When it comes to picking the best boat accessories of any year, the Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS) is the place to be, where many brands launch their latest gadgets and tech due to hit the market. Every year the Yachting World team attends this event to get the inside line on the newest gadgets coming to the boating world.

METS is also the location of the illustrious DAME awards with one overall winner, five category winners and lots of special mentions, all of which form a good list of the best boat accessories and tech for 2024.

We’ve picked out our favourite award winners and looked at some of the other eye-catching innovations to bring you our list of the best boating kit for 2024.

Ocean Signal rescueMe PLB3

What is it? The first compact MOB beacon to combine AIS and satellite technology Who’s it for? Each and every person who puts to sea, particularly leisure sailors

This new personal beacon arguably presents the best possible chance for a MOB casualty to be rescued, even if they are incapacitated.

Ocean Signal has specialised in making compact antennae and personal beacons over the last decade. And, while you’ll have to forgive the barrage of acronyms, this rescueME PLB3 is very much the product many of us have been waiting for since personal MOB AIS beacons first started coming on the market.

By integrating Cospas Sarsat beacon technology, as used by global rescue services, with AIS, it has created the most powerful means of alerting others to a MOB or distress situation.

For those in VHF proximity to other vessels, the AIS MOB signal offers the most likely chance of a quick rescue. If this signal is not received by a vessel within range, then the 406MHz global satellite system will trigger a response suitable for the location.

The PLB3 combines GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) positioning, 406MHz and 121.5MHz signals, plus the new Galileo Return Link Service (RLS) technology, which alerts users that their signal has been received, all within a unit the size of a conventional hand flare.

It also manages to include Near Field Communications (NFC), a clever and current method for users to monitor their beacon’s performance and maintenance requirements. This technology can help show a live digital record of the beacon by simply placing your phone within its range. An important benefit of this is knowing how much battery life is left – this PLB has a five year battery life but the battery is not rechargeable.

It features manual or auto activation and each PLB3 is registered, so if accidentally activated its owner will receive a phone call. But there is also an ‘off’ button, and you can check on the mobile app the amount of time it was activated for.

So why has this not been done before? Ocean Signal explained that until now there have been separate AIS and PLB standards, but that its engineering expert Simon Nolan sat on a committee to rewrite the regulations and help push through what is equivalent to a new EPIRB standard. The challenge was combining technologies at such a compact physical size while providing the battery power necessary to run the alarm for the required 24 hours.

“We could probably have got this one out earlier but to physically shrink battery size it needed a lot of work on it,” Nolan told us.

The DAME jury, a panel of experts looking at design and innovation at the METS, is chaired by designer Andre Hoek and includes former YW editor Elaine Bunting. The jury said: ‘in a rescue situation speed is always of the essence and this unit provides the very best chance for survival through this combination of long- and short-range detection.’ The waterproof rescueME PLB3 weighs 190g, measures 200x36x30mm and is now approved for sale in the UK and Europe.

See more at Ocean Signal

Note: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site, at no extra cost to you. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

Integrel Next Generation

What is it? A very high output alternator that can replace traditional generators, plus hybrid propulsion options Who’s it for? Cruising yachts with power generation requirements above 5kW per day

Four years ago Integrel launched an intelligent system allied to an extra large 9kW belt-driven alternator that makes use of the spare capacity that’s intrinsic in marine diesel engine installations. It was overall winner of the 2018 DAME awards and is now fitted as standard on an increasing number of new yachts, including all Balance Catamarans, which no longer have an optional diesel generator. It also features on the options list for many yards. High-profile clients include Riley Whitelum and Elayna Carausu of YouTube channel Sailing La Vagabond.

During the Covid lockdowns, when the company’s engineers were unable to travel internationally to complete or advise on installations, Integrel invested heavily in product development, massively accelerating the launch of new equipment, resulting in three new Next Generation products that won this year’s DAME awards Machinery, Propulsion, Mechanical and Electrical category.

The Integrel Inline performs exactly the same task as the original big alternator. However, instead of being a belt-driven device, it has a thin 10kW, 48V ‘pancake’ alternator that slots between the engine and gearbox. This lengthens the drivetrain by only 20cm, and dispenses with the belt drive to significantly reduce routine maintenance. It’s suitable for engines from around 30hp-200hp. The Integrel Plus is a powerful hybrid propulsion and charging solution, with an electric motor rated at 30kW continuous and 50kW peak output at the back of the diesel engine. This serves two functions – it can be used for propulsion over shorter distances and at lower speeds, such as when entering or leaving port. Alternatively it can be used as a massive alternator/generator to charge a 40kW battery bank when the diesel motor is running.

The final new item, the Integrel Ultra, has a Torque Boost function, for planing motoryachts that need a big burst of power for a few seconds to get on the plane, before throttling back to a comfortable cruising speed. Incorporating an electric motor with 100kW continuous (150kW peak) rating into the drivetrain allows that short-term boost power to come from batteries, rather than internal combustion engines. The engines can therefore be up to 40% smaller, reducing weight and significantly improving efficiency at cruising speeds. At displacement speeds the electric motor can be used as a very high-output alternator to recharge the battery bank, thereby rendering a separate generator unnecessary.

See more at Integrel Solutions

Simarine Nereide 3

This digital switching brand is increasingly popular on new yachts and its third generation product received a DAME nomination. New features include 80% lower power consumption, a bigger LCD screen, and soft labels for each of the 18 hard-wired tactile aluminium switches on the boat’s main panel.

This allows boatbuilders and owners to quickly and easily change the function of any switch to best suit the equipment fitted to an individual boat, or to neatly incorporate extra kit added after the boat leaves the factory. Button labels can be either static, or dynamic, with the latter combining multiple functions on a single button. For instance, you could have a single button for refrigeration that brings up a further menu with a switch for each individual fridge and freezer unit on board.

The system can therefore be used to control a huge number of devices, with a minimum of complexity for the end user. There are also separate modules for bilge pumps and for the main power switches. At the same time, it also includes back up manual switches and fuses, while Simarine’s excellent Pico battery and tank level monitoring display is built into the main Nereide 3 display. It’s also designed for plug-and-play compatibility with Sentinel Marine’s BM-50 Remote Management System.

See more at Simarine

Aqua superPower

As electric propulsion becomes more and more widely adopted, the need for fast electric charging escalates. Aqua superPower is rolling out the world’s first dedicated global marine fast charging network across Europe and the US. Its knowledge and experience stems from the automotive world (it built up the UK network for automotive fast chargers). Aqua offers the backend part, the safe chargers for docks and marinas, using IP-65-rated waterproof hardware.

Typical shorepower connections are designed for slow overnight charging, whereas superPower uses ultrafast 25kW-150kW DC charging. This gives the potential to recharge battery power on both leisure and commercial boats to over 60% in just 40 minutes. Considering the mix of high voltage with the marine environment, a key component is Aqua’s use of CCS Type 2 standard connectors, which the company says are completely safe, even if dropped in the water.

Its business model is aimed at encouraging marinas to install them on a long lease.

With the demand for higher and higher charges comes the need for faster chargers. “Our network is designed to create a seamless user experience that is accessible to boat users via the Aqua app or RFID card, enabling users to view a map showing charger locations, offering navigational aids, and managing charging sessions,” says CEO Alex Bamberg.”

