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

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

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

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

• Water temperature
• Wind
• Barometric pressure

Water Temperature

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

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

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

How does the weather influence water temperatures?

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

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

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

Wind

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

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

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

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

Barometric Pressure

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

What is barometric pressure?

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

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

Why does barometric pressure affect fish?

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

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

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

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

Barometric Pressure and Fishing

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

Fishing before and after a Storm

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

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

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

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

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

Fishing Tactics for Changing Weather

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

Timing

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

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

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

Temperature and Turbidity

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

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

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

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

Enjoy Responsibly

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

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

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

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

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

I’ve always associated the plant called deer heart with my times hunting Sitka blacktail deer in Southeast Alaska high country, which is something I’ve done pretty much every August since I was a kid. It’s a small, fragile plant that consists of a single heart-shaped leaf attached to a stem that usually doesn’t grow much higher than six inches. Deer heart grows from sea level, where it’s most tender and nutritious early in the summer, to mountain tops, where it’s best to eat late in the season. Deer follow it and other vegetation up mountains as summer advances. By mid-September, when deer heart is all but dead in the high country, deer descend to lower elevations for better browsing.

Last August, during a hunt, I came upon a deer I’d shot lying on a deer heart-covered bench, with semi-pulverized pieces of the plant in its mouth. There was an ethereal slant to the evening light, the sort that illuminates subtle, hard-to-see details of the landscape. I was surrounded everywhere by deer heart, except where there were cliffs, rockfaces, and the occasional clump of stunted mountain hemlock. I am frequently caught off guard by how something as seemingly simple as shifting light can reveal in an instant how miraculous the world is. I plucked a heart-shaped leaf and stuck it in my mouth. It’s peppery, like arugula, but has an aftertaste that oscillates between good and a little strong. I’d never thought a lot about deer heart, other than using the amount of it browsed as a gauge for where to hunt deer, and to try not to slip on it when it’s raining. I looked from the fields of deer heart to the dead animal, wondering why it’s so easy to become preoccupied with certain things while being blind to so much. I thanked and apologized to the deer, then sliced my knife through the hide along the backbone from the base of the skull to the tail. I cut one side of quarters free, peeled off a backstrap and, before removing a side of ribs, severed the heart and lay it upon its namesake plant.

It was dark by the time I hung my heavy game bags from a branch of a mountain hemlock. During the night I listened as the wind made the tent shudder and bushes crackle. I thought about brown bears. I washed off the deer’s blood the best I could and peed and spat around the tent, but I still smelled “delicious.” Years before, I left a trail camera on a salmon stream that had a high number of bears fishing on it a few miles from where I was hunting. As an experiment, I peed in front of where the camera was pointed to see how animals would react. I returned a few days later and found that most of the images showed bears running away, looking terrified. A young bear even dropped the salmon it was carrying in its rush to get away. One large bear, however, behaved differently. It came during the night and, instead of fleeing, crawled like a cat toward the camera. I imagined that animal crawling toward the tent and thought about becoming meat.

At home, I organized the deer meat in trays divided by roasts, steak, and scraps I’d grind into burger. I trimmed the bones; later, I’d render broth from them. My two young sons—one a toddler and the other three and a half years old—“helped” by sawing on meat with butter knives and dropping pieces of burger meat into the grinder. I sliced a heart thin and doused it with sesame oil and Montreal steak seasoning. When it was done, we snacked as I wrapped meat in freezer paper. Some people do not like the taste or texture of heart. It’s always the first part of the animal I eat, which is in a large part because it does not freeze well. It’s also delicious and, more than that, evocative of much of what I love about life in Southeast Alaska.

Three years prior, my wife and I gave our eldest son his first solid food. We wanted our kids’ first tastes of food to be of something we loved, that came from the streams and forests where we live. First we mashed up blueberries, then we tried coho salmon. It had not gone over well. Not long after, I brought a deer home and fed our son small bits of fried heart. He devoured them.

Once we had a couple of deer, as well as a good supply of salmon in the freezer, it was time to go berry picking. When the next sunny day came, we headed to one of our favorite blueberry patches in the mountains. I carried our toddler in a backpack. As we hiked a trail to a field of deer heart, his brother demanded, and constantly added details to, a story about dragons from his mother. Though it was only the third week of August, most of the plants were showing the first signs of brown. After placing the boys on drier ground where they could play and pick berries, my wife and I set to filling our buckets.

Food gathering, whether hunting or berry picking, is probably the most meditative activity I know. For a while I picked alone, my thoughts quieting as I focused on filling my bucket. Occasionally, the boys would punch or bite each other and scream and cry. Other times they giggled as they wrestled and popped blueberries into each other’s mouth. When I checked on them, they were taking turns smashing blueberries on each other’s heads, both of their smiling faces stained purplish red, sitting amidst deer heart.

The pickings were pretty good and after a couple hours we had a few gallons. I joined the boys and their mother on a small plateau covered in deer heart fringed with bushes heavily laden with blueberries. The light on the mountains had that same ethereal quality, revealing cracks and fissures worn by time in rockfaces and millions of deer hearts surrounding us.

It was hard to walk away from something so good. I placed my younger son in his backpack and, before leaving, searched for a tender looking deer heart. Near where a deer had been browsing, I plucked a leaf and then placed it in my mouth. I slowly chewed, its enigmatic taste engulfing my taste buds, as I followed my wife and older son down the mountain.

Originally published in Issue No. 26, Winter 2022

Every year I see pictures of downed deer feeders with their contents spilled out on the ground like a giant steel pinata. Most likely culprits are hogs and cattle. On our ranch in the Texas Hill Country we employ multiple wildlife corn and protein feeders inside of a pen that have helped tremendously at keeping wild hogs from destroying feeders and has actually cut the hog traffic on the ranch to almost none.

What you will need.

6 Feed lot panels. 60″ tall and 16′ in length. If you can round up used panels even better as these will need to be cut. If you have old roll wire lying around that will work as well. 48″ tall panels can be purchased as well and this will save you from having to cut the panels down

24 T posts.

The ever popular T-post driver.

Bailing wire…the fix it all.

