Western Hunt Expo

[awcopeland]

When I talked to them yesterday they were hoping it would be ready to sell in limited quantities next month. It's a pretty neat design with detents in the ball to isolate vertical and horizontal motion like a pan head for glassing but then opens up like a ball head for shooting.

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Thanks, I remember those details being talked about after the expo last year. Glad to hear that they didn’t have to redesign it due to the supply struggles.

 

[svivian]

Pro tip….

Come through the north entrance if you don’t want to be stuck in a crowded line. We walked right by the massive line by the validation area at 10am and were in by 10:05.

Downside no fresh made roasted nut stands as you walk in @robby denning

 

[sndmn11]

Thanks, I remember those details being talked about after the expo last year. Glad to hear that they didn’t have to redesign it due to the supply struggles.

They had several available to buy yesterday and have the parts on hand for a few dozen more. They just need assembled. They told me yesterday that their facility moved screwed up every facet of their business from production to timely customer service inquires, except fast shipping.

If I had an open tripod, I'd have bought one yesterday.


My haul for the show was two bird brain pokers and the new Stone Glacier gaiter.

 

[awcopeland]

They had several available to buy yesterday and have the parts on hand for a few dozen more. They just need assembled. They told me yesterday that their facility moved screwed up every facet of their business from production to timely customer service inquires, except fast shipping.

If I had an open tripod, I'd have bought one yesterday.


My haul for the show was two bird brain pokers and the new Stone Glacier gaiter.
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Depending what I do/don’t draw for big game this year I do have intentions on a specific grouse hunting trip. I’ve never bird hunted before but is that something a knife or simply wrong of the neck couldn’t accomplish? Asking out of pure ignorance.

 

[sndmn11]

Depending what I do/don’t draw for big game this year I do have intentions on a specific grouse hunting trip. I’ve never bird hunted before but is that something a knife or simply wrong of the neck couldn’t accomplish? Asking out of pure ignorance.

I'm sure a knife would work, but I imagine would be inherently more dangerous and awkward. With a knife I think/guess you'd be cutting the spinal cord more so that scrambling the brain stem.

You can pop / twirl necks. This past year was the first time I bird hunted in many many years. Every rooster the dog brought me still alive I didn't get snapped the first try, sometimes a few, so this caught my eye. I had seen this once or twice in meta ads before, but didn't think much of it. No clue they were at the show, but it was an easy buy. @KickinNDishin also said she would much rather do the brain poke than try and snap necks.

I am taking the dingo in the picture put tomorrow, so I'll see if it works as intended.

 

[stevie]

Finally got hands on the Rok Stok. I want one..

I also want that new Aziak Ridgeline Tripod.

Was able to pick up the Rok Stock for Tikka on Thursday. Could not resist the impulse buy. Then off to Scheels for a Dead Air Ti XC. Turned out to be an expensive day.

 

[Theringworm]

The yet to be released Tricer bipod very well may be the best there is at that price point, maybe at any price point for a backcountry hunting bipod. Very very impressed. Just don’t understand the backward threads. (Yes they are on the bipod like their tripods). Zero reason for that to be done that way.

Was going to pick up the Tricer BC but the Aziak Backcountry Lite changed my mind.

Was nice to try on a bunch of boots and order them at a discount so I can run them head to head at home and then send the ones that aren’t for my foot back.

Agree with above, lots of gimmicky crap but as long as there is a sucker it will continue to spawn more crap. Never seen the amount of companies pedaling a performance drink mix before.

But overall, a descent show even if I went 0~ffer on the raffle draws.

 

[Gadjet]

Was able to pick up the Rok Stock for Tikka on Thursday. Could not resist the impulse buy. Then off to Scheels for a Dead Air Ti XC. Turned out to be an expensive day.

You were able to buy one at the show? Just curious because I know there are a lot of guys still waiting for older Rokstok orders to be filled.

 

[awcopeland]

The yet to be released Tricer bipod very well may be the best there is at that price point, maybe at any price point for a backcountry hunting bipod. Very very impressed. Just don’t understand the backward threads. (Yes they are on the bipod like their tripods). Zero reason for that to be done that way.

Was going to pick up the Tricer BC but the Aziak Backcountry Lite changed my mind.

Was nice to try on a bunch of boots and order them at a discount so I can run them head to head at home and then send the ones that aren’t for my foot back.

Agree with above, lots of gimmicky crap but as long as there is a sucker it will continue to spawn more crap. Never seen the amount of companies pedaling a performance drink mix before.

But overall, a descent show even if I went 0~ffer on the raffle draws.

what made you decide to go with their backcountry lite over their new ridgeline tripod? The integrated ball head on the ridgeline seems intriguing but I don’t know if I like that level of commitment personally.

 

[Grundy53]

You were able to buy one at the show? Just curious because I know there are a lot of guys still waiting for older Rokstok orders to be filled.

It's the railess version. They are caught up on those.

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[Theringworm]

With the Ridgeline, you do not get a center column. This reason alone is why I wouldn’t ever consider it. The only way you can adjust the height is by adjusting all 3 legs. I would much rather flip a lever and quickly move a column up or down like on the Backcountry than have to adjust all three legs. Can you imagine having to do that with your spotter already mounted on it. Just a poor design in my opinion.

