Equipment: What worked and what did not

Irrelevant · Dec 13, 2017

Southern Elk said:
I agree with this for day hunts, but in my experience, it eats battery life up so fast that it couldn't realistically be used for a backcountry hunt unless you can charge the phone.

I used mine for 8 days straight without a charge. Turn off everything but the gps and turn the screen brightness way down. But a lot depends on your phone and the temps. Warm temps and a new battery are the tickets to success.

MinnesotaHunter · Dec 13, 2017

Works:
- Building custom maps (geo referenced PDFs) in CalTopo.com and viewing/navigating off them with the Avenza App. You can do all sorts of marking of maps, overlay imagery, etc and then just email them to your phone and open them in the app.
- I found a Woolrich Buffalo plaid wool shirt just like I had when I started hunting at the Sportsman's guide warehouse, and snapped that thing up. It is a little itchy, but is a fantastic layer for hiking/still hunting in November. It doesn't smell, and wicks great.
- Scott Longhorn Back tension release. I practiced with it all summer, and it did wonders reinforcing good form and follow through. I didn't hunt with it, but the good habits it built carried back over to my wrist strap.

Fails:
- My Sierra Designs Zissou 12 is starting to give up the ghost. Not looking forward to trying to replace it. I have been looking at the Nemo's if anyone has any input.....

Tradewind · Dec 13, 2017

"67-year-old hunting partner who still gets extreme buck fever and turns into a 10-year-old boy every time he sees antlers. "

Got a laugh out of that. Good to see he still gets excited.:hump:

Tradewind · Dec 13, 2017

onpoint said:
Didn't work:
Camp Chef Everest camp stove - two different stoves both suffered catastrophic gas line failures, one actually catching fire.
My memory as it used to.

Did work:
Browning Citori Superlite feather 16 gauge. Besides being a hard to find sweet English straight grip 16 gauge, the 1.6 lb weight reduction over my 12 gauge has all but remedied left Elbow tendonitis....
LEM .75 HP grinder - makes elk meat into elk burger real fast.
A 23 year old Winston 2 piece 9 foot 6 weight IM6 off of ebay - perfect condition. To say they don't make 'em like that anymore is an understatement.
Surgical stainless steel screws and plates and a Vet that knows how to use 'em. Can't say enough..............
And a great little friend who happens to know how to do some really cool things.......
View attachment 77950

I'm Curious. what is a "23 yr old Winston 2 piece 9foot 6 weight"

noharleyyet · Dec 13, 2017

"67-year-old hunting partner who still gets extreme buck fever and turns into a 10-year-old boy every time he sees antlers. "

Haha..my son will have one of those in less than a month....

onpoint · Dec 13, 2017

Two things which hurt my snobby-purist ears.
A Citori is an O/U, to call one a "sweet 16" - an abhorrent semi auto - is an flagrant misstep.
A 23 year old 2 piece Winston IM6 9 foot 6 weight is a post-bamboo elitist yuppy fly pole.
Geesh....

JohnCushman · Dec 13, 2017

Tradewind said:
I'm Curious. what is a "23 yr old Winston 2 piece 9foot 6 weight"

A fly fishing rod

Tradewind · Dec 13, 2017

onpoint said:
Two things which hurt my snobby-purist ears.
A Citori is an O/U, to call one a "sweet 16" - an abhorrent semi auto - is an flagrant misstep.
A 23 year old 2 piece Winston IM6 9 foot 6 weight is a post-bamboo elitist yuppy fly pole.
Geesh....

Ah, a gentleman fisherman :hump:

Ben Lamb · Dec 13, 2017

Tradewind said:
Ah, a gentleman fisherman :hump:

I bet there's a red Hills Bro's can in his garage. Don't let him put on airs.

What worked:
Toe Warmers. Thank the lord.
Hydroflask/Yeti water bottles - keeps warm stuff warm and cold stuff cold.
Cabela's Microtex pants & shirt. Not as expensive or fancy as the bro-camo but performs well and comes in sizes that fit the ample gentlemen.

What didn't work:
Left knee - still dealing with it after tweaking it the last weekend
Only hunting 5 days for the season. Sad, low energy. Not good!

Southern Elk · Dec 13, 2017

el unit said:
Hits:
-New Hoyt Pro Defiant
-Sitka Equinox Pant
-Swing Blaze knife (again and again!)
-New hunting friend Southern Elk!

Right back at you buddy. You might want to add pack horses to your hits list.

Southern Elk · Dec 13, 2017

Ben Lamb said:
I bet there's a red Hills Bro's can in his garage. Don't let him put on airs.

