Enjoy, my American friends.




https://youtu.be/Qf2jb51HzTs

How many Americans could sing the Canadian national anthem? Most don't know where Canada is!! :))

Thank you. That was very nice.

Nice! Thank you Sir! Made my day.

I know where Canada is - It's south of Detroit. Before you yell at me, check your map

We've sung the Canadian Anthem when things went wrong.

That's why hockey fans are the best.

If for nothing else, I am ever greatful to Canada for nurturing one of the 5 best rock bands ever.

- Nudge

Sure hope you're talking about The Hip or The Guess Who and not Nickleback or Rush. LOL

I still remember "God Save The Queen"...

So do lots of us, LD. And for the first time in many of our lives, it will shortly revert to God Save the King. She has to go sometime.

From all reports, Elizabeth II is a good and dutiful queen who has visited Canada more than any other member of the Commonwealth. I doubt we will see such service from any other member of the Windsor family.

I've seen the Windsor family visit Canada as tourists on many occasions. I don't know what service they have provided other than keeping their hand out for royalty payments.

I have a number of American friends. My teenage years were spent living in the US. It was a great time as pretty much all of my friends were into hunting, fishing, cars and motorcycles. Oh yeah, I guess there was the odd girl thrown in the mix. It's funny. I had to re-learn the Canadian National Anthem when I moved back!

If I had to choose between Les Fellows from Kwee-beck or Pittsburgh winning the Stanley Cup I'd switch to soccer.


https://youtu.be/9HxzLEqI-qE

Don't like him but I hope Crosby comes back. Got slew footed. Hard to tell if it was intentional.


_____________________________
https://youtu.be/_FUo2oZsXbc

Ahhhh, Ozzy Man. My favorite. Talking about my favorite team sport, while making fun of my least favorite team sport. Thanks LR.

Canvasback,

There is no other music act...no other entertainer...heck, no other Canadian export...that compares to Rush.

Canadian history books, if correctly written, would reference all timelines by which album was current when such-and-such historical event came to pass.

For example: "During Fly By Night era, Canadian scientists discovered..."

Etc, etc.

- Nudge

Tamid, King Brown,
In my unsolicited American opinion Prince Charles' sons are fine young men and have served their( and your) country with honor, serving in combat( the one that was allowed)for more than one tour; or serving at home in uniform. This is more than can be said about a lot of people on both sides of the border.
Mike

Der Ami, I'm an unreserved monarchist and could not agree more with your post. While I don't think much of Charles, I think either of his boys, William or Harry, would make a fine King. Mind you, and I think this is where King may have been coming from.....we've just had 60 plus years of one of the finest. Liz sets a high bar.

This is an age old argument Few people in the west of Canada have much regard for a monarchy that essentially provides no intrinsic service to Canada yet expects its yearly royalty payment. They are not the government, don't and can't initiate new legislation, provide no economic benefit, in reality are a trumped up monarchy set in place by the Catholic religion i.e The Pope, for having defeated the previous monarchy that was in disfavour of the the Catholics. I'm abbreviating history dramatically but it was in the time of the Catholics vs the Protestants and the Anglicans won. Something about Henry VIII and all the wives he had beheaded.

I digress, would the boys make a better King than Charles the buffoon? Rightly so. But they have not served Canada. They were employed in the British military. Over and over again both the Canadians and esp. the Australians move closer to disengaging from the British monarchy. I don't think it will happen till Elizabeth passes as she has been a graceful Queen who had shied away from controversy to stay in favour of all. But who in Canada really cares for there is really no impact on our lives?

I think I should go to my gun room and pet one of my favourite English guns before I get carried too far away. The English have provided the backbone of Canadian history, law and governance and fine sxs! The monarchy....nothing!!

I should say I am humbly in thanks for those Americans who can sing our national anthem. But I hope we kick your as#.

Here ya go. For those who need a lesson on Canada's National Anthem!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaBhJ1eYq1A

David, I don't want to get into an argument about the pros and cons here but at least get the facts in your rant straight. The misrepresentations of fact in your second sentence act as a foundation of sand for all that follows. It is not factual to suggest "few" in the west support the monarchy as part of our system of government. And those that don't support it may be under the mistaken impression, as you are, that some kind of royalty or stipend is paid to the British Crown by Canada, when no such thing is done.

Cheers,

James

What "royalty" is...

Long, long ago in the dark and swampy past, some guy bonked my/your ancestor over the head with a stick, and declared himself in charge. He enforced this ongoing situation with force, and taught his ancestors to do the same. And so, with each passing generation a more orderly detante emerged. Those who no longer remembered when they werent ruled, and those rulers who conseqiently no longer needed to rule by brutish force. Thus, as passive acceptance set in, so too did a more "elegant" brand of force...that of the fictional fairy tale history. The pretty princesses and balls amd castles and chivelrous gentlemen.