When you decided on your feeder location stick a t post in the center temporarily, then with the help of a friend measure out approximately 15 from the t-post outwards, you are shooting for a 30′ diameter enclosure. Most feeders will cast around a 24′ spread of corn. Mark the spot and continue to measure out several more spots from center to outer edge. When you have a general area laid out begin by driving a few t posts along the perimeter every 10′-12′ feet. Once your a circle beings to take shape start placing the panels, smaller holes on bottom, on the outside of the T-posts and secure with bailing wire making sure your panels over lap at least one section of the squares. We want to keep animals out so it is important the t-posts are inside the panels. Now your circle may vary in size but 24′-30′ is about what you’re shooting for. You may find that your panels do not reach each other when your circle is complete and that is ok. This is where you’ll want to install your access gate. This can be anything from a smaller section of panel to an old chain link fence gate. If you find your panels over lap a bit at the end over your circle that is ok as this may be used for a gate. Now place the rest of your tposts inside the panels, you want to have about 3 tposts per panel. Now go to town with your bailing wire. Set your feeder up. Stake the legs down with T-posts! This will protect it in case the swine manage to get under the panel as they have been known to pull up the panels if they can get their snouts under it.

Now deer are excellent jumpers but we still like to cut the top section down with bolt cutters to about 48″-50″. Make sure you cut down to the next section as you don’t want any steel protrusions sticking up that may injure wildlife. This is where using old field panels is great, not many folks like cutting brand new ones down if they plan on reusing them after deer season. Some people will actually cut smaller holes in the panel close to the ground for fawns to get into the pens, but remember if a fawn can get in so can smaller hogs. We have been running these pens for years and have yet to have a feral hog get into one. There is always a possibility as hogs are jumpers as well! You can use roll wire as well as this is a fairly inexpensive set up. Always reuse old material lying around as it will save you money that you can be using to fill the feeders with. Hope this helps, good luck Bone Hunters!

As every pig farmer knows, pigs need a constant supply of fresh water, but how to give them water and how to make sure the water will never run out are important to maintain good pig performance. And here is the practical guide for reference.

Simple Watering System and Drinker for Pigs

One of the simplest and best ways to water your pigs is a bucket with a brick or a large stone in the bottom to help prevent it from being overturned and split, and the bucket should be placed in a left-off tire.

This kind of waterer makes a great replacement when the automatic watering systems stop working or freeze in the winter. And a flat-wide bucket is recommended for making a better waterer. If you use a high-sided bucket, your pigs may not be able to get the water, especially for the small piglets or weaners. There is always a risk of piglets falling and drowning, so be careful when using this watering system with small piglets and weaners. If you do choose to use this system, you can fill the bucket with some stones or clean the grave to make the water level only a few inches deep at the most, which will help prevent the piglets from sinking if they fall in and they can get out easier.

Automatic Pig Watering System

The watering system for pigs is slightly different from other livestock watering systems and is mainly because of the size and shape of the animal. Pigs are strong with powerful jaw muscles and sharp teeth, which means any waterers you use have to be firm and solid enough.

The automatic water system makes it possible that you do not have to fill up pigs’ waterers every day. If your watering system is working correctly your pigs will have a constant supply of fresh water, and will never run out, which is essential for the hot days. You can switch off the automatic water system on cold days to prevent damage when it freezes and instead use the bucket-tire method.

Metal Water Feeder is Better

The metal water feeders are more durable, and hard-wearing, and also they can hold more water. Most of the internal parts and components are replaceable, so you can repair them yourself if they break down or stop working.

What Type of Piping to Use with the Water Feeder and Water Trough

This depends on what watering system you use and the diameter and thickness of the pipe needed to cope with the mains water pressure. The mains water pipe should be fitted with a stop tap which allows you to shut off the water when necessary and the water pipe needs to be as close to the mains side as possible. The water pipes need to be insulated, covered, or buried beneath the ground to prevent them from freezing and bursting during the winter. When using water pipes in a pig pen, it should be metal or copper to help prevent the pigs from lifting or bending the pipe. If the plastic pipe, make sure it is covered or out of reach of your pigs, and do not run plastic pipes across the floor of the pig pen.

When life gives you gizzards, you need to learn how to clean gizzards. Amiright? Yeah, yeah, I can hear you thinking: “Ew, why would I eat that?”

Because they’re good. One of the more unloved giblets, gizzards are both an internal organ and dense nuggets of deep burgundy meat. That’s right, I said meat. A gizzard is made of muscle, just like the breast or thigh meat. You just have to get to it first.

Most gizzards are sold partially cleaned — you normally only need to remove the silverskin membrane on either side of the meat nugget before you put them in the pot or fry them up. But what if you get a whole gizzard? It happens a lot in Asian markets, where they sell them just as they come out of the bird. And of course hunters get whole gizzards with every bird we bring home.

Cleaning gizzards is a necessary skill both for hunters and for those interested in nose-to-tail eating. So here’s how to clean gizzards.

It’s stupid easy. So easy, I need to tell you a quick story first. Years ago, when I was writing my cookbook Duck, Duck, Goose, I included instructions on how to clean duck gizzards. These instructions had you split the gizzard, carefully clean out all the grit, and then slice the grinder plates away.

When I toured to promote this book, I did some cooking demonstrations. At one, I was cleaning gizzards. A woman from Arkansas piped up. “I don’t mean to be rude, but…” No, go ahead, I said. “Well… that’s a stupid way to clean gizzards.” She was embarrassed to call me out, but I was all ears. Only idiots are set in their ways.

So she stood up, took a gizzard, and with two quick slices, had it cleaned. Dayum! Well, hell, I said, that’s much better!

And so here you go.

Take a small sharp knife and slice the two lobes of meat off the grinder plate. The only things you need so remember are that one lobe is almost always larger than the other, and that they arc over the grinder plate, so you slice not straight down, but in an arcing motion to get the most meat.

There. That’s how to clean gizzards.

What about the silverskin? Well, you don’t really need to care about it if you are cooking them all day in a crockpot, which is what I mostly do. The silverskin melts away and you don’t notice it after many hours of slow cooking.

That said, fried gizzards are a thing, and I’ve even made gizzard carpaccio, which was weird, but very good. In that case, you need to remove the silverskin. This is easy. Use the tip of the knife to dislodge where it attaches at the outer end of the lobe — farthest away from where you sliced it off the grinder plate — then use the edge of the knife to scrape it straight down to the base.

Then, a quick slice and it’s out of your life.

