Fishing for buffalo is becoming more and more popular in the US and many anglers, who are new to the sport, wonder about the best ways of catching this awesome species. So I decided to write a detailed guide on how to catch buffalo fish in order to help you get going.

In order to successfully catch buffalo fish, you will need heavy carp rods, carp reels, a strong braided mainline, and #4-#8 wide gape hooks. Buffalo fish are best fished for on the bottom and caught on hookbaits such as boilies or tiger nuts.

If you want to get expert tips on how to catch buffs, what gear and baits to use, and where to fish for buffalo, all you have to do is keep reading.

Disclaimer: This article includes expert advice provided by Texan buffalo angler James King. James has caught several lake records and was kind enough to share some of his best tips with Strike & Catch.

What Gear Do You Need To Catch Buffalo Fish?

When it comes to buffalo fish, using the right gear is absolutely essential. Not only when it comes to the presentation of your baits, but also because buffalo fish are extremely strong fish. Getting them on the hook is only half the battle, fighting and successfully landing them is the really difficult part.

It is here that fishing with heavy and qualitative gear really pays off!

Rods

You will want to use heavy 2-section carp rods with a length of 12ft and a test curve of at least 3lb. Rods like that will both let you cast out your rigs very far and have a strong enough backbone to fight even the biggest and strongest of buffalo.

When it comes to carp rods, both Shimano and Daiwa are two solid brands that you can trust 100%. They make really high-qualitative rods for a very decent price. I use 3 Daiwa rods myself and they have landed me a ton of fish over the years. Check out the Daiwa Black Widow Carp Rod on Amazon here.

Reels

Heavy artillery carp reels are also something that I recommend strongly when fishing for buffs, as they will do most of the hard work together with you during the fight. Big pit reels that can hold a lot of line are definitely the way to go, both for casting and for fighting buffalo. Because when they charge off, they can go a long way!

Once again, Daiwa is the brand of choice here. You should definitely check out their Daiwa Crosscast Carp. It’s a superb real that is definitely capable of handling big buffalo. Take a look at this awesome reel on Amazon here.

Line

The third really important component when it comes to your gear is your mainline. Now, you can choose between monofilament and braid, and if this article would have been about carp, I’d suggest mono. For buffs, however, braid is definitely the better choice!

Braid has almost no stretch to it, which is a huge advantage when fishing for buffalo, as they are extremely careful when picking up your hookbait. You will want that hook to set as quickly as possible, and a no-stretch mainline will certainly help in that regard.

Additionally, braid has the ability to transfer even the slightest of movements from your hookbait to your rod tip much faster than mono does, which means that you will be able to detect even the most careful of takes.

a strong braided line of 30lb test is what you are looking for here and the one braid I use for all my fishing and one I can highly recommend is the Power Pro. I don’t think there is a better braid out there, to be honest! You can check out the Power Pro on Amazon here.

Pro Tip: Connect 4-5 feet of 40lb fluorocarbon to the end of your mainline and cover it with a sinking rig tube of the same length to both protect the fish and to make your end tackle even stronger and more abrasion-resistant.

Rigs

The best rig for buffalo is a classic carp rig, consisting of the following end tackle:

• a barrel or quick change swivel
• a 4-5 inch braided hooklink (30 to 40lb test)
• a size 4 to 8 wide gape or long shank carp hook

That’s basically it! This will make for a very effective hair rig that can catch you a ton of buffs! To make this rig even more effective, you can also put on an anti-tangle sleeve (helps a lot for those long-distance casts), as well as a short piece of shrink tube that’ll go on the hook shank (for a better hook set if and when the fish hooks itself).

RELATED ARTICLE: You can check out this article if you want to learn how to tie a simple hair rig!

The short hooklength further aids the hook set, as the hook will set almost immediately after the fish has picked up your bait.

Bank Sticks or Rod Pod

Fishing for buffalo is a waiting game and if you are using more than one rod, putting them on a couple of banksticks or a rod pod can be a very good idea.

This way, they are secured (use butt rests) and off the ground and you can use bite alarms to better detect the often careful buffalo takes.

Bite Alarms and Bobbins

Electronic bite alarms are super useful when fishing for buffalo. They make the need to constantly check your rods obsolete and also let you fish through the night. Although when it comes to buffalo, keeping an eye on your rods is never a bad idea, as the bite alarms can certainly miss the occasional slow or careful take.

That’s why bite alarms should be used in combination with hangers, or bobbins. These will help you notice less obvious bites and can accurately indicate the, for the buffalo so typical, drop back take, which will be explained further down in the article. A cheap set on bobbins can be found on Amazon right here.

Landing Net

Buffalo fish can get huge, which is why you’ll need a wide and deep net in order to securely land them. A 42inch carp landing net is the perfect fit for big buffalo. You can find a great carp landing net on Amazon here.

What Is the Best Way to Fish for Buffalo?

Finding the Fish

If you’re not fishing pay lakes, but instead target natural waters with wild buffalo in them, you will often find yourself fishing water systems of considerable size. Put in other words, buffalo can most often be found in gigantic lakes and larger river systems, and finding them there is not always the easiest of tasks.

If you’re lucky, you will be able to spot fish somewhere in the lake, but all too often, that is just not possible.

Try to find any kind of features that hold food and hence attract fish. Those can include:

• Weeds
• Reeds
• Small islands
• River mouths
• Drop-offs (especially attractive during summer, when the shallow waters are too warm)

Pro Tip: If you fish a water you are not familiar with, ask the local fishermen for advice! Most of them will be happy to share some good locations and give you some valuable tips!

Pre-Baiting

So, once you’ve decided on a spot you want to try out, a good tactic is to pre-bait it. If there is food in your spot, the fish will find it, as opposed to you having to search for them.

Of course, there is never a guarantee, but as buffalo fish, much like carp, really like to feed a lot, pre-baiting can definitely improve your chances.

Now, what and how much you put out is really up to you. Generally speaking, the more you can throw in the better! You can pre-bait your spot with anything from feed corn, beans, nuts, to boilies and pellets. Trust me, they’ll eat it all.