But make no mistake, these "royals" didnt always exist. It all just began with a bonk over the head. And whatever the fairytale is, YOU are paying for it.

This is true of all royalty, be they as new as the 1950's (Saudi's), or as old as the current 3/4's German queen known as "the British crown"

There is nothing magical. They are just as inbred as Appalachian mountain folk, and not nearly as skilled at anything other than living off the worlds most generous welfare allowance.

The rabble are unruly and prone to be hot tempered, ill-advised, and improperly suited to vote. But they strive to live FREE! Even if that freedom is imperfect. As such, count me among the rabble.

- Nudge

James,

By no means is this a rant as I would have to be angry or emotionally charged (as per the Free Dictionary definition) and I am neither. In fact I really don't care for it is too far removed from my world to have significance. I only mention it to add some clarity and perhaps inform others of the sentiments towards the monarchy in my part of Canada. It is too late and I do not wish to google through the internet to find examples to verify what I have said. Polls have been conducted in the past and it is well noted from them that there is a far stronger sentiment to the monarchy in eastern Canada than there is in the west. Most of the force to disengage Canada from the monarchy has arisen in the west. But yes please disregard my last sentence in the second paragraph as not factual for there are Canadians who do care to have a monarchy ruled system.

And certainly nothing of this is directed at you personally. I don't think you would find it is my nature to do so. But in regards to my second sentence you may want to read this:

http://www.macleans.ca/news/canada/queen-costs-us-more-than-the-brits-pay/

It may be somewhat hyped but I think Macleans provides a relatively unbiased account.

Regards,
David

David, I have read that. We make no payment to the crown. We pay, essentially for security, as we do for any other VIP, say Ivanka Trump, when they come to Canada. And we pay to have a "head of state" conduct their duties. As do most other countries. There are many countries whose governmental system means the "head of state" is largely a ceremonial role. As it is with ours.

Eliminating our allegiance to the Monarchy would not make those costs go away. We would simply need to find a different method for selecting our ceremonial "head of state".

In 2015 a Forum Reaearch poll had less than 40% in favour of abolition and 2016 poll put the abolitionists at under 30%. I think both those polls speak eloquently to your assertion that "few" support the monarchy. In both cases a significant majority support it or don't want to see it abolished. And like any poll, on any subject, there are regional differences. Like the biggest hotbed for abolitionists is in the East. Quebec.

Edit to add: In no way did I take your comments personally. I'm fine with differing opinions. And I hope you feel the same.

What 'royalty' was back in history was the police force and military of society. That job was not very easy nor very safe.

Healthy Sons were thrown into the stables at riducously early ages to learn to ride and take care of horses and then swung a sword all day long. Weak sons were despised and cast aside.

William Marshall's father response when demanded that they lift a siege or his son dies, "Go ahead and kill him, don't I have the hammer and anvil (His wife) to forge new and better ones."

Nothing was easy back then especially being a noble. The strong took what they wanted, the weak kept what they could, that includes the nobility.

Sure, if you believe the police force and military should have 'first rights' with your wife, can tax anything you do without limitation, requisition your property, etc, etc.

You can idealize it all you like through the rose colored glasses of 'pomp and circumstance.' But at the end of the day it is what it's always been...an imaginary birthright, and an imaginary authority.

"Imaginary," because I grant them neither.

A Constitutional representative republic is a challenging and messy form of government. But it is the best thing going, by far. And any furtherance of "Royalty," even as some quaint Disney-esque unempowered daliance...amounts to little more than a drain on tax dollars.

- Nudge

The East is Quebec, James? Quebec and Ontario are "Upper and Lower Canada." The East is the four Atlantic provinces, and my guess as monarchial as Ontario.

I anticipate a significant drop in approval when our popular queen dies, if her son and not grandson assumes the role. Feisty over creepy for me.

A distinguishing feature of our royalty: there are no deferments. They serve the military in combat operations like everyone else.

Nudge, they are all messy and they are all challenging. And no one system is the best, for all time. We muddle through with ours, you muddle through with yours.

I'm happy to have a monarchy fufill certain roles....I think it's better than the false royalty Americans created with the Kennedys, Bushes and Clintons. Tell me most of the members of those families weren't "to the manor born". At least we aren't pretending to be something we aren't.

Mr. Brown,

East is relative to where you live. East in our context is anything east of Manitoba. Where does the west begin for you?

Tamid, Canvasback,
Prince Harry has served his country, including you, in combat, along with the very fine and brave Canadian soldiers. I as an American, am grateful for their comradeship. There is no doubt, in my mind, that if he had been allowed, Prince William would have served in combat, as well and as bravely as Prince Harry.
Close to 250 years ago, we made a choice, regarding the monarchy; you had the same chance, and made a different choice. Since that time, thankfully, we have all been "family".
Mike

Manitoba-Ontario boundary is where Harper would have built a firewall and Ralph said all citizens eastwards could freeze. West of that boundary is the West.

