There’s no doubt about Gaston Glock’s pistol, it’s a good gun.

But can it be better?

Absolutely.

One of the most obvious improvements would be an upgraded trigger system. There are roughly a million different upgrades for the trigger out there…so how do you choose?

That’s where we come in…we’ve bought, used, and tested the most popular triggers over thousands of rounds.

Obligatory disclaimer that you should have a qualified gunsmith install and test all this stuff.

THE QUICK LIST

Stock Glock with 25 Cent Trigger Job & 3.5 lb Connector

Let’s establish a baseline trigger.

Many will say to get a better Glock trigger, you just have to shoot it. And they are right.

Thousands and thousands of rounds (or dry-fire) will polish up the internals and make the trigger much better. Not custom 1911 level…but better than when you bought it.

We cover how to do the infamous Glock 25 Cent Trigger Job with some polishing compound and Dremel.

Another affordable upgrade I do is upgrading the stock 5 lb connector with a Lone Wolf or Ghost 3.5 lb connector. If you built a Polymer80 Glock with a Lone Wolf frame kit…you already have the 3.5 lb connector.

Doing both in my G19 brings the trigger pull down from around 6 lb 6 oz to 5 lb 4 oz and makes it much crisper and with a smoother reset. Perfect for general purpose and maintaining the stock safeties.

Here’s a quick video on the first pull and reset so we have a baseline for the others.

Perfectly manageable, but still room for improvement!

Best Glock Triggers

1. Apex Tactical Glock Enhancement Trigger

Apex is well known for improving the turd of a trigger that comes on Smith and Wesson M&Ps, especially the first models that hit the streets. Obviously, they’ve expanded, or they wouldn’t be on this list.

Apex’s Glock Enhancement Trigger came out a few years ago and is one of the most affordable drop-in trigger systems.

When I say drop-in trigger…I mean it.

It’s a self-contained system with a trigger, trigger bar, and disconnector all built together. You remove your standard Glock guts and fill in the blank. It’s a very simple installation process and very convenient.

The Apex trigger gives you a quick stop initially, so you know when to ease and squeeze the trigger. There’s some minor pull before a clean break.

Also, a much shorter reset that’s followed by a similar pull and clean break again.

Red not doing it for you…they have purple and black too.

One big difference is the flat-faced trigger that still maintains the safety features of the standard Glock. I definitely like flat-faced triggers after using the Apex a bunch. It’s also a little meatier than the other triggers, which I like.

You can combine upgrades with the Zev Competition Spring kit, which I heavily recommend. With it and a polish job…my trigger pull is 5 lb 7 oz and much smoother.

However, I found with mine that I got light primer strikes with the use of the reduced weight striker spring. So be sure to test.

If that happens to you…you might need the Zev Skeletonized Striker ($79) to take full advantage of the springs.

The Apex Glock trigger is my pick for best bang-for-the-buck since it looks cool, is reliable, improves upon the stock trigger, and is priced right.

What’s your take on the Apex trigger? Rate it below.

2. Velocity Trigger

This Velocity Trigger I got sent for testing, and I put it in a new Polymer 80 build with a SeeAll Sight and matching gold Faxon Barrel.

It’s much thinner than the Apex or stock Glock trigger. The flat-faced trigger is also ridged for your finger’s pleasure with a lower-activating safety.

With stock springs and only a 3.5 connector, I was getting 4 lb 12 oz. With the competition spring kit…it should go down some more.

However…one big thing I didn’t like was that in my P80 build and my style of pressing the trigger (pretty high up with thin fingers)…many times, the “safe-action” trigger wouldn’t engage. And I’d be left with no PEW.

Whatever at the range…annoying at a competition…but potentially deadly in a real-life encounter. Not that I would recommend having anything modified on your gun for self-defense.

Otherwise, the trigger was great…longer pull after the initial stop and a nice click.

I would recommend for competition/range if you’re finger placement is usually on the lower half of the trigger or if you have thicker fingers than I do.

3. Overwatch Precision Trigger

The Overwatch Precision is from another P80 build. It also has the competition spring kit.

With everything…I get a super soft 2 lb 12 oz trigger pull. However…it’s pretty spongy when compared to the other triggers. Nice reset, though.

But…runs into the same safety reset problem as with the Velocity (so make sure you press lower or have thicker fingers).

My pick if you really want a light trigger pull throughout. I personally prefer less spongy (even at the expense of pull-weight), so this is my least favorite trigger out of all the series.

4. Zev Fulcrum Ultimate Trigger

My favorite trigger that lives in my G34 for competition shooting. What I’ve shot the most besides stock Glock triggers.

It breaks the cleanest without a lot of pre-travel and no mushiness. Combined with a little 25-cent trigger job polishing and the lightest springs…it comes in at under 3 lb 10 oz.

It’s not much to look at when installed…but the kit comes with an entirely new trigger assembly, lightened springs, and lightened striker (or else sometimes, when you only change springs, you get light primer strikes).

Plus…adjustable pre-travel and over-travel to get YOUR perfect trigger pull. This all comes at a price, though!

5. Tyrant CNC ITTS Trigger

Want a nicer-looking trigger but don’t want to change your trigger pull?

You can check out the Tyrant CNC ITTS Trigger, which replaces the trigger shoe with something purrty.

Easy enough to install with instructions right here.

It keeps your original trigger pull for safety reasons but makes your Glock look a whole lot better!

And while it doesn’t change the performance of the pull, that machined aluminum sure does feel nice. They come in different color combinations too!

6. Timney Alpha Glock 5

First off, I like the Gen 5 Glock trigger and consider it to be a significant improvement over previous generations.

Pressing back on the trigger, it travels back a few millimeters with minor resistance before stopping at a pretty well-defined wall. Pushing beyond this, the trigger breaks crisply at an average of around 4 pounds on my Lyman Digital Gauge.

Reset occurs after a slight release and is both audible and tactile. It’s a great trigger for a striker-fired gun, and I have definitely gotten used to it.

