Outdoorsmans Articles

Staying Present in the Moment

As I mature as a human being and a man, it becomes abundantly clear that staying in my present mind is very important in life and my passions. It keeps me calm in chaotic and unnatural situations that we commonly...

Bad Decisions and Good Lessons

Three out of the last four big hunts I’ve been on have been truck camp-type hunts. The kind where you sleep on a somewhat cozy bed and cook somewhat normal meals. For me, that’s sleeping on a $29 air mattress,...

Drinking from a Firehose

So there I was, standing behind a juniper tree waiting to hear the words “Shooter ready? Your time starts now!” With those words began a 4-minute mental obstacle course that required me to locate targets, range those targets, determine my...

Healthy Expectations

Is it healthy to have expectations going into a hunt? Last year I drew an October rifle Coues tag in what is considered to be a pretty good unit to find some exceptionally sized specimens. I was so stoked. I...

Life can get hectic sometimes

Dad life can get hectic sometimes. One minute, you’re breaking down boxes on Christmas day then the next thing you know it’s mid-February, your weekends consist of soccer games, kids parties, and household chores. By the time you get to...

What is the best rangefinder under $1000?

Joe gave Brody, Chad, and Bryce each one of the most popular sub-$1000 standalone rangefinders on the market and had them battle to see which is the best. The results are comical and surprisingly informative.  SIG KILO5k The KILO5K 7x25...

Swarovski z5+ Rifle Scope

Rifle Scopes: First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane

If it’s First it Follows, If it’s Second it Stays A rifle scope’s reticle is placed in either the first focal plane (FFP) or the second focal plane (SFP). The main difference between the two options is how the reticle...

Correcting and Adjusting Rifle Scope Parallax

Parallax correction is a feature available in nearly all modern rifle scopes. The effect of parallax is presented when your reticle appears out of focus with respect to your target, and to the focal plane of the scope. Although generally...

Tips for Becoming a More Accurate Rifle Shooter

Here’s a secret no optics dealer is going to tell you, that high-end rifle scope you just bought doesn’t matter. Those countless hours you’ve spent researching for the perfect modifications to your rifle build don’t matter. The only thing that...

How to Properly Bore Sight a Rifle Scope

Sighting in a rifle is a pretty easy process, or, rather, it should be. The best way to eliminate any unwanted frustration throughout the sight in process is to properly bore sight your rifle scope prior to running live ammunition...

How does a rifle scope work?

Optics are all about light. We all know that without it, we can’t see! However, if you think that light travels through a rifle scope like a tube with a magnifying glass in it… you probably need to read this....

Zeiss Conquest HDX 15x56 Binocular Field Review

At the end of January, as the OTC Deer hunts were winding down here in Arizona, I had the opportunity to get the new Zeiss Conquest HDX 15x56.  To be honest, after receiving these at the shop, I thought, “Great,...

Swarovski EL Range 12x42 Field Review

Few things in the hunting industry have bewildered me more than the lack of a high-powered, ballistic-capable, rangefinding binocular. I started in the industry in 2018, and shortly thereafter, Leica and other optics manufacturers started incorporating Bluetooth and ballistics into...

Swarovski EL Range 12x42 with Tracking Assistant First Impressions

We asked, they finally delivered. Swarovski just launched the EL Range w/ TA in 12x42.  While I haven’t had enough time to write a full review, (soon) I wanted to jot down my first impressions. Really the first and biggest...

Leupold BX-4 Range HD TBR/W 10X42 Review

Leupold is no stranger to the optics world and has been a go-to for North American hunters for over 100 years. Recently, I had the chance to get my hands on the new Leupold BX-4 Range HD TBR/W 10x42 Rangefinding...

Building the Perfect Bino Harness System

Talkin’ bout binocular harnesses.  Recently, a buddy of mine got me into the country music artist Corb Lund – an old Canadian cowboy from Alberta. He’s got a song called Cows Around where he explains why it’s always nice to...

