Dogs are considered man’s best friend for a number of reasons; they are loyal, loving, affectionate, and they can be trained to do amazing things. Police departments and law officials use them to locate narcotics, firearms, and explosives with their keen sense of smell. But did you know that dogs can help you find antler sheds as well? If you’re interested in training your dog to find antlers, continue reading and I’ll tell you how you can train them to become your new favorite shed hunting buddy.

Benefits of Using a Dog To Find Antlers

• A dog’s sense of smell is far superior to that of a human’s. Using their nose, they can sniff out and locate shed antlers that people like you and me wouldn’t be able to find.
• Dogs are able to get into thick, dense brush to retrieve antlers.
• It’s a heck of a lot more fun taking a dog with you to hunt for sheds than doing it alone!

My Antler-Hunting Dog

Let me first start off by saying that I’m not a professional dog trainer, and when I got my Golden Labrador Retriever, Jesse, I had no intention of training her to become a shed-hunting dog. In fact, I originally wasn’t even aware people trained dogs to find antlers. Not long after getting her, though, one of my hunting buddies saw my dog and was telling me about how he had seen someone train their Lab to sniff out sheds in the woods. With this knowledge at hand, I thought I might as well try and train Jesse. After all, the only thing I had to lose was time, and I enjoyed spending time with Jesse.

After talking with some people who trained their dogs to find antlers, and scouring the internet for advice on training Labradors, I had a good idea of how to train her. What I didn’t know, though, was just how quickly she would catch on. Jesse now goes on every antler hunt I go on and is almost certain to find more sheds than I do. Anytime I bring along buddies or guests on shed-hunting trips, they are always amazed at her uncanny ability to find sheds.

Which Breeds Are The Best Shed Hunters?

I’ve only trained my Lab, Jesse, to find sheds, so I really can’t say what the best shed-hunting breed is. I do know Labrador Retrievers are one of the most popular breeds for this because of their intelligence, sense of smell and ability to obey commands. I’ve also heard that Dachshunds can be trained to be effective shed hunters.

The most important thing, though, is making sure your dog will obey and follow your commands in the woods. Dogs that run off at the sight of a squirrel or any other animal create a dangerous situation.

The Basics of Training

Before you start, you’re going to need lots of treats (milk biscuits work well) and lots of antlers. You can either go out and try to find some sheds in the woods, or you can buy them online. Remember, only authentic antlers work, as fake ones don’t carry the same scent and feel. Try to get ones that are fresh and not completely sun bleached or dried out. Old antlers are likely to have lost a significant portion of their scent, making it difficult for your dog to locate them by smell.

Step #1 – Introducing Deer Antlers

You’ll want to give deer antlers to your dog as early as possible to get them used to the look, feel, and scent that they give off. This is one of the keys to successfully training your dog to find sheds in the wild. Try tossing some deer antler sheds out in the yard and say a command, such as “go get it” or “get the antlers.” If your dog obeys your command and successfully retrieves the antlers, give them a treat followed by lots of petting and praise. Positive reinforcement goes a long way when it comes to any form of dog training and/or obedience.

Don’t worry if your dog won’t immediately go after the antler. You may need to get them used to playing with it by putting it under their nose and almost teasing them with it. This shouldn’t be difficult, as most dogs will grow fond of playing antlers pretty quickly. Dogs instinctively love to fetch items thrown by their owners, so toss them out in the yard and let them chase them. Once they bring it back, give them a treat.

Step #2 – Hide-And-Seek

Once your dog is accustomed to the scent of deer antlers, it’s time to step up its training to the next level. Assuming you have access to some woods or a forest, hide a couple of them in moderately difficult areas. Place them underneath some leaves about 30 to 40 yards apart and give your dog the fetch command that you’ve previously trained them with.

If they don’t immediately go after the antlers, which they probably won’t on their first try, just walk over to the areas with the antlers and see if your dog can sense it. When they’ve found it, them a treat and lots of praise. Keep doing this once a day and you should see start to see improvements in how fast your dog is able to uncover the antlers.

Step #3 – The “Real” Thing

Once your dog has some training under their belt, it’s time to take them out on a real antler hunt with you. Just go about your search as you normally would, walking down trails and scanning your surroundings. Hopefully, your dog will pick up on the scent of a nearby shed and follow it. Keep your dog in sight and call them back if they try to run off without you. Once they find an antler, continue with the reward and praise. Alternatively, if you see an antler that your dog doesn’t, say the fetch command and let them uncover it.

That’s really all there is to training your dog to find antlers. Just keep taking your dog out there on your hunts and give them the opportunity to find the sheds. Keep rewarding your dog when they make a find and before you know it, your dog will be uncovering sheds left and right.

Tips For Training Your Dog To Find Antlers

• Always be positive and reward your dog with a treat and praise when they find an antler. If they don’t find anything, don’t punish or scold them.
• Keep your training sessions short. Typically, a single 20-to-30-minute session per day is more than enough needed to train.
• Let your dog play with antlers and use them as chew toys. Not only will this allow them to get used to the antlers, but antlers contain beneficial nutrients like calcium.
• Always keep your dog in sight, and if they run too far away, call them back. It’s dangerous for dogs to chase after animals in the woods.
• If you haven’t done so already, you’ll want to train your dog basic commands, such as sit, stay and come. This will help make sure your dog is obedient and will obey your commands when you’re out in the woods.

Video of Zeke Learning How To Find Antler Sheds

Reading Time: 8 minutes

We’ve all been there. You get ready for a perfect day of fishing, pick your best lures and your favorite rod, only to sit out on the boat watching your line idle without a single bite. “What did I do wrong?” you ask yourself. A painful question pretty much every single angler has asked at some point. Well, we’ve got some good news and bad news for you: It wasn’t really your fault. But in a way, it was. Why did you strike out? The answer, more often than not, lies in how the weather affects fishing. And today, you’re going to learn all there is to know about it.

To understand exactly how the weather affects fish, we’ll first take a look at the individual weather factors that influence the way fish behave. We’ll then explore how these factors make fish tick (or tock). Last but not least, we’ll talk about the best weather conditions for fishing, as well as what you can do to make the most out of your outing.

By the time you’ve read this article, you’ll not only have a few geeky facts to tell your friends, you’ll also know some tricks to help you round the day off with a full cooler.

The weather can affect fishing in a number of ways. A few naturally-occurring elements are key influencers on the way fish behave. These are:

• Water temperature
• Wind
• Barometric pressure

Water Temperature

Most fish species are cold-blooded, and can’t regulate their body temperature. This means that they’re forced to adjust their metabolisms to the temperature of the water around them. In colder waters, fish tend to slow down, and generally need less food to support themselves. In warmer waters, they are much more active, and as a result, need significantly more food to survive.

But that’s not the only way water temperatures affect fish. In order to breathe, fish rely on their gills to extract dissolved oxygen from the water. It so happens that the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water depends almost exclusively on the surrounding temperature. As a rule of thumb, colder waters have more dissolved oxygen, and warmer waters have less.

