Elk, deer and bear mountain hunters are constantly convinced that they need the newest and greatest gear from the hunting industry’s marketing machine. In this video, I give some advice on how to avoid this trap and create your optimal gear kit for elk or deer hunting.
00:00 – Intro
00:50 – The Gear Hustle
01:55 – Why Does it Matter?
02:25 – Gear Related Excuses
03:05 – Framework for New Hunters
03:45 – How Much Should You Spend
04:05 – Value is Not Linear
04:56 – Keep Yourself in The Mountains
05:15 – Clothing
05:40 – Buy Confidence, Not Complication
06:20 – Focus on What’s Important
07:00 – Smartest Guys in The Industry
07:50 – The Gear Hustle
08:40 – The Dirty Little Secret
08:55 – Bias
10:00 – Cultural Bias, Self-Expression
11:00 – The REAL Bias
11:55 – The Takeaway
#hunting #elkHunting #deerHunting #prepping #selfreliance
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WATCH MORE FROM CLIFF:
Hunting Skillsets – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVWcO28moDQM1niPWMJcklqBsHtACuz4
E-Scouting Series – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVWcO28moDRIDoAIOJB82bUBH9jTyi89
Hunting Gear – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVWcO28moDQj1O54HxR9h9Ttd9UUiqN6
Glassing – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVWcO28moDRuV2AOzDf_NRb1u85C-DgO
Catch, Clean, Cook Adventures – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVWcO28moDQYoRRfWdj20yBMZzTOsIiM
Hunt Preparation and Logistics – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVWcO28moDQk-RfxKQiceG2BgIHhHfLK
Hunting Horseback – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVWcO28moDTVUjfwEsQEtjK3U-cxIoEw
Marksmanship – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVWcO28moDTNHCv_4aFryW_0rSyGN0uV
Wildlife Tracking – https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVWcO28moDSMc6YE0uOYFbSMA3qC1JZW
PLEASE NOTE:
*Cliff no longer takes on new guided hunt or expedition clients. He sold all operating outfitting/guiding businesses prior to 2021.
20 Comments
“Then came the gadgeteer, otherwise known as the sporting-goods dealer. He has draped the American outdoorsman with an infinity of contraptions, all offered as aids to self-reliance, hardihood, woodcraft, or marksmanship, but too often functioning as substitutes for them. Gadgets fill the pockets, they dangle from neck and belt. The overflow fills the auto-trunk and also the trailer. Each item of outdoor equipment grows lighter and often better, but the aggregate poundage becomes tonnage.“ -Aldo Leopold
In addition to hunters I respect, I’ve been talking to non hunters who are hard core mountain hikers to research my new back country hunt gear. I still use gear that has served me well for twenty years and have a hard time giving up proven stuff. For me working within my budget has been key and difficult, but it’s coming together. Thanks Cliff, learning a bunch from you!
The need for the better longer reaching harder hitting bullet! There is always something new but tried and true should have been where I stayed. Would have saved so much lol
I agree with everything you said Cliff. I buy the best I can buy and generally look for clearances on gear I’m interested in. Camofire App being one of them. I also look at how many times I will use this product? Binoculars for example. I would not buy 2000.00 pair to hunt out west one or two times. Age being the factor. If I was a young man I would take the leap as far as I could go. Razor or Swarovski and such! I would look for products such as the tracking
Pole coupler you purchased. It just makes since. Keeps poles together and doubles down as rifle rest. I buy solid pants where I can interchange tops from clothing of different patterns that I fill has an advantage to inclement weather or just the plain old unexpected. I love FirstLite Cifer and Sitka subalpine for example. That’s if you want to remain color coordinated which I do for whatever reason! Lol Shop smart I think you pretty much said and don’t fix what ain’t broken unless there are distinct advantages to the new and improved. Thks Good video and good advise! Keeping it real! God bless
Where can I buy that licorice that will improve my hunting performance? Just kidding. I’m enjoying bingeing on all your videos. Thanks
My grandfather born out in Western Oregon in 1913. Gave up hunting in the 1980s. (Too much GOVERNMENT CRAP/OVER REACH).
