Don't wear the knee-pads, although over about 40 years of antelope-huntin', I've picked-out a few stickers (ouch)!
For gloves, I have an old pair of Wells Lamont insulated winter-wt. work gloves (made in Korea). The palms are hardened by being blood-soaked from packin' elk quarters, many antelope drags and mulie pack-outs over the years. They fit loose enough to drop-off my shooting-hand when its time to get the shot off. No thorns have ever penetrated them.
An old hunting buddy (gone over the great divide now) used to wear a pair of heavy-duty bird-hunting pants, with a special facing on the front of the legs. Said they were ok.
Got a WY tag this year, so maybe I'll see you out there,
Jim