“muleys”

On a first focal plane riflescope, the reticle grows and shrinks as magnification is adjusted, allowing a hunter to use a reticle with holdover marks. This is not the case on a second focal plane scope. Which is best for your hunting rig?

Our man returns to the rugged stretch of Idaho that his hunting party narrowly escaped last season in search of success on a mountain muley.

"Field Tested" may be a bit of a misnomer here, as we've tested this product not only in the field, but in the gym, on the trail and a myriad of other places. And yes, we can already hear the objections from those who disparage any crossover between fitness and our favorite fall traditions ...

Associate Editor David Herman takes a pair of Leupold BX-5 Santiam binoculars and an SX-4 Pro Guide spotting scope afield to scout the Sonoran mountains.

Fifty years ago it was tough to find a mule deer in West Texas, but today it seems like they’re everywhere … unless you’re hunting them, of course. Last year, the author scoured the area’s red rock canyons and mesquite-covered ridges to learn what has led to their abundance.

A record-book mule deer is one of the most coveted trophies in North America. Here’s a list of states and provinces that consistently produce big bucks.

Faced with back-to-back hunts this past fall—the first in pursuit of pronghorn on the rolling prairie outside Casper, Wyo., the second combing the rugged Idaho mountains for mule deer—I knew I would need a balance between wide field of view, detailed clarity and precise ranging capabilities. Luckily for me, a pair of Leupold’s BX-5 Santiam HD 10x42mm binoculars and an RX-2800 TBR/W rangefinder were on hand, ready to be put to the test.

Weighing in at a mere 3.8 pounds, an almost unheard-of number for a load-hauling external-frame pack—much less one with a 4,000-cubic-inch capacity—I had high expectations for the PRO LT going in. It exceeded them.

Some hunts blow you away figuratively, others attempt to do so literally. This one did a little bit of both. Read on for the story of a few big bucks, close calls, downed trees and one very wild night.