Hunting Gear and Products

For 2012, Bear Archery has released several new bows that we will be taking a look at over the next few months. For this upcoming year the Carnage, which we reviewed favorably before, is being supplanted by a new flagship bow that Bear has dubbed the Anarchy. The Anarchy shares some features in common with the Carnage but departs in some technology that is new for Bear this year. The riser design is similar to the Carnage although Bear has spent more time rounding out the holes in the riser and contouring it a bit more for 2012. The net result is that the Anarchy comes in about 5% lighter than the Carnage at 3.8 lbs, while maintaining a forgiving 7.25" brace height.

A good hunting pack can make the difference between a laborious but comfortable hike or a never-ending march of back agony. With the escalating amount of equipment that has been deemed "necessary" on a hunting expedition it's all the more important to pick a pack that can evenly carry the load especially if you're lucky enough to harvest game.

Over the last few years the interest in higher power scopes with more durability has increased among hunters. Some hunters look to these scopes to improve visual clarity at longer ranges in order to increase the range at which they can consistently make a kill shot, while others want a more rugged scope that can take a few bumps and scrapes. For decades Leupold has developed their line of tactical Mark 4 scopes that offer both a rugged scope and optical superiority. For this review we'll be taking a look a the Mark 4 lineup of scopes along with a closer look at a Mark 4 LR/T 4.5-14x50mm Illuminated Mil-Dot scope.

It's not hard to round up a group of shooters to blast an afternoon away plinking. However given the same group, it can be expected that there will be few volunteers to spend any time cleaning up the firearms after the shooting and excitement is over. None-the-less, firearm cleaning is a critical part of firearm ownership and while boring, is necessary. The gun cleaning situation is compounded for hunters on the move; who wants to clean a gun after packing it around all day?

Over the last five years, probably no other "gadget" has changed the way we scout more than the trail camera. For many of us, running trail cameras is a hobby in itself, bringing a whole new excitement to our deer hunting efforts. Much more than just something to pass time, however, running trail cameras can give you a unique insight into the patterns of deer on your hunting properties and really tip the odds in your favor for harvesting a mature whitetail. Let's take a look at the features to look for when purchasing a trail camera, and how to get the maximum benefit from the camera once you have made your purchase.

At just a little over ten years in the industry, G5 has carved out a respectable corner of the archery market. From broadheads, to sights, to rests, to the Quest line of bows G5 produces a variety of products for today's archery. For 2011 G5 is introducing a premium line of bows under the Prime brand. Currently there are two bows under the Prime line: the Centroid and the Shift. For this review we will be taking a closer look at the Centroid.

Badlands is in the business of creating packs particularly tailored to the hunter. We have covered their Hypervent pack in the past. Like most small manufacturers that focus heavily on quality and service, Badlands has a loyal customer base. Previous Badlands owners have been highly anticipating the OX for several years and the company has somewhat released the pack in the past only to pull back. Officially this year, 2010, is the release of the finalized OX and we were able to get our hands on one to test.

I recently picked up a ScentBlocker outfit. I know hunters who swear by odor elimination technology and, as the consummate skeptic I just had to try it for myself. I'd heard plenty about their new-last-year Dream Season apparel, but in the end I opted for the lighter-weight Bone Collector Brotherhood jacket and pant. During the fall of 2009 I put it to the test in warm, cold, wet, and dry weather hunting caribou on Canada's northern tundra, and pronghorn, mule deer, and whitetails in Alberta. I was pleasantly surprised.

Seven decades is a long time. When it refers to a company's existence, it is very uncommon. When it refers to the continuous production of a single invention, it is almost unparalleled. In 1941, Frederick Ehrsam wasn't thinking seventy years down the road. He was simply trying to design a tool that would replace the unbalanced, bulky and often unsafe machete used by professionals in the forestry, agricultural and horticulture fields to clear brush and cut trails, and his innovative Woodman's Pal did just that.