"Tactical"

Tactical = more $$$ for the same product.
Tactical = "me want that" to neanderthal mentality.

Yes, I'm sick and tired of it. Thought there was a little hope
when Boyds changed the name of their Tacticool to ProVarmint.
But they are just one of thousands.
 
tacticool was an old issue 20 years ago when I worked the street. I do however enjoy hearing why "the police use blah blah blah" to defend their choices. I usually get to say, "that's not at all why we use that." I'm looking at you thigh holsters...

I used to wear military BDU pants for hunting, everything from flying critters to big game. Pretty simple why. 1. They were free. 2. They had room to wear 2 pairs of thermals under them. 3. Pockets. 4. I got tired of messing up my jeans with blood stains. I finally ran out of material actual BDU material to patch to so they got retired.
 
Originally Posted By: Bad DawgThe secret is to simplify. It makes it a much more enjoyable experience not having to haul around a bunch of useless gear. If you are going out on an extended stay in the woods, that's a different story all together. But if you are only walking an 1/8-1/4 mile to your set you don't need all that extra crap. I've hunted with people that want to bring everything but the kitchen sink out to the set with them. I almost want to be like the guy in the movie Platoon that grabs the one guys pack and just starts tossing stuff from it on the ground while saying, " you don't need this, you don't need that, you don't need this." LOL

That's one of the things experience teaches you. When I first started hunting by myself as an adult I would take an ammo can with me. A hundred or so rounds of rifle, a couple hundred pistol etc, always with the rifle that had the biggest boom. I didn't cart the can, but it was in the truck with me.

Later the can stayed in camp.

Then I realized I only shoot once, why bring it at all for day hunts. So 1 loaded gun, and a belt wallet with ammo. 7 rounds of rifle and 6 pistol. The wallet had 10 slots, but each slot would hold 2 rounds of pistol. Still only shot once but you never know. I would still bring the can for trip hunts, along with a few hundred rounds of .22 and a 10/22 to plink with at camp. But that was more for amusement than anything else, and when you're loading a trailer a little wasted space isn't a big deal.

Then it clicked that I was beating the beejeezus out of my shoulder to knock over a deer or a goat. So picked up a 25-06 and left the bigger calibers at home. My hiking rig ended up being a backpack with water and a snack, gps so I could make sure I stayed off land I shouldn't be on, 1 knife, nitrile gloves for field dressing, binocs, laser, tags, 1st aid kit, paracord and a pen. The last 2 so I could fill out the tags and tie it to the carcass. I went from hiking with 43,000 pounds on my back to a couple. Big difference.

Elk hunting was different, more weight, bigger gun. More survival stuff because we hunted in places it might really be needed. But still minimized as much as I thought was still safe.
 
I usually just grab my rifle, throw a few rounds in my pocket and a few hand calls and head out to the woods. I have to agree about what the other poster said about BDU pants. They are cheap durable and I don't care if I get blood all over them. They're pretty comfortable too.
 
Good discussion and some funny stuff, I don't see much of it around here, heck if the general public saw my gear I would be accused of exactly this.

Truth is I have acquired a decent supply of military surplus gear and I can get pretty loaded down on some hunting trips. It's not something I'm really trying for and I try even harder to not be seen with a whole bunch of it on but for price and quality it's impossible to beat some of this gear.

I've got a couple pairs of BDU pants for warm weather hunting and hiking, I've got an army surplus bivy bag I use all the time, to carry that large bivy bag around I got a good deal on a huge marines ILBE ruck sack I carry all over, was in the market for a rain suit and ended up with an unbeatable deal for a full gortex army surplus rain suit, and I bowhunt in a guille suit in bear country so I wanted a holster that wouldn't get my gun all tangled up under my guille jacket or under my carhart in the winter, so I carry in a thigh holster. No regrets, it's all top notch gear and I didn't get any of it before I decided "this is what would really work well for me." I just don't want to be seen in public(usually out in the woods and don't want to be seen at all) loaded with all the stuff.

One other factor for me is that for nearly a decade I do a lot of the hunting trips with one buddy of mine and he is almost as dumb as a rock. So now I just plan my equipment plus some extra stuff weather it's clothes, ammo or extra survival equipment because at least half the time my buddy needs something from me.

