Tag Archives: Bushnell Elite

Buck Down!

November 4, 2015 admin 1 Comment

I climbed into the deer stand at 5 am on day two of my deer hunt. The temperature was thirty five degrees, and there was a bit of weather moving in. Morning snow flurries were forecasted to subside, but rain would persist throughout the day. Given the colder, nastier weather I had determined that the deer would be active, and hopefully moving within gunshot range. Sunrise was at 7:17 am, and I used my Styrka S7 binoculars to survey the terrain in the lowlight conditions. Unfortunately, there was nothing happening around my particular position. As with the prior day, I witnessed three bucks and four does move along the western fence separating the Cage Ranch from their neighbors. One buck was obviously a shooter, but never drifted over the boundary line. Frustrated with the inability to locate my quarry, I made a decision to leave the stand and walk the Shipping Trap pasture. It was 9 am and the rain was increasing steadily. Using the Cottonwoods as cover, I walked east towards a more dense formation of trees. Every twenty steps or so, I would glass a few hundred yards ahead, searching for signs of life. As I reached the far northeastern end of the land, I glanced south and I saw a face staring at me. Raising my binoculars, I realized that the buck was young, and unworthy of my pursuit. Arriving at my truck at 10:30 am, I developed a strategy for the rest of the day. Earlier in the week, my friend Dave had witnessed deer moving about the Pump Pasture. To that point, I made my way a few miles west, and I entered the field.

The wind had shifted in my favor, blowing at 10mph from the west. The dry creek abutting the Pump Pasture is not a part of the Ranch. There is a fence that defines the property line, and I would glass the area from a vantage point high above the eastern edge of the land. I did not witness any movement, so I made my way down to the actual barrier. Years before, I stalked and eventually killed my first pronghorn in this field. I remembered where the earth changed its formation, and I felt deer would likely bed down just over a ridge a half a mile to the southwest. As I made my way west down the fence line, I noticed an abundance of fresh deer scat. My heart started to beat more rapidly, and my pace quickened. When the ridge became visible, I changed directions and I walked straight south. My Tikka T3 Lite 30-06 had a Barnes VOR-TX 168 grain round chambered, and I was prepared to engage. I took a moment to look behind me, and I saw a doe gazing at me just inches from the fence. She remained motionless while I ranged her at 150 yards. My gut told me that she didn’t flee because this deer was a part of a larger group still hiding in the long grass. Another doe jumped up, followed by yet another doe. I started to quietly repeat the phrase “where is the buck”? Seconds later, a buck jumped up to my left, and he started to run straight west, then he jogged to the north. He stood at 130 yards and stared back at me. I put the crosshairs on his right shoulder, and scrutinized at his rack through my Bushnell Elite scope. It was obvious that this was not the deer that I was searching for, but he was a shooter. The buck bolted north still offering me an ethical shot so I took it. The round hit him just behind his right shoulder, and he staggered, ultimately hitting the ground just yards away from the impact site. As soon as he had fallen over, a massive buck with a doe emerged from the grass just 80 yards from my position. They ran straight west then stopped to look back. He was a brute, and absolutely what I had wanted. I smiled at him realizing he got lucky on this day.

Once I arrived at the downed deer, I took a moment to reflect on the hunt. There was a unique level of satisfaction as this was the first time I had hunted big game on my own. I came up with a logical plan, and it had ended up working out perfectly.

Equipment	Comments
SoundGear	Electronic hearing protection is a must for all hunters. This is the brand.
Styrka S7 Binoculars	Results are in; these premium optics must be considered. They’re that good.
onXmaps	Critical for all hunters and anglers that hunt both public and private land.
Tikka T3 Lite	Six for six with this rifle. Price is right and the gun is very accurate.
Barnes VOR-TX Ammunition	168 grain round is devastating and results in a quick death.
Under Armour Hunt Apparel	Clothing is weatherproof, breathable and warm.
Under Armour Speed Freak Boots	Light, comfortable and worth the price.
Leupold Rangefinder	Expensive but accurate. Easy to acquire target.
Bushnell Elite Scope	Has and continues to work great. Even in bad weather.
Knives of Alaska	Great knife set. Had the deer cleaned inside of 30 minutes.

Hunting

Not This Year

November 2, 2014 admin 2 Comments

In July, I found out that I drew an antlered deer tag for the Cage Ranch. Almost immediately, I started to envision a big buck making the fatal mistake of walking into my crosshairs. Where on the creek would I hunt? Would I pursue the deer from a stand or on the ground? What new equipment would I need? What is the longest shot I am comfortable taking? Preparation would be critical if I was going to successfully execute in 2014.

