Trail Tacks

Every year I look for some new hunting product that will help me out in the woods. This year I picked up a brand-new piece of property to hunt. With walking and scouting this new land, I noticed that it is very easy to get turned around and lost. So as the summer progressed I was faced with the question as to how and I going to find my way to the stand in the dark. I thought at first that simple trail ribbon would work but them came to the realization that it would be very hard to see in the dark. As late summer, early fall hit, I finally went to Cabela’s and asked what they would recommend I do. The guy there had gone through the same dilemma that I was going through and knew exactly what I needed to do. He took me to the tree stand section and showed me these reflective trail tacks. These things were no bigger than a dime and I thought that the guy was fool of crap. I thought there was no way I was going to be able to see these things but the guy convinced me that they worked and for 2 bucks I thought why the hell not. So, I bought a couple packs and headed out to the new property.  I hung these tacks on trees to 3 of my tree stand steps. This was still a month before season so I had to wait. When the season finally rolled around I was very excited to see if these things were going to work. I was not able to go out on opening morning so I had to wait again. Finally, I made it out the woods one morning and what I found was quite surprising. As I approached the woods I saw what looked like a glowing eye ball from about fifty yards away.  I stopped thinking it was a deer but no, it was the tack and as I continued into the wood I shined the light down the trail and it looked like the someone has stuck Christmas lights on all of the trees. I just could not believe how well these things worked. I ran that day back to Cabelas and picked me up some more to go to every set I have. I think every hunter who has trouble finding their stands in the morning should have these. By far one the best hunting products I have picked up on. 

Hoyt Bows

Everyone has their favorite compound bow company. Over the last 5 years we have seen companies like Obsession, Prime, and Elite bows burst on to the hunting scene. From all that I have read all of these bows are extremely reliable and good shooting bows. However, for some of us out there you just can’t beat tradition. My very first bow was a Hoyt. I was twelve when I received my first bow. Needless to say, that was by far my best Christmas ever. At the time when I got this bow I was only able to pull about 50 to 55 pounds so I got the mid-range hunting bow. The first thing I noticed was how smooth it was to draw, being my first bow I did not know what to expect and this draw cycle did nothing but start me on my obsession with Hoyt archery. After this I started following Hoyt and their releasing of their new bow and technologies. I have since then upgraded to the Faktor 30, which I love. Before buying this bow I shot many of the competitors bows but it simply did not feel the same as the Hoyt did. With both of the bows I have owned from Hoyt, I have never had a problem with any one of them. The technologies that they continue to put onto the bows is absolutely unreal. My favorite thing with the Hoyt bows is the fact that they are completely customization. Each Hoyt bow comes with the option of different colors from red to green to blue to pink to orange. This gives the buyer a since of ownership which to me at least makes me want to buy Hoyt for forever. Many people say though that it is not about the looks it is about the performance. Let me tell you that these bows do not lack at all in the performance aspect of anything. I will guarantee you that these bows are fast, quiet, and dependable. They are also very shooter friendly and forgiving which is always good thing for us bow hunters.  From a young kid to a woman to a man Hoyt has a perfect bow for everyone that they will love. I have created as tradition to only shoot a Hoyt and it will be the only bow I will ever shoot. 

Remington 870

When I was 12 my dad bought me my first shotgun. It was a Remington 870 express 20 gage. It was the same gun that his dad bough him and his dad bough him before that. This is the gun that I shot my first squirrel and deer with. In my opinion this is by far the most reliable and dependable gun on the market. My dad bought me the combo that came with the fully rifled barrel. This has made deer gun hunting a breeze. When the deer reach fifty yards and in they are pretty much done. This is also a mean squirrel gun and is a breeze to shoot. If you are wanting a gun to go shoot clay pigeons and not wake up the next morning bruised and not able to move, this is the gun for you. I got the synthetic wood simply because I don’t like the all black stocks. I have not yet had a single problem with this gun. It shoots any rounds up to three inches with a breeze. Never a jam and never a misfire. As long as you keep oil on the barrel and do not misuse the gun, I will guarantee it will last you lifetime. These guns are very reasonably priced. The small game barrel comes with a vent rib and fiber optic sight. This makes it very easy to line up on squirrels, rabbits, and turkeys. The deer barrel is traditional and has nothing to fancy on it. The gun has an extremely smooth and repeatable trigger pull. The gun not matter what barrel you have on it pulls up extremely nice and smooth allowing you to make smooth and accurate shots. The gun is also a breeze to clean. All you have to do is punch out the pins on the receiver and the trigger mechanism pulls right out. The magazine cap does not come with a sling stud. Nor does to stock which is kind of a disappointment.  I will be buying my kid one day this exact shotgun for his or hers first gun. I cannot thank my dad enough for buying me such a nice and reliable shotgun for my first gun. 

