BlackOvis MTN Journal

One of the first phone calls I took when I started doing Customer Service for BlackOvis was a gentleman who had just retired from his job. He explained that he was 71 years old and figured he had 15 or 20 years left. One of his retirement gifts to himself was buying 365 pairs of socks. For the first year of retirement he would get to wear a brand new pair of socks every day! Most likely each pair would only be worn a couple of dozen times before he passed away. This guy was my hero!  Continue reading →

I’m so pumped that elk season is just around the corner.  In a few short weeks, we will be piling into the backcountry in search of the magical sound of a bugling bull elk.  Even if you are only hunting over the counter tags for spikes or cow elk in Utah, for me, hearing that first bugle of the season is exhilarating.  Getting close enough to that elk for a shot opportunity is a whole different story.  This article will focus on my approach to getting close to elk and setting up on them for an optimal shot opportunity.  Continue reading →

We have so much information at the tips of our fingers.  Within seconds, you can search online for pretty much anything and start learning about it.  When it comes to hunting and the outdoor related topics, you can quickly and easily find information online.  From gear reviews and tactics to how-to articles and trip recaps, it’s all just a click away.  But there are certain lessons that we will inevitably end up learning on our own the hard way.  Maybe we simply never stumbled onto the right article or bit of information that would have helped us be better prepared for a certain situation.  I know I have learned a lot from reading reviews, articles, and forum posts about all sorts of different topics, and I also feel like I’ve learned quite a bit through personal experience.  The purpose of this article is to go over some items that can be easily overlooked, but be invaluable in the field in the right situation.  Alexander Graham Bell once said ‘before anything else, preparation is the key to success.’  Preparation can also be the key to comfort, and more importantly, safety.  Here are some items that I will usually have with me on all day trips, and I never head into the backcountry for any extended period of time without. Continue reading →

If someone were to ask me, “What is the most critical piece of your arrow setup?” My quick and easy answer would be BROADHEADS.  After an hour phone call with Grim Reaper National Sales Manager, Matt Bateman, and having shot Grim Reaper Broadheads for three years myself, here are a few reasons why you should consider picking up Grim Reapers this fall.  Continue reading →

I think most hunters can agree they grew up using knives that did not have replaceable blades. Nowadays you will find lots of hunters that carry them and do not remember the last time they had to sharpen a blade. If you were to ask a handful of people which style of knife they prefer, I am sure you would get different types of answers. In this article I will help point out some of the main differences and which style of knife I would choose if I could only choose one. Continue reading →

When researching places to hunt elk, no scouting method is more effective than strapping on the old boot leather and roaming the woods.  This method allows you to discover honey holes such as old wallows, elk rubs and perhaps even bones from a previous years kill.  When you do run across one of these areas, be sure to mark it on your GPS or smart phone. The elk may not be in these areas during your early season scouting, but the bulls will surely return when the rut starts.  Unfortunately, most of us don’t have enough time for this type of boots on the ground scouting, especially when hunting multiple states.  So, an effective way to scout an area remotely is by using Topo maps and Google Earth.  This form of scouting will give you a basic lay of the land, identify access points, and help you find remote areas which will distance yourself from the crowds.  Below are a few suggestions to help you get started. Continue reading →

Choosing the proper archery release is critical for accuracy and consistency. In the archery industry, we see new releases come out each year. Releases fall under two categories: index finger (wrist wrap) and handheld (thumb, back tension, and a hinge). The most popular option is the index or trigger finger release that is attached to your wrist. This release has been a staple in the archery community and is very easy to operate. However, in recent years handheld releases have become more prevalent in the hunting industry. Picking a release can be difficult because of the different types, brands, and models offered. Both Index and handheld releases will work in hunting scenarios but trying to decide which is best for you can be confusing. This article will cover the two styles of releases and talk about their pros and cons.  Continue reading →

At a certain point in time, we have all been in the situation of having soaked pant legs after hiking around through the misty morning, dew-soaked brush in the mountains. A lot of us have even been in the scenario of hiking around late in the season where the air is crisp, and the snow has a rhythmic crunch with every step you take. These are both prime scenarios when wearing gaiters could be a comfort along with protecting your pant legs from some of the elements. Continue reading →

