Connor Merritt

Returning from his mule deer hunt in Arizona, outdoors content creator Mike Rogers has a few pieces of advice to pass on to other outdoor enthusiasts. It’s important to find the highest vantage point and remain resilient in the fluctuating conditions in the desert. This means two types are gear are essential keys to success on desert hunts: clothing and optics.

Desert Hunts Essential #1: “Bring a jacket to cancel the wind and keep you warm.”

This sounds like simple enough advice, but it’s important to remember the basics when hunting in extreme conditions. People often mistakenly perceive the desert as just hot and dry. In the wintertime the nights drop to the low 30s, and the highs aren’t much better in the low 50s. That might not seem too bad, but when you climb up to a high vantage point and find there’s zero cover, the wind is your worst enemy.

“We got murdered with the wind.”

During his trip, Mike suited up head-to-toe in Huntworth, allowing him to stay warm throughout the trip. Huntworth gear provides Heat Boost Technology, made with Graphene fabric allowing for heavy insulation that remains lightweight. The gear comes in many different styles of camouflage and helps keep you hidden while staying warm.

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Of course, staying hidden yourself doesn’t matter that much if you can’t even find your target. The desert has super long sightlines, and you need to be able to see the slightest sign of movement at great distances.

Desert Essential #2: “Don’t go cheap on your optics.”

Secondly, High quality optics make a night-and-day-difference in hunting excursion success. Mike used the Maven C.4 on this particular trip, the most powerful optic in the Maven C Series line-up. The Maven C.4 binoculars are dependable and powerful optics: Hunters use their high magnification to observe better detail in wide open terrains like the desert.

Maven also creates a wide variety of optics and products to help you excel in your hunt. They focus on designing innovative products for the modern outdoorsman; Maven does this by placing an emphasis on the fundamentals of design to create high-quality gear.

To conclude, don’t leave yourself out in the cold or lose sight—take it from those who have been there and prepare for what may just be your trip to remember.

Read more about backcountry desert hunts on iSportsmanUSA.

Photo courtesy of Mike Rogers.