• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

Game Changing Equipment

IkemanTX

IkemanTX

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2015
Messages
3,501
I was recently reflecting on how certain pieces of equipment have radically changed my effectiveness, comfort, or ease of access. I know we are all focused on saddles on this site... but I feel like, above all, we are tinkerers striving for efficiency, ergonomics, comfort, and functionality. I felt that there was a place for a thread highlighting equipment, commercial or homemade, that meet this end.

This thread is for exactly what the title says, equipment that changed your hunting game.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The Kayak
398bb6e7ef8c7d73385010203ecfb4ae.jpg

Nothing has transformed my strategic plan quite as much as kayak access. Northeast Texas has several lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and large creek systems adjacent to, or within, public hunting lands. This area has just over a 7,000,000 population in one metro area (71% of the entire population of Michigan in only 0.4% of the land mass), and only a few properties available for public hunting. Every place I hunt is within an hour and a half of these 7 million other people. The hike necessary to get away from other hunters is what drove me to saddles, lightweight climbing methods, and gear reduction in the first place. But, nothing stops the local boys like water. Kayak access opened up parts of property that never, or rarely get touched. Just this week, scoutman and I walked 6 miles without seeing any other deer hunter sign. Without the kayak to get us away from the pack, that would never be possible. I am used to marking at least 10 stands a day on "lightly pressured" Archery only properties....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Dan's Froglegs
8a18a8c1559d6e0f09674029421d0eb0.jpg

a664b2eea13ee8a3f4cd10614da36a18.jpg

I had seen mention of these before, and scoutman gave them a great review. I went ahead and ordered a pair last month. The specific boot and size I wanted were on back order, so I just got them a couple days ago. I know it is probably early to call them a game changer, but after seeing them in action on a recent scouting trip with scoutman, I know they make the cut. They are snake proof, briar proof, and water proof chaps sealed to a pair of waterproof boots. They fold down and snap to the top of the boot when you don't need high protection, but if you come across high water or briars you just pull them up and clip them to your belt. Voila! You are snake and water proof to your inseam. In those marshy, swampy locations you are completely covered. Or, if you have to cross a creek over knee high that stops other hunters... no problem. There are a lot of thigh deep, but wide creeks around here that might as well be the DMZ to most hunters. There could be Booners on the other side of that water, and most guys won't cross it. These things are slick, they open up a lot of places otherwise unreachable.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Thanks! I've been waiting to see what you thought. They're going on the shopping list.

Sent from up a tree somewhere using Tapatalk
 
Those hip waders are snake proof too?! I've been wanting a pair but wanted snake protection as well. That really could be a game changer.

I'm also in the kayak market leading into next season. Would love a nucanoe but will probably settle for a good bit cheaper one for now.
 
thwack16 said:
Those hip waders are snake proof too?! I've been wanting a pair but wanted snake protection as well. That really could be a game changer.

I'm also in the kayak market leading into next season. Would love a nucanoe but will probably settle for a good bit cheaper one for now.
Click to expand...

They are snake proof too. That is what convinced me. I had 2 close calls last year and that was enough for me to spend the money on them.

And on the kayak, I won't be in the market to buy one for a couple years(borrowing this one while it's not "swimming season"), but I would highly recommend waiting a year if it means getting the Nucanoe instead of a regular kayak. I was highly impressed with the one @Scoutman got. We loaded it DOWN and it didn't even care.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
The Saddle (specifically the Sit Drag)
a05e17ebe6837c22189409da4938e94e.jpg

