EOY '24 - What Worked, What Didn't
- Thread starter BackofBeyond
- Start date
Couldn’t agree more, I have a Novix and that seat upgrade makes a world of difference. Haven’t found a pad that will make one of those comfortable for very long
Yes:
BX5 10x42’s - I’d still like to upgrade to a pair of EL’s but these worked great in Nebraska and are the nicest binos I’ve ever owned
Spartan springbok - it seems like a strange contraption but if you hunt from a sitting position on the move it works well. Prone is not an option for >90% of my shots
Uninsulated boots with alpaca socks - I’ve always struggled with cold feet, this combo has significantly helped the last 2 seasons
Iffy:
My model seven I took this fall. It’s hard to shoot well at longer range, too light in the front. Debating on a trip to p_ham or a new rifle all together for traveling trips
BX5 10x42’s - I’d still like to upgrade to a pair of EL’s but these worked great in Nebraska and are the nicest binos I’ve ever owned
Spartan springbok - it seems like a strange contraption but if you hunt from a sitting position on the move it works well. Prone is not an option for >90% of my shots
Uninsulated boots with alpaca socks - I’ve always struggled with cold feet, this combo has significantly helped the last 2 seasons
Iffy:
My model seven I took this fall. It’s hard to shoot well at longer range, too light in the front. Debating on a trip to p_ham or a new rifle all together for traveling trips
rjthehunter
Well-known member
I switched to a saddle a couple of years ago. For mobile hunting, it can't be beat. I'll sit in a deerstand once in a great while, but way prefer the saddle. My lone wolf lives in the garage most of the time these days.
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Mallardsx2
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- Joined
- Apr 4, 2015
- Messages
- 2,765
We bought a 2024 Honda pioneer 700. Took it to Colorado and it wasnt low enough geared to pull a small little trailer up a trail. I was sooooo pi$$ed off at the time. We had to camp 5 miles from where I had planned to camp. It really started the trip off badly, but things turned around ok I guess.
Don’t buy a pioneer 700 with the three speed transmission.
Buy the 1000 with the 5 speed.
So here we are, stuck with a new 700 pioneer that is ok on flat ground but doesn’t have a low enough gear to pull a tiny trailer up a hill…what a joke. First time in my life a Honda let me down…
Don’t buy a pioneer 700 with the three speed transmission.
Buy the 1000 with the 5 speed.
So here we are, stuck with a new 700 pioneer that is ok on flat ground but doesn’t have a low enough gear to pull a tiny trailer up a hill…what a joke. First time in my life a Honda let me down…
rjthehunter
Well-known member
Probably cheaper to put a different rear end in it then it is to replace? Maybe not. Just a thought!
Caseknife
Well-known member
What worked well:
Kuiu Mountain Star 2, only tent of 5 that had no condensation in 2 days of living inside a cloud on my goat hunt.
Hammer Hunter 137 out of my Howa Superlite 308, great goat combo at under 5.5 lbs.
Exo K4 5000, no sore spots and carried the load well on scouting and the hunt. Packed a few loads of meat, goat and 2 elk.
Barnes 290 EZ, bull was dead in two steps.
Schnees Beartooth V3, very comfortable and virtually no break-in required.
Tricer-LP, only issue was when mounting camera onto the spotter, had to make sure that the head was tight.
What didn't work:
Getting skunked in Wyoming on a cow hunt due to wild fires chasing us out of the unit.
Kuiu Mountain Star 2, only tent of 5 that had no condensation in 2 days of living inside a cloud on my goat hunt.
Hammer Hunter 137 out of my Howa Superlite 308, great goat combo at under 5.5 lbs.
Exo K4 5000, no sore spots and carried the load well on scouting and the hunt. Packed a few loads of meat, goat and 2 elk.
Barnes 290 EZ, bull was dead in two steps.
Schnees Beartooth V3, very comfortable and virtually no break-in required.
Tricer-LP, only issue was when mounting camera onto the spotter, had to make sure that the head was tight.
What didn't work:
Getting skunked in Wyoming on a cow hunt due to wild fires chasing us out of the unit.
rjthehunter
Well-known member
VIAM outdoors Pintler tent worked well.
Kuiu pack system didn't disappoint per usual.
Maven B.6 10x50 binos and Maven CS1A spotter were the best glass around me. Honestly I have tried a lot of glass, and to me, they're in the top of the "bang for your buck" category. They compare to sworo glass in a few reviews.
