This lightweight, compressible vest maximizes warmth while minimizing bulk.
This lightweight, compressible vest maximizes warmth while minimizing bulk.
This lightweight, compressible vest maximizes warmth while minimizing bulk.
This lightweight, compressible vest maximizes warmth while minimizing bulk.
This lightweight, compressible vest maximizes warmth while minimizing bulk.
Nothing causes discomfort and distraction like a cold, relentless wind. Our windproof Jetstream Vest, utilizing GORE® WINDSTOPPER® product technology
Nothing causes discomfort and distraction like a cold, relentless wind. Our windproof Jetstream Vest, utilizing GORE® WINDSTOPPER® product technology
Nothing causes discomfort and distraction like a cold, relentless wind. Our windproof Jetstream Vest, utilizing GORE® WINDSTOPPER® product technology
Nothing causes discomfort and distraction like a cold, relentless wind. Our windproof Jetstream Vest, utilizing GORE® WINDSTOPPER® product technology
Nothing causes discomfort and distraction like a cold, relentless wind. Our windproof Jetstream Vest, utilizing GORE® WINDSTOPPER® product technology
This is no traditional turkey vest. We took a pack-like approach and developed a comfortable and efficient vest based on the movement and organizational needs of run-and-gun turkey hunting.
Minimal in weight and bulk but packs a punch for core warmth.
Minimal in weight and bulk but packs a punch for core warmth.
Minimal in weight and bulk but packs a punch for core warmth.
Nothing causes discomfort and distraction like a cold, relentless wind. Our windproof Jetstream Vest, utilizing GORE® WINDSTOPPER® product technology
Nothing causes discomfort and distraction like a cold, relentless wind. Our windproof Jetstream Vest, utilizing GORE® WINDSTOPPER® product technology
Nothing causes discomfort and distraction like a cold, relentless wind. Our windproof Jetstream Vest, utilizing GORE® WINDSTOPPER® product technology
Shave weight, not warmth. Lightweight, compressible insulation for warm-when-wet performance.
Shave weight, not warmth. Lightweight, compressible insulation for warm-when-wet performance.
Shave weight, not warmth. Lightweight, compressible insulation for warm-when-wet performance.
Shave weight, not warmth. Lightweight, compressible insulation for warm-when-wet performance.
Shave weight, not warmth. Lightweight, compressible insulation for warm-when-wet performance.
Shave weight, not warmth. Lightweight, compressible insulation for warm-when-wet performance.
The Kelvin Down Lite Jacket is the go-to mid-season piece where warmth and packability are key.
The Kelvin Down Lite Jacket is the go-to mid-season piece where warmth and packability are key.
The Kelvin Down Lite Jacket is the go-to mid-season piece where warmth and packability are key.
The Kelvin Down Lite Jacket is the go-to mid-season piece where warmth and packability are key.
The Kelvin Down Lite Jacket is the go-to mid-season piece where warmth and packability are key.
The Women’s Kelvin Lite Down Jacket is the go-to mid-season piece where warmth and packability are key.
Everyone wants to talk about food plots when it comes to deer management, but that is a small piece of the pie when it comes to improving the land specifically for whitetail deer. Most deer hunters work from the harvest backwards. That means they place the most habitat improvement emphasis on where they tend to harvest deer as opposed to where deer live during most of their lifetime. That’s deeper into cover or transitional areas, not out in the open food plots.
Snow geese suffer from a particularly unfavorable PR image. Seen as more of an invading horde than migrating birds, they’re often referred to as sky carp, snow buzzards and even flying fertilizer, suggesting their only value lie in whatever mineral content they might contribute to the American grain stores. We talk about them in terms of damage they do to landscapes and revel in the damage we can inflict on them.
It’s six a.m. here where Michigan woods transition into oak savanna, and the springtime sunrise glints on dewy grass and the colorful blooms of wildflowers. A fire burned through this spot last May; a year’s worth of growth has taken place since.
Few activities are as ancient and inexorably linked to our humanity as the sharing of food. It needn’t be overly sophisticated or designed to illicit wonder. In fact, most times the simpler the better. In these times we crave food that is comforting, familiar, even fun. We can laugh and tell stories as we nibble tasty morsels, licking sauce from our fingertips and playing “roshambo” for the last crunchy thing.
This is the time of year for gathering with friends and family and enjoying the bounty of our harvests. Its’ a time to make room in our freezers, celebrate and share our success in the field, and enjoy some warm comfort food with loved ones as the temperatures drop and fires start
to warm the hearth.