Pro Tip: Stay clear of processed ingredients such as Jello! Instead, use lots of good attractants like salts and oils to make your particles even more powerful.

Pack Bait

Once you are ready to start fishing, consider using bigger balls of pack bait around your weights or method feeder. The additional bait, which will be presented extremely close to your actual hook bait, will certainly get the attention of any buff that is now in the area.

Additionally, pack bait and the bait cloud it produces attract a lot of small fish, which, in turn, capture the interest of bigger fish, like buffalo and carp.

Pro Tip: Buffs like hot and spicy stuff! So make sure to flavor your pack bait with chili or curry powder!

Fox Paste Bomb

As mentioned in the gear section above, using an inline paste bomb is by far the most effective way to fish for buffalo. Not only will a weight of 3 or 4oz keep your hookbait pinned down on the bottom, it also allows you to chuck out really big and heavy balls of pack bait.

If you know how to handle a 3lb carp rod, casting out a 3oz weight with an additional 4oz of pack bait 70 yards or more can be a relatively easy task. And being able to get that much feed out with each and every cast is a huge advantage! You can purchase the Fox Paste Bom at Big Carp Tackle here.

The Hook Set

Now that you have baited up your swim and cast out your rods, it’s time to wait for that take. When it comes, you gotta be 100% ready!

Despite their impressive size and brud force, buffalo fish actually feed and bite very cautiously and it’s extremely easy to miss a bite when it comes.

Unlike carp, who will almost always hook themselves against the weight of your bottom lead and then immediately swim off, buffalo won’t really notice that they have been hooked. Due to their very thick and fleshy lips, they simply won’t feel the hook when it penetrates.

And as they don’t really seem to care much about the weight hanging off their mouths either, they’ll just keep grazing and feeding.

All too often, this behavior will lead to the classic drop back, which is the best bite indicator you can get when fishing for buffs!

When they’ve been hooked and carry on feeding or swimming around lazily, they will often lift the weight off the bottom. This will cause your mainline to go slack and the hanger, or bobbin, on your bite alarms to drop down.

At best, you will get the visual indication of the bobbin moving and a few beeps from your bite alarm, but that’s usually it. So if you want to be able to fight and land that buff, this is when you’ll have to pick up your rod!

What Are the Best Baits for Buffalo?

Buffalo fish can be caught on a variety of both natural and artificial baits. The ones that are best suited for big buffs and for the type of rig presented in this article include:

• Boilies and Pop-Ups/Dumbbells (fish them snowman style: 1 boilie and 1 pop-up on the hair)
• Tiger Nuts
• Plastic Tiger Nuts

Pro Tip: The artificial baits are especially effective in waters that hold crayfish or turtles, as they have a much harder time getting those baits off the hook or hair.

All three bait types can be presented on a simple hair rig and will fit the buffalo’s fairly small mouth perfectly.

The somewhat bigger boilies and pop-ups come in handy on waters with a lot of smaller baitfish, as they won’t be able to get those baits into their mouths and hence do not produce unnecessary bites. You can find high-quality boilies and pop-ups over at Big Carp Tackle.

If your fishing spot is not disturbed by any smaller fish, you can also use the following baits for buffalo:

• corn
• artificial pop-up corn
• worms

What Is the Best Time of Year to Catch Buffalo?

In the southern parts of the US, the best time to catch buffalo fish is between December and May. During that period of the year, the temperatures in both air and water are more moderate, which means that there is more oxygen in the water.

This spells more active fish that feed on a more or less regular basis throughout the day.

In the northern parts of the US, as well as in Canada, the best time to catch buffalo is between late summer and late fall.

Where Can You Catch Buffalo Fish?

While a majority of lakes with the biggest buffalo can be found in the state of Texas, you can actually find them in most US states.

Their geographical distribution stretches Canada in the north to Texas and Alabama in the deep south.

In Canada, they can be found in the Milk River and Qu’Appelle River that flow through Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. They also inhabit Lake Winnipeg.

In the northern US, they are native to midwestern and eastern states such as Wisconsin, North Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota. They then follow the midwestern and eastern parts of the US all the way down to Texas, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.

The major water systems in which they can be found include the Hudson Bay and Mississippi River drainages.

Do Buffalo Fish Fight Hard?

While buffalo are extremely subtle feeders and are generally fairly slow-moving fishing, they can turn into real steam locomotives once they realize that they’ve been hooked.

Unlike carp, which often swim hither and thither and in a somewhat panicky and uncontrolled way, buffalo often simply charge off into one direction and keep to it.

But that’s exactly the difficult part when fighting them. Consider a 50lb fish that seems to have near unlimited power and energy reserves and that swims off with relentless force and determination!

Now, try to imagine that powerful fish at the end of your fishing line. If you can imagine that, you understand the need for all the heavy gear I mentioned above!

How Big Can Buffalo Fish Get?

The smallmouth buffalo, which is the buffalo type that is most commonly found and fished for in the States, is a species that can reach really impressive sizes. Fish of over 60lb aren’t that unusual and fish that have weighed in at over 80lb have been caught in the US.

As the species isn’t all that popular, not too many fish get caught and so, no one really knows how big they can get. It is not impossible that there are 100lb+ specimens swimming around in some major lakes of the south! Imagine hooking up to a fish that size!

Currently, the US and world record smallmouth buffalo is a fish of an incredible 82lb 3oz. That behemoth was caught by angler Randy Collins on Athens Lake (Texas) back in 1993.

Related Articles

• What Is the Difference Between Buffalo Fish and Carp?
• Euro-Style Carp Fishing Gear (A Complete Guide)
• What Types of Carp Are There?

All images courtesy of James King

About The Author

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Hunting dog names are perfect if you plan on taking your pup hunting with you.

But how do you know which one to pick?

Out in the fields, an owner will have to call the dog’s name many times, so it’s essential to choose wisely.

When you think of a typical hunting dog, a few adjectives come to mind: loyal, disciplined, tough, and intelligent. Excellent hunting dog names reflect these characteristics.

