First, I consider being called Mr. Shadey a pretty big insult from the guys above. I pride myself at providing sound advice to other hunters in regard to gear, equipment, and techniques on this and other websites. I often find myself not posting on this particular website because of several...
Steelhead, You must be referring to me in your post above? I am sorry I didn't mention the trespass fee up front. As I mentioned to you in private, I didn't do it intentionally. I've sent quite a few messages to many different guys and it's been difficult keeping track of who I've told what...
Similar to turkey calls you can trim them to fit your particular mouth. I have a narrow face and trim all of mine and it works great! Once you cut one that fits right you can use it to trace over and trim the others.
I haven't been charged in 6 or 7 trips up there. I make sure it's not over weight though. They are sometimes pretty lenient with weight but I try to keep it pretty close.
I've hunted big game in Alaska every few years on my own and bring a pile of stuff with me on every trip. The cheapest way to get your stuff up there is $25 first bag, $25 2nd bag, and $75 for each additional bag. Large or heavy charges apply...
The NW corner of Nebraska tends to have larger tracts of public land. Elsewhere, the public areas tend to get more hunting pressure. Most drainages with trees will have turkeys in Nebraska. A lot of large ranches have leased their properties to outfitters and it's getting tougher and tougher...
Do you have a good pair of binos, spotting scope, and tripod? I don't think I would hunt muleys (and other game without them). Get up high and spend more time using your eyes than your legs! If you are seeing fresh deer tracks that are running...that's a great sign you are spooking deer well...
When hunting the late seasons I use a 4 season tent. For ultralight backpack hunting in nice weather I use just the fly off my 4 season tents. With a couple poles and stakes the fly setup only weighs a couple pounds and is bomberproof. If I'm concerned about rain or snow I often bring along...
As noted above it's tough to beat Cabela's microtex. I'm pretty sure they come in thin or thicker material. The heavier microtex wears like leather, dries fast, and is fairly warm. For warmer temps I like Sitka base layer shirts.
I generally hunt open country elk. When hunting open country in Wyo the wind is usually howling so it's pretty tough to keep the rifle and bullet from moving for longer range shots. The elk is dead if I can get within 200 yards and a prone shot! I started off as a kid using a 270 but quickly...
I sometimes pack my stocking foot waders without boots or take off my boots/socks/pants and cross the creek. It's a bit chilly with bare legs but I don't have to pack any extra weight. Obviously in freezing temps it may not be a good option!
The arm band helps. Also lots of ice! Here's another thing that helped me a lot. It's pretty quick and easy to do once or twice a day. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhTwnNVcIlI
I grew up with a 270 Remington. I was a tint kid and didn't break the 100 lb barrier until after my senior year in college. It really didn't kick that hard and didn't have that much trouble carrying it around. My new rifle of choice that has similar kick to my 270 is a 300 WSM Sako Finnlight...
180 grain may be a little overkill for deer and antelope. You likely will have less drop at long range and a little tighter groups at long range with something similar to 150 grain partitions? Maybe try both at the range and see which has the tightest group with your particular rifle.
I have several boots to choose from depending upon the weather and how much hiking/terrain I'll be covering. My "go-to" favorites are my Scarpa Kailach that I use and abuse. If I want to go a little lighter it's tough to beat Lowa Renegades. If I'll be hunting in deep snow I like Lowa Tibets...
Your on the right track! I usually hunt alone but when I hunt with others they always seem to regret not being in better shape! It's always a plus having a job where I do an incredible amount of hiking! In fact, I don't train for any hunts because I stay so active at work and on weekends...