Where to invest to improve success?

[TedO]

Buy a mountain bike, dirtbike, something to get you up in the zone you like to scout/hunt quicker and more efficiently, so you can spend more time in the field.

 

[bz_711]

Fuel and more overnights all year round. Being boots on the ground any time of year will make you better. If time is a restriction, just hunt as much as possible on the tags you can get...and make sure to shoot some animals...too many guy start waiting for "trophies" too early in their hunting career and then find out they aren't "killers" when they finally get a couple opportunities...fill tags for years first then hold off for better animals (or don't)

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Gym membership

 

[Bulldawg]

I think it has been said here a few times, but the most obvious, not the most expensive, but sometimes the hardest investment would be scouting. If you had $1200 and spent not even half of that on a plane ticket rental car and food for a 3-4 day weekend of scouting you would more than likely be miles ahead of where you would be if you were to buy a new rifle, bino's, pack, boots, etc. Especially if you were going to be hunting somewhere you have never been before.

Now, to be frank, I haven't done this much either, as to why I said this is sometimes the most difficult thing to do, but I am planning on a scouting weekend this summer into a new place I am going to hunt and haven't been to before.

 

[Cerberus1124]

Just remember, gear is great but people have been taking game for a long time. Our grandparents /parents / maybe great grandparents did it with a wool jacket and old rifles with iron sights. It’s been all the way back to using a stick and a rock. Maybe invest in better knowledge. Knowledge of the area, knowledge of your target, knowledge of different hunting techniques. I say all of this as a devoted gear guy but I even have to remind myself it’s not always the latest greatest thing that gets the job done. Remember the days when you hit the field with a rifle and a knife and you were all set!!

 

[thinhorn_AK]

If you were coming out west and you had an accurate rifle and usable glass, I’d say spend that money on good boots and a good pack. Next to those upgrading glass would be high in my list. Since your not coming west, I’d say pick your 2 weakest gear categories and upgrade those.

That is true. I’m not convinced expensive rifles make a difference, it’s the bullet that kills, it don’t mattering it comes out of a cheap Ruger American or a custom gun works. High end guns are awesome but the bang for the buck isn’t there if you’re looking for g for big improvements. I’m not even really convinced that glass is the way to go either, of course guys with swaro scopes and binos will say it is (they have to justify it to themselves) but I’ve used an old pair of vortex vipers and they have never been the reason I didn’t get an animal.

I have a buddy who dropped like 7k on swaro stuff a few months before our hunt one year. He kept a being like “I’m finding more animas”….i mean i could see the same animals with my vipers….did he have better glass? Yes. To the extent where he was seeing stuff I couldn’t see??? No.

Boots though are such an individual thing that it really does make sense to invest in a pair that works well for you and your uses. Bad boots can absolutely wreck a hunt. Backpacks too but probably to a lesser extent. It is important to have a backpack that works for you though. I don’t know that any are comfortable with 100lbs in them but some absolutely haul weight better.

I know lots of guys who use the. Barney’s frames and packs not because they are the best at everything but these guys think they are the best when you have real weight in them. I’d tend to agree, hauling a moose quarter on a barnyard frame is better than putting one on my stone glacier x-curve frame.

I’d still look at opportunities to improve fitness, I’ve seen lots of guys crumble on hunts because they are gassed and tired, I’ve never heard anybody say they worked out or trained less….

 

[Ajsomp]

Any items which will keep you out in the elements longer are a plus to me. So if it’s rain gear you need, that would be my first.

I’m also probably buying a new garmin inreach, but that’s probably it personally for me.

 

[grizz19]

That is true. I’m not convinced expensive rifles make a difference, it’s the bullet that kills, it don’t mattering it comes out of a cheap Ruger American or a custom gun works. High end guns are awesome but the bang for the buck isn’t there if you’re looking for g for big improvements. I’m not even really convinced that glass is the way to go either, of course guys with swaro scopes and binos will say it is (they have to justify it to themselves) but I’ve used an old pair of vortex vipers and they have never been the reason I didn’t get an animal.

I have a buddy who dropped like 7k on swaro stuff a few months before our hunt one year. He kept a being like “I’m finding more animas”….i mean i could see the same animals with my vipers….did he have better glass? Yes. To the extent where he was seeing stuff I couldn’t see??? No.

Boots though are such an individual thing that it really does make sense to invest in a pair that works well for you and your uses. Bad boots can absolutely wreck a hunt. Backpacks too but probably to a lesser extent. It is important to have a backpack that works for you though. I don’t know that any are comfortable with 100lbs in them but some absolutely haul weight better.

I know lots of guys who use the. Barney’s frames and packs not because they are the best at everything but these guys think they are the best when you have real weight in them. I’d tend to agree, hauling a moose quarter on a barnyard frame is better than putting one on my stone glacier x-curve frame.

I’d still look at opportunities to improve fitness, I’ve seen lots of guys crumble on hunts because they are gassed and tired, I’ve never heard anybody say they worked out or trained less….

I will 100% agree with you on fitness. I’ve been in pretty good shape for the last 9 years or so but wanted to take that “next step” last year and started mtn tough. It made a noticable difference in the mountains. Thankful that I did because I ended up drawing a sheep tag in by far the most difficult unit in the state. That extra level of fitness made the difference on me killing my ram.

I agree on the rifle front too. I’ve had factory guns that shoot great and I currently have a semi custom tikka I put together for less than 3k not counting optic. It’s shooting legit 1/2 moa 5 shot groups. I wouldn’t this gun for the gunwerks of my choice. Bullets and accuracy are key.

