It is going to be 100 degrees plus while hunting elephants next month in Zimbabwe. A question I've never been able to figure out has to do with wearing a hat in high heat. If it is true the majority of body heat is lost through the head and that is why you wear a hat in winter, why am I being told to wear a hat while hunting in hot temperatures?

Any tips for hunting in extreme heat other than staying hydrated and add Gatorade powder to my water?

Scott,

As you know I just returned from Mozambique and it was geting pretty hot at midday. I found that wearing a shirt about 2 sizes too big and not tucked in created a chimney effect and definitely kept me cooler. In my experience average safari weight clothing worked fine as it soaks up the sweat and holds it therefore any movement of air causes a cooling effect. I have some of that incredibly light Filson safari wear and I think the heavier clothiing is cooler once you have started to sweat. As for your cap perhaps one of the ventilated ones from REI might be the trick as it would be cooler but still keep the sun directly off your head. Of course drink loads of water.

Mark

You are just now starting to worry about the heat?

Surely you know about the sun frying your bare head, so wear a cap. Anyone out there in 0% humidity country in the summer knows that.

Or is suppose to.

quote:

You are just now starting to worry about the heat? Smiler

Surely you know about the sun frying your bare head, so wear a cap. Anyone out there in 0% humidity country in the summer knows that.

Or is suppose to.

Oh you single triggers guys are just so smart

Hey Scott:

As an AZ guy, I am now quite tolerant of heat. I even run 4 miles when the temp is 106 degrees or less. My secret is to bring lots of water, but instead of drinking it, I pour it over my head, insuring my shirt stays soaked. Running generates a ton more heat than just plain walking, so this really works. You don't need to waste bottled water either; just carrry some water from a spring or something.

If you do that, ensure that the water from the spring or river is pure. You can get bilharzia from river water. Friend of mine did. It's tough for western doctors to diagnose, too.

The best thing is to get in very good shape and then wear a hat and drink plenty of water. If your a fat office mouse whose exercise includes watching sports on TV, you are going to suffer. That is why elephant hunting is considered hard work. Most elephant hunters are older out of shape geezers. For most of us just taking a piss is hard work.

Scott,
I'll be hunting in the valley next month as well... amazing what we will do to save a few bucks! Gatoraid and staying hydrated are must-do's. When I hunted in Benin, which was quite hot, I utilized Under Armor's heat gear T-shirts and underwear and they worked well. With cotton shirts and shorts the UA gear wicked moisture out to the cotton where it evaporated and cooled things down. At least as cool as one can get in those temps. When it got really hot mid-day I would just wear the T's and my shorts... Teva's or Keen sandals also work if your used to them. I would not recommend them otherwise as they can cause blisters just like hiking boots if not broken in. Just a few things I am doing for what it is worth. Oh, and definitely a cap and sunglasses! Good hunting!

I agree with everything Bwanamrm says except the Gatorade thing. Gatorade really isn't all that good for you, has lots of carbs and that can actually heat you up even more. Look for a "hydrate and recover" type powder to mix with your water. Look at bike shops, hikking stores and fitness centers. The one I took to MOZ last month comes from a place called Wilderness Athlete, look up on web. It actually was a real life saver on the Zambezi hunting crocs and hippos. Don't forget the sunscreen and use it several times a day.

Even with all the precautions I am sure my Buddy and I were close to sunstroke/dehydration on two seperate occasions. Just be cautious and aware.

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:
Scott,
I'll be hunting in the valley next month as well... amazing what we will do to save a few bucks! Gatoraid and staying hydrated are must-do's. When I hunted in Benin, which was quite hot, I utilized Under Armor's heat gear T-shirts and underwear and they worked well. With cotton shirts and shorts the UA gear wicked moisture out to the cotton where it evaporated and cooled things down. At least as cool as one can get in those temps. When it got really hot mid-day I would just wear the T's and my shorts... Teva's or Keen sandals also work if your used to them. I would not recommend them otherwise as they can cause blisters just like hiking boots if not broken in. Just a few things I am doing for what it is worth. Oh, and definitely a cap and sunglasses! Good hunting!

quote:

Look for a "hydrate and recover" type powder

Great tip! Will do... thanks!

I disagree with everything that has been said here, including my stuff.

In college I spent a summer on an archeological dig in Greece, swinging a pick ax in 100-110 degree heat for ten hours a day. By the end of the trip, I had it figured out that you actually stay a lot cooler wearing loose fitting, cotton long pants and long-sleeved shirts. The sun hitting you skin directly heats up your body more than having it covered by a light layer of cotton. A hat is a must to keep your brain from frying.