All he ever hunted with was a 300 SAVAGE in 99 savage, it was made in about 1920 and old gray sweatshirt and a gray pair of tin pants. He was also a logger. that man with that setup killed hundreds of deer, possibly thousands. No fancy gear. And he had plenty of cash to buy what he wanted or needed.
best video yet. Boldly honest . I'm sure you hurt some feelers out there . The only thing I think you didn't say but implied is all about someone's pride . Thank you
Right on. Just like golfing. New clubs every year to fix your bad swing
I don't know, my grand father never had the fancy camo or cover scents. He killed big bulls and whitetail,how did he do it with out all the fancies?
I tend to have a gear list that would have been similar to one of the 1950s through 70s. Keeping it light, enjoy the challenge ( skill) of leaving the training wheels at home. Man up and do it the way grandpa did. I agree with your attitude on this. I'm not trying to say I use gear of the 50s . I'll use the modern if it's better but as we all know some of the older stuff is better quality built.
And Fred Bear kills yet another animal at ultra close range in heaven while wearing a brown pair of canvas pants a a neutral colored plad flannel button up shirt. He looks over and there’s Larry Benoit chuckling on the next cloud while hunting in a heavy wet snow storm soaked to the bone but still warm as can be in his solid green wool pants with his signature green and black check jacket. Camo and modern materials are way more for the hunter not the game being hunted!!!
Awesome video! I think about my old man who has hunted with the same rifle his whole life and killed a lot of elk. There are way better guns out there now but they can’t replace the comfortability and confidence he has in his rifle.
My hunting outfit is M65 Vietnam woodland camo surplus 😁 works every time cost $150.00 all in. Find yourself a legit army navy surplus. Use you extra cash for ammo.
Love your honesty. As a new hunter, I really appreciate it. And great content on your channel.
I love that i got an ad for the meateater store immediately after this video finished up. I appreciate that you have some integrity.
Brand new to hunting and you said it perfectly @3:54 Thank you for the video. As I get started this video put my mind at ease on all the gear out there find what you need and get going!
Yup. If it works and I like it then why change. We share a sentiment. If you’re a good hunter you don’t even need camo for 85% of hunting. Shot a 170 class mule deer this year at 40 yards with my bow. Spot and stock. Brown pants and a green shirt. Outfit was maybe $50 lol.
For un-guided folks, I tend to recommend that they stick with what they already have and build their gear over a long period of time rather than all at once. That way, they know the problems they need to solve and the challenges they'll face before they invest. My first few backpacking trips as a teenager were spent sleeping under an Army poncho lean-to with painter's plastic ground cloth and a cotton sleeping bag. No pads, no pillows and no specialized gear. We simply cobbled together what we already had, added in some canteens & MREs & figured the rest out as we went. We had open-sighted rifles in brushy country so we never bothered with optics. So I still don't see an urgent need to upgrade from the $100 compact binos I have. But it's what my hunting conditions taught me was important and what isn't important. Also, people move in and out of their interests. They want to chase mule deer one year and fly fish the next. Why invest a ton before you know for certain that you're going to make this a lifelong pursuit? Specialization is always the enemy of adaptability. Those $2k spotting scopes and tripod setup are useless when it's a still-hunter's game under dark timber. I absolutely agree with the idea of focusing on the camping part first. Sleeping bags, pads, tents, food & clothing are what keep us all out in the field longer and make that time more enjoyable. My first major upgrade was getting a nice sleeping bag as a gift before I graduated high school. I still have it (though my wife steals it when we go out together). Buy once; cry once. But only after you KNOW what you actually need.
There's a saying in mountain biking. "Don't buy upgrades, ride up grades"
Just like fishing lures are designed to catch fishermen not fish. All industries are the same.