EOY '19 - What Worked, What Didn't?

[OREGONCODY]

Things that worked:

E-Scouting- Spent countless hours on Onx finding what I thought might be productive elk spots- one ended up being where I shot my first elk.

Boots on the ground scouting- Onx narrowed everything down quite a bit, but it couldn't replace actually getting out there and looking for sign. I was able to spend 5 good days on the ground before the season opened. Only turned up one elk, but being my first elk hunt that helped my psyche a lot. I shot my elk less than a mile from where I saw the one I scouted.

Work- A four-on three-off work schedule really opens up the amount of scouting I can do, especially when you drew a unit 300 miles away.

Effort- This was the most effort I'd put in and was also my first successful hunt. You get out what you put in. Sometimes.

New people- Took a chance and went out with a guy based off a Facebook post on a BHA post. Turned out to be a great time even thought we weren't successful. Will probably do more hunts with him, and with others in general.

Binos on the tripod- Not much to say other than it kicks butt compared to holding them in my shaky hands. Much easier on the eyes as well.

Stone Glacier solo 3300- Great for 2-3 nights in the backountry and day trips. Carries loads like a champ; I honestly didn't feel a huge difference between my pack weight with an elk quarter and without it.

Things that didn't work:

Footwear- August is not the time to wear waterproof Danners with 1000g of insulatuion. It's never the time to wear trail runners when carrying a full kit over lava rocks. Will be looking into Kennetreks and Schnees.

Shooting Skills- Whiffed a very easy shot due to nerves. Need to spend more time on the range, and I am thinking I might build a packable steel gong target frame that can be rucked into the backcountry for long range field practice.

Fitness- I did a bit of training but could have done a lot more. I never want the deciding factor for going over the next ridge to be my fitness level again. That steel target frame is going to help with this as well; a "twofer", if you will.

Eggs in one basket- I spent a ton of time planning for my elk hunt, and nearly none for my other OTC resident tags. As a result I only filled that one tag. Won't do that again.

Range finder- Need to find a way to carry my Gunwerks range finder more easily. Having it on my hip belt is too low and not always on me, but its pretty big for my current bino harness.

 

[OREGONCODY]

Shotgun after a failed turkey hunt. But I plan to do it again with a 22lr, or a Judo Point. Jackrabbit is great eating when handled well, just ignore the advice that "rabbit is suitable for chicken applications". Treat Jackrabbit like it's a mule deer shank and you will be VERY pleased with the results. I'm in Southern Oregon myself. I have yet to find a really awesome jack spot, but I'd guess your area would be great for it.

I'm up in the Portland area, so pretty dense vegetation for spot and stalking rabbits. I was planning on heading out to Central Oregon for some coyote/cougar calling sometime soon though. I'll have to bring the double deuce now too!

 

[TheTone]

Worked:
Cell phone to send coordinates to my wife and dad for elk packing help

Didnt work:
Having time to deer hunt

 

[LuketheDog]

Things that didn't work:
My cow elk tags and my deer tag

Things that worked:
My buddies' 2 bull elk tags+my elk calls, my MR Beartooth, my .22 grouse gun

Outcome:
Meat in my freezer anyway!

 

[ewludwig]

Worked:
-Thin merino gloves from Kuiu. Hard to believe something so thin cloud keep hands warm in snow and cold. Plan to use as a liner with more substantial mittens during extended glassing sessions.
-Kuiu guide jacket. love this jacket!
-FL merino base layers and Sitka mid layers. Super flexible. Kept me warm and comfortable.
-changing wet t shirt and socks at top of ridge despite howling wind, snow and cold temps. Kept the cold at bay during subsequent glassing sessions. thanks theat for the recommendation
-trusting Geralds hunting accumen to include his superior hearing and sense of smell. He Got me within bow range of a bull elk despite my weariness towards hunting in thickish timber.
-honest ski dudes. Thanks for not stealing all our stuff.
-deadlifts. Never felt better hiking in steep country.
-great hunters and even better people met on hunttalk.
-glassing pad made from foam sleeping pad. Great for staying dry while glassing in the snow.
Failed:
-didn’t get after it enough this season. Too many excuses, not enough effort.
-hiking in snow and ice without crampons.
-learning I’m not a goat hunter in the middle of a goat hunt. Who knew a former Army Jumpmaster with 30 parachute jumps would be scared of heights. Guess the closest I will get to another goat will be when I admire Ross’s goat on the wall of his house.
-not taking a neck shot from a supported position in a box blind with a .308 at a buck at 30yds. The vitals were obscured by thick brush and the thought just never crossed my mind as I have never done it. Never saw another buck.
-saw on a Gerber multi tool. My butter knives at home could produce more firewood.

