Nearly all new gas engines have aluminum blocks with pressed in steel cylinder sleeves. The primary purpose to going to an aluminum block is weight savings. They all have aluminum heads too which makes them extremely sensitive to overheating. Not many will survive a single overheating event.
I get it. I owned a service business for many years with a dozen trucks on the road. The IRS standard deduction is 67 cents a mile this year and I think that's too low.
What benefit would the OP, a hunter that makes most of his shots on deer between 10- 200 yards, get from a 26" barrel and a heavier competition style stock designed for long range shooting?
I think bear spray is like a motorcycle helmet. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
https://www.outdoorlife.com/survival/grizzly-attack-survivor-bear-spray-exploded/
I use a first gen Vortex Razor 65m with a Slik 634 tripod and a Small Rig ball head. With the Magview phone scope attachment it weighs 6lbs and has worked great for counting mule deer points. This is the lightest best performing combo I could find for under $1k all in. I believe the Athlon...
Nothing wrong with checking to see if others have received their tags yet. The post office managed to lose my WY deer tag and my Colorado elk tag last year. I'd rather know there is a problem now than wait til the week before my hunt begins.