Gear

Gear: 10 Tough Items for Late-Season Deer Hunts

By Scott Bestul and Dave Hurteau

December 5, 2016

In "Blood, Sweat & Deer," whitetail experts Jared Schefler, Jim Hole, Randy Flannery, Jeff Simpson, Drew Myers, Mickey Hellickson, and Garry Greenwalt reveal their extreme late-season buck tactics. Here, they dish on the gear that gets them through hard winter hunts.

Onxmaps Hunt — 1. onXmaps Hunt “This software is indispensable for locating public land and identifying property boundaries,” says Schefler. “It’s also great for positioning drivers and posters exactly where they need to be.” ($30 and up; onxmaps.com)onXmaps

Salomon X Ultra Prime Hiking Shoe — 2. Salomon X Ultra Prime Hiking Shoe “These are lightweight and rugged,” says Schefler. “They keep my legs from getting tired, and they’re great for sneaking.” ($100; salomon.com/us)Salomon

deer gear — 3. Hockey Tape “Anything that clanks gets wrapped,” says Hole. “No exceptions.” ($6.27; amazon.com)Submitted

Ka-Bar Full-Size Black Knife — 4. KA-BAR Full-Size Black Knife “Besides three compasses and three firestarters, I always bring a heavy sheath knife,” says Flannery. “It’s perfect for building a makeshift shelter in case I have to stay overnight in the deer woods unexpectedly.” ($96; kabar.com)Ka-Bar

RELATED: Blood, Sweat & Deer

Zeiss Victory HT 8x42 — 5. Zeiss Victory HT 8x42 “If you’re willing to stay in your treestand and wait for any good bucks to leave the feeding area before getting down, it’s worth investing in a great low-light binocular,” says Simpson. “With this one, as long as there’s snow, I can see and gauge the reactions of deer in full dark as I slip out.” ($2,350; cabelas.com)Zeiss

Spot Gen 3 Satellite Messenger — 6. Spot Gen3 Satellite Messenger “This unit will save your life if you get lost,” says Myers. “It has three main settings. The first is a simple ‘911’ for a true emergency. The second is ‘I’m O.K. but will be late,’ and the third is ‘I’m O.K. but need help.’” ($150; findmespot.com)Spot

Remington 870 Rifled Slug — 7. Remington 870 Rifled Slug “Mine has an extended magazine for follow-up shots, and open sights to quickly get on close, moving deer,” says Hellickson. ($463; remington.com)Remington

Hoyt Carbon Spyder FX — 8. Hoyt Carbon Spyder FX “I keep it set at 83 pounds,” says Greenwalt. “If I hit the shoulder by mistake, the arrow will blow right through it.” ($1,499; hoyt.com)Hoyt

Sitka Fanatic Jacket and Bibs — 9. Sitka Fanatic Jacket and Bibs “There’s nothing better in really cold weather,” says Greenwalt. ($399 for jacket; $389 for bib; sitkagear.com)Sitka

Cabela’s Heated Socks — 10. Cabela’s Heated Socks “Sounds like a lot for socks, but it’s the best $250 I’ve ever spent,” says Greenwalt. ($250; cabelas.com)Cabela’s

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