Let me make this clear to you.

This is the Only Guide on the Internet with full depth info about the best scopes for 22LR as of 2022. The field test results plus unbiased straightforward talk is what makes this list so popular. (jump to main section).

I love shooting, always have. Like most country folk do, I started off with a Daisy Air Gun which launched a brass BB like a jet off a Carrier – or at least I thought so.

As a kid, once I had proved to the old man that I had some sense for responsible gun ownership, I began plinking with my .22 Long Rifle in the dried-out riverbed behind the house.

Like most kids I got a hand-me-down. Dad’s old tube fed, Model 80 Marlin was true and sure but had a broken extractor, so after each shot, I had to pop out the spent brass with my trusty pen knife.

I loved the low recoil combined by the quiet pop of the rifle as I plinked beer cans and then advanced to popping the thousands of prairie dogs that had commandeered my neighbor’s pasture.

In my teens I was introduced to the 22 Mag, or more officially, the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) cartridge, but I always fell back to the beauty and simplicity of my .22 Long Rifle for cheap and fun shooting.

To the date of the writing of this article, there is no gun comparable out there for putting down varmints from as small as rabbits to as big as coyotes. Especially when it comes to cost.

This simple, cheap, and wonderful round is produced in the billions each year and can yet become scarce when politicians start threating gun control.

Now talking about hitting those targets or hunting squirrels and those small critters out there, you would need a scope regardless of the distance they’re at!

We know if we are target shooting (in competitions) or hunting small animals like squirrels and armadillos, all we need is precision and results!

So either way, if you’re an expert (perhaps you skipped the intro) or you’re someone just starting out, here are the best scopes for the 22LR rifle.

Comparison Table for the Best Scopes For 22LR:

Quality Scope for My .22, why Should I Care?

Back in those days, living on the plains of Eastern Colorado, we shot .22 rifles, peeping across iron sights at squirrels and such.

I could not afford a rifle scope, but any prairie dog inside of 50 yards was a goner when I was in the prone position.

These days, we rely on heavy duty and accurate optical sights to deliver an accurate crushing blow.

Where once we were looking through a rear and front sight now, we were looking through the glass of a scope mounted to our barrels.

At first, I bought the cheapest scope I could find. I wasn’t looking for high quality or multi coated or fog proof optics.

I made some good shots with the $30 scope but I sought out a better solution if not the best.

My .22 needed a companion scope that would bring out the best features in the chambering.

How Were the Scopes for the 22 Rimfire Chosen?

The list is built from scratch for the year 2022, so the 22LR scopes mentioned here have up to date information.

Here are things that I considered, researched, and tested while searching for the best .22 scopes:

I spend most of my time in the High Country of Colorado. The weather is unpredictable, and the terrain is abusive.

My scope requirements tend to fall more on durability, weatherproofing and weight. A broken or hazy scope is useless at 12,000 feet.

Test Bed:

Marlin Model 60 chambered in .22 LR, semi-automatic, with 18 round tube fed magazine.

This is a steady and reliable rifle and offers a standard platform with which to mount our test subjects.

The Marlin is a lightweight rifle and we wanted to keep it that way, thus scope weight played a significant factor.

Best 22LR Scopes for Squirrel Hunting and Target Shooting:

Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm Rimfire Riflescope

This Leupold VX-Freedom toughed it out with us on a late late-season, plains coyote hunt on the sagebrush and dog-hole dominated rolling hills of Arapahoe County, Colorado.

Out of the box, this high quality, fully coated, rifle scope had the look and feel of one of the best scopes offered on the market. It mounted seamlessly to my Marlin using provided scope rings.

The Power

This Leupold is a variable power scope that far exceeds the requirements of shooting the .22 LR. The 3-9×40 allows you to dial from 3 up to 9 magnification to suit your hunting needs. The 40mm objective lets in a ton of light during shooting hours. It was more power in a scope than I needed for shorter range “varmint hunting”.

I usually hunt inside 100 yards, so I shot the scope with a setting around 5 which is quite practical for most hunters. I found that any magnification over 9 just wasnt worth it in short range, small game hunting. A fixed scope would most likely be the best candidate for hunting small game at a short range. But to each their own.

