Trade show season is an exciting time of year...seeing old friends, making new ones, and best of all: seeing tons of new hunting and outdoor products! It was great getting back to ATA after a year off although this year's show was definitely a little slower-paced with many larger brands deciding not to attend. But despite that, I, along with Huntress View Team Member Courtney Ogden, spent three days at the show checking out what's new for 2022! Below are a few of our 'Top Picks' from this year's show!
Browning® Trail Cameras
It's never a bad time to add more trail cameras to your lineup, and this year, Browning Trail Cameras is releasing 3 new cellular trail cams that we must have: the Defender Ridgeline Pro, Defender Vision, and Defender Pro Scout Max. Each camera offers different specs in regard to picture size, flash, etc. but they all have the top-notch quality we love in our Browning Trail Cameras, can be used with either AT&T or Verizon, and include GPS Tracking in the event your cameras get stolen.
Defender Ridgeline Pro - 22MP, features the new RADIANT 4 Infrared Illumination System for enhanced clarity and range in night photos and videos
Defender Vision - 20MP, compact size, and Invisible Infrared Night illumination
Defender Pro Scout Max - 20MP, designed to run for up to 1-year in the field on a set of 8AA batteries
To see the full lineup, visit the Browning Trail Cameras website.
Bowhilt™ Heated Bow Grip
We first discovered the Bowhilt™ Heated Bow Grip in the New Products area and had to check out their booth in the Innovation Zone to get the details. This patent-pending bow grip is universal so it can be used on any compound bow and heats up to 130 degrees. The rubber grip simply wraps around the bow and uses velcro to fasten it. The grip does require an external battery mounted to the bow to operate; the battery and rubber attachment can be purchased from Bowhilt as well. The compact size should not add much additional weight or change your shooting.
Team Member Courtney Ogden has Raynaud's Syndrome so she was excited about this product. She purchased the bow grip and battery at the show and will be testing it out. Look for a full product review in the future.
To learn more or purchase, check out the Bowhilt website.
Fieldsheer® Heated Clothing
Heated clothing is definitely gaining traction in the hunting world and the Fieldsheer Merino Heated Base Layers got our attention. The material was very soft and the design was stylish. The shirt and pants are currently only available in black and are available in sizes XS to 2XL. The Fieldsheer apparel features Lithium-Ion batteries that are controlled with a button on the piece or via Bluetooth using an app. I tried on several of the jackets in size medium (my normal size) and they were a bit snug; the website does state that their items have an 'athletic fit' and some items run small, so you definitely need to check the size charts before ordering.
Fieldsheer offers other women's heated base layer options, in addition to a variety of jackets, vests, gloves, and socks. They also have a full line of women's cooling items for warm-weather, including shirts, vests, neck gaiters, etc. We loved that their women's line was on par with the men's options!
Check out their entire women's line on the Fieldsheer website.
SpyHigh® Trail Camera Mounting System
If you're looking for a way to mount your trail cameras high in a tree to get an overhead view, wider view of an area, or just get them off the ground, the SpyHigh Mounting System is the solution. This patented system allows you to mount cameras without climbing trees or carrying ladders into the woods. Although this product has been around for a couple of years, this is the first time I've seen it, and was impressed immediately.
The mounting system kit includes everything you need, except the camera: two 2' to 4' extension poles, 2 camera mounting platforms, 2 tree attachments, 1 saw blade, 1 laser bracket/laser pen set, 1 drill driver, and 1 universal camera attachment. You can purchase additional camera mounting platforms, if needed.
The guys at the booth gave us a full demo of how the mounting system works and it took about 2 minutes to get the mount screwed into the tree and put the camera in position. Since public land does not typically allow you to screw anything into trees, this would be a great option for private property.
Added bonus: the SpyHigh Mounting System is made in Montana. Check out the mounting system and watch installation videos on the SpyHigh Mounting System website.
