2009 Elk Country Gear

Well with all the talk centering for the next couple weeks on Elk season, I'd though I'd drop a highlight reel of some of the gear RD and I will be rocking in the Nat'l Forest this September (17 Days Away !!!!) Stay tuned for gear reviews, but most of this stuff has already been tried and approved with the dbo seal of approval so here we go...


Shelter

Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 - This will be one of my new additions to the gear list. During the indoor trial in the living room, it's setup should be pretty quick, although the loop system for the poles will make it impossible to do the rainy-day-special setup: fastfly first then add the tent body clipped in underneath, the design requires the tent body to be setup first, getting wet in the process. Other than that, it'll be a little short on room for the 6'6" man but should be just enough to suffice. Very light (2lb6oz) I look forward to giving it a whirl.







Kelty Gunnison 2 - This is my standby backpacking tent that will probably come along on loan to Ryan and Daryn for a close and cudley two man shelter. It was cheap and everything about it is easy. It weighs in at a little heavy 5lb3oz (2lb9oz/ man). Although its 92x58 floor plan is roomy as far as most 2 person tents go. Tent setup is ultra quick and simple and the vestibule space is a pure luxury! Gets a little cozy with two big boys but that's the way it works in the backcountry. You gotta be willing to cuddle man!


Sleep System





Marmot Helium 15deg Long Sleeping Bag - This thing is a work of pure genius for a long bag at 2.1lbs!!! Super light, Super Warm, User friendly. It can't be beat! Expensive but an easy way to let dollars save you pounds. It has yet to let me down.





Exped SynMat 7 Pump Deluxe - Super Big and comfortable. My ability to get a good nights sleep is one place I don't care about dollars or weight, I'll take whatever it takes to let me sleep. Being a side sleeper is tough in the hills but this pad allows me to do so comfortably. At almost 2.5 lbs it is heavy, but compared in comfort to a similar weight thermarest, it blows them away with its 2.8" thickness. I tried the closed cell, tried the self inflating but nothing lets me sleep like I do at home like this thing.

Cooking and Water


Jetboil PCS - If you know what it is you already outta know it's the greatest and there is no other option for Mountain House meals. Speaking of Mountain House, I eat these things when I run out of food at home. They are that good and I usually end a meal in the backcountry wondering why I don't eat these things everyday at home! They are delicious!



Potable Aqua w/taste neutralizer - Super lightweight, tastes great. Nuff Said.


Other Neat Stuff


Sea to Summit eVent Compression Dry Sack - Everyone with a down bag always wished there was a truly lightweight way to store that bag in a waterproof sack to avoid compromising their precious down. Until now the dry bag option was like carrying a rubber sack that completely eliminated the weight advantage of the down sleep system. This stuff sack made of the ultra lightweight (as well as waterproof and breathable) eVent fabric cures those ales and really gives an extra sense of security knowing you can take on a monsoon and still ahve a dry comfy down bag.





Sea to Summit Pocket Hand Wash - This is another great innovation from the Sea to Summit folks. Picture a Listerine Breath Mint Strip for your hands. It is small dry leaves of soap much like the breath strips. Add water and they foam right up into a sudsy hand soap, that is also biodegradable and safe for the backcountry. I don't know what I use to do without them. Not necessarily scent free for hunting but nothing a few pine needles can't counter act.






Sitka Gear - If you've tried it, I don't need to say anything. If you haven't, my last statement should say enough. Worth it's price tag, and that says alot because that's what the price tag says...ALOT!



Danner Pronghorns - Been alot of talk about these too but I have never had a boot 'just feel right' like these Danners did. My first high dollar hunting boot and probably my last. I'm not saying nobody makes anything better or comparable, I'm just saying I'm so happy with these that I don't care.


Badlands 4500 - May very well be on it's maiden voyage with this 8-9 day hunt. Risky, I know, but hopefully it holds up to its reputation. I'm a little nervous heading to the woods with a pack I haven't had the chance to trial. Oh well.... It'll look good with 2 or 300 inches of bone hangin out of it whether or not my back hurts! One first glimpse takeaway, no waterbottle pockets, which means whatever you fit in the bladder is all you got... Something about drinking out of a hose that isn't as refreshing to me as pouring it out of a nalgene all over myself while trying to get a sip. Guess I better get used to it.

Nikon Fieldscope 20-60x60 - Hasn't even shown up on my doorstep yet. Hopefully it helps and falls into its price range in performance like I expect it to. More on this one later or post-hunt.


Steiner Predator C5 10x42 Binos - Very impressive in recreational use and out on coyote and pig hunts here in CA but yet to really be tested. Another on ethat should have a good report post-hunt.


