“You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy hunting gear and that’s kind of the same thing.” Anonymous
One of the largest barriers for getting into hunting is buying the RIGHT equipment. The choices are daunting with a plethora of brands and equipment types. As you go further down the rabbit hole, buying gear becomes a drug. A lot of new hunters either can’t afford all of the equipment, or they buy way too much trash. Aron Snyder, owner of Kifaru International, once said, “Either you are poor and tough, or you are rich and comfortable.” This is a perfect analogy for the types of hunting gear you should get. Cheaper gear often means more weight in the pack, and you have gear that doesn’t stand up to the elements. Expensive items weigh less and can take a beating. If you hear someone say, “This is the BEST,” be skeptical. These “Hunters” are often sponsored or are uninitiated.
So where do you start?
If your budget is tight, there are 3 items you should consider spending most of your budget on. First you need to buy a solid pair of footwear. Second, you need to find a pack that is comfortably fitted to your body type. Third, invest in a solid pair of optics. Let’s dig into boots first.
A bad pair of boots will take you out of hunt far quicker than anything else. You will find yourself walking into a hunting spot and immediately want to return to the truck because of a growing blister. Investing in a great pair of boots will take you further afield for a longer duration.
Be wary of people who say, “These are the best boots ever. Buy them!” The best boots ever are the best boots for YOU. Find recommendations from folks who spend a lot of time in the field and then go try them on. I have learned this lesson the hard way. Once, I bought a pair of boots online that were highly recommended. The moment I put them on, I knew they were too narrow for my fat Fred Flintstone feet. I convinced myself that I would break them in before season. I did a lot of day hiking and thought this would be enough for the coming September. I did not test them continuously over multiple days. When hunting, I often spend days, back-to-back, hunting. Over the course of a hunting trip my feet swell up. I was on this gnarly elk hunt, where I was hiking about 17 miles a day. I was on my hike in on a particular hunt and about the 2-mile mark, I started getting a really bad hot spot on my heel. Being the good Marine that I am, I endured through. As light began to fade, I began the long egress out of the woods. I got about 100 yards into my hike back and my foot began to burn. The blister had rubbed raw, and the pain was intense. I spent 8 miles limping back in agony.
That pain is burned deeply into my memory, and I learned a valuable lesson. NEVER AGAIN, will I buy boots without trying them on and testing them over consecutive days. After trying on many boots that fit and adapt to my hunting scenarios, I have found a boot that I love Keen’s Durand 2 Waterproof Boot https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/keen-durand-ii-mid-waterproof-hiking-boots-for-men?ds_e=GOOGLE&ds_c=Shop%7CGeneric%7CAllProducts%7CHigh%7CSSCCatchAll&gclid=Cj0KCQiA09eQBhCxARIsAAYRiykytAPEp9fUu66X9MR0nxagq0VWs3DvFR4VduMq1PDpwDlhBvEQHoIaAoqgEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds. Pairing these boots with a pair of soles that have been made from the mold of my feet have also been a great for my lower back, Sheep Feet https://sheepfeetoutdoors.com/ .
Now that our feet are taken care of, we need to focus on a great pack and frame that will not wear out your shoulders, back, and hips. There are many packs to choose from, and brands have done a great job of marketing their packs. No matter how cool they may look, a bad pack will quickly ruin your hunt. Once again I reference back to my time in the Marine Corps. During Boot Camp, we went on a 3-day excursion called the Crucible. We hiked over 52 miles, completed numerous assault courses, lived off of 2 hours of sleep a night, ate 1 MRE a day, and hiked a monstrous hill called the Reaper. Standing proud at the top of the Reaper, my drill instructor handed me the Eagle Globe and Anchor. After a 6-mile hike back to the barracks, we dropped our packs off, a corpsman evaluated our injuries from the last 3 days. Besides half dollar sized blisters on my feet, blood was soaking my t shirt from sores on my back from where the pack was digging into my back.
Over the last few years of hunting, I have been using a few different packs. From Wilderness Pack Specialties, I have been using their Big Horn pack with their Kodiak Frame. The pack holds a significant amount of weight and can take a beating. The design is super simple. With 3,000 cubic inches of pack, the Big Horn comes with some sweet features. The frame has a slot for a water bladder, the pack expands away from the frame to carry meat in between the pack and frame, an integrated rifle/bow carrier flap that can fold in when not in use, and a orange flap that folds out. Over the years I used this pack for deer hunting, waterfowl hunting, and 2-day camping trips. I didn’t like how there isn’t multiple small compartments in this pack, but I bought a pack pouch that worked well with my setup. Wilderness Pack Specialties is an amazing veteran owned company. Their customer service is responsive and fantastic. I busted a seam on the pack from heavy use and poor care. I sent it into them, and they repaired it at no cost. Another issue with the pack is the straps don’t have any stays, there are very limited internal compartments for organization, and it has a very blocky look to it. Despite these minor imperfections, this pack is built tough. https://www.wildernesspacks.net/hunting-packs-bags
Recently, I moved to Kifaru’s 44 Mag pack with their Duplex Lite Frame. Kifaru does a great job of designing and testing intuitive packs. The 44 Mag is setup internally for a lot of organization, the company uses American quality products, and is rigorously tested in the backcountry. The 44 Mag also allows you to carry a lot more items to extend your time in the field with its massive 4,750 cubic inches of space. The bag is lighter than the Big Horn and is extremely comfortable. It has zippered side pockets, which are perfect for storing spotting scopes and a tripod. There are multiple access points to the bag.. If you have gear at the bottom that want to get to without emptying it, there are access points all over. It comes with compression straps and stays that keeps you from getting hung up when hiking through thick brush. On top of this, you can store an entire camp in the bag. You don’t have to hang anything outside of the pack.