To get over the top tactical, a couple weeks ago I needed a stick knife sharpener or a rat tail file to get some work done. We stopped at the nearest shop and the only thing they had that would work was a "tactical" sharpener... It was a just a normal stick sharpener that collapses into the handle. Me and my buddy still laugh about the tactical sharpener.
 
I hated wearing all that tactical stuff to begin with. It's heavy and hot.

Even then, if it wasn't used, i would dump it. Some of those set-ups can weigh in at 50lbs.
The old helmets were heavy and would leave you with a sore neck and headache.

That is why when you see the troops, as soon as they can, they take it off.

I think the gear is very expensive. All of it.. I buy surplus since it's cheaper and lasts for a lot longer. As long as its being used and not just sitting there for looks, good.
 
Originally Posted By: SlickerThanSnotQuote:AzBushman and I took a guy out predator hunting. In the week leading up to the hunt he was pestering us about what ammunition to buy, what gear to bring, etc. So on the appointed day he shows up with 1,000 rounds in an ammo box, 2 bags worth of gear and...wait for it...body ARMOR!!! We laughed so hard!! BODY ARMOR!! To hunt predators. If I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes, I wouldn't have believed it.

so you guys were not very clear when telling the new guy what he needed?

the new guy did not understand what you were telling him?

or a little of both?
lol.gif


I am pretty well convinced that listening is a lost skill with some people. You tell them things, for example: We will be on stand for "x" number of minutes and we usually see "X" number of coyotes. Or, "the most coyotes that I have called in on one stand was 5." So when he asked what ammo should I bring, I told him .223 for the rifle and #4 buckshot for the shotgun. Now, I appreciate his faith in my calling skills that he thought that I would be calling in 1,000 coyotes that day, but I really had to laugh and tell him that I have never seen a HERD of coyotes that big and that we really didn't have to worry about stampedes.

I laugh but we get things like this all the time with our students, no matter the subject.
 
I usually wear camo. Most of the time it never matchs but I don't care. I load my rifle and carry just a few extra rounds. The pouch my Foxpro fits in has a few side pockets so a bottle of water and maybe a snack goes in there and my decoy. The only time I don't carry a knife is to bed or the shower, any other time I have one in my pocket. ( I'm Okie, standard dress code)I usually set on the ground unless its wet, (deer season, a tree stand thats already up) then I have a very light weight turkey seat and shooting sticks. During hunting season, depending which one, I usually have a back pack in the truck with other items that I might need but it doesn't always go into the woods with me.
 
Soooo let me get this straight, are you guys saying being all "tactical'd" out DOESN'T make me a better shooter or my gun more accurate??? Crap, just when I thought I have it all figured out, you guys go and shoot down my balloon.

Jeez, what ever happened to the days when looking "cool" got you closer to the X ring....
 
Originally Posted By: Catdog1Originally Posted By: AWSRan into two guys going "Coyote Hunting", full mil. camo, complete Alice set up with about 20-30 round mags in pouches, canteen and combat knife taped to the suspender strap. AR's with scopes that must have weighed as much as the rifle. I was surprised no brain bucket just boonie hats. I thought I was interrupting maneuvers. I went back to my car and found another place to hunt. So you ran into Skinny also

LOL. I don't think that was us.
I've been sayin this for years, you don't need a full fledged custom rifle for hunting, heck you don't even need an optic if you don't want it or need it. You won't hear me complain about your choice. But as soon as someone is using a multi thousand dollar build, with an optic leveled at the same price point, it doesn't take long for em to come out of the wood work does it?

Tactical
adjective tac·ti·cal \tak-ti-kel\ - adroit in planning or maneuvering to accomplish a purpose.

Seems to me, most you all are "Tactical" in your strategy of this great game of Coyote hunting, because if ya weren't... You wouldn't be successful
wink.gif
 
I don't think you have to look "Tactical" to be "Tactical". Some must think so though. Even though they look "Tactical", they couldn't track an elephant through a snow bank.
 
Everyone can do what they want, but yeah, lots of guys playing pretend sniper out there calling coyotes. Dressing like the military, using military speak, 20 grand worth of gear hanging off of em...and they never been in the service ...at all.
Just dammed silly.

