Hunting and Fishing News Blog Articles

The Beartooth 80 is constructed from 330D Lite plus Cordura fabric. This material is a fantastic compromise between rugged durability and lightweight. The low profile SJ Autolock buckles are more streamlined than traditional buckles shaving ounces while remaining absolutely bomber. What makes this pack stand out is the accessibility to its interior granted by the innovative 270-degree YKK zipper that grants “duffel-style” access. Organization is what truly separates the Beartooth 80 from the rest of the pack, pun intended. Sign up for this giveaway by filling out the form below. Good luck!

Loading…

The post Mystery Ranch Beartooth 80 Giveaway appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

As the old Special Forces adage goes, “Two is one, one is none.” meaning without a buddy watching your back you’re done. 

While it’s not the exact same as having a good hunting buddy, I would say they are definitely similar. When you have someone you train with, hunt with and that brings his own set of skills to the table, it will make you better. You will have someone to map study with, run theories by and glass better. You will not only hunt better but come tough times, you will have someone to suffer with. You will have someone by your side helping to deal with bad weather, grueling miles, sketchy climbs, long nights, pack outs and everything in between. I have a circle of friends I trust and hunt with and with a buddy on a hunt; we are safer and hunt more effective. 

You want to hunt with guys that share your same passion and guys who have your same ethics and morals. When hunting with buddies, you want to hunt with guys that make you better. Now, I don’t mean hunt with guys that have a bunch of good spots. I mean hunt with guys that make you a better hunter and better person. A hunting partner should be working just as hard as you are to find new spots, or different ideas on existing spots. Your hunting partner should be getting in workouts just like you are. Together you hold each other accountable, as no one wants to be the weak link for a hunt. 

Hunting partners should take their archery serious and always be practicing. If there is a way to help your buddy with his shooting or setup, it is your job to step in. Ultimately, you have to have the attitude that your buddy’s success is your success. The better your friends are around you, the better you will become. When you have a good hunting partner dedicated to the team and to the cause, you are an unstoppable force. 

If I told you that there was one singular thing that you could do to fill that coveted deer or elk tag in your pocket, would you do it? My guess is that you would – in a heartbeat. Well, there is one thing you can do and it won’t shock you to know that it is getting boots on the ground. Yup, an old-fashioned scouting trip will do more for you than any other in-season preparation you can do.

About 20 years ago the digital era was just starting and a paper map and compass were the standard navigation tools in just about every pack. In our modern era we now have access to cellular service in many wilderness areas and where you don’t, there is always the GPS option. So what does this have to do with boots on the ground scouting? Well, everything nowadays.

Years ago we used to pick a point on a map and then go scout it. My formula was:

-Look for areas devoid of trails

High country hunter Scott Reekers shares his experience with Kryptek’s Altitude collection in this review. The Altitude system by Kryptek features some of the most advanced fabrics available. Kryptek is the only hunting camo manufacturer using Schoeller fabrics and technology providing maximum breathability, ease of movement and 100% waterproof rain gear. This hunting gear is equipment that is built to perform at high elevation and out last any abuse you can dish up.

Learn more about Schoeller’s C-Change membrane:

The post The Kryptek Altitude Series! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

These duffel bags are great for a multitude of uses. They work great as a kit bag, shave bag, shell bag, shooter’s bag, emergency supplies, tool bag, gym bag, travel bag, or whatever you can come up with. Even use them to organize panniers on a pack adventure. They are built tough like everything else Mountain Ridge Gear makes and designed to withstand years of use.  Sign up for this giveaway by filling out the form below. Good luck!

Loading…

The post Mountain Ridge Gear Giveaway appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

If you haven’t heard of Initial Ascent backpacks, don’t feel alone, they launched in 2018. They are a relatively new offering with a strong product straight out of the heart of Idaho. The 4000+1500 with Pannier cui pack comes in at 5.95 lbs. The rugged triaxial carbon fiber frame that by itself accounts for only 18 oz. of the pack’s weight. The bag is composed of 500D Cordura and by itself has six large pockets, four on the sides and two on the back. Two of the pockets on the sides and both on back are composed of a stretch material that will make zipping the pockets easier than say a rigid Cordura build pocket when stuffed full of gear. Sign up for this giveaway by filling out the form below. Good luck!