88707f0f42263a35043ec661ecb63503.jpg

The saddle has become my saving grace, but not for the reasons most people tout as it's greatest benefit. I have had some pretty bad back pain for the past 10-12 years. With 2 severely subluxated disks, and moderate scoliosis, traditional stands have been true torture on my back. The way it engages your back muscles (as a leaner, not a sitter) alleviates a lot of the posture issues that a permanent sitting position can bring about. I don't fidget near as much, and can sit much longer. Also, as you all know, it is far more adaptable to tree size, angle, and orientations. The versatility of saddles is pretty staggering. I have sat in trees as narrow as 4-5" diameter at tether height. There is no way I could do that in a lock on. That opens up literally thousands of acres of floodplains that only have short, scrub style trees due to infrequent floods killing out the vegetation every decade or so.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Last edited:
Those Froglegs are freakin sweet!! I will def be buying a pair of those!! What boots did you get with them?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
flinginairos said:
Those Froglegs are freakin sweet!! I will def be buying a pair of those!! What boots did you get with them?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I got the Lacrosse 4X Alpha. I got them a size smaller than I normally wear, shoe wise, but that's because I usually get a lot of slippage in rubber boots. So, I went to bass pro and tried several different boot styles and sizes until I found what I liked. These fit like a glove, just as snug as a good pair of cowboy boots.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
IkemanTX said:
They are snake proof too. That is what convinced me. I had 2 close calls last year and that was enough for me to spend the money on them.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I had three different close calls last year. All moccasins. All on the edge of water. I believe one even popped my snake boots.

The more I seek out big bucks and harder to get to areas, the more it brings me to water, which leads to more snakes. Just part of the game. This would help to combat both of these.

Are they comfortable to wear for several miles? Am I reading it right that you're paying cost for the boots and then $135 for the chaps?
 
thwack16 said:
I had three different close calls last year. All moccasins. All on the edge of water. I believe one even popped my snake boots.

The more I seek out big bucks and harder to get to areas, the more it brings me to water, which leads to more snakes. Just part of the game. This would help to combat both of these.

Are they comfortable to wear for several miles? Am I reading it right that you're paying cost for the boots and then $135 for the chaps?
Click to expand...

Looks like the chaps aren't much more than the initial cost of the boots after talking to Ikeman via PM about them. The Lacrosse Alpha 4x boots w/ snake chaps were around $180 shipped for him. I think that is the route I am going. Need to try on some boots first and see what size I need. I'm definitely getting a pair!
 
I'll have to 2nd the thermacell but not for deer hunting. Late season turkey hunts in Michigan can be brutal without a thermacell and a thorough soaking of bug spray.

I don't want to be 'that guy' but scentlok has increased the quality of my hunts dramatically. I had 2 seasons of hunting with little or no scentlok and experienced a lot of scent busts. Granted some of this was also due to my lack of experience hunting but after applying a strict scent regiment and wearing scentlok my scent busts have gone down to virtually non-existant. Of course this is all anecdotal, but I feel like it definitely improves the quality of my hunts.
 
Last edited:
Sorry if this isn't what you had in mind for this thread, but I think the technology changes that have enabled cyber-scouting are a game changer. It is now way easier and faster to identify good areas. Aerial photos, topos, property boundaries, etc all at your fingertips at home or in the field. Some great tools out there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
d_rek said:
I'll have to 2nd the thermacell but not for deer hunting. Late season turkey hunts in Michigan can be brutal without a thermacell and a thorough soaking of bug spray.

I don't want to be 'that guy' but scentlok has increased the quality of my hunts dramatically. I had 2 seasons of hunting with little or no scentlok and experienced a lot of scent busts. Granted some of this was also due to my lack of experience hunting but after applying a strict scent regiment and wearing scentlok my scent busts have gone down to virtually non-existant. Of course this is all anecdotal, but I feel like it definitely improves the quality of my hunts.
Click to expand...

Try the no thermacell early bow season in TN and you will be one big whelp!! Lol


Sent from my
Sit drag, Ernie's outdoors linesman belt,
At 20' up
 
thwack16 said:
I had three different close calls last year. All moccasins. All on the edge of water. I believe one even popped my snake boots.

The more I seek out big bucks and harder to get to areas, the more it brings me to water, which leads to more snakes. Just part of the game. This would help to combat both of these.

Are they comfortable to wear for several miles? Am I reading it right that you're paying cost for the boots and then $135 for the chaps?
Click to expand...

My whole invoice was 187.00 including shipping, boots, and chaps. Make sure you order the Froglegs and not just the separate snake chaps.

I would have to defer to @Scoutman on their comfort over long distances. I haven't had them for a long scouting day yet.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Also, these examples of game changers are exactly what I'm looking for.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top