In fish and fishing, it’s essential to get updated on the current news and learn a bit about the history and the people. So, why don’t you check your list and find out if yours hit the top list of the world’s most famous and best anglers!

Top #11 Andy Mill

Placing in the eleventh of the most famous anglers that you should know is Andy Mill. He took a variety of careers-broadcasting, writing and is a renowned world-class downhill ski racer. But not only that, but Mill is also a known Tarpon lover. He even has an endearment for it, which he calls “poon.”

Checking up his fishing stats, he’s best and killed fly rod tournaments with more wins than anyone. He is the only angler to have won a Tarpon, Bonefish, and Permit tournament on the fly. Andy Mill has so much love for his first love that he wrote an award-winning book, A Passion for Tarpon.

It’s incredible to fall in love with fishing just because of a string. Yes, you heard it right, a string but no ordinary string because it was by Ernie Schwiebert. Goodman Ernie helped him with his first attempt at casting. The first sight of the string was his love, but the first trout dropped the bomb to make Mill fall for fishing more.

This master and lover of Tarpon grew up in Aspen, Colorado. Mill described it as the place with the greatest mountains in the world. It’s full of ice suitable for skiing, and when summer’s in, it’s the best for fishing that he would even spend his entire summers on the Roaring Fork River chasing fish till dusk.

During his childhood, Andy Mill dreamed of winning at night. He dreamed big, and for that, he spent decades of learning fishing with the best mentors and guides he could find. He spends a lot of time fishing and fishing 40 days a year chasing Tarpons.

Colorado was his playground! So, what do you know, maybe you should play too! Don’t take fishing too hard. You should enjoy it and have fun. That’s what Andy Mill did, and look where it got him now—a five-time Gold Cup winner, which is the biggest fly rod tarpon tournament so that you know.

And just like any other anglers out there, he also failed and lost, but he found the courage and was restless, determined to win. Andy Mill was full of hope. He finds a lot of hope in fishing, and that’s why he loves doing it. He’s like a child hoping for a sunny day, for plenty of fish to be around, and for them to take the bait and take a bite! Andy Mill has that child in him but also has that determination and commitment of a man, and that’s what you should be.

Top #10 Joe Brooks

Next, that landed the tenth spot is Joe Brooks. If you’re a fly fishing fanatic, then you must have known this guy. Well, he’s just the guy who coined the term sportsman, and not only that; he’s just the father of modern fly fishing! He practically pioneered everything in fly fishing, popularized and expanded fly fishing than any other individual.

This man is a star! He appeared and hosted the first outdoor TV series ‘The American Sportsman‘ in the 1960s. Joe brooks also wrote different articles and books about how to start fly fishing and the techniques in fly fishing. He was born into a family of businessmen. He worked and tried, but he was not happy about it.

So Joe brooks pursued his two passions- writing and fishing! Hmm. There’s something fishy going on in here. Andy Mill and Joe Brooks, they’re pretty alike. They’re both known writers and loves fishing so much. Joe Brooks knows what he wants. He listens to what his heart says— he loves fly fishing!

Joe Brooks loved it so much that he shared it with the world by teaching and mentoring, traveling to different places like Argentina and the Everglades, exploring new ways or techniques using a fly in catching new and different fish species that weren’t tried or caught before. And that’s what makes Joe Brooks legendary!

Top #9 Michael Lerner

At number nine, coming in at number nine, is the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) founder Michael Lerner, a researcher and one of the greatest anglers of the early times. Lerner and his wife set out various fishing expeditions to explore and study different types of fish species, even those who haven’t seen the light of day. His works provided knowledge and understanding about the saltwater gamefish and proved to be an essential source for anglers, scholars, biologists, and conservationists. Lerner was also honored in the IGFA’s Hall of Fame and received numerous awards from different international bodies to contribute to the scientific and angler community.

Top #8 Ray Scott

What’s your world’s favorite game fish? It’s the Bass! Bass became famous because of Ray Scott. He influenced many anglers and even people who are not yet inclined to fishing to indulge in bass fishing through his television shows. He is known as the man who changed recreational fishing into a multi-billion dollar industry. He inspired many people at home to fish by letting them feel the joy of fishing while these people were watching TV! Scott was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the IGFA for his works, expanding the modern-day bass angling.

Top #7 David Moore

Now, down to number seven of the most famous is David Moore, a native Oklahoman angler whose name was included in the top 20 best anglers on the planet of the outdoor life. Moore, who was a former Bass angler, found Carp fishing more interesting. He participated at the World Carp Championship in 1999 and 2012 and at the 2009 World Carp Classic held in France. Moore and his fishing partner landed a total weight of 377lbs. 12 oz. at Nature’s Trophies Carp Challenge in 2010!

In 2004 he received a lifetime achievement award from the Carp Anglers Group for his dedication to promoting American Carp angling. He is the co-founder of the American Carp Society who has a mission to change the Carp’s image, and serves as a tournament director for Carp Tournament events.

Top #6 Curt Gowdy

Curtis Edward Gowdy, the only man behind the voice of every major sports event! Gowdy has both passions for announcing and fishing. He’s the famous American sportscaster of NBC Sports and has covered many nationally televised sporting events. He spearheaded the creation of “The American Sportsman,” the first fishing show on television. Curt Gowdy has 22 Halls of Fame from different award-giving bodies in different fields, one of which is the International Fishing Hall of Fame in 1981, IGFA Hall of Fame in 2003 National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame in 2005.

Top #5 John Wilson

The best-known angler throughout Europe, John Wilson, takes the number five spot. He’s been an angler for over sixty years, honored and inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010 by the IGFA. In 1986, he started his show “Go Fishing,” which ran for 18 years. Wilson inspired many of his viewers and readers to start and to rekindle their long-lost love for fishing. He was recognized as the sole force behind the revival of sports fishing in the UK and was given a title as the “Greatest Angler of All Time” by Britain’s weekly Angling Times.

Top #4 Mike Iaconelli

You’re almost at the top, and the list is almost over. Mike Iaconelli was born in Philadelphia, is a professional Bass fisherman who won the 2003 Bassmaster Classic. He began fishing at a young age in the Pocono Mountains. He founded the “Top Rod Bassmasters,” a bass fishing club where he started participating in tournaments. In one of his tournaments, the Federation tournament, he broke a record of 19.58 pounds! And it was at the 1999 Bassmaster Classic, he finished in sixth place, Iaconelli received his first major sponsors.

He continued to bag his success, hauled in more than 4,000 pounds of bass, snagged five tournament wins, and finished in the top ten about 44 times! He is still on the top of his career, mastering the art and continuing his pursuit for the win. In 2014, Mike won the Bassmaster Elites at Delaware River and currently hosting “IKE LIVE!” a fishing talk show that features professional anglers in bass fishing and other fishing fanatics.

Top #3 Zane Grey

A one-time holder of over a dozen saltwater records, who is he? He was born on January 31, 1872, author and known for his popular adventure novels The Last of the Plainsmen and Riders of the Purple Sage. Got it? Do you need more clues? How about the first fisherman to drag around 471kg Pacific Blue Marlin? It’s Pearl Zane Grey!

Zane Grey contributed and popularized big-game fishing. He was a writer at the Outdoor Life magazine. He was inducted and received the IGFA’s Hall of Fame for his pursuits and contributions to the recreational fishing world. He mastered the methods to catch the elusive broadbill swordfish. He’s a devoted saltwater angler who spent most of his fishing, earning him to triumph and become a champion in-game fishing!

Top #2 Roland Martin

With over six decades of fishing experience in the water, Roland Martin is one of the most decorated and celebrated fishermen in bass fishing history. He is considered one of the founding fathers of modern bass fishing. Martin was one of the first anglers to introduce and popularize the idea of patterning fish. Like many famous anglers, Martin’s light shines brightly. He has TV shows on NBC, sharing his tricks and tips to young, less experienced anglers and avid viewers. He also has his fair share of fishing success, winning in tournaments, 19 pro tournament wins, almost 100 top 10 finishes, and 20-second place B.A.S.S. finishes. He was also entitled nine times as the B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year!

Top #1 Ernest Hemingway

Guess who’s on the number one list of the world’s most famous and best anglers that you should know. It’s (keep the drum roll going) Ernest Hemingway! So, what’s Hemingway’s secret that put him at the top spot? Maybe it’s Northern Michigan!

Northern Michigan was his Eden. He adopted his father’s outdoor hobbies like hunting, fishing, and camping in the wood and lakes, but it’s his personality and the constant pursuit of adventure that shaped him into the man that he was. He found solace and serenity in the forest or in wading a stream. He was three when he started fishing and ventured into deep-sea fishing in his early 30s. He won every organized fishing tournament. Incredibly, he caught one of the largest Marlins of all times, weighing almost 533kg!

Other than that, he is a Nobel Prize winner. He also received a Pulitzer award and is considered one of the great American 20th century novelists, but did you know that he almost missed his wedding so that he could enjoy fishing in Sturgeon River? Well, it’s a good thing he got his wife hooked up, or else it would be another case of a runaway bride or, in this case, a busy fishing groom!

Farewell to Arms, The Sun Also Rises, and the famous Old Man and the Sea arejust a few of his great works. You can check out these stories and try to read them. They’re full of adventure and fishing from the real-life experiences of the writer himself—his childhood memories, experiences, and his love for the place where he grew up and his passion for fishing. These stories did not only change literature forever, but they also instilled enthusiasm and stirred up curiosity and appreciation for the art of fishing.

You like fishing because you feel solace and connection with nature. You have the right quality of an angler but not yet the quality of the best angler. You know you have it in you. So, if you want to be like these guys, loved by fans, and you want to inspire people, teach them how to fish, entice them to fish, the answer is just simple, learn from the lives of those who were before you.

Like Andy Mill, give in to the child that’s in you- DREAM and HOPE. Like Joe Brooks, you must find your happiness—LISTEN to your heart. Like Michael Lerner, Don’t be afraid to EXPLORE; ENCOURAGE like Ray Scott; EMBRACE CHANGE like David Moore did. BELIEVE in yourself and NEVER QUIT like Iaconelli and the rest of these best anglers. Drive that passion and have FUN!

By popular demand, today’s article is the best deer hunting bows. There are a lot of options out there. Some are fantastic—but others fall short of the mark.

We’ll start with a quick “buying guide” of features you’ll want to keep in mind when selecting a bow, then we’ll jump into our reviews that inspect a range of bows for hunters of all skill levels. We’ll finish off with what we consider to be the best-performing deer hunting bow overall.

Deer Hunting Bows: Quick Picks

Here’s a quick list of the bows we’ll discuss:

TIDEWE Compound Bow: Thanks to its adjustable draw weight and high let-off, it’s a good choice for beginners and experts alike.

PSE Archery Mini Burner RTS Compound Bow Package: We suggest this model for youth who need a smaller bow but still want enough power to hunt with once they learn the ropes.

Diamond Archery Edge 320: With blistering arrow speeds and a quiet shot, this compound bow is a good way to take down that elusive trophy buck.

