Caribou Gear

Swarovski NL pure

Is this serious? Just in optics I have 7k or more in my vehicle daily during hunting season. Throw in a $1800 bow or rifle setup and I don’t know how someone could have under $3500 in total hunting stuff.
Dead serious. it may be a touch over but not by much. I have one cheap rifle that I bought used. And years later I got a lower end Leupold for it. 1 shotgun. No pistols. 1 backpack, a used spotter, and on old ass pair of vortex binos. My bow was a used diamond. I'm at around 1% with tags. If you factor in depreciation in your gear, which I try to do, then it really gets eaten up (see 6 years on rain gear, etc). My "allowance" barely covers those replacement costs, a tag if I'm lucky, and a box or two of ammo.
 
Dead serious. it may be a touch over but not by much. I have one cheap rifle that I bought used. And years later I got a lower end Leupold for it. 1 shotgun. No pistols. 1 backpack, a used spotter, and on old ass pair of vortex binos. My bow was a used diamond. I'm at around 1% with tags. If you factor in depreciation in your gear, which I try to do, then it really gets eaten up (see 6 years on rain gear, etc). My "allowance" barely covers those replacement costs, a tag if I'm lucky, and a box or two of ammo.
Wow. Im not sure if that’s impressive, crazy, or a combination of the two, but it’s definitely discipline.

I personally don’t put that much thought into it. I weigh out the cost of higher end items, but if I need something like rain gear, I just buy it. I’m also fortunate that my wife is as crazy about hunting as I am. Which unfortunately means we have twice the expense on everything.
 
Dead serious. it may be a touch over but not by much. I have one cheap rifle that I bought used. And years later I got a lower end Leupold for it. 1 shotgun. No pistols. 1 backpack, a used spotter, and on old ass pair of vortex binos. My bow was a used diamond. I'm at around 1% with tags. If you factor in depreciation in your gear, which I try to do, then it really gets eaten up (see 6 years on rain gear, etc). My "allowance" barely covers those replacement costs, a tag if I'm lucky, and a box or two of ammo.
I’ve been saying this for years now, you need to stop with the lattes and avocado toast.
 
Apparently you haven’t looked up the price of resident MT tags, those years would really drag down my average. ~$85 for elk, deer, bear, upland, waterfowl, turkey.
I’m $130 or less for an Idaho Sportsman pack. Elk, deer, bear, turkey, wolf, cougar and about everything else.

I did some quick math and I’m under 1% for hunting/fishing the last few years. I haven’t bought out of state tags. I bought most of my gear years ago. My major expense is diesel.
 
Ok, let's get real for a moment. What percent of your pre-tax dollars do spend on discretionary items/experiences? I mean everything from bait, to gas to go hunting, to elk tags, to swaros and guns?
Man, you had to include gas. I ran quick numbers, total it was around 3500-4k last yr.
 
I’m $130 or less for an Idaho Sportsman pack. Elk, deer, bear, turkey, wolf, cougar and about everything else.

I did some quick math and I’m under 1% for hunting/fishing the last few years. I haven’t bought out of state tags. I bought most of my gear years ago. My major expense is diesel.
I was thinking about this thread while shooting bismuth at ducks last weekend. I’m over 1% when I add the flats of shotgun shells and my out of state apps every year. I’m still under 2%.

Does shooting skeet once a week go into the till? I don’t golf anymore.
 
Ok, let's get real for a moment. What percent of your pre-tax dollars do spend on discretionary items/experiences? I mean everything from bait, to gas to go hunting, to elk tags, to swaros and guns?
Not sure I'd want to see that figure. Lol. I just ordered a TS Customs 7prc topped with a NF ATACR 4-20. Also on this thread, so I'm considering a pair of NLs. All BS aside. This hobby doesn't have to be that expensive. It is what we make it. I also drive and build demolition derby cars at a national level. You would be suprised how much coin can be wrapped up in those rigs.
 
I know it has been a few months since I started this thread, but I did buy the 10 power NLs this week. I wanted to hold them in my hands and that required a 2-hour drive one way to find a store that had them in stock. I had driven 1 hour to another store that according to their website they had them in stock. Nope not that day. This time I called twice to verify that they were in this store.
Now that I have them home, they are better than my SLCs but only time behind the binoculars will tell me how much better. Feild of view is amazing for an old guy who has to wear glasses all the time.
After I get a chance to actually do some scouting, I should be able to do a better review.
 