Loading…the rugged triaxial carbon fiber frame that by itself accounts for only 18 oz. of the pack’s weight. This surprised me as it is much more beefy than their competitors in this space that have opted for carbon fiber frames.

The post Initial Ascent IA4K Giveaway appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

The next episode of Beyond The Grid TV is coming next week! Our question for you with this teaser is do you think that the Audad from this hunt was edible? Leave a comment below about whether or not you think it was edible and subscribe to our YouTube Channel here!

The post Beyond The Grid TV- Texas Sheep Massacre Teaser appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Eastmans’ subscriber Jayden Wallace puts the hammer to public land trophy antelope on a DIY hunt with his dad. This is a family hunting experience that 11 year old Jayden won’t soon forget!

Click here to watch video!!

Click here to read Jayden’s article in our digital magazine!!

Click here to Subscribe to our preseason special and get a FREE Outdoor Edge Knife!!

“What’s in a name?” This popular line from Shakespeare applies to more in life than you might realize. A name or descriptive terminology for something often has much deeper roots than we’ve been taught to believe. Such is the case with the term “Sportsman.” For years I’ve had a problem with us as Americans referring to hunting and fishing as a sport – because it isn’t. Hunting is a lifestyle, a passion – not a sport.

Years ago I was able to hear one of the most recognized wildlife biologists, researchers and biggest proponents of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation speak at a wildlife management conference in Bismarck, North Dakota. His name is Dr. Valerius Geist and he very eloquently put the history of the term Sportsman in its proper context, complete with historical perspective from England and Germany on truly where this descriptor of those loving the outdoors came from.

The fact of the matter is this: hunting is not a sport, it is a passion. In America, for decades we have perverted the term to have competitive connotations because the word sport is in the description. The term Sportsman is in fact an old English term simply describing the relationship between the hunter and other hunters, the hunter and the land and the hunter and the wildlife resources they are helping manage through wildlife conservation. To be a Sportsman meant you were a gentleman and treated other hunters, the land and the wildlife with profound respect. 

Too often we hear stories of irrational behavior exhibited by fellow hunters in the field – someone piggybacking on your hunting spot after you simply shared your story of success with them in passing, another person trying to beat you to an animal in a basin you have clearly been hunting before anyone else, an individual tagging an animal you just shot and claiming it was actually them who shot it when they just saw you shoot the animal and quickly arrived upon the dead animal, tagging it before your arrival. The list goes on and on (notice I didn’t refer to these slobbish people as hunters or sportsmen since they are nothing of the sort – true hunters/sportsmen do not act this uncivilized toward their fellow hunters/sportsmen).

As summer approaches, tags are being drawn, plans begin to form, everyone is getting excited for the season ahead. I was lucky enough to pull a challenging mountain goat tag in my home state of Wyoming, which is going to take me into entirely new country. I’ll be spending a lot of time in unfamiliar landscapes. I already am planning scouting trips to this new country, in hopes of finding legal goats, but also possibly a big highcountry buck or two as well. I know I will be spending my time alone like usual. There is something to be said about solo hunting. For me, it is my preferred method. Though I enjoy sharing time in the hills with friends, I truly enjoy the challenge both mentally and physically of hunting alone. 

The longest solo hunt I have personally done was 13 days straight in the Frank Church Wilderness back in 2007 while pursuing my once in a lifetime bighorn ram. By the end of two weeks without seeing another human, I was at the point of losing arguments with my horses. It was the mental aspect that began to take its toll. Going days without even seeing a sheep made staying positive challenging. I kept focusing on the adventure, and not the hope of success. I was alone in one of the most remote landscapes of the lower 48, and every decision and move I made was mine to choose. In the end, I almost gave up, but forced myself to climb one more mountain, and it was the reason I punched my tag. I have yet to have a hunt challenge me mentally as that sheep hunt did, but it also taught me what I could accomplish if I overcame the feeling of being mentally defeated. 

Sometimes when we are in the outdoors, accidents happen. At that juncture in life we each have a choice on doing the right thing or trying to cover it up.