I would go through 3-4 packets of re-hydration salts a day. We put lots of salt on everything we ate, but keeping it in your body when sweating that much is almost impossible. I'd recommend picking some up from the local pharmacy. You'll know when you need to take them, as you start to feel pretty horrible when your salts get low.

Pete

For a cap, I prefer the straw ball cap style offered by Browning. Ugly as hell, but it provides enough shade that my balding pate doesn't burn yet enough ventilation to be cool.

Noticably cooler than an all fabric ball cap. Just the ticket!

For shorts, I wear light weight wicking jogging shorts under synthetic lightweight shorts. (UA Heat Gear is great stuff) Both promote evaporation and that both keeps you dryer for less possible abrasion and cooler as well.

For shirts, I like the ultra lightweight, mesh panel, ventilated cotton shirts in an extra roomy size.

Drink water at every opportunity, including before you hit the sack, during the middle of the night and when you first wake up - drain two bottles then. Keep a bottle in the truck to keep sipping as you ride looking for tracks. Drink a bottle before departing the truck on tracks. If you get thirsty on tracks, get a drink, if you wait it could be too long and it takes a long time to re-hydrate.

Monitor the color of your urine. The clearer the better. If it starts getting some color, drink another bottle. Keep it a very pale yellow. If it gets deep yellow, your done and it will take hours and hours to re-hydrate.

Count the bottles packed by the tracker who carries water each time you get ready to hit tracks. Make sure it is enough. If you are in doubt, bring it up with the PH. The trackers will drink maybe a quarter or less of what you NEED, don't put your health or success in their hands by failing to check that they are carrying sufficient water.

Here is a photo of me in my ugly straw cap, jogging tights, synthetic wicking shorts and fly weight, caped with mesh and extra roomy shirt with a November '08 Chewore South bull:


Here is another with Buzz and I and an October '06 Omay bull - note the same ugly cap, tights, shorts and shirt! The only thing thast changed was my waist line!


Hope this helps,

JPK

My wife bought me one of these before my safari:
Frogg Togg

I thought it was worth its weight in gold. It was very refreshing to be able to have a cool towel with me to wife off my face when it was 90+ degrees out.

A hat is a necessity, especially if you want to prevent the effects of the sun cooking your skin and causing damage to your face, neck, ears, etc. Because I chose just to wear a ball cap for most of my hunting career, I now suffer from those years of exposure, which includes skin cancers. I just had 7 of them either surgically removed through the MOHS procedure, or burned off, with another one biopsied. My advice is to get a ventilated hat that has 30-50 SPF material and wear it. They are available. For your sake, wearing a hat that covers your face, ears, neck etc. is the way to go, along with a good sunscreen. Just my 2 cents worth.

quote:

Originally posted by rxgremlin:
My wife bought me one of these before my safari:
Frogg Togg

I thought it was worth its weight in gold. It was very refreshing to be able to have a cool towel with me to wife off my face when it was 90+ degrees out.

rxgremlin, you beat me to it. ++1 I was going to just be cheap and say put a wet towel around your neck. Definitely wear a hat. It will keep you head cooler than having your head exposed in the sun. Wear your sunscreen.

I have never heard that Gatorade "isn't all that good for you" assuming one is exercising, and those carbs come in very handy to keep energy levels up (such as when on elephant tracks for hours) and to prevent bonking. That said, personally I prefer water most of the time (fill some w/water, others with Gatorade or similar mix) and for "emergency" situations next trip I'll take along something more serious such as:

http://www.long-grass.com/prod...il/ceralyte_70_oral/

My PH had a few of these in the kit carried in the trackers backpack, and the effect was dramatic in March when I became dehydrated, but short-lived.

Drink way more then you think you need, on a continual basis, and forget using the trackers or PH as a measuring stick of when to drink as some of these guys are camels. If you have something on your person, you are more apt to drink more frequently, but otherwise don’t be shy about halting progress for a few seconds to take a swig. I chug a bottle of water from the cool box before starting on any tracks, and confirm there is lots of water in the packs for even what are thought to be short walks. Hydrate at night for the next day and in the morning. As John said, peeing often and clear is a good sign...and a great excuse to take a breather.

Getting up for a day or two of hard tracking is not all that hard. But being able to do so for 8-10-12 consecutive days is another thing especially in the heat. Best to not let the PH kill you at the beginning of the hunt, but pace yourself and convince him that you are there for the long haul.

I found the Outdoor Research Sun Runner Cap (khaki) perfect on the last two warm-weather hunts.

http://www.altrec.com/outdoor-research/sun-runner-cap

You've been-there-done-that, but I need to always remind myself to watch the sun, and although I prefer light weight "heat gear" synthetic type clothing, covering up when over 100-degrees is probably the prudent thing to do.

quote:

Originally posted by jetdrvr:
If you do that, ensure that the water from the spring or river is pure. You can get bilharzia from river water. Friend of mine did. It's tough for western doctors to diagnose, too.

