Best Gear for Bowhunting the Western Prairies

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The cedar-sprinkled landscape dotted with pockets of heavy sage provided barely enough cover to continue my approach. Each move was a risk, but occasional passing clouds cast shadows, and at 125 yards, the rutting mule deer buck and his harem of does were clueless of my presence. Slowly, I inched forward, dodging prickly pear cacti as I slithered along the ground like a snake. Inching my binos above the crackly, 3-inch-high prairie grass, I spied only the tips of the buck’s antlers. The does were circling, but the buck bedded. Mr. Big rested comfortably, letting his girlfriends look for danger as they nibbled at the desiccated grassland.

A single doe pegged me as I tapped the button on my rangefinder. Luckily, my camo blended seamlessly with the terrain, and knowing I was busted, rather than trying to melt back into the landscape, I stayed still as a statue. After a 5-minute staredown, the big-eared doe’s eyes told her there was no immediate threat, and she returned to her mid-morning meal.

The distance to the buck was 62 yards, well within my effective shooting range, but the buck’s quartering-away angle was too severe. So, I opted to wait. One hour turned into three and three to five. I’d never seen a rutting prairie brute bed so long. My back and neck ached, and for the first time in my bowhunting life, thoughts of doing something to get the buck to stand jumped into my mind.

Moments later, the buck stood on its own and mounted the doe that had spied me earlier. It was a crazy sight. The other does looked on, and a few scampered off, allowing me to rise to my knees and draw in one fluid motion.

Settling my pin tight behind the buck’s shoulder, I waited for him to dismount and then slammed a broadhead-tipped Easton into his lungs.

The prairies of the West are home to healthy big-game populations, from turkeys and pronghorns to muleys, whitetails and elk. With the right gear and know-how, these airy, open landscapes offer a limitless bounty of bowhunting excitement.

Browning Trail Cameras

The Defender Pro Scout Max HD ($149.99) is the latest cellular scouter in the Browning Trail Cameras arsenal. Ready to revolutionize open-country scouting missions, this top-tier cell cam delivers 1080p Full HD images directly from the field, and the new Ultra-High Gain Cellular Antenna promises connectivity even in western locales where the distance between cell towers is long. Other must-note features include the new-for-2024 On Demand Picture and Video capture. With this addition, you can request a picture or a video from the field any time. Images are crystal clear, and Invisible IR Night Illumination means no game-spooking flash. The camera will operate on SD cards up to 512GB, which is a win for those planning to make a scouting foray this summer and leave the camera up and active. Month-to-month data plans are available with no contracts, and the user-friendly Strike Force Wireless mobile app is a breeze to operate.

Elevate Stand Co.

From whitetails to elk to mule deer, aerial prairie assaults can be money. However, suitable stand trees are often few and far between, and walks from your truck or UTV to your hang-and-hunt spot can be extended. Enter Elevate Stand Co.’s Element Hang On ($459.99). Lightweight, airy and as sturdy as they come, the Element secures to almost any tree in seconds via a pair of easy-to-use straps. The stand attaches quickly to a pack, and you can pair Elevate’s Ascend Climbing Sticks ($299-$359 per 3) that are light (1.6 pounds for the 17-inch sticks), sturdy and designed to nest seamlessly onto the stand. All Element components are made in the USA, and the stand’s 29x18.75-inch foot platform is roomy enough for all-day sits but compact enough to make this 10.6-pound hang-on a must-have for on-the-go, open-country bowhunters.

Rage Broadheads

Ready to punch lungs and paint the prairie red, Rage Broadheads adds NC (No Collar) technology to a pair of bowhunter favorites: the original Rage 2-Blade Cut on Contact and 2-Blade Chisel Tip ($39.99 per 3). Integrating NC technology means no rubber bands, O-rings or collars. The system uses finger-like tabs on the blades’ pivot points to keep the blades closed in the ferrule until impact. That means if you catch a blade on a sunflower or tumbleweed while stalking, you can slide the blade back into the ferrule and keep going. Both the Rage 2-Blade NC Cut on Contact and 2-Blade NC Chisel Tip broadheads feature a 2-inch cutting diameter, are available in 100-grain models and feature tough, razor-sharp, .035-inch-thick stainless steel blades. The Cut on Contact has a machined stainless steel ferrule, while the Chisel Tip has an anodized aluminum ferrule.

LaCrosse Footwear

Tackling tough terrain is a staple of prairie bowhunting success. Your footwear must be lightweight and durable, and blisters and hotspots should never be a worry. With a fighting weight of just 3.1 pounds and standing 7 inches tall, LaCrosse’s Ursa MS ($300) feature an open-cell polyurethane footbed and a GORE-TEX liner that is waterproof and breathable. The upper is made of SuperFabric and Tec Tuff to ensure maximum abrasion resistance. Comfortable and engineered to get you there and back again, the Vibram MONT outsole provides outstanding footing no matter the terrain. A HexGuard Rand encompasses the entire boot and stands up to things on the prairie that sting, poke and prod.