The Objective Lens

This scope’s objective lens is a little larger than what is required for the .22 LR and offered a noticeably clear sight picture. It was clear and bright at 40mm and provided the best light transmission front to back as we shot from dusk to dawn.

I did shoot my rimfire in the evenings and found that the larger objective was far more gracious in letting in light as you approach dusk.

Fuzziness and blurriness were not a problem during our intense hunt. The scope’s optics performed in an outstanding fashion. I selected the simple duplex reticle for quick and easy range finding. I got on to several coyotes within the first several hours of hunting and wanted to lock on as quickly as possible. All ‘yotes inside of 100 yards went on to Valhalla and their furs to the taxidermist.

Rugged and Durable

Yes, this rifle scope performed well out of the box on our weekend coyote shoot in the snowbanks of Kiowa Creek in Eastern Colorado. There were quite a few creek crossings, climbing on our bellies and hauling scope mounted rifles into tree stands. We are rough on gear out here and the Leupold performed very well under the worst-case conditions.

Knobs and Dials

Both the Diopter adjustment and the magnification zoom, as well as the elevation and windage turrets functioned smoothly. Windage adjustments were smooth and reported a loud click to ensure accurate and confident shooting.

Affordability

You’re not going to get to get away with spending less than $400 for a Leupold scope. In this case, the scope cost more than the rifle, but it is what it is, and the shooting experience was exhilarating.

Leupold FX-1 4x28mm Rimfirescope

I really wanted to check out this no-nonsense scope, that had set magnification at 4x which is perfect for .22 LR shooting. It was also more streamlined and lighter than the other candidates we checked out and fitted very well to the Marlin with the extra purchase scope rings.

The Power

This one is a non-variable power scope. The 4x was more than appropriate for the max effective ranges of the .22 Mag, inside 100 yards, which allowed quicker target acquisition to kill on most targets.

Of the two other scopes, this one was the toughest to get the sight picture clear and there was some blurriness, but it was not that annoying. It may have been a manufacturing defect in that scope. I’m very used to peeping through Leupold scopes and my expectations are always very high that I will be looking though the finest, state-of-the-art optics.

The Objective Lens

The 28mm objective works simply fine for plinking, target shooting and hunting.

As I shot all day on the range, I noticed the glass was not as crisp and clear as the other contenders and as I continued to shoot till dusk and found out that it did not provide the same light transmission as the other scopes. With that being said, I was still able to keep all my shots inside a 2” ring out to 125 yards. Albeit, having to strain my eyes a bit more.

Rugged and Durable

Unfortunately, I was not able to take the FX-1 out into the field for a stress test to see it is the best .22 scope in this category – only the range. These Leupold scopes are some of the most durable scopes out there on the market. I do not take their word for it either. I’ve been shooting through their scopes for over 20 years. I frequently compare notes with my shooting buddies, and I’ve heard through the grapevine, from other shooting enthusiasts, that you get what you pay for, and these Leupold scopes are pretty tough hombres.

Knobs and Dials

I did not have any major complaints on scope adjustments. They were not near as smooth as the other tested scopes and windage and elevation turrets did not provide loud enough clicks for me to be sure of their adjustment.

Affordability

I got mine for $300, so it did not break the bank, but it was a bit pricy for a plinking scope. For varmint hunting it’s probably the way to go if you have a budget but don’t want to mount a scope of lesser quality.

Athlon Optics Midas TAC 6-24×50 First Focal Plane Riflescope:

A buddy of mine from Nebraska called me up to rid his fields of some pesky prairie dogs. I knew this would be a good opportunity to try out the professional grade Athlon Optics Midas TAC.

We’d be shooting out to 150+ yards, a long way for the 22 LR, and I wanted to see how this great looking scope would perform against its more affordable rivals.

I mounted one up on to my Marlin with Vortex Optics Tactical 30mm Riflescope Rings. The mounting was simple, and I was able to adjust the scope to my preferred eye relief distance of around 4 inches for the .22 – not much recoil to worry about and I really hate getting scope bitten.