You can also draw inspiration from nature, the ammunition and tools you use, mythology, famous hunters, and much more.

Our list of 215+ hunting dog names will provide plenty of ideas and lead you to the perfect name for your new pup!

Classic Hunting Dog Names

When looking for the perfect dog name, it’s hard to know where to start. So to kick off our list, let’s explore some traditional hunting dog names that encompass the essence of the hunting experience.

These are tried-and-true, traditional names that signify your four-legged friend is a hunting dog. They’ve been used by thousands of hunting enthusiasts just like yourself when naming a new pup.

Look and see if any are a fit for your soon-to-be hunting buddy.

• Ace – You’ll have an ace hunting dog if you train correctly. Get a leg up by naming your dog Ace.
• Blaze – Like blaze orange! Or how fast your dog will be running after prey.
• Bud – Hunters have a special bond with their dogs in the field. You become buds with your pup!
• Buddy – A slightly longer variation of Bud.
• Boomer – If we were to get a male hunting dog, this would be our pick for the name.
• Camo – Camouflage clothing is worn during hunting.
• Chase – It goes without saying: A hunting dog does a lot of chasing.
• Dakota – This name is excellent on many levels. The plains of North and South Dakota are prime hunting spots. And it also pays tribute to the Dakota tribe.
• Decoy – Setting up a decoy is an important tactic.
• Dixie – The region of Dixie is considered the south and southeastern portion of the United States, where hunting is quite popular.
• Duke – is also powerful and an excellent choice for male hunting dog names.
• Hunter – After all, your dog is a hunter, too.
• Huntress – This is one for the female hunters.
• Liberty – There’s something about hunting that makes you feel free.
• Radar – Hopefully, your dog is like a radar when you’re hunting together and monitors everything that is going on.
• Ranger – Your dog helps you monitor the landscape and take care of business, just like a ranger.
• Scout – Your pup will help you scout the land. This name is classic and cool.
• Shadow – Your pup is like your shadow in the field.
• Trapper – The goal is to trap animals, and this is a unique, rugged name.

Hunting Dog Names Inspired by Guns and Ammunition

A critical part of the hunting experience is the guns and ammunition. In addition, they provide fun ideas for gun dogs!

Below are ideas based on commonly used brands and products. However, you might find a name that resonates with you based on your preferences.

The best part about these picks is that they’ll especially resonate with other hunters, who will immediately understand their meaning.

• Ammo – An abbreviation for ammunition and a unique name for your canine hunter.
• Beretta – This Italian firearms company makes a cool name for a female hunting dog.
• Bullet – And then out goes the bullet!
• Colt – Colt has been making firearms in the United States since 1836.
• Gauge – The gauge of a firearm is a unit of measurement used to express the barrel’s diameter. It’s also a tough, strong dog name.
• Glock – As in the Glock pistol.
• Gunner – A term for a person who operates a gun or cannon.
• Hammer – The hammer is the part of a firearm that converts stored energy to fire a projectile.
• Kimber – American small arms manufacturer.
• Magnum – As in the Magnum gun.
• Musket – Looking for a super unique name? Musket – the muzzle-loaded, smoothbore firearm fired from the shoulder – makes a cool moniker.
• Nelli – Benelli, an Italian firearm manufacturer, Benelli is best known for shotguns used by military, law enforcement, and civilians all over the world.
• Pistol – As in the short firearm.
• Powder – The powder in a gun that propels the bullet and makes a softer hunting dog name.
• Remington (Remmy) – Based in the United States, the Remington Arms Company is a leading manufacturer of firearms and ammunition.
• Ruger – The Ruger company, also based in the United States, produces high-quality firearms.
• Sauer – SIG SAUER is a German firearm company.
• Shooter – A fantastic, expert-sounding choice.
• Smith – Smith & Wesson is an American firearm and ammo manufacturer from Massachusetts.
• Sniper – A rifleman who fires from a concealed place.
• Tank – As in a tank gun.
• Trigger – When firing a shot, you first pull the trigger.
• Wesson – Smith & Wesson is an American firearm and ammo manufacturer from Massachusetts.
• Winchester – The Winchester Repeating Arms Company is a prominent American maker of repeating firearms. How regal is this name?

Bow Hunting Dog Names

Bowhunting is another form of hunting. If you’re a bowhunter, you may not be hunting with your dog, but it can be fun to name your pup after your hobby!

These names encapsulate this unique activity and draw inspiration from the tools, popular brands, famous bow hunters in pop culture, and more.

• Arrow – Some forgo guns and use arrows for hunting instead.
• Bear – Compound bow brand and father of bowhunting Fred Bear.
• Bow (Bowe) – Your primary hunting tool
• Bull (Bullseye) – A great shot
• Cam – Part of a compound bow
• Fletch – Short for fletching, the feathers or vanes of an arrow
• Hawkeye – Marvel archer
• Hoyt – Hoyt Archery brand
• Legolas – Elf with a bow from Lord of the Rings
• Link – Bow-wielding hero of Zelda video games
• Matthews – Bow brand
• Robin – Robin Hood

Animal-Inspired Hunting Dog Names

The names of animals – either hunters or commonly hunted – also make excellent hunting dog names.

Animals are an integral part of the hunting experience, so it only makes sense that they can be an inspiration for naming your dog.

Strong and distinct, these names reflect the spirit of hunting.

• Bear – Bears are often hunted and are also hunters themselves. This is quite the popular dog name and frequently makes our top 20 list.
• Buck – A buck is a male deer which are commonly hunted.
• Drake – Duck hunting is quite popular. By picking drake, the name of a male mallard, you recognize the animal without being literal.
• Fawn – Deer are a popular hunting target, and Fawn makes a perfect name for a female dog.
• Finch – This animal name is a little different. The finch isn’t hunted or a hunter, but we love this cute, lovely name for a hunting dog.
• Fox – We love this name. Foxes are quick and lively – great qualities in a hunting dog.
• Grizzly – As in a Grizzly Bear, the massive bear that hunts its prey.
• Hawk – The hawk is an agile, strong hunter.
• Lynx – The lynx, a medium-sized wild cat, is a natural hunter. Like your dog, hopefully.
• Tiger – Tiger is a brutal, strong animal.
• Wolf – A wolf is also a wild canine hunter.