Bear Archery Cruzer G2: One of our longtime favorites, this Bear model’s lightweight design and adjustable draw weight makes it hard to beat.

Diamond by Bowtech Deploy SB R.A.K.: Our new all-around favorite, this bow has incredible power while still being lightweight and consistent.

How to Select the Right Deer Hunting Bow for You

If you’re new to bowhunting, here are the factors you’ll want to consider when selecting a bow for deer hunting. We’ll start with the first—and perhaps most important—question:

Choose Your Bow: Recurve vs. Compound

This is your first decision when you’re selecting a bow to hunt deer with: do you want a recurve bow or a compound bow?

Generally speaking, more hunters use compound bows to hunt game, and that’s probably a good thing: they’re easier to draw, easier to aim, and they’re usually a lot more powerful than recurve bows. As a result, you can take accurate lethal shots at longer distances and with less practice beforehand. For all these reasons, if you’re new to hunting and looking for a bow, we’d suggest you start with a compound bow.

If you are going to choose a recurve, though, you’ll have fewer features to consider—recurve bows are far simpler than compound bows, and if you have a well-made, quality bow, the main feature you need to think about are the draw weight, partly because in most states, you’ll need a bow with a draw weight of 40 pounds or more hunt game like whitetail deer. You may also consider a bow sight, though many recurve hunters forgo this accessory altogether since they prefer a more bowhunting experience anyway.

A high quality bow with a draw weight of 40 pounds or more and a bow sight (or not!) is all you need to hunt deer with a recurve—but again, if you’re just starting out, we’d urge you to use a compound bow to hunt because they’re easier for new hunters to use, and you’re more likely to put down an animal rather than just wounding it, which is more ethical.

Bottom Line: If you’re new to bowhunting deer, it’s usually better to go with a compound bow, rather than a recurve bow.

For those opting to use a compound bow to hunt deer, here are the features you need to consider:

Sound Quality (The Less, the Better)

Deer are light and agile on their feet, and if they hear a sound they don’t like, they bound away instantly. That’s true for mule deer out west, but it’s especially true for whitetail deer out east.

The first time you see it, you’ll be amazed—aside from being quick, they have excellent hearing.

Consequently, the amount of sound that your bow makes is important. Luckily, this is one of those features that manufacturers have really worked on over the last decade or two—probably because deer hunters kept telling them, “THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO IS MAKE A QUIET BOW”—and we’re happy to announce that all of the bows we review in this post are quiet enough for hunting deer.

Keep in mind that no bow is totally soundless, and there will always be some noise when you release your bowstring and let an arrow fly. That said, the only time your bow may make a loud “twang” or “thwack” sound is if it is improperly tuned (and your local archery shop or range can help you with that), or if there’s a problem with your draw. One good work-around is a string silencer, which can gobble up a lot of the vibration from your string and dramatically quiet things down. We like Limbsaver Dampeners.

Bottom Line: Bows are a lot quieter than they used to be, but higher-end bows are usually quietest; if you’re having noise problems, a sound dampener may do the trick.

Important: Feet per Second (FPS)

Over the last decade or so, you might have noticed that all of the big bow manufacturers have been knocking themselves out to make faster bows. There are a couple main reasons for that.

First, due to physics, for the same arrow weight, a faster arrow speed equates to more kinetic energy on impact. This makes your shots more lethal and more capable of punching through tough tissue like cartilage and even bone.

More importantly, faster arrows mean more accuracy. That’s because they can travel farther for a given amount of drop, so over a fixed distance, say 20 yards, their trajectory will be straighter. That makes it easier to aim, and it increases your accurate range so you have more opportunities when hunting.

Most compound bows have a range of arrow speed from 270 fps on the lower side to about 330 fps on the higher side. You might imagine the arrow speed is vitally important, but it’s not the end-all feature to consider.

For example, if you’re hunting from a tree stand at short range, less than 20 yards, an increase in arrow speed is going to provide a marginal improvement in accuracy. Nonetheless, many hunters sacrifice other important features just to get higher arrow speed.

Arrow speed is more important when hunting long distances since it increases accuracy over a longer range. For this reason, still hunters hunting elk out west may find arrow speed to be their primary concern, but casual whitetail hunters should balance it with other aspects of bowhunting.

Bottom Line: Arrow speed measured in fps is important, especially if you’re hunting over long distances. Nevertheless, you should not prioritize it over other important features.

A Crucial Tool: The Bow Sight

We mentioned traditional archers above, those who shoot game without the use of bow sight. That’s an incredible ability, and it’s important to remember it’s a SKILL. It takes years of practice to aim at a target with the naked eye and hit it. For the rest of us, particularly beginners, that’s where bow sights come in.

Most compounds come with a basic bow sight included, and for the most part, a basic bow sight will do you just fine. As long as it has three pins, you should be able to adjust it to aim at targets up to about 40 yards away, and most hunters seem to set their three-pin bow sights at 20 yards, 30 yards and 40 yards. That’s especially true on the east coast where deer hunting is done in dense forest, so things are a little more “up close and personal.”

If, however, you’re going to be aiming at targets more than 40 yards away—and that happens frequently in the broader expanses of land in the western United States—then it can make sense to get a five-pin bow sight, and set your pins at 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 yards. Remember, though, if you’re shooting at a deer 30 yards away or farther, you want to be very confident in your abilities. There’s a lot that can go wrong aiming at a target that far away, and it’s not ethical to take a shot at that distance if you’re not sure you’re going to hit it.

Bottom Line: A good bow sight is important, and for close-range hunting, a 3-pin sight is usually fine. For longer-range shooting, a 5-pin sight is usually a better idea. Also, remember—if you find a bow you really like but don’t like the bow sight, you can usually replace it with one that you like more.

Axle-to-Axle Length: Not as Important as It Used to Be

For the longest time, bow manufacturers insisted that if you wanted to go hunting, you wanted a shorter bow—one that had a small axle-to-axle measurement. The thinking made sense: bows with shorter axle-to-axle lengths usually shoot faster arrows, and they’re easier to lug through the woods during a hunt, a huge benefit if you’re still hunting and doing a fair amount of walking.

The trade-off, though, is that bows with a shorter axle-to-axle length aren’t as accurate as longer bows. That’s why target archers in competitions tend to have super long bows—they’re easier to hold in a single position, and they can prove to be a little more accurate.

All that said, in our humble opinion, the length of the bow isn’t the most important thing in the world, and if you’re fairly new to bowhunting deer, it might make sense to get a slightly longer bow because it can provide some added stability and aim. If you’re a pro and your marksmanship is on point, a shorter bow with a shorter axle-to-axle length can be a good choice because it can offer a lot of speed.

Bottom Line: If you’re an inexperienced archer, a shorter axle-to-axle length may be challenging and a mid-length bow can be a good bet. If you’re an experienced archer, a shorter bow can provide some extra speed.

Rest: Biscuit vs. Drop-Away

Some bowhunters swear that drop-away arrow rests are the be-all end-all whereas plenty of other bowhunters say a regular old whisker biscuit performs just fine. That’s our experience, too. A drop-away arrow rest offers a little more accuracy because it allows the arrow to be shot without any interference whatsoever, but the truth is, we’ve had no problem maintaining accuracy using a whisker biscuit.

The one verifiable difference is that a whisker biscuit offers better containment for an arrow, so if you let off arrows from all sorts of weird angles—maybe you’re bent over at a weird angle in a thicket, or all wrapped up in a ghillie suit and hunkered down in some brush—a whisker biscuit may be a better choice.

Bottom Line: Either is a good option, but if you find you end up shooting from odd angles and need some arrow containment, a whisker biscuit will hold your arrow steadier as you aim.

Draw Weight and Let-Off: Your Top Priority

This is arguably the most important feature, and we’ve saved it for last: the draw weight of the bow and the let-off of the bow.

In most states, your bow must meet or exceed a minimum draw weight in order for you to hunt game. That makes sense if you think about it because if the draw weight on your bow is too low, your arrows won’t travel with enough force to properly penetrate the animal and put it down humanely. Your bow needs to be strong enough to shoot arrows that will penetrate, and usually, for deer hunting, the minimum draw weight that states require is 40 pounds (although you’ll need to check with your state to make sure).

Here’s what we’d advise: if you’re new to bowhunting, a bow with an adjustable draw weight can be a great feature. You can practice on lower draw weights, gain skill and musculature, and then move up to higher draw weights that’ll send your arrows flying at higher speeds and with more kinetic energy.

If you’re a pro and you’ve been shooting for a number of years, and you know exactly what your draw weight is—and your draw weight meets your state’s minimum requirement for the game that you’ll be hunting—then it can make sense to buy a bow with a set draw weight.

The let-off is important too. When you pull the string of a compound bow all the way back, you’ll feel the draw weight suddenly decrease. That decrease is called let-off, and it’s usually measured as a percentage. If you were pulling a 100-pound compound bow that had 80-percent let-off, when you’re at full draw, the draw weight you will feel will be 20 pounds. 80% of 100 = 80. 100 – 80 = 20.

That’s an important feature when you’re hunting because if you see a deer and pull the bow string back, you might need to wait a little while until you get a clear shot. Having a bow with significant let-off can be a great thing to have, particularly if you’re shooting a high-poundage bow.

Bottom Line: Most compound bows provide significant let-off and should suit most bowhunters; if you’re shooting a bow with a very high draw weight, a high let-off percentage is an important factor.

The Best Deer Hunting Bows: Options We Like

Now that you have a clear idea of what to look for, here are the bows we consider good options for deer hunting:

Best Deer Hunting Bow for Beginners: TIDEWE Compound Bow

Our Verdict: We highly recommend the TIDEWE Compound Bow for beginners because it has a highly adjustable draw weight and high let-off that makes it easy to aim and practice with. However, its power and accessories make it a good model for any whitetail hunter.

Pros:

• Highly adjustable draw weight 0-70 lbs

• Adjustable draw length 18-31 inches

• 315 fps arrow speed

• Let-off up to 80%

• 5-pin sight included

Cons:

• Assembly required

• A little heavy

We like the Tidewe compound bow for deer hunting primarily because of its incredibly adjustable draw weight, one of the most adjustable out there. You can tune it all the way from 0 to 70 lbs.

We really like this for beginners since you can start with a lighter draw weight and practice until you can handle 40 pounds or more for hunting. That said, the high amount of power is great for anybody. It produces arrow speeds of up to 315 fps which gives you good accuracy over a good range as well as penetrating power that increases your chances of a kill.

Additionally, the high let-off of 80 percent helps beginners who might not be used to holding back heavy bowstrings. However, it will help any bowhunter. The lighter the bowstring, the easier it is to hold steadily, and that means a more accurate shot, especially if you have to hold your aim for a while.

The included accessories are great for beginners too, though any bowhunter can benefit. They include a stabilizer and release as well as six carbon arrows. Best of all, you get a five-pin sight. This lets you take advantage of the bow’s speed and power and shoot accurately over a longer range.

Best Deer Hunting Bow for Youth: PSE Archery Mini Burner RTS Compound Bow Package

Our Verdict: Getting the appropriate bow can help youth learn correct archery practices and start bowhunting with the right skills. That’s why we recommend this compound bow and its mid-range draw weight that’s good for learning but still enough for hunting.