There are two types of whitetail bowhunters: those who consistently get close to mature whitetails, and those who don’t. It’s that simple.
Let’s be honest, waterfowl hunters beat the hell out of their gear. It’s not out of negligence or apathy, it’s a byproduct of our relentless pursuit. Find the birds, gain access, make a plan, build a hide, set a spread, hunt it out, clean it up, process birds, find the birds, find the birds, find the birds…and so the season goes.
Five Oaks Ag Research and Education Center (FOAgREC) is a 2022 SITKA Ecosystem Grantee. SITKA is proud to be supporting a multifaceted program that is rooted in the commitment to inspire and support the next generation of wildlife managers, stewards and researchers. Through the SITKA Ecosystem Grant funding, we will fully sponsor scholarships for 4 students selected for the Graduate Certificate Program in Waterfowl Habitat and Recreation Management at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
If Mother Nature stays on our side, British Columbia will have an unprecedented morel mushroom bonanza from late May until the end of June. Morel mushrooms are a prized delicacy in restaurants and kitchens worldwide. By the end of last year, 1,600 wildfires ravaged 870,000 hectares of land because of climate change, decades of fire suppression and unprecedented temperatures. In the ashes of wildfires or other natural areas impacted by intense burning, bumper crops of morel mushrooms can grow—although it’s never a guarantee.
Where I reside in Montana, winter days are short, menacingly dark, with snow storms frequently followed by rain; weather that is unappealing to most. As the spring days grow longer, I am drawn to spend more time outside enjoying the extra hours of the season. Everything about spring turns my thoughts to adventures in the mountains. Witnessing the mountains emerging from winter while engaged in a hunt is something I never grow tired of. The varied thrush is a bird I often hear during long, drawn-out evening glassing sessions in the mountains. With their first calls echoing through dense stands of old growth timber, and the scents of a forest gradually rewarming, it’s easy to fall in love with spring black bear hunting.
Not only are your calls vital to your success as a turkey hunter, they can also be hand-crafted works of art. But they certainly take their share of abuse season after season, especially when you’re a run-and-gun hunter putting them through their paces in a variety of environments and weather conditions. Taking the time to care for and maintain your calls can keep them bringing in gobblers and sounding great season after season. Here are some care tips for the variety of calls you keep in your vest:
When David Halloran takes a trip to the lumber yard, the employees there think he’s crazy. Whether he’s looking at a domestic wood like maple or something exotic like purpleheart, David lifts, prods and examines each and every rough-cut piece, analyzing things like density and grain. He’s looking for the little things, the tiny details that other people just can’t see.
A full bowhunting season can be rough on a bowhunter. On the other hand, as much as I know I get beat up during the season, my gear takes an even harder beating. The dust, dirt and moisture you encounter in the field can create major abrasion and corrosion on a bow and accessories. It can ruin your investment in gear, but more importantly, it can be an absolute killer on accuracy. Before you tackle another bowhunting season, you need to get your bow CLEANED, LUBED and LOCKED DOWN! The steps to accomplish this are simple and they are a must!
It’s easy to get lost in the why’s of waterfowling. It’s a type of hunting that involves a preponderance of waiting. Waiting gives time for the mind to wander. That reliability, coupled with the human need to justify suffering and explain away failure results in a gaggle of pseudo-profound pronouncements. We all become philosophers waiting in the dark, doing our best to ignore the penetrating chill as we wait for the sun to rise and birds to fly. Poetic ruminations abound when triggers are pulled and birds escape unfazed.
As the season comes into full swing, it's worth revisiting what it takes to properly care for your meat in the field to ensure you are serving up the best possible table fare. Here are the top 3 tips for looking after your meat post kill.
For Dustin Tetrault, the appeal of farming is knowing where the food he feeds his family comes from. He feels a connection to the livestock he raises, knowing exactly what each cow, pig or chicken ate its entire life and knowing that each animal was raised humanely and butchered properly in a clean environment. To Dustin, hunting has the same appeal to an even greater degree.
Five years ago, Jonathan Wilkins, bought an old, southern church in the Arkansas Delta. Initially, it was only to serve as a bunkhouse for personal duck hunting expeditions. He thought a good scrubbing and judicious use of paint would yield a passable waterfowl camp. As he soon learned, he was beyond his depth.