That is the boundary defined by westerners. Where is the boundary defined by easterners?

Nudge put down your Hobbit books and switch off the Hollywood movies, and start reading. If you think it was easy living back then you need to study up. I suggest Marc Bloch or Barbara W Tuchman to start. Get back to me when you have a clue.

Kind words Mike. Thank you.

Well, I'm a westerner who happens to live in the East right now. Been here long enough to know that Ontario and Quebec think Manitoba is where the West starts. But mostly, unless they have to go there, the East just doesn't think about the West. If it was based on who has what in common, it would start at Thunder Bay.

As far as what Maritimers and Newfies think, well who ever knows the answer to that about anything. LOL

Boy, you Canadians. Sure are full of yourselves. Start your own threads aboot your country. It's always Marsha, Marsha, Marsha, eh? There's other countries besides yours oot there ya know.

Just read Ralph's wiki page. Good stuff. Funny guy. Bit of a dick though.

Enough of this tomfoolery. I want a plan on how Canada and Europe are going to "reorganize" so they can tell the US to piss off. King, you chair it. Get to work.


_______________________
Pens didn't miss a beat, eh?

Atlantic Canadians think of the West a lot. The West employs hundreds of thousands, particularly our vigorous young people who've now put down roots in the oilfields. Historically, when fishes left our shores the prairie harvests were magnets of employment, and when times were bad in the West, from droughts and Depression, Maritimers sent relief and food gratis. This was reciprocated 50 years ago by Saskatchewan farmers, for fishing communities enduring hard times. Thinking of others is an elemental expression of humanity.

Canvasback,

You're right! Kennedys, Bushes and Clintons are all elite birthright families. In fact in some senses, theres more honestly to the royal system of patronage because its laid out on the table. The elites in the power in the U.S. - often enrich themselves behind the scenes. This is far more insidious, because it means the true power players are often not the players visible on the field.

No argument from me that no system is perfect.

- Nudge

Treblig1958,

I have no idea who you are. Nor how well read you are, how educated, or how wise. So i'll refrain from spitting back at you the same nauseating condescention you 'contributed to this thread.'

I have strong views on monarchy. Disagree with me on my POINTS if you like. If you cant argue against the logic of my points, and can only lash out like a campus snowflake...then you have already CONCEDED that I am correct.

And try to be a gentleman, for Pete's sake.

- Nudge

I tried to be a gentleman once. It was a "royal" pain in the arse.



____________________________
God Save the Queen.
https://youtu.be/R8fLOJswWtk

Amusing thread for a lot of reasons,and i'll apologize for going of course ...slightly .

-where does the western boundary start ?

-The friggin gulf of St Lawrence !,just ask anyone who lives here ...the only reason the west even remotely notices us is for the natural resources of Labrador

-The Queen never done nothing to me personally ,and my dear old Grandmother loved her ...so she's fine by me,so really what do it matter ? .

-Any person remembering/singing any national anthem with pride these days is a blessing .

-And lastly...personally I could care less,but these days calling a Newfoundlander a " Newfie " to his face will likely have you choking on your front teeth!, ...there's been an about face in this Province and most I know have had more than enough of the jokes and ignorance .

Damn Chris. Good thing I didn't meet up with you in April. Lol

You have just confirmed my point. None of us know what the hell you guys are thinking. The West starts at the Gulf of St Lawrence?


And King, I should have been clearer. You guys on the far side of Quebec are exempt from being " Easterners", in the derogatory Ralph sense of the word. That term really refers to those from Ontario and Quebec, especially the Toronto - Ottawa - Montreal crowd. You know, the ones who smugly run the country on behalf of everyone else.

Nudge,

You spit first. Not me, pal. Not overly well read but I've read a lot about the dark ages and middle ages. Nonfiction, of course.

And you're wrong. From the collapse of the Roman Empire through the Dark Ages and early Middle Ages, what we know or call now as 'Nobility' physically fought their way to the top of the food chain. I'm certain that the descendants of Charles Martel would be glad to hear that he led such a pampered life.

Any body into Organic gardening? WTF does any of this crap have to do with Double Guns?

Yeah, hey, aboot time for another hinge pin grease thread. Enough of these big headed Canadians.


__________________________
Nashville.

Hey, it's my thread and I'm not complaining. Don't read it if you don't want to.

I lived within range of CBET (CKLW) TV Windsor in my youth and hardly ever missed HNIC, and never missed Habs and Leafs. It was always better at The Forum because Roger Ducet absolutely owned 'O Canada'. American kids dug that too.

And we dug Rush, and still do. They always had a following in Detroit, something they comment on. I've indeed filed flight plans to their beloved CYYZ.

