Do deer sit? This is a question that I get asked a lot, and unfortunately, there is no easy answer. While we do know that deer are capable of sitting down, whether or not they actually do so in the wild is another story.

No, deer do not sit usually. They are constantly moving and searching for food unless there are some conditions.There have been a few studies conducted on captive deer to try and answer this question, but since deer in the wild behave differently than those in captivity, it’s hard to say for sure if the results would be the same.

In one study, only 1 out of 8 captive deer were observed sitting down, while another study found that 3 out of 10 captive deer sat down at least once. So what does this tell us? Well, it’s possible that deer do sit down occasionally in the wild, but it’s certainly not something that they do often. If you’re ever lucky enough to see a wild deer sitting down, you can consider yourself quite fortunate!

How long can a deer sit in the woods and not spoil?

Do Deer Sit Like Dogs?

Do Deer Sit Like Dogs? No, deer do not sit like dogs. In fact, deer rarely sit down at all! Deer are constantly on the move, grazing on vegetation or searching for mates. When they do take a break, deer usually stand up or lie down. So why don’t deer sit like dogs? There are a few reasons why deer don’t sit down. First of all, their legs are designed for standing and running, not sitting. Secondly, sitting would make them an easy target for predators. And finally, since they graze on vegetation instead of eating from a bowl, they need to be constantly moving to find food. So next time you see a deer, don’t expect it to be lounging around like your dog!

Do Deer Sleep in the Same Place?

Whether or not deer sleep in the same place every night depends on a few factors, including the season, the animal’s age, and availability of food and water. In general, however, deer are creatures of habit and will often return to the same bedding area night after night. During the winter months when food is scarce and temperatures are cold, deer will typically find a spot that offers some shelter from the elements and hunker down for long periods of time. This might be in a thicket of brush or under a tree canopy. The goal is to conserve energy and stay warm. As spring arrives and days become longer, bucks will start to spend more time on their feet as they search for does in heat. At this time of year, it’s not uncommon for bucks to travel several miles each day in their quest to mate. Consequently, they may not bed down in the same spot every night. Once mating season is over and does are pregnant, they too will start to settle into specific areas where they can raise their fawns without too much disturbance from other animals or humans. Once again, these spots might change from year to year depending on conditions such as predator pressure or availability of food sources.

Where Do Deer Sleep?

Deer are creatures of habit and will often sleep in the same spot day after day. However, they will also switch up their sleeping location depending on the time of year and their current needs. In the summertime, deer will typically bed down in cooler, shaded areas to escape the heat of the day. During the fall and winter, they’ll move to lower-lying areas that offer more protection from the elements. And during mating season, bucks will spend most nights away from does in order to avoid getting caught by a rival suitor. No matter where they lay their head down for the night, deer always choose an area with good visibility so they can keep an eye out for predators.

Where Do Deer Sleep When It Rains

When it rains, deer tend to sleep in covered areas such as under trees or bushes. They will also seek out shelters such as caves or hollow logs. If there is no shelter available, deer will sometimes bed down in low-lying areas such as ditches or depressions in the ground. Deer do not like to get wet and will try to avoid open areas where they are exposed to the rain.

Do Deer Sleep Together

Do deer sleep together? The answer is yes, they do! In the wild, deer will often bed down in close proximity to each other for warmth and protection. This behavior is also seen in captive herds of deer, where they will huddle together in their enclosure. Deer are very social animals and enjoy being in close contact with others. When they sleep, they often do so lying next to each other or touching one another. This helps them stay warm and feels good for them physically. It’s also a way for them to bond with each other and build trust within the herd.

Do Deer Lay down During the Day?

While deer are generally nocturnal creatures, they will sometimes lay down during the day. This is usually done in areas where they feel safe and secure, such as in a thicket or underbrush. If you see a deer lying down during the day, it’s likely that it’s just taking a nap.

What Does It Mean When Deer are Lying Down?

There are a few different reasons why deer might lie down. The most common reason is that they are resting or sleeping. Deer are generally very active during the day and will spend a lot of time grazing and moving around. At night, they will often lie down in order to rest and conserve energy. Another reason why deer might lie down is because they are sick or injured. If a deer is lying down and not moving around much, it could be an indication that something is wrong. If you see a deer lying down in the middle of the day, it’s worth taking a closer look to see if the animal appears to be healthy or not. Finally, deer will sometimes lie down when they are giving birth. This usually happens at night or early in the morning, and the mother deer will often stay close to her offspring until they are able to stand up and walk on their own. So, if you see a deer lying down, there’s no need to worry! In most cases, the animal is simply taking a break from all its daily activities.

How Long Can a Deer Sit in the Woods And Not Spoil?

Assuming you are referring to deer meat: The length of time that deer meat can sit in the woods without spoiling depends on a number of factors, including temperature, humidity, and exposure to insects. In general, however, raw deer meat can last for up to two days in moderate temperatures (between 32-40 degrees Fahrenheit) without spoilage. If the temperature is warmer than this range, the meat will spoil more quickly; if it is cooler, the meat will last longer. Similarly, high humidity levels can cause the meat to spoil more quickly, while low humidity levels will slow down the process of spoiling. Finally, exposure to insects can also cause the meat to spoil more quickly.

Why Would a Deer Be Alone?

There are many reasons why deer might be alone. For example, the deer could be a young fawn that has become separated from its mother. Or, the deer could be an adult male that is not part of a herd. Finally, the deer could be sick or injured, and unable to keep up with the rest of the herd. Whatever the reason, it is not unusual to see a deer by itself.

Conclusion

Deer are known to be social creatures, often seen grazing in herds. But did you know that deer will also sit down like we do? Yes, deer will actually sit down on their haunches just like people! There are a few reasons why deer might sit. For one, it could be a way to rest and digest their food. Deer are constantly eating grasses and other plants, so sitting down gives their stomachs a break. Additionally, sitting allows deer to keep an eye out for predators. By sitting up high, they can scan the area for any potential threats. So next time you see a deer in your yard, don’t be surprised if it plops down on its haunches and takes a seat!

The legendary .30-06 Springfield has been one of the most popular centerfire rifle cartridges among North American hunters for over a century. Here are a few of the best 30-06 ammo options that will serve you very well on your next hunt.

First adopted by the United States Army at the beginning of the 20th Century, the .30-06 Springfield also quickly became a favorite among hunters soon after it was released. Providing a good balance of power, accuracy, a relatively flat trajectory, manageable recoil, and plenty of killing power on medium and big game, the .30-06 is still getting it done afield well into the 21st Century.

Even lost of other outstanding cartridges like the .270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, and the .300 Winchester Magnum have hit the market in the intervening years, the .30-06 Springfield remains a favorite to this day and still consistently ranks among the Top 10 (possibly Top 5) best selling centerfire rifle cartridges in the United States each year.

Not surprisingly, virtually every single major ammunition manufacturer like Barnes, Browning, Buffalo Bore, Fiocchi, Federal Premium, Hornady, HSM, Norma, Nosler, Remington, Sellier & Bellot, Sierra, Swift, and Winchester produces several different variants of .30-06 ammo for hunting deer, elk, moose, bear, and many other big game animals.

While the .30-06 Springfield absolutely excels on deer sized game, it is also an incredibly effective cartridge for use hunting bigger game like elk and even moose when using heavy for caliber, premium ammunition loaded with controlled expansion bullets.

It’s important to realize that different hunting situations necessitate the use of different kinds of .30-06 ammo for best results and using the wrong ammunition can lead to disastrous performance.

For instance, a mild recoiling load that’s ideal for use on whitetail deer at short range would be a terrible choice for use on really big game like moose or elk.

Make no mistake, the .30-06 Springfield can be an extremely effective cartridge for hunting elk and even moose, but you do need to use proper bullets if you plan on using the .30-06 for elk.

Fortunately, hunters now have access to a great selection of controlled expansion bullets that perform very well on really big game like elk and moose.

Lightweight 125 grain and 150-grain bullets are great for deer hunting, but hunters who use those lighter bullets on larger game will very likely experience issues with poor penetration, especially on steeply quartering shots. For this reason, I strongly recommend using premium quality controlled expansion bullets that are 170 grains or heavier (ideally 175-180 grain bullets) if you plan on using the .30-06 for hunting really big game like moose and elk.

Keep all of this in mind when you select .30-06 ammo for an upcoming hunt.

Additionally, while they can be very accurate and are certainly capable of killing big game animals, I don’t recommend using bullets designed for target shooting or marketed as match ammo like the Sierra MatchKing or Hornady A-Max and ELD Match for hunting.

This is because target or match bullets usually aren’t designed for optimum terminal performance on big game animals and you may run into issues with poor penetration.

By the same token, it’s a really bad idea (and often illegal) to hunt with full metal jacket (FMJ) bullets. FMJ ammo (especially Greek or Lake City surplus ammo that’s still floating around out there) is usually very inexpensive and is great for plinking or target shooting. Just don’t hunt with that stuff.

Instead, it’s best to stick with .30-06 ammo specifically designed for hunting that uses soft point, jacketed hollow point, or similar hunting bullets.

Fortunately, there is a wide variety of .30-06 factory loads specifically designed for just almost any big game hunting situation. So, regardless of whether you’re using a bolt action Remington Model 700, a Ruger Hawkeye, a Savage Axis, a Winchester Model 70, or some other hunting rifle, there is pretty much guaranteed to be something for everyone on the list below of the best .30-06 ammunition for hunting.

In this article, I’m going to provide recommendations for the best .30-06 ammo for hunting elk, deer, feral hogs, pronghorn, black bear, moose, and all sorts of other big game. I’ll also go over the strengths and weaknesses of each individual load and so you can select the right ammunition for your specific needs.

Note: some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase of rifle, handgun, rimfire, or shotgun ammunition through those links. 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.

Additionally, I do not recommend using any of this ammunition in a M-1 Garand.

Barnes VOR-TX

Barnes produces a couple of .30-06 ammo options as part of their LRX and VOR-TX lines. Featuring their legendary copper Tipped Triple Shock X (TTSX) bullets or Long Range Expanding (LRX) bullets, Barnes ammunition is designed for rapid expansion, high weight retention, and deep penetration.

Available using 150 grain, 168 grain, or 180 grain .30 caliber bullets, Barnes offers three outstanding choices for hunters in their VOR-TX line regardless of what they’re after.

The 180 grain load is an excellent choice of .30-06 Springfield ammo for elk, deer, bear, and moose hunting. While it’s not designed for longer range performance, it’s great for shots at typical hunting ranges and retains over 1,500ft-lbs of energy out past 400 yards.

The load featuring a 168 grain Barnes TTSX will also work for larger game like elk in a pinch, but it’s much better suited for deer, bear, and pronghorn. The higher velocity 150-grain load is great .30-06 ammo for deer and pronghorn hunting.

Additionally, Barnes also offers 30-06 ammo as part of their VOR-TX Long Range line. This particular loading uses a 175gr LRX bullet. Designed for use at extended range, these bullets have a higher ballistic coefficient and are built to expand well at lower velocities.

Fortunately, even the LRX bullet is still very tough and will deliver great weight retention and deep penetration. You can also depend on it to perform well at close range. Not every hunter will need the extended range performance of the LRX, but it’s an excellent offering for those who want it.

All four loads are also 100% copper, which makes them an ideal choice of .30-06 hunting ammunition for use in states like California that that don’t permit the use of lead bullets.

I’m a big fan of the Barnes VOR-TX line and the TSX, TTSX, and LRX bullets in general. I’ve used this ammunition with a lot of success on both deer and pronghorn over the past few years. This ammo is also a favorite among many North America, New Zealand, and Africa hunting outfitters.

