pants, boots and briars

[olafhardt]

I have a question that I want to ask here inpart because of the wide following of non US based hunters on this site.
I notice that in other parts of the world where people hunt when it is hot the wear shorts. Now if I did that while hunting hot weather squirrels the briars would eat me alive. Don't you guys get all clawed up in those shorts?

[10x]

Selous writes of the thorns on the Acacia trees in Africa. He describes how a shot from a muzzle loader that wounds a lion can cause all sorts of grief from the thorns when one is running to escape from the lion. Apparently in one instance he was left with tatters for clothes.

http://www.amazon.com/Hunters-Wanderings-Africa-Narrative-Adventure/dp/1570901414

[MtGun44]

You haven't lived until you have gotten hooked on some African hooked thorns and tried just
jerking your arm free like you might from a rosebush. . . . . . the hooked thorns rip out
chunks. Ask me how I know.

Not a chance I would go out in Africa in shorts, not that tough.

Bill

[blikseme300]

No real difference if you wear shorts or not. A few layers of fabric offers very scant protection against some of the thorny plants. I was born and raised in South Africa living mainly in the countryside. Yes, the thorns are real but you learn what to avoid fast! The hunting season is in the winter and depending where you are geographically would determine if we wore shorts or longs. I preferred long pants not because of thorns but for ticks.