Havalon Piranta-Z Knife - The best $40 spent in hunting supplies. This is the folding knife that holds the replaceable scalpel blades. Comes with a twelve pack of these things and truly designed for the task of cutting flesh where sharpness and precision could not be more important. Makes amazing fast work of skinning and caping. I like it, you'll like and SUPER light at 2 ozs. Shoot it only weight 3.15 is with 12 spare blades and a holster!!! That can't be beat!


Well that's a "short" list to get the juices flowing, any questions on any of the gear let me know and I'll give you my opinion, for what its worth. I'm not a professional but I know what works for me and hopefully that's enough for others and will help with their own gear selections.

Hopefully Dickey will finalize his gear list here in the next week and we'll be on a roll... AND BUY YOUR TAG ALREADY!!!

Turkey's Everywhere

The weather here in MI has finally broke (crossed fingers), and it seems the turkeys are out in full force. This past weekend, I went down to my Grandpa's farm to get equipment ready for the planting season, as all the rain that fell during the last week put a hold on fieldwork. On my drive down to the farm Saturday, I saw plenty of turkey action. Not 25 yards from a major highway, two nice toms were in full strut trying their best to seduce a hen not far away. I also saw two lone toms, each in full strut on a hilltop for all the ladies to see. When I arrived at the farm, my Grandpa informed me that he had saw a turkey heading across the field (hen or jake) in a spot where I had saw one earlier this year. Sunday morning on my way over to the farm, two hens crossed the road in front of me, heading into a swamp on our property. Now all these turkey sightings had really started to get me fired up, as my season was only a day away. Then, just down the road from my Grandpa's, a lone tom was limping across a small field. I could tell the bird was injured, most likely the result of a battle with another tom. He had a decent sized beard, probably 8-10", and was good sized. All these sightings really have given me high hopes for the season, and I seem to have identified some frequently used travel routes. Hopefully, a nice tom will decide to stroll down one when I'm posted up!!

Turkey Broadhead Selection

Turkeys may not be as large as a whitetail, but they are just as tough. Despite their small stature, a turkey can take an arrow hit like a champ. When pursuing turkey with archery gear, the broad-head you chose to use can have a big impact on whether you close the deal. There are two common "schools of thought" out there for which type of broad-head to use: big juicy mechanical heads or decapitator heads.

Decapitator heads are designed to do just what their name implies, to take a turkey's head off. When using these broad-heads, you want to aim for the turkey's head and neck area. Decapitator heads often feature a cutting diameter of 3" and feature two perpendicular blades. Two of the most popular ones are: The Gobbler Guillotine and the Magnus Bullhead. Although effective at achieving their goal, these types of broad-heads can be challenging to tune and do not fly well at distances over 20 yards.

Big mechanical broad-heads are another popular choice for turkey. Some popular models include: G5 Tekan, Rage 2 Blade, Grim Reaper, and NAP Spitfire Gobbler Getter. These broad-heads feature blades that deploy upon impact, and feature larger cutting diameters than most fixed blades. They are easier to tune and most have "field tip" flight characteristics allowing them to be shot at greater distances. Because turkey's have a small vital area, it is to your advantage to use a large cutting diameter broad-head of at least 1.5". Turkeys do not bleed very much, so it is imperative to make contact with the vitals or a main artery. When shooting this type of broad-head, there are three shot opportunities that will allow you to place a fatal shot. When standing broadside, you should aim for the vitals, which are located directly above the leg near the center of the wing. If the tom is facing you, you should aim for his beard. The third shot is from behind, in which case you should place your arrow in the middle of it's back, or give it the ole Texas heart shot.


As I mentioned above, a large cutting diameter mechanical broad-head is optimal for turkey. Because of this, I have chosen to run the Rage 2 blade (100 grain) in my pursuits this spring. The biggest selling point here is the large cutting diameter of 2+ inches, and it actually hyper-extends to 2.5 inches while deploying. Essentially, this expands your kill zone greatly, and increases your odds of hitting vitals or arteries while leaving a nasty wound channel. Another reason I chose to go with the Rage 2's is that they fly more like field tips than a decapitator head would, and they are much easier to tune. The other thing that sold me on the Rage's were their "slip cam" design, which allows the blades to fully deploy before piercing the hide.


When choosing a turkey broad-head, you must first consider what type of shot you are going to be taking and at what distance. The decapitator heads offer great performance when aiming for a turkey's head or neck, and large diameter mechanical broad-heads work best for body shots. Whatever broad-head you choose, make sure you select one that will fulfill your needs.