See more at Aqua superPower

Cyclops Marine Wireless Load Pin

Over the past 15 years load sensing has changed from a technology in its infancy even on the latest IMOCA 60s to widespread use in fleets such as J/70s and two-handed racing in small offshore yachts. Part of this is down to companies such as Cyclops Marine producing streamlined systems that are simple to swap for the original components, thus making retrofitting very easy.

Yet the results can be dramatic. Kate Cope, organiser of the UK double-handed offshore series told us that when she fitted one to her Sun Fast 3200R2 it showed she was 400kg short of forestay tension when sailing upwind in strong breezes. Cranking on more backstay boosted boat speed by 5-8% by preventing the boat being overpowered, thereby reducing heel and rudder drag.

The Cyclops Marine Wireless Load Pin was DAME nominated as its a straightforward drop-in replacement for a standard rigging pin and is the first load pin that doesn’t need to be wired in. The 27.5mm size entered in the DAME awards is suitable for the cap shrouds of 55ft cruising catamarans (which allows an alarm to be set to warn of the boat becoming close to being overpowered) or the forestay of a similar sized racing monohull.

See more at Cyclops Marine

ePropulsion I-20 electric inboard

ePropulsion’s I range of electric inboard motors for shaft drive boats is intended to be easy to fit on existing engine beds. This makes retrofitting easy and allows boatbuilders to offer both diesel and electric propulsion for the same model.

Initially the range consists of three models, at 10, 20 and 40kW, equivalent to 30, 55 and 75hp diesel inboards respectively. The smaller unit is air-cooled, while water cooling is recommended for the larger two. All have integrated battery management systems to simplify installation and save space. At the same time the company launched a complementary 96V 10kW G-series lithium-ion phosphate battery.

As with all other ePropulsion units, regeneration is included at standard. Real-world testing has yet to take place, but for the I-20 unit calculations show 250W at 5 knots of boat speed, 500W at 6 knots of speed and 1,300W at 8 knots.

See more at ePropulsion

Karver KJSK

This French company won a special mention for its Karver Jammer Staysail Kit (KJSK), an easy set-up for rigging an inner forestay for a heavy weather or storm jib.

It’s designed for use with furling sails that incorporate their own textile forestay and Karver recommends a halyard lock to eliminate movement and wear over the sheave.

Tensioning is via a 3:1 tackle that can be taken directly aft to a winch, using a snatchblock if necessary to create a fair lead. Once taught, the built-in cleat allows this line to be taken off the winch and coiled up out of the way. Attachment to the deck is via either metallic fastenings or high-tech lashing.

See more at Karver

Mantus dinghy navlight

This looks like a handy tricolour light for use on a dinghy which could also double as an emergency navigation light. The light has US Coast Guard approval for two miles. It has five modes including tricolour and bicolour and it’s possible to select between the three colours – for use as only a stern light for example. The Mantus light is waterproof to IPX8 and has fittings to allow it to clamp onto a rail, or attach to an engine cowling using a 3M pad. Where the base is permanent the body can quickly disconnect which makes it useful for USB charging. A full three hour charge gives the light approximately eight hours use – which should prove plenty for dinghy use.

See more at Mantus Marine

Secumar Furio

Watersports enthusiasts typically rely only on buoyancy aids, rather than full lifejackets that will support a casualty’s head above the water if they become unconscious. However, that’s far from an ideal situation, especially for those who are becoming older, or are practising watersports in an area without immediate safety cover.

The Furio is a solution – it’s a conventional buoyancy aid with 50N of flotation, plus features a PLB pouch, back protection and integrated provision for a harness hook. However, it also has a 110N inflatable bladder that transforms it into a full manually activated 160N lifejacket.

See more at Secumar

Regatta Safelock

A shocking statistic from the RNLI’s free lifejacket inspections a few years ago was that the inflation cylinders of roughly one third of those checked were not fully screwed home and therefore at risk of not inflating properly. Regatta and Aalesund Protective Wear have solved the problem with this neat friction device that physically prevents the cylinder rotating after installation.

The two models offered enable retrofitting to the almost ubiquitous UML MK5 and Pro Sensor Elite lifejacket trigger mechanisms. DAME judges praised the Safelock, saying it was: ‘An excellent example of how clever design thinking can resolve long-standing problems.’

See more at Regatta

Rooster Aquafleece Robe

Changing robes may have become the ubiquitous watersports fashion statement, but at least they have a practical element. This is a versatile offering from Rooster as it has a removable, washable fleece lining.

Founder Steve Cockerill explained to us that his company wanted to offer a changing robe, but “we wanted to do something different, make it unique.” It uses Rooster’s proven durable Aquafleece material as the outer layer, which is a fully waterproof PU coated fleece, permeable but not enough to call breathable. Inside is a teddy fleece liner made from recycled polyester, which can be removed to be washed and so kept fresh.

See more at Rooster Sailing

Boatasy Ropecleaner

From the makers of Ghook comes another ‘simple works best’ product for cleaning the typically muddy and barnacle encrusted stern docking lines found in many marinas, particularly in the Med. During its studies Boatasy found that giving a rectangular shape to the spiral metal works best on dock lines and its tool makes it quick and easy to attach onto lines up to 32mm diameter. The sharp inside edges of the stainless steel cut away algae, dirt and shells, says sales manager Gregor Jeretič. He estimates that just 10 minutes of using this to clean the lines three times a year is all that would be needed to keep them fouling free and without needing to hire a diver or using chemicals.

See more at Boatasy

Roll-up emergency VHF antenna

Historically, emergency VHF antennas had a short and stubby antenna, which can limit range. Shakespeare improved on this a couple of years ago with the inflatable Galaxy INFL8-5 VHF antenna, which incorporates a full-length aerial.

Revolve, a spin-off of a firm producing roll-up antennae using carbon fibre for military and search and rescue use, is now employing the same technology to produce a 2.5m high antenna with a 3/4 wave dipole antenna embedded within the laminate. It takes only seconds to unroll and includes a strobe light at the top. It won a DAME special mention.

The company also produces a roll-up boat hook with accessories including soft and hard bristle deck brush heads.

See more at Revolvetec

Foam anchor

Deck and sunlounging cushions, together with saloon seat backs are big business today. But they need to stay in place – how many broken buttons or Velcro fastenings have you seen? Here is a simple but practical solution which uses powerful magnets embedded in the foam of cushions, rather than trying to connect fabric to fabric.

The New Zealand company claims they will last forever and will not rust as they use aircraft grade epoxy coated magnets and marine grade stainless steel fixings. Depending on the application, either strips or single points can be used and after installation they are invisible. Magnets can even be glued behind surfaces so they’re not visible. They can be retrofitted into any furniture and all cover materials.

See more at Foam-Anchor

If you enjoyed this….

If you have ever spent time in a big sporting goods store, like Bass Pro Shops, then you surely have noticed all the incredible fish mounted on the walls. Most anglers gaze up with envy at everything from huge marlin to jumbo bass, but have you ever wondered if those shiny mounts are real fish?