My first peep down the scope gave me a look at The Christmas Tree MOA reticle. I could tell right off the bat that it was a little much for a simple 1,200 fps 30 grain round and was better suited for 30-06 or .308 caliber weapons.

All that was necessary for this shooter was a simple duplex reticle where I just put the crosshairs on the target and pull the trigger.

The Power

The 6-24×50 allows you to dial up some serious magnification – which gives you a workable field of vision down to 6 feet at prairie dog range. The scope gets all that is needed for short range shooting just right.

With this power I was able to set back away from the alert little rodents without scaring the little buggers back down into their holes, and I hit most of the prairie dogs I set my sights on.

Hunting outside the 100 yard range with a .22 LR, I shot the rifle with the scope set at 7 power. I am biased about short range varmint shooting and I’ve always considered a fixed magnification scope the best candidate for hunting small game at shorter ranges with a 22 LR.

The Objective Lens

This scope’s 50mm objective meets and exceeds all the requirements for plinking and target shooting; well beyond what is required for the standard .22 Long Rifle and its limited range.

The 50mm objective allowed plenty of light for my daytime prairie dog hunt but we had to pack it in late afternoon.

One thing for sure, the large objective barley fit my rifle using standard rings, and I was not able to set the scope far back enough to achieve my preferred eye-relief. This problem will probably vary from rifle to rifle.

Rugged and Durable

The Athlon Optics family has a reputation for meeting the most grueling weather and hunting conditions around the world.

Unfortunately, I did not get a change to introduce this scope to the rigors of Colorado hunting but I’m looking forward to taking to the limits this winter with a late season Muley hunt on the plains east of Denver – this time mounted to the top of my .270 Winchester.

Knobs and Dials

Very well engineered! Audible and reliable clicks on the windage and yardage turrets.

Affordability

With a price tag around $700, this is the least affordable of the rifle scopes tested, its performs very well for your basic rimfire, short range shooting activities and probably is a little much given this scope is designed for shooting high velocity magnum rounds out to 700 yards or greater.

Vortex Crossfire II 2-7×32 Rimfire

You can’t complete a list without having Vortex in it, can you? The only thing entry level about this scope is it’s price.

The successor of Crossfire, the Vortex Crossfire II is a versatile piece built specifically for rimfire rifles.

Specifications:

Clarity and Build:

The scope produces a clear, crisp picture and features multi-coated lenses, Fast-focus eyepiece and a V-Plex (MOA) reticle.

The efficient light transmission through the lens makes it a good choice for outdoor as well as indoor shooting.

The Vortex Crossfire II is built on a single-piece aircraft grade Aluminium, hence making it a robust piece and the O-ring seals make sure that no dust or moisture gets in.

The hard ArmorTrek coating protects the exterior lenses from scratches and oil.

The capped zero reset turrets give a positive feel and can be tracked easily.

Accuracy:

While testing it, we found it to be clear at 25, 50 and 100 yards.

The scope was mounted on a Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 shooting various ammo. After sighting in, the rifle shot 1/2 inch groups at 50 yards.

We got 4 inch groups on an average with rests in place at 100 yards and 1 inch groups at 25 yards indoors respectively.

The Crossfire II provided generous eye relief and held zero perfectly throughout the test.

Tested On (Rifles and Recommended Mounts):

If you’ve Ruger 10/22, the medium rings like Leupold Std Medium Rings will do good and if you’re looking for quick detachable rings then Weaver Quad-Lock Rings work well.

For Marlin 795-LTR Redfield .22 See-Thru Dovetail Rings work well.

At low power, we were able to shoot with both eyes open and the view never got black regardless of the head movements.

Pros:

Cons:

Vortex Diamondback 2-7×35 Rimfire Scope:

If you liked the Crossfire II, then you’ll love the Diamondback!

This beautiful beast is carved out of a single piece of aircraft grade aluminum hence making it resistant to shocks and magnum recoils.