Unfortunately some hunters make a poor judgement call at times. One such case from the ‘18 hunting season in CO has been in the news recently. A young man 19 years of age was caught and charged with almost $20,000 in fines for poaching a moose. He stated that when he shot, the animal was too far away to be positively identified while he was hunting elk. After realizing he made a mistake, rather than notifying the authorities, he neglected to report it and an anonymous source turned him in. Thankfully he admitted to it, but the damage had already been done, both to his reputation and those of law-abiding hunters in the eyes of the non-hunting public.

Aldo Leopold, often called the father of modern wildlife conservation, stated “A peculiar virtue of wildlife ethics is that the hunter ordinarily has no gallery to applaud or disapprove of his conduct. Whatever his acts, they are dictated by his own conscience, rather than by a mob of onlookers.”

As hunters we are more than just killers. We are sportsmen. What’s in a name, you may ask? In the August/September issue of Eastmans’ Hunting Journal in 2016 I wrote a fairly long article related to this issue. We have so much responsibility as representatives of hunters at large when we are out in the field, and we have a tendency to forget just how much others are watching our behavior. I know I am guilty of this.

In a recent article for Eastman’s, I wrote about the three macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fat) and how all three play an important role in your backcountry nutrition plan. Here, I’d like to outline the wide range of foods you can choose from when assembling your backcountry menu. All of these foods will contain nearly 100 calories per ounce or more, so you should be able to assemble 3,000 calories per day in less than two pounds of food.

Carbohydrates

When picking out carbohydrate rich foods for your adventure menu, you want to look for sources of carbs that are complex rather than simple. The reason for this is that complex carbohydrates take longer to digest and assimilate, so you’ll find that your energy levels are more stable after eating. In contrast, eating mostly simple carbohydrates such as refined sugar, can cause a sharp spike in your blood sugar levels, followed by a subsequent blood sugar crash. If you’ve ever felt the 3 pm energy slump, you’ve likely experienced this blood sugar drop.

Hunters Dan and John Pickar put the Sig Sauer BDX system to the test on the prairie dog town. The pair finds the Ballistic Data Exchange system to be easy and fun to use! The BDX system uses Bluetooth technology to communicate between Sig Sauer’s BDX rangefinders and rifle scopes. Set up is quick. Plug a rifle’s ballistics into the app and you are off and shooting with deadly accuracy in no time.

The post The Sig Sauer BDX System – Ballistic Data Xchange appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

Guy Eastman shares his tips for how to age elk on the hoof. Antler size isn’t always a good indicator of age. Instead rely on body conformation. Guy breaks down what to look for the next time you’re glassing up a bull. For more videos on elk and elk hunting visit this playlist on our YouTube channel.

The post That Bull Is How Old? Judge A Bull’s Age By His Body Size And Shape! appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

I have various issues with several states and how they do their reporting, but Montana takes the cake. Two of the last three years, the State has not even counted deer or elk hunters, so there are no unit or controlled hunt success rates posted on their web site for 2016 or 2018. We also hear from hunters all the time that they don’t trust what Montana does report.

Montana uses an antiquated voluntary phone survey. Some hunts like deer hunt 103-50 had zero response to the survey last year. People tell us they lie when asked where they shot their deer. In other cases, online data is wrong. Want to know the success for controlled hunt 270-50? In 2017 the regs listed 45 mule deer controlled permit buck tags and everything else was does or a whitetail general license. But the harvest report lists 1148 mule deer hunters. Oh, but wait. In Montana a hunter with a whitetail general license can shoot a mule deer if he chooses. So, every whitetail hunter is a mule deer hunter. It’s a mess, not to mention the general hunt is at the same time as the controlled hunt that takes several points.

Why no hunter numbers or success rates for 2016 and 2018? I’m told the State’s biologists get together every year and say what data they need to manage wildlife and apparently that doesn’t include hunter numbers or success rates, so to save money they skip information you and I do need. 

This is my primary beef with wildlife departments and nowhere is the problem more egregious than in Montana. Even though they are posted, reports are for biologists, not hunters, even though we need them to apply intelligently and we, for the most part, pay the bills. This needs to change.