So, are fish mounts made from real fish? Taxidermy mounts made from real fish usually only contain the skin, teeth, head and fins. The body portion consists of a light weight foam mold on which the skin and other fish parts are mounted. Most fish mounts are actually painted fiberglass replicas.

There are some important things to know when the opportunity to catch a trophy fish comes knocking. Read on to learn more about taxidermy options, costs, fish preparations, and other important information to keep your fish looking as beautiful as the day you caught it.

How is a fish mounted

One of these days, you could very well catch the fish of a lifetime. Pictures are great, but sometimes they just don’t do the size of a fish justice. If you want to really show off your fishing prowess to your buddies, consider making your trophy a permanent mount on the wall.

Skin mounts

Using actual fish parts for mounting is slowly becoming a thing of the past. As anglers become more aware of the importance of fishery conservation, catch and release practices make real fish mounts impractical. Even so, taxidermists still get clients insisting on live mounts.

Live fish are mounted using the skin, fins, parts of the head and sometimes the teeth. Fish are far more delicate than most animals when it comes to mounting. Proper preparation is essential to ensure a high quality result. The taxidermist will skin the fish and use a preservative on the fish parts to be saved. Once the skin and other portions of the fish are dry, they are added to a foam mold that makes up the main body of the fish.

The next steps are where the taxidermist’s artistic ability really shines. Life like poses and painting a fish to mimic true-to-life colors is no small feat. Usually only one side of the fish is painted for wall mounts. Pedestal mounts will have both sides painted. Once painted, a clear coat layer is applied to protect it for years to come.

Replica mounts

If releasing the fish back to the water is your aim, then consider a fiberglass replica instead. It may not be the real thing, but it just might look better anyway. Here are a few things to consider when deciding between taking a fish to the taxidermist or releasing it to fight another day.

The modern day fiber glass reproductions are truly life-like. They are molded from real fish so all the details are present. If the paint job is done by a skilled taxidermist, you will never be able to tell the difference between a skin mount and a replica.

Many taxidermists have access to a large number of custom sizes from fish mold suppliers. This makes matching the exact size of your fish easier than ever.

It may not be the real fish you caught but it sure is a great way to commemorate the catch. It is also a much faster time to completion. A picture of the fish at the time you caught it is key to getting an accurate recreation of the fish. A good taxidermist will work with you and your picture to recreate the memory of your fish.

Regardless of the type of mount you get, it is important to do your homework when selecting a taxidermy shop. All taxidermy requires skill and artistic abilities. Don’t trust your dollar or trophy to someone without hearing feedback from actual customers.

5 easy steps to prepare a fish for taxidermy

Okay, you decided to keep the fish and take it to a taxidermist. Now what? To make sure your mount is as pretty as can be, follow these five simple steps.

Step 1

Take a good picture as soon as possible. Fish begin losing their best colors within two minutes. Snap a picture as soon as you pull it from the water to give the taxidermist the best chance at painting the exact colors. Limit how much you handle the fish to prevent damage to the scales and do not gut the fish.

Step 2

You never know when something could go wrong. If for some reason the fish is lost or damaged before getting it to a taxidermist, taking a few measurements if possible is a good idea. First, measure the length from nose to tail. Then, take a girth measurement around the fattest portion of the body. If you have a scale, weigh it too. Now you can get an accurate replica made if need be.

Step 3

Freeze your fish as soon as possible. Choose which side is best and remember to always keep that side up. This will be the visible side of the mount. Place it good side up on a flat surface in the freezer and leave it until it is solid throughout. This takes about three days. Do not put the fish in a bag or wrap it in newspaper.

Step 4

Even though the fish is now frozen, it can still be damaged by rough handling. Some taxidermists recommend misting the fish with water to form an ice coat. Several applications of water will provide a protective jacket when transporting it to the taxidermy shop.

Step 5

Now you are ready to take it in to a taxidermist. Once the fish is frozen, it is okay to put it in a bag for easy carrying. Take it in a cooler to prevent it from thawing out. After you select a local taxidermist, I recommend contacting them to see if they have any additional instructions.

How much does it cost to mount a fish

Getting any animal or fish mounted is not going to be cheap. You are paying for the skill and artistic talent of the taxidermist. The old saying, “you get what you pay for” rings true. Even so, if it is truly a trophy of a lifetime, it will be worth every penny.

After a little research, I found that the going rate for both replica and live fish mounts is about $16 per inch of fish for one side. To give you some perspective, the average sailfish is over 9 feet long and will cost roughly $1500. A trophy bass, on the other hand, may be only 24 inches long and cost around $400. Some taxidermists offer discounted prices for longer fish species.

Obviously, if you want both sides of the fish mounted and painted for pedestal mounts, you must double the price. Also, these costs do not include plaques or other mount décor.

How do you clean a wall mounted fish

Over time dust, sunlight and smoke can impact the life of a mount. Skin mounts generally do not last as long as replica mounts because of the fragile nature of the thin skin. Either way, regular maintenance can keep your mount in tip top shape for years to come.

Dust regularly with a slightly damp, lint free cloth. Air dusters work well for loose dust and will reduce the risk of damage. Be careful around the delicate fins. Sometimes it is easier to remove the fish from the wall and lay it on a flat surface.

To make the mount last even longer, avoid hanging it where it receives direct sunlight. The damaging UV rays will fade the colors overtime, especially on skin mounts.

Fire place smoke or cigarette smoke will slowly discolor fish mounts as well. Smoke build up cannot be removed by wiping or cleaning the mount. Take it into a professional taxidermist to be stripped and refinished.

Final thoughts

Fish mount are a great way to share your adventure of a lifetime with friends and family. A fish on the wall means proof of a catch and bragging rights to go with it. Getting a skin mount from a real fish or a replica mount is a personal choice. The replica mounts available now days offer the ability to exactly match your fish’s size and look. They also last longer and in most cases look better too.

If you’re an avid trout fisherman, you’ve probably wondered if you can eat trout raw. Saltwater fishermen talk all the time about catching Spanish mackerel or tuna and eating right on the boat. But saltwater fish and freshwater fish live in very different environments. So can you eat trout raw?

The quick answer is that yes, you can eat trout raw if you’re desperate – but otherwise, you should not. It’s not recommended and could be bad for your health. Freshwater fish (including trout) have a higher chance of carrying parasites that could harm you.

On the other hand, saltwater fish are less likely to have harmful parasites in them – and are safer to eat raw. But even then you can still get very ill from eating any type of raw fish.

But what are your other options then? What are the best ways to prepare trout if you’re camping and if you do have to eat trout raw (like if you’re trying to survive without a fire), how would you go about doing it as safely possible?

We’ll answer all these questions and more in this article. Let’s get to it!

Why Can’t You Eat Trout Raw?

Before we get into what you should do if you absolutely have to eat trout raw as well as ways to prepare trout you’ve just caught, let’s go into a bit more detail as to why you cannot eat trout raw.

Author Note: With any raw fish, you run the risk of picking up any parasites that might be living in its meat. These parasites could be tapeworms, lung fluke, or other digestive bugs that will cause you serious harm if transferred to your digestive system.

As we mentioned earlier, saltwater fish don’t have nearly as many parasites that survive in human bodies and are there for less risky to ingest raw. That being said, health experts recommend you freeze all raw fish (saltwater included) at -4 degrees Fahrenheit for at least 7 days to kill any parasites that might be living in them.

