• Vortex and Optics Planet Giveaway on GearExpert

    OpticsPlanet and Vortex Offer A Dream Hunt for Two!

    Mar 26 • News • 25902

    Hey OpticsPlanet fans! Have I told you lately how much the team appreciates you? No? Then how about this: I’m excited to announce that we’re partnering with Vortex to bring you an awesome Vortex Dream Hunt Trip for Two in the beautiful Sandhills of Nebraska! It’s your chance to experience the great outdoors like never before, make new memories, and score awesome prizes. Win this Vortex and OpticsPlanet Dream Hunt in Nebraska prize package and you’ll get an all-expenses paid trip to the Sandhills, where you’ll spend 4 days and 3 nights hunting whitetail deer. But that’s not all!

    In addition to two round-trip flights, meals, and lodging for you and a lucky friend, you’ll receive a prize package worth almost $2,500. That’s right, we’re offering up some of Vortex’s best gear to help you scope out, track, and take down that prize whitetail. All you’ll need is a desire for the hunting experience of a lifetime. I know I’ve got that much, and I’m sure you do too! Curious as to what we’re offering? Prepare to fall in love with one of each of the following prizes:

    Vortex Viper HS 4-16x50 30mm Waterproof Riflescope

    The Vortex Viper 4-16×50 Riflescope will make any hunter proud.

    Vortex Viper 30mm Riflescope Rings

    Use the Vortex Viper 30mm Riflescope Rings to mount your new scope.

    • 30mm Viper Rings – Hey, a perfect fit for that new scope! You’ll need a solid fit to keep that scope in place, and these Vortex Viper Rings will certainly do the job.
    Vortex Viper 10x42 HD Binocular

    The Vortex Viper 10×42 HD Binocular – see clear and far!

    • 10×42 Viper HD Binocular – The classic bino. Rough, tough, and compact enough to take anywhere, you’ll want this binocular at your side to scope your hunting ground and ensure you don’t miss a thing. Premium optics and waterproof coating will keep this binocular in shape for a lifetime.
    Vortex Binocular Harness Strap

    Tired of being tired while carrying those binos? Here’s the solution.

    • Vortex Binocular Harness – There’s a lot of ground to cover out there in the Sandhills. You don’t want to stow that Viper Binocular at every turn, do you? Keep it close at hand, and distribute the weight evenly across your torso and shoulders.
    vortex viper hd straight spotting scope

    I can’t even imagine a hunt without a good spotting scope.

    • Viper HD 15-45×65 Straight Spotting Scope – You’re an accurate shot, no doubt. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need a spotter. You know the area, you’ve covered the tracks, but the prize is still a ways off. If you want to sight in properly, you’ll need this premium waterproof, high-fidelity spotting scope at your side.
    revision sawfly shooters kit deluxe

    For us, safety is non-negotiable, and the Sawfly Deluxe Kit does the trick.

    revision anti fog cloth kit

    You never know, it could get a little foggy. The Anti-Fog kit keeps your vision clear.

    • Revision Anti-Fog Cloth – Keep your new Revision Sawfly Eye Shields clean and fog-free with this 3-pack cloth kit!

    Ok, seriously, I’m pretty jealous. They won’t let me enter my name (believe me, I tried). I’d love to get away to Nebraska for an awesome hunting trip! There’s nothing better than getting a new scope, fitting it on your rifle and getting out in the field. Now you’ve got the opportunity in this incredible hunting sweepstakes from OpticsPlanet and Vortex!

    I know you want to enter – I mean, who wouldn’t? Just head on over to our “Win a Dream Hunt of Trophy Whitetails for Two” sweepstakes page and enter your email address to sign up. If you’re the lucky winner, you’re going to have a blast in the Sandhills. Don’t forget to “like” and “follow” us and let us know you want more sweepstakes like this. Good luck and happy hunting!

    • 11 Comments on OpticsPlanet and Vortex Offer A Dream Hunt for Two!

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  • Nebraska Sandhills are great for hunting!

    Are the Sandhills of Nebraska Hunting Heaven?

    Mar 11 • News • 12671

    Finding the perfect place to hunt is an art form.  I know how many of you think, as you’ll hit the same beautiful hunting grounds you used growing up.  I’m much the same way.  I go on vacation to new places on occasion, but every year I go camping in Northern Minnesota where I went for years and years with my dad.  It’s a tradition.  The familiar trees are more than foliage; they’re family.  They’re an integral part of the trip.  You go to say hello to old friends, and make more memories in a familiar place.  Paying attention to our history is part of what makes hunters, campers and outdoorsmen special.  Some folks like to see a place and move on.  They’re always moving on though, and they never really figure out how to plant roots that last generations.

    Still, on occasion I like to see something new.  I like to hike a trail I’ve never seen before.  I like to find a new tree to carve my initials on.  I like to explore.

    With this in mind, I sat down today to consider looking for a new place to hunt.  This isn’t an easy task, but at the same time it’s exciting.  There are so many places to choose from.  I was inspired to look the Midwest.  I’m a Midwestern guy, but I tend to go North (and a bit West) for my travels.  Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota are familiar to me.  I decided to try a bit South.

    Nebraska.

    I found the Nebraska Sandhills.  This is real hunting land.  Beautiful, and a little different than the areas to which I’m accustomed.  As the name implies, there are hills that roll off to the horizon.  You can see for miles in every direction and all you’ll see is beauty.  Well, beauty and game.  There’s a fair bit of hunting land in the sandhills, and because of a fair bit of natural agriculture land you see game.  Whether you’re hunting deer or birds, you’ll find a nice variety to choose from here.

