Which one is better: MOA or MRAD?

The short answer: it’s your preference. If you use the metric system (meters/centimeters) then go for MRAD. But if you measure in the empirical system (yards/inches) then MOA may be easier.

If you want a more thorough answer along with an explanation of MOA vs MRAD, then keep on reading!

MOA vs MRAD: Why do we care?

Suppose you’re headed out on a hunting trip with your buddies.

You did your research, you read the best rifle scope guide, and you’re ready to go. But then your buddy starts talking in meters and your MOA turrets are adjusting in yards.

His numbers don’t match your turrets, your turrets don’t match your reticle, and now your target has bounded off to another state.

The problem: he was using MRAD while you were using MOA.

MOA and MRAD are basically two different systems of measurement.

When sighting rifle scopes, the reticle and turrets are used together to reach the most accurate shot possible. The turrets change the position of your reticle while your reticle provides an aiming point.

Your turret clicks and the hashes on your reticle can use one of two different systems of scope alignment: MOA or MRAD.

You can have the best long range scope on the market, but if you don’t sight it in using either system, it’s useless.

If you’re looking for help choosing between rifle scopes, here’s the only guide you’ll need to read.

What’s an MOA Scope?

M.O.A. stands for Minutes of Angle; a system based on degrees and minutes. This type of angle measurement is used to calculate the distance to a target and MOA turrets correction for the bullet trajectory.

Basically the math breaks down to this: there are 360 degrees in a circle, and 60 minutes in a degree for a total of 21,600 degrees.

You can find your MOA measurement by multiplying the distance in yards by 1.047, then dividing by 100. You can thank the Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians later.

At 200 yards, one MOA equals 2.094 inches. Out to 1,000 yards, 1 MOA equals 10.47 inches, and so on.

For those of us who aren’t Einstein, the easiest way I’ve found is to use a quick-reference conversion chart. That way you don’t miss your prize buck while scribbling away on math problems.

MOA scopes aren’t a perfect system though.

Often calculations are made with 1 MOA at 100 yards (91.4 meters), but you need to count on 100 yards with 1.05 MOA. Up to 100 yards there will be no problem with 1 to 100 comparison, but when shooting over longer distances you’ll be 5% off base and this could mean missing a shot.

This isn’t a problem if you’re only shooting at medium ranges. Read my 4×32 scope guide for more details.

I use an MOA reticle scope on my AR-15 A2 after I removed the front sights for added cool guy points. I’ll show you how to remove the AR-15 A2 sights here.

What’s an MRAD Rifle Scope?

MRAD stands for milliradians (or MIL for short), and was originally developed for artillery in the late 1800s. It’s still the preferred method for military and police force operations to this day, where you’ll commonly here it referred to as a MIL-dot reticle.

Based on a radial line, a unit of angular measurement that is equal to roughly 57.3 degrees, a milliradian is one thousandth of a radian.

This system does not come out to make a perfect circle like the MOA system. Instead, milliradians divide the circumference of a circle into 6.28 equal sections measuring 57.3 degrees each in an MRAD scope.

Thus, every circle has a circle circumference that is 6.28 radians long. Then each radian is going to be divided into 1,000 parts more, which is called Milliradians.

When calculating MRAD in a MIL-based scope, you will be calling it MIL, which is 3.6 inches at 100 yards (91.4m using the metric system) equal to 1 MIL.

I tried an MRAD scope on my M1A that happens to have the best M1A scope mount ever.

MOA vs MRAD: Which is better?

The short answer: neither. The argument is as old as time, but it’s really just the shooter’s preference of rifle scope.

The fight between MOA vs MRAD boils down to a difference in how we format degrees of angular measure. It’s fancy math terminology that basically asks if you use yards or meters.

Technically, the 1/4 MOA clicks are slightly more accurate than the 1/10 MIL, but the MIL values are somewhat easier to communicate.

Reference cards with MIL are easier to read because they are indicated by 2 numbers only, while the cards with MOA are indicated with four numbers. We could go back and forth all day, but you get the idea.

If you like other comparisons, check out my Nightforce SHV vs. Vortex PST guide.

Which do you need?

Choosing between the MOA or MRAD system will take some self reflection, so buckle up.

If you normally think in meters or centimeters, then it is easier to calculate distance with a MOA. If you normally think in yards or inches, then MRAD should be your go-to.

And if you’re not going to calculate distances, it doesn’t matter between the MRAD vs MOA. Do your thing, both types are equally effective for medium- and long-range shooting.

Another thing to take into account is that you also have to consider your hunting partners, teammates, friends, and so on. You’ll want to have a common language so you can communicate together without having to do conversions between the two systems.

Or you could be an absolute rebel and have a scope for each system, swapping it out in the field with the best quick detach scope mounts. Live your life to the fullest.

Most importantly, choose the same system for your turrets and scope reticles. I have a guide on first focal planes vs. second focal planes to help you choose the right reticle as well.

Regardless of all the math, the decision between MOA and MRAD isn’t that important. Clicks with an MOA turret are slightly more precise than clicks with a MIL turret, but at the end of the day it’s a style choice between rifle scopes.

FAQ

1. The Hunt Backcountry Podcast

Backcountry hunters talking backcountry hunting. Join us for lively discussion on a variety of topics related to backcountry, big game hunting. We’…;ll be talking tactics, sharing lessons learned, swapping stories, interviewing individuals from the hunting industry, and getting into the nitty-gritty of our gear lists and bow/rifle setups.more soundcloud.com/hun.. 25.9K 11.4K 83.6K 2 episodes / week Avg Length 55 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

2. Hunt Talk Radio

Hunt Talk Radio, Randy Newberg Unfiltered is a podcast covering hunting politics, public lands, and conservation topics; even a few things you didn…9;t need to know. The best hunters you’ve never heard of join Randy to answer questions from the Hunt Talk web forum, share ideas, reveal tactics, and give perspectives unique to public land hunting.more cms.megaphone.fm/c.. 8.8K 1 episode / month Avg Length 120 min Jun 2015 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

3. Hunting Matters

Houston, Texas, USTradition. Conservation. Family. The Outdoors. It matters to you. It matters to us. This is Hunting Matters, presented by the Houston Safari Club Foun…dation (HSCF). With HSCF Executive Director Joe Betar. Join Joe as he engages in conversations with guests, from various backgrounds, that have a passion for hunting and conservation. Great discussions, news, hunting legislation, and more! Listen and discover.more spreaker.com/show/.. 16K 4.8K 714 1 episode / week Avg Length 41 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

4. Working Class Bowhunter – Podcast

IllinoisFun, off the wall and unscripted bowhunting podcast. Interviews with hunting experts, your favorite hunting shows and that hunting camp feel everyone …loves.more workingclassbowhun.. 10.5K 1.4K 14.5K 2 episodes / week Avg Length 97 min Mar 2015 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

5. Petersen’s Hunting Adventures

Join co-hosts David Draper and Joe Ferronato, along with a rotating cast of the most experienced, successful hunters from around the world, as they re…live their most memorable hunts, hardships and adventures in a fun no-holds-barred forum. Just like all our channels, the podcast will entertain and educate with cutting-edge tips and techniques and hard-won knowledge from our experienced staff who have been around the globe in search of hunting adventure. You’ll also get a close look at the latest and greatest gear, and hear from the industry leaders on what’s new in the world of hunting.more petersenshunting.c.. 10.6K 11.6K 1 episode / month Avg Length 73 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

6. Big game Hunting Podcast | Interviews With The Hunting Masters/Days In The Wild

John Stallone Interviews Hunting Pros to get inside hunting tips and tactics western big game hunting, bowhunting and whitetail deer. interviewswiththem.. 1.2K 16 episodes / year Avg Length 70 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

7. The Hunting Public

Hunters Aaron Warbritton and Zach Ferenbaugh talk deer hunting tips and tactics with various experts across the country. We’ll also cover current… conditions and strategies that can help you right now. The Hunting Public is an online video series showcasing tips and strategies for hunters. We create daily video journals, how-to tip videos, and podcasts to help teach the viewer situational tactics they can apply to their hunts throughout the country.more thehuntingpublic.com 179.9K 10.4K 156.5K 1 episode / quarter Avg Length 82 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

