Thank you for returning to read my latest article. In this article I would like to talk about the lost art of the “deer drive”.

There are many people out there that discount this age old practice due to belief that it is unethical and unsportsmanlike to hunt deer or any big game in such a matter.

I think I have only seen it shown on TV hunting shows maybe once or twice ever, and I watch a lot of hunting shows.

Now to a person that did not grow up learning this style of hunting, I can see how this is true. Some people may not know how to accurately shoot at a running deer or lack the confidence to do so.

If a deer drive is not properly planned out with your hunting party, it can be very dangerous as well. But, if done safely, and properly, it is a very effective way to harvest deer.

I grew up and have lived my entire life in the state of Wisconsin. In the Midwest, the deer drive is a long standing deer camp tradition. It is however, in my opinion, being phased out by most people, preferring to emulate what they learn from watching TV and reading magazines, where such a thing is generally frowned upon. In the Midwest region of the country, until the past couple decades; deer hunting was a way to put food on the table. Hunters were not going out to specifically to harvest a trophy whitetail, although they all dreamed of doing so. Normally people would sit their stands the first day or so, but if no luck was to be had, well we made our own luck. We needed food in our freezer, and if that meant bumping that giant out of the area in hopes to put a tag on a doe for meat, well then so be it.

In my opinion, things have definitely changed.

Tip #1 Safety, Safety, Safety

Did I forget to mention safety? It is true that this can be a very dangerous tactic to use while trying to harvest deer. Always make sure everyone knows where they can and cannot safely shoot. Many hunters have paid with their lives shooting into areas where they are not supposed to during a deer drive. If there is no safe direction for walkers to shoot due to position of the standers, then the walkers should not carry their guns on the drive, to avoid temptation to shoot at a deer that may jump out of its hiding spot.

This was made clear to me on my first deer drive. I still remember like it was yesterday, my first ever deer drive. It was Thanksgiving Day in 1986. I had sat opening weekend seeing only a few deer. From what I can remember, no one had put a tag on a deer as of yet. After the Thanksgiving morning hunt we met at the trucks for lunch and started planning a drive. I was nervous, hoping I did would not screw up. Since I was using a 20 gauge shotgun, younger, and full of youthful energy, I was chosen to be one of the walkers. My father and older brothers, who had longer shooting rifles, were to be the standers. My other brother Tony was also chosen as a walker, because he also carried a shotgun. We chose to drive out a corn field that sat on the east end of the property. I was told sternly to follow the rules to ensure the utmost safety of everyone participating. My father and two other brothers would set up in the corners of the corn to catch deer that broke out of hiding. They were not allowed to shoot into the corn at all, for obvious reasons; my brother and I were in it! Tony and I were not allowed to shoot anywhere but straight down the rows of corn, this way we would not run the risk of shooting the standers stationed in the corners of the field.

We gave our predetermined signals to the standers that we were starting to walk into the field. Everyone was in place and ready for what was to come. As I took my first step into the rows, I grew ever more nervous. I was 12 years old and all of about 4 feet 8 inches tall. The corn we were walking into was over 7 feet tall! I could not see anything farther than 5 feet in front of me. All I knew was I had to walk straight through the corn and follow the rows so everyone knew where to expect me to be. I did not make it through the field 30 yards when I heard my brother Tony bellow “DEER!” and I heard shots start ringing out from his shotgun, or at least I thought it was him as I really could not see anything. I could hear corn stalks crashing all around me, and shots began to ring out from every perceivable direction. I pulled my gun up and knelt down in the middle of the corn, half expecting to get run over by a deer at any point in time. To say I was freaking out would be an understatement! For what seemed like 10 minutes, but was in reality probably only 30 seconds, the commotion subsided. My brother Tony started to yell my name to check to make sure I was safe. I did not immediately answer his calls because I was still in defense mode ready for a deer to plow through and run me over. After a few calls I finally answered him, “Ya!” They all started asking where I was. I could not answer them, as I was slightly disoriented, and my heart and brain was going at a million miles per hour. The only thing I could think of to do was put my blaze orange hat on the end of my barrel and raise it above the stalks of corn so they had a chance to see just where I was. They told me to make my way out. I gladly followed that piece of advice and walked until I reached the outskirts of the corn, leaving my hat on my gun barrel pointed above the corn the entire way, almost like a flag of surrender. As I reached the end of the corn I noticed my family standing around a doe that lay on the ground in front of them. They had taken, to the best of my childhood recollection, 3 does during that short drive. In a matter of a minute or so, my family had the much needed venison to sustain us through until the following deer season.

Tip #2 The Set-up

The position of the standers is paramount to the success of your drive. Standers should be set up to block all escape routes of the deer you are trying to move. I will use my hunting property to give you an example of this. The lay out of this land is simple. On the East side of the property is a large ridge with open mature hardwoods. The ridge only rises up about 10-15 feet in elevation. The West side of the land is a cow pasture that covers about 10 acres or so and runs adjacent to the road. The North end is a corn field, and the south end is a swampy area that the deer use as bedding and butts up to public land. The swampy area extends through the middle of the property essentially cutting it in half. This finger of swamp running between the hardwoods to the east and the pasture to the west makes for a perfect travel and escape route for the deer. Our walkers start by coming in on the public land to the south and push through the swamp towards the corn in the north. The deer normally follow the swamp on their way to the corn, essentially making it a pinch point. They do not like escaping through open territory, preferring to stay in cover as long as possible. We put one stander on the ridge to the east to catch any deer that shoot out the side, one in the pasture for the same reason, and then 1 or 2 along the corn to block off any way of escape. If there are any deer bedded down in the swamp, they are sure to bust out in the direction of one of the standers. The walkers in this scenario do not have much opportunity for shots due to the thickness of the cover, which is also why the deer love to hide here. If your standers have all escape routes blocked, success is assured. If there are any gaps or escape routes not covered, it is guaranteed the deer will find the weakness and exploit it.

Tip #3 Play the Wind

The wind is always a primary concern when it comes to hunting whitetails. The whitetail’s best defense is its sense of smell. While playing the wind during a deer drive, there are different factors to consider than just sitting in your stand. You should line up your walkers to walk with the wind, and your standers should be upwind of the drive. This allows the deer to smell the walkers. Letting the deer smell you may be something that goes against all you have been taught about hunting deer. The main purpose of letting the deer smell the walkers is to make them move before being jumped. If the deer sense your presence before you jump it they will move off towards the standers much sooner. If the deer do not know the walkers are coming towards them, you run the risk of jumping them at close range. If you startle the deer they are more likely to run full speed away. A deer at full speed is far harder to hit for the standers than one that is try to creep away. When they are moving away slower they are more likely to stop to look back at the danger, giving the shooter a chance to get a clean shot. A startled deer will not stop running until it knows it is safe. There are so many variables in taking a shot on a whitetail that is running for its life. You have to be able to hit something the size of a paper plate that is running at 30+ mph, and is bounding up and down, and zigzagging left and right. It almost seems impossible when you think about it. I have taken several deer while running, but have missed more. It is difficult to make an accurate shot at that target, and there is no way to practice for such a scenario. I have yet to see a rifle range that has moving targets that move as randomly as a running deer. There are some ranges that have a running deer moving target, but it is mainly a target that moves at a slower more predictable speed, and they move in straight lines. To make this shot requires either great skill or great luck, most of the time luck. With this in mind, I agree with most that say it is unethical for the majority of people to attempt this shot. The practice I have with this shot is the fact that I have made many of them. With deer drives firmly infused into my blood, I know what to expect when attempting a running shot. Opening day 6 years ago, I was sitting in my traditional rifle stand overlooking a corn field. Late in the morning a 7 point buck came out of the woods at full run across the cow pasture I was hunting over, headed for the corn. I knew if it hit the corn field it was going to be impossible to take it. I settled my rifle on a tree branch in front of me and started to track the deer through the iron sights of my Marlin 336 .35 Remington. This model gun is usually only good for shots under 200 yards; and that is in ideal shot conditions, but I knew my gun well. I knew the closest that deer was going to get was about 175 yards away and with it at a full run, most people would not even think of attempting it. As it got closer and closer to the corn I knew it was now or never. I concentrated on my aim, let out a deep breath, and touched off a round. The deer folded up where it was at. I would be foolish to think that a shot like that was all skill. I know for a fact that there was a lot of luck involved. If the deer would have varied any on its path to the corn, I would have missed badly, or worse, wounded the deer so it would suffer. I am confident in taking a running shot, but it is not for everyone. 99% of all shot opportunities on deer during a drive will be moving deer, anything you can do to make the deer take a slower retreat; will greatly improve your odds of success.

Tip #4 Make Noise

Make noise you say? Well that is another tip that goes against the grain of traditional thinking when it comes to whitetail hunting. There are multiple reasons for walkers to make noise while on a drive. First is for safety reasons. If the walkers are making noise, then the standers can more easily pinpoint the location of the walkers, insuring that the standers know not to fire at your location. It also gives them an educated guess as to how much farther the walkers have to go before the drive is complete. It also aids in letting the deer know the walkers are coming, giving them ample opportunity to move before being startled and jumped from their bed. Once again, a deer creeping away slowly in an attempt to be undetected is easier to shoot than a running deer. This tactic is especially effective when driving through corn fields. Deer tend to hang tight in corn and will not jump until the last second and can hide rather well between the rows. I have developed a fun and entertaining cadence when making noise through the corn. I like to talk a lot and loudly and I also try to smack corn stalks on my way through. I want them to move before I get to them.

Tip #5 Be Prepared

As a stander, never in any circumstances, relax while you are waiting for the walkers. Always have your weapon in hand and pay close attention to your surroundings. The action can happen at any time and from any direction. It can be all over in a matter of seconds. I have seen deer pushed from drives while the walkers are still hundreds of yards away, and I also have had deer come out after the drivers have passed by. As discussed before, the deer will more than likely be on the run when you see it. If you get nice and comfy and lean your weapon up against a tree next to you, it will take longer for you to set up a shot. If you have your gun already in your hand when the deer comes through, you can quickly pull up and take your shot. If you have to pick your gun up first, your opportunity might pass you by before you have a chance. Never get caught unprepared on a drive.

Even walkers on the drive need to pay close attention. If you are a walker that is allowed to shoot on the drive, your window of opportunity will be even shorter. Instead of moving towards you like the standers, the deer is moving away from you, and quickly! You may only have a second or two to try and pull off an ethical shot. If you do not have a shot, or are not carrying a weapon, you can try to signal the standers that you have a deer on its feet if you see a deer jump and start moving away.

A few years ago, I was a walker on a short drive at our hunting property. I was equipped with a two-way radio to communicate with the standers, and I was the only walker. I made it about a quarter of the way through my drive when I jumped 2 does and a mature 9 point buck out of a thicket. Because I paid attention to my surroundings and never relaxed during my walk I was able to see the deer and tell the standers what was coming at them. My dad was ready with his gun up and into position already by the time that buck crested the ridge line in front of him. It was the biggest buck of his life, and undoubtedly noticing what was going on in front of me greatly helped in the success of that drive.

