Minox Hunting Optics Write Up

Wild Sheep Foundation Minox Hunting Optics Write up

 

The national Wild Sheep Foundation put together a fairly extensive write up regarding the Minox Hunting Optics which is a good read if you are in the market for any new optics.

But I can summarize, Minox Hunting Optics = Unrivaled quality and value for the money.

Read full article here.

Also, if anyone from the National Wild Sheep Foundation reads this post (doubtful), if you have any Desert Bighorn Sheep tags laying around (even more doubtful). I would be very, very grateful and would send you back an in depth write up of the hunt including many high quality pictures. Just think about it could be a win win for everyone involved!

Opening Day Newsletter

Hunting Season is Finally Here!! With the opening of archery antelope season in Colorado and Wyoming, today marks the opening day of fall hunting season for most of us. Hopefully this newsletter finds some of you returning from your first day afield this fall, unless you were one of the lucky few to draw a sheep or goat tag. With the elk and deer archery seasons opening earlier than usual this year in Colorado, I know that season has snuck up on most of us. We have a fully stocked inventory right now for those last minute items and upgrades. If you haven't been in the shop in the last few months, we have vastly upgraded our inventory of Sitka Gear, First Light, Eberlestock, Big Agnes and Badlands products in stock. Recent upgrades to the shop include bringing in the entire Minox Hunting Optics Line; if you haven't taken a close look at Minox, stop by the shop and test them out. I dare you to find a bad review on Minox Hunting Optics, and all of their products are backed by an unconditional full lifetime guarantee. Gannett Ridge BackCountry CheckList Hunting Equipment           Backpack           Rain fly for Backpack           Rangefinder           Binoculars           Spotting Scope           Tripod / Base plates           Scents           Calls           Maps/GPS           Compass           Headlight and or Flashlight           Emergency fire starter           Lighter           Knife / Sharpener           Bone Saw           Nylon Cord           Nylon Flagging           Game Bags           Ducktape  Camping Equipment           Tent          Sleeping Pad          Sleeping Bag          Pillow (if you use one)  Cooking Supplies          Stove          Stove Fuel          Water Filter          Plastic Bags          Cook pots / plates/ cups          Spork  Toiletries            Tooth Brush / Tooth Paste           First Aid Kit           Toilet Paper           Towel and Washcloth           Unscented Baby wipes           Ziploc Bags           Aspirin / Ibuprofen           Band-Aids           Medications           Moleskin           Diarrhea Medicine           Neosporin General            Hunting Licenses / Tags           Camera           Batteries (Headlamp/GPS/Camera)           Water bottle / Bladder           Reading Material           Notebook and Pen           Needle / Thread   Clothes           Boots           Lightweight Socks           Heavyweight Socks           Hunting Pants           Lower body base layer           2 or more Base layer Shirts           Underwear           Insulating Layers (Quarter Zip)           Vest           Jacket           Packable Rain Jacket and Pants           Ball Cap           Face paint / Facemask           Warm Hat           Lightweight gloves           Heavyweight gloves           Scent Suppressant Spray for Clothes  Archery Equipment            Bow           Arrows           Broadheads           Release           Allen Wrenches           Extra Serving for repairs           Bow sling           Armguard           String Wax  Rifle Equipment            Rifle           Ammo           Rifle Sling           Scope Cover / Lens Caps           Bi pod If you would Like a PDF File of This List please Email US At Main@gannettridge.com Or visit our website under Articles 2012 Photo Contest We are also running another western hunting photo contest this year. All photographs will be judged by content and overall quality of the photo, not by animal size. At the end of the season will will have you, our email subscribers, and our followers on Bowsite vote for the top 3 out of 10 photos we select. To submit your photo join us on Facebook and add your photo or drop one by the shop. Top 3 will receive prizes and the winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Gannett Ridge. Congradulations! To Matt Yore of Sawtooth Custom Rifles  From the looks of it he had and AMAZING tip to Africa If anyone needs a great gunsmith Matt specializes in custom lightweight hunting rifles custom precision tactical, target, and varmint rifles accurizing and modifying factory rifles Cerakote finishes modifications of various firearms for tactical competition and home defense general gunsmithing projects hand cut engraving and lettering

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Here is a sneak peak to the preseason trailer that will come out Friday.  If you have anything else you need for the upcoming season be sure to check out our website.

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So here is a photo of me on my way back up from setting a Minox Trail Cam.  At this point I'm thinking to myself, that was a really bad idea to go all the way in there just for that.  Getting excited to check that camera in a few days!

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The decal looks pretty good on the back of Tyler's truck!

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Josh drew a good Muzzleloader deer tag this year and we went out the other day to get his new black-powder rifle sighted in.  Can't wait for September 8th!

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Here is a picture I took this morning out at the archery range here in Fort Collins.  Josh is shooting the new Bowtech Insanity and running Easton Flatlines.  You can see more of these shots in our preseason video coming out soon!

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Here is a similar picture to what I posted the other day but zoomed in.  Crazy how small you can feel when you look at stuff like this.

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There are some moments that you capture on film whether it be through video or pictures that truly show the personality of the person in front of the camera.  Those are my favorite shots to get because there is nothing staged about it.  Everything in raw form.  This is a good example of that.  Josh Soholt and Tyler Matthews are the owners of Gannett Ridge, which is a company focusing solely on backcountry hunting.  Like they always say, "we just filled a store with everything we've always dreamed of having."