Given Timney’s overall reputation in triggers, I was excited to try the Alpha Glock 5. So I cracked open the package and started putting it in.

Installation was a little challenging due to the small parts, but the instructions were detailed and included good photos. Then, the trigger return spring has to be compressed on the inside of the locking block while installing the locking block.

After installing, I noticed the surface of the all-aluminum trigger shoe was smoother, and the interface with the safety bar in the trigger was also smoother.

The pull weight felt lighter, and I confirmed this on the gauge at an average of 2.5 pounds.

During press, the previously defined wall before break felt softer. And finally, trigger reset felt a bit longer to reach but was still audible and tactile.

Out at the range, the trigger truly shines with a performance you soon become accustomed to and can repeat easily. It’s a great upgrade for around $150.

Honorable Mentions

There are a lot of Glock triggers. Here are some honorable mentions:

• Agency Arms ($160): Pretty good as well…but I’d still take the Apex with the spring kit. Personal preference, though…tons of people love it.
• Lone Wolf Adjustable ($75): The P80 kit trigger is actually pretty good…and this adjustable upgrade is not too shabby either.
• CMC Trigger ($170): Another popular one, but was meh to me when I tried it.

Final Thoughts

We can all agree that sometimes swapping out a Glock factory trigger for something a little nicer can make all the difference when it comes to shooting.

And hopefully, we’ve given you some options to kick your Glock up a notch.

How did we do…what other triggers did we miss that we can test for the next update? Let us know. For a perfect trigger tune-up, make sure to grab a trigger pull gauge. We have our recommendations here!

The popularity of hunting from ground blinds, like a pallet deer blind, has grown tremendously in the past few years. When placed in a strategic location, a ground blind can offer the most exciting close encounters with deer and other game that a hunter could hope for. This is especially true when the blind is left in place for a long period of time, allowing the animals to get used to seeing it.

I set up a doghouse-style pop-up blind in what I thought would be a good spot early one deer season, then left it alone and never went to it until the next season. The first morning I hunted it, I had a bobcat walk by within 20 feet, a young six-point buck slowly grazing by at about 20 feet, and a very nice eight-point buck working a scrape about 60 yards away.

None of the critters knew I was sitting there.

The only downside of leaving a portable blind in place for a long time is the effects that Mother Nature has on it. Later in the year after that memorable hunt, my blind started to fall apart (literally) from overexposure to sunlight, wind, and rain.

However, I was so pleased with the success of my earlier hunt out of it that I decided to investigate the possibilities of a more permanent ground blind. That’s how I came up with my version of the pallet deer blind.

Easy Pallet Deer Blind

The pallet deer blind is just that—a blind made from shipping pallets. Most of us are currently interested in saving a few dollars on hunting equipment whenever possible, and pallets are usually free for the asking.

In fact, most businesses are happy to have someone haul them away. Just be sure to ask permission. Never assume the pallets are free for the taking when you see them sitting there. Some businesses reuse them. Or the pallets may have been promised to another person. But I assure you there are plenty of free ones out there if you’re willing to do a little legwork to find them.

Once you find the pallets, you will need a way to haul them to your hunting camp. A few hand tools plus a little knowledge in carpentry and you are good to go.

A full-height blind works well on an elevated platform when you don’t need as much concealment. Wrap it in burlap and screw a few leafy branches to it. You will be amazed at how well it blends with natural surroundings.

Here is the full height version of the one-man blind. Just screw three more pallets on top (with the shooting windows already cut out):

The one-man, full-height blind consists of six pallets, two 2×2 corner strips, and a handful of wood screws. I also recommend finding a few scrap pieces of treated 2×4 blocking to set it on so that the untreated wood is not sitting directly on the ground. The best plan is to have all your pieces cut and ready to assemble prior to going into the woods with it. Then all you need is a cordless screwdriver and you can erect the blind at your hunting spot in less than 10 minutes.

Once the blind is erected, it’s time to use your imagination. Remember, it’s a blind made of wood. You can do virtually anything with it. You need a bow hanger? Screw in a hook wherever you want. Need a shelf or two? Screw in some shelves. Want a roof on it? Get a couple of wood slats and a scrap piece of tarp.

You can also make it warmer and keep the wind off of you. Just staple roofing felt around the inside or outside of it. Then wrap it with camo burlap, screw some leafy branches to it (or pine limbs), erect it on an elevated platform and you have a shooting house instead of a ground blind.

Add another stack of two pallets to the front side and now you’ve got a two-man blind. Be creative and have fun. The sky is the limit and you’ll have a really nice, almost free, hunting blind that will last a long, long time.

Homemade Pallet Deer Blind Plans

Here’s a diagram of the standard shipping pallet that works best and a simple instruction diagram on how to build a one-man, full-height blind:

One tip that will make this easier and faster for you is to get six pallets that are all the same dimension. Once you go in search of free pallets, you’ll quickly find out that there are several different sizes and configurations, but you can come up with six of the same after a little searching. And even if you don’t find six matching pallets, you can still make it work with a little creative cutting and shimming.

If you’d like to have a free copy of these pallet deer blind plans, as well as instructions for two other variations of the pallet blind: the two-man, full-height blind and the half-height pallet blind, please fill out the form below.

Full Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. There’s no extra charge to our readers for using these.

Glock, Glock, Glock, it’s all about Glock. I’ll be the first to admit that Glocks are fantastic firearms that are simple, accurate, easy to use, and all in all, great guns.

What I don’t understand is the cult of Glock.

They lack the charm and character of guns like the CZ-75, Hi-Power, and 1911. Yet here we are with a Glock G17 in our hands, and it’s a predictably lovely gun.

Let’s explore the what, the why, and where the Glock excels.

Glock 17: Review at a Glance

Pros

• Accommodates virtually all mini-red dots
• Modular grip
• Highly reliable
• Tons of aftermarket support

Cons

• Slide bite is a real risk
• Small slide lock

The Bottom Line

The Glock G17 delivers a reliable, fairly ergonomic full-sized 9mm pistol in a very affordable package. Plus, the wide range of aftermarket parts and accessories available allow you to customize your G17 to exactly what you want.

