Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

A waterproof bag will keep your smartphone dry, and the trapped air inside might also help prevent it from sinking. (Hiearcool/)

Smartphones have become so indispensable that we tend to take them everywhere. That exposes our valuable electronics to all manner of outdoor elements, especially moisture. There are plenty of waterproof cases on the market for every model of smartphone, but they are expensive. If you prefer your everyday designer case yet still need extra protection for the lake, river, or beach, the most affordable option is a universal waterproof pouch or dry bag. In addition to sheltering your phone, a small dry bag is also useful for storing a passport, wallet, cash, or credit cards. Here’s what to look for in a universal smartphone dry bag.

Size Matters

Make sure a waterproof bag is large enough to hold your phone an anything else you plan to keep inside before you buy. (Amazon/)

Despite the fact that most waterproof phone pouches are marketed as universal, many are specific to certain categories or size ranges of phone. Read the product specifications carefully to make sure the bag will accommodate your phone and its everyday case.

Run a Test

Test any waterproof container to make sure it does what it’s supposed to do before you slip your phone inside. (Amazon/)

Before committing your expensive phone to the briny depths or torrential rains, run a waterproofing tested. Seal up some tissue paper or other absorbent material in the case and submerge it for thirty minutes or so to verify that the seal and the case itself are both performing as advertised.

Hit the road and have your best deer hunt of the year. (John Hafner/)

You would think that 10 months of planning and prep work would be more than enough time. And yet here I am, just a few hours away from heading West for a week-long whitetail adventure, and I’m scrambling to get everything packed and loaded. I’d like to say this is abnormal behavior. It’s not. This is how it seems to go each and every fall. And, to be honest, I’m not sure I’d have it any other way.

One special thing about deer season, perhaps the most special thing is the fact that no matter how bad a day is, it will be followed by another sunrise. And that sunrise could bring the best whitetail day of the entire year. A week filled with nothing to do but see what each of those sunrises bring... well, I’m not sure what could be better.

I try to hunt several different states every deer season. Most of those outings are simple weekend, whirlwind affairs. But once a year (twice if I’m particularly lucky), I’ll take a full week-long road trip.

I’ve been taking these out-of-state hunts for about 15 years. These are DIY hunts all the way. I’ll generally hunt public land, but I won’t hesitate to knock on a door or stop by a farmer’s shop to ask permission if an area looks particularly promising. I’ve found some awesome areas and some really crappy ones. I’ve stayed in tents, campers, RVs, cabins, rental houses, and crashed in my truck in Wal-Mart parking lots. Along the way, I’ve ironed out a pretty good system for planning, prepping, and making the most of my time. Here’s how I do it.

1. Map It

Shane Mowery took this great Kansas buck while hunting over a mock scrape. (Tracy Breen/)

Hunting over deer scrapes has been a hotly debated strategy in camps across the country for decades. While some hunters barely give scrapes a second look when passing them by through the woods, others take painstaking steps to set up mock scrapes in multiple locations from early September right through late season. Regardless of what side of the argument you might find yourself, the odds of killing a buck over a scrape are small. However, according to deer hunters such as Doug Roberts from Conquest Scents, they are high enough that deer hunters should always build mock scrapes near their hunting blind or stand.

“There is no question that a lot of scrape activity happens at night,” says Roberts. “But when the rut kicks in, bucks are on their feet a lot during daylight hours and will often visit some scrapes during that time.”

Indeed, scrape hunting has paid big-buck dividends often enough to make it a viable tactic from September through December….Here are seven ways to raise the odds during the whitetail rut.

1. Start Early

Although the prime time to hunt over scrapes is limited, Roberts believes that mock scrapes should be made long before the rut.