Jetdrvr:

I am a little confused by your post...what do you think you shower with? That is spring water or river water, depending on the camp.

The comments on urine color made me think about my days in the Army in Alaska. You got really dehydrated there because your water was always frozen. Deep yellow? Not a problem. Brownish purple? Now you are dehydrated.

I am a tough guy.

I have had more than one PH and more than a dozen or so trackers and local guides try to walk this old white boy into the dust, but none of them has yet succeeded.

Which means I will probably die of heat stroke someday.

But until then, I mostly just sweat like a racehorse and drink more water than a camel at breakfast at the oasis.

And I also wear a baseball cap. But I take it off a lot.

I also pour water over my head whenever any is available to pour that is not needed or clean enough to drink.

I remember to keep my mouth shut at such times.

I took two things to help me cope with the heat.
1. gatorade G2 low calorie 1 packet to 16.9 oz of water. Can be bought at grocery stores in boxes of 8 packets.
No mouthfuls of water but at least a third of a bottle. This is after 10klicks out chasing buf and 10 back still smiling in high 80 heat. Still have miles left in me...


2. Took a hat with a wide brim and had a mesh side all the way around.


Wife took a battery fan which took 2 D batteries from Walmart... Worked great and in 21 days used only 4 batteries. Great for cooling at nap time and for sleeping. Fan on bed

The time is coming fast... I am excited for you, my Wyoming friend.
Don't forget your ammo!

Sure hope there is no anthrax outbreaks in southeast Zimbabwe.

Mike

quote:

I remember to keep my mouth shut

We can always hope.

Don't worry Scott, you'll quickly forget about the heat and the Tsetse flies when you are eye to eye with Jumbo.



Good luck!

Bill C - Gatorade has been hyped to us using, sports as the major tool, for so long, we all have a tendency to take for gospel that it is the ultimate dehydration drink. Simply not so, it contains very few electrolytes, lots of sugar, some salt etc. There are just sooooo many products out there now that are now based on lots of scientific research and testing that Gatorade isn't really considered by serious athletes. I use the strength coach at the University of New Mexico as my mentor on this subject.

Just drinking plain water is also very dangerous in the fact that deydration isn't just not having enough "water" in your system, it's the loss of other vitamins and minerals, etc. that actually contribute to the fact. Not replacing these will enhance the effects and you will eventually fall off the deep end if you will.

As mentioned above the product I used in Moz last month contains the following: Vitamin C; Thiamine; Magnesium; Zinc; Sodium; Potassium; Golden root extract, Schlzandra extract; Co-enzyme (COQ10; L-Glutamine; L-Glutahione; Glucosamine HCI. Directions for use; Mix contents of one packet into 10-12 ounces of water. Drink before, during and after physical activity or "exposure to heat and sun". A lot more than just plain water can provide.

Dehydration needs to be prevented. After you actually become deydrated, it takes a lot of serious replacements to recover from this serious condition. Alcohol also furthers the effects of dehydration.

Hope this helps?

Larry Sellers
SCI Life Member

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:
I have never heard that Gatorade "isn't all that good for you" assuming one is exercising, and those carbs come in very handy to keep energy levels up (such as when on elephant tracks for hours) and to prevent bonking. That said, personally I prefer water most of the time (fill some w/water, others with Gatorade or similar mix) and for "emergency" situations next trip I'll take along something more serious such as:

http://www.long-grass.com/prod...il/ceralyte_70_oral/

My PH had a few of these in the kit carried in the trackers backpack, and the effect was dramatic in March when I became dehydrated, but short-lived.

Drink way more then you think you need, on a continual basis, and forget using the trackers or PH as a measuring stick of when to drink as some of these guys are camels. If you have something on your person, you are more apt to drink more frequently, but otherwise don’t be shy about halting progress for a few seconds to take a swig. I chug a bottle of water from the cool box before starting on any tracks, and confirm there is lots of water in the packs for even what are thought to be short walks. Hydrate at night for the next day and in the morning. As John said, peeing often and clear is a good sign...and a great excuse to take a breather.

Getting up for a day or two of hard tracking is not all that hard. But being able to do so for 8-10-12 consecutive days is another thing especially in the heat. Best to not let the PH kill you at the beginning of the hunt, but pace yourself and convince him that you are there for the long haul.

I found the Outdoor Research Sun Runner Cap (khaki) perfect on the last two warm-weather hunts.

http://www.altrec.com/outdoor-research/sun-runner-cap

You've been-there-done-that, but I need to always remind myself to watch the sun, and although I prefer light weight "heat gear" synthetic type clothing, covering up when over 100-degrees is probably the prudent thing to do.