Pros:

• Accessible draw weight 5-40 lbs

• Smaller draw length for youth

• Ready-to-shoot package

• Stabilizer included

• Lightweight 2.7 lbs

Cons:

• Only 65% let-off

• Only 3 arrows included

The PSE Mini Burner is perfect for a teenager new to bowhunting because it has a mid-range draw weight. Starting at an easily manageable five pounds, you can still adjust it up to 40 pounds, which is enough to hunt with in most states. In other words, a young archer can start small and work their way up until they’re confident enough to hunt.

Similarly, the draw length is appropriate for an adolescent archer or even a small adult. It’s adjustable as well, from 16 inches to 26.5 inches. This means a young archer can continue to use it even if they’re growing.

One thing to note: the let-off is low, just 65 percent. It’s not much of an issue because the draw weight is low anyway. However, it does mean the bowstring requires 14 pounds of force for 40 pounds of draw weight, so it’s important that a young archer work their way up and not go for high draw weights until they’re ready.

Last of all, the Mini Burner is good for beginners because it comes in a ready-to-shoot package. This means basic accessories are included, such as a three-pin sight, arrow rest, quiver and, best of all, a stabilizer. This way a beginner can hit the range right away without having to worry about finding compatible accessories.

We just wish it came with more than only three carbon arrows. Beginners are likely to lose arrows while hunting or practicing. Plus, the included quiver is extra large with room for five.

Best Deer Hunting Bow for Mature Bucks: Diamond Archery Edge 320

Our Verdict: For dominant mature bucks, you need speed and power as well as stability and silence. That’s why we recommend the Edge 320 and its 85% let-off for taking your trophy this whitetail season.

Pros:

• Quiet shot

• Binary cam system

• Adjustable draw weight 7-70 lbs

• 320 fps arrow speed

• Impressive 85% let-off

• Adjustable draw length 15-31 inches

Cons:

• Slightly heavier than other models

• Limited camo options

If the dominant buck in your area has been giving you the slip season after season, it might be time for a high-quality bow that has a fast but quiet shot that can penetrate his tough body. That’s the Edge 320.

What we really love is the synchronized binary cam system that produces up to 70 pounds of draw weight. That’s a lot of power and can produce arrow speeds up to 320 fps. Bucks are usually pretty suspicious, even in the rut, and you may need a longer shot to take down a mature one. A higher bow speed will help with that.

Similarly, it’s hard to beat the 85-percent let-off. That means you only have to hold around 10 pounds at full draw. Again, due to the intelligence and caution of a mature buck, you need to hold your bow steadily with little motion. The high let-off really helps with that.

A last side note on this bow, it has an adjustable draw length up to 31 inches. That makes it good for taller archers with longer wingspans. Though arm length varies by height, it should likely work for archers up to around 6’3″ unless they have particularly long arms.

Best Deer Hunting Bow Runner Up: Bear Archery Cruzer G2

Our Verdict: A great choice for a hunter looking to commit to bowhunting, it offers a blistering 315 fps of arrow speed along with a four-pin sight for longer-distance shots, and it even has a RockStop string suppressor that dampens sound and vibration during the shot.

Pros:

• Adjustable draw weight 5-70 lbs

• Lightweight at just 3 lbs

• Included string suppressor

• 4-pin bow sight

• 315 fps arrow speed

• Multiple camo options

Cons:

• Needs tuning

• 70% let-off is a bit low

What’s great about the Cruzer G2 is that it fits a wide range of bowhunters. It’s worth looking at regardless of your skill level and whether you’re hunting mature bull elk or small whitetail does. The reason is that the draw weight is highly adjustable, from five pounds to 70 pounds. Tune it as you like to get power, distance, manageability, accuracy, etc.

Additionally, the Bear Cruzer has a few other advantages over other popular models. For example, it produces a maximum arrow speed of 315 fps, and it comes with a four-pin bow sight. Combined, that really allows you to increase your range and push the limits of your current skills.

The only place the Cruzer G2 lags behind is the 70-percent let-off. This isn’t bad, per se, but for a bow of this quality, we’d expect a little more. 70 percent means that with the maximum draw weight, you’ll be holding back 21 pounds on the bowstring. Again, not too bad, but you may find that you can’t hold your aim for as long as you’re used to.

Perhaps our favorite feature, though, and the one that earns the G2 a place amongst the best bows for deer hunting, is the RockStops offset string suppressor. Deer can hear incredibly well and react quickly. A noisy shot could cause a quarry to jump, ruining your shot. Plus, it’ll scare off any other game in the area. The RockStop feature gobbles up a lot of the sound and minimizes that problem.

Finally, we love the wide range of camo options the Cruzer G2 comes in. This helps you blend in in your specific local environment. For example, go with the greener Toxic option if you’re in the south where plants stay green through deer season, but consider TrueTimber Strata if you’re in the Midwest where everything is brown by the rut.

Best Deer Hunting Bow Overall: Diamond by Bowtech Deploy SB R.A.K.

Our Verdict: With eye-popping arrow speed, 80% let-off, and advanced accessories included, it’s our all around favorite bow for hunting deer in any climate or situation.

Pros:

• Lightning-fast 330 fps arrow speed

• Maximum 70 lbs draw weight

• Binary cam system

• 80% let-off

• Advanced accessories included

• Lightweight carbon riser

Cons:

• Top-shelf price

The Deploy SB is an advanced model, and it shot up the list of our favorite deer hunting bows this year because of those advanced features. Admittedly, it’s a pricier compound bow as well, so when considering its power and specialization, it’s best for serious bowhunters who have a few seasons under their belt and know what they’re doing.

First, just consider the lethal power of this bow. You can get it with a maximum draw weight of 70 pounds that produces an arrow speed of 330 fps, one of the fastest you can get on the market today. That means serious kinetic energy and better penetration, even at long distances.

Be aware that this draw weight is not especially adjustable. You can get a version adjustable from 50 to 60 pounds or 60 to 70. Frankly, this is better for experienced archers who consistently use the same draw weight. It means the bow is more structurally sound and likely to last you more seasons. This is in addition to a binary cam system that requires less tuning to remain accurate.

Meanwhile, the let-off is a full 80 percent. Regardless of the draw weight you use, the Deploy SB is much easier to hold at full draw. This gives you a more accurate aim, even if you have to wait a long time for a quarry to come into range or turn for a good shot.

Finally, though this is a top-shelf model with the corresponding price tag, the full “Ready Aim Kill” kit increases the value for your money. This includes accessories like a four-pin sight, brush arrow rest, stabilizer and a quiver with room for five arrows.

Happy Deer Hunting!

As with all our product review posts, we try to educate as we discuss bows, so hopefully there’s something here that will illuminate the art and science of deer hunting. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We’re always open to ideas for new articles and reviews.

As always, be safe, have fun, and happy hunting!

Fishing for buffalo is becoming more and more popular in the US and many anglers, who are new to the sport, wonder about the best ways of catching this awesome species. So I decided to write a detailed guide on how to catch buffalo fish in order to help you get going.

In order to successfully catch buffalo fish, you will need heavy carp rods, carp reels, a strong braided mainline, and #4-#8 wide gape hooks. Buffalo fish are best fished for on the bottom and caught on hookbaits such as boilies or tiger nuts.

If you want to get expert tips on how to catch buffs, what gear and baits to use, and where to fish for buffalo, all you have to do is keep reading.

Disclaimer: This article includes expert advice provided by Texan buffalo angler James King. James has caught several lake records and was kind enough to share some of his best tips with Strike & Catch.

What Gear Do You Need To Catch Buffalo Fish?

When it comes to buffalo fish, using the right gear is absolutely essential. Not only when it comes to the presentation of your baits, but also because buffalo fish are extremely strong fish. Getting them on the hook is only half the battle, fighting and successfully landing them is the really difficult part.

It is here that fishing with heavy and qualitative gear really pays off!

Rods

You will want to use heavy 2-section carp rods with a length of 12ft and a test curve of at least 3lb. Rods like that will both let you cast out your rigs very far and have a strong enough backbone to fight even the biggest and strongest of buffalo.

When it comes to carp rods, both Shimano and Daiwa are two solid brands that you can trust 100%. They make really high-qualitative rods for a very decent price. I use 3 Daiwa rods myself and they have landed me a ton of fish over the years. Check out the Daiwa Black Widow Carp Rod on Amazon here.

Reels

Heavy artillery carp reels are also something that I recommend strongly when fishing for buffs, as they will do most of the hard work together with you during the fight. Big pit reels that can hold a lot of line are definitely the way to go, both for casting and for fighting buffalo. Because when they charge off, they can go a long way!

Once again, Daiwa is the brand of choice here. You should definitely check out their Daiwa Crosscast Carp. It’s a superb real that is definitely capable of handling big buffalo. Take a look at this awesome reel on Amazon here.

Line

The third really important component when it comes to your gear is your mainline. Now, you can choose between monofilament and braid, and if this article would have been about carp, I’d suggest mono. For buffs, however, braid is definitely the better choice!

Braid has almost no stretch to it, which is a huge advantage when fishing for buffalo, as they are extremely careful when picking up your hookbait. You will want that hook to set as quickly as possible, and a no-stretch mainline will certainly help in that regard.

Additionally, braid has the ability to transfer even the slightest of movements from your hookbait to your rod tip much faster than mono does, which means that you will be able to detect even the most careful of takes.

a strong braided line of 30lb test is what you are looking for here and the one braid I use for all my fishing and one I can highly recommend is the Power Pro. I don’t think there is a better braid out there, to be honest! You can check out the Power Pro on Amazon here.

Pro Tip: Connect 4-5 feet of 40lb fluorocarbon to the end of your mainline and cover it with a sinking rig tube of the same length to both protect the fish and to make your end tackle even stronger and more abrasion-resistant.

Rigs

The best rig for buffalo is a classic carp rig, consisting of the following end tackle:

• a barrel or quick change swivel
• a 4-5 inch braided hooklink (30 to 40lb test)
• a size 4 to 8 wide gape or long shank carp hook

That’s basically it! This will make for a very effective hair rig that can catch you a ton of buffs! To make this rig even more effective, you can also put on an anti-tangle sleeve (helps a lot for those long-distance casts), as well as a short piece of shrink tube that’ll go on the hook shank (for a better hook set if and when the fish hooks itself).

RELATED ARTICLE: You can check out this article if you want to learn how to tie a simple hair rig!

The short hooklength further aids the hook set, as the hook will set almost immediately after the fish has picked up your bait.

Bank Sticks or Rod Pod

Fishing for buffalo is a waiting game and if you are using more than one rod, putting them on a couple of banksticks or a rod pod can be a very good idea.

This way, they are secured (use butt rests) and off the ground and you can use bite alarms to better detect the often careful buffalo takes.

Bite Alarms and Bobbins

Electronic bite alarms are super useful when fishing for buffalo. They make the need to constantly check your rods obsolete and also let you fish through the night. Although when it comes to buffalo, keeping an eye on your rods is never a bad idea, as the bite alarms can certainly miss the occasional slow or careful take.