Neil Peart is an exceeding accomplished drummer. His solo that ends in a Buddy Rich/big band tribute is well worth seeking out on YouTube.

Back on topic, I've had the pleasure of duck hunting in Canada and while those days are over for me I remember the trips fondly and admire Canada for what she is and Canadians for who they are. The video is wonderful.

Shit yes! ,this banter is somewhat - fun!,have you seen what constitutes a thread on this forum ? ...I just put in 60 hop bines ,that i found and dug up on my 50 year deceased grandfather's( pop in nl ) old homestead ...besides making sawdust and cracking off old screws, I have many interests.

And James ,you missed out ....I would like to believe we would have enjoyed it ,there's always next time !

Well... the same thing that this crap had to do with double guns Last Dollar:



...Or any of a myriad of non double-gun crap you have hypocritically posted here over the years. "Crap". What a mean and hateful comment to direct toward our good neighbors to the North!

I thought the topic of this thread was cool. I thank James for sharing it with us. It was OK a couple days ago when you made your first post here. What happened... are you menstruating now? It was more entertaining and interesting than all of those pictures you used to post of fish, food, or your boat. Yes, many, but not all of those pictures were in Misfires. But you complained about Misfires too.

And unlike you last Dollar, James and a couple other Canadians (not King Brown) have been reliable supporters of our Gun Rights instead of doing all they can to suppress any discussion of those very important topics... as you do. Thanks for your hypocritical and intellectually dishonest input. Here's a polite and civil smiley face for you.

I wonder if poor old Prince Charles will ascend to the throne as a Septuagenarian, I think he is a year or two older than me and I'm close enough that I can kick in 70's screen door.

Cheese..gotta be the cheese...Black Diamond..old

Some of you guys may be to old for this...lol...but the lyrics speak volumes.

And yes...we love our beavers!

https://youtu.be/fF62J3vxPdQ

Did you notice that was the millenniums who have no concept what a sxs is??

So that's where Vanilla Ice disappeared to.

Team that fellow up with Celine Dion and you'd have one heck of a PsyOps duo.



____________________________
Nashville

Lol... my kids are fighting over my sxs's. Sxs's are pretty popular as of late. Prices are strong I think. You can typically get an o/u much cheaper, used or not.

Oh, Canada! Thank you!

https://youtu.be/xsblaVJcQeM


______________________________
Colliding with the very air she breathes...Neil Young

Ah, as far as Tuchman, I highly recommend "A Distant Mirror". It's a great perspective on not only European nobility, but on other things like the Catholic Rome-Avignon schism, Ottoman expansion into Europe, and the Black Death as well.

Regards
Ken

best reason to like being Canadian is the prevailing winds are north to south...keeps the residual radiation well south of the border......

She is a lot easier read and a more fluent writer than most of the others. Sir Charles Oman and Zoe Oldenbourg are also excellent.

Marc Bloch is acknowledged as the foremost authority on the Middle Ages but he is brutal to read. Like reading a technical journal.

There is much to like about Canada, even French Canada. It sure is pretty up there, but it's so damned cold. I'd like to spend more time in Canada but I'm a southern boy and don't handle cold well.

It's not cold....its 'fresh'. Love the seasons....just when you get tired of the 'freshness'.....summmer rolls along! However....I do prefer -40c over +40c any day....and snow over beach sand.

-40 is really cold and dangerous. I would think a face mask is in order to keep from losing one's nose. Too cold for me!

You are right. Cold and dangerous. But manageable. Every year I lived in Winnipeg during the aughts, at least one or two mornings per winter I would get up to take the dogs on their morning hour long walk around 7:00 am and it would be minus 40 (without windchill). With the right clothes and boots and if the wind wasn't howling, combined with vigorous walking with the dogs, no mask required.

But it fast becomes a problem if you are unprepared. BTW, my setters thought it was just fine. Only when they got old did they want to shorten the walk because of cold temps.

And before anyone get's PO'd. No ill intended!


A man in a Florida supermarket tried to buy half a head of lettuce.

The very young produce assistant told him that they sell only whole
heads of lettuce.

The man persisted and asked to see the manager.

The boy said he'd ask his manager about it.

Walking into the back room, the boy said to his manager: 'Some *******
wants to buy half a head of lettuce.'

As he finished his sentence, he turned to find the man standing right
behind him, so he added, 'And this gentleman has kindly offered to buy
the other half.'

The manager approved the deal, and the man went on his way.

Later the manager said to the boy, 'I was impressed with the way you
got yourself out of that situation earlier. We like people who think
on their feet here. Where are you from, son?'

‘Canada, sir,' the boy replied.

'Well, why did you leave Canada?'the manager asked.

The boy said, 'Sir, there's nothing but whores and hockey players up there.'

‘Really?' said the manager. 'My wife is from Canada.'

