A 33.24-kilogram lake trout.

A greenish-grayish speckled whopper the weight of a golden retriever.

That’s a big fish.

And that’s the fish that Scott Enloe reeled in from the Blue Mesa Reservoir, a man-made lake in Colorado, last week.

Enloe’s catch poses a challenge to the record set by angler Lloyd Bull, who pulled a 32.6-kilogram lake trout from waters in the Northwest Territories in 1995.

“It’s obviously the largest one I’ve ever seen,” Enloe said of his remarkable haul.

“It was exactly 47 inches long and it had a 37-inch girth … I’m a 35-inch waist and it was bigger than me.”

Catch may not officially break record

But Enloe’s catch may not make it into the International Game Fish Association’s (IGFA) record books, where Bull holds the top lake trout spot.

That’s because the organization requires that fish be weighed on land.

Enloe weighed, measured and photographed his fish on his boat — and then he let it go.

“Whether I get my name in the books or not, that’s irrelevant to me,” he said. “I was not going to kill the fish regardless.”

Zac Bellapigna, angler recognition coordinator for the IGFA, said Enloe wouldn’t have had to kill his trout, necessarily. Fishers can bring their fish to shore, weigh them, and release them alive.

“I commend him for releasing the fish alive, that’s a good thing,” said Bellapigna.

‘One of the best fishing spots in the world’

About 3,000 kilometres north of the Blue Mesa Reservoir sits the majestic Great Bear Lake, site of an Indigenous-led UNESCO-recognized biosphere reserve. It’s known for producing some of the biggest lake trout ever caught.

“Growing up, we caught a lot of pretty big trout,” said Naokah Bailes, who was raised in the Sahtu region and has been fishing in Great Bear Lake since she was small.

“Little did I know I was actually fishing at probably one of the best fishing spots in the world.”

The people who know Great Bear Lake, or who’ve visited, give many reasons for why the lake is a unique place to cast a line.

For one, it’s huge — one of the world’s largest — and there’s only one community on its shores: Délı̨nę, which has a population of a little over 600.

“It’s such a small community, right?” said Bailes. “Even if someone’s out there fishing all day, the lake is so big we would never have an actual impact on the fish populations.”

Even bigger fish netted in Great Bear Lake in 2009

Ask people in the Délı̨nę about fish, and one name comes up again and again: George Kenny.

Kenny netted a lake trout from Great Bear topping 38 kilograms in 2009.

That fish didn’t survive, and it’s now memorialized in the community’s Great Bear Lodge.

“There’s something about the genetics, also, in Great Bear Lake that produces very large fish,” said Mike Bryant, who once penned a column as the “Fishin’ Technician” and is now the group publisher for Northern News Services in Yellowknife.

Not all its trout grow to “super sizes,” he said, but a strain of them do.

Bryant, who visited the lake in 1997 and plans to return this summer, pointed out that a good chunk of IGFA’s lake trout line class records have been set at Great Bear Lake.

“Great Bear Lake is like an aquarium. It’s full of fish,” said Danny Gaudet, Ɂekw’ahtide (leader) of the Deline Got’ine government.

Gaudet also fishes — but for food, not trophies.

There’s nothing that compares to the meat on a Great Bear Lake fish, he said, and you’re always guaranteed to catch one.

Gaudet said that if more tourists travel to Great Bear Lake for fishing, and fish in a sustainable way, it could benefit the community’s economy.

It’s one reason why he says he’s actually happy for Scott Enloe, because big catches like that draw in tourism.

“If it sustains that economy for them, that’s great,” he said. “Of course, we’re from Great Bear Lake and we will break the record again.”

You know you made a solid shot but can’t find a drop of blood. Now what? It happens to everyone at least once. Whether you’re bowhunting or rifle hunting, going after mule deer or whitetail, every deer hunter knows this is a risk they take. For one reason or another you will eventually find yourself trying to track a deer that doesn’t seem to be bleeding, no matter how observant you were or how positive you were that you hit your target. You have to do everything you can to retrace your steps to avoid the risk of losing your deer, but how long do you look for blood or a downed deer before being able to confidently determine you actually missed? Well, there are ways to be especially thorough in your search to at least feel like you aren’t walking away from a freezer full of meat. It won’t be easy, but you can use these tips to hopefully get your buck.

Go back to the site of the shot

The first thing you need to do is get back to where you made your shot. Replay the moment in your mind. How was your shot placement? Did you hit it too far forward or too far back? How did the deer react? Did it hunch like a gut shot or bolt like a vital hit?

Once you have that image in your head, look at the ground for disruptions where you hit it. It should be torn up, and there will hopefully be a clear track of your wounded deer. Look for your arrow or immediate signs of blood, but don’t get too far from the shot site. One of the biggest mistakes a hunter can make when tracking a wounded deer is to rush it. I typically wait half an hour before searching for blood outside twenty yards.

Running the risk of bumping a wounded deer is never a good idea. Give the deer time to bed down, and they will likely expire in their first bed. One bump can give a deer enough adrenaline to run another 500 yards and possibly out of your life forever. Be patient.

Circle downwind

To clarify this statement, when deer are shot, it is an instinct for them to circle downwind, roughly 50 to 60 yards. This can be a great starting point to check for blood. If you lose track or can’t find it, start walking in a 40-yard circle from the last place you remember seeing it. Look for white hair sticking out or brown hair if it’s snowing. Move slowly and keep your eyes open for the deer, tracks, or any possible blood.

Look for water and bedding

If blood is scarce, there are other reliable places to search for a downed whitetail. After being shot, deer seek water to replace the fluids lost in their blood. Finding a primary water source, such as a flowing creek headed downhill from the site of the shot, is a great place to search for blood.

Another great place to search for a downed whitetail is in a core bedding area. After being shot, it’s natural that a deer will want to go to a site where they feel safe. If you have a good idea of where that deer was bedding, there’s a good chance that’s where it is headed. Give it time and cautiously approach the area from downwind, looking for signs of blood along the way.

Call the dogs and friends

If it is legal, get tracking dogs. They aren’t a guarantee, but their sense of smell is much better than yours and might get you closer or bring you right to the deer. If you can’t get tracking dogs, get friends to substitute as hunting dogs. Just don’t tell them that they are playing dog for you. Getting more eyes and more experience in the woods is always a good idea.

As we all know, making the perfect shot on a big game animal is tough, especially one that makes blood trailing completely easy. But we should always strive for such a shot and be able to adapt if it doesn’t happen the exact way we want it to.

Deer hunting doesn’t end after the trigger is pulled or the arrow is released. It’s the deer recovery tasks that can often spoil things. Although sometimes necessary, waiting to track a wounded animal until the following day can be agonizing, and finding zero red blood signs without a clue of the animal’s direction of travel, is never a situation we want to encounter.