• Bullet Type: TTSX Boat Tail
• Bullet Weight: 150 grains, 168 grains, 175 grains, or 180 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .440 (150gr) .470 (168gr), .484 (180gr), .507 (175gr)
• Muzzle Velocity: 3,000 feet per second (150gr), 2,850 feet per second (168gr), 2,750 feet per second (180gr), 2,800 feet per second (175gr)

GET BARNES VOR-TX 30-06 AMMO HERE

GET BARNES LRX 30-06 AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownells, Cabela’s, Lucky Gunner, MidwayUSA, Natchez Shooters Supplies, Optics Planet, and Palmetto State Armory

Nosler Partition

Nosler Trophy Grade’s line featuring the legendary Nosler Partition is my #1 recommendation for hunters who need the best 30-06 ammo for elk, moose, or bear hunting. Loaded with a 180 grain Nosler Partition bullet, this load is great for hunting really big game where it’s really important to use a heavy, well constructed bullet.

With that in mind, this is also perfect .30-06 ammunition for an African safari where really large or tough antelope like zebra, blue wildebeest, kudu, or eland are on the menu. At the same time, this ammunition is not limited to really big, tough game either and will also work great on game like whitetail and mule deer.

The Nosler Partition is a very old bullet design, but it remains one of the best hunting bullets around and has a proven track record over the course of many decades and won’t let you down at the moment of truth. There’s a reason why it’s so darn popular with those who prefer to use handloaded ammunition as well as factory loads.

With proper shot placement, this ammunition will deliver excellent performance if it hits bone or soft tissue. Just aim for the vitals, do your part as a shooter, and the bullet will do the rest.

The Nosler Partition is not the most aerodynamic bullet out there. Even so, this is still some outstanding .30-06 ammo for shots out to a couple hundred yards. Just do your best to keep shots under 250 yards or so with it.

As you’ll see here later, I also recommend the 200 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw for use on extremely large game like moose over the 180 grain Nosler Partition. Truth be told, there’s a lot of overlap in their capabilities and both will work great on deer, bear, elk, and moose.

That said, I give the edge to the Partition with elk (even on a really big bull) and as a general purpose hunting bullet and to the Bear Claw for use on extremely large and/or dangerous game like moose or brown bear.

Finally, Federal produces a virtually identical load with a 180 grain Partition as part of their Premium Rifle line. For all intents and purposes, I think it’s practically interchangeable with this Nosler load (links to each are below).

• Bullet Type: Nosler Partition
• Bullet Weight: 180 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .474
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,700 feet per second

GET NOSLER 30-06 PARTITION AMMO HERE

GET FEDERAL 30-06 PARTITION AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownells, Natchez Shooters Supplies, and Optics Planet

Federal Premium Terminal Ascent

Federal’s Terminal Ascent line is another good option of .30-06 hunting ammo for hunters looking for really good extended range performance. This ammunition uses the new Terminal Ascent Bullet, which is also extremely aerodynamic and accurate. It’s not quite as aerodynamic as the Hornady ELD-X, but it still has a relatively high BC and is also much more robustly constructed.

With those things in mind, I personally tend to lean more towards the Terminal Ascent over the ELD-X for hunting bigger game like elk with the .30-06 Springfield. This ammo is another great option for hunters going after game out west like mule deer or pronghorn who need excellent .30-06 ammo for a long range hunting situation.

If this ammunition shoots accurately in your rifle, this is my #2 recommended load (behind the 180gr Nosler Partition) for hunters who need good .30-06 ammo for elk or moose hunting. Terminal Ascent ammo has better long range performance than the Nosler Partition, so this is the stuff you should use if a shot past 250 yards is likely on an upcoming elk hunt.

• Bullet Type: Terminal Ascent
• Bullet Weight: 175 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .520
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,730 feet per second

GET TERMINAL ASCENT 30-06 AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownell’s, Cabela’s, Natchez Shooters Supplies, Optics Planet, and Sportsman’s Warehouse

Federal Premium Trophy Bonded Bear Claw

Federal Premium’s line featuring a 200 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw Bullet is my #1 recommendation for hunters who need the absolute best 30-06 ammo for moose, bear, or elk hunting. As they say, really big and tough game needs a really big and tough bullet. I think the 180 grain Nosler Partition (or the Swift A-Frame) is fantastic for elk, but I think the 200 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw is a really tough and heavy bullet that’s a little better for bigger and/or more dangerous game.

This load has over 2,800 foot pounds of muzzle energy and is perfect for hunting really big game where it’s really important to use the heaviest and most well constructed bullet possible. This is especially important for situations where you might need to use your hunting rifle on dangerous game, like a brown or grizzly bear on a hunt in Alaska.

Heavier bullets with a higher sectional density (like this 200 grain bullet), tend to penetrate pretty well, especially if they are a premium quality controlled expansion bullet like this one. The fact that this ammunition uses one of the heaviest bullet weights available in factory .30-06 ammo and the fact that it’s a bonded bullet means that this is some of the best ammo for use on the biggest and toughest game you’d conceivably hunt with a .30-06.

This is also really good .30-06 ammunition for an African safari for the bigger species of plains game like kudu and eland are on the menu. I tend to lean a little towards the 180 grain Nosler Partition for that sort of hunting, but the 200 grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw is also an excellent choice. At the same time, this ammunition is not limited to really big, tough game either and will still work great on game like whitetail and mule deer.

The Trophy Bonded Bear Claw is not the most aerodynamic bullet out there (even less aerodynamic than the 180 grain Nosler Partition). Even so, this is still some outstanding .30-06 ammo for shots out to a couple hundred yards.

• Bullet Type: Trophy Bonded Bear Claw
• Bullet Weight: 200 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .395
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,540 feet per second

GET TROPHY BONDED 30-06 AMMO HERE

Also Available at: MidwayUSA, Palmetto State Armory, Sportsman’s Warehouse

Remington Core Lokt

If you’re a “meat and potatoes” kind of hunter who wants some dependable and reasonably priced .30-06 ammo for hunting deer, elk, feral hogs, and black bear, then the Remington’s 180 grain Core Lokt soft point will probably work really well for you.

It’s not the latest and greatest stuff by any means. However, the Core Lokt bullet has been around for a long time and countless hunters have successfully used this ammo to take just about every species of big game in North America.

One of those bullets through the vitals of a black bear, elk, deer, or pronghorn will make for a very short tracking job. They don’t call it the “deadliest mushroom in the woods” for nothing.

That said, I don’t think this is the best choice of a hunting round for use on bigger game like elk or moose, especially really big bulls. The Federal .30-06 Springfield load using 180gr Nosler Partition I previously mentioned is my #1 recommendation for elk and moose.

However, Rem Core Lokt will absolutely work in that role and lots of elk and moose hunters use this ammunition successfully each year, especially on immature bulls or cow elk. This ammo is also cheaper and often more widely available than that Federal Load with the Partition.

Indeed, this ammunition has one of the lowest costs per round out of all the .30-06 ammo on this list. If you’re on a strict budget and can’t afford premium ammunition, then I’d suggest using the 180 grain or 220 grain Remington Core Lokt load above any of the other “budget” .30-06 ammo options.

• Bullet Type: Core-Lokt Soft Point (PSP)
• Bullet Weight: 180 grains or 220 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .383 (180gr) or .294 (220gr)
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,700 feet per second (180gr) or 2,410 feet per second (220gr)

GET CORE LOKT 30-06 AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownells, Cabela’s, Lucky Gunner, Natchez Shooter Supplies, Optics Planet, Remington, & Sportsman’s Warehouse

Hornady Precision Hunter

The .30-06 Springfield has a long and distinguished history of use for precision shooting at long range. It should come as no surprise then that Hornady includes the .30-06 in their Precision Hunter line of factory ammo.

Loaded with the extremely aerodynamic Extremely Low Drag eXpanding (ELD-X) bullet, this ammo line is designed for western hunters going after game like mule deer or pronghorn antelope who need the very best ammo for a long range hunting situation. Using a 178 grain ELD-X bullet, that load is a very good .30-06 ammo option for hunters looking to squeeze every bit of long range performance out of the cartridge.

Hornady advertises that the ELD-X bullet has the best-in-class ballistic coefficients over their entire trajectory and that their Precision Hunter ammunition also offers match grade accuracy (usually sub-MOA).

Though the ELD-X does not have a bonded core like the Hornady InterBond, the ELD-X does feature a thicker jacket and the Hornady InterLock ring to help increase weight retention, control expansion, and minimize the chances of core-jacket separation. For this reason, the ELD-X is still devastating on deer and pronghorn sized game, but it’s also a much better choice than their SST bullet for use on larger game.

That said, the ELD-X is still a little too fragile for my tastes. Many hunters use this exact ammunition on elk each year with a lot of success. Personally, I prefer a tougher bullet for elk sized game (like the Terminal Ascent also on this list). I think the ELD-X is perfect for deer sized game though.

Take all that for what you will.

Any way you slice it, this .30-06 ammunition is capable of delivering great terminal performance on a wide range of big game for shots at 400+ yards without dealing with the price or recoil of the big magnum cartridges.

• Bullet Type: Hornady Extremely Low Drag eXpanding
• Bullet Weight: 178 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .552
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,750 feet per second

GET PRECISION HUNTER 30-06 AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownells, Cabela’s, Lucky Gunner, MidwayUSA, Natchez Shooters Supplies, Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, & Sportsman’s Warehouse

Winchester Deer Season XP

The .30-06 Springfield is one of the most popular cartridges used by deer hunters in the United States. For this reason, Winchester offers a .30-06 load as part of Deer Season XP line of ammunition. The Extreme Point bullet this rifle ammo uses is similar to Winchester’s Power Point bullet, but the Extreme Point has a large diameter polymer tip that’s specifically designed to produce a gigantic wound channel along with massive impact trauma.

This often results in a short tracking job and a very easy to follow blood trail (if the deer runs at all). Additionally, Deer Season XP ammo is designed specifically to compete with other popular whitetail deer hunting ammo options like Federal Fusion, Federal Power-Shok, Hornady American Whitetail, Winchester Super-X, and Winchester Ballistic Silvertip in terms of price, terminal performance, reliability, and accuracy.

In fact, the Winchester Deer Season XP line has one of the lowest costs per round out of all the .30-06 ammo choices on this list.

So, not only is this some reasonably priced .30-06 ammo, but it also has a solid reputation for producing a giant wound channel and minimizing the distance deer run after being hit. All things considered, this Winchester ammo is one of my top recommended brands of .30-06 ammo for whitetail deer hunting.

I do NOT recommend using Deer Season XP ammo for bigger game like elk or moose. That high velocity, rapidly expanding 150 grain bullet is certainly capable of getting the job done on bigger game, but I think it expands far too rapidly at the expense of penetration for use on big game like that.

So, don’t risk it. If you need a budget ammo option for hunting bigger game, go with the 180 grain Remington Core Lokt I previously recommended.

Finally, Winchester does manufacture a lead-free version of their Deer Season XP ammo loaded with their Copper Impact bullet in 30-06 for use with hunters who are prefer (or are required to) use lead-free ammunition.

• Bullet Type: Extreme Point
• Bullet Weight: 150 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .392 or .387 (Copper Impact)
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,920 feet per second

GET DEER SEASON XP 30-06 AMMO HERE

GET DEER SEASON COPPER IMPACT 30-06 AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownell’s, Cabela’s, Lucky Gunner, Natchez Shooters Supplies, Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, & Sportsman’s Warehouse

Nosler Trophy Grade

Nosler manufacturers a loading that uses a 180 grain AccuBond bullet as part of their Trophy Grade line. This is perfect for those in need of some quality and extremely versatile .30-06 ammo for deer, bear, or elk hunting.