In early September, Bob and I set up stands and a trail camera in a seemingly prime spot just off the dry creek. We used the flatbed truck and a heavy chain to tear down two big limbs that prohibited a clean line of sight to the left/right of the shooting platform. Once the job was complete, we took a few doves that were buzzing through the trees.

The trail camera pictures over the next six weeks were revealing. The photographs displayed numerous bucks frequently patrolling the area that I would eventually hunt. Some of the deer had large bodies and displayed magnificent racks. In 2013, I took a respectable 113 inch, 5×5 3 ½ year old muley. Many of the deer we were looking at were larger and that was exciting.

At noon October 24^th, I started my two hour journey to the ranch. Bob informed me that some personal reasons would prohibit him from joining me on my hunt. Admittedly, I was a bit anxious as Bob has been mentoring me over the last few years. His big game tutelage has been essential in transforming me into a better sportsman. Furthermore, Bob is a good guy and I would miss the friendship.

The ride to the ranch allowed me to think out my strategy for the weekend. The weather forecast promised highs in the upper eighties. These were unseasonably warm temperatures for eastern Colorado. I theorized the heat would have deer moving when it was dark, and bedding down only a short time after the sun rose. To that point, I would be in my stand before 5:00 am and wait. If I did not have a positive encounter, I would walk the Shipping Trap pasture and employ a spot/stalk approach.

When I arrived at the ranch, I immediately drove to my trail camera to review the pictures taken over the last three weeks. Sitting in my running truck, I opened the files. Unlike the September pictures, there were only two photographs taken. One picture was that of a young buck moving at dawn, and the other of a coyote. I was not discouraged or deterred, and was committed to my plan.

Day 1

The excitement of the forthcoming day had me up and ready to go at 3:00 am. I was by myself and that provided me the freedom to quickly have my coffee, and make my final preparations to head to the creek. The walk from the pasture gate to the creek was one mile, and my Garmin GPS loaded with onXmaps, guided me to the stand. The temperature was forty two degrees, and my pace along with my Under Armour Ridge Reaper clothing kept me warm. Once in the stand, I removed my Badlands Stealth pack and took out the essential equipment that included my Vortex Diamondback binoculars and my Leupold RX-1000i TBR rangefinder. Despite the bright stars in the sky, I could not see much of anything. At about 6:15 am, I thought I picked up movement near the trees in front of me. Putting my binoculars to my eyes, I observed a big bodied deer at fifty yards moving east. He actually slowed down when he got to my right, and methodically turned toward my position. Because he was so close, I was able to hone in on his rack. He was a symmetrical 5×5, with wide main beams and prominent eye guards. He was absolutely bigger than the deer I shot last season. I contemplated if he was what I was looking for this year. It was 6:40 am and the legal shooting time was minutes away. The buck moved back to the southwest actually walking twenty two yards in front of me; exposing his entire left flank. I gripped my Tikka T3 Lite, but did not chamber a round. I watched the deer plod along, eventually disappearing in the high grass beyond the property line. I immediately second guessed my decision to let him go, but hoped I would be rewarded with a bigger animal.

Later in the morning, I witnessed a small buck quickly moving north as well as a few does making their way to the adjacent property. At 9:00 am, the temperature was seventy eight degrees, and my gut told me the deer had stopped moving. I got out of the stand and prepared to conduct a systematic spot/stalk strategy. From my position, the Shipping Trap pasture extends two miles to the northeast. The dense tree line would provide me the necessary cover to keep a low profile as I glassed every fifty yards. As I approached the last ¼ mile, I made my way across the creek. An unfavorable wind had picked up, and I was afraid it would reveal my position to any deer in the vicinity. Realizing I was making noise due to the dry tumbleweeds I was stepping on, I decided to stop and glass. A doe popped up and looked back at me at about one hundred and twenty five yards. She was joined by a small buck with ½ his rack missing. They both simultaneously turned away from me, and headed toward the east end of the property. I waited a few minutes to see if they had company, but there was no movement. As I approached the next clearing, three does jumped to their feet at thirty yards. A magnificent buck then unfolded from the tall grass and stood staring right at me. All of the blood in my body rushed to my head as I dropped to my knee, put my rifle in my bipod and chambered a round. While I was attempting to engage, four additional does rose up, and immediately ran to the west. The buck quickly followed them. I put my crosshairs on him at about seventy five yards, but he was so fast I was unable to make an ethical shot. I sat down to collect myself, and watched the three original does follow the rest of the herd to the west. Realizing I was ill prepared for that type of encounter, I began to curse myself for not having a round chambered. I am confident with my Tikka, and I know I could have pulled an accurate offhand shot at thirty yards. I stared my buck in the eyes, and failed to execute on a phenomenal opportunity.