Tip #6 Lower Your Standards

While everyone would like to sit back and wait on that mature buck, it is very hard to age a deer while it is moving quickly through the woods. You may only have a couple of brief seconds to react and shoot at any given deer. You will never have the opportunity to study the deer and determine age. If you only want to shoot a buck that is 4 ½ years old or older, then deer drives may not be for you. While a small buck is fairly easy to judge while running quickly through the woods, you probably will not be able to tell the difference between 2 ½ year old and a 4 ½ year old. A running deer will appear more stretched out than a deer just standing there in a relaxed state, so you will not see if that deer has a large chest and pot belly as compared to a younger sleeker deer. And forget about trying to count points or judging score. If you try to judge the age and score of a deer before shooting, the deer will more than likely pass you by before you can figure it out.

Button bucks are another reason you may want to lower your expectations. If you are on a drive that permits you to take a doe, you run the risk of shooting buck fawns. While it is fairly easy to tell a fawn doe from a mature deer, it is not that easy with button bucks, especially in the north. By the time deer season rolls around in November, button bucks are normally the size of the adult does. Their body frame is larger than doe fawns, and can really fool you when on a full run. Even if the button buck is running next to a couple mature does, it does not look much smaller and can easily be thought to be a doe. If you do happen to shoot a buck fawn, do not get down on yourself about it. Take it from me, a professional chef, those fawns taste delicious! As I have always said, “Nothing tastes better than a baby vegetarian”.

Tip #7 Choose Your Weapons

The choice of weapons for your individual position in a deer drive is a critical factor. If you are a walker that is permitted to shoot, never carry a weapon with a scope. There are a couple reasons for this. As I mentioned before in this article, your window of opportunity will normally be shorter than that of a stander. To get a proper sight picture through your scope, it will take longer, running the possibility of missing your window. If you have a bead sight or iron sights on your gun you can more quickly acquire your target, improving your odds. I like to choose a shotgun for my weapon when I am a walker. My shots are usually close range and in dense cover. A high powered rifle bullet does not move through brush as easily as a shotgun slug. If I use a rifle, I use one without a scope and usually choose a slower moving bullet that will bust through brush without being deflected as much as a fast moving bullet. My rifle of choice is usually a lever action such as a 30-30 or my favorite, a .35 rem. Round nose bullets bust brush more easily than a pointed bullet, without as much deflection.

Walking through heavy brush where deer like to hide when pressured, can easily knock your scope off of zero, causing other headaches while deer hunting. If you knock off your zero, you will never know it, and this may cause you to miss your target or worse, wound the deer and cause it suffering.

Standers should be positioned in such a way that their gun matches the shot opportunities. If a stander has a short range rifle, then that shooter should be set up for short range shots. You do not want to set up a person with a short range rifle in a spot where his shot opportunities may be further than his guns effective range. If you have a spot in the drive where the stander has the chance to shoot out a couple hundred yards or so, you will want a long, flat shooting gun. On that same note, if the shot scenario will be something within 50 yards, you may want a shooter with a short range gun such as a shotgun or 30-30, rather than a 30-06 or 7mm-08. The cartridge you fire should always be considered when planning out your drive.

Tip #8 Driving Public Land

This is perhaps the most dangerous of situations. Public land is just that; public! Anyone, at any point in time, may wander onto the property. If you pull up to an empty parcel of land and decide you want to do a drive on it, make sure all safety rules are in place. You could all split up to your respective positions, and then another hunter could pull up, unaware of what is taking place. This puts both drivers and the other hunter in serious danger. If you believe the land is empty, but it suddenly is not, you may be shooting at a person you do not know is there. Alternatively, he might not know that there is a person walking towards him and take a shot at a deer you pushed, and put you or your standers in danger. If you choose to drive public lands, set up either a stander or walker where they can see if anyone else has entered the property, such as close to a road. This way if someone does enter the property, he can communicate to others and adjust your plan accordingly. A two-way radio helps in this so you can easily and instantly tell others, and everyone in your party is aware of what is going on.

I hope you find this article helpful when planning your next outing. While some may think this is an unethical or unsporting way of hunting, it is without doubt, an effective way to harvest deer. My party does several drives per year and has it down to a science, but the only thing we can predict, is the unpredictability of the whitetail deer.

If you follow some of these basic tactics; it will greatly increase your chances to put backstraps on the dinner table.

I would like to thank you all for taking the time to read this article. Good luck to all those venturing into the woods this fall and happy hunting!

When I think of skinning a bear, I’m reminded of one of my favorite hunts with my son in Montana. When he was only 12 years old, he took down a bear with his rifle using the “spot and stalk” method.

Getting within range of those bears and taking the shot is a big challenge. I’m proud of my son for accomplishing that Herculean task, and even prouder of how we skinned that bear together after it was taken down.

Skinning a bear is no easy feat. It takes precision, concentration, and strategy. Don’t worry – we’ve been there and can explain how to do it, step by step.

What to Know Before Skinning a Bear

Skinning a bear is very different from dressing other game. A bear’s anatomy poses certain challenges that all hunters should be aware of. For the purposes of this blog, we’ll focus on how to skin a black bear; however, the following tips also apply to brown bears.

If you’re planning to bring your bear to a taxidermist (or even if you aren’t), it’s important to keep the bear in the best possible condition. The paws are a bear’s most distinguishing feature and must be left on the hide. If you’re a beginner, do not try to skin out the paws yourself — your taxidermist will thank you.

Speaking of the hide, it also needs to be preserved as well as possible. Avoid poking holes in it and ensure it’s clean before delivering it to the taxidermist. This will increase the chances of successful tanning.

How to Prepare to Skin a Bear

Be aware of what you’ll need to deliver to the taxidermist. As mentioned, don’t try to skin out the paws on your own; deliver them attached to the hide.

Next, you must know how to field dress a bear. Game bags are crucial for keeping the meat clean and organized, so be sure to have them at the ready. Clear your surrounding area and drag the bear to a clean spot, keeping dirt off the hide.

Place the bear on pine needles, leaves, or grass to maintain cleanliness. Open garbage bags also help preserve the meat. If it’s hot, move the bear to a shaded area to rapidly cool the hide and carcass.

Along with game and garbage bags, a reliable fixed-blade knife is a must-have. Additionally, carrying some paracord can be useful, especially if you’re on your own and need to secure a leg while you’re skinning a bear.

You won’t need a saw for this job. Your fixed-blade knife can handle everything you need.

How to Skin a Black Bear: Step by Step

Let’s get to the meat of this blog post (pun intended). Here’s how to skin a bear:

1. Lay the bear on its back with its legs spread out (it should resemble a starfish).
2. Once the bear is situated, make a center cut from the anus straight through the bear’s belly to the base of the neck. Then, on the inside portion of the front legs, make a cut from the joint (of the wrist) near the foot up to the armpit area, angling up and forward into the center of the sternum.
3. On the inside of its back legs, cut from the foot joint to the centerline cut you made in step 2.
4. Next, you’ll begin to skin out the front and back quarters. Start on one side of the bear, then move to the other and put it in a game bag.
5. While skinning the legs, cut the joint just above the foot to keep the paw attached to the hide. Then remove that skin from that leg with the paw still attached. Remember, it’s important to keep the paws attached when skinning a bear for a rug or other taxidermy.
6. From that point, skin the hide away from the rest of the carcass, being careful to keep dirt off the hide.
7. Finally, cut through the neck at the base of the skull and remove the bear head from the carcass, but keep it attached to hide.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Skinning a Bear

Resist the temptation to skin the head and paws separately. I cannot emphasize enough that they must stay attached to the hide.

Also, refrain from folding the meat and hide before they completely cool. Hair is a great insulator; it’ll spoil the meat on the inside, and cause hair to fall out of the hide.

Don’t leave too much fat on the hide while skinning a bear. Removing as much fat as possible reduces packing weight. Be careful while you do this — avoid cuts in the hide as well as you can.

Most importantly, only salt the hide after removing all the flesh, as it will make proper mounting nearly impossible.

The post-skinning process is pretty simple: Cool the animal down and get it to your taxidermist as soon as possible. Freezing or storing it in a cooler or on ice in a garbage bag provides optimal conditions for the taxidermist.

How to Skin a Bear: Final Thoughts

Like anything, learning how to skin a bear takes repetition and time. I’ve definitely improved my process since I became a master bladesmith years ago.

Even if you’ve been skinning bears for years, there’s always room to improve, so we encourage you to save this post for future reference. Following these steps and avoiding common mistakes will make a big difference in your skinning practice.

by Josh Smith, Master Bladesmith and Founder of Montana Knife Company

In times past, hunters found a hunting companion dog invaluable. The most popular small hunting dog breeds include the Beagle, French Brittany, American Water Spaniel, Brittany Spaniel, and Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Not only did a hunting companion dog help to flush the game out of bushes, shrubs, trees, or even water, but the hunting companion dog would also retrieve much of the game for the hunter. In some cases, hunting companion dogs would assist in finding a felled game that had somehow gotten out of sight of the hunter. Prior to the hunt, these same dogs would help to track potential games.

I myself have witnessed hunting dogs in action and it is a pretty amazing sight. Hunting companion dogs make the activity a little more exciting, especially when they “tree” or “point” out a potential game. I listed 8 of the most common small hunting dog breeds including the facts about them below.

What are eight hunting dogs that are smaller in size?

There are eight hunting breeds that are considered small dog breeds. They include:

• the Beagle
• the French Brittany
• the American Water Spaniel
• the Brittany Spaniel
• the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
• the Small Munsterlander
• the Cocker Spaniel
• the Boykin Spaniel

The Cocker Spaniel

Named after the bird that the breed was utilized most to hunt, the Cocker Spaniel is one of the best hunting dogs for many reasons.

Although the Cocker Spaniel is a small dog, they truly shine when they perceive prey is in the thickest of cover. They pounce with all the bravery their tiny bodies can contain, and they would flush out a game with great enthusiasm. They are great bird hunting dogs, also called a gun dog. When trained properly, a Cocker Spaniel can be a versatile hunting dog.

The Cocker Spaniel was chiefly utilized to hunt the woodcock. The Cocker Spaniel is a very energetic dog that loves to work. Plus, he’ll work all day if you provide him with the opportunity.

There are two variations of Cocker Spaniel—the English and the American. One can only tell a slight difference in the head shape of the Cocker Spaniel. However, American Cocker Spaniels tend to be friendlier than their English counterparts.

The Cocker Spaniel is considered one of the smallest hunting dog breeds today, but, typically, they are house pets rather than hunting companions. This breed is typically between 13.5 to 15.5 inches (this includes averages for both males and females; the male Cocker Spaniel will measure on the larger end of those numbers). The Cocker Spaniel will usually weigh between twenty to thirty pounds.

The American Water Spaniel

You might recognize the American Water Spaniel due to its curly hair. Aside from that, this dog breed is also known for its ability to flush game out of water. They are described as “flusher dogs” but they also retrieve fallen games, as such, they tend to work closely with their hunter handler.

The American Water Spaniel is considered quite versatile, but the breed is highly inclined to retrieve. Although athletic as well as enthusiastic, the American Water Spaniel can be somewhat stubborn as well as shy around new people.

I you are looking for a canine generally able to hunt, flush out, and retrieve waterfowls, The American Water Spaniel is a good candidate. They also have a highly dense and waterproof coat that makes them perfect for such work.