‘No shit?' replied the boy.
'Who'd she play for?'

Skiing, the worse I ever got into near minus 30C, but the activity of skiing kept me warm plus the sun feels warmer at altitude and I never tried to take on the cold when there was a high wind. I feel like a real rookie and don't know how to dress for cold weather particularly so with all the new cold weather products that are now on the market. Getting good cold weather gear is next to impossible here in warm Texas.

I have always used silk under wear, under socks and glove liners. Then a layer or two of wool, then a jacket with or without a liner and a synthetic material on the outside of the jacket that could behave as a wind break. Good gloves or mittens, wool watch cap, full mask and ski mask. Now there are so many synthetics out I don't know which is best to replace the silk and wool. The trouble with wool is it can be attacked by moths and is hard to keep clean. Silk is easy to care for but I have always felt the first layer was the most important and wondered how it might be done differently

I would be interested to hear how you Canadians dress for cold weather. I sometimes think you have just grown to the cold. Particularly so when I see northern people jump into freezing water as recreation.

Ken, I laughed out loud at that one...Geo

Ken.....that's so funny...laughed out load!

What CB said about the - 40c. One thing about the cold is that you can always dress warmer! layer, layer then layer some more! Was at 20,000 feet once...-30c. most of the other climbers, new to the game, had $1000 jackets and $200 mitts....and froze. I had 5 layers and a final wind breaker shell. 2 inner layer mitts with an outer shell...very toasty.

Fleese, fleese and more fleese. A good layer of 'Thinsulate' will do wonders. Wearing a helmet while skiing is good to keep the heat in in also. For me...as long as the back of my neck is warm...i'm good. So thick turtle necks and high collard fleese pull overs. A 'dicky' is a must also, to protect one's face. Easy to pull up or down when needed.


Hot and a ton of black flies and mosquitoes at the cottage yesterday....can't wait till September!

52 years in the real North, ...you get acclimated soon!
A story I wrote a few years back,
"It was February, 1967, somewhere between Schefferville and Lac Bienvelle, QC. We were doing a Government run topo survey(which eventually led to the Quebec power project in the 70’s), ………9 men trying to survive in tents. Moving camp every second day as we progressed. I was mechanic and team leader so, when we awoke to high winds and severe cold (normal was minus 35-40), it was decided that the day would be a no work, no travel day.

This meant that the 5 stoves would need extra wood if everyone was staying in camp. First item was to get a chainsaw thawed out and running. Second was to get a Snowbug(made in Sudbury, similar to a ski-doo with one ski) up and going. This involved a blowtorch to heat the engine to a point it would start, warm up, and remain running. We had some old burn not far away, maybe a quarter mile from camp, so the trees were available to cut and haul.

Eventually both the saw and Snowbug were running, so 2 of us donned a second balaclava and second parka and off we went. It was cumbersome with all the clothes and snowshoes, but we would manage to get maybe a dozen slim trees down at a time and get them back to camp. There two others would cut them up into stove-size pieces. Meanwhile we’d thaw out a bit and go back for more trees to be cut up. It was bitter work, but we needed the heat to survive. We continued throughout the day in order to have night-time wood.

By the next morning, the wind had died, so we decided to move camp. This meant thawing out 5 Snowbugs and getting them all running continuously, no mean feat as every time two were running, another would stop. But eventually all were running and on their way with the gear, plowing through six foot banks of solid, windpacked snow, and crashing down over the sharp sides. Skis and steering gear broke off, and in order to make camp and get it set up, some toboggans were abandoned until later.

We had a huge thermometer, about 18” long, government issued. It showed a low temperature of minus 84 degrees! With the wind factored in, the wind chill was well over minus 100!

We thought we had a new official record for Canadian cold, but the folks in Ottawa said we required the next bigger thermometer to establish the record!!! ………….typical of government then and now!!!

Living in the NWT for 43 years I’ve seen some severe cold days to work in, but that was my coldest day to work!!!!!!!!!!!"

That's what blows me away about cold, there are so many things that won't work or needs special handling. A person has to have cold weather experience to even survive. I worked a couple of years up in Chicago and had my eyes opened. I know you Canuks think Chicago is like living in the tropics, but I thought it was really cold and could be pretty tough. One of my best friends got hit by a car while using his snow blower. Getting out of your driveway can be dangerous in really cold weather.

My wife was working as an art rep there, carrying those big art portfolios. She barely broke a hundred pounds. She would get hit by that wind coming down State Street and I kept expecting her to end up in Kansas.

I do miss cross country skiing, enjoyed bundling up by a fire and always wanted to go ice fishing.

Arctic,
You certsinly have my respect!
Karl

Northwest Territories, that's Sargent Preston's digs.

Northwest Territories where men are men and gals are big as buffaloes.

The original version said, "where men are men, and the huskies are nervous!"