This is the standard that sushi restaurants live by and applies to all raw fish.

Can Trout Be Eaten as Sashimi?

Sashimi is small pieces of raw fish – so aligning with our previous answer, you should not eat trout as sashimi. It’s still raw and can harm you for all the same reasons you shouldn’t eat trout raw.

Just because it has a fancy name does not make it any different from eating plain raw trout!

What to Do If You Have to Eat Trout Raw

Now that you know you should not be eating trout raw unless you need to to survive, let’s go over the things you try and do before eating it. It’s worth noting that we are NOT medical experts so if you do take our advice we are not liable for your health.

The first thing you should do is make absolutely sure you have no way to start a fire to cook the trout. Can you use friction to start a fire with two sticks?

Do you have a lighter somewhere on you or someone in your party that you may have forgotten about? Be absolutely sure you can not start a fire before proceeding.

After you’ve checked that, you should focus on cleaning the fish properly and quickly. You’ll want to eat the trout as quickly as possible after you catch it to ensure it doesn’t go bad.

The longer you wait after it is dead the more time bacteria have to grow on it and cause you harm.

How to Clean a Trout

Once you’ve caught a trout (maybe with a bobber setup or using a stick to spearfish) that you want to eat, you should immediately cut its gills to let it bleed out.

This will preserve the flavor of the meat and remove some of the stronger flavors in the blood.

Author Note: After cutting the gills you should clean it as soon as possible. Here’s how to clean a trout. The process is similar for all species of trout, whether it’s a rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, or lake trout.

Instructions

1. The first step in cleaning the trout is to make sure you have a sharp knife. Considering you’re in survival mode, even a pocket knife will work fine. If you don’t have a knife. We recommend finding a sharp rock and trying to follow these steps.
2. Begin by cutting down the trout’s belly starting from the anal fins up to the pelvic fins and the beginning of the collar. We like resting the fish on a big rock to get leverage.
3. Next, reach up inside the trout and pull out the innards. You may need to use both hands to pull them loose if they are stuck to the rib cage.
4. Wash away the blood and extra gut from your rock then cut through the collar and remove the head.
5. Next, it’s time to cut out your fillets. Make a cut across the end of the tail on both sides. Then connect the cut your already made on the belly to the end of the tail.
6. Make a cut from the top of the backbone starting at the collar and going all the way down to the tail. Move your blade all the way down the spine while cutting through the skeletal bones.
7. You can then use your knife to cut away the fillet from the collar of the trout.
8. The last step is to remove as many of the pin bones as you can with your fingernails. This step can be time-consuming but will give you bone-free fish.
9. The last step is to inspect the meat for any visible parasites or worms. They should be relatively obvious. If you see something weird, don’t eat that part of the fish or try and catch another one.

How to Cook Trout Properly

Luckily you will find yourself in this situation instead of the above. You’ve caught a trout while camping and you are ready to prepare it over a fire! This is a much safer option than eating trout raw. Let’s go over how to cook trout properly while camping.

Instructions

1. First, you should follow the above steps we laid out for cleaning the trout properly. This will ensure you avoid eating bones (which can be dangerous) and will make the trout taste better. Bleed the fish first then remove the guts. If you brought any seasoning with you (salt, pepper, etc.) this is when you should add it.
2. After cleaning the raw trout, find a long thin stick with a tip you can sharpen with your knife. This is going to be the skewer that you will use to hold the trout fillets over your campfire.
3. Slide each filet onto the stick. If you don’t have enough room on your stick, you should find another stick and sharpen it so you have two skewers. Make sure the skewer holds the filet flat and maximizes its surface area. This will help the fish cook quickly and evenly.
4. Once you build your fire, wait until the big flames have died down. This is the most common mistake when cooking trout while camping – you don’t want to cook it over open flames! You can, but it will impart a bad tasting charcoal flavor from the smoke.
5. Once the big flames have died out, push the logs apart so the coals are exposed. This is where you are going to cook your trout.
6. Hold the trout filets over the coals to cook them. You should start smelling cooked fish. Pay attention to the surface of the meat as well – you don’t want it turning black or burning.
7. The best way to tell if the trout is done is to feel it. If it is firm like the muscle of your thumb and index finger, it’s done.

What Kind of Trout Tastes Best?

Author Note: We also get this question all the time, and the answer is that it depends on your personal preference! Smaller species of trout like rainbow trout and brook trout tend to have firmer meat – like bass or pike. They also tend to taste like perch or other small predatory fish.

Larger species like lake trout tend to be softer and oilier. This is because they don’t have to work as hard to find food and have a higher fat percentage in their meat. If it was up to us, we would eat rainbow trout and steelhead the most.

We think they have the best texter and a mild flavor that tastes great with very little seasoning. Steelhead are a unique type of trout in that they can be caught year-round – even in the winter.

But if you’re in survival mode and purely eating the trout because you need sustenance, you probably won’t care what kind it is or what it tastes like. Hopefully, you don’t find yourself in that situation!

Parting Thoughts

We’ve been camping many times, and inevitably someone asks can you eat trout raw? It might be tempting at first – how much more fresh could the fish get? But as you now know eating trout raw can be dangerous to your health and should be avoided at all costs.

If you do have to eat trout raw, you should make sure to clean it properly first. Hopefully, you’ll have the resources to start a fire and avoid eating it raw.

We hope you found this article useful and informative. If you have additional comments or thoughts about eating trout raw, feel free to shoot us a note in the comments below.

Happy Hunting!

In our previous post, we talked about the intricacies of deer vision, focusing on their perception of color, sensitivity to light, ability to detect movement, and their response to blue-spectrum and UV light. With that foundation, it’s time to delve into choosing the best camo for deer hunting in different hunting environments and seasons.

In this follow-up post, we’ll discuss what the science says about deer vision and camouflage and how to use them to enhance your concealment and help you choose the right camouflage for hunting deer.

Selecting the Right Camouflage to Beat Deer Vision

Choosing the right camouflage can make all the difference in a successful deer hunt. Deer have exceptional vision, and hunters need to be aware of how they perceive colors and movement to avoid detection. In this section, we’ll look at the science behind deer vision and how it relates to camouflage.

1. Match your environment: Choose a camouflage pattern that blends well with the dominant colors, patterns, and textures of your hunting environment.
2. Adapt to the season: Select camouflage that reflects the changing foliage and vegetation throughout the hunting season. Early-season hunts may require more green elements, while late-season hunts call for patterns with more browns and grays. Snowy environments or winter hunts may necessitate snow camouflage patterns.
3. Consider deer’s unique color perception: Deer perceive reds, oranges, and some tans and grays as shades of green or gray. Be cautious when selecting camouflage patterns, as they may appear effective to human eyes but stand out to deer due to their unique color perception.
4. Minimize blue-spectrum and UV visibility: Since deer are sensitive to blue-spectrum and UV light, avoid clothing and gear treated with brighteners, which can make them more visible to deer. Use UV-free detergents for washing your hunting gear and consider using UV-blocking sprays on your clothing and equipment to minimize the chances of being detected by deer.

