Gear
Stop Abusing Your Gear in the Offseason
Hunters and anglers like to strut around in well-worn gear like they’ve earned a merit badge. Scuffed-up rifle stocks, blood-stained jackets, and threadbare packs usually tell a good story in the rips and stains. Well-earned wear is one thing. Flat-out neglect is another. Worn gear may tell a story...
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Hunting Gear
The Best Turkey Chokes
A good turkey choke can turn any old shotgun into a certified gobbler getter. It might require some trial and error to figure out which turkey loads a choke patterns best, but that's part of the fun. Of course, it isn't feasible (definitely not affordable) to test every ammo and choke combination...
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Hunting Gear
Best Rubber Hunting Boots
You don't have to be a scent-control junkie to appreciate a good pair of rubber hunting boots. They're perfect for those late-season whitetail hunts when you need to layer extra socks, run some toe warmers, and keep your scent to a minimum. But, they're also necessary if you spend a lot of time in...
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Gear
5 Things to Keep in Your UTV Emergency Kit During Hunting Season
Jun 26, 2024Some hunters love disappearing into the wilderness and hoofing it miles. Others don’t mind a littlemotorization to help them punch their tags. Last fall, a Can-Am Defender saved my flatlander legs and lungs while I tagged a bull elk in Idaho, especially when it came time for the pack out. Back home in eastern North Carolina, I’ve been known to use a UTV for all kinds of pre-season prep, from hanging treestands to schlepping corn.Things can go sideways fast, whether you’re running an ATV or side-by-side in the backcountry or even your own back forty. Flat tires, dead batteries, broken belts, or leaky fluids can ruin an otherwise fine hunt. That’s why having a solid emergency kit should be a non-negotiable.“When traveling off-road, it's crucial to be prepared for whatever the trail might throw at you. From inclement weather to changing trail conditions or even a dreaded mechanical issue, countless scenarios can play out on an ATV or UTV ride,” Eric Storz, with Can-Am Off-Road, told MeatEater. “As the old saying goes, ‘It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.’”Some hunters love disappearing into the wilderness and hoofing it miles. Others don’t mind a little motorization to help them punch their tags. Last fall, a Can-Am Defender saved my flatlander legs and lungs while I tagged a bull elk in Idaho, especially when it came time for the pack out. Back home...
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Gear
How to Make DIY Shooting Sticks
Apr 7, 2026If you ever hunt overseas, you will undoubtedly encounter DIY shooting sticks. In places where there are few trees or rocks to brace a rifle on, like parts of Africa, a tripod shooting stick is standard issue. Simple, cheap, and effective, shooting sticks allow a foot-bound hunter to brace themselves for a shot just about anywhere. And while these tools have been eclipsed by more modern tripods in the U.S., I’d argue they are more versatile and easier to pack around.With practice, a rifle shooter can quickly pick off targets around 300 yards away with a set of sticks. When not in use, your shooting sticks make a perfect walking stick. Best of all, they are far lighter, less complicated, and cheaper thanmodern tripodsor anything you can find at a sporting goods store. Here’s how to make your own shooting sticks for less than $50.
If you ever hunt overseas, you will undoubtedly encounter DIY shooting sticks. In places where there are few trees or rocks to brace a rifle on, like parts of Africa, a tripod shooting stick is standard issue. Simple, cheap, and effective, shooting sticks allow a foot-bound hunter to brace...
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Gear
Truck Upgrades for the Field: Suspension
Feb 25, 2026The one upgrade you can make to a truck that will result in the most noticeable difference while driving is suspension. If you spend a good amount of time driving on washboard roads and rutted-up two-tracks, or maybe your county is just behind on mending potholes, a good suspension system will aid in smoothing out your ride by absorbing those bumps and holes in a controlled manner.To be clear, I’m not recommending a giant lift kit that requires a ladder to get into your pickup. But high-quality shocks and coilovers from brands like Fox, Bilstein, KING, Falcon, and a handful of others will certainly make for smoother sailing when you’ve got your truck bed loaded down with gear and (hopefully) a dead critter in the back heading to and from your hunting spots.
The one upgrade you can make to a truck that will result in the most noticeable difference while driving is suspension. If you spend a good amount of time driving on washboard roads and rutted-up two-tracks, or maybe your county is just behind on mending potholes, a good suspension system will aid...
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Gear
How to Spend More Time Outdoors with Your Family
Jul 24, 2024Whether you’re a hunter, angler, or outdoor recreator, you might find it tricky to navigate all your pursuits while balancing family time. There’s no better way to remedy this dilemma than by mixing the two.Some of my earliest memories in the outdoors involve me tagging along with my dad and grandfather on rabbit hunts or deer dog drives. I did little more than play with sticks or search for arrowheads in the dry or shallow creekbeds. Other times, my dad dragged my brothers and me camping at our family property to freeze or sweat through our sleeping bags. It was a lot of work for him, but it’s a huge reason my brothers and I have remained so involved outdoors.Now that I have a family of my own, I understand what my dad was doing. I also realize the effort and time that it takes to make the outdoors a priority with your family. It can be extremely fun and extremely tiring, but it’s always worth it. If you want to introduce your family to hunting or just lose cell reception for a weekend, here are a few ways toconsider getting outdoors with the rest of your crew.Whether you’re a hunter, angler, or outdoor recreator, you might find it tricky to navigate all your pursuits while balancing family time. There’s no better way to remedy this dilemma than by mixing the two. Some of my earliest memories in the outdoors involve me tagging along with my dad and...