Artic, Winnipeg is cold but we're amateurs compared to you!

Dal, I'm with you. Layers, layers and more layers.

I've been wondering about fleese. I works well here in Texas and is easier to take care of then wool. I'm a big believer in scarfs also, they provide a lot of warmth, take up little space and can be removed and put in a pocket. To me the trick of not freezing is to not get too hot and sweat. Stay a little cold.

My wife was a northerner from Cleveland. When she first came to Texas she would run out to catch as much sun as possible. It took a while to convince her that the hot sun could be dangerous. There are things to be careful about here in the Texas heat but it is not down right dangerous like cold can be.

Things are tough up close to the arctic. I was a flyer, by trade, and was watching a National Geographic piece where a young pilot flying a Super Cub rescued a stranded young man off a sand bar. I was thinking at the time flying a Super Cub at those latitudes is a tricky business as a normally aspirated engine can get bad carb ice on days one would think other wise. That and wing icing is a real problem for that aircraft in those conditions. Sure enough a few segments later there was a memorial to that young pilot that had died in an air crash.

I don't think I would last long up there. That is tough country for tough men.

Yes, Fleece, is very warm. But I've never heard of fleese.

Layers is, of course, the answer, but the question I have with fleece is that it is bulky and the bulkiness can cut down on the layers one can put on before becoming too awkward. ie per thickness of layer/ warmth how does fleece compare to wool in really cold weather?

We were doing a job in Milwaukee, Wisconsin it was January and unbelievably cold. Cops had to drive around at night picking up the homeless because of the life threatening cold.

A very pretty girl was on the elevator with me with a full length mink coat on. I asked her if she was warm enough in this kind of weather and she said you can't believe how warm this coat is.

Even in this kind of weather.

Oh yea, sometimes I get too warm and have to unbutton it.

Fleece is very warm. Fur is even better but a lot more expensive.

I lucked into a B-3 bomber coat several years ago in a Cabela's discount cave. I think I paid $110 for a $550 coat. The sheepskin is so thick I can only wear it on the coldest days or I sweat to death.

Regards
Ken

I live on the Georgia/Florida border so extreme cold is not one of my problems. I have a nice tweed sports jacket (the kind everybody puts their greasy old shotguns on to make photos). There is usually one day per winter when I can wear it without breaking a sweat...Geo

I always figure layers, but my favorite material for warm and dry when it gets really chilly is wool.

Here in Texas everybody complains of the cold in west Texas. I get a chuckle because it isn't that cold. Their problem is their wearing of cotton under wear. Wet cotton will chill you even it is above freezing.

I spent a number of years in AK and although where I lived in W AK the temperatures seldom got crazy cold, the killer was the wind chill, since the winds blew out there constantly. I layered up pretty good with down and topped it off with a pair of car hart cold weather coveralls and a beaver fur hat with flaps that protected the ears and most of my face and bunny boots...I stayed fairly warm, even when I was riding sno-go's in -30-35F with lower wind chills.

I owned a plane at the time and about the coldest I would fly in was around -20. I had a heavy duty engine cover and if electricity was available where I landed, I would cover the engine and put my electric fan heater under the cowling to keep the engine and oil warm. If no electricity, I wouldn't stay put long enough for the engine to get cold.

I never did, but many stories of old timer pilots who would drain the oil out upon landing into a bucket, leave it sitting on a stove overnight, dump it back in warm the next morning and be on their way.

I don't remember all the commercial bush pilots I either knew or were acquainted with that ended up dead due to, ultimately, bad judgement due to inexperience!

On really cold nights in Winnipeg, when my wife and I went out for the evening, and if there were no places to plug the car in, I'd just leave it running for the five to seven hours we would be out. On balance, when the choice was between having the car start or having it stolen because it was left running, the choice was easy. Lol

That's what blew me away in Chicago, guys that had diesels would leave them running when they were away for 3 or 4 days. There must be a slow speed on a diesel because they would just go clunk clunk clunk.

This is like living on the moon to me.

Maybe this will help you minus double digit winter folks. I knew a Russian geologist while I worked for Halliburton who'd worked in Siberia. On really cold nights he'd dump a quart of gasoline into his engine crankcase and circulate the gasoline/oil mix through his engine before he'd shut it off. The gasoline would thin the oil enough so the engine would start the next day and being highly volatile it'd soon evaporate out of the engine.

Steve

PS or you can go with synthetic motor oil, I know from experience that my car engine with 5W30 synthetic oil in it will start down to -26 degrees fahrenheit. My car started just like a normal winter day, of course the synthetic oil will still pour at -50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Oil dilution SOP in earlier bush aircraft, mostly gone by with heated hangars, engine heaters, variable/synthetic oils. Red Army truck drivers told me that during the war they kept fires burning at night under their engines. They said they'd be shot if they caught on fire---and shot if they couldn't start their engines in the morning.