Specs and Features

Specifications

• Caliber: 9mm
• Width: 1.26″
• Length: 7.95″
• Barrel Length: 4.49″
• Height: 5.47″
• Weight: 22.05 oz
• Capacity: 17

Features

• Plate system for optics that accommodates nearly all mini red dots
• Dual recoil assembly is designed to reduce recoil and increase the life of the gun
• Comes with a reversible magazine release
• Modular backstrap system
• Comes with three 17-round magazines, a handy little magazine loader, and a little tool to attach the plates and optics

Source: Glock

Background

When Gaston Glock decided to produce a handgun, he assembled a crew of engineers, firearms designers, and professional shooters to design the next big firearm. That firearm became the Glock G17.

The 17 came from the fact it was Gaston Glock’s 17th patent. Glock produced the gun for the Austrian army, and it won the contract.

Gaston’s Glock G17 went on to keep winning military contracts and serves with numerous militaries and police forces, including SOCOM.

The Glock G17 is a full-sized 9mm model. It’s also a Gen 4 model with the dual captured recoil spring, rail, and finger groove-equipped grip.

Oh, and let’s not forget you also have the option of a MOS model. MOS stands for Modular Optic System, and the gun can accommodate more than a dozen different red dot optics.

There are two types of MOS systems, the standard which we have here and the MOS3. The MOS3 utilizes optic-specific platforms and only accommodates one footprint.

Who Is It For?

The full-sized Glock G17 makes for an excellent duty weapon with police and military forces. It’s also a solid handgun for home defense.

The ability to use 33-round magazines, toss a light on it, and equip the weapon with an optic makes it an excellent home defense firearm.

Most would feel the Glock G17 is too large for concealed carry. It’s a duty-sized firearm, but don’t tell that to the hardcore concealed carriers. Quite a few fellas and gals carry full-sized firearms concealed.

It’s not that hard to do with a good holster and a good belt.

Glock pistols are also perfect for those who like to tinker. A Glock is a lot like an AR. You can turn it into anything, or well, almost anything.

The Glock G17 can be transformed into a race gun for competition shooting, and it can be made into a subgun-like platform with dozens of different brace options.

Heck, you can turn it into a rifle if you so choose. Even a bullpup rifle if you want.

Fit & Feel

The large nature of the Glock G17 fits most hands rather well. If it doesn’t, you can add a backstrap to increase the grip size. I’ve got huge hands, and the Glock fits just perfect. I think the backstraps make the gun too clunky.

Big grips mean the gun’s relatively easy to handle. Full-sized 9mms eat recoil without issue, and so does the Glock G17. However, the gun has some flaws.

For one, without the rather large beavertail extensions, the gun offers some terrible slide bite to my big hands. A long day of shooting draws a little blood and gives me a nice callous. Luckily they fixed this with the Gen 5.

Call me soft, but the trigger also tends to rub and be irritating after shooting a few hundred rounds. I replaced the trigger shoe with a flat metal model to avoid such discomfort.

I’m a fan of the Gen 5’s smooth grip versus the grip humps, but I think that’s more my preference than a flaw on Glock’s part.

The Glock’s slide release placement is also an issue for me.

My thumbs press it down with a thumbs forward grip and render it mostly useless when the magazine is empty. The slide fails to lock rearward, and a click lets me know I’m empty.

The magazine release is easily reversible for left-handed shooters. It’s relatively nice, easy to engage, and better than the Gen 3 models.

How Does It Shoot?

With 6.69 inches of sight radius, the Glock G17 is a straight shooter. The plastic sights leave a lot to be desired, but they are entirely competent for accurate fire. At 25 yards, I can ring the tiny 4-inch gong if I take my time.

Fast headshots are easy to accomplish at this range, and hitting anything remotely large is easy. With an IPSC steel target, I went as far back as 50 yards and landed shot after shot on the big target.

While I replaced the trigger shoe, everything else is the same as a stock Glock trigger.

It’s relatively smooth with a fair bit of takeup. Once we get to the wall, it’s stiff but short and doesn’t disrupt your sights. The reset is rock solid and both tactile and audible.

Slow fire is fine, but what about fast and accurate? Well, the combination of a good trigger, a controllable platform, and big white sights make it fairly easy to get on target and put holes in that target.

I fired several basic drills like failure to stop, box drills, and 10-10-10 drills with the Glock G17. The result was passing scores across the board. At first, the 10-10-10 was a little challenging but cleared up with a few practice runs.

Box drills don’t have tight requirements time-wise, so I used the film Collateral as my example. I beat Tom Cruise’s time with the Glock G17 and Bravo Concealment holster with a bit of practice.

If I was to take advantage of the MOS system, I could toss an optic on and increase my accuracy even more.

The small red dot reticle makes it very easy to see your target and the dot removes the need to align sights. That leads to faster and more precise shots on target.

Finally, the Glock G17 is so reliable it’s almost boring. It just goes bang with FMJs, with JHPs, steel-cased ammo, aluminum-cased ammo, and so on.

The Glock G17 doesn’t seem to care much about what kind of ammo it eats.

What Sets It Apart?

These days, the Glock G17 has one main thing going for it over other pistols. Not so long ago, I would have said “reliability,” but most modern pistols made by quality manufacturers are going to be just as reliable.

These days, what really sets the Glock G17 apart is how incredibly widespread it is in the market. It’s the number one law enforcement sidearm, and almost certainly the most popular modern handgun in the world.

That makes it easy to find parts and upgrades, and it means that there are more upgrades available for it than any other pistol in the world.

Beyond all that, it’s still the same simple, reliable, and rugged Glock that we’ve had for the last several decades, albeit with some tweaks and improvements here and there. It’s the industry standard for a reason, after all.

By the Numbers

Reliability: 5/5

The Glock G17 doesn’t fail. It doesn’t give up and will eat whatever you put through it. There’s a big reason why the Glock dominates in the police and military armories of almost 50 countries, and it’s not because the gun looks good.