The American Water Spaniel is one of the most intelligent dog breeds I have encountered, that is full of energy as well as a tad bit of stubbornness. It is important to keep the breed active in order for the dog to be happy.

It is also important to begin training the American Water Spaniel as early as possible. Overall, the breed is obedient and friendly when trained properly.

The American Water Spaniel male is between thirty and forty-five pounds at adulthood; the female is much smaller, weighing twenty-five to forty pounds when fully grown. This breed typically stands between fifteen and eighteen inches at adulthood.

The Beagle

The Beagle is one of the most popular small hunting dog breeds—or even one of the most popular dog breeds, period. They are hounds at heart, so they love tracking scents and they enjoy flushing out prey. The Beagle is a highly diverse hunting dog as they are originally bred for hunting smaller game such as rabbits and foxes, but I’m quite impressed that they are also useful for hunting large games such as deers.

Another reason why the Beagle is highly popular is because of its happy-go-lucky attitude. I love how these pups are both fun and smart. They can be taught to retrieve even though it is not their chief inclination.

Did you know that the Beagle was first used to hunt rabbits, and the style of hunting used for this purpose was called “beagling”? They work well in pairs, and typically, they flush prey out of thick underbrush.

The Beagle is a gentle and friendly breed that loves to interact with its hunter handlers. Training the Beagle should begin when they are fairly young. As a hound breed, they can be stubborn, but consistent training should overcome any obstinate behavior on the part of the dog. Beagles are one of the small hunting dog breeds that love to interact with children, too.

Like other hunting dogs, the Beagle needs a certain amount of activity each day in order to remain happy and healthy.

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever

Known as the “Toller”, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is one of the smallest retrieving dogs. Some will relate that the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever has a high-pitched “scream” that sets them apart from other hunting dogs.

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is especially attuned to hunting in cold weather, and their coat protects them from the harsh, cold water. These dogs are chiefly retrievers but they are good flushers too, and were named for the way in which they would assist their human hunting handler in “tolling” ducks.

These brilliant water dogs are best utilized for hunting waterfowl. However, they often worked to lure ducks in range of their human handler so that the hunter could get an accurate shot on the prey. They are especially useful for this job because they are very alert and an extremely intelligent breed. They are also highly patient. Like other retrieving dogs, they depend greatly on signals from their human hunting handlers.

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever is quite active, and, if human handlers do not offer the Toller the best balance of activity, the Toller can become destructive. Remember, as natural hunters and retrievers, the Toller is happiest when he is busy—or very tired from a busy day.

Just a little reminder: the Toller can be less submissive than other retrieving dogs. They tend to be less friendly with strangers.

The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever stands anywhere from seventeen to twenty-one inches in height. Typically, regardless of whether the dog is male or female, the Duck Toller will weigh between thirty-five and fifty pounds.

The Boykin Spaniel

Although considered a small hunting dog, the Boykin Spaniel is in fact larger than the breeds on this list. Having a dense coat that protects their body as they swim in the water of varying temperatures make them resilient hunting canines.

The Boykin Spaniel is a great flusher of game. However, they are known for taking their sweet time before they actually flush the game out. They do not need their human handler to offer commands before taking action. They are extremely versatile dogs, being highly adept retrieving dogs as well.

Hunting both pheasants and quail is what the Boykin Spaniel is exceptional at, but they are also used for flushing out and retrieving waterfowl. I love how this breed utilizes both scent and sight for the tracking game.

Not only is the Boykin Spaniel a great hunting companion, but the breed is a wonderful family pet as well. The Boykin tends to get along well with all people, even strangers. The breed is very smart and they simply enjoy hard work. They are also great companion dogs outside the hunting field.

The Boykin Spaniel tends to be between fifteen inches to eighteen inches in height at adulthood, and weighs an average of twenty-five to forty pounds at adulthood.

The Small Munsterlander

The Small Musterlander is a dog of German origin; it is not related to the Munsterlander other than they come from the same area in Europe. This breed is known for its ability to do just about anything. You’d be glad to know that they can be easily trained to flush out, retrieve, and point prey. This is thanks to their natural attentiveness and being extremely intelligent.

These dogs are so versatile that they are equally adept hunters on both lands and in the water. The Small Munsterlander hunts just about any type of fowl a hunter can imagine. They are adept at hunting waterfowl, ducks, and the like, but they are also great for hunting upland birds.

The Small Munsterlander is typically twenty to twenty-one inches in height and normally weighs between forty and sixty pounds. I suggest doing a great deal of DIY dog grooming to maintain these dogs.

The French Brittany

The French Brittany is very similar to the American Brittany spaniel in its hunting style. They are known for their scent tracking abilities as well as their ability to point both upland birds and waterfowl.

Not only is the French Brittany versatile hunters—they are highly intelligent and friendly too. This makes them great family dogs as well as great competition hunting companions.

The French Brittany typically stands between seventeen and twenty inches and they weigh between thirty and forty-five pounds.

The Brittany

The Brittany Spaniel is a gundog whose initial purpose was as a hunting companion. Known for its penchant for pointing as well as being a flushing dog, this breed is versatile, strong, and highly intelligent.

I find it wonderful how they can be both great family dogs and highly adaptable hunting companions at the same time. Brittanies love to hunt a wide variety of games [1].

The American Brittany Spaniel is usually just over seventeen inches to just over twenty inches in height, and the average weight of a Brittany Spaniel is between thirty to forty pounds at adulthood.

FAQs

1. What is the smallest breed of dog used for hunting?

The Cocker Spaniel is one of the smallest breeds of dogs that were once utilized as hunting companions. However, the Cocker Spaniel of today is more of a companion animal than a hunting companion.

2. What is the smallest upland bird dog?

The Small Munsterlander, a German dog with a tendency to work as a pointer, is the smallest upland bird dog.

3. What is the easiest breed of hunting dog to train?

Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers tend to be the easiest to train. Both breeds look to their handlers for directions and they work well with their human hunting companions.

4. What is a good hunting dog?

A good hunting dog is one that listens to commands, hunts enthusiastically, and is energetic on the hunting field.

So you’ve just lassoed yourself into the wild, wild world of cowboys.

You’ve got the hat, the boots, and even the sassy bandana. But what’s missin’?

Well, hoss, you ain’t no real cowboy till you’ve got yourself a nickname that’s as rugged and rough ‘n tumble as you are.

Look, it ain’t just a name we’re talkin’ about here—it’s an identity.

As a seasoned pro in the naming game, I’ve rustled up some of the rootinest, tootinest cowboy nicknames this side of the Mississippi.

We’re talkin’ names that’d make even John Wayne tip his hat to ya.

So grab yourself a swig of bourbon or sarsaparilla, kick up your spurs, and let’s giddy-up into this list of the best cowboy nicknames ever.

Funny Cowboy Nicknames

When it comes to humor, even cowboys appreciate a good laugh.

Here are 50 funny cowboy nicknames meant to put a grin on any cowpoke’s face.

1. Saddle Sore
2. Whiskey Lips
3. Two-Tooth Tim
4. Lasso Larry
5. Spur Snagger
6. Tumbleweed Tom
7. Grumpy Gus
8. Yeehaw Yohan
9. Boots McFunny
10. Slowpoke Sam
11. Rodeo Clown
12. Hat-Tipper Harry
13. Brokeback Bob
14. Jiggle Spurs
15. Cactus Cuddler
16. Yeller Belly
17. Prickly Pete
18. Galloping Goof
19. Nappy Ned
20. Dust Bunny
21. Cantina Comedian
22. Coyote Chuckles
23. Sassy Slinger
24. Snoring Snipe
25. Pecos Pudding
26. Ranch Rascal
27. Rowdy Rib-tickler
28. Saloon Joker
29. Chapped Chet
30. Windy Willy
31. Burping Buck
32. Tipsy Tex
33. Lame Lane
34. Lazy Luke
35. Itchy Izzy
36. Oily Oliver
37. Tantrum Todd
38. Grizzly Grinner
39. Silly Saddle
40. Wagging Wade
41. Squinting Squid
42. Muttering Matt
43. Moseying Mirth
44. Rattling Ralph
45. Twitchy Trigger
46. Wimpy Wyatt
47. Crying Clint
48. Wandering Wally
49. Rusty Razor
50. Jumpy Jack

Cool And Cute Cowboy Nicknames

Cool and cute aren’t terms reserved for city folk.

Here are 50 nicknames that are as adorable as they are rugged.

1. Cowboy Casanova
2. Rustic Romeo
3. Silver Spur
4. Lone Star Lover
5. Dashing Duke
6. Sweet Saddle
7. Wild Bill
8. Bronco Beau
9. Trailblazer Ted
10. Golden Gun Gus
11. Velvet Victor
12. Gallant Gary
13. Sunset Sam
14. Romantic Rider
15. Love Lasso
16. Melodic Marshal
17. Pastel Pete
18. Heartfelt Hank
19. Cute Clint
20. Serenade Steve
21. Dreamy Dan
22. Hunk Hunter
23. Peachy Paul
24. Cozy Carl
25. Blushing Bill
26. Serene Sean
27. Lovable Lance
28. Cuddly Cooper
29. Whispering Walt
30. Fluffy Fred
31. Charmer Charlie
32. Darling Dave
33. Coquette Cody
34. Soft Spur
35. Elegant Eli
36. Fondness Frank
37. Gentle Gene
38. Sensitive Sid
39. Amorous Al
40. Hugging Henry
41. Starry-eyed Stan
42. Warm Wally
43. Swoon-worthy Simon
44. Ticklish Tom
45. Caring Calvin
46. Breezy Barry
47. Affectionate Andy
48. Sweet-tooth Steve
49. Lovey-dovey Lewis
50. Adorable Archie

Unique & Uncommon Nicknames For Cowboys

Being a cowboy doesn’t mean you’re like every other cattle-herder out there.

Here are 50 unique and uncommon cowboy nicknames to stand out in the Wild West.

1. Quantum Quirt
2. Zenith Zorro
3. Frontier Philosopher
4. Vortex Vince
5. Peculiar Pete
6. Galactic Garth
7. Enigmatic Eli
8. Quasar Quaid
9. Cosmic Clyde
10. Starry Steve
11. Nebular Ned
12. Interstellar Ian
13. Lunar Luke
14. Astro Alf
15. Maverick Max
16. Quirky Quinn
17. Unusual Ulysses
18. Singular Saul
19. Weirdo Walt
20. Strange Stan
21. Curious Clint
22. Daring Drake
23. Exceptional Earl
24. Independent Ike
25. Atypical Adam
26. Nonconformist Nate
27. Outlandish Oscar
28. Offbeat Otis
29. Eccentric Ethan
30. Uncommon Uriah
31. Puzzling Paul
32. Ironic Irving
33. Paradoxical Pat
34. Conundrum Cole
35. Inscrutable Ivan
36. Ambiguous Arnold
37. Enigma Evan
38. Arcane Alan
39. Mystical Morty
40. Esoteric Eric
41. Puzzle Pete
42. Cipher Cody
43. Bizarre Bob
44. Freaky Fred
45. Odd Oliver
46. Unusual Upton
47. Wayward Wayne
48. Perplexing Percy
49. Deviating Doug
50. Outlier Ollie

Cowboy Nicknames For Cowboy Guys

Just like a well-worn pair of boots, these cowboy nicknames fit just right.

