Remington 788 carbine .243 Winchester with a Bushnell Banner 4x. Hunted that way for years. I have painted the wood stock and put a 2-7 on top. It stacks 100gr Hornady BTSP Interlocks.
As to the question about where to try on boots near Spokane? I would give Hoffman’s over in Kellogg a call. See what they have in stock at their storefront. They have their own line of boots and a few of the popular brands on their website.
I’ve been planning to bring a sil-nylon sheep tarp pitched off the pole to use as a vestibule/awning cover for my teepee entrance. It might help with your gear management. A sponge or backpacking camp towel for condensation on the interior. As an aside Has anybody used the uco candle lanterns...
I had a Dayton Traister installed by a local smith several years back. I didn’t look much into other options besides the Timney. Big improvement over the stock trigger!
I’ve soaked a few nasty game bags in a tote of cold water and Simple Green before washing. It worked well enough. Nothing like the level of nasty you’re describing.