Here’s hoping these tips contribute to your luck if you do.

READ MORE: The 10 Worst States for Deer Hunting

Sighting in a new gun — or re-zeroing an older rifle — can be a very frustrating chore…

It can be such a hassle in fact, that we sometimes end up neglecting that first day at the range for fear of pulling our hair out as we chase shots all over the paper — if we even hit paper from the start.

Traditional bore sighting involves some guesswork.

But now, instead of engaging in a procedure equivalent to tossing darts at a dartboard while looking through a rolled-up newspaper, a laser bore sighting system can simplify the whole process for you.

We tested five laser bore sight products — three for general firearm applications, and two specifically for a firearm chambered in .223.

Let’s see how these products performed in the field.

By the end, you’ll have a better idea which ones performed best, under what circumstances, and the ones that might work for you.

THE QUICK LIST

Testing Procedures

While we performed multiple tests on each product to determine visibility and functionality, we settled on a simple test for comparison’s sake.

The goal was to zero a Savage Axis .270 to 100 yards with as few shots as possible.

We started at 25 yards, aligning our first shot using the bore sighters. From there, we would realign and shoot as necessary until we were zeroed at 100 yards.

However, we did something slightly different for the .223 bore sighting products. We wanted to see how the bore sighters would work to set the iron sights at 25 yards.

Safety Note

Remove your bore sight, either in the chamber or on the muzzle of your weapon, BEFORE test firing the firearm. Failing to do so will cause massive damage to your firearm and/or you and/or the people around you.

You would think this didn’t need to be said, but coffee is hot also. Stay safe out there, people!

And just in case, don’t forget to bring your IFAK to the range with you.

Best General Firearm Bore Sights

These bore sighting tools are not chamber or caliber specific and you can use them on a range of guns though limitations do apply.

1. Bushnell 740100C Laser Boresighter

This is a competent unit, but it lacks power for greater distances and has to be used in a specific way for maximum effectiveness.

The Bushnell can be set up to sight in anything from handguns and rifles to shotguns, and the kit includes arbors to fit from a .22 to a .50 caliber weapon, as well as 12- and 20-gauge shotguns.

Note, however, that this boresight will only work in pistols with barrels 4.5 inches or longer due to its length. Overall, though, the build quality is high, and the all-metal construction feels exceptionally sturdy.

However, the laser did diffuse somewhat quickly, and a special reflective surface was necessary to take full advantage of the Bushnell as we put it through its paces.

We began our testing in the early morning, with less direct sunlight, and we found this boresighter offered laser visibility to just over 50 yards on a white target. Beyond that range, it was a challenge to see the red spot on the white paper.

This is OK, though, as we began testing at 25 yards, and the Bushnell got us on paper easily.

After fitting the arbor, which took a little adjusting to get the screw seated and the fit correct, the boresighter sat snuggly in the .270’s barrel, and we could easily line up our crosshairs.

The first shot was around 4 minutes of angle off high-left at 25 yards, so we simply readjusted for a second shot at 25 yards without the boresight, and moved out to the 50-yard target distance, where we reinserted the boresighter.

This shot was off by about 5 MOA, but we were on paper, and after a readjustment and two more shots, we zeroed the .270 at 100 yards without using the boresight.

Now, it’s important to remember, the pointer isn’t 100% accurate. It won’t point exactly where your shot goes, but it doesn’t have to do that to get the job done. The idea is to save time and ammo by not having to guess while boresighting.

So, after only two shots lined up with the boresighter, we were set up, and the Bushnell was back in the bag.

Not bad, and the unit is capable overall, as long as you know how to use it. The unit doesn’t feature a super-powerful laser, and while it was visible earlier in the day, that visibility dropped significantly over the course of our testing.

It did come with a handy carrying pouch, though, and the system’s versatility is nice.

I can absolutely recommend this product as striking a great balance between price, portability, ease-of-use, wide applicability, and usability.

But be aware, you absolutely need a special reflective surface, preferably designed for use with laser boresights, for the Bushnell to be most effective in a variety of conditions.

2. LaserLyte MBS-1 Mini Laser Boresight

This more compact boresighter performed similarly to the Bushnell product, except that it is smaller and can fit into pistols with barrels from 3 inches and above.

It lacks arbors that will fit shotgun barrels and is intended for use with rifles and pistols exclusively.

Where the LaserLyte shines — pun intended — is in a slightly more powerful, tighter laser. We could spot the laser more easily past 50 yards, and its beam appeared to be tighter in our testing.

That said, the effective range is close to 65 yards, and certainly no more than 70 yards without a special reflective surface to sight off of.

As an aside, a reflective target insert would be a huge help.

When you’re first setting up the LaserLyte — and the Bushnell, for that matter — be aware, the arbors use very small screws that take some finagling to set up properly.

Work over a box or other surface where you won’t have to be concerned about dropping your screws and losing them.

We set the scope on the .270 out of zero and sighted using the LaserLyte. After a single shot at 25 yards, we were only off the expected point of impact by about 2 MOA.

This felt a little tighter than the Bushnell Boresighter, but we were still on paper with both systems.

After we shot again at 25 yards and readjusted the scope, we went out to 50 yards and sighted using the boresight to check the expected point of impact. The next shot was only about 3 MOA off our aim point, and we were easily able to zero from there.

We went out to 100 yards and zeroed easily without using the LaserLyte.

The unit’s greater compactness and slightly more visible laser — especially in more direct sunlight — make the LaserLyte easy to recommend.

The applications between the Bushnell and the LaserLyte are slightly different, and if you’re seeking a boresighter with greater versatility when it comes to pistols, this is probably the unit for you.

Both products performed admirably, however, and both are usable for their intended applications within similar ranges.

3. Wheeler Engineering Professional Boresighter

This unit has a lot of unique, premium features that make it an exceptional product and probably my favorite pick of the bunch.

First, it uses a green laser — every other unit we tested uses a red laser — which was strikingly more visible in daylight, all the way out to 100 yards, without any special reflective materials.

This boresighter also features a strong magnet to attach to the end of a muzzle, and this worked admirably well.

However, note that we immediately found the unit did scuff up the rifle crown when we first attached it.

We solved the problem by placing a piece of cleaning cloth in between the crown and the boresight. Arbor-based systems, in theory, may damage the bore upon insertion, so both types of alignment have their pros and cons.

The Wheeler also comes with a lithium battery and a carrying case. Everything about the unit feels premium. And the best part is, it even included a special reflective target sticker that was extremely helpful sighting in every laser boresighter we tested.

I didn’t even have to use the reflective tape I brought because of this. Way to go, Wheeler!

In terms of our test, the Wheeler wasn’t exactly the most accurate out of the box, probably because of how it attaches to the muzzle. We could rotate the Wheeler on the muzzle, and it absolutely did jump around the paper a bit.