Other Ideas For Hunting Dog Names

Let’s look at other names options that are tough and tenacious, just like your dog.

Here are dozens of more ideas that work perfectly for pups who love to hunt.

• Beast – Tough? Check. Fun? Check check.
• Blitz – This military term also serves as a cool hunting dog name.
• Bolt – A good hunting dog is quite speedy, which makes this a fitting name.
• Brutus – Tough and funny.
• Cabela – This retail store is a mecca for hunters.
• Dash – Hunting dogs are super fast, after all.
• Diesel – Diesel has just the right edge of toughness and rebellion.
• Gander – As in Gander Outdoors.
• General – If your dog is intelligent and commanding, this is a great name.
• Jag – This name is tough and to the point.
• Justice – Righteous and strong, justice is a great way to describe a hunting dog.
• King – This regal name is fabulous for hunting dogs.
• Legend – This name is unique, fun, and confident.
• Mack – Mack is a tenacious and tough name.
• Maverick – A maverick is someone who takes an independent stand apart from his or her associates.
• Max – This name is quite a popular choice for male pups.
• Outlaw – If you want a rebellious name, Outlaw is a daring choice.
• Porter – A hip, cool hunting dog name.
• Rex – If you’re looking for a classic dog name, Rex is the way to go.
• Shiloh – This name is the quintessential classic dog name.
• Spike – Cute and tough at the same time, Spike is a lovable hunting dog name.
• Rambo – Another iconic, tough Sylvester Stallone character.
• Rebel – Great for kick-butt, daring pups.
• Rocky – As in Rocky Balboa, the tough boxer played by Sylvester Stallone. Rocky is another name on our top 20 most popular choices.
• Rogue – A rebellious, fun option for female hunting dog names.
• Ryder – A strong and stylish moniker.
• Sarge – I love this powerful, commanding name.
• Scheels – This retail chain has plenty of great gear for hunters.
• Scooter – This sounds like a hunting dog name, doesn’t it?
• Spartan – Sparta was a warrior society in ancient Greece that defeated Athens in the Peloponnesian War.
• Walker – Like Walker Texas Ranger!
• Wolverine – If you’re a sci-fi geek who also likes to hunt, Wolverine perfectly combines the two worlds.

Hunting Dog Names Based on Nature

You’ll spend a lot of time in nature if you like hunting. So why not recognize the great outdoors with these nature-inspired names?

They’re simultaneously strong and beautiful all at the same time.

Check them out and see what you think for your four-legged friend.

• Aspen – A tree native to cold regions with cool summers.
• Aurora – As in Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights.
• Brook – A small stream (and a gorgeous dog name).
• Cedar – The name of a coniferous tree.
• Dawn – Hunting often starts at the crack of dawn!
• Forest – Land filled with trees and a great hunting dog name.
• Maple – After the beautiful, colorful tree.
• Meadow – Hunting usually takes place in fields and meadows. How pretty is this name?
• Prairie – An open area of grassland where hunting often takes place.
• Rain – Rain is a gorgeous all-natural name.
• River – Your hunting trip just might be near a river.
• Sunny – How cute is this dog name? It’s cheerful and bright.
• Sky – You’ll be under the beautiful sky for hours upon hours on your hunting trip!
• Stormy – Hopefully, your hunting trips are storm-free. But, we do love this strong name for hunting dogs.
• Thunder – This name is powerful and tough, perfect for a hunting dog.
• Tundra – A cold arctic region.
• Willow – Willow trees and shrubs are common in nature. This is a beautiful, natural name.

Names Inspired by Mythology

Hunting has been around since the beginning of humanity. As such, it’s no surprise that there are many hunters and warriors in ancient mythology.

These ideas make for cool and cultured dog names that reflect the centuries-old hunting tradition.

• Artemis – In Greek mythology, Artemis was the goddess of the hunt. So, how perfect is this name?
• Athena – Athena was the gal who was good at everything, including war strategy. She was known for her wisdom, strength, and athleticism.
• Apollo – The god Apollo rocked at everything, too. One of his biggest strengths was archery.
• Hercules – Half-god, half-man, Hercules is recognized for his great strength. This makes a tough, unique hunting dog name!
• Odin – Odin, the name of Thor’s father, is the leader of the Wild Hunt.
• Olympia – Around 1,000 b.c., Greeks prepared an athletic festival to honor Zeus. It took place in Olympia, and thus the Olympics were born.
• Orion – Orion was a giant huntsman whom Zeus placed among the stars as the constellation of Orion.
• Nyx – The Greek goddess of night, Nyx is a shadowy figure with greek beauty.
• Xena – As in the warrior princess.
• Zeus – Speaking of Zeus, his name makes a pretty sweet hunting dog name, too.

We’ve got plenty more mythology dog names if you like this vibe.

Famous Hunters and Shooters

Let’s take a look at real-life people known for their hunting prowess. They could make cool hunting dog names!

Fun and unique, it’s all but a guarantee you won’t find other dogs on the hunting field with one of these names.

• Aldo – Aldo Leopold was an American ecologist and environmentalist who was also a hunter.
• Annie (Oakley) – An American sharpshooter, Annie Oakley wowed exhibition crowds from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.
• Davy (Crockett) – This 19th-century folk hero was the “king of the wild frontier.”
• Crockett – An alternate to above.
• Boone – Daniel Boone is another American pioneer known for his hunting skills.
• Cody – William Buffalo Bill Cody was a famous bison hunter from the wild west.
• Jesse – Jesse James was a famous outlaw who knew his way around a gun.
• Roosevelt – Theodore Roosevelt was an American President and famous hunter who protected the land.
• Saxton – Saxton Pope was a famous bowhunter who hunted grizzlies in Yellowstone.
• Winston – Winston Churchill was English Prim Minister who loved hunting.
• Wyatt – Perhaps the most famous sheriff in the old west, Wyatt Earp was the town marshal in Tombstone, Arizona Territory, who took part in the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

Fishing Dog Names

If you’re a fan of fishing, you may find these fishing dog names an excellent choice.

