty warm.


https://cdn3.volusion.com/ojrvp.wzvke/v/vspfiles/photos/climate_repair-2.jpg?1389174049

Looks like it would be a pain to get that one into the thick bush

[Wild one]

Guess I should add I use the same little Colman tent heater that is in Ourea's pic when I use a blind. 90% tree stand for me so usually just dress warm and stick hand warmers to my undershirt if I get cold.

[358mag]

Looks like it would be a pain to get that one into the thick bush
Just drive it like a rental truck

[Wild one]

Just drive it like a rental truck

Or a crummy lol

not too stealth though

[Ourea]

I use this one.

Combined with the heated seat, I'm toasty warm.


https://cdn3.volusion.com/ojrvp.wzvke/v/vspfiles/photos/climate_repair-2.jpg?1389174049


I just got down off the hill and saw this.
Fak, funny stuff.
You could not road hunt in cold weather if your heater died........you would have to call it a season.

[HighCountryBC]

I use just a cheap and cheerful Coleman heater for moderately cold temps (-5 to -10).
It's on the left.

When it gets nasty (-25) I break out the drywall heater with the propane tank and have absolutely no issue packing it in as the reward is worth the effort. No down jackets or electic clothing required as it is Pina Colada weather inside. Only challenge being one can get a bit noddy when your blind is 80 degrees.

An old door mat or scrap of carpet, so your feet are not on the snow or frozen ground, sure helps as well.
You can never be too warm in a blind, but you sure can be too cold.



https://i.imgur.com/b0fuVQe.jpg

Annnnnd back on topic.

This is the type of information I was looking for. Thanks to those who have chimed in with helpful advice.

[BRvalley]

I use the same coleman heater Ourea posted, and a big buddy dual burner heater when it gets really cold

the only thing that really bothers me is cold toes, I might try electric insoles again this year, my first pair sucked but they were el cheapo off amazon, might splurge on the brand name version this year

[86k20]

electric insoles work really well. love mine. Best xmas gift ever. I use em coyote hunting 2-3x a week and they work great. i run them on low just to keep the feet from hurting.

[twoSevenO]

thoughts on heater use inside a tent?

I have one of these, never used it inside the tent, but my gf always complains she is cold

http://www.mrheater.com/portable-buddy-heater.html

Says on the site "perfect solution to heating enclosed spaces such as large tents". Wonder if they really are safe to use in a tent on LOW setting in November .... just to take that edge off the chill.

http://www.mrheater.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/f/2/f232000.jpg

[HighCountryBC]

Some of the best/consistent reviews I've read have been on that exact unit ^^^

[BRvalley]

I have 2 buddy heaters, the one pictured above and the model with 2 burners, both work great, not sure I'd ever trust them sleeping though but they run all day in the ice fishing hut and blind

when the 1 lb tanks get below half full you'll run into issues with them shutting off or the pilot lights up but burner won't light when it's really cold out...running them off a larger tank will typically solve that issue...you can also get adapters to fill the 1lbers if you want to save some money

aside from that I clean the pilot tube at start of season and they work flawlessly

[twoSevenO]

Yeah, i can't decide if i'd want to fall asleep to it being on. Sounds sketchy even though the claim is that it's safe and has an oxygen depletion sensor built in. I dunno ..... i'm not convinced. I mean, i don't wanna wake up dead

[huntingtime]

I too have the hunt buddy heater, have not used it in a hunting blind but have in my much larger ice fishing tent. Once it heats up your usually down to a t-shirt. My feet usually stay cold though being on the ice so a couple of heating pads and couple of socks are still mandatory for me.

[srupp]

Used the same Buddy heater for 10? Years..feb.wolf hunting in blind, whitetails in Alberta..extremely warm.reliable..seem to always be hooked up to 20 # tank. However have used the 1# can too....outfitter, up north had them for blinds..NOT FOR tents..or level would concern me but moisture content would be exesssive"..
Srupp

[Ourea]

Some of the best/consistent reviews I've read have been on that exact unit ^^^

It's a hundred bucks....pull the trigger.
Not like you're buying a pr of $600 boots that need to fit just right.
:wink:

[J_T]

It's a hundred bucks....pull the trigger.
Not like you're buying a pr of $600 boots that need to fit just right.
:wink: Or dress warmer.

We sit in treestands for up to 5 hours at -30. Use warm clothes, layers and add hot packs on the thighs, small of the back and hands.

[twoSevenO]

sitting for 5 hrs in -30 i'd be sticking those hot packs on like krusty the clown and nicotine patches

https://media.giphy.com/media/3o6Mbrg7jOkdZhpkbu/giphy.gif

[Ourea]

Or dress warmer.

We sit in treestands for up to 5 hours at -30. Use warm clothes, layers and add hot packs on the thighs, small of the back and hands.

The heater weighs less than all that !!
I prefer the Pina Coloda approach.
You know a blind is warm enough when you are debating putting on sunscreen.

Kidding aside J-T, I appreciate your conviction.

[Wild one]

Or dress warmer.

We sit in treestands for up to 5 hours at -30. Use warm clothes, layers and add hot packs on the thighs, small of the back and hands.