READ: Deer Vision 101: How Deer See Color, Light, and Movement

Why Mimicry Camo Might Not Be the Best Camo

Mimicry camo, which uses pictures or photos of sticks, leaves, bark, trees, etc. to mimic the environment, is the most common type of hunting camouflage. These patterns can look incredibly realistic to the human eye and provide a sense of satisfaction to the hunter wearing them.

As research into deer vision and behavior has advanced, it has become clear that mimicry camo may not be the most effective option for hunting. While these patterns may look highly detailed to the human eye, deer perceive them as blurry blobs of color. Instead, patterns that use disruptive shapes and colors to break up the hunter’s outline have been shown to be more effective at fooling the eyes of whitetail deer.

While mimicry camo may look great to human eyes, it may not always be the most effective choice when hunting deer. By understanding the limitations of deer vision and the importance of breaking up your outline, you can make an informed decision when choosing your hunting apparel and give yourself the best possible chance of success.

The Effectiveness of Computer-Generated “Disruption” Camo Patterns

In recent years, computer-generated “disruption-style” camo patterns have become increasingly popular among hunters. With advancements in technology, it’s easier than ever to create intricate designs and patterns that are meant to mimic natural surroundings. But are these patterns actually effective? In this section, we’ll take a closer look at the effectiveness of computer-generated camo patterns and compare them to traditional, nature-based mimicry patterns.

Disruption camo is designed to break up the outline of the hunter and create the illusion of depth using different-sized patterns. This method tricks the animal’s eyes into not recognizing the subject as one single object, which makes it harder for them to identify the threat. In essence, disruption camo is designed to trick the animal’s eyes into not seeing anything at all.

1. Kuiu, Sitka, Huntworth, and Forloh: These companies have developed advanced camouflage patterns using computer algorithms and digital technologies to create intricate designs that blend effectively with different types of terrains and vegetation. Their patterns can be quite effective for bow hunters, as they help to break up the human silhouette and blend seamlessly with the environment.
2. Asio Gear’s owl-inspired camo: Asio Gear has developed a camouflage pattern specifically for bow hunters, inspired by the natural plumage of owls. This unique pattern is designed to mimic the disruptive coloration and patterning found in owl feathers, which help owls remain concealed from their prey. The effectiveness of this pattern for deer hunting will depend on the specific environment in which you are hunting and how well the colors and patterns match the local vegetation and terrain.

Modern hunting gear companies like the ones detailed above have developed innovative, computer-generated camouflage patterns designed to provide better concealment in various hunting environments. These patterns are often based on detailed studies of natural environments and animal vision, with the aim of increasing their effectiveness in fooling the keen eyes of deer and other game animals.

READ: Bow Hunting Clothes: Optimizing Camo, Scent, and Stealth

Mastering the Art of Concealment

Effective camouflage is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to successful bow hunting. In addition to choosing the right gear, it’s important to master the art of concealment. This means staying motionless, scent-free, and taking advantage of natural cover to blend into the environment. In this section, we’ll explore the key strategies and techniques for concealing yourself effectively while bow hunting.

1. Blend with the environment: Choose a camouflage that closely resembles the natural patterns and contrasts in your hunting area, helping you to blend in seamlessly.
2. Minimize movement: Deer are highly sensitive to movement, so remain as still and quiet as possible when waiting for the perfect shot.
3. Maintain awareness: Stay vigilant and keep an eye on your surroundings. Deer have a wide field of view, and their heightened senses can detect even the slightest disturbances.
4. Camouflage vs. solid colors: While it’s possible to hunt deer without wearing camouflage, using camo can improve your chances of remaining concealed and undetected. For bow hunters, who need to get closer to their quarry, being able to break up your outline and blend into your environment is critical to your success. However, it’s crucial to combine camo with other hunting strategies and choose the appropriate pattern for your hunting environment and season.

It’s also important to consider other gear that can reduce visibility, such as face masks, gloves, and boots. These items should also match the camo pattern of the clothing.

The Best Camo for Deer Hunting

When it comes to deer hunting, camouflage isn’t just a fashion statement – it’s a crucial tool for success. Understanding deer vision and visual processes is key to creating effective camouflage that works in two ways. First, it must break up the hunter’s 3-dimensional shape and avoid stimulating the ambient system. This is achieved through an effective macro pattern.

Second, if the hunter is detected, the camouflage must prevent or delay recognition by making the hunter appear to have a completely different texture, which is where the micro pattern comes into play. Camouflage gives hunters an extra edge in the difficult pursuit of hunting by enhancing their concealment and increasing their chances of a successful hunt.

Many hunting clothing companies offer camouflage patterns that incorporate both macro and micro patterns to effectively break up the hunter’s shape and texture.

Some examples of such camo patterns include:

• Sitka Optifade Subalpine and Elevated II (and all the other variations they have)
• Kuiu Valo, Verde, and Vias
• First Lite Specter
• Huntworth Disruption
• True Timber Strata
• Under Armour Ridge Reaper Barren

These patterns use a combination of larger and smaller shapes, colors, and textures to create a highly effective camouflage that can help hunters remain hidden from deer.

There isn’t a single combination of colors that works optimally to beat deer vision, but generally speaking, camo patterns that incorporate shades of brown, green, and gray are the most effective. These colors match the natural environment, work against what a deer can see best, and reduce the silhouette of the hunter, making them less detectable.

It’s also important to choose a camo pattern that matches the specific environment and season you’ll be hunting in, as this can vary greatly depending on the location and time of year. Ultimately, the best combination of colors will depend on the individual hunting situation and environment you are in.

*Does mimicry camo work for deer hunting? Of course, it does. Deer have limited ability to see fine details, making mimicry camo effective, especially in environments where the camo closely matches the surroundings. However, based on my experience, I choose disruption-style camo 90% of the time. Disruption-style camo is designed to break up the human outline and create visual confusion, providing reliable concealment in various environments. While mimicry camo excels in perfectly matched environments, disruption-style camo offers versatility and effectiveness even when the colors and patterns may not perfectly align. This is why disruption-style camo has become my preferred choice for its all-around performance.

The Best Camo Patterns for Bow Hunters in Treestands

For bow hunters who hunt from treestands or elevated positions, there are disruption-style camo patterns specifically designed to blend into the vertical lines of trees. Sitka’s Elevated II and Kuiu’s Vias Camo are examples of camo patterns that utilize a mix of grays and greens to break up the human silhouette against the vertical lines of trees.

When hunting from a treestand, it’s important to consider the angle at which deer are likely to approach. Camouflage that blends in well with the vertical lines of trees can be particularly effective when deer are approaching from below, as it helps to break up the hunter’s outline and prevent them from being spotted.

Some of the best camos for deer hunting from a tree stand are:

• Sitka’s Elevated II
• Kuiu’s Verde (Early season)
• Kuiu Valo (Mid-season)
• Asio Gear’s Raptor Camo (See my mid-season gear review here)
• True Timber Strata
• Huntworth Disruption (or Tarnen)

What Deer Science Says

Understanding the science behind deer vision and camouflage is crucial for any serious bow hunter. As hunters, we want to reduce our visibility to deer and increase our chances of a successful hunt. Thanks to a number of scientific studies, we now have a better understanding of what camo patterns work best and why.