I made my way back to the stand at 3:00 pm. With temperatures nearing ninety degrees, I was not hopeful for the late afternoon hunt. I stayed with it until dark, but did not witness a single deer.

Day 2

I was absolutely amped for the morning hunt. The daytime temperature would force the deer to be on the move early in the morning. If I was to have a chance at a big buck, it would have to come at first light. At 6:00 am, even though it was very dark out, I started to frequently glass my surroundings. At about ten after, I picked up a big deer at about eighty yards moving quickly to the west. He was a buck but I could not determine the rack size, and he was not sticking around. At about 6:45 am, I was able to clearly see my surroundings. Kneeling on my stand, I looked straight behind the platform to the south. I saw some slight movement and witnessed a lone buck feeding in the grass. My Leupold rangefinder had him at one hundred and fifty yards, and I put my binoculars on him to get an idea of size. He was another 5×5, but was smaller than the one I passed up Saturday morning. While his size was disappointing, I was excited at the early action. I spent the next hour watching two bucks and three does feeding in the neighbors pasture. They were too far to estimate their size, but I would have liked to see them up close. A lone doe ran down the middle of the creek heading west so I prepared for additional deer but it did not happen. Minutes before I was going to exit the stand, I picked up movement in the trees to my east. It was a young buck making his way right to me. I snapped a couple of pictures when he was just twenty feet away.

My late morning stalk had me taking an alternate route to the clearing where I saw the big stud and his ladies. Unfortunately, they picked me up early and scattered before I could get a clean look. I still pursued them, but they seemingly disappeared on me. The temperature was in the upper eighties and I realized that any chance of success would have to come late Sunday. To that point, I laid out a plan for the late afternoon hunt. I would bisect the pasture and glass for activity. With a little luck, I would spot a buck and then begin my pursuit. I sat on a hill that provides a great vantage point of the Shipping Trap pasture and started to glass the area. Admittedly my patience is limited, so I decided to see if I could create movement by moving myself. Three hours of walking brought me to the realization that I would not take a deer in 2014.

Whether you are hunting or fishing, all you ask for is an opportunity. That occurred Saturday at about 10:15 am. Unfortunately, my inexperience negated my chance in achieving the stated goal. The ride home was filled with vivid memories of a fantastic hunting weekend at the Cage Ranch. Like any competitor, I wish for a future encounter with the buck that managed to evade me.

It’s about the Friendship

Hunting

It’s about the Friendship

October 13, 2014 admin 2 Comments

About ten days before opening day of pronghorn rifle season, Bob told me that a couple of his hunters had not redeemed their landowner vouchers. He asked me if I would like to exchange one of the vouchers for a tag, and hunt opening day weekend. Realizing that his question was rhetorical, I started my preparation for the unanticipated adventure to his ranch. Our friends, Dave and Chad, had tags of their own, and they were equally as excited to pursue the elusive “speed goat”.

Opening day coincided with both of my sons’ state soccer tournament. To that point, my departure from Parker would come in the early evening on Saturday. During the boys’ soccer games, I received regular texts of videos of Bob and Chad’s hunt. Having personally taken part in similar stalks last season, I became anxious, even though I was 130 miles from the ranch.

The early evening drive to the eastern plains was interrupted by a flurry of text messages. After pulling over to fill up the tank on my Ram 1500, I read the texts. Chad had taken an enormous pronghorn buck! I was so excited, I stopped filling up the tank jumped in my truck, and rocketed down route 86.

Upon arriving in pronghorn camp, stories of the day’s events unfolded. Bob and Chad described multiple pursuits throughout the morning that resulted in fleeing animals. Finally, late in the afternoon, they were able to get on a herd of goats that contained a big buck. The chase pushed the group of pronghorn to the edge of Chad’s shooting comfort range. Setting up at about a three hundred and twenty yards, Chad was able to knock down the animal with a shot from his 7mm Mag. The reminiscing continued until complete exhaustion forced us all into our beds.