A folding shovel should be somewhat lightweight and easy to store in your vehicle or among your gear. (Tyger Auto/)

When considering the panoply of gear essential to the outdoors, a shovel isn’t usually at the top of anyone’s list. But it’s one of those tools that can make otherwise tiresome tasks a breeze. Trenching a rain gutter around a tent footprint, excavating stuck vehicles, or digging a latrine are all made easier with a proper shovel. When searching for an entrenching tool, consider whether you need only a simple spade or a full-blown tool kit with interchangeable handles. The range of shovels and super-shovels these days is wide enough to meet every lifestyle.

Simple Folder

A foldable military-style shovel is all you’ll need to tackle any number of tasks. (Amazon/)

If all you need is to clear out a fire pit or have a shovel on hand for unforeseen emergencies, a simple military-style folding shovel should suffice. It packs up small enough to carry on a waist belt or backpack and adheres to the old military principle of KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid.

Multi-Functional

A folding shovel with various attachments can be a real asset when you’re not sure what you’ll encounter when you’re out and about. (Amazon/)

For a wider range of camp tasks that might call for, say, a pickax or a knife blade, a folding shovel with interchangeable bits will expand your preparedness and minimize the number of other tools you need to complete your mission, whether that’s a survival trek or a weekend at deer camp.

A French press is likely the easiest way to make your favorite cup of coffee when you’re on the go. (Bodum/)

There has been a revolution in coffee making over the past decade, with one’s choice and style of java becoming about as personalized as his or her fingerprints. Whether you take your espresso straight or Americano, or just want the perfect latte, a French coffee press is the best way to get exactly what you desire at home or in camp. They’re small enough to travel with and offer ultimate control over your morning Joe. To get every day started off right, consider these key features when searching for a coffee press.

Glass Beaker

A glass press makes it easy to inspect the contents before you drink. (Amazon/)

A glass beaker is the standard for French coffee presses because glass is so resistant to the rapid temperature changes involved in coffee making. Glass also offers the clearest view of the press in action to help you develop the perfect pressing speed and technique for extracting the best flavor from your grind.

Press Volume

If you need to make multiple cups of coffee for others, a press with a large capacity works best. (Amazon/)

The great thing about a French press is you can make barista coffee just for yourself or for a house full of guests. A press with a 1-liter beaker will make up to eight 4-ounce cups.

The Manti-La Sal National Forest in Utah. (U.S. Forest Service/)

The Tongass National Forest in Alaska is getting most of the publicity around a pending exemption from the Roadless Rule, which prevents new road building on certain Forest Service land. But in the Lower 48, Utah officials might have found a better option than exemption from the Roadless Rule. They're working through a Shared Stewardship Pact with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. To be clear, Utah is still looking to get out of the Roadless Rule even though the state has signed a four-year, $20 million Shared Stewardship agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But for now, Utah officials seem satisfied with allowing their Shared Stewardship pact to play out.

“For now, our official stance is that the Roadless Rule petition has not been withdrawn and is still pending, but we are focusing on the Shared Stewardship agreement and not focusing on the roadless rule petition,” Utah Public Lands Policy Coordinating Office (PLPCO) lead counsel Jake Garfield said in late October.

The frozen petition would seek to expedite projects within the state’s five national forests. Utah officials say more road access is necessary to reduce fire hazards and they want to lift Roadless Rule protections on 3.5 million of the states 4 million roadless acres.

Utah’s petition was geared to address “urgent challenges, among them catastrophic wildfires, invasive species, drought, and epidemics of forest insects and disease,” but Garfield said the state is willing to see if the pact can resolve its fire-mitigation priorities.

The federal Roadless Area Conservation Rule was established in 2001 to protect more than 50 million acres across the country from development, logging, mining and grazing.

Consider terrain, habitat, and distances you might hike during your four to five decades of hunting. A lighter cartridge and rifle might work to your advantage. But if you mostly hunt elk, moose, eland, kudu, and big bears, you might be better off with a heavier rig. (Ron Spomer/)

Can you do all your hunting with one gun? Yes, but within limits.

The limits are determined by what you hunt. And at what ranges. The perfect rifle at 100 yards might not be so ideal at 400 yards.

