Modern Day Hunting Slogans

View from the boarder of Idaho looking into Montana

This year has been one of the hardest seasons for me for many different reasons.  At the same time, I have had some great experiences that have helped me from becoming so discouraged that I throw in the towel.  Through these high's and low's, there have been quite a few different thoughts cross my mind that I felt I would share with you to see if I am the only one who feels this way.

Public Land "Slogans"

My hike in

This year has by far been my most disappointing hunting season in regards to my interaction with other hunters.  There have been at least 5 specific situations where another hunter has spooked the game I was after as I was making a stalk or calling one in.  Not only have I had this happen, but I was also flipped off, yelled at, and cursed at even though I was the hunter stalking the animal first or set up prior to the other hunter even showing up.  I spent plenty of time hiking "further and longer" than the typical hunter yet as well as "going in early and staying late".  With that said, I will say that even though you hear that you need to go in earlier, stay later, hike further, and stay longer than other hunters... some times those slogans are nothing more than words.  Don't get me wrong, the message in these saying have a place and are true to an extent, while realizing that you are not nor ever will be the only hunter who has the same mentality or game plan.  The truth is, you hunt where the animals are.  The reality is that when you hunt public land, you are never going to be the only one who hunts an area or is moving in on a elk that is bugling.  There have been plenty of hunting trips that I have gone on where I have been so high in the back country that I start to think to myself that I may be the only one within miles... just to look down and find a beer can, a candy wrapper, or even look down the ridge with my spotting scope just to see a group of hunters following my exact same path.  We live in the time where the "high country" is as much of a status as it is an adventure.  I have even had many non-residence contact me asking where they should hunt while making the point that their main motive is to be on a "backpacking high country elk/deer hunt".  I have talked to a few of them about where they may be able to find a mature buck or bull and if it's not in the "high country" they aren't that interested.   Soo to conclude this point, as long as it is "cool" to backpack into the high country and chase screaming bulls or big mule deer, then you will never be alone on public land.

Solo hunting experience

Learning to Hunt Solo...
This is one struggle I have had for a couple years now... I recently saw a post that said, "Good hunting buddies are hard to find so keep the ones you've got".  This post hit home for me because I have struggled recently to find someone to go hunting with me.  My wife has naturally been my best hunting buddy while having kids, and her being a working mother, it has been hard for her to find time or justify leaving her other responsibilities to come hunting with me.  My other hunting buddies either have moved, demanding work schedules, or other friends they would rather hunt with which has left me with the option of hunting alone most of the time.  When you have spent most of your time hunting in a group of 2-4 people, it is quite an adjustment to learn how to hunt alone.  Spotting and stalking can be done easier when you are a solo hunter, but when you try to set up and call in an elk, it is nice to have someone behind you calling while you set up for the shot.  Another adjustment for me (which makes me sound like a softy) is being "okay" with experiencing some of the most amazing views, some of the most unique experiences, or some of the most rare moments in the wild yet not being able to share that moment with someone else.  Don't get me wrong, I could spend days on end alone in the mountains and be as happy as could be, but sharing these moments with someone else creates a bond that can't be adequately expressed in words.   No matter how good I am at explaining an awesome experience to someone, it never seems to do it justice.


"Hunters need to support one another"

Permanent structure I found some hunters building

Sorry for starting this section so bluntly, but... SCREW THAT!!!! As I mentioned earlier, this year has been one of the most disappointing years I have ever had while hunting.  I have been flat out embarrassed by some of the other hunter's conduct.  From seeing illegal behavior to unruly treatment toward other hunters, it has been hard to follow the slogan or saying that "hunters need to stick together" or "We're on the same team". From what I have been experiencing this year, as well as previous years only in smaller amounts, is that not all hunters are built the same way... The truth of the matter is that there are some hunters that are great, respectable, and considerate even if this involves them allowing another hunter to pursue or tag an animal they were after.  On the other hand, there are some hunters that are selfish, greedy, entitled, and down right rude when interacting with other hunters.  Don't get me wrong, I'm protective of my hunting areas and wish that I was the only one who hunted it, but when this reality sets in I will ALWAYS have some interaction with other hunters as long as I'm hunting on public land.  It's been hard for me to cope with the reality of how rude and inconsiderate some hunters can be, but I have had to remind myself that the more I let them bother me and upset me, the less I enjoy my passion of being in the outdoors.  One concept that is shared often in my profession is to not allow certain people to have control or influence over your life.  I have had to force myself to let things roll off my shoulder and not hold on to the conflicts I have encountered this year.  I can let go of all the drama without supporting or endorsing their behavior.  I actively stand up for the rights of hunters as well as the ethical and legal treatment of our land and animals.  Often those who are confrontational and arrogant are doing something they shouldn't be which is one more reason to avoid them and do your own thing.  I have reported illegal activity as I have seen it, and feel better when I let some hunters be how they are while I do my own thing... Never will I "be on the same side" or "be on the same team" as someone who treats others with such little respect or treats the land/animals as disrespectful as they do...

