Dank Bulls gear guide
I want to share an experience from when I first visited Cabela’s as a new hunter. I nearly maxed out my credit card buying things I thought I absolutely needed. Spoiler alert: I didn’t need half of it. Avoiding Costly Hunting Gear Mistakes has a learning curve. Hi there! I proudly belong to Dank Bulls. It’s Colorado Springs’ most enthusiastically clueless hunting club. None of us have more than three years of experience. Today, I’m going to share some hard-earned wisdom about gear and preparation. I’ll also discuss the art of not going completely broke while getting into hunting.
The “I Need Everything” Phase
You know that moment when you first decide to get into hunting? When you’re standing in the hunting section of the store, and suddenly everything looks essential? Yeah, that was me. I felt like a kid in a candy store. However, this candy cost hundreds of dollars. It came in various shades of camo.
“Of course I need seven different elk calls! What if the elk don’t like the first six?” “This camo pattern is completely different from the other five I just bought!” “Yes, I absolutely need a rangefinder that can measure distances to the moon!”
Looking back, I can’t help but laugh at my enthusiasm. Don’t get me wrong – good gear is important. But as we’ve learned at Dank Bulls, it’s not the gear that makes the hunter. It’s the hunter who makes the gear worthwhile. In our case, it’s the hunter who forgets how to use the gear in the moment of truth.
The Reality Check
Here’s what actually happened on my first hunt: I had so much gear that it made a lot of noise. I sounded like a one-man marching band going through the woods. Every elk within three counties could hear me coming. I had so many calls hanging around my neck. I looked like a Christmas tree decorated by a hunting-obsessed elf.
And you know what I used most? The basic essentials. You know what I wished I had more of? Physical stamina and practical knowledge. Fancy gear cannot compensate for being out of breath on a steep incline. It also cannot replace the skill of reading elk sign.
The Dank Bulls Gear Evolution
As part of Dank Bulls, we’ve all gone through this journey together, and we’ve noticed some patterns. We call it the “Four Stages of Hunter Gear Acquisition”:
Stage 1: The Shopping Spree “I’ll take one of everything, please! What do you mean this elk call isn’t compatible with my other elk call?”
Stage 2: The Reality Check “Why am I carrying three different types of game bags? I haven’t even seen an elk yet.”
Stage 3: The Minimalist Rebellion “All I need is my rifle and a good pair of boots!” (Spoiler: You need more than this, but the sentiment is right)
Stage 4: The Sweet Spot “Here’s what actually works for me, based on real experience.”
What We Actually Need
After numerous trips into the field, countless “learning opportunities” (that’s what we call our mistakes), and several very patient mentors, here’s what we’ve learned about gear:
First and foremost, focus on the basics:
- Quality boots that you’ve broken in (blisters are not a badge of honor)
- Appropriate clothing layers (cotton is not your friend in the mountains)
- A reliable weapon you’ve practiced with extensively
- Basic navigation tools (and the knowledge to use them)
- Essential safety gear
The Great Calls Conundrum
Let me tell you about our collective journey with elk calls. Between the members of Dank Bulls, we probably own enough calls to start an elk symphony orchestra. But here’s the thing – in the field, most of us get so excited. When we hear an actual elk, we forget how to use them anyway!
It’s better to be really good with one or two calls. We’ve learned this through experience. It’s unwise to carry ten you barely know how to use. Although, there was that one time when one of our members accidentally made a perfect cow call… while trying to clear his throat. The elk wasn’t impressed.
Physical Preparation: The Gear You Can’t Buy
Here’s something they don’t tell you in the hunting magazines. The most important gear isn’t something you can buy at Bass Pro Shops. It’s the physical conditioning you build before the season.
We learned this the hard way when we finally found elk sign at the top of a ridge. We were so excited! Then we realized we were too exhausted to actually hunt them. The elk probably watched us wheezing and puffing. It might have thought, “Look at these guys with their fancy gear! They can’t climb a little hill!”
The Tech Trap
Oh, let me tell you about our adventure with hunting apps and GPS devices! We loaded up our phones with every hunting app available, bought the fanciest GPS units, and headed into the field feeling like we were running NASA mission control.
Reality check: Most of us spent more time looking at screens than looking for elk sign. One of our members (who shall remain nameless) was so focused on his GPS that he walked right past a herd of elk. The worst part? He was looking at his GPS to try to find elk…
Our Current Philosophy
After all our trials and errors (mostly errors), here’s what we at Dank Bulls have learned about gear and preparation:
- Start with the basics and master them before adding complexity
- Physical preparation trumps fancy gear every time
- Buy once, cry once (quality gear is worth it for the essentials)
- Practice with your gear before you need it
- The best gear in the world won’t help if you don’t know how to hunt
The Dank Bulls Gear Testing Program
We’ve inadvertently started what we call our “gear testing program.” It’s not official or anything – it’s just what happens when one of us buys something new and the rest of us wait to see if it was worth it. We’ve saved each other a lot of money this way, although sometimes we have to learn the hard way.
For example, we now know that the “ultra-lightweight” tent that was supposed to revolutionize our hunting camp actually turns into a kite in anything stronger than a gentle breeze. Live and learn and try avoiding Costly Hunting Gear Mistakes!
Join Our Learning Adventure
Are you new to hunting in the Colorado Springs area? Do you find yourself staring at a shopping cart full of gear and wondering, “Do I really need all this?” – you might be perfect for Dank Bulls. We’re always looking for new members. We seek those who are willing to learn. We want individuals who share their experiences. We appreciate those who occasionally admit to buying unnecessary gear.
Email us at [email protected] if you want to join a group where it’s okay to make mistakes. However, it is best to avoid Costly Hunting Gear Mistakes. You can ask “dumb” questions (there aren’t any). Learn from each other’s experiences.
Final Thoughts
Remember, every experienced hunter started somewhere. They probably made the same mistakes we’re making now – they just didn’t have a blog to document them all! At Dank Bulls, we believe in learning together, sharing our mistakes, and gradually figuring out this whole hunting thing.
And hey, if you see someone in the field with every piece of hunting gear known to mankind, obviously struggling to manage it all – that might be one of us! Feel free to stop and say hello. We’ll probably need help untangling ourselves from all our gear anyway.
Written by a proud member of Dank Bulls, where we’re turning gear mishaps into learning experiences, one overloaded backpack at a time. Remember, we’re not experts – we’re just sharing our journey so others can learn from our mistakes… or at least feel better about their own!