While it took some practice, once we were confident, we took a shot at 25 yards, and we were on target! Only off by about 3 MOA high and to the right of our aim point.

This was totally acceptable, and after we readjusted our point of aim for a second shot at 25 yards, we moved out to 50 yards and re-sighted using the Wheeler. Our next shot was off around 3 MOA, this time to the bottom-right of our target point.

We adjusted again and were able to zero out at 100 yards. This time, however, because of the powerful laser of the Wheeler, we did use it to check our adjustment, and we were about right on to our point of aim from here.

The Wheeler is an exceptional, premium unit, and it has some excellent features. It’s priced higher than any other unit we tested, however, and it really does have a more limited range of applications in a sense, in that it really isn’t practical for sighting in a pistol.

While you could sight in a shotgun or a pistol with it in theory, I see most users sighting in rifles with the Wheeler.

That said, I highly recommend the Wheeler, especially if want high ease-of-use or you’re sighting in multiple firearms under controlled conditions and want a unit that will save you a lot of time.

For a gunsmith, this might be the unit to have.

For everyone else, an Arbor-based system may be more practical.

What do you think of the Wheeler? Rate it below!

.223-Specific In-chamber Bore Sighters

While these two bore sighters are designed for .223 Remington chambers, boresighters that are made for other calibers are widely available.

They also all work the same way – just drop them into the chamber like you would a normal cartridge and use per the instructions given.

Be careful when using these and, as always, adhere to the Four Rules of Gun Safety.

If you poke around on the internet you can find accounts from people who mistook their live ammo for their bore sight and fired their rifles unexpectedly.

Don’t be that person.

4. Sightmark Laser Boresight

This bore sight is easy to use, and worked reasonably well, though both .223 bore sighters were less powerful than the other units we tested.

The Sightmark takes three AG3 batteries, and was visible only out to about 25 yards, though using the reflective target greatly improved this range.

This was fine for the open sights on the rifle we tested. It also comes with a handy carry pouch, which was a nice addition.

Because the Sightmark operates in the chamber and sights down the length of the bore, it proved to be very accurate and extremely easy to use. We simply turned on the laser and loaded the unit, adjusted the sights, and took a shot.

At 25 yards, the Sightmark got us on paper after the first shot, and it only took three more shots to get the open sights adjusted. The accuracy off the bench held true at 50 yards.

We really only had to load the Sightmark once to get on paper, and it performed flawlessly in this application.

At greater distances sighting in an optic, however, some reflective material would absolutely be necessary.

5. GoZier Tactical .223 Laser Boresight

The GoZier performed similarly to the Sightmark bore sight. However, the GoZier does take up to four AG3 batters and we found it did appear to be slightly brighter out past 25 yards.

I’d say it had an extended range of about 10 to 15 extra yards over the Sightmark.

Practically speaking, however, it didn’t perform substantially better in terms of visibility, and still worked best with a highly reflective surface to sight off of.

After we let our test rifle cool down for a while, the test results were similar.

We loaded the laser bore sight after intentionally misaligning the rifle’s sights and then sighted the rifle in. We took a single shot, which was on paper, though we were about 2 MOA further from the dead center of our aim point compared to the Sightmark.

This was most likely simply due to the variation in how we had the sights set for the first shot, however, and after we adjusted slightly, we took three more shots.

From there, we were able to fire accurately at 25 yards, and remain on paper and readjust at 50 yards without needing to rechamber the GoZier.

Both the GoZier and Sightmark performed well.

The GoZier definitely had a slight but noticeable edge when came to visibility. But both bore sighters needed reflective surfaces to be effective and required four shots to sight in the rifle.

Both products get my vote.

Conclusion

Do you absolutely need a bore sighting product?

Not necessarily

But these units make it so easy to get on paper right from the start and are cheap enough that it seems pointless not to keep at least one of these in your range bag.

Hitting paper the first time you shoot can be invaluable, especially for newbies or those working with multiple firearms. If you’ve ever tried to zero a rifle by sighting down the bore, you’ll know how extremely frustrating it can be if you can’t consistently get on paper right from the start.

A laser bore sight will keep you from chasing your shots all over the paper, saving you time and ammunition in the process.

My favorite for rifles and pistols is the LaserLyte.

If you want to go a little bit more pro (and green), I like the Wheeler.

And for something .223 chamber specific…the GoZier takes a slight edge.

How do you go about sighting in a new rifle? What type of boresight do you use? Tell us in the comments below. If you’re heading to the range, don’t forget your Essential Shooting Range Gear!

Fishing takes on many forms and why one angler does it versus the next varies as much as personalities do. A handful of anglers after they get very adept at catching fish consistently progress into trophy hunters and chase records, including world record crappie, intentionally. But most any angler would be thrilled to catch a record fish whether it be a state record or the very rare world record.

While in bass fishing, the thought of catching a world record seemed impossible again. Then, it was tied not so many years ago. And in crappie fishing, the black crappie world record was broken just a few years ago and it “officially” has the title of the largest crappie ever caught while the white crappie record has stood for more than 65 years even though it’s just a few ounces less.

With amount of state crappie records being broken in recent years, there will likely be another world record caught very soon. Many think the world records are swimming around now in some of the souths best lakes. But I believe that the world records are likely swimming around in a smaller body of water in the most prominent potential states. States where there is bountiful forage and longer growing seasons offer crappie a long time to get to weigh more than 5 pounds. And with the numbers of 4-pounders coming out of lakes like Grenada, I figure it’s only a matter of time before we see another world record crappie.

Let’s take a closer look at the world records and some of the bigger state record crappies ever caught.

WORLD RECORD BLACK CRAPPIE

Biggest Crappie Ever Caught

Angler Lionel “Jam” Ferguson was casting a Kalin’s Triple Threat Grub in John Deere color when he got the biggest bite of his life in May of 2018. He was fishing a small private pond in Tennessee when the big black crappie hit. He landed his crappie and weighed it at 5 pounds, 7 ounces, setting not only the new Tennessee state record for black crappie, but it also happened to be the new world record black crappie.

You can find Kalin’s Triple Threat Grub from the following retailers​:

• BassPro.com
• Walmart.com
• Amazon
• FishUSA

Not only was it the biggest black crappie ever caught, but to our knowledge it is officially the biggest crappie ever landed by an angler as the white crappie world record is 5 pounds, 3 ounces. There were rumors of a 6-pound crappie caught in Louisiana in 1969, but there are no details still to support it and supposedly it was thought to be a hybrid from the photos, so no one recognizes it as a record in the state of Louisiana or by the IGFA because it wasn’t classified as one type or the other. More on that catch later.

