Modern Technology for Hunters and Shooters
Technology is evolving rapidly, and that’s a major benefit to firearm and outdoor enthusiasts.
by Brad Fitzpatrick
Technology has reinvented the way we navigate through life. From GPS in cars to video doorbells and remote video meetings for work, there’s no facet of our day-to-day lives that has not been altered by some form of computer technology, and there’s no sign that the trend will change in the future.
Hunting and shooting sports have also been impacted by the current wave of brand-new technology that’s on the market. Today’s shooters and hunters have a broad range of products that can help improve their performance at the range and in the field. shooting. And the newest technology isn’t just limited to ballistic products, either. There is a whole host of related products that help us pattern game more effectively and even protect our hearing while amplifying sounds specific to the game we’re hunting. Sound to good to be true? It’s not. Here’s a close look at six of the latest high-tech hunting and shooting products.
TRIJICON VENTUS
Ranging a target and determining the proper holdover in MILs or MOA has become commonplace, but judging wind has always been more of an art than a science. That is, until Trijicon introduced the groundbreaking Ventus. The handheld Ventus is capable of wind mapping out to 500 yards, thanks to its Doppler LIDAR engine, providing readings of headwind, tailwind, vertical wind, and crosswind out to 500 yards.
How does it work? The Ventus utilizes a collimated laser, and as particulate matter in the air reflects laser energy back to the unit it calibrates wind speed at specific locations, providing fast and accurate wind readings at various distances. In addition to its wind-mapping capabilities, the Ventus is able to range objects out to 5,000 yards. Despite all of its high-tech features the unit is easy to operate using the control buttons, and you can link the Ventus to the Trijicon app on your phone. Is it cheap? Not even close, but the Ventus is an evolutionary step forward in ballistic technology. SRP: $8,000. (trijicon.com)
TETRA HEARING AMPPODS
The noise levels generated by a single shot from a firearm can do permanent and irreversible damage to your hearing. To combat this, most hunters and shooters wear hearing protection, many of which cancel out the sound of a shot while still allowing lower-decibels sounds like voices to be heard. But Tetra Hearing’s AmpPods take things a step further. Designed by audiologists with a combined 50 years in the field (and a combined 80 years of hunting experience), AmpPods are engineered to pick up on specific frequencies that you’ll want to hear in the field. That means a bull elk’s bugle will be louder than normal while you still get the hearing protection benefits of electronic plugs. How’d they do this? AmpPods are tuned to pick up specific frequencies dependent upon which game you hunt, so you’re actually hearing more of what you need to in order to be an effective hunter.
Furthermore, when purchasing the AmpPods hunters take a hearing screening so that your Tatras are designed specifically to your hearing needs. Weighing less than an ounce, AmpPods fits discreetly in your ear, and they operate on easyto-find hearing-aid batteries. SRP: $699. (tetrahearing.com)
GUNWERKS REVIC BR4
The new Revic BR4 is equipped with the new Revic solver with wind and earthbased effects that allow you to shoot accurately out to great distances, thanks to its ultra-fast correction readout in MILs, MOA, or Gunwerks’ exclusive Shoot-To-Range with BDC turrets. The display provides critical data for making tough shots, and the improved ranging tools offer target discrimination and a new long-range mode. It’s easy to program the system using your attached Bluetooth device, and Gunwerks also offers Over the Air Update protocols to provide shooters with the latest updates.
Other key features include a maximum effective range to 4,000 yards, an onboard ballistic solver, 10x magnification, and 10 on-board profile capacity. The unit weighs just 10 ounces, measures 4.85 inches long and runs on a CR2 battery, so it’s roughly the same size as a traditional rangefinder yet so much more capable. Like other Gunwerks products, the Revic BR4 is a sophisticated machine that’s designed to allow shooters to hit targets at extended ranges right out of the box. SRP: $1,249. (gunwerks.com)
GARMIN XERO S-1 TRAPSHOOTING TRAINER
For years shotgunners have faced the challenge of knowing why they missed a target on the trap range. Coaches can help, but without being able to see impacts it’s tough to accurately determine why you aren’t connecting with a clay target. The Xero S-1 from Garmin has changed that. This portable, compact radar-operated trainer tracks misses, calculates reaction times, and measures distance to target— all key data pieces that will help shooters improve their performance.
The 5-inch touch screen is easy to access, and the Xero S-1 tracks shooting histories to help improve performance. You can also connect the Garmin wirelessly to your phone using the Xero S app, which catalogs your shots and can help you quickly address the issues behind all those missed targets. With the rapidly increasing popularity of Scholastic Clay Target programs across the country the Xero S-1 is quickly becoming a must-have item for youth teams, and competitive trap shooters, upland hunters, and recreational shooters. SRP: $999. (garmin.com)
SIG SAUER BDX 2.0
The BDX system from SIG offers shooters and hunters the ability to hit targets immediately even at long ranges, thanks to wireless connections that pair a riflescope with a rangefinder and phone. Once you have your rifle zeroed and relative data regarding load and ambient conditions input to the system, you simply range an object and the scope illuminates at the proper holdover point, even if the target is at an angle. This takes the guesswork out of long-range shooting and, having used the system, it cuts down considerably on the time required to make an accurate shot at long ranges. That can be critical when a bull elk makes a brief appearance just before dark and your only chance at that animal might require rapid holdover calculations. The BDX 2.0 allows you to use app-free setup and then download the BDX app to input data to your rangefinder and scope. The new system also allows you to pair your optic and rangefinder to pre-loaded ballistic profiles to match most any load. You’ll shoot more accurately, more quickly, and with more confidence than ever before. BDX scope/rangefinder combos range from $549.99 to $1,209.99. (sigsauer.com)
REACTOR FUSION MODULE
How much time have you spent writing DOPE in a notebook? Now there’s a product that does the data collection for you and provides all your DOPE in one convenient system—the Reactor Fusion Module. Technically speaking, the Reactor Fusion Module is a Bluetooth data-acquisition device, and it mounts directly to your firearm and provides a wealth of data (which serious shooters love). The device detects and logs data on every shot, serving as an automatic DOPE book, and it also collects info on weather, number of shots fired and ammo usage, custom analysis reports, and much more. The system even provides automatic feedback on trigger control, and there’s a dry-fire mode for better practice. It also can be linked to your smart phone. This is only a short list of the data the Reactor Fusion Module can collect, but it’s safe to say that there’s never been a better tool for logging your shooting habits and providing a clearer picture of what you and your gun are doing—and how you can improve your performance. $299. (reactorusa.com)
BUSHNELL DS 4K TRAIL CAMERA
When I was a poor college student I had to use a trail camera for my research projects (and hunting projects) that used 35mm film. The photos were grainy, often blurred, and didn’t capture accurate images of animals in poor light conditions. My, how things have changed.
Today’s trail cameras will beam images right to your phone in real time and provide much better image quality than what was available just a few years ago. But taking good images and video at night and in the daytime has been a challenge—at least until now.
Bushnell has introduced its new DS 4K Trail Camera, and it has the potential to change the industry. The “DS” stands for dual sensor; that’s because the Bushnell has two separate sensor systems (one for daytime, one nighttime). That allows for vivid color 4K video and superb still shots around the clock and no more guessing whether or not what you’re seeing is an extra tine or the glow of ultra-bright infrared light on a buck’s antlers. With a range of 150 feet, .2-second trigger time and .6-second recovery time you’ll get extraordinarily clear images with this camera, even if the animal is moving. Using a trail camera for security purposes? This one will provide maximum detail and help capture crooks. SRP: $249. (bushnell.com)