Specifications:

Clarity:

Talking about clarity, as usual, the quality is exceptional, the pictures are sharp, vivid and bright; all credit goes to the multi-coated lenses which increase light transmission up to 91%.

You’re simply getting clarity that matches up to the scopes being sold at higher prices.

The turrets are super good, give a positive feel and in no way, they’re soft or mushy.

The low profiled capped turrets prevent any sort of damage to them and yes, the Diamondback features the zero-reset turrets.

The glass etched V-plex reticle is super helpful in various hunting applications.

Furthermore, the scope tube is Argon purged hence making it fog proof and the O-ring seals make sure that the scope remains waterproof and dustproof.

Accuracy:

We mounted the scope on a CZ 452 22LR shooting CCI stingers.

It took us 6 rounds to zero at 50 yards. We shot first two rounds for checking and fine tuning. The rest of the 20 rounds were dead on.

Pros:

Conclusion:

So that’s the thought process of my findings and the results of the field testing that I came up with to select the best .22 LR Scope. At the end of the day, I love standing on that pile of rimfire shells on the range.

I’ll wipe down the rifle and scope and write down some more notes on what I think is the best 22 Scope for a rimfire.

After shooting over 1,000 rounds behind these scopes, I found the Leupold VX Freedom Rimfire Rifle scope outperformed its competitor scopes in every aspect that I considered essential, except price. It is the best 22 scope solution for my rimfire. And, as of today, it is still mounted to my semi-auto rimfire.

• Provided tight groups at 100 yards and respectable at 125 yards
• The multi coated optics stayed clear and fog-proof during the worst weather conditions
• The eye relief was most forgiving, allowing me to quickly acquire my target
• Scope adjustments were easy to use, clicks were audible and the adjustments smooth
• It certainly is the best of the best scopes out there for varmint shooting with the scrappy little .22 LR

I’ll be straightforward here.

Choose either Leupold VX-Freedom or Vortex Crossfire II, these are currently the best scopes for 22LR. There isn’t much difference in clarity or features. I’m a Leupold guy so I’ll go Leupold VX-Freedom, if you love Vortex, then choose the Crossfire II.

Both of these scopes are a great choice for competitions, plinking and small game hunting.

Both of these scopes are beasts in themselves and can give a tough fight to scopes available in higher price.

Choose any of the shortlisted scope and you’re good to go.

Thank me later!

How to Choose a Scope for 22LR?

How much Magnification for a 22LR Scope?

If we talk on the basis of the usual range, effective distance, and bullet drop then hunters shooting 22LRs generally don’t go beyond 100 yards. I’ve seen most of my friends plinking or hunting squirrels at no more than 75 yards.

Considering the average distance and the size of animals or pests, you wouldn’t be needing anything more than 9x magnification.

If you’re considering a 22LR scope for long range hunting, then keep reading.

Where Should I Buy the Scope From?

Amazon. Don’t need to explain much here.

The customer service, quick delivery and easy returns make Amazon my preferred marketplace to buy 22LR scopes. I’ve had very negative experiences with many other websites but Amazon has always been good for me. The scopes are generally available at a discount and the customer ratings help a lot too.

Long Range Hunting & Shooting with 22LR:

As mentioned in my earlier post, 22LR drops like a rainbow after 100 yards.

Personally, having shot the Savage Mark II out to 300 yards with subsonic ammo, I can tell you it isn’t easy to hit with accuracy.

Still there are some amazing people out there doing the impossible and making the 22LR work way beyond its limits.

Guess what? It’s all about how good you are!

Though the scopes on my list are capable of hunting at long distances but distances like 700 yards are just extreme and aren’t a practical effective range for hunting and plinking.

Turkey hunting is one of the more challenging sports in the hunting world. Many states have a turkey harvest success rate generally in the 30% range. If only 30% of hunters are successful, many of them would take whatever advantage they could get. So the question follows, can you turkey hunt with a rifle? The answer can be complicated and is different for nearly every state. However, where it is legal, turkey hunting with a rifle can help you reach out and bag gobblers that are just a little too stubborn to come within shotgun or bow range. After all, if there was a possibility for you to use a better tool to harvest turkeys in your state and help you become a better and more successful hunter, wouldn’t you want to know about it?

