Gear & Optics

Shadows lengthened across the North Idaho canyon, reaching tentative fingers into every sunlit opening. Bears were on the menu tonight, and I sat, back to a small tree, watching the slopes and timbered openings across a small canyon.

Last year Sig Sauer unveiled their Ballistic Data Xchange (BDX) system that uses Bluetooth to connect a rangefinder, ballistic app, and riflescope into a unitized system.   The idea is that when you hit your target with the laser the ballistic program calculates a hold that shows up in the reticle of the scope. If [...]

The right gear is essential for good hunting. Check out these 11 must-haves!

First, the Pack Out Bags are designed to have one bag on the back and one bag on the front, like a mail carrier bag. There is a hole for your head to go through and very wide padded shoulder straps. There are also straps and snap-in buckles that keep everything together.

There it is! An answer! The best thing an archery elk hunter could ask for. It was a reply to my location bugle, deep down in a nasty Idaho backcountry hell hole.

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.

I am no different than the next hunter in that I always look for something to make my hunt better. My old blind bag was wearing out and I was glad when I got my hands on the new Old School Camo Blind Bag offered by Lifetime Decoys. 

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.

Familiarizing yourself with your weapon system components and personal marksmanship ability is the best investment that you can make to notch that tag during hunting season.