Under the permanent structure they were dumping feed, baiting in the elk

In essence, even though there are a lot of popular slogans and saying for hunting on social media, remember that this is all stuff that is said on the internet.  There is truth to many of these slogans and sayings but in reality we are all different, hunt differently, have different goals, and have different motives.  You can hunt as hard, far, and long as you want but in most cases you still won't completely avoid other hunters as long as you are on public land.  Yes there are more people in certain areas than others and you can choose to hunt in an area with less pressure, but just know that its just a matter of time before another hunter has the same ideas as you.  Hunt the way you like, we are not on the same team, but you don't have to be rude and inconsiderate toward others.  You can do your thing and let others do theirs without being confrontational.  When all is said and done I enjoy chatting with other hunters but if we let other people, slogans, sayings, social media, or other popular memes govern our experience we won't experience anything other than disappointment.  They can inspire us, influence us, or even discourage us, but when push comes to shove hunt the way you want and treat others with respect and you'll enjoy your experiences much more.  

Moments I "hunt" for :)

Hawke Optics Endurance ED 20-60X85 Spotting Scope Reveiw

I am not going to lie, when I started this review I was nervous I was going to be a little biased just because I have become some a fan and believer of the Hawke Optic products.  I have used Hawke’s binoculars, rifle scopes, and their spotting scopes this last year and I have defiantly become a lifelong customer of HawkeOptics.  Just like all of their products, the price is the absolute first aspect I appreciate about this spotter.  When you compare similar spotting scopes with the same bells and whistles, the Endurance ED 20-60X85 comes in the lowest cost by a few hundred dollars.   On Hawke’s website, this spotter is listed at $899 which is rare to find a spotter like this for under (or even close to) $1,000.  I have also seen this same spotting scope listed as low as $629.00 on websites such as Ebay or Amazon.  I will assure you that the low cost of this spotter is not due to any short cuts or lack of ingenuity.  Even though I can’t begin to touch on all of the different qualities that make this spotter so great, I will point out the key points that made an impression to me.

I could try to explain lots of the different components or mechanical/structural factors that make this spotting scope so great, but I will admit that even knowing what fancy technology they use doesn’t make me like this scope any more than I already do.  If you want to read all about the nitty gritty details like the phase correction coating, roof prism, or BaK4 Glass, etc. then The Best Spotting Scopes Reviews website reviewed many different brands of spotting scopes including Kowa, Vanguard, Celestron, and Swarovski after which named the Endurance ED 20-60X85 this years “Best SpottingScope of 2014”.  This proves it's not just me and my review is not biased! :) Their article will go into all of the little details about the structure and other treatments that make this spotting scope so amazing while still being offered at such a great price!  Instead of repeating what their review shares I will focus on my experience with the Endurance ED 20-60X85 spotting scope and why I agree that it is the best spotting scope of 2014!

Weight:

One of the most impressive aspects of this spotter is how light weight it is for its size and quality.  I am not going to act like this spotter is pocket size and is small enough to not even notice it, but even with it being a normal size spotter the fact it is so light makes it a great spotter to pack around on every hunting or scouting trip without bogging you down.  The body is built out of alloy of magnesium which not only makes it light weight but also makes it very durable.   The Endurance ED measures in at 15.4 inches long, 4.1 inches wide, and 7.1 inches tall which gives it a total weight of 56 ounces (3.5 pounds) most of which is the 85mm objective lens.   The fact that Hawke made this spotting scope as light weight as possible without sacrificing the durability really makes me impressed with the scope. The spotting scope also comes with a light weight soft shell cover which protects it from the elements. 

Lighting:

Of course we all know that many of the times the animals we are after don’t get up and move around until right before dark or early in the morning when the lighting isn’t always the best.  The Endurance ED is a great spotter for those low light conditions!  With the 85 mm lens, the Endurance ED gathers a lot of light which is then focused through the extra low dispersion (hence the ED in the name of the scope) glass which not only brightens the image but also increases the quality of the image.  Another quality concerning lighting that I found to be useful is that the Endurance ED has a sliding sleeve on the end of the objective lens which can be used to reduce glare as well as protect the lens when glassing in rainy or snowy conditions. 

