BlackOvis MTN Journal

Info: Profession: Real Estate Agent Instagram: @dcooley29 Hunting Style: Archery/Rifle Favorite Species: High Country Mule Deer Dream Hunt: Kyrgyzstan Ibex Pursuits: Hunting, Scouting, Backpacking, Photography, Fishing, Trail running, Hiking 3 Most Essential Pieces Of Gear: HanWag Boots, Tyto 1.1, Garmin Inreach Mini. Next Gear Purchase: Rambo Rebel 1000 Bio: Dylan Cooley is a self-made hunter and passionate outdoorsman who has...

Check out the Solid.HUNTING.Gear that the staff here at BlackOvis uses and are familiar with. Thinking of buying a product but not sure how it performs? Check out if any of us use it and give us a call! Details: Hunting Style: OpportunistFavorite Species: Black BearDream Hunt: Kodiak Grizzly BearNext Gear Purchase: Dewpoint Jacket And PantOther Pursuits: Family/Outdoor Adventures Weapon Setup Bow: RX-4 UltraSight...

When it comes to footwear and choosing your gear for the upcoming season the single most overlooked pieces of gear is your socks. What the average person doesn't understand is that most hunting socks are built with a specific purpose. Some are made to be light and quick, some are meant to provide more cushion in your boot. One of the leading brands out there in our industry is Darn Tough, and they are the prime example of what makes a good sock. It's a story of survival, a story of hard work, a story of never giving up, and all of those things make their socks "DARN TOUGH". Below is a film that Darn Tough put together last year that dives into the history and what makes a good sock. Definitely give it a watch when you have some free time. With that being said let's dive into how and why to choose the right sock for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0anIAZT4T8 Continue reading →

Let's face it you guys, factory fletchings is a thing of the past. Grabbing a dozen arrows off the shelf that are already pre-fletched is great and easy to grab last minute, but what if we told you that you could create a dozen custom arrows, see a preview of what they'd actually look like, and have them built and shipped within 48 hours... Welcome to the BlackOvis Arrow ID Customizer... Continue reading →

The ALPS Upland Vest X (Pack) is one of the best designed upland packs in the industry today. It is a well thought out pack that was built by an upland hunter that understands the needs of upland hunters. My goal in this post is to go over the key features that really make this pack awesome. - Key Features of the ALPS Upland Game Pack -   Bird Pocket: The biggest thing that differentiates an upland game pack from any other pack is going to be the bird pocket.  It’s designed to be able to easily slip a freshly retrieved bird into the large pocket from either side of the pack so you can get back to the hunt with little to no interference. In the ALPS Pack, the bird pocket is large and accessible from either side. One key feature that differentiates this from a traditional bird vest is that it has a zipper at the top so you can fully open the pocket to dump out your kill; rather than having to pull birds out one by one, or shake them out. You can also lock the zipper with a toggle to avoid it coming undone.   Hydration Sleeve: I almost missed this feature because it’s concealed so well, but the hydration pocket is right behind the back panel. You can access it from the top, and there are ports leading out both sides of the harness straps. This is definitely something you won’t find in a traditional bird vest, and is really nice to have for those longer days. Continue reading →

The Briksdal GTX was one of the new additions that Crispi US made to the lineup this year. Reason being is that they would give hunters the option of getting into a stiffer boot than the Nevada’s but not quite to the extreme as let's say..a Scarpa.  That way you maintain that comfort level that Crispi is well known for. This boot was really designed to fill the need for those hunting at extreme elevation where they need a bit of Insulation (200 g), a stiffer board last, and a boot that will take a beating in the extreme terrain without getting into a pure mountaineering pack boot. Continue reading →

One of the first things you learn as a mountain hunter is that if your feet aren’t happy, you aren’t happy. Your boots can literally make or break your whole hunt (or scouting trip, shed hunt, etc). A quality, durable, well-fitting and broken-in boot is an overlooked necessity that should be one of the most sought after items in your gear list. I refuse to let something like poor choice of footwear keep me out of the mountains! Comfortable feet at 9300' Continue reading →

What is it? AccuBow has been purging the world of social media since around late 2015 and has been peaking the interest of every and any bowhunter ever since.  What it is, is an Archery Training Device that is simple, easy and extremely effective if used right.  It really is a revolution in archery training because it can be used virtually anywhere!  We were fortunate to get our hands on one to play with for a couple days thanks to Matt over there at AccuBow and being the Archery Expert/Bow Tech here at BlackOvis, I had to see if this was worth it and what all the fuss was about.  Before I dive into my experience with using the AccuBow let me just explain my situation since it will obliviously differ from most. Continue reading →

We've teamed up with Vanguard to put together an awesome giveaway where 1 lucky winner will score the new VEO AM-234TU Monopod, the VEO235AP and the Vanguard Pioneer 1600RT Backpack! That's a grand prize worth $350! *** Thanks to everyone who participated. We have randomly selected a winner, congratulations to Daryl from Hall Summit LA! Make sure to check back for...

