We would all love to have an unlimited budget when it comes to hunting. Every time I walk into Cabela’s I fantasize about piling gear in the cart with reckless abandon. Instead, our incomes limit our ambitions. Gearing up becomes a game of deciding where to save and where to spend. Here are a few of my recommendations.

Spend

Broadheads: It’s the not knowing that kills you. With a marginal shot on a buck, you may find yourself wondering if a better broadhead would have flown straighter or penetrated through the shoulder. Save yourself the heartache and invest in quality broadheads. Check out Harrison’s blog on which broadheads to choose.

Release, Sight and Rest: I often see archers with bows worth over $500 dollars that have a whisker biscuit and a twenty dollar release. If you are going to put the time in during the offseason and truly want to reach you potential as an archer, you need to invest in quality equipment. Harrison had a release catch on the d-loop during a hunt a few years ago and had to watch the buck trot off. Additionally, low quality rests create inconsistency. When low-quality equipment breaks mid-season, you lose time and confidence.

Socks: My least favorite part of whitetail hunting is freezing my toes. Whether it is thick wool socks, Toasty Warmers or electric socks, find what works for you and spend the money to assure you can stay in the tree when a cold November wind starts howling. Lastly, watch out for socks that are expensive because they come from organic farms or some other ploy. I am trying to harvest a deer to eat it. I could care less if the sheep my socks are from were happily sheared.

Save

Boots: I recently bought a nice pair of Scarpas for western hunting. But, I will wear the same pair of Irish Setters that I’ve worn since high school come deer season. Most of the time you don’t hike far in Iowa to get to a tree stand, so blisters shouldn’t cause any issues. I wear 800 insulate and at times I wish I had gone for 1000. Harrison chooses to go with lighter boots, wear them loose and include Toasty Toes when the weather gets cold. Whether you prefer rubber boots or lace-ups, you can save the money here.

Quiver: Don’t shoot with your quiver on your bow. All it will do is add weight and catch wind, both of which will make shooting more difficult. For deer hunting you can hang your quiver in your stand when you get there. Just remember to bring a tree hook to hang it. With antelope and elk, you will also have time to remove the quiver prior to the shot. If you shoot micro diameter arrows as I do, watch out for quivers that do not accommodate them. I recently bought the Muzzy 405 and it has worked well.

You work too damn hard for your skrilla, blue cheese and gouda to let it go to waste. Use these tips to put yourself in the best possible position this fall. Only a few weeks left. Thanks. Stu.