Deer hunting is unsurprisingly the most popular of all hunting pastimes. Whether you want to chase whitetails, blacktails, or muleys, you need gear to get started. Here are a few of our picks for a successful hunt.
Mossy Oak Camouflage
Yes, you could hunt in jeans and an old shirt; I’ve certainly done so. However, you increase your chance of success when you dress appropriately. A deer’s vision is attuned to predators. While they might not see the array of colors we do, they spot movement instantly. More importantly, they don’t need details to decide something—or someone—is a threat. Blurring your human shape into something less threatening is done with good camouflage.
Mossy Oak is one of the best-known camo pattern companies on the market for good reason. They offer a variety of patterns for every region and season. After all, fall in Pennsylvania doesn’t look like fall in Texas. One of Mossy Oak’s popular patterns for hunting from tree stands is Bottomland, the pattern designed by Toxey Haas three decades ago. Today’s version is enhanced to more closely mimic the dirt and bark of nature and is favored by many hunters. The company’s newest pattern is great for ground blinds: Eclipse. Eclipse is quite dark and overlays the Break-Up Country pattern. Want to stay hidden in a ground blind? Eclipse is the perfect choice.
In addition to camouflage, when it comes to hunting in Pennsylvania, U.S. and Texas LawShield Independent Program Attorney Justin McShane says, “Orange is the new black, but the orange you want in this case is hunter orange, not the orange of a prison jump suit.” While good camouflage goes a long way, safety always comes first. Plus, in Pennsylvania hunter orange is the law.
Looking to bring home the venison? Dress for the occasion.
Remington 700
If you’re a rifle-season hunter—and even if you aren’t—you’ve heard of the Remington 700. With more than fifty years in production the bolt-action rifle enjoys well-deserved loyalty from shooters old and new. These are accurate, reliable rifles, and since they’re bolts, there’s the added benefit of not needing to worry about semi-auto restrictions. Model variations are as numerous as available calibers: the Remington 700 comes chambered in everything from .308 Win to 7mm Remington Magnum to .35 Whelen and everything in between (and beyond).
Undecided? Check out the 700 CDL SF here. It even comes in .30-06 Springfield. One shot, one kill.
River’s Edge Treestands
Hunting from a tree? Invest in a quality tree stand from a reputable company. Hunting accidents involving homemade, unsecure stands take place every year so do your part to stay safe by paying attention to detail.
River’s Edge Treestands are designed by guys with backgrounds in hunting, design, engineering, and fabricating. They understand what hunters want and know how to do it safely. A well-made tree stand is a vital piece of equipment and is not the place to cut corners.
The River’s Edge Tear Tuff XL Lounger is a favorite because it offers more than just a small platform; this tree stand boasts multiple features. From its ergonomically-designed, padded seat—complete with armrests—to its curved footrest, the Tear Tuff XL Lounger makes sitting for hours in a tree significantly more pleasant. It has a cam strap and lever-action attachment for quiet mounting and folds flat for easy transport.
Prefer a ground blind? Check out their Landmark 6×6 Permanent Blind.
Alps Outdoorz Traverse X
The old backpack you have stashed in a closet won’t get it done—well, assuming you intend to bring home meat. Properly constructed packs provide both comfort and performance. If you want a pack from a company with a solid reputation for those things and more, you want Alps Outdoorz.
While Alps Outdoorz offers quite a few fantastic packs, it’s their Traverse X that comes to mind for packing meat on a day hunt. The Traverse X is manufactured using 1680 Denier Nylon Ballistic Fabric throughout for superior strength with Hypalon at stress points and spots that might experience strain from lashing. The waist belt has pockets for easy access and anti-sway straps for a secure load as well as space for clip-style holsters. Wing pockets are fleece-lined to protect spotting scopes and a rain cover is included. And when you do score a deer, it has a stowaway meat shelf, so you can pack out the resulting venison.
Leupold LTO Tracker
Maybe you’ll get lucky and your deer will drop right where he stood, but it’s far more likely he—or she—will bound off into the woods. Your deer can travel anywhere from a few to 200 yards depending not only on shot placement, but on its constitution and adrenaline. It may not sound like much, but once you’ve given a deer time to stop and pass away, those hundreds of feet in any direction become monumentally large.
Enter the Leupold LTO Tracker. The LTO is a compact, handheld thermal tracker weighing under 10 ounces and measuring 5.6” long. It has a temperature detection range of -40˚ Fahrenheit to 572˚ Fahrenheit, a detection distance of 600 yards, and a 206×156 thermal sensor. Not only does it function as a tracking device, it also makes a great little spotting scope with its 6X digital zoom.
Want to find your deer without a drone and a team of guys? Try the LTO Tracker.
HunterShield Protection
Do you know the hunting regulations in your state? U.S. and Texas LawShield is here to help. Members of U.S. and Texas LawShield’s HunterShield program have access to attorneys for answers about hunting and fishing. Join today and broaden your hunting education as a sportsman while ensuring your hunting and fishing questions are answered by trustworthy sources familiar with the law. Learn more here.
By Kat Ainsworth, Contributor, U.S. and Texas LawShield Blog
The post Deer Gear: Getting a Leg-Up on Deer Hunting in Pennsylvania appeared first on U.S. & Texas LawShield.