With the popularity these days of cartridges for long-range this and long-range that, it’s surprising the .300 Blackout has become one of the more popular rifle cartridges since its commercial introduction in 2010. Timing may have played a hand in the Blackout’s acceptance, as it was introduced by Advanced Armament Corporation (AAC) and its sister company, Remington, when the trend of tactical shooting started to build. The Blackout, though, has many positive attributes. For one, the short cartridge fits in any gun design that accepts the .223/5.56, from single-shot handguns and compact bolt-action rifles to autoloading carbines, where it has been most successful. The Blackout shoots the complete range of .30-caliber bullets – from light bullets acceptably fast for hunting to 200-grain and heavier bullets plodding along at subsonic velocities. The Blackout’s story goes back much farther than 2010. AAC had been working on a military cartridge when it was bought by Remington, backed by the Freedom Group, in 2009. The following year AAC and Remington introduced the .300 Blackout. That year I toured the Remington ammunition plant in Lonake, Arkansas, mainly to observe the production of shotshells. At the nearby Remington shooting range, a couple of Remington engineers uncased an AR-15 and showed around the cartridge for which it was chambered. “It’s the .300 Blackout,” they said. “It’s the .300 Whisper,” I replied.

The Blackout is indeed the .300 Whisper designed by J.D. Jones in 1992 by necking up .221 Fireball cases to accept .30-caliber bullets. The only difference between the Blackout and Whisper is Blackout chambers have a slightly longer leade. Jones states on his website (sskindustries.com) that the “Whisper series of cartridges was developed as specific military, police, competition and recreational cartridges . . . ” The website also states, “A Whisper cartridge must be capable of sub-sonic extreme accuracy with very heavy bullets for its caliber, i.e. 240 grains in 30, as well as moderate to high velocity while maintaining excellent accuracy with light bullets for the caliber, i.e. 125 at 2300 FPS in the 30.

“. . . the cartridge was designed as a multi-purpose cartridge from the beginning. Its design parameters, in addition to the ballistics quoted above, were that it must be capable of being used in the AR-15/M16 family of rifles, contenders and bolt action rifles as well as being easily suppressed.” Quite a number of carbine bolt actions are chambered in Blackout. Most have 16-inch barrels. They range from Kimber’s Adirondack that weighs 4 pounds, 13 ounces, to the Ruger American Ranch rifle and Remington Model 700 Tactical. Pretty much every AR-type rifle chambered in .223/5.56 NATO is also chambered in Blackout. A different barrel is the only requirement to change from .223 to Blackout, as both cartridges operate at the same 55,000 psi and use the same magazine and bolt face. A SIG Sauer MCX VIRTUS Patrol was used to shoot the loads in the accompanying load table. The carbine is chambered in 5.56 or .300 Blackout. Only a barrel swap was required to change between the cartridges. Turning out two Torx screws loosened the barrel clamps, and the 5.56 barrel originally on the carbine pulled free of the upper receiver. After inserting a Blackout barrel and tightening the barrel clamp screws, I was in business shooting the Blackout.

I first shot SIG Sauer factory ammunition through the VIRTUS. Ammunition options are nearly unending, with Blackout ammunition also available from Barnes, Federal, Fiocchi, Gorilla, Hornady, HSM, Magtech, Nosler, Noveske, Remington, Silver State Armory, Streak, Underwood and Winchester. I’m sure there are others. It seems someone is always comparing the Blackout to the .223/5.56, 7.62×39 and .30-30. So, ballistics-wise, let’s measure the Blackout against these three cartridges. The .30-30 beats the Blackout every which way. The .30-30 shoots Sierra 150-grain bullets at 2,367 fps with 36.3 grains of CFE 223, and the Speer 125-grain TNT with 33.0 grains of H-335 at 2,587 fps when fired from the 20-inch barrel of my Winchester Model 94. Those velocities are an additional 300 fps faster than Blackout velocities with the same bullet weights. The Blackout is America’s version of the 7.62×39 Russian, and the tactical crowd calls the Blackout the 7.62×35. I have been able to shoot Sierra 110-grain bullets at 2,511 fps loaded with Reloder 7, and Speer 125-grain bullets at 2,500 fps with CFE BLK powder from the 18.5-inch barrel of my CZ 527 Carbine 7.62×39. Tulammo is the fastest factory ammunition I have shot through a CZ, with its 124-grain FMJ bullets registering 2,405 fps at the muzzle. Advantage for the Russian round is 200 plus fps. Ballistic charts show there is not much difference between the energy carried by 125-grain bullets fired at 2,235 fps from the Blackout and the .223 shooting 69-grain bullets at 3,000 fps, and 80-grain bullets existing the muzzle at 2,750 fps. The .22-caliber bullets carry about 50 foot-pounds of additional energy than the .30-caliber bullet by the time the three bullets have reached 100 yards. The .22-caliber bullets hang on to that energy advantage at 200 yards and enlarge the difference as distance increases. Both bullets fired from a .223 drop half the distance of the .30-caliber bullets at distances from 150 to 400 yards when all three bullets are zeroed at 100 yards. The Blackout launching 165-grain bullets at 1,850 fps does not improve on those figures. A 220-grain bullet fired at 1,000 fps from the Blackout carries only about half the energy as 165-grain bullets. The heavy bullet drops like a hand-thrown brick.

To go out on a half-sawn limb, the Blackout was never designed to improve on the .223’s ballistics. The Blackout’s value is that it provides acceptable velocity from a 16-inch barrel with bullets that carry some persuasive weight. Bullets for the Blackout run the gamut of lightweight projectiles traveling somewhat over 2,000 fps to heavy bullets plodding along at 1,000 fps. To determine how well light and heavy bullets expanded, I shot all the bullets listed in the accompanying load table into stacks of dry paper placed 35 yards from the muzzle of the SIG carbine. SIG-loaded Sierra 125-grain MatchKing bullets hit the paper at 2,080 fps, and handloaded Berger 110- and 125-grain bullets impacted at about 2,000 fps. All three bullets fragmented.

SIG 120-grain HT Solid Copper loads hit the paper at 2,150 fps. The hollowpoint peeled back into four petals to the bullet’s solid shank. The bullets expanded to nearly twice their original diameter, just like SIG advertises. The HT would make a great hunting bullet. I doubted Speer 165-grain bullets would expand with a slow impact velocity of a 1,700 fps. But the jacket of the bullets ripped apart down to the base and lost their lead core. Berger 210-grain bullets were marginally stable when fired at 1,100 fps from the SIG’s barrel with its 1:6 rifling twist. A few of the bullets hit sideways on targets at 100 yards. The Bergers hit the paper going 960 fps. Recovered bullets looked like they had immediately turned sideways when they hit. The bullets bent in half and fairly well lost their lead core. SIG-loaded Sierra 220-grain MatchKing bullets plowed into the paper at just under 1,000 fps. Their hollow points opened up, and the bullets expanded halfway down their length, doubling their initial width. The MatchKings would make a great bullet for shooting hogs. Lehigh Defense has a great selection of bullets for all uses of the Blackout. Those bullets range from a 78-grain Close Quarters bullet, with an aluminum core and prestressed jacket designed to violently expand and limit penetration no more than 18 inches, to Maximum Expansion 194-grain Subsonic Bullets. Lehigh states Maximum Expansion bullets do not expand in dry mediums like wood or drywall. Their hollowpoints are designed to expand at 750 to 1,200 fps upon contact with a fluid-based medium through hydraulic energy. I shot the bullets into the paper at 1,400 fps. The .60-inch-deep hollowpoints peeled back into four petals down to their solid copper base. It seemed only a sprinkle of powder balanced my scale when weighing charges to handload the Blackout. Powder weights for 210-grain bullets looked especially light; how could those small amounts of powder even push those big bullets out the bore?