He bested the previous black crappie world record of 5 pounds even. You can see the full story of Ferguson’s world record crappie here.

WORLD RECORD WHITE CRAPPIE

Mississippi’s biggest crappie ever

In July of 1957 Fred Bright was fishing below the Enid Dam when he hooked and landed a white crappie weighing 5 pounds, 3 ounces. That record has now stood for 66 years although it’s reported as being caught in the reservoir not the river below it.

There are little to no details on this catch. It is said that he caught the fish with an Orchard Industries Action Rod with a Denison-Johnson reel. But no mention of bait, so most guessed it was caught on a live minnow. But for the most part that’s speculation.

The only mount of the fish was a replica. There are a couple of photos circulating as the official pictures of the catch. But outside of that there is not a lot of information. We’d love to know more on this story if anyone comes across some information that would be helpful.

Many believe the next world record white crappie will come out of Mississippi because so many 4-pounders have been caught in recent years in Mississippi fisheries. And anglers are getting better at catching the nomadic roaming big crappie on the larger reservoirs.

Some believe the record could come from Mississippi but equally likely in Alabama, Tennessee and Texas. These states have long growing seasons, but they also get optimal cooler weather that prolongs a crappie’s life. And they have very fertile fisheries in terms of forage. But some of us believe that the record will come from a smaller overlooked fishery near the world class trophy lakes.

LARGEST CRAPPIE EVER CAUGHT?

The unrecognized tale

So while this is a little tougher than the white crappie record information to track down, in 1969, for a time, the state of Louisiana recognized a supposedly 6-pound crappie that was caught from the bank in an airport canal on a cane pole and minnow.

In the book Crappie! by Jim Robbins, he recounts a story from another editor about the catch:

“Bob Dennie, editor of the Louisiana Conservationist, tells an interesting story of the largest crappie ever caught in Louisiana or, for that matter, the world. In November of 1969, Lettie Robertson was fishing from the bank in the Westwego Canal when she hooked and landed a crappie which was photographed and then weighed on certified scales at 6 pounds. A new world mark that would best either of the two current record holders in the black crappie or white crappie categories.”

“Lettie, glad that all the uproar over the catch was finally over, took the fish home and ate it for supper. However, Lettie’s crappie suffered a worse fate. The photograph could not reveal whether the fish was a white or black crappie, and since no bonafide authority had viewed the remains, it could not be recognized as a world record for either species. The state of Louisiana didn’t understand why there was so much fuss about whether it was black or white, they listed it as the state record sac-a-lait.”

Louisiana only recognizes the two crappie species individual records on their records list now. So probably back then they had no idea their state record crappie was also a world record and would be under much scrutiny. So it never came to be.

THE BIGGEST STATE RECORD CRAPPIE

There are numerous state record crappie weighing more than 4 pounds. In fact, 35 of the 50 states have records weighing more than 4 pounds. However only 5 states have crappie records weighing more than 5 pounds. Six, if you think the uncategorized Louisiana crappie claim should stand. Those states are as follows:

Arkansas — 5 pounds even — Lake Wihelmina —Donivan Echols — 2011 Georgia — 5 pounds even — Bibb Co. Pond — Theresa Kemp —1984 Minnesota — 5 pounds even — Vermillion River — Tom Christenson — 1940 South Carolina — 5 pounds, 1 ounce — Lake Murray — H.P. Owens — 1949 Tennessee — 5 pounds, 7 ounces — Jam Fergusson — Private Pond — 2018

A couple of states barely missed the 5 pound mark and are as follows:

Kentucky — 4 pounds, 14 ounces — Watershed Lake — Penny Hopper — 2005 North Carolina — 4 pounds, 15 ounces — Asheboro Lake — Dean Dixon — 1980 Oklahoma — 4 pounds, 15 ounces — Kingfisher Co. Pond — Frank Robinson — 1991 Virginia — 4 pounds, 14 ounces — Lake Conner — E.L. Blackstock —1967

Big bullets, big cartridges, and shmedium rifles.

Taking big game is one of the few areas that a standard AR-15 doesn’t do well in, but combine an AR with 450 Bushmaster and you have a whole new ballgame.

How does it stack up to a legendary classic like .308 Winchester? We got that info, ballistics, recommendations, and a lot more!

Sure, But Why

To a lot of you, this comparison might seem kind of… odd. I mean, even someone casually familiar with these two calibers can likely tell that these are not similar.

The answer is simple: A lot of readers are interested in this exact comparison. I don’t know why, but who am I to judge.

Y’all asked for it, so you get it.

Holla in the comments with more suggestions of what we should cover!

Story Behind The Cartridges

450 Bushmaster

Who likes big bullets and cannot lie? Jeff Cooper. The man touched many facets of the firearms world and this is yet one more where he left his mark.

While actually designed by Tim LeGendre of LeMAG Firearms, the inspiration for the idea came from Cooper’s support for a “Thumper” cartridge.

Basically, a “Thumper” was a big bullet moving as fast as they could push it so that an AR could take big game at 200ish yards.

Keep in mind that this was before things like the .458 SOCOM and .50 Beowulf were invented.

LeGendre designed what he called the .45 Professional and delivered an AR chambered in that to Cooper himself.

Bushmaster was highly interested in producing the new design, but they needed ammo for it.

When LeGendre approached Hornady about making ammo for it, they requested a slight change to the design of the case – shortening it slightly so they could load the 250gr SST in it.

The change was approved and the final cartridge was renamed to .450 Bushmaster.

.308 Winchester

After a cool story like 450 Bushmaster, the history of .308 Winchester can be kind of boring. Maybe I should have saved the good story for last… oh well.

Back in the 1940s 300 Savage was used for a series of tests for the US military, Frankford Arsenal (the actual US Arsenal, no connection to the brand/company that operates today) saw the tests and liked the results.

They started playing with the design a little and created a case that was slightly shorter, with a little less taper, and thicker walls.

Really liking what they saw, they lengthed the case back to its original specs. Using more modern powders (“modern” by 1940s standards) they created a cartridge that was effectively almost identical to the performance of milspec .30-06 Springfield but with a much smaller cartridge.

Smaller means lighter, lighter means you can carry more of it, so all in all – a lot better.

Winchester saw the potential for this new cartridge and introduced it to the hunting world in 1952.

Two short years later, NATO adopted the 7.62x51mm cartridge as a standard.

Practical Applications

450 Bushmaster

Hunting.

That’s it, that’s the list. The end.

Okay, 450 Bushmaster was designed as a hunting cartridge that could take big game (talking moose-sized “big”) at 200 yards or closer. And if nothing else, 450 Bushmaster does that.

If you’re in a fairly close environment and you need a really big bullet moving quickly to drop something large and four-legged, .450 Bushmaster is a solid option.