Minox Hunting Optics ZA5 Rifle Scopes

Minox Hunting Optics ZA5 Rifle Scopes

I can go on and on regarding the Minox line of rifle scopes but instead. I let the infamous David E. Petzel of Field and Stream.

David Petzel;
Some time ago I reported on Minox’s binoculars, and stated that, dollar for dollar, they were the best I knew of. (Or if I didn’t, I should have.) The optics were wonderful and the glasses themselves were simple, straightforward, and direct. They would not double as an astrolabe or tell you where there was an open parking space, but they would show you where the game was. 

Now, I’m pleased to report, the company is offering a line of 9 scopes, designated as the ZA3 and ZA5 models, depending on power, that range from a 1.5X-8X shotgun/dangerous game scope to a monster 6X-30X with a 56mm objective. I have been using a ZA5 2X-10X (Yes, a great many of these scopes offer 5X magnification) for a number of weeks now and have not been so impressed since Redfield came back from the dead.

As with the binoculars, Minox has decided not to do anything cute; in addition to a choice of models you have a choice of three reticles, and that’s about it. They are all of normal size, weight, and configuration, but there are two things about the line that sets it apart. 

First, unless you’re already living in a refrigerator carton, they are affordable. The MSRPs are in the medium range, but the real-world prices put them down in low medium. My ZA5 can be had for $479, but judging by its overall quality, it’s a legitimate $700-$800 scope. 

Second, the optics are sensational. I don’t mean good for the money, I mean sensational. My scope is clearly better than a comparable American scope of slightly higher price, and about equal to an imported scope that costs nearly three times as much. Tom McIntyre just selected the 1.5X-8X ZA3 for a Best of the Best Award, if you’d like independent confirmation. 

Go compare for yourself. Also, apologies for writing about something affordable. Better brace yourselves—there’s going to be more.

For the full article Click Here 

Dangerous Game ZA5 1.5-8x32,  a true dark timber specialist. Great for getting those big old bulls out of their late season dark timber nests.

 

 ZA5 2-10 x 40, a great all around performer from the trees to the open country above treeline. 

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The Minox BL 10x44's.

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These are the Roclite 286 GTX boots that I will be wearing this archery season.  Incredibly light and waterproof. Awesome boot!

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14 days until we can start chasing this guy.

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Tyler is the kind of hunter that can never settle for just looking over one or two ridges.  He has to see over the next one, and the next one, and the next one.  I was able to capture that mentality in this picture.  You can see him glassing in the bottom left corner of the shot.  Certainly makes a person feel small with that kind of background.

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Every time you get to spend a day, hour, minute, or even a second up in the high country is better than almost any other moment.  Especially when you are chasing big mule deer around.  It has been an incredible summer.  We have had the chance to test out a ton of new Minox Optics and I can tell you first hand, forget about paying that extra 2, 3, $500 for a bigger name.  Minox is as clear if not more clear than any other optics on the market.  Plus, a no fault lifetime warranty! Incredible stuff.  As backcountry hunters we can't even begin to stress the importance of good glass.  Well, we found it.  The binos in the picture are the BL 10x44's.  Here is a video I did about that particular pair, I will be doing interviews on their entire hunting optics line over the next couple of months.  And if you haven't already subscribed to our YouTube channel be sure to do so to follow us through the mountains the whole fall!

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Just glassing one last basin before we had to head back down the mountain to get back to work.  It was awesome to get up above tree line and try to find a few deer and elk.  Josh is wearing his First Lite clothing in Max-1 pattern and the blurry object in the background is Tyler in a full set of Sitka.  The Minox hat in Max-1 looks pretty sharp too.

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Just taking a look out over a basin on a Monday scouting trip.  Saw a few decent animals.  We'll see if they hold in that area until the beginning of the season.  Josh is wearing the Sitka Mountain Pant, Core Short Sleeve top, and rocking an old warhorse of a Badlands Pack.  Those things are bullet proof.

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Just an epic picture from a Monday scouting trip.  We got glass on a big Muley for just a split second.  Wish he would have stayed on our side of the ridge long enough to get a picture.  Tyler is in full Sitka Gear.  August 25th can't come soon enough.

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This is a picture of Josh pointing at the buck he will be chasing this fall.  Hard to tell at the point we saw him but he should be in that 180-190 class.  Super wide and tall.  Can't wait to go find him again come August 25th.  On this particular trip Josh was using the Chama shirt from First Lite, a Badlands Pack, and the Minox BL 15x56's.  I've said it before but those 15x56's are definitely a mule deer finding machine!

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Here is another buck that we saw on the run the other morning.  Only 3 weeks until season!

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Trail running is an awesome way to prepare for the upcoming elk season.  We were out filming a segment that will be used in an upcoming preseason trailer and this is a shot taken from a GoPro video. Tyler is wearing Inov-8 trail running shoes.  We carry the Inov-8 Roclite boots and we will all be using those for the upcoming archery season.  Get out and get ready! Season starts in 22 days!  Also, be sure to check in at our YouTube channel to see new videos that will be up all the time!

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We went out to film a trail running segment this morning and ran into a bachelor group of muleys.  If that doesn't get your blood pumping for the end of August I don't know what will.  Should have the video up in the next couple of weeks and at that point I'll come back in and post the link for it.  23 days until season.  Remember to get geared up completely at our website! Until season, happy scouting!

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A fresh batch of Easton Bloodlines hot off the fletching jig.  These are an awesome arrow that ride that fine line between the speed arrow as well as having excellent penetration with a slightly smaller diameter.  These arrows don't last long when we get them in.