Toeing the Line: Behind The Scenes

This past February, six of us went looking for adventure. We got more than we bargained for.

An expedition like this takes teamwork, toughness, and total confidence in your gear. As we’re sure you can appreciate, what you saw in Toeing the Line, was only a fraction of the total experience.

After receiving countless questions about the gear used, mistakes made, skills required and the reality of the hardships endured, we decided to bring you a behind-the-scenes look at the hunt.

Below you will find a mix of videos, photos and content that, we hope, will educate, entertain and immerse you in the full experience.

We knew this hunt would test our mental and physical limits and then some. We also knew this was no place for subpar gear. With no margin for error, we worked closely with our sponsors to test and select only the best kit that we knew we could rely on.

The Scope

Leupold Mark 5 HD 3.6-18x44

Leupold released a variety of exciting rifle scopes this year, but for this hunt, the Mark 5 HD was our top choice. The versatile zoom range ensured we’d be ready for close engagements, while still providing the ability to reach out if the situation dictated it.

Of course, when it comes to optics of this capability, you’re usually sacrificing weight in favor of performance. With the Mark 5 HD, that is not the case. Weighing less than 2 pounds, this is one of the lightest scopes in its class.

And as always with Leupold, we had zero concerns that the scope would handle the severe conditions and abuse we’d throw at it.

The Specs:

  • Front Focal Plane Optic
  • Integrated Throw Lever
  • Versatile 5:1 Zoom Ratio
  • 35mm Main Tube
  • 100% Waterproof and Fogproof
  • Guaranteed for Life
The Gun

Gunwerks Clymr

When it came time to select a rifle for the goat hunt, there was a clear front runner, the new for 2018 Gunwerks Clymr chambered in 6.5 PRC. This rifle platform is purpose built for tough mountain hunts. Lightweight, compact but with the capability to easily reach out beyond 500 yards if the shot opportunity called for it.

As most mountain hunters know, your rifle spends the bulk of the hunt strapped to your pack. When you’re climbing through thick undergrowth, there is nothing more draining than having your rifle barrel constantly hang-up on branches and brush. Given the conditions faced, every ounce of energy saved was invaluable.

The 6.5 PRC is, in our opinion, a near perfect mountain caliber. For sheep, goats, and mule deer, you won’t find a more capable round. The light recoil and rifle ergonomics allow for fast follow-up shots, and in this compact package, is as capable at close range as it is beyond 500 yards.

  • GLR Titanium Short Action
  • 20” Carbon Fiber Wrapped Barrel
  • Indexing Directional Muzzle Brake
  • Negative Comb Carbon Fiber Stock
  • Flat Toe Line
  • Atlas Bipod on Flush-Mount Bipod Rail

Total Weight (as used): 9.2 LBS

The Pack

Mystery Ranch Marshall

We’ve had a long-standing relationship with Mystery Ranch, and for good reason. Expedition hunts like these are not possible without a pack that can carry and handle anything you ask of it. If your pack fails, the trip is over.

Given the amount of gear required to pull off a winter goat hunt, the high-volume Marshall was the obvious choice. Nolan has been using a Marshall for guiding for years and there was no question that this hunt called for a pack of this caliber.

If you’ve watched the film, you’ll know we beat the living daylights out of our MR packs and at no point did we worry that the packs would fail us. That peace of mind is invaluable when your mind and body is being pushed to its limits.

The Specs:

  • Built for Expedition Style Hunts
  • Rigid Yet Dynamic Guide Lite Frame
  • Bombproof 500D Cordura
  • Expandable Overload Shelf
  • Easily Adjustable Futura Yolk
The Spotting System

Outdoorsmans

There is no shortage of tripod options for the weight conscious backpack hunter. As with our packs, we needed a tripod that was both lightweight and tough enough to handle the demands of a hunt this severe.

Adam has been using an Outdoorsmans Compact Medium tripod for years now and as Nolan’s spotter, he knew that when a shot opportunity came, his tripod and spotting scope would be critical to success. Topped with a Leupold Gold Ring 12-40x60mm complimented by a H32 ballistic reticle and Micro Pan head, this spotting system was crucial to the outcome.

Compact enough to pack easily but with an extendable length that allowed for a stable base of support in the snowy conditions, there was no other choice.

The Specs:

  • Made from Incredibly Durable but Lightweight Machined Aluminum
  • Compressed Height of 13.5”
  • Fully Extended Height of 37”
  • Topped with Micro Pan Head
  • Made in USA
  • Total Weight: 2.8 LBS

Photo Essay