8. The Rich Outdoors

The Rich Outdoors Podcast is not only tips and tactics for hunting, it also provides motivation and inspiration. In creating my own ideal hunting ment…or, I created the hunting mentor we all wish we had. Now, I get to share the takeaways with fellow hunters worldwide. We interview top bow hunters, rifle hunters, guides, and fitness freaks to master everything from pre hunt preparation to the decisions made in the moment of truth.more therichoutdoors.net 5.2K 1.5K 2 episodes / month Avg Length 70 min Mar 2015 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

9. Midwest Flyways Podcast

The Midwest Flyways Podcast is an authentic take on waterfowl hunting from Midwest Flyways. Duck and goose hunting has continued to evolve throughout …the years and we aim to connect duck hunting traditions with the future of waterfowling. If you’re passionate about ducks and geese then come hang with Joey Vassallo, Conor Olstad and Cal Ness as they talk duck hunting, goose hunting and everything else in between.more mwf.podbean.com 2K 22 24.6K 3 episodes / week Avg Length 40 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

10. Big Buck Registry

Big Buck Registry is another long-time whitetail deer hunting focused podcast, the Big Buck Registry is focused on going in-depth with various guests …and hearing their best deer hunting stories. If you’re looking for some great stories and a few tips too, this is a good one to check out.more bigbuckregistry.com 265.4K 4K 16K 2 episodes / month Avg Length 80 min Feb 2013 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

11. The Hunting 101 Podcast

Hunting 101 is the fun and educational podcast you start with when you’re getting started as a hunter. No matter who you are, no matter how much e…xperience you have, you’re welcome here. New episodes weekly!more soundcloud.com/hun.. 1 episode / week Avg Length 61 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

12. Chasing Tales Outdoors Podcast

Chasing Tales Outdoors Podcast bring on all different types of hunters to share their success in the field. This is a great way to pick up sound advic…e from others that are getting it done year in and out.more podcasts.apple.com.. 1 episode / week Avg Length 52 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

13. The Southern Outdoorsmen Hunting Podcast

USYour go-to Deer Hunting Podcast! The Southern Outdoorsmen is a show dedicated to diving deep on the topics that will make you a better hunter. We inte…rview guys who are the ‘real deal’, the best hometown deer hunters across the country – the guys who have consistent success deer hunting the same public lands, leases, hunting clubs, or family farms as everyone else. Every Monday we post an episode with fresh tips, tactics and strategies to give you an edge in the woods this fall.more thesouthernoutdoor.. 26.7K 15.1K 3 episodes / week Avg Length 87 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

14. Eastmans’ Elevated

Brian Barney is an outdoor writer for Eastmans’ Hunting Journals. He is an adventure bowhunter that spends over 100 days a year hunting our publi…c lands. He has a wealth of knowledge hunting western big game and has a knack for harvesting huge mind blowing trophies.more soundcloud.com/use.. 1 episode / week Avg Length 73 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

15. GEORGE LYNCH HUNTING Podcast Show

The GEORGE LYNCH HUNTING podcast show from Legendary Gear will discuss and cover ‘all things hunting’ and will be hosted by a veteran hunter, …game call designer, and calling contest judge, George Lynch. George will interview influential, knowledgable, and experienced leaders in the hunting space for strategy, tips, tactics, hunting gear analysis and reviews, guidelines, opportunities, and much more.more podcasts.apple.com.. 1 episode / week Avg Length 37 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

16. Hunting Dog Confidential

USExplore the history, myths, and incredible stories of hunting dog breed around the world. Co-hosted by Jennifer Wapenski and Craig Koszyk. A Project U…pland Podcast.HUNTING DOG CONFIDENTIAL is made possible by Eukanuba Sporting Dog.more projectupland.com/.. 3K 57.8K 6 episodes / year Avg Length 58 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

17. Big Game Hunting Podcast

El Paso, TXMy name is John McAdams and I created The Big Game Hunting Podcast to assist hunters like you in preparing for the big game hunting adventures you’…;ve always dreamed about.more thebiggamehuntingb.. 9.9K 690 299 2 episodes / week Avg Length 58 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

18. Chasing Giants with Don Higgins

Chronicling the constant pursuit of World Class Whitetails. Follow an experienced land manager, consultant, writer, and hunting industry expert thro…ughout the year as he finds, targets, and hunts world class whitetail bucks. Hunting tips and tricks that can be used no mater your skill set, property, or goals this hunting season.more chasing-giants.sim.. 1 episode / week Avg Length 76 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

19. Project Upland

Listen to the latest bird hunting podcast episodes from the upland hunting epic film series- Project Upland. Including the bird dogs, upland game spec…ies, upland hunters, and shotguns that make bird hunting so special!more projectupland.com/.. 39.8K 3K 40.6K Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

20. Hunting Roots Podcast

We’re digging back to our roots to tell the other side of our hunting story, as well as those from our friends, family, and pioneers from across t…he hunting industry. Untold stories you won’t find anywhere else – you’ll find them right here on the Hunting Roots Podcast is brought to you by one.more buzzsprout.com/185.. 1 episode / week Avg Length 44 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

21. Truth From The Stand Deer Hunting Podcast

Covering all things whitetail, the Truth From The Stand Deer Hunting Podcast is the place to get your deer hunting stories, deer hunting tips and more…. We’ll launch a new podcast each month exploring topics across the landscape of deer and deer hunting. So take your time and enjoy each episode and be sure to subscribe to the podcast and take us with you across all your devices. Whether in the car or at work, we could all use a little more deer hunting in our lives!more cms.megaphone.fm/c.. 1 episode / week Avg Length 92 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

22. The 352 Hunting Podcast

Two die-hard hunters from central Florida just talking about crazy hunting stories and having fun. Hosted by Jonah hyatt. podcasters.spotify.. 1 episode / week Avg Length 59 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

23. Shedding Light Hunting Stories Podcast

USLove a good hunting story? This is the podcast for you. Each episode is a real story told from a real hunter. There may be an occasional name you reco…gnize but for the most part this podcast features average joes just like you! Real guys and girls with real stories about their hunting experiences. Deer, turkey, elk, ducks…if there’s a story to be told we will tell it!more feeds.buzzsprout.c.. 1 episode / month Avg Length 64 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

24. Down South Hunting

Down South Hunting Podcast is a podcast that focuses on southern hunting and hunters. There are multitudes of great midwestern deer hunting podcasts o…n the market, but none that cater to the southern crowd. Our podcasts are geared towards interviewing hunters and biologist with a sprinkle of our own adventures added in.more downsouthhunting.com 2.5K 720 3.1K Dec 2015 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

25. The Spring Legion Podcast

Mississippi, USWelcome to a year-round focus on Spring Turkey Season, brought to you by the guys at Spring Legion, an outdoor community built upon respecting wildlif…e, accepting the challenges of hunting, and a never-ending appreciation for all that the spring season provides.more buzzsprout.com/146.. 2.9K 269 27.4K 1 episode / week Avg Length 61 min Nov 2020 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

26. Finding Fur and Feathers Hunting Podcast

Finding Fur and Feathers is a part of the Sporting Journal Radio family. This podcast is dedicated the hunting world. Big game, whitetail deer, waterf…owl, upland, pheasants, grouse and more.more podcasts.apple.com.. 1 episode / week Avg Length 38 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

27. Hard Liquor and Hunting Stories

Hilarious hunting stories paired with various beverages. Hosted by Fighting Spirit Productions. podcasters.spotify.. 478 6 episodes / year Avg Length 63 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

28. Buckeye And Bluegrass Outdoor Adventures

USBuckeye And Bluegrass Outdoor Adventures is a podcast created to share a love for hunting, Fishing, and the outdoor lifestyle. Join us in this adventu…re as we share our passions and adventures with all of you.more podcasters.spotify.. 3 episodes / quarter Avg Length 49 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