If you don’t like the integrated ball head too bad, you can’t switch it out for a pan head.

Additionally, it’s only a 2 leg vs a 3 leg on the Backcountry. Only advantage would be added rigidity, likely marginal compared to a three leg. You also have one less leg section to turn which is more convenient. However, this robs you of max height and also causes your collapsed length to be 22” on the ridgeline compared to 15.5” on the backcountry.

The Backcountry is a better tripod all around. More compact when folded up, has a higher max height, adjustable center column, and even when paired with an its ball head or the Tricer LP it only weights 24.9-25.2 ounces respectively on the long center column. If you use the shorter center column you can subtract 1.5 ounces from those weights. So, for a 1.5 to 5 ounce weight penalty (depending on the center column you use) I’ll gladly take the added adjustments on the Backcountry.

 

[waspocrew]

You were able to buy one at the show? Just curious because I know there are a lot of guys still waiting for older Rokstok orders to be filled.

Had the same exact thought - if he bought in person, I’d assume bare carbon, no frills.

 

[stevie]

It's the railess version. They are caught up on those.

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Yes the rail-less version was available had a bare and couple painted. If wanted rail would need to pre-order.

 

[awcopeland]

Yes the rail-less version was available had a bare and couple painted. If wanted rail would need to pre-order.

That’s pretty comical in an annoying way IMO. Jake has been yelling from the rooftops how he’ll never to a preorder again. All it took was the expo for that to go out the window.

 

[CorbLand]

It’s cool you all are posting about all these new things but can we get to the important stuff?

Are schmedium affliction shirts still required to enter the Mossback booth?

Skinny jeans tucked into cowboy boots still happening?

How many backpacks with sheds strapped to them were seen?

Any 50 year old ladies trying to pretend like they are 20 again?

Anyone get a selfie with a instahuntress and now suffering from a burning sensation when they pee?

 

[Hatchet Jack]

Anybody get a fleeting glimpse of the mythical fire bull? Any wasatch front influencers peddling shirts with a decal
of a buck they shot one time? Any pull up contests? Every year I get less interested in being part of the “hunting community”.

 

[realunlucky]

For what it is nothing out there bests the expo opportunity to put your hands on the top equipment in the industry.

Just today I went and laid in the new argali sleeping bag zipped it up and cinched the hood down like it was 0*. Where else can a guy do that?

Sure there's a lot of the same stuff as last year but you can get hands on multiple items and compare them minutes apart. You can talk to the people that make it and ask them questions face to face.

I think people that have been a bunch of times can take it for granted and poo poo it. Yeah it's far from perfect but at the end of the weekend a ton of money is going towards conservation.

Yep, there's plenty of stuff I won't buy but I still spent plenty of my hard earned money getting 10-15-20% off for show pricing. 10% can save a chunk of money on some of the things Roksliders buy.

Lastly the amount of hunting knowledge available to anyone for the asking is astonishing. I ran into a bunch of "famous" hunters and chatted them up with a question or two, none of them acted annoyed by my petty questions. The free seminars are worth the trip a lone.

Do you appreciate huge animals and great taxidermy because it's simply every where at the show. If nothing else the people watching will blow your mind!

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[BroccoliRob]

If anybody is in Salt Lake for the expo and wants a FREE project wood-burning stove, send me a message ASAP!

Portable Camp Stoves at Lowes

Legend did some good looking mods I might have to try. As others said i dont want to spend a ton on pipe though. I do have titanium pipe from my tipi stove but I'd rather not use that. This is the "cheapest, possibly best option" I've found. Not sure how it would work though. Might grab it and...

rokslide.com

 

[RockAndSage]

Depending what I do/don’t draw for big game this year I do have intentions on a specific grouse hunting trip. I’ve never bird hunted before but is that something a knife or simply wrong of the neck couldn’t accomplish? Asking out of pure ignorance.

These finishers are excellent - I got one after learning the hard way they have their place. Especially on birds you might want to mount, or if you just want a no-nonsense dispatch of the bird.

This last year I hit a very big, very old male sage grouse that should have been mounted. Heavy bird, delicate neck, delicate plumage...popped the head off without even severely wringing his neck. It flopped and flapped hard, dog instantly got after it, completely messed up the plumage too. Total accident, but I decided right then and there I wouldn't damage a bird like that again. Found these finishers that night. They do a much more efficient and humane job than any wringing can do. It's instant, with no flying feathers, flapping wings, or other drama. Fifteen bucks very well spent.

 

[WYCFM1]

Good chance to see all of the "Celebrity Hunters" shilling for their various companies.....Grin

It's a good show with lots of vendors and some great Taxidermy work. My buddy from Capture the Hunt Taxidermy will be there....say hi, he is a good dude.

Haha…we were eating at a wood fired pizza joint and the place was full with nowhere to sit while waiting. A few chairs became available in the waiting area so we all went to sit down but there wasn’t enough chairs so I sat down on my brothers lap just messing around….well the whole crew from Kapture was just coming in the door and saw the situation so a redheaded dude from capture pretended he was going to sit his ass right on a friend of mines lap….man the look on my friends face. It was good stuff