I am not familiar with Alabama weather during deer season, the temperatures or how much rain? Any possibility of snow?
Most quality tents will come with a rainfly to help waterproof the inside. Spray the seams with a waterproofing spray which will help. With smaller tents a propane heater with adequate ventilation can be run before bed and when you first wake up to take the chill out of the air. I dont run those all night so make sure you have a good bag. Along those lines, I find a good cot way better than sleeping on the ground, both methods using a pad.
If several of you will be hunting together out of one tent, consider a canvas wall tent. We get carpet remnants to use as our floor, except for the entry and area of the wood burning stove. Buy a larger size than you think you will need, 4 guys and gear takes up a lot of room. We tarp the roof with overhangs on the sides to help cover our firewood.
A good wood stove will blow you out of there with warmth. With ours, we made a grate out of expanded metal above the floor of the stove a bit, and when preparing for sleep, we throw several chunks of coal into the stove. The coal burns slow and puts out heat, so in the morning it is still warm and easier to stoke up for morning warmth and coffee.
A good canvas wall tent properly set up makes for a very comfortable place to stay and is my choice.
Regards,
Manny