Powders for the Blackout are relatively fast burning, such as Accurate No. 11FS, 1680, 5744, LT-30 and No. 9, Alliant Reloder 7 and 10X, IMR-4227 and 4198, Hodgdon Lil’Gun and CFE BLK. CFE BLK worked well with the 110- to 210-grain bullets I used for the Blackout. CFE BLK traded back and forth with Lil’Gun for highest velocities. Accurate No. 11FS provided good accuracy with Berger 125-grain FB Target bullets with a velocity 200 fps faster than Lil’Gun. Vertical spread of impact points of the different bullet weights was tremendous. With the SIG carbine sighted in to shoot 125-grain bullets on aim at 100 yards, Berger 110-grain bullets hit way over point of aim at 100 yards. In contrast, 210- and 220-grain bullets at subsonic velocities hit about 20 inches lower than the 125s.

Across the board, the Blackout produced low extreme velocity spreads that most likely resulted from powder charges held tightly in place by bullets in the Blackout case to promote a uniform powder burn. Over nine shots, SIG ammunition loaded with 120-grain HT bullets had an extreme velocity spread of 27 fps, Sierra 125-grain bullets provided a spread of 24 fps and Sierra 220-grain MatchKing bullets had an extreme spread of 16 fps. Handloads also produced even velocities. Berger 125-grain bullets shot with three different powders had an average extreme spread of 17 fps, Speer 165-grain bullets had a 29-fps velocity spread for three powders, and Lehigh Defense 194-grain bullets averaged 22 fps using three powders. There is some concern that the small powder charges the Blackout burns may fail to generate enough gas to cycle an autoloader’s action. The SIG MCX VIRTUS Patrol is equipped with a two-position gas valve to meter the correct amount of gas used to cycle the rifle. Adjustments are made by pushing down a lever on either side of the valve through “windows” in the sides of the handguard. The left-side lever on the handguard has a “minus” and the right side a “plus” mark. SIG suggests setting the valve on “minus” for loads that generate supersonic velocities and “plus” for subsonic loads. I left the valve on the latter setting for all shooting. Every one of several hundred loads cycled without a hitch.

Handloading the Blackout was straightforward. A few loads resulted in compressed powder charges when seating bullets. The cartridges remained the same length after sitting for a day. Some handloaders have reported the Blackout’s rather thin case necks fail to adequately hold bullets in place. A combination of compressed powder and the thrust of an autoloader’s bolt slamming closed can cause bullets to partially slide out of cases. Solutions include using a slightly narrower expander button in the sizing die, or loading bullets with a crimping cannelure to crimp case mouths. Most .30-caliber bullets, though, do not have a crimping groove. Those with a crimping groove most likely have it in the wrong place, unless they are specifically intended for the Blackout. Redding National Match dies come with a taper crimp die that solves all such problems. If I can theorize why the .300 Blackout has become so popular, it is because it’s a great informal target and everyday-shooting cartridge. Cartridges, handloads at least, are relatively inexpensive, and recoil is negligible. I shot the SIG carbine at targets, and my son shot it at ground squirrels. The back-and-forth slam of the bolt created more recoil than the actual firing of cartridges. From there the Blackout readily adapts to short-range hunting with an assortment of bullet weights and styles.

North American native mountain lions are great predators in the United States; their population is approximately 30,000. The big game mountain lion has many other names such as cougar, panther, puma, catamount, etc.

Pc: Unsplash

It is one of the big challenging games in North America and is often regarded as America’s lion. You can visit our blog, The Challenging Big Game-Cougar, to know more about cougar hunting and behavior.

This blog is about the population and distribution of mountain lions in different states of the United States of America. Before discussing which states are best for mountain lion hunting, you must know about

When and Where to Hunt Mountain Lion:

The cougar hunting season starts in August and lasts till February.

Cougar has a broader range of habitats and is present in open lands, steep canyons, forests, and deserts.

Best Mountain Lion Hunting States:

Here is a list of the best states for mountain lions hunting,

• Arizona
• Idaho
• California
• Colorado
• New Mexico
• Montana
• Wyoming
• Utah

Arizona:

Grand Canyon State has 2,000-3,000 mountain lions, which are present in the rocky areas, so most of the hunting is done on dry land. Be sure that you take highly trained dogs with you. In Arizona, the mountain lion hunting season runs year around.

Pc: Unsplash

Arizona has specific rules for cougar hunting that you can’t hunt kittens and females, and the bag limit is no more than one cougar per day.

Idaho:

Idaho has a widespread population of about 2,000 mountain lions, and this state is known to have more liberal laws than all the western states. The annual hunting limit is 400-600. The season starts in August and ends in June or March, depending upon the unit.

Electronic calls and hound hunting is legal in this area, but they might close for some time in specific areas.

California:

The state with one of the largest mountain lion populations. In the 1970s, California wildlife management declared mountain lions endangered, but now, due to efforts like controlled hunting, California has 4,000 to 6,000 mountain lions.

Colorado:

Colorado is the prime mountain lion state, with a population of 3,000 to 8,000. The state is the perfect habitat for this ferocious predator. A pro tip to make the best of the mountain lion in Colorado is first to check the rocky mountains regions.

Pc: Pexels

The cougar hunting season in Colorado starts in November, but for hunting mountain lions, you must fulfill specific standards set by Colorado wildlife management; you must pass a mountain lion hunting test, an online course, and an educational card and habitat stamp is also necessary.

New Mexico:

New Mexico only allows controlled hunting practices to protect mountain lions; the state has approximately 4,000 mountain lion populations that thrive in the hilly regions of the state.

Pc: Pixabay

The state allows electronic calls and hounds hunting, and the season runs round the year till the quota meets. Remember that your tag expires every March, and you have to renew it before going to the hunting areas.

Montana:

Montana mountain lion hunting season starts in September but makes sure you apply for the permit in August. The state wildlife department makes it clear that the state is suitable habitat for mountain lions, so they are widely spread all over the state, and the approximate population of cougars in Montana is 2,000 to 3,000.

Wyoming:

There was a time when the Wyoming mountain lion population was stable, but now the population has dropped. The state wildlife management is trying to control hunting till the population becomes stable again.

Pc: Pixabay

The best season runs from September to March and the best time to hunt is one hour before sunset and one hour after sunset.

Utah:

The state allows restricted and limited hunting and has a population of about 25,00 mountain lions. The mountainous regions, as well as swamp areas, are the preferred habitats of cougars. Legal mountain lion hunting season in Utah starts in November and runs till May.

Pack your hunting essentials and select the state as suitable for you to apply for a permit and enjoy the big game mountain lion hunt.

If there’s one main theme of Cameron Hanes’s memoir Endure: How to Work Hard, Outlast, and Keep Hammering, it’s obsession. He’s obsessed about becoming the best bowhunter. Everything else in his life is devoted to that goal.

How do you become obsessed? Should you even be obsessed? How do you stay consistent and keep hammering away at your goals? That’s what we’re going discuss in the second and final part of my notes based on Cameron’s book. I’ll go through seven Cameron Hanes’s quotes pertaining to perseverance, working hard, and longevity.

Humbleness Leads to Greatness

The rare people who do become truly exceptional at something do so not because they believe they’re exceptional. On the contrary, they become amazing because they’re obsessed with improvement. And that obsession with improvement stems from an unerring belief that they are, in fact, not that great at all. It’s anti-entitlement. People who become great at something become great because they understand that they’re not already great—they are mediocre, they are average—and that they could be so much better.

Cameron’s take on becoming obsessed with improvement reminds me of Zen Buddhism concept of “beginner’s mind.” It’s about cultivating the mindset of a true beginner regardless of your proficiency in a given field.

You’re always humble, open to new ideas, eager to learn, and without any preconceptions. To become exceptional, we need to cultivate such a mindset at all times.