Super easy. Pro tip: Wait to remove silverskin on gizzards until you are ready to cook. It comes off way easier from a thawed gizzard than a fresh one.

Now that you know how to clean gizzards, what do you do with them? Hands down the best way to cook gizzards is to slow cook them. I prefer to cure them exactly like my corned venison, then cook them in homemade duck stock (or any stock, really), in a slow cooker for… wait for it… 24 hours.

Why this long? Because then you can squash the gizzards with a fork. And they taste almost exactly like corned beef. Seriously. Here is how I love to make corned gizzards. Follow the technique in that recipe and you can modify the ingredients to suit your taste.

Different gizzards cook differently. Mostly I work with duck and pheasant gizzards, and can accumulate lots of them, vac sealed in the freezer, for meals. Goose gizzards, as well as turkey gizzards, can be huge.

See that? That’s a snow goose gizzard next to an entire hen teal. Crazy, eh?

You can certainly corn or confit these the way you would smaller gizzards, but I often grind them. It’s a lot of good, healthy meat to add to a grind pile for whatever you want to make, from picadillo to meatballs to my all time favorite: Giblet bolognese sauce.

Yeah, you want to make this. Yes you do.

Now that you know how to clean gizzards, you can.

Have you ever gone to pick up your air gun, only to find that it no longer functions after a few hundred shots? Air guns are delicate machines, and even with the best care, they will eventually break down. But how long do air guns last on average? Keep reading to find out!

When an airgun’s life is over, it means that there are no longer any spare parts available to repair the gun. This could be because they have run out or been destroyed entirely so you will need a new one for your collection. Here is a breakdown of the common types:

BB guns

The durability of a BB gun is unparalleled. The U.S Army has documented that these guns shoot over 20 million shots before needing parts replacement. The barrel of a centerfire firearm wears rapidly and may get 1,000 to 5,000 proper shots in its lifetime. It is difficult to replace when needed. A BB gun shot tube, by contrast, is an inexpensive part that any owner can replace.

CO2 guns

This class of air guns contains all the single shots like the Crosman 180s and Sheridan 2260. These longer-lasting action-type CO2-powered guns can be entirely built from parts if needed with no effect on their life span! As long as those proprietary pieces exist, they’ll continue working indefinitely

Pneumatic airguns

It’s true that pneumatic air rifles (variable pumps and PCPs) have an indefinitely long life, but there are some known issues. For example, the guns with barrels soldered to their pump tubes can separate at this point and no one has yet devised a commercial method for resoldering them either.
The other major failure happens when too much stress builds up on your pivot pins–they break off inside where you cannot reach them without professional help; repairing these failures is a thankless task requiring lots more money than buying a brand new gun.

Spring piston airguns

You can expect your spring piston air gun to last for 10,000 – 75 thousand shots before it needs repairs. This all depends on which model you have and how well they were made!

With proper care and maintenance, a spring piston air gun can last hundreds of thousands of rounds without any signs of failure or wear. An overhaul (new spring, piston seal, and breech seals) can make your springers last for decades.

(For more on the best break barrel air rifle that hits like a champ, see this post)

.308 Winchester is rightfully one of the most popular cartridges among U.S. hunters. With a .308 round, you can take down medium to heavy animals, such as elk, at 300 to 500 yards. Also, since the ammo is widely available, you don’t have to suffer to get it.

On the downside, .308 Winchester rounds generate recoil energy between 15 and 18 foot-pounds, which some hunters find excessive. If .308 recoil is too much for you, you don’t have to quit using the round. Instead, minimize felt recoil and enjoy shooting the round by switching to one of the lowest recoil .308 rifles.

Here are some of the best .308 hunting rifles for hunters that prefer less recoil:

Ruger American Rifle Vortex Crossfire II Combo

Replace your current rifle without overspending by buying the Ruger American Rifle Vortex Crossfire II Combo. It’s arguably the lowest-recoil .308 rifle you can get for less than $800.

However, don’t let the affordability deceive you. The Vortex Crossfire II is just as reliable and effective as many $1,000+ rifles. It even comes with a scope. Also, the rifle has a soft rubber butt pad that softens the kick when you shoot, making firing .308 rounds more accurate and less painful.

Another reason to love the Vortex Crossfire II is it weighs a bit more than other .308 hunting rifles on this list. The extra weight reduces how much recoil transfers to the shooter and minimizes muzzle rise. In summary, the Vortex Crossfire II is one of the best .308 hunting rifles to buy if you want a reliable low-recoil gun that won’t break the bank.

Henry Long Ranger

Do you prefer traditional-looking rifles? If so, the Henry Long Ranger might be for you. The hunting rifle features a 20-inch barrel for optimal accuracy and bullet velocity when shooting .308 rounds. It also has beautiful wood finishes on the stock and forestock.

Like the Vortex Crossfire II, the Henry Long Ranger weighs about seven pounds and reduces how much recoil transfers to the shooter. Also, the Henry Long Ranger has a thick rubber recoil pad on the base of the stock. The recoil pad cushions kickback, making shooting the rifle less injurious to your shoulder.

Nosler M21

If you have over $2,000 to spend on a low-recoil rifle, the Nosler M21 is worth considering. It’s one of the best .308 hunting rifles for precision shooters, and Nosler built this rifle to be reliable and durable in any terrain or weather.

The Nosler M21 also comes with a one-inch recoil pad that cushions the kickback when you fire a round. The thickness of the recoil pad keeps the rifle’s length of pull within a comfortable range to prevent awkward handling that might worsen felt recoil.

Lastly, the Nosler M21 has a threaded barrel where you can easily attach a suppressor or muzzle brake. Attaching either of these accessories will significantly reduce the rifle’s recoil.

Browning X-Bolt Speed Suppressor Ready

The Browning X-Bolt Speed earns its badge as one of the lowest recoil .308 rifles for hunters thanks to features like its radial muzzle brake and Inflex recoil pad. The radial muzzle brake on the barrel has side vents that reduce the force with which expanding gases explode from the muzzle to launch rounds. The result is less felt recoil when you shoot.

On the other hand, the Inflex recoil pad is one of the better recoil pads for minimizing felt recoil and protecting your shoulder when you fire. Lastly, the Browning X-Bolt Speed has a threaded muzzle where you can attach a suppressor to reduce recoil even more.