Just like the name says, the AccuBond is a bonded bullet where the lead core is chemically bonded to the jacket, so you don’t have to worry about the bullet “grenading” or expanding too rapidly upon impact. It’s not quite as tough as the Nosler Partition, but the AccuBond is still a very robustly constructed bullet and these features make the AccuBond a much better choice for an elk hunt than typical cup and core bullets.

AccuBond bullets are also pretty darn aerodynamic (much more aerodynamic than Partition bullets of the same caliber and weight) and will reliably expand at lower impact velocities. All things considered, this ammunition is tough enough for close range shots on big game while at the same time providing very good extended range performance.

Some of the more specialized .30-06 Springfield loads (which I’ll also cover in this article) offer better performance in specific circumstances. However, this 180 gr AccuBond load is my #1 recommendations as an excellent all around choice for hunters who want a flexible, yet still extremely capable .30-06 hunting load regardless of whether you’re hunting deer in Idaho or elk in Colorado.

• Bullet Type: Nosler AccuBond
• Bullet Weight: 180 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .507
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,750 feet per second

GET TROPHY GRADE 30-06 AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownells, Cabela’s, MidwayUSA, Natchez Shooters Supplies, Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, and Sportsman’s Warehouse.

Nosler Ballistic Tip

Nosler also offers a .30-06 Springfield loading using a 125 grain Ballistic Tip bullet. This bullet is also an outstanding choice for hunting thin-skinned game like deer and pronghorn.

However, this load shoots those little 125 grain Ballistic Tip bullets quite a bit faster than than the 150 grain Extreme Point bullets used in the Winchester Deer Season XP load. Even though they’re lighter and not quite as aerodynamic, this Ballistic Tip load still has a flatter trajectory than the comparable Winchester Deer Season XP load.

Ballistic Tip bullets are also designed to deliver devastating terminal effects to game upon impact. Nothing is guaranteed, but these bullets often deliver instant, knock down results on deer sized game.

All things considered, Nosler Ballistic Tip .30-06 ammo is better suited for longer range shots on game like mule deer or pronghorn than the Winchester Deer Season XP. It will also work extremely well on that same sort of game at closer range.

As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Those lightweight, high velocity bullets expand rapidly and deliver incredible shock upon impact, but they don’t penetrate very well. This isn’t usually an issue with deer-sized game, but I do NOT recommend using Nosler Ballistic Tip ammo for bigger game like elk or moose.

Instead, stick to game like whitetail deer, mule deer, and pronghorn with the 125 grain Ballistic Tip. You’ll probably be very happy with the results if you do that.

• Bullet Type: Nosler Ballistic Tip
• Bullet Weight: 125 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .366
• Muzzle Velocity: 3,100 feet per second

GET BALLISTIC TIP 30-06 AMMO HERE

Also Available at: MidwayUSA, Natchez Shooters Supplies, Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, and Sportsman’s Warehouse

Hornady Custom Lite

While the .30-06 Springfield isn’t usually thought of as a great hunting cartridge for new, small framed, and/or recoil shy hunters, it’s certainly capable in that role with the right ammo. Indeed, the .30-06 is such a popular hunting cartridge that it shouldn’t be surprising that Hornady offers a reduced recoil .30-06 option as part of their Custom Lite line of ammunition.

This is a reduced power load that uses a lighter bullet fired at a slower than usual velocity. This results in an exceptionally mild recoiling .30-06 load that’s still deadly on deer sized game at short to moderate range.

This ammunition is loaded with a 125 grain Hornady SST bullet. The Super Shock Tip bullet (SST) has a reputation for great accuracy and will also still reliably expand at low impact velocities. These characteristics make it a good choice for a reduced power loading like this one.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch though. This load delivers such mild recoil by firing a light bullet at a low muzzle velocity (just 2,700 fps). For this reason, I DON’T recommend using this ammo on bigger game like elk or taking shots on deer past about 200 yards with it though.

It will deliver good terminal performance on deer sized game. Just don’t expect a complete pass through (even on a broadside shot), especially on bigger bodied animals.

With all that in mind, this is great .30-06 deer hunting ammo for recoil shy hunters. So if you need an accurate and mild recoiling .30-06 ammo choice for your child to deer hunt with, then Hornady’s Custom Lite .30-06 ammo is just about perfect.

• Bullet Type: SST
• Bullet Weight: 125 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .305
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,700 feet per second

GET CUSTOM LITE 30-06 AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownells, MidwayUSA, Natchez Shooters Supplies, Optics Planet, & Palmetto State Armory

Federal Power Shok

It’s not new, trendy, or flashy, but this Federal Power Shok loading with either a 150gr or a 180gr bullet is really good 30-06 ammo for deer hunting. In addition to being very effective, this ammunition is also normally very reasonably priced and has been one of the easier 30-06 ammo options to find during the past few years.

While I think this is outstanding feral hog and deer hunting ammunition, I do not recommend using Federal Power Shok ammo for hunting bigger game like black bear, elk, or moose with a 30-06.

Instead, use one of the other loads I recommend later in this article like the Barnes TTSX, Federal Terminal Ascent, or Nosler Partition.

In addition to being effective on deer sized game, this ammunition has one of the lowest costs per round out of all the .30-06 ammo on this list. All things considered, it’s tough to go wrong with the Federal Power Shok line if you want some great 30-06 ammo for deer hunting.

• Bullet Type: Jacketed Soft Point
• Bullet Weight: 150 grains or 180 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .313 (150gr) or .385 (180gr)
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,910 or 2,700 feet per second

GET POWER SHOK 30-06 AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Cabela’s and Natchez Shooter Supplies

Federal Premium Berger Hybrid

Berger bullets, especially the Berger VLD and Hybrid Hunter (which is less sensitive to seating depth than the Berger VLD) have long been favorites with handloaders. Fortunately, Federal Premium also offers .30-06 Springfield hunting ammunition loaded with the Berger Hybrid Hunter bullet as a factory load. So those bullets are no longer limited to those who use handloads.

These bullets are known for exceptional accuracy and for being extremely aerodynamic. In fact, this is one of the most accurate .30-06 ammunition options for many hunters.

Though they do quite often deliver match grade accuracy, the Berger Hybrid Hunter is not a run of the mill match bullet. Instead, it’s designed to provide devastating terminal performance on many species of big game.

Most hunting bullets start to expand immediately upon impact. However, Berger bullets are designed to penetrate several inches before expanding. Then, according to Berger, the Hybrid Hunter bullet will shed anywhere from 40% to 90% of its weight (depending on impact velocity) and send countless tiny fragments off into surrounding tissue.

This produces a massive wound cavity and dumps most, if not all, of the bullet’s energy into the animal.

Those features make this load an excellent choice of .30-06 ammo for longer range hunting situations, especially if do a lot of long range shooting and/or if you’re a proponent of the “energy dump” school of thought when it comes to selecting a hunting bullet.

• Bullet Type: Berger Hybrid Hunter
• Bullet Weight: 168 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .489
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,800 feet per second

GET BERGER 30-06 AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownell’s, Cabela’s, Natchez Shooters Supplies, Optics Planet, Palmetto State Armory, and Sportsman’s Warehouse

Enjoy this article about the best 30-06 ammo for hunting? Please share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter. Good luck!

Make sure you follow The Big Game Hunting Blog on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

NEXT: BEST 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO FOR HUNTING ELK, DEER, & OTHER BIG GAME

NEXT: BEST 300 WIN MAG AMMO FOR HUNTING ELK, DEER, MOOSE AND OTHER BIG GAME

You’ve decided to hatch your own chickens, but there are hundreds of egg incubators to choose from. How do you pick the best one for you?!

I’ve been hatching chicken eggs for years and have used several different incubators along the way. I’ve had great successes and failures, both of which I’ve learned a lot from.

Choosing the best egg incubator for you is a make or break decision. When it comes to incubators, you really do get what you pay for. However, that doesn’t mean you need to go buy a professional-grade incubator for $3,000.

In this comprehensive article, I break down 8 of the best egg incubators in 2024 for backyard or homestead chicken keepers. I’ll also provide direct links to the product so that you don’t have to go searching around!

Let’s jump in!

*Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products (including Amazon). I’ll earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my link, at no additional cost to you! Regardless, I only link to products that I personally use on our homestead or believe in.

Key Features of the Best Egg Incubators

Incubators come in a wide variety of options as far as size, style, features and price are concerned. It can be overwhelming just searching through them all. Let’s chat about the key features that I look for when shopping for the best egg incubators on the market.

Airflow

All incubators should have vents for air exchange (developing eggs are living and breathing!), but there are 2 types of airflow methods that are important to pay attention to: still-air and forced-air.

• Still-Air Incubator: This is the most basic form that you’ll find in cheap incubators. It relies on simple gravity to naturally circulate the air with a concept similar to a still room with no vents. This often produces hot and cold spots throughout the incubator, resulting in a poor hatch with some chicks hatching early, and some hatching late.
• Forced-Air Incubator: This type of incubator has a built-in fan to evenly distribute the warm, humid air. This results in all of your eggs developing similarly and often, a better overall hatch. Splurging for forced-air is worth every penny in my opinion.

Automated Temperature

This is absolutely critical. Just a 1 degree difference can impact your hatch.

• If it runs 1 degree high, you’ll have an early hatch with chicks prone to splayed legs and trouble walking.
• If it runs 1 degree low, you’ll have a late hatch with chicks prone to crooked toes, thin legs and unhealed navels.

Therefore, it’s helpful to have an incubator that automatically adjusts throughout the day to keep things stable. Such peace of mind! If your incubator has a manual turn dial for temperature and your room temperature goes up… your incubator temperature will also go up.

Tip #1: Verify that your incubator is forced-air or still-air. Forced-air incubators require a temperature of 99.5 degrees where still-air incubators require 102 degrees, however this is a general guideline and I would follow the instructions in your operating manual.

Tip #2: Make sure that you have several additional thermometers placed in your incubator (placed at the height of the top of the eggs) to confirm that your built-in thermometer is reading true. I like to use probe thermometers and poke them through a vent hole. It is common for cheap incubators to run hot or cold. I’ve definitely had my own share of hatch losses due to incorrectly calibrated thermometers!

Humidity Control

Humidity is one of the hardest things to get right, in my opinion. A lot of smaller egg incubators rely on manual addition of water to channels built into the bottom of the incubator. Not only is this easy to forget about and makes travel impossible, but it’s not very adjustable either. Plus, in most models, you need to open the incubator to make adjustments, which is not ideal during the hatch.

If you can find an incubator that automatically draws in and adjusts humidity based on your settings, it’s worth the extra cost. I’ve even gone on international vacations while my automatic incubators were running and could relax knowing they were taking care of it all for me 🙂

Thankfully, the success of the hatch weighs more heavily on overall humidity throughout the hatch and spikes aren’t as big of a deal. However, is important to get it right because:

• If humidity runs too high, then the egg doesn’t lose enough moisture resulting in large chicks that can drown at hatching time.
• If humidity runs too low, then the egg loses too much moisture resulting in “shrink-wrapped” chicks that fail to hatch.

I’ve found my hatch successes to vary even by adjusting the humidity by 3-5%! You’d never be able to achieve that precision with manual adjustments. To verify that your humidity setting is correct, I highly recommend buying TWO of these hygrometers (only $5!). The cheaper incubators are notorious for having poorly calibrated digital displays, so using these will make sure you’re on track.

Digital Display

This is a slick option so you can easily adjust the settings and quickly check the status of your incubator at any time. Most egg incubators today come with a digital display.