29. barebowhunters’s podcast

Join Barebowhunters’s podcast as they exchange valuable insight about the Barebow Hunters lifestyle. cms.megaphone.f.. 421 3 episodes / quarter Avg Length 45 min May 2017 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

30. Hunting Overtime Podcast

Hunting Overtime is here to provide you with highly informative and entertaining information relating to anything hunting and even a little fishing. W…e provide many interviews with other outdoor men and women who provide their insight and tactics to help you be successful in the field.more podcasters.spotify.. 699 1 episode / quarter Avg Length 41 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

31. Hunting Couple

We are a younger, hunting couple who love the outdoors, anything hunting, and sharing our experiences. We are here to share our experiences with you a…ll, and hope to find common ground and help people expand their hunting opportunities and shared adventures.more podcasters.spotify.. 12 episodes / year Avg Length 51 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

32. PH Journal

Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South AfricaA look at the everyday life of a Professional Hunter From South Africa. A lot of discussion about conservation and just interesting people. Join me on… this journey through the African bush veld.more phjournalsa.podbea.. 1.4K 28 30.6K 5 episodes / quarter Avg Length 37 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

33. The Wannabe Hunting Podcast

Jacksonville, Florida, USI’m Amos, and I’m a wannabe hunter. However, my guests are bone collecting, stone-cold killers. They aren’t wannabes at all! My goal is to… interview these experienced hunters and glean knowledge from their wisdom and tactics in the woods. I strive to take a faith-based and family-friendly approach to life, hunting, and this podcast. Jump in and enjoy the conversation and learn along with us!more podcasters.spotify.. 2.4K 17 episodes / year Avg Length 42 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

34. Coon Hunting University Podcast

This is a podcast dedicated to capturing as much knowledge and information in the sport of coon hunting as possible. You will hear from some of the bi…ggest names in the sport.more coonhuntingunivers.. 10 episodes / year Avg Length 88 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

35. Hunting Ain’t Easy

California, USHunting ain’t easy, but we love the challenge, the opportunity and the wild places it brings us. Hosted by California hunter Mike Costello, the po…dcasts digs into California hunting topics with specific focus on public land deer and bear hunting. We believe that habitat improvement, herd management and predator management are topics that need more attention. Look forward to guests who will shed light on what we can do as hunters and conservationists, to put more animals in the woods.more huntingainteasy.po.. 2.2K 1 episode / week Avg Length 78 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

36. Interviews With Masters

John Stallone Interviews Hunting Pros to get inside hunting tips and tactics western big game hunting, bowhunting and whitetail deer. To know more on …this, follow us.more interviewswiththem.. 1 episode / quarter Avg Length 64 min Apr 2016 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

37. Trap’s Lodge – Your Hunting Resource

A virtual hunting lodge where drinks are shared, stories are told, and memories are made. Join us to learn and share everything about hunting and the …outdoors! We will talk about things ranging from which rifle to buy or bullets to use to gearing up for an Alaskan moose hunt. Whether you are just testing the waters or a seasoned hunter, we have something for you! If you’re an aspiring hunting guide, Trapper has been licensed in multiple states and can help you navigate getting your guide’s license as well. We hope you join us on our journey to create the best hunting community out there!more podcasters.spotify.. 145 12 episodes / year Avg Length 30 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

38. Hunting Camp Downunder Podcast

Welcome to the Hunting Camp Downunder Podcast where we share hunting stories, talk tips and techniques and all things in between. Join us for our adv…entures from Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Hosted by Craig Hailes, Tobie Hynes and Robert Herbertmore huntingcampdownund.. 3.5K 12K 1 episode / quarter Avg Length 77 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

39. The Ridgeline Hunting Podcast

A hunting, fishing, and outdoor podcast for everyone, to a new hunter to a vet hunter just wanting to hear the stories and adventures from their fello…w outdoorsmen. You will hear about their ups and downs, where mistakes were made, and how we have learn from them, to the highs of all highs, tips and tactics from Pro’s and also gear used for upcoming hunts.more spreaker.com/show/.. 1 episode / week Avg Length 58 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

40. Hunting & Shit Podcast

Just some Good Ol’ Boys talking hunting, fishing, and all the shit that comes with it. Hosted by Tri-Valley Outdoors. huntingshitpodcast.. 321 2 episodes / month Avg Length 83 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

41. German Versatile Hunting Dog Files

An in-depth look at training, testing in the JGHV and DKV system, and hunting adventures of the German versatile hunting dog breeds. Hosted by Timothy… Moore.more germanversatilehun.. 5 episodes / year Avg Length 81 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

42. The Hunting Dog Podcast

Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, USThe Hunting Dog Podcast features interviews with friends, family and industry professionals all related to the world of hunting with dogs. Depending u…pon the time of day, background noises of beers opening and ice clinking may be evident.more thehuntingdogpodca.. 8.8K 171 34.7K 1 episode / week Avg Length 80 min Jan 2015 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

43. Simmons Sporting Goods’ All Things Hunting

Join the Hosts Caleb Wallace, Cole Barthel, and Kyle Barefield from Simmons Sporting Goods’ All Things Hunting as they discuss All Things Hunting …and sometimes fishing… Listen to the entertaining stories and education each week from the hosts and the special guests on the episodes. No matter what species you hunt, this podcast will keep you entertained and make you a better outdoorsman.more feeds.buzzsprout.c.. 2 episodes / quarter Avg Length 64 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

44. Big Woods Bucks | Techniques and Tactics for Hunting White Tail Deer

Big Woods Bucks podcast is a knowledge-based podcast dedicated to teaching people the skills, tactics and techniques needed to become a successful hun…ter by taking each of you along on our adventures. Listen to this podcast as they share the vast knowledge of big woods deer hunting. They are some of the best big woods deer hunters in the world. more bigwoodsbucks.com/.. 18.1K 217 12.7K 2 episodes / month Avg Length 75 min Jun 2018 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

45. East to West Hunting

East to West is a group of hunters, anglers, and conservationists who want to explore and share information about Western hunting opportunitiies. To k…now more on this, subscribe with us.more eastwesthunt.com 629 1.2K 3.4K Jan 2018 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

46. Duck Season Somewhere

Exploring real duck hunting culture WORLDWIDE! For 365 days per year, it really is duck hunting season somewhere. Ramsey Russell, founder of GetDucks….com chats with genuine waterfowl hunters, conservationists, biologists, storytellers, and others from around the world. The world is a whole lot bigger than our own backyard, and the real story of duck hunting is about more than just ducks. It’s also about people, places, and times both past and present.more getducks.libsyn.com 1 episode / day Avg Length 86 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

47. Strange Hunting Strategies

Welcome! We are here to talk all hunting, all the time. Being from the Memphis area, we have access to fantastic green timber duck hunting, amazing r…utting whitetails, and some of the best Eastern Wild Turkey hunting in the great United States! Come follow along where I will be talking to some of the funniest, crazy, and downright weird friends of mine that I get to see during the fall and spring.more strangehuntingstra.. 1 episode / quarter Avg Length 55 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

48. Whitetail Guru

The Whitetail Guru hunting podcast is specifically designed to educate as well as entertain hunters in the South. We will focus the majority of our di…scussion on whitetail hunting, however from time to time we will highlight some other species as well as different hunting regions. We will look to conduct interviews with biologists, hunting experts, and the average, everyday hunter so that we can glean valuable insight from all different perspectives.more soundcloud.com/joh.. 509 764 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

49. Hunting Fatherhood

A celebration of fatherhood explored through interviews with people who are passionate about hunting and fishing. Hosted by Brandan Scully. buzzsprout.com/175.. 9 episodes / year Avg Length 53 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

50. The Slayer Hunting Podcast

Eagle, Idaho, USJoin us to obsess over tactics for more successful hunts, conservation and preservation efforts, and all things ducks, goose and elk hunting. Nothing&…#39;s off-limits on this hunting show. Whether you’re a beginner or a longtime hunter, come swap stories with the folks who spend their weekends mucking through bogs and slogging up hillsides in pursuit of their prey. The Slayer Podcast is hosted by lifelong hunter and Slayer Duck Calls CEO Bill Ayer.more theslayerpodcast.b.. 8 episodes / year Avg Length 49 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