 

Adaptability and Focus:

So the Endurance ED has a mounting plate which is attached to a metal collar that runs around the body of the scope.  This collar allows the Endurance ED to rotate 360 degrees to adjust/adapt to whatever viewing conditions you may be in.  After you are able to adjust to the viewing conditions, the collar can be locked into place to avoid unwanted movement.  The Endurance ED has two focus knobs which allow you to fine tune your focus.  The dual focus feature was one thing I really enjoyed especially when I was using the Endurance ED for digiscoping.  The fine tune smaller wheel is awesome to adjust the image to get exactly the right focus for pictures or other close up decisions that this spotting scope will help you make!

Quality:

The last thing I will focus on is that this spotting scope has worked the same for me from the moment I took it out of the box, as it does now after putting it through countless back pack trips, quick hunting adventures, and a few unexpected two year old girl encounters.  My daughter thought she was helping dad put his hunting gear away and tried to carry my scope all by herself down the stairs… I won’t act like I’ve tossed this thing around carelessly or used it as a soccer ball, but the Endurance ED has been with me all over South Eastern Idaho this season and has performed perfectly every time I have used it.  Hawke does provide a Limited Lifetime Warranty for all of their products which gives you comfort that they stand behind their product and its durability!

Digiscoping the moon

I have used some other spotters which have been good and have worked great for me.  I have either been disappointed with how heavy and large the spotting scopes were or I was disappointed in the quality and power because the spotting scope sacrificed these attributes for size and weight.  The Hawke EnduranceED 20-60X85 is the spotter that I have been completely happy with regarding size, quality, weight, and performance as well as the fact that Hawke provides such an amazing scope at such a good price!  I couldn’t be happier with the scope and encourage you to check out the EnduranceED 20-60X85 if you are looking to get a spotter.  Be sure to check out any of the Hawke Optics products at their website!  You won’t be disappointed!  

 

Once again if you want to read a much more extensive and lengthy review of the Hawke Endurance ED 20-60X85 Spotting Scope and why it was named this years "Best Spotting Scope of 2014" you can visit http://www.bestspottingscopereviews.com/HawkeEnduranceED20-60x85SpottingScope-13.htm to read why Best Spotting Scopes Reviews website agrees that this spotter is a great find!

Disclaimer:

As with all reviews on Idaho Pursuit, the following review is my honest opinion. I received the Hawke Optics Endurance ED 20-60X85 to review as a member of the Hawke Optics Field Staff.  Hawke Optics gave me open permission to review this product honestly regardless of the outcome.  Hawke Optics did not give me any instructions or guidance on how to review the products so everything written on this post is based on my experience and opinion with the product.

Teton Sports Summit 1500

Teton Sports Summit 1500

I recently received the Teton Sports Summit 1500 backpack for a review.  When I first opened the package I was a little concerned with how small the pack looked to be honest.  The pack only weighs in at 2.4 pounds, which may have added to my mind thinking the pack was so small.  The pack was light, yet it had a sturdy internal frame which gave the pack great structure.  Before I went any further, I got online to read a few reviews on the same pack to see what others thought about it.  I noticed that I was not the only one with a concern about the size of the pack.  A few people who reviewed the pack noted that they ended up passing it onto a younger family member or friend rather than using the pack themselves.  After doing my own review on the pack, all I have to say is that those other individuals may want to consider getting that pack back from whoever they gave it to!

For part of my review, my wife and I were able to get an awesome deal on renting two snowmobiles from Island Park Adventures, which is only about 40 minutes from where we live.  My wife had played around on a snowmobile a few times growing up but had never really gone on a snowmobile ride.  Even though a snowmobile trip wasn't what I would normally use a pack like the Summit 1500 for, I decided I would take it along on the trip to see how I liked it.  The night before the ride, I loaded it up with the following:

Teton Sport Summit 1500 and everything I fit in it

- 2 liter Geigerrig Hydration System

- 2 bandanas

- 2 extra pair of socks

- 3 sandwich size bags of food

- 1 bag of cashews

- 1 bag of jerky

- 3 candy bars

- 1 box of granola bars

- 1 bag or dehydrated apples

- 1 32 oz Gatorade Bottle

- 1 16 oz water bottle

- 2 extra beanies (snow-hats)

- 1 extra pair of gloves

- 1 flashlight

- Emergency fire supplies

- Toilet paper

- Extra pair of contacts

- My SOG Flash II (Pocket Knife)

- Taurus 40 Caliber Pistol

I didn't really need all of that gear for this trip but I wanted to make sure I packed the Summit 1500 the same way I would (or close to it) as if I was going on a hike.  Another disclaimer is that I was not only packing all of this stuff for me; my wife didn't want to have a backpack on during our trip so I got to carry what she wanted as well.  This helped me cope with my doubt that the pack was too small.  I filled my pack with this gear in no certain order or fashion and it all fit with ease in the main compartment.  I even had some room to spare and hadn't even filled the pockets on the side or the hood of the pack.  The pack has six different pockets and two pouches, as well as multiple straps and loops which can be used to attach and secure gear.