The visual and added shot opportunities you get from a tree stand are worth it that's why I suck it up and deal with the cold as well. Only difference we stay in stand for all daylight hours cold as hell or not. Too many deer been shot at odd ball hours of the day

But the abuse given by the rest of the crew to the first man to cave from the cold gives you the motivation to stick it out lol

[Wild one]

sitting for 5 hrs in -30 i'd be sticking those hot packs on like krusty the clown and nicotine patches

https://media.giphy.com/media/3o6Mbrg7jOkdZhpkbu/giphy.gif

I have looked similar to that after a day on stand on a cold northern Alberta hunt lol

[HighCountryBC]

Or dress warmer.

We sit in treestands for up to 5 hours at -30. Use warm clothes, layers and add hot packs on the thighs, small of the back and hands.

5 hours is decent but doesn't compare with staying out dark to dark and being comfortable.

[Wild one]

5 hours is decent but doesn't compare with staying out dark to dark and being comfortable.

Comfort of a blind is way better than a stand but the shooting lanes a stand offers make it worth it. Stand also increase the number of places you can hunt where you would lack visual in a blind

It can be hell to sit on stand all day but if it increases success rate you spend less days in the cold. I am an all day hunter so understand how much it can suck in the cold

it all comes down to are the advantages worth the discomfort to you personally. For my self and most of my crew blinds are for locations that lack good trees

your personal call and what your willing to endure if a stand makes you leave your spot early a blind is better

with those little Colman heaters little green bottle gives you 8hrs so bring 2 for all day really cold sits

[srupp]

There are hand warmers..stainless steel filled with Rossignol lighter fluid..lasts 12 hours..warm reliable..one in each chest pocket next to torso. .core temp.
Srupp

[J_T]

5 hours is decent but doesn't compare with staying out dark to dark and being comfortable. We do sit all day dark to dark. Not all the time. We dont find it efficient. I didnt think you guys wanted hear how tough bowhunters are.
m
Most newcomers to camp and the late season are always caught a bit surprised with how cold it really is. The colder it is, the less you move. The field of vision is smaller. And the eyelashes tend to freeze.

[HighCountryBC]

We do sit all day dark to dark. Not all the time. We dont find it efficient. I didnt think you guys wanted hear how tough bowhunters are.
m
Most newcomers to camp and the late season are always caught a bit surprised with how cold it really is. The colder it is, the less you move. The field of vision is smaller. And the eyelashes tend to freeze.

Hunters are hunters in my eyes. I don't discriminate.


Comfort of a blind is way better than a stand but the shooting lanes a stand offers make it worth it. Stand also increase the number of places you can hunt where you would lack visual in a blind

It can be hell to sit on stand all day but if it increases success rate you spend less days in the cold. I am an all day hunter so understand how much it can suck in the cold

it all comes down to are the advantages worth the discomfort to you personally. For my self and most of my crew blinds are for locations that lack good trees

your personal call and what your willing to endure if a stand makes you leave your spot early a blind is better

with those little Colman heaters little green bottle gives you 8hrs so bring 2 for all day really cold sits

Agree 100% with everything you've posted. I'm not new to the whitetail game and have hunted from a stand a fair bit. I appreciate the advantages it has to offer as far as shooting lanes and locations. As tough as I like to think I am, the comfort of a blind when its -25 (and colder!!!) is tough to pass up when the location allows it. The company appreciates it too as most that I bring in are not accustomed to sitting all day.

I have and will continue to hunt some of my areas from tree stand, others from a blind. The intention of this thread was simply to get some input on what heaters have worked for folks who have used them and what to stay away from.

[ActionJackson017]

I bought the Big Buddy Heater with the dual burners and we hooked it up to a 20LB tank. Used it in our wall tent to flash heat the tent while waiting for the stove to warm up, and in the mornings to get some heat going instead of re-stoking the fire (and then having to wait around for the stove to subsequently cool off before leaving camp). It worked great, and we completely intended to hike in a blind + the heater to an area to sit in, but chose not to still hunt using a blind this year.

I do really want to try this though, I like the idea of Ourea's pina colada approach.

[HighCountryBC]

There are hand warmers..stainless steel filled with Rossignol lighter fluid..lasts 12 hours..warm reliable..one in each chest pocket next to torso. .core temp.
Srupp

You bet. Have a Zippo hand warmer that works amazing. Great for those cold days when you aren't moving.

[.300WSMImpact!]

I use being a man, not a panzy

[twoSevenO]

I use being a man, not a panzy

Are you the guy who doesn't use safety equipment at work as well because that shit is for pussies?

[HighCountryBC]

Are you the guy who doesn't use safety equipment at work as well because that shit is for pussies?

Think Dana had a term for guys like him - "Wannabe"

Our groups enjoyed a few laughs over the years about that "hardcore" hunter.

[Ubertuber]

While in my treestand, I take off my boots and slip into my old down mummy style sleeping bag. I can sit in the tree all day nice and toasty. If i was in a ground blind I'd use one of those Buddy heaters. they heat up small spaces hot and fast.