Kenetrek Mountain Extremes as always.
New to me this year was the sirui 125 and VA 5 fluid head. This was awesome. Favorite upgrade this year by a mile. That being said I was overdue for a tripod upgrade.
Kuiu pack system didn't disappoint per usual.
Maven B.6 10x50 binos and Maven CS1A spotter were the best glass around me. Honestly I have tried a lot of glass, and to me, they're in the top of the "bang for your buck" category. They compare to sworo glass in a few reviews.
Kenetrek Mountain Extremes as always.
New to me this year was the sirui 125 and VA 5 fluid head. This was awesome. Favorite upgrade this year by a mile. That being said I was overdue for a tripod upgrade.
Mallardsx2
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- Apr 4, 2015
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- 2,765
maybe not.
I have explored all options. Selling the machine, taking a bath, and starting over is the only path forward.
My pioneer 500 literally has 2x the torque of this machine.
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noharleyyet
Well-known member
On sale Stocky CF for the 300 WSM...very aim'able, light, soaks up recoil in spite of a thin pad. Has really rejuvenated accurate metal.
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reading through this is making me realize what a tough year i had hunting.
i think my biggest "game changer" this year was the sig zulu6's, even though the glass is just ok, the image stabilization is amazing. just make sure to have an extra battery or two at all times.
what didn't work -
my elk hunting strategy - was in elk most of archery szn but never got into the right ones - and the two opportunities i had at nicer bulls during rifle, i was too slow to react
rangefinders in alaska - failed multiple times when i needed it most
i think my biggest "game changer" this year was the sig zulu6's, even though the glass is just ok, the image stabilization is amazing. just make sure to have an extra battery or two at all times.
what didn't work -
my elk hunting strategy - was in elk most of archery szn but never got into the right ones - and the two opportunities i had at nicer bulls during rifle, i was too slow to react
rangefinders in alaska - failed multiple times when i needed it most
Hem
Well-known member
I went a little crazy this year with my bonus.
Honda30 for the War Eagle...love it.
Beulah Opal2 two hand rod( caught trout, pike, walleye)...love it.
NL Pure...love it.
Maven scope...love it.
Bell and Carlson stock...love it.
Truework apparel...love it.
Next year...upgrade tripod.
Meiser switch rod.
Honda30 for the War Eagle...love it.
Beulah Opal2 two hand rod( caught trout, pike, walleye)...love it.
NL Pure...love it.
Maven scope...love it.
Bell and Carlson stock...love it.
Truework apparel...love it.
Next year...upgrade tripod.
Meiser switch rod.
Irrelevant
Well-known member
worked:
Ambient Hoody, like others, this is the best article of clothing I've ever bought
Brooks Hyperion elite 4 - They aren't quite "magical" but my gosh, you can put on the miles with quite a bit less effort. No way I go sub 4 without them.
Montbell UL Stretch wind parka - suggestion from Snowy several years ago, I'd used it off and on, but this last year I really put it to work, get outer layer in the summer, weighs nothing.
Ancient Swaro 80 I picked up used last winter - way better than my Nikon 65 at the same weight.
Didn't work;
Phoneskope - just crap, everything from them I've tried is just cheap plastic crap.
Leupold window mount - not quick connect so you can't go truck to tripod very easily
Vortex High Country tripod - picked it up used from another user here, it wobbled, I sent it into vortex twice, they "modified" it both times, still wobbles and needs to go. At least it doesn't weigh much.
Leupold bino harness - I was gifted a set of BX4 range binos, and while they're pretty good, I tried to stick with the harness they came with and it just stucked. Need to pickup something else before next fall.
Scarpa - I've previously had incredible success with scarpa, but last year I picked up 3 new versions, a mountaineering boot for chukar hunting (charmoz), a mid-level hiker (kailash) for deer and elk, and a trailrunner (ribelle run) for... trailrunning. None fit as well as my last sets, and the trailrunners where noticable more expensive, less comfortable, and have worn out faster than comparable Solomon's.
Ambient Hoody, like others, this is the best article of clothing I've ever bought
Brooks Hyperion elite 4 - They aren't quite "magical" but my gosh, you can put on the miles with quite a bit less effort. No way I go sub 4 without them.
Montbell UL Stretch wind parka - suggestion from Snowy several years ago, I'd used it off and on, but this last year I really put it to work, get outer layer in the summer, weighs nothing.