Ergonomics: 3/5

The slide bite, the small slide lock, and the blade-like trigger are downsides of a solid gun. The Glock G17 features soft recoil, is easy to control, and has an excellent wide grip that fills the hand nicely. Plus, the magazine release is a significant improvement from other Glocks.

Accuracy: 4.5/5

Handgun accuracy can be tricky to judge. The Glock G17 is about as accurate for a stock-duty-style firearm. It won’t shoot like a Czechmate but shoots pretty dang straight.

Customization: 5/5

It’s the AR-15 of handguns. You can toss on whatever accessories you want and customize the optic from the ground up. Glock G17 owners can swap so many parts and pieces that the firearm becomes less of a Glock and more of a whatever.

Value: 4/5

The Glock G17 might be the most affordable, optic-ready firearm made by a dependable manufacturer out there. The price is fair and keeps it well within most budgets.

Overall: 4/5

The G17 is a rock-solid pistol. The weapon is accurate and reliable, and while it faces some challenges ergonomically, the Glock G17 is an excellent weapon. Plus, it’s reasonably priced and easy to shoot.

Upgrades for the Glock G17

Like other Glocks, there’s a ton of aftermarket support for the Glock G17. And because of the modular design of Glocks, most G17 upgrades are also compatible with other Glocks as well.

Forget holsters and aftermarket sights, that’s nothing. You can replace everything down to the pins with custom parts, till you have a “Glock” made from entirely non-Glock parts.

That means you can get something that’s truly custom, truly yours. And that’s always going to be something special.

For some specific recommendations, check out our guide to the Best Glock Upgrades.

Final Verdict

I think it’s safe to say that Glock’s fandom prefers reliability and function over character and charm. I get it. Well, I understand it at the very least.

Glock pistols perform, and that’s what a weapon should do at the end of the day.

The G17 is a classic, and it’s a classic that keeps evolving. You really can’t go wrong with a Glock.

Have you used a Glock G17 before? What do you think? Have suggestions for upgrades or accessories? Let me know in the comments. For more Glocks check out our round-up of the Best Glocks.

Having animals in your garden can be a nice thing, but you also want to know the possible drawbacks! When it comes to ducks, is their poop good fertilizer, or does it hurt your grass?

Duck poop is an excellent fertilizer for your garden. It doesn’t hurt your grass either. Duck poop provides good nutrients since it is high in phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. Being a natural fertilizer, you don’t need to fear the consequences of it going into nearby water sources.

In this post, we will discuss all you need to know about duck fertilizer and its use in your garden, including the plants they are best for. You will also learn how to handle duck poop in ponds, which is a constant problem duck rearers face.

Duck poop is a great fertilizer and it doesn’t hurt your grass!

Duck poop is a fantastic natural fertilizer. It naturally contains a high concentration of the nutrients that practically all plants need to grow, namely nitrogen (N), potassium (P) and phosphorus (K). Together, these components are popularly called NPK.

Learn how to raise your own quail and have an unlimited supply of eggs and meat.

The NPK ratio in duck poop averages 2.8:2.3:1.7, making it one of the most nutrient-filled natural fertilizers. However, you should also know that having more than sufficient amounts of these materials can be harmful.

Some duck poops often contain exceedingly high contents of nitrogen, which experts have noted to be acidic. This acidity can increase the number of toxic elements such as manganese and aluminium in plants, making them harmful. Thankfully, mixing it with compost can reduce these levels (more below!).

However, you need to be careful! While young plants desire lots of nitrogen, an excess can poison them. For this reason, you need to do a lot of composting when applying duck poop to grass so that it regulates nitrogen levels.

Plants that use up nitrogen more than phosphorus and potassium will suffer from a lack of established roots. Too rapid and extensive growth without proper rooting will hurt your grass.

Duck poop is great for grass. Grass generally needs lots of nitrogen to achieve growth, especially in the growth phase between infancy and maturity. What’s more, the demand for nitrogen is highest during the spring and summer because they provide the perfect weather to sustain growth.

While chicken poop can scorch grass, you are usually safe from duck poop doing so. Duck poop is more liquid than chicken poop which means there are fewer chances of it scorching the grass and plants to which it is applied.

What Plants is it Best for?

Duck poop contains a high degree of nitrogen content, which is highly useful for plant growth. Nitrogen keeps plants hungry and helps to facilitate faster growth for plants at earlier stages. This enables the plants to become established in the soil quickly.

Then, as they establish roots, these plants can grow out other parts, including fruit and foliage.

However, you may want to know if the poop applies to all plants. Duck poop is great for almost all plants, without any tangible exceptions. In fact, experts have proven that it is better than the manure you get from chicken poop.

While duck poop can do amazing work across all classes of plants, there are certain types of plants for which it is best suited. Applying duck poop to these plants will yield potentially bountiful outcomes:

• Young and tender plants
• Aquatic plants
• Vegetables

Aquatic Plants

One of the habitats that ducks desire is the water environment. Unsurprisingly, a symbiotic relationship exists between the water ecosystem and the ducks that play around them. For example, the nitrogen in duck poops helps such aquatic plants as seaweeds and algae achieve faster growth in short periods.

Vegetables

By nature, vegetables are a class of plants that need to grow rapidly and develop lots of leaves. When this is the case, we can say the vegetable grows healthily.

The nitrogen that duck poop offers helps to achieve this. Also, vegetables belong to that class of tender plants, which typically do well with duck poop.

Is the Poop of all Breeds Good Fertilizer?

The poop of all duck breeds should do a good job of providing quality manure. Of course, this also applies to ducks reared for meat and egg purposes. What actually affects the poop more than the breed includes:

• The duck’s feeding
• Diseases and general health
• Age

If these are in order, then the duck poop should be a healthy fertilizer for your garden and plants. You may have issues if you fail to raise the ducks properly through good feeding and appropriate health management.

How does the feed affect poop quality?

Just as with humans, the quality of food the duck consumes will affect everything about it, including the poop it releases.

