Hunting

Tree Stands

Tree stands put hunters above a deer’s line of sight and scent cone, dramatically improving odds on mature bucks. Summit, Millennium, and API make the most widely used hang-on and climbing stands. Summit’s Viper climbing stand is one of the best-selling climbing stands in the country for its combination of comfort, weight, and packability. Hang-on stands pair with climbing sticks for a more permanent setup. When selecting a stand, consider weight (you carry it in), platform size (comfort for long sits), and noise level — squeaky stands alert deer. Always use a full-body safety harness when hunting from any elevated position.

Game Cameras

Trail cameras let you inventory deer on your property without pressure, time your sits around shooter bucks, and pattern movement without being in the woods. Spypoint and Reveal (formerly Tactacam) lead the cellular camera market, sending images directly to your phone. Standard non-cellular cameras from Bushnell and Stealth Cam are reliable and less expensive but require card pulls. Key specs: trigger speed (how fast the camera fires after detecting movement), night vision quality, and battery life. Cellular cameras add a monthly data plan cost but eliminate card pulls entirely.

Spotting Scopes

Spotting scopes extend your ability to evaluate game at long range without disturbing them. For western hunting and long-range shooting, a quality 20–60x spotting scope is essential for reading terrain, judging trophy quality, and calling shots. Vortex Diamondback HD, Leupold SX-4 Pro Guide, and Swarovski ATX are well-regarded across different price points. Angled eyepieces are easier to use from a tripod for extended glassing sessions; straight eyepieces work better for quick target acquisition from a vehicle window. Always use a sturdy tripod — the magnification amplifies every movement.

Hearing Protection

Hunting without hearing protection is the most common preventable hearing loss scenario among shooters. A single unsuppressed rifle shot at 160–170 dB can cause permanent hearing damage. Electronic hearing protection amplifies ambient sounds (letting you hear approaching game) while automatically cutting off at harmful levels. Axil, Peltor, and Howard Leight make popular electronic ear pro options. Bluetooth-enabled models allow phone connectivity. In-ear electronic options like Axil’s XCOR and GS Extreme are growing in popularity for hunting because they’re lower profile than over-ear muffs. For range use, high-NRR foam plugs under over-ear muffs provide maximum protection.

Binoculars and Field Optics

Quality binoculars are the most-used piece of gear for most hunters. 8x42 is the most versatile configuration — bright enough for low-light conditions, magnified enough for most hunting distances, and steady enough to hand-hold. 10x42 adds magnification at the cost of field of view and low-light performance. For western hunting, 15x56 binoculars on a tripod are standard for extended glassing. Vortex, Leupold, and Swarovski dominate the quality hunting optics market. Glass quality matters most in low light — the first and last 30 minutes of legal shooting light are when trophy animals move, and cheaper glass simply can’t resolve detail in those conditions.

Related Pages

Shop hunting rifles for bolt-action, lever-action, and semi-auto hunting rifle selection. Browse rifle ammo for hunting-appropriate loads. See our rifle scopes for hunting optic packages and individual scope selection.