51. Whitetail Rendezvous – Podcast

Whitetail Rendezvous vision is to educate, collaborate and communicate with whitetail hunters. Hear the story behind the hunting strategy. Learn to hu…nt whitetail deer from the experts. They will share about food plots, herd management and hunting mature whitetails. Hear about the equipment they use in the field to increase their success.more open.spotify.co.. 2.8K Sep 2015 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

52. Whitetail Landscapes – Hunting & Habitat Management

Tully, New York, USWhitetail Landscapes focuses on enhancing whitetail deer hunting properties through design and management efforts. Jon Teater owns and operates Whitet…ail Landscapes and has established clients throughout the United States. Jon’s experience combined with reoccurring podcast guests will provide opportunities for those around the country to learn how to improve their hunting property.more south-dakota-unlim.. 1.4K 1.9K 1 episode / week Avg Length 44 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

53. Roe Hunting Resources’ Podcast

Podcast hosted by Roe Hunting Resources roehuntingresource.. 19.2K 8 episodes / quarter Avg Length 158 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

54. The Hunting Land Man Podcast

The Hunting Land Man Podcast takes a deeper dive into the real estate side of hunting land and land management; while also catching up with hunters ar…ound the U.S. for deer stories, rut reports, turkey reports, duck reports. This podcast is your one stop shop for anything and everything that revolves around hunting land.more cms.megaphone.fm/c.. 23.3K 1 episode / week Avg Length 38 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

55. Australian Hunting Podcast

Initially the concept of the radio shows development was for its Host who wanted to speak with professionals first hand so he could gather the experie…nce to become a better hunter and shooter himself. Jason then decided the share with this valuable information with people all over the world so that they can become better hunters, shooters and fisherman. more australianhuntingp.. 40.1K 752 5 episodes / year Avg Length 80 min Feb 2011 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

56. The Grind Podcast

The Grind Podcast, hosted by Erik Van Woerkom is a hunting podcast that varies in topics of shooting, bow hunting, ammo, behind the scenes of hunts, a…nd anything else hunting-related.more blubrry.com/muleyf.. 2 episodes / quarter Avg Length 35 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

57. The Western Hunting Hub Podcast

Bugling bull elk coming into your calls, rutting mule deer chasing does, and belly crawling through cactus to put the sneak on a pronghorn is what wes…tern hunting is all about. The work and preparation that goes into a successful western hunt can be endless. Gathering and maintaining hunting gear, learning how to use an elk call, or keeping up with hunting hot topics can keep anyone hunter busy throughout the year. My show The Western Hunting Hub Podcast is the hub for hunters that aspire to hunt in the west or hunt a western state every year. more cms.megaphone.fm/c.. 1.2K 1 episode / quarter Avg Length 51 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

58. Elk Talk Podcast

USElk Talk Podcast allows Randy to collaborate with Corey Jacobsen as they focus on elk and elk hunting, and share public land strategies and informatio…n that will lower the obstacles of hunting elk on public land.more elktalkpodcast.com.. 96.5K 1 episode / week Avg Length 79 min Jul 2018 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

59. Southern Ground Hunting – Sportsmen’s Empire

The Southern Ground Hunting podcast focuses on public land deer & turkey hunting in the southeastern United States. While the hunting heritage in the …South is strong, it can be one of the most challenging regions in the nation to target mature public land bucks & weary old gobblers. Each episode of the SGH podcast will give knowledge and insight from expert hunters to help you become more successful in the southern woods we call home.more sportsmensnation.c.. 7.7K 1 episode / week Avg Length 62 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

60. Where to Hunt Podcast

Connecting public land whitetail hunters through our common interest with a one of a kind LIVE Listener Call-In Show airing every Tuesday via Facebook… and YouTube at 7 PM CSD. Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/wheretohunt/supportmore okayesthunter.com/.. 43.9K 1 episode / week Avg Length 73 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

61. TundraTalk

The podcast on hunting and trapping in Alaska, with an Alaskan perspective. The also talk about some of the things they have seen and experienced whil…e guiding hunters in Alaska. For more updates on these, subscribe with us.more tundratalkak.com 1 episode / quarter Avg Length 134 min Feb 2018 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

62. Gritty Podcast

So on this show we talk hunting, we talk outdoors, we talk conservation, we also talk about Hunting Podcasts, Hunting Films, Bowhunting, Archery, Outd…oor, Filmmaking, Hunting Strategies, Elk Hunting, Interviews, and a wee bit of Manly Boasting.more grittybowmen.libsy.. 21.3K 70.9K 2 episodes / week Avg Length 77 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

63. The Western Rookie – Hunting Podcast

USThe Western Rookie Hunting Podcast is dedicated to those who are interested in becoming better western hunters. Elk hunting, mule deer hunting, antelo…pe hunting and other western big game species will all be up for discussion in this educational and entertaining podcast. The guys will also discuss the logistics of western hunting along with the gear that you will need in order to be successful.more sportsmensnation.c.. 14 1 episode / week Avg Length 69 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

64. White Knuckle Productions

Iowa, USAThe White Knuckle Podcast is one of the most comprehensive Whitetail Deer hunting podcast exclusively concentrating on Bowhunting, on the internet, …Jason and Todd cover all things related to whitetail deer and deer hunting. In each episode, we share new strategies, expert interviews from across the hunting community and the outdoor industry, in addition to our own stories throughout the different parts of the year round sport of Whitetail bowhunting.more whiteknuckleproduc.. 20.6K 146 9.7K 1 episode / week Avg Length 56 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

65. East Meets West Hunt

The East Meets West Hunt Podcast is your resource for all things adventure hunting. This podcast is geared towards the hunter that wants more out of t…he hunt than just the kill. Its for the hunter that loves planning and preparing for the hunt, just as much as the hunt. We will talk to hunters from all over the United States and Canada to provide the EMW community with useful knowledge and motivation to continue to live their life through a series of adventures that help you in all aspects of your life.more eastmeetswesthunt… 5.8K 11.1K 2 episodes / week Avg Length 84 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

66. Sportsmen’s Nation

The Sportsmen’s Nation is a collection of outdoor hunting podcasts for the die-hard sportsman. These podcasts are jam packed with fun and educatio…nal information about whitetail deer hunting that will not only help you in the field, but help scratch the itch when you can’t be in the tree stand.more sportsmensnation.c.. 7.8K 2.8K 2 episodes / month Avg Length 56 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

67. Hunting Stories

Arizona City, Arizona, USNothing but terrific hunting stories! Quick, to the point, and wildly entertaining everyone loves a good hunting story! Hosted by Late to the Game Out…doors.more latetothegameoutdo.. 19 2.5K 2 episodes / quarter Avg Length 42 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

68. Nine Finger Chronicles – Deer Hunting Podcast

The Nine Finger Chronicles podcast covers a variety of topics including hunting gear reviews and information, individual hunter profiles, hunting succ…ess stories, and hunting strategy tips and tactics. Host Dan Johnson is a passionate sportsman whose year revolves around bowhunting, his crazy family, and his overall love for Mother Nature.more sportsmensnation.c.. 7.8K 6 episodes / year Avg Length 67 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

69. The Turkey Hunter Podcast with Andy Gagliano | Turkey Hunting Tips, Strategies, and Stories

The Turkey Hunter Podcast with Andy Gagliano provides with quick and effective Turkey hunting tips for more successful Turkey hunts. For more updates …on these, follow us.more theturkeyhunterpod.. 30 episodes / year Avg Length 67 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

70. Jay Scott Outdoors

Jay has a ton of hunting experience and is a wealth of information. He has a diverse hunting background and I think this is what makes him such a grea…t host. This podcast has its share of endorsements and commercials, but overall it’s well worth the time. I have learned so much about elk calling, elk strategies and late season hunting on this podcast. This podcast has convinced me to try a late season January deer hunt in Arizona. He gets some outstanding guests on his show as well. more jayscottoutdoorspo.. 22.6K 10 episodes / year Avg Length 55 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