There are a number of scientific studies that support the effectiveness (or lack of) of camo patterns that mimic the environment. For example, a study conducted by the University of Georgia found that hunters wearing naturalistic camouflage patterns (mimicry) were less visible to deer than those wearing non-naturalistic patterns or solid colors.

Here are some additional resources and studies that can provide more scientific insight into deer vision and how it relates to the camouflage you wear when hunting:

• New York Times
• The Free Library
• The Deer Laboratory
• North Country Whitetails
• The Outdoor Channel
• Desolve Camouflage Camo Science

Conclusion

By applying your understanding of deer vision to your choice of camouflage, you’ll be better prepared to blend into your hunting environment and stay concealed from the keen eyes of whitetail deer. Remember to select a pattern that closely matches the natural colors, patterns, and textures of your hunting area, and adapt your camouflage according to the season.

Additionally, bear in mind that deer rely on other senses, such as hearing and smell. Thus, it’s essential to minimize noise, control your scent, and remain aware of wind direction while hunting. By combining all these elements, you’ll become a more proficient and effective whitetail deer bow hunter.

Understanding how deer see and process information is essential when trying to find the best camo for deer hunting. While many camouflage patterns use mimicry to blend in with natural environments, ungulates (deer) do not perceive fine detail the same way humans do. Instead, breaking up your outline is the key to effective camouflage, using different-sized patterns to create the illusion of depth and disrupt the animal’s ability to recognize one single object. This is where disruptive camouflage patterns can be more effective than mimicry patterns. By focusing on our outline, removing contrast to the environment we are hunting in, and using effective camouflage, we can reduce our visibility and increase our chances of a successful hunt.

While I didn’t list every deer hunting camouflage that meets the criteria in this post, you can now take this information and make an informed decision on what to buy the next time you are shopping for bow hunting clothes.

For whatever reason, the topic of barrel break-ins comes up in two main groups amongst gun owners…

First, the precision shooters. Second, the guys that skimped on quality parts.

This topic pops up time and time again online either as a question on “how-to” or as a response to something not going right. I’m going to get on my soapbox for a minute and try to set the record straight on this a bit.

Is a break-in process necessary for your barrel? Let’s dive in, talk about it, and help you reach a conclusion!

Barrel Break-In: What Is It?

Before we tackle whether or not your barrel needs to be broken in, let’s discuss what a break-in is and what it is supposed to do.

When you get a new barrel, there are going to be some tiny imperfections that are inherent to the process of making it. Please take note, I said tiny, not obvious.

A quality-made barrel will have microscopic nicks, pockets, and other suck shallow “holes” in metal that are part of the machining process or the make-up of the metal used.

These may or may not be visible if borescoped. However, it shouldn’t be visible if you look down the barrel before assembly.

The break-in process in theory should help to fill in or fix any of these imperfections.

By shooting a round, then cleaning any corrosive agents out of the barrel before they can set in, you are smoothing things out and creating a more uniform surface.

The actual process of this can vary from shooter to shooter, but the idea is the same.

Shoot a shot, clean the corrosives out, allow the barrel to cool (depending on conditions). Shoot a shot, clean, and cool. Repeat.

This variation is also where things get a little wonky and can border on the mystical.

Plus, breaking in a barrel isn’t always necessary in the first place.

Precision Shooting

Breaking in a precision gun, be it bolt-action or semi-auto, is a necessary part of owning the gun.

With precision shooting, eliminating any variables to control your shot placement is the primary focus.

To that goal, breaking-in can tighten up groups and reduce flyers to some degree. This is due to the “break-in shots” achieving a barrel free of anything that might impact the spin of the bullet.

Say, for example, that a tiny burr was riding up in the barrel and it hit the bullet just before exiting the muzzle. That is going to affect the spin, trajectory of the bullet, and ultimately change the point of impact.

My precision guys are some of the most superstitious, must-adhere-to-tradition members of the barrel break-in cult you will find.

I live in Nevada, and it gets hot during the spring and summer months (consistently over 110 degrees Fahrenheit in Las Vegas). I know guys that refuse to shoot more than one shot every couple of days when breaking in a barrel to allow it to fully cool.

Why? That’s what the guy who taught them to shoot did, and the guy before him handed that down, and so on.

I am not saying that allowing your barrel to cool longer is a bad thing. I am asking what’s going to be achieved by waiting 48 hours that isn’t achieved in an hour?

Other examples are shooters that will only run their lucky number of patches down the bore, shooters that will only shoot on the hour, or any other number of things that supposedly work for them.

The Budget Boys

The other group I see consistently talking about barrel break-in are the guys that buy low-quality parts from manufacturers that use their customer base as a form of quality control.

This mostly seems to be guys in the AR-15 crowd that think the 0 MOA guarantee on their $79 barrel is going to deliver.

Companies that improperly machine barrels seem to draw in shooters that think saying, “I need to break in my barrel” will do anything. It won’t.

When rifling is improperly cut, when barrels are improperly crowned when gas ports are improperly sized, and when there are visible imperfections from the manufacturing process, no amount of “break-in” is going to fix the issue.

Your barrel is already broken.

(Quick side note: machining leaves marks, there are times tool marks are ok and other times when it isn’t.)

There is a reason Mike Mihalski of Sons of Liberty emphasizes the barrel as, “the heart of the gun” in his armorer’s course.

Properly made AR-15 barrels can be upwards of $400 and that’s because proper manufacturing from good materials takes time, and labor isn’t cheap.

Unless you have built a PRS-style AR, a barrel break-in isn’t needed.

While it can certainly act in the role to an extent, the AR-15 was never intended to be a precision weapon. It was a gun designed for infantry to fight battles with.

If your barrel is so poorly made that you cannot hit a man-sized target at a few hundred yards due to imperfections in the barrel, then get a new barrel.

How-To Break In a Barrel

Now that I’ve addressed what and who, I may as well tackle the how.

I will discuss the method of barrel break-in I use for my precision guns — bolt or PRS-style ARs.

This method was passed on to me by Ryan Furman.

The appeal of the process is that it is a no-nonsense, no-frills, get it done and get shooting approach to things.

This approach has helped me to break in barrels while at the same time developing hand loads. It’s not only a time-saver but will also save some life on your barrel.

First, you’ll need a few factory rounds to get on target.

After that, I use whatever load I’m testing to try and find the nodes. (If you are unfamiliar with handloading this part may be a bit confusing).

Fire a shot, then give the barrel a swab with Bore Tech Eliminator.

The directions call for three to four patches soaked in Eliminator, then 10 to 15 passes with a tight-fitting nylon brush.

You then want to let the Eliminator soak for about five minutes. Push dry patches through until they come out clean, and you’re done.

Fire another shot, and repeat the process.

On days where the heat is excessive, I’ve found it necessary to set my gun in the shade with a fan (or in my car with the AC on high) to get the barrel to cool down without wasting time.

After 20 or so rounds, a thorough cleaning is in order with the normal procedure and equipment you use.

There you have it. No need to wait days, pray to the ballistic gods, or sacrifice a chicken for help.

Conclusion

Barrel break-ins have their time and place, but they have become convoluted in superstition and mystery.

The process is straightforward when you strip away all the fluff. Fire a shot, clean some of the carbon and copper out, then repeat.

