I’ve gotten one of my life long buddies into hunting and it’s expensive buying everything so I wouldn’t tell someone buying the same things I have is a necessity. One real cold morning last month we sat for a few hours not too far apart and he froze. I felt bad so we got down and walked up to the top of the mountain to get to a different spot where we’d split up and still hunt. We get to the top and he’s sweating and soaked. I could tell he was kinda miffed, and I’m like brother this is the difference between capilene with merino wool over it and fleece / whatever other cheap Academy stuff he had.
It hurt my soul paying like 500 bucks for a pair of Kennetrek boots. Worth every penny to me (primarily because of trips out West where I might do 10 miles in a day in some steep places).
I remember all those cold mornings when I was younger sweating my ass off on the way to the stand. Not only would that sweat freeze me to death once I settle into my stand, but it would also my spread scent everywhere. Unless my wind was just right I wasn’t seeing shit.
I actually agree in general I just have this one capilene I love and they quit making it and I can’t find another like it.
If I know I won’t sweat much capilene is ok. It’s lighter and dries quicker, but man it will stink if you sweat a lot.
I’ve kinda fallen in love with still hunting and covering a ton of ground, and with that I’ve gone full bore with committing to having everything as light as I possibly can, minus my pack because I’m out of cell/radio range from anyone in my club and so far from a passable ATV trail that I’ve gotta pack deer out. Already excited for next year, just got a little Ruger 450 bushmaster brush gun. As far as I know it’s the cheapest quality big caliber rifle out there that isn’t real expensive. It’s awesome.
I’ve heard good things about the .450 ruger. I’ve used a 30-30 Marlin since I was a kid and use that as my short range/brush gun with a .170 gr bullet currently. Then the old standard .270 Winchester as my long range gun.
Oops, typo in my previous post. I meant cheapest *ultralight quality big caliber rifle. It’s only 5.5 pounds. If not for the muzzle break itd be an absolute bear to shoot.
I am greatly enjoying my sons high school years the best so far. Don't have to keep eyes on them 100% of the time and can have adult conversations with them. But neither seem to hate me yet, so that is a bonus compared to some teenagers.
I just have 1 left in HS now. They’ve all been trouble free which I’m thankful for, but those preteen innocent years are missed
Opening weekend of muzzleloader here in East Tennessee. I’m gonna stay in the woods all day tomorrow and come back in to camp right in time for kickoff and a shiner bock. I can’t imagine a better day.