Egg Turner

In nature, a mother hen will periodically adjust her eggs and rotate them throughout the day. When incubating, this practice needs to be mimicked as much as possible because rotating allows the yolk to remain centered in the middle of the egg vs sticking to the side.

Chicken eggs need to be rotated from side-to-side a minimum of 3 times per day, every single day, for the first 18 days of the 21 day incubation period.

If this seems like too much for you, definitely invest in an incubator that has an automatic turner. I like this option because it means less opening of the incubator (resulting in temperature and humidity fluctuations), plus reduces the risk of accidental egg trauma.

Alarm

Some egg incubators feature an alarm that goes off anytime the temperature goes above or below your predetermined “safe zone.” This can alert you to intervene before things go south.

Capacity

There is no one right answer to this question; it all comes down to what is best for you. Incubators can be as small as holding just 5 eggs or they can hold hundreds!

Think about your goals and how many chicks you realistically want to hatch:

• If you live in the city and can only have 5 hens, go for a small size. Keep in mind that roughly 50% will end up being roosters; plus, your hatch rate will likely be 50-80%. Therefore, if you want to end up with 5 hens, I’d plan to incubate 20 eggs to be safe.
• If you live in the country and/or are thinking about routinely hatching chicks to sell them to your community as a side hobby, definitely go big! I started with a 28 egg incubator and rapidly outgrew that size.

My rule of thumb is to always go bigger than you think you need. Hatching is highly addicting and you’ll be expanding before you know it!

Ease of Cleaning

This is super important because hatching is messy and ensuring sanitary conditions for the next round is critical for its success. If your incubator doesn’t come apart easily, or if it is made of styrofoam (notorious for being hard to clean), then you’ll have trouble with this. Plastic is the best choice.

Viewing Window

This is not absolutely necessary, but it makes hatching so much more fun! When hatching starts, you’ll often find me with a chair pulled up and my nose pressed to the glass watching all of my new chicks hatch!

8 Best Egg Incubators in 2024

Now that you know what to look for, let’s get into some of the best egg incubators on the market! If you’re willing to purchase an incubator through my links below (at no additional cost to you!), I’ll make a small profit, which allows me to keep sharing content with you awesome people. Thank you!

8 Best Egg Incubators in 2024

Want more details about each of these incubators? No problem; I’ve got you covered!

#1 Brinsea Mini II EX

If your goal is to have a small backyard flock, look no further! Brinsea is my absolute favorite brand of incubator. All of their products are high quality, reliable, easy to clean and come with a 3 year warranty (as long as you register your product).

The Brinsea Mini II EX holds 7 eggs, so this is a great place to start. Brinsea has 3 lines for each incubator: Eco, Adv & EX. While the EX line is more expensive, it has fully automatic humidity control and is worth every penny in my opinion. I’ve gone on vacation with mine running and didn’t have to stress one bit!

#2 Brinsea Mini II Advance

While my favorite Brinsea incubator is the EX line, I know that not everyone wants to shell out hundreds of dollars on an incubator. Therefore, the Mini II Advance is another excellent option from this same dependable company. The reduction in price comes from the manual humidity control compared to the Mini II EX.

It still has automatic temperature control, an egg turner, a great viewing window and it’s easy to clean. You can even adjust the intervals that your eggs are turned from 15 to 180 minutes. This is a best-of-both-worlds option!

TIP: If you have plans to hatch duck eggs, look for a larger incubator. This one is a bit too small for ducklings.

#3 KEBONNIXS 12 Egg Incubator

Fertile eggs are often sold by the dozen, so the fact that this incubator holds 12 eggs is great! It has a digital display of humidity and temperature, however, I highly recommend verifying their accuracy by adding your own thermometer and hygrometer. While this model requires you to manually add water to control the humidity, it is nice that you can add water externally. No need to open the lid!

This model also features a built-in egg candler so you can watch your baby chicks develop. Plus, the egg turner automatically stops 3 days before the hatch so that you don’t have to remember to turn it off.

TIP: The flooring is slick and can result in the chicks slipping and injuring their legs, so consider adding a layer of traction material to the bottom.

#4 Brinsea Ovation 28 EX

The Brinsea Ovation 28 EX is my absolute favorite incubator. Hands down. I’ve been debating buying a second one just because I love it so much. It really is the perfect size and I’ve had excellent hatches every single time.

It is fully automatic so it’s a true “set it and forget it” kind of incubator. I’ve gone on international vacations with this thing running and I didn’t have to worry about it at all! All of the pieces come apart for easy cleaning and it has a big viewing window to watch the hatch.

The best part of this incubator is how accurate and precise it is. I’ve thrown multiple thermometers and hygrometers in there to cross-check and this incubator is calibrated perfectly. I love that I don’t have to fuss with it or worry that something is off.

TIP: Don’t feel like you need to buy fancy replacement humidity sponges from the supplier. I just cut up basic $2 kitchen sponges that I find at the grocery store and it works great!

#5 Manna Pro Nurture Right 360 Incubator

The Manna Pro Nurture Right 360 Incubator is a great budget pick if you want to hatch a decent number of eggs (it fits 22). It is fully automatic, with the exception of humidity control. You’ll need to manually add water yourself to keep it consistent. A nice feature is that it has a 21 day countdown and automatically stops turning the eggs 3 days before the hatch.

Based on the reviews, the negatives are that the turner tends to struggle to turn heavier eggs and it beeps loudly when the turner engages. The built-in egg candler is also pretty weak. Lastly, this incubator can be more challenging to clean.

TIP: Be careful when removing the lid. It can be easy for eggs or chicks to fall out because there is no lip on the edges.

#6 IncuView All-In-One Automatic Egg Incubator

This incubator provides an incredible hatching experience with its large viewing window. You won’t miss a thing!

While it doesn’t feature automatic humidity control like the Brinsea models, it does provide digital display of humidity. Based on the reviews, the humidity levels do seem to fluctuate widely and need daily tweaking to hit your goal. As I’ve mentioned before, don’t trust that number alone! Always add an extra hygrometer or two to make sure it’s properly calibrated.

#7 Brinsea Ovation 56 EX

This is the big brother to my favorite incubator the Brinsea Ovation 28 EX. It’s also fully automatic, but twice as big. If you’re really wanting to hatch lots of chicks, this is an excellent option if you have the space.

It is fully automatic so it’s a true “set it and forget it” kind of incubator. I’ve gone on international vacations with this thing running and I didn’t have to worry about it at all! All of the pieces come apart for easy cleaning and it has a big viewing window to watch the hatch.

The best part of this incubator is how accurate and precise it is. I’ve thrown multiple thermometers and hygrometers in there to cross-check and this incubator is calibrated perfectly. I love that I don’t have to fuss with it or worry that something is off.

TIP: Don’t feel like you need to buy fancy replacement humidity sponges from the supplier. I just cut up basic $2 kitchen sponges that I find at the grocery store and it works great!

#8 HovaBator Genesis 1588

This wouldn’t be a complete incubator list without the classic foam incubator. While I have a love-hate relationship with them, this is often where most of us begin our incubating journey! They can be finicky and definitely require multiple thermometers and hygrometers, but this is an inexpensive way to hatch a lot of eggs.

TIP: I highly recommend placing a minimum of TWO hygrometers and TWO external thermometers (reading at a height at the top of the eggs) to verify that everything is running as it should.

While there are a lot of foam incubators out there that look similar to the HovaBator Genesis 1588 (and are a bit cheaper), don’t get swayed by the other options. I know you saw that $50 one at Tractor Supply… don’t do it! Many of them are junk and there’s nothing more heartbreaking than losing an entire hatch. I spent some time digging into each one and this one really seems to be the best budget-friendly pick out of them all.

Other Articles You’ll Love:

• Hatching Chicken Eggs: The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide
• Candling Chicken Eggs: Day-By-Day Development
• Brooding in Poultry: Everything You Need to Know!
• How to Care for Chickens: A Beginner’s Guide

Summary

That was fun! I hope you found this helpful in picking the perfect incubator for you and your homestead. As you can see, egg incubators come in many different styles, features and price points and we only covered 7 of them! It’s a small investment, so definitely spend some time reflecting on my 8 best egg incubators table to really feel out which one seems like the right fit. You can’t go wrong with any of them, really!

Once your incubator arrives, read the instruction manual and let it run for a minimum of 24 hours. After 24 hours, make sure to double-check its accuracy by inserting additional thermometers and hygrometers. If your digital reading is off, adjust your settings as needed.

Are you curious how to actually go about incubating eggs? This article by Backyard Chickens is the exact one that I learned from years ago. Then, once your chicks hatch, you’ll definitely want to check out my best tips for Brooding in Poultry.

If you liked this article, you’ll definitely want to read my article Cooking a Rooster: The Basics for when you end up with extra roosters after hatching! It’s wonderful to keep a couple good roosters around, but keeping more than your flock can handle can lead to fights and stress on your hens.

Happy hatching! 🙂

There is a clear winner when we compare the 260 Remington vs 6.5 Creedmoor, but it’s not for the reasons you might think.

Both rounds have similar ballistics and fulfill a similar purpose, but there’s an important reason why the 6.5 Creedmoor is the caliber, so many hunters and shooters choose.

260 Remington vs 6.5 Creedmoor

Few other calibers are as close to comparing apples to apples as these two because the cartridges have minute differences in size and shoot the same diameter bullet.

Cartridge Specs

The bullet diameter for both rounds is .264″, and the rim diameter of the cartridge is the same at .473″.

The difference lies in the case. The 260 Rem has a case length of 2.035″. The 6.5 Creedmoor is slightly shorter at 1.92″.

One might conclude that the 260 has a longer maximum overall length; however, that’s not the case.

The 6.5 Creedmoor has an overall length of 2.825″, and the 260 Reming has an overall length of 2.80″.

The 260 Remington has a 20-degree shoulder angle, and the 6.5 Creedmoor has a 30-degree shoulder angle.

The 260 Remington has a max pressure (SAAMI) of 60,00 psi that stems from a powder capacity of 53.5 gr H2O.

The 6.5 Creedmoor has a higher max pressure of 62,000 psi with a case capacity of 52.5 gr H20.

6.5 Creedmoor vs 260 Remington: Recoil

Unless you’re a young buck trying to prove yourself to the world, you would agree less recoil is better.

It’s much easier to be accurate with a lower recoil round.

Many factors go into calculating recoil, such as the gun weight, shooter, bullet size, and amount of powder in the case.

For the sake of the comparison, we’re going to assume all things are as equal as possible.

When we do this, we see that these rounds have similar amounts of recoil.

The 260 Rem has 15.65 ft-lbs of felt recoil, and the 6.5 Creedmoor has 15.03 ft-lbs of recoil.

The difference is so minimal the average person won’t be able to tell the difference.

Technically, the 6.5 Creedmoor has less recoil, so it wins this section.

Trajectory

Due to gravity, the path it takes when we fire a bullet is an arch. Otherwise known as the bullet trajectory.

It’s much easier to be accurate with a flat shooting bullet, especially at long ranges.

This is why the 6.5 Creedmoor is a favorite amongst long-range shooters.

A 120gr bullet zeroed in at 200 yards has a bullet drop of 7.5″ at 300yds and 44.4″ of drop at 500yds.

A 140gr 6.5 Creedmoor bullet has 9″ of drop at 300 yards and 53.7″ of bullet drop at 500yds when zeroed in at 200 yards.

It might surprise you that the 260 Remington has a flatter trajectory.

A 120gr 260 Rem bullet, zeroed in at 200 yards, only drops 7.2″ at 300 yards and 42.8″ at 500yds.

A 140-grain bullet drops 8.2″ at 300yds and 48.7″ at 500 yards when zeroed in at 200 yards.