Many hunters also enjoy the sport of fishing. After all, both provide lots of time in nature and the thrill of catching an animal.

One of these fishing dog names can pay tribute to your other passion or try out a nautical dog name.

• Anchor
• Angler
• Bass
• Berkley – fishing line
• Brook – a small stream
• Captain
• Cisco – fishing brand
• Croix – pronounced Croy for St. Croix river/rods
• Finn – part of a fish
• Gill – fish openings for breathing
• Hook
• Jig
• Keeper – a good one!
• Kota – Minn Kota motors
• Lindy – tackle brand
• Lunker – huge fish
• Lure
• Marina
• Minnow
• Oakley – sunglasses brand
• Pike – species of carnivorous fish
• Ranger – popular boat
• Rigger – setting up sails/assembling tackle
• Rip – fast pull on the rod
• Sandy
• Skipper / Skip
• Spinner – fishing lure with a rotating blade
• Sunny
• Trout

Other Strong and Stoic Hunting Dog Names

• Alaska
• Alpha
• Atlas
• Arya
• Avalanche
• Bear
• Blade
• Blaze
• Blizzard
• Butch
• Calgary
• Captain
• Colt
• Crash
• Dallas
• Danger
• Digger
• Duke
• Echo
• Ember
• Falcon
• General
• Ghost
• Goliath
• Hammer
• Harley
• Harper
• Hawkeye
• Huck
• Hulk
• Indiana
• Jagger
• Jet
• Jinx
• Kane
• Major
• Montana
• Nikita
• Radar
• Raven
• Rocky
• Saber
• Sable
• Shadow
• Sheriff
• Stallone
• Stormy
• Tank
• Thor
• Trooper
• Vinnie
• Virginia

More Dog Name Ideas

If these dog names do not inspire you, try our online generator and discover more options. You can sort by your favorite styles and themes to find the perfect name for your pup.

Or check out these popular categories that are perfect for hunting dogs:

• Sports names for male dogs and female dogs

Also, you might find these articles helpful:

• Labrador dog names
• Big dog names
• Badass dog names
• Country dog names

Advice for Picking Hunting Dog Names

Although you don’t have to shy away from cutesy dog names, prepare for some teasing out in the field if you have to call a name like “Princess” for hours on end.

As a kid, we got a dog – a female chocolate Labrador Retriever – with my dad’s intent to use her for hunting. My brother and I wanted to call her Lady, but my dad quickly kiboshed that idea.

That was probably a wise idea considering his wise-cracking hunting buddies.

Here are other helpful tips when it comes to selecting a name for your dog:

• Is it easy to say? Some names are great in theory but tough to pronounce in everyday life. So before you lock in on a name, make sure it rolls off the tongue.
• Say it out loud. Can you imagine loudly calling for your dog with this name? If not, then it’s not the right name, and you should move on.
• Does it fit your dog? Check to see if the name matches your dog’s personality and appearance. This is important for both you and your pup.
• And finally, trust your gut. When you find the right name, you’ll know it!

5 Easy Steps to Teach a Dog Their Name

Once you have a name, how do you teach it to your dog? We have an awesome guide that makes it easy.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting

Having a dog is a fantastic experience, and the relationship between an owner and his dog deepens when you bond over an activity like hunting. You’re in store for happy times and many memories.

Consider these names to help you in your search and play around with our easy-to-use dog naming tool. We hope you find what you’re looking for.

Happy hunting!

View Your Saved Names

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.

Venison is already delicious and nutritious in itself, but when mixed with pork fat, you can bring even more flavor out of your deer meat.

It’s especially great for burgers, meatloaf, meatballs, and every hunters favorite: snack sticks and sausage!

In this article I’ll go over the best pork-to-venison ratios, when you should mix with beef fat, and a few other helpful tips.

This page contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Table of Contents

• How Much Pork To Mix With Venison
• What Do You Mix With Deer When Grinding?
• Why Do You Mix Pork Fat With Deer Meat When Grinding?
• What Kind of Pork Do You Mix With Deer Meat?
• How Do You Mix Venison and Pork?
• Final Thoughts
• Sources

How Much Pork To Mix With Venison

You should mix roughly 30% pork fat with venison when making snack sticks, venison sausage should have up to 50% pork fat, and venison burgers and meatballs need only contain about 20% pork fat. The amount of pork fat you need to mix with venison varies depending on the dish you’re making.

What Do You Mix With Deer When Grinding?

You should mix pork and beef fat with deer when grinding. These act as binding agents and flavor enhancers during the grinding process to compensate for the low moisture content of the lean game meat.

The choice and amount of meat to be added typically varies by personal preference. However, it would be best to read up on established golden ratios and meat-venison mixtures to enjoy your favorite ground venison dishes.

You can opt to mix beef fat with venison to make a patty or meatloaf more cohesive or to enjoy juicy snack sticks that would instead feel dry if you stick with pure venison.

If you are sort of a food connoisseur, you may notice, though, that the overall texture and juiciness of the beef-venison combination lacks refinement, in which case, you may want to try mixing it with pork.

Ground pork fat functions similarly to beef fat when mixed with venison, although you might observe a more savory mix when using pork.

An essential factor to watch out for and consider would be the source of pork fat that you mix with venison.

For instance, fat from pork belly may contain too much flavor and could overpower the deer meat.

You will not want this if you are more inclined to highlight venison’s flavor than the former in the ground meat mix.

Meanwhile, opting for back fat may provide you with just the right chewy texture without compromising the authentic venison taste.

Why Do You Mix Pork Fat With Deer Meat When Grinding?

