How would you spend my birthday money?

[A2Z]

I’m still new to the forum and hunting in general. Anyways, for my 30th birthday my wife gave me some money ($1,500) for my birthday. The one rule was that I have to get some sort of satellite messenger. I’m all in on how I can be more successful and trying to use this money as wisely as possible to help me hunt harder, smarter and longer.

To give a little more background, I typically have a budget of 600 - 700 bucks a year that I use to buy applications & tags and any gear so I have to make each dollar count.

I hunt my resident state and another state where I grew up occasionally (both western states)

Of the 1500 bucks, I have upgraded a few things already but still have about 600 bucks left (not counting my hunting budget for 2025).


This all being said, I normally rifle hunt October and early November. I have killed a few mule deer bucks and a cow elk. I usually am camping at my vehicle and hiking in 1-4 miles to hunt then come back to my vehicle to camp. I want to get into backpack hunting so some of my upgrades have to do with that so I have options to do that and stay light.

Here are the large items I have upgraded/purchased already:
-Garmin Inreach Mini 2
-Neo Air X Lite
-Athlon Cronus G2 binos (big upgrade from what I was using)

A couple pieces of gear I feel are good enough and not looking to upgrade:
-gun (.270 Winchester with leupold freedom cds scope)
-Crispi boots
-old kuiu icon pro backpack

A couple things I’m looking at upgrading:

-Buying a budget spotter, currently don’t have one. Would want to get an digisciping system too
-Upgrading my tent, using a cheap Walmart backpacking tent. Looking at something for one or two person capacity and light
-Upgrading my puffy coat, using a super cheap puffy… it’s heavy and not warm enough. I get cold easy

I know I can’t do it all, just curious if you were in my shoes what would you do or what would you be thinking?

 

[Nick87]

Maybe the tent. You can always throw on another layer if your cold. Instead of the jacket for now. Spotter would be at the bottom of the list personally.

 

[ccc23454]

No such thing as a "budget spotter" save and do it right!

 

[SD_Prairie_Goat]

Used backpacking tent off ebay would be a good start.

Puffy coat is a good investment. Don't spend the premium to get camo. Get a solid color from a mountaineering company and put a shell over it if you want a camo exterior.


For me, being comfortable in the field is the most important. When you get miserable cause you're cold you end the hunt earlier than you should

 

[TN2shot07]

I’d go puffy, tent, save for a nice spotter.

Condition of your current tent may move it to first on the list but if it’s working my priority is enjoying time in the field. That normally means warm and dry. You just upgraded binos, you’ve already been successful with less, save some money and watch the classifieds for a decent deal on a quality spotter.

 

[sccritterkiller]

You didn't mention sleep pad or bag...I give those hard look and definitely upgrade the tent..good rest on the mountain is often overlooked...u can find a decent used puffy cheap...mine always get picked to hell or ash gets it...quit buying new ones years ago...

 

[TheTone]

Tent seems like a decent idea. Maybe a good tripod and way to attach your binos. Amazing how ouch more you find glassing more efficiently

 

[A2Z]

You didn't mention sleep pad or bag...I give those hard look and definitely upgrade the tent..good rest on the mountain is often overlooked...u can find a decent used puffy cheap...mine always get picked to hell or ash gets it...quit buying new ones years ago...

My sleeping pad is the neo x lite and I’m currently running a 20 degree bag from north face the cats meow. The bag is for sure a budget bag but it has done well for my hunts and is semi light for the price. Thats a good idea about the used puffy, haven’t thought about going the used route on a puffy.

 

[A2Z]

Tent seems like a decent idea. Maybe a good tripod and way to attach your binos. Amazing how ouch more you find glassing more efficiently

I have a budget black ovis tripod and will be using a aziak bino clamp. I got this tripod (used condition) last year and it was crazy how much it made a difference.

 

[A2Z]

No such thing as a "budget spotter" save and do it right!

Really? I can believe it, but maybe I’m just not sold on that idea. Plus when you say do it right, What are we talking here, like a swaro spotter?