So, what’s the big deal? Simply put, each fish species has a minimum water temperature under which it won’t feed, and a maximum water temperature over which it can’t breathe. As a fisherman, you obviously don’t need to know the exact numbers. However, knowing why and when water temperatures change can make all the difference when trying to catch fish.

How does the weather influence water temperatures?

Water temperature can change in a number of ways. There are slow, seasonal changes, which are mainly influenced by the amount of sunlight a body of water receives over an extended period of time. These changes don’t have a tremendous impact on water temperature in the short term.

Even if you’re fishing a small pond, a passing cloud won’t realistically change the temperature by a significant amount. What can drastically change the water temperature, however, is rainfall.

When it rains, fresh water pours into a body of water, changing its temperature. This change can happen quickly, especially if we’re talking about a small body of water. In addition, rainfall changes the turbidity (clarity) of the water, as well as the salinity of saltwater. Lastly, rain can often shoot large quantities of nutrients into the water. When all these changes occur at the same time, they can significantly change the way resident fish behave.

Wind

In North America, winds generally blow in a northeast direction. This happens for two reasons: first, the Earth’s rotation, and second, the jet stream. During the summer, the jet stream shifts to the north, pulling warm gusts of low-pressure air from the southwest with it. This is why we have those warm summer winds. During fall and winter, the jet stream shifts to the south, bringing cold fronts and high-pressure air masses from the north.

When masses of cold and warm air mix, storms start to brew. But more on this in a bit.

Winds can influence water bodies and their residents in several ways. The most obvious one, of course, is by making waves. As winds blows along the surface of the water, it creates friction. The stronger the wind blows, the greater the friction, and the greater the waves.

Waves can increase the turbidity of the water, pulling currents and nutrients along with them. All of these factors influence the way fish will behave. Last but not least, winds cause changes in barometric pressure.

Barometric Pressure

If there’s one thing that can bring about a feeding frenzy in fish, it’s a change in barometric pressure. Sudden weather changes produce rapid shifts in barometric pressure, and this is precisely why these are the best moments to wet your line.

What is barometric pressure?

Barometric pressure, or atmospheric pressure, is the force exerted by the Earth’s atmosphere on a given area. Think of it as “the weight of the air.” Barometric pressure is measured in several ways: inches of mercury (in-Hg), millibars (mb), or pounds per square inch (psi). In the US, we mostly use inches Hg. At sea level, barometric pressure of 29.92 inches is “normal.” Anything above that is considered high, and anything below that, low.

Again, you don’t need to focus on absolute numbers, because fish aren’t paying much attention either. What you should make note of is that just as the atmosphere pushes down on Earth’s surface, it does the same to its many bodies of water. These waters, in turn, push on the fish that live there.

Why does barometric pressure affect fish?

To survive in water, fish had to develop a series of physical adaptations. When it comes barometric pressure and fish behavior, two of these adaptations are key. These are the lateral line and the swim bladder.

The lateral line is an organ fish use to navigate and sense the presence of predators or food. It senses the tiniest of reverberations in the water, and as such, it is very sensitive to pressure changes.

The swim bladder, on the other hand, is an organ similar to the stomach, which can inflate with air and allows the fish to achieve buoyancy. As the air pressure changes, so does the pressure on a fish’s swim bladder. It’s something like a natural barometer.

Fish species like Trout, Grouper, Snapper, and Tarpon have larger swim bladders, and are more sensitive to changes in air pressure. On the other hand, species with smaller bladders like Mahi Mahi, Barracuda, Wahoo, and Kingfish are much less affected. And then there are species like Sharks and various types of Tuna that don’t have this organ at all.

Barometric Pressure and Fishing

Alright, air pressure affects fish, we understand. But exactly when and how does this happen? It’s a well-known fact that rising barometric pressure means improving weather and clear skies. Conversely, dropping barometric pressure means that a storm or a cold front is on its way.

Fishing before and after a Storm

As a storm approaches, a mass of warm, low-pressure air gathers above a mass of cold, high-pressure air. When the two air masses meet, they start creating condensation in the form of clouds. During this time, a noticeable, steady drop in air pressure occurs. The pressure continues to drop until the very end of the storm.

Depending on the scale of the storm, this can happen very quickly, or over an extended period of time. For you, the latter is a much better option, as it gives you more time to fish while the pressure is dropping.

What follows the storm is typically a cold front, bringing winds, and a mass of cold, high-pressure air. The cold front often clears the skies, and more importantly, brings about a rapid rise in air pressure. In most cases, this means that fishing is a no-go.

Once the air pressure reaches a high point, it finally stabilizes. There’s no set rule on how long this can take, as it usually depends on the storm that just passed. Fish are mostly inactive after the atmospheric pressure levels out. However, around 72 hours into this period of steady barometric pressure, the fish start coming out again.

Interestingly, fish seem to be much keener on biting than before the weather change started. Some anglers speculate that this is because there was no fishing for several days, and fish have “forgotten” about the hooks and lures they normally avoid. A more realistic cause for the increased bite, however, seems to be that the fish haven’t fed in a while.

Fishing Tactics for Changing Weather

All of the weather factors we mentioned are very closely connected, meaning that one doesn’t change without the other. To make the perfect fishing tactic, you’re going to need to be mindful of them all.

Timing

Summarizing what we talked about above, fish react to changes in barometric pressure in the following way:

• Rapid drops in pressure: changes of more than 0.18 inches Hg in 3 hours, the bite is great
• Rapid rise in pressure: the fish retreat, the bite is non-existent
• Stable pressure: after 3 days of pressure not changing by more than 0.3 inches Hg, the bite is good again

Nowadays, there are plenty of barometer-equipped fishing apps which you can use to track and plan your outings.

Temperature and Turbidity

In colder weather, fish are sluggish, so your lure/bait presentation should be slow-moving as well. Of course, the contrary is true for warmer conditions.

As we mentioned, wind and rainfall can make waters more turbid than normal. Turbidity can drastically limit visibility underwater, and in turn, change the way fish behave. For the most part, fish are sight hunters. When they can’t see, they’ll rely more on their lateral line to find prey. This is where fast action lures can come in handy. The flutter these lures make is the perfect attention-grabber in such situations.

Still, if you’re fishing cold waters, the fish might not be as easily lured to move (no pun intended). In these situations, you’ll need to rely on brightly colored lures to get them to bite. Reds, yellows, and greens can all produce results. In muddy waters, however, red-colored lures tend to lose their visibility. If this is the case, your best bet is to stick to bright yellow and green presentations.

If the seas are rough, chances are that fish have retreated to deeper waters. If you’re determined to fish in these conditions, make sure you’ve chosen the right kind of boat.

Enjoy Responsibly

Fishing ahead of an upcoming storm can produce incredible results. There are countless stories of fishermen cashing in on the feeding frenzy while other anglers are stuck on the highway trying to get home.

Still, as much as it would be cool to be the star of “Twister 2.0,” no fish is worth losing your head over. Read the weather and fishing reports carefully, and give yourself a time cushion to leave the area in case you get held up.