 

[Adamm88]

What a great thread.

Worked

- Writing letters to landowners for access
I sent out 11 letters and got 7 responses and out of those I made arrangements with 3 but only ended up using 1.

care to share a copy of the letter, sounds like a good tatic.

Worked
Sitka timberlines, there were days they were a tad light in the treestand but most days they were great ans comfy
-sitka fanatic, great mid layer
-sitka balckava, i bought one off camo fire, one of the warmer facemasks iv worn

im not sure anything didn’t work, i have gear that needs replaced like boots but thats from use than anything else

 

[MT_Chad]

The amount of headlamps... several. Too true!

Me three, I go through about 1 a year it seems like, I always lose the nice ones too, not the shitty ones.

 

[MT_Chad]

Worked
- Sitka Mountain jacket- to say it was windy this season would be an understatement.
- Merino wool- still amazing after 3 seasons of hard use.
- new hunt strategy for an area I hunted last year with my bull permit that led to bringing home a cow.
- Packwheel- Had it for 2 seasons, finally used it to get my deer out this season. Had a 3 mile pack out. Put everything but the front shoulders on it and it was effortless to roll out.
-spending 5 days hunting with my old man and bringing home 3 animals between the two of us. got dad a pretty dandy buck.

Didn't work
-Gloves- still trying to find gloves that fit my giant meat hooks well enough to get on and off easily. Tried some outdoor research sensor glove liners hoping I wouldn't have to shed my gloves to run onx every 10 minutes. The sensor part was marginal, the gloves weren't bad though.
- No bull permit in my pocket, saw some amazing bulls but only eye candy.

 

[wyoboypt]

Worked:
Kuiu gators
Smart wool merino
Crispi wild rock boots
Cabela’s glomits-awesome
Harris ultralight bipod-fantastic
Sneaking in on a lion kill and killing the lion.
Garmin rino- the one and only gps to own, many years running for me.
OnX chip and subscription on my tablet.
Kifaru tactical frame- if there were such a thing as 100 lbs on your back being comfortable, this frame is it.
Tripod adapter for binos - freakin awesome for shed hunts. Except when you lose it on your first hike #%$!
Leki trekking poles- I know I already mentioned them last time, but they’re worth mentioning again.
Having a lion tag in my pocket, just in case. First year I bought one too.
Sole brand insoles for my boots.
Tiny uhaul fiberglass camper. - so sweet and my Tacoma pulls it like nothing.
Tomshoo titanium spork
Evernew titanium pot
Hot cider mix- if you’re not a coffee drinker and camp in the cold, hot cider really warms your spirit.
Kelty cosmic 0 degree down bag.

Didn’t work:
-Crispi Dakota replacement boots- made in NOT Italy like the original pair. Looked legit but had too much upper material allowing my foot to move around too much leading to blisters.
-Kuiu guide glove- NOT water resistant. One light sprinkle soaked through the seams and palms like cotton.
-Vanguard window mount- one very difficult to get to screw keeps loosening. Also why the heck can’t they have the same mounting plate as my vanguard tripod?? It’s the same freaking brand!! Also the window mount mounting plate does not fit tight in the mount.
-my shooting skills in the wind. It’s pathetic.
-trying to add additional seasoning in the jerky kit. (I know, I’m stupid)
-generic brand hot hands and toasty toes. Hot hands brand ONLY from now on.

 

[Diewithyourbootson]

What worked
Kuiu gaiters
Kenetrek mountain boots
Kifaru gunbearer
Lite outdoors teepee and stove

What didn't work
First time hunting Idaho and realizing an atv would have been a game changer
Trails are no joke there

 

[Outlaw99]

What Worked
Hoffman pack boots
onX
Barnes Bullets
Exodus QAD
Mathews Vertix
Year Round physical training

Didnt Work
Prime Logic CT3.....nice enough bow, just couldn’t fall in love with it, and HATED trying to sell it. Turns out cam specific draw length really eats up the Value of a used bow
Exo k2 belt and frame: loved this pack and frame. Loved the layout. Loved it on my back and hips....,hated it loaded over 60lbs. Not they’re fault. i have a pretty lean 30” waist. Their small belt just wasn’t small enough to keep the pack up on top of my hips with a heavy load. After 2 years and 2 pack outs with it, I made the switch to a kifaru duplex light, which feels night and day better for me.