Matrix Target Systems™
We all love shooting the center dot on our square/block targets, and after you shoot it so many times, it needs to be replaced. The Matrix Target System solves this with a modular design where you can move the components around within the target so you always have a center dot to shoot. The target includes 7 hexagon modules that can be moved around and strapped together; all straps and buckles are included. The modules are made with Matrix's signature Hybrid Polymer material and are designed for field tips and broadheads. When you eventually wear out the modules, you can buy individual replacement modules instead of buying a whole new target!
Matrix Targets are made in the USA and they offer free shipping to the lower 48. Learn more about their targets on the Matrix Target System website.
HuntChef Sauces and Seasonings
I love to cook and am always looking for new spices, seasonings, and sauces to try. HuntChef offers a wide variety of seasoning blends, sauces, sausage kits, jerky seasoning kits, and ham kits. At ATA, they were set up to provide samples of meats made with their kits, including venison bacon, snack sticks, ham, and sausage. We also had the opportunity to sample all of their sauces and seasoning blends.
The best part, we were able to purchase products at the booth on the last day of the show. I purchased the Hot Honey BBQ sauce, Canadian Carnivore Bold Grill Seasoning, and Reel Dam Deal Fish & Seafood Rub. At the time of this write-up, I've already tried the BBQ sauce on a wild hog backstrap and it was delicious! The perfect blend of spicy and sweet. I've also tried the Reel Dam Deal Fish & Seafood Rub on baked sea trout and loved it. Lots of flavor and not too salty, which is always my concern with spice blends.
To see their full selection and purchase spices, visit the HuntChef website.
Barronett Blinds®
If you love hunting from a ground blind, Barronett Blinds has a new item that is perfect for archery season. Most of us practice shooting our bows while standing, then head to the woods and sit in a short ground blind. And the Big Mike™ Hub Blind caught our attention for this exact reason. The Big Mike blind is 80" tall so it allows you to shoot while standing in the blind. Some other features include zipperless low profile windows, the windows can be opened vertically or horizontally (for archery or firearm hunting), replaceable shoot-through mesh, 10mm fiberglass poles, and lightweight die-cast aluminum hubs. This blind was extremely roomy so if you hunt solo, there's plenty of space for a chair, pack, and whatever other gear you carry into the field. If you hunt with a partner or take your kids into the field, there's plenty of space for everyone. You could definitely camp out in this blind and settle in for a full day's sit!
The second item we found was the Field Shield™ Adjustable Panel Blind which would be a great option for spot-and-stalk hunts and turkey hunting. The Field Shield weighs just 5 pounds and includes a carrying bag with a chair pocket, making it portable and packable, and can be set up in seconds with two pop-out hub panels. The blind is 96" wide with an adjustable height from 24 to 40", and you can easily connect multiple blinds for a multi-person setup.
Cooper Hunting Tree Stand Blinds
When hunting from tree stands, the biggest issue is standing out after the leaves fall from the trees. We set up our stands in the summer when everything is brushy and leafy, but when hunting season rolls around, everything is bare. The Cooper Hunting Tree Stand Blinds solve that. Simply mount the bracket to the tree with 3 straps, and the blind attaches to it. It can be used with pretty much any treestand, including large 2-person stands. The design allows you to bunch the panels so you have a long vertical area to shoot a bow, and it would be great for firearm season too. Since it's mounted to the tree, you can adjust the height to ensure you can stand up to shoot. The panels have weights and a drawstring in the bottom, so it won't blow around on breezy days. Added bonus, the blind packs away in a less than 24" carrying case and weighs just 7 lbs.
Check out the full line on the Cooper Hunting Tree Stand Blinds website.
All-in-all, we had a great time at ATA 2022 exploring new products and gear for the upcoming hunting seasons from our favorite brands as well as new brands that we can't wait to try!
Sarah Honadel is an avid outdoorswoman from Kentucky, now living in Idaho, who enjoys hunting elk, deer, turkey, pronghorn, and waterfowl. She is a team member at Huntress View, Pro Staff for Browning Trail Cameras, and Brand Ambassador for the GoWild app and BaseMap app. Follow her on Instagram @waddysarah.
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