If you want one gun to rule them all, you have to make it a 12-gauge shotgun. Why? Because it can shoot pellets for upland birds, waterfowl, small game, and even—with buckshot—predators and deer. Load that 12-gauge with slugs and you’re ready to tackle any big game short of an elephant. And I wouldn’t bet against the 12-gauge on that, either.

But I don’t think most of us want to be stuck with just a short-range shotgun. What we’re really interested in is one big game rifle to rule them all. You know, the “deer rifle” that is also suitable for taking the odd varmint or coyote yet quite capable of handling elk, moose, bears, and African plains game.

If you want to stop reading and start hunting, get a .300 Winchester Magnum and forget about it. This famous belted magnum, around since 1963, can do it all. But, if you’re curious about recoil, trajectory, energy, price, and similar details that keep hunters arguing, keep reading. Because the .300 Win. Mag. is not the only horse in this race. Equally convincing arguments can be made for many 7mms, .338s, and even .35s.

Even a moderately-sized roaster can allow you to cook a lot of food for a lot of people at once. (Cuisinart/)

Feeding a full camp of hungry hunters requires not only culinary know-how, but also the right cookware. A roasting pan isn’t something you need every day, but for certain camp tasks, you’ve gotta have one. Here are a few ways that a bona fide roasting pan can expand the repertoire of any camp chef.

Making Bone Broth

Roast wild-game bones before dumping them into water to create a soup stock. (Granite Ware/)

If you do your own game processing, making bone broth is the final step in using the entire animal. Crack the bones to expose the marrow, coat with a little tomato paste, and roast uncovered for about twenty minutes. Then add water, celery, onion, salt, pepper, garlic, and a bay leaf or two, and simmer covered for several hours. The result is a nutritious and delicious broth great for sipping or for use as a stock in preparing other meals.

Camp Casseroles

A rectangular, shallow roasting pan can do more than just cook casseroles and cakes. (Cuisinart/)

A shallow roasting pan can easily do double duty as a casserole or lasagna dish. With a shallow wire rack, it can be used for everything from preparing roasts to drying and smoking small batches of jerky or fish.

Even a few inexpensive improvements can make your trailer safer and easier to operate. (Gorilla-Lift/)

A utility trailer is one of the most useful “luxury” toys any outdoorsman can own. From removing yard waste to hauling tree stands, coolers, tables, and other essentials to deer camp, a utility trailer literally pulls its own weight every single time you use it. But it’s also heavy and cumbersome to manage. Here are three trailer accessories that will make using your trailer easier and safer every time.

Install Gate Lifts

A gate lift makes it much easier and safer to raise and lower a heavy trailer gate. (Gorilla-Lift/)

A trailer gate is basically a giant mousetrap waiting to smash whatever is under its swing. Lowering the gate doesn't have to be a tap dance to get out of the way. Just install a gate lift. They are available for mounting on a single rail or both, but either way they make raising and lowering a heavy trailer gate easy and safe.

Use a Trailer Dolly

If you need to relocate a trailer, use a dolly and your spine will thank you. (MaxxHaul/)

Even an empty utility trailer is heavy enough to present problems moving by hand, and no one likes to hitch up to the truck just to move a few feet. Solve the problem with a trailer dolly. They are not only helpful with moving a full utility trailer, but also boat trailers as well.

A grill topper can allow you to do things that would normally require a gridle or fryer. (Weber/)

A gas grill need not be limited to its traditional uses for charring and searing over grates. A wide variety of grill-top accessories opens up an array of cooking styles to the outdoor chef. From experimenting with Japanese Teppanyaki cuisine (think birthdays at Benihana) to smoking vegetables or whipping up fried eggs and pancakes, a grill topper gives you options limited only by your creativity. Here are a few styles to choose from.

