Our British Columbia hunts take place in a remote and rugged wilderness area. Changing weather conditions and physical hunting are the norm, especially for our hunters aiming to take two or even three species during a single hunt.

Having comfortable clothing and high quality gear won’t make you a better hunter. But when your mind isn’t on being cold, wet or uncomfortable, you’ll be ready when it counts, and you’ll be willing to stay in the field longer. Most importantly, you’ll have more fun!

When it comes to gearing up for a mountain hunt, we recommend high quality gear that’s both durable and lightweight. Our clients often ask us specifically what pieces of clothing we recommend for this hunt. Of course the answer is subjective – every person will have different requirements and a different tolerance for heat or cold. But in order to give you an example of the clothing system we recommend, we’ve compiled the following list.

Here is the clothing system that we recommend for a British Columbia hunt:

Base Layers

For base layers, we highly recommend quality merino wool tops and bottoms. Good merino is comfortable, manages moisture well and doesn’t hold odors. You can easily wear the same shirt for a week. If you get one set of merino wool base layers, go with a mid-weight shirt and bottoms. Throw in a couple pairs of merino boxer shorts and you’ll be set.

Insulation

When it comes to mid-layers, we recommend having two options in your bag. First, pack a lightweight wool sweater or shirt. And second, a puffy jacket for colder temps. Having two varying mid-layers will allow you to adjust to conditions as needed.

For a light insulation layer, consider a fleece jacket or expedition weight merino wool pullover. This will add some nice warmth without adding a lot of weight to your system.

For your warmer insulation piece, a down or synthetic puffy jacket is perfect. It’s light and packs down very small when you don’t need it. But provides a great layer of warmth when conditions necessitate. Look for a jacket with a durable face fabric and a DWR coating that can repel rain and snow, making it an effective outerwear piece too.

Pants and Outerwear

When it comes to pants, a great pair of wool or synthetic hunting pants is all you will need. Wool pants are quiet, comfortable and manage moisture effectively. You could easily get away with brining a single pair on a long B.C. hunt.

When it comes to rain gear, get the best you can afford. High quality breathable, waterproof rain wear is worth its weight in gold on a long hunt. Great rain gear should be breathable, and tough enough to withstand brutal conditions. Even when it’s not raining, you may find yourself moving through wet willows and spruce thickets on these hunts. Quality rain gear is an essential piece.

Accessories

In addition to your primary pieces, we remind all clients to bring a warm hat for sleeping at night and for cold days. Plus, pack a brimmed cap for warmer weather. For your hands, we think a softshell Shooting Glove is an ideal every-day glove. When the weather turns cold and snowy, a cold weather glove is a great choice. Other items we like to put on the checklist include merino wool socks and a good set of gaiters. Gaiters will protect your rain pants from abuse and provide an extra layer of protection to keep your boots dry.

If you have questions about our hunts or what to bring, please call us anytime at 780-675-1942 or send us a message. For more information on the hunts that we offer, please visit our British Columbia Hunts Page.