Springfield Waypoint 2020

The Springfield Waypoint 2020 is a good-looking firearm that delivers impressive performance. While it’s pricier than other rifles on our list, the Springfield Waypoint justifies its price tag with its precision. In fact, the manufacturer is so confident about the precision of this rifle that it offers a .75 MOA guarantee.

The Springfield Waypoint 2020 also gets top scores for reduced recoil. The rifle has less recoil because its integral machined recoil lug spreads out the force that ejects rounds from the muzzle. The rifle also has a removable SA Radial muzzle brake that minimizes kickback when attached.

Wilson Combat Tactical Hunter

Bolt action rifles aren’t for everyone. If you prefer hunting with a semi-automatic, the Wilson Combat Tactical Hunter is one of the best .308 hunting rifles to buy. It’s an AR-10 rifle built with premium components and a matching price tag of $3,000+.

Unlike a typical bolt action rifle, a gas-powered semi-automatic like the Wilson Combat Tactical Hunter spreads recoil across various components, leading to less recoil. The firearm’s recoil is tolerable enough to prevent soreness after a day of hunting.

Winchester XPR

The Winchester XPR is an affordable and effective bolt action rifle that has rightly earned a place among the lowest recoil .308 rifles. Its Inflex® Technology recoil pad reduces felt kickback, and the cross-mounted recoil lug minimizes recoil’s effect on shooting accuracy.

Several models of the rifle are available, such as the suppressor-ready Winchester XPR Stealth SR and the XPR Compact Scope Combo with detachable scope. Each option is available at a different price, allowing you to pick a rifle that matches your budget and shooting needs.

What to Look for in a Rifle

We’ve provided options to choose from if you want to buy the lowest recoil .308 rifle, but which should you choose? Picking the perfect low-recoil rifle requires taking several factors into consideration. For instance, you need to consider the price.

The most expensive rifles typically have premium components, but you don’t need something that expensive if you plan to use the firearm only a few times a year. Instead, pick a rifle that offers your preferred features without exceeding your budget. Below are the features to prioritize when looking for a rifle that fits your budget:

Reliability

You don’t want a rifle prone to misfiring or a firearm that might fall apart during use. Avoid such issues by buying a rifle from a manufacturer with a reputation for building firearms that stand the test of time. The gun should feature high-quality components and treatment that minimizes corrosion or rust, such as bluing or a Cerakote finish.

Accuracy

Hunting with an inaccurate rifle means you’ll be relying on Lady Luck to hit your targets. Since Lady Luck is unpredictable, opt for an accurate rifle that facilitates precision shooting. Accurate rifles typically come with an MOA guarantee, such as the Springfield Waypoint’s .75 MOA guarantee.

Fit

If a rifle is too long or heavy, you will have trouble handling it and experience felt recoil more intensely. Pick a rifle that you can comfortably shoulder and maneuver to track targets.

The rifle should also have a comfortable length of pull (LOP) – the distance between the trigger and the base of the butt plate or recoil pad. A too-short or long LOP will make shooting uncomfortable and inaccurate.

Action

You can opt for a break, bolt, lever, or semi-automatic action rifle. Break action rifles typically hold one or two rounds and require swinging open the barrel to eject and chamber rounds.

Bolt-action rifles have a bolt at the top that you manually slide to eject a spent round and load a fresh one. Such rifles are famous for their accuracy, reliability, and durability. Lever-action rifles work like bolt-action rifles but require working a lever under the shoulder stock to eject and load rounds. On the other hand, semi-automatics automatically eject and load rounds after each shot to help you shoot faster.

Barrel Length

The best .308 hunting rifles have a long barrel (between 18 and 24 inches). The longer the barrel, the greater the accuracy and bullet velocity. However, the longer the barrel, the heavier your rifle will be, which can cause portability and maneuverability issues. Choose a rifle with a barrel long enough to deliver the best shot without compromising your ability to maneuver the weapon conveniently.

Make Any Rifle Lower-Recoil Using a Suppressor

Attaching the right suppressor to your hunting rifle can make the weapon look more lethal and tactical. Besides aesthetics, hunting with a high-quality suppressor has several other benefits.

Benefits of Using a Rifle Suppressor

Reduced Recoil

You can turn your hunting firearm into the lowest recoil .308 rifle by attaching a quality suppressor. A suppressor goes on the muzzle of a firearm to slow the explosive escape of expanding propellant gas, leading to less recoil.

Hearing Protection

Besides reducing recoil, slowing the release of expanding propellant gas reduces gunfire noise. A rifle without a suppressor can be louder than 140 decibels, which is loud enough to cause immediate harm to your hearing. A high-quality suppressor can reduce gunfire noise by up to 36 decibels.

More Stealth When Hunting

A suppressor can also hide your muzzle flash. If prey can’t hear your shot or see your muzzle flash, your location will remain hidden, and you can catch other nearby prey unawares.

Situational Awareness

Sudden muzzle flash in the dark can temporarily render you blind, while unsuppressed gunfire can make you temporarily deaf. A suppressor prevents such outcomes, so you can maintain complete situational awareness and avoid dangers during a hunt.

Invest in a Suppressor Today!

Regardless of which gun you choose from our lowest recoil .308 rifle list, reduce the recoil further by attaching a suppressor. Besides reducing recoil, a suppressor will protect your eyes and ears so you can enjoy hunting for many more ears.

Don’t know where to buy the best suppressor for your rifle? Visit our Silencer Central store today to shop for state-of-the-art .308 rifle suppressors.

Almost as important as tea processing is tea harvesting. As you may know, simply growing the tea plants can be a major challenge for the farmers, and it can take years to perfect.

Finally, after all the work the farmers have put into growing the tea, it comes time to pick the leaves. The tea harvest is something that comes a few times a year and it can actually determine the quality of a tea in many cases. The quality of a tea is not just determined by how the tea is grown and processed, but also how it is picked.

This said, let’s go into the detail to understand the tea harvesting process 🍃🍵

What is tea harvesting?

Harvesting tea leaves is an important stage in the tea production process. As you may know by now, a farmer can greatly change the flavor of a tea by harvesting tea leaves from different parts of the tea plant or at different times. This is one of the many calculations a farmer needs to make, in order to improve the flavor of the tea he produces, and to maximize the yield of his tea field.

