All posts in Hunting Gear

Action Binoculars

Nikon BinocularsBinoculars are a very versatile tool.    The reality is this, a good pair of binoculars is just an extension of  your eyes.   What do you use your eyes for?   Binoculars can be  used for eveything you use your eyse for.  Nikon Binoculars come in fixed power from 7×32 – 10-22×50.   When you are looking for a good pair of binoculars, keep in mind that some of the best views are with the medium and larger sizes and they can get heavy real fast.   If you are looking for  high magnification you may want to think about spotting scopes instead since they are normally used with tripods.

Nikon Binoculars are reasonable priced optics.    When you figure out what you are using these optics for think about how you might carry them, whether its in a jacket or in a range bag.   Something as little as 7X magnification can help you ID targets or objects that are just out of your visible sight and this is an extremely useful tool to have.   We see a lot of Nikon optics on firing ranges and very few complaints.

Top

Clarity and observation

Zeiss Binoculars Most of remember what it was like to get a telescope or pair of binoculars as a kid.   Back then we pretty much just wanted to see how far we could look and that was about it.   Magnification doesn’t always mean you will be able to see more.   For  instance, many cheaper brand binoculars may magnify up to 20X, but try holding them and read a sign with magnification that high and you’ll more likely see your heartbeat pumping before you read your first word.

Another problem with high magnification is the higher the magnification the less light your binoculars will let in.   Sometimes people bypass the  higher end fixed power binoculars like Zeiss binoculars for the cheaper high magnificaiton, but if you ever get a chance to compare the glass side by side you’ll be amazed.  Good quality glass will allow in more light and clarity and you will actually see more, get a better field of view and not strain your eyes in lower light.

Top

Looking Ahead to the Christmas Bird Count

konus binocularsMy grandmother got me interested in bird watching at a young age by taking me to monthly meetings of the Audubon Society. As much as I enjoyed the tales of guest speakers and the frequent potluck dinners, nothing compared to getting out in the field and spying a new bird for the first time. I came to look forward to winter because it meant the annual Christmas bird count.

I would wake up early Saturday morning, put on some warm clothes and pull my trusty pair of Konus binoculars out of a desk drawer. Then grandma and I would inspect the backyard feeders for signs of life. Moving beyond our own house, we ventured along the river and through some nearby parks. My greatest find was a bufflehead duck diving in the icy river with its distinctive markings on full display.

Top

Hobbies, accessories and reasons

Tactical GearThere area a lot of good upgrades one can do to a firearm, a fighting rifle should be customized to fit an operator.  Advanced Technology makes some quick and easy upgrades for your shotgun or carbine that can give you better grip or balance.  Shotgun shell holders on the buttstock or riding side saddle is a practical tactical upgrade you can do on your remington 870.  The fiberforce stock for the MAK90 is a way to legally get around some firearm bans and are a big step up compared to the stupid thumbhole stocks.    Attach a rifle sling that fits yoru purpose from Blue Force Gear, they come in 1 point, 2 point and 3 point attachements. Minor firearm modifications make need to be done to attache rifle slings, but do some research on various rifle sling configurations to see what works for you.

We’ve all seen the massive accessorizing of firearms in recent years.   Firearms likes SKS rifle and Mini 14s are not immune to the firearm attachements and modifications that have run rampant in the AR15 community.   In my opinion, there are a lot of firearm owners out there that had their Legos taken away from them and they brought that mindset into gun accessorizing and tactical gear stockpiling.    That’s about as harsh as I can be about why people do what they do to their firearms, but some of it is for hobbie reasons, some for practical reasons, and some because people have the obsessive compulsive behavior of needing to spend money.

 

Top

Training and preparedness

Tactical gun casesTactical gun cases are rarely used to their fullest.  After witnessing a lot of shooting events, I’d have to say that disorganization seems to be pretty common amongst most gun owners.  I’ve seen guys show up  with wrong magazines, no backup batteries, no screw drivers, no tools for fixing scopes and countless other goofy stuff.   There have been a few times where I was impressed at how well guys or gals organized there gear in one range bag.

The truth of the matter is only you know what your firearm needs to keep it up and running and what to repair it with, I’m not talking about stockpiling tons of ammo and tools boxes in  your rifle case, but you really should check out some of the tactical rifle cases that are out there.   Uncle Mikes, Bulldog and tacforce all make tactical cases, but their other other usefull pockets other than the standard 30rd magazine pockets.   If you’re going to pick up a gun case, you really should think about marking it with something so you know which gun is in there.   Keep a small multi purpose screw driver in there, allen keys, maybe something to carry batteries for your flashlight or Eotech optics, and you may seriously think about keeping your sight in tools there.  There are various types of tactical rifles cases, some are much close to sniper drag bags than something you can carry like a briefcase, but it may save you some headaches if you are always prepared.

Top

Hunting Elusive Game

hunting_with_kidsHunting an elusive species of animal can be highly enjoyable and add a certain thrill absent in the hunt of more common game. To make your elusive game hunt as successful as possible, there are a few pieces of equipment you will need in addition to the standard hunting gear. For spotting game, you will need a pair of quality long range binoculars, like Burris binoculars. 