Poor nutrition on the part of the duck can lead to an insufficient supply of the right nutrients needed in the duck poop. Also, badly planned diets may facilitate the excessive build-up of some nutrients over the others, leading to oversupply, which can harm plants in the garden.

To ensure that your duck maintains top-quality poop, feed them with feeds and supplements high in fibre and vitamin A.

Can You Mix Duck Poop with Compost?

Yes, you can. In fact, it is best to mix your duck poop with other materials to form compost. Above, we mentioned that duck poop can be very acidic, and mixing it with compost can lower the acidity of the poop, making it better for your garden!

Duck poop tends to produce high concentrations of nitrogen, which can be harmful. To balance the nutrient content, mix them with other materials such as dry hay, vegetable trimmings, eggshells, decaying fruit, and general non-animal food wastes.

Does Duck Poop Hurt the Water of a Pond? Can You Use that for Watering Plants?

Ducks love to play around in watery surroundings, including ponds. Unfortunately, they often release poop into the stagnant reservoir in the process.

The duck poop will provide the water with lots of nutrients. However, if there is a high quantity of poop, you can have issues with too much density of components like nitrogen.

You can use the water from the pond for watering plants, as the liquid will have diluted the nutrients a bit. However, you should add other materials such as decaying leaves and plant parts, fruits, and eggshells for ideal results. Ensure they dilute in the water.

What are the Best Ways to Collect Duck Poop to Use in the Desired Area?

Now that you know the benefits of duck poop, the next thing is to collect them and start applying them to your garden.

If the ducks are free to move around the garden

This can be a bit more stressful, but it is doable. Simply put on only gloves, grab a shovel and walk the garden’s perimeter looking for droppings.

Anywhere you find them, use your shovel to scoop them and pour them into a container, avoiding as much soil as possible.

If they are in their pens

This is better. You can grab scraping material to gather the duck poop into a container. Then, you can compost it and apply it to the garden.

Conclusion

Duck poop is a great yet cheap manure source for your garden or farm.

But you need to be careful! It is best to mix other materials with the duck poop in the form of compost to avoid the downsides of nitrogen concentration.

Orcas are extremely fascinating large black and white mammals who rule any body of water they live in. You may have heard about Orcas attacking other animals and even occasionally humans — so you may be curious about how much damage their bite can actually do.

Orcas have an estimated bite force of 19,000 PSI which means they are at the top of the ocean food chain and can take down anything that comes into its path. However, although Orcas spend most of their time hunting for food, they are not typically overly aggressive mammals and won’t generally bother with some other types of sea creatures.

In the wild, Orcas live an average of 30 to 50 years — with female Orcas occasionally living up to 100 years old. In captivity, this number is much lower — Orcas typically only live about 17 to 29 years. And there are many more interesting facts about Orcas including how they use their teeth as well as how they compare to sharks and other animals.

How Strong Is An Orca’s Bite?

It’s difficult to get an exact measurement of how hard an orca can bite, but it’s estimated that its bite force is an incredible 19,000 PSI (Pounds per square inch). To put this into perspective, the dog with the highest bite force (the Kangal) has a bite force of 743 PSI. This bite force can vary depending on the size, age, and sex of the Orca doing the biting, as well as how it is measured.

How Sharp Are Orca’s Teeth?

The large teeth of an Orca are conical (cone-shaped) and interlocking. These teeth are very sharp however they are not meant to use to simply chew food — they’re meant to rip the food apart into smaller chunks the Orca can simply swallow.

How Many Teeth Does An Orca Whale Have?

Orcas have teeth lining both their upper and lower jaws — they have 48 to 52 teeth in total! Orcas have 10 – 14 large teeth on either side of their jaw on both the upper and lower jaws. Their teeth start to grow in when they are just a few weeks old and will have their complete set of full-grown teeth by the time they are about 11 or 12 weeks of age.

How Big Are Orca’s Teeth?

Orcas have 48 to 52 teeth and all of them grow to be about four inches long. They are quite sharp in addition to being large for their size.

Do Orcas Teeth Grow Back?

Orcas only get one set of teeth in their lifetime, so any teeth they happen to lose will not be replaced. Since their teeth are large and they have quite a strong base, they don’t lose them too easily. So, most Orcas will retain most of their teeth throughout their lifetime.

Orca Teeth vs Shark Teeth

Although they may seem similar, Orcas and Sharks are quite different, and one main difference is the number of teeth they have as well as how they use them.

Orca Teeth. Orcas have only one set of roughly 50 teeth and they use these sharp, strong teeth to rip their food apart before they swallow the chunks whole.

Shark Teeth. Sharks have many rows of teeth — so they can have a few hundred up to a few thousand teeth! Sharks continuously lose their teethby biting and chewing (losing around 100 teeth a day is not uncommon!) but there are always new teeth ready to replace them. Sharks use their triangular-shaped, razor-sharp teeth to kill, rip apart, and chew up their prey.

Are Killer Whales And Orcas The Same Thing?

Orcas are commonly referred to as killer whales and the names are often used interchangeably — even by marine experts.

However, killer whales are actually not whales at all! Killer whales are actually dolphins — in fact, they’re the largest member of the dolphin family. All whales, dolphins, and porpoises fall under the order of Cetacea. However, it’s the teeth of an Orca that makes them fall under the suborder called Odontoceti — which means toothed whale. This is one popular theory about why Orcas are referred to as killer whales.

Another popular theory about how Orcas became known as killer whales is that in the past whalers called Orcas “killers of whales” and the name eventually got shortened and it stuck.

Are Killer Whales Aggressive?

While killer whales can look very aggressive when it comes to finding and eating their prey, they don’t generally seek to harm humans on purpose. And the aggression they show is simply them tearing apart their food to feed themselves and the other Orcas in their pod.

However, if an Orca is in a situation where they feel threatened, are protecting their family, or are prodded when they’re feeling emotionally unstable, they will likely lash out and injure — or even kill — any human that’s in their vicinity. It’s also often said that if killer whales are kept in captivity, they may get frustrated and depressed and lash out at a trainer or another human.