That’s why bite alarms should be used in combination with hangers, or bobbins. These will help you notice less obvious bites and can accurately indicate the, for the buffalo so typical, drop back take, which will be explained further down in the article. A cheap set on bobbins can be found on Amazon right here.

Landing Net

Buffalo fish can get huge, which is why you’ll need a wide and deep net in order to securely land them. A 42inch carp landing net is the perfect fit for big buffalo. You can find a great carp landing net on Amazon here.

What Is the Best Way to Fish for Buffalo?

Finding the Fish

If you’re not fishing pay lakes, but instead target natural waters with wild buffalo in them, you will often find yourself fishing water systems of considerable size. Put in other words, buffalo can most often be found in gigantic lakes and larger river systems, and finding them there is not always the easiest of tasks.

If you’re lucky, you will be able to spot fish somewhere in the lake, but all too often, that is just not possible.

Try to find any kind of features that hold food and hence attract fish. Those can include:

• Weeds
• Reeds
• Small islands
• River mouths
• Drop-offs (especially attractive during summer, when the shallow waters are too warm)

Pro Tip: If you fish a water you are not familiar with, ask the local fishermen for advice! Most of them will be happy to share some good locations and give you some valuable tips!

Pre-Baiting

So, once you’ve decided on a spot you want to try out, a good tactic is to pre-bait it. If there is food in your spot, the fish will find it, as opposed to you having to search for them.

Of course, there is never a guarantee, but as buffalo fish, much like carp, really like to feed a lot, pre-baiting can definitely improve your chances.

Now, what and how much you put out is really up to you. Generally speaking, the more you can throw in the better! You can pre-bait your spot with anything from feed corn, beans, nuts, to boilies and pellets. Trust me, they’ll eat it all.

Pro Tip: Stay clear of processed ingredients such as Jello! Instead, use lots of good attractants like salts and oils to make your particles even more powerful.

Pack Bait

Once you are ready to start fishing, consider using bigger balls of pack bait around your weights or method feeder. The additional bait, which will be presented extremely close to your actual hook bait, will certainly get the attention of any buff that is now in the area.

Additionally, pack bait and the bait cloud it produces attract a lot of small fish, which, in turn, capture the interest of bigger fish, like buffalo and carp.

Pro Tip: Buffs like hot and spicy stuff! So make sure to flavor your pack bait with chili or curry powder!

Fox Paste Bomb

As mentioned in the gear section above, using an inline paste bomb is by far the most effective way to fish for buffalo. Not only will a weight of 3 or 4oz keep your hookbait pinned down on the bottom, it also allows you to chuck out really big and heavy balls of pack bait.

If you know how to handle a 3lb carp rod, casting out a 3oz weight with an additional 4oz of pack bait 70 yards or more can be a relatively easy task. And being able to get that much feed out with each and every cast is a huge advantage! You can purchase the Fox Paste Bom at Big Carp Tackle here.

The Hook Set

Now that you have baited up your swim and cast out your rods, it’s time to wait for that take. When it comes, you gotta be 100% ready!

Despite their impressive size and brud force, buffalo fish actually feed and bite very cautiously and it’s extremely easy to miss a bite when it comes.

Unlike carp, who will almost always hook themselves against the weight of your bottom lead and then immediately swim off, buffalo won’t really notice that they have been hooked. Due to their very thick and fleshy lips, they simply won’t feel the hook when it penetrates.

And as they don’t really seem to care much about the weight hanging off their mouths either, they’ll just keep grazing and feeding.

All too often, this behavior will lead to the classic drop back, which is the best bite indicator you can get when fishing for buffs!

When they’ve been hooked and carry on feeding or swimming around lazily, they will often lift the weight off the bottom. This will cause your mainline to go slack and the hanger, or bobbin, on your bite alarms to drop down.

At best, you will get the visual indication of the bobbin moving and a few beeps from your bite alarm, but that’s usually it. So if you want to be able to fight and land that buff, this is when you’ll have to pick up your rod!

What Are the Best Baits for Buffalo?

Buffalo fish can be caught on a variety of both natural and artificial baits. The ones that are best suited for big buffs and for the type of rig presented in this article include:

• Boilies and Pop-Ups/Dumbbells (fish them snowman style: 1 boilie and 1 pop-up on the hair)
• Tiger Nuts
• Plastic Tiger Nuts

Pro Tip: The artificial baits are especially effective in waters that hold crayfish or turtles, as they have a much harder time getting those baits off the hook or hair.

All three bait types can be presented on a simple hair rig and will fit the buffalo’s fairly small mouth perfectly.

The somewhat bigger boilies and pop-ups come in handy on waters with a lot of smaller baitfish, as they won’t be able to get those baits into their mouths and hence do not produce unnecessary bites. You can find high-quality boilies and pop-ups over at Big Carp Tackle.

If your fishing spot is not disturbed by any smaller fish, you can also use the following baits for buffalo:

• corn
• artificial pop-up corn
• worms

What Is the Best Time of Year to Catch Buffalo?

In the southern parts of the US, the best time to catch buffalo fish is between December and May. During that period of the year, the temperatures in both air and water are more moderate, which means that there is more oxygen in the water.

This spells more active fish that feed on a more or less regular basis throughout the day.

In the northern parts of the US, as well as in Canada, the best time to catch buffalo is between late summer and late fall.

Where Can You Catch Buffalo Fish?

While a majority of lakes with the biggest buffalo can be found in the state of Texas, you can actually find them in most US states.

Their geographical distribution stretches Canada in the north to Texas and Alabama in the deep south.

In Canada, they can be found in the Milk River and Qu’Appelle River that flow through Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. They also inhabit Lake Winnipeg.

In the northern US, they are native to midwestern and eastern states such as Wisconsin, North Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota. They then follow the midwestern and eastern parts of the US all the way down to Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.

The major water systems in which they can be found include the Hudson Bay and Mississippi River drainages.

Do Buffalo Fish Fight Hard?

While buffalo are extremely subtle feeders and are generally fairly slow-moving fishing, they can turn into real steam locomotives once they realize that they’ve been hooked.

Unlike carp, which often swim hither and thither and in a somewhat panicky and uncontrolled way, buffalo often simply charge off into one direction and keep to it.

But that’s exactly the difficult part when fighting them. Consider a 50lb fish that seems to have near unlimited power and energy reserves and that swims off with relentless force and determination!

Now, try to imagine that powerful fish at the end of your fishing line. If you can imagine that, you understand the need for all the heavy gear I mentioned above!

How Big Can Buffalo Fish Get?

The smallmouth buffalo, which is the buffalo type that is most commonly found and fished for in the States, is a species that can reach really impressive sizes. Fish of over 60lb aren’t that unusual and fish that have weighed in at over 80lb have been caught in the US.

As the species isn’t all that popular, not too many fish get caught and so, no one really knows how big they can get. It is not impossible that there are 100lb+ specimens swimming around in some major lakes of the south! Imagine hooking up to a fish that size!

Currently, the US and world record smallmouth buffalo is a fish of an incredible 82lb 3oz. That behemoth was caught by angler Randy Collins on Athens Lake (Texas) back in 1993.

Related Articles

• What Is the Difference Between Buffalo Fish and Carp?
• Euro-Style Carp Fishing Gear (A Complete Guide)
• What Types of Carp Are There?

All images courtesy of James King

About The Author

This article will go through the process, step-by-step, of how to flat tan a squirrel skin using the Advanced Tanning Solutions Tan-a-Fur Skin Kit. We are demonstrating on squirrels, but the process is similar for other fur skins.

The Tan-a-Fur Skin Kit includes everything you need to tan a life-size mountain lion, a medium bear, or several small animals. It’s a perfect kit for beginner or experienced home tanners and DIY taxidermists. You’ll get a professional-quality result with a simple, all-in-one experience.

The kit includes:

• Fleshing/Shaving Tool
• Degreaser
• Pickle Tan
• Fur Oil
• Softening Stone
• Silk Powder
• Dust Mask
• Non-Latex Disposable Gloves (2)

You will need table salt, bleach, baking soda, a plastic bucket, and hot water.

Before You Begin

The skinning process should already be done. We like to say, “treat it like you’re going to eat it.” Meaning, get your animal dressed, skinned, and on ice (both meat and hide/skin) as soon as possible after the animal is harvested. This will prevent bacteria from starting to grow which will cause hair slippage, specially with small game, like squirrels.

Step 1: Fleshing a Squirrel Skin

The following process is basically the same for any of your small critters with fur. Even though you’ve skinned your squirrel, there’s likely a little bit of membrane and flesh that remains attached to the skin. The first step is to remove as much of that as possible to achieve a soft and supple tan.

Since you’re making a flat skin, you won’t need to do any face turning. Face turning is the process of turning the face inside out to flesh that area. It also involves splitting the nose, ears, and lips and then turning the ears inside ou (for larger animals)t. This is done for taxidermy purposes if you were going to mount your tanned hide or fur skin.

Using the fleshing tool that comes in the kit, gently scrape, peel, and pull away all the little bits of flesh and fat that remain on your skin. Fleshing always works best when you go with the grain of the hair, so start at the head and work your way to the tail. Feel free to also use your fingers to pull off loose pieces. Use the pointed edges of the fleshing tool to get into tighter areas, like the tail, especially for smaller rodents, like squirrels.

☞ This type of fleshing is called “table fleshing.” The rounded edge you see on the tool is for pipe fleshing. With pipe fleshing, you would lay your skin over a pipe, stretch it tightly, and then use that rounded edge to scrape the flesh. That type of fleshing isn’t necessary with squirrels, but you can use pipe fleshing for beavers, raccoons, possums, and other greasier, fleshier animals.

Removing the musk glands

Removing the musk glands

Most fur-bearers have little sacs, called musk glands near the tail. They are oily, greasy, and don’t tan well so they need to be removed. Simply pull them away using the edge of your fleshing tool as shown.

How do you know when your hide is clean?

You’ll know your hide is clean when you see a blue color on the skin. If you see the blueing, it means there’s no flesh there to scrape off. But dark areas and white areas are flesh and fat — those need to be removed.

Once you’ve removed all the flesh, the musk glands, and all the membrane from your hide and you’re happy with it, you’re ready to move on to the next step — salting.

Step 2: Salting a Squirrel Skin

The salting process removes all the fluids, oils, fat, and non-tannable proteins from your skin. It will dehydrate the skin and help to lock the fur in to prevent hair slippage — nobody wants a bald squirrel!

To salt the skin for a flat tan, flip the face open and add a generous amount of salt to this area then fold the lips in. Next, apply a heavy layer of fine table salt over the entire skin so you can work it into the edges. Make sure every bit of the flesh areas gets salted. If you’re worried about staining, use non-iodized salt.

Salting the tail

After you’ve salted the squirrel’s body and face, open the tail all the way down and apply salt to fill in the crease. Next, pinch the tail together, just to keep all the salt in the tail. After that, you’ll flip the tail so that it rests on top of the body. Finally, add additional salt to cover the tail, just to make sure the whole tail gets nice and dry.