One draw back to this pack is that it takes a lot of testing to find the adjustments that makes the pack comfortable. On the flip side, this does allow this pack to be comfortable for the majority of users. Kifaru does have a bunch of videos on YouTube that demonstrate how to set the pack to your dimensions. Their website asks a wide range of questions when you purchase to make sure they set the pack to a close estimate of your body type. Even though this bag comes at a hefty price tag, the company does utilize Affirm so that you can make payments over time. This lets consumers with lower income access a high-end pack. Kifaru also offers many accessories for the pack so that you can adjust it to multiple different types of hunting/hiking scenarios. https://kifaru.net/store/packs/multi-day-packs/44-mag/
Now that we have taken care of our feet and backs, lets take a look at enhancing your capabilities in spotting game. First and foremost, you need a solid pair of binos. If you are hunting in dense vegetation you will not need as much power. A pair of 10 x 42 binos should be plenty. The best company on the market is Swarovski. They are also the most expensive. If you cannot afford their price point, Vortex provides a middle of the road product. You do not need a high-powered scope when hunting thick timber. Most of my hunts occur in the open high deserts.
After discovering spot and stalk hunting, it will be rare for me to hunt timbered land. I like to watch my game from very long distances and wait for the animals to make a mistake before I close the distance. I carry both a spotting scope and strong binos. In doing so, I pay a heavy price in carrying a lot of weight and emptying the bank account. I run the Vortex Razor UHD 10×42 Binos and Swarovski TS-80 Spotting Scope with 20×60 eye piece. If you don’t want to run a spotting scope in wide open terrain, I recommend using a very strong bino, such as a 15 x 56. The problem with these is that they are heavy and wear you out over time if you are using them as much as you are supposed to.
When hunting, you should be constantly checking your surroundings. Even if you are in thick timber, you should use binos to peer through brush by alternating the focus. This allows you peer into thick areas, allowing for you to catch horns or the straight back of an animal. You may be asking why you should spend so much on optics. If you don’t buy the best optics, you will get headaches from peering through glass all day and miss details that would lead you to a big buck. You will also struggle in low light conditions if you do not fork out the dineros for the RIGHT optic. If you hunt deer, you are most likely going to be hunting in low light. That is the time the animals are up and feeding. Cheap optics cannot handle low light conditions, and you will leave a lot of opportunities on the table with cheap gear. https://www.swarovskioptik.com/us/en/birding/products/spotting-scopes https://vortexoptics.com/binoculars/razor-uhd-binoculars.html
As you go deeper down the hunting gear rabbit hole, you will find many ways to spend your hard earned money on new hunting toys. The best piece of advice that I can give is, “Buy only gear you will use and buy quality.” Your pack gets heavy quick. After each hunting trip, reevaluate the items in your bag and remove the items you don’t use. Below is a list of other items in my pack.