Regardless of how good we are at something, we need to be able to see and acknowledge our weaknesses—and then relentlessly hammer away at them.

We also need to stay humble and never assume we know everything there is to know. Otherwise we’ll never question our beliefs. If we aren’t open to new ideas and new teachers, at one point we’ll stop growing, forever stuck in old ways.

What Is Your Poison?

It’s one thing to find your true passion in life, but what about your poison? What is the one thing or multiple things that hinder your ability to achieve the type of success you desire? Who or what is preventing you from fulfilling your potential? For me it was a number of things: alcohol, toxic people, lack of confidence, average physical ability, and so on.

Addressing the main obstacle that prevents you from achieving success is often more valuable than blindly pushing harder.

For example, let’s imagine that you want to become financially independent. You’ve built a great career or perhaps a lucrative business. But you’re still not rolling in cash. There’s always little money left before the next paycheck.

Sure, you could grind even harder but you won’t make much progress. Why? Because the impediment is that you spend money frivolously. Before you remove this poison from your system, you won’t reach your full potential. Excessive spending will always hold you back, regardless of how hard you push.

If you aren’t making much progress, identify the main culprit. Is it because you aren’t pushing hard enough or is it because there’s a poison coursing through your veins?

Do the Work When Others Are Asleep

My alarm is set for 4:55 a.m. because getting up “in the fours” sounds better in my head than getting up in the fives, more committed, but I never make it to the alarm. I turn it off before it goes off.

I don’t dread getting up; I love it.

It’s another chance to hammer.

I’ve convinced myself that every day is a gift and I get to jump out of bed and go run. I’m usually out the door before 5:00 a.m. (in the fours) to start my fasted cardio run.

As I run down the empty streets and see the houses knowing everyone is asleep inside, in my head I kind of like it. I don’t envy them, because I feel like each morning is another chance to sacrifice a little more. I turn it into a positive and just think how I’m out there working already. That makes me feel good.

The saying goes, the greater the sacrifice, the greater the reward.

There’s something magical about doing the work while everyone else is asleep. You don’t even have to be an early riser to experience it. Many years ago, before I started waking up early, I used to be a night owl. I wrote mostly at night, between 11 pm and 3 am.

These days, my routine is the complete opposite. Instead of quiet late nights I get quiet early mornings.

Working on your goals when others are asleep will fuel your obsession because only the obsessed are so committed.

Only an obsessed person would wake up at 4 am in the middle of winter and go rucking a long distance for the challenge of it (been there, done that).

Only an obsessed person would stay up until 3 am working on the new marketing strategy for their e-commerce business.

Only an obsessed person would wake up a few hours before their shift at the warehouse starts to study a skill that will help them secure a better job.

Being Tired vs Being Weak

There is never a question in my mind asking if I’m going to run today. I’m going to run no matter what. If I’m sick, I’ll still run. If I’m hurt, I’ll go slower. I’ll limp. Nothing will change. A lot of people look for ways or reasons not to run or exercise. Those things don’t even come to my mind anymore.

If I think I’m tired, I remember moments when I’m running hundreds of miles in an ultramarathon and I’m getting an hour of sleep or less. That’s when I should be tired. The other times means I’m just being weak.

There’s no doubt that Cameron Hanes is wired differently than almost every single person on Earth. For most people, a light cold, a little injury, or feeling under the weather means no workouts until they get better. Meanwhile, Cameron only allows himself to feel tired if he’s running hundreds of miles on an hour of sleep. Talk about a wildly different perspective on things.

As a person who’s been dealing with a chronic rotator cuff injury, I adapt my workouts to keep going without aggravating it. If you can work out without making things worse, then do that.

But I don’t think it’s a smart idea to run if your swollen Achilles tendon hurts like hell and feels as if it’s about to burst.

The reason why I’m dealing with a chronic injury is because I ignored my shoulder pain for months. I thought I had to suck it up and be tough like people like David Goggins or Cameron Hanes. In the end, pretending I was indestructible destroyed me.

To be able to progress sustainably over the long term, sometimes the body needs to rest.

My calisthenics coach recently told me that for those who work out a lot, the problem isn’t making excuses but not respecting recovery enough. And taking time off to let your body heal isn’t being weak. Pro athletes do it all the time, sometimes taking months off to heal an injury that unattended could end their career.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I admire Cameron’s endurance and wish my body were as resilient as his is. Yet, in my painful experience, in an effort to imitate people like Hanes or Goggins, we sometimes ignore the warning signals, thinking we can walk them off—only to pay the price later.

As Cameron emphasizes in his book:

I don’t want to discount or minimize anybody’s effort because I know just trying your best every day is a huge deal. I know it’s a hard path at times.

I’m not speaking for anybody else with my running and my training.

This is your journey.

We’re all on different trajectories. I’m at this point and have been doing this now for decades. There are certain ways I prepare, and that’s going to change and evolve. I’m going to continue to get better and I’m going to learn and grow.

All of us are evolving. It’s just a process. A process that takes time.

Even if our goals are the same, our journeys will be different.

If You’re Not Obsessed, You’re Going to Be Mediocre

I get obsessed with things. But as I always say, if you’re not obsessed, you’re going to be mediocre. I don’t care what it is. If you have a healthy, balanced relationship with whatever dream you have, then nobody will ever know your name. That’s the cold, hard truth. Sure, there are those born with the physical capabilities to play in the NBA, but I’m sure LeBron James would say he’s been obsessed with basketball his whole life.

The best of the best usually live and breathe their obsession. Everything in their lives, be it their daily schedule, where they live, who they spend time with, etc. is about getting an edge. You can see it when studying the lives of the greats like Michael Jordan, Nikola Tesla, Pablo Picasso, or Ernest Shackleton.

A healthy, balanced relationship with your dream rarely leads to greatness.

Surfing three times a week for one hour won’t cut it if you want to become a pro surfer.

Studying physics a few hours a week won’t cut it if you want to become a renowned physicist.

Writing a few hundred words a week won’t cut if you want to become an exceptional writer.

The relationship we have with our goals says a lot about the level of success we’ll be able to achieve in them.

For example, I run once a week. When I compare running to writing—which I practice every day—it’s clear to see that I’ll never become an exceptional runner. I may have a shot at becoming an exceptional writer because my relationship with it is much closer to an obsession than in the case of running. But running is not my priority. It’s just an accessory skill.

What is your level of dedication to your goals? There’s nothing wrong with prioritizing your goals and giving it your all only to your most important objectives.

The Dark Side of Obsession

Going back to the subject of obsession, if you’re going to be great at one thing, you’re probably not going to be great at other things. The way I’ve looked at it, I know I definitely have been short in some areas because I’ve been obsessive about other things. I know I probably wasn’t the best dad, the best husband, the best whatever, because I’ve been obsessed about bowhunting. For example, spending $3,000 to go on an out-of state hunt when you don’t have the money and have a newborn baby at home … yeah, that’s probably not a good decision. That’s not being the best provider you can be, because I put my dream ahead of being a provider for my family, for the people who rely on me. If you’re being honest with yourself, and I have been honest with myself, I know I’ve fallen short. That’s not justifying it at all, that’s just being real.

Cameron’s confession poses a difficult dilemma: do you let yourself obsess about a single thing so much that you neglect other aspects of your life? Or do you choose to tone down a little so that you don’t destroy your relationships or health?

In an ideal world, we would be able to get it all. But we don’t live in an ideal world with unlimited resources and no opportunity costs. There’s a price to pay for all decisions.

For example, if you decide to become an ultra-runner, you’ll have to train for up to a few hours a day almost every day of the week. Developing mental and physical toughness to take on long races will become your day job.

Try as you might, you won’t be able to create more time out of thin air. Something will have to give. Will it be your work or business life? Will it be your relationships? Will it be your other skills that you won’t be able to practice as much as before?