Vast crop fields, rolling pastures, brushy fencelines, and thick timber blend into a bowhunter’s version of heaven. Farm country is one of the ultimate places for whitetail hunters to challenge their abilities.
There’s beauty in simplicity. For Timo Rova, simplicity comes in the form of canning venison with nothing more than a teaspoon of kosher salt and a crushed garlic clove. It also comes in the form of sharing his harvest with family and friends.
Stitching by hand with thread made of sinew, Timo Rova—as a young boy—made all kinds of useful things out of deer hide.
Originally brought to the US by explorers in the sixteenth century, wild pigs have established themselves as a substantial presence in our ecosystems across the country. There have been tremendous efforts on both private and public land to trap and eradicate them due to their impact on farmers and grasslands. However, the geography of North America and our mixed opinions on management render their eradication nearly impossible.
For Timo, launching his canoe into the late November chop takes some of these same considerations. In both these scenarios, Timo considers the weather, the wind, and the surrounding topography—he thinks of the flora and fauna and what effect the conditions and season might have on them.
Archery antelope hunting is an opportunity rich environment that accelerates your skills for the upcoming seasons. Antelope have incredible eyesight, making it a challenging spot-and-stalk hunt due to the wide open spaces they call home. Oftentimes, you can glass and move in on multiple animals in a day and hunt from sunup to sundown. One serious variable to consider is the unrelenting heat. One stalk can take a full day and cover miles. Here are some tips from Steven Drake to help you stay hydrated and sharp this year.
What makes us human is longing, the innate desire to know, to experience, and to understand. We climb mountains because they are there. We cross rivers for no other reason than to know what is on the other side. We pursue game not just to feed our bodies, but to test and nourish our spirit. We wrestle with our own thoughts and desires because we endeavor to know ourselves, and in doing so better understand those around us. We make families and have children. We sing songs and tell stories. We make art and add to the tapestry of sentience every time we do.
Mark Healey woke before dawn and broke camp in the Maui upcountry. Somewhere in the near distance was a herd of axis deer, widely considered to be among the most beautiful and best-eating venison on earth. They’d been feeding all night in the lower elevations and he knew that after daybreak they’d seek higher altitude to find cover.
Mark Healey has been freedive spearfishing since he was a teenager growing up on O‘ahu. As a professional surfer he has ridden some of the world’s largest waves for over two decades and has great respect and an understanding of the power of the ocean.
Mark Healey is a professional big wave surfer from O‘ahu who bow hunts on land and spearfishes off the coast as a way to provide food for himself, his family and his friends. He regularly makes the trek to the mountains of Maui to hunt axis deer, an invasive species that has no natural predators and is widely considered to be among the best-eating venison on earth.
Ambassador Cory Loeffler leads a unique lifestyle. He’s an expert waterfowl hunter, caller, gardener, wild game cook, and lover of life. As the owner of DRC Call Co, he’s not only passionate about waterfowl hunting, he’s deeply intentional in the way he consumes the resources that surround him. He desires to be efficient and conscientious, utilizing every part of the animal he harvests while growing his own produce.
When we launched the Sitka Ecosystem Grants program, we intended to establish a bridge of support for individuals and organizations spearheading critical efforts that ultimately protect the wild.
It’s important to sit down and take the time to enjoy the harvest. A full freezer is a sign of many things—success in the field, a plentiful winter ahead, and great meals to come. All of this is a result of your hard work and determination.
We’ve all been on a trail in need of repair, whether damaged by erosion or blocked by fallen trees. Many of us don’t think twice about the people who work hard to make those repairs, people who are usually volunteers.
Spend any time in the desert, under a late summer sun, and you’ll quickly be reminded of two things: life and death. Oases of life exist. And yet the grip of the desert is always near; the traces of it linger for decades as bones lay bleached, and tracks rest baked into the Earth’s crust, a reminder of the fact that literally everything is on the line out here, day in and day out.
The concept of deer camp goes back generations and is so often associated with history, heritage, and looking back at the past. But for photographer, Austin Thomas, and his best friends Taylor Cook and Gunnar Lovekamp, it’s all about living in the present.
For career farmer and rancher, Alex Templeton, there isn’t a distinct point where farming ends and whitetail hunting begins. It’s all part of the same holistic life, and it all connects to the land she spends her life working.
“You can do everything right as a hunter, but if you don’t make the shot, you won’t have success when it comes to notching a tag,” says professional archer and teacher, John Dudley, whose passions for hunting and archery go hand in hand.
