Last November, Lacey Polacek wrote Unit 12A: Have Tag, Will Hunt for us, chronicling her hunt after scoring one of Arizona’s coveted tags for a prime hunting area. This year, Lacey—whose luck seems to continue unabated—drew another bucket-list tag. So, naturally, we asked her once again to share her experience with readers.

A lot of scouting and glassing is a must in preparation for a hunt. When I can bring him, my trusty Malinois, Trigger, is always up for a hiking trip.

Each year, as the weather turns and summer wraps up, I inevitably begin preparing for some form of hunting—be it my own tag or that of a friend or family member.

This is the time of year my husband made me agree that we are not (within our control) allowed to have children—no more birthdays or stumbling blocks interfering with prep. I did, however, win when I insisted on a November wedding, under the condition that most anniversaries would likely be spent out in the field.

We were loved enough by our wedding guests that everyone put their rifles and bows down for one day to celebrate our union. (I believe there was a serious bull elk hunt going on at the time—talk about love.)

After all of my practice and preparations, we loaded up the truck ready and confident. Having good gear isn’t just about comfort, but piece of mind.

This year, four members of our family drew early rifle bull elk tags in Arizona. I was one of them, drawing a premium Unit 10 tag. For those unfamiliar, Unit 10 includes the Boquillas Ranch, which allows private permit access for hunting. The unit consists of roughly 25% public land and about 75% ranch access.

If you want a premium hunting experience, you have to pay the price—permits for ranch access are a must. The roads, few and far between, are rough. You can drive them, but much of your time will be spent hiking and glassing. If you’re fortunate enough to draw the early tag, the bulls are likely rutting, and much of your searching will take place off the roads while bugling for a response.

With this in mind, I noted the questionable state of my hunting gear.

I didn’t have a framed meat pack for long hauls. I knew that with this unit—and helping the rest of the family—there was a high likelihood of having to quarter and transport a bull elk across canyons back to the truck.

After some brief research, I purchased a new Badlands pack. I was pleasantly surprised to find they’d designed the MRK2—a pack that detaches from the frame, allowing me to place meat between the frame and the pack compartment. This created a more balanced approach to heavy hauls and helped me, as a woman, carry more weight.

My next task was handloading for my 28 Nosler and trying to shoot long-range during a fire restriction. Fortunately, my property borders public land, and when it’s closed, we have enough space to shoot on private property. All we can manage is 425 yards, but that would have to do. With a 28 Nosler, though, it’s flat-shooting enough that 425 yards covers an elk’s vital zone just fine.

Walking the 425 yards and back also shed light on the state of my hunting boots—ones that have carried me through each season since 2020. It was time for an upgrade.

I opted for a pair of Irish Setters I’d had my eye on. I justified the purchase by reminding myself that an elk tag isn’t something you show up for underprepared. I’d heard good things about their boots and wanted to try the VaprTreks—but I made the mistake of not breaking them in first. Check your boots before you start hiking all over creation to shoot and scout. Get your new pair and wear them on pre-hunt adventures so they’re ready for the trip.

Grateful for new boots on this hunt. This pair of Irish Setters are waterproof and insulated. Though it was warmer, the recent rain had brought a lot of moisture. Once broken in, these boots were comfortable.

Not thinking ahead, I spent many days in the truck during the hunt with my boots off between locations. Once, when a bull elk was moving his harem through a field, I had to fly out of the truck with my rifle—and only one boot on. Learn from me and don’t make the same mistake.

Fortunately, the bull was too small for my taste, and I only had to do a one-shoed walk of shame for a few yards. Despite the discomfort caused by poor foresight, I found the VaprTreks to be an immense asset—my previous boots would have died and crumbled under the miles logged on this hunt.

Speaking of 425-yard shots, my 28 Nosler was equipped with a new ARCA system that didn’t support my existing bipods, and with the potential for a long-range shot, I needed a replacement. So, I reached out to my husband’s contact at MDT and, following their suggestions, purchased a new MDT GRND-POD with the ARCA attachment.

This smooth-functioning gadget is a must for Western hunting and provided all the support I needed to seal the deal. When seconds counted, the bipod performed quickly—and, more importantly, quietly.

With the weather not cooling down as anticipated this year, my usual late-season camos were kept on their hangers. This year, I sported thinner base layers and a simple Kings outer layer.

Unit 10 is primarily high desert, so my Desert Shadow pattern won out. I was mostly excited about the warmer weather—it isn’t often I’m not freezing to death at 4:00 a.m. in a tent getting ready for the day. This year, I would enjoy above-freezing temperatures.

We arrive at our campsite for the week and set up our Davis wall tent. Consider it a “fine hunting” experience. I complete the look with my hot pink chairs. This came about after my other “normal” colored chairs were easily picked off by others. These will stick around for awhile, I think.

Aside from not freezing each morning, the warmer weather wasn’t entirely a good thing. It kept the bulls silent during the day and harder to find. When they’re not rutting, a good pair of binoculars, a solid tripod, and—if you’re the bougie type like me—a comfortable glassing stool are essential to locate the beasts of the field. With everything packed neatly in my meat pack, I was ready for the stalk.

Hunting—especially Western hunting—wears on your gear quickly each year, but when premium opportunities like this arise, you’d best be sure you’re prepared not only ballistically but also with the gear you bring.

Watching the weather, scouting tanks and fields, and inspecting your camp equipment are all part of the process. Make sure everything you have will provide the most comfortable experience possible. You don’t have to break the bank, but a good pair of boots and a few small upgrades will carry you a long way.

Just be sure to break those boots in first.

— Lacey Polacek

Lacey Polacek is an avid hunter from wingshooting to big game and anything inbetween. She has worked at Wolfe Publishing Company as a Graphic Designer for Rifle magazine and Varmint magazine since 2018. Her career aligns with her hobbies of design, photography, shooting and the outdoors.