Do or do not, you make a sacrifice either way. What is it for you?

I’ve been struggling with this question for years. As a generalist interested in various activities, I’m not good at any single thing. I admire men who are world-class at a single thing. But at the same time, I need to accept that I’m not like them. My version of becoming exceptional needs to be different because I’m not willing to obsess about just one thing.

What is your version of being exceptional? Is it being excellent at just one thing or being competent (but not great) in a variety of fields?

Keep Hammering

There’s an incredible quote that inspires the San Antonio Spurs that is a beautiful summary of the “Keep Hammering” mindset. I love the Spurs and their approach to professional basketball. They are always focused on how they do things, not the reward for what they do. They care about the process, not the result. In 2018, NBA star and former Spur George Hill told me about the words of twentieth-century poet Jacob A. Riis that hangs in the Spurs’ locker room:

“When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it—but all that had gone before.”

Cameron achieved his goals through hammering away at them. There’s a reason why he likes to say “nobody cares, work harder.” It’s purely through hard, consistent work for years and years that he became great at what he does.

When you’re in doubt, remind yourself of all the momentum you’ve built until now. Perhaps it’s not visible to the naked eye, but the rock you’ve been hammering away at for so long might be just a single blow away from splitting in two.

This concludes my two-part series featuring the best quotes from Cameron Hanes’s book Endure. Keep hammering.

Questions to Ponder

1. Do you cultivate a beginner’s mind?

2. What is your poison that prevents you from achieving your goals?

3. Are you willing to work on your goals when others are asleep?

4. How does feeling tired or injured affect your workouts? Do you skip them because you have a little injury or feel under the weather? Or quite the contrary: do you still keep going when it would be advisable to address your injury before it turns into a chronic problem?

5. What relationship do you have with your dreams? Are you truly obsessed about them or is the relationship so balanced that it’s unlikely you’ll ever go past mediocrity?

6. If you have any obsessions, how do they negatively impact your life? Are you willing to accept that downside or do you need to dial things down?

7. Do you regularly acknowledge all the momentum you’ve built until now?

If you want more advice on how to be obsessed and keep hammering, sign up for a free weekly Discomfort Club newsletter. Enter your email address below:

Notes from “Endure” by Cameron Hanes Series

This is my main page for survival hunting and trapping. These are links to proven ways you can hunt, trap and snare animals in a survival situation.

Please understand that I hate killing things. I do it because if I don’t kill and eat something, I die. And I kinda like staying alive. So, I kill things. But I do it with as much respect to the animal as I can.

Here’s a list of things that I follow as closely as possible when it comes to hunting and trapping. And these apply to survival situations as well as for sport.

Make a Clean Kill

First of all, make a clean kill. The faster the animal dies and the less suffering, the better. Learn where the kill zones are when hunting.

If you’re trapping, set traps that kill right away, either on impact or by drowning the animal quickly. Use leg holds and traps that constrict an animal’s movement only when nothing else will work. I can tell you from experience that it’s pretty sickening to find a leg and nothing else in a trap. Learn from my mistakes.

Same thing with snares. Set them so they kill the animal right away. You don’t want to be responsible for maiming an animal and make it suffer. This is especially true when setting survival snares with primitive gear. You don’t want to assume that what works with a wire snare will work with twisted fiber, it often doesn’t.

Use the Animal Wisely

Use as much as you can from any animal you kill. You’ll certainly want to take all the meat and edible internal organs. You can also cook the bones, eat the meat off them, and grind them into a nutritious paste. Take anything else you can use like the stomach, tendons and esophagus.

But… and this is where I disagree with well-intentioned laws in some areas, sometimes you want to leave a little food behind for the natural predators in an area. That’s especially true if you aren’t in a survival situation.

You are taking the food source of the coyotes, badgers, foxes, hawks, owls and mountain lions. All those predators will scavenge anything you leave behind, providing them with at least some of a meal they might have gotten all of if it wasn’t for you.

Don’t Hunt or Trap Unless You Have Water

Also, remember that if you don’t have plenty of water, you don’t want to eat anything at all, especially meat. It takes a lot of water to digest protein. If you are eating meat but aren’t drinking enough water, your body will suck the water right out of your cells to digest the meat. And that will dehydrate you even more.

In some of the instruction here I use modern ways to acquire game. In other cases it’s pure primitive where you are going out with nothing but a knife.

Wherever I can, I make videos to go along with the articles and pictures. It takes a tremendous amount of work, but I know you guys appreciate it.

Survival Hunting And Trapping Links

Survival snaring with modern snares Here are the topics that are coming in this section on survival hunting and trapping: Survival hunting – making an atlatl Survival hunting – throwing sticks traditional archery and how to make a selfbow. Survival trapping with modern traps Survival trapping with primitive traps Survival snaring with primitive snares

This time of year, my social media feeds begin filling with photos of huge, once-a-lifetime trophy bucks. Of course, few hunters ever have a chance at a record buck, but hunters should take solace knowing their odds of tagging a big buck are better in Louisiana than in most states.

Remember, Louisiana has everything it takes to build a trophy buck, including highly productive habitat, a diverse and well-developed gene pool and a culture of management-minded stewardship. By mid summer 2018, Johnathan Bordelon, the biologist over the Louisiana Deer Study, added 29 deer to the Louisiana Big Game Recognition Program.

“Bucks meeting the Louisiana Big Game Recognition minimum criteria are harvested across most of the state,” said Bordelon. “Of course, the productive habitat within the Mississippi Alluvial Valley produces more big bucks than other habitats in the state. Older age management is the driving force behind most of it. Louisiana continues to produce its fair share of 3.5 year and older bucks each season. In fact, when compared to the rest of the nation, Louisiana typically ranks in the top three each year in the percentage of 3.5-year and older.”

It is important to understand the framework of Louisiana’s Big Game Recognition Program and what constitutes a quality buck. The program documents white-tailed deer harvested within the state that meet or exceed minimum antler size. Yearly lists are published in early to mid-summer and the all-time list is updated and published every three years. However, since the recognition program is voluntary, there are likely a number of other deer in the state that have not been added to the roll.

MADISON PARISH — MICHAEL MAY

Michael May started bowhunting with a Ben Pearson Hunter recurve when he was 12 years old, which was over five decades ago. Of course, he has upgraded his bow since then, so the evening of Oct. 4 found him climbing into a stand with his Matthews compound.

The old growth timber he was hunting was located along the banks of one of Madison Parish’s larger lakes. Made up of bottomland hardwoods, his spot had little to no underbrush making it easy to see deer for a distance. Nearby, a regrown thicket provided lots of browse plants for the area deer.

With an easterly wind, May settled in to enjoy an evening hunt. Soon after the woods calmed down, several does approached his stand. Approximately 4:30 in the evening, motion in the distance caught his eye. Unbelievably, a large-antlered buck rose from his apparent bedding spot approximately 100 yards away. The deer began a long creep toward the does. For nearly an hour, the buck crept forward. Soon, the buck was at 40 yards, and still coming. Eventually, the buck paused 20 yards out, turned broadside and offered a shot. Jumping on the opportunity, May drew his bow, found the deer in his sight, and released an arrow. The deer dropped on the spot.

Weighing in at 190 pounds, the deer did not size up with his normally heavier cousins from the Parish, but the 6.5-year-old buck could still hold his own. With an inside spread of 15.5 inches, this dimension only adds a small part of the deer’s 186 5/8 inches.

“I was actually hunting a larger deer that frequented the area,” said May. “I put cameras out about a month before during the first week of September. I saw this deer on camera twice, the first time on Sept. 28, and again on Oct. 3 during daylight hours.”