However, it comes with some major downsides that make it pretty much useless in all other applications.

Recoil is a beast. 250 grains moving at 2,200 FPS out of a 7ish pound AR means you’re getting the felt recoil roughly equivalent to 12ga slugs.

You can mitigate this with a brake and a good stock, but it’s still a hard hitter.

While you can do things like zeroing at 200 yards to have a point-blank zero out to that distance, 450 Bushmaster is an elephant fighting gravity – and it ain’t no Dumbo.

You are very limited on range and 250 yards starts to push it.

While it starts off with almost 2700 ft.lbf at the muzzle, 450 Bushmaster falls below 1,000 ft.lbf before it hits 300 yards.

.308 Winchester

Everything.

Because of the age of the cartridge and how widely it was adopted by NATO, the military, LEO, and more, .308 Winchester can do basically everything.

Hunting? Oh ya, .308 Winchester has taken every game animal in North America in droves.

Long range precision? Sure, while newer 6mm cartridges are the newest hotness, .308 Win is still widely used by sport shooters, LEO, and competition shooters – although most people running .308 Win in competition do so in special divisions built for it.

SHTF? .308 Win can take game, defend your post-apocalypse bunker, put down mutants (I mean, probably), and is so massively produced and used that refilling your stockpile should be fairly easy.

You can handload .308 Win with every type of bullet under the sun, you can find factory ammo for it in every gunstore and bait shop in the nation, you can find replacement parts basically everywhere, and any rifle you want that is large enough can and probably does come with a .308 Win option.

It is the definitive do-all cartridge in North America.

I would argue that 6.5 Creedmoor is better, but there is no denying that .308 Winchester has achieved unparalleled success. [For more on that, check out our article 6.5 Creedmoor vs 308.]

Ballistics

The real meat and potatoes of these comparisons are how they actually stack up against each other ballistically. Well, in most ways – .308 Win kicks the snot out of 450 Bushmaster.

At the muzzle they are basically the same, .308 Win has around 2700 ft.lbf and 450 Bushmaster has just a few pounds under that.

The big difference is that .308 Winchester keeps at least 1,000 ft.lbf out to about 600 yards, 450 Bushmaster loses it by 300 yards.

While .308 can reach out accurately to 1,200 yards (if you’re pretty good), 450 Bushmaster is on life support by the time it gets past 500.

[To learn more about 450 Bushmaster ballistics and why it was created, see our recent article]

AR-10 Vs. AR-15

I’m going to assume that you’re looking at both of these calibers in an AR platform. While both can be found in bolt-action rifles also, 450 Bushmaster in a bolt gun is kind of silly.

The AR-10 is at least a couple of pounds heavier than an AR-15. It’s larger, less handy, and can quickly become a beast to hike with.

Generally speaking, an AR-10 is also more expensive to build or buy.

This is why “thumper” cartridges like 450 Bushmaster, 458 SOCOM, and 50 Beowulf exist. They give you basically the same punch as a short-action cartridge (at least for a couple of hundred yards) but keep the package small.

Personally, I say get both.

Wild Animal Defense

I’m a big believer in the idea that guns are not your best defense against most wild animals. For black bears, nothing beats a hiking song and some bear spray. For mountain lions, bringing a mule is technically the best but a hiking song and a sharp stick is a decent second option.

However, there are those times when nothing else will do. Maybe you tend animals that are looking really juicy this time of year, maybe you have a particularly mean set of critters in your area, whatever the case – you need a bigger stick.

.450 Bushmaster is one hell of a stick and in this role, it can really shine.

Most of the professional guides I’ve spoken with that live and hike in grizzly country say they choose a 12ga 3” magnum slugs as their last line of defense against a bear – that gives them about 2950 ft.lbf at the muzzle.

450 Bushmaster comes in around 2700 ft.lbf… but you can have 10 rounds in a magazine and less recoil.

If grizzly is your worst-case scenario, you might want to really consider a 450 Bushmaster or some other thumper as your next move.

What Is Better?

If you can stand the size and weight of an AR-10, then 308 Winchester is the clear winner.

But if you need something smaller and lighter – 450 Bushmaster is the ticket.

Really though, 450 Bushmaster is basically in the exact same boat as 50 Beowulf and .458 SOCOM.

They are all basically the same ballistically, they all have basically the same amount of ammo per magazine, they all cost basically the same, and more or less have the same issues.

I would give .458 SOCOM a slight edge in terms of reliability, but everything else really isn’t enough difference to make a difference.

Converting An AR-15 To 450 Bushmaster

The easy method is a new upper and modifying your magazines.

Magazines are standard AR-15 5.56 NATO mags, but with a new single stack follower. You can also get a dedicated 450 Bushmaster magazine.

For the upper, you’ll need a new barrel and a new bolt. 450 Bushmaster and .458 SOCOM use the same bolt face so it’s pretty easy to find.

A normal BCG can be used, it just needs the new bolt.

Overall, like most other AR conversions – 450 Bushmaster is pretty easy.

[Of course you can also buy a 450 Bushmaster complete upper and all the work is done for you. Just drop it on your standard AR-15 lower, pop 2 pins, and you’re ready to rock!]

Parting Shots

When it comes down to it – the “thumper” cartridges are all basically the same, just slightly different flavors.

If you need one, pick the one you like most and go for it!

But .308 Winchester will give you a lot more options and a lot more range. But that comes at the cost of a heavier rifle.

Let me know what you picked!

And let us know what caliber comparisons you want to see next!

Read the rest of the article to learn my take on the buckshot vs slug for hunting debate.

Shotguns can be extremely effective for big game hunting if they’re used correctly. For those who hunt big game with a shotgun, it is important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of using buckshot or a slug. The buckshot vs slug debate has been raging for many years. While I won’t settle that question during the course of this article, I will discuss the pros and cons of hunting with buckshot vs a slug and hopefully provide some good advice for prospective hunters.

Note: some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content that’s useful to hunters like yourself. Thanks for your support.

Buckshot

Buckshot is the largest type of “shot” loaded in shotgun shells and a typical buckshot load consists of multiple medium diameter pellets. There are many different types and variations of buckshot currently in use, but 12 gauge “00” (“double-aught”) buckshot consisting of 9 (sometimes more) .33 caliber pellets, is the most common. As the name would suggest, buckshot was originally designed for use on medium-sized species of game such as deer.

Like all types of shot, a buckshot pattern grows in size as the range increases. To a certain extent, this is good because it gives the hunter a little room for error when aiming. However, this also means that buckshot has a relatively short maximum effective range. Depending on the exact shotgun and buckshot load being used, you’re probably looking at a maximum range of around 30 yards.