I can tell the difference with better glass though. I’ve used the cheaper stuff and I’ve used some better stuff. The better stuff is definitely more clear and brighter. I think it’s easier to find animals with the better glass, especially at first and last light.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I will 100% agree with you on fitness. I’ve been in pretty good shape for the last 9 years or so but wanted to take that “next step” last year and started mtn tough. It made a noticable difference in the mountains. Thankful that I did because I ended up drawing a sheep tag in by far the most difficult unit in the state. That extra level of fitness made the difference on me killing my ram.

I agree on the rifle front too. I’ve had factory guns that shoot great and I currently have a semi custom tikka I put together for less than 3k not counting optic. It’s shooting legit 1/2 moa 5 shot groups. I wouldn’t this gun for the gunwerks of my choice. Bullets and accuracy are key.

I can tell the difference with better glass though. I’ve used the cheaper stuff and I’ve used some better stuff. The better stuff is definitely more clear and brighter. I think it’s easier to find animals with the better glass, especially at first and last light.

Yeah the expensive binos and spotters definetly have better glass but for me, in side to side real world use, it wasn’t a groundbreaking experience. Every animal we saw with the swaros, we saw with my old beater vortex binos. And it wasn’t even an issue. I’m not saying to not buy what you want, I’m just saying that in my experience over the years, the bino thing isn’t a cost effective way to improve your hunting experience.

If you have thousands of dollars to spare and you want expensive binos, buy them, enjoy them and go hunting.

Years ago when I was in college, I worked in a boutique bicycle shop, we had bikes from 300 dollars to 10 thousand dollars, it wasn’t unusual to have to go to work at 2am so we could make calls bike companies in Italy to place orders for customers.

I can remember one day, some guy walked in and basically wanted me to weigh every bike he was potentially interested in, like 15 bikes, he wanted me to switch seats and pedals and weigh them again, he wanted weights of handlebars and brake levers and all that stuff.

The guy was walking around with about 40lbs of fat on his belly and it’s like bro: I can sell you a 10k bike but you’ll be a lot faster burning off that fat and just using your current bike.

I always used to try to encourage people to not buy our bikes and to ride more, I’d often try to sell people cheaper bikes (I was a terrible salesman) but very few people listened.

Same thing at Ironman triathlons, lots of guys pedaling their 8 thousand dollars cervelo at 15mph and walking the entire marathons. The cool toys only take you so far.

One time working in that shop, there was a bike we sold for 13k to an architect (one of the ones we ordered from Italy) the bike was a colnago with a custom paint job, he had the best wheels money could buy at the time, every single piece of that bike was boutique after market stuff. All sorts of anodized bling shit all over that bike.

The due would bring the bike in to get flat tires fixed, he had that bike and couldn’t even change a tire. Onetime he brought it in for us to “inspect and clean” it, like seriously??? And we looked at his speedometer, in the prior 3 months he’d put roughly 75 miles on the bike, nose of his rides had been 5-6 miles at around 13mph. The guy was clearly terrible cyclist a low volume, low fitness guy but he had the best bike in town. He’ll, that was 20 years ago and I bet that bike would still kick ass.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I will 100% agree with you on fitness. I’ve been in pretty good shape for the last 9 years or so but wanted to take that “next step” last year and started mtn tough. It made a noticable difference in the mountains. Thankful that I did because I ended up drawing a sheep tag in by far the most difficult unit in the state. That extra level of fitness made the difference on me killing my ram.

I agree on the rifle front too. I’ve had factory guns that shoot great and I currently have a semi custom tikka I put together for less than 3k not counting optic. It’s shooting legit 1/2 moa 5 shot groups. I wouldn’t this gun for the gunwerks of my choice. Bullets and accuracy are key.

I can tell the difference with better glass though. I’ve used the cheaper stuff and I’ve used some better stuff. The better stuff is definitely more clear and brighter. I think it’s easier to find animals with the better glass, especially at first and last light.

One more story,

I have a fishing buddy, he’s a good guy but he dosent practice with his fly rod, when he does catch fish it’s just because the fish are being aggressive, not because of his skill.

He just texted me this morning to tell me he ordered that brand new g loomis Asquith fly rod….it was just released yesterday and cost 1700.00…..for a fly rod, he also ordered a 900 dollar hatch reel for it. He said “this should help my presentations on those spooky trout”…..ok bro. Cool rod? Absolutely. Is it going to catch fish for him? No.

I’m thinking more of these situations as I’m personally focused on just using what I have, improving skills, upping fitness levels etc rather than just buying more shit.

 

[grizz19]

One more story,

I have a fishing buddy, he’s a good guy but he dosent practice with his fly rod, when he does catch fish it’s just because the fish are being aggressive, not because of his skill.

He just texted me this morning to tell me he ordered that brand new g loomis Asquith fly rod….it was just released yesterday and cost 1700.00…..for a fly rod, he also ordered a 900 dollar hatch reel for it. He said “this should help my presentations on those spooky trout”…..ok bro. Cool rod? Absolutely. Is it going to catch fish for him? No.

I’m thinking more of these situations as I’m personally focused on just using what I have, improving skills, upping fitness levels etc rather than just buying more shit.

Yeah honestly most people can get by with less than they think they need. I’ve found, at least for me, just find out what works for you and use it. Once you have the essential gear you need then get after it and hunt for a while. You will iron out what works and what doesn’t.