CONCORDIA PARISH — LEE TIFFEE

The best part of the hunting tradition is the hunting stories that accompany it. Each hunt, whether it is successful or not, produces a story. According to Lee Tiffee, a 10-year-old deer hunter from Concordia Parish, the circumstances leading to his encounter with a buck serve to prove that when deer hunting, a hunter needs to be on the lookout at all times.

On December 26, Lee and his father, Tom, climbed their stand on a cold, rainy, afternoon hunt. A family friend accompanied the pair but peeled off about a hundred yards or so. Their stand is found behind their house and overlooks a food plot. The woods surrounding the food plot are enrolled in Wetland Reserve Program, providing thick cover and plenty of browse and bedding areas. If the rain would let up, both hunters thought it likely deer would be moving that evening. Watching the woodline for hours seems like a job reserved for older, more mature individuals, but Lee was ready to hunt this day. A few hours into the hunt, the younger Tiffee recalled seeing a deer appear out of nowhere.

“I looked out on the food plot and saw deer,” said Lee. “It was a cull buck that had a spike antler on one side and four scraggly points on the other side. Dad said I could shoot him.”

Unfortunately, nerves got the best of him and as Lee pulled his rifle up to fire, he was shaking. Just as he was able to calm down, their hunting partner shot and the cull buck busted out of the food plot.

“We figured the woods were all awake after the shot and deer busting through the woods, so we decided we would go help our friend track and drag his deer before it got dark.”

The Tiffees started to depart their stand, but were still in hunt mode. Tom looked up and saw a deer standing on the back side of the food plot. Then, Lee saw him, but couldn’t see his antlers. The rest Tom remembers in slow motion. Lee’s gun was resting on the side of the stand, and before Tom knew what was happening, Lee was shooting at the deer. A round from the Remington 700 found its target and the buck heaved, and broke for the thicket. Now the hunting party had two deer on the ground, but the rain wasn’t letting up. They finally found some blood and tracked the deer down through a gully and up the other side. Upon seeing the buck, the pair was shocked at its size, with Lee calling the grandfather to say that he had killed a monster.

Lee and his dad dragged the deer back to the vehicle, and the rest of the story has been written down in the family history book. Lee’s buck scored 168 5/8 inches, which was enough to win the youth division at a local big buck contest. The buck now hangs proudly on his wall at home and Lee offers his hunting story to any who will listen.

AVOYELLES PARISH — AMANDA SMITH

The second week of January blew into Avoyelles Parish on the backside of rain and saw a cold air mass settle into the region. This weather is normal in northern regions, but can be hard to handle for Deep South hunters. Those brave enough to venture to the woods included Amanda Smith.

“I tried to get my son to sit in the stands that evening, but he didn’t want to,” recalled Amanda. The family hunts a small tract of bottomland behind their home in Avoyelles Parish. Though small, land anywhere in Avoyelles Parish may be holding big deer. This is true for the family’s hunting land.

For seven seasons, the Smiths have watched one deer in particular. The buck always produced non-typical antlers and his crown has grown every year. This week, Scotty had taken over home duty for Amanda and she took a week to hunt. They had meat in the freezer and were buck hunting, having seen the buck on a camera about a month before. He had grown and they were figuring this would be the season they took him. Interestingly, the deer the Smith’s had been watching grow over the years was unknown to their neighbors.

“On January 13th, the wind was in my favor, and I walked to the stand for the evening hunt carrying an extra piece of gear — my portable heater,” Amanda said.

Heater in hand and an H&R .444 slung over her shoulder, Smith took to the woods, using the same trail to their only stand on the property. They don’t move around a lot on the property, which is why they believe they are so successful. The hunt was uneventful and cold, at least until a deer appeared.

“When I saw the deer coming, I reached down, turned the heater off and picked up my rifle,” said Amanda. “Putting it up, I realized that the lens had fogged up. I wiped down the scope, slowly, and made a small circle just enough to see through. I put the deer in the crosshairs.

She was calm, as she believed it was a cull buck — a bent up 6 point with lame legs — they had identified for removal. With the deer standing broadside, she squeezed the trigger and he went down. Smith didn’t realize she had killed a 200-inch monster buck.

“I climbed down, walked up to the deer, realized who it was, and I went crazy,” said Amanda.

Scotty arrived on scene as did the couple’s children, making it a family affair; they kids were very excited. They dragged the deer home where it officially scored 226 2/8 inches, making it the fifth largest non-typical in the state and the biggest ever in Avoyelles Parish.

With big bulls standing nearly 7 feet tall and weighing up to 1,600 pounds, moose are massive animals. They’re technically the largest species in the deer family, prized as trophies for their impressive antlers, second only to how delicious their wild game meat is. An even bigger bragging right for a moose hunter: bagging a record-breaking moose.

While we have no way of knowing that is truly the biggest moose ever, we can turn to the Safari Club International record books to see what is the biggest moose that’s ever been downed in North America. But first, a few fun facts on how big moose truly are.

How Big Can a Moose Get?

The size of a moose depends both on its sex and what subspecies it is. Male bull moose are almost always larger than cow moose, but even a small female can weigh over 800 pounds.

The Shiras moose, located in the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Northwest, are the smallest of the moose subspecies, with adult males weighing up to 1,000 pounds. Still, this makes them the largest big game animal in the Rocky Mountains.

Conversely, the Alaska-Yukon moose (also known as the Alaska moose), found in the northwest reaches of North America, is the largest of the subspecies. Male Alaska bulls can weigh up to 1,600 pounds and stand 7 to 8 feet tall at the shoulders. With a massive rack of antlers added on top, these moose can tower over 10 feet tall.

Western Canada moose, also known as Western moose, and Eastern Canada moose, also known as Eastern moose, fall in between Shiras and Alaska moose in size, with Western moose typically being larger than Eastern.

Does Alaska Have the Biggest Moose?

As you might have guessed, yes, Alaska has the biggest moose—not only in North America, but in the world. That’s why the Alaska moose hunt is on the bucket list of many hunters. Alaska moose inhabit boreal forests and mixed deciduous forests throughout Alaska and western Yukon.

Is There Any Bigger Game Than a Moose in the United States?

The only animal larger than a moose in the United States is a bison. Bison can weigh 2,200 to 3,000 pounds, in comparison to a moose’s weight of 800 to 1,600 pounds. However, bison only have moose beat in terms of weight. They “only” stand about 6 feet at the shoulder, and are 8 feet long, making them shorter than moose all around.

Bison can be hunted in Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, Alaska, and Montana, but getting a tag and permit for a hunt is almost impossible. If you’re looking for the biggest game animal to hunt, moose is a more likely bet.

What Makes an SCI Record Moose Kill?

Safari Club International (SCI) recognizes records for four North American subspecies of moose: the Shiras moose, the Eastern Canada moose, the Western Canada moose, and the Alaska-Yukon moose.

To track records of the biggest moose kills, SCI ranks moose by their antler scores, rather than their weight. Using the SCI measuring system to score a moose, hunters must measure the length and widths of each “palm” on the antler (i.e., the big, flat area of a moose antler). SCI also scores the number and length of tines, the circumference of each main beam of the antler at the smallest place, and the greatest outside spread of the moose’s antlers.

All of the measurements are added together for the final score of the moose. The bigger the palm spread, and the more numerous and longer the tines, the better the animal scores.

Unlike the Boone and Crockett Club, which also tracks moose records, SCI doesn’t deduct the score for abnormal points of differences in antler symmetry. As a result, the SCI score is often significantly higher than the B&C score for the same animal.

Safari Club International Moose Records

1. SCI Shiras Moose Record

Though they are the smallest subspecies of moose in North America, Shiras Moose can still weigh up to 1,000 pounds. Shiras Moose live in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Alberta, and British Columbia.

