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What new gear did you buy this year?

For me, I got a hammock system from Hennessy Hammocks with rain fly and 4 season insulation system, a Titanium alcohol stove, a pack to go with my alps outdoorz commander x frame, a 5 oz collapsible cup, a titanium long handle spoon, a thumb release to replace the one I thought I lost then found....so now I have 2....lol, I think that is it..........oh yeah and 3 tasco game cams for $28 each that take decent pics as you have seen from my elk forum posts.

Well that idea went out the window on Saturday. I bought a new Hoyt RX 1 Ultra. Last bow I am buying for at least 3 years. I swear. At least that’s how I justified buying it on Saturday.

I also decided to try the Sitka Mountain pants this year.

Oh, and my beloved Rambo bike! Almost forgot about that! ;-)

Elite Impulse 31

Kuiu Icon Pro 1850

Swaro slc 10x Exo 3500 Slick Tripod Big Agnes Kuiu peloton top Mar stove and some pots

Some little stuff here and there but all used and fairly good deals. Not ready for backpacking yet but by next year I will.

I also use this stuff camping with the family which helps offset the costs...

Ben

On a series note. I think you have me mixed up with someone else.

I am definitely up for drinking a beer or two with a fellow bow hunter from bowsite.

On a side note, if the wife is of the understanding that all things you are buying are to keep your son alive on his first elk trip you can buy a lot more stuff. :)

Etek stove. New selewa boots.

Thermarest pad because I broke the fill valve on my air one (ended up being a good thing now. New one keeps the heat better).

Sawyer mini with a 2L platypus pouch.

A black diamond headlamp. And some bear spray to ease my mind a bit more.

Good luck this season guys!

Oh, and a new truck couple months ago.

FOR THE RECORD; I HAVEN'T BOUGHT A SINGLE THING FOR THE UPCOMING ARCHERY SEASON IN IOWA. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

We won't mention that little trip out west I'm taking next month.

Now there is this thing called a Fierce Carbon Edge that is calling my name, but that doesn't affect my bowhunting.

Sitka, Apex Hoody and these which come 6 to a box:)

Other suggestions from another forum:

"Always preferred pepper if I didn’t have a game bag or muslin to wrap meat in. If the temperature is warm or hot (AZ) you can dampen the muslin/game bag and it will start to cool through evaporation. This kills two birds with one stone so to speak as you start to cool the meat as well as keeping critters off of it. If you don’t want to buy game bags you can always go to the local fabric store and buy cotton muslin by the yard and then either sew it to the desire size or do what I do and just wrap the meat like a mummy and then secure with some safety pins. You end up with a thicker layer of protection than normal bags and they fit the meat no matter how or what shape you cut it up into.

The citrus (acid) doesn’t physically cook meat through heat, what it does instead is cause an enzymatic change that firms the flesh and makes it drier by thickening the cellular walls and coagulating the proteins in the meat. This changes not only the physical properties of the meat but also the flavor, which can be beneficial and detrimental depending on your palette and desired use for the meat.

As for it’s use as a germicide it can offer some prevention of germ growth due to the PH of the acid, but the benefits are minimal over long term as the PH changes as the acid is absorbed and degrades. As for protection from flies and the like, I’ve seen the little buggers go after citrus like it was honey, so I wouldn’t plan on it helping there. "

"Been getting a few questions about how often citric acid should be applied in the field. Curious what others have found to be most effective, but here's what we have found to be true (as a rule):

FIRST application: Mix 1 oz citric acid to about 1 qt water and spray all meat surfaces thouroughly. This mixture renders an acid wash of straight acid 1-2pH, but once applied the resulting pH is mixed with moisture inherent with the surface moisture (blood, water, vapor, etc). The final surface pH settles somewhere in the neighborhood of 3-4 pH after about 4-6 hours, initially. This acidity is highly effective at retarding initial bacterial growth and helps protect meat surface from initial bacterial invasion expected during the field process. CLEAN field care and handling of game meat is vital to the final taste and quality. Remember CLEAN, COOL, and DRY principles of preservation.

Once the meat is bagged, surface pH tests suggest acid levels continue to stabalize over the next 24 hours if no "new" water is allowed to contact the meat surface. It's vital to allow meat to continue cooling as quickly as possible during the first 12-24 hours to prevent deep tissue spoilage (bone sour) to occur.

After the first 24 hours, pH testing often suggests surface levels will balance out somewhere between 3.5-5 pH. This is a great start, since common spoilage bacteria is retarded with acid levels <5.5 pH. If hunters do not have pH test strips to perform frequent checks of surface acid levels, here's what they should do over the course of their field storage:

SECOND application: Our studies indicate that pH levels begin to rise to above 5 pH after the initial 24-hours post-application of the first wash, so occasional maintenance applications will be necessary to prevent future growth of spoilage bacteria on the surface of game meat. Our rule of thumb is to re-apply a new and complete citric acid wash every 2 days while the meat is stored in the field. This every-other-day application of citric acid will help ensure surface pH levels remain BELOW 5 pH.

AS NEEDED applications thereafter: If you have simple pH test strips in your kit, check surface levels in the wettest areas (around joints, between folds, etc.) every evening when performing normal sensory checks (smell, touch, visual). Cut away any suspicious meat (bloodshot, bruising, odd odors, foreign debris,etc.). Anytime surface testing reveals pH levels creeping toward 5 pH, reapply a new citric acid wash. Maintenance applications might be required more often on float trips (with wet or warm climates).

Without pH test strips, plan on a maintenance dose to be reapplied every 2 days until the game meat is transported safely from the field to its final point of processing. This will help safeguard your game without the threat of surface bacterial spoilage.

Along with CLEAN handling from start to finish, this is perhaps the best approach to properly handle edible meat in the field.

Good luck. "

You can purchase food grade citric acid powder at most pharmacies or feed stores. When mixed with water and applied to game, citric acid slows bacteria growth and seals the meat with a layer of acidity that deters flies from laying eggs on the meat.

Once the meat is hung, remove the bags. Mix the citric acid powder with water. Use two ounces of citric acid per quart of water. Spray the meat with the citric acid mixture until the mixture begins to run off the meat. Don’t worry about the citric acid mixture getting the meat too wet. The mixture dries quickly.

OnXMaps chips for Utah and Montana from camofire.com 2/3rds of a quiver of UA ridge reaper camo a second bowtech for $300 as a backup a 'few' new 4k stealthcams ++++

You'd think you'd be done with stuff and things after almost 40 years at this game, but addictions are just that !!!

Cheers and good luck on all you'alls hunts this fall.

Pete

Seriously though, congrats!

Thinking of picking up the Mystery Ranch pop up 28. Promising pack for the day hunter.

I need to stay away from Kuiu's sales and wish list items... Only thing I'd like to have is the Yukon Rain set for Kodiak...

I used some Christmas gift cards this year to purchase a Bear Fence. Outside of that, I'm too booked up guiding this year to do much hunting myself other than Mule Deer.

If I'm not busy guiding, I would love to accompany my dad on His Colorado Bull Moose hunt which is about 40 miles from my house- It would be cool to be there when he arrows his bull and completes his Super Ten.