'20- What Worked, What Didn't?

[JLS]

A couple of late additions:

Outdoor Research Cirque II pants - two thumbs up. I've had these for a few weeks and love them. I waited for some Timberlines to come back into stock for months and finally gave up. These are a GREAT hiking/upland hunting pant. I wear them snowshoeing and chukar hunting. Very well thought out with a nice fit.

Zamberlan Baltoro Lite boots - One thumb up, one thumb sideways, trending up. I really like the narrow fit. The third day I wore them I used a heavier sock and ended up with a blister the size of a half dollar. I've worn them about a half dozen times since with no issues (different lacing technique and different sock). They are a little more flexible than what I'm used to, but so far they are working well. We'll see how they hold up over the next year.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Bought my 2021 hunting license today so I’m finally accepting that the 2020 hunting season has ended. I’ll round off my list of what else worked, and didn’t.

Worked:
-Late season scouting. Found a ridiculous amount of deer sign including some large buck prints near one of my public spots. Even better is only 1 of 3 stands of other hunters from 3 years ago were still in use this season. I may go all in trying to find big hank there next bow season.
-new Instapot as a Christmas gift. I’ve made shredded shoulder for tacos, BBQ deer ribs, and osso bucco with wild rice so far. Loving it.
-Excessive scouting and a thoughtfully crafted hunt plan for gun deer turned up 2 tagged bucks in 3 days of public hunting. That was my most efficient season ever.
-Hunting from the ground. I climbed a stand to hunt just 2 times this year. Hunting from the ground without a blind sharpened my skills a lot.
-Zero scent control and limited camo. I forced myself to honor thermals, shadows, and other rudimentary stalking tactics to encounter game.

Didn’t
-Buck fever. I missed 14 times this year. Granted, I did fill 8/10 tags, with the two unfilled turkey tags accounting for 7 of those misses. When I miss I miss big so no wound loss that I knew of.
-Set down my $380 brand new rangefinder in the woods somewhere. Ouch. I’m buying a tether for my AGC harness to try and prevent this from happening again.
-OnX 3D toggle button. This is supremely annoying as I bumped it maybe 35 times when afield.

 

[Rzrbk]

Worked Well:
Bakcou Mule E-bike w/ game trailer & panier bags
antelope buck/doe 2D decoys
Vortex HD 4X16, 30mm
Big Agnes Copper Spur 4-person
Kuiu Venture 1800 daypack with bow/gun holder
Mountain House Pro Packs Solo Meals
Mountain House - Chicken & Dumplings for 2

Didn't work well:
Ghostblind - I still have hope it might be useful for archery antelope on a waterhole.

 

[MTLabrador]

Worked: Sig customer service for sending me a brand new Kilo 2200 to replace my defective rangefinder.

 

[Irrelevant]

Where is this 3d button everyone is having issues with?

 

[Pucky Freak]

Maybe if you don’t upgrade your software it will stay that way

 

[Gleason51]

Where is this 3d button everyone is having issues with?
View attachment 170765

As far as I know, 3D is not available on Android/non-apple devices yet.

 

[BillDoe708]

I can't see it on my Droid but I can on my laptop

 

[JLS]

Update: the Cirque II pants are absolutely two thumbs up. They would be a little noisy for big game.

The Baltoro Lites are very comfortable, but I’ve already worn through some stitching on the heel. I’ve opened a warranty claim and will likely ask for a refund, as i think I’ll continue to have the same problem, even after replacement.

 

[matechakeric]

Insulated enclosed trailer for camping. You haul your stuff, the turn it into a camper. 43 nights in ours over the last 2 years.

absolutely brilliant.

 

[JLS]

The Baltoro Lites are very comfortable, but I’ve already worn through some stitching on the heel. I’ve opened a warranty claim and will likely ask for a refund, as i think I’ll continue to have the same problem, even after replacement.

Ugh, after two weeks of trying to get someone to call me back, I called my credit card company yesterday and disputed the charge. I explained to them the boots were coming apart after five weeks of use, and I had tried to contact Zamberlan eight different times over a two week period, to include emails, voicemails, Facebook messages, and online messages. The canceled payment and I'm now shopping for new boots.

 

[Muleys32]

Didn’t work: Sig Kilo 2000 (only 3 years old) when trying to range elk across a canyon. I had a hard time ranging anything much over 100 yards. Now to start the search for a new rangefinder... Anyone tried the Leica 2400R?

Maybe this was mentioned already but did you try replacing the battery?

 

[CowboyLeroy]

Worked:

First lite brooks sweater. I could live in this thing, and practically did during my mule deer hunt

Crispi summit boots. The most expensive boots I've ever owned, and I didn't want to buy them but I did and I don't think ill ever hunt in anything else.

Vortex viper 2.5-10x44. holy cow is it a great scope for the money.

Barnes expander mz sabots. Like pouring blood out of a bucket.

What didnt:

Blackovis merino longjohns. Not made for a man with a big tail.

Trigger sticks. Clumsy. Heavy. Loud.

The aforementioned big tail. I've GOT to find a way to get in better climbing shape

Alps inflatable sleeping pad. It was comfortable until it wasn't. Somehow the brass fitting leaks air.

 

[ImBillT]

My application strategy worked wonderfully.

My hunting and shooting was a disaster.

This year appears to be off to the opposite start at best.

 

[Schaaf]

Not made for a man with a big tail.

???

 

[CowboyLeroy]

???

Not made for a man with a fat ass

 

[JLS]

The aforementioned big tail. I've GOT to find a way to get in better climbing shape

Eat less, move more.

 

[mtnprst]

Worked:
- Shift from backpack hunting to hunting from the truck for elk. I hunt solo and won't go back more than 3 miles because of the pack out and found not carrying my camp along all day, and sleeping better at night made for more recovery despite the approach in and out every day.
- 4-Wheel Camper Project M Shell .... just enough comfort for full day elk hunts from the truck, but not enough where the wife wants to come along. Because you can use it as a regular shell (haul garbage, dogs, junk, etc.) you can leave it on all year long.
- Backpack Pantry Pad Thai and 3-Cheese macaroni and cheese
- Simple layered clothing system - synthetic pants, synthetic hoody, midnight fleece hoody, light hooded puffy, wind-resistant wind breaker. Not a fan of merino because how much longer it takes to dry over synthetic.
- Gu Waffel Stroopel - most calories per ounce I can find.
- Salomon 4d Quest - fit my wide foot well, super solid.

Didn't Work:
- carrying both a down puffy and fleece mid-layer. Moving to a synthetic active shell - Kuiu Kenai Hoody this year - will cut nearly a pound from my kit.