The winner is the 260 Remington.

260 Rem vs 6.5 Creedmoor: Accuracy

Accuracy is another section that many factors play a role in determining.

The rifle, recoil, shooter, trajectory, barrel length, and factory loads vs hand loads all play a part in determining the accuracy of a round.

We will do the same as we did with the recoil category, considering all things as equal as possible.

Since the 6.5 narrowly won the recoil section and the 260 Rem won the trajectory category, we can consider them canceled out.

Both rounds are very accurate at longer ranges, so this section is a tie.

Ballistic Coefficient

The ballistic coefficient (BC) represents how well a bullet resists air.

It’s a measure of bullet aerodynamics. High B.C. bullets are preferred because they will better resist the wind.

Calculating BC is rather complicated and irrelevant for this article; however, heavier, longer projectiles typically have a higher ballistic coefficient than lighter, shorter bullets.

If you’re like me, you would assume the bullets for each caliber have the same ballistic coefficient; however, that’s incorrect.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is better suited for shooting high BC match grade bullets because of its longer neck and shorter case length.

The 6.5 Creedmoor 140gr ELD Match grade bullets have a .646 BC, the 143gr ELD-X have a .625 BC, and the 147gr ELD Match bullet has a BC of .697 BC.

The 260 Remington doesn’t have as many options, which we will discuss later. The 130gr ELD Match bullet has a .506 ballistic coefficient.

The winner for this category is the 6.5 Creedmoor.

260 vs 6.5 Creedmoor: Stopping Power

Many argue stopping power is a relative term that doesn’t matter if you have a well-placed shot.

I agree it matters less for well-placed shots.

However, no matter how prepared we are as shooters, not every pull of the trigger is a well-placed shot.

That’s why stopping power still matters.

Stopping power can be measured in several ways, such as the size of the hole the bullet leaves and how deep it penetrates the target.

Sectional Density (SD) measures how well a bullet penetrates a target.

This is important when big game hunting because you need a bullet to punch through tough hide, bone, and sinew.

Sectional density is calculated by comparing the bullet weight and the bullet diameter.

The higher the number, the better it will penetrate the target.

Since both calibers shoot the same diameter bullet in varying weights, the sectional densities will be identical.

A 120gr .264″ diameter bullet has an SD of .246. The 140-grain .264″ diameter bullet has a sectional density of .287.

A 160gr .264″ diameter bullet has a sectional density of .328. A 156gr .264″ diameter bullet has an SD of .320.

However, other factors exist in terms of SD outside the shape of the bullet: velocity and bullet design.

Two bullets weighing the same but traveling at different velocities have differing stopping power or penetration amounts.

The higher velocity bullet will penetrate deeper.

The 260 Remington typically has a higher muzzle velocity of 2,941fps for a 120gr bullet and 2,793fps for a 140-grain bullet.

The 6.5 Creedmoor has a muzzle velocity of 2,892 feet per second for a 120-grain bullet and 2,678fps for a 140gr bullet.

Bullet design also plays a role. Non-expanding bullets penetrate deeper but won’t leave as large of a wound channel.

While expanding bullets cause a large wound channel but don’t penetrate as deep.

This section is a tie because the 260 Remington has a slightly higher muzzle velocity, and the 6.5 Creedmoor has more options for different bullet types.

Hunting

Both calibers offer many hunters an excellent option for whitetail deer hunting, mule deer, pronghorn, coyotes, and varmint hunting to 500 yards.

They can also take elk and bear out to 300 yards; however, I strongly recommend using a larger caliber for elk hunting and moose hunting.

These calibers don’t pack enough punch to harvest big game ethically at longer distances.

The .308 Winchester would be my hunting cartridge choice above the 260 Rem and the 6.5 Creedmoor when big game hunting.

With these rounds being so similar, neither has a distinct advantage in hunting, so this category is a tie.

.260 Remington vs 6.5 Creedmoor Home Defense

I don’t recommend using a rifle for home defense because they’re known for overpenetration.

Rifle rounds tend to go through multiple walls, which could unintentionally endanger your family and neighbors.

Instead of putting your family and friends at risk, I recommend using a 12-gauge or 20-gauge shotgun or a 45 ACP or 40 S&W.

Now, if it’s the apocalypse and you’ve got a zombie horde approaching, by all means, bust out the 6.5 Creedmoor or 260 Remington and protect your home.

However, for close-quarter combat, they’re not going to be my first choice despite both calibers being available in the AR-10 platform.

This section is a tie because the 6.5 Creedmoor and 260 Remington were designed for long-range shooting, not close quarters.

Ammo Cost & Availability

This is one area where the 6.5 Creedmoor begins to stand out.

Not so much in price because a cheap 6.5 Creedmoor round will cost anywhere from $1.75-$2.75 per round, depending on the brand and whether or not it’s FMJ or ELD ammunition.

Many brands manufacture 6.5 Creedmoor, such as Hornady, Sellier & Bellot, Winchester, Browning, and Aguila.

Since so many brands make ammo in this caliber, it’s relatively easy to find, considering the times.

The .260 Rem is different. Not as many companies manufacture ammo in this caliber, so it’s much more difficult to find.

However, once you find it, it’s similarly priced to 6.5 Creedmoor.

If you’re looking to save money, I suggest buying bulk 6.5 Creedmoor ammo because most companies offer steeper discounts when you buy in bulk.

The 6.5 Creedmoor wins because of the availability of the factory ammunition at a similar price.

Rifle Cost & Availability

The cost for rifles chambered in both calibers will be about the same.

For instance, a Savage Arms 110 Engage Hunter XP Rifle chambered in .260 Remington will cost about $540, and the same hunting rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor will cost about $580.

However, most bolt-action rifles chambered in 260 Rem are out of stock. So though the prices are similar, very few guns are available compared to rifles chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor.

You can get around this by getting a custom gun made, but that comes at a custom price, which is always much higher than a factory rifle.

For example, a Tikka 260 Remington Ss starts at $1,150, which is on the cheap end, whereas a Ruger M77 Hawkeye starts at around $830.

The winner is the 6.5 Creedmoor because of the abundance of rifles available.

Reloading

Reloading is another way to save money on ammo. It also gives you more control over the final product than factory ammo.

You can control all the controllable variables and craft the perfect round for your rifle.

Most serious shooters love handloading because of the increased control of the entire process.

Both calibers are capable of being reloaded. There are plenty of information and supplies available to successfully handload either round.

This category is a draw.

260 Remington vs 6.5 Creedmoor Ballistics

If you’re a ballistics nut, then you’ll love this section. I will say there is very little difference in the ballistics of each caliber.

260 Remington Ballistics

As I mentioned earlier, the muzzle velocity of the .260 Remington varies from 2,941 fps with a 120-grain bullet to 2,793 with a 140-grain bullet.

As far as muzzle energy goes, the 260 Remington has 2,305 ft-lbs to 2,425 ft-lbs depending on the weight of the bullet.

As the distance from the muzzle increases, the difference in energy decreases. At 500 yards, a 120gr bullet has 975 ft-lbs of energy, and a 140gr bullet has 979 ft-lbs of energy.

6.5 Creedmoor Ballistics

Note: This information comes from the manufacturer and is for informational purposes only. The actual ballistics obtained with your firearm can vary considerably from the advertised ballistics. Also, ballistics can vary from lot to lot with the same brand and type load.

260 Remington Development

The 260 Remington was a wildcat cartridge until Remington standardized it in 1997, but they weren’t the first to try to standardize it.

A-Square LLC first submitted the proposal and drawings to SAAMI, but in the end, the cartridge was named after Remington.

It was created by necking down a .308 Winchester cartridge.

This round is most popular in the tactical and competitive shooter realms but is an effective hunting cartridge in a short-action rifle.

This round has been unsuccessful commercially in the US, but that’s not the case in Europe due to the popularity of 6.5mm bullets.

6.5 Creedmoor Development

Hornady debuted the 6.5 Creedmoor in 2007 as a “do anything” cartridge. Competition shooters were the first to jump on board and had immediate success using the caliber.

Big game hunters were more skeptical because the round lacks the weight often needed to bring down big game ethically. Though it has proved capable of bringing down some of the biggest game in the world, many hunters have other preferences.

The 6.5x55mm Swedish is the cartridge that Dennis DeMille based the 6.5 Creedmoor on.

Parting Shots

By now, you see that there is little difference between the 260 Remington vs 6.5 Creedmoor, yet the 6.5 Creedmoor is much more popular because of the greater availability of the rifles and ammo.

The .260 Remington won 1/10 categories. At the same time, the Creedmoor won 4/10 categories.

That means they tied in 5/10 sections due to their similarities.

The average shooter won’t notice the minute differences but should go with a 6.5 Creedmoor because of its availability.

By Dan Larsson

When I turned 12 and could begin to hunt big game, I drew one of the lottery-draw turkey tags. Turkeys in western Montana were starting to have a huntable population, and you had to put in for the license. As a 1st time hunter, I could hardly wait for the month between my birthday and the season. Dad called in a bearded hen, and I remember watching him sprint from where he was calling when the bird went down. He has seen them jump back up and wanted to secure it just in case. I was shocked and slightly, okay, very amused at the time. It was a great day and a great beginning! I still laugh at how small I was in that 1st picture of me with my first big game.

Hunting in Eastern Montana, Dad split and went around to hunt the other side of the hill. There had been a flock of turkeys around this ranch, and dad was packing his Marlin 25-20 Winchester. I heard the report of his gun and found his turkey in hand. Since then, the 25-20 lever action has always held a particular fascination in my life. My father has always loved lever guns and now makes peep sights for all sorts of lever and other firearms. I now get to test Skinner Sights every year! Don’t knock the perks!

A couple of years ago, on the last day of the year, and correspondingly the turkey season, I borrowed a 25-20 Winchester from dad, and we went hunting. Turkeys don’t respond to a call much this time of the year, but we found a flock working its way through some small trees and sagebrush. A hen came into view between some brush and hesitated. The hundred-plus-year-old Winchester took care of her without ruining much meat. Dad followed the flock, and I heard his Ruger International in 22 Magnum fire. We both had hen turkeys in an area where Fish Wildlife and Parks was trying to reduce the turkey numbers. Good deal!

Hunting deer one day, and I chose to pack my CZ 17 Hornet rifle in case we bumped into any turkeys. About 10 Merriam toms started to run across a bog from us. I lined up on the back of one and tripped the trigger. He fell where he was, and I had to wade across the slightly frozen marsh to get him. He probably made my best turkey hunting pic! Montana has both Eastern and Merriam turkeys. I still need to find a Rio somewhere down south to complete the Slam!

On another post-Christmas hunt, dad and I were hunting turkeys in the snow. We came around a corner and found three toms. He shot him with a Savage 17 Hornet, and I used my CZ. Two turkeys down! What great memories!

Of bows, shotguns, pistols, and rifles, I enjoy hunting turkeys with rifles the most. Montana doesn’t allow for this method of spring turkey hunting, but it does in the fall. Some other states allow rifle hunting turkeys in the spring and fall, and some allow air rifles during some of their seasons (CA, GA). States that allow turkeys for rifle harvest include Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Montana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Keep in mind; this list may change with recent legislation changes; always check your regulations before you go!

So, let’s discuss the big questions: ethics and reasoning. Many hold the position that turkeys should only be hunted with a shotgun or a bow. In many areas, these hunters are right. Tight population densities and short-range hunting expectations leave rifles out of either need or safe practice. But yes, there is another option. I live in Montana, and our state is larger than the country of Germany. Couple that with just over 1,000,000 people, and you have a lot of space without the population density. Also, many of our turkeys live in the wide open. Creek bottoms, big fields or pastures, and mountainsides make up much of where we find turkeys. In our state, only toms are harvestable in the spring. When turkeys don’t come running to a call in the fall, they open it up to either sex and longer-range guns. This is ethical and safe in our part of the world.