Here are 50 nicknames perfect for cowboy guys.

1. Rugged Rick
2. Big Sky Bob
3. Prairie Paul
4. Dusty Dan
5. Shotgun Sean
6. Gravel Gary
7. Lariat Larry
8. Mustang Mike
9. Canyon Carl
10. Trail Tim
11. Granite Greg
12. Cliffhanger Cliff
13. Stone-faced Steve
14. Rodeo Roy
15. Desert Dave
16. Scorching Sam
17. Ironclad Ian
18. Rebel Rob
19. Bandit Bill
20. Wrangler Wade
21. Marshal Matt
22. Badass Barry
23. Vigilante Vic
24. Lawless Luke
25. Sharpshooter Shane
26. Ranger Roger
27. Wanderer Walt
28. Rogue Ron
29. Tough Ted
30. Relentless Ray
31. Stalwart Stan
32. Gritty Gordon
33. Outlaw Owen
34. Brave Ben
35. Tenacious Tom
36. Spur Stan
37. Leather-clad Lou
38. Bullwhip Blake
39. Stampede Steve
40. Ferocious Frank
41. Gallant Gunner
42. Resilient Ralph
43. Ten-gallon Tony
44. Colt Carl
45. Homestead Harry
46. Tornado Terry
47. Strapping Stuart
48. Vigorous Vern
49. Drifter Doug
50. Bronco Buster

Nicknames For Cowboy Boyfriends

If you’re smitten with a cowboy, these nicknames are as romantic as a sunset over the prairie.

Here are 50 cowboy nicknames for the cowboy love of your life.

1. Cowboy Crush
2. Rodeo Romeo
3. Saddle Sweetie
4. Prairie Prince
5. Lasso Lover
6. Bronco Beau
7. Wagon Wheel Wally
8. Romantic Rider
9. Heartland Harry
10. Wrangler Romeo
11. Outlaw of My Heart
12. Love-struck Luke
13. Partner Paul
14. Charmer Charlie
15. Gallant Gary
16. Sweetheart Steve
17. Dashing Duke
18. Moonlight Marshal
19. Western Whisperer
20. Southern Seducer
21. Plains Poet
22. Heartfelt Hank
23. Devoted Dave
24. Affectionate Adam
25. Darling Dan
26. Hunk Hunter
27. Caring Carl
28. Intimate Ian
29. Infatuated Isaac
30. Kissable Kyle
31. Starry-eyed Stan
32. Sun-kissed Sam
33. Smitten Sean
34. Wooing Walt
35. Loveable Lewis
36. Sincere Sid
37. Passionate Pete
38. Flirtatious Fred
39. Wooing Will
40. Beloved Bob
41. Fondness Frank
42. Cozy Clyde
43. Tenderness Tom
44. True-hearted Ted
45. Infatuated Ivan
46. Adored Andy
47. Smooching Steve
48. Sweet Smiles
49. Love-tied Larry
50. Heart-warming Harvey

Western Cowboy Nicknames

To capture the authentic spirit of the Old West, these nicknames come straight from the pages of a Western novel.

Here are 50 Western cowboy nicknames fit for any gunslinger or cattle rustler.

1. Frontier Fred
2. Wyatt Worthy
3. Sundance Sam
4. Nevada Ned
5. Tombstone Terry
6. Badlands Billy
7. Cattle King
8. Rough Rider Roy
9. Cheyenne Charlie
10. Texas Tornado
11. Sagebrush Steve
12. Frontier Frank
13. Outlaw Owen
14. Horseshoe Hank
15. Western Walt
16. Golden Gulch Gary
17. Sheriff Simon
18. Panhandle Pete
19. Pecos Paul
20. Lonesome Luke
21. Butch Buck
22. Dodge City Dan
23. Calamity Carl
24. Prospector Phil
25. Silver City Sid
26. Maverick Max
27. Vigilante Vic
28. Homestead Harry
29. Justice Jack
30. Stagecoach Steve
31. Rattlesnake Ralph
32. Buffalo Bill
33. Wildcat Will
34. Stampede Stan
35. Red River Ron
36. Desperado Dave
37. Lone Wolf Larry
38. Prospector Pete
39. Tumbleweed Tim
40. Gold Rush Greg
41. Wagon Train Walt
42. Shotgun Sam
43. Deadwood Doug
44. Coyote Carl
45. Sarsaparilla Sid
46. Whiskey Walt
47. Boot Hill Bob
48. Lariat Larry
49. Cattle Baron Ben
50. Gritty Gordon

Mexican Cowboy Nicknames

Cowboys are not limited to the American West; they have a rich history south of the border too.

Celebrate the Vaqueros with these 50 Mexican cowboy nicknames.

1. Vaquero Val
2. Desierto Diego
3. Tequila Tom
4. Cactus Carlos
5. Sombrero Simon
6. Ranchero Rafael
7. Loco Luis
8. Pueblo Pedro
9. Macho Miguel
10. Charro Charlie
11. Jalapeño Jack
12. Salsa Sam
13. Fajita Fred
14. Bandido Ben
15. Taco Tim
16. Agave Andy
17. Mariachi Mark
18. Zorro Zack
19. Pancho Pete
20. Rancho Ralph
21. Guero Gary
22. Fiesta Frank
23. Serape Steve
24. Churro Chuck
25. Cantina Carl
26. Mojado Max
27. Enchilada Eli
28. Burrito Bob
29. Tamales Tony
30. Queso Quinn
31. Caballero Clyde
32. Espuelas Eric
33. Maracas Mike
34. Cerveza Carlos
35. Desperado Dan
36. Tejano Ted
37. Mezcal Matt
38. Sombrero Sid
39. Vaquero Vic
40. Hacienda Harry
41. Sol Steve
42. Amigo Andy
43. Chaparral Charlie
44. Cinco Clint
45. Laredo Luke
46. Durango Doug
47. Tortilla Tom
48. Guacamole Gary
49. Pinata Pete
50. Sopapilla Simon

Pop Culture-Inspired Cowboy Nicknames

For those who like to blend the Wild West with a bit of modern flair, here are 50 cowboy nicknames inspired by pop culture.

These names are a fun mix of traditional cowboy culture and the movies, music, or TV shows we all know and love.

1. Woody Wannabe – Inspired by Woody from “Toy Story”
2. Django Drifter – A nod to “Django Unchained”
3. Star-Lord Spur – From the Marvel Universe’s Star-Lord
4. Skywalker Slinger – For fans of “Star Wars”
5. Stark Sheriff – Tony Stark from “Iron Man”
6. Westworld Wade – Inspired by the TV series “Westworld”
7. Red Dead Ralph – A nod to the “Red Dead Redemption” video game series
8. Yeehaw Yoda – “Star Wars” meets cowboy culture
9. Thrones Trotter – For “Game of Thrones” enthusiasts
10. Breaking Bridle – “Breaking Bad” with a cowboy twist
11. Gunslinger Gump – Inspired by “Forrest Gump”
12. Black Panther Buckaroo – Marvel’s Black Panther gets a western makeover
13. Cowboy Cap – Captain America goes western
14. El Mariachi Max – From the “El Mariachi” film series
15. Eastwood Earl – An ode to Clint Eastwood
16. Ringo Ranger – Inspired by the Beatles’ Ringo Starr
17. Walking West – A nod to “The Walking Dead”
18. Spur-tacus – Inspired by the TV series “Spartacus”
19. Mandalorian Marshal – For “The Mandalorian” fans
20. Potter on a Pony – Harry Potter joins the cowboy crew
21. Stranger Spur – Inspired by “Stranger Things”
22. Archer Outlaw – A nod to the TV show “Archer”
23. Indiana Jonesin’ – “Indiana Jones” gets cowboy-fied
24. Cowboy Kirk – Captain Kirk tries the cowboy lifestyle
25. Gambit Galloper – From the X-Men character Gambit
26. Cartman Cowboy – “South Park” meets the Wild West
27. Trekking Tim – “Star Trek” in the frontier
28. Hulk Hoedown – The Hulk joins the square dance
29. West Side Wrangler – Inspired by “West Side Story”
30. Grey’s Gallop – A nod to “Grey’s Anatomy”
31. Targaryen Trailblazer – “Game of Thrones” inspired
32. Peaky Blinders Buckaroo – From the British TV series
33. Rick and Morty Rider – Cartoon characters go cowboy
34. Deadpool Dude – Deadpool’s cowboy alter-ego
35. Matrix Marshal – Inspired by “The Matrix” series
36. Cowboy Cobain – Kurt Cobain as a cowboy
37. Galloping Gollum – From “The Lord of the Rings”
38. Iron Man in Boots – Tony Stark gets a cowboy update
39. Bridgerton Bronco – Inspired by the TV show “Bridgerton”
40. Marvel Mustang – A nod to the Marvel Universe
41. Time-Traveling Ted – Inspired by “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure”
42. Gangnam Galloper – A cowboy version of Psy
43. Sopranos Sheriff – A nod to the TV series “The Sopranos”
44. Hamilton Hoedown – Inspired by the musical “Hamilton”
45. Cowboy Khal Drogo – “Game of Thrones” meets the Wild West
46. Wrangler Who – Inspired by “Doctor Who”
47. Ozark Outlaw – A nod to the TV show “Ozark”
48. Breaking Badlands – “Breaking Bad” with a cowboy flair
49. Tarantino Trailblazer – Inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s films
50. Hobbiton Hoedown – For “The Lord of the Rings” fans

Final Word

I hope these expanded lists offer you a full range of cowboy nicknames for any situation.

Whether you’re looking for something funny, cute, unique, or region-specific, there’s a nickname for every cowboy in your life.

In late winter, it is time to start keeping your eyes on the ground when out in the wild (and even your own backyard), as deer will begin to shed their antlers after the rut season is over.

Whitetail deer, since they are most prominent, get the larger share of shed hunting attention, but elk antlers can be found as well, and actually earn quite a bit of money if sold to the right person.

Location, location, location

In different locations, the dates at which the deer will shed their antlers varies. Here in Ohio, whitetail deer begin to shed their antlers after December, and will continue to all the way into early May in some areas.

Where do you start looking? In essence, everywhere the bucks have been in the last month is a good start. If you hunted the area, did you place bait or scent lures out to attract them? What deer trails were extremely active? Where were their bedding areas when the cold winds of winter were whipping around? What ridge lines did the deer travel in search of food and to watch out for predators? Put yourself in the buck’s place.

Shed hunting technique

How do you spot them? It does take practice but soon you will be able to see them pretty easily.

Look for anything out of place in the woods; more often than not the bleach white of bones can stand out in a grassy or brushy area. The glint of a wet antler in the sunlight is a give away, and so is a white-colored antler shed on the dark forest floor.

Binoculars are an immense help. Take your time and scan every inch you can.

Canine help

Some deer shed hunters have employed man’s best friend to help them in their search for antlers. Some dogs pick this up quickly, but some do not. I have yet to use a dog, but many swear by them and if you already have a dog that brings home bones, you are ahead of the game.

Double up

Deer will drop their antlers next to each other, or miles apart. It’s hit or miss. Finding two from the same deer is akin to finding two needles in a haystack. Okay, maybe not that difficult, but you get the idea. It’s rare, but it can happen.