The game plan in the morning centered on getting Dave on his first big game animal. He worked on sighting in his new Tikka T3 Lite late in the afternoon on Saturday. He even was able to chase a few animals prior to the hunting day concluding. I was excited to help Dave get on a buck. At first light, I ventured to the range with Chad in order to ensure I was still shooting my Tikka T3 Lite 30-06 accurately. It only took four rounds to reassure me that my rifle, and Bushnell Elite scope were operating flawlessly.

At about 7 am we all grabbed our coffee and piled into Bob’s truck. It did not take long to spot a few pronghorn making their way east. A few minutes of glassing confirmed that the male was young and we would not pursue him. We worked hard to spot and stalk a few amazing bucks throughout the day. Unfortunately, we could not close the deal on a pronghorn with antlers. At about 4 pm, Dave declared he wanted to take a break, and directed me to take part in the next hunt. The day’s events already had my blood racing through my veins. With the rifle now in my hands, I got focused on the task at hand.

Bob’s brother-in-law, Brent, reported that he spotted a large group of pronghorn just to the southwest of headquarters. We were driving east when we spotted eight females about 100 yards off the road. They immediately picked their heads up and gazed at us. We realized that the buck was not present but was probably close by. As we continued to drive east, we saw the big buck about 150 yards away on a hill. He was chasing off a young male when we startled him. We stared at one another for about five minutes until he moved speedily off the hill in order to round up his ladies. There is a draw that moves to the south, and we assumed the herd was moving away from us. Protected by a number of hills on the back side of the depression, Bob and I jogged to where we last saw the buck. Realizing they were gone, we looked at one another and pointed to the east. With my rifle in my right hand, and my BOG-POD in my left, I started to sprint, using the ridge as cover. At about the five hundred yard mark, I was able to discreetly glance at the herd. I did not have my range finder, but I guessed they were 300 yards ahead of me. Acknowledging the distance was out of my range, I sprinted to the top of the next ridge. As I approached the crest, I attempted to slow my breathing. The adrenaline was flowing but I felt composed. I knew the shot would be far so I cranked up the power of my scope. I inched forward trying to be quiet. With the rifle already in the bipod, I took a knee, and quickly captured the buck in my crosshairs at about two hundred yards. I could see a few of the females turn, look up and take notice of my presence on top of the hill. To that point, I knew I had to act with purpose. As the buck moved left, he exposed his left shoulder, and I took the shot. The Barnes VOR-TX 168 grain bullet entered just below the neck and dropped him to the ground. I shouted with elation as I knew I had accomplished my objective. We made our way down the hill and congratulated one another. My successful hunt was the result of a total team effort. I thanked everyone for their help, and told them to get in the truck in order to find a buck for Dave.

Just before they departed, Bob gave me a quick gutting refresher. This pronghorn was only my third big game animal, so my cleaning techniques are rudimentary at best. It took me about forty five minutes to finish the process, and get him hung in the barn. I asked my friend John to drive me back to the boys so I could participate in Dave’s search for his animal. We managed to find a few sizable pronghorn, but could not complete the harvest.

As we sat on the tailgate of Bob’s truck, we admired the full moon overhead. The sun had dipped, but the air temperature was still in the 60s. Bob stated that this was his favorite time on the ranch. I understood why. While Dave was visibly disappointed, he recognized that the quest had been invigorating for his soul. He is committed to getting back into the field, and finishing the job next season.

Equipment Used

Rifle – Two friend made the purchase after me
- Tikka T3 Lite 30-06
Scope – Great price/performance
- Bushnell Elite (3- 10x 40mm)
GPS – Good unit, but should have upgraded
- Oregon 450t
Mapping – Pick your state, get your map, find your spot
- onXmaps
Ammunition – 2 pronghorn and 1 mule deer, 3 shots
- Barnes VOR-TX (168 Grain)
Truck – Running strong after 3 years
- 2011 Ram 1500
Optics – Spend the extra money and get the Talon or the Viper (awesome binoculars)
- Vortex Diamondback (10 x 42) – Ross
- Vortex Talon HD (10 x 42) – Dave
- Vortex Viper HD (10 x 50) – Chad
Clothing – UA hunting apparel is high quality and very comfortable
- Ridge Reaper Soft shell Jacket
- Ridge Reaper Shell Camo Hunting Bib
- ColdGear Evo Scent Control Fitted ½ Zip
Boots – My Under Armour boots are fantastic (shocked me)
- UA Speed Freek Chaos Hunting Boots
Knife – I enjoy trying out knives on game; the Grizzly Creek is fantastic
- Benchmade Grizzly Creek
Bipod – Stable, easily adjustable and necessary in order to execute an accurate shot
- BOG-POD SB-2

Family, Hunting

Bob’s Day

November 3, 2013 admin

The first of my two tags on the Cage Ranch was filled on October 5^th. It was a spectacular morning, filled with complex emotions. The initial anxiety resulted in overwhelming elation. My pronghorn hunt was a unique life experience forever etched in my memories.

