It used to be that the hardest thing about turkey hunting was locating the bird and bagging it. But these days the biggest challenge seems to be finding that perfect piece of hunting equipment. Whether it's Mossy Oak or Realtree, Remington or Browning, Rocky or LaCrosse; hunters across America have a deep affinity for “their” brands.

As a marketer and a hunter of approximately twenty-five years, I feel that my personal view on why I buy certain brands carries a little bit of credibility in the marketplace. Of the hunting brands mentioned, I have a strong preference for three of them. “Which ones?” you might ask. Well, I won’t tell you that, but here is how my allegiances to my favorite brands were, and continue to be, formed:

1. It’s all in the family - Anyone who visits our family hunting camp always asks the same question: “Is this a boot manufacturing plant?” The question is understandable because the first thing you see before walking through the door is all of our boots lined up on the porch -- and all the same brand. That brand loyalty does not stop with boots, it extends to firearms, camouflage, calls and even long johns. In our house, you better put your name on it or else you might be short a few items on the trip home.

Each time I view the boots on the porch at our house, my marketing brain asks the same question, “Why are we a one-brand family?” Like social media, it’s viral word-of-mouth marketing within the family. If a cousin or uncle tells another family member that they just got the best pair of Nikon Binoculars, then everyone knows what to expect when opening gifts during the holidays: Nikon Binoculars. I know this to be true of other families as well. Simply put, if you can convert one person in an outdoor family to your brand, more than likely the others will follow.

2. Practicality and Comfort - Recently, I was shopping online for a new turkey hunting vest and had to quit because I was overwhelmed by all the bells and whistles. I simply wanted a vest that had pockets for shells and calls, a pouch in the back for my collapsible decoy and a cushy seat. (For those non-hunters, these features are fairly standard on all turkey vests.) Unfortunately, I now seem to run into this same problem with any new hunting product I try to purchase.

In thinking about all the hunting gear I've accumulated over the years, the products that I use and wear most have two things in common. They are practical and they are comfortable. Let’s be honest, over the past several years the hunting gear and apparel sections at major retailers have been flooded with impractical and uncomfortable products. There is no need for me to own an shirt that smells like acorns if it is rougher than sandpaper. Or breathable waterproof boots if they require a body builder to remove. No thank you!

Although I am being a bit facetious about the shirt and the boots, I have found that over the years I have remained loyal to the outdoor brands that have been consistent in the practicality and comfort of their products. I’ve seen many outdoor brands come out with the "latest and greatest" items with all kinds of new features, only to be gone with the chill of the next fall. I beg these companies, keep your products practical and comfortable.

So, whether it be Mossy Oak or Realtree, Remington or Browning, Rocky or LaCrosse, this long-time hunter has revealed the secrets behind his brand loyalty. Fellow hunters, I'm curious, what keeps you coming back to a particular outdoor brand?