Montana allows for the harvest of mountain grouse with big game rifle calibers. Many hunters love to add this table fare to their backpack as they hunt the mighty elk and deer. Picture this: you’ve been hunting all day, six miles up the mountain, and are just returning to the truck around noon. You have a Cup-o-Soup at the vehicle and a jet boil camp stove. Half a mile before you are going to round the corner and see that beautiful 4-wheel drive; there is a ruffed grouse just above the old logging road you’re walking down. You pull your 300 Winchester Magnum off your shoulder, adjust for close-range trajectory and shoot the ruffed grouse in the neck. No meat spoiled and the best wild meat (in my opinion) in Montana to add to your lunch.

Turkeys afford the same opportunity. You don’t have to carry two guns just in case you bump into this other species. A safe hunter always makes sure of their target and beyond and should not fire unless they know where that bullet will wind up. Not all states allow any caliber for hunting turkeys like Montana for apparent reasons.

When picking a rifle or pistol caliber to hunt turkeys specifically, I don’t think it gets any better than the 17 Hornet. The penetration is perfect, and you can choose the neck, head, or center of the back. I say this as a spine shot that penetrates the lungs and heart area is a perfect shot for a bullet that isn’t going to go all the way through this size of a bird. The standard 22 Hornet and 223 Remington are also suitable calibers, but you will need to pay more attention to where you hit as more meat will be ruined. The time-honored 25-20 WCF is comparable in these considerations. A 22 Long Rifle and 22 Magnum are good turkey calibers in the right hands under the right circumstances (distance, moving or still target, the accuracy of shooter and firearm).

One of the things that make our country great is the right of choice and the freedoms we have. Responsible hunting keeps more of these freedoms open to us. Go have fun hunting turkeys with whatever legal means available to you! Not everyone will agree or want to participate in the different modes of turkey hunting, but not finger-pointing or condemning helps everyone. I, for example, have no interest in hunting from a tree stand. It is just not something we do much where I hunt, but that doesn’t make it wrong, worse, or better.

I will always advocate that hunting with someone makes a bond that you can’t get almost anywhere else. My father and I are best friends primarily based on this time and experience together. I think back to that first time I heard a turkey harvested with that 25-20 and the hope and desire it created within me. Aspirations and goals spur us on to progress, and living lives focused on what’s next! Don’t live in the has-been; go live in the what’s ahead!

The HAM Team has been testing a 30 Caliber FX Wildcat Mark II for some time. Overall, this is quite similar to the original FX Wildcat in .22 caliber we tested two years ago. After all, it is a “Mark II” version of the same basic gun…

Background

The .22 cal Wildcat earned a HAM Gold Award with a 93% score, so it’s clear that the Wildcat is a great air rifle. This time we’re looking at the Mark II version.

This has longer (700 mm, that’s 28 Inches) barrel, combined with a higher capacity HPA reservoir. These are appropriate for the increased power output of the larger caliber.

Wildcat Mark II models also incorporate the FX SmoothTwist X interchangeable barrel liner system. This allows users the ability to exchange barrel liners for pellet or slug use, for example.

There’s a range of barrel liners in varying twist rates and bore specifications for compatibility with various airgun projectile weights and shapes.

We tested the regular, pellet liner in this 30 Caliber FX Wildcat Mark II.

.30 Caliber Specifics

.30 caliber is rapidly increasing in popularity. However there is still not a huge range of pellets available for it. The HAM Team had some tins of 44.75 Grain JSB Exacts. We also had some .30 caliber Predator Polymags.

Given that the 30 Caliber FX Wildcat Mark II is clearly a hunting gun, we had expected to use the Polymags for our main testing. Unfortunately – and surprisingly – the Polymags proved too long to fit into the Wildcat’s magazine.

So we undertook all the testing with JSBs…

Overall Impressions

As we know from the previous Wildcat test, this air rifle is a beautiful, fine-handling “traditional” bullpup air rifle. It’s traditional because it has a full, regular stock – either laminate, walnut or synthetic, to your choice.

If anything the 30 Caliber FX Wildcat Mark II is slightly more comfortable to shoot than the original – in the HAM Team’s opinion. We preferred the somewhat greater muzzle-heaviness of the large caliber version.

The sidelever action remains a pleasure to use and the trigger pulls back with almost no pressure at all. The average pull weight was 1 Lb 2 Oz. That’s very close to that of the .22 caliber gun we tested before and an indication of very consistent manufacturing and assembly at the factory.

In spite of the very light trigger pull weight, the second stage is very easily detected. It’s no problem at all to hold the trigger just at breaking point. Sear release is crisp and predictable.

As usual, the HAM team tested the Wildcat’s trigger as received “out of the box”. We saw no need to make any adjustments.

The gun we received was supplied with a separate Donny FL silencer, although we didn’t find the need to install it for our testing as the factory moderator muted the report sufficiently for us.

The overall shooting weight of the test gun was 9 Lb 2 Oz – including the mounted Holland’s scope. Length was 35 1/4 Inches. Both these figures would, of course, be slightly higher with a silencer added.

HAM Tester Doug Wall is a left-hander. However he found the Wildcat pleasant to shoot as the magazine protrudes very little from the receiver and because the cocking lever is mounted amidships.

The magazine is very easy to load. However there’s no “blank shot” prevention. The Wildcat does not warn you if there’s no pellets remaining in the magazine. So you do have to keep count of the number of shots fired.

Scopes

We tried the 30 Caliber FX Wildcat Mark II with two scopes. First was the MTC Cobra F1 4-16 x 50. This scope balanced well with the Wildcat and the First Focal Plane configuration clearly offered benefits for a dedicated hunting air rifle.

Then we swapped the MTC scope with a Holland’s Game-Getter 2.5 – 15 x 50 model. This dedicated hunting scope was also mounted using Leapers UTG PRO rings.

Although designed primarily as a hunting scope for firearm use, the Game-Getter displayed some interesting benefits, including the oversize elevation and windage turrets. We’ll be talking more about this scope in a future post in HAM.

Using the UTG PRO high rings, we had no problems achieving a good sight picture with either scope.

As with the first version, the 30 Caliber FX Wildcat Mark II has a fixed buttpad. It worked just fine like that for both shooters. But we felt that an adjustable buttpad would not be too much to ask on a $1,700 (plus scope) air rifle – just in case.

Speed And Accuracy

The 30 Caliber FX Wildcat Mark II tested by HAM was a powerful and accurate air rifle.

Shooting the 44.75 Grain JSBs, we recorded a 10-shot average Muzzle Velocity of 825.4 FPS. This translated to a solid 67.41 Ft/Lbs of Muzzle Energy.

As the graph below shows, the 30 caliber Wildcat achieved 28 consistent shots from a fill of HPA before “falling off” of the regulator. While there was still plenty of power available after shot 28, it would definitely make sense to re-fill with HPA to ensure vertical accuracy.

Of course, 28 consistent shots is plenty for almost any airgun hunter. Combined with the 8-shot magazine, that represents a very practical, usable combination of power and shot count.

As for accuracy, this “one hole” group of 5 shots at 25 Yards was deemed very acceptable by the HAM Testers. This combination of Wildcat, Game-Getter scope and JSB pellets certainly shoots!

At 50 Yards, the 5-shot group had opened out a little, possibly due to some gusts in the crosswind. However, this was still very satisfactory hunting accuracy.

We left the scope windage and elevation unchanged for the 50 Yard shots. The drop from 25 Yards (the sight-in range) was 1 5/8 Inches.

Conclusions

The 30 Caliber FX Wildcat Mark II tested by HAM proved to be powerful, consistent and accurate. It’s clearly a very capable bullpup air rifle that would be a pleasure to own.

We’ll finish this review by repeating the conclusions from the review of the original Wildcat. “The FX Wildcat air rifle is beautifully-designed and manufactured bullpup that’s a joy to shoot. It has the power and accuracy to be an outstanding hunting air rifle.”

BUY FROM AIRGUN DEPOT FX Wildcat MkII Laminate

8K

An Affordable Alternative to the Glock?

Palmetto State Armory’s PSA Dagger is getting a lot of attention because it is a GLOCK-style pistol chambered for the exceptionally popular 9mm cartridge. TLDR: The results were better than expected!

It’s probably safe to assume the AR-15 has claimed the title of “America’s Rifle.” As for pistols, the 1911 Government Model was – and possibly still is – the American champ. But given the undiminished popularity of the Austrian borne GLOCK, even in the USA, it can’t lag far behind. And imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, a growing list of polymer clones only narrows whatever gap exists.

Some are higher end versions sold for greater costs. But, apparently, another way to move a knockoff is to market it for less money. This is my review of such a pistol, Palmetto State Armory’s Dagger. Priced less than a GLOCK 19 but bearing a strong resemblance, the question begging for an answer is: How does the PSA Dagger perform?

The PSA Dagger Introduction

Produced by Palmetto State Armory – a firm known for AR-15s (see our article on building a low-cost AR-15 with Palmetto State Armory) – this polymer pistol was introduced during 2020. Since then, the Dagger has gone through several iterations. Supposedly, it’s been debugged along the way (a fairly common evolutionary practice). Based on a 9mm GLOCK 19 Gen-3, the Dagger bears a strong resemblance that extends to the internals but it’s not an identical clone. It will, however, fit inside a Glock 19 holster. More on that in a moment.

Another big difference is cost. The basic Dagger lists for around $300, a couple hundred bucks less than the GLOCK.

The 9mm Dagger Compact I received sported a flat dark earth finish. Its slide was protected by Cerakote that blended nicely with the polymer frame. Sold as a package, it was handed to me in a well-made color-coordinated soft-case – containing ten magazines! Surprised by the bubble-packed windfall, I checked the Palmetto State Armory website.

Low and behold, the same magazine rich package appeared for under $400. Upon viewing it initially, my first thought was “Prepper Kit.”

PSA Dagger Compact Specifications:

• Capacity is 15 +1.
• Unloaded with an empty magazine, it weighed 23 ounces on my scale.
• Fully loaded with 16 rounds (124 grain bullets) it weighed 29.8 ounces.
• The barrel measured 3.875 inches.
• Overall length was 7-inches and at its thickest point, the grip, it measured 1.25-inches.

GLOCK 19 Similarities:

• The Dagger uses the same magazines as a GLOCK 19.
• The ten packed with the Dagger were PMAGS.
• Supposedly most of its other parts will also interchange with a G-19, to include its frame, slide and barrel.
• The Dagger disassembles per the GLOCK process.

Dagger Review – GLOCK Comparison

Continuing the comparison to the GLOCK 19, I reviewed the PSA Dagger through that lens.

Dagger Disassembly

Basic disassembly – or field stripping – is relatively simple.

1. Verify the pistol is completely unloaded, to include removal of the magazine.
2. Pull the trigger (dry-fire).
3. Retract the slide around ¼”, and two opposing tabs in the frame are pulled downward.
4. The entire slide assembly can now be drawn forward off the frame for removal of the guide rod and the barrel.

Because it’s a simple process, it encourages ongoing maintenance.

Reassembly is in reverse order. It’s also simpler since fiddling with the small takedown tabs is unnecessary. Still, my first couple attempts with the Dagger resulted in some minor alignment hassles. But once I got the hang of it, the slide assembly slipped on to the frame without further difficulties.