So, find a process that works for you and stick with it. If something isn’t working, figure out why and change it.

Do you break in your barrels? Let us know below. Need to pick up an AR barrel? Check out our article on the Best AR-15 Barrels.

The answer is simple. If you’re looking to buy a new cast net and you want the best, then Barracuda is your brand. You’ll find them for sale in the best pro tackle and bait shops, and you’ll also find them being used daily by the pros. Full time charter captains spend every morning cast net fishing for the day’s bait. Why do these professional guides throw Barracuda cast nets? The quality of the craftsmanship they know is going to last and the performance they get from a perfectly balanced net. You won’t save much money on a cheap net from Walmart, Amazon or Ebay. Especially when you have to replace it so often and it only opens half the time. When it really comes down to it, and you need a cast net that’s going to pop open, sink fast and catch that precious bait for the day. The pro’s choice is Barracuda. If you’re a beginner and just starting out, you might as well buy what the professional anglers are using.

The Best Cast Net Size: This depends on whether you’re just starting out, or have been throwing for a while. If you’ve never thrown one before, then an 8 foot net is the place to start. Smaller nets like 6 feet are good for throwing out of kayaks or if you’re wade fishing. Below are some throwing instructions for 8, 10 and 12 footers. The size of the net is measured in how tall it is when held up or the radius when open. Thus an 8 foot net will cover 16 feet of water when opened. After you’re consistently getting the 8 footer to open, then it’s time to step it up if you want to catch more bait per throw. Most anglers go to a 10 footer next. This is where most seasoned net throwers are most comfortable. 12 foot nets are typically found on professional vessels. These guys have been doing it a while and probably throw it every day if they pack a 12 footer.

Cast Net Size vs Skill Level:

• 8′ = Beginners
• 10′ = Experienced Throwers
• 12′ = Professionals

The Best Mesh Size: Now that you’ve chosen the right size net for your level of throwing experience, you’ll need to figure out your proper mesh size. This primarily depends on two factors; the depth you plan to cast in, and the size of the bait. Luckily these two tend to go hand in hand.

For shallow water applications of 3 feet or less, you’ll want to go with a 1/4 mesh. This is for targeting shrimp and small minnows, usually off the beach. The smaller the mesh size, the slower it will sink. If you throw a 1/4 mesh in 6 feet of water it will sink to the bottom too slowly and your bait will swim out from under it.

When casting in 3 to 6 feet of water, a 3/8 inch mesh is the size for you. This is the most popular mesh size on the Boca Coast because we target White Bait, Green Backs, Pilchards, Herring, Scaled Sardines, Pin Fish, etc. The 3/8″ mesh works the best here because it sinks fast, it can be used in deeper water and it also works well in shallow water.

In the winter time, the bait tends to be in deeper water. When casting into 6 to 15 feet of water, you’ll want to throw a 1/2 inch mesh. This is where the size of the bait vs mesh can become an issue. If the bait is too small for your 1/2″ mesh, you’ll end up with what’s known as a Christmas tree. This is when your mesh is too big and the bait gets gilled or caught up in the mesh. You can pick them out one by one or scrape them off with your bait well net, but it’s unlikely that any will survive. This is when you’ll want to chum them up to the surface so you can deploy your 3/8″.

If you’re catching very large bait near a bridge or structure, then you may be casting in 8 to 20 feet of water. A 5/8 inch mesh will get the net down to the bottom quickly, but you may also have issues with gilling bait at times. It depends on your target species. This may also call for chumming them up into the water column in order to cast a smaller meshed net.

If you’re targeting large bait like Mullet, then 1 inch mesh is appropriate because it will sink very fast and the bait is big enough that you won’t have concern about it getting gilled up in mesh of the net.

Mesh Size VS Bait & Depth:

• 1/4″ = Minnows & Shrimp: 3′ Deep or Less
• 3/8″ = White Bait & Pin Fish: 3′ to 6′ Deep
• 1/2″ = Large White Bait & Ballyhoo: 6′ to 15′ Deep
• 5/8″ = Very Large Bait Fish: 8′ to 20′ Deep
• 1″ = Mullet: 4′ to 20′ Deep

Cast Net Throwing Instructions For Beginners

How To Throw An 8 to 10 Foot Cast Net: There are several methods of throwing a cast net. When you’re a beginner and first starting out, the 8 foot net is the easiest to throw. Throwing a 10 footer is very similar and you can throw both with this method. Best part is you don’t use your teeth or put a wet net on your shoulder! This is the dry method and our personal favorite!

How To Throw A 12 Foot Cast Net: When you’re ready to join the “One & Done” club with the pros, here’s Captain Blair Wiggins from TV’s Addictive Fishing showing his technique for tossing the big nets.

Where & How To Chum: Depending on the time of year and water temperature, you may be anywhere from the beach to a flat or even a bridge looking for bait. Visit our page about Chum and learn all about the techniques and locations for finding bait and chumming it up to the surface for cast netting.

Why Barracuda: The build quality, materials, design and performance are the best. Ask anyone who has experience with other nets and you’ll probably hear how the Barracuda nets POP open. Other nets sound like a band-aid being pulled apart and you can hear the difference in sound when you’re out on a flat pre-dawn. That’s because they use a large 3.25”, 4 section, custom built horn (at the top). The larger horn allows the braille lines to travel through it faster with less resistance. The sections keep the braille lines from getting tangled in the net which solves a common and annoying issue with the cheap ones. Their mesh is a proprietary monofilament that exclusive to Barracuda. It has exceptional strength, durability and flexibility. Most importantly; it has a faster sink rate. For example; their Pro nets weighing in at 1.4 lb per foot, actually sink faster than other brand’s nets with 1.5 lb per foot. They’re constructed of a 6-panel mesh which allows for a better spread and opening. And Finally; round leads sink fast, retain bait because they don’t plane and also reduce snags.

Also be sure to register your new net on their website, because they come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty! That’s right, if your Barracuda gets ripped, torn or destroyed, you can turn it in for a new one at 50% off MSRP. No other manufacturer offers that and you just can’t beat it!

Conclusion: Read the reviews, talk to charter captains and go check out the cast nets at your local bait & tackle store. Hold a Barracuda in your hands and compare it to any other brand. Notice how soft and limp the Barracudas are. That’s the one you want. You’ll soon learn Barracuda is the first choice in cast nets and why they’re official cast nets of the Boca Coast. If you’re in the market to buy a new cast net for catching bait, then hopefully this page has helped you figure out what brand and size to buy. Most of our pro anglers and guides throw a 3/8″ mesh net in shallow water during the majority of the year. A 1/4″ is good for a couple months in summer when the baits get small. Many also have a 1/2 inch mesh in their arsenal for winter and deep water netting. Learning how to throw the net and chum up the bait will improve your catch rate tremendously. The Boca Coast is the Inshore Fishing Capital of the World and the white bait (pilchards) is the go to bait for lunker snook, redfish and tarpon. Ask any professional angler and they’ll tell you that nothing beats live bait if you want to catch fish. Getting out there and catching your own bait is both rewarding and fun. It adds another aspect of fishing to your day that you’ll certainly enjoy and soon learn improves your angling experience. Tight Lines & Full Nets friends!