71. Round The Fire With Kingsview Safaris

Eastern Cape, South AfricaRound The Fire is all about Hunting, Wildlife & Conservation here in beautiful South Africa. We chat with past and future clients of Kingsview Safaris… plus industry role players to give you the listener the inside scoop on what it is like coming on a hunting safari here in South Africa. There will even be a couple of cool episodes where we sit around a fire after a long day hunting and just let the stories flow.more kingsviewsafaris.c.. 1.6K 260 1 episode / month Avg Length 49 min Oct 2020 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

72. Hunting Arete Podcast

Hunting. It is a deep and complicated thing, far more than just the kill. Hunting Arete explores the people in it, their lives, motivations, and chall…enges. hosted by Hunting Arete Podcastmore huntingarete.com.a.. 1.1K 1 episode / quarter Avg Length 107 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

73. FOCUS HUNTING PODCAST

CanadaJoin the FOCUS HUNTING PODCAST as we share hunting stories and experiences as well as learn proven techniques from pros in the industry. focushunting.ca/po.. 2.3K 2 1 episode / month Avg Length 65 min Sep 2020 Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

74. Come Out HeavyHunting Podcast

Two cousins talk hunting in British Columbia, swapping stories from the backcountry, talking mountain hunting, gear dumps, and interviews with guys fr…om around the hunting industry. Hosted by Come Out Heavy.more comeoutheavy.ca/po.. 1 episode / month Avg Length 96 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

75. Rookie Hunter

An entertaining and educational view into the complex world of hunting and conservation from the perspective of two honest BC hunters. Hear their stor…ies, learn from special guests, and get inspired to experience the outdoors.more therookiehunter.co.. 2.6K 1 episode / year Avg Length 60 min Play Listen on Add Links Get Email Contact

Show 76 to 85

Judy Place describes a scene straight out of a horror movie. She was being stalked by a rabid animal, in her case, a coyote.

The deranged creature had wandered out of the woods around the river that runs behind the trailer park complex where Place lives with her mother. The coyote had been menacing her and other neighbors, turning over lawn furniture and attacking random objects.

Then one evening, she heard a couple of loud banging sounds, like something was trying to get underneath her trailer home. She went to the window, where she “saw something scurrying away. I said, ‘Oh boy, I think that’s the coyote!’”

She called the North Attleboro police, who sent over two officers. When they arrived, their flashlights revealed a large section of siding that had been pulled away, leaving a gaping hole under the house.

“I said, ‘oh my gosh, she’s in there, I’m going in the house.’”

But the coyote had slipped around the side of the house, where it was waiting for her.

Place backed away, avoiding eye contact, but the coyote came after her. “She just latched right on to my leg,” she said.

Place says that in the shock of the moment, she didn’t feel the pain from the bite. Amazingly, she managed to keep calm, and stay still.

“I don’t know what I was thinking at the time, ‘cause you know, you’re in shock. So I basically thought to myself, ‘Don’t move too much,’ because she might think I was trying to fight her…things are going through my head like I don’t even know.”

The officers shot the animal twice with a Taser. The electroshock gun can take down a large man, but the coyote would not let go. Finally one of the officers fired a shot in the air, which, “scared the coyote enough to get off of me. So I beelined back into my house.”

Once inside, Place heard another two shots. The first wounded the coyote, which then turned on one of the officers who had to fire the second, fatal shot.

Testing confirmed rabies was the reason for the coyote’s bizarre behavior and attack. Place is now getting a series of shots to prevent her from contracting the fatal disease.

The incident was terrifying, but it’s important to know that Coyote attacks are extremely rare. Place is only the ninth person bitten in Massachusetts since the state started keeping records in the 1950s. The fact is, you’re more likely to get killed by lightning than injured by a coyote.

Still, they can be intimidating animals — the Eastern Coyote is a bigger, more robust animal than its Western cousin. That’s because they’re part wolf.

“As they came east and interbred with the wolf, they became larger,” said Christine Schadler, a wild canid ecologist and the author of Becoming Wolf: The Eastern Coyote in New England.

“Our animals are 35 to 60 pounds. The largest [Eastern] coyote documented is 62 pounds, which is the same size as a small Eastern Wolf,” said Schadler.

“All the animals in New England are this hybrid animal,” said Jon Way, a researcher involved with some of the recent studies that revealed the genetic makeup of Eastern Coyotes in Massachusetts. They found that “about 25 or 30 percent of its DNA is Eastern Wolf. And a little bit of gray wolf. A total of 25 to 30 percent Wolf, and maybe 60 to 65 percent coyote, and then about 10 percent dog.” Way thinks it’s more correct to refer to this animal as a ‘coywolf,’ to recognize its uniqueness as a species.

Schadler says that the wolf DNA is behind “significant differences in the eastern coyote that makes this animal unique. One is the ability to live in a pack, which is very different than the coyote out west.”

Combined with their larger size, living in packs could make the coywolves, as Way calls them, better predators of large animals like deer. “They’re kind of genetically plastic, where they can survive on small prey,” like rodents, that typically make up the majority of the coyote’s diet. But thanks to their body size, the Eastern Coyote may be “more able to prey on deer than western coyotes are,” said Way.

Place says she could see the wolf in the coyote that attacked her.

“The face of it looked exactly like a wolf. I kept saying, ‘I don’t think we have wolves in this area,’ so thought I was losing it,” she laughed. “But yeah, it did — it resembled a wolf.”

Place says she remains spooked by the attack, and now feels a little scared outside, but still loves living near abundant wildlife, including the coyotes.

She has two more rabies shots to go before she’s in the clear.

Randy Haines of Amery was bowhunting recently when an antlered buck walked near his tree stand in Polk County.

He drew his bow, took aim at the deer and released an arrow, which found its mark.

The events to this point were similar to thousands of other hunting stories in Wisconsin this fall.

But when Haines recovered the animal, he noticed something different.

The young buck had a whitish rump patch and a black tip on its tail. Its facial markings, too, were not something seen on most whitetails.

It was a mule deer, a species found in the western U.S. and parts of Canada and Mexico.

The closest established population of wild mule deer to Wisconsin is found in central South Dakota, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Haines contacted the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and told them about his kill. Conservation wardens and wildlife biologists with the DNR confirmed it was a mule deer.

Haines acted legally in shooting and tagging the animal. He now has one of the most unusual Wisconsin hunting tales of 2015.

The big question is: Where did the muley come from?

Is it a wild deer that traveled from the western U.S. into Wisconsin? Or is it an escapee from a captive facility?

Escapes from deer farms are especially concerning for the health of Wisconsin’s wild deer herd.

If you’re looking at probabilities, a wild mule deer has never been documented traveling 600 or more miles on its own power from its native range into Wisconsin.

On the other hand, animals escape from Wisconsin deer farms or shooting preserves at least several times a year.

State wildlife officials weren’t drawing any conclusions Wednesday.

“At this point, we really don’t know where (the mule deer) came from,” said Bob Nack, DNR big game section chief. “It’s not something we see every day, that’s for sure.”

Nack said the DNR had received reports in recent weeks of a mule deer being sighted and captured on trail cams in northwestern Wisconsin.

So when the kill was reported, it wasn’t a complete surprise.

Conservation wardens inspected the dead buck and found no signs of ear tags or other markings typical of a captive animal, Nack said.

Tissue samples were taken from the mule deer and submitted by the DNR for chronic wasting disease testing.

The deer was not aged by the department, but is thought to be 11/2 to 21/2 years old. It had relatively small, forked antlers and its body appeared to be in good condition.

White-tailed deer, along with their bigger relatives elk (about 200 animals) and moose (a dozen or so), are the only members of the deer family typically found in the wild in Wisconsin.

But a few mule deer have been documented over the years in the Badger State, including one that was killed in 1988, according to Kevin Wallenfang, DNR big game ecologist.

And in 2011, a Vernon County resident sent trail cam photos to Nack that showed what appeared to be a young mule deer.

In was not determined in either case, however, whether the mule deer were wild or escapees.

Could a mule deer walk from its native range to Wisconsin?