First Aid:
- AAA Batteries
- Meloxicam
- Amox Clav
- Moleskin
- 4″ Hemostatic Control Bandage
- Sterile Skin Staple
- Emergency Water Pouch
- Electrolyte Drink Mix, Kiwi Pineapple
- Tourniquet
- Epi Pen
- Athletic Tape
- 3 Litter Water Pouch
Camp Equipment:
- Agile Air Pad (Foam Pad)
- Trestles Elite Eco 20 Degrees F Sleeping Bag
- Utility Tarp
- 400 Lumen Head Lamp
- Solar Power Bank 30000mAh Portable Solar Charger
- Waterproof Matches
- 100 ft 750 lb Paracord
- Electrolyte Drink Mix, Strawberry
- Instant Coffee
- Peanut Butta Protein Bar
- Tin Coffee Cup
- Electrolyte Drink Mix, Kiwi Pineapple
- Water Heater
- Mini Propane Tank
- Plastic Spoon
- Breakfast Skillet MRE
- Chicken Alfredo MRE
- 1 gal Ziplock Bags
- Regular Trash Bag
- Constructor Trash Bag
- Solar Rechargeable Camp Light
- Baby Wipes, unscented
| Gear | Company | QTY |
| 44 Mag w/ Duplex Lite Frame | Kifaru | 1 |
| Big Horn w/ Zodiac Frame | Wilderness Pack Specialties | 1 |
| Kodiak Cub Max- Gen L Bino Harness | Alaska Guide Creations | 1 |
| Bow Sling | T and K Hunting Gear | 1 |
| Gaiters | T and K Hunting Gear | 1 |
| Durand 2 Waterproof Boot | Keen | 1 |
| Carbon Reinforced Orthopedic Soles | Sheep Feet | 1 |
| Ambit 3 Peak GPS Watch | Suunto | 1 |
| Radio/Walkie Talkie | Baofeng | 1 |
| Pack Bow Carrier | Bow Spider | 1 |
| Agile Air Pad, Air Foam | Alps Mountaineering | 1 |
| Trestles Elite Eco 20 Degrees F Sleeping Bag | Marmot | 1 |
| Utility Tarp | Alps Outdoorz | 1 |
| Makalu Walking Sticks | Leki | 1 |
| TS-80 Spotting Scope with 20×60 eye piece | Swarovski Optik | 1 |
| Scope Cover | Phone Skope | 1 |
| Razor UHD 10×42 Binos | Vortex | 1 |
| RX-Full Draw 3 Range Finder | Leupold | 1 |
| Lens Wipe | Swarovski Optik | 1 |
| Veo 2 Carbon Tripod | Vanguard | 1 |
| Spotter/Phone Adapter | Novagrade | 1 |
| Game Cam Card Reader | HME | 1 |
| 400 Lumen Head Lamp | Black Diamond | 1 |
| Solar Power Bank 30000mAh Portable Solar Charger | KLL | 1 |
| Phone USB | Samsung | 1 |
| Micro USB adapter | Unknown | 1 |
| Broadhead and Knife Sharpener | Lansky | 1 |
| 3.5 Razor Lite Game Knife | Outdoor Edge | 1 |
| 3.0 Razor Lite EDC Game Knife | Outdoor Edge | 1 |
| 3.5 Replacement Blades | Outdoor Edge | 6 |
| 3.0 Replacement Blades | Outdoor Edge | 3 |
| Powder Wind Checker | Ambush | 2 |
| Wind Floaters, long range fibers | Phaze 03 | 2 |
| Waterproof Matches | Unknown | 22 |
| 125g Cut on Contact Broadhead Single Bevel replacements | Iron Will | 3 |
| Bow Repair Kit ( allen wrench multi tool, wax, glue, fletching, D Loops) | Mixed Brands | 1 |
| 100 ft 750 lb Paracord | Tough Grid | 1 |
| Kevlar Lined Padded Gloves | Black Hawk | 1 |
| Rubber Coated Sneaky Socks | Skinners | 1 |
| Coyote Call The Third Degree | Primos | 1 |
| Electrolyte Drink Mix, Strawberry | Liquid I.V. | 4 |
| Instant Coffee | Black Riffle Coffee | 5 |
| Peanut Butta Protein Bar | Honey Stinger | 4 |
| Hand Warmer | Survivor Series | 2 |
| Camo Face Paint Brown, Black, Green w/ mirror | Nature’s Paint | 3 |
| Tag holder | Crazy Elk | 1 |
| Carabiners | Outmate | 2 |
| 6 inch Rubber Flex Cord | Eddie Bauer | 1 |
| 3 Liter Water Bag | HydraPak | 1 |
| 2 Liter Force Water Reserve w/ hose | HydraPak | 1 |
| Tin Coffee Cup | Libra Coffee | 1 |
| Organizer Pack Lrg | Kifaru | 1 |
| AAA Batteries | Kirkland | 9 |
| Meloxicam | Unknown | 20 |
| Amox Clav | Unknown | 20 |
| Moleskin | Dr. Scholls | 8 |
| 4″ Hemostatic Control Bandage | EverOne | 1 |
| Sterile Skin Staple | AHS | 1 |
| Emergency Water Pouch | Sawyer | 1 |
| Electrolyte Drink Mix, Kiwi Pineapple | WA | 2 |
| Tourniquet | My Medic | 1 |
| Epi Pen | Unknown | 1 |
| Athletic Tape | Johnson & Johnson | 1 |
| Water Heater | Jetboil | 1 |
| Mini Propane Tank | Jetboil | 1 |
| Plastic Spoon | GSI Outdoors | 1 |
| Breakfast Skillet MRE | Peak Refuel | 1 |
| Chicken Alfredo MRE | Peak Refuel | 1 |
| 1 gal Ziplock Bags | Ziplock | 10 |
| Regular Trash Bag | Glad | 1 |
| Constructor Trash Bag | Unknown | 1 |
| Solar Rechargeable Camp Light | HybridLight | 1 |
| Kill Kit (Game Bags, Gloves, Orange Marker Tape, Bone Saw) | Black Ovis | 1 |
| BodyWipes, Unscented | Dude Wipes | 18 |
| Screw-on water filter | Sawyer | 1 |
| Fleece Pull Over | Kryptek | 1 |
The American Bowman Chronicles 