Along with bobcats and black bears, coyotes are one of the few remaining predators of white-tailed deer following the extirpation—regional extinction—of cougars and wolves in Pennsylvania. Many deer hunters believe that “coyotes keep down the white-tailed deer population.” This has led to many coyotes being killed by deer hunters in the name of “saving” the deer herd, but is this true? No. Coming to this seemingly simply answer requires an understanding of population dynamics—how populations change over time—and the ecology of both species.

Following birth, death is the most significant event in an individual animal’s life. What killed an animal is significant to the individual, but on a population level, the individual’s death and cause of death is relatively unimportant. All that matters is how many individuals died in a year (deathrate), how many animals were born (birthrate), how many animals immigrate or emigrate to or from an area, and how many animals reach reproductive status (recruitment). In Pennsylvania, the deathrate of adult white-tailed deer tends to be stable and mainly driven by hunting. Recruitment is the number of fawns that mature into adult deer. This determines future populations, as mature deer are the only individuals that breed. In Pennsylvania, a deer that survives the hunting season has a 90% chance of surviving to the next year, so fawn survival is an important driver of deer population dynamics.

In some places, coyotes keep white-tailed deer recruitment rate low, but in Pennsylvania they do not. Predation is more complex than the simple killing of animals. The effects of predation are broken down into two types: compensatory or additive. Compensatory predation is when predators do not add to the deathrate: the animals that they kill would not have survived the year regardless of predators. Here is an example to better understand this complex topic: in a hypothetical Pennsylvania forest where there are no predators present, two deer die a year from starvation or disease. Then, coyotes enter the forest and eat two deer per year, but deer do not die from any other causes (such as starvation). In this example, predation is compensatory. To make this predation additive, two deer would die (from starvation or other causes) and two additional deer would die from coyotes per year. This woulddouble the annual death rate from two tofour deer per year, thus making predation additive.

For the most part, coyotes in Pennsylvania are compensatory predators of deer. This means, they do not impact a deer population. The deer they eat probably would not have survived the year. This finding has been demonstrated by several studies, one study looked at the deer populations in the Southeast and East Coast, which had recently been colonized by coyotes. If coyote predation was additive then deer populations would go down, but that is not what the study found. It found that deer populations increased following coyote colonization. Another study in South Carolina removed coyotes from a large area for three years, and the researchers found that the deer population was largely unaffected by removal. Instead of being eaten by coyotes, fawns died from other causes like starvation and disease. A study in Delaware reported that only 45% of monitored fawns were still alive 90 days after birth, but not one of the monitored fawns was killed by predators. Again, fawns died of disease, starvation, and vehicle collisions.

A study on fawn survival in Pennsylvania found areas with and without large predators including coyotes, black bears, and bobcats, had a similar survival rate. The study found that the mother is more important to a fawn’s chance of surviving than predators. If she is stressed (by humans or poor habitat), she cannot produce enough nutritious milk to feed her fawn(s). Doe age also has been found to have an impact on fawn survival, older does had higher fawn survival rates. Mature, experienced does are more likely to choose birthing sites with security cover and adequate food nearby. Young inexperienced does typically are left with less secure birthing sites and must travel farther from their fawn(s) to find food.

The Delaware study found that the greatest predictor of fawn survival is weight; fawns that are underweight are prone to higher mortality than heavier fawns. Underweight fawns are more susceptible to cold and rain and therefore more likely to contract disease. An inch of rain in one day doubles the risk of death in an underweight fawn. A heavy fawn is better able to regulate body temperature when wet or chilled. Underweight fawns are also more likely to get caught by predators than those at a healthy weight.

Understanding coyote predation also requires understanding the life history and ecology of coyotes and deer. It is generally accepted that only predators 50lbs or more can consistently take down healthy adult deer without the help of outside forces like injury, disease, or deep snow. Thus, only the largest coyotes could consistently prey on adult deer. This does not mean that coyotes do not eat deer. A recent review of the diet of coyotes, found that cervids (deer, elk, and moose) were the most common food item in their diet followed by rodents, plants, and rabbits and hares. The review could not differentiate between animals that were hunted or scavenged, and according to the study’s author it is likely that most of the cervids that are eaten were probably scavenged (e.g. roadkill, hunter-killed, or individuals that died from other causes).

Since coyotes struggle to take down healthy adult deer, they mainly predate fawns. But fawns are hard to find, they are camouflaged, almost scentless, and spend most of the day motionless in dense vegetation. If a fawn survives its first 30 days, it is highly likely to survive to adulthood, as it will be able to outrun potential predators.

Deer also avoid predation by “predator swamping”. This is when all does give birth around the same time each spring. By doing this, there are so many fawns on the landscape that predators cannot find and eat them all. If a coyote can find and eat one fawn, it will be satiated for a few days giving the rest of the fawns a better chance at surviving the crucial first 30 days. By giving birth in the spring, does are setting themselves up for success as this is the time of year when plants are the most plentiful and nutritious. This not only allows does to produce the most wholesome milk possible, but it also maximizes the potential cover for fawns, so they can better hide from predators.

If the goal of coyote population reduction is to increase deer populations, time and money would be better spent on deer habitat improvements than on coyote control. Proper habitat management increases available food and cover in a forest. Improved habitat conditions not only allow fawns to better escape predation it also reduce stress on does, increasing fawn birthweights and allowing them to produce more nutritious milk. Stress on females can also be reduced by establishing “reserve” areas or sanctuaries on a property where recreation does not occur or is limited. Limiting the use of motor vehicle and high-impact recreation in spring when fawns are especially vulnerable will help their survival.

It is important to remember that even with the best management, deer herd size will always be limited by habitat carrying capacity, the number of animals an area can support. Proper habitat improvement practices can increase carrying capacity. However, it does not go away, and there will always be a limit to the number of healthy deer an area can support.

References

Alex J. Jensen, Courtney J. Marneweck, John C. Kilgo, David S. Jachowski. 2021. Geographic and Seasonal Patterns in Coyote Diet. Proceedings of the 44th Annual Southeastern Deer Group Study.

John C. Kilgo, Mark Vukovich, H. Scott Ray, Christopher E. Shaw, Charles Ruth. 2014. Coyote Removal, Understory Cover, and Survival of White‐Tailed Deer Neonates. The Journal of Wildlife Management.

Justin R. Dion. 2018. Neonatal Survival and Spatial Ecology of Adult Female White-Tailed Deer in the Functional Absence of Predators. Thesis at the University of Delaware.

Justin K. Vreeland, Duane R. Diefenbach, and Bret D. Wallingford. 2004. Survival Rates, Mortality Causes, and Habitats of Pennsylvania White-Tailed Deer Fawns. Wildlife Society Bulletin.

Tess M. Gingery, Duane R. Diefenbach, Bret D. Wallingford, Christopher S. Rosenberry. 2018. Landscape-Level Patterns in Fawn Survival Across North America. The Journal of Wildlife Management.

Todd M. Kautz, Jerrod L Belant, Dean E. Beyer Jr., Bronson K. Strickland, Tyler R Petroelje, Rahel Sollmann. 2019. Predator Densities and White-Tailed Deer Fawn Survival. The Journal of Wildlife Management.

Reviewed by David Jackson