Hunting Gear Tips - Top 5 Items I Take on EVERY HUNT

Hunting Gear Tips - I’ve shortlisted the Top 5 Items I take on EVERY SINGLE HUNT which help in the field.
Fortunately, I live in a location with hunting access that gets me in the bush most weeks. So over time you quickly learn what works and what is a waste of time. I could prattle on for hours on hunting gear and what I take but these are the 5 accessories that I take on all my hunts be that deer hunting, calling foxes or shooting feral pigs off the quad bike.
These five items assume that you have the staples like a rifle or bow, backpack, clothes boots etc.
Item #1 - Great Binoculars - I can't understate these enough. Get the best you can buy, you don't have to spend $3k to get sharp optics, just do your research and if possible try before you buy in low light. You'll use them for hours on end, or at least you should. Look more, walk less is a good motto. And to look more, in detail you are best served with a pair of binoculars. So many people pump huge dollars into a rifle scope, And I'm not saying that's a bad thing, If you’ve the cash go right ahead. But you'll look through that scope on a deer hunt potentially once for 15 seconds.... But bino's, you'll run the socks off in use all the time. So get good ones and you'll be much more inclined to use them on every hunt.
Item #2 - Bino chest pouch - Neck straps suck, simple, they allow your bino's to flop around, especially climbing around and under things like trees and fences, I've just never been a fan.
I ran a Vortex elastic bino harness for years and liked it, At a minimum get something like that for about $30-40.
About a year ago I finally got a bino chest pack and man o man I wish I'd done that sooner, my hunting mate said the same thing after he got one last year too. No more bouncing swinging bino's, They are easy to access your optics as you don’t need to run lens covers, They balance and distribute the weight your carrying well and they offer great protection for your expensive glass. Additionally you can run a rangefinder, GPS, wind check, range card and other handy items in the side pockets or by adding side pouches. The easier things are to access the better and less fumbling on a hunt. An added bonus I’ve found is if you take the bino’s out a chest pouch is a great storage option when night hunting for a thermal or NV monucular.
Item #4 - Safari Sling - Just get one, Best thing ever. Puts your rifle on the front and super fast to shoot. Makes carrying a rifle ready to shoot in seconds a breeze. Plenty of times I’ve thought I was in a non productive hunting area, or just walking back to the car, you glance over and
shit - Something I want to shoot has busted me unprepared. With a safari sling there’s no more trying to do that stealthy / unstealthy rifle jiggle as you unsuccessfully attempt to smoothly slip the rifle off your shoulder on a traditional sling without moving around and startling the animal you’ve just bumped up. With a Safari sling all that unnecessary body movement is eliminated as your rifle is all but in your hands ready to shoot always, but your not actually holding it in your hands
Item #4 - Soft Bullet Holder. Prepare your credit card - Go punch into eBay - buttstock ammo holder. These elastic wonder things are made to slip over your rifle buttstock and well, hold ammo. Get the type to suit your general cartridge diameter size (They are quite universal). This epic item costs around four bucks thirty three cents from China, so very expensive. Now once you have it - Get some scissors or a sharp knife and cut it down to “this” and burn the edges to stop it fraying. Now you have a very quiet way to hold bullets and brass in your pocket or pack that isn’t bulky and it cost you next to nothing. I hate rattling shells in a pocket whilst trying to hunt, this is an easy, not bulky and cheap solution
Item #5 - Nitecore NU25 Headlight - I find being so light and compact it’s always in my hunting pack or belt. They are USB rechargeable which I like for backpack hunts as I take a small power bank, but it’s simple to charge at home on a phone charger lead too (micro USB). This light has three different light sources. Good main beam with various powers and run times. It has a Hi CRI flood beam which is great for camp use and pictures, I use this a bunch as it’s a really nice beam in close and with the Hi CRi it shows natural colours, not the white washed out regular LED most lights are. And the red LED with two brightness levels I use a bunch when walking around as it's doesn't spook the critters much and I can see where I’m stepping. The runtimes for a light this small and light are very impressive and with the three light sources in one body it’s super handy I find. Often your walking into or out of a hunting area in the dark so a nice light headlamp will serve you much better than the light on your mobile phone - Yes, I’m sure most people have been reduced to using the phone light in a pinch and isn’t that fun

[@andrewsteele7663]