Another disadvantage of using buckshot is the fact that since the individual pellets are normally relatively lightweight (a lead 00 buckshot pellet weighs 50-51 grains), they do not retain their energy or penetrate as well as slugs. This also limits the effectiveness of buckshot on thick-skinned animals and at longer ranges.

That being said, buckshot is absolutely devastating when used at close range on thin-skinned game. The characteristics of buckshot also make it extremely effective for shooting at moving animals.

For that reason, buckshot is very popular among hunters pursuing deer with hounds and by guides in Africa following up wounded leopards. As long as it is used under appropriate conditions, buckshot is an excellent, though not very versatile choice.

BUY SOME GREAT 12 GAUGE BUCKSHOT AMMO HERE

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Slug

In direct contrast to buckshot is a slug, which is a single, large diameter projectile designed to be fired from a shotgun. Just like buckshot, there are many different types of shotgun slugs available on the market. While there are numerous differences between the various types of slugs, they all share several basic characteristics in performance.

The big advantage of using a slug is that it has a much longer effective range than buckshot. A 50-75 yard shot on a deer is usually well within the performance capability of a shotgun shooting slugs. When using a barrel designed to shoot slugs and more precise iron sights or a scope, this range can be extended even further.

Though a shotgun shooting slugs will not even come close to matching the effective range of most centerfire rifles, it can easily be used to take ethical shots on animals 2-3x further away than a shotgun shooting buckshot.

Additionally, since a slug is a single large diameter projectile, it makes a very big hole in whatever it hits. Though the exact size of the projectile varies, at .615 caliber, a 20 gauge slug is approximately twice the diameter of a .30-06 bullet and a 12 gauge slug (.729 caliber) is even larger.

Shotgun slugs are also usually very heavy: a 3/4 ounce (328 gr) 20 gauge slug and a 1 ounce (437.5 gr) 12 gauge slug are both significantly heavier than a 150 gr .30-06 bullet. Additionally, shotgun slugs retain their energy better and typically penetrate much deeper than buckshot.

A shotgun shooting a slug is also much more precise than a shotgun shooting buckshot. Depending on the situation, this can be either a good or a bad thing. However, this means the hunter has less margin for error when aiming, which is especially apparent when shooting at a moving target.

BUY SOME GREAT 12 GAUGE SLUGS HERE

BUY SOME GREAT 20 GAUGE SLUGS HERE

Buckshot vs Slug

So what should you use: buckshot or a slug?

Well, it depends on the animal being hunted, the circumstances of the hunt, and the local hunting regulations. It is not legal to hunt big game with buckshot in many places, probably due to the fact that so many hunters wound and lose deer by shooting them with buckshot at too long of a range.

If this is the case where you hunt, the choice is simple: use a slug.

For the majority of hunters, using a slug is probably the best choice due to the superior range and flexibility of the slug vs buckshot.

However, if you hunt thin-skinned game (like deer) in an area where you are likely to only take extremely short range shots and where it is legal to do so, then use buckshot.

For a more detailed discussion on the different shotgun gauges and their recommended uses, read the article below:

Shotgun Gauges Explained: 10 vs 12 vs 16 vs 20 vs 28 vs 410

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NEXT: THIS IS THE BEST 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO FOR HUNTING ELK, DEER, AND OTHER BIG GAME

The Googan Squad Fishing line is finally here! – Cast further, fish longer, and feel more confident in every cast you take knowing that you’re spooled up with the best line in the biz created by the legendary Googan Squad.Our team, the Googan Squad, and a high-end line manufacturer worked tirelessly to create what is possibly the best-valued fishing line on the market today. Learn how, when, and, why to effectively fish with all three types of the Googan Squad Fishing Line.

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Start catching more mondos with the Googan Squad mono! The affordable and versatile monofilament line is ideal for any bass or multi-species angler. The added stretch from monofilament helps absorb the shock while fighting a fish which makes the Googan Squad Monofilament a solid choice when fishing any treble hook baits.In addition to being deadly for largiesand smallies, this monofilament will help you fool trout, walleye, panfish and more. Available in 3 lines sizes, the Googan Squad Monofilament is the best value of all the three line options. Each spool holds 330 yards which should be enough to fill 2-3 of your reels.

Googan Squad Line FAQ:

Why Did The Googan Squad Create Their Own Line?The Googans and the Catch Co wanted a high-end fishing line that they could fish with but also put their name behind and bring to market. After countless hours of product development, both teams landed on a truly special product, resulting in Googan Squad Fishing Line.Why Is

A meat that is often mistreated and relegated to the world of fitness; in reality the turkey is a tasty product, it has a firm flesh, with a delicate taste and it is rich in nutritional properties. Classified among white meats thanks to the low presence of myoglobin, turkey has a very low fat content and almost all are concentrated in the skin, as with all poultry meats. The peculiarity of this product is that it can be safely cooked and consumed in its entirety; the most famous example is the classic American stuffed turkey, the dish par excellence on Thanksgiving Day in America.

In 1600 the turkey was among the rarest and most requested animals in Europe to “adorn” the gardens of noble villas. Today it is among the most common farmed birds, even if the cuts between which to range are not very many.

For turkey there are various types of cuts in the world, for example in Italy there are only four cuts but, as we have also seen with beef, abroad there is a different classification; in the United States there are dishes prepared with the head and neck of the turkey and sometimes also the tail is used. An important thing to keep in mind for all the following cuts is cooking; turkey meat can only be eaten if perfectly cooked, otherwise you could face unpleasant intestinal unexpected events.

1. The turkey breast

It is the best-selling and most prized cut of the whole animal; a lean, very tender meat, suitable for the preparation of thin slices, it can be cooked in cubes, strips and so on and so forth. Important thing; many people think that turkey breast and turkey rump are the same thing but they are not. The rump is much appreciated by those who follow a low-calorie diet because it is rich in proteins and mineral salts but it is important to understand what it really is; it is a real cured meat obtained from the processing of the breast muscles, boned and cleaned, then processed and seasoned with a mix of salt and spices. Usually the rump also undergoes a smoking or caramel treatment. So turkey breast and turkey rump are two very different things.

While we recommend the turkey rump especially for sandwiches, buns, toasted bread or wraps, and it is also appreciated in the form of scallop with beer, turkey breast is very suitable for slow cooking, especially in the oven it is really tasty. Also excellent as a scallop or, for the sweet tooth, cut into chunks, breaded and fried.

2. The turkey wings

The “middle” cut of the animal; thinner than the thighs but fatter than the chest. You can buy them both whole and cut and are really excellent cooked on the barbecue, in full American style. Also in this case, frying is a more than appreciated method; being an American animal, it goes without saying that the most popular cooking techniques are those from the New Continent. Fried turkey wings are tasty and very simple to make. Just follow the same procedures as for chicken wings and that’s it.