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Gear
Truck Upgrades for the Field: Lighting
Mar 26, 2026If you spend enough time chasing game, exploring river accesses before daylight, or driving down two-tracks that barely qualify as roads, you’ll eventually realize that your truck isn’t just transportation, it’s a critical part of your gear system.Over a few articles, we’re going to dive into practical truck upgrades that actually matter for outdoorsmen. Not the flashy stuff you see on YouTube or cruising main street on Friday nights, but upgrades that can help you get to your spot and back out safely. Our canvas for this series is a 2024 Silverado 1500 RST, sourced from our friends atRessler Chevrolet.If you spend enough time chasing game, exploring river accesses before daylight, or driving down two-tracks that barely qualify as roads, you’ll eventually realize that your truck isn’t just transportation, it’s a critical part of your gear system. Over a few articles, we’re going to dive into...
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Gear
How to Use Your Spotting Scope to Be a Better Hunter
May 12, 2018On the surface, spotting scopes have limited applications for most hunters. The whitetail crowd can put them to use for dialing in summertimebachelor groups munching away in the beans. The western crowd can employ them for on-the-job recon to locate bedded mulies, bands of early-seasonelk in the high country, and really any stalkable critter.That might be good enough, but it doesn’t have to be. There are ways to utilize long-range glassing to not only monitor critters, but figure out exactly how you can either ambush them, or crawl into range before you run out of daylight. One of the best ways I’ve found to do both is to utilize a phone scope to film the action, and then review it in real time.
On the surface, spotting scopes have limited applications for most hunters. The whitetail crowd can put them to use for dialing in summertime bachelor groups munching away in the beans. The western crowd can employ them for on-the-job recon to locate bedded mulies, bands of early-season elk in the...
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Gear
Seth Morris' DIY Truck Camper Build
Dec 29, 2025As the lead photographer at MeatEater,Seth Morrishas spent years traveling the world documenting hunts, fishing trips, and backcountry adventures from behind the lens. That time in the field—often in remote, demanding conditions—has given him a deep understanding of what actually matters when you’re living out of a vehicle. Add in the fact that Seth is a serious hunter and outdoorsman himself, and you get a camper setup that’s built from experience, not theory. Every decision is geared toward efficiency, durability, and the realities of camping, hunting, and fishing out West.
As the lead photographer at MeatEater, Seth Morris has spent years traveling the world documenting hunts, fishing trips, and backcountry adventures from behind the lens. That time in the field—often in remote, demanding conditions—has given him a deep understanding of what actually matters when you...
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Gear
Best Gifts for Hunters
Jun 6, 2022Hunters can be picky when it comes to gear. Luckily, you don’t need to buy them a new hunting rifle, bow, or even the best binoculars. Some of the best hunting gifts I’ve received over the years were unexpected pieces of gear that I probably wouldn’t have bought for myself. I still have a pair of heavy-duty hunting gloves I got in middle school. I’m sure my aunt didn’t envision me wearing them almost twenty years later, but I break them out when it gets super cold. Sure, they fit tighter than they did when I was sixteen, but they’re still just as warm.Whether you’re looking for a stocking stuffer, a last-minute gift, or, like Cousin Eddie, something real nice, here are some of the best gifts for hunters you can find.Hunters can be picky when it comes to gear. Luckily, you don’t need to buy them a new hunting rifle, bow, or even the best binoculars. Some of the best hunting gifts I’ve received over the years were unexpected pieces of gear that I probably wouldn’t have bought for myself. I still have a pair of...
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Hunting Gear
MeatEater Crew’s Thoughts on the First Lite Forge Waders
Aug 2, 2022First Lite just unveiled their brand new Forge Waders, and for the past four years, some of the MeatEater crew have been putting them through the ringer as part of testing measures. From setting beaver traps to bear hunting and, of course, good ole late-season duck hunting, the crew threw everything at these waders before landing on a finished product.These waders have been expert-tested and reviewed, and the feedback from die-hard duck hunters helped inform the thoughtful and intuitive design of First Lite’s Forge Waders. Here’s a look at some of those specs.Material: Nylon Weight: 9.5 lbs Boot: 14-in. LaCrosse Alpha Wader 1000 g PrimaLoft Gold One-piece design Zipper: YKK Aquaseal submersible Seat: Mapped OrthoLIte O-Therm Aerogel Magnetic, self-draining high hand pockets Neoprene knee pads MOLLE attachments on chest pockets Camo Pattern: First Lite Typha or DarkwaterFirst Lite just unveiled their brand new Forge Waders, and for the past four years, some of the MeatEater crew have been putting them through the ringer as part of testing measures. From setting beaver traps to bear hunting and, of course, good ole late-season duck hunting, the crew threw everything...
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