Gear List

I often get request from friends who want to start hunting and want to know about the gear that I use.  I have a modest allowance for hunting gear so I often cannot make use of high end equipment yet there are things that I find essential that I cannot do without.  Below is a list of equipment that I use and the location where they can be found.  Time permitting I will write reviews of some of this equipment listed below.  One suggestion to keep your costs down is if  you can't afford to purchase new equipment find a source for lightly used equipment.   I use eBay but it takes real skill to find equipment that is not trashed.

Firearms/Archery/Hunting Equipment

• Browning A-Bolt Remington 7mm Mag.
• Ruger M77 30-06
• Leupold 3-9 VARI-X II Rifle Scope This scope is affordable and will serve you very well. 
• 2008 Bowtech General.  I purchased this new on ebay in 2009 for $600.00 with it's birth certificate so I could register it with the manufacturer to enable the warranty.  (Review) There are lots of new bows out on the market.  Try several and pick the one that feels the best to you.  Keep with the main brands like Hoyt or Bowtech.  
• Carbon Express Maxima 350.  $120 per dozen.  Suggested:  Carbon Express Maxima Hunter 350
• Nikon ProStaff 550 Range finder. $199.  Suggested: Bushnell Scout 1000 ARC - Rangefinder
• Bausch & Lomb 10x42 Hemisphere Roof Prism Binoculars $75 from Costco.  No longer available.  Suggested: Bushnell H2O 10x42 Waterproof/Fogproof Binocular w/Roof Prism (Amazon.com).  Buy the best optics you can afford. Also take a look at the lower end Zeiss products (Zeiss 10 X 42 Terra Edition).  
• Ripcord Drop Away Arrow Rest.  $90. Suggested: NAP Apache Rest  $80  (ease of adjustment) (NAP Apache Video Intro) (NAP Apache Video Review) 
• Tru Glo Trusite Extreme 8 pin Camo Archery Sight $150. (Bowhunterssuperstore.com)
• Scott Archery Shark Buckle Release. $75.00  Pick the Scott release you like. 
• Moccasin Joe 9 count quiver. $18.  They don't make these any more.  Find one that you can afford that holds at least 6 arrows. 
• NAP Thunderhead 100 grain broadhead $40 for 3. These things are super sharp.  (Review) (NAP Thunderhead video introduction) I don't trust the expandables. 
• Outdoor Edge®Flip-n-Zip Knife (Cabelas.com) 
• 50 foot of rope
• 50 foot of string
• Allen Big Game Bags (Allencompany.net)
• Primos Hoochie Mama
• Primos Make a Bull Crazy call 
• Primos Terminator Bugle  (Youtube Introduction)
• Primos Diaphragm calls

Clothing

• Gamehide Hush Hide Rain Gear Pants  (Advantage Max-1 Open Terrain pattern )
• Gamehide Hush Hide Rain Gear Jacket  (Advantage Max-1 Open Terrain pattern )
• Scent-Lok Savanna EXT Six-Pocket Pants (Advantage Max-1 Open Terrain pattern) (Cabelas.com)
• Scent-Lok Savanna EXT Bomber Jacket (Advantage Max-1 Open Terrain pattern) 
• Rocky Boots
• Wool Socks
• Panther Vision Realtree Camo Powercap with 6 LED Lights (Amazon.com)
• Primos Archery Vest

Camping

• Blacks Creek Canadian Jim Horn Signature Series backpack.  (Max-1) List $250. I purchased the first model of this backpack  which has since been updated.  I would consider the  Blacks Creek X Series G11 www.LintonOutdoors.com. Or if you are really serious about backcountry hunting then look at the Blacks Creek Solution Backpack.($499.00)  
• Ultralight Backpacking Canister Camp Stove. (Amazon)
• Platypus Big Zip 3.0L (Amazon)
• Sawyer Quick-Release Inline Water Filter (Amazon)  (Youtube)

Hope this helps you.  

Review my Hunters Lunch video on ideas for what food to take with you in the field:

Hondo

340 Class bull in velvet

Here is a 340 class bull that I caught on my trail camera.  I had to review 5 hours of video that was captured over 20 days to find this single 25 second clip.  When I first saw this I was hooping and hollering and wanted everyone to get out of bed to see it.  However they were not as excited as I was.

This was an amazing find for a unit will few elk.  It is an over the counter tag that anyone can hunt which makes him even more impressive.  Even with the limited number of elk in this unit I had to ask myself "How can you not try for this bull?".  Even if you go home empty handed you have to at least give it a try.   So after the muzzle loader season I am going up there for 5 days to try and locate this bull.  To even have a chance at bagging him with a bow he has to be hunted during the rut when he has lost his mind in search for cows.  You could hike the whole mountain range for a week and never see him.  He has to be vocal so you can locate him then work your way to him to even have a chance.  If you go too early you won't find him.  Too late (like after someone else scares him off the mountain or kills him) then that too will be disappointing.  The other risk is that he may be broken up from fighting.  All these are risks that have to be weighed in the timing of an attempt at hunting him.  I know that I will not be too early I just hope that I'm not too late.  First I hope that I can locate him then a chance at a shot at this magnificent animal.  This is the kind of elk I have been looking for my entire life.   This is the class of bull I searched for in 2010 when I went on my limited entry hunt in Utah.  It took me 7 years to draw that Utah tag and now I find what I am looking for in a unit that I could hunt year after year.  If there is one bull like this there is the potential for more.  It is going to take several years to figure out this area and how the bulls use it.  All I can hope for this year is bigger's luck because a 25 second video only tells me he exists.

Wish me luck on my quest.  I will try to record as much of my hunt as possible so that I have something to share if I run across this monster.  

Here are some key principles for successful hunting:

1. Be prepared. Proper preparation can have a tremendous positive affect on your success.

2. Hunt hard and never give up.  There is always that one place that you haven't looked that may hold your trophy. 

3. Relax, follow your instincts, and always be ready. All of us have hunting in our genes.  With a little experience you will be able to tell what elk like.  Follow those instincts and you will start seeing more elk.

Happy hunting, Hondo