BowCast Blog

 

Gear Review- MSR Hyperflow

 

Living the Essence; Hardcore Bowhunting

Peers ask me all the time, “Why do you like bowhunting so much? All it is, is shooting animals.” I just have to smirk the comment off, because I know that bowhunting is something that is kindled deep in the heart of a person who wants a challenge; to be responsible, respectful and rejuvenated by all that nature has to offer. Some people say that “If you haven’t already done it, you never will.” I tend to disagree; however, if you really want to be a hardcore bowhunter, all it takes is for someone to plant the seed. From that point on, bowhunting is one of those things that people will either grow apart from, whereas the true hardcore bowhunter will find themselves obsessed by mystique of the bow and arrow. I am of the later.

 

Elk

                For elk, the 3 major areas I concentrate on are;

1)      Quality Forage, Shelter and Water - This is number one; simply put elk are big animals and if you don’t have the food, shelter and water to support them, so simply won’t find them in that area. There needs to be a big supply of quality forage, especially if you’re looking to find a good size herd, ample quantity of quality food for the animal.

Hey Everybody... All this talk about Antelope hunting really has me ready to get chasing some speed goats. Below is the story of my 2007 NM Antelope hunt. I wish I would have taken better pictures but when I dropped him it was AFRICA hot and I wanted to get him cooled down ASAP.

 

Besides providing a more comfortable nights' sleep, sleeping pads provide another important function; insulation. I vividly recall one bivouac trip I made. In an effort to shave a couple of pounds or so off of my packs weight I decided to leave my pad at home. Several hours into the night, with chattering teeth I realized what that second function was. Since that time, technology and innovation has reduced the weight and bulk, now providing several options at around and just under a pound.

 

One of the bulkiest items on your gear list for a bivy hunt is probably your sleeping bag. If it has not been replaced in the last couple of years, chances are you can not only shave off some weight, but also significantly reduce the bulk. Almost all of the major sleeping bag manufacturers are offering sub 2 pound 3 season down bags now. Some have reduced the weight down to as little as a single pound and can be stuffed into a sack half the size of a nerf football. For my early season hunts in August and the first week of September I like a bag rated at about 30-35 degrees. Any later in the high country and you are increasingly flirting with the chances of sub-freezing temperatures. For those hunts I drop down to a 20 degree rating. Some of my favorite bags are from Western Mountaineering, Marmot, Mountain Hardware and Feathered Friends.

 

Down is graded by measuring how many cubic inches it takes to weigh one ounce. A 600 fill is 600 cubic inches per ounce. Several things to keep in mind as you shop for a featherweight bag is the higher quality the down, the lighter the weight and the better the insulation it provides. You should be looking for a minimum of 700-fill-power, with 800-900 being preferred. The difference between a 600 and a 800-fill-power bag of the same temperature rating can be over half a pound. The higher the number, the greater the loft and compatibility for the same fill weight.