Get things right, however, and you could be looking at catching the fish of a lifetime! So there you have it. That covers everything you need to know about how weather affects fishing.

If you need more information on how to go about fishing for the first time, visit our Fishing Tips for Beginners blog.

What are your tactics for fishing in bad weather? Did you ever fish ahead of a coming storm? Are there some weather-related fishing tips we forgot to mention? Let us know in the comments below.

You need a good swimbait to catch fish consistently. There are so many types of swimbait out on the market, making it tough to know what swimbait to use and when to use it. I have found the 5 swimbaits listed below to be great for “Kraken” bass, helping me have great success after several years of trial and error. This article will walk you through what you need to look for in a swimbait. Plus, it’ll give you a strong baseline of swimbaits to use to consistently outperform all the others. Hopefully, this information on soft plastic swimbaits will help eliminate some confusion for you. In addition, there are several tips and a video of each of these swimbaits in action to help you become a better swimbait fisherman. Enjoy the post!

What Makes A Good Swimbait

A swimbait can be one of the best lures to use for bass fishing. They allow you to cover a lot of water and-best of all-bass crush them! Unfortunately, not all swimbaits are created equal. Almost every fishing brand has one kind of swimbait or another. What separates the effectiveness of a swimbait is its size, swimming action, and the colors.

Fortunately, I’ve spent a lot of time on the water, and boiled the mass amount of products down to 5 good swimbaits that will consistently catch you big bass all year long. Feel free to leave a comment below if you disagree with any of the swimbait listed. I’m always open to try new gear and techniques. Plus, don’t forget to check out the video at the bottom of the post to see these swimbaits in action and see proof of why these are the best. Soak in the stoke!

Keitech Easy Shiner Swimbait

One of the all-time best swimbaits is the Keitech Easy Shiner. This swimbait is awesome because the tail will wobble perfectly without barely any movement on the retrieve. Plus, the thin body is a perfect baitfish imitator. The best way to fish this swimbait is with a 1/8oz. darter jig head on a light spinning rod. You can cast it a mile and the darter jig head will help keep the swimbait horizontal as you retrieve it through the water. Prepare to reel in the bites with this awesome lure.

Rigging Up Keitech Easy Shiner Swimbaits

4″ Ayu Keitech Shiner

1/8oz. Gamakatsu Darter Jig Head

7′ Medium Heavy Spinning Rod & Reel Size 30

Basstrix Paddle Tail Swimbait

I have found the Basstrix Paddle Tail to be a great swimbait on the market. Its action is incredibly unique compared to any other swimbait. The entire body wobbles as the tail kicks. This extra vibration in the water from the Basstrix swimbait’s body wobble helps draw some serious strikes. The Basstrix needs to be retrieved a little faster than other swimbaits to get the right action, but it still crushes bass. Plus, the hollow body enable some cool rigging options to keep the bait from catching in the weeds. This swimbait is a definite must-have in your arsenal.

Rigging Up Basstrix Paddle Tail Swimbaits

1/4oz. gamakatsu swimbait jig head

5″ Basstrix Ayu Paddle Tail Swimbait

7′ Medium Heavy Baitcasting Rod & Reel

Jackall Rhythm Wave Swimbait

The Jackall Rhythm Wave is one of the best swimbaits because of its perfect finesse presentation. I love how the Rhythm Wave’s tail will kick on the slowest of retrieves. Plus, the body has a good rocking action to give it a little more presence in the water. Another cool feature about this swimbait is the scale imitation body style stripes that go down across the entire swimbait. This helps give it a natural baitfish appearance in the water. The bass never fail to choke this swimbait down with some serious stoke!

Rigging Rhythm Wave Swimbaits

3.8 Prims Shad Jackall Rhythm Wave

1/8 Oz Gamakatsu Darter Jig Head

7′ Medium Heavy Spinning Rod & Size 30 Reel

Megabass Spark Shad Swimbait

I like the Megabass Spark Shad swimbait for a variety of reasons. It swims incredibly straight and the body style is a perfect representation of a small fish with the extra front fins. The tail will kick easily on a slow retrieve, and this swimbait comes in some awesome natural colors. The only downside to this swimbait is the eyes will fall off; however, this doesn’t detract the bass from chomping it down. The holes in the top of the bait also help make sure you get the bait rigged up perfectly straight every time. The Spark Shad swimbait really gets those bass “Kraken.”

Rigging Megabass Spark Shad Swimbaits

4″ Real Megabass Spark Shad

3/8oz. Megabass Body Balance Jig Head

Baitcasting 7″ Medium Heavy Rod & Baitcasting Reel

Keitech Fat Swing Impact Swimbait

The Keitech Fat Swing Impact Swimbait is really useful to keep ’em biting. I love the action on this swimbait. It is incredible. The body kick and the tail wag is perfect at the slowest of speeds. This swimbait works amazing as a trailer on a spinnerbait or a swim jig. Traditionally, this swimbait is used a lot on umbrella rigs too. Yet, it still crushes sitting straight on a lead jig head, slowly retrieved through the water. This swimbait is a bass-killer all season long.

Rigging Keitech Swing Impact Fat Swimbaits

4.8″ Ayu Keitech Fat Swing Impact1/4oz. Dirty Jigs Bluegill Swimbait HeadBaitcasting 7″ Medium Heavy Rod & Baitcasting Reel

Swimbait Fishing Video Demonstration

Here’s some footage of these 5 effective swimbaits being tested by me in one morning of fishing. Each of these swimbaits produced some decent bass. Hopefully, you can pick up a few tips from these clips on how to fish these lures as well. A good swimbait and some nice lures are, hands down, one of my favorite ways to catch bass. I hope these videos get you stoked to see how well a swimbait can work for you. Enjoy the vid!

Hopefully, this video and information will help you level up your game to catch more bass on a swimbait. Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow @Krakenbass on all the main social media accounts to keep you up to speed with new posts and information to help you catch more big bass! I’d love to hear from you in the comments below to learn some of your favorite soft plastic swimbaits. There is something magical about these swimbaits that really get those bass “Kraken!”

As Always,

Stay Stoked!

Bowhunting turkeys is the ultimate challenge. Bowhunters are tasked with convincing a mature Tom to go against its natural breeding style and come within range, and then they have to make a clean and ethical shot while remaining undetected. Every single piece of equipment for a turkey hunter matters—especially the broadheads.

Turkey hunting is incredibly tough to start with. The birds have keen eyesight and a relatively small kill zone compared to common big-game animals pursued with compound bows, such as whitetail or elk.

Thus, the small game is going to require a deadly-sharp broadhead and ideally an impressive cutting diameter.

Our list is a mix of fixed blade broadheads and expanding mechanical broadheads, so there are options for beginners or different preferences on turkey hunting.

Be sure to check out our other turkey hunting tips to help nab a big gobbler this season. But for our top six picks for the best turkey broadheads that will get the job done, read on.

1. Rage XTreme Turkey Broadhead

Rage’s dedication to broadhead design is clearly evident in the X-Treme. The Meat Hook cut-on-contact tip makes this broadhead extremely lethal, and the patented Shock Collar is a familiar and effective design.