Mixing pork fat with venison provides moisture, flavor, and cohesion to your venison grounds and a soft texture that outperforms beef fat. Additionally, venison is generally lean meat, so it needs pork fat to bind the venison grounds together.

Otherwise, you may find yourself struggling to cook pure venison patties that easily break apart.

Purists may find this problematic, thinking that precious venison meat deserves to be enjoyed free from other types of red meat that are not as lean or healthy.

The thing about the lean nature of venison is that it makes it challenging to prepare several other meat-based dishes without compromising quality.

However, if only you can toss just the right amount of pork fat into your grinder, you can expect a marbly grind that closely resembles the most common patties – beef patties.

The combination of flavorful pork fat and venison also results in a delectable ground mix. When ground, the combination of juicy pork and deer meat leaves you satisfied while also free from the greasy after-taste that comes with, say, beef.

Sausages with the perfect pork fat to venison ratio coupled with the ideal preparation steps can leave you wanting more. Besides the seasoning added to the pork and venison mix, the pork fat itself already adds flavor to your deer meat.

The moisture extracted from different types of pork cuts, such as bacon and belly, makes the entire meal even more satisfying.

The lean nature of venison makes it quickly dry out during meal prep, so the extra fat accords you with the juiciness necessary to enjoy delicious – but dry – meat.

Imagine indulging in protein-rich, saporous venison snack sticks with a hint of bacon. It seems like it could not get any better.

What Kind of Pork Do You Mix With Deer Meat?

As mentioned earlier, to enhance the juiciness and taste of venison, a certain amount of pork fat is needed. So, it’s best to add pork cuts that contain high-fat content in your grind.

Deciding on the pork cut to use depends on the taste of the end product you want. Do you want to retain the gamey taste without the dryness, or would you prefer one with a hint of pork flavor?

You can mix deer meat with any kind of pork, including pork butts or shoulders or a higher fat pork belly. Butts and shoulders are milder in flavor, while pork belly gives you a more pronounced pork taste. It depends on your preference.

If you want the unadulterated taste of venison, grind it together with pork butts or shoulders. These pork cuts are located at the front end of the pig and contain high-fat contents.

However, if you don’t mind a more domesticated taste, go for the pork belly. This slightly more pricey cut is located in the pig’s underside and is where bacon comes from.

It also has a high-fat content and that distinct pork taste that will undoubtedly influence your venison grind.

Meanwhile, back fat provides your ground venison with a soft and chewy texture, perfect for sausages and meatballs.

How Do You Mix Venison and Pork?

To mix venison and pork, start by ensuring the meats are chilled. This will help with handling and grinding. Next, find a ratio of pork to venison that works for your tastes and then grind them separately before mixing them together into a uniform mound. Finally, add any spices at the end to taste.

The amount of pork you add with venison depends on the kind of meal you plan to prepare. You’ll want to experiment on the correct pork to venison ratio and source of pork fat that you will be using.

Different types of pork fat contain varying moisture and flavor, so consider this when deciding whether to opt for savory belly fat or the more low-key back fat.

For venison sausages, you would want a more fatty venison grind. As such, I suggest mixing at least 20% pork fat with 80% venison. Of course, you can go higher than this, depending on your taste.

Just remember that eating sausages with a fat content higher than 50% can make you feel lethargic.

Venison snack sticks are a versatile outdoor treat typically marketed to hunters that may coincidentally hunt for game. If you want to have that extra money for that cool new hunting gear, you can save on buying snack sticks by making them on your own.

You can make venison snack sticks using 100% venison, but most prefer adding a little bit of pork into it (around 30%) to achieve a certain degree of juiciness. Just make sure you have the time to make them before your next hunt.

Lastly, if you’re into burgers, meatballs, and meatloaves, you may want to try burger patties made of venison. Again, you’ll just have to add a little bit of fat to prevent it from drying out and crumbling during the cooking process.

As with patties made of beef, the fat content is essential to grind the meat. Always remember that venison is leaner than beef, and you may want to add a little more fat than you would wish to on your beef patties.

The safe bet is to go for 20% fat to make the taste of your patties richer.

Pro Tip: I always prefer to grind my venison semi-frozen, after it’s been thawed out. This keeps the meat cold, and prevents your grinds from getting too wet or juicy,

Final Thoughts

One of the most rewarding aspects of hunting is the processing of your own game meat. I highly recommend you give it a try.

You May Also Like: Buck, Buck, Moose: Wild Game Cook Book

If you prefer to use your local game processor or butcher, that’s fine too. Just ask them to add some pork fat to your ground venison, and you’ll have a versatile ingredient that can replace nearly any ground beef recipe.

Thanks for reading!

See Also: Why Eating Does Vension Sometimes Give Me Gas?

• Neem Oil Deer Repellent: Does It Really Work?
• Is It Okay To Burn Bark In a Wood Stove?
• Do Deer Eat Morel Mushrooms?
• How To Properly Dispose of Wood Stove Ashes (Safely!)
• Is Fatwood Safe for Wood Stoves? Here’s What You Should Know
• Is Beaver Good to Eat? You May Be Surprised!
• Is Bread Bad For Deer? Here’s What You Should Know
• Are Roosters Good to Eat?
• 3 Easy Ways To Tell If Your Wood Stove Is Leaking

Sources

• Fox Valley Foodie: How To Butcher a Deer – Grinding Venison
• Legendary Whitetails: The Key to Crafting a Better Venison Burger
• Allied Kenco Sales: Wild Game Sausage Making Information Sheet
• Nassau Foods: Preparing the Perfect Venison
• Home Kitchen Talk: Pork to Venison Ratio for Summer Sausage
• Home Kitchen Talk: How Much Pork Fat to Add to Venison Sausage?
• North American Whitetail: How to Grind Whitetail Deer Venison

The deadly tactic of back-trolling earned its stripes in the early 1960s when walleye anglers learned from fishing pioneers like Al and Ron Lindner, Spence Petros, Carl Malz and regular contributors to Fishing Facts. It was an era when anglers were creating and perfecting the techniques of fishing nightcrawlers and leeches with tools like bottom bouncers and the then newly invented Lindy Rig.