What worked:
Toe Warmers. Thank the lord.
Hydroflask/Yeti water bottles - keeps warm stuff warm and cold stuff cold.
Cabela's Microtex pants & shirt. Not as expensive or fancy as the bro-camo but performs well and comes in sizes that fit the ample gentlemen.

What didn't work:
Left knee - still dealing with it after tweaking it the last weekend
Only hunting 5 days for the season. Sad, low energy. Not good!

Ben, I've been hunting exclusively in micro tex pants for 7 or 8 years. I love them and you can catch them on sale a couple of times a year. I wear them without a base layer during archery season and with a merino base layer during cold weather. I've never had to add a layer on top. They are very versatile.

huntid73 · Dec 13, 2017

Worked: Trusty Savage 116 in 7mm
OnX on my phone
Rocky Mountain Game Calls
Hail-Mary drive plan that pushed a cow elk to 75 yards of my friend's wife

Failed: Elk fever at 19 yards
Pins blurring together
Cabela's Full Draw boots
Leaving shotgun at truck when you know grouse may be around

JLDemo · Dec 13, 2017

Worked:
Leupold BX-2 10x42 Cascades. Best binos I've owned by far.
Vortex 4-12x40 Diamondback.
OnX App

Failed:
Boots
Backpack
Rifle sling.
Forgetting to empty your hot water heater in your camper last winter and then finding the expensive mishap in the spring when you flush your lines. Water everywhere, wallet lighter. Life lesson C/W.

I will be upgrading my boots, sling and pack this off-season just not sure on what products yet.

MNElkNut · Dec 13, 2017

Hits:
Sitka Mountain Pants
Barnes TSXs
Schnees Boots
OnX app for the phone

Misses:
The tent stove was vastly undersized given the weather.

onX Hunt · Dec 13, 2017

Southern Elk said:
I agree with this for day hunts, but in my experience, it eats battery life up so fast that it couldn't realistically be used for a backcountry hunt unless you can charge the phone.

Check out this article for some battery saving tips, that's the chief concern of most people but with these it helps significantly. You can also find some solid chargers on amazon for not too expensive.
https://www.onxmaps.com/blog/smartphone-battery-saving-tips-for-the-field?category=

Awesome to hear that everyone is enjoying the new update and that it worked well for them in the field!

Elkoholic · Dec 13, 2017

I'm addicted to gear, so I love this thread.

What worked:
- not new but continues to be very useful, my InReach.
- new additions to my Kuiu collection, I haven't a complaint yet.
- Neet cart, its was brutal, but it worked hauling out approx #300 of elk meat and skull in one trip

What didn't:
- most of my body parts after the Martin family back-to-back bull elk harvest late night (morning) pack outs
- no equipment failures to report

Southern Elk · Dec 13, 2017

onX Hunt said:
Check out this article for some battery saving tips, that's the chief concern of most people but with these it helps significantly. You can also find some solid chargers on amazon for not too expensive.
https://www.onxmaps.com/blog/smartphone-battery-saving-tips-for-the-field?category=

Awesome to hear that everyone is enjoying the new update and that it worked well for them in the field!

Thanks. I'll check it out. I should add that my GPS eats batteries too, but all I have to do is change them out. I much prefer using onX on my phone compared to using it on my GPS.

NYSKIER · Dec 13, 2017

What worked:
Maven B-2 9x45 I'm no optics guru but these were fantastic
First Lite Merino base layers

Didn't have to much that didn't work only think I could say would be thick merino socks on prickers and cactus needles however they aren't supposed to work on those to much in the first place

1_pointer · Dec 13, 2017

Southern Elk said:
Thanks. I'll check it out. I should add that my GPS eats batteries too, but all I have to do is change them out. I much prefer using onX on my phone compared to using it on my GPS.

Lots of inexpensive backup battery systems out there. One I have is good for more than 5 recharges of my phone. They even have ones that run off of AA batteries.

Using some of those tips, I've not had any trouble making it through a whole day on one charge.

blackdawg · Dec 14, 2017

What is working s far: #1 upgrade, Cut-proof gloves, lightweight and one will be in my pack always in the future, ONX maps premium service,incredible number of uses for this for a traveling hunter, Leupold VX3 2-7, fits my needs and skills perfectly. My 2 Arctic Oven tents, snow, wind, rain,whatever,heated palace with the Nuway propane stove.

What hasn't worked so far: Black diamond headlamp,,primary and backup failed on first trip,,however their customer service was top notch. Banded waders,,fail out of box,,,xtherm pad,,worried about the future of this one, patched will it hold?

Equipment: What worked and what did not

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