Summer scouting for fall tags is right around the corner and there is no better time than now to dial in your clothing system. Generally, summer scouting starts in early July when the deer have migrated back to their summer range high in the mountains. Scouting trips will require hiking long distances and durations to finds the caliber of animal you will be looking for. Wearing the proper clothing will make scouting trips more comfortable and allow you to spend more time looking for animals. Some of the elements that you have to contend with are heat, rain, and occasional snow. With such a wide variety of weather conditions having proper apparel for all conditions is needed. Below are five clothing items that are perfect for early-season scouting.  Continue reading →

Just a quick intro to Mark and Jeff Skousen.  We are twin brothers that live in Utah. We both have 5 kids and busy careers. We have been hunting together from a young age and have had a lot of success over the years because of hard work, dedication, and being in top shape.  For us, preparing for hunting season is a 365 endeavor.  Just as the four seasons come and go each year, we likewise break our fitness training into a calendar cycle.  There is nothing really scientific to our approach, but the end goal is to be in elk shape come September. It is no secret that our preferred weapon and species is bowhunting Elk.  So, every available moment from the end of August through the end of September is spent in the mountains chasing elk. Continue reading →

Ahhhh it's finally spring time. The sun is shining, kind of. It’s pretty much stopped snowing and draw results are slowly starting to trickle in. Hopefully you have already been out looking for sheds, turkey hunting or maybe setting baits for spring bear. As the temperatures and snow line keep rising, the mud dries out and the runoff slows down. Most of us are cleaning and storing our late season and winter equipment so we can start pulling out warm weather gear. The right warm weather equipment can take you from late spring shed, turkey and bear hunts, into summer scouting and the early archery season. Continue reading →

Hunting backpacks have come a long way in recent years.  They are stronger, lighter, and more customizable than ever before.  A good pack is one of my most utilized and important pieces of gear, second only to a quality pair of boots that fit me well.  Packs these days come in all sorts of varieties and sizes, from day packs to expedition packs.  You can go ultralight, or with a stouter, heavier pack.  The world is your oyster when it comes to choosing a hunting pack.  But what you need to decide first and foremost is what am I looking for in a pack?  What will your main use cases be: day hunts?  Extended backpack hunts?  Any and all of the above?  Also, what criteria must the pack satisfy to meet your needs (and not anyone else’s)? Continue reading →

A BlackOvis Utah Archery Mountain Goat Hunt I believe chasing your dreams is worth every bit of the chase. In fact, when it comes right down to it, chasing your dreams is often more about the chase than the realization of the dream itself. Some dreams take years to obtain, others take a lifetime, while some remain forever just outside of our grasp. Continue reading →

Spring bear is one of the best times to test and try out new backpacking gear for the year. I am always eager to test all the gear that I have upgraded during the winter. Below is my gear that I use for my backcountry spring bear hunt. Typically, I will try and be in the mountains for 5-7 days and follow a nomad style of hunting for spring bears. This style of hunting allows me to be light and mobile which is critical to find bears in rugged terrain. My bag weight will depend heavily on the weather forecast but I will try and keep it as light as possible for this style of hunting. I will be glassing most of the day during this hunt so a glassing chair will be worth its weight in gold. Depending on how stable the weather is, I will leave clothing at the truck or pack more clothing in my pack.  Continue reading →

With Turkey season on the horizon I couldn’t be more excited to dive into an article about turkey hunting. Just a few years ago I never understood what all the hype about turkey hunting was. After some convincing from a good buddy of mine, I agreed to tag along with him on my first turkey hunt. It only took a few moments of walking along the field edge that first morning and hearing my first gobble that I knew I was going to be hooked.  Continue reading →

Is camo really necessary to harvest animals? This is a question I have had running through my mind over the last couple of years. Recently I have noticed that more and more hunters, including myself, wear solid earth tones and camo apparel. I have hunted in full camo, full solid earth tones, a mix of camo and solid colors through various types of hunts and environments. Throughout this article we will look at historical data, personal stories and the science behind camouflage.  Continue reading →