When you find one, make slow circles around that area to see if you can find the second matching one.

Reap the rewards

What do you do with them after you find them? You can sell them, use them in craft ideas or set them around the home for some rustic decoration. Another good use is a rattling antler set. Calling in bucks next season with the real thing is a great way to use a mimicked sound to increase your chances of hunting success.

Get out there now and start hunting for those deer shed antlers before some one else finds them or the mice and squirrels eat them for the calcium content. It is great exercise and great fun!

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The very mention of mule deer conjures up wild, western and romantic images of hunting some of the most untamed and unforgiving terrain this country has to offer. The hallowed grounds of Utah’s Henry Mountains, Colorado’s Gunnison Basin, Wyoming’s Grey and Salt River drainages, Idaho’s Bennett Hills, New Mexico’s Rio Chama, and of course, Arizona’s Kaibab Plateau and Strip regions have all produced some of the biggest bucks to ever walk the earth.

A wild and free atmosphere entails all; the summer months of a mule deer aren’t simply spent gorging on waist-tall grass in a high-mountain basin. Nor do the fall months find bucks rutting does in an endless sea of sage, cedars and bitterbrush. No, in this world of total freedom comes total responsibility; and as old as the sands of time, mule deer have always had to live with the fact that they are a species of prey. While there are many predators working against mule deer, their age-old enemies of the coyote, bobcat, mountain lion and wolf have mule deer on guard from the moment they’re born.

A Little History

In today’s age, one might think we have a handle on the predator-prey relationship of the mule deer and their many enemies. But nothing could be farther from the truth. In fact, after decades of biological studies across the West, the steps taken in predator management, quite frankly, have done anything but accelerate.

In the 70s and 80s, government trappers and wildlife biologists took their jobs very seriously. That is not to say today’s trappers and biologists don’t take their jobs with the same attitude…but the amount of red tape wasn’t as thick then, and it’s safe to say, the amount of common sense was more prevalent.

One of the Arizona Strip’s most famous government trappers was a man by the name of Edwin Ted Riggs. Ted first went to work as a government trapper in 1945 where he held a career for almost 32 years. Ted reports when he first began trapping northern Arizona, the predators were so bad it took him 5 years before he ever saw a deer. Ted took his job with the utmost of pride and seriousness and was, without question, an expert in predator control. To Ted, it wasn’t rocket science in what needed to be done to help the mule deer populations grow. Whenever we would slack off in controlling coyotes and lions, deer would get down to nothing, he said. But as soon as control was started, we would have large numbers within 5 years.

Fortunately, he worked in a time where 1080 poison was legal and it was used as needed. This allowed Ted to be extremely effective in his predator management of northern Arizona’s most notorious big buck country. Although 1080 was at his disposal, Ted never put poison out in the same areas every year. In fact, he only used it when the coyotes got ahead of his trapping efforts.

In a documented statement Ted made in 1993, he said: Since the government began to discourage trapping and began systematically cutting back on predator control, we have lost nearly all of our deer, and we’re losing our mountain sheep too. Up here [Virgin Mountains] where I used to see 12 or 14 sheep in a bunch, now you can hardly find a track. The last year I trapped, (the winter of 1988 and 89), the lions were so thick and so hungry they were eating nearly everything I caught. They even ate two of their own kind right out of my traps.

Arizona isn’t the only state to prove once predator control is put into place, mule deer rebound. From 2004 to 2012, Nevada recently conducted a study proving the same. In 2004, the Nevada Department Of Wildlife (NDOW), with the approval from the Nevada Board of Wildlife Commissioners, initiated Project 18 as part of NDOW’s Predation Management Plan. The goal of the project was simple, keep more deer on the mountain and increase hunting opportunities for Nevada sportsmen. Since NDOW does not do predator control, the USDA’s Wildlife Services Program in Nevada was asked to implement the project. One full-time wildlife specialist was hired to remove all coyotes and all mountain lions deemed a threat to mule deer within hunt unit 014 of Nevada. The results were astonishing.

Since the start of this management plan in 2004, an overwhelming 46 mountain lions and 1,158 coyotes have been removed from this one, extremely small hunting area. No western state has ever embarked on a mule deer protection project where one hunt unit was selected to remove all mountain lions and all coyotes over an 8-year period resulting in a 65 percent increase in mule deer and a 289 percent increase in hunters’ tags. Predator management works.

Time After Time

For decades, studies have been done all across the West and even into Canada to understand and scientifically prove that mule deer are the staple diet to many large predators. While coyotes are definitely one of mule deer’s major concerns, the mountain lion is, without question, a mule deer’s worse nightmare. But how much do muleys contribute to lion diets? The answer to that is geography. In 2010, a study was conducted in Southwestern Alberta, Canada to determine what the area’s lions were eating. Over the course of a winter, seven lions were darted, fixed with a GPS radio-collars, and set back into the wild. Throughout the summer and fall months of 2010, and on into September of 2011, a team of biologists faithfully, professionally, and accurately tracked the GPS clusters that were left by the lions involved in the study. What they came up with was hard evidence that the area’s mountain lions were indeed more focused on deer than any other prey species available to them. During this study, 159 kills were located. Of those, 72 percent were deer, 9 percent were moose, 4 percent were beaver, and 3 percent were elk. The remaining 12 percent was a mixture of bighorn sheep (2 percent), mountain goat (3 percent), porcupine (3 percent), geese (2 percent), and foxes and coyotes (2 percent).

Furthermore, the break-down for the deer kills was comprised of the following: 50 percent were adults, 19 percent were yearlings, and 31 percent were young-of-the-year. Broken down by sex, 52 percent were bucks and 48 percent were does. While this study does not single out mountain lions for the annual death toll on mule deer, it does shed light to the fact that deer are a staple diet for mountain lions.

Rest assured, Canada is not the only place on earth where mountain lions take their toll on mule deer. In a twist of unbelievable fate, in my own backyard of southern Utah, a mountain lion killed not one absolutely giant buck, but two. All within two years and within spitting distance of each other. The area where this occurred is a desolate stretch of country that very few visit on an annual basis. To make matters worse, this country rarely sees snow, making it very difficult to hunt the lions that call the place home. In addition, there is no leg-hold trapping allowed which all cumulates into a recipe for a predator-rich environment.

Contrary to popular belief, lions and coyotes do not single out the young, sick, or afflicted. Truthfully, they instead prey on older age-class, solitary bucks. The unfortunate truth is that it’s easier to sneak up on one set of eyes and ears than a whole herd. This results in the trophy bucks being more on the radar than anything else.

Not a Spectator’s Sport

Aerial gunning, trapping, and hunting are all tactics implemented toward predator control in the West. However, studies are proving that sometimes enough, just isn’t enough. For someone who spends nearly 200 days a year in the field, I can tell you that in my travels, there are excessive predator numbers in nearly all the places I visit. Anti-hunters are constantly pushing our legislators and county officials to lift predator management policies. The state of California is a perfect example. Did you know it’s illegal to even have a mounted lion (taxidermy) in your possession in California? And forget about hunting them. It’s no wonder California’s big game numbers are plummeting and their trophy hunting is nearly non-existent anymore.

Personally, I have long been a fan of predator hunting. There’s nothing as fun during the winter months than to go out and call in coyotes and bobcats. And while this can be effective and alleviate some pressure on wintering deer, this is not the only time of the year when we should be out putting the hurt on predators. In fact, the late spring and early summer months are more crucial to give the newborn fawns a fighting chance at life.

Thankfully, there are a few conservation organizations out here in the West that have predator management high on the radar. Sportsmen for Fish and Wildlife, Mule Deer Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and a variety of trapping organizations, all support the act of predator management. In fact, some hold annual predator contest encouraging others to get out there and do their part. These contests can be a lot of fun and definitely help in smashing some predators annually. It’s these organizations and these events that need our support. After all, the legacy dies with the last generation that gets involved.

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Requiring only a few parts, this simple and effective setup provides stable images for detailed views of the night sky.

“This is the best binocular mount I’ve ever used!” Those were the first words out of my mouth as I came indoors from testing my just-completed binocular rig.

It’s rare that I build something that actually works better than expected, but finally I’d come up with a binocular mount that provides steady views, is easy to use, very portable, and simple to build. It was a good night.

I’ve written many times about the virtues of mounted binoculars. Indeed, a good number of the objects I’ve observed over the years need steady views to be to be seen at all. I’ve used (and built) many binocular mounts, but most of them have been either expensive, bulky, or, to some extent, awkward to use. The mount shown here has none of those shortcomings and is ideally suited to observers like me who prefers to view the sky while seated or reclining in a deck chair.

The main components of my bino mount can be obtained at your local camera store, but if you’re a photographer, it’s likely you already own many of them. You’ll need a standard camera tripod with a pan/tilt head (the sturdier, the better), a ball head, and a monopod. I used an inexpensive monopod made by Slik and similar ones can be had for around $20. The ball head doesn’t need to be an expensive, heavy duty model unless your binoculars are particularly weighty. Mine is a Stroboframe FLM compact ball head, which typically retails in the $25 range. A nice feature of this unit is that a single knob locks all motions. You’ll also need a right-angle binocular-to-tripod adapter. Avoid the flimsy plastic ones that often come with budget binoculars.

The final component of my bino-mount assembly is the part you make: the bracket that mates the monopod to the tripod head. As ATM projects go, it doesn’t get much easier than this. Only a handful of hardware store parts are needed and none of the dimensions are especially critical.

Shown here are the various pieces of the tripod mounting bracket before assembly.

You’ll need to round up a 2½-inch by 5-inch length of ¾-inch plywood, a ¼-20 threaded insert (a T-nut will also work with a minor modification), a short length of flexible plastic tubing (automotive vacuum hose works well), and a U-bolt. The size of the U-bolt will depend on the diameter of the monopod section you’re going to clamp in the bracket. I recommend using the first segment that telescopes out of the monopod’s body, which measures ¾ inches with my Slik.

Begin construction by cutting a your length of plywood in half so that you have two 2½-inch square pieces — one will be used for the mounting block, the other will form a cradle for the monopod. In the center of one piece, drill a hole that corresponds to the diameter of the monopod section to be cradled. Next, cut that piece in half and set aside.

Turning to the second plywood part, mark the center and drill the hole to accommodate the threaded insert. Screw in the insert until it’s flush with the underside of the block. Next, drill two holes for the U-bolt. Make these a bit bigger than needed to avoid having the bolt’s threads bind on the wood block. You’ll also have to enlarge these holes on the underside so that the U-bolt nuts are recessed. You’ll also probably find that the threaded sections of the U-bolt will have to be shortened with a hacksaw so that they didn’t protrude beyond the surface of the plywood. Paul Oppenheim wrote in with a helpful tip, suggesting, “thread the nuts on first! After you’ve cut the legs, gently back the nuts off the legs, and you will have repaired any thread damage the hacksawing might have caused.”

Finally, slip a short length of tubing onto the U-bolt to prevent it from marring the finish of your monopod.

This view shows the underside of the bracket after assembly, but before painting. Note the recessed holes that accommodate the nuts for the U-bolt.

