Put Your Mouth where Your Money Is

[boilerman]

Other than the weapon itself, what is the best piece of hunting equipment, clothing, or other accessory that you've spent your hard earned money on. There are so many things on the market now, and most will agree that a lot of them are gimics and a waste of money.

For me, I would have to say my ladder stand. And most recently I got a pair of Muck rubber boots, which I love. Please share and save us all from wasting money on more junk.

[Kutter]

Scope! I spent more on my scope than on my rifle.
Next, I'd say, would be a good custom knife that you will use for the rest of your life.
Stands, clothes, etc, can vary over time.
The main thing is to keep buying new toys. LOL

[boilerman]

What kind of scope is it? What makes it different from the ordinary Simmons, Tasco, etc.? Thanks

[lroyal]

my best peice of equipment is my simmons atech scope. my most useful peice of equipment is a cheap seat cushion. keeps me from movein near as much.

[flathead willie]

The best piece of equipment I have is my API stand. It is so comfortable it keeps me in the woods longer.

[BLKCLOUD]

FOUR WHEEL DRIVE FOUR WHEELER!!!!!!

[Mi11er]

I bought a Seat-o-the-pants safety harness last year and I can enjoy hunting high now. I am a little leary of high( and when I say leary I mean scared #@#$less) and now I can enjoy the hunt instead of worrying about falling out of the tree. It is very comfortable and fits me very well ( I am 6'1" 290) You can even climb the tree with it still attached to the tree, very nice for us with high places phobea.

[Kutter]

What kind of scope is it? What makes it different from the ordinary Simmons, Tasco, etc.? Thanks

It's a Leupold Vari-X III 4.5X14, but that's besides the point. There are many great scopes. Everybody has preferences. The point is that while most folks, I believe, skimp on the scope, I would rather go the other direction. As I often have said, great speakers can make even a cheap stereo sound good, but cheap speakers will make a top end stereo sound bad.

[bnorth]

This might come as a surprise to a few...but so far, one of my best buys has been the National Geographic TOPO! computer software...lets me scout any area long before I would like to step into the woods, I do some homework on potential new spots, find funnels, pinch points, and water ways with just the click of a mouse. Then I can print out the topographic maps to take with me; mark deer sign on them and stand sites. Excellent buy.

[psychomekanik]

FOUR WHEEL DRIVE FOUR WHEELER!!!!!!
i totally understand where you're coming from brother. "My back is killing me"!!

[bigfatcat]

my summit viper climbing treestand. so comfortable and it keeps me out of the sight line of the deer

[Zing]

Toilet paper:smile2:, I would have to agree with the above post, summit tree stand, four wheeler, scope, rubber boats. I have to agree with scope issue, do not scimp there, spend as much as you can afford on the scope. I need to throw in there for you smokers and that is myself included is a film canister for ashtry and butts. I would have to also add tostie toes, I wish I would have invented them.

[BLKCLOUD]

Toilet paper:smile2:, I would have to agree with the above post, summit tree stand, four wheeler, scope, rubber boats. I have to agree with scope issue, do not scimp there, spend as much as you can afford on the scope. I need to throw in there for you smokers and that is myself included is a film canister for ashtry and butts. I would have to also add tostie toes, I wish I would have invented them.

Zing..what do rubber boats have to do with deer hunting??

[boilerman]

Thanks fellas, that's exactly what I was looking for. Some of the mentioned, I also have. The ones I don't have or use, I now have a peaked desire for. I haven't read a post that I can disagree with yet. Thanks again.

I've been peaking around at one of those seat of the pants harnesses, but wasn't sure if they were worth buying. I've been interested in a harnesses with the vest, instead of just straps over the shoulders like I use now. I'm also interested in one that has a rope that goes around the tree versus the belt. My buddy has one, and they are so quick and easy to adjust.

Seems like a I buy something every year or so that I don't have any luck with. I have a gun cabinet drawer full of junk. I love the user reviews on the net, but more so, I respect the advice I get from BOC brothers.

[bigfatcat]

i have the hunter safty system vest safty harness very comfortable to have on i dont even notice it, and i use the rope vs. the strap so i can move it up the tree a i climb up the tree in my climber.

[poisonpits]

i do a lot of huntin round water and i have to say the best rubber boots and hip waders i ever used was lacross.

[boilerman]

i do a lot of huntin round water and i have to say the best rubber boots and hip waders i ever used was lacross.

I also have a pair of rubber Lacross boots. Probably a different kind from yours though. Mine are about the heaviest artic wheater they make. They're about 7 yrs old and still in new cond. They have really thick inserts for the coldest days. The only thing I don't like about the style I have is that they are so heavy and bulky, but man do they keep your feet warm.

The Mucks I have now are lighter, but also warm. They keep your feet dry, but absorb and store the moisture, so you have to dry them after every use if your feet sweat from a lot of walking. They have neoprene uppers rubber lowers. Your socks don't slide down. They're probably good to about 35 degrees without extra socks.

Rubber boots are my favorite. They don't leave and absorb scent like leather.

[223reload]

My 01 ford F250 powerstroke, Without it I couldnt leave town to GO huntin l:tounge_out:

[xringer3]

Number 1 piece of equipment has to be the clothes. If I'm cold and wet, then I won't be in the woods, and neither will all the other gear I've got either! LOL

[jlingle]

My wife bought me a set of 10X50 Pentax binoculars about 7 years ago, and she spent about $500 on them. At the time, they were the best binos I'd ever looked through, and they have literally transformed the way I hunt. These binoculars are the single best piece of hunting equipment that I own. I now buy the best scopes I can afford as well, because if I can't see it..... there's no way I can shoot it. I used to subscribe to the cheap scope theory as well, thinking that it made no difference. One evening while hunting with a .308 rifle that was wearing a $30 tasco scope, I couldn't see the buck next to a pond that my buddy wanted me to shoot. I ended up having to pass on the biggest buck of my life because I couldn't see to shoot it. Never again. Now all my rifles wear pretty good scopes, and I haven't had that mistake happen to me again. My best hunting rifle wears a Leupold scope that cost more than the rifle is worth.

A very wise man once told me to never skimp on boots or optics. I now believe him.

[bootshowl]

Some might think me crazy...but clothes. I took ten days figiring when I wore my wool coveralls, didn't even see a deer. New camos, I'm in the thick of it. Scent means something. I had some made of wool from canada for timber work,,,,, thought they would work. Don't think so. Gave em to the guy on the tractor, LOL.
:big_smile:

[Big B]

The next 2 most important things for me are more less tools and not pieces of equipment. They would be knowledge and confidence. If you have a weapon (gun or bow) you just need a place to hunt. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every now and then. But equipment wise, I have to have my back pack.

[jeffw51]

i really like my binoculars and my ez bow hanger it has a hinge and it lets me hunt hands free and the bow is hanging in front of me ready for a shot.

[stinkbaitman]

probly scent killer for me
in a treestand your above the deers line of sight so unless it hears or SMELLS you it wont see you so the cmoflauge isnt used. keep in mind that a deer can smell you any time you scent comes near it. but deer have to look at you to see that your not wearing camo.

[Zing]

Zing..what do rubber boats have to do with deer hunting??

Ok not rubber boats, but rubber boots