A cautionary disassembly reminder that shouldn’t be necessary – but is. Perform the “completely unloaded” step at least twice (I’ve seen this go to hell). Also, isolate the firearm from any live ammo. Better to be safe than sorry!

More Comparisons to the GLOCK 19

Following the design of a GLOCK, the Dagger’s polymer frame houses steel rail-inserts held in place by pins. However the latter’s forward locking-block insert is longer. Sans interchangeable grip inserts, the serial-numbered polymer shell features aggressive but not-irritating textured panels, a high-cut trigger guard, and a GLOCK-type accessory rail. Also, the bottom of its mag well incorporates relief cuts, useful for the removal of recalcitrant magazines. But the slide-stop and mag catch are non-reversible.

Although it was finished in flat dark earth, the slide is stainless steel, and has fore and aft cocking serrations. Touted as a “Carry Cut” design, its front and rear edges are “smoother” for snag-free draws.

The sights are mounted per a GLOCK, opening the door to a plethora of aftermarket options. The Dagger I received had a standard slide, but an optics-ready version is offered, machined to locate a miniaturized red dot ahead of the rear sight.

The barrel, also stainless, is rifled with six conventional lands and grooves (more suitable for lead bullets). Near as I can determine, it’s rifled 1:10 – the same twist today’s bullet manufacturers use to test expanding projectiles. The muzzle sits flush with the slide, and has a cleanly cut recessed face, similar to the 11-degree crown seen on many HB rifles.

Like a GLOCK, the Dagger’s recoil spring is captive, but its guide rod is stainless steel.

The front and rear sights are steel (instead of plastic). The set on this PSA Dagger were fixed three-dots, and the rear was shaped to permit single-handed slide racks. It’s also drift-adjustable for windage.

One obvious departure was the trigger which differs from a GLOCK. Instead of a separate blade, PSA went with an articulated version similar to an S&W M&P. To me it was completely familiar. If it’s not your cup of tea, supposedly, it can be swapped out for one of many GLOCK versions. I didn’t try this.

The magazine release appeared to have an ample pad, but didn’t want to let go – at least, not without exaggerated efforts. It was a real bear for me and a couple others who tried it.

On a positive note, the Dagger’s fit and finish were better than expected. Play between the slide and frame was minimal in battery and the barrel was a tight fit. In theory, at least, it should shoot. Before hitting the range to find out, I gave it a cursory cleaning and lube to begin with a “clean” slate.

Range Results

December’s range conditions hovered in the low 30s but the day was calm and overcast, ideal for a meaningful accuracy assessment. No snow either, helpful for the recovery and inspection of fired cases. I started out by loading three magazines with five rounds each, to check for function while allowing the Dagger’s parts to “settle in.”

All shooting occurred from a “ready” position. The loads are listed in their firing orders.

9mm Speer 124-grain Lawman TMJ

Speer’s FMJ-type “Total Metal Jacket” is a cut above many so-called Q-loads. It’s performed very well for me in a number of 9mm pistols. Initial five-shot groups on 15-yard steel silhouettes were encouraging, and function was 100 %. The ejection pattern was consistent, and the recovered cases appeared normal.

The slide locked open as designed on the last shot, and each magazine popped free – once the release was fully depressed. This turned out to be an even greater challenge due to the chilly weather.

Full magazines came next BUT loading them with a full 15-rounds turned into a real battle! The last couple were nigh-impossible, and my seldom-used loading device didn’t fit. But perseverance finally triumphed and the final few rounds could be easily stripped out through a push of the thumb.

They chambered normally, too. Satisfied with the Dagger’s function, I zeroed back in on a trio of repainted 15-yard silhouettes and fired a 10-shot group on each, offhand (using both hands). A good omen: Tight clusters developed directly above the sights, each of which measured around two inches.

The 25-yard accuracy tests were shot on cardboard targets, off sandbags, to capture the results. Three 5-shot groups with the same TMJs produced consistent results averaging less than 2 ½-inches – better than many pistols costing two or three times as much! And once again, the groups were close to the sights.

9mm Speer 124-grain Gold Dot JHPs

The next load up, Speer’s nickel-plated defensive offering is another high-confidence round. From the Dagger, it produced similar downrange results and functioned without issues. The ejection pattern was also consistent, and the fired cases showed no signs of problems.

9mm Federal 135-grain HYDRA-SHOK JHP “Low Recoil”

The last load tested, results were on par with the other loads and free of negative surprises. As for recoil, there may have been less. But, overall, the Dagger was completely manageable.

Hits & Misses

I wrapped up the Dagger’s range session by shooting it from various angles with Speer TMJs, some of which were fired exclusively with my support (left) hand. The pistol ran without a hitch, and, across the board, accuracy was better than expected.

The trigger behaved similarly to many other striker-fired designs. It combined a distinct reset with a consistent pull (the above listed 6 ¼ lb. weight was recorded after the range session).

My only real gripe was the magazine release. As a full-time range rat, I’ve had the opportunity to play with lots of different pistols. A few had fiddly mag releases, but this one was in a league all its own.

The oft-taught partial flip failed to remedy this issue, which is apparently hit or miss. I think it’s more a matter of the shooter’s hand size relative to the grip design. For those that encounter the problem, a possible fix is an aftermarket GLOCK release.

Not a fault of the pistol, but fully loading the PMAGS with 15 rounds was a battle (my frame of reference includes sub-gun mags). The process became easier once they’d been loaded for a few days, but I’d spring for a loading device – or different mags.

As for handling, I’m more of an S&W M&P guy. Typically, a standard GLOCK indexes muzzle-up. But, despite the absence of interchangeable grip inserts, the Dagger was more of a natural pointer for me.

Another huge plus: It shot to its sights. Speaking of which, more options are available there to include night sights, etc.

The Dagger will no doubt fit some unmolded GLOCK 19 designs. It fit two different GLOCK 19 holsters that came from Falco Holsters.

Lights and Lasers

I slipped a small QD Olight PL Mini 2 Valkyrie on the Dagger’s accessory rail, using its supplied GLOCK adapter. It locked securely in place and was a nice match for the pistol.

The Dagger does lack a loaded chamber indicator, but nickel-plated cartridges were visible in the small gap adjacent to its extractor. As a “two-fer” they also provide a useful means to differentiate defensive and practice loads.

Parting Shots

A post-shooting examination (and cleaning session) indicated no obvious problems. Then again, in total, I only fired around 200 rounds – far from a comprehensive test. However, the Dagger does come with a lifetime warranty. Is the Dagger worth it? Maybe…

The original 9mm GLOCK-17 gained rapid acceptance among law enforcement agencies and civilians. The compact 15 +1 G-19 was a logical progression. Decades later, both remain polymer gold standards regarding reliability and durability. Most GLOCK devotees will have little reason to switch, but not everyone is wedded to this brand.

Also, some shoot infrequently at best, and money is often a concern. Further rationale for the purchase of a Dagger? Maybe for use as a squirreled-away spare, or even a home defense gun. Tricked-out higher end pistols can invoke litigious perils and, the expense of a competent attorney aside, a firearm used for such purposes will likely do time in an evidence locker.

Further rationale? Returning to the Prepper Kit thought, I dragged out a 9mm Windham Weaponry AR-15 carbine, configured to run on GLOCK-17 magazines. Both the 15-shot Dagger Compact and “pistol caliber carbine” functioned with magazines of either design – a reassuring footnote, given the ten PMAGS that came with the pistol.

In closing, unlike the AR-15, like a GLOCK, the PSA Dagger has no frame-mounted safety lever. However, the” safe action” system (and its variants) is safe enough – if supported by proper training. That, and adherence to Rule #3 which stipulates strict finger-off-trigger discipline.

For more about this system and other handguns of all kinds, see my book Handguns: A Buyer’s and Shooter’s Guide.

Alaskan moose is one of the largest moose among the deer family. Their height often exceeds 7 feet. The largest recorded moose height is about 7 feet 7 inches high which is an inch taller than the world’s tallest NBA players.

Did you know that the average height of a human male is about 1.77 m tall, while the average height for moose ranges from 1.4 to 2.1 m?

This article covers the size of moose compared to humans and much more!

How Big Is a Full-Grown Moose?

From hoof to shoulder, moose have an average height of six feet, i.e. 1.8 meters. The height range is from 5 to 6.5 feet at the shoulders.

The size of the head and the body of a moose ranges from 7 feet 10 inches to 10 feet 2 inches. Their vestigial tail is between 5 to 12 cm long.

Male moose are larger than female moose, with a weight of 380 to 700 kg (838 to 1,543 lbs). On the other hand, the weight of females ranges from 200 to 490 kg (441 to 1,080 lbs). ~ Source

How Big Is the Largest Moose in the World?

As we already know that the Alaskan moose are the largest subspecies of moose. So, the largest moose ever recorded was also from the Alaskan subspecies.

The largest recorded moose weighed nearly 1808 pounds and was 7 feet 8 inches tall. This moose was shot in September 1897. ~ Source

However, there have been reports of other larger moose, for instance, a male who weighed 2299 lbs and was shot in 2004.

Another male moose that was shot later in the 2000s weighed nearly 2601 lbs.

Note: There are no authentic sources to confirm these records.

Moose Size Comparison According to The Types of Moose

Moose sizes vary depending on the subspecies of the animal. The difference is mainly attributed to adaptation to local conditions. North America is home to four subspecies of moose.

Here is a comparison of the size of moose based on their subspecies:

• Alaska Yukon Moose:

This is the biggest subspecies of moose in terms of size. The heaviest weight ever recorded among the moose family is nearly 1808 pounds. ~ A-Z Animals

Even Alaskan moose antlers measure about 80 inches across.

• East Siberian Elk

Moose based in Eurasia are among the biggest species of moose on the planet.

There is a very small difference in the sizes between Alaskan moose and East Siberian Elk. these moose weigh more than 1600 pounds.

• Yellowstone Moose:

Yellowstone moose inhabit North America. They are the smallest subspecies of moose, weighing just 1000 pounds!

• Moose Subspecies in Amur:

Amur is situated near the border of Russia and China. This region is known for being home to the smallest subspecies of moose. These animals are almost 6 feet tall.

How Big Are Moose Compared to Humans?

Moose is the tallest creature compared to other members of the deer family. Fully-grown moose are way taller than the world’s tallest humans.

The average height of a moose is nearly 6.5 feet, while the height of a male human being is just 5 feet 7 inches.

The height of the Alaskan moose crosses 7 feet at the shoulder.

Overall height crosses 10 feet when the antlers and the head of the moose are added. This is massive, even if compared to the world’s tallest human, with a height of 8 feet 11.5 inches.

How Big Are Moose Compared to Horses?

Horses are measured to the ridge located between their shoulder blades. The average height of a horse is 5 feet 4 inches. Considering the height of a moose, it has been observed that a moose is a foot and a half taller than a horse.

The height of horses is also variable just like the heights of different subspecies of moose. The tallest horse ever recorded had a height of 82.75 inches which is just an inch shorter than 7 inches.

So, the world’s tallest horse is about as tall as a male Alaskan moose. Yet, the world’s tallest moose is 9 inches taller than the world’s tallest horse.

Although moose are bigger than horses in size, moose tend to have a lower body weight than horses.

Horses’ weight ranges from 120 to 2200 pounds, while the weight of a full-grown moose is about 1600 pounds.

How Big Is a Moose Compared to a Bison?

Bison is another mighty herbivore that can compete with a moose in terms of size.

This animal measures 6.5 feet tall at the shoulder, which is almost as tall as a cervid found in Yellowstone.

The adult male bison weighs 2000 pounds, meaning it is much heavier than a moose. A bison weighs twice as much as a Yellowstone moose.

How Strong Is a Moose?