How to Harvest Camellia sinensis

Harvesting tea leaves is just like harvesting the leaves of any other plant. You want to ideally pick the leaves at the stem, so it doesn’t interfere with the integrity of the leaf itself. Tea harvesting can require a lot of skill and it can be a full time job. For a tea like gyokuro for example, one of the most prized leaf teas in Japan, you need to pick the top three leaves of the tea plant. These are the sweetest in flavor and highest in nutrients.

You first need to identify the top three leaves of the tea plant and then you need to grasp the stem of the tea plant a few millimeters below the third leaf. Then you can gently pull up until you hear a small pop sound, and the leaf should be separated. This method of harvesting tea leaves is extremely time consuming but it can yield great quality green tea.

How many times can you harvest tea in a year?

Harvesting tea leaves is something that can happen up to 4 times per year. After the tea is harvested for the first time in early spring, it can then be harvested a second time in June or July. Tea from the second harvest is the second highest in nutrients and flavor, so it is often used for more inexpensive teas. Farmers may also combine leaves from the first and second harvest to lower the price of the tea, while still providing plenty of flavor. During the summer, the temperatures in much of Japan can get quite hot, so it is a lot of work to harvest during this time.

The tea plant can be harvested a third time in late summer, but this is really more common in southern Japan. The third harvest of the plant will produce very low quality tea that is lower in nutrients. The tea plant needs sufficient time to pull nutrients from the soil and when it is harvested in such a short amount of time, it is unable to produce as strong of a flavor.

In mid October or mid November, some tea plants will be harvested for a fourth and final time. This is known to some as Aki Bancha, or fall harvest. Some farmers choose to sell this tea to customers, but farmers like Mr. Watanabe in Yakushima have a different plan for the leaves. He harvests the leaves in fall and then actually uses them as a fertilizer for the plant. His thought behind this is that the tea plant has absorbed nutrients from the soil all year, so now it must return some at the end of the year.

How are the best leaves selected?

If you are producing a premium quality Japanese green tea, it has to come from the first harvest. The tea plant is harvested up to 4 times from April, all the way to November and the quality declines with each harvest. After the last tea harvest in November, the tea plant has all winter to build up nutrients and it releases those nutrients in the first sprouts of the spring time. These fresh spring leaves are the most flavorful, and therefore they command the highest price.

Tea picked during the first harvest is called ‘Shincha‘ and it is one of the highest regarded teas in Japan. Serious tea drinkers will wait around all year to be among the first to purchase the new Shincha harvest in springtime. This practice used to be more common decades ago, but now with the widespread use of refrigeration, the tea can be kept fresh all throughout the year. Shincha tea, like the Shincha from Mr. Nuruki can be quite flavorful, with a light sweet and savory flavor.

Once fall comes around in Japan, it becomes especially important for farmers to fertilize their tea crop. The soil must be set up for the long winter ahead, so the tea plant can rest and absorb nutrients ahead of the spring harvest. A lot of farmers will use a type of straw on the base of the tea plants. This serves a few important purposes. First, it allows the tea plant to retain moisture by locking in water. It also fertilizes the tea plant and keeps the roots warm through the winter.

After a long winter, the sprouts of the tea plant will begin to come up in the spring and soon they are able to be harvested. The most common way to harvest the tea plant in Japan is with this motorized tea harvesting machine. This is the most efficient way to harvest tea, and it’s one of the reasons why the tea plants are organized in these neat rows. The harvester will trim these like hedges and overtime they will develop a neatly carved shape.

Tea Harvester

The tea harvester is one of the more common tools used in tea harvesting. This tool is operated by two people, as they hold each side of the machine and walk along each side of the tea rows to trim the top leaves.

After being cut, these leaves are kept inside a net and collected afterwards. This tea harvester combines the precision of hand picking with the speed of the mechanical tea harvester, which we will mention next.

Mechanical Tea Harvester

The mechanical tea harvester is an innovative invention when it comes to harvesting tea leaves. This machine is essentially a combine that can be drive between the rows of the tea plant and automatically harvest them. The advantage of the mechanical tea harvester is that it is much faster than the hand held tea harvester. It simply skims the top of the tea bush to trim the top leaves of the tea plant and collect them into a net.

The downside of the mechanical tea harvester is that it is not as accurate as the hand held tea harvester. Because the mechanical tea harvester is so large, it is very difficult to control and you can be as precise with the harvesting as you can be with the hand held version. The results will show up in the leaves. You want larger leaves in the case of gyokuro and sencha and as long as the leaves look good, the tea harvester must work just fine!

Is a Tea Harvester better than a Mechanical Tea Harvester?

Technically the regular hand held tea harvester is better than the mechanical tea harvester, but there are a few different variables. The mechanical tea harvester is large and less maneuverable, but as long as all the tea rows are the same height, it should be able to get the job done. For this reason tea harvested with the mechanical tea harvester is not necessarily worse, it just comes down to what the final leaves end up looking like.

Handpicked tea leaves

Occasionally, tea like ceremonial matcha and Gyokuro will be made with hand picked leaves. This method of tea harvesting extremely expensive in Japan, but the benefit is that the leaves are picked perfectly. On one day out of the year, people from all around the town will gather on this field to pick the fresh sprouts of the tea plant. There is a precise method to their picking. They want to select the top 3 leaves of the tea plant, so they will pick slightly underneath the third leaf. Once the leaf has been picked, they will drop it into their basket and then look for the next one.

If a farmer wants to produce a more inexpensive tea like Bancha, they will select leaves lower down on the tea plant, along with some stems as well. This method of tea harvesting can give the farmer a much higher yield. The leaves are more mature, and not quite as flavorful. The more mature leaves of a Bancha are lower in caffeine and they can produce a quite pleasant citrusy flavor, with notes of cereal, popcorn and wood.

As you can see, the harvest can be an important factor in determining how prized a tea is. Depending on when it is picked, how it is picked and where on the tea plant it is picked, the tea can be in a completely different category. If you are interested in trying some first harvest teas with larger leaf pickings, we highly suggest you checkout our selection of gyokuro teas. These teas are designed to have an incredibly sweet flavor and a savory finish. They are known as being the most sought after leaf teas in Japan and a lot of work goes into their harvest. Try them out for yourself and let us know what you think!