If it did, it would have to pass through Minnesota, which has no established mule deer population, according to Pete Takash, fish and wildlife information program leader for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Depending on where they live, some mule deer do migrate, said Kent Hersey, big game project leader for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

Hersey said typical mule deer movements are 5 to 10 miles between winter and summer ranges, with the extremes being 0 and 100.

Hersey, a native of Pennsylvania, said Wisconsin doesn’t feature typical mule deer habitat.

“I’ve never heard of a mule deer east of the Mississippi River,” Hersey said. “But in some wildlife, a young male will do surprising things.”

Hersey also said this: “You never can discount it being a release from a captive facility.”

Wisconsin has about 500 captive deer facilities. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection on Wednesday did not provide information on the number of facilities in Wisconsin that have mule deer.

But at least some shooting preserves have captive mule deer and allow paying customers to kill the animals.

Deer Haven Acres in Adams offers mule deer hunting on its fenced shooting preserve, according to its website. And Huntingtripsrus.com advertises mule deer hunts at unspecified locations in Wisconsin.

As chronic wasting disease continues to spread across Wisconsin and other states and provinces in North America, wildlife health advocates are advising increased scrutiny on deer farming practices and regulations.

So a young mule deer several hundred miles out of place isn’t just a novelty that draws interest on hunting chat rooms.

It also raises alarm bells with those concerned about the future of Wisconsin’s wild deer resource.

“I’ve lived in this area my entire life, and I’ve never seen or heard of a wild mule deer here,” said Dave Clausen, a retired veterinarian and former chairman of the Natural Resources Board from Amery. “Maybe we’ll start to see a whole herd of them. Or more likely, it was an animal that escaped. Hopefully we’ll be able to find out.”

Deer farmers are required to report escaped animals. No such reports were available Wednesday.

State wildlife officials didn’t rule out the possibility of it being a wild deer.

“You don’t expect a mule deer in Wisconsin, but when it comes to wildlife, nothing surprises me any more,” Nack said.

Send email to [email protected]

Each year since 1992, Deer & Deer Hunting has provided both Southern and Northern readers with the “Whitetail Rut-Predictor.” This system has been featured in several D&DH articles by late contributing editor Charles J. Alsheimer.

The Whitetail Rut-Predictor is also included in our annual wall calendar, which still features Alsheimer’s photography. The predictor lets you plan when, where and how to hunt.

The rut follows predictable stages of deer behavior. These changes dictate the effectiveness of hunting strategies. Scrape-hunting, for example, might be effective when bucks seek does, but it won’t work later in the rut when most does are already bred or being tended.

Not every buck exhibits the predicted primary behavior on a given date. Several factors, including age, nutrition, health and genetics, can affect the time and extent to which bucks exhibit a behavior. The Whitetail Rut-Predictor represents peaks in the activities (orange and blue symbols) and “minors” of secondary activity (black symbols).

The primary rut behaviors predicted in this calendar are “seeking,” “chasing” and “tending.” Feeding is a buck’s primary pre-rut activity. To take advantage of this, place stands near deer travel routes and feeding areas.

The top chart predicts the 2022 rutting intensity for the North. It’s important to note that the seeking, chasing and tending lines do not work independently of each other. Rather, they work together and should be viewed as one blending into the next as the rut progresses. The chart below predicts the South’s 2022 rutting activity.

Seeking Behavior

The onset of each rut period is marked by a sudden increase in buck activity as bucks seek does. The trigger is not exactly known, but it might be a chemical signal from does approaching estrus.

Intense seeking activity makes for great stand-hunting. Bucks in this mode are also vulnerable to calling, rattling, scents and decoys. These bucks will often skirt the edges of swamps and forest transitions.

Chasing Behavior

Chasing begins when a buck locates a doe near estrus. As the buck approaches, the doe runs, but not in all-out flight. She soon slows or pauses to look back for the buck, which won’t seek other does, and continues in pursuit. The buck occasionally catches up and tries to corner the doe. This can result in a long chase that continues until the doe lets the buck accompany her.

Stand- and still-hunting in a near-estrous doe’s home range can be productive, because several bucks could enter the chase.

Tending Behavior

After a doe allows a buck to accompany her, tending begins. He beds and moves with the doe until she is bred. Tending, which ends abruptly, usually lasts about 24 hours. After the doe is bred, the buck again seeks other does and the cycle resumes.

Tracking can be effective for hunting a buck tending a doe. Bucks also respond to grunt calls, because they seek to drive off other bucks. However, don’t expect a buck to go far from a hot doe to visit scrapes and scents.

Contributing Factors

Bucks in healthy herds with a balanced sex and age structure have well-defined social orders. In herds in which bucks reach 5-plus years of age, dominant bucks do most of the breeding. As the herd’s age structure is skewed toward young bucks, the youngsters become increasingly involved in the rut and breeding. As the doe-to-buck ratio approaches 1:1, seeking behavior and interactions between bucks are maximized. As the doe-to-buck ratio skews toward does, bucks spend less time seeking because females are readily available.

Seeking behavior begins abruptly and kicks off the rut about the time of the full moon, but not just any full moon, because day length is also involved. As chasing and tending increases, seeking behavior declines. Seeking can be expected any time during the rut when a buck finishes chasing or tending a doe. The peak of seeking occurs just before the peak of tending and breeding. Tending behavior and breeding peaks about the time of the new moon during the rut. The rut seems to end as quickly as it begins.

Effects of Latitude

The wobbling cycle of the Earth on its axis as it circles the sun causes seasonal changes by varying the amount of sunlight.

The link between diminishing day length and the rut’s onset is clear. However, it’s not simple. The breeding season is most intense and concentrated at Northern latitudes where the difference between day length in summer and winter is greatest. The breeding season lengthens the nearer deer live to the equator. This partly explains why the Southern rut appears more varied.

Effects of Weather

Activities on the Whitetail Rut-Predictor calendar might occur several days early because weather can affect daylight amounts. Dense clouds shorten day length 15 to 20 minutes, and decrease moonlight intensity. Rain and snow block sunlight and moonlight by defraction and diffusion, preventing moonlight from reaching the ground. Storms can shorten daylight about 30 minutes and obscure almost all moonlight.

Intense rutting activity is often associated with storm fronts in South Texas and other Southern states, but not in Northern states. This activity is often attributed to low air temperatures or barometric changes, but light likely plays a major role. Air temperatures exceeding 55 degrees Fahrenheit usually decrease deer activity.

The Predictor’s Basis

The Rut-Predictor is based on a model that links cyclical changes in the Earth’s solar and lunar illumination to the whitetail’s reproductive cycle. It is hypothesized that sunlight and moonlight provide environmental cues that set, trigger and synchronize breeding.

A computer model was developed that uses astronomical data, field observations of rutting activities and measurements of light intensity to predict rut activity.

The Rut-Predictor hypothesis differs from conventional views. The general belief is that peak breeding north of the Mason-Dixon Line occurs each year about Nov. 15. However, it has been observed that rut activity often falls to nearly zero by mid-November. The timing of peak rut activity could vary year to year by as much as three weeks at any given location.

If the moon is the timing mechanism for the estrous cycle, what sensory pathway in deer receives the cue? External stimuli fall into three primary categories: physical, chemical and biological. The great distance between Earth and the moon rules out any regular 28-day exchange of sounds, scents, or chemical and biological materials deer can detect.

The moon affects the Earth’s gravitational fluctuations and nighttime illumination. Both factors create external stimuli that deer might detect. However, little evidence suggests deer or other creatures directly detect gravitational forces. Responses to those fluctuations are probably indirect. As a result, gravity’s effects were rejected as a stimulus for timing the whitetail’s estrous cycle.

Moonlight can be detected, especially by whitetails, which have eyes adapted for low-light vision. Light passing into the eye strikes the nerve-rich area in the back of the eye, causing electrical impulses to pass along the nervous system to various organs. Some impulses pass to the pineal gland in the center of the brain, providing input to the endocrine system. The pineal gland and related hormones are involved in or regulate the reproductive cycle. The pineal gland responds to light by increasing (with diminishing light) or decreasing (with increasing light) production of a hormone called melatonin. This increases/decreases other hormones.