Moose are heavy-bodied creatures with a very strong pair of front and hind legs. They use their sharp hooves to stomp people or animals to death.

Did you know? Moose are responsible for nearly 1500 road accidents in Canada, Alaska, and New England. These animals can cause serious injuries and even death which shows how strong they are. ~ A-Z Animals

Bull moose are specially equipped to fight and ward off other moose, especially at the time of mating. They have huge shoulders and their neck muscles double in size during the rut.

Bull moose have very thick forehead skin, which protects their skull from injuries during the rut.

Thanks to their fast-running speed, they can easily knock down a human being and possibly even injure them seriously. They use their strong legs to kick predators and run from them.

What Is the Size of a Baby Moose?

Newborn moose weighs approximately 30 pounds. Baby moose tend to eat a lot.

Estimates have shown that baby moose eat a lot to gain weight. Calves consume more food in summer than in the winter to prepare themselves for the long winter months when food is scarce.

Research has also shown that baby moose gain a pound of weight on a daily basis and might even put on 4 pounds daily in the spring and summer months.

FAQs

What do you call a baby moose?

A baby moose is called a moose, while male moose are known as bulls and female moose are called cows.

How much does a moose weigh at birth?

When calves are born, they weigh 25 to 35 pounds and are reddish brown in color.

Conclusion

Changes in the temperature of the earth affect all creatures living in the Northern hemisphere, including moose. Hunting is also a major life threat to these unique animals.

Action needs to be taken to protect these creatures as their population numbers decline. This article helped answer your question regarding the size of moose.

Ever wondered which animal’s eyes glow in the dark? Or maybe you are wondering how to recognize a set of glowing eyes in the dark?

Let’s look at some common animals with glowing eyes at night as well as some of the more extraordinary hunters and nightcrawlers.

These are the most typical animals to reflect back the light at night. Whether you point a flashlight at them or they simply just appear to have glowing eyes when being caught on camera.

Which Colors Do Animal’s Eyes Glow At Night?

When you meet an animal at night with glowing eyes the color will typically be:

• Red
• Yellow
• Green
• White
• Orange

(The ladder is a mix between red and yellow)

In this article, we will take a good look at all these animals. We will also list them by eye color according to a set of photos. Just remember that you cannot know for sure that animals will always have the same colored glow at different times.

We will come back to this at the end of the article – now it’s time to look some of these amazing night creatures in the eyes!

Which Animals Have RED Eyes At Night?

Several animals can have red or orange glowing eyes at night. This is because they have a reflective layer behind the eyeballs which enables the lights to get reflected back toward the viewer.

That perceived eye color at night depends on several factors like the animal’s actual eye color, the light source, and how the retina is constructed.

Alligators

Gators crocodiles have pretty large eyeballs compared to their size. They will often appear red in the dark and leave them looking even more terrifying than they do before night time.

Photo: Larry Lynch

Owls

Another animal wood red or orange eyes in the dark are the Owls. They typically hunt right before dark and they have incredibly good hearing. But they also have pretty good eyesight as well.

The eyes really stick out in the forest when you notice the two red dots staring right at you.

Owls have especially big eyes in the animal kingdom. Their eyes are constructed more like a tunnel-shape which means they have to turn their head in order to look around. This is no problem though because Owls can turn their head 270° around.

The dark orange eyes are very pretty and they are probably the reason why Owls symbolizes wisdom and knowledge.

Rabbits

Rabbits also have very special eyes. They will typically appear to have a light red tone in the dark if you catch them on camera or point a light source toward them. They can also be orange or even pinker red.

Again, the red color comes from the light being reflected at the back of the eye.

They also have a reflective layer behind the eyeballs which reflects the light back at you when you look at it. We will explain this feature in great detail toward the bottom of this article.

Cats

Cats are the masters when it comes to eye colors. They can have a wide variety of eye colors. Not only during the night but also when it comes to their actual eye colors at daytime.

This very special cat, however, actually has two different eye colors. One eye is red and the other is green. You can see more animals with two different eye colors here.

Which Animals Have YELLOW Eyes At Night?

Now let’s change the focus to animals with yellow glowing eyes for a moment. This is a very common feature among animals and we find quite a lot of species with glowing yellow eyes at night.

Bears

Bears are one example. In the daytime, they normally have dark brown eyes. But when the light reflects at night they typically appear bright yellowish.

Check out these bears staring at the driver.

They could probably scare most people if you saw them at night!

Cats

As we mentioned above, cats can have all sort of eye colors. This cat is staring at the photographer with bright yellow eyes that could pierce you.

Eye color is determined by two pigment colors called melanin and lipochrome. The blend of pigment (or lack thereof) determines which color the cat’s eyes will have. But at night time the light can change the eye color by reflecting only parts of the light spectrum.

These two sets of yellow cat eyes look pretty scary in the dark!

Deers

Another animal you typically can encounter at nighttime is the Deers. They will often stare right at you when you are driving or walking by a forest.

The eyes of the deer will often light up with a yellow tone at night simply because the light is reflected back.

Raccoons

Another animal you might have in front of you when you notice a yellow set of eyeballs is the raccoon.

Raccoons are also nocturnal animals and therefore also have the reflective layer behind the eyes. They will typically reflect yellow light back of you.

Chinchillas

Chinchillas are pretty popular as exotic pets.

Here is a cute little fella eating an apple in a tree. The yellow eyes really light up in the dark and they seem to be very focused on the photographer.

Panthers

The last animals we will look at with yellow eyes in the dark are the Panthers. They are large cats that hunt at night and their yellow eyes are very intense.

Most cats (large and small) will have yellow eyes in the dark. But most cats won’t have yellow eyes when the face is lit. But the Panthers can have very pretty yellow eyes. Though sometimes they can appear greener.

Which Animals Have GREEN Eyes At Night?

We will continue by listing a couple of animals with green eyes in the dark. These are a little rarer as most animals will have yellow or red eyes in the dark.

Dogs

Docs can have green eyes in the dark. This cute little golden retriever pup certainly looks adorable with the glowing eyes in the dark.

When you do see glowing eyes in the dark it will often be a cat or a dog. This is simply because these are some of the most common animals around areas where people live.

Cats

Here’s a cat with bright green eyes

Foxes

The eyes of the fox are also very intensive at night. They typically keep to themselves at night when they hunt. But if you do encounter them you should look for green (or yellow) eyes in the dark.

This fox has a mix of green and white eyes as he stares at you.

Opossums

Opossums will often leave a green reflection when they are lit up at night. Here are five Opossums in a tree.

Which Animals Have WHITE Eyes At Night?

Sometimes animal eyes will reflect a white light at night. We will finish off by looking at a couple of animals with bright white eyes in the night.

These three species have all been photographed with a flash on the camera. That enables the light to be reflected back as a very white and bright color.

Coyotes

Hear the photographer has caught a coyote with his/her lens. The coyote stairs right at the camera and the eyes are very white.

Deers

As we looked at previously, Deers will often have yellow eyes in the dark. That’s sometimes the eyes will appear with a very bright white color.

This is especially true if you use the flash on your camera. The white light from the flash will be reflected at the back of the eyes and return a purely white color for the photo.

Tigers

This is not the guy you want to meet at night. It’s a Tiger with white eyes staring right at you in the snow. It’s hard to spot in the snow at night but the eyes give it away.

Other animals with reflective eyes (Tapetum Lucidum) include:

• Rats
• Skunks
• Ferrets
• Horses
• Pigs
• Camels
• Flashlight Fish
• Cows
• Goats
• Walleyes
• Kangaroos
• Squirrels
• Spiders
• Lemur

As you can see most of these animals are nocturnal carnivores but we also have deep-sea animals on the list.

It’s especially important to see well if you are a predator in the sea (or if you are being hunted!). The water can make it hard to distinguish patterns and movement in the dark so big eyes with retroreflectors can really help here!

Why Do (Some) Animal Eyes Glow At Night?

We find this feature among several vertebrates.

The reason why some animals have glowing eyes at night is due to a thin reflective layer behind their eyes (behind the iris). It is called “Tapetum lucidum“. This layer reflects the light back at you when you look at the animal in the dark. This phenomenon is also sometimes referred to as “eyeshine”.

This means that the light travels through the retina twice and is reflected back in a wide variety of colors.

This also means, that the light you see is just the reflection of the light source pointed toward them. This will typically be a flashlight or a camera flash. When the light is reflected back it can have the colors red, yellow, green, or white.

The light is reflected directly back toward the direction of the light source in order to let the retina have a clear and more vivid image to analyze. For cats, the reflective effect increases the vision by more than 40% thus giving the cats incredible night vision.

It’s a genius way to add more light to the retina. Animals without this feature (and humans) will only have the light pass through the retina one time. But the reflection adds more light and detail to the retina in order for the animal to see better in the dark.

This lets our nocturnal friends see better and further in the dark. It’s both an advantage for the predators and for the prey and it’s a good reason to stay indoors if you live around wild animals. They will probably have way better night vision than you do!

These are also the animals that are very good at seeing in the dark and they are called the nocturnal animals. When the light is reflected back a second time through the retina the animal has a better chance of sensing and seeing in the dark.

Recognizing animals by eye color at night

So does this mean that you can recognize animals by their eye color at night?

No, not really.

The reason is that you cannot know for sure that an animal will always reflect the same color back at you. It can vary greatly due to several factors we shall look at below.

Sometimes the color will be yellow and other times it might be green or even white.

As we looked at above it all depends on several factors:

1. The color of the light being directed at the animal (LED, moonlight, flashlight etc.)
2. The animals own eye color (which can vary greatly even among the same species)
3. The size and construction of the retina
4. The distance between you and the animal
5. The angle you watch from

So you cannot know for sure that a certain species will always reflect the same eye color. When you look at how the eyes glow at night, you will notice above that we have deers and cats with both yellow and green eyes, for example.

You will need to know more facts about the animals in order to recognize them at night. It’s much better to look at the animal’s behavior, speed, size, etc.

If you can only see the eyes of the animal you should try to determine how much space there is between the eyes and how far from the ground they are. If it’s a big animal with large eyeballs you should keep a safe distance. But to remember that even small animals can be dangerous at night.

So if you don’t know what you dealing with you should keep your distance and make sure not to stare directly at the animal as it can stir up aggression in some species.

Why Do Animals Have Better Night Sight?

As we mentioned above, some animals have a reflective layer at the back of the eye enabling them to see better in the dark. But that’s not the only reason why they have better night’s vision.

Another reason is that they are able to see a wider spectral range of colors.

• They can see UV and infrared light Many nocturnal animals can also see UV light as well as infrared light. Bees, for instance, can see some UV light.
• They have bigger eyes Some animals have larger eyes which enable them to let in more light. That means that they can sense more movements and shapes in the dark, and are able to see in greater detail in the dark.
• More light sensors Some animals have more light sensors in their eyes called “Rhodopsins”, and they let in more light. This advantage has a backside though as these animals typically are relatively colorblind as they lack other types of sensors that capture the colors of the light.

What colors do human eyes reflect at night?

Human eyes would always reflect a red color. This is because we do not have the reflective layer behind the retina (tapetum lucidum). Therefore the light will not be reflected back toward the photographer or the viewer.

So if you do see a human set of eyeballs lighting up in the dark it is typically because they are being photographed. They will appear red because of the blood vessels in the retinas in the eyes.

The light from the flash will enter through the center of the eye called the pupil (the black part) and its size is determined by the iris muscle. If the pupil is small there won’t be sufficient light to lit up the blood in the eye. This is why red-eye reduction software lets the camera’s flash blink an extra time just before the photo is taken in order to let the eye reflect off the light of the flash instead of letting it into the eye.