There are different weights of fleese. Some are real thick and can be bulky. Thinsulate is very warm once for once but very expensive. It is sold in grams. My duck wadders have 1500 grams of thinsulate in the boots, which is plenty even in the coldest of duck days. 'Micro fibers' are the next generation.

Yep, you can buy different weights and some are not bulky at all but keep you warm just the same. For the price and whether made from natural or man made fibers I would say fleece is the best for the cold.

But you guys from Canada are the experts, not me.

The coldest temperature I ever experienced for a prolonged period was -26 degrees F, which is about -32 degrees C. It was during our flintlock deer season in January. It wasn't bad because I was dressed for it and the wind wasn't howling. But deer guts never felt so good when I finally shot a doe. That was before I would think to use any kind of handwarmer.

On the other hand, I got hypothermia on a last day of flintlock season some years ago when the weather turned abruptly colder. I hit a deer just as the wind began picking up, and it took off into a myriad of other tracks in the snow. I rushed to track it because the snow began blowing and drifting, and threatened to obscure the trail. I followed it for a long way a at a very fast pace and began perspiring. I ended up losing that deer because the tracks became impossible to follow, and I still feel terrible about it to this day. I was now a couple miles from my car, and had to hike back into a severe headwind with heavy blowing snow.

What had started off as a +25 degree F day turned into a howling blizzard, but I don't think it ever got much colder than +15 degrees F. Wind chills were certainly below zero F though. Visibility dropped to near zero and I had difficulty finding my car as I was shivering uncontrollably in my damp hunting clothes. I resisted the urge to drop my gun which was very hard to grasp, or to just lay down and curl into a ball. By the time I got there, my thumbs and fingers weren't working well at all, and it took about 10 minutes to retrieve my keys from my pocket and open the door locks. I kept dropping the keys and just couldn't get the key into the lock. Then it was another several minutes to get the key into the ignition and run the glow plugs a couple times to start the diesel engine. This car had a good heater once you began driving it, but threw virtually no heat until it was running under load. I wasn't about to get out again to scrape the ice off of the windows, so had to drive for several miles with the side window down so I could almost see where I was going. I was still frozen and shivering when I got home 45 minutes later, and had to thaw out in a hot bathtub.

I learned that there is more to enjoying extreme winter weather than just the outdoor temperature and the amount or type of clothes you are wearing. Many of the newer insulating fills and fabrics such as Thermax, polypropylene, polyester fleece, etc. make sitting on a below zero deer stand much more enjoyable than the hand-me-down hunting clothes my Dad had me wear when I was a kid. I did however really miss the size 10 Mickey Mouse boots that I outgrew when I was in 8th grade. Korean war vintage Hood's or Bristolite's are much better than the later air valve type.

I know Keith, I had some of those old worn out Woolrich coats that got handed down to me when my brother got a new one.

Sitting on Mt. Davis in some of those deer seasons was brutal.

Some of the coldest winters I ever spent were up on the Mojave, at Ft. Irwin. Since it was the NTC, we were running 14 Brigade rotations a year, so as a member of the OPFOR we were almost always in the field, with one four day weekend off between rotations. When I was the recon commander we'd be out all night, riding in a Hummer made up to look like a BRDM, but always standing up in the weather. If we weren't moving, I was up on a mountaintop with a radio. The best thing I used was a German sleeping bag that was kind'a half parka, complete with hood and sleeves. Once you got your feet inside and zipped it up you could at least keep from freezing.

Regards
Ken

Here is some cold weather stuff:http://blog.skratchlabs.com/blog/hydration-for-cold-weather

Says humans can't handle cold well and not to sweat. I don't handle cold well and have always believed in staying a little cold cause sweat can freeze you. One of the things we hunters face is in duck hunting in cold weather is hard hauling of gear and blind building followed by having to sit very still in the blind. Fortunately when it gets really cold the water is iced over and the ducks are gone. Then you can stay home in a nice warm bed. I had a Mechanics professor who was a German that had fought on the Eastern front during WWII. Russia was really cold. My wife's friend's father was a Fin that had fought the Russians Finland during WWII. He said the Russians couldn't handle the cold weather. I guessed they learned by the time the Germans came.

Keith, you describe exactly the circumstances that get lots of people in serious trouble. Glad you made it.

Not me. It doesn't get really cold here, but when it goes into the teens for a few days all the ducks just go to moving water and leave all the frozen over ponds and lakes. That's what I wait for. I take this rig and drift those creeks and rivers and have fabulous shooting. Unreal numbers of ducks around every bend. You can see literally hundreds in shooting range in a 3-4 hour drift. It's a one man show, tho', and I've got the rivers and creeks all to myself. I've never seen another living soul on one of my drifts. I'm not anti-social, but I kinda like it alone.