Griddles

A full-sized topper won’t leave much space on the grill for other items, but you’ll be able to prepare food in ways you never thought possible. (Little Griddle/)

A full-sized grill-topper is as versatile as any indoor griddle. It heats evenly, sears the entire surface rather than just on the bars of a grate, and imparts the perfect combination of crust and tenderness that is hard to achieve with a traditional grill grate.

Pans

A small topper leaves room on the grill for other foods. (Weber/)

A miniature grilling pan is perfect for smaller or more delicate foods, such as fish filets. It won't take up the entire grate surface, leaving room for traditional grilling techniques that allow you to bring the entire meal together at once.

Whether you’re a hunter, angler, shoot, camper, or just someone who enjoys spending time away from the trailhead, your gear can make or break a trip. We know you want to buy the best gear you can afford, which is why we created Bargain Hunter. Our team is working directly with some of the best outdoor brands in the business to bring you good deals and discount promotions—including some exclusive offers you won’t find anywhere else. We hope this helps you get the gear you want without breaking the bank.

Bookmark this page in your browser and check back every week to see a new list of discounted gear. Here are the deals for the week of November 3 through November 10, 2019.

Survival Frog—An Outdoor Life Exclusive

Spend $50 on Survivalfrog.com between November 3 and November 10, 2019, and you'll be automatically entered to win a $300 Survival Frog All-in-One Bug Out Bag that includes over six different survival kits. This promotion is only available through Outdoor Life. (Survival Frog/)

Leupold

Save $250 on Leupold RX-2600 TBR rangefinders. (price: $350; reg: $600) (Leupold/)

Cabela's

Mike Hanback with a great Montana buck that he rattled in during the rut. (Michael Hanback/)

It’s the biggest lesson I’ve learned in more than 30 years of studying and hunting whitetail deer across North America: Don’t overthink it. You don’t need a grand plan to kill a buck, especially when the rut is on in November. Just go out and have fun, hunt every hour that you can, and use these time-proven pointers to your advantage.

Check the record books, and you'll see that more giant bucks have been shot November 7 to 12 than any other days. With the moon waxing to full on November 12, that window will be prime this year. Can you get off work?

Did you know? Studies show that one mature buck may blaze as many as 1,200 rubs from late September through November, or some 17 rubs a day.

Which rubs are the best sign? Look for antler-blazed trees as thick as your bicep. All bucks rub saplings, but only mature bucks work trees 4 to 6 inches in diameter or larger.

A copse of antler-mangled saplings or cedar branches are sign of an aggressive buck— the kind of beast you want to hunt because he's apt to move in daylight.

A good rangefinder can make the difference between whether your next big game hunt is a successful one or you go home empty-handed. Truth is, many times hunters miss game animals with bows and guns because they miscalculated the range to the animal. Because of the phenomenon described by Sir Isaac Newton way back in 1687, the instant a projectile—arrow or bullet—leaves your bow or gun, it begins to fall. If you know the ballistics (amount of drop) for your weapon at different distances, all you need to know to be accurate is the exact distance. That’s where a rangefinder comes in handy. Here are 10 things to consider when shopping for a laser rangefinder.

This Simmons rangefinder will give accurate readings out to 600 yards. (Walmart/)

Buy Now

Laser rangefinders have come a long way since they first came on the hunting scene about 25 years ago. Now, many can give accurate readings within a yard or two all the way out to a mile or even farther. Even at the minimal end, there are few rangefinders on the market that won't range accurately out to about 300 or 400 yards—farther than most hunters will ever shoot at a big game animal. If you're mainly a bowhunter, you probably don't need a rangefinder that'll tell you the distance of an object a mile or more away. But for bowhunters who think that there's an outside chance they might travel out West to chase antelope or elk with a rifle someday, opting for one that'll range out to 1,000 yards is probably a good idea.