We used the PROPEL FIT powders packages on my trip to Zim in August. Really like them, and pack them here in the States in hot weather also. They are flavored (lemon is best for me), have some calories (about 10) from the sucrose, but provide about 10-25% of the daily allowance of vitamins and also sodium and potassium in each one. A full package in 12 oz. of water is almost too sweet, so we used one for every two bottles and it was great. Sweated a lot, hiked our asses off, and never had cramps, or any indications of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

By all means, any type of hat is better than a bare head, in direct sun.

One thing that is very important to avoid chafing is not to pour water over your self and end up wetting your armpits or crotch area. Wet underwear or a wet shirt will cause chafing which will ruin your hunt pretty quickly. Only last week I had the pleasure of walking 35kms during a very hot day after elephant up in the Hwange hills. I will post the story in more detail when I have a moment, but lets just say the last 10ks or so was v.tough! Drinking plain water by the bucketful is probably not a good thing, I found myself feeling like throwing up! Might have had something to do with the gallons of warm Matetsi river water we all drank after we ran out of bottled water....

I also feel that heat like cold is something that you grow up with and get used to, so a person who grew up in a hot climate can deal with it better than someone who hasnt lived in one, likewise with the cold.

Thanks you guys - great information. AR has the most experienced hunters in the world!

Mike, the fan in your photo is the exact one we bought!

Rxgremlin & RAC - thanks for the Frog Togg lead. They are in stock where my son lives, so we are taking a couple.

quote:

Originally posted by Will:

quote:

I remember to keep my mouth shut

We can always hope.

I remember to keep my mouth shut at such times.

One must not quote selectively.

And as for your hopes, old buddy, I'll tell you what my old daddy used to tell me:

Why don't you hope in one hand and shit in the other, and then let's just see which one fills up faster.

Larry - appreciate the extra detail and foundation for your earlier statement, and the gist of what you are saying regarding Gatorade. I should have been more specific in my "or similar" generalization...I have used the Hammer Nutrition products Heed which are popular with cyclists.

Hammer at REI: http://www.rei.com/search?query=hammer

And for portability and taste now most prefer NUUN: http://www.rei.com/search?query=nuun

I found the website for the Wilderness Athlete:
http://www.wildernessathlete.com
I don't particularly care for the herbal additives but am glad to hear this works for you.

I believe it was Terry Carr who recommended that I take Ceralyte for an October hunt in Makuti.

The days were very hot. Ceralyte was great for fighting off dehydration due to the heat.

It became a hunt saver when I got sick to my stomach half way through the hunt. I doubled up the dosage and kept on hunting.

Ceralyte is the stuff the UN uses to battle dehydration due to diarrhea. It is the real McCoy.

Scott, I forgot Cherie had one of those towels, frogg toggs... It kept her cool you would snap it a few times and generated a cool cloth.

Mike

quote:

Sure hope there is no anthrax outbreaks in southeast Zimbabwe.

You have the memory of an elephant!

quote:

Originally posted by bwanamrm:
Scott,
I'll be hunting in the valley next month as well... amazing what we will do to save a few bucks!

Also I recommend to only wear cotton and wool cloths and little or no polyester.
Have seen many hunters struggling from chaffing from wearing synthetics.

All cotton clothing and merino wool socks!

Scott Be sure to check the cooler on the truck every morning. It will be for you & Nixon only. The trackers drink very little.My wife & i would drink 4 or 5 bottles to 1 for a tracker. It wasn't as hot as your's is going to be either.

1. If ya ain't pissing clear, you ain't drinking enough!
2. The powdered jock drink stuff makes the drinking easier for some of us.
3. Get some of that diaper rash stuff for babies and put it on the family jewels and other places.

Good advice for working 12 hour towers in hot places while wearing Nomex.

quote:

Originally posted by mrlexma:

quote:

Originally posted by Will:

quote:

I remember to keep my mouth shut

We can always hope.

I remember to keep my mouth shut at such times.

One must not quote selectively.

And as for your hopes, old buddy, I'll tell you what my old daddy used to tell me:

Why don't you hope in one hand and shit in the other, and then let's just see which one fills up faster.

Are we talking about using your hands?

Scott,

There is a product called Body Glide that seems to be great for blisters and chaffing. For your long walks next month it might be the trick.

Mark

Mark - Looks like good stuff http://www.bodyglide.com/#/product_compare

BodyGlide works very well, bot the stick and liquid powder. I used this plus Under Armour heat gear underwear last month in Zim in very high heat and had no issues with chafing.