Specs and Features:

• 2.125″ cutting diameter
• Ferrule Alignment Technology
• Meat Hook cut-on-contact tip
• .035″ Thick stainless steel blades

2. NAP Gobbler Getter

newarchery.com

The Gobbler Getter by NAP has been around longer than most turkey broadheads on the current market and earned its reputation as “Ol’ Faithful.” The innovative blunted tip is what makes it stand out from most other broadheads. The trauma from that tip, which allows the broadhead to crush bones and stay in the kill zone as the expandable blades to do their job, is what makes these broadheads so effective on turkeys.

Specs and Features:

• 1.5″ cutting diameter
• Blunted “turkey tip”
• Diamize blades

3. Magnus Bullhead

While some broadheads are designed for more reliable and risk avoidant body shots, the Magnus Bullhead fixed blade broadheads opt for the more deadly head and neck shots, while mitigating some of that risk through their large and large cutting diameter. With incredibly durable .048″ thick razor blades, as well as a 2 ¾” cutting diameter, it’s easy to see why these broadheads are turkey slayers.

Specs and Features:

• 2 ¾” cutting diameter
• .048″ thick, replaceable stainless steel blades
• Straw and shield free
• Replacement blades iIncluded

4. Xecutioner Turkey Necker

With a similar design to the Bullhead by Magnus, the Turkey Necker was designed for hunters that are looking for those meat saving neck shots. The four massive, razor-sharp blades ensure hunters can execute those shots ethically with peace of mind. Those thunder chickens don’t stand a chance.

Specs and Features:

• 4″ cutting diameter (160 grain head)
• .060″ thick blades
• 4 heads per pack
• Ferrule 7570 aluminum construction

5. Solid Turkey D-Cap

Relatively new to the scene, the turkey D-Cap broadhead is making a name for itself as one of the most dependable and deadly turkey hunting broadheads on the market today. This one is 200 grains, so it can be tricky to get used to for most archery hunters. It packs a powerful punch! The kinetic energy is unmatched, and with a 4″ cutting diameter, this thing is deadly in the spring woods.

Specs and Features:

• 4″ cutting diameter (200 grain head)
• .060″ thick blades
• Field point accuracy up to 50 yards
• 3 blade design

6. G5 Deadmeat

The Deadmeat by G5 Outdoors doesn’t typically standout as the ideal turkey broadhead, but initial looks can be deceiving. The SnapLock retention system is one of the most reliable systems on the broadhead market, and the .044″ thick blades are insanely sharp, while still producing a 1 ½” cutting diameter, which is somewhat conservative for these tough birds, but the results speak for themselves.

Specs and Features:

• 1 ½” cutting diameter
• .044″ thick razor blades
• SnapLock retention system
• Practice head included

You’ll rack up more ‘coons when the winter heat waves hit — if you follow this trapper’s ways.

By Toby Walrath

When trappers think of midwinter traplines, raccoons aren’t likely the first animal that comes to mind. Cold temperatures and rare track sightings do not make the effort of checking and maintaining traps seem worth the work — especially in northern states. But, by targeting the warmest days of each winter month, trappers can spend less time on the trapline and yield more winter-prime raccoons.

Raccoons are targeted in early fall by most trappers and hunters because that’s when the best weather occurs, but midwinter pelts are the most prime. With the current market situation, only the biggest and best raccoon pelts will sell. From a dollars-and-cents perspective, you can spend far less on fuel and trapping expenses and make a lot more money by trapping fewer prime animals, than you can by trapping many that are under-prime. If you are trapping simply for enjoyment and to get a nice hide for the wall or for craft work, it is still beneficial to trap raccoons when the fur is in its fullest and most beautiful condition. Knowing when to set and when to leave traps sprung can maximize your midwinter trap time and yield more prime fur.

First, raccoon pelts are generally good by the end of October and pelts become heavy by mid-November. It is right around this time — especially in northern states — when raccoons hole up in dens somewhere and become difficult to find. This mild form of hibernation is called torpor, which causes raccoons to do very little and slumber for long periods, while conserving fat stores. As long as temperatures stay cold and the snow piles up, raccoon activity remains pretty much nonexistent until it warms up again. Trappers who pay attention to travel routes in the early part of autumn can capitalize on winter-prime furs when the time is right.

Every winter season experiences a few days or weeks of warm weather. Warmth at this time of year is relative to the cold temperatures found on either side of the warm spell. In some regions of the country, woodsmen know this as a Chinook, or Chinook wind, in other parts it is called a January thaw or an ice eater.

Whatever you call it, there is often a time period when the cold weather of winter is reversed temporarily and the temperatures rise above freezing. It can last for a few days or several weeks and often comes with rain and drizzle. This is when raccoons get on the move looking for food, and when trappers can obtain the best pelts.

Secondly, breeding season for raccoons varies slightly by the latitude of their area, but occurs in the first half of the calendar year, generally reaching its peak somewhere within the time between January and March. Any young males that still remain with the family group will disperse at this time and the big boars go out searching for a mate. When a warm spell aligns with breeding activity, the opportunity for prime winter pelts is optimum.

There is some risk that pelts can become stained with urine at this time of the year, especially if the raccoons are holed up inside tight quarters with several other animals for long periods of time. However, I have trapped many wintertime raccoons that brought premium prices at fur sales, and because of this fact I continue to target them in January and February. I have caught raccoons as late as March in the Northwest that had quality hides.

Most of my trapping effort for raccoons is performed a little differently than it is for other species. This difference is driven by the timing of peak activity, weather and the market. Developing a strategy to maximize my return on investment allows me to be able to afford to trap raccoons every season. To put this into perspective, I can’t afford to spend $50 on fuel and bait to trap one $10 raccoon. I also don’t want to spend the time to check traps five times to catch just one raccoon in the current market, either. This is especially true when I can spend my time trapping bobcats and coyotes that bring a much higher paycheck than raccoons.

So, in order to make money, or at least break even, from trapping raccoons, it is necessary to spend less time and money when the least amount of time is required to catch the most valuable pelts. In order to accomplish this I must catch more fur in less time. This is possible by setting traps only when peak activity is expected. Predicting the timing takes a bit of trial and error, but there are some key factors that help me focus my effort at precisely the best periods to find my raccoon sets full.

A full moon will bring raccoons out more during winter months than a dark moon. Some trappers may debate that statement, but it has been my experience over the years. If the weatherman predicts mild temperatures at or above freezing in the middle of the night and there is also a full moon, I make sure that my trapline is in good working order. But, determining exactly where and how to set up my trapline begins much earlier in the season.

I always keep track of where I see raccoon sign while trapping other species throughout the fall. Muskrat, beaver and mink habitat overlap with raccoons. Much of the best winter raccoon trapping locations are in thick timber with large trees that are adjacent to open farm fields or cattail marshes. These forested areas offer protection and food sources when ponds and creeks are frozen. I search for the travel routes that raccoons use during the fall between the food source and den sites.

