Hunting Fit

Gear Review: Tepui Tents Autana Sky

April 23, 2017 — 2 Comments

How Lucky I Felt to be in this Picture! Home Sweet Camp!

A lot of us tend to focus on going ultralight and shoot for a minimalist approach to our camping setups. What if we had a chance to carry all the comforts with us in a portable and easy to set up tent for our next outdoor overnighter? If you have considered such a situation and you can drive to your camping spot then I’d like to introduce you to a company called Tepui. Amongst other things (Tepui Gear Bags Review), they make top quality and pretty nifty rooftop (or truck bed top) tents. Continue Reading…

In Gear, Hunting, Reviews

Gear Review: OnXmaps

April 10, 2017 — 1 Comment

Hunting Fit, it’s all about preparation, right? You bet!! But don’t think that preparation is all physical. There is also the research required to put you in a position to be successful on your hunts. Besides draw odds and tag applications you need to know the physical location you plan to hunt like the back of your hand. You must know the public and private boundaries, saddle locations, benches, but you also should know what the area looks like from the air. That way you’ll know if what appears to be a meadow, really is a meadow. Enter OnXmaps. Continue Reading…

In Gear, Hunting, Reviews

Take Care of Yourself

April 5, 2017 — 1 Comment

Take Care of Those Minor Injuries Now So You’ll be Ready this Fall (photo courtesy of heavenlyhealingmassage.com)

Due to some recent events with my own physical wellbeing I thought it would be a good time to remind everyone that we are indeed human. If you’re in the right mindset to get yourself physically prepared for some hardcore hunts this fall then you’ve likely surrounded yourself with likeminded individuals to help push and motivate you. Since you’re reading this then I’m thrilled that I am one of those people helping you along your journey. You should be getting encouragement and inspiration to push harder and go farther. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this because nothing is given and as one of my favorite quotes from Cam Haines reads, “Nobody cares. Work harder”. There is much truth to this but you have to take some things into consideration when tearing down your body so it comes back even stronger. Continue Reading…

In Training

Gear Review: Sitka Fanatic Series

March 1, 2017 — 2 Comments

The Sitka Fanatic Series Finally Meets the Needs Required by Serious Whitetail Hunters

When you think high performance hunting clothing there is a short list of companies that come to mind, Sitka being one of them. I have experimented with several brands and was presented with the opportunity to give the Fanatic Series a test this fall hunting whitetails here in Illinois. I have had my eye on their gear for a while and once I found out they had a series targeting stand hunting for deer I couldn’t resist. I’ve tried it all and can say that up to this point I’ve managed, but haven’t come across an article or set of clothing that really impressed me. That is until now. Continue Reading…

In Apparel, Gear, Reviews

Gear Review: Enerplex Generatr 1200

February 26, 2017 — Leave a comment

If You Want Convenient, Portrable Power the Enerplex Genertr 1200 May Just Be Your Ticket!

Let’s face it, even though most of us seek solitude in our hunting adventures we still like to have some of the modern conveniences of home when possible. Many of those luxuries run on electric power which is generally hard to come by when operating remotely. You could always pack a conventional gas powered generator (assuming you’ll be hunting from a camp you can reach via truck) but they’re noisy, smelly, and if you’re like me most of my gas powered implements never want to start anyway. I was recently introduced to a product from Enerplex that will eliminate those issues in a convenient and easy to use package. The Generatr 1200 is a rechargeable battery pack on steroids that is easily transported and even easier to use and maintain. While I labeled this post as a gear review it’s going to be more like a gear introduction. I say that because I haven’t even touched on all the possibilities the Generatr1200 has to offer therefore I haven’t technically tested it as thoroughly yet as I normally would…but I certainly plan too! Continue Reading…

In Gear, Reviews

Fitness Isn’t Only for Mountain Hunters

February 12, 2017 — Leave a comment

Just Because It’s Not Steep Terrain Doesn’t Mean It’s Easy (Photo courtesy of bayoubucks.com)

Do you believe that being physically fit is only for backcountry mountain hunters? If so, you are completely mistaken. It is very important for all of us regardless of our hunting styles or geography. Now certainly some hunts and situations are going to require a higher level of fitness than others but all our hunts will benefit from being stronger and well conditioned. One my hunting partners recently experienced just a situation. Because he was prepared physically he was blessed with a fantastic memory for himself and sons. Had he not been prepared for an adverse and challenging situation the opportunity could have quickly been soured. The story and photos below are courtesy of Tim Brignac. Continue Reading…

In Hunting

Gear Review: Maven Binoculars

February 8, 2017 — 4 Comments

The Maven B.1 8×42’s Proved to Be the Best Binoculars I’ve Personally had the Opportunity to Use.

The more I hunt out West the more I appreciate the use of optics to aid in my success. By no means am I an aficionado of fine optics but I certainly know when something gives clear and concise views and is well built. Which, when attempting to cover ground with your eyes or differentiate between a legal and non-legal bull are qualities you’d want. I recently had the opportunity to get my hands on a pair of Maven field glasses. What Maven has done is eliminated the middle man (i.e. retail store price markups) and is creating a high quality glass at a not so high price by building and shipping directly to the consumer. Continue Reading…

In Gear, Hunting, Reviews

Goals: Set Them, Go After Them, Achieve Them

January 30, 2017 — Leave a comment

If You Want It, Go Get It (photo courtesy of exclusivepursuitoutfitters.com)

I wanted to make sure the whole mantra of New Years Resolutions had melted away before I put this post together. As the title states this write-up will revolve around goals that you need to set for yourself if you ever want to hit them. By definition a resolution is a decision to act whereas a goal per Dictionary.com is “the result or achievement toward which effort is directed“. So first comes the resolution to improve ones self (which I’m assuming most of you have made sometime ago, if not then welcome aboard!) followed by the goal that you are specifically targeting. I give this bit of background not to bore you with linguistic details but more to encourage you to be specific in your intentions for this year. Continue Reading…

In Hunting, Motivational

Gear Review: Midland X-Talker Two Way Radio

January 19, 2017 — 1 Comment

The Midland X-Talkers Proved to be a Great Choice for Two Way Communication.

Even though electronics have only recently (relatively speaking) become such hot ticket items in your hunting pack (think GPS, Smart Phone w/ video and mapping capabilities, electronic callers, etc) one item that that has been around for a while now is the two way radio (walkie talkie). If you’ve ever hunted with a partner or a group then you’ve probably used one. I know I have used them in the past during bear drives in the Appalacians and also during my backcountry elk hunts. I was able to get my hands on a set of Midland X-Talker radios and wanted to tell you a little about my experience with them. Continue Reading…

In Gear, Reviews

ATA Recap

January 17, 2017 — 3 Comments

One of the Many Displays at the Massive Archery Trade Association Show.

The recent Archery Trade Association show in Indianapolis was a huge display highlighting the latest and greatest in the archery and hunting world. I was fortunate enough to attend and spend an intense 10 hours combing the exhibits looking for the best that this year’s innovations had to offer. Continue Reading…

In Apparel, Gear, Hunting