Ask any serious big game hunter what brand of trail cameras they use to keep track of the big game animals they’re after and Stealth Cam will definitely come up in the conversation. Stealth Cam is not new to the scene, either; they’ve been around since 2000. Prior to Stealth Cam’s launch, the trail camera market was not what it is today. There were options available, but not nearly like the selection we have at our fingertips now, and they were built differently and not near as functional or user-friendly as what’s currently available. The creators of Stealth Cam decided to change that. They saw a niche that needed to be filled. Their goal was to create a functional wildlife monitoring system using the latest technology that would be affordable to the average sportsman. Over the years, Stealth Cam has refined their product. They’ve had setbacks just like any new company can and usually does, but through increased effort into the engineering process they’ve been able to overcome those setbacks and in turn create even more highly functioning products. The drive to become the best in the industry has ultimately benefited the customer by far the most as their technology and products have improved, from the looks and ergonomics down to the components and circuitry. For example, until just recently, Stealth Cam had been found to have one of the slower trigger speeds as well as recovery speed times. But, thanks to their engineers they were able to fix that, and now they boast some of the fastest cameras on the market. Just goes to show that when companies compete the real benefactor is the customer! Below is a quick overview of a few of the top-of-the-line models currently offered from Stealth Cam and sold on BlackOvis.com Continue reading →

There has been a huge increase in the popularity and use of leg gaiters in the last few years in the hunting community. I personally had never used a gaiter until 4 years ago. However once I bought my first pair and started using them in wet and snowy conditions, I instantly realized their value. High gaiters will help prevent the bottoms of your pants from getting soaked by wet vegetation or snow while also keeping your boot uppers protected from the elements. They can also help keep out water in brief and shallow (below the top of the gaiter) stream crossings. They are not waders so don't expect them to keep your feet dry while crossing a raging river! I had the opportunity to personally go through and try out several of the most popular and newest hunting gaiters on the market and give my 2 cents about each of them. Below you'll find the features of each according to the manufacturer and then my own personal experiences using them. Some of my opinions may differ from others but they are based on my experience using gaiters while chasing everything from high country Mule Deer in the heat of August and September, to late season elk hunting in the bitter cold of January. First Lite Brambler Gaiters The First Lite Brambler Gaiters are built to take a beating with their coated Nylon straps, Cordura constructed insteps, and insanely tough seams. They will keep you dry and comfortable no matter the conditions or terrain. They utilize the same 37.5 by Cocona Technology which breathes like no other but is also extremely waterproof. They are currently only available in the Fusion camo pattern but I would like to see them in a solid color in the future. They are available in a S/M or L/XL. I have  16.5" calves and the S/M fits me perfectly. Continue reading →

Sitka 90% Series Explained In our world of remakes, remixes and new models, occasionally you find that somebody got it right the first time. That the original is still the best. Willie Nelson, Ghost Busters, Pre 64 model 70’s and the Sitka 90% series. This was the idea that started it all. High quality, technical fabrics made into clothing, designed and built specifically for hunters. The days of an old pair of jeans and a flannel shirt, baggy cotton camo, and heavy one size fits most army surplus stuff are officially gone and we never have to go back. When Sitka came out with the first 90% series it really did change the way we viewed our hunting clothing. Hunters realized that they could hunt longer, smarter and more efficiently than before. We found that by choosing a few specific pieces and using an intelligent layering plan we could be comfortable, mobile and safe for longer periods of time further away from a home base. Clothing was now gear. We have come a long way since then and our options for high quality clothing seem to be growing every day, but the 90% series from Sitka just may be the best of the best! Continue reading →

Timberline Pant Since Sitka Gear came out with the Timberline Pant it has become a tried and true favorite with a vast number of hunters around the globe. The Timberline Pant was created as a super durable and highly technical pant that can be used from mid-late season. The 4-way stretch material makes this pant extremely comfortable and allows full range of motion when climbing up a steep incline and crouching, crawling, or sitting. One of the coolest features is the waterproof/breathable nylon ripstop knees and seat. When you have to kneel down or sit and glass on wet or rocky ground you will really appreciate having it. The pant also features removable knee pads which are well designed and they will conform more to your knee as you wear them. They are available in solid colors as well (Lead and Moss) and the Optifade Open Country camouflage pattern.   For 2016 Sitka did some refining on the existing design. They developed a softer and lighter removable knee pad, articulated the knees, did away with the old integrated belt so you can use most climbing style nylon belts, and moved the cargo pockets to a better position on the leg. The material is also new which adds to the comfort and overall performance of this already great piece. For those of you who prefer suspenders they include their comfortable and well designed suspenders with this pant. They are easily removed if you'd rather wear just a belt also. Continue reading →