For those of you who may not know much about snowmobiling, riding a snowmobile for a whole day is quite a work out.  The ride is usually always bumpy and is full of ups, downs, and lots of leaning to one side or another.  I figured if this pack could stay on without sliding all over my back while I was attempting to toss a snowmobile around in the powder of the Rocky Mountains, then the pack would be fit for a good hike or two.  My wife and I started our ride around 8:30 am and took off to a scenic byway called Big Springs.  Later on, we decided to take off on a long ride to the top of a local mountain called Two Top.

All together, my wife and I rode around for close to eight hours.  We saw lots of great scenic views and had a wonderful time together.  The only time the Summit 1500 ever got in the way was when my wife got her snowmobile stuck and I had to get her out of a four foot snow pit she dug.  Even then, the only reason I realized I had the pack on was because I was rolling around in chest deep snow trying to dig out a thousand pound machine. 

 

Me riding with the Summit 1500 on my back

What I liked about the pack was that it fit very securely to my body and it did not bounce around no matter what terrain I was on.  I did adjust the pack a few times to get it just right.  I had a little bit of a difficulty centering the pack to where the load was mostly on my waist instead of my shoulders.  The pack is only 22.5 inches long which was a little short for my torso.  If I adjusted it all the way to carry the load on my hips, then the pack would pull away from my shoulders because of the slack in the shoulder straps.  Once I played around with it for a while I found a happy medium for the load I was carrying that was just right for me.

The pack does have two adjustment straps which I thought helped tremendously when I was trying to get the right fit.  The first strap is from the top of the shoulder strap and attaches to the top end of the pack itself.  You can adjust this strap to take out any slack from lengthening your shoulder straps.

Shoulder adjustment strap

The second adjustment strap is on the waist belt which cinches the pack securely to your waist strap.  This also helps the pack from bouncing around or tipping from one side or the other.  These are only a few of the features I quickly learned to appreciate about this pack.  I also enjoyed the double draw string enclosures to the main compartment which allowed me to expand my load capacity as well as ensure my gear was secure in my pack.  Another feature I liked was how the hood fit around the top of the pack with two heavy duty clips and an elastic bungee sewn in the hood to create a snug tight fit.  I never had to worry about snow getting down into my gear or anything randomly falling out of my back while I was jumping or climbing my snowmobile up the side of the mountain.  

waist adjustment strap

Draw-string enclosures

I wanted to make sure that this pack was not only good for snowmobiling, but also other activities. Because of this, I also took it on a quick snowshoe trip to hunt coyotes.  I loaded the pack similarly, with less food and more hunting supplies and adventured out on a quick trip.  Overall, during this hunt, I enjoyed how comfortable the pack was and how well I could adjust the pack for the different load I was carrying.  I was unlucky on the coyote hunt but I was just as happy, if not more so, with the pack on my second small adventure as I was on my first adventure.

Cool view of the sun between the trees

The description of this pack says that it is great for an overnight or full-day trip.  I would completely agree that it is a great day pack and that it would be able to meet all of your expectations for this type of outing.  I, myself, would have a hard time trying to use this pack on an overnight trip.  If I was just hiking, and that is it, I may be able to make this work. Most of my over-night trips involve me packing in hunting and or fishing equipment on top of all my hiking gear.  For an overnight trip, I would probably consider Teton Sports' Summit 2800 or their Hiker 3700.  My overnight gear is a little large to fit onto or into the Summit 1500 but I could see if you used Teton Sports' over night gear, this would definitely be a possibility.  

Me riding past Big Springs

 In conclusion, I would highly recommend the Summit 1500 to anyone interested in a great day pack and a possible one-night adventure pack.  I feel with the different straps and loops on this pack you would be able to fit the gear you needed for either one of these type of trips. You can pick up this pack on Amazon and Sportsman's Warehouse for under $60 bucks or you may be lucky enough to win one here on my blog! Teton Sports is confident enough that you will like the pack that they have decided to offer this pack to a lucky winner by following the instructions on RaffleCopter below! (Please note that this contest is limited to the lower 48 states)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


If you are ever in the Island Park area and want to rent some snowmobiles or any other type of toy be sure to give Island Park Adventures a call and see what they have to offer!

Disclaimer:

As with all reviews on Idaho Pursuit, the following review is my honest opinion. I received the Teton Sports Summit 1500 free of charge and agreed to provide a review in exchange. I am not sponsored by or associated with Teton Sports and am not accepting any  compensation, monetary or otherwise, in exchange for this review.  My independent status may change in the future but, as of the date of publication, no relationship other than described above has been pursued or established.