Gear is essential to your success as a hunter. From proper hunting clothing to a quality rifle, the right gear can help you kill more deer.
A ring and pinion gear set is designed with a specific number of teeth that contact each other at a particular frequency. This design feature has a bunch of benefits. Read on Bugle For Elk for more information.
Spotting scopes are useful in a wide variety of hunting situations. Some hunters rely on them to score targets at a distance or for birding, while others take them into the field with them to scout game before going afield. They can be held by hand or mounted on a tripod for shake-free viewing.
A spotting scope’s light-gathering capability depends on its objective lens size, as well as its magnification. Larger lens sizes allow more light to enter the eyepiece. Higher magnifications “cost” light, however, and the image will become darker as you increase the power.
Many spotting scopes are sealed with nitrogen or argon gas, which prevents moisture inside the tube from reacting with sudden temperature changes and fogging up the glass. The argon gas also keeps dust, mold spores and other microbial debris out of the scope as well.
This spotter, the first of Swarovski’s modular BTX series, is a great choice for competition shooters who require a lot of eye-power for distant target readings. The big 85 mm scope features superb optics and interchangeable eyepieces that include a precision reticle for scoring targets at varying distances. It’s not cheap but for the serious wildlife observer and the competitor who demands a bit of versatility from their gear, it’s hard to beat.
Binoculars
Optics can be the most expensive gear in your hunting arsenal, and they have an outsized impact on how much game you spot and successfully stalk. It’s not uncommon for a good pair of binoculars to cost as much as a quality rifle, and that’s why you have to choose carefully.
When selecting a pair of binoculars for hunting, the first thing to consider is the objective lens size. Larger lenses gather more light and provide brighter images, but they also make the binoculars larger and heavier. This isn’t ideal for hunters who need to transport their optics over long distances in the field, especially if they’re hiking and glassing all day.
In addition to optical performance, the ergonomics of a pair of binoculars are also important. A smooth and precise focusing wheel is critical for hunters, especially when wearing gloves. The focusing wheel on the Leupold SFL Binoculars, for example, riffs from an extremely tight close focus to infinity in just 1.4 rotations of the dial. This is ideal for Western hunters who frequently pan from middle-distance brush to far vistas and back again. It’s a feature that makes the SFL binoculars one of the most comfortable pairs we’ve ever tested.
Binocular Mounts
There are a wide variety of binocular mounts. Some, such as the Vanguard BA-185 tripod adapter which fits a huge range of binoculars, have a screw thread on the central axis which enables them to be attached to any standard camera tripod using an appropriate mounting head.
The simplest and fastest option is to suspend the binoculars with elastic from an overhanging bar such as a clothes hoist or market umbrella stand. This is simple, cheap and easily scaled to any size or weight of binoculars; unlike a parallelogram mount which transfers vibrations directly into the tube, the suspension frame is isolated via ropes/elastic.
Another option is a pulley suspension. This is slightly more complex than the parallelogram mount but offers added stability and security. Cords are run up through a pulley closest to the viewer and down through a second pulley which holds two counterweights (such as bodybuilding weights, fishing sinkers or junk iron parts). This allows the binoculars to be raised or lowered and angled in altitude. As with the parallelogram mount, a bit of careful fastening is needed to ensure that the binoculars remain firmly positioned and not pulled out of alignment with the eyepieces and objective lenses.
Telescopes
A telescope is an optical instrument that collects and focuses light using precisely-shaped mirrors and lenses. The larger the telescope’s main mirror or lens, the more light it gathers and the sharper the image becomes. A telescope can also be equipped with eyepieces that magnify the image that is collected.
There are many types of telescopes, but they all have a common feature: a large optical lens or mirror that gathers and focuses light. Telescopes can be divided into three groups: refractors, reflectors and catadioptrics. The catadioptric design combines the advantages of both refractors and reflectors, with the benefit that it is a very compact instrument that can be used handheld or mounted on a tripod.
A non-hunting gear set is one where the pinion and ring gears have a pattern of tooth contact that matches up at the same time every revolution, rather than changing from a hunting mesh to a partial non-hunting mesh and then back to a hunting mesh with each successive rotation. This is important because it prevents the pinion from creating excess wear on the ring teeth that would be caused by having the pinion mesh with only part of the ring gear’s teeth each time it makes contact.
Rangefinders
A quality rangefinder is a must-have for hunters, whether you’re shooting with a bow or firearm. These devices remove the guesswork out of finding the distance to your target and can mean the difference between meat in the freezer and a missed opportunity. These days, there are plenty of great options on the market, from budget-minded models to burly long-range devices.
The key is to find a device that performs well in the scenarios you’ll use it for the most. That means testing the unit in fog and snow, and being sure it can deliver the precise distance measurements that bowhunters need to determine arrow or bullet drop at various yardages.
Lesser-priced units may have difficulty ranging nonreflective targets or non-line-of-sight objects because their lasers bounce off too many different angles and can’t produce a clean measurement. Those types of problems are usually resolved by spending a little more money on a model that uses narrower beams and has an improved optic system.
You’ll also want to make sure the reticle is easy to read, depending on what conditions you hunt in. Most offer the option of black or red reticles, and some can switch between them in a moment’s notice to match the lighting conditions at hand.
Cameras
Cameras are an important tool for hunters to monitor wildlife activity on their property. These cameras typically use motion sensors to trigger a burst of photos or video. They then transmit this media to the hunter’s smartphone or other device via a cellular connection. Some of these cameras can be programmed to send this information in real-time, allowing the hunter to keep an eye on their location without leaving their hunting spot.
Gear experts describe a gear ratio as “hunting” or “non-hunting.” A “hunting” gear set uses a pair of hypoid gears with a tooth count that is evenly divisible by a prime number. This design allows every pinion tooth to contact each ring gear tooth on one revolution of the ring gear. This is much better for the gears than a non-hunting gear set where each pinion tooth only contacts a fraction of the ring gear teeth.
A hunter can also take advantage of a camera’s ability to capture video to learn more about animal behavior and migration patterns. These videos can provide valuable insight on where the animals like to hang out, and what time of day they tend to move through a particular area.
Accessories
As anyone who has hunted knows, having the right gear can make or break your chances of bagging a buck. From a spotting scope to a treestand, the best hunting equipment is incredibly important for any avid deer hunter. It also helps you to stay comfortable in the field, which is especially vital if you’re hunting for a long period of time.
Whether you’re a seasoned hunter or just getting started, there are lots of great hunting gadgets that you can add to your arsenal. Some are incredibly useful for multiple purposes, and they can save you money on new gear as well. For example, a few trash bags can serve as a ground cloth for skinning game meat, or they can keep your equipment dry during stream crossings. Similarly, a bungee cord can hold a water bottle and provide extra support while climbing.
The best way to know if a gear set is hunting or not is to index it before disassembly. This is a process that repositions the pattern of teeth on the ring gear and pinion gear, which reduces wear and noise caused by mismatching patterns. This is a very nerdy topic, but it is essential for maximizing the longevity of your hunting gear.