Gear
The Best Elk Calls for Every Situation According to Jason Phelps
Elk hunting requires a lot of physical preparation, a healthy dosage of grit, and a few good elk calls. Here at MeatEater, it’s no surprise that we’re fans of Phelps Game Calls, and that’s exactly what we use to chase bugles through the mountains each September. Whether you’re looking for a bugle...
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Gear
Build a Better Hunting Rig with UTV Upgrades and Accessories That Actually Matter
Ask a half dozen hunters what makes the perfect UTV setup, and you’ll get six different answers. None of them are wrong. The UTV that hauled me around the Idaho mountains chasing bugling bull elk looked a lot different than the rig I use to hunt the soggy river bottoms back home in eastern North...
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Hunting Gear
The Pros and Cons of Stabilizing Binos
Image stabilizing binoculars have been around for a long time. In January of 2009, the Department of Homeland Security published what amounts to a taxpayer-funded review of some of the most popular stabilizing binos. Some, like the Fujinon Techno-Stabi, the Nikon StabiliEyes, and the Canon L IS WP...
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Gear
How Much Scope Do You Really Need?
I’m not sure who started the rule of buying a scope that costs twice as much as your rifle, but they probably worked in marketing. While it might provide a general rule of thumb for some Western hunters, this hyperbole hardly applies to the rest of us and our budgets. The truth is most hunters are...
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Gear
2026 MeatEater Trail Cam Photo Contest
The dog days of summer have arrived, and we’re all dreaming about cool fall mornings filled with rutting bucks and bugling bulls. Instead of daydreaming, get out there and scratch the itch by setting trail cams, prepping stands, and summer scouting. That way, you’re fully prepared and out of excuses...
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Gear
The Best Knife Sharpeners
A dull knife is like a rusty car or a worn out pair of sneakers. It’s almost useless and can be quite dangerous. Your knife will get dull eventually. Rather than replace it, it’s far cheaper to sharpen it. The question is how. You can sharpen a knife on a rock. I once watched two skinners in Africa...
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Gear
What to Look for in a Hunting Camper
My dad hauled a beat-up old pop-up camper into the Virginia mountains every deer season. It wasn’t much more than a tent on wheels, just some canvas walls, a tiny two-burner stove, and barely enough room for two people to stand up. But after a hard day of climbing steep ridges and toughing out...
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Gear
Stop Abusing Your Gear in the Offseason
Hunters and anglers like to strut around in well-worn gear like they’ve earned a merit badge. Scuffed-up rifle stocks, blood-stained jackets, and threadbare packs usually tell a good story in the rips and stains. Well-earned wear is one thing. Flat-out neglect is another. Worn gear may tell a story...
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Hunting Gear
The Best Turkey Chokes
A good turkey choke can turn any old shotgun into a certified gobbler getter. It might require some trial and error to figure out which turkey loads a choke patterns best, but that's part of the fun. Of course, it isn't feasible (definitely not affordable) to test every ammo and choke combination...
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Hunting Gear
Best Rubber Hunting Boots
You don't have to be a scent-control junkie to appreciate a good pair of rubber hunting boots. They're perfect for those late-season whitetail hunts when you need to layer extra socks, run some toe warmers, and keep your scent to a minimum. But, they're also necessary if you spend a lot of time in...
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Gear
5 Things to Keep in Your UTV Emergency Kit During Hunting Season
Apr 9, 2026Some hunters love disappearing into the wilderness and hoofing it miles. Others don’t mind a littlemotorization to help them punch their tags. Last fall, a Can-Am Defender saved my flatlander legs and lungs while I tagged a bull elk in Idaho, especially when it came time for the pack out. Back home in eastern North Carolina, I’ve been known to use a UTV for all kinds of pre-season prep, from hanging treestands to schlepping corn.Things can go sideways fast, whether you’re running an ATV or side-by-side in the backcountry or even your own back forty. Flat tires, dead batteries, broken belts, or leaky fluids can ruin an otherwise fine hunt. That’s why having a solid emergency kit should be a non-negotiable.“When traveling off-road, it's crucial to be prepared for whatever the trail might throw at you. From inclement weather to changing trail conditions or even a dreaded mechanical issue, countless scenarios can play out on an ATV or UTV ride,” Eric Storz, with Can-Am Off-Road, told MeatEater. “As the old saying goes, ‘It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.’”Some hunters love disappearing into the wilderness and hoofing it miles. Others don’t mind a little motorization to help them punch their tags. Last fall, a Can-Am Defender saved my flatlander legs and lungs while I tagged a bull elk in Idaho, especially when it came time for the pack out. Back home...
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Gear
How to Make DIY Shooting Sticks
Apr 7, 2026If you ever hunt overseas, you will undoubtedly encounter DIY shooting sticks. In places where there are few trees or rocks to brace a rifle on, like parts of Africa, a tripod shooting stick is standard issue. Simple, cheap, and effective, shooting sticks allow a foot-bound hunter to brace themselves for a shot just about anywhere. And while these tools have been eclipsed by more modern tripods in the U.S., I’d argue they are more versatile and easier to pack around.With practice, a rifle shooter can quickly pick off targets around 300 yards away with a set of sticks. When not in use, your shooting sticks make a perfect walking stick. Best of all, they are far lighter, less complicated, and cheaper thanmodern tripodsor anything you can find at a sporting goods store. Here’s how to make your own shooting sticks for less than $50.
If you ever hunt overseas, you will undoubtedly encounter DIY shooting sticks. In places where there are few trees or rocks to brace a rifle on, like parts of Africa, a tripod shooting stick is standard issue. Simple, cheap, and effective, shooting sticks allow a foot-bound hunter to brace...
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