The fact that moonlight changes the Earth’s illumination on a cycle similar to the whitetail’s 28-day estrous cycle, the fact that whitetails have a sensory system that can detect moonlight, and the fact that the whitetail’s endocrine system responds to light stimuli by altering levels of reproductive hormones argue against coincidence.

Testing the Rut-Predictor

The Rut-Predictor has been well tested. For example, when whitetails from the United States have been brought to the Southern Hemisphere, where seasons are reversed, they shift from a November rut to a May rut. This is also reinforced by the fact whitetails in equatorial regions breed asynchronously throughout the year.

Alsheimer’s 20-plus years of work on this subject had him convinced that he was onto something.

“Interestingly, the only way to disprove this theory is to witness behavior that contradicts it, such as seeing most does breed within seven days of a first quarter moon,” Alsheimer said. “Failure to observe predicted behavior, however, proves nothing, as it might be caused by unrelated factors, such as poor visibility, bad weather or low deer numbers.”

Conclusion

To help predict breeding behaviors for your area, keep a daily log of fresh rubs and scrapes you and your hunting partners observe. For added accuracy, quantify your effort by recording how many hours of hunting are associated with your counts.

— Editor’s note: It is important to note that peak tending (breeding) oftentimes occurs well after the peak rut activity that’s observed by hunters across North America.

D+DH In-Depth is our premium, comprehensive corner on America’s No. 1 game animal. In this graduate-level course, we’ll teach you about deer biology, behavior, and ultimately, how to become a better hunter. Want to be the first to get our premium content? Become a D+DH Insider for FREE!

The antlers of a Union County bull elk have been officially scored at 406 6/8, which would make it the second-place record for a typical Rocky Mountain elk in Oregon.

The bull’s skull and antlers were found by a cone collecting crew on private timberland in the Catherine Creek Unit during the summer and turned in to ODFW.

Mark Penninger, a certified scorer for Northwest Big Game Records Inc, officially scored the elk in early November after waiting the required 60 days.

(An animal must undergo a minimum of 60-day drying period before it is officially scored as skulls and antlers will shrink some after their first “green” score immediately after harvest or pick-up.)

“Bull elk of this caliber are incredibly rare in Oregon but it’s great to see that they are still around,” said Penninger, who described the antlers as “jawdropping.”

“This bull is testament that age, good genetics, and high-quality habitat can produce truly world class elk,” he said.

ODFW does not track trophy records but will be submitting the score to Northwest Big Game Records for official placement.

Northwest Big Game Records is one organization that keeps records of game animals including both those that are harvested by hunters and those that are found dead.

(In Oregon, due to poaching concerns, it is unlawful to possess or transport found dead game mammals or their parts, except for naturally shed antlers or certain parts when salvaging roadkill.)

The last time an elk with typical antlers scoring higher than 400 was found or harvested was 1984 by Randy Ryerse in Crook County, an elk now bumped to the #4 record with a 400 0/8 score.

The #1 Rocky Mountain elk was a 418 2/8 bull taken in Crook County in 1942 or earlier and attributed to Hugh Evans.

Until now, the second largest was a bull taken in Grant County by Jim Sproul with antlers measuring 401 1/8. This bull was displayed in the John Day Elks Lodge until it was lost in a fire when the building burned down, according to Penninger. The bull had the longest main beam of any bull anywhere for a long time, he says.

With this Catherine Creek elk, the top four Rocky Mountain elk will all score higher than 400. After that, antler scores drop into the high 300s.

The two Tafts

The top 10 for typical Rocky Mountain elk still includes “Taft,” a Wallowa Lake bull that was scored at 391 4/8 for a typical Rocky Mountain elk in 1930. This bull is ranked even higher in the non-typical category-it’s the No. 3 state record with an official score of 411 0/8.

“In fairly rare cases, an animal meets minimum qualifications for both typical and non-typical categories for the species,” said Penninger. “Typical scores subtract non-typical points.” (Learn more about how elk and other big game are scored by listening to this week’s Beaver State Podcast with Penninger.)

According to David Morris of Northwest Big Game, this record setting bull is often mixed up with another one of the same name (both are named after William H Taft who served as U.S. President 1909-1913). But there were actually two different Rocky Mountain elk that came to be called “Taft” in northeast Oregon in the early 20th century.

While historic records indicate elk were abundant in the Wallowa Mountains and Blue Mountain Plateau, market hunting had reduced numbers to a few small herds by the late 1800s/early 20th century, so elk were transplanted into the state to restore the population.

(The Oregon Legislature provided protection for elk in 1899 by making it illegal to sell meat from wild animals and by closing elk season from 1909 through 1932, and the Rocky Mountain elk population has since rebounded to more than 70,000 today.)

The first “Taft” was one of the original elk relocated from the Jackson Hole area to Oregon in the early 20th century. In 1912, 15 elk from Wyoming were released at Billy Meadows in Wallowa County followed by another 15 in 1913, and one of those was the first “Taft.”

The first Taft’s shed antlers are still displayed at the Enterprise Elks Lodge. Sheds from the second Taft (the 1930 record-setting bull) were displayed at La Grande’s Elks Lodge and are now at the Baker City Elks Lodge, according to Morris. Their antlers look different.

Morris spent several years researching the two Tafts and the story about what he found is in his book (The Record Book for Oregon’s Big Game Animals, 6th Edition).

Based on his research, Morris says the second Taft was likely one of a handful of elk born in one of the enclosures at Billy Meadows where the transplanted elk lived for several years; the fences were taken down in 1922.

ODFW hopes to eventually display the Catherine Creek bull’s record antlers in one of our offices and thanks taxidermist Brody Turner for working with us to get them ready for display.

See https://www.nwbiggame.com/top_10.cfm for Rocky Mountain elk and other big game records.

To make many of the more advanced tools and weapons associated with wilderness survival you will need two animal products, sinew and rawhide. What sinew is, how to obtain it, and how to process it is the subject of this post.

What is Sinew?Sinew can be obtained from the tendons of any mammal. Tendons are the tough stringy things that attach muscles to bones. When these tendons are processed into sinew they provide a wonderful material that can be used to make super strong cordage, good sewing thread, and they can be used as a binding twine to attach arrowheads, arrow fletchings, knife blades, spear points, drill points and etc. Sinew is as tough as nylon, and it is impregnated with its own natural glue that can be activated with a little moisture. Sinew shrinks a little when it dries so that is binds things together tightly. Sinew will last for hundreds of years if it is protected from moisture. In short, sinew is a super material that has no modern equivalent. The only down-side to sinew is that it must be kept dry. If you get it wet it will soften and stretch, and whatever you have bound together with it will come apart. If you think that any sinew that you have used may be exposed to moisture, you must coat it with pine sap or some other agent that will waterproof it.

How do You Obtain Sinew?One of the most widely available sources of sinew is from the deer, although elk or buffalo will work just as well. The most useful sinews are located in the lower legs and along the upper back lying over the back straps. If you hunt deer you can remove both the leg and back sinews when you are butchering. If you have friends that hunt you can ask them to bring you the lower legs when they butcher. The lower legs have no usable meat on them and most people just cut them off and throw them away. Hunters will usually be glad to give you this part of their kill even if they do think you’re a little strange for wanting it. You can even go to most packing houses during deer season and they are often glad to get rid of any legs that they have. All of my friends know that I want deer legs and I usually get anywhere from twenty to fifty a year just for the asking. Pictured below: deer legHow do You Process Sinew?To remove the sinews, you need a sharp knife or a good sharp flake of flint. Slice down the back of the leg from knee joint to just above the dew claws and peel the skin back. Lying just below the skin is a white membrane. This membrane encases the tendon which lies in a shallow groove down the back of the leg bone.