It’s important to know that when the temperatures dip down in the autumn months raccoons begin looking for a place to stay long term. The areas where raccoon sign, such as tracks and scat, are found just before freeze-up will be the best places to set traps during the midwinter season. These locations are different than the ones you may be accustomed to in the early fall.

Once the areas are identified, it becomes a waiting game. The frigid winter temperatures come and the snow begins to pile up in late November. That is when I generally switch my trapping efforts to bobcats and marten. But, I keep an eye on the weather, too. Usually somewhere around early January a warm weather system will move into my region and that is when I get ready for raccoon trapping. By then all of my other traplines are in and I have a routine of checking those traps with minimal maintenance, which allows me to dedicate some time to a raccoon line.

I use encapsulated traps, also known as dog-proof traps, or DPs, for raccoon trapping because they are very selective and I don’t have to worry about chewing issues. I can also count on the trap functioning properly and there is very little work required to set them up.

To begin, I travel to the areas where I noted high activity just before freeze-up, and choose the most obvious weatherproof locations. In my area, the ground is rock hard at this time of year, so I use heavy cable with an adjustable loop on one end to wrap around a tree trunk and over my trap.

For bait, I keep it simple by using dry cat food and fish or shrimp oil. Even with above-freezing temperatures during the day, any dip in the mercury could freeze up a trap packed with bait that can freeze. The cat food will not freeze as long as it stays dry, and fish oil is naturally freeze proof. I fill the cat food to just at or below the bottom of the trigger. If it gets wet I will clean it out and replace it with fresh, dry bait.

There are models of DP traps with push/pull triggers that will set the trap off as the raccoon pushes its paw inside, but the ones that I prefer rely on an upward pulling motion. It won’t take much oil and I have utilized homemade sun-rendered oil, commercial fish oil and even fishy smelling oils made for fisherman. As long as the oil is thick and has a strong odor, I will add a teaspoon of it to the cat food and then smear some on a tree within a foot or two of the trap. Precise trap placement is not real critical, but I like to jam the support stake (commonly found on top DP brands) into the soil or duff at the base of the tree when possible, so that the trap is upright at a slight angle. I will always set at least two or three traps within 50 feet or so of each other because I so often see more than one raccoon travelling together. I have caught as many as three very close together, and if I have enough traps I will set as many as six in one premium location.

Next, I’ll wait and check my traps regularly as long as the weather stays above freezing. When temperatures drop again I spring the traps and lay them on their sides to keep any rain or snow out, and forget about them until the weather is predicted to warm up again.

When I know that the weather is going to heat up for a few days, I reset and re-bait all of the traps throughout the entire warm spell again. In this way I am keeping my traps operational only when the raccoons are most likely to be actively searching for food. Most importantly, I won’t waste any time maintaining and checking traps when temperatures are below freezing, because I know that overall raccoon activity will be very limited during those conditions. With my traps already secured to the trunk of weatherproof trees, resetting them is very easy when the time comes.

Midwinter raccoon trapping can produce the best quality hides at a time of the year when food is scarce and their breeding season is ramping up. Those two factors alone should increase the return on a trapper’s efforts. I also like to be the only raccoon trapper working an area, and given the low prices of fall skins and the common thought that winter and raccoon trapping don’t belong in the same sentence — I have enjoyed many productive days afield pursuing prime pelts without seeing any other trappers.

Try trapping raccoons this winter when their fur is at its best and competing trappers are few and far between. You will get more skins and profit for your efforts, while having one more excuse to get outside when others are curled up in bed waiting for spring.

—Toby Walrath is a big-game guide, writer, photographer, hunter and trapper, and can be reached through his Instagram account @walrathoutdoorsphoto.

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Related Posts

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

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

The kit includes:

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

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

Before You Begin

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

Step 1: Fleshing a Squirrel Skin

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

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

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

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

Removing the musk glands

Removing the musk glands

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

How do you know when your hide is clean?

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

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

Step 2: Salting a Squirrel Skin

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

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

Salting the tail

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

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

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

Step 3: Rehydrating a Squirrel Skin

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

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

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

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

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

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

After rehydrating

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

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

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

I recently completed a project that I began last Fall.

On nature walks in the park in the Fall, I am frequently asked about the hickory nuts we find: “Are they edible”? The short answer is yes. The question, however, deserves a fuller response.

To say that something is “edible” is, in a sense, simply to say that it is safe to eat; it is not poisonous and will not make the eater sick. Hickory nuts are definitely edible in this sense. This is only the first consideration, though, for someone who is actually considering eating something found in its natural state. Not everything edible is something that one wants to consume. Are the hickory nuts of Eliza Howell Park ones that we are likely to find pleasant to eat?

To the best of my knowledge, there are three species of hickory nut trees in Eliza Howell: Bitternut Hickory, Shagbark Hickory, Pignut Hickory. The trees are not numerous, but in some years all three produce bumper crops and the nuts are easy to find on the ground. Bitternut appears to be the most common of the hickories in the park.

This picture depicts each Eliza Howell hickory species in the progression from green nut to ripening nut to the nut after the outer hull is removed.

The first clue to tastiness might be what our ancestors thought when the species got their common names. “Bitter” clearly suggests unpleasant. And identifying something as “pig feed” is not normally a recommendation for human consumption. In the past, Pignut Hickory nuts were commonly part of the annual diet of hogs.

The other species, on the other hand, was identified by its bark: the trunk has large strips of peeling bark. Calling attention to the bark helps to provide identification if one wants to locate a tree for purposes of collecting nuts. Shagbark is a hickory that nearly everyone agrees is tasty as well as edible.

I have eaten Shagbark Hickory nuts many times. We collected them every Fall for Winter eating when I was young. Having no memory of ever eating Bitternut or Pignut, I browsed the reports and descriptions of others. There appears to be general agreement that Bitternut nuts are not tasty, but there is less agreement on Pignut. Most, but not all, describe it as unpleasant to eat.

I decided to do a taste test. I harvested a few nuts of each species in the Fall and this February I ate some of each.

The Shagbark was enjoyable, as remembered.

I found little difference between Bitternut and Pignut. My assessment of these two: On the one hand, if I were hungry, they would serve as an acceptable source of nutrition; on the other hand, I do not intend to bring them home to eat. I am perfectly pleased to let wildlife have them (and I do see from the evidence in the snow that squirrels have, in fact, been using them for Winter food this year).

There is an old Roman (Latin) saying: “De gustibus non est disputandum.” We should not dispute matters of taste. What one person likes another might not – and that does not make either wrong. My opinion on the taste of the different hickory nuts found in Eliza Howell Park is just one person’s opinion. But this coming Fall, when asked if the hickory nuts we step on are edible, I can at least speak as one who has tasted them.

What’s the best low light hunting scope you should take afield?

I think most hunters can likely agree that choosing the best low light hunting scope can be pretty tough, especially for those who are new to hunting or just don’t know a lot about optics in general.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when searching for hunting scopes on the internet or when browsing the optics section of a sporting goods store. Even if you get past that initial overwhelming shock of seeing the sheer variety of optics choices billed as “low light hunting scopes,” cutting through the marketing jargon optics companies use to sell their products is a massive task itself.