The challenge was to troll slow enough to keep those baited rigs in contact with bottom structure or nearly touching weedlines that followed highly irregular shapes—a favorite haunt of walleyes. Trolling forward in a 16-foot V-bottom aluminum boat, even with a 10-hp motor, was too fast for these light rigs. However, if an angler put the motor in reverse and trolled backward, the blunt face of the transom slowed the boat enough for an effective presentation.

Back-trolling seemed a perfect solution until it was necessary to troll into the wind, which caused waves to break over the transom, filling a boat with water. Of course, this was before bailers were popular, as these were low-tech aluminum fishing boats. Anglers found it difficult to hold a rod, steer the motor backward and use a bucket to bail water out of the boat. But walleye anglers, being a creative bunch, soon fashioned transom-mounted splashguards to keep out the water. Soon in those days there were almost as many articles on how to make your own guards as there were on back-trolling. Some were made of aluminum, Plexiglas and thick sheets of rubber. Then some were bolted on while some were clamped to the transom.

“Now, we even put backsplash guards on our bass boats to keep waves from washing over the transom when we must use a launch ramp that faces the wind,” Al Lindner said.

Today, anglers and writers don’t mention the back-trolling tactic as often. But according to Lindner, it is still “the absolute, most precise way to keep a lure on structure and in the strike zone.”

Still wondering about the popularity of back-trolling today, we contacted professional guide Tony Roach. According to him, back-trolling is alive and well, even graduating to big-water boats in the 18- to 20-foot range.

“I have a 20-foot Lund Pro-V with a 200-hp tiller-steering motor,” Roach said. “With the SmartCraft feature, I can run the motor as low as 500 RPMs, which is fine for trolling at 1 to 1.5 mph.”

His engine has a standard shaft length, but he runs a four-blade prop instead of a three-blade model, believing it moves a more appropriate amount of water. Roach has two Minn Kota trolling motors. The bow-mount unit can self-deploy with a remote control while the transom-mounted unit has tiller steering.

Even with today’s battery- and trolling-motor technology, wind and waves can be too much for the strongest 36-volt motors to keep a boat on structure for very long.

So why is back-trolling so effective?

“The bow swings too much for precision trolling forward,” Roach says.

He also says the flat part of the transom allows an angler much more boat control.

“It also allows you to hold yourself better in the current (for river fishing).”

Even salmon anglers who fish rivers have created their version of back-trolling while using the tactic to slip downstream and bounce crankbaits off the bottom. However, they point the boat upstream and row just fast enough to let the boat slowly slide downstream.

Conventional back-trollers are in luck—they no longer have to design and build their own backsplash guards. There are at least two manufacturers who build backsplash units specifically for your chosen boat and model including Wave-Wackers and Whitecap Splashguard. Stock models are available from Ve-Ve Incorporated.

While back-trolling may not be an all-encompassing panacea, it is alive and well. However, it has been kept in the background for a reason.

The Tlingit (/ˈklɪŋkɪt/ or /ˈtlɪŋɡɪt/; also spelled Tlinkit; Russian: Тлинкиты) are indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Their language is the Tlingit language (natively Lingít, pronounced [ɬɪ̀nkɪ́tʰ]), in which the name means ‘People of the Tides’. The Russian name Koloshi (Колоши, from a Sugpiaq-Alutiiq term kulut’ruaq for the labret worn by women) or the related German name Koulischen may be encountered referring to the people in older historical literature, such as Grigory Shelikhov‘s 1796 map of Russian America.

How Raven Brought Light and Why Seagulls Cry

Before humans, the animals lived on the Earth. Each were given a cedar box from the Great Spirit, and when they opened the boxes mountains, rivers, trees and everything nice came out. (It’s the reserve Pandora’s Box!) Thus, the geography of the Earth was made. However, there was a problem. Why was it so dark?! The animals were walking into each other. Birds were flying into mountains. All in all, it was a bad time. So, where was the box full of light? Oh shit. Seagull had it. Not good. Seagull is like it’s MINE! No one is allow to touch it. Then he holds the box protectingly under his wings. But what is a trickster if they don’t have a plan? So, Raven flew up the Seagull and was like, can’t you open the box? Seagull is like mine. Raven flattered Seagull. He begged Seagull. He lied to Seagull. He tried every trick up in his arsenal. And what does Seagull do?

LAST FORT OF THE TLINGIT

In Alaska, in the early 19th century, the Tlingit – an indigenous people of Northwest America – built a final physical barrier to block the advance of the invaders. This place, in fact, was the scene of the last bloody battles between the indigenous peoples of Canada and the Russian soldiers, before Russia colonized the land in 1804. The Russians first invaded Alaska in 1799 and the Tlingit clans successfully repulsed their colonization attempts. However, the indigenous people he had to give in to Russian attacks in the attack on October 1, 1804, forever abandoning the last fort – nicknamed Shiskinou (meaning “village fortress”). Historical descriptions of the location of the fort were based on the features of the nearby landscape, offering only a general suggestion where the fort was located. However, the exact location has always remained uncertain. All this until new research found the fort’s unusual perimeter shape in Sitka National Historical Park, at the mouth of Kasda Heen (Indian River).

TLINGIT RAVEN RATTLE

Shark, Raven, Bird, Human. What does it mean to find these life forms intermingled within a singular piece, in the shape of a rattle? In Tlingit society, the interactions among these beings and the mythologies associated with them represent cultural interpretations of individual and clan relationships. Specific aspects of these relations and beliefs led to the amalgamation of stylized versions of marine animals, birds, and other enigmatic figures in this hand-held rattle carved from wood. This “Dance Rattle”—aptly described as the “Shark on Raven” rattle—was an object purchased by art collector and ethnologist Louis Shotridge (Tlingit) during the 1927 Wanamaker Expedition to acquire Northwest Coast Native objects. During the late 1800s to early 1900s, the Canadian and American governments began pressuring Native people to set aside their cultural objects and adopt aspects of Western culture. Shotridge observed that many Tlingit objects were leaving their communities of origin, and landing in museums. The Free Museum of Science and Art (forerunner to the Penn Museum) had only a small collection of Northwest Coast Native objects, but Shotridge was determined to improve the representation of Tlingit culture at Penn. He persuaded Museum Director George Byron Gordon to fund travel expenses to Southeastern Alaska to collect objects for the Museum. According to Associate Curator Lucy Fowler Williams, these were the first University Museum expeditions led by a Native person, and Shotridge “found the Museum to be a safe haven for Native materials.”