Leica

Compact, clean and ultra-ergonomic, Leica’s Geovid Pro 10x32 Olive Green Edition ($2,999) is ideal for areas such as the wide-open West, where extra magnification is necessary. These 10x32 binos promise ultra-clear glassing and rich color enhancement regardless of the lighting conditions, and the onboard rangefinder provides precise ranging up to 2,500 yards. Ideal for the active hunter who beats feet and puts on the miles, the Geovid Pro 10x32 Olive Green Edition is just what the Open Range Bowhunting Doctor ordered.

Montana Decoy

Pronghorn antelope, the symbol of the American West, are a favorite quarry of many bowhunters, and it’s not hard to see why. These fleet-footed prairie dwellers have binocular-like vision and can hit a top speed of 60 miles per hour, making them a true bowhunting challenge. Help stack the odds of success in your favor with Montana Decoy’s Antelope Combo ($149.99). This fold-up, easy-to-deploy decoy system has a buck decoy and a new, side-view doe. Built using actual photos of wild pronghorns, this duo ensures maximum realism and works well for duping bucks during all rut phases. Metal stakes go quickly into the ground and slide into the decoys to provide stability while reducing cloth sag.

KuduPoint

A do-all broadhead available in grain weights of 100, 125 and 150 grains for standard, 8⁄32 thread inserts, KuduPoint’s single-bevel, fixed-blade wonder, the Contour Plus ($57-$63), showcases all the same features that made the original Contour a tried-and-true performer. Plus models feature 416 stainless steel ferrules and hardened, .05-inch-thick 420 stainless steel blades. Removable bleeder blades enhance lethality. The 100- and 125-grain heads are also available for Easton Deep Six inserts. KuduPoint Broadheads are made in the USA and promise exceptional edge retention and undeniable toughness.

Rig 'Em Right

Weighing just 5 pounds and made from durable, double-layer, 300D polyester fabric, the Rig’Em Right HydeOut Go ($139.99) is the ultimate run-and-gun blind. Ideal for turkey, elk, pronghorn and deer, this 76-inch-wide by 40-inch-high blind provides instant concealment via its camo build and added stubble strap system. The two-hub blind pops to life with a pair of hand pulls, and three, shoot-through windows allow you to get drawn and send a lethal arrow. The back of the blind is open, which makes backing up into brush or other cover simple. Metal tent stakes keep the blind stable in windy conditions, and the included camo carrying case with heavy-duty shoulder strap means easy transport.

Ultimate Predator Gear

Few things in bowhunting are more thrilling than chasing rutting whitetails on the ground, and when I do, Ultimate Predator Gear’s Stalker Whitetail Deer Decoy ($84.95) is always in my pack or mounted to my bow. This fold-up, 10-ounce decoy displays a photographic image of an actual whitetail, and multiple attachment systems ensure immediate bow-mounting. The shoot-through window maximizes arrow clearance and means the decoy isn’t offset on the bow. Your sight and stabilizer fit easily through the window, and the durable, UV-resistant, micro-suede fabric is quick-drying and remarkably durable. Built-in orange safety straps make you visible to other hunters, but the straps easily fold behind the decoy for maximum concealment. Add a pair of Stalker Antlers ($16.95) and instantly transform your doe decoy into a buck. The decoy collapses to a 10-inch diameter disc in seconds for easy transport in your pack.

Vycah

Concealment when hunting open country is paramount, as is comfortable, breathable and quiet clothing. From the minds at Vycah come the Mission Camo Jacket and Pant ($199.99 each). These garments are engineered to cover you from the early season to the end and feature a thin layer of Berber fleece and Vycah’s proprietary, ultra-quiet outer shell. Zippered vents throughout reduce sweat and boost comfort by adding an element of temperature control. Both garments are wind- and water-resistant. Deep zippered hand pockets mean secure gear storage, and the adjustable wrist cuffs on the jacket and adjustable waist on the pants ensure a just-right fit.

Zeiss

Quality optics are paramount when chasing game in open areas with stick and string. Those optics must also be powerful, lightweight, ergonomic, slim and compact. An excellent go-to is the Zeiss SFL 10x30 ($1,499.99) binos. The latest addition to the award-winning SF family, these top-end optics look like pocket binoculars but provide exceptional optical clarity and an enhanced 120-meter field of view at a distance of 1,000 meters. Zeiss reduced the lens diameter by 2mm, which made it possible to use thinner lens elements at closer spacing to reduce binocular weight by 23 percent and length by 21 percent. True-to-life color reproduction and detail you must see to believe make this binocular a prairie bowhunter’s dream come true.

Leupold

Longer shots are the norm when hunting open landscapes, and a precise range is paramount. Small, compact and providing push-the-button-and-get-a-range perfection, the Leupold RX-FullDraw 5 ($499.99) uses the velocity of your bow, peep height, arrow weight and the angle of your upcoming shot to provide laser-accurate rangefinding precision. The bright-red LED display reads easily in any lighting condition, and the clear 6X magnification provides excellent imagery.

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