Caribou Gear

Best mittens for hunting?

WyOpitz

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I'm looking for some good hunting mittens or glomitts for hunting. My hands don't stay warm in 5 finger gloves and I want to find some good mittens that I have quick access to my fingers. Any help is appreciated!
 
I bought a pair of the leather mittens with wool liner from LL Bean for my upcoming elk hunt. I've seen Big Fin wear something similar on TV. I haven't tested them in the field yet but they are very comfortable, easy to put on/take off and don't weigh much.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/60315?feat=502856-GN2&page=men-s-buckskin-chopper-mitts

Hopefully you can pull up the above address and it will take you to them. I got the gold color. I figured they would be easier to find if I laid them down on the ground than the darker color.
 
I personally like the Buffalo Pertex/pile mitts.
 
I bought a pair of the leather mittens with wool liner from LL Bean for my upcoming elk hunt. I've seen Big Fin wear something similar on TV. I haven't tested them in the field yet but they are very comfortable, easy to put on/take off and don't weigh much.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/60315?feat=502856-GN2&page=men-s-buckskin-chopper-mitts

Hopefully you can pull up the above address and it will take you to them. I got the gold color. I figured they would be easier to find if I laid them down on the ground than the darker color.

Choppers are the way to go. If you are looking for something more technical, checkout Outdoor Research's modular mits (shell plus liner).

Yup, choppers are where it's at. I can ditch my choppers in a hurry, when action requires. And when I do, I've got warm hands, thanks to the hand warmer pouches I put in them. I can pull off a chopper, load and fire, a lot faster than it can be done with cold gloved hands.

I think I need to start a line of hunting choppers. If people ever tried them, the cold weather glove would go the way of the DoDo.

Here is a new pair I am trying this year, made out of some muskrats I caught last winter.

IMG_3136.JPG

IMG_3137.JPG
 
I also noticed the ones Randy wears. Maybe a quick PM to him will get you a lead.

Nope, that doesn't work, I did just that for this exact question. Randy must have been out filming phenomenal hunting shows for our viewing pleasure and was too busy to answer :D so I am glad this topic came up now I know where to get them!
 
Yup, choppers are where it's at. I can ditch my choppers in a hurry, when action requires. And when I do, I've got warm hands, thanks to the hand warmer pouches I put in them. I can pull off a chopper, load and fire, a lot faster than it can be done with cold gloved hands.

I think I need to start a line of hunting choppers. If people ever tried them, the cold weather glove would go the way of the DoDo.

Here is a new pair I am trying this year, made out of some muskrats I caught last winter.

View attachment 43340

View attachment 43341


Holy Crap Randy! Those are awesome!!!! I'll send you my measurements and some cash for a pre-order!
 
Holy Crap Randy! Those are awesome!!!! I'll send you my measurements and some cash for a pre-order!

You might be in luck. I sent them more hides than needed, so I now have eight tanned muskrat hides waiting to be made into more mittens. Season opens again in Montana on November 1. I'll be hunting, but come late December, through February, some Big Sky 'rats will be a bit closer to being a pair of choppers.

Seriously, if any Hunt Talkers are interested in real fur mittens, let me know. I've still got 14 beaver hides from last winter, and will probably have a couple hundred 'rats before it's all done. They make for amazing mittens, hats, and hand muffs.

Nothing beats a muskrat or beaver hand muff with a hand warmer pack when hunting ducks in late December. Keep your hands toasty warm; ducks come in, bang/bang; hands back in a nice toasty warm wild fur hand muff.

Wonder what people will think when they see these ones on the show next year? Maybe I'll do a 'rat trapping segment to show people where they came from.
 
Definitely interested. I would love a pair of custom Newberg choppers. I definitely think there would be a market for these "Made in Montana" mittens, everyone on the sportsman channel would be sporting them in no time. This could also be a B.A.D.A.S.S prize in the future!
 
Wonder what people will think when they see these ones on the show next year? "Maybe I'll do a 'rat trapping segment to show people where they came from."

That would be a great show. "Fresh Tracks" could be applied to running a trap line, after all it is basically hunting but using a different weapon for the kill.

__________________
 
Arcteryx makes great mitts, but they aren't cheap. I've also used the Outdoor Research mitt shell. I wear Polartec fleece gloves as the first layer when it's really cold and the waterproof mitts over.
 
Ive got a number of mitt patterns from my leather working and buckskinning materials. I will scan and post in a few days for any that would like to make their own. I needed to make a pair for myself again after a glove and mitt loosing daughter borrowed and lost my last pair and this thread was a good reminder to get that done before it gets bloody frigid outside.

Randy, how many mitts can you get out of one of your furs? If you could PM me the measurements of the muskrat hides and prices, I think I would like to purchase some muskrat for a pair. I love that dark brown sable color, though I would have to dye my buckskin a darker brown to match and I will be using my alpaca (much better insulating than wool) on the inside.
 
Randy, how many mitts can you get out of one of your furs? If you could PM me the measurements of the muskrat hides and prices, I think I would like to purchase some muskrat for a pair. I love that dark brown sable color, though I would have to dye my buckskin a darker brown to match and I will be using my alpaca (much better insulating than wool) on the inside.

You can surely get one pair out of a single beaver plew. And maybe two, if it is an XL. They say that it takes 6-8 muskrat pelts for a pair.

Obviously depends upon hand size, pelt size, and length of cuff you want on the mitten. The mitten in the pics is a 12" mitten.

Hides from me are cheap ($25 for beaver and $10 for muskrats). The real cost will be getting the beaver fleshed, stretched, and tanned. I think Foxx charges $11 to flesh a beaver (screaming deal) and $27.50 to tan one.
 
Use Promo Code Randy for 20% off OutdoorClass

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