Generally, the aim of a killer whale is only to play in a friendly way with the humans they come into contact with. But unfortunately, their playing often will hurt a human because of the Orca’s strength, and the fact that they will often drag them underwater where they will usually drown.

Can Orcas See Color?

Orcas have excellent eyesight and they can see color — but not in the same way that humans can. Orcas have two types of color receptors while most humans have three types of receptors. Therefore, Orcas have trouble seeing the red-green axis.

Do Orcas Eat Sharks?

Although sharks are major predators of the waters they live in, the one great natural enemy of a shark is the Orca! The Orca will win in a fight against a shark almost every time.

However, Orcas generally don’t hunt for sharks because while they will usually win, sharks have razor-sharp teeth and the fight they put up will generally harm the Orca before the Orca can finish them off.

Orcas have a very diverse carnivore diet and will typically hunt a variety of fish, as well as penguins, seals, moose, seabirds, whales, and even other dolphins. Orcas tend to hunt in pods of about 40 — mostly made of up families. Resident pods tend to be less aggressive and hunt only for fish and smaller sea creatures, while transient pods work together to hunt larger marine mammals — which they then share amongst themselves.

How Tall Is An Orca’s Dorsal Fin?

The dorsal fin is a major distinguishing feature of the Orca. Just behind the dorsal fin is a saddle-shaped grey area, referred to appropriately as a “saddle”.

Once an Orca is fully grown, its dorsal fin is tall and triangular and is an average of six feet tall.

Most female Orcas have slightly smaller, more curved dorsal fins that reach about three to four feet high.

How Big Do Orcas Get?

Orcas are considered to be the largest species of the dolphin family. Male Orcas will grow to be between 20 – 26 feet long, with female Orcas generally being a bit smaller — coming in between 18 – 22 feet long. To put this into perspective male Orcas are roughly the size of a bus. The longest Orca ever recorded was 32 feet long.

Male Orcas will typically weigh 12,000 pounds or more, while female Orcas generally weigh between 8,000 and 11,000 pounds.

Even when they are born, baby Orcas (calves) are roughly seven to eight feet long and weigh an average of 400 pounds.

How Often Do Orcas Eat?

Orcas need between 150 and 300 pounds of food every day in order to stay healthy and active. If an Orca is extremely active, they may need up to 375 pounds of food to make up for the calories they burn while hunting and traveling.

It’s not uncommon for an Orca to spend up to 90% of their day hunting for food.

Could An Orca Bite A Crocodile In Half?

With their super sharp teeth, an Orca very likely could bite a crocodile in half, however,it’s quite unlikely that would actually happen. Since Orcas tend to tear their food up before they eat it if they were to capture a crocodile, they would likely hold onto it with their teeth and slam it around until it was immobilized and then use their teeth to rip it apart.

Alternatively, if it was a large Orca that came upon a smaller crocodile the Orca may just swallow up the entire crocodile whole.

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The shelf life of our products is generally based on the specified best before date (“Bäst före” in Swedish). As with all foodstuffs, the best before date is to be understood as meaning that we guarantee the perfect condition of the goods up to this date if stored appropriately. It does not state that the goods are automatically spoiled after this date.

In principle, the shelf life of meat depends on the temperatures and fluctuations in temperature the meat is exposed to. The higher the storage temperature and the more temperature fluctuations, the shorter the meat will stay in perfect condition. Frozen meat may have a best before date of up to a year printed on the packaging. That date assumes that the meat is kept at -18° C during that whole time. This is of course impossible for us to guarantee when we ship the meat over longer distances using a courier. The meat will most likely arrive to your home at a temperature a few degrees below freezing.

Therefore, after you received your meat, we recommend that you store it in a fridge at maximum 4° C and consume it within five days unless you choose to refreeze it.

In general, if your meat was frozen, we recommend not to re-freeze it. However, basically nothing speaks against refreezing, especially if the food has to be heated up before consumption. The nutrient and vitamin content may suffer slightly, but refreezing is more hygienic than storing it in the refrigerator at temperatures above 0° C.

Our own tests also show that you can assume that the great taste of the meat will not be affected by refreezing. Wild game meat is of such high quality that the theoretical reduction in quality is practically unnoticed.

If you want to cook the meat after its been frozen, it is best to remove it from the freezer 1-2 days in advance and place it in the refrigerator.

In the unlikely event that you have forgotten to take your meat out of the freezer, you can defrost it more quickly in water. Check whether the packaging is still properly vacuumed. If this is the case, you can place the meat, packaging and all, in a container of cold water. This way, a the meat thaws faster. If the packaging is no longer vacuumed, then you can NOT use this method.

Perhaps it’s because I’m an admitted deer geek, but I find whitetail anatomy absolutely fascinating. It’s come to the point where — when I’m hunting and decide I’m going to shoot a deer — I can’t focus on the deer itself.

I start focusing on bits and pieces of the deer. The whitetail’s arteries are among these “bits and pieces.”

Take the femoral artery, for example. That’s the one thing the absolutely jumped out at me the first time I looked at this Browning Trail Camera image of an adult doe. Yes, the doe is awfully pretty — standing there almost broadside (technically slightly quartering to), and she seems to be heading into fall in optimum health.

But just look at that bulging artery in her leg! Quite dramatic, isn’t it?

More About Deer Anatomy

Wisconsin’s Norman Johnson and Alabama’s Dr. Phillip Bishop are two experts in this subject matter, and I’ve had the pleasure of working closely with both of them to help educate millions of whitetail bowhunters on the nuances and associated science connected with femoral artery wounds in deer.

In his work with D&DH, Johnson reminds us of how the upper hindquarters of a deer are a highly blood-rich region, just below where the aorta bifurcates (branches) to a network of other arteries, deep femoral and common femoral arteries, terminating in the lower legs. The vascularity (blood supply) to the entire rear end, including the hams, presents a very effective killing shot for a sharp, well-placed broadhead.

