Tomorrow is the opener of the New Jersey shotgun buck season (bears are legal too). Every first day since 1974 I have worn this Woolrich coat. It was given to me in 1974 by Ralph Capute, my grandfather's best friend. Ralph was in poor health and was moving to California to live with his daughter. I never saw him alive again.
Ralph was a meticulous person. First thing he would do with any coat was to write his name in the lining and the date he purchased it. This coat he bought in 1952, the year I was born, so it is 72 years old. He cut off every button on the coat and then re-sewed them on with heavy duty line. None have ever come off. Over the years the lining has disintegrated and little of it is left.
I do not hunt from tree stands, preferring to still hunt my way along. It is amazing how this old Woolrich pattern is just as good as any modern camo when you are on the ground. Where it really comes into its own is ground stalking a bear. I just kinda hump over and walk right at them. They seem to see me as another bear.
In a snowstorm the snow sticks to it to the point where I am almost invisible. Rainy days it does get a little heavy.

Nice,I have the same jacket.Good luck hunting

Like! Awesome vintage item and a lot of stories it could tell

Awesome

Doing good that is still fits after nearly 50 years

wws

Great background story. Love this stuff.

Nice

Very nice as stated above...take care...OTG

Awesome!

Now go get em!!

Very cool
I respect people that respect and honor family and friends!

I have that very same jacket, mine is a zipper model.

Ditto. Cool story cool tradition.

Excellent story, thank you for sharing and best of luck with the hunt. That coat has probably done more living than many people.

Good luck with the hunt
and in keeping the clothes moths away for so many years

Very cool!

great jacket, I had bibs and a jacket, of Woolrich, but wore them out,

Great story. My Pennsylvania Tuxedo (Woolrich coat and pants) were hand-me-downs from my dad and were about the same vintage as your coat. I still have the coat but retired it.

I replaced it with a Filson wool coat cut very similar to the old Woolrich stuff.

Good hunting today, hope you tag something before it gets too wet.

Great story. Have one like yours but does not have the cool history that yours have. Very warm

Great coats, had an all red one but outgrew it, still wear wool though

I still have my grandfather’s old Woolrich hunting coat
He gave it to me when I was a teenager and I’m 74 now
I don’t wear it much anymore, but I’ll never get rid of it