I pulled a September Idaho elk tag this year, so I’m getting my feet wet in the elk world. At the Total Archery Challenge in San Antonio, I met some cool folks from Eagle Cap Outdoors and they showed me their new bugle tube—the Intimidator.

Why It Works

It’s slim, which matters more than people think. Most bugle tubes take up room in your pack, but this one fits clean. When you’re hiking backcountry chasing bugling bulls, every bit of space counts.

The 3-in-1 design does real work. You’ve got your glunking—the aggressive calls that bring a bull in closer. You’ve also got your raking function, so you can use the tube as a rake without setting it down and hunting for a stick. For a camera guy like me running the camera in one hand, this means I can hold the tube in the other and keep steady while I’m filming and calling simultaneously.

The tube doesn’t mess with optics much either, which is important if you’re glassing while you call. It does what it’s built for without complication.

Heading to Idaho

This is going to be part of my setup come September. Use code ACO15 for 15% off at Eagle Cap if you’re interested. Heading into the elk woods with solid gear like this gives you one less thing to worry about and one more advantage when it counts.

Follow along with my Idaho elk hunt and other bowhunting adventures on the channel.

I just got my hands on Moultrie’s new lineup, and I want to walk you through what’s coming. These aren’t tiny upgrades—they’re solid improvements in image quality and features that actually matter when you’re hunting.

The Lineup

The original Edge is still solid at 33 megapixels and 720p video for about $80. But if you want to step up, the Edge 2 brings 36 megapixels and 1080p for $100. That’s the sweet spot for a lot of folks.

Then there’s the Edge 2 Pro—and this is where Moultrie got serious. Forty megapixels, 1440p video, upgraded night vision, and no-glow flash so the animals don’t spook at the infrared. The AI smart capture is real useful too: you can tell it to ignore cows or other non-game animals, so you’re not wasting storage on pictures you don’t need.

What Sold Me

The instant control feature lets you point your phone app at the camera while you’re setting it up and see exactly where it’s aiming. GPS location tracking and tamper detection mean you’ll know if someone moves your camera. At $139, the Pro is a must-have if you’re serious about scouting big bucks.

Head over to Moultrie to check out the full specs. This is the kind of gear that wins hunts.

See my other trail camera posts and scouting footage for more on what the cameras catch.

I just got affiliated with Bow Crew, and they sent me their gear. I’m going to level with you—I don’t promote stuff just to promote it. This is different.

What I Got

A couple shirts and a hat. The hat’s got Broadhead over Bullet—slick logo, and Caron liked one of their other designs. The shirts hit different though.

First one says Monster Hunter with a Sasquatch on it. I like the design and the message. Second one’s got Hunt Like You’re Hungry on it because, real talk, that’s how you hunt. You hunt like your meat depends on it—because for a lot of us, it does. You only get so much depending on where you’re hunting, so you can’t waste tags and opportunities.

Then there’s my favorite: I Am Always Hungry with Little Debbies on it. That cracked me up, and I had to grab it. They’ve also got a new design of a dude in a Ghillie suit bow hunting that’s going to be on a shirt—I thought that one was so cool I told them it needed to be merch, and now it is.

Support Quality

Bow Crew is building apparel for people who actually hunt. The messaging is real, not corporate fluff. Use code ACO for 20% off and check out what they’re doing. This is the kind of brand partnership I believe in.

Head over and grab some gear. Support the crew that’s building real hunting apparel.

Check my other gear reviews and hunting content to see what else I’m testing.

I run a 2018 Hoyt Power Max, and keeping that bow trimmed down matters when you’re hunting. The Lite-1 by Trophy Ridge checks the boxes for weight and function.

Why I Like It

First, it’s light—which you’d expect from the name. But what sold me is the design. It mounts with just two bolts, and once you lock them down, it’s solid. No rattle, no drift, no headaches. The lights on the top and inside of the quiver are clever too; they help in low-light situations without being complicated.

Installation is straightforward. Two bolts, boom-boom, locked in place. If I need to pull it off, same process: boom, it’s free. Durable build means it stays put through years of hunting and practice.

The Lite-1 is quiet when you’re drawing and shooting. That matters when you’re close to a buck. Every detail counts in the stand.

The Whole Setup

My bow runs a 7-pin Fuse Archery sight and a Hoyt quad drop-away rest. The Lite-1 rounds out a clean, purpose-built hunting rig. If you want a solid, lightweight quiver that won’t complicate your setup, this is it.

Grab some American Country Outdoors apparel while you’re at it—we’ve got long-sleeves, t-shirts, hats, and more gear dropping soon.

See my other gear reviews and hunting setup posts for more on what works in the field.