Let your skins dry in salt overnight for about 12 hours. Larger fur skins need 24 hours to dry. The next day, shake off the excess salt and if the skin still feels damp, re-apply another layer of clean salt and let it sit again overnight.

When your skin is dry, you’re ready to move on to the next step, rehydrating your squirrel skin.

Step 3: Rehydrating a Squirrel Skin

Now that your squirrel is dry salted, it’s time to rehydrate it. You rehydrate your hide by putting it in a rehydration bath that consists of the following items PER gallon of hot water. Since the squirrels are small we mixed just 1 gallon of rehydration solution, but larger skins will require a bigger bath:

• ¾ cup of salt
• 1 teaspoon of Advanced Tanning Solutions Degreaser (in the Tan-a-Fur Kit)
• ½ teaspoon of bleach

Mix to dissolve the salt and let the bath cool to room temperature. Do NOT put skins in hot water as this will cause bacteria to grow resulting in hair slippage.

Shake off the loose, excess salt. Don’t grab any chunks of salt and pull them, you will risk pulling out fur with it. Instead, crush or pinch the salt, and it should fall off easily. This goes for the salt that’s packed into the tail and face area, too.

You’ll notice the hide is dry and stiff. Next, dunk your skin in the rehydrating bath, much like you were dunking a cookie in milk. When it starts to soften and bend, you can let your skin gently sink into the bath.

Soak your skin in the rehydration bath until it is soft and supple. You’ll notice some layering of color in the water as a result of the degreaser working as it pulls the dirt and blood out of the skin. The result will be a soft, fluffy fur rather than greasy fur.

After rehydrating

When the skins are relaxed, remove from the rehydration bath, give it a very gentle squeeze to remove excess liquid, and then hang it — fur side out — over a bucket to drip dry.

You can see the Degreaser working as it pulls the dirt and fluids out to the bottom of the rehydration bath.

In about 15 minutes, your squirrel skin will be ready for pickling. To continue, see the next guide in our series How to Tan a Squirrel Part 2: Pickling and Shaving.

As the buck approached, I gazed ahead and spotted the shooting lane. He would be there in seconds, and I knew the day of truth had arrived. A cluster of honeysuckle allowed me to draw my bow. Then, he entered the small opening I had made several weeks earlier after setting up the stand.

Upon releasing the arrow, I saw the white vanes disappear into the deer, forward and slightly low. Meanwhile, the buck’s hind legs kicked out. He ran hard for 30 yards, then slowed to a staggering walk like someone well over their legal limit of alcohol. His tail twitched erratically as he did his best to stay on his feet, but I could see that time was against him. Moments later, he fell and lay motionless.

Although the kill was quick and took only seconds, I had already determined the arrow zipped through the buck’s heart. A visual confirmation gave me a good idea of where the arrow hit, but it was the deer’s reaction to the impact that provided solid evidence of a heart shot.

Most archers take only ethical shots and have a good understanding of whitetail anatomy.

Bowhunters shoot for the largest vital area — the lungs. Nevertheless, it takes only an inch of aiming error to turn a quick recovery into a long tracking endeavor. This is especially true of deer that travel long distances because of bowhunters who begin tracking too soon after the shot. This most often happens because the archer has failed to accurately understand where the arrow hit and assumes he will have a prompt recovery.

The Boiler Room

I’ve always classified the vital heart and lungs as the boiler room. An arrow that takes out both lungs will result in a quick and humane kill. The lungs of an adult deer are roughly nine inches in diameter and offer the largest target.

A deer that is hit in both lungs typically runs hard and fast. This is provided the heart is spared. They remind me of a racehorse running down the final stretch of the track. Long strides are common, and their belly is low to the ground.

Most deer that are hit will flee the scene with their tail down. Watch deer carefully after the shot for any clues you can gather about where they are hit. Such clues can be extremely helpful in planning your recovery strategy.

While this is the common reaction, exceptions do exist. Consider a mature doe my son shot several years ago as it stood broadside. He swore the arrow passed through the deer just behind the shoulder but began to wonder after she ran a short distance, stopped, looked back and snorted. Then she fell to the ground. Upon field dressing the deer, it was obvious the arrow had penetrated both lungs. I point this out just to let you know unusual incidents do occur.

The lung-shot deer usually runs only 100-150 yards. However, if the broadhead takes out only one lung, their reaction could be entirely different. Many run hard at first but slow to a walk after a short distance. A deer shot in only one lung is often difficult to recover and requires extreme patience when tracking.

The buck mentioned at the beginning of this story reacted like a classic heart-shot deer.

Back legs usually kick out as the deer promptly leaves the scene, appearing as if they received an electrical shock. They run erratically for a brief distance and may change directions repeatedly. It’s common for them to slow down just before they drop.

There are cases where heart-shot deer have traveled up to 200 yards, but this usually occurs if the arrow only nicks or slices the heart. An arrow that hits low, just behind the front leg at the brisket, could nick the heart and miss the lungs entirely.

A paunch-shot deer will typically walk very slowly, with its head down. Another common trait of the paunch-shot deer is a hunched over appearance. As the deer walks, its back end could appear raised, with the legs in a wide stance.

The Abdominal Wound

The reaction of a deer hit in the abdomen differs greatly from that of a lung- or heart-shot deer. In fact, the difference is like night and day.

Tracking the animal also requires a different approach.

I classify an abdomen shot as anything including liver, stomach and intestines. Although the kidneys are located high and just in front of the hips, they do not relate to the paunch wound. A severed kidney results in immediate hemorrhage and will put a deer down quickly.

A paunch-shot deer usually runs only a short distance before stopping. In many instances, it will jump or flinch as the arrow hits before bounding away. It seldom runs hard and will usually appear to lope. The distance it travels before stopping could vary from only a few yards to 100 yards. In many cases, a deer with an abdomen wound will stop within 50 yards.

Once the deer stops, it could stand in place for one or more minutes. I know of one liver-shot buck that ran about 80 yards before stopping. It then stood in one location for 15 minutes before slowly walking away.

Once a paunch-shot deer begins walking, it will move very slowly with its head down.

Another common trait of the paunch-shot deer is a hunched over appearance. As the deer walks, its back end could appear raised, with the legs in a wide stance.

Most deer with an abdominal wound will bed down within a short distance if left alone.

If you can’t find blood on the ground after the shot, your next best option is to find your arrow and examine it carefully. Bright-colored blood on your shaft could indicate a lung hit, while darker blood or stomach material are sure signs of an abdomen shot. And, of course, if the arrow is free of blood and/or hair, you know it was a clean miss.

The liver-shot buck mentioned previously laid down after walking 40 yards from where it had stood. I was able to see this from my stand only because I had excellent visibility.

The bedding down quick theory is applicable with a liver or stomach wound — but only if the hunter does not begin tracking too quickly. The exception is the intestinal-shot deer, which could travel much further before bedding.

I suggest waiting several hours before tracking an abdomen-shot deer. This deer can be recovered if the hunter is patient.

Muscular and Skeletal Reactions

One common muscular and skeletal wound is the back shot. A friend of mine refers to this as “no man’s land.” That’s understandable, since a deer hit here is difficult to recover. Although there is a major artery that runs perpendicular with the back, most high hits will miss this vital blood vessel. Of course, a high hit could result in a spine shot that drops a deer immediately, but it should not be considered a target. Back hits usually occur when the archer does not get down on his target, or misjudges yardage.

Most deer hit high will run hard and fast, resembling that of a lung-shot deer. There are a couple of differences, however. A deer with a back wound runs hard but doesn’t take the long strides. Thus, the belly will not appear low to the ground. Most back-shot deer will usually stop running within 100 yards, whereas the lung-shot deer will usually run hard until it goes down. Determining the difference, though, could depend upon your visibility.

Other muscular and skeletal wounds will react in much the same way as the back-shot deer. One exception is the hip shot. Even when bone is missed, an arrow will inflict major damage to the ham muscle. You often notice this when the deer exits, since it could favor one leg. You might find more evidence when you track the deer, since blood typically runs down the leg and is found in tracks.

Fortunately, many muscular and skeletal wounds are superficial.

A deer that flees the scene of a shot with its tail flagging may indicate a clean miss. Deer that are missed also will often stop after a short distance and look back curiously at the site where the arrow sailed past them.

Nevertheless, I suggest you always give 100 percent when tracking such an animal. As mentioned previously, there are always exceptions to how a deer reacts when hit, and you seldom know exactly where your arrow hit until you make a recovery.

The Clean Miss

Like most bowhunters, I’ve missed my share of deer. It’s easy to do and will often occur from no fault of our own. There are always those dreadful limbs that seem to come out of nowhere. Then there are times when that dreaded buck fever interferes with our concentration.

Nevertheless, we cannot always determine if we hit or miss when the shot is taken. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sat in my stand wondering if I missed or hit the deer.

Sometimes I’ve been sure of a hit, only to discover a complete and embarrassing miss.

Other times, I’ve cursed myself for missing, only to discover a perfect hit. Usually, when I’ve mistaken a hit or miss, it’s due to poor visibility following the shot.

It’s normal for deer to run when a miss occurs. However, there are telltale signs that seem to point to a probable miss. Consider the deer’s alertness. If he runs and stops, looks back with the head held high, there’s a good chance you missed. Most deer, when hit, do not want to stick around and ask questions. A wounded deer seldom runs and then stops to look back and focus on the shot location. Of course, it’s common for a deer to appear spooked when missed, even if it has no idea what happened. Some will not demonstrate curiosity, while others will.

Another trait of a hit deer is the tail dropping. The tail of some deer will drop halfway the first few yards it runs, and then drop completely after running further. Most deer you miss will run with their tail flagging. Again, consider this only a general rule. I’ve seen a few mortally wounded deer run with their tail flagging until they fell or stopped running.

Sounds that follow the shot could indicate a hit or miss. When an arrow hits the body cavity, you usually hear a dull thump. A loud crack could indicate bone, such as a rib, but it also could be the sound of the arrow hitting a tree or rock. Such was the case for me last season when a 10-pointer came into my grunts. I shot between two small hickory trees and thought I was on target. I heard the loud noise of the arrow hitting, well, something. The buck lunged forward, ran a short distance, stopped and looked back. I searched for 30 minutes for my arrow, to no avail. Only when my wife Vikki showed up and helped did I unravel the mystery. She spotted my arrow 10 feet above the ground, dead center in one of the hickories.

There is one final note worth mentioning about a hit or miss. Most archers know when they make a good shot as soon as they release. If you shoot within your effective range, have no doubts as to yardage and are not trying to push an arrow through a tight opening, you can be almost certain you will get the job done. The only other thing is to know that you aimed and followed through. I’m usually aware of this and can be certain that when I release the arrow the job will be done. Then there are those times that I did not do as I should have — I knew when I released that I could be in trouble!

SEAWORMS

There are two species of seaworms that are popular among striper fishermen, the bloodworm and the sandworm. Both are dug from mud tidal flats in Maine, but they can be found throughout the Northeast.