Tlingit ‘Raven’ story

ONE DAY, MY SON asked me, “How do we know if history is true?” He was 9 years old at the time, and his question shocked me. I explained to him that there are those who remember what happened, there is the evidence of what happened, and there are those who write it down. I told him that if enough of the stories match, then we all agree — that is what happened. I reminded him that this is how it “easily” works when the written word is the documentation for history, and that when it comes to Native history, we have to get the story right every time we tell it. High-level discussion with a 9-year-old. But his question has immediate relevance to this exhibition. There are countless Raven stories in the Tlingit community, and there are many versions of how Raven came to bring the light to the world. The stories are not necessarily contradictory, but they do emphasize different points and have different details, depending on whom the caretaker of that story was and how he or she was taught to tell the story. During the four years that glass artist Preston Singletary and I have been working on an exhibition with Tacoma’s Museum of Glass, he and I have continuously wrestled with questions at the intersection of oral history, the defining nature of art and the universal elements contained within this particular Raven story.

Culture of the Tlingit

The culture of the Tlingit, an Indigenous people from Alaska, British Columbia, and the Yukon, is multifaceted, a characteristic of Northwest Coast peoples with access to easily exploited rich resources. In Tlingit culture a heavy emphasis is placed upon family and kinship, and on a rich tradition of oratory. Wealth and economic power are important indicators of status, but so is generosity and proper behavior, all signs of “good breeding” and ties to aristocracy. Art and spirituality are incorporated in nearly all areas of Tlingit culture, with even everyday objects such as spoons and storage boxes decorated and imbued with spiritual power and historical associations.

Kushtaka

According to the folklore of the Tlingit people in what is now the northwestern USA, sailors who disappear at sea are said to be tricked and killed by the Kushtaka. These malicious creatures can switch between the form of a man and the shape of an otter. They can imitate the sound of a crying baby to lure innocent people and then tear them apart. However, the species is not inherently evil and there are many tales of Kushtaka saving people from a frozen death. Some stories tell of Kushtaka finding travelers who are freezing to death, and who are beyond help. Knowing that they cannot warm the human in time to save him, they turn him or her into a fellow Kushtaka, which allows the person in question to survive the horrible cold. This is a mixed boon: while the newly transformed Kushtaka is saved from death, they can no longer live among the humans.

Tlingit Myths

“No one knows just how the story of Raven really begins,” says Dekinā’k of the Box House people in Sitka, Alaska, “so each starts from the point where he does know it.” Could there be a more perfect way of introducing a creation myth than this? The importance of Raven to the stories of the Tlingit — who settled in southeastern Alaska around 10,000 years ago — would be hard to overestimate. Raven is a culture hero and trickster (like Prometheus), a shape-shifter (like Proteus), but he is also the creator of the earth. Back when there was no light in the world because a rich old man on the Nass River kept it all to himself, Raven “thought over all kinds of plans for getting this light into the world and finally he hit on a good one.” The rich old man who kept all the light to himself had a daughter, whom Raven impregnated by transforming himself into a small piece of dirt in a drop of water, which she swallowed.

The Tlingits didn’t wear long headdresses. Instead, both men and women sometimes wore basketry hats made of finely woven spruce root. The designs and patterns of these hats often displayed a person’s status and family connections. The Tlingits painted their faces with different colors and designs for different occasions, and often wore Indian tribal tattoos. Tlingit women often wore their hair in two long braids, while men usually left theirs long and loose. Like other Northwestern Indians, Tlingit men often wore mustaches and beards.

TLINGIT INDIAN FOLKLORE

Tlingit Myths and Texts: Online book about the mythology of the Tlingit tribe.

Tlingit Creation Story:

Raven: Tlingit myths about the life and deeds of Raven.

How Mosquitos Came To Be: Tlingit folktale about the origin of mosquitoes.

Tlingit Transformation Tales: Tlingit legends of Salmon Boy and the Bear Mother.

Katlian and the Iron People: Early 19th-century legend of a brave Tlingit chief’s encounters with the Russians.

Inviting The Bears: Tlingit legend about a man who threw a feast for the bear people.

The Star Shooter

The Arrow Chain: Tlingit stories about a boy who rescued his friend from the moon.

Raven and the Tides: Tlingit myth about the origin of the tides.

The Woman Who Married A Frog: Tlingit legend about a woman turned into a frog for her vanity.

Natsilane: Tlingit legend about the origin of the killer whale.

Beaver and Porcupine: Tlingit legend about a friendly rivalry between two animals.

Native Alaskan Stories: Eight Ahtna, Tlingit, and Eskimo legends presented by a Native Alaskan educational organization.

RAVEN TALES

Raven Tales are unique to Tlingit culture. Although the tales are associated with the Raven moiety, most are shared by any Tlingit regardless of clan affiliation and make up of the stories told to children. Raven Cycle stories are often shared anecdotally, the telling of one inspiring the telling of another. Many are humorous; some are serious, imparting Tlingit morality and ethics, and others belong to specific clans and may only be shared with permission. Some of the most popular are Pacific Northwest tribal creation myths. The Raven Cycle stories have 1 Raven characters, although most storytellers do not clearly distinguish them. One character is the creator, Raven, who is sometimes identical to the Owner of Daylight. The other is the childish Raven: selfish, sly, conniving, and hungry. Comparing several stories reveals logical inconsistencies between the two, which is usually explained by their setting in a mythical place and time in which the rules of the modern world did not apply.

Tlingit Myths

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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

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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

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