A little tip; ask your trusted butcher to debone the wings and, once at home, turn them into a stuffed roll (perhaps with ham and / or mortadella), they are truly a delicacy.

3. The turkey thighs

Very tasty cut of meat that goes perfectly with spices and flavors. A typical recipe is the Mexican thigh, prepared with many spices, but the tastiest recipe is probably the one that wants it cooked on the grill, together with some vegetable skewers to mix all the flavors. The thigh is the fattest part of the animal because it is richer in skin; try it in the oven or on the rotisserie, you will not regret it.

4. The turkey drumsticks

One of the most popular turkey cuts, the drumsticks are the part of the legs under the thighs. Their meat is tasty but less tender than the thighs because this is a part that is more “trained” by the animal during its life, therefore it tends to be hard. Precisely for this reason drumsticks are ideal for slow cooking, in the oven. Also excellent alla cacciatora, or cooked in a pan with fresh tomatoes and vegetables.

Tony Adams, of Eufaula, Alabama, is one of the best catfish catchers I know. In four hours, using what he considers the best jug line setup, Tony can produce 200-400 pounds by jug line fishing for catfish in Alabama and most of them individually will range from 8-20 pounds or better.

Tony jug fishes water that most catfishermen don’t fish, including the edges of underwater river channels, 20-60 feet deep, with jugs on Lake Eufaula. One of the most-important components of catching catfish while jugging southeast Alabama on the Chattahoochee River is the bait.

Great Days Outdoors asked Adams to test Fishbites Yeh Monn! Freshwater Catfish Baits that are biodegradable and made from all-natural ingredients to compare their catchability to his best jug fishing setup.

“I’ve discovered that the most-productive bait for deep-water catfish is hickory shad, often called skipjacks,” Adams explained. “We can catch them with a cast net here on Lake Eufaula, but they’re hard to find. Not only that, but after we get them, they must be frozen quickly and placed in the freezer, which requires a lot of time and effort that I don’t have. So, instead of trying to catch these hickory shad, I buy them from a guy who catches them on the Tennessee River, vacuum seals them and freezes them, while they’re still fresh. But, I have to pay $3 per shad.”

When Adams is jug line fishing for small catfish, he can get 20 baits out of one shad. However, if he’s fishing for big catfish, he only may get 12 baits out of one shad. To test Fishbites, Adams used the same number of jugs that he did while fishing with skipjacks on his best jug fishing setup.

“There was no difference between the amount and the size of catfish I caught with the Fishbites compared to those I caught with skipjacks,” Adams said. “I also liked how the Fishbites were more accessible, cost less and didn’t have to be kept frozen. I actually found more reasons to use the 5/8-inch-wide and 12-inch-long ribbons of Fishbites’ Yeh Monn! Freshwater Catfish Baits that are available in crawfish, liver, shad and worm scents than to go through all the trouble required to get, keep and fish with frozen skipjacks.”

Tony Adams moved to Eufaula, Alabama, in 1989, and when he arrived, he decided he would learn where and how to catch catfish there.

Today, during the hot summer months, Adams runs the lines coming from his jugs down to 40-60 feet deep, and in the fall, 18-60 feet deep, because he says, “The bigger catfish at Lake Eufaula and other lakes will hold in that deeper water. I’ve caught cats weighing from 20-60 pounds each on 60-foot deep lines.”

How to Rig and Bait Jugs for Catfish

Generally when Adams goes jug line fishing for catfish in Alabama, he puts out about 72, 20-ounce plastic jugs that he often rescues from ballpark garbage cans.

“During the summer months, we’ll catch about 300 pounds of cats by putting out those 72 jugs and fishing for 4 hours,” Adams said. “Then during the fall, I’ll usually catch 150-200 pounds of catfish in a 4-hour period to have a fine fish fry.”

Adams can produce that many fish in that short time, partly because he uses a Humminbird Helix 12 depth finder that features down imagining as well as side imaging.

Adams Puts his Best Jug Fishing Setup out on the Edge of the Main River Channel

Adams paints all his 20-ounce Gatorade and Pepsi plastic bottles orange. The jugs then fit neatly into the racks that drink salesmen use to carry Gatorade and Pepsi into the stores, and they’re stackable. So, Adams’ jugs don’t take up very much room in his boat.

“My jugs are easier to see on the water when they’re painted orange than any other color,”

Adams explained. “I use 50-60 pound test line coming off my jugs and either No. 5/0 or No. 6/0 stainless-steel circle hooks.”

Adams fills the insides of some of the jugs with foam, especially when he’s jug line fishing for very-big catfish in Alabama.

“A big catfish can pull a jug down so deep that the sides of the jug will collapse. So, by spraying foam in the jugs when I’m fishing for big cats, I solve that problem. The foam creates more flotation, and even if the jugs are pulled down deep in the water, the sides of the jugs won’t collapse.”

Why Place Your Best Jug Fishing Setup in a Straight Line

On some of his jugs, Adams uses an egg sinker above a swivel with about 18 inches of leader line below the swivel going to the hook.

According to Adams, “The weight helps the bait reach the bottom faster, and the swivel prevents the cat from rolling up in the line. On some of my jugs, I won’t use any lead, and I’ll only have a swivel to keep the cat from twisting the line. So, when the catfish picks-up my bait, the fish won’t feel any resistance on the line, until it gets the bait well into its mouth.

“I like to use No. 5/0 or No. 6/0 stainless-steel circle hooks when I’m trying to catch big cats – generally larger than what most anglers use. When I want to catch eating-size cats, I use a No. 7/0 or a No. 8/0 hook. I’ll also put about three turns of electrical tape around my jugs to have a place to put the points of my hooks when I take in my lines. Putting the points of the hooks under the electrical tape keeps the line on the jugs from unrolling, and it gives me a good place to store my hooks after I’ve finished fishing. I have reflective tape on some of the jugs to spot them easily when I fish at night.”

I also noticed that Adams tended to put his jugs out in a straight line, and he told me, “The easiest way to determine if you’ve got a cat on a jug or not is to put your jugs out in a straight line. Then when you start running your jugs, if you see a jug off to the left or to the right of that line, you know you’ve either caught a cat, or a cat has taken your bait. However, most of the time, if a jug isn’t in that straight line where you’ve put it, it will have a catfish on it.”

Adams uses a fiberglass Bream Buster pole with a large bass hook on the end of the pole tied to the last eyelet on the pole to pick-up his jugs quickly and play a catfish down. Then he can get the catfish to the surface quicker and up to the side of the boat.

Where to Put Out Your Best Jug Fishing Setup to Catch Catfish

When I fished with Adams, we started putting our 72 jugs for catfish out in the mouth of Barbour Creek. Then we headed north toward the railroad trestle. Adams uses his depth finder to pinpoint the water depth where the shad are concentrating on a river channel.

