One of the biggest reasons we take to the field every year is the opportunity to gather some of the best, organic, free-range meat available to the public. People in metropolitan areas pay big bucks for a slab of steak that qualifies as organic, but with some planning and a couple of hunting tags in their pocket, hunters like to get out there and get their own.

As anyone who has spent much time living out of a pack in the mountains can attest, there are several key items that need to be thought of before one ventures away from the trailhead. Food, water, and shelter can make or break a hunt depending on the level of preparation that was put into each.

With outdoor gear companies churning out excursion-size packs at a fevered pitch, I was anxious to get Sitka’s take on the bread and butter of a backcountry hunter’s gear.

Maven’s new spotting scope with its compact size and lightweight, could prove to be an essential tool for the ounce-counting backcountry hunter or a valuable addition to a daypack.

One area of preparation that needs more forethought, but is just as important, is a hunter’s footwear. It can take months to properly break in a pair of quality hunting boots so starting well before you need them is key. Picking a pair of boots that will not only meet but exceed your expectations is vital.

I’m not one to rely on a piece of untested equipment on a hunt unless I have a backup for it, therefore I started the fall hunting season with the Havalon Evolve multi-tool and Rebel in my pack, backed up with a couple of other skinning knives I had used previously. I was anxious to see how they held up over the course of several months of hard use, with Alaska’s and Montana’s big game seasons as the trial runs.

I had the opportunity to try out some First Lite gear this fall and couldn’t wait to put it through its paces. Until this year, I had only owned one piece of their clothing and had about loved it to death so I was anxious to see what the folks at First Lite had been working on. With several deer, antelope and elk hunts planned for the fall across Montana, I was confident I could put it through the wringer and see how the different pieces performed.

Built on the Browning’s X-Bolt action, the Max Long Range comes ready for long range.

New for the 2019 SHOT Show is a limited run of one of Browning’s most popular rifles.