Ready, set, shoot: What to get before you head out

Full camouflage is legal when hunting on private land in Texas (bright orange required on public land and strongly advised on any quail hunt), but many hunters fail to include a simple mesh face mask. A simple mesh mask can turn 40-yard flaring shots into “ice cream” incomers at 25 yards. A heavy parka is SOP during the late-fall/early-winter deer or waterfowl season, but a lightweight jacket makes sense even during a September dove hunt. A pair of specialized shooting glasses should be mandatory on any hunt. The proper pair features shatterproof lenses with a wrap-around design to help block blow-back from the gun, or a stray pellet on a bird hunt. High-contrast lenses of yellow or orange can really “snap out” birds against drab sky or low brush.

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