“While working 25 years in the field of radiology directly performing angiography on all parts of the human body, we clearly demonstrated the highly vascular blood supply to this entire region,” he continued. “Man and animal share a direct resemblance in anatomical and physiological makeup, as blood is pumped to all regions of the body. Main arteries resemble the roots of a tree comprised of divisions that branch and re-branch, finally forming smaller vessels. A large enough, razor-sharp broadhead is imperative as an anti-prothrombin (coagulation) measure.”

Both the late John Trout Jr. and Chuck Adams coined the phrase, “The deer (should be) (is) in a big heap of trouble” referring to the rear-end shot. Adams wrote this in his book, “The Complete Book of Bowhunting” (1978): “I’ve personally shot over a dozen deer in the rear-end and none went over 100 yards before keeling over.”

Trout, widely considered one of the foremost experts on blood-trailing whitetails, was more reserved. He said he had recovered many whitetails shot through the hips, even when the femoral artery was missed. He concluded: “Nonetheless, a hip shot is not a shot that any hunter should take intentionally.”

The Whitetail’s Femoral Artery

Dr. Phillip Bishop of the University of Alabama has taught us a lot about deer physiology over the years. The femoral artery topic is one instance where he shed light on what used to be a rather taboo subject, especially among bowhunters.

“Because high blood flow requires high blood pressure, the femoral arteries carry blood under very high pressure when the muscles are working hard,” Bishop writes. “Once the arteries branch several times, they are lined with smooth muscle that can tighten and reduce the diameter of the blood vessels. Every time the vessel diameter is reduced by half, the blood fl ow is reduced by a factor of 16.”

Conversely, he continued, the muscles lining the arteries can also expand, and when the diameter doubles, blood flow increases by a factor of 16. The blood flow increase from smallest to largest is like comparing a garden hose to a fireman’s hose.

“When a large artery, like the femoral artery, is cut, the high arterial pressure causes very rapid blood loss. With every contraction of the heart, the pressure rises and blood is pushed out. In the case of a shotgun slug through the hams, the blood pressure causes the bright red, oxygen-rich arterial blood to spray out impressively, leaving the biggest blood trail we’re likely ever to see from a whitetail.”

When the deer runs or jumps, the pressure rises and the spray is even more widely dispersed.

“The rapid loss of blood from the femoral artery, or any other major artery, causes a rapid and merciful death. Plus, a deer with a major arterial wound that has an exit outside the body will leave an easy blood trail. I have read accounts of deer expiring very quickly when one or both femoral arteries are severed.,” Bishop concludes.

The bottom line: All of these insights should be used to add depth and breadth to your knowledge of white-tailed deer anatomy. Contrary to the opinions of some of my bloodbrothers (and sisters), I would never, ever purposefully shoot a deer “in the ass” on the hopes my broadhead would severe the femoral artery. It is true: A razor-sharp broadhead to the femoral artery will put a deer down quickly, but the odds of this happening on purpose are extremely small. Granted, accidents happen. A twig deflect and arrow. You flinch badly at the shot. Etc. It happens, and if you shoot at enough deer, odds are it will happen to you.

In that event, knowing precisely where the artery is located and how it works are critical pieces of information that can help you decide which next moves to make.

The Mathematics of Deer Blood

The average white-tailed deer of about 150 pounds in live weight carries at least eight pints of blood in its arterial system. For a bowhunter to easily recover a wounded deer, the blood loss must be extensive. A deer will have to lose at least 35 percent of its total blood volume for the hunter to recover it rapidly. That means a loss of at least 2. pints of blood in the case of a 150-pound buck. The quicker the blood loss, the sooner you will recover the animal.

According to Professor Aaron Moen, a deer biologist at Cornell University, a running white-tailed deer has three times the heart rate of a bedded deer.

Why would we want to wait and allow the deer to bed down after being wounded? Any shock the bow-hunter hopes to inflict on a whitetail will only result through great and rapid loss of blood. Applying basic mathematics to his findings on wounded deer behavior, blood loss and shock, University of Pennsylvania researchers once presented us with this interesting and speculative scenario of a hard-hit 150-pound deer leaving a blood trail of l00 yards. They cited an example of a deer wounded to the extent of leaving a very well-defined blood trail indicative of arterial or other heavy bleeding caused by the arrow passing completely through the deer:

“This deer would have to lose 52 ounces, or about 3. pints of blood before collapse,” they reported. “Internal blood loss would have to extend to 41 ounces, or about 2ó pints to stop the deer within the trail distance of 100 yards. In other words, the internal loss rate would have to be almost four times that of the external rate in order to down the deer. Average internal blood loss needed would be .41 ounces per yard; the external rate, .11 ounces per yard.”

Final Thoughts

How far can a deer run before collapsing after a major artery has been severed? How many yards can it run before going down? In his book The Deer of North America, Leonard Lee Rue III estimates that a deer with a major rupture of its arterial system can probably run for approximately 85 to 120 seconds on the oxygen in its bloodstream and brain: “Running at a speed of 35 mph, the deer could potentially run 3,850 feet in 85 seconds, or 5,390 feet in 120 seconds. Although it is not likely that a deer will run this far, the potential exists.”

Until recently conventional wisdom held that using a 20-gauge shotgun for deer hunting was a bad idea. The 20 gauge was something ladies and kids used only for its reduced recoil, and the Foster-style slug was the only option. The 20-gauge Foster slug has a ballistic coefficient of around .060, which is about as low as a conical lead projectile can get. Even though it leaves the shotgun with more than 1,600 ft.-lbs. of energy, by the time the slug passes the 100-yard mark it is down to about 625 ft.-lbs. And it drops like a brick—not exactly the performance of deer-hunting legends.

Things have changed, though, and it could be argued that there are some very good reasons to use a 20-gauge slug gun for deer hunting. I put that theory to the test at Graystone Castle in Texas with my friend Joe Coogan and the rest of the “Benelli On Assignment” television crew. When I had a good, 100-yard broadside shot at a buck with tall, almost straight-up antlers, I eased the Benelli M2 shotgun into position. I sent a 5/8-ounce piece of technology through its ribs. If you saw the show, you might remember that you can actually see the slug flying though the air and hitting the deer. It is pretty dramatic footage.