The remaining work basically consists of affixing (with wood screws and glue) the cradle halves to the mounting block, as shown in the photo above. Give the wood a waterproof finish to protect it from the elements, and let it dry. Now it’s time to assemble the mount. Begin by laying the monopod in the cradle so that the bottom of the thickest section abuts the top of the bracket. Next, slip on the U-bolt and tighten the nuts just enough that the monopod won’t rotate. Attach this to your tripod via the threaded insert, mount your binoculars, and you’re done . . . almost.

Here the mount is fully assembled before painting, just to make sure everything fits properly.

It’s likely the assembled mount will be considerably out of balance and that you’ll need to counter the weight of the binoculars. I made a counterweight from of a plastic peanut-butter jar filled with coins. I simply slide the foot of the monopod through a hole in the lid into a wooden disk in the bottom of the jar. The rubber foot of the monopod seats in a hole drilled part way through the wooden disk. A hose clamp attached to the monopod prevents the lid from sliding down. I filled the jar with all the loose change I had lying around (look under your sofa cushions if you’re a few ounces short), then screwed the jar onto the lid. The nifty thing about this counterweight is that you can adjust it by simply extending the monopod until the balance feels right.

The mount’s penny-ante counterweight (left) and (right) two important purchased items: a tripod ball head and right-angle binocular adapter.

After my original article describing this mount appeared in Sky&Telescope, Richard Frederick wrote to say that he’d found a way to make the mount without having to actually build anything. Instead of making a tripod-mounting bracket, he bought a Interfit tripod clamp. (Bogen also makes a similar unit.) So, if you’d rather spend $25 than the time it takes to make the part described above, you actually can put together my mount with off-the-shelf-parts.

To use the bino mount, leave the tripod head lightly clamped — once you’ve adjusted the counterweight, the binoculars won’t move on their own. Loosen the ball head and aim the binoculars freehand — as if they weren’t mounted at all. Once you’ve swept up your target, lock the ball head, and enjoy the view — the binoculars will seem to float in front of your eyes. And because the motions of the mount have so many degrees of freedom, you’ll find that you can comfortably view a huge swath of sky from one position. Indeed, on most nights, I never move my lounge chair at all. By adjusting my recliner, I can scan from the horizon to the zenith and a generous amount east and west. This really is the best mount I’ve used.

Soon after completing this project, I built a second mount that dispenses with the monopod and allows me to mount two binoculars simultaneously, one at either end of a length of aluminum tubing This way I can readily compare views in my 10×50s and 15×70s, for example. With this configuration, one binocular serves as the counterweight for the other. This two-headed contraption consists of a 48-inch-long piece of 1¼-diameter aluminum tubing in place of a monopod. Into either end of the tubing, I glued a short length of 1¹̷₈ -inch-diameter hardwood doweling with a ¼-20 anchor bolt screwed into it to serve as mounting stud for the ball head. In use this bino mount works the same way as the original monopod version.

With either binocular mount you’ll have the means to get steady views of the night sky, without the expense of a commercial unit or resorting to image-stabilized binoculars. Once you’ve tried using your binos this way, you may never use them unmounted again.

Did you find this article interesting or helpful? If so, consider using this link the next time you shop at Amazon.com. Better yet, bookmark it for future use. Thanks to Amazon’s associates program, doing so costs you nothing yet helps keep this site up and running. Thanks!

(This article is an updated and expanded version of one that appeared in the August 2010 issue of Sky&Telescope)

Venison brisket can be one of the toughest cuts on the deer. Learn how to prepare it so that it comes out tender and juicy every time!

Smoking, like many other cooking technique, gets a bad rap. It is really a very forgiving way to cook. People tend to overcomplicate the process though. Keep reading and we’ll simplify it a bit.

You will just need some planning ahead of time to make sure it comes out perfect.

What is brisket?

The brisket of the deer is found on the chest (breast), above the front legs. It is a thinner cut of meat and has more connective tissue due to the fact that this muscle works harder than other muscles in the animal.

Most of the time it ends up in the grind pile for a lot of people. We have been saving them for years. When they are slow cooked. They are absolutely delicious. Tender and very flavorful.

Smoking low and slow is a perfect way to tenderize this meat. There is very little hands on time because the smoker does all of the work. The only thing you have to possess is patience. Don’t try to rush the process.

Beef or pork have fatty briskets and are a lot larger, so they take eons to smoke. Deer briskets will smoke in a fraction of that time. Because the deer is so lean, it doesn’t require the Texas crutch that beef requires, so it’s much easier.

Trimming the venison brisket

The first key step is to trim the brisket of all silver skin and any large pockets of fat that you can see.

Season the brisket

Next make a delicious rub so that the brisket will take on a great flavor and texture. Make sure you cover it with enough rub.

Ingredients you need

• brown sugar – dark brown or light brown sugar will both work
• granulated garlic – you can substitute garlic powder but granulated has a better flavor.
• onion powder –
• cumin
• coriander
• cayenne pepper – or chili powder, chipotle powder is good too.
• Dutch cocoa powder – optional but this adds a fun mole negro type flavor.Pin
• venison brisket

How to make it

In a small bowl, mix ingredients for the rub. Generously season roast with kosher salt or sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Then season it generously with the rub.

If the rub doesn’t seem to be sticking well, drizzle a bit of olive oil on top and then rub it into the meat with your hands.

Cut a large piece of plastic wrap and tightly wrap roast. Place it on a rimmed baking sheet and put it in the refrigerator for 8-24 hours to marinate.

The next day, remove it from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Set up and start your smoker heating to 225°F. Don’t go over this or it will cook too quickly. You could go down to 200°F but realize that it will take a bit longer.

Place the piece of meat on a rack in your smoker. spritz with a mixture of 1 part apple cider vinegar and 2 parts of olive oil or the oil of your choice in a clean, food safe spritzer. Close the lid or door and leave it but be careful tending the heat so it doesn’t get too hot.

Pro tip: We often cook a beef brisket at the same time. If you do this, place the venison under the beef so that the fat from the beef drips on it.

Spray the meat a couple times with the vinegar and oil mixture. If your smoker is equipped with temperature probe, insert it into the thickest part of the meat.

Smoke the brisket for 2-4 hours, depending on the size. This brisket was 2¼ pounds and took about 3 hours. The time will vary according to several factors. How many times you open the door and lose heat, how accurate the thermometer is, how much the meat weighs and the particular cut you use.

Check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer. Stick a fork into the meat. Turn it a bit. The meat should be fork tender.

Different deer populations taste and cook differently, depending on diet, predators, and terrain. See our ultimate guide to cooking deer for more information.

What type of smoker to use

You can use a wood pellet grill or smoker, an electric smoker or a charcoal smoker to make this deer brisket.

How to warm leftovers

If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator.

• Place slices or a whole chunk in a deep baking pan. Pour venison broth or chicken stock (beef is too overpowering for the mild venison flavor) in the bottom of the pan.
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake at 325°F about 20 minutes for slices. About 40 hour for larger chunks.

You can also warm it in the slow cooker on low for a couple of hours with some stock, BBQ sauce or other liquid.

What to serve with deer brisket

• mashed potatoes
• French fries
• coleslaw
• cornbread
• fresh veggies, like corn on the cob
• BBQ sauce

What to do with leftovers

Leftovers will last for about 4 days refrigerated. For longer storage, vacuum pack and store in freezer for about 6 months.

Venison brisket makes some great dishes with the leftovers.

• Great tacos, quesadillas and the best fajitas
• Great appetizers. Try a toasted crostini topped with cheddar cheese, brisket and grilled onions, like the ones we did in the photo below.
• Make classic mac & cheese with brisket.
• Warm some sliced brisket and make sandwiches or subs with cheese, grilled onions and BBQ sauce.
• Frittatas

More smoking recipes

• Smoked Beef Brisket
• Chipotle Peppers
• Smoked Spare Ribs
• Steelhead Trout
• Smoked Pulled Pork – Finish with Slow Cooker

Tools to use

• smoker
• meat thermometer
• chef’s knife

This venison brisket is a delicious addition to your venison recipe book. Next year don’t grind it. You’ll be happy you didn’t!

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If you have any questions or comments, please ask in the comment section below. We’d love to hear from you!

I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!

Enjoy. And have fun cooking!

The world of air pistols is as diverse as any other precision sport out there. And there are many factors that need to be considered when selecting your first air pistol. Rather than simply picking out any old air pistol or the most expensive one on the market.

In this article, you will learn all about the best air pistols, Co2 pistols, and other pellet pistols that are currently on the market. Not only that, but you’ll learn about the differences between them. So you can find exactly what you are looking for when entering the world of air pistols.

The following reviews will cover the best air pistols that are currently available. With an easy-to-read format and a breakdown of pros and cons. With this knowledge, you’ll be well on your way to choosing the perfect air pistol for your needs.

So, let’s get going with a quick comparison table of the models covered in this review.

Best Air Pistols Comparison Table

Top 9 Best Air Pistols To Buy In 2024 Reviews

1.Crosman Benjamin Marauder .22

Founded in 1924, Crosman Corporation manufactures and supplies all types of shooting products for sports such as archery, as well as, CO2 guns, airsoft guns, and pellet guns.

Product Description

The Crosman Benjamin Marauder is a pre-charged air pistol that shoots.22 caliber pellets. At full charge, the pellets reach speeds up to 700 fps (feet per second). It is made from synthetic plastic, keeping it light. The barrel is rifled and is made from steel with a matte coating to keep it from scratching.

The magazine holds up to 8 pellets and sits in a rotary-style magazine on top of the pistol. To reload, you use the bolt action on the back (like that of a sniper rifle), and it will reload a new pellet into the barrel.

Safety first…

For safety, the Crosman Benjamin Marauder has cross-bolt safety, which is very important for all shooting sports.

There are no iron sights included with the product, but there are rails on the top of the pistols for you attach any preferred optic, whether it be a red dot or a scope. However, you would have to use air pistol mounts to attach a scope as they are smaller than standard Picatinny rails.

Product Specification

For its size, it looks like it would be quite heavy, but in fact, it is surprisingly light weighing only 2.70 pounds unloaded. The weight reduction is mostly due to the synthetic material used, which allows the air pistol to be both lightweight and also durable.

For some, trigger pull can a big issue, so you’ll be pleased to know that the trigger on the Crosman Benjamin Marauder is very light at only 1.7 pounds.

2.Daisy Powerline 415 Pistol Air Gun Kit

Next up, we have a CO2 (Carbon dioxide) powered air pistol. This operates by compression, which comes from a cylinder that is inserted at the bottom of the grip and screwed in place.

Product Description

The Powerline 415 has a familiar-looking shape and build. The grip is comfortable, and firing accurately will take little practice, as will getting used to the functions of the pistol.

To insert the CO2 capsule, you remove the lower half of the pistol grip. Inserting the capsule is very easy, and screwing it in doesn’t take much effort either. The pressure from the Co2 is capable of firing the BBs at 500 fps and claims to reach a max distance of 240 yards.

An unusual design…

However, the magazine isn’t where you normally find it in the pistol grip but is on the top slide of the pistol. Reloading is, therefore, a little slow as you can only insert a single bullet at a time. The slide holds 21 round bullets.

There are iron sights that are built into the slide. These are plain black, so they might be hard to see if you are shooting in low-light situations.