Importance of Choosing the Right Stock

When it comes to shotguns, the stock is more than just a piece of wood or synthetic material that rests against your shoulder. It’s a critical component that influences the balance, handling, and overall performance of your firearm. Selecting the right stock for your shotgun can greatly enhance your shooting experience, whether in hunting, sport shooting, or tactical scenarios.

• Balance: A well-chosen stock helps maintain the shotgun’s center of gravity.
• Handling: The stock shape affects how the shooter grips and maneuvers the gun.
• Performance: Comfort and fit can impact shooting accuracy and fatigue.

Overview of Different Stock Types

Shotgun stocks come in a variety of shapes and materials, each with its own purpose and advantage. Understanding the differences is key to making an informed decision. Below are some common types of shotgun stocks:

1. Traditional Wood Stocks
2. Synthetic Stocks
3. Adjustable Stocks
4. Collapsible/Folding Stocks
5. Pistol Grip Stocks
6. Thumbhole Stocks
7. Stocks for Youth and Women
8. Recoil-Reducing Stocks
9. Custom Stocks
10. Tactical and Specialist Stocks

Basic Anatomy of a Shotgun Stock

Components of a Shotgun Stock

A shotgun’s stock is composed of several parts, each serving a function that contributes to the weapon’s ergonomics and aesthetics. Here are the primary components:

• Butt: The rear end that sits against the shooter’s shoulder.
• Comb: The top part where the cheek rests.
• Grip: The part where the trigger hand holds the stock.
• Fore-end: The section below the barrel that the non-trigger hand supports.

How Stocks Affect Shotgun Performance

The design of a shotgun stock impacts the shooter’s comfort and the shotgun’s behavior during firing. An ergonomically sound stock can improve accuracy by offering better control and stability. Various stock shapes and lengths of pull (distance from the trigger to the end of the stock) cater to shooters’ diverse needs and preferences, impacting factors such as:

• Recoil management: Some stocks are designed to absorb shock better.
• Sight alignment: The stock’s height and angle can affect how the shooter aligns with the shotgun’s sights.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Shotgun Stock

Shooting Discipline and Application

The intended use of your shotgun plays a significant role in determining the type of stock that’s most suitable for you. For example, a trap shooter might prefer a stock with an adjustable comb, while a tactical operator could opt for a stock with a pistol grip for better control.

Shooting Disciplines:

• Hunting
• Trap/Skeet Shooting
• Tactical/Law Enforcement

Body Type and Ergonomics

Shotgun stocks should complement the shooter’s stature to prevent strain and improve performance. The right stock should feel natural in your hands and against your shoulder. It’s essential to consider features like the length of pull, drop at comb, and overall weight when selecting a stock.

Ergonomic Considerations:

• Length of Pull
• Drop at Heel and Comb
• Grip Size and Shape

Material and Durability

Stocks are manufactured from various materials, each with its advantages and limitations in durability and field performance. It’s important to choose a stock material that can withstand environmental conditions and the rigors of use.

Common Stock Materials:

• Wood (Walnut, Maple, Laminate, etc.)
• Synthetic (Fiberglass, Polymer, Carbon Fiber, etc.)

Traditional Wood Shotgun Stocks

Aesthetic Appeal and Classic Feel

Many shotgun enthusiasts prefer wood stocks for their natural feel and traditional appearance. A well-crafted wood stock not only looks impressive but can also provide a warm and comfortable grip during colder weather.

• Visual Attractiveness: Each wood stock has a unique grain pattern.
• Sensory Experience: Wood provides a tactile warmth not found in synthetic materials.

Wood Types and Characteristics

Different woods offer various properties that affect the stock’s performance and longevity. Walnut is a popular choice due to its balance between weight, durability, and attractiveness. Other options include maple and laminate, which provide distinct advantages.

Wood Stock Options:

• Walnut: Durable, with a rich finish.
• Maple: Heavier, often with a striking grain.
• Laminate: Layers of wood for added strength and unique color patterns.

Maintenance and Care for Wood Stocks

To preserve the beauty and function of a wood stock, it’s vital to perform regular maintenance. Exposure to moisture and temperature changes can affect the wood, so proper care is crucial.

Wood Stock Maintenance Tips:

• Use a quality stock finish to protect against moisture.
• Store the shotgun in a controlled environment to prevent warping.
• Regularly clean and oil the wood to maintain its luster.

Synthetic Shotgun Stocks

Benefits of Synthetic Materials

Synthetic stocks, made from polymers or fiberglass, are gaining popularity due to their resistance to environmental wear and reduced maintenance compared to wood. They are an excellent option for shooters who frequently hunt or operate in harsh conditions.

• Durability: Synthetic stocks can resist impacts, scratches, and weather.
• Low Maintenance: Less susceptible to moisture and temperature fluctuations.

Varieties of Synthetic Stocks

Synthetics come in diverse forms, each designed to enhance the shooter’s experience and meet specific requirements. High-tech materials like carbon fiber offer strength with reduced weight, while other polymers provide affordability and ruggedness.

Types of Synthetic Stocks:

• Polymer: Cost-effective and durable.
• Fiberglass: Rigid and stable.
• Carbon Fiber: Lightweight with high strength.

Weather Resistance and Durability

One of the main advantages of synthetic stocks is their ability to endure extreme weather conditions, from the dampness of marshlands to the dry heat of deserts, without significant wear.

Benefits of Synthetic Stock Weather Resistance:

• Consistency: Performs reliably in a range of temperatures.
• Longevity: Maintains structural integrity over time and use.

Adjustable Shotgun Stocks

Advantages of Adjustability

Whether you’re a competitive shooter looking to fine-tune your fit or a recreational shooter who wants a stock to accommodate different clothing and situations, adjustable stocks can be invaluable. They provide a personalized fit that can enhance performance and comfort.

Adjustable Stock Features:

• Adjustable Comb: Aligns eye with the sights.
• Adjustable Length of Pull: Fits a variety of arm lengths.
• Adjustable Butt Pad: Alters recoil impact angle.

Types of Adjustment Features

Modern adjustable stocks come with several features tailored to improve the shooting experience. Each adjustment can make a significant difference in the shooter’s accuracy and comfort.

Common Adjustments:

• Comb height and lateral position.
• Length of pull adjustments using spacers or mechanical systems.
• Adjustable recoil pads and cheek risers.