You will also want scent dampening clothing, as species of elusive game often have keen senses of smell. Riflescopes or spotting scopes are necessary for accuracy and for quick shots on moving targets. Ensure you observe the standard rules of hunting including reflective clothing, and a hunting buddy or at least in depth notification of your location and where you will be at specific times.

Top

The Reason for a gun case

Allen Gun CasesThere are som many variations of gun cases.   Some gun case can be loaded up with firearms and gear and practical have a nuke detonated on them and they’ll survive, but not everyone is concerened with that.   Some of us may want to keep our Mini 14 and Mini 30 magazines matched up to the appropriate rifle case and buy and assault rifle type case and then mark the bag and put the correct magazines with each so we don’t have to spend an entire evening preparing for the following days shooting range.    I’ve also learned to organize all of my firearm accessories and magazines so I don’t have one of those days where I show up at the range and find out I had the wrong magazines or no mags with me.
If this sounds like something you might want to avoid, as you collect firearms, try and atleast find a rifle case that is appropriate for your rifle or pistols.   Whether you are transporting a Remington 700 on a hunting trip or a Smith & Wesson model 19 to a trainings course, you may want to consider something as inexpensive as a gun case from Allen Gun cases.   The Endura pistol and rifle cases just zip up your gun and help prevent it from being scratched up.   Remember to look for the correct size case, and you may want to mark it so you know which gun it is meant for.   Spending $10-$25 on a gun case may save you some headaches and prevent disorganization of damage in transport.

Top

Rifle Storage

Gun CasesMany of us know what it’s like to own a 18 gun rifle safe, but it really only holds 12 of our rifles.   Sometimes estimating storage space for firearms can be difficult do to all of the customized accessories that we put on them.    For instance, 12 guns with 20-50MM optics on them and owning semi-autos with 30rd magazines can take up a lot of room.  Some gun safes will be designed for standing up your guns, but where do you put all of your magazines, sight in tools, targets ect?

One way to clean up your gun safe is don’t put all of your stuff in there that you don’t need to put in there.  For how much it costs for a decent soft gun case you can easily spend less than a $200 and put most of  your semi-auto magazines, targets and sight in tools in Bulldog, Uncle Mikes or other tactical carbine or assault case.   I’ve seen some nightmarish incedences where people have so much junk cluttered in their safe that one big clunk could damage a $1000 optic.    I’d suggest finding a closet in your house that can be locked where all of your accessories, magazines ect can be organized so it doesn’t clutter your safe. Unless you’ve got $3000 to spend and a basement big enough to store a huge safe, there’s always a practical way of storing your guns without spending much money.

Top

Tactical, Practical and vesatility

Tactical KnivesMany of us think we know what tactical knives are for, but not everyone may think they need it for anything other than putting butter on bread or cutting something open.   The reality is knives have been used in the military for everything from combat, cooking, opening ammo cans, hunting, bayonets ect. that trying to explain what a knife actually does, is pointless.   For most practical purposes most people probable don’t need a knive longer than 2-3″ but the older I get,  the more I realize that carring a knife at all times can be usefel and can even save lives.  While folding knives such as the  Columbia river crk1090 is a practical knife that can be folded to fit into a pocket easier than a non folding knife.  We have to think about which size knife we can comfortable carry just like we think about guns.
Some knives like the Kershaw zipper is a great thing to have around if you are travelling in a car or on the road alot.   A knife like this can easily be used to cut a seatbelt off.    Try cutting a seatbelt off and you’ll understand why they design knives like this.  It may even be something  you want to keep in  your glove compartment just incase you’re the one trapped in your own car.  Crazy things can happen in this world and being prepared is one way to live longer and save lives.  Mil-Tac, Spyderco, Kbar, Cold Steel, Command Arms, SOG Knives, Leathermen, Kershaw, Blackhawk and Emerson all made quality knives.   You can always pickup a trusty swiss army knive if you wan’t versatility, but that’s not always the best when it comes to day to day carry.

Top

Getting the Most Out of Your Binoculars

huntingbinocularsIf you’re an avid birdwatcher, it’s imperative that you have the best binoculars at your disposal. After all, if you choose the best, you’ll be able to view the birds and other wildlife in the greatest detail. That’s why every binocular purchase should take the following characteristics into consideration. For one, the binoculars have to be lightweight and comfortable for the user. If they don’t feel comfortable, they aren’t likely to be used.

You’ll also want to ensure that your binoculars, whether they’re Nikon binoculars or Bushnell binoculars, have the appropriate amount of zoom for you. You don’t want to end up buying something with far too short of a range, because then you’ll never get a chance to really view the birds and other animals you’re interested in seeing. But you also don’t want to choose something that’s too advanced. If you never use those features, it will just end up being a waste of the extra money.

Top
1 … 27 28 29 30 31 … 35 Page 29 of 35