As in the name, this is a kit, so you will get more than just a pistol. You will also get some .177 caliber or 4.5mm BBs, a pair of eye protection glasses, three Co2 capsules, and some oil to keep the O-rings from drying out.

Product Specification

Built mostly from polymer, the pistol is light and durable enough to handle the pressure of the CO2. However, using the pistol in rough situations will probably reduce its longevity. The only metal on the pistol is the trigger and the magazine spring.

The barrel measures around 8 inches and is a smoothbore, which means there is no rifling and no hop-up to create backspin on the BBs. Backspin is important for range and accuracy, but it seems to be lacking on the Powerline 415.

Measuring 8.6 inches, the pistol fits comfortably in your palm, and it feels like you’re firing a regular pistol. However, the biggest difference is in weight. The Powerline is made mostly out of plastic, so weighs only 0.98 pounds, which is very light.

3.Beeman P3 Air Pistol

The Beeman P3 is a pump-action air pistol. This means that you have to pump the air into the compression tube before you can fire a shot. It does not have a reservoir like others that use a tank or a capsule to propel the pellet.

Product Description

As mentioned, the P3 needs to be pre-charged before firing. To pump the air, you will have to unlatch the “hammer” on the rear of the slide. In this case, the slide is not functional and is used as a lever instead. Once unlatched, the top half of the slide will open up, revealing the piston and the air tube. By lifting the lever forward and pushing it back into place, you pump the air into the compression tank.

The P3 doesn’t use a magazine to hold the pellets, so every time you pump the pistol, you have to insert the pellet into the barrel before snapping it shut.

Great for low light conditions…

Not only does the slide act as the air pump, but it also supports the iron sights. On the P3, you have the luxury of bright hi-vis fiber optic iron sights. The front sight is a single red dot, whereas the back is two yellow dots. High visibility iron-rights are good for shooting in low-light or dark backgrounds. They also aid in lining up the pistol to a target as your eye catches the sight a lot faster.

One thing worth mentioning is that the P3 has an automatic safety feature. This safety will lock the trigger as soon as you pump the pistol, which should avoid any injuries.

The barrel on the P3 is rifled, so you should get accurate shots. Other than that, the pistol is pretty simple. The grip allows you to comfortably hold the pistol, and the trigger is light and easy to pull. If you wish, you could also adjust the trigger pull, but the factory settings are already very good.

Product Specification

Made mostly from plastic, the P3 is very lightweight and easy to hold for long periods. However, all the moving parts, i.e., the piston, compression tube, trigger, and hammer latch, are made of metal to ensure longevity.

With a single pump, the pistol will fire a 0.177 caliber pellet at a max speed of 410 Fps. As there is no blowback from the slide, the shots are nearly silent when the trigger is pulled.

The P3 uses a charging system, so most of the effort goes into pushing the lever back into the locked position. It takes around 22 pounds of force to push the lever back so you will tire after shooting multiple shots.

4.Umarex TDP 45

Umarex is a popular German outdoor brand that supplies air pistols and recreation shooting products.

Product Description

The TDP 45 is a C02-powered semi-automatic air pistol. Like most C02-powered air pistols, the capsule is inserted in the pistol grip. For the TDP 45, there is a flip-up lever on the backstrap of the grip. Once opened, the Co2 can be placed in the slot and screwed in place.

The magazine holds 19 steel 0.177 or 4.5mm BBs and is shaped more like a stick mag than the regular full mags. To release the magazine, there is a magazine release located on the right thumb rest. Underneath the slide, there is also some rail space for accessories like red dot sight mounts or flashlights and lasers.

Dead on target…

The CO2-powered air pistol has no blowback and no functioning slide, but that is to be expected. On top of the slide, there are reflective iron sights. The white dots on both the front and rear sights aid in acquiring the sights and lining them up with the target.

Other than that, the trigger is standard and has a smooth and light pull. The safety is not located on the left side as standard pistols, so you’ll have to use your right index finger to access it rather than your thumb.

Product Specification

The TDP 45 is made mostly of a polymer. Not only does this reduce the cost but also keeps the pistol light, weighing only 0.80 pounds. All the moving parts of the TDP 45 are made of metal, such as the trigger, barrel, CO2 screw, nozzle, and magazine.

The barrel on the TDP 45 is a smoothbore allowing it to guide the BBs with as much accuracy as possible. However, most BB guns have a hop-up for backspin, but there is none on the TDP 45.

The C02 capsules that come with the pistol are 12 grams, and it is not recommended to use higher power capsules as they may damage the pistol. The 12-gram capsules propel the BBs at a maximum velocity of 410 fps measured with 4.5mm bbs.

5.Gamo 611138054 P-25 Blowback CO2

Gamo is a Spanish brand that manufactures in Japan and is well-known for its quality products. With over 60 years of experience in manufacturing, they provide excellence in their bullets, rifles, and BB guns. Over the years, they have had significant growth and now supply and distribute in more than 90 countries.

Product Description

The Gamo P-25 is a C02-powered air pistol with a blowback feature as well as a single and double action trigger. By cocking the slide, you set the hammer into position, but the pellet isn’t loaded into the barrel. This happens when you pull the trigger, about halfway, and then the pellet is loaded into the rifled barrel.

With the final stroke, you release the gas and send the pellet to its target. The slide will then cock the hammer again and can keep firing.

Easy capsule install…

The P-25 has its CO2 capsule hidden in the pistol grip. To load the capsule, you’ll have to pull half of the grip off. This is a well-designed pistol and separates so cleanly that it is hard to tell where the two pieces meet. Once removed, you can insert the capsule into the slot. Before putting the pistol grip together, you screw the CO2 capsule in from the bottom and then put the grip back together.

The magazine is a double-sided, rotary magazine that holds eight pellets per side. Once one side is empty, you hit the magazine release and flip the magazine around, and the other eight pellets are ready to go. The magazine is well constructed and is made from alloy material and will stand the pressure of the CO2.

The safety can be found on the right side of the frame and is easy enough to access single-handedly but isn’t so easy that you can accidentally flip the safety into firing mode. On the top, you have reflective fixed iron sights that are easy to use to acquire targets.

Product Specification

The P-25 has a working slide made of metal, which gives it a very realistic feeling. The frame is made of plastic but also has metal moving parts. It weighs around 2 pounds.

The P-25 is said to be able to shoot 0.177 pellets as well as 4.5 BBs, but with the rifling, it is better to use pellets instead of round BBs. As usual, the CO2 is 12 grams and will propel the ammunition of choice at max speeds of 410 fps in warmer climates.

For one CO2 capsule, you will get around three full magazines used before having to change it. It is possible to get four magazines to use, but you will have to wait for the CO2 capsule to warm up a bit before shooting.

6.Umarex Legends M712 Blowback Automatic

Umarex Legends line features some of the finest craftsmanship of any replica. The Umarex Legends M712 is a replica of the C96 Mouser and looks and feels exactly like the ones used and made popular during WW1.

Product Description

The M712 is a blowback semi and automatic C02 air pistol that stores its CO2 capsule in the magazine along with 18 single-stacked BBs. To insert the capsule, you first press the magazine release that is on the right side of the frame. Once the magazine is removed, you unscrew the lid. Once open, you just pop the CO2 capsule in and screw the lid back on to puncture the CO2.

Most of the controls are on the left side, such as the safety and the selector switch. The selector switch is the lever on the left side, which you access with your right thumb. There are two modes; single fire and rapid fire. To switch modes, you’ll have to press the button and then slide it up or down to select your firing option.

The safety is on the back next to the hammer and is pulled in the same way as the hammer to lock the trigger.

Take aim…

The trigger is smooth and doesn’t have a long trigger pull. On the top, there is no slide but, instead, a working bolt. This is where you’ll find the aiming post, which looks like that of an AK rifle, and a reflective dot on the front iron sight. The rear sight can be adjusted for elevation and range but not for windage. This isn’t a big deal, though, as it is a pistol, so most shots will be fired at close range.

The grip is one of the most iconic features of the pistol and is easily recognizable. The broomstick pistol grip swells out like a light bulb and fits comfortably in the hand. This, however, puts most of the weight on top of the hand, and compared to modern-day pistols, this is considered as a bad design. However, in its time, it was a masterpiece.

Product Specification

The pistol is a replica, so it is almost identical to its real firearm counterpart. The M712 is made entirely out of metal, and the only plastic part is the imitation wood on the pistol grip. This does make it fairly heavy, but that’s understandable, as its goal is to be as close to the real C96 as possible.

The barrel is a 6-inch smoothbore barrel and will fire all 4.5-gram bbs. The maximum fps with the 12-gram CO2 capsule is around 390 to 410 fps depending on temperature and BB weight. This pistol will, however, consume a lot of CO2 as the blowback needs to be powerful enough to cock the hammer back.

7.Crosman Vigilante CO2 Caliber .177 Pellet & BB Revolver

Next up, we have another great Crosman product, the Vigilante. This air pistol is very versatile and can be used with both pellets and BBs. You might notice that it looks fairly similar to the Colt Python 357, that’s because the Vigilante is a replica of that exact model.

Product Description

The Crosman Vigilante is a CO2-powered 10-round/pellet single and double-action revolver. Starting with the magazine, the rotary magazine fits ten rounds or pellets, but it does not pop out.

To load the magazine, there is a pressure point on the top that you push down to unlock the barrel assembly. Once that is unlocked, the barrel will flip down, revealing the circular magazine. From there, you simply take it out and load it then reverse the steps.

The CO2 capsule is placed inside the pistol grip and is fairly simple to install. All you have to do is remove the plastic caps that make up the pistol grip, and you’ll find the metal housing for the CO2. A simple install and screw twist will puncture the capsule, and you’ll be ready to go.

Never forget about safety…

The safety on the Vigilante is a cross-bolt style safety. This means it is a simple bar that crosses the bolt preventing the hammer from contacting the gas valve. On the top, you have blacked-out fixed iron sights, but they perform well under daylight firing. There is also a rail space for all duck tail attachments like red dots or optics.

The 6-inch inner barrel is metal and rifled for improved accuracy, but it does protrude the outer barrel. This is good for both accuracy and max fps, but many shooters will not like the look.

Product Specification

The Vigilante is part metal and part plastic and has a fair bit of weight to it. The pistol weighs around 1.70 pounds (without pellets). The metal parts are where they matter most like the frame, trigger, CO2 screw, barrel lock, safety, and hammer. The plastic parts are the outer barrel, the magazine, and the pistol grip.

For the best performance, Crosman recommends using 0.177 lead pellets or 4.5mm BBs. The CO2 capsule is 12 grams and will result in 435 maximum fps. There is no blowback on this pistol, so it will lack realism, but it will save on CO2 consumption as well as improve on accuracy.

8.Colt Defender

The Colt Defender is another Umarex product. However, this model is unlike any other in this top air pistol review.

Product Description

The Colt Defender is a replica of the actual Colt Defender 45 auto and is a single-piece pistol. This means that there are no removable parts, and everything is built into the pistol. It is a Co2 powered, and it is installed in the pistol grip. To install the CO2, you push the button where the magazine release would be. Instead, it opens the pistol grip caps and exposes the Co2 slot, where there is a screw at the bottom to puncture the capsule.