This rangefinder has 6x magnification and a 20mm objective lens. (Walmart/)

Buy Now

Another important consideration when selecting a rangefinder is magnification. This factor is critical since many times hunters range animals a very long distance away, and it's nearly impossible to see them, much less range them, without magnification. On a 6x rangefinder, the object you are trying to get a range on will look six-times larger than it looks with your normal vision. So, putting the aiming point on the object is easier. Note that some companies now make binoculars with built-in rangefinders. These are handy because they usually have a high magnification of 10x or more. Consequently, getting the range of an animal at a very great distance isn't as difficult because of the magnification. These units are typically very expensive, but since they take the place of two tools, some hunters find them worth the money.

Deer season is fleeting. Here's how to make it count. (John Hafner/)

You don’t have to spend much time on social media (or sitting around a deer camp) to realize, there’s not much we hunters all agree on. But there is one universal truth amongst us: There’s never enough time to do all the things we want to do. This is a malady that seems compounded in November.The greatest deer hunting month of them all is upon us. And, no matter how much we plan or how hard we wish, each day still lasts but 24 hours and each week is comprised of just seven days. Five of those days, if you’re like just about every other American hunter, are spent on the job. That means you’ve got damned little time to spend in the woods. Toss in a youth football game here, a dance recital there, some time spent doing things that keep you blissfully married and the hours available for hunting dwindle in a hurry.

So how can you make the most of every minute, to pack a year’s worth of whitetail wonder into a ridiculously limited period of time? Like this...

1. Be Uber-Efficient

Time wasted is time lost. I didn't coin that phrase but I certainly try to live by it. Earlier this year, I wrote a piece about my decision to greatly simplify my approach (and, in large part, my life) by adopting a more minimalist approach to hunting. Less gear means less hassle. Fewer things to forget. Less time to pack. More efficiency.

Let’s look at a common after-work scenario. Even if you are able to sneak out of work a little early, the only way this hunt happens is if you’re highly efficient with your time. If you stop at home, look around a bit for you boots, your release aid, you grunt call, etc. and you’ve lost about 15 minutes. Now you’re rolling into the stand late and that’s starting to cut an already close setup even closer.

A ranger with the Bureau of Land Management, which has received the bulk of the harassment (Bureau of Land Management/)

Abuse and threats go hand-in-hand with being a forest or park ranger in 2019, according to a new report recently released by the Government Accounting Office.

Rangers for the Forest Service, National Park Service and other land management agencies catch the brunt of everything from hostile language to threats with weapons to domestic terrorism, says the report, breathlessly titled Federal Land Management Agencies, Additional Actions Needed to Address Facility Security Assessment Requirements.

The investigation was requested by Congress and reviewed threats against public land managers from 2013-17.

“Data from the four land management agencies … showed a range of threats and assaults against agency employees, ranging from telephone threats to attempted murder,” the report said. “Employees may not always report threats because they consider them part of the job.”

The report also reveals that the FBI initiated “under 100” domestic terrorism investigations, involving threats to federal land management employees.

The buck with antlers shaped like flames. (Alex Robinson/)

My rangefinder was out of batteries, and I had forgotten to bring my water bottle, binoculars, and bow rope. It was 3:30 on a late-October afternoon, and I was hustling to get to a stand that was hung in the south corner of a drying cornfield that was ringed with beans.

I’d pulled the trail camera card on this stand just a day before, and I was thrilled to see a big buck appearing semi-consistently during legal shooting hours. He had a crazy brow tine that looked like a double main beam jutting out from the base of his rack. Another brow-tine-like point poked forward in front of his face. I texted the photo to my hunting buddy who accurately replied: “It looks like he has flames coming out of his head!”

The next day, the wind was right, it was a cool afternoon, and most importantly … I just had a good feeling about it. So I left work early, blew off a bunch of other obligations, and rushed to my stand to get in a few hours of hunting that afternoon. This would be the first time anyone had ever sat in the stand.

