The Essentials of Backcountry Mule Deer Hunting

Have you dreamed of hunting for mule deer miles away from the nearest road? Rumor has it that its not hunting sheep that is the greatest part of the trip, its where the bighorn sheep live. The same thing is true for true mule deer hunts. Mule deer thrive in some of the more enticing, uninhabited places around the world. Just visiting these beautiful animals and the area they live is worth the effort to get to them. We would like to offer you some tips to help make your first mule deer hunt a great one.

First, and most importantly, you have got to get yourself into shape! And I’m not just talking about walking to the mailbox every day or playing basketball each weekend. In order to honestly enjoy your mule deer hunt, you want to be in the greatest shape possible. Now, I realize, depending on your age, this may not be feasible, and if that’s the circumstance, shoot for the best shape you’ve been in during the past five years. The biggest thing here is to do everything that you can. My workout is taking a jog about three or four times every week. I start out by walking and then jogging three months before I go, and when it’s time for the trip, my intent is to be able to jog for at least an hour. I’ve found this is better than trying to give a specified distance. If you can establish a jogging pace for at least an hour, you should be ready to climb the mountains required on the mule deer hunt. Besides jogging, I also go hiking, jump rope, ride a bike, and walk with my 50 lb backpack . Any of these are good to build the muscles you will need on the mule deer hunt.

Second, practice shooting your gun. I recommend shooting the rifle on a weekly basis at ranges out to 300 yards. You’ll want to know where your gun will shoot at different distances. Start at 100 yards with a fixed mechanical rest. Test different types of ammo until you figure out what your particular gun prefers and stay with it. Personally, I prefer Winchester 130 grain Ballistic Silvertips in 270, but each hunting rifle shoots differently and you need to find out what works. Once you know how the hunting rifle shoots on the practice range, try using shooting sticks, prone position, over your pack as well as other positions that you’ll come across as you hunt in the field. You won’t be able to use a bench in the real hunt and even if you are a good bench shooter, that doesn’t automatically make you a great shooter in a hunting situation. You will also want to practice distances vs. angles. Generally shots at mule deer are down or uphill and hunters tend to shoot over deer. Work on some shots downhill and uphill. You’ll be surprised at the difference angles make. I also suggest you get a laser rangefinder and use it during your practice sessions. It can also be helpful as you learn to judge mule deer around the field. Videos by Mossback titled Mulies Gone Wild are a helpful tool for learning how to judge large bucks. They tell you the score after you watch footage of the bucks on the hoof.

Third, buy the best hunting supplies you can. There are some good quality products available today. Get the lightest, sturdiest material you can find for your backpacking and clothing items. I don’t want to go into detail with each item, but some that I would recommend are: light packable rain gear I use Frogg Toggs, an internal pack I use a North Face pack, but there are several on the market, wool socks I use Smartwool, and durable, stable, hiking boots – I use Lowa Sheephunter boots. If you are planning to hunt with an outfitter, request a list of equipment to bring and follow what it says. Get the best optical equipment you can afford! I personally like Brunton Epochs in 10.5×43 on account of their magnification and light weight, but there are many fine optics on the market. I’ll say it once again, buy the best hunting supplies you can.

Lastly, rent or buy some mule deer hunting videos. These will get your blood moving and get you excited about finding a big muley. They’ll get you motivated to get yourself into shape during the off season and find that deer you dream of after the season is open.

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Posted by admin on March 28th, 2011 :: Filed under Lowa Boots
Tags :: Backcountry, Deer, Essentials, Hunting, Mule

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What is the Best Camping Equipment

Most camping equipment stores will have a member of staff that will be more than pleased to serve you and be full of knowledge on camping, outdoor activities and the equipment used.

Hennessey produces a range of superbly designed hammocks for all uses these also come with a shelter design not unlike the Australian Basha. For expert use in all four quarters of the globe Silva is famous for producing a complete range of highly precise compasses. Lowa is a German company that manufactures extremely robust footwear that is used and issued to the German armed forces and other armed forces all over the world. There are a huge range of boots suitable for all outdoor activities, the price range is such that they are affordable for all budgets. Most specialist outdoor stores will stock the above products and most can also be found online through a simple search on any online search engine.