Nathan, that was some of the best advice I have ever head. I had not seen a Safari Sling, and the scope covers are a brilliant idea. I did an eBay search and they were less than $10. Using the ammo holders like you do is another brilliant idea. Mate, love your channel, and I am sharing as I binge your previous videos. Cheers

[@stevebarlow3154]

As a yachtie can I suggest taking a look at nautical binoculars, in particular the 7 x 50s. This magnification provides the maximum amount of light to your eyes (your pupils on average are 8mm across) and works extremely well in low light. If that is too big or heavy, then the 7 x 30s are a good second choice. The best name in nautical binoculars are the German firm Steiner.

[@Joe-po3fd]

Thanks for putting in the time to share your tips, great advice. Great work that you also put into saving our beautiful Aussie wildlife by removing as many ferral cat's as possible. Not many people realise just how destructive they are, I own a property and see it first hand. Keep those great KZbins coming

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

No worries

[@neilwayte517]

Very interesting stuff Hollywood.Not sure we can get those little head lights in the UK but will have a look.

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

Pretty sure you would be able too

[@MsandMrspinact]

Great tips, thanks for sharing. The safari sling looks handy, it just may end up on my list of gear to get

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

Moroka 30 make one now too which I've been using. Both work well but the Moroka 30 I must say is more supple and easier to make quick field adjustments.

[@robwinter4173]

i'm not a hunter but i enjoy your channel,rob

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

Thanks Rob

[@isaacjol1096]

great mate that was really helpful mate

[@davidfreese7681]

After seeing your chest rig in other vids I've thought about how handy it looked but will certainly get one after seeing this one. Thanks mate. Great content as always.

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

I need to tag this video in one of my new ones with more views. Was only thinking last night - Nothing has changed on this list except I run a NU17 Nitecore now. The red LED's are a little better.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

Great start to the year Nathan, Channel is looking very professional 👍 good tips, a bino harness is some thing I'll probably add to my kit in 2020

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

Thanks Mate. Sorry this comment went to spam for some reason. The harness will be a worthy addition I'm sure.

[@MountainMan_NZ]

@@EDGEoftheOUTBACK haha all good mate

[@krmatiu]

More great tips, ty 👍

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

Any time!

[@countrywideboy]

Barr and stroud made some brilliant binoculars I use the savannah 10x56 they are mint.

[@bladeuser101]

great advice, thanks for that. a friend give me a chest rig recently , very handy having everything i use right in front of me. no more swinging binos but very quick access.

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

They are fantastic aren't they. Glad your happy with yours too. Nothing worse than swinging bino's.

[@andrewscrivener6732]

I just fitted the Safari Sling , it is AWESOME, I have a 98 custom 30/06 , medium barrel, not light but bringing it up on target is super quick 👍I'll be getting my shooting buds onto it for sure 👍👍👍

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

Awesome stuff mate. Hope to hear of your success in the bush soon !!!

[@SHIKARI_DNA]

Safari sling, definitely i need that, cheers

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

They are a great addition mate. Thanks for watching and keep us posted on your hunting adventures !!!

[@michaelcauser474]

Hi Nathan. After watching your vids for some time now, may I suggest that you missed item 6 on your must have list - KFC.

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

😂

[@benwhite9033]

Good stuff I thing running the range finder seperate to to the binos is a good idea Have heard the built in range finders can be a bit unreliable even in high end brands

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

Hi Ben. Cheers for the comment, what bino's are you running. I've always liked them separate. Inbuilt is handy though but I have also read the rangefinder degrades the image in one lens barrel. Never something I had noticed using the 8x42 Leica Geovids I had for a time though.

[@benwhite9033]

Hi Nathan Running 8x32 zeiss ht and Leica 1600-b It was bought to my attention at my local shop that some binos with the built in rf only have 12 month warrant and that they have had some customers with issues Thanks

[@chrisp3677]

Hi Nathan Really enjoying your videos, can I as what range finder do you use at night?

[@EDGEoftheOUTBACK]

Cheers Chris. I use the same Leica rangefinder day and night. But I have to aim at the laser pointer if I'm running the NV add on with my 204 Ruger. Which can be tricky. Or I cheat and if I have my 17HMR the NV008 LRF scope has a built in laser rangefinder. Which is awesome to have.