Rib Cage spreader and Zip Saw

All of have a bone saw in our back pack but I am here to tell you that it is not the way to go in order to split the pelvic bone. A few Christmases ago I got a Zip Saw. It is two metal handles with a metal saw wire the stretches between the handle. The first time I used this I was absolutely amazed at how fast it cut through the pelvic bone. I am pretty sure that it only took me about 5 seconds to do it. The second time that I used this I produced the same results. The only thing is that it can get kind of messy. It has the tendency to pull through quickly right at the end and give you a celebratory blood shower. I have done about 10 deer with one wire before it broke. The replacement wires are ten bucks at Cabelas which is reasonably priced for being able to do ten deer. The metal handles can be very difficult to feed through the butt which it very frustrating when trying to gut the deer. The tool I use after this is the Outdoor Edge rib cage spreader. This is two stainless steel rods that expand the rib cage. I have noticed a huge difference in how fast my deer cool now when compared to when I did not use this. This is a must have in every hunter’s pack. The trick to this is getting it in-between the ribs of the deer, if you do not do this then the spreader will simply pop up. Being stainless steel the Outdoor Edge rib cage spreader cleans up very easily. This tool is perfect for early season. It opens the deer up nicely and opens the deer up so much that it allows for a few bags of ice to be laid on to the meat so that it can be cooled. These two items are defiantly a must have. Ever since picking up these items, my field dressing experiences have improved greatly. I refuse to gut a deer without having both of these products with me  

Butt Out

For many years I have watched people complain and struggle with gutting a deer. When I first started hunting I can remember watching my dad struggle with removing the butt from the deer. A few years ago, I started seeing commercials for this product that was called the Butt Out. The companies claim was all you had to do was insert the tool, twist, and pull out. To me it seemed a little too good to be true but when I went into the local sporting goods store I saw one and for only ten dollars I could not resist picking one up. Shortly after buying the Butt Out, my brother shot a doe and it seemed like the perfect time to test out the new purchase. And sure, enough the butt of the deer pulled right out and it seemed that we had finally figured out the secrete to field dressing a deer. Shortly after testing the Butt Out on my brothers deer I was able to test it on my own. Once again, it worked perfectly. The only complaint that I have with this, which is not a complaint at all, is that is the deer is left lay and is allowed to cool down it makes it harder for the butt to be removed. Recently, the company has now produced a new version which puts has a circular ring just below the t-handle showing you just how far to insert the tool into the deer. This upgrade to the product is extremely handy. The tool is also produced in a blaze orange color which is very smart. We all know how easy it is to lose things while gutting but no matter how distracted I have gotten and no matter where I have managed to lay this tool down I can’t lose it just stands out because of how bright the orange is. The tool is made of an extremely hard plastic which I have not been able to starch or break which says a lot about the quality of this product because I tend to be tremendously hard on equipment. So, if you are sick of struggling with gutting and getting frustrated like I was and my family was for many years I highly recommend going and picking you up one of these.  

Headlamps

I do a lot of hunting that requires more than just a hop, skip, and a jump from my truck. So, after going through a season or so trying to navigate my way through the woods trying to find my way to the stand in the dark and trying to find my way out of the stand after dark. So, I started looking around and asking my buddies what they do when they are walking in well before daylight and after dark. I got a lot of votes for using a led flashlight or using a headlamp. I was hung up between the two so I ended up buying both. After using the two for a while I ended up leaning towards the headlamp. The headlamp that I picked up was a Cabelas brand. It comes with a semi powerful led light. It has four settings. The first one is a high setting, which I would say shines about 40 yards in front of you. The second setting is a medium. The third is a low setting, which is extremely nice because it puts out just enough light so that you can search through your backpack when it is dark. The last setting is a SOS setting. The Cabelas head lamp comes with and adjustable stretchy strap that will not slip when put onto your head. I have never had this headlamp slip up and off of my head. The light itself sits on a rotating platform that allows you to adjust the angle of the headlamp. It can be adjusted from facing straight ahead to facing pretty much straight down at the ground. It also has had very good battery life. I have made it through two seasons now hunting probably 30 to 40 days a season and it still has not died or even showed signs of dimming in the light. It also is very small so once in the stand or blind it packs away very nicely and does not  take up much room at all. Overall, I am extremely happy with this product and decision to go to a headlamp in order to find my way through the dark into my hunting spots. This product is also very nice when tracking at night. It puts out a lot of light which makes seeing the blood very easy. 

Nikon Rangefinder

Recently I picked up the Nikon prostaff rangefinder. I had been using an older Bushnell and was in need of an upgrade. I do a lot of bow hunting so I read up on all of the latest technologies and decided that I would need a rangefinder that would account for the angle of the shot when calculating the distant. I was hung up between the Nikons and the Bushnell’s, but when I got to Cabela’s and held the two in my hand I was sold on the Nikon.  When you first grab this range finder you notice how well if fits and feels in your hand. It is coated in a non-slip grip that does not lose its when it rains or snows. It also comes with a zoom capable lens. However, when zoomed in all of the way the objects in the lens become very blurry, which is a downside. It also comes with different settings that allow you to choose between bow, and rifle hunting. It is also very easily operated. When you pull up the range finder it gives you a very accurate and quick range reading. Also, if you hold down on the range finding button it will give you a continuous accurate range. One thing you may want to do is get a shorter and adjustable strap. The factory strap is extremely long and is not able to be shortened. The Nikon Prostaff rangefinder also comes with a carrying case that can be attached to your belt loop. This rangefinder is however a bit on the pricy side coming in at 230 dollars. You can definitely find range finders out there on the market for much cheaper than this. I am a true believe in the idea of you get what you pay for and in this case when knowing the range while in the field is so vital I am more than willing to spend the extra money. This is definitely a must have in any bow hunters Arinsal and I will not go into the woods without mine. 