I know it has been a few months since I started this thread, but I did buy the 10 power NLs this week. I wanted to hold them in my hands and that required a 2-hour drive one way to find a store that had them in stock. I had driven 1 hour to another store that according to their website they had them in stock. Nope not that day. This time I called twice to verify that they were in this store.
Now that I have them home, they are better than my SLCs but only time behind the binoculars will tell me how much better. Feild of view is amazing for an old guy who has to wear glasses all the time.
After I get a chance to actually do some scouting, I should be able to do a better review.
I bought the 12s about a month ago. There are a couple of this I find really annoying. I wish I had had the ability to hold them & look through the glass. The clarity is amazing. But a couple of these points I find half-assed. The way the strap attaches is pure garbage. Trying to get the one side to lock into the binos was a pain and required strength I just didn't have. Not sure I really have them locked in and worry they will come loose at an inopportune time in the woods. Secondly, I don't wear glasses so twisting out the eye pieces removed the whole piece no matter what I did. This has to be fixed and re-engineered. How lame for $3,600 binos. The whole piece on bothe eye pieces came out of the binos. I get the whole cleaning thing but hey. Another is that when they engineered them, they decided to put this tiny ass female screw adapter so ya can't use a plain old 1/4" adapter to attache them to a tripod. I don't know what the hell they were thinking. (Sidebar: My $800 Cabelas binos that I bought 20 years ago can fit into an adapter for my tripod. I have a bipod made from Hatch Outdoors in Idaho, and they now make a 3rd leg that turns it into a tripod that is so much lighter than any tripod I've seen, FYI. Ain't cheap, but American made.) The design engineer needs is ass kicked. Now they are scrambling around to get an adapter. And the headrest is a friggen $170. Come on people, ya gouged my eyeballs out on the binos, can't ya just offer the headrest for say $75???

I used them to watch a night launch here and also to look at the moon. The moon view was awesome because you could see the mountains on the moon and the craters really well. Ya needed a tripod to really see it well. I'd say the 12s get me to where my Leupold spotting scope low power is and less bulky.
 
All seriousness just scooped mint condition 10x42s with the forehead rest for $2500
ELs are hitting $1500-1600 now same with SLCs

Deals can be had now.
 
I bought the 12s about a month ago. There are a couple of this I find really annoying. I wish I had had the ability to hold them & look through the glass. The clarity is amazing. But a couple of these points I find half-assed. The way the strap attaches is pure garbage. Trying to get the one side to lock into the binos was a pain and required strength I just didn't have. Not sure I really have them locked in and worry they will come loose at an inopportune time in the woods. Secondly, I don't wear glasses so twisting out the eye pieces removed the whole piece no matter what I did. This has to be fixed and re-engineered. How lame for $3,600 binos. The whole piece on bothe eye pieces came out of the binos. I get the whole cleaning thing but hey. Another is that when they engineered them, they decided to put this tiny ass female screw adapter so ya can't use a plain old 1/4" adapter to attache them to a tripod. I don't know what the hell they were thinking. (Sidebar: My $800 Cabelas binos that I bought 20 years ago can fit into an adapter for my tripod. I have a bipod made from Hatch Outdoors in Idaho, and they now make a 3rd leg that turns it into a tripod that is so much lighter than any tripod I've seen, FYI. Ain't cheap, but American made.) The design engineer needs is ass kicked. Now they are scrambling around to get an adapter. And the headrest is a friggen $170. Come on people, ya gouged my eyeballs out on the binos, can't ya just offer the headrest for say $75???

I used them to watch a night launch here and also to look at the moon. The moon view was awesome because you could see the mountains on the moon and the craters really well. Ya needed a tripod to really see it well. I'd say the 12s get me to where my Leupold spotting scope low power is and less bulky.
I’ll trade you some Leupold 12’s that don’t have any of those issues. They’re basically new in box. Those swaros sound like a real pain

Edit: I’ll even consider throwing in some vortex 15’s that already have a ln outdoorsman’s tripod stud installed. Heck of a great 2 for 1 deal
 
I’ll trade you some Leupold 12’s that don’t have any of those issues. They’re basically new in box. Those swaros sound like a real pain

Edit: I’ll even consider throwing in some vortex 15’s that already have a ln outdoorsman’s tripod stud installed. Heck of a great 2 for 1 deal
I'll give ya Schnees and Sheels phone number. Maybe they'll do the trade! Hey, It's worth a shot.
 
Back
Top