My bird dogs rarely just plunk down on a bed. It’s a whole process where they turn circles, try digging a hole completely through it, turn a few more circles the opposite direction and then settle in once they have verified the legitimacy of a sleeping spot. Orvis constructs their ComfortFill-Eco Softshell Dog Bed with…
A newcomer to the upland gear scene, Final Rise was founded by chukar hunting nut and MtnOps VP of Marketing and Sales Matt Davis. Using years of experience of using other vests, the best bits of technology from the backpacking sector, and lightweight yet durable material Matt produced the Final Rise vest which he and…
I spent a lot of time on the skeet range this year, hoping to improve my dogs’ perception of me as a less-than- worthy hunting partner. Sending hundreds of rounds down range in the heat of summer had me shopping for some new shooting gear. A friend mentioned a shirt he had picked up from…
Weight, weight, weight… no, seriously. I have carried a multi-tool in my bird vest for years. And the number of times I used that massive have-it-all tool with something for every eventuality over the course of those years…… zero. Because of the rigors of this season of Way Upland, I broke down all my gear…
I knew when we hit the trail this season that we had multiple river crossings in our future. There was a good chance I’d get soaked from the waist down, but I had to keep my gear clean and dry even if I became completely submerged. Nite Ize Runoff Cubes offer a great solution for…
I’m one of those hunters who likes things neat and tidy, at home and in my truck. Unfortunately, hauling toddlers and dogs in the backseat makes that a constant struggle. Between spilled juice boxes, uncapped markers, and wet dogs with muddy paws, I was fighting a losing battle. My wife took pity on me and…
Phones, cameras, watches, navigation devices, satellite messengers — our trips require a lot of power. Normally I don’t even talk about our plugin requirements because it’s one of the necessary yet annoying distractions from the wild when documenting trips to share with others. But the performance of the BigBlue 63W solar panel was so good…
I know that Danner tries to guide bird hunters to boot models with alluring names such as the Grouse and the Sharptail. But why would anyone ever strap a boot to their foot that weighs more than twice as much as the Trail GTX Mid — just 28 oz per pair? Weight and comfort elevate…
As bird hunters and outdoorsmen, there is no such thing as having too many knives. Buck’s Open Season Small Game knife with drop point 4-1/4” blade is a great form for disassembling game birds afield. It has nice balance in hand and a stylish profile with either Dymalux red wood, olive micarta, or thermoplastic black…
Mapping has been trending more and more toward online, digital and cloud-based. But I find that looking at maps on a screen tends to distort scale — it’s almost too easy to zoom from global view to a few square miles and fly past tons of details that can impact a trip. I have grown…