Jim Hall set the SCI record for Shiras moose in 2018 when he shot a massive bull near Republic, Washington. Hall had been applying for a moose tag for almost 30 years. He was in the last few days of moose season, after two months of unsuccessful hunting, when he took down the impressive animal.

The moose was estimated to weigh about 650 to 700 pounds and had a combined 242 inches on its antler measurements for a score of 504-7/8 inches. Hall beat the previous record by just 1-1/8 inch.

2. SCI Eastern Canada Moose Record

Eastern Canada moose live in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. Big bulls can weigh nearly 1,400 pounds.

Jeremy Boileau shot the current SCI record Eastern Canada moose with a rifle in Quebec, Canada in September of 2011.

Boileau’s behemoth moose scored an incredible 666-3/8 inches, which is more than 80 inches larger than the next biggest Eastern Canada moose and more than 175 inches bigger than the third-biggest moose in the record book! Not only did the moose have a massive outside spread of 56 inches, but it had a ridiculous 20 points on each antler, which is one of the reasons why it scored so high.

3. SCI Western Canada Moose Record

Western Canada moose live in British Columbia, Ontario, Yukon Territory, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Wisconsin, Minnesota, parts of North Dakota and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. With big bulls weighing nearly 1,500 pounds, they are the largest subspecies of moose found in the continental United States.

Doug Rehbein currently holds the SCI record for the Western Canada moose, for a bull he killed with the guidance of hunting guide Mark Boote of Jennings River Outfitters. Rehbein took the moose in October of 1998 in the renowned moose hunting grounds of the Cassiar Mountains of British Columbia.

This giant moose scored a remarkable 557 inches and had a 64-2/8 inch outside spread with 12 points on one antler with 10 on the other. Though the number of points may seem low for the score, this moose had absolutely massive T-2 and T-4 points, which helped boost it to the record books.

4. SCI Alaska-Yukon Moose Record

Alaska-Yukon moose, as the name implies, live in Alaska and the Yukon Territory of Canada. They’re the largest moose in North America, both in terms of body size and antler size.

The largest Alaska-Yukon Moose in the SCI record books, as well as the highest-scoring moose for all of North America, was taken by Debra Card near Cordova, Alaska with a rifle in September 1999. The bull weighed a ridiculous 1,800 pounds.

Not only is this the only moose on the list taken by a female hunter, but it’s also the biggest moose on record ever hunted in the U.S. Her moose had a whopping 74-2/8 inches spread with 19 points on one side and 20 on the other. It scored an extraordinary 731-1/8 inches.

To put in perspective how gigantic this moose was, it measured 225 inches larger—that’s 68 percent!—than the largest Shiras Moose in the record books.

Other Biggest Moose Harvest: The 1897 Moose

As you now know, SCI lists its record moose by antler size. And while a massive rack is incredibly impressive, what about the largest moose every taken by weight?

That record goes to a monster of a moose taken in September 1897. Weighing 1,808 pounds and standing 7.6 feet at the shoulder, the moose was taken in the Yukon and made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. Over a hundred years have passed and still, no one has touched that record.

But, that doesn’t mean there aren’t still plenty of monstrous bull moose out there to be taken. Start planning your United States moose hunt today.

READ MORE: Biggest Bear in the World: Official World Records for Each Bear Species

I’ve you’ve seriously injured a deer, elk, or any other wild game, it’s your obligation to track that animal down and harvest it, even if it’s dark out. That’s why we’re here to tell you about the best hunting flashlights of 2024. We want you to get your hands on the exact gear you need for a successful hunt.

Whether you’re tracking animals through the night, performing search and rescue after dark, scaring away bears from camp, or poking around your hunting tent, a proper flashlight is an essential piece of the hunting puzzle.

To help you choose the right option, we scoured hundreds of products in search of the brightest, most powerful, and highest-rated LED torches available today. As a result, we’ve whittled down the industry’s best hunting flashlights to the following ten best options from Fenix, Nitecore, SureFire, Streamlight, and more.

We’ve also taken a deep dive into the critical factors that go into choosing a proper light, like luminosity, throw, run time, and weather resistance. And, to help maximize your purchase, we recommended a few add-on accessories that’ll bring out the best in your light.

Ready to brighten up the night with one of 2024’s best hunting flashlights around?

Let’s get started.

Best Hunting Flashlight for the Money Fenix PD36R

Max Lumens: 1,600 Max Run Time: 115 hours at 30 lumens Batteries: USB-C rechargeable Weight: 5.6 oz Pros: Ergonomic, USB-C rechargeable, incredibly bright for its size, excellent run time, extremely durable and weather resistant, rail mount accessory add-on for guns Cons: Can get hot on turbo mode

The Fenix PD36R is the flashlight I’ll use for the 2024 elk and deer hunting seasons, and I bet it’ll be my go-to torch for many years to come. For my money, it doesn’t get better than this little beast. It does everything I could ask of it.

Straight out of the box, this flashlight feels sturdy and maneuverable in your hand. It’s big enough to get a good grip on and compact enough to clip to your belt unnoticed. It pumps out a powerful beam, has five different brightness settings, and boasts incredible run times thanks to its 5,000 mAh USB-C rechargeable battery.

Because this bad boy has high-end IPX8 water and IPX68 dust resistance, there’s no need to stress if the weather gets nasty or if it falls into the mud. To help out during rifle season, Fenix sells a mounting accessory that allows you to attach and detach the PD36R to your gun’s rail while hunting at dusk.

Thanks to its power, durability, weather resistance, and ergonomic feel, we confidently recommend the Fenix PD36R to hunters of all stripes. It’s highly versatile, too, and would make for a great everyday carry in the offseason.

PRO TIP: Order the PD36R through Fenix’s official website, and they’ll laser-engrave your flashlight with a design and/or custom text for free!

VIEW ON FENIX

USB-Rechargeable Runner Up Nitecore MH25S

Max Lumens: 1,800 Max Run Time: 1,500 hours at 1 lumen Batteries: USB-C rechargeable NL2150 Weight: 5.4 oz Pros: Bright and powerful light with a long throw, USB-C rechargeable, very durable and weather resistant Cons: Could be more ergonomic, turbo mode kills battery life

Nobody loves fumbling around with batteries when their light is losing juice, so we included another powerful USB-C rechargeable option, the Nitecore MH25S. This torch is pretty similar spec-wise to our top overall recommendation, the Fenix PD36R, so you can rest assured it’s good to go.

This bad boy is well-engineered and full of clever features. With 1, 50, 300, 1,050, and 1,800 lumen settings, it packs the brightness to thrive in any environment and has an impressive throw that reaches nearly a third of a mile on its turbo setting. It also has a handy battery indicator, automatic temperature regulation, and can clip to a gun’s rail with a tactical ring accessory.

So, why don’t I recommend the Nitecore MH25S over the Fenix PD36R? For starters, the battery life on the Fenix is slightly better, and it also has a sleeker, more ergonomic design. The Fenix also rings in 30 bucks cheaper than the Nitecore and comes with a free customized engraving.

But don’t overlook the MH25S just yet. It does pack 200 more lumens than the DP36R and has a significantly longer throw. It’s a mighty torch in a compact package and a well-deserved runner-up.

Hunter’s Favorite Do-it-All Flashlight SureFire G2X Pro

Max Lumens: 600 Max Run Time: 52 hours at 15 lumens Batteries: CR123A (2) Weight: 4.4 oz Pros: Comes in four different colors, compact, ergonomic, weapon mountable, very durable Cons: Not as many lumens as we’d like, only two different brightness settings, not USB-rechargeable

This list would be incomplete if I left out the SureFire G2X Pro. It’s a top option among hunters and outdoorsmen and is one of the most widely-used flashlights in the hunting industry. It’s a great all-around torch at an approachable price.