Having said that...I have taken to wearing a shemagh last couple years, and I love it. A simple piece of cloth with so many uses
smile.gif

Mark
 
Originally Posted By: skinneyOriginally Posted By: Catdog1Originally Posted By: AWSRan into two guys going "Coyote Hunting", full mil. camo, complete Alice set up with about 20-30 round mags in pouches, canteen and combat knife taped to the suspender strap. AR's with scopes that must have weighed as much as the rifle. I was surprised no brain bucket just boonie hats. I thought I was interrupting maneuvers. I went back to my car and found another place to hunt. So you ran into Skinny also

LOL. I don't think that was us.
I've been sayin this for years, you don't need a full fledged custom rifle for hunting, heck you don't even need an optic if you don't want it or need it. You won't hear me complain about your choice. But as soon as someone is using a multi thousand dollar build, with an optic leveled at the same price point, it doesn't take long for em to come out of the wood work does it?

Tactical
adjective tac·ti·cal \tak-ti-kel\ - adroit in planning or maneuvering to accomplish a purpose.

Seems to me, most you all are "Tactical" in your strategy of this great game of Coyote hunting, because if ya weren't... You wouldn't be successful
wink.gif


I agree with Skinney on this one. When I was introduced to predator hunting many years ago I started hunting with the M4 that I used in competition because it was a rifle that I was very familiar with. Was it the most expensive? No. Over time I found what I liked and disliked and modified my gear to suit what I was doing, what I was hunting and how I was hunting. My M4 gave way to a flat top, I started wearing knee and elbow pads, tired of lugging around a bunch of gear I slimmed it down and started using a load harness and duty belt. I eventually started using a shotgun when I get down in the brush with them. Do I run a Benelli competition shotgun? No. too heavy, and too many rounds.

I have some military gear, stuff that I have found works. But that is the reason I use it, because it works, not because it looks cool. Heck, I probably look like a goof to most people. But I don't care about what other people think, only what predators think...
 
Originally Posted By: SlickerThanSnotOriginally Posted By: SnowmanMo Heck, I probably look like a goof to most people. But I don't care about what other people think,

walmart is calling you.
lol.gif


I love the looks that we get if we have to stop by Cabelas, Bass Pro Shops or even Wal-Mart while we are out. You see those armchair, keyboard warriors giving you the [beeep] look as you walk by. I know, camo is just supposed to be worn for formal events like church or weddings...
 
Originally Posted By: SnowmanMo Heck, I probably look like a goof to most people. But I don't care about what other people think,


Originally Posted By: SnowmanMo
I love the looks that we get if we have to stop by Cabelas, Bass Pro Shops or even Wal-Mart while we are out. You see those armchair, keyboard warriors giving you the [beeep] look as you walk by. I know, camo is just supposed to be worn for formal events like church or weddings...

I was waiting for this... I always wondered what the state legislatures thought when we hammered through SB58 and we walked into the Capital to testify as proponents for the bill wearing Desert Saloman GTX 4D's, Vertx gunfighter pants in Nomad, my old fitted UA shirt I wore under my pads, with the Multicam sharkskin jacket and our custom Elite Hunter series Arid fitted cap. Every day attire. This time of year my Elk hunters roll in and I get kinked out looks when I step out of my 6170R wearing TRU-Spec 24/7's in Multicam, Fitted Arid ball cap and camo Salomon Pro 3D ultra's, with my multicam Arid bino pack.

I couldn't agree more with ya, on what other people think.
 
Originally Posted By: SnowmanMoOriginally Posted By: SlickerThanSnotOriginally Posted By: SnowmanMo Heck, I probably look like a goof to most people. But I don't care about what other people think,

walmart is calling you.
lol.gif


I love the looks that we get if we have to stop by Cabelas, Bass Pro Shops or even Wal-Mart while we are out. You see those armchair, keyboard warriors giving you the [beeep] look as you walk by. I know, camo is just supposed to be worn for formal events like church or weddings...

lol.gif


35112055543_0e34c7f7ea_o.jpg


Regards,
hm
 
Back
Top