Ancient Swaro 80 I picked up used last winter - way better than my Nikon 65 at the same weight.
Didn't work;
Phoneskope - just crap, everything from them I've tried is just cheap plastic crap.
Leupold window mount - not quick connect so you can't go truck to tripod very easily
Vortex High Country tripod - picked it up used from another user here, it wobbled, I sent it into vortex twice, they "modified" it both times, still wobbles and needs to go. At least it doesn't weigh much.
Leupold bino harness - I was gifted a set of BX4 range binos, and while they're pretty good, I tried to stick with the harness they came with and it just stucked. Need to pickup something else before next fall.
Scarpa - I've previously had incredible success with scarpa, but last year I picked up 3 new versions, a mountaineering boot for chukar hunting (charmoz), a mid-level hiker (kailash) for deer and elk, and a trailrunner (ribelle run) for... trailrunning. None fit as well as my last sets, and the trailrunners where noticable more expensive, less comfortable, and have worn out faster than comparable Solomon's.
Completely agree about Scarpas, I don't know what happened. Have had similar issues with La Sportivas. I have loved my switch to Crispis if you're in the market, and you can often catch them on a steep discount on camofire.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
The Pures are as advertised IMO...prolly my best investment in a long while.
npaden
Well-known member
I enjoy reading through these and always get some good ideas. I hadn't thought of some of my purchases this year that make the list.
Worked:
Honda Pioneer 1000-5. Picked it up used and had to spend some $ right off the bat upgrading the clutch that should have been done as a factory "service bulletin" for free by the previous owner but instead cost me some $ but still it has been a good machine. Versatile machine kind of a jack of all trades and a master of none but that works. Now have the ability to carry more than 2 people at a time if that is what is needed and the ability to haul stuff easily. Still a little unhappy with the smoothness of the clutch over the belt drive machines but hopefully it will last a long time. Still keeping my Polaris RZR 570 for 50" rated trails.
Didn't work:
I've had it for a while now but my Swarovski ATS-65HD just doesn't wow me. Too big to keep in the pack at all times and not big enough to see what I want in low light conditions when the animals are out and about. I'm going to either swap it out for an ATC or ATX, still trying to figure that out. Might have to switch brands.
Worked:
Honda Pioneer 1000-5. Picked it up used and had to spend some $ right off the bat upgrading the clutch that should have been done as a factory "service bulletin" for free by the previous owner but instead cost me some $ but still it has been a good machine. Versatile machine kind of a jack of all trades and a master of none but that works. Now have the ability to carry more than 2 people at a time if that is what is needed and the ability to haul stuff easily. Still a little unhappy with the smoothness of the clutch over the belt drive machines but hopefully it will last a long time. Still keeping my Polaris RZR 570 for 50" rated trails.
Didn't work:
I've had it for a while now but my Swarovski ATS-65HD just doesn't wow me. Too big to keep in the pack at all times and not big enough to see what I want in low light conditions when the animals are out and about. I'm going to either swap it out for an ATC or ATX, still trying to figure that out. Might have to switch brands.
Hem
Well-known member
Agreed.
Almost makes my spotters obsolete.
Worked. Juniper camo. Turns out elk don't know bushes aren't supposed to move. 2 and 1/2 hours of crawling and they were oblivious.
Didn't work. Bino harness on the chest. I would have ditched it, but my range finder is in the binoculars. If a guy had one more hand it wouldn't have been so bad. It made a decent rest though.
Didn't work. Bino harness on the chest. I would have ditched it, but my range finder is in the binoculars. If a guy had one more hand it wouldn't have been so bad. It made a decent rest though.
Not much new for me this year:
Worked:Tikka 6.5 prc with maven rs1.2 worked great for a couple critters inside 100 yards. No clue how it will work further out like I planned/bought it for
Found on the ground rage broadhead worked great for a javelina. Big impressive hole
Didn’t work: taking time off effectively. Maybe only one total day fishing this year, only one trip with new camp trailer, less time outside than hoped
Worked:Tikka 6.5 prc with maven rs1.2 worked great for a couple critters inside 100 yards. No clue how it will work further out like I planned/bought it for
Found on the ground rage broadhead worked great for a javelina. Big impressive hole
Didn’t work: taking time off effectively. Maybe only one total day fishing this year, only one trip with new camp trailer, less time outside than hoped
Hem
Well-known member
Need more pics. Sounds like you are intentionally leaving us hanging.