October 26^th was opening day of deer rifle season, and I had been preparing for months. Bob and I had done some scouting during September and early October. The north part of the ranch has a dry creek meandering from west to east. There are cottonwoods and tall grass that provide dense cover for the animals that roam its sandy bottom. Along with seeing multiple photographs of deer on our game cameras, we had witnessed a variety of does and bucks as we glassed the area from afar. Bob had set up two tree stands on the west and east end of the riverbed, which provided 270 degrees access to all animals that patrolled the vicinity.

A 4:30 am alarm was set on my iPhone, but I was already up at 4:15 am, and getting prepared for a successful day. A coffee and a METRX protein bar would be my fuel for the hunt. Bob’s nephew Paul and I left headquarters in the pitch black and slowly made our way to our pasture. We parked about a mile from the west stand, and utilized my Garmin GPS to guide us to the specific tree. As 5:15 am approached we climbed the ladder, and situated ourselves in the elevated position. Paul would scan to our left, and I would focus to the rear and right. It was 26 degrees and there was a cold northwesterly wind blowing at 15mph. It didn’t take long for my hands to become numb as I had foolishly left my gloves in the truck. At about 6 am, the sun offered enough light where we could start to glass for movement. As I turned to the rear, I spotted five does making their way west. As if they marked my position, the deer suddenly bolted to the south, and were out of view in seconds. I questioned whether they picked up my scent, and if I was unintentionally giving away my location. The visibility was improving at 6:30 am, so my glassing become more frequent. I picked up movement in the trees to my right. When I trained my binoculars on the image, I witnessed a big bodied deer making its way along the creek. There was no question it was a buck; I just needed to determine if it was a shooter. As he made his way across the creek, I could see that his antlers were outside his ears. He was a very respectable 5×5, and I decided that I would take this animal. For the next 10 minutes, the buck refused to provide me a shot. Patience paid off when he turned to his right, exposing his vitals to me. I chambered a round and clicked the safety to the off position. My crosshairs were situated on is left shoulder, and I slowly pulled the trigger. The buck dropped in his tracks at ninety eight yards. My first deer was down, and I was ecstatic.

At 10:30 am, we reconvened at headquarters. The celebration included a big breakfast, and exchanging stories of the morning events. We relaxed around the house and prepared for the afternoon hunt.

Brent, Bob’s brother-in-law, would take his daughter back to the east stand, and Paul would man the west platform. Bob and I had a different plan. We decided to employ a spot and stalk strategy and quickly cover ground. After walking Paul to the west stand, we made our way south to see if we could locate a buck in the plains.

Bob does a great job describing the afternoon events.

The interesting thing is that I’ve spent my entire life on this ranch guiding pronghorn hunts, and have never bothered to get a license for myself for any big game animals. I decided that I would this year, and only try to fill the tag if Ross got his deer. Ross ultimately shot his deer at first light on the opening morning. His is a beautiful, very symmetrical 5×5. A trophy for sure.

I glassed the initial buck from about a mile away as he departed a cattle stock tank. While were putting the sneak on him, we inadvertently walked by a doe about 120 yards to our left. She didn’t run so I didn’t think we were busted. We never had a clear line of site on the buck due to tall grass and rolling hills. In fact, we could only see his rack, and we agreed he was a shooter. Unfortunately we bumped him and he bolted with his doe to the east. We waited for him to crest over an adjacent ridge, and then we sprinted 500 yards with the hope he wouldn’t move out of range. Unfortunately his speed put him about a mile away by the time we reached our spot. We sat in that position and glassed the entire landscape until deciding to run back to the truck in order to continue the pursuit. Our plan would be to drive around to the far side of the pasture and cut him off. While contemplating our next move, I saw a coyote at about 100 yards. I decided not to shoot him as I didn’t want that report to echo across the pasture. This decision was fortuitous, and led to our ultimate success. On the way back, I felt the vibration of my phone signal that I had a voice message. I decided to return the call en route to the truck. While walking back, I was quickly yanked to the ground by Ross. Remember the doe that was gazing at us when we started our stalk? Well, she didn’t leave and she had a suitor. He saw us but seemed indifferent as he purposely quartered away from us. I put the phone on speaker, and dropped it in the sand, while shouldering Ross’ rifle (yes, I forgot the ammo to my gun). I whispered to the friend on the other end of the line to, “shut up and don’t say a word!” Ross just about came unglued when he put his binoculars on the deer, and saw that this was a lifetime buck. I quickly put the barrel in the BIPOD shooting sticks and shot him in the right shoulder. The deer staggered to the right; he was obviously sick. I placed the crosshairs on his quartering away shoulder and squeezed off another round. This bullet entered his right hind quarter and must have found its way to the vitals. He dropped like a sack of hammers.