I know how you feel and I’ve experienced much of that same frustration myself.

Though I’ve never owned a truly bad scope, I freely admit that I’ve purchased a few models that I wasn’t happy with and would not recommend to others. Nobody likes wasting money on a product that doesn’t live up to expectations and finding out you bought a sub-par rifle scope after having high expectations about how it would perform will definitley leave a bad taste in your mouth.

The good news is that we’re living in something of a golden age for hunting optics and the best scopes today are much better than was the case even 10 years ago. Indeed, there is a plethora of quality hunting scopes on the market today that provide exceptional performance at the range and afield.

In this post, I share my picks for the best low light hunting scopes. None of them are perfect, but the right scope can provide a vital edge when you need it most.

This is especially true during low-light conditions when many species of big game are most active. A scope with good low light performance can mean the difference between going home empty handed and punching your tag on the buck or bull of your dreams in a situation like that.

Before we get started, here’s a disclaimer: some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I will earn a small commission if you make a purchase.

This commission comes at no extra cost to you. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content that’s useful to hunters like yourself. Thanks for your support.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get started.

Feel free to scroll straight through the article, or click one of the links below to jump straight to the best low light rifle scope in the specific category you’re looking for.

Best Value Low Light Hunting Scope

Best Low Light Hunting Scope Under $200

Best Low Light Hunting Scope Under $1,000

Best Low Light Hunting Scope Under $2,000

Best Low Light Hunting Scope Under $3,000

Best Overall Low Light Hunting Scope

Best Leupold Low Light Hunting Scope

Best Vortex Low Light Hunting Scope

Best Long Range Low Light Hunting Scope

Best Value Low Light Hunting Scope

Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x44mm

I’ll cut straight to the chase: I think the Leupold VX-5HD is the best value low light hunting scope currently available on the market. Not only that, but this is my favorite hunting scope in general. Period.

Why? Well, the VX-5HD has fantastic glass with special anti-reflective coatings to provide outstanding light transmission. Plus, this particular model of the VX-5HD I’m recommending here also uses an illuminated FireDot Duplex reticle. Basically, it’s a standard duplex crosshair with an illuminated red dot in the center that you can turn on and off.

It works just like a typical scope during the day, but you can turn on that illuminated reticle to aid in aiming during low light conditions. I’ve been in several situations where I had game come out during legal shooting light, but it was dark enough that I had trouble seeing the animals with my naked eye.

Fortunately, the light gathering capabilities of the VX-5HD are so fantastic that I could see much better while looking through the scope.

For example, I successfully and cleanly took a big blue wildebeest with my VX-5 on a recent hunt in Africa at dusk when it was dark enough that I could not see the black crosshairs on his dark body. However, I just turned on the illuminated reticle, put the dot where I wanted to hit, squeezed the trigger, and he dropped at the shot.

There’s no way I could have ethically or practically taken that shot with a scope without that fantastic light transmission and without the illuminated reticle.

It’s also really easy to adjust the brightness of that FireDot reticle as well to turn it up for use during the day if desired, or turn it way down to minimize glare inside the scope for use in low light conditions.

The Leupold VX-5HD also comes with Leupold’s CDS-ZL system and a side focus parallax adjustment dial. Additionally, it has a wide zoom range from 3x all the way up to 15x on the high end that make it well suited for basically any hunting situation you can think of from whitetail in thick timber to open country pronghorn hunts.

This scope is also really well built, tracks beautifully, and holds a zero exceptionally well.

To be fair, the Leupold VX-6HD line has a few additional features that some hunters really like, but I own and have hunted with both. In my opinion, the VX-5HD provides the best balance of size, weight, price, and the features that are most important to me.

And yes, a couple of other scopes on this list provide even better low light performance, but all are considerably more expensive than the Leupold VX-5HD.

All in all, this is a fantastic low light hunting scope that provides high end performance at a surprisingly reasonable price. If that big buck or bull of your dreams steps out of the woods right at last light, you want a scope like the VX-5HD on your hunting rifle so you can make that shot when it counts.

Key Features

• Weight: 19.7 ounces
• Magnification Range: 3-15x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 44mm
• Exit Pupil (low magnification): 14.67mm
• Exit Pupil (high magnification): 2.93mm
• Tube Diameter: 30mm
• Field of View: 38.3-7.7 feet at 100 yards
• Turret Click Values: .25 MOA
• Reticle Focal Plane: Second
• Parallax/Focus: Side adjusting parallax/focus knob
• Knob Style: Capped Windage & Custom Dial System-ZL Elevation (CDS-ZL)
• Illuminated Reticle: Yes

Pros

• Wide magnification range
• Excellent quality glass
• Great low light performance
• Illuminated reticle is perfect for low light situations
• Great balance of useful features without too many unnecessary “extras”

Cons

• On the heavy side
• Lacks throw level on magnification ring
• Higher price point

BUY A LEUPOLD VX-5HD SCOPE ON AMAZON HERE

BUY A LEUPOLD VX-5HD SCOPE AT EURO OPTIC HERE

BUY A LEUPOLD VX-5HD SCOPE AT OPTICS PLANET HERE

Best Low Light Scope For Hunting Under $200

Vortex Crossfire II

The Vortex Crossfire II is a great entry level rifle scope and is exactly what you need if you want a no frills low light scope under $200 and don’t want to do a lot of shopping.

Let’s be realistic here: the Vortex Optics Crossfire II does not provide light transmission or image quality on par with some of the more expensive optics on this list. However, it’s still a capable low light hunting scope for those who don’t need a high performance optic and is a big step up over other lower price point scopes like the Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn.

This is because it has multi-coated lenses that facilitate light transmission and clarity under a variety of circumstances. It’s also available with a V-Brite Illuminated reticle as an additional option for those who want a more clearly defined aiming point at dawn or dusk.

Make no mistake: it’s more than adequate for many hunting situations, especially for hunters on a tight budget. I’d recommend moving up to something a little nicer if your budget allows though.

Key Features

• Weight: 14.3 ounces
• Magnification Range: 3-9x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 40mm
• Exit Pupil (low magnification): 13.33mm
• Exit Pupil (high magnification): 4.44mm
• Tube Diameter: 1-inch main tube
• Field of View: 34.1-12.6 feet at 100 yards
• Turret Click Values: .25 MOA
• Reticle Focal Plane: Second
• Parallax/Focus: Fixed at 100 yards
• Knob Style: Capped
• Illuminated Reticle: Yes (optional)

Pros

• Light and compact
• Very reasonable price
• Perfect for a budget conscious deer hunter
• Good glass

Cons

• Lower image quality than the higher end scopes
• Restrictive eye box
• No parallax adjustment dial

BUY A VORTEX CROSSFIRE II SCOPE ON AMAZON HERE

BUY A VORTEX CROSSFIRE II SCOPE ON EURO OPTIC HERE

BUY A VORTEX CROSSFIRE II SCOPE AT OPTICS PLANET HERE

Best Low Light Hunting Scope Under $1,000

Zeiss Conquest V4 3-12x44mm

European companies like Zeiss, Schmitt & Bender, and Swarovski (more on the others in a minute) are all known for producing outstanding quality optics in general. You tend to get what you pay for with that stuff though and European optics are also generally very expensive.