    I considered a few different things when look at the sandhills.  I consider the journey half the fun, so I always look for areas that I’d hike without a rifle along for hunting.  It’s hard to beat Nebraska for natural beauty.  It’s heartland of America-type beauty too, but with enough variety to fill a photo album.  The hills are the main characteristic, but you’ll also seen pristine creeks and rivers, canyons and gullies.  The blue skies stretch for miles and miles.  You could spend a lifetime under these skies and never get tired of them.

    But it’s not all about the journey, and you’ll find the hunting is fun and plentiful.  There are more whitetail deer than people in the region.  If you head to towns like Arnold, which has around 500 residents, you’ll find a lot of people friendly and accommodating to hunters.  No doubt a lot of people here love to hunt as well, but they don’t overdo it.  It’s great to see so many deer in an area. And the rollings hills are great for a long range shot.  In the woods you’ll often only spot a deer within an easy to hit distance.  This can be great, but when you want to take down a buck from further off you’ll find more chances in the sandhills.  Make sure you have a good pair of binoculars and a great rifle scope!

    The untouched nature in the sandhills gives a nice alternative to many hunting spots, which often have more trails than you can count.  Hunt the way your grandparents and great-grandparents did.  Watch your dog sprint along unplowed land and find pheasants, chickens, deer, prairie coyotes and more.  There are few places that have so much game.  The numbers are definitely in your favor.  If you head to a hunting preserve you’ll find very capable guides who can help you zero in on the most populated zones for some of the easiest and most successful hunting of your life!

    Take a moment away from the big cities and the noise that goes along with them.  Breathe deeply and let the silence of the Nebraska sandhills carry you to hunting heaven.

    Nebraska Sandhills

    The Nebraska Sandhills offer a unique opportunity at experiencing a classic setting!

    • 1 Comment on Are the Sandhills of Nebraska Hunting Heaven?

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  • Full Move to GearExpert.com! Find OpticsPlanet News There!

    Mar 8 • News • 4670

    Hey Everyone!

    I just want to do a quick reminder that our main blog is now GearExpert.com!  We launched the blog a little over a year ago and it’s been a huge success!  If you’re curious about the latest happenings here at OpticsPlanet, want to learn more about our best products and hear about new contests and awards, that’s the place to check!

    Also, be sure to head over to our Facebook Page, as we regularly update with both fun and informative posts!

    Thanks for reading and we hope to see more of you!

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  • Maximum Warrior Week 7 – Night Vision Armasight Challenge!

    Mar 8 • News • 13469

    Week 7 of the Maximum Warrior Challenge was crazy.  Most of the challenges push the physical limitations of the warriors, but this week was more about speed and sniper skill.  The participants were given a FNH SCAR-Heavy with an Armasight CO-LR Night Vision Unit.  They’re placed at the top of a lookout tower and there are targets all around them.  They had to complete 360 of finding and hitting targets.  Pretty cool stuff.

    To make the contest even cooler the winner got to take home a CO-LR by Armasight.  This is a very cool scope and gives a ton of awesome performance.  First, it’s a co-witness NV unit, so you actually clip it on in front of your regular daytime rifle scope to give a lot of versatility.  This is especially important for soldiers like the guys competing, as they’re often engaged in missions that take place over several hours, from daylight to nighttime.  While they can certainly bring along two separate scopes, they can’t really sight in a different scope when swapping.  A co-witness scope doesn’t require sighting in, as your rifle scope should already be right on target.  Simply clip the Armasight CO-LR on and you’re good to go!

    It seems the toughest part of the challenge was finding the targets.  I’ve been watching the entire challenge and the Navy Seal has been kicking a lot of butt throughout, but though he’s a talented sniper, he struggled to find the targets in order to take a shot.  The winner was an Army Scout Sniper, and he seemed to have a really good handle on how to find the targets quickly and easily.  Very cool to see.

    Check out the pictures below and head over to Maximum Warrior to see the latest contest!  Whether you’re equipped with BLACKHAWK! or Armasight, you’re sure to be a little closer to Maximum Warrior performance!

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  • ATN Odin: Compact & Versatile Thermal Imagers

    Mar 7 • News • 11524

    Goodbye clunky thermal imagers.  The ATN Odin is the smallest thermal imaging monocular system on the market. Although small enough to fit in my hand, the Odin still delivers as a premium optic. Expect sharp images: the Odin has the latest technologies in high-grade polymers that are used to create a Mil. Spec. grade thermal imaging scope that, from the outside, is identical to ATN’s PVS-14.

    ATN Odin Thermal Imager

    The ATN Odin Thermal Imager can fit in the palm of your hand, but gives BIG performance!

    Lightweight (weighs less than a pound) and compact, the ATN Odin is perfect as a handheld monocular for spotting or scouting. And it is easily mounted on existing head gear, helmet mounts, weapon mounts, camera adapters and other items for the PVS-14.

    ATN Odin

    The ATN Odin can connect to helmets, firearms or be used handheld!

    It also features a patent-pending technology called the VPT (variable pivot technology) that allows you to rotate the screen to match the angle of the imager. This piece of technology works great when mounted on a helmet or weapon, so the screen is always straight. No hands needed.

    The ATN Odin is also available as a multi-purpose system that comes with a full suite of mounting options and other accessories.

    This is a great product.  I’m sure the hog hunters down in Texas and those of you who love your nighttime hunts are drooling over this gadget. I’m just pretty impressed by this innovative piece of technology.

    I would also like to point out that the manufacturer of the Odin, American Technologies Network Corp (ATN), is known for its cutting edge night vision optics and thermal imagers. ATN’s products are often used by the military and law enforcement. And surprisingly ATN’s products are built and developed right here in the USA.

    Check out our interview with Steve, an ATN representative, at SHOT Show 2013 (see video above) for more information on the Odin.

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