I’ve traveled all over North America hunting; white tail and quail in South Texas, bear in the boundary waters of Minnesota, deer and elk in New Mexico and Arizona and even moose in The Yukon. Not once have I turned in a landowner voucher for myself on my own property. I’d much rather donate these vouchers to friends, soldiers, Wounded Warriors and youths. I’m so happy that it worked out the way it did. Having Ross spot that deer, and be there for the harvest after his success early in the day, is truly a memory that will never be forgotten.

Bob Cage is a good man. He donates his land, money, expertise and time to people who might never get an opportunity to experience the outdoors. His success provided me a tremendous amount of excitement and personal satisfaction. I am proud to say that I was with Bob when he harvested his first big game animal on his own ranch.

Gear in the Field

Product	Review
Tikka T3 Lite chambered in a 30-06 caliber	Three shots, three kills. The gun’s average is better than David Ortiz in the 2013 World Series.
Limbsaver Recoil Pad	Darn good, low-cost investment. I shot a lot of rounds when sighting my rifle in prior to my hunt. Once I installed the Limbsaver Recoil Pad, I stopped flinching.
Bushnell Elite Scope (3 x 10 x 40)	I made a scope change 10 days before my pronghorn hunt. That shot was very challenging (270 yards in high winds) and ultimately successful. My deer was shot at 98 yards, and I had plenty of time to wait for the right shot. In low-light conditions, the scope worked very well.
Barnes VOR-TX 168 grain bullet	Devastating round. At 98 yards, I hit the animal on my mark, and he was dead within 10 seconds.
Under Armour ·ColdGear Infrared Ridge Reaper Softshell Jacket ·Ridge Reaper Shell Camo Hunting Bib ·ColdGear Evo Scent Control Fitted ½ Zip ·UA Speed Freek Chaos Hunting Boots ·UA Camo Crew Socks ·UA Base 3.0 Crew and Leggings ·UA Hat	This was the second time I employed an entire Under Armour outfit. Saturday morning was really cold (26 degrees) and very windy. My body and feet remained warm even though we were stationary in the stand for over 2 hours. I wish that I had not forgotten my UA gloves in the truck as my hands were frozen. The Speed Freek boots remain extremely comfortable and warm. No blisters to date. When Bob and I put the stalk on his deer in the afternoon, the day had warmed and the wind had calmed. We did a lot of running during the pursuit, and the UA fabric kept the sweat away from my body. I never felt chilled when the sun finally set. The UA fabric is very flexible and seems durable. I want to wear this clothing on a future elk hunt in the mountains of Colorado.
Vortex Diamondback Binoculars (10 x [RF1] 42)	These are a great set of binoculars at an ideal price point. The early morning was dark, and I could still pick up the deer in low light conditions. It was easy to distinguish the specifics of the rack at 100 yards+. I am going to eventually step up and purchase the Viper HD binoculars. Two of my buddies have the 15x50s, and they are remarkable.
Outdoor Edge SwingBlaze	Great concept. That said, the knife was not sharp out of the box. I should have put an edge on it prior to the hunt. I wish the knife was manufactured in the United States. My deer was gutted in less than 20 minutes.
Badlands Recon Pack	Versatile and light pack. Badlands makes great products, and the Recon is no exception.
Leupold RX1000i TBR with DNA Rangefinder	I quickly ascertained the distances of my deer and Bob’s deer. This is a great product and was worth the investment.
Garmin 450t GPS Hunting GPS Maps	Awesome unit – so much functionality and it is pretty intuitive. I added the Hunting GPS Maps for Colorado and Kansas. Great investment.
BIPOD Shooting Sticks	Very functional shooting sticks. Light, easily accessed and quickly deployed. I need more experience with them in order to provide a comprehensive review. So far so good.
2011 Ram 1500	Still running strong after almost 2 years. About to install an ARE camper shell.

[RF1]

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