The Federal 20-gauge shotshell was loaded with the Barnes Tipped Expander slug. Federal lists the muzzle velocity at an impressive 1,900 fps from a 30-inch test barrel. From my Benelli’s shorter, 24-inch barrel, it comes surprisingly close with 1,809 fps at the muzzle. That means the slug hit that buck with 1,337 ft.-lbs. of energy, which is more than some 20-gauge Foster slugs have at the muzzle, and it’s about double the energy the Foster carries at 100 yards The buck simply toppled over.

Although the old Foster slugs often struggled for “minute of backstop” accuracy past 50 yards, when I was sighting in, this Benelli M2, which had a rifled barrel, was shooting groups with the Federal ammunition that had some of the rifle guys looking twice. In fact, this setup has the accuracy and external ballistic performance to make it a 200-yard deer gun. Sighted 2 inches high at 100 yards, it strikes 9 inches low at 200 yards and still has 1,000 ft.-lbs. of energy. That kind of performance was unheard of from a 20-gauge slug just a few short years ago. It has all trickled down from the big dog, the 12 gauge, and has completely changed the rules about shooting 20-gauge slug guns for deer.

Many of the newest slugs use polymer tips for higher ballistic coefficients. They are streamlined, lighter in weight, have a higher velocity than the 20-gauge slugs of old and, as a result, mean that the “Twenty-Bore” is no longer a deer hunting compromise. Today’s 20-gauge slug is an efficient and powerful deer hunting tool. Let’s take a look at a few of the recent innovations in 20-gauge slug ammunition from the big-name companies.

I tested the four slugs for terminal performance in both water and Perma-Gel at close range. The slugs impacted with nearly their full muzzle velocity. Both of those testing mediums are a little tougher than the standard ballistic gelatin, yet somewhat softer than big game with its bones and other variables. Expanded diameter was measured twice, 90 degrees to each other, and then averaged.

Anyone who’s ever tried Chesapeake Bay Fishing has almost certainly stumbled into a tackle store to grab some lures at one time or another, and struggled to pick which colors to go with. With a million different variations from white to nuclear chicken, picking out which colors to keep stocked in your box is no easy task and there is no magic color that will work in all conditions. So, let’s cover all the basic necessities as well as when each has its place. Regardless of what species you are fishing for, the same rules apply.

First let’s talk about how the time of day and water clarity play a role in color selection. Think of clarity as a spectrum with two main categories: clear and muddy. For clear water, natural patterns will work the best since the fish have the ability to really focus on the bait. Green pumpkin is a good natural color to imitate bluegill and crawfish. White is a good color to imitate shad and bunker. Transparent and ghost patterns also work well in clear water. For muddy water, fluorescent and dark colors stand out the best. Another effective tactic particularly for muddy water is adding contrast by using a different color skirt or dipping the tail of your baits in scented dyes. Using scents such as Pro-Cure or choosing abladed lure that sends out vibrations can also be to your advantage in the muddy water because it can help fish find your lure.

“Match the hatch” is a term you have likely heard before, and it simply means picking a lure that is similar in shape, size, and color to what the fish are feeding on. The best way to figure out what fish are feeding on is to take into account what baitfish and crustaceans live in the body of water you’re fishing, as well as paying close attention to the fish you catch. Sometimes fish will regurgitate their stomach contents when caught, which is an easy indicator of what the fish are eating. You may also notice things like bluegill tails or crawfish antennae sticking out of a fish’s gut. The majority of the time, however, it is just guesswork until you find a pattern.

The basic rule of thumb is to pick colors that best match what’s abundant in the watershed you are fishing. For instance, a pond with lots of bluegill will mean that green pumpkin and bluegill patterns will work best when targeting bass, and a lake with lots of shad will result in white patterns working well. One final note about matching the hatch: the forage fish will shift throughout the seasons as abundance changes.

When fishing in low light conditions and at night, resort to black, blue, and purple because they will be the most visible. (Bonus tip: when fishing in low light conditions use baits that give off lots of vibration and sound to help fish key in on them).

The exception to the previous rules is when trying to trigger a reaction strike from fish on beds or fish protecting fry. When bed fishing for bass or snakehead, you want your bait to aggravate the fish and make it strike out of aggression. The two best patterns for this are bluegill shades, because bluegill often get chased off beds for trying to eat eggs or fry, and solid white baits because they are good for sight fishing when trying to maintain contact with a bed.

When it comes to stocking your tackle box, the best way to make sure you are prepared for any condition is to keep a few simple patterns at all times. For bass and snakehead baits try and keep a more natural pattern like green pumpkin or white and a dark pattern of each of your favorite baits. That is the bare minimum, so feel free to snag any of your personal favorite color schemes as well. For saltwater soft plastics, especially on the Bay, the majority of baitfish can be imitated using white lures. So, try and keep a white pattern for clear and stained water and a chartreuse pattern for green water. For saltwater hard-baits you can keep it simple with a few chrome lures, white, and if you are into night fishing, some black or dark purple.

Finally, always remember that feeding patterns and environmental conditions are constantly changing so although a specific color may work one day, it may not be the ticket a few weeks later. Don’t be afraid to play around with colors until you find something that works.

Bonus Tip: Match the Patch

An easy rule of thumb to remember is to match lure color with water color. Simply look out at a patch of water, and choose accordingly. In clear water, white’s a good pick; in green water, chartreuse works well; in muddy water, root beer is a good option. Match the patch, and you have a solid starting point to work from.

Bonus Tip: Depth Charge

Remember that depth affects lure color, because colors fade as you go deeper into the water column. Reds begin to disappear just a few feet down, take on a whitish hue, and are completely gone at 15 feet. Oranges and yellows disappear next, followed by greens, and then finally blues. So an orange and red plastic with a white skirt may offer great color contrast when you hold it in your hand, but if you’re letting it sink to 20 feet then bouncing bottom, the contrast level is near zero.

-By Ian Rubin