My search for a new hunting sight was intentional but what I ended up with was a result of not being able to get the original sight I thought I wanted. I had a spring Alaska bear hunt coming up in May and I needed an immediate solution. The sight I wanted had been on order for 4 months and got delayed again due to supply chain issues. I was explaining my dilemma to a good friend and hunting mentor, and he told me to check out the CBE Trek Pro Sight. I’m glad I did.
(more…)
The archery industry is a constantly revolving door of new products and trends, where many fade in and out in a short number of years. Here at BlackOvis, we seek out products and brands that are here to stay and that we ourselves believe are truly solid hunting gear. Over the last year, several new products have been released that stand out above the rest and deserve to be recognized. The products that are highlighted here have all been put through the paces and have earned a spot on our bows.
(more…)
I have been intrigued by archery since I was a little kid. My first few setups were recurve bows and mismatched arrows. The birds, squirrels, and hay bale targets in my yard were generally pretty safe but I didn’t care. I just loved watching the arrows fly. As I got older my desire to hit what I was aiming at gradually caught up, so at age 10 or 11 I finally graduated to a compound bow with a set of matched, store-bought arrows! That first setup was a pretty simple flipper-style rest and single-pin sight, but it was the start of a journey with bows and arrows that has led me throughout life. Watching arrows fly is still a thrill for me.
When it comes to pants, there are so many options for a hunter to choose from. A lot can depend on your location and your tolerance to types of weather. The ESW (Early Season Whitetail) Pant from Sitka Gear has become my favorite pant that I own. Now if you are unfamiliar with Sitka’s Early Season line, it entered the market a couple of seasons ago. It launched with the intention to accommodate for those early season hunts when temperatures can be on the warm side. Let me dive into why I love this pant so much and think it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
My brother Jeff recently wrote a review on Midweight pants. I will use the same format he used. Most of our scouting and hunting is done in the early season when temps are a little warmer. On an early season archery elk hunt, in September for example, temps can range from 30 degrees in the morning to mid 70’s and 80’s in the day. Choosing a pant that is lightweight and breathable yet still durable is key to making these hunts more enjoyable. I had the opportunity test and put the following lightweight pants through the ringer.
(more…)
I love the off season because it’s a chance for me to test gear in preparation for next year’s hunting season. For the past several months, I have been testing three, high-quality, midweight pants.
The team at Crispi, both here in America and in our Italian factory is constantly looking to improve, update and innovate our boot line. The lessons learned while hunting all across North America create ideas that can turn into new updates, improvements, and designs. We are in a unique position here at Crispi US to take the ideas and feedback we gather throughout the year directly to our Italian designers to influence design decisions and directly lead to improvements and changes. With that in mind here are the new and updated boots in the Crispi line for 2022.
My twin brother Jeff and I build our own arrows and we are constantly tinkering with our setups to build the most accurate arrows. A few months back, Jeff wrote an article called "Arrow Setup 101". Arrow accuracy is built upon many of the fundamentals that Jeff discussed in his article. In addition to trying to build the most accurate arrow it is very important to understand that bow tuning is essential to complete this process. I won’t go into detail about bow tuning in this article, but even the most accurate arrow won’t have perfect flight without a well-tuned bow. Bow tuning is essentially creating an environment where the arrow leaves the string of your bow in its most efficient and natural form. What an arrow does after it leaves the string, is influenced by arrow accuracy.
When it comes to choosing how to keep warm in the outdoors, we’re lucky to have so many options. When choosing gear to take on a hunt, or any outdoor excursion, the question of down or synthetic may have crossed your mind before. Down insulation is the fluffy undercoat feathers that come from ducks, geese and other waterfowl. Synthetic insulation is man-made and is made up of fine polyester filaments that are designed to create pockets of air between the fibers. If you’re like me, you may have more than one option from each category.
(more…)