Rage Broadheads

Everyone has heard about rage broadheads and I am sure that you have heard good things about them as well as the bag things. Between my brother and I we have been shooting rage broadheads for about 8 years now. We have never had a problem with any rage broadhead. We stared off shooting the original two blade, which is an absolute animal, to the chisel tip to the extreme to now the hypodermics. You hear a lot of people say that they don’t get very good penetration or that the blades don’t stand up to the strength of a bone. I have never had an issue with the durability of these broadheads and even more so the penetration with the rage broadheads, granted however that we only shoot 40 yards and in and are only hunting whitetail deer. As long as you are smart with the angle of shots you take, quartering away or broadside never quartering to unless you have not choice, and are good with shot placement on the animal you should never have an issue with rage broadheads. They have also in the last few years switched from their rubber orings to what they call their shock collar. The shock collar is very easy to use and can be used multiple times as long as the collars around the rim are still strong and not damaged. These heads have also always flown like our fieldtips. Every broadhead that they offer comes with or for purchase you can get a practice broadhead. These practice tips look and fell exactly like the real ones, the only difference is that their blades do not expand. They also will not get stuck in any target. The best thing with Rage’s broadheads is by far the blood trail that these things produce. It is unreal what this head will do to a deer. In some cases, we have put over 4 inch holes in deer and have had deer make it no more than 20 yards before they fall over dead. By far one of the most humane and ethical broadheads on the market.  

Over the last eight years or so I have experienced nothing but success and happiness when using these broadheads. It did not matter what broadhead style I have picked up, not a single Rage has ever left me thinking that it was a mistake buying this broadhead. I will be a Rage broadhead user and promoter for the rest of my life. Simply said if you want a great, durable, and lethal go pick yourself up a package of these broadheads and I am sure that you will not be disappointed.  

Primos Bloodhunter

As I was scrolling through the hunting section on Amazon a while back I came across the Primos Bloodhunter HD. I have been hearing about this blood lights for years and was very skeptical about how well these lights would actually work. On Amazon that day the light was on sale for 50 dollars when it was originally 90 so I thought what the heck might as well try it, so I bought it. For the rest of that night I searched the web reading article after article wondering if I would like this light. I was still very skeptical about how it would perform in the field until I held the light in my hand.

Upon opening the box and removing the light I noticed just how heavy and durable the light feels. It also has a very soft and comfortable non-slip grip. It comes with a battery as well which was nice. The sheath that it comes with is not of the highest quality but still is very nice and has proven to be extremely durable.  Over the lens appears to be some sort of backlight. The first time I turned the light on it almost blinded me and I thought that at least I know it is bright and I will be able see in the dark.  The bulb in this flashlight is 600 lumen CREE XM LEDs. The flash light also has two settings. One setting is the high setting where the battery lasts around 2 hours and it produces the most light for tracking at night. The other setting is a low setting where the amount of light is greatly reduced.

My first chance to test this light was earlier this fall when my buddy had shot a deer the night before and backed out because he was not sure of the shot and there was not much blood. Upon arriving the next morning I was able to see blood from 30 yards away. This light will allow you to pick up blood that is smaller than a pin head. If you hunt a lot and do a lot of tracking at night you defiantly  should consider buying one these lights. 

Outdoor Edge Razor Blade Knife

Last year I went to the local sporting goods store looking to pick up a new hunting knife. I was wanting to find something with a gut hook and I came across the Outdoor Edge Razor Pro. I saw it was on sale and had their version of a gut hook claiming that it opens game like a zipper, so I bought it. Upon opening the package and grabbing the knife I noticed that the it had a non-slip grip which felt very nice in the hand and after gutting a few deer, no matter how much blood I got on the knife it never slips in the hand. This knife comes with a 3.5-inch replaceable razor blade. This is by far the sharpest knife blade I have ever owned. I have gutted 4 deer and skinned 2 of them with this same blade and it still cuts with ease. The blades are also very easy to change, all you have to do is press a button on the side and remove the old blade from the slide and put a new one on. The gut hook on this knife is made of stainless steel and really does open game like a zipper. It has never once punctured the stomach or anything that may cause the meat to spoil. This knife comes with a nylon carry case that is extremely durable and will not break down.  On the back of the case it also has a belt loop strap so that it can be put on your belt for easy access. It has 2 spots in the case itself. One spot is for the knife which the knife slides in very easily unlike some cases where no matter how hard you try you cannot get the knife to go in and the other spot is for the extra blades.

The Outdoor Edge Razor Pro retails for 74.95 but you can find it much cheaper in the range of 50 dollars. This is one of the best hunting knives on the market, I am thoroughly pleased with this knife. If  you are in the need for a new hunting knife or are just simply looking to upgrade I would look no farther then this knife, it will take care of anything that you will put it through.