Fortunately, the Zeiss Conquest V4 is a great way to get a high quality European rifle scope with excellent light transmission capabilities for less than $1,000. This scope does not have a lot of “bells and whistles”, but it’s still an excellent German scope with great low light performance. Indeed Zeiss advertises that it uses six-layer multi-coated lenses to offer exceptional 90% light transmission and a clear sight picture.

This is not billed as an extremely lightweight hunting scope or one that’s ideally suited for long range hunting situations (look at something like the Zeiss Victory V, Victory HT, Conquest V6, or V8 if you want something along those lines). However, the Conquest V4 is an outstanding choice for a hunter who wants a good low light scope without paying for a bunch of extra features.

Key Features

• Weight: 22.5 ounces
• Magnification Range: 3-12x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 44mm
• Exit Pupil (low magnification): 14.66mm
• Exit Pupil (high magnification): 3.66mm
• Tube Diameter: 30mm
• Field of View: 19-4.8 feet at 100 meters
• Turret Click Values: .25 MOA
• Reticle Focal Plane: Second
• Parallax/Focus: Fixed at 50 yards
• Knob Style: Capped
• Illuminated Reticle: No

Pros

• Excellent light transmission at a reasonable price
• Very good quality glass
• Perfect for a hunter who wants a good scope without a bunch of “extras”
• Very durable

Cons

• Physically on the large and heavy side
• Smaller field of view
• No parallax adjustment dial
• No illuminated reticle

BUY A ZEISS CONQUEST SCOPE FROM AMAZON HERE

BUY A ZEISS CONQUEST SCOPE FROM EURO OPTIC HERE

BUY A ZEISS CONQUEST SCOPE FROM OPTICS PLANET HERE

Best Low Light Hunting Scope Under $2,000

Schmidt & Bender 3-12×50 Klassik

The Schmidt & Bender 3-12x50mm Klassik rifle scope is yet another great low light hunting scope from a European manufacturer. Closely related to the 3-12x50mm PM II USMC model the United States Marine Corps used on their sniper rifles for years, the Schmidt & Bender Klassik delivers a great balance of incredibly clearly glass, exceptional light transmission, and outstanding durability.

Don’t let the price of relative lack of marketing for this scope in the Untied States fool you: this is definitely one of the best low light hunting scopes available and has light gathering and transmission capabilities that perform right up there with some higher end (and much more expensive) models also on this list. Plus, it also has an illuminated reticle to further facilitate precision shooting under challenging lighting conditions.

To be perfectly honest, this scope is so good under low light conditions that it could even potentially get you into trouble by allowing you to take a shot outside legal shooting hours if you’re not careful!

All things considered, the Schmidt & Bender 3-12x50mm Klassik rifle scope is the perfect low light hunting scope for someone who wants the best possible light transmission and incredible durability without any extra or unnecessary features and without spending over $2,000.

Key Features

• Weight: 21.8 ounces
• Magnification Range: 3-12x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 50mm
• Exit Pupil (low magnification): 14.4mm
• Exit Pupil (high magnification): 4.2mm
• Tube Diameter: 30mm
• Field of View: 11.1-36.4 feet at 100 meters
• Turret Click Values: .25 MOA
• Reticle Focal Plane: First
• Parallax/Focus: Fixed
• Knob Style: Capped Windage & Elevation
• Illuminated Reticle: Yes

Pros

• Extremely durable
• Outstanding glass
• Illuminated reticle
• Great for a hunter who wants an outstanding good scope without a bunch of “extras”

Cons

• On the heavier side
• Higher price point

BUY A SCHMIDT AND BENDER KLASSIK SCOPE FROM EURO OPTIC HERE

BUY A SCHMIDT AND BENDER KLASSIK SCOPE FROM OPTICS PLANET HERE

Best Low Light Hunting Scope Under $3,000

Swaroviski Z6i 2-12x50mm

We can’t talk about low light hunting scopes without mentioning Swarovski. Specifically, I think the Swarovski Z 6i 2-12x50mm scope is the best low light hunting scope under $3,000.

Swarovski optics are known for having some of the absolute best quality glass in the business. Well, the Z6i is one of their higher end scopes and uses incredible glass that provides outstanding transmission while at the same time minimizing glare and reflection.

The Swarovski Z6i also has an illuminated reticle that also facilitates aiming under dim lighting conditions. Users also have the option of adding a custom elevation turret for use at longer range. The wide zoom range combined with the with the large 50 mm objective lens also makes this a very flexible scope with a large exit pupil across a wide magnification range.

Plus, this scope is surprisingly lightweight considering its overall quality and the extra features it comes with.

All things considered, it’s tough to argue with a combination of crystal-clear images, incredible light transmission, moderate weight, and those additional features that make the Swaro Z6i such an excellent hunting scope both for use during the middle of the day as well as at dawn and dusk when things are so challenging.

In fact, someone could definitely make the argument that the Swarovski Z6i is the top overall pick on this list of the best low light rifle scopes.

Key Features

• Weight: 18.3 ounces
• Magnification Range: 2-12x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 50mm
• Exit Pupil (low magnification): 25mm
• Exit Pupil (high magnification): 4.16mm
• Tube Diameter: 30mm
• Field of View: 63-10.5 feet at 100 yards
• Turret Click Values: .25 MOA
• Reticle Focal Plane: Second
• Parallax/Focus: Fixed
• Knob Style: Capped Windage & Optional Custom Elevation Turret
• Illuminated Reticle: Yes

Pros

• Reasonable size and weight
• Outstanding quality glass
• Illuminated reticle
• Excellent image quality

Cons

• Higher price point
• No parallax adjustment dial

BUY A SWAROVSKI Z6i SCOPE FROM AMAZON HERE

BUY A SWAROVSKI Z6i SCOPE FROM EURO OPTIC HERE

Best Low Light Hunting Scope

Tangent Theta TT315 3-15x50mm

If price is no option in your search for the absolute best possible low light hunting scope, then the Tangent Theta TT315 is what you need. A word of warning though: there’s a good chance you’ll never want anything else after you try out a Tangent Theta TT315.

This scope is specifically designed for professional marksman and incorporated all the features most useful in that role. Since those marksmen must look through their scope for long periods of time and depend on that scope to see minute target details, the TT315M has unsurpassed image quality and light transmission capabilities that allow the shooter to see the tiniest details of their target without eye fatigue and under periods of low light.

There are two downsides of this scope though: it’s very heavy and it’s very expensive.

To be perfectly honest, the vast majority of hunters do not need the low light performance of the Tangent Theta TT315 and there are plenty of other great low light scopes that aren’t quite as heavy or expensive. However, this is definitely the best low light rifle scope for those who do want/need that performance and who don’t mind shelling out a bunch of cash for this scope or lugging it around.