The worms are similar in their appearance and effectiveness, yet there is a strong regional preference for bloodworms in southern New Jersey, while fishermen to the north prefer sandworms. Bloodworms hold the hook a bit better than sandworms, but both are relatively fragile.

In southern New Jersey, fishermen use them in rivers and back bays for spring stripers. In northern New Jersey and throughout New York, shore fishermen use sandworms in the surf and in the bays, while boat fishermen use them to sweeten trolling rigs.

For fishing these baits from shore, fishermen have the most luck using a two-hook rig like the Pompano Rig. Tied with short leaders and small baitholder or circle hooks, this rig is best fished on back-bay mud flats or sand beaches.

Years ago, slow-trolling sandworms on a worm harness from a small boat was the preferred tactic for catching early-season stripers in Long Island Sound. Though this technique has fallen out of favor with modern anglers, it’s no less effective today, and will account for big numbers of spring stripers.

The bizarre-looking tube-and-worm rig is a proven tactic for big stripers throughout the season. Tipping the tube with a piece of sandworm is the secret to the rig’s success as the scent of the worm seals the deal for stripers following the rig.

Keep Them Fresh

If you have leftover seaworms, place them on a bed of damp seaweed and put them in your refrigerator. They should keep for a week or so.

CLAMS

Though stripers can’t crack the shell of a full-size surf clam, when a storm does the cracking for them, they don’t hesitate to slurp down the gooey entrails. Clams are a very popular bait in New Jersey and on Long Island.

Clams are best used when fresh, bought in the shell at your local tackle shop. In the absence of fresh, salted clams are the next best, with frozen being a last resort.

Surf fishermen use clams along sandy beaches and inside mudbottom bays, especially early and late in the season. Boat fishermen anchor around back-bay structure and ladle out clam bellies to start a chum slick and bring the stripers right to the boat.

Bathe Them in Brine

At the end of your trip, if you won’t be getting out again soon, you can save your clam baits for a future outing by adding them to a kosher salt brine and placing them in the freezer. Be careful not to oversalt the clams or they will become rock-hard and useless as striper bait.

BUNKER

Live or cut into chunks, bunker share the title of the best big-bass bait with eels.

Since dead bunker are easy to procure from bait shops, chunking is the most popular method for using this bait. Surf fishermen usually switch over from clams to bunker late in the springtime when larger stripers move in from southern waters. Boat fishermen chunk bunker throughout the season, anchoring up and doling out small pieces of baitfish while sending back a larger chunk or the head on a hook.

Live bunker are usually fished weightless with a large hook worked through the nose. In deeper waters, or areas with current, fishermen will rig the bunker on a three-way rig with a sinker to help it drop into the strike zone. Surf fishermen can use live bunker by employing a technique known as the “snag and drop,” whereby they cast a weighted treble hook into a school of bunker, snag a bait with long sweeps of the rod, and allow the bait to swim.

The weighted treble, and mortal wound, causes the struggling bunker to sink below the school where opportunistic stripers make a quick meal of it. Some fishermen frown upon this technique as it can lead to stripers being deep-hooked with a treble hook, but if fishermen set the hook at the first strike, the chances of a gut-hooked fish will be reduced dramatically.

Catch Your Own

Bunker are easily caught since they give their presence away by flipping on the surface. Boat fishermen can quickly acquire a day’s worth of bait by tossing a large, heavily weighted cast net over a school of bunker inside a bay or harbor. On the ocean, both shore and boat fishermen use weighted treble hooks cast into the school and snag the large baitfish.

Cutting a Bunker for Chunking

Head A fine piece of bait when looking to weed out skates, dogfish, bluefish and smaller stripers in favor of large fish. Large stripers are accustomed to cleaning up the bunker heads left behind by marauding bluefish schools, and will rarely pass up this bait. Hook the head through the meat on the bunker’s “shoulder,” not through the nose or lips as you would with a live bunker. This allows the hook to tear through the softer flesh when you set the hook, allowing for a better set.

Prime Ribs The next two cuts of bunker include the ribcage and viscera, and leave a potent scent trail the water. These are the best part of the bunker to use as bait when schoolies, skates and dogfish aren’t a nuisance.

Round The last chunk of bunker is all meat. Some fishermen will use it as bait, especially for blues and smaller bass, but many prefer to cut this section into smaller pieces to toss over the side as chum.

Tail Cut the tail off and toss it over. It has little value as bait or chum, and left on, will cause the final cut of bunker to spin while on the hook.

MACKEREL

Mackerel are one of the most popular live baits for striped bass north of Cape Cod. Fished weightless on a live-lining rig or under a float, fishermen use mackerel around rocky structure and shorelines. Slow-trolling with live mackerel is another popular technique for tempting large stripers. Dead mackerel are a great bait when chunked and fished on the bottom. Many bait and tackle shops will have frozen mackerel on hand throughout the season, making it a great backup bait when fresh pogies aren’t available.

Catch Your Own

If you want live macks, it’s on you to catch them. North of Cape Cod, mackerel can be found in large schools over inshore structure and in deep areas with some current. To catch them, drop a mackerel tree or Sabiki rig with a small diamond jig as the weight. You can draw them in and keep them around your boat by using chum.

PORGY

The porgy is a favorite bait for fishermen seeking trophy stripers off eastern Long Island and in Long Island Sound. Summer stripers will hunt schools of porgies around reefs and other bottom structure, making them an effective bait to match the hatch.

Catch Your Own

Since no bait and tackle shops sell live porgies, you’ll have to catch them on your own before your trip. Usually, catching porgies with pieces of clam or squid is no problem; however, finding a perfect baitsize porgy that meets the minimum size limit (9 inches NJ; 10 inches NY), but is no more than 12 or so inches long can be difficult. Fortunately, the payoff when you find them is quick.

Porgies congregate over shallow structure such as a mussel bed or reef. Anchor over this structure and send out a chum pot filled with frozen clam chum. Lower a clam-baited high-low rig to the bottom, and the action should be immediate. Toss the bait-size porgy in the livewell, and when you have enough, head for the striper grounds.

Since fishermen target structure while fishing with scup, a three-way rig or fishfinder rig with enough weight to get the bait to the bottom is best. Once the rig hits bottom, take a few cranks of the reel handle so the live scup drifts past the structure just a few feet above it.

EELS

From the Cape May Rips to Montauk, eels are the go-to live bait for stripers because they are readily available at most tackle shops, are easy to keep alive, and big stripers can’t help but attack them.

Surfcasters fish eels without weight, casting and retrieving them slowly, almost like a living lure. In shallow waters, boat fishermen employ this same technique, casting the eels toward shoreline structure and retrieving them back to the boat. In deeper waters, boaters fish the eels on threeway rigs, lowering the eel to the bottom as they drift over structure.

No Tank, No Problem!

Three Bucket Eel System With a few tools from the garage and three 5-gallon buckets picked up at your local hardware store, you can easily build one of these systems that will keep your eels alive and fresh for days. Drill holes into the bottoms of the top two buckets and leave the bottom one as-is. Then, as the diagram on the right shows, ice in the top, and eels in the middle. The melting ice will drip onto the eels, keeping them wet and cool, but the drain holes in the eel bucket prevent them from sitting in the ice water and suffocating.

Turkey hunting is one of the more challenging sports in the hunting world. Many states have a turkey harvest success rate generally in the 30% range. If only 30% of hunters are successful, many of them would take whatever advantage they could get. So the question follows, can you turkey hunt with a rifle? The answer can be complicated and is different for nearly every state. However, where it is legal, turkey hunting with a rifle can help you reach out and bag gobblers that are just a little too stubborn to come within shotgun or bow range. After all, if there was a possibility for you to use a better tool to harvest turkeys in your state and help you become a better and more successful hunter, wouldn’t you want to know about it?

So can you turkey hunt with a rifle? In short, probably not. Only 12 states allow the use of rifles (not including muzzle-loaders) in one way or another during turkey season. After some extensive research, I made atable of all 50 states that contains the answer to whether or not a particular state allows turkey hunting with a rifle and linked to the section of their DNR explaining their exact rules.

You can check the table here: Rifle Turkey Hunting With a Rifle Table

As I said before, one way or another it is possible to hunt turkey with a rifle in 12 states. I say this because out of those 12 states, none of them have the exact same rules. Some of them only allow rifles (or only air rifles) to be used during a specific season, out of a possible three seasons. So, if you do live in one of the states that will allow it, make sure you read the regulations and call your local Department of Natural Resources just to make sure.

Why You Would Want to Use a Rifle

If you have turkey hunted for a few years, you have surely been in a situation where a nice tom was just a dozen yards out of range and you had to let them pass. Turkeys seem to have a knack for escaping hunters and constantly give us trouble. If you could use a rifle, you could shoot turkeys at well over 100 yards if you wanted to. Which increases that 30% success rate significantly.

Now the next question is, is hunting turkeys with a rifle ethical or not? Personally, I feel like if a state votes to include small caliber rifles as a legal method of take, then they want more turkeys to be harvested. Giving hunters that option is ultimately going to help them harvest more turkeys, thus helping the state to keep wild turkey numbers under control. Plus, if harvesting other animals such as squirrle with a rifle is ethical, why would it not be the same for turkeys?.

What Types of Rifles Are Allowed

To continue about the argument of whether it is ethical to harvest a turkey with a rifle, obviously, you would not want to hunt turkey with a 50 BMG. Large calibers would be unethical and honestly would not leave much of the turkey left. There has to be a limit somewhere so that the turkey is still intact and edible.

This is why most of the states that do allow you to hunt turkey with a rifle, only allow small calibers such as a .22 long rifle, .22 magnum, or a .223 at the largest. Many of them only allow air rifles to be used and the largest caliber I saw listed for those was .30. It does not take a high caliber to put down a turkey if you have good shot placement.

With a rifle, you want to aim for the neck or the head. This can be a difficult shot at long ranges so it is also effective to shoot turkeys in the lungs/liver and the heart. Although headshots will make for the quickest kill.

What We Normally Use to Harvest Turkey

When we normally think about turkey hunting, or watch turkey hunting, they are hunted with a shotgun. Using a shotgun may sound like it would make it easier to turkey hunt. However, the challenge comes when you need to get a turkey within shotgun range. With a normal rifle, it is not too difficult to make a 100-yard shot, but with a shotgun, you are doing good if you make a 40-yard shot.

This is why it is important to use the correct choke on your shotgun. Chokes help you reach out and maximize your guns range and shape your pattern. It is also important for shotgun hunters to pattern their shotguns so they know what range they can effectively shoot at. These are steps that serious turkey hunters always do, but many amateurs simply ignore, leading to lower success rates.

Another way to harvest a turkey is by using a bow or crossbow. If using a shotgun was not difficult enough, bow hunting turkeys is the real challenge. Turkeys have incredible vision and they can pick up the slightest movement. So when you have to pull your bow back 20 yards in front of a turkey, it would be very difficult to remain unseen. Although it is difficult, it is not impossible and hunters do it every year. If you are looking for a true turkey hunting challenge, try harvesting one with a bow.