Target Shooters and Tactical Use

For target shooters, an adjustable stock allows for consistent cheek weld and eye alignment with the sights for every shot. In tactical environments, adjustability can aid in quickly adapting to body armor or various shooting positions.

Target Shooting:

• Fine-tuning for precision shots.
• Consistency between multiple shots.

Tactical Use:

• Adaptability for different gears and scenarios.
• Rapid adjustments to meet operational demands.

Collapsible or Folding Shotgun Stocks

Compactness and Portability

Collapsible and folding stocks are designed for shooters who need their shotguns to be as portable and discreet as possible. They’re commonly used in home defense scenarios or situations where storage space is at a premium.

• Collapsible Stocks: Can be telescoped in for a shorter overall length.
• Folding Stocks: The stock hinge allows it to fold alongside the receiver.

Legal Considerations and Restrictions

Before choosing a collapsible or folding stock, be aware of local and federal regulations regarding shotgun configurations, as these can vary considerably. Compliance with the law is crucial to avoid potential consequences.

Legal Aspects to Consider:

• Overall length requirements.
• Restrictions on collapsible or folding stock features.

Tactical and Home Defense Applications

Shotguns with collapsible or folding stocks are often favored for tactical operations and home defense, where maneuverability is essential, and the ability to quickly stow away the firearm is beneficial.

Tactical and Home Defense Considerations:

• Ease of transport and storage.
• Quick deployment in confined spaces.

Pistol Grip Shotgun Stocks

Pistol Grip Only vs. Pistol Grip with Shoulder Stock

Shotgun pistol grips come in two primary styles: pistol grip only and pistol grip with a traditional shoulder stock. The former offers maximum compactness, while the latter provides better stability and accuracy by allowing the shooter to shoulder the firearm.

Pistol Grip Styles:

• Pistol Grip Only: For breaching and extremely close-quarters use.
• Full Stock with Pistol Grip: Enhanced control with traditional shouldering.

Control and Maneuverability Aspects

A pistol grip helps in handling the shotgun, making it easier to operate and aim, especially in high-stress scenarios. It allows for a strong wrist position and potentially quicker target acquisition.

Control Advantages:

• Strong and ergonomic grip.
• Improved handling during dynamic movements.

Hunting versus Tactical Usage

Hunters may find traditional stocks more advantageous for the steady aim required in their discipline, while individuals interested in home defense or tactical applications might lean toward a shotgun with a pistol grip for its better control in compact spaces.

Usage Considerations:

• Hunting: Traditional stocks are often preferred for stability.
• Tactical: Pistol grips favored for maneuverability.

Thumbhole Shotgun Stocks

Design and Ergonomics

Thumbhole stocks integrate the grip and the butt into a single streamlined unit, allowing shooters to lock their hand in place more securely. This design can offer improved grip stability and ergonomics, which is beneficial for precision shooting.

Ergonomic Benefits:

• Enhanced control during the aiming and firing process.
• Reduced strain on the shooter’s wrist and forearm.

Benefits for Precision Shooting

Precision shooters, such as those engaging in sporting clays or hunting at longer distances, may prefer thumbhole stocks for the increased stability and support they provide. The design aids in maintaining consistency between shots.

Precision Shooting Advantages:

• Consistent hand placement for repeatable accuracy.
• Better rifle-like control for slug shooting.

Hunting and Sport Shooting Preferences

While thumbhole stocks are becoming increasingly popular in hunting and sport shooting circles, it’s essential to choose one that feels comfortable and does not impede the natural movement needed for these activities.

Sporting Preferences:

• Stability for long-range hunting shots.
• Comfort for extended periods at the range.

Youth and Women-Specific Shotgun Stocks

Importance of Proper Fit

Proper stock fit is crucial for all shooters, but it’s particularly vital for women and youth, who may find standard stocks too long or heavy. A well-fitted stock can make a significant difference in handling comfort and shot accuracy.

Benefits of Proper Fit:

• Enhanced control and ease of use.
• Increased confidence and shooting pleasure for younger or smaller shooters.

Reduced Length of Pull and other Adjustments

Shotgun stocks designed for women and youth often feature a reduced length of pull and other adjustments to cater to smaller frames. Recoil pads designed for lighter shooters can also help manage felt recoil.

Adjustments Specific to Youth and Women:

• Shorter length of pull.
• Smaller grip circumference.
• Lighter overall weight.

Stock Options for Smaller Statures

Recognizing the diverse needs of shooters, manufacturers are offering more youth and women-specific stock options, ensuring comfortable and effective shotgun operation for everyone.

Options Available:

• Compact models of popular shotguns.
• Aftermarket stocks with adjustment possibilities.

Recoil-Reducing Shotgun Stocks

Technology and Features for Recoil Absorption

Recoil-reducing gun stocks incorporate technology and design features that dissipate the energy generated when a shotgun is fired. Hydraulic systems, spring mechanisms, and specialized recoil pads are some of the features used to reduce felt recoil.

Recoil Reduction Features:

• Springs or hydraulic cylinders.
• Sorbothane or gel recoil pads.
• Counterweights and dampening systems.

Importance for Shooter Comfort and Follow-Up Shots

Minimizing recoil is not only about comfort; it can also lead to more accurate follow-up shots and reduced shooter fatigue during extended shooting sessions, such as in waterfowl hunting or competitive shooting events.

Shooter Comfort Advantages:

• Less shoulder and cheek slap.
• Ability to maintain focus and aim for longer periods.

Considerations for High-Volume Shooters

Shooters who spend a lot of time at the range or in the field shooting large volumes of ammunition should consider investing in a recoil-reducing stock to help mitigate long-term shoulder wear and fatigue.

Considerations for High-Volume Shooting:

• Preserving shoulder health.
• Extending shooting sessions without discomfort.

Custom Shotgun Stocks

Tailor-Made for Individual Needs

Custom stocks are crafted to fit an individual shooter’s specific physique and preferences. A custom fitting session with a stock maker can result in a shotgun stock that feels like an extension of the shooter’s body, potentially improving every aspect of shotgun handling.

Custom Fitting Benefits:

• Precise adjustments to suit body measurements.
• Craftsmanship that matches personal style and comfort requirements.

Process of Custom Stock Fitting

The custom stock fitting process often involves measuring a shooter’s dimensions and shooting stance. A stock maker then uses these measurements to craft a stock tailored for optimum fit and performance.