I didn’t see any deer for the first two hours of my sit, and I fought the urge to respond to the emails that were piling up on my phone. But about 15 minutes before sunset, I heard the unmistakable crunching footsteps of a deer headed toward the field-line I was hunting. I grabbed my bow and slowly stood up in the stand as the crunching came closer. To keep myself from getting overexcited, I thought, ‘There’s no way this is going to be the buck,’ but I got ready anyway because well, I had a good feeling. And then the crunching reached the edge of the field, and sure enough, it was the buck with the crazy flame rack standing 60 yards upwind (or that’s at least my guess without my rangefinder).

I couldn’t believe it, and at the same time … of course it was the buck. It had to be.

A Cooper Firearms .50 caliber Model 22ML with a nice buck taken at 223 yards, with a Harvester Muzzleloading saboted 300-grain polymer-tipped Scorpion PT Gold bullet. (Toby Bridges/)

In November of 2016, after six days of hunting, I finally managed to catch up with a very good Montana 12-pointer. After a 100-yard crawl, I rested the forearm of my Cooper Firearms .50 caliber Model 22ML on a cedar fencepost. I had ranged the buck at 223 yards, and I knew that the 120-grain charge of Blackhorn 209 and saboted 300-grain Scorpion PT Gold would drop 12 inches at that distance. I held the crosshair above the facing shoulder and tightened my finger on the trigger. The rifle belched loudly, and that mature, big-bodied buck literally dropped on the spot.

The 300-grain .451-inch Scorpion PT Gold has served hunters well for more than ten years. This .250 BC bullet is a proven performer, capable of delivering accurate game taking performance to 300 yards. (Toby Bridges/)

The charge and bullet I was using that day could retain the 800 ft-lbs of energy needed to take down a whitetail out to around 300 yards. As impressive as that may be, there are now quite a few muzzleloading hunters seeking even greater effective range—and some bullet makers have been listening.

Today’s muzzleloading big game hunters are more performance-driven than at any other time in history. Thanks to advanced No. 209 primer ignition systems and extremely energetic black powder substitutes, the current crop of high-performance, in-line rifles are easily capable of producing muzzle velocities of more than 2,000 fps. Many hunters are shooting for 300 yards, and a growing number of hunters are beginning to push game-taking muzzleloader performance to 400 yards.

Powered by 120-grains of Blackhorn 209, a Harvester Muzzleloading saboted 300-grain .451-inch, Scorpion PT Gold bullet dropped this nice buck at 223 yards. The rifle is a Cooper .50 caliber Model 22ML. (Toby Bridges/)

Achieving that kind of maximum range, however, takes a bullet with a high ballistic coefficient (BC) to retain sufficient velocity (fps) and energy (ft-lbs) past 200 yards. That’s why many hunters are now moving away from shorter-barreled rifle models and the somewhat dated saboted bullets. Here’s a look at a handful of some more advanced saboted bullets with greater aerodynamics and higher BCs.

Read Next: 8 Best Modern Muzzleloaders

Three great, but quite different whitetail cartridges. The venerable, versatile, long-action .30-06 (middle) with the short-action. .30-30 (left) and the short-action .243 Winchester (right). The .30-30 wasn’t specifically designed as a member of the short-action group because that designation didn’t come into popular parlance until the .308 Win. standardized it beginning in 1953. (Ron Spomer/)

Admittedly, one of the most overdone topics in the hunting industry is the Best Whitetail Cartridge. Every outdoor publication and website has done it. Some several times. A few annually. And still, no one agrees.

Why? Because the question is too broad. As if every whitetail weighed 300 pounds and lived on the edge of Saskatchewan’s buffalo plains where 300 yards is considered close. Or 100 pounds and haunted South Carolina swamps where 75 yards is considered a long shot.

A baker’s dozen of .30-caliber cartridges shows how the .30-30 (2nd from left) and .30-06 (7th from left) fit in the pantheon. Clearly the .30-30 is a middle-of-the-pack contender. (Ron Spomer/)

Nevertheless, the articles keep popping up. That’s not all bad, because it gets hunters arguing and discussing stuff, if not thinking, and at least sharing some ideas. A few generate a hint of light with all their heat.