So can you turkey hunt with a rifle? In short, probably not. Only 12 states allow the use of rifles (not including muzzle-loaders) in one way or another during turkey season. After some extensive research, I made atable of all 50 states that contains the answer to whether or not a particular state allows turkey hunting with a rifle and linked to the section of their DNR explaining their exact rules.

You can check the table here: Rifle Turkey Hunting With a Rifle Table

As I said before, one way or another it is possible to hunt turkey with a rifle in 12 states. I say this because out of those 12 states, none of them have the exact same rules. Some of them only allow rifles (or only air rifles) to be used during a specific season, out of a possible three seasons. So, if you do live in one of the states that will allow it, make sure you read the regulations and call your local Department of Natural Resources just to make sure.

Why You Would Want to Use a Rifle

If you have turkey hunted for a few years, you have surely been in a situation where a nice tom was just a dozen yards out of range and you had to let them pass. Turkeys seem to have a knack for escaping hunters and constantly give us trouble. If you could use a rifle, you could shoot turkeys at well over 100 yards if you wanted to. Which increases that 30% success rate significantly.

Now the next question is, is hunting turkeys with a rifle ethical or not? Personally, I feel like if a state votes to include small caliber rifles as a legal method of take, then they want more turkeys to be harvested. Giving hunters that option is ultimately going to help them harvest more turkeys, thus helping the state to keep wild turkey numbers under control. Plus, if harvesting other animals such as squirrle with a rifle is ethical, why would it not be the same for turkeys?.

What Types of Rifles Are Allowed

To continue about the argument of whether it is ethical to harvest a turkey with a rifle, obviously, you would not want to hunt turkey with a 50 BMG. Large calibers would be unethical and honestly would not leave much of the turkey left. There has to be a limit somewhere so that the turkey is still intact and edible.

This is why most of the states that do allow you to hunt turkey with a rifle, only allow small calibers such as a .22 long rifle, .22 magnum, or a .223 at the largest. Many of them only allow air rifles to be used and the largest caliber I saw listed for those was .30. It does not take a high caliber to put down a turkey if you have good shot placement.

With a rifle, you want to aim for the neck or the head. This can be a difficult shot at long ranges so it is also effective to shoot turkeys in the lungs/liver and the heart. Although headshots will make for the quickest kill.

What We Normally Use to Harvest Turkey

When we normally think about turkey hunting, or watch turkey hunting, they are hunted with a shotgun. Using a shotgun may sound like it would make it easier to turkey hunt. However, the challenge comes when you need to get a turkey within shotgun range. With a normal rifle, it is not too difficult to make a 100-yard shot, but with a shotgun, you are doing good if you make a 40-yard shot.

This is why it is important to use the correct choke on your shotgun. Chokes help you reach out and maximize your guns range and shape your pattern. It is also important for shotgun hunters to pattern their shotguns so they know what range they can effectively shoot at. These are steps that serious turkey hunters always do, but many amateurs simply ignore, leading to lower success rates.

Another way to harvest a turkey is by using a bow or crossbow. If using a shotgun was not difficult enough, bow hunting turkeys is the real challenge. Turkeys have incredible vision and they can pick up the slightest movement. So when you have to pull your bow back 20 yards in front of a turkey, it would be very difficult to remain unseen. Although it is difficult, it is not impossible and hunters do it every year. If you are looking for a true turkey hunting challenge, try harvesting one with a bow.

Lastly, many states allow you to hunt with muzzle-loaders. Some allow muzzle-loading rifles and most are muzzle-loading shotguns. So this just adds an extra challenge to the shotgun dynamic. You get one shot and a giant cloud of smoke.

Conclusion

So if you are in or are close to one of the 12 states that do allow you to hunt turkeys with a rifle, why not give it a try this season? If you have had trouble in the past getting turkeys in range, this is your ticket. Now if you see a turkey, most likely you can shoot it with a rifle. Although you will still have to locate turkeys and use your calling skills, which is also quite the challenge. Hopefully, you can take the information from this article and up your arsenal for this coming season and become a better hunter.