On the opposite side of the CO2 capsule, is the BB slot. To load the built-in magazine, you simply slide the spring down and feed the BBs into the slot. The magazine fits 18 rounds and shoots in single fire or semi-auto.

Lots of realistic details…

There are nice markings on the slide and some authentic warnings and serial numbers. On the top, you have fixed iron sights with a white reflective dot on the front sight and blacked-out iron sights on the rear. However, the slide will not move as the Colt Defender is non-blowback.

Underneath the barrel, there is a handy rail for your accessories. The pistol looks identical to the Colt Defender 45 auto, but there are no actual moving parts. The hammer, thumb safety, and slide catch are all part of the frame and don’t actually move.

There is working safety on the right side of the frame, and it is easy to operate single-handedly. To put the pistol into firing mode, you simply press the button and slide it back to the fire and push again and slide forward to put it in safe mode.

Product Specification

Made in Taiwan, the Colt Defender is made mostly of metal, apart from the plastic pistol grip. There is a 4-inch barrel installed and a double-action-only trigger. The pistol weighs around 1.70 pounds and shoots 4.5mm BBs and max speeds of 440 fps with 12-gram CO2 capsules.

9. Crosman American Classic Pump Pellet Pistol

And now, it’s time for yet another Crosman product. Most of the best air pistols in this review have been pre-charged or CO2, but this pistol uses a pumping action to compress the air.

Product Description

The Crosman American Classic is a single-shot, bolt action pistol with a pneumatic pump. This means that there is no magazine or compartment for you to store air. Much like the Beeman P3, it is slow to reload but has good fps.

The pistol can be pumped up to 10 times to get maximum fps and has enough power for close-range, small-game hunting. On the top, you have an adjustable rear sight for windage and elevation, and on the front, you have a fixed post. Both sights, however, are blacked out but still do a decent job.

The Crosman American Classic features a cross-bolt safety that will unlock the trigger whenever you wish to fire. The trigger has a fairly short and light trigger pull, but that is due to the high fps.

Product Specification

Made in the USA, the pistol is made of metal with only the pistol grip and handguard being made of plastic. However, if you get the buttstock accessory, that will also be made of plastic. You can pump the pistol up to ten times to get a maximum fps of 460 with .22 caliber pellets.

The inner barrel is also made of metal and measures around 8-inches with rifling making it fairly decent for accuracy and range. The pumping action is quite heavy and uses around 22 pounds of force to get the maximum fps, but you can pump the pistol as little as three times for target shooting and backyard plinking.

Best Air Pistols Buyers Guide

There are a few important considerations when it comes to choosing an air pistol. In this buyer’s guide, you will learn about them and why they are important.

First is the propellant, there are three popular types used in most of the best air pistols currently available. CO2 is one of the most popular because it is simple to install, and CO2 capsules are relatively cheap.

Next is the pre-charged air type. This type of propellant requires an external tank filled will compressed air. This can be pricy, but the temperature doesn’t affect the PCA types as much as it does the CO2-powered pistols.

The final less popular option are the pump-action pistols. These don’t require any external propellant, and you get higher fps. However, you will only get to shoot one shot at a time, and it takes longer to prepare for the next round.

The second factor to be considered is the type of ammunition. First, we have pellets, which are good for hunting and have higher accuracy as they benefit from a rifled barrel. The second are BBs, which are good for plinking and target practice as you get more realism.

Best Air Pistols Accessory Guide

Most pistols that come out of the box are fairly decent, but there are still a few things that you can add to your pistol to improve your shooting experience.

The first option is an optic or a scope, depending on your configuration. This will help you improve your accuracy. Secondly, you’ll want to modify your trigger to get a smooth and light trigger pull. This also improves accuracy. Thirdly, you might want to get some illumination, maybe a flashlight or a laser, to help you shoot in different situations.

Another great accessory would be a holster for your pistol or a strap if you have a buttstock configured on to your pistol. This helps in carrying the pistol around more comfortably.

If possible, try to buy some extra magazines so you can shoot without having to stop and reload. More magazines mean more fun!

So, What Are The Best Air Pistols?

There are many reasons to buy an air pistol, perhaps you enjoy small game hunting or have a pest problem. Or maybe you are someone that enjoys realism and likes to practice drills. Or maybe you just like to enjoy the afternoon shooting at cans and bottles. Whatever the reason, there is an air pistol that is excellent for each purpose.

The first up is for the hunting category. For this, the obvious winner is the…

Crosman Benjamin Marauder

This air pistol has the power and accuracy to take down small games. And it can be easily modified for stability and to add a scope. It is true that the Crosman American classic can indeed do the same, but it doesn’t have the magazine capacity and follow up shot speed that the Marauder has.

Next up is for how accurate the air pistol is in terms of realism and replication. This one is pretty tough, as many of the pistols that are replicas are pretty accurate. However the Umarex Legend M712 wins in this category. The realism is unmistakable, and the controls and pistol manipulation are mirrored to that of the C96 Mouser.

You should now know more than enough to make a great decision about which is the perfect air pistol for your needs. So stay safe and happy shooting with whichever one you choose!

Updated: 9.21.23: Added Tyrant Designs and HIVIZ to list.

The Glock 19 is one of the most popular concealed carry weapons for a reason. It’s affordable, comfortable to lug around, and it packs a powerful 15+1 capacity punch.

But when you’re trusting your life with a handgun, you don’t want it to simply be close to perfection – you want it to be flawless. For a number of Glock 19 owners, this flawless design was interrupted by Glock’s OEM sights.

It’s not that the factory sights were inherently bad…they just didn’t go above and beyond to improve accuracy, precision, and target acquisition.

The good news about owning a Glock 19 (or any Glock, really) is that you’ve got unlimited access to aftermarket parts that can improve your performance. And if you’re going suppressed, you’ll want some suppressor-height sights.

And for a gun like the G19, which was designed for concealed carry, you want sights that do a better job of attracting your attention than the OEM sights.

Today, we’re looking at some sights that will turn your compact pistol into a concealed carry masterpiece.

THE QUICK LIST

Why You Should Trust Us

We here at Pew Pew Tactical believe in bringing you the best information based on testing we’ve done. Every model we recommend is based on hours of research, range testing, and concealed carry with the sights equipped on our various Glocks.

We spend hands-on time with every model to make sure that it can withstand the rigors of range days, home defense, and concealed carry.

Best Glock 19 Sights

1. Trijicon HD XR Night Sight Set

Trijicon’s HD XR Night Sight set aims to maximize durability and target acquisition through its illuminated design, which is set up to immediately draw your eye to the front post.

Unlike some of the other night-sight sets out there, the HD XR is heavy-duty and able to withstand repetitive drawing without wearing down. Also, sturdy aluminum cylinders built into the sight help protect the tritium-phosphor lamps from any damage that could happen while operating your gun.

Another great feature about the HD XR, which sets it apart from some of Trijicon’s other iron sights, is the narrow front post, which is .022 inches thinner than other sights. While this doesn’t seem like a major change, it does help with making target acquisition faster by improving the shooter’s field of view.

In terms of functionality, the HD XR does everything that iron sights are supposed to do and then some.

Zeroing in on your target is as simple as lighting up the front dot between the two rear dots, which is made easier thanks to the brightly colored lamps built into the sight.

This attention-grabbing design makes it less likely for you to overlook the sights in a high-stress situation where your adrenaline’s pumping and you don’t have time to think before you react.

What do you think of the Trijicon? Rate them below!

2. DXT2 Big Dot

If you want to break away from the standard 3-dot sight picture, the DXT2 Big Dot is a great option.

As the name makes it sound — you use a big dot and set it on top of a vertical line, basically aiming using a lowercase “i.”

For some, this can be much faster and more intuitive than trying to align 3-dots and check for spacing on either side.

Combined with the fact that these are Tritium night sights and are always visible, the DXT2 has some major pluses going for it.

And you get to pick from Orange or Yellow!

3. TRUGLO Tritium Sights

One of the most cost-effective options is the TRUGLO Tritium Sights.

Simple and to the point with inner tritium and nice visible white outlines.

If you’re looking for a no-muss, no-fuss wallet-friendly option, this is what you want.

4. XS RAM Night Sight

Big, Tritium Night Sights, 3-dot system — the XS RAM Night Sights are simple but very effective. There isn’t much to say about these since they are fairly straightforward, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t awesome.

These are some of our favorites.

One of the best-hidden features is what they call their Ember Glow Dot Technology. This is a cool set of words to mean that the front sight glows brighter than the rear.

A brighter front sight really helps draw your eye to it and keeps you focused on where you should be, and assists in accurate, fast shots while in less-than-ideal lighting conditions.

Add in a 10-year warranty and rock-solid construction, and the XS RAM speaks for itself.

5. Night Fision

Got a suppressor, RMR, or want a super easy-to-see orange front sight? Check out the to the Night Fision.

They claim to have the brightest tritium available and have been making compasses for the military for years using the same material.

I got my hands on one in suppressor height that is super easy to acquire in the daytime and lights up bright in the dark.

Also co-witnesses with my Trijicon RMR, so I’m a happy camper.

6. Tyrant Designs Glock Compatible Sights

While not tritium-based, these 7075 Aluminum are tough and offer high contrast for sight acquisition.

You’ll notice the serrations and matte finish are intentional, designed to eliminate glare.

The angles have been laid out in a manner intended to draw the eye forward.

Overall, these work as intended and also offer a nice little aesthetic touch.

Honorable Mentions

• AmeriGlo Fiber Optic Sight: The most cost-efficient way to venture into fiber optics…note only the front is fiber optic but still great on a budget.

• TruGlo TFX: Tritium AND fiber optic for the best of both worlds.

• HIVIZ Litewave H3: This one uses a combo of Tritium and the company’s “Litepipe technology” for bright, illuminated sights.

Does Color Really Matter?

Bright, illuminated sights are better than your standard iron sights for the following reasons:

• They do a better job of attracting your eyes to the front sight, which is easy for the untrained shooter to forget to do in a high-adrenaline situation.
• These make it easier to see the target in a low-light setting.
• Colors help prevent your sights from becoming hardily visible in low light.

But does it matter which color you choose?

Some people claim that bright green is proven to attract your eye quicker than any other color.

But in my experience, it’s the brightness that draws my eye to the front sight – not the color. For me, it doesn’t matter what color my sights are as long as they’re bright enough to capture my attention when I’m aiming.

With that said, some people who use Trijicon sights like to have contrasting colors for their rear and front sights. Their rear sights might illuminate orange, whereas their front sight has a bright green dot.

The idea behind this is that the contrasting colors make it more likely for the shooter to focus on the front dot in the middle since it’s a different color than the rest. Whether that works or not depends on the person.

Installation

Glock sights come on and off pretty easily…check out How to Install Glock Sights Without a Sight Tool.

But for those that still want a tool (if you have other handguns besides Glock), take a look at our round-up of the Best Sight Pusher Tools.

Final Thoughts

Night sights can make a world of difference for Glock users who want to ditch OEM sights for something better.

Whether you want sights to see over your suppressor or just want to add some color to make aiming easier, these recommendations will help you get on target.

What night sights do you run? Let us know in the comments below! Need more parts for your Glock? Check out the Best Glock Upgrades for more inspiration.