1st Time Archery Elk Hunt | The Growth of Unsuccess By: Chris Neff    A couple weeks back I had the chance to go on a fully guided archery elk hunt up in Colorado with our warehouse manager Jason Stein.  Jason actually had quite a bit of experience hunting elk and I was able to learn a lot by watching him on this hunt but the coolest part is that Jason is hearing impaired. Let me just start by saying that Jason is a hunting idol of mine now.  Picture hunting without being able to hear a single sound. How and where would you know where to hunt besides what you see?  Every year he gets it done and he can even bugle way better than I can.  Try making a sound that you have never heard before and can't even hear yourself producing... It's pretty insane.  At first I was a little worried about how we were going to communicate but luckily we had an eight and a half hour car ride and he was able to teach me a bit of ASL and let's face it, when you're hunting there is little talking anyways and a lot of hand signs.  I was taught countless tips and techniques for hunting elk from both Jason and our guide Kyle and quickly realized that it was a completely different ball park then hunting mule deer, which I knew but I decided to keep a journal and record the events every day to share that with all of you.  Pardon the novice writing skills but feel free to kill some time and dive into my experience and how our hunt unfolded in Taylor Park, Colorado!  **For the sake of the Outfitters Privacy and Respect, I have changed the names of all the areas that we hunted** Continue reading →

I take my binoculars anywhere and everywhere outdoors every time I go. It doesn’t matter if I’m scouting, hunting, shed hunting, driving through the canyon, or even on a walk with my family in the foothills, I’ve always got my binoculars handy because you never know what Mother Nature has in store for you! When I started out hunting, I used/borrowed a pair of $50 binoculars that my dad kept in his closet but seldom used. I did my best to take care of them, but looking back I think I was actually pretty careless. I’d carry them around my neck on a strap with nothing more to protect them than a set of flip-off covers for the objective lenses and nothing covering the ocular lenses. Those binoculars took a beating, bouncing around on my chest all day and suffering whatever the elements had in store from sun, wind and dust, to rain and snow. When I decided it was time to get serious about my optics and that I needed an upgrade in the binocular department, I knew that before I ever purchased a high end set of binoculars, I needed to figure out a good carry system for them. I had to have the carrying system selected and purchased before I purchased the new binoculars or else I’d be too tempted to take them out and use them just once or twice or maybe twenty times before I got around to purchasing the carrying system. I had made up my mind to not let that happen. One reason I was so adamant about having the carry system before buying the binoculars was that I’d had a friend who bought new binoculars and took them out into the field before getting a carrying case. Long story short, he ended up dropping them while coming down a wet hillside when he fell and actually cracked one of the lenses. I did not want to chance ending up in that situation! When I first began researching the options available for binocular carrying cases, I was a little naïve in my selection process. I knew I wanted 10x42 binoculars, a pouch that rode on my chest, and something that offered complete protection when shut. That was about the extent of my criteria. I looked up different options online and read about them, but what eventually helped sway my decision was some input from close friends to get the Badlands Magnetic Binocular Pouch. Continue reading →

Why the Hype? For those of you that have gutted a dear or field dressed an elk, you know that a sharp blade is really nice to have. Recently there has been an emergence of the 'Replaceable Blade Knife'. Havalon was the first to come out with the concept for the hunting and outdoor industry, but many other players have jumped into this arena to compete and bring their own flare to the concept. The other 2 designs that we have chosen to bring on so far are from Gerber and Outdoor Edge. We'll be reviewing the comparable knives from each of those brands. The concept of the 'Replaceable Blade Knife'  has really changed the way that people field dress their game. For centuries, hunters have used fixed and folding knives, or sometimes a series of knives to gut, skin, and bone out meat from animals. Almost always, the blade starts out sharp and gets more dull with each cut made. The idea of having a fresh blade throughout the process has hunters migrating towards this concept. Many people say it's a game changer and we're happy to take your feedback in the comments section below. Features & Differences In order to make an apples-to-apples comparison, we took the standard knife from each of the 3 brands, the Havalon Piranta Edge, the Gerber Vital, and the Outdoor Edge Razor Lite (Blaze). Each of these are really the standard edition from each brand. All three brands have other replaceable blade knives in different shapes, sizes and styles you can check out on our site, but for the purposes of this comparison, we would like to stick to the basics. All 3 knives are folders. The Havalon has a liner lock, whereas the other two are lockback folding knives. The Havalon and the gerber have 2-3/4" blades that are nearly identical. They are a #60 blade and both are made from 420HC Stainless Steel. The Outdoor Edge uses a proprietary blade that was specifically made for their knives, and made from 420J2 Stainless Steel at a longer 3-1/2 inches. The difference between the 420HC and the 420JC is the carbon content. The HC stands for 'High Carbon' and contains about .5% to .6% carbon, whereas the JC comes in around .3% to .4%. All that means is that the 420HC is going to ve a little bit more hard, a little more brittle, but will hold an edge and sharpen a bit better than the 420JC. All of these blades are crazy sharp. For the Piranta Edge and the Vital, they are literally a surgeons scalpel so be very careful when 'testing' how sharp they really are. Continue reading →