Sign up here for your chance to win a brand new SIG Optics BDX System! We have 5 combo kits of the  KILO 2200 BDX paired with the Sierra 3BDX 4.5-14X50 mm rifle scope, valued at $1,319.99! We also are giving away 5  combo kits of the  KILO 1800 BDX paired with the Sierra 3BDXT4.5-14X44 mm rifle scope, valued at$1,079.99. This range finding system is packed with lightning fast electro optics technology with great edge to edge clarity and low light glassing ability. The BDX technology is also Bluetooth compatible meaning that with a touch of a button on your range finder illuminations on your scope will pop up, indicating your exact holdover for the shot you are planning to take. Don’t miss out on your chance to win a fantastic optics package! Sign up for this giveaway by filling out the form below. Good luck!

Loading…

The post SIG Sauer BDX System Giveaway appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.

In my ever present search for supportive, yet lightweight footwear I seem to keep stumbling on to amazing boots/shoes that take comfort and support to the next level. In recent years I have definitely gravitated toward ultralight footwear. To say I have adopted the old adage of “a pound on your feet is like 10 in your pack” would be an understatement.

However, I have also found there is such a thing as too light for what my feet demand to remain pain free. Ounce counting along with support considerations are vital for longevity in the field. This statement seems obvious, but sometimes we get so focused on certain criteria that we forget to look at the whole picture. The good thing is there is a slew of options in the midweight boot category that bridge the gap between ultralight shoes and supportive mountain boots.

In the spring of 2019 I was able to test a range of new boots from various manufacturers, including the Lowa Baldo GTX. The German boot company Lowa has been making quality mountain boots and shoes since 1923. They, like many of their competitors are well known for their rugged mountain boots and have really ramped up the technologies in the ever-evolving lightweight and midweight boot categories.

One of Lowa’s premier features on their boots is their X-Lacing system. This is comprised of a square stud in the middle of the upper tongue that keeps the tongue centered and the laces under consistent tension. This system, along with the roller eyelets help make up a 2-zone lacing setup for all day comfort when hiking or glassing. I’m normally a big proponent of doing a lacing adjustment a few miles into the day in order to keep your boots properly fitted (similar to tightening down a load on a trailer after a few miles down the road from the load adjusting in transit), but with this system I felt no need to adjust on the fly.  I was comfortable all day. The 2-zone lacing setup does what the name implies: it gives you essentially a lower and an upper zone for custom tension on those laces in the different parts of the foot. Too often a boot company will build a boot that forces the user to have the same tension throughout, but this isn’t the case with the Baldos

I have two toddlers and as such I find myself often telling them to keep their hands out of the cookie jar! At their age the jar is just way too much temptation. However, discipline has taught them that they have to say please, thank you and when they don’t follow the rules they will not get a cookie. Here is to hoping that the $15,000.00 fine and loss of hunting privileges for five years is enough to deter others from jumping the gun on shed hunting in closed areas the same way that discipline has worked for my children. 

A Wyoming man named Joshua Anders Rae received his punishment for jumping the gun and entering land closed to shed hunting where he then stashed 104 lbs of antlers for collection later. Rae plead guilty to the charges laid against him. For 104 lbs of antlers he has lost his hunting opportunities for five years and will have to figure out how to pay $15,000.00 to the state of Wyoming!

The question in just about every big game related case is, was the penalty enough? At first glance this punishment sounds pretty significant but is it enough to deter other people from putting their hands in the cookie jar?

The answer is complicated. With the value of antlers on the rise and the popularity of shed hunting at an all time high due to social media it may actually not deter would be law breakers. I have had friends tell me how much money they have gotten for their sheds and it never ceases to amaze me. 

Hunt Montana mule deer with a young Guy Eastman in this classic release from Eastmans’ vault. Guy’s father Mike Eastman narrates the hunt. Hunting mule deer out west takes patience and persistence.

The post Pure Mule Deer – Hunting Montana Mule Deer With Guy Eastman appeared first on Eastmans' Official Blog | Mule Deer, Antelope, Elk Hunting and Bowhunting Magazine | Eastmans' Hunting Journals.