Key Features

• Weight: 36.15 ounces
• Magnification Range: 3-15x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 50mm
• Exit Pupil (low magnification): 11.5mm
• Exit Pupil (high magnification): 3.5mm
• Tube Diameter: 34mm
• Field of View: 12.8-2.8 meters at 100 meters
• Turret Click Values: .1 Mil
• Parallax/Focus: Side adjusting parallax/focus knob
• Knob Style: Non-translating knobs with elevation zero-stop & mechanical windage direction indicator
• Illuminated Reticle: Yes

Pros

• Wide magnification range
• Optimized for long distance performance
• Illuminated reticle
• Exposed elevation turrets facilitate rapid adjustments
• Side focus parallax
• Unsurpassed low light performance
• Excellent image quality

Cons

• Large and heavy
• Expensive

BUY A TANGENT TT315 SCOPE FROM AMAZON HERE

BUY A TANGENT TT315 SCOPE FROM EURO OPTIC HERE

BUY A TANGENT TT315 SCOPE FROM OPTICS PLANET HERE

Best Leupold Low Light Hunting Scope

Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x50mm

The Leupold VX-6HD product line is Leupold’s top end hunting scope lineup and the 3-18x50mm version of the VX-6HD is definitely the best Leupold low light hunting scope. I also think this line contains some of their best rifle scopes overall as well.

This is because it uses outstanding glass with superior coatings that facilitates excellent light transmission. Plus, this particular scope also has an illuminated FireDot Duplex reticle. Just like the VX-5HD I mentioned earlier, the FireDot Duplex reticle is a standard duplex crosshair with an illuminated red dot in the center that you can turn on and off.

The VX-6HD is basically an upgraded VX-5HD with a wider zoom range (6x instead of 5x), a little bit better quality glass, and a couple of other extra features many hunters like having like a reversible throw lever, an electronic reticle level, and flip up alumina lens covers.

While I think the VX-5HD is the best value low light hunting scope, those extra features and capability of the VX-6HD make it a better choice for other hunters who want a little bit better scope with slightly better low light performance, a couple of extra features, and who don’t mind spending a little bit more.

All things considered, the Leupold VX-6HD is an outstanding low light hunting scope. This scope provides a substantial improvement in low light performance over the VX-Freedom and VX-3HD scope lines as well as a modest improvement over the VX-5HD both overall and in the role of a low-light scope.

The VX-6HD definitely won’t let you down if you need to make a shot under low light conditions.

Key Features

• Weight: 22.9 ounces
• Magnification Range: 3-18x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 50mm
• Exit Pupil (low magnification): 16.67mm
• Exit Pupil (high magnification): 2.77mm
• Tube Diameter: 30mm
• Field of View: 38.3-6.4 feet at 100 yards
• Turret Click Values: .25 MOA
• Reticle Focal Plane: Second
• Parallax/Focus: Side adjusting parallax/focus knob
• Knob Style: Capped Windage & Custom Dial System-ZL Elevation (CDS-ZL)
• Illuminated Reticle: Yes

Pros

• Wide magnification range
• Excellent quality glass
• Illuminated reticle is perfect for low light situations
• Just about every feature you could want on a hunting scope

Cons

• On the large and heavy side
• Higher price point

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Best Vortex Low Light Hunting Scope

Vortex Razor HD LHT 3-15×50

Look no further than the Vortex Razor HD LHT if you want the best Vortex low light hunting scope. This scope uses high quality glass, has a reticle with a center illuminated dot, a side parallax knob, and an exposed elevation turret with Vortex’s RevStop Zero System (their version of a a zero stop).

There’s a reason why Vortex Optics markets the Razor HD LHT as “one scope to rule them all” and this scope has much improved low light performance over their lower tier Crossfire, Diamondback, and Viper lines. Not only his the Razor HD LHT a better low light hunting scope, but it’s also just a better performing rifle scope overall.

Indeed, it’s well suited for use in dark-timber on whitetails as well as for open country antelope or elk hunts where precision long range shots may be necessary.

The Razor HD LHT also comes with a coupon you can redeem with Kentron Industries to receive a custom elevation turret matched to your favorite hunting load to assist with making long shots on game and at the range.

Finally, the illuminated reticle is especially nice for use in low light conditions where there’s still legal shooting light, but it may be too dark to see the reticle. Just turn on the illuminated center dot, place that red dot where you want to hit, and squeeze the trigger. The reticle also works just fine during the daytime when illumination is turned off.

If you want the absolute best Vortex low light hunting scope, then the Vortex Razor HD LHT is just what the doctor ordered.

Key Features

• Weight: 19.1 ounces
• Magnification Range: 3-15x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 42mm
• Exit Pupil (low magnification): 14mm
• Exit Pupil (high magnification): 2.8mm
• Tube Diameter: 30mm
• Field of View: 35.3-7.0 feet at 100 yards
• Turret Click Values: .25 MOA
• Reticle Focal Plane: Second
• Parallax/Focus: Side adjusting parallax/focus knob
• Knob Style: Exposed elevation turret (MOA)
• Illuminated Reticle: Yes

Pros

• Can order a custom elevation dial
• Excellent glass quality
• Illuminated center dot
• Well suited for a variety of deer hunting situations

Cons

• Busy reticle
• On heavy side

BUY A VORTEX RAZOR SCOPE ON AMAZON HERE

BUY A VORTEX RAZOR SCOPE ON EURO OPTIC HERE

BUY A VORTEX RAZOR SCOPE AT OPTICS PLANET HERE

Best Long Range Low Light Hunting Scope

Nightforce ATACR 5-25×56

With a gigantic 56mm objective lens and fully multi-coated ED glass, the Nightforce ATACR is another excellent addition to this list of low-light scopes. This scope also has a large 34mm main tube and a zoom range from 5x all the way up to 25x on the high end that facilitates use at longer ranges.

It also provides over 35 mils of elevation adjustment. This scope is also available in first focal plane and second focal plane configurations. For those reasons, I think the ATACR is the best long range low light hunting scope.

So, this is the best rifle scope for you if you’re looking for something with excellent low light performance that you can also use to reach out to extreme ranges with.

Key Features

• Weight: 39.1 ounces
• Magnification Range: 5-25x
• Objective Lens Diameter: 56mm
• Exit Pupil (low magnification): 10.5mm
• Exit Pupil (high magnification): 2.2mm
• Tube Diameter: 34mm
• Field of View: 18-4.9 feet at 100 yards
• Turret Click Values: .25 MOA or .1 MRAD
• Parallax/Focus: Side adjusting parallax/focus knob
• Knob Style: Capped
• Illuminated Reticle: Yes

Pros

• Wide magnification range
• Optimized for long distance performance
• Illuminated reticle
• Exposed elevation turrets facilitate rapid adjustments
• Side focus parallax
• Unsurpassed low light performance
• Excellent image quality

Cons

• Large and heavy
• Expensive

BUY A NIGHTFORCE ATACR SCOPE ON AMAZON HERE

BUY A NIGHTFORCE ATACR SCOPE ON EURO OPTIC HERE

BUY A NIGHTFORCE ATACR SCOPE AT OPTICS PLANET HERE

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