Custom Stock Fitting Steps:

• Detailed measurement of the shooter’s physique.
• Consideration of shooting style and discipline.
• Creation of a stock that satisfies functional and aesthetic demands.

Costs and Benefits of Customization

While custom shotgun stocks can be a significant investment, many shooters find that the benefits in comfort, performance, and enjoyment are well worth the expense.

Custom Stock Considerations:

• Higher cost compared to off-the-shelf stocks.
• Long-term value in improved shooting results and satisfaction.

Tactical and Specialist Shotgun Stocks

Specialized Stocks for Law Enforcement and Military

Tactical and specialist shotgun stocks are designed to meet the stringent requirements of law enforcement and military operations. Features such as adjustability, rugged construction, and additional accessory mounting options are commonplace.

Key Features for Tactical Stocks:

• Robustness to withstand rough handling.
• Modular designs for attaching lights, lasers, and slings.

Conclusion

Tactical stocks often feature design elements that facilitate rapid deployment and manipulation under stress. Materials used in these stocks are typically chosen for their durability and functionality in adverse conditions.

Elements of Tactical Stock Design:

• Non-slip surfaces for secure grip in all conditions.
• Ergonomic shape to accommodate rapid movement and positioning.

Walleye, walleye, walleye!

The best walleye fishing in the world…

That is how I describe where I live to people I cross paths with when I’m traveling. Growing up in the Kenora area, around Lake of the Woods, I’ve been spoiled with fantastic walleye fishing my whole life. Since I was a little kid, walleye have been my favourite species to catch through the ice because the action is always reliable, they are the best fish we have to eat and we catch plenty of big ones.

Nearly all of the resorts that stay open through the winter across the Sunset Country Region will be able to put you on some top-notch walleye fishing. Here are a few of my top tips.

Where to catch walleyes through the ice

Across Northwest Ontario, we have a variety of different types of lakes that hold excellent populations of walleyes. Some are shallow and tannic-colored waters, and others are clear, deep-water lakes, with a variety of waters in between. Excellent walleye fishing exists across the region so how do you choose the best place for your ice-fishing adventure?

If you have visited us here in the open water season, does your favourite resort offer ice fishing? They could be a good place to start. The next consideration might be your transportation options. Snowmobiles or ATVs offer access to remote locations so you can find your own hot spots.

Drive-to-vehicle access is available on some waters, where ice roads allow you to drive right to your fishing spot. The availability of ice roads could be a discussion with whoever you book your trip with. Some resorts will rent snowmobiles, which might be a good way to go if you don’t own one. They are fun to drive and can really open up the doors for fishing opportunities.

The season is open from freeze-up until April 15. Some years we’re able to stay on the ice right up to the 15th, other years the ice is done by the end of March. Like with some of the other species, my favourite times to be on the ice are early and late in the season. Early on, it’s easy to get around without a lot of snow on the ice, and getting the first crack at some of the humps and points that are good year after year results in some great fishing.

Walleye spawn shortly after ice-out around creek mouths or in shallow bays and predictably, they show up in front of these areas in March every year for the last few weeks of the ice season. I like to focus my efforts on structures like humps and points in front of these areas and if they don’t exist, walleyes can be caught on flats just out from the first good drop into deeper water. In some of the shallow walleye lakes, particularly some of the remote lakes, we’ll catch walleyes extremely shallow late in the season, sometimes as shallow as three to five feet. When you set the hook, they’ll just come flying up the hole.

Earlier in the season, focus on main-lake humps, points, and flats. A lot of the same spots that are good in the summer are also good in the winter, you might just have to drop out and fish a little bit deeper. Because our walleye fishing is so good across the region, I have a five-minute rule for the holes that I fish. Of course, there are days when you can set up shop in a shelter and wait for the fish to come to you. That can be relaxing, you can share some good fellowship with your buddies and hey, we get real winter so some days you have to hide out inside because it’s so cold.

When I go for fun, I pick the nicer weather days and hole hop outside. If I jig in a hole for five minutes and don’t at least mark a fish, I’m moving to the next hole. Sometimes small adjustments in depth can make a big difference. Sometimes you’ll get a hole where you’re right over the top of a ledge or sharp drop and those are never as good. It’s good to be close to the edge, but a flat bottom is always the best for walleyes, where they can creep along and find your bait. The flats also allow the fish to congregate together as well.

How to catch walleyes through the ice

For the past twenty years, I’ve seldom used anything but a spoon for fishing walleyes through the ice. My go-to has always been a Northland Buck-Shot Spoon, popular with walleye anglers across the ice belt. I’ll always tip my spoon with a frozen minnow head and it never lets me down.

The traditional jig tipped with a minnow still works fine, I just think it’s more fun watching a spoon on my sonar unit and figuring out how to trick walleyes into biting it when they come in for a look. Some days, aggressive jigging gets bites, other days, you need to shake your spoon in a subtle manner. Figuring out how to trigger them to bite is the fun part. On some of the shallower, inland lakes, a jig tipped with a live minnow, hooked through the tail can be the best presentation. Something to consider if you fish in one of those types of lakes.

On the bigger waters, however, jigging with spoons or swimming jigs is tough to beat. Most of the time walleyes are going to be found near the bottom so electronics are not mandatory to catch fish but they will always help you put a few more on the ice. It’s good to know when walleyes are moving around beneath your hole and every once in a while, you’re going to see fish pass by that are slightly above the bottom so you can bring your bait up a bit so they can see it. More often than not, these suspended walleyes are aggressive and bite immediately.

If you are coming to visit us for a fishing trip you should also know that the “prime-time” bite is exceptional on most waters. We call that last hour of daylight “prime-time” because the walleyes almost always bite a lot better than they do the rest of the day. In fact, on some of the clear water walleye fisheries, it’s tough to catch fish during the day, then they go nuts just before dark. If you are coming for a trip, don’t be afraid to stay out there late and catch that “prime-time” bite.

Some waters in Sunset Country have special regulations for walleye fishing, including size restrictions, no-fishing areas, and bait restrictions so it’s always good to consult the Ontario Sport Fishing Regulations before you hit the ice. If you stay with a resort, they will be able to direct you on specific regulations on their waters.

We look forward to seeing you on the ice in Sunset Country this winter.