Most staff members at camping equipment stores have a good knowledge on camping, outdoor activities and the equipment used. They are more than happy to advise you on any piece of equipment you are interested in purchasing. However, through experience, most people find online buying more informative with no pressure to buy and all the time in the world to browse through each product in detail. One drawback is that you will not be able to handle the product but all e-commerce outdoor and adventure equipment websites offer a thirty-day money back guarantee or should do anyway by law. When purchasing Camping equipment, you should always treat each piece of kit with the highest respect. For example, you do not want the wrong type of boots or the wrong season sleeping bag; no body likes to be stuck out in the cold with the wrong piece kit but so many of us do it!

When purchasing a sleeping bag, for instance, it is important that you know all the different types before hand, there are more than you think! The same caution should be applied to footwear, tents, cookers, and all your clothing including your under wear. Having the correct equipment for the time of year is vital. Long Johns for the winter, the correct season sleeping bag, a suitable tent, the correct type of boots and outdoor clothing i.e. wet weather jackets and trousers are a must, especially when hiking in a country with variable weather patterns. Most people find camping outdoors a fun and enjoyable experience. Teaching your children the skills of living outdoors and survival can be invaluable in later life. Most good outdoor equipment stores can also provide books and sometimes videos on using outdoor equipment and survival aids. So what are you waiting for? Go outside, have fun and make the best use your camping equipment.

Lowa Mountain Boot GTX Lowa Military Boots are made to the strict & detailed specifications of the German army. Many are constructed using Gore-tex (goretex) material www.rvops.co.uk
Video Rating: 5 / 5

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Posted by admin on March 23rd, 2011 :: Filed under Lowa Boots
Tags :: best, Camping, Equipment

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What’s the difference between Men’s and Women’s Hiking Boots

My wife and I love to go hiking. In fact, we spent our honeymoon in Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and the North and South Rims of the Grand Canyon. But before we ever set foot on a trail, we went out and purchased the most important piece of equipment necessary for weeks of non-stop, hiking; hiking boots.

Even though we would be hiking the same trails, under the same conditions, the basic differences between male and female feet meant we wouldn’t be getting the same boots. So what are the differences in our feet that make the construction of mens hiking boots and womens hiking boots so different.

Most obviously, women’s feet are shorter and narrower than men’s feet. This in itself is expected, since (in general) women are shorter and lighter than men. However, part of this is due to the fact that there is less cartilage between the bones of a woman’s foot and her joints and ligaments are softer and more flexible. Also, a woman’s heel is proportionally narrower than a man’s. Boot manufacturers now compensate for this by either molding a tighter heel box, or adding additional stiff padding to hold the heel snugly in place to reduce sliding.

The effect of the increased flexibility of a woman’s foot resulted in two design improvements in the women’s boot. First, the more flexible woman’s foot requires more support to withstand the continuous stress of hiking. This is generally accomplished by the addition of stiffer mid sole support, such as an insert. The insert is usually molded into the sole in order to retain the traction required for all types of terrain, yet remain flexible enough for a comfortable stride. The second, and possibly more important difference in the mid sole is the enhanced arch support in the woman’s boot.

In general, a woman has a higher arch than a man, which needs additional support. However, due to the monthly changes in a woman’s hormone levels, specifically estrogen, the arch of her foot actually decreases, since estrogen is a soft tissue relaxant. This relaxation of an already flexible foot causes the shape of a woman’s foot to cycle between a relatively high arch and a flat foot. This fluctuation in the arch makes it critical for the mid sole of a woman’s boot to have an enhanced (stiffer) arch support.

One manufacturer (Lowa) has taken the difference in foot structure a step further, since it also creates a difference in posture. A man’s stance and stride is not as upright as a woman’s so Lowa has designed a 2 degree offset into the ankle shaft of their mens hiking boots in order to provide a more balanced stance. Since women have a naturally more upright stance, this offset does not exist in the ankle design of their womens hiking boots.

Understanding the differences between mens hiking boots and womens hiking boots should make it much easier for you to select a proper fitting boot. Just because a womans foot is naturally smaller, do not assume that purchasing a smaller sized mans boot is the way to go. The best option is to try on hiking boots that are specifically designated as women’s hiking boots. This immediately tells you that the manufacturer understands the differences between a man’s foot and a woman’s foot, and has designed their boots to address those differences.

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Posted by admin on February 10th, 2011 :: Filed under Lowa Boots
Tags :: between, Boots, Difference, Hiking, Men's, What's, Women's

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