Lastly, many states allow you to hunt with muzzle-loaders. Some allow muzzle-loading rifles and most are muzzle-loading shotguns. So this just adds an extra challenge to the shotgun dynamic. You get one shot and a giant cloud of smoke.

Conclusion

So if you are in or are close to one of the 12 states that do allow you to hunt turkeys with a rifle, why not give it a try this season? If you have had trouble in the past getting turkeys in range, this is your ticket. Now if you see a turkey, most likely you can shoot it with a rifle. Although you will still have to locate turkeys and use your calling skills, which is also quite the challenge. Hopefully, you can take the information from this article and up your arsenal for this coming season and become a better hunter.

Thank you for reading my article about turkey hunting with a rifle. I hope you enjoyed it and learned something you didn’t already know. If you like my content, subscribe to my weekly update. If you have any other questions about turkey hunting with a rifle or just want to connect, feel free to email me at [email protected].

Fact checked by Steven Lines, lifelong Hunter, and Outdoorsman.

Hunting for elk can be a challenge. These are large animals protected by solid bones. You’ll need to use a powerful gun to get a kill shot. So, will the .30-30 be suitable for hunting an elk?

The .30-30 will be able to kill an elk. But it has a few drawbacks. First, it doesn’t have as much power as other calibers so, you will need to hit the vitals. Also, it has a limited range of 100 yards.

If you plan on hunting for elk, you’ll need to make sure that you are using the right tools. The .30-30 is a popular hunting rifle, especially for these larger animals. Read on to learn more about this rifle and how you can get the most out of it.

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Performance of the .30-30

To decide whether or not the .30-30 is a good choice for hunting, we need to look at how we can expect it to perform in the field. Here are some of the most important aspects to consider.

Accuracy

If you are hunting for elk, you’ll need to ensure using an accurate gun. This will ensure you can hit the target area and deliver a swift death. If you miss, the animal will suffer needlessly.

You might not get the same accuracy as other calibers, like the .30-06. However, the .30-30 will still be a relatively solid shot. As we’ll discuss later, you’ll need to be reasonably close to the target. From this distance, you should achieve a relatively tight grouping.

There are a few ways to improve your rifle’s accuracy. These include:

• Using a scope. One of the biggest criticisms of most .30-30 rifles is their accuracy. While they might have an iron sight, this might not be a huge advantage during a hunt. The good news is that you can change this by adding your scope. You should quickly see an improvement in your accuracy.
• Practice. Whenever you get a new gun, it’s essential to make sure you practice on the range. This will allow you to get used to how the gun feels, adjusting your style accordingly.

Weight

Another benefit of using a .30-30 is how much they weigh. They tend to be some of the lightest guns on the market. This is good for hunters, making it easier to carry.

Recoil

The good news is that this recoil is relatively mild, especially compared with the other guns typically used for elk hunting. This will make it easier for beginners to handle. It will also make it easier for you to make a follow-up shot if required.

Lever Action Rifle

Many .30-30 rifles will be lever action-style weapons. While this might have a few downsides, like limited range, it also presents some upsides. Most significantly, you’ll be easily able to chamber another round. You won’t need to look up from the scope as you do this. As a result, you’ll be able to fire a follow-up shot quickly.

Accessibility

Finally, the .30-30 is among the most popular calibers in the United States. Most major manufacturers will offer a rifle in this caliber. Ammunition is freely available. As a result, buying a gun and ammo will be pretty inexpensive.

What’s the Range of the .30-30?

The .30-30 has a relatively limited range. If you are hunting for large animals, like elk, you’ll need to shoot from within 100 yards. This ensures the bullet will hit with enough force to take them down.

One of the best ways to calculate the range of a gun is by looking at how quickly it fires the bullets. Generally, it will need to travel at 1,500 fps when it makes contact with the elk. How fast it travels will depend on both the gun and the bullet you are using.

Usually, the .30-30 won’t be too powerful. It’s common for most of these bullets to be traveling at 2,250 fps when they leave the gun. This is because of the way that they are shaped, often with a rounded tip. This slows their flight, as it takes more effort to push the air out of the way.

This means that you won’t have a long effective range. You’ll usually need to shoot from within 100 yards. If you don’t, you risk the bullet not having enough force to penetrate the elk. There are a few other elements to consider when deciding the best range for your gun. Let’s look at some of them:

• The force of the gun. We’ll discuss this in more depth later. But, compared with other calibers, the .30-30 isn’t as hard-hitting. As a result, you will need to move closer to the elk to have a chance of generating enough power to take them down.
• Accuracy of the shooter. Since the rifle caliber has limited power, you will need to ensure that you can hit the right area. If you don’t, you will only injure the animal and need to rely on a blood trail to find it again. Because of this, you might want to move a little closer for better bullet placement.

Even experienced shooters will struggle to kill an elk from more than 100 yards away with a .30-30. As a result, you will often need to get closer. Depending on your skill, you might need to try for 75 or 50 yards. As a general rule, the closer you can get, the better. You’ll have more chance of delivering a kill shot.

What Can You Shoot With the .30-30?

While the .30-30 has a wide range of uses. While it isn’t known for taking on big game, like elk, you can make a kill shot as long as you are close enough. There are a few other species that you can target with this caliber. These include:

• Deer hunting (Mule deer/Whitetail deer). This is what this caliber was invented to tackle. It has a long history in this area. It’s estimated that millions of deer have met their end because of the .30-30.
• Feral hogs. If you are close enough, you will be able to use this weapon to cut through the thick skin of a wild hog.
• Brown bear. Some hunters have managed to take down brown bears with the .30-30.
• Moose hunting. Again, type of weapon can provide enough force, but you will need to be within 100 yards for accurate shot placement.

Should You Use the .30-30 on Elk?

Whether or not the .30-30 is right for you will depend on a few factors. First, your hunting style. Some people prefer to shoot from a distance. In this case, the .30-30 isn’t the right caliber for you. Secondly, your accuracy. As it is a weaker gun, you’ll need to be able to hit the target area.

Hopefully, you have a better idea of some of the pros and cons of the .30-30. Whether this caliber is the best choice for you will depend on a few factors.

Hunting Style

One of the most important things to think about is your hunting style. Some people prefer to shoot from a distance, ideally from around 300 yards away. This ensures that they don’t spook the animal by trying to get too close. If this is you, the .30-30 might not be the best option. It just doesn’t have enough power to make shots from a long distance.

In other cases, you might prefer to take a more active role. You might want to stalk your prey, trying to get as close as you can before you take the shot. In this case, the limited range won’t be as much of a hindrance. You’ll also likely appreciate the lightweight nature of this gun. Because of this, the .30-30 might be a good choice.

Accuracy

It’s always important to ensure you can hit the vitals before pulling the trigger. But this is even more important when using the .30-30. These bullets will do a lot of damage, but they might not have the power to break through bone.

Amount to Spend Hunting

Hunting can be an expensive business. If you don’t have a lot to spend, you might want to think about getting the .30-30. These rifles tend to be reasonably inexpensive. Bullets are freely available and will be affordable.

Other Hunting Calibers to Consider

If you are close enough, the .30-30 shouldn’t have any problems taking down big animals, like elk and moose. But, if you plan on hunting big game frequently, there are a few other calibers to consider. This will give you more power and allow you to improve your range. This will let you take a wider variety of shots and give you a better chance of killing your target. Here are some of the other options on the market:

• .270. This is one of the most popular hunting options for you to choose from. This means that rifles and ammunition will be widely available. Plus, it offers plenty of power. It will leave a huge hole in the side of any bull. This post goes into more detail.
• .308. This is another hugely popular caliber. It has a tremendously powerful shot with limited recoil. It will offer enough power to take down wildebeest in Africa if you want. You can read more about the .308 here.
• .30-06. The .30-06 is great if you plan to hunt large animals. It packs a big punch. It also has a longer range. Some reports of hunters taking out elk from over 1,000 yards using this caliber.

Best Bullets for the .30-30

The .30-30 is pretty popular, so you can choose from plenty of bullets. If planning an elk hunt, you will need to use higher-grained bullets. Make sure that they are designed for big game hunting. While these might cost a little more, you can rest assured that they will get the job done. Some of the best options include:

• 170-grain Core-Lokt. This bullet from Remington is one of the most popular hunting bullets in the world. It’s been used for over 75 years, giving it a powerful reputation. It will be able to retain its bullet weight, expanding when it hits the bull elk.
• 190 grain Buffalo Bore. This is another bullet that is known for doing a lot of damage. It offers deep penetration and should be enough to take down big game, like elk.
• 160-grain Hornady LEVERevolution ammo. This bullet has been specifically designed to work with lever-action rifles, like the .30-30. They are also able to fly faster, allowing you to achieve deeper penetration and do more damage.

Trying to find the right hunting bullet can be a challenge. It’s often best to try a few options before deciding which one you want to use. Thankfully, most of these bullets will be fairly low-cost, making it easier to experiment.

Tips When Using the .30-30 for Hunting Elk

Last update on 2024-11-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

As we mentioned, the .30-30 might not be the best choice when hunting for big game, like elk. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t be done. Here are some tips you can use to plan a successful hunt:

• Finding the elk. First, you’ll need to be able to locate the elk. Often, this will mean looking for attractive places to feed and locating water sources. You can look at rub marks on the trees and listen for bugling. Or you can use salt licks to get them to come to you.
• Practice your stalking skills. If you are going to use the .30-30, you’ll need to be able to get close to the elk. To do this, there are a few basic skills that you will need to master. For example, you will need to learn how to mask your scent successfully. You’ll also have to get used to using the terrain to your advantage. You’ll need to find places to take shelter and move without making too much noise.
• Customize the gun. Make sure that the gun fits you correctly. This will give you more control and help you control the recoil. You might also want to upgrade the scope. This will make it easier for you to hit the vitals.
• Hunt ethically. Finally, it’s important to remember the principles of ethical hunting. Don’t take the shot if you are too far away or don’t have the right angle. The last thing you want to do is cause needless suffering to the animal by only wounding it. When you are in position, shoot to kill.

Final Thoughts

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The .30-30 has a reputation for being highly effective against deer. This is why it is one of the most popular cartridges in the United States. However, it can also be used against elk. You’ll need to get closer, with an effective range of under 100 yards.

As it doesn’t have enough force to go through the bone, you’ll need to make sure that you can hit the vitals properly. Because of this, many people prefer to switch to more powerful calibers when hunting for big game, like elk.

Steven Lines is a hunter and outdoorsman from Safford, Arizona, USA. Since he was a child, he has been hunting and fishing and has over 20 years of outdoor experience. Steven works as a hunting guide in Arizona during his spare time and runs a Youtube channel dedicated to sharing his outdoor adventures with others.