Really enjoying reading this thread. It’s a great topic

 

[MNElkNut]

Worked
-Schnees Beartooth boots. All you people looking for a boot just go buy these and be happy. They just work perfectly in every measurement category.
-Sitka. Pants, shirts, jackets, vests, you name it I was happy with it.
-Alaska Guide Creations bino holder. I can put my range finder and wind powder and a few other things in it. I love it.
-My cappuccino processing system. I no longer have to be within 12.5 feet of a bathroom after drinking it. No, I am not a coffee drinker! Pile on, I can take it.
-Smartwool socks.
-My new enclosed trailer. Spent 23 nights in it from hunting trips to family vacation to Glacier.
-My 11 year old son....he has always liked hunting, but this year his passion exploded! Having a hunting buddy who is your son...priceless! his tally for the year was 24 ducks, 6 geese, 3 pheasants, 1 nice whitetail buck, and 1 whitetail doe.
-Wapiti River Outdoors elk calls. the Patriot. Really works well for me.
-Clip-Shot. If you don't have one, get one. It attaches to your cell phone or camera and then attaches to most anything so you can get that solo picture or of the entire group. clip-shot.com


Didn't work
- Darn Tough socks. They shrunk. My 11 year old boy likes them now.
- The big 6X6 bull that left his station 1 second too soon. I literally needed 1 more second. Thanks you stupid cow for alerting him.
- My first ever quartering away shot. At a raghorn...somehow. I saw the arrow hit. I am clueless what happened. I was 100% confident he would be laying 50 yards from impact. Maybe it hit the last rib and deflected?
- Light raking when a bull and his herd was 60-100 yards away. They took off.
- Leupold rangefinder. I hate putting Leupold on this list, but it just didn't work when I needed it to.
- My shotgun. I am not going to name the brand because it deserves no negative publicity. It is a 1996 model with over 15,000 rounds through it without ever jamming. Until this season. On a duck? No. On a rooster? No. On the biggest buck I have ever got a shot at? Yep. My brother and I got the buck, but not without some feverish moments. Since then, I haven't cleaned it or anything and it has again been flawless on late season roosters. go figure.

 

[TrickyTross]

Worked:
1.) Finding Elk Early season- Yall were right, dark timber and close to water
2.) Arrow Set up
3.) New Bow- Bought an Elite before season, shoots well and very reliable. Gained a great deal of confidence to shoot targets out to 100, making 60 yards my range for elk.
4.) Vortex Range Finder and Binos- They are freaking awesome
5.) Meindl Comfort Fit Hunters- Broke in well and have been abused from Idaho to NC and will be flying to Az in a few days. Very comfortable
6.) Darn Tough Socks
7.) Razr Lite EDC knife- 1 blade skinned 3 deer. Twas well
8.) Onnit 6 Bodyweight and kettlebell systems with running and backpacking for staying in shape.

Didn't work:
1.) Killing elk in the early season- We were in them everyday. Learned so so so much about how they move and react to pressure. If I had to go back early season next year, I feel alright about getting a shot off. This year, water was everywhere and I learned how well they know their woods. Was within 40 yards countless times, but that wind was like clockwork for the elk.
2.) MR Selway 60- This pack was fantastic for running and gunning here at the house for whitetail. But, it was not conducive to being a 2-3 day pack with camp on your back. Could barely get 3 days worth of food in with everything else. Id like to have a pack that is in the neighborhood of 4500-6000 CI. The inability to put other bags on this frame (the new GuideLite frame) is frustrating. Love the frame, but I will be selling mine and getting a Exo.
3.) My bivy/camp system- too heavy and ill have to spend the bones on getting a better system. Thinking about an actual bivy with a tarp and leaving the tent at the truck? Maybe check out some ultra light(er) tents than my Kealty.
4.) Pillow and Sleeping Pad- The Klymit hated me

 

[MITCHMO]

One thing to add that worked very well I totally forgot about...at the last minute I threw in my snowboarding pants and wow was I glad I did. It was subzero most days and very windy. Putting those over my puffys for the wheeler ride and while glassing was awesome. Surprised how light and packable they are. I can even put them on with my boots on. They are coming with me from now on.