SRH

Stan I've done similar kinds of hunting up in Manitoba. It's awesome. When the slow water freezes and the only open is moving.

Problem is, it only lasts a day or two up here, then it's ALL frozen. Haha.

It's the opposite here, James. The ice only lasts a day or two, then it's gone. There are nearly always enough ducks on my favorite creek to kill a limit, but those cold spells when you can literally pick your shots, because there are so many, are awesome.

SRH

Takes a bold man to go out alone to backwater locations, encumbered with heavy clothing on freezing water. If you ever lost that kayak and got soaked you could never make it back. Good adventure, but I don't hate ducks that much.

Pooch, a lot of the time the water is not over my head. I also often wear a water activated PFD. Staying alive is a reasonably high priority. Usually the biggest concern is being on "bigger" water and having the wind come up or shift directions to make waves worse than anticipated.

My brother and I were out in late October about a dozen years ago, in a canoe and following a serpentine creek in the marsh between open areas (gunsaholic may know it, it's called Crooked Creek) and somehow my brother flipped himself out of the bow and into the water. He went straight to the bottom, 12-15 feet with full gear and waders on. He was able to get back to the surface by pulling himself up the side of the riverbank, which was near vertical. It was a cool day but sunny with little wind. Got most of his gear off, gave him my jacket, gloves and hat and we paddled hard for the lodge. About 1.5 miles away and he was plenty warm by the time we got back.

Stan, your gear wouldn't work along bold shores. Properly dressed for cold and wet weather, where's space for gear, set of decoys and a dog, especially a dog when birds fall in cattails or the woods, scattering like devils?

Stan, you most likely know it already, but that rig of yours is the most deadly method I know of to shoot squirrels. I used to cut a cedar tree and lay it in the front of my canoe. Just the guy in the front does the shooting. I don't know whether I enjoy the wood ducks or the squirrels best for eating; nice choice!...Geo

Duck hunting in a canoe can be quite deadly. Lost three hunters in two years up around my parts alone. The last one was seen going out for a retrieve, and never came back.

I have a small 14' duck canoe (42" waterline beam), but just upgraded to 16' deep and wide Starcraft. The duck canoe will now be relegated to the smallest of marshes.

Duck hunting can be a rough business and not for the meek. My duck hunting days are likely over but I used to wear an vest that could be activated by compressed CO2 should I fall into deep water. I've hunting alone and even though Texas winters are quite mild, I would rather have another hunter with me.

Dal, we have a number of locally made row boats at our place in Delta Marsh. They work very well. One canoe for use on nice afternoons after the morning hunt. Nothing motorized allowed in the marsh.

You absolutely cannot turn mine over while sitting down, regardless of how it looks.

I can think of a lot worse ways to go. Like sitting at home and dying wishing I had gone duck hunting when I could.

SRH

Death doesn't always come easily. You could also end up in a nursing home with a hopelessly destroyed brain deification on yourself, spending what's left of your life in a personal hell.

You're right of course, but the only guaranteed way to avoid it is not to have lived at all. I'll take my chances with living. You can end up with the same condition from leading an inactive life which contributes to heart disease and/or stroke.

Psalm 37:23 tells me my footsteps are ordered by the Lord. I believe that ..... and when He is ready for me I'm ready to go. Whenever, however.

"Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him". Job.

SRH

Your "auto correct" makes you remind me of Donnie Baker. I'm constantly fighting mine.

Regards
Ken

I have no idea where you hunt, but I think the small one or two man duck skiffs like you showed are for what is probably small water, marsh, river or whatever. I think some of the fellows up in Canada are thinking about big open water where conditions like strong winds and whitecaps can whip up. I think you hit on the two main points, crummy weather can concentrate ducks and just about guarantee that some knucklehead won't ruin the solitude.

I suppose it's a bit too early to start your count down.

craig,

I hunt the Savannah River and Brier Creek in mine. They were designed for hunting Lake Okechobee in FL., and were built there. Brier Creek runs up to maybe 8 feet deep in some holes when the creek is low, and 60 ft. wide. Duck drifting is best, on the big river and on the creek, when they are inside the banks. When they flood, the ducks are in the flooded oak flats, not in the run of the stream. I don't even go if they are flooded, it's useless. The Savannah River is much bigger. Where I hunt, about 40 miles (as the crow flies) downstream from Augusta, it averages probably 140 yards wide. Very swift and deep in places. I worry more about dropping one of my doubles in it than me getting hurt. It's a goner if that happens. Two chances of getting it back ....... slim and none. I absolutely refuse to take my Foxes on the big river in the "kayak" thing.

Only thing I'm counting down is the days to dove season.

https://www.timeanddate.com/countdown/ge...20Season%202017

SRH

Well, I always have Mrs. Rooneys pigeons to fall back on...

I thought you liked being a Mexican....