Sources

• https://www.americanhunter.org/articles/2015/12/20/america-s-most-wanted-ammunition/
• https://www.ronspomeroutdoors.com/blog/30-30-winchester-is-a-joke
• https://thebiggamehuntingblog.com/30-30-winchester/

Many wing-shooters, especially those with years of hunting experience, would likely share the story of harvesting a banded bird as one of hunting’s greatest memories. Some hunters might pursue doves, ducks, or other game birds their entire lives without ever holding an aluminum leg band in their hands. Still, others may be fortunate enough to have a lanyard covered with these trophies. In addition to becoming prized possessions, bands serve an important role by providing a wealth of information about the birds that wear them and the hunters who pursue them.

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) has actively banded migratory birds through-out its history. Most of them are game birds that are important to Mississippi hunters, such as wood ducks, mourning doves, and mallards. Banding helps to understand things such as how long a bird lives, how many birds are harvested, and migration and dispersal patterns. The data helps the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and state wildlife agencies like MDWFP develop sound hunting regulations and gain useful information to improve management.

How Banding Works

The U.S. Geological Survey’s Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL) provides all per-mitted banders with numbered bands of the correct size for the species they intend to band. All are inscribed with contact information for reporting the band. Depending on the age of the band, this could be a telephone number, mailing address, website address, or a combination of these (most of the currently used bands include the website www.reportband.gov). In addition to the reporting information, each band also has a unique band identification number. When biologists place one of these small aluminum bands on a captured bird’s leg, they record the band number, bird species, age, sex, and the location and date of banding. All of the banding data are provided to the BBL, which enters it into a central database. This central database holds all of the information from every bird banded by a permitted bander.

When banded (or “marked”) birds are released, they become potential data sources to be collected by hunters or birdwatchers who might encounter them. Biologists sometimes use other marking methods in addition to the standard aluminum leg band. Other common markers include neck collars, nasal markers, dyes, colored leg bands, web tags, radio (or satellite) transmitters, and wing markers. Sometimes ducks or doves can have two bands, one of which could be a reward band. The USFWS began using reward bands decades ago to encourage hunters to report the bands they recovered. Original reward bands were worth $2, but now some of them are worth as much as $100. Reward bands are now used to determine the rate hunters report bands, which helps the USFWS and state agencies estimate harvest rates.

Waterfowl Banding

Hunters know that waterfowl are highly mobile and wide-ranging. Similarly, band-ing efforts are distributed widely across the continent and throughout the year in an attempt to mark a representative sample of the wild population. Most banded waterfowl harvested by hunters are banded during the late summer period while on or near the breeding grounds of the U.S. and Canadian prairies. MDWFP assists with these efforts through membership in the Mississippi Flyway Council, which provides funding and staffing to accomplish banding goals annually in southern Canada.

Banding waterfowl during late summer allows biologists to identify places where ducks nest and their migratory routes to the wintering grounds. For instance, a mallard identified as a newly hatched male (known as a Hatch Year Male) and banded on a prairie wetland in Saskatchewan in early August could be harvested by a hunter in the flooded timber of O’Keefe WMA in the Mississippi Delta in late January. If the hunter reports the band to the BBL, then the harvest data is recorded and can be paired with the banding location information. Through many years of hunter co-operation in data reporting, MDWFP has learned that portions of Saskatchewan are extremely important to Mississippi water-fowl hunters, as these areas produce many of the ducks harvested in the state. Knowing which areas contribute large numbers of ducks to Mississippi allows MDWFP to allocate funding annually from the sale of state waterfowl stamps to conserve waterfowl breeding habitat in Saskatchewan. This targeted habitat delivery, funded by Mississippi waterfowl hunters, helps to ensure harvestable populations for the future.

In some years, MDWFP and USFWS band waterfowl during winter to maintain further sustainable waterfowl populations. MDW-FP biologists and partners have banded approximately 13,000 mallards in Mississippi since 1949. The peak of MDWFP winter banding occurred during the 1970s and into the 1980s. Winter banding helps to understand better how vulnerable waterfowl are during winter, and thus determine their survival rate during the wintering period (and hunting season). For instance, if survival of these winter-banded birds is low, that can suggest there is not enough high-quality waterfowl habitat in the Mississippi Delta. Also, capturing mallards on the breeding grounds that were banded in Mississippi during the previous winter helps pinpoint key waterfowl breeding areas and populations important to hunters.

Resident Wood Duck Banding

There is no doubt that wood duck banding is extremely important to Mississippi hunters. The state’s swamps and bottom-land hardwood forests produce many wood ducks, but, until recently, it was not known how much hunting pressure this important resource could sustain. During the busy months of July-September, MDWFP biologists, WMA managers, and conservation officers worked diligently to band wood ducks on WMAs and private lands throughout the state. In 2008, this hard work was rewarded.

After many years of data collection, analysis, and cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Mississippi Flyway states (including Mississippi) received approval to allow an extra wood duck in each state’s daily bag limit. The Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks took advantage of this opportunity and increased the wood duck daily bag limit from two to three birds per hunter. This was great news to Mississippi duck hunters in general, as this species is usually near the top of the statewide harvest every year. For areas outside of the Mississippi Delta region of the state, this increase in the wood duck bag limit was extremely important.

Resident Mourning Dove Banding

Mourning dove banding also occurs statewide during the summer months. MDWFP biologists attract birds to open areas with repeated feedings. After the birds become used to finding grain in the area, funnel traps are placed over the top of the food source. Each trap, made out of wire mesh, has two entrances that open inward, and once the birds are inside, the hole narrows so they can’t escape. Biologists record data, band the birds, and release them immediately.

Hunters should inspect harvested doves closely to check for leg bands. Those fortunate enough to harvest banded doves are strongly encouraged to report the information by visiting the website on the band. Similar to waterfowl banding, the data collected from doves banded in Mississippi (i.e., age and sex of the bird and site of banding) helps track when they move and where there go. It also provides estimates of survival and harvest rates. This information then allows MDWFP to improve dove management in Mississippi.

The information obtained by band reporting is critical to maintaining harvestable populations of waterfowl and mourning doves and improving their habitat in Mississippi and throughout North America. The next time you share a hunt with someone on a dove field or in a duck blind, take time to educate them on the importance of banding and band reporting. For more information on MDWFP’s waterfowl management efforts, visit www.mdwfp.com/waterfowl.

(click to enlarge)

Houston Havens is MDWFP Waterfowl Program Coordinator.

Mark Kayser

Shed Hunting Tips the Western Way

Hunting for whitetail shed antlers dominates the antler scene, but like dreaming about a western elk hunt, shed antler fanatics consider hunting for elk and mule deer shed antlers a bucket-list adventure. Hunting for elk and mule deer sheds is a surefire way to enjoy western scenery in a personal manner, and possibly pick up more bone than you ever imagined. Even so, elk and mule deer country can be harsh and testing so plan accordingly. Start your planning by scheduling for the right time of year.

When Do Elk and Mule Deer Drop Their Antlers?

Like whitetail deer, elk and mule deer shed their antlers via a combination of factors. Genetics drives antler shedding to a specific date, but a male’s use of testosterone also factors into the equation. The more testosterone a male uses during the rut, the more likely it is to drop earlier. Stress, particularly from winter and predation, influences animals to drop their antlers earlier than normal, especially under severe conditions.

The two species shed their antlers in a different time frame. Mule deer shed their antlers from January into March. Elk, on the other hand, begin shedding their antlers in March through April, although it can occur as early as mid-February.

It’s really up to Mother Nature when the antler drop occurs, but if you’re lucky occasionally both antlers drop near one another, deer and elk. With large bull elk the phenomena seems more commonplace. It’s possibly due to the heavier weight of an elk antler and the lopsided feeling that comes from carrying just one antler. If you do find a single, large elk or mule deer antler, spend a few extra minutes gridding the area. The other side is likely close.

Shortcuts for Western Shed Hunters

Despite a shedding time frame that doesn’t overlap, you can still slate a trip later in spring and look for antlers from both species. Depending on the area you target, oftentimes you’ll find mule deer antlers one level below where you’ll find elk antlers. It’s possible they’ll winter up to 1,000 feet lower in elevation depending on the winter range.

Don’t let the elevation factor scare you away. Although elk and mule deer definitely look for elevated hideouts when seeking winter refuge, they also gravitate toward large mesas, and sagebrush basins. Research regions characterized by minimal snow and feeding areas for the animals. State game and fish agencies even manage these areas realizing that the ungulates visit them annually. Many of these areas have been allotted refuge status with no human access until spring arrives. Most have a posted opening date that attracts local and visiting shed hunters alike. It’s the chance at a grand Easter egg hunt in antler style when the opening date arrives. State game managers are also helpful in pointing out other winter preferences for elk and mule deer if you wish to avoid a Boston Marathon shed antler hunt.

The best advice for any Western shed antler hunter is to spend wisely on good optics. It’s amazing how many antlers you can discover simply by looking down slopes or across canyons. Focus on white objects and partial tips protruding from brush or grass. My favorite optic to carry is the Nikon Monarch HG10x42 with enough power to pick apart the landscape when looking for antlers.

Next, make sure you’re in shape. My average day is a 12-mile round trip hike. Half is straight up and most is side-slope navigation. Sturdy, leather hiking boots and a hiking staff is a must. I trust my Cabela’s Meindl Perfekt boots to get me in and out. You also need to outfit yourself with a durable and comfortable pack. It needs enough room for water, lunch, rain gear, survival gear and first aid. It should also have ample areas to lash antlers.

To speed up your antler discoveries begin by following big game trails. Both elk and deer use trails to navigate to winter forage. Although either species has no aversion to pioneering a new route, the path of least resistance does have appeal and trails are carved into mountain sides from eons of use.

These trails undoubtedly lead to open areas for feed, but don’t overlook where the trail disappears into timber. Elk and mule deer spend more time on south-facing slopes, but they have to traverse north-facing slopes to get to any new, windswept, south-facing food stash. North-facing slopes vary from dark timber to juniper-jammed terrain. In most northern latitudes, north-facing slopes are always defined by deep snow. Again, follow the path of least resistance and look for any antlers dropped along the route.

As you negotiate winter range, you’ll obviously encounter geographic features such as steep canyons and gorges. Avoid them if the ascent looks dangerous, but steep topography and ravines cause jarring and jolting, both of which can make an animal drop an antler in an abyss. Lace up, slide down and cover more ground for a look if you deem it safe.

Lastly, you may need to put your binoculars aside and snoop like on whitetail properties for shed antlers thick vegetation. Sagebrush, mountain mahogany, scrub oak, thick junipers and even stands of cholla cactus could hide elk and mule deer antlers. They create micro environments to shield from winter winds, plus supply food sources.

Sell Your Shed Antlers

Finding antlers can pay off. Antler prices have risen in recent years. The antler market fluctuates like the Dow Jones Industrials, but artisans, dog-chew companies, collectors and others purchase antlers on a regular basis. Deer antler prices have been fluctuating between $8 and $12 per pound in recent years. Elk antlers could fetch you anywhere from $12 to $15 per pound. That’s appealing since a big elk antler may weigh nine pounds netting you more than $120 for just one antler.

Even with the possibility of a paycheck at the end of a shed antler hunt, the reward for a western adventure far outweighs cash. Picking up a shiny, six-point elk antler while you overlook a scene from the opening of a John Wayne movie is the true reward.