For starters, it’s available in four colors, giving hunters the option to choose a light that’ll match their specific kit. Like the first two lights I mentioned, it’s tough as nails, compact, ergonomic, and weapon mountable. It’s a versatile light that’ll serve you well in the field or as an everyday carry.

But I prefer my Fenix PD36R torch over this one for several reasons. For one, this flashlight uses replaceable CR123A batteries and isn’t USB-rechargeable. It puts out 600 lumens (as opposed to the PD36R‘s 1,600) and only offers two brightness levels (as opposed to five for the Fenix). Specs-wise, it just doesn’t match up.

Overall, the SureFire G2X Pro is a solid little light widely used in the field. Hunters swear by it, and its popularity is something we can’t ignore. No, I won’t swap out my Fenix for this anytime soon, but I imagine it would still get the job done if I did.

Durable, Functional, Available as Rail Mount Streamlight ProTac HL-X | Rail Mount HL-X

Max Lumens: 1,000 Max Run Time: 20 hours at 65 lumens Batteries: Rechargeable 18650 (1) Weight: 6.2 oz Pros: Ergonomic, weather resistant, USB-rechargeable batteries, highly rated for its durability, available as a rail mount for long guns Cons: Battery life isn’t great

Streamlight’s ProTac HL-X is another extremely popular flashlight among hunters and outdoorsmen, and for good reason. It’s powerful, durable, versatile, and also available in a modded version that’ll mount to the rail of your gun.

If you scour through its thousands of five-star reviews, you’ll see why hunters and outdoorsmen love the HL-X: it’s bright, reliable, and serves multiple uses. At 5.5 inches in length and with a max brightness of 1,000 lumens, we think it’s the perfect size and strength to guide you through the dark of the backcountry.

As we mentioned, Streamlight offers a version of the ProTac HL-X that can mount to your gun’s rail. For about $30 extra, this version comes with a built-in mount, retaining clips, and remote switch. Sure, this version would be more practical for tactical and self-defense situations than for hunting big game, but we wanted to highlight it nonetheless.

The ProTac HL-X checks all the boxes for hunters and backcountry explorers alike. We’re not huge fans of its below-average battery life, but other than that, we’re having a hard time finding flaws. Though we still recommend the Fenix PD36R and its optional rail mounting accessory as our top overall option, this light is a no-brainer if you’re a Streamlight fanboy (or girl).

Best Red-Green-Blue-UV Hunting Light Nitecore SRT7GT

Max Lumens: 1,000 Max Run Time: 240 hours at .1 lumens Batteries: 18650 (1) or CR123A (2) Weight: 6.1 oz Pros: Red, green, blue, and UV lights help with blood tracking, preserving night vision, and stealthiness, powerful 1,000-lumen output, very weather resistant Cons: .1, 3, 13, and 1,000-lumen settings leave a significant gap in brightness, not as compact or ergonomic as other options

Nitecore produces some of the market’s most technologically advanced flashlights and flashlights. Don’t believe me? Just check out their SRT7GT. It’s packed with loads of easy-to-access features, most notably its twisting dial that allows you to switch between red, green, blue, and UV lights.

So, how are all these different colored lights useful for hunters?

• Red lights work well for stealthiness and preserving night vision
• Green lights work well for blood tracking and night fishing
• Blue lights also work well for blood tracking but don’t preserve night vision
• UV lights are used for blood tracking but only when used with luminol

This feature-rich light could come through in the clutch for hunters, especially those who go after deer, elk, and big game at dusk and want a capable blood tracking solution.

Since I already rock a powerful headlamp with red, green, and blue lenses, I don’t need the SRT7GT. I do, however, think this torch would be an excellent option for hunters with headlamps that don’t feature multiple colored lenses. Blood tracking and privacy lights are pretty important in the deer and elk hunting world, and this versatile light has all the features to get it done.

Very Bright Option for Challenging Environments Ledlenser P18R Signature

Max Lumens: 4,500 Max Run Time: 70 hours at 30 lumens Batteries: 3 x 18650 battery pack Weight: 1.4 lb Pros: Extremely bright and powerful, slick magnetic charging system, compatible with RGB color filters, loads of high-tech features Cons: Heavy, bulky, expensive, lacks a mid-brightness setting

For most hunters, the Ledlenser P18R Signature would be overkill. But for those who get tags in ultra-challenging environments and push themselves to the limit, this hulk of a flashlight might be the ticket.

This bad boy operates at four different brightness settings — Low: 30 lumens, Mid Power: 1,000 lumens, Power: 2,600 lumens, and Boost: 4,500 lumens — that help it thrive in the darkest and most relentless terrain. Its twisting dial at its head allows for fluid adjustment between tight spot beams and wide flood lights, allowing hunters to dial in their beam diameter to fit the surroundings.

It also rocks an impressive set of ‘smart light’ features that combine to make it highly customizable and responsive. This is a high-end flashlight for which gear nerds will fall head over heels.

A flashlight this bright and powerful would be useful for hunters who traverse remote areas with few obstructions. If search and rescue is a real possibility, the Ledlenser P18R will provide you with the power you need to look for lost or injured hunters, send SOS signals, or track animals in wide-open environments.

PRO TIP: Order the P18R Signature through Ledlenser’s website, and they’ll laser-engrave your flashlight with custom text for an extra $10.

Ultralight Hat Brim Clip-On Flashlight Fenix E18R

Max Lumens: 750 Max Run Time: 70 hours at 5 lumens Batteries: USB-rechargeable Fenix 16430UP Weight: 1.7 oz Pros: Very lightweight and compact, USB-rechargeable, durable and weatherproof, can clip to a hat brim, would work great as an EDC light Cons: Small – could get lost, easy to burn through the battery at high and turbo settings

Ultralight backcountry hunters will take any opportunity to reduce their pack weight, and that’s why I’m seriously considering trying out this tiny little Fenix E18R torch for the 2024 season. It’ll give me the lumens I need, and it barely weighs a thing.

It’s a compact little bugger, too, and could stash away easily in my pocket, bino harness, or clip to my hat’s brim to work as a headlamp. It can recharge magnetically via USB, is IP68 rated to stand up against the elements, and cranks out a good amount of brightness for how compact it is. It won’t break the bank, either.

The problem is, I’m great at losing smaller gadgets like this in the heat of the moment, so I’d probably end up securing it to a lanyard to keep it from disappearing. There’s something to be said for an ergonomic flashlight, and this isn’t it.

The Fenix E18R would make a great addition to any hunter’s arsenal whose style gravitates towards lightweight and compact gear. At 750 lumens, it’ll provide plenty of light to navigate through the woods at dark as you follow a blood trail.

VIEW ON AMAZON

Best Value Buy Flashlight for Hunters Ledlenser P7

Max Lumens: 450 Max Run Time: 40 hours at 25 lumens Batteries: AAA (4) Weight: 6.2 oz Pros: Approachable price, reliable, Advanced Focus System lets you control your beam diameter, seven-year guarantee Cons: Not super powerful, weather protection isn’t great (IPX4), four AAA batteries aren’t ideal

Some hunters don’t want to drop 100 bucks on a flashlight, and we get that. For those who are after a torch that won’t break the bank, check out the Ledlenser P7. It’s a solid all-around light with plenty of great reviews.

There’s nothing mind-blowing about the P7, but we dig it anyway. Its 450 lumens are on the lower end of torches we recommend, but hunters still report a bright and powerful beam that gets the job done in the backcountry. We also appreciate its Advanced Focus System feature, which puts out tight, focused beams that can transition between spotlights and floodlights with one hand.

Its IPX4 rating is on the lower end of the water-resistance spectrum, meaning it should be able to handle splashes and light precipitation fine, but might not hold up during a prolonged downpour. Weather resistance aside, this sturdy aluminum light should be able to survive drops and falls just fine.

