Optics are a critical component of any hunter's tool arsenal, and this is the standard setup I take on most of my hunts.

I use an FHF Bino Harness to keep my Vortex rangefinder and binos easily accessible on my chest. For most western hunts 10x42mm is a great size, but if I’m doing something a little closer range, like turkey hunting, I might opt for an 8x42mm.

An 85mm spotting scope is awesome to have along on hunts, but you might not be inclined to carry that extra weight. The 65mm angled scope is a nice compromise that's a little lighter but still provides the optical performance required for long glassing sessions.

There are a lot of great tripods on the market, but my go-to is the Outdoorsmans. While it might be heavy, it's extremely durable. Nothing beats having a super steady platform to glass and shoot from.

Made with high-quality, durable Cordura, the FHF Gear Bino Harness is designed to be quiet, lightweight, low profile, modular, and easily operated with one hand.

The angle compensated laser rangefinder features four targeting modes (Normal Mode, First Mode, Last Mode and Extended Laser Range Mode) for any ranging environment. The primary HCD (Horizontal Component Distance) range mode provides key angle compensated range information required by the vast majority of shooters in a simple, quick to read display. The Razor HD 4000 also has a LOS (Line of Sight) range mode and scan feature.

The Razor UHD 10x42s are Steve's go-to binoculars. The Ultra High Definition optical design features an improved optical prescription and unparalleled image resolution. Whether you need to pick apart a densely packed hillside or observe the finest details at insanely close distances, the Razor UHD can do it all.

A high-end spotter without the high-end price tag. An HD optical system with incredible optical performance brings even the finest details at a distance in for a closer look.

No matter how steady you think your hands are, nothing beats the view from a rock solid platform. The Outdoorsmans tripod is the only one built specifically for the demands of western hunting, and has been put to the test all over the world.

Buying optics isn't easy. The strange assortment of numbers and specs can be headscratchers rather than selling points if you don't know what they mean. But to get the most out of these impressive tools, it's important to understand just what they're capable of, which is mostly what those numbers and specs communicate. That way, when you're glassing in the morning and first light is slowly creeping up, you'll be dead certain that the rangefinder...

MeatEater Season 10, Part 2 is live on Netflix right now. Although the crew goes all the way to Hawaii this season, the most exotic adventure might have taken place right here in the Lower 48. In the final episode, they chase ibex in the mountains of New Mexico. Ibex are an introduced species released by New Mexico’s game department in 1970. The herd started with just 42 that came from Iran. Today they boast a population 400 strong—the only herd...

Preparing for a backcountry hunting trip requires a reliable setup for water. While sidecountry or car camping, 6-gallon water jugs typically do the trick, but when you’re in remote areas you need to be able to safely prepare, drink, and store surface water from a variety of sources. I always have a water bottle with me, no matter where I’m going. I use drom bags to store unpurified water. I can then fill up my bottle from the drom and use a...