Should You Buy Large Format Binoculars?

The large format binocular is not a new concept to the hunting industry, but with advancements in technology, not only in the optics but in accessories like tripods and accessories, they have become more usable in the field than ever...

Zeiss Conquest Gavia 85mm Spotting Scope: Field Review

65 mm Spotting Scopes Compared

The greatest aspect of my job is getting to play hooky every now and then to take optics and gear in the field and put them to the test. I recently got a wild hair to compare some of the...

Hunting Spotting Scopes: What you need to know

When it comes to making an optics purchase, there’s nobody better to consult than the pros at Outdoorsmans. With decades of experience and thorough knowledge of every product that leaves the shop, you won’t find better information anywhere related to...

Digiscoping Tips and Tricks

Should you use a Spotting Scope Magnification Extender?

One of the more common questions we get here at Outdoorsmans is whether or not a customer should add a magnifying extender to their spotting scope kit.  Magnifying extenders are adapters that you can add to certain spotting scopes to...

The Best Tripod Setup for Your Spotting Scope

Glassing with a spotting scope is a completely different beast than binoculars and therefore may require more of an investment or just a different approach to how you set up your tripod. If you have a compact and lightweight spotting...

Hauling Out: The Meat Shelf Advantage

Introduction One of the biggest reasons we decided to design our own pack is because none of the packs available at the time offered a secure platform for hauling game quarters. Still today, the patented Outdoorsmans Frame System offers some...

How to Properly Size Your Outdoorsmans Pack

I have been hunting and hiking through the deserts of Arizona since I was about 6 or 7 years old. It wasn’t until about 4 years ago that I realized I had been wearing my pack wrong for damn near...

How to Choose the Right Hunting Pack

When it comes to choosing the right hunting backpack, the options are almost endless. There are so many different style frames, bag sizes, organizational features, and types of fit that there really isn’t a “perfect” hunting pack. In this article,...

Hunting Packs : Internal frames vs external frames

A good pack is one of the most important tools you can have with you on your hunt. There are a massive number of options for you to choose from when shopping for one of the best packs on the...

Best Hunting Backpacks of 2021

When it comes to buying a hunting backpack, there are thousands of things to consider. If you need to know what to look for, we can help you with that. When it comes to storing your hunting gear and packing...

How to Train With Your Hunting Pack

Introduction “Now the real work begins” without fail you will hear someone mutter these words with a confidence of originality in their voice once you’ve downed an animal. We all know it’s true, it’s the reason one member of the...

How to Choose a Hunting Tripod

One of the essential tools for any western big game hunter's kit is a tripod. A tripod can be used for a handful of things. You can use it to glass with your binoculars or spotting scope, shoot off of...

Why Are Outdoorsmans Tripods So Expensive?

Why are our products more expensive than most everyone else's? There isn’t an easy answer to this question. I could lie to you and say every single cent of the extra cost is going to even higher quality materials, the...

The Advantage of Glassing with a Tripod

I have been fortunate enough to spend time glassing with some of (in my opinion) the most proficient game spotters in the business. As I write this, a few of them are in the building. One of my favorite things...

Introducing the Outdoorsmans Pan Head Gen 2

Outdoorsmans is very excited to announce the next product in our line of unbeatable and indestructible tripod heads. The Gen 2 Pan Head now incorporates the highly requested Arca-Swiss compatibility while also accepting Outdoorsmans plates. The new jaw system uses...

Choosing a Tripod Head for Glassing

What optics will you be using it with? The answer to this question will narrow down the field greatly. If you are a backpack hunter, you’re likely carrying small-to-minimal optics (8-12-power binoculars and a small spotting scope). If you hunt...

Glassing With a Tripod - Tips and Tricks

Watching a good glasser find game in difficult conditions from difficult angles is nothing short of a spectacle. There are some differences in tactics among these mystical hunters, but there are also some key common denominators. I have tried to...