“When you put your jugs on the edge of a river channel, the wind either will blow the jugs on top of the river channel or out over the river channel,” Adams explained. “The catfish will relate to that river channel, especially in the hot summertime, as well as in the fall of the year when they’ll often suspend over the river channel.”

Adams cuts his baits into two sizes, big baits for big catfish and smaller baits for catfish 1-1/2 to 8 pounds.

“I put my bigger baits out in the deeper water, and my smaller baits in the shallow water,” Adams said.

As we put out the jugs, I saw that the main river channel had a bend on it. Instead of placing the jugs in a straight line there, Adams motored his boat around the bend and placed a few extra jugs in that bend of the old river channel.

“I’ll place a few more jugs in this spot than I do when I’m putting them out in a straight line,” Adams mentioned. “For the last 2 years, I’ve hooked a ‘gorilla-size’ catfish that stays in this bend. Once this catfish gets hooked, it goes to some underwater structure and breaks my line. I’ve watched for my jug to come up for 30 minutes before, but that ole catfish will keep it down underwater, and I’ll lose my jug. But I’ve never seen this large catfish.”

Why Use Large Baits to Catch Big Catfish

I asked Adams, “How often do you lose a jug when you put jugs out to catch catfish?

“If there’s little or no wind, I may not lose any jugs,” Adams said. “But on a windy day, I may lose three or four jugs, even if I’m working them, taking fish off the jugs and rebaiting, for the full 4 hours. There have been days when I’ve jug fished just ahead of a storm, and the big catfish have been biting actively. When that happens, I easily can lose as many as 12 jugs out of the 72. When those big catfish feel the pressure of the jug, they will run to structure and hang my jug up underwater.”

When I asked, “Tony, how often do you change out your hooks when you are jug fishing for catfish in Alabama?” he answered, “I usually change my hooks about once per year. But when I break a line off from a jug that’s gotten into structure, I’ll change out the line, the weight and the swivel and put a new hook on that jug. I fish with stainless-steel circle hooks, because they don’t rust, and they’re really strong.

“The lines on my jugs will get my hook and bait down to 18 – 60 feet deep. Most jug fishermen don’t fish with lines that long. I use lines that long from the springtime until the weather starts to cool down in early winter. Once winter arrives, the cats will move into the creeks. Then, I’ll put my jugs out in the creeks and shorten my lines to 8-16 feet deep. I can catch catfish all winter long jug line fishing for catfish in Alabama on Lake Eufaula.”

Adams likes the skipjack’s head for a big bait. He doesn’t catch a big catfish on every skipjack head he baits with, but if a big catfish does find that bait, it really will enjoy the head of a skipjack for breakfast or lunch. And, the same is true of the Fishbites Yeh Monn! Freshwater Catfish Baits Adams tried for “GDO.”

What Tips Will Help You Jug Fish for Catfish Better

* A 20-ounce Gatorade or a soft drink bottle with the cap screwed on is an ideal size of jug for the best jug fishing setup. It’s not too big and doesn’t take up much space in the boat.

* Those 20-ounce jugs rigged and ready to fish can be put in a drink case they’ve been designed to fit in and take up far less room and are much easier to handle than gallon jugs or bigger.

* The line will free-spool off the end of the jug just as fast as line free-spools off a spinning reel, by throwing the bait in the water and keeping your big engine running. (No lead necessary).

* Deep-water fishing produces more and bigger catfish than fishing in shallow water, or at least, when fishing Lake Eufaula.

* Stainless-steel circle hooks require much less maintenance and can help you land bigger cats than wire hooks will.

* A Bream Buster pole with a large bass hook tied to the end of it makes picking up jugs, as well as fighting and landing big cats, easier and quicker than trying to pull the cats in hand-over-hand with the line.

* A strong, oversized rubber-coated dip net is a must for success when jug fishing for catfish in Alabama.

* You must spend about 4 hours of the day baiting and landing the catfish you catch on your jugs to take the most catfish. However, using Fishbites’ Yeh Monn! Catfish Baits saves time.

* Jug line fishing Adams’ style is one of the quickest ways I’ve ever seen to catch the most catfish in the shortest time for both the table and the freezer.

Important Contact Info

FishBites

www.fishbites.com

amazon.com/fishbites

877-840-2248

Limiting the best rifle calibers to only three options can be a daunting task when considering most big-game animals, and this can be especially true when referring to wild hogs. Any avid hunter knows that these pigs can come in many different shapes and sizes, making it a challenge to select that caliber of choice in order to bring home the bacon. For some, it’s all about that massive, trophy hog, commonly referred to within the hunting community as “Hogzilla.” However, some hunters might just want to take what they can get considering the destruction these razorbacks cause to farmers. Plus, the smaller ones make great table fare as well.

Regardless of what category you fall into, these three caliber options, proven by the evidence in each entry’s video, will pack the punch you need to bring some boars down and put some bacon on the grill.

1. .308 Winchester

It seems firearms chambered in .308 Win. get the job done the best. Some great firearm choices for hog hunting, when chambered in .308, are the Smith and Wesson M&P 10 and the Browning BAR ShorTrac Hog Stalker.

If for some reason you have doubts about shooting this ammo at a wild boar, or anything while big game hunting, just take a look at what happens at the 3:25 mark in the video!

2. .30-06 Springfield

Very similar to the .308, the .30-06 has been one of the most widely used whitetail deer hunting rifles a long, long time. Well, guess what? It works great for shooting hogs, too. This caliber is accurate, powerful and deadly, even in the hands of novice hunters.

To check out a great summation of the differences between the way each performs in the field, listen to this guy break down the nitty gritty.

3. .270 Winchester

Also known as a deer rifle, the .270 is just simple and effective. With the right shot placement on a broadside pig, a bolt-action .270 packs enough punch and penetration to get the job done on the little piglets, as well as the full-grown feral hogs!

Be sure to jump to the 4:55 mark in the video to see the way a .270 can make a Texas hog drop right in its tracks from long range!

If you’ve spent any time chasing these razorbacks through the southern terrain, you know just how tough these animals are, and how much damage they can take and still continue to keep running. Using a rifle caliber that is proven to be deadly is always a plus, but nothing replaces steady aim and ethical shot placements, regardless of what gun you are using.

Some people might be surprised that the Remington .223 didn’t make the list, but honestly, these calibers listed speak for themselves in regards to their lethality on feral hogs. Having said that, deciding which caliber to use really depends on your experience and comfortability with certain rifles, and this should just serve as a great baseline and information resource. The important part is that you get out there, enjoy the great outdoors, help battle this country’s ruthless hog problem, and bring home some of the best wild game nature has to offer.

READ MORE: HERE ARE THE GUNS THAT DONALD TRUMP CARRIES EVERYDAY