 

[Nick87]

Really? I can believe it, but maybe I’m just not sold on that idea. Plus when you say do it right, What are we talking here, like a swaro spotter?

I've got a " budget" spotter. It's a paper weight.

 

[Caseknife]

Your Cat's Meow bag is great, here is the tent to go with it and your new pad. https://www.kuiu.com/products/mount...-set-gunmetal-orange-1?variant=44151163453598

 

[Matthew57]

Given you have $600 left to spend, you could probably find a decent tent and a puffy. Might have to do some bargain hunting but that’s what I’d try to do.

 

[Gellar]

I've got a " budget" spotter. It's a paper weight.

Is that the same spotter you have on a tripod to watch your neighbor across the field when she’s weeding the garden?

 

[BrentD]

I’m still new to the forum and hunting in general. Anyways, for my 30th birthday my wife gave me some money ($1,500) for my birthday. The one rule was that I have to get some sort of satellite messenger. I’m all in on how I can be more successful and trying to use this money as wisely as possible to help me hunt harder, smarter and longer.

To give a little more background, I typically have a budget of 600 - 700 bucks a year that I use to buy applications & tags and any gear so I have to make each dollar count.

I hunt my resident state and another state where I grew up occasionally (both western states)

Of the 1500 bucks, I have upgraded a few things already but still have about 600 bucks left (not counting my hunting budget for 2025).


This all being said, I normally rifle hunt October and early November. I have killed a few mule deer bucks and a cow elk. I usually am camping at my vehicle and hiking in 1-4 miles to hunt then come back to my vehicle to camp. I want to get into backpack hunting so some of my upgrades have to do with that so I have options to do that and stay light.

Here are the large items I have upgraded/purchased already:
-Garmin Inreach Mini 2
-Neo Air X Lite
-Athlon Cronus G2 binos (big upgrade from what I was using)

A couple pieces of gear I feel are good enough and not looking to upgrade:
-gun (.270 Winchester with leupold freedom cds scope)
-Crispi boots
-old kuiu icon pro backpack

A couple things I’m looking at upgrading:

-Buying a budget spotter, currently don’t have one. Would want to get an digisciping system too
-Upgrading my tent, using a cheap Walmart backpacking tent. Looking at something for one or two person capacity and light
-Upgrading my puffy coat, using a super cheap puffy… it’s heavy and not warm enough. I get cold easy

I know I can’t do it all, just curious if you were in my shoes what would you do or what would you be thinking?

For a spotter or any optics, buy used. Ebay is your friend. They don't wear out from looking through them and used will be MUCH cheaper than new. Maybe 50% or more. Be patient to find what you really want.

In the inexpensive puffies, a couple years ago, I was looking for the same. An Eddie Bauer was quite cheap on sale at this time of year. Great value in my opinion.

 

[ismith]

Really? I can believe it, but maybe I’m just not sold on that idea. Plus when you say do it right, What are we talking here, like a swaro spotter?

Really, buy good glass. I'd look at getting some surplus wool if I was you.

 

[BrentD]

I've got a " budget" spotter. It's a paper weight.

Get a used Nikon FieldScope ED. Ebay. No paperweight at all.

 

[Nick87]

Is that the same spotter you have on a tripod to watch your neighbor across the field when she’s weeding the garden?

I have no neighbor worth watching. However we did have the spotter out tonight watching the guy on the adjacent property deer hunting. Boys and I thought it was funny he took his blaze orange off after he got in the tree. Not sure what that was all about.

 

[sccritterkiller]

My sleeping pad is the neo x lite and I’m currently running a 20 degree bag from north face the cats meow. The bag is for sure a budget bag but it has done well for my hunts and is semi light for the price. Thats a good idea about the used puffy, haven’t thought about going the used route on a puffy.

Sounds like a decent sleep system I would upgrade tent and picke upa used puffy...I usually dedicate a roll of tenacious tape to puffy...once gone I buy another used puffy.

 

[Khunter]

this is a good tent at a good price

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