This article will avoid describing the Best Whitetail Cartridge in favor of comparing three of the more famous. Surely thousands, if not millions of deer hunters, consider one of these the ultimate whitetail round, whether it is or isn’t. So let’s dive right in.

.30-30 Winchester

The new Norma Bondstrike in 180-grain .308 Winchester. (Tyler Freel/)

When someone tells you that they’ve “tested” a hunting bullet, you should take it with a bit of skepticism most of the time. Accuracy on the range and performance in ballistic gel testing are valuable indicators, but the real proof is in a heavy meat pole. Even then, repetition and a variety of field conditions are necessary to convince discerning hunters of the merits of a new bullet. Even with all the opportunity I have here in Alaska, it can take years to generate a vetted track record of an ammunition’s performance on different types of game. That’s why a lot of big-game hunters find a bullet they trust and end up sticking with it. If it’s not broke, why fix it?

But if there was ever an ideal proving ground for quality hunting ammunition, it’s Africa. The game-rich hunting grounds in Africa provide the most valuable factor in testing hunting ammunition—opportunity for shots at game, and lots of it. So it was in Africa that I got to field test Norma’s new Bondstrike bullet.

The Bondstrike was a new offering for 2019, unveiled at SHOT Show. To the relief of many 6.5mm haters, the loaded Bondstrike ammunition is currently only offered in 180-grain, .30-caliber cartridges. It’s marketed as a long-range, high-B.C. bullet that’s bonded but will expand reliably. I looked at the pamphlet at SHOT, just like everyone else, and had no idea that I would be putting it to the test in South Africa nine months later. The bullet itself has an impressive B.C. of .615, and a bonded jacket that thins towards the front, allowing for expansion at lower velocities, but keeping the bullet together at high velocity. Often, bullets that expand reliably at long range will come apart up close, and tougher bullets will pencil-hole (not expand) at long range. The soap blocks we shot at various ranges showed a dramatic wound cavity within a couple inches of entry, but the bullets had great weight retention and penetration.

For my hunt in Africa, I shot .308 loads out of a Bergara B14 Ridge Rifle with a 22-inch barrel. On the range, the combination shot beautifully. I was able to shoot sub-MOA groups at 100 meters, and then I stretched out the range until I had good DOPE out to 800 meters.

Norma's Bondstrike performed well on mid-sized game and large game at a variety of ranges. (Tyler Freel/)

We had the opportunity to hunt a variety of plains game, which have the reputation of being very hardy, tough critters of varying body size and anatomy. The most numerous were the impala and blesbok—both small, fleet-footed antelope, similar in size to pronghorns. I was able to take four total, one male and one female of each, with shots between 100 and 220 yards. I expected there to be a distasteful exit wound on these smaller antelope, but that wasn’t the case. A single shot through the lungs put them down quickly, with clean exits on all and catastrophic internal damage.

Whether you’re a hunter, angler, shoot, camper, or just someone who enjoys spending time away from the trailhead, your gear can make or break a trip. We know you want to buy the best gear you can afford, which is why we created Bargain Hunter. Our team is working directly with some of the best outdoor brands in the business to bring you good deals and discount promotions—including some exclusive offers you won’t find anywhere else. We hope this helps you get the gear you want without breaking the bank.

Bookmark this page in your browser and check back every week to see a new list of discounted gear. Here are the deals for the week of October 27 through November 3, 2019.

Survival Frog—An Outdoor Life Exclusive

Buy any Survivalfrog.com product between October 27 and November 10, 2019 and you'll be automatically entered to win a $300 Survival Frog All-in-One Bug Out Bag that includes over six different survival kits. This promotion is only available through Outdoor Life. (Survival Frog/)

Nomadik—An Outdoor Life Exclusive

Enter promo code BH-15-OFF at checkout and receive 20 percent off Nomadik packages and products. (Nomandik/)

Caldwell—An Outdoor Life Exclusive