 

[WyoDoug]

My biggest issue is vehicle. My truck just got engine rebuilt and I was not yet convinced it was ready for long haul. May be buying a newer pickup soon.

 

[Seeleylakehunter]

Ok what worked and what didn't . Let's start off here. I have very high hopes for every hunting season. like I'm always going to find the big one .truth be told .I never have found the big one ..yet.. I'm sure I will this next year .lol . High hopes. This last hunting season kicked my butt. Walked my ass off. just had life on my mind and couldn't get outta the funk I was in.maybe I should quit talking to myself while out hunting .(in my head out loud ). All my gear worked great .had an early success with a nice bear that I got to share with the wife and kid with me.that was awesome. I passed a few nice four point white tails and my attitude was I'll find a bigger one . Low and behold last day of the season I seen nothing . So what I got out of this season was beggar's can't be choosers and don't pass up on the first day that you would shoot on the last.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I',m "old school" and mostly hunt with the same gear as the past 25 years:
old gear (~25 years old) that still works well for me:
leopold 3X9 scope
Remington 700 rifle in .270 and 300 H & H
Katadyn Base Camp water filter
MSR Whisperlight Stove
Lekki Trekking Poles
Dana Designs ArcFlex Backpack
my legs (recovered after complete rupture of quad tendon in 2018)

Newer gear (~5-10 years old) that worked well:
Inreach explorer
Backpacker thermocell for pesky swarms of mosquitoes

after 25 years, the zippers on my 4-season tent started to fail,
fortunately replacing with new sliders solved the problem

 

[arwhntr]

Didn't change a whole lot gear-wise for this past year.

Worked:
UA boots - got a pair with GTX and one without. Love how incredibly lightweight and comfy they are
Calling landowners for access
Preseason scouting, lots of it, actual boots on the ground in your unit
KUIU's new pack suspension, 1000x better than the older version
Moved to AZ from SoCal

Didn't work:
Still slightly kicking myself for taking the "easy" buck on day 7 instead of holding out for a big boy
Route planning - need to get better. Seem to find myself in a bunch of shit or rock climbing cliffs far too often. Happened again to me just yesterday.

 

[----]

One other thing I thought of that came in really handy was quick-clot. I cut my thumb early in the butchering process of a deer. It was so nice being able to just throw that quick-clot on, wrap it up and get back to work. The cut wasn't bad enough that I wouldn't have gotten it to stop bleeding without the quick-clot, but man that stuff made it a quick and easy process. This was the first year I've packed it, and it'll always be in my pack from here out.

 

[IdahoPotato]

2019 was a year.

Worked:
1. Draw luck. Got a bear and a bull in units I probably will not get again.
2. Friends on the forums. Met some really cool and generous people.
3. Savage Storm 110 7mm mag. Started off on the fail list but found the right groove/cleaning protocol and now earns its keep.
4. Eberlestock Mainframe. Over built and rock solid. On year 4 of year-round use and packing animals. Cordura is stiffening up but not a hint of weakness.
5. Walmart wrangler nylon pants.
6. Kodiak Canvas tent with a buddy heater. I might have developed a soft spot for some warm and comfy camping....

Failed:
1. Stock tires on a Honda P500 in a mud hole. My fault for not bringing a well thought out recovery system.
2. Salomon 4D GTX. On second pair and I don't think I can go for number 3. The rand de-laminates and any moisture WILL saturate the whole boot. Also discovering they are not warm enough after October where I hunt. Considering Hoffman and an early + a late season pair.
3. Morakniv for an elk. Working the hide was a pain. Need something sharper. Considering keeping the Mora for blunt meat/tendon work and adding a replaceable blade for hide and detail.
4. More weights than cardio. For various reasons I did a lot more squats/deads/weights and went into hunting season about 20 lbs heavier than previous years. Not ideal, but I did notice packing was easier. But season is 1-2 days packing vs. many days hiking all day in the mountains. This year will include way more hikes before season starts.
5. Marriage.