Split open the membrane and you will see a milky white cord looking thing. This is the tendon. You can usually slip your finger under the edge of the tendon and lift it up out of the bone a little. When you get the tendon up out of the groove, run your knife up and down to loosen the tendon even more. I usually run my knife down toward the hoof, and when I can’t go any farther, I turn the blade up and slice through the tendon freeing that end. You can then grab the tendon with you hand and peel it out down toward the knee joint. When you pull up as much of the tendon as you can get, cut that end off with your knife. There may be some membrane left sticking to the tendon (kind of a slimy case) and if you can remove this it will be helpful although it’s not vitally necessary.When you have a white floppy tendon in your hand, the hard part is done. Just set the tendon out in the sun or on the kitchen drain board if your spouse is out of town. In less than twenty-four hours the soft wet tendon will be hard, dry, and kind of a translucent yellow color. It looks a lot like plastic. Now take the dried tendon and use a smooth round rock or the round end of a ball peen hammer and start pounding. What ever you pound with, it needs to be rounded. Flat edges, like the flat of a hammer or axe, will cut the fibers in the sinew. As you pound, the sinew will start to turn white, and it will begin to separate into fluffy white fibers. You can now take you fingers and pull apart the fibers is small bundles about the thickness of a pencil lead or smaller. These little fiber bundles are what you’re looking for. You can use them to back a bow, make a bow string, sew leather together, tie on arrowheads etc.To use the sinew to, for example, tie on an arrow head; all you have to do is pop a piece in your mouth and chew on it a little. Don’t be squeamish. It’s no different than chewing on a piece of deer jerky. The saliva in your mouth and the gentle chewing will soften the sinew in seconds. Don’t chew too long or you will wash all of the glue out of the sinew.

When the sinew is soft remove it from your mouth and wrap it around your arrowhead. You don’t have to tie it off because the sinew will stick to itself. Set it in the sun for twenty or thirty minutes and it will dry hard and tight. Coat the sinew with melted pine sap or carpenter’s glue and let it dry. Pictured below: sinew bow string, arrowhead, spearhead, and knife blade all attached with sinew; and sinew backing on an elm wood bow.That’s all there is to it. Amazing isn’t it!

Know your limits and what species you are shooting!

Make sure you know how many and of what species you can legally harvest. It’s tempting to just blast away at first light at the first bird you see but take the time to harvest the right birds, it’s the law, too. There are plenty of identification guides online like this one from Ducks Unlimited.

Also, learn what the ducks sound like as a secondary identification source. It can get wild and crazy when a lot are flying so taking the time to learn can save a lot of heartache.

Brrrrrr, layer up!

Its gets cold, so layer up! You can always shed clothing if needed. It’s a fact…it’s colder by the water and that wind stings a bit more with every guest. Layering up will make sure you are plenty warm. Most importantly, cover your head as you lose most of your heat through your head.

Don’t let ‘em see you

Camo is a must! Moreover, if you have a new outer layer (jacket, bibs, etc) rub it around in some dirt to remove the new sheen. Make sure you attempt to match your camo to your hunting grounds as best as possible. Them ducks see real well, so a camo that doesn’t blend is almost as bad as not wearing camo at all.

Don’t Look Up!

Ducks can see incredibly well. Looking up at circling ducks is like shining a spotlight at them! Its sounds funny but go outside and practice looking up with your eyes and not your head. Also, wearing a facemask will help if you have to look up!

Quack, quack calling

Learn how to call but don’t overdo it. The less the better, normally. Don’t try to master every duck noise at once…ease into it. The basic mallard quack, feeding call, hale call and a basic whistle to mimic a teal drake will help them get in range.

Late Season Birds are Spooky

Cut down on your decoys and calling the later in the season. Birds tend to get smarter the more they are shot at. How would you feel if at every restaurant and hotel you stopped at on a thousand mile trip you were shot at? Yeah, you’d be a bit edgy and beyond careful. I typically will only use 2-4 decoys late in the season and no motion type decoys. They seem to avoid those late in the year.

Movement in the Decoys

Ducks don’t normally just sit there. So if you don’t have any wind to move them around purchase a jerk string to add some movement. The spinning wing decoys work well early in the season too but don’t over do it! Sometimes too much movement is a unrealistic.

Match your shot size to your target

No point in firing #2 steel shot at teal ducks. You’ll blow them to pieces. With bigger ducks such as mallards and gadwalls #2 is suitable. There are many guides online that offer recommendations for matching the bird shot size to your prey such as this one from Outdoor Life.

Early Teal Season

There is nothing better than coming back from the morning hunt with a stringer full of teal! Teal are the first birds down in September in Texas where I hunt! Early season teal sometimes act as though they left their brains up north, so take advantage!

They are very fast flyers and are suckers for decoys. No reason to get a teal motion duck decoy. We throw a MOJO dove decoy into our mix and it works great! They are mighty tasty so try eating them Texas style! Cut a slit between the meat and the breastbone on either side and placing a slice of a Texas 1015 onion on one side of the dove breast and a jalapeno on the other side.

↬ What is an improved modified choke tube? Improved modified is a little known choke tube size but it does excel in some situations where common choke sizes just don’t cut it.

An improved modified choke is tighter than modified but more open than a light full choke. Improved modified choke tubes measure between .696″ and .705″ and are used for mid range waterfowl hunting. Chokes in improved modified sizes are marked by two notches.

In this guide, we’ll discuss why improved modified chokes are some of the least popular choke tubes, but they do serve a purpose when hunting waterfowl and fill a niche that other choke tubes can’t match. And if you want to see the leading improved modified choke tube for hunting, be sure to check out Carlson’s Long Range Cremator.

What is an improved modified choke?

An improved modified choke is tighter than modified but more open than light full chokes according to the choke tube constriction chart. For a fixed choke 12 gauge, an improved modified choke measures 0.695” in diameter. The three types of modified choke tubes are improved modified, modified, and light modified. Improved modified is a tighter diameter than both modified and light modified.

For popular shotgun brands, the improved modified measures 0.696″ for Beretta and Benelli, 0.697″ for Browning, 0.705″ for Winchester, and 0.697″ for Remington. Choke tube markings indicate an improved modified choke tube with two notches.

Modified vs improved modified chokes

If you are stuck on deciding between a modified vs improved modified choke tube, you are not alone. The two chokes are very similar in size, with modified measuring 0.705″ and improved modified measuring 0.695″.

The improved modified will give tighter patterns at longer ranges than a modified choke, which translates to 5-10 yards more of effective range. Patterning your shotgun with both size choke tubes with the same ammo is the only way to know for sure. If you want an all-around waterfowl choke, stick with the modified. If you plan to stretch your shots, go with the improved modified.

Is an improved modified choke good for duck hunting?

An improved modified choke tube is a great choice for both ducks and geese since it can be used with a wide range of shot types – including steel shot – and isn’t too restrictive for up close shots over decoys.

The reason why improved modified chokes are not popular is that modified choke tubes are usually included with choke sets on new shotguns, so there really isn’t a need for them. Improved modified chokes are popular with reloaders and those that pattern their shotguns regularly since they are always in search of the best patterns and improved modified can be a hidden gem under the right conditions.

What patterns to expect with improved modified

Improved modified provides the best patterns between 40 and 50 yards with steel shot and even further with heavier than lead alternatives. All bird shot pellet sizes and types can be used through an improved modified choke tube.

If you have experience with modified choke tubes, expect your pattern to be slightly tighter with an improved modified. Depending on the shotgun and ammo, the difference may not even be noticeable.

Improved Modified Choke FAQs

Bottom Line

Improved modified is one of the least popular choke tube sizes mostly because modified is included with choke sets for new shotguns. The measurement of improved modified is 0.695” in diameter for fixed choke 12 gauges.

Duck hunting with an improved modified choke and steel 4 shot is an effective combination out to 35 yards. Improved modified also makes a great long range goose hunting choke with larger steel shot. As with all choke tubes, you should pattern your shotgun to see what choke works best for the distance you will be hunting.

Finally, if you’re wondering which chokes you should switch to for waterfowl, there’s no better place to start than our list of the best waterfowl chokes. Whichever choke you pick, just make sure it fits the choke system on your shotgun.

Search Chokes by Gauge

Related Posts

• Best Waterfowl Choke Tubes for Duck Hunting Success
• Choke Tube Diameter and Constriction Table
• 7.5 vs 8 shot: The 3 Key Differences to Know