If you’re looking for a sturdy, reliable light from one of the industry’s most trusted brands, consider the P7. Just don’t forget to register it with Ledlenser, so it’ll be eligible for its seven-year warranty.

PRO TIP: Order the P7 through Ledlenser’s website, and they’ll laser-engrave your flashlight with custom text for an extra $10.

Brightest Torch for Search & Rescue, Distance Tracking Nitecore TM39

Max Lumens: 5,200 Max Run Time: 36 hours at 200 lumens Batteries: Rechargeable internal NPB68HD Weight: 3.0 lb Pros: Incredibly bright and powerful, crazy-long throw, massive battery life, durable, reliable Cons: Very bulky and heavy, impractical for most hunting applications, very expensive

Let’s get this out of the way immediately: the ultra-high-end Nitecore TM39 is as large and powerful of a hunting flashlight as I’m comfortable recommending. It’ll excel in rescue situations or while tracking animals in environments with few obstructions, but it would be overkill for anything else.

This absolute unit is as burly and bright as you could ever ask for. With an insane throw of 1,500 meters, it’ll shine powerful beams as far as the eye can see, whether you’re scanning for humans, animals, or anything else. Nitecore markets it as a searchlight, and that’s precisely how hunters should use it.

At three pounds, the TM39 weighs far more than anything else on this list. It’s not going to stash away unnoticed in your pack, nor will it be effortless to lug around the woods. If I were using it, I’d leave it behind at camp to use in case of emergency and clip my Fenix PD36R to my belt as my more practical hunting carry.

Much like the Ledlenser P18R Signature I wrote about earlier, I only recommend the Nitecore TM39 for those who hunt in remote areas with few obstructions and low visibility. In threatening environments where search and rescue or tracking from a distance is possible, this “tiny monster” is the high-performance torch you need.

Best Blood Tracking Light for Deer & Elk Primos Bloodhunter HD

Max Lumens: 600 Max Run Time: Not listed Batteries: CR123A (4) Weight: 1.1 lb Pros: Best option on this list for blood tracking by far, durable and water resistant, solid run time Cons: A bit bulky, serves a very specific use, will need to be paired with a traditional flashlight or headlamp

The Primos Bloodhunter HD is our favorite overall blood tracking light on the market, and it’s not even close. It’s the go-to option for deer, elk, and big game hunters worldwide and could be the difference between tracking down your kill and losing it to the darkness.

We big game hunters love to think that we’ll nail perfect double lung shots every time, but we also know that hunting rarely goes as planned. If you seriously injure an animal but don’t stop it dead in its tracks, the Primos Bloodhunter HD will help you illuminate its blood trail against leaves, sticks, and the earth.

Remember that this light serves a particular purpose: blood tracking in the dark. It isn’t your traditional hunting torch with a powerful white LED beam that can shine for hundreds of yards, so you’ll need to pair it up with a capable flashlight or headlamp if you want a well-rounded setup.

Batteries, Extra Power & Backup Light

Once you get your hands on a proper light for the upcoming hunting season, you’d better make sure it doesn’t die on you when you need it the most. Here are the batteries, power bank, and backup light that I recommend to cover your bases.

Factors We Consider When Reviewing Flashlights

The torches on this list are intricate little gadgets, so we made sure to analyze the inner workings of each device before they could make this list. Getting the exact light you need to match your hunting style is essential, so keep a close eye on the following seven considerations as you make your decision.

Lumens

Simply put, lumens are a measurement of brightness. If you’d like a more technical definition of lumens, click here.

Products on this list can shine anywhere between .5 lumens in low mode and 5,200 in turbo mode. Check out our chart below to help you visualize the brightness along this range.

Approximate Brightness in Lumens

• 1 – 10: Best for up-close uses like cooking, going through gear, and reading
• 11 – 50: Low brightness, will illuminate immediate surroundings but not much else
• 50 – 200: Low-to-medium brightness for hiking and use around camp
• 200 – 500: Medium brightness, suitable for following blood trails
• 500 – 1,000: Medium-to-high brightness, good for tracking animals from a distance
• 1,000 – 2,000: High brightness, used in military and during search and rescue missions
• 2,000 – 4,000: Extreme brightness, the strength of most cars’ headlights
• 4,000+: ‘Probably overkill’ level brightness, meant for incredibly challenging situations

Throw

A flashlight’s throw measures the longest distance its beam can reach, and is typically measured in meters.

For example, if you have a flashlight with a rated throw of 500 meters and you shine it towards a barn 400 meters away, the beam should be visible on the barn. If you shine the same flashlight towards a barn 600 meters away, the beam should weaken and disappear before it hits the barn.

Throw distance depends mainly on how concentrated your flashlight’s beam is. Spotlights, or more focused beams, will have larger throws, whereas floodlights with wider beams will have shorter throws. Many flashlights on this list allow users to switch back and forth between spotlights and floodlights.

Run Time

Run time, or how long you can expect your light’s battery to run, is measured in hours and minutes. The higher amount of lumens your light is emitting, the lower its run time will be (and vice versa). A light with multiple brightness settings will have multiple different run time ratings.

Batteries

As I mentioned, know exactly which type of battery your light requires, and bring extras along if you need them. Nobody wants to struggle through the woods at night as the beam on their flashlight keeps fading and fading.

The most common battery on this list is the CR123A, though we’ve also included a few lights that use AAAs and 18650s.

You’ll also see a couple of lights with internal batteries that you can recharge via USB, AC (wall charger), or 12-volt (car charger). If you’re hunting with one of these lights, be sure you bring along a battery bank or an inverter so you can charge it.

Durability & Weatherproofing

Hunting is tough on your gear; that’s no secret. While making this list, we did our best to include products known for their durability and weather resistance. Nobody’s got time for a light that’ll flicker and shut off after a few minutes in the rain.

Nor do you want a light that’ll break if you drop it on a rock or back over it with your car.

All the products on this list were built for the outdoors and should thrive in dicey conditions.

Click here for a detailed explanation of IPX ratings, which determine how weather-resistant your flashlight is. If you’re hunting in a dry climate, you could get away with bringing an IPX4-rated light, whereas if you’re hunting in a wet and humid climate, you’ll want to bring along something rated IPX6 or better.

Weight

As an ultralight backpacker and backcountry hunter, I keep the weight of my pack down as low as possible while remaining comfortable. Heavy kits can lead to sore knees, rolled ankles, and drained energy. We hunters need all the help we can get, so why would we want to drag a heavy pack around all day?

That’s why it’s important to consider a flashlight’s weight before committing to it. Search for a light with enough lumens for your hunt and zero in on models within a reasonable weight range.

A few ounces here and there may not seem like a big deal, but they do add up. Don’t buy a heavier light than you need, especially if you’re covering big miles in the backcountry.

Which Flashlight Will You Take Hunting in 2024?

Whether you need a hunting flashlight to track wounded animals through the night, light the way as you search for firewood, scare away predators from camp, or go searching for a lost hunter, you’re here for a reason.

When night falls on your hunting trip, you want to be prepared for anything.

That’s why we analyzed, reviewed, and recommended the industry’s ten brightest and best torches of 2024. From rechargeable LED lights to options with red and green settings to lights explicitly made for blood tracking, we wanted to provide our readers with various options that suit all different hunting styles.

So, what’s it going to be? Are you going to grab our top overall recommendation, the Fenix PD36R? How about the red, green, and blue capable Nitecore SRT7GT? Do you prefer the ultra-bright and powerful Ledlenser P18R Signature?

No matter the luminosity, throw, run time, or weather resistance of your future light, we hope we have simplified the buying process and helped you make up your mind. Night or day, we hope whichever product you choose gets its job done during a safe and successful harvest.

Now, grab that flashlight, pack up your gear, and get ready to brighten up the 2024 hunting season.

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Last Updated on August 15, 2024