High up on an alpine vista in the American West, South Cox sits, glassing the panoramic landscape. He spots a mature mule deer buck feeding in the distance. He’s studied the topography and the wind direction. This is his chance to fill a tag. Recurve bow in hand, he begins his stalk.
A hunter’s success is often measured in simple terms. A spent bullet casing, a set of antlers or horns and bringing home a cooler full of meat. Yet, I find these things are no longer enough for me. The game meals come and go and trophies gather dust on the wall, waiting to be remembered the next time a buddy drops in for a whiskey. But there’s something else more powerful in these experiences, a deep emotional connection to the hunt that lies beneath the surface.
If you walk into our design room, you'll hear our designers throwing around terms like "fit," "features," and "purpose built." But what does that even mean?
Every year, multiple grizzly bears are mistaken for black bears by hunters and killed. The end results are damage to grizzly bear populations and severe fines and court fees for the hunter. In order to fulfill my responsibility as an ethical hunter, I always go through a list of physical features to positively identify what kind of bear I’m looking at before shooting.
David is the owner and craftsman behind all the beautifully-built products at David Halloran Turkey Calls where each call is thoughtfully carved by hand.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that Dr. Doug Osborne’s project to help save timber duck hunting kicked off in a green timber duck blind. In January of 2015, Osborne was hunting with a couple of pals in the famous big timber of Arkansas when one of the hunters mentioned that he rarely shot a banded duck anymore. He looked at Osborne, an associate professor of wildlife management at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, and asked: “What’s up with that? Why can’t we band them here?”
The challenge with capturing great harvest photos is focusing on the story around the animal, not necessarily the animal itself. I love to see the emotion from the hunter in a way that helps me feel the image, capturing those raw moments that we can’t get back.
The following is a collection of stories from our Ambassadors recalling the coldest hunts they’ve ever been on.
Ramsey Russell spent his 16th birthday unconscious at an ICU in Jackson, Mississippi. His dog—he loved that dog—had scratched up the inside of his parent’s garage. He touched it up with some oil-based paint, then cleaned the brushes with gasoline. The water heater kicked on. Spark ignited fumes. The explosion brought in fire departments from across the county.
Emotion is a primary way we connect with each other. By capturing moments of raw human emotion in your photography, it enables the viewer to feel something and in a way, share in the experience.
Beneath a clear blue sky, Alex Templeton maneuvers her tractor, harrowing pastures to improve grass growth and production for the 500 cattle she raises with her father. A third-generation farmer in Polo, MO, Templeton spends the majority of her time outside: helping with calving during the spring, fixing fences, distributing hay and feed and keeping tabs on the herd from the cab of her trusty pickup truck.
Early in life I stumbled upon the works of Jack London, awakening a fascination for the wilds of the great north country. Wilderness and that interaction within it was a regular weekend part of life for our northern Minnesota family until London brought out the wonders of strife and what it meant to live in the harsh, but beautiful country of the north. His stories inspired an impossible dream of going back to the 19th century to face the inhospitable conditions and learn new ways of survival. I’d tuck myself into bed at night after reading, imagining I just endured a hard day’s venture—barely surviving—needing sleep ahead of unknown hardships during the following days.
SITKA Gear was born from the belief that the experience of hunting is as important — if not more important — than the harvest.
The primary needs for a whitetail: food, water, shelter, and communication - often come together in places that are commonly referred to as funnels. Funnels are also known as transition areas, travel corridors, bottlenecks, and pinch points.
By using maps and applying real-world experience through scouting, you can pinpoint these funnels by identifying the following terrain.
Corey Jacobsen with Elk 101 walks us through the pros and cons of the frontal shot.
"Through a decade’s worth of lessons, I’ve found the following tactics have special merit in the elk woods and, when I have remembered to implement them, increased my chances at arrowing a bull."
- Steven Drake
Gaining access to private land can be an intimidating hurdle for most hunters, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, knowing how to ask permission can be a hunter’s secret weapon, especially when it comes to accessing public land drainages only reachable via private land or, even, opening up a door to private land access for years to come.
Cruising along the backroads of Montana, Lyle Hebel spots the outline of antelope, grazing deep within the sagebrush landscape. He’s about a mile away, but knows that getting close is a game of cat and mouse.
When it comes to insulation, we’ve designed varying configurations to accommodate niche weather conditions and activity levels for big game hunting.
Randy Newberg and Corey Jacobsen share five common elk hunting mistakes and how to learn from them to improve success.
MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab breaks down the science of dialing in your caloric intake for peak performance this fall.
Hunting is no longer a matter of life and death for most of us. We do not rely on wildlife for food, shelter, clothing or tools. The systems of modern society provide what we once had to earn on our own, which raises an interesting question: If you don’t need to hunt, why bother?
The future of hunting is more than just the future of our company. It's the future of wildlife, wild places, public lands and precariously balanced ecosystems. We believe in doing everything in our power to protect this future, and we invest heavily in conservation organizations across the country. But investing means more than just sending out checks.
Hank Shaw of Hunter Angler Gardener Cook shares his recipe for turkey cutlets with morels.
In 1962, Utah became the first state where Tundra Swans could be legally hunted since the passing of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. In 1983, due to the significant increase in population, the Pacific Flyway prepared a long-term management plan for the western population of Tundra Swans.
SITKA Gear was born from the belief that the experience of hunting is as important — if not more important — than the harvest.
"With huge grins, we dropped the tailgate and unveiled our prize. At that moment, it didn't matter who had tripped the trigger or filled the tag. The excitement and enthusiasm was mutually shared among a tight knit group of friends who rarely get the time to share adventures between work and family." - Tribe Member Tony Larsen
Tribe Member Christopher Eyre recounts the grizzly events of September 6, 2015.
"Bow hunting is full of extreme highs and lows. It takes determination, patience and sometimes encouragement from a couple buddies to achieve those highs. And it’s those highs that fuel the addiction. Once I realized that, I knew nothing was really out of reach." - Tribe Member Mitch Edmondson
We're psyched to announce the addition of brothers Field and Clay Hudnall to the Sitka Athlete team. We sat down with both to talk waterfowl, hunting, and gear.
"This hunt was about my father, who had been by my side for the other three rams, getting to see his son complete the FNAWS. And also about a son, who has a veteran sheep hunter as a dad to share memories in the field together." - Tribe Member Jason Dennis
"The hunter is the safeguard of balance in a world that has been thrown madly askew by exploding human populations and urban sprawl. His passion is for the wild and all it represents. He admires the tenacity of life, and respects its cycle." - Heather Nutting
Ducks Unlimited just released a new video about the importance of balance. Sitka Pro Staff Members Joel Yeldell and Eric Massey talk about balancing everyday life, chasing birds and protecting waterfowl.
We watched as the old ram would drink, lick, scratch his back and finally bed down right in the water. The spring was raining down on him from the rocks above, keeping him cool.
Almost identical to down, this stuff is lofty, compressible, warm and light. But get it wet, really try to soak it, and unlike down, it insulates –even after years of soiling, washing and abuse. This is it. After 125 million years, we finally have down without the letdown.
"...the best hunting partners never keep score. They simply know that friendship and the special bond that hunters have will always rule the day and that things always seem to work out."
- Sitka Athlete Tom Foss
When you dial 877.SITKA.GR, there’s a good chance Corey will be the one to pick up. We’ve had so much fun getting to know him over the last three years, and it finally dawned on us that we should let you guys in on that. So we peppered him with a bunch of questions, and here’s what he had to say.
"So when we were first trying to choose a deer pattern for Sitka Gear, we asked, "Which one works best?" We studied and probed for data, but there was nothing empirical to show that one pattern worked any better than any other. It was a crapshoot, 50/50, doesn't-matter-what-you-choose kind of scenario, all because the problem, How can I hide from deer? was being treated with a knee-jerk intuitive solution: look like your surroundings."
"...the snow crunched. The ram quickly stood up, nervously turning his head back and forth, then bounded toward a cliff on the edge of the bench we shared."
-Tribe Member Craig Temple
"You never know what’s going to happen and that’s why I love it. It’s mentally and physically exhausting, but when something like this occurs, the addiction is stronger than ever." - Tribe Member Alyssa Yaworski
"My dad's voice filled the mind, look for parts of a deer, not the whole deer."- Sitka Tribe Member Alec Pinero
"Not every hunter agonizes over their hunts or their gear to this extent, and so they may not need what we do. We exist to build gear for hunters who are unwilling to compromise on comfort, safety, and performance."
- The Sitka Team
"We've been preparing for this storm all year. We’ve been wearing out the target foam and boot leather, learning new country, building up our legs and our lungs. And we've been driving your gear forward with our company-wide commitment to the discipline of hunting, to creating solutions for the problems hunter’s face in the field."
- The Sitka Team