Thank you for reading my article about turkey hunting with a rifle. I hope you enjoyed it and learned something you didn’t already know. If you like my content, subscribe to my weekly update. If you have any other questions about turkey hunting with a rifle or just want to connect, feel free to email me at [email protected].

Turtles might be seemingly harmless little creatures, but don’t let their slow movements fool you. These creatures can wreak some serious havoc in your pond.

In general, turtles in a pond are not a pleasant experience, and they can present dangers and issues you may never have considered before. That being said, if you catch a glimpse of turtles in your pond, then you should consider creating a plan to remove them as soon as possible.

To help you get started, let’s break down the potential issues turtles can cause inside your pond, as well as a few methods you can use to safely and humanely remove them from your pond.

The Good and the Bad of Turtles in a Pond

Turtles play a part in ecological balance. They are omnivorous. They eat dead animals, plant matter, and even sick fish, so having them around can potentially improve the quality of your pond water. However, these minor gains are far outweighed by the problems they can cause.

Turtles are natural scavengers. They will locate the fish in your pond and feed on their eggs, as well as their food. Turtles are also known to eat live fish (which can be a problem if your pond has goldfish, koi, or other ornamental fish) and will even consume aquatic plants you cultivate. Because of this, a surge in the turtle population of your pond can quickly deplete your pond of fish, plants, and every other thing (living or dead) within a short period.

Snapping turtles are especially problematic as they can be aggressive if provoked and can even transmit diseases (like salmonella) to humans.

How to Get Rid of Turtles in a Pond

1. Trapping turtles

The most efficient way to remove turtles from a pond is to trap them. The type of trap you use will depend on the kind of turtle you’re dealing with. In most cases, you can use a submerged turtle trap for a pond or a floating turtle trap. The former is the most effective method for snapping turtles and soft-shell turtles, while the latter works best on red-eared sliders and other turtles that lay in the sun.

You will need to take particular care to catch turtles in a pond with a submerged trap. Here are some tips on how to do it right:

• You should set the trap in shallow water, so choose an area shallow enough for only the top of the trap sticks to be above the water
• Dig into the mud just below the water, creating a hole in which the trap will snugly fit, and then push the trap in until it’s secure
• For turtle bait, you can use lettuce, worms, vegetables, or even a can of tuna with holes punched in it
• You should scout out the location where you believe the turtles live. If you have seen them congregate by a rocky section in a nearby pond, this is probably the best place to put your trap.

2. Manual removal

Another way to get turtles out of a pond is with your own two hands. If you have a medium-sized pond, you can catch turtles in a pond with a net. To do so, you will need a telescoping pond net to scoop the turtles out of the pond.

As another option, you can use a hook and line to remove snapping turtles. This method can be time-consuming, but effective. Similar to fishing, this process would require you to attach a treble hook to a line, and bait the hook with pieces of fish or meat. Tie the string or fishing line to a tree or root and completely submerge the hook in the water.

3. Call a professional

As a final method, you can always call a professional turtle removal service. These experts will know the best way to get rid of turtles in your pond and will have the right tools, insight, and knowledge to complete the task efficiently and legally.

Relocating Turtles

Once you capture the turtles, you’ll need to relocate them. There may also be laws that protect certain turtle species. That is why relocating your captured foe is the best option.

You should contact your local conservation or the Department of Wildlife to inform them of your plans and to seek legal advice.

Keep in mind, putting new turtles in a specific location may increase competition for scarce food resources. It is also possible that the turtles you capture may have a disease, and if you move them to a new location, they will spread it among a new population of turtles.

Whichever method you use to capture pond turtles, you should never handle these creatures without proper protective gear. Even if the turtle is in a cage, you should wear protective gloves to avoid direct contact with it.

How to Keep Turtles Out of Your Pond

1. Yard fence

Fencing your property will keep turtles and other predators off of your property and away from your pond. While this is a highly effective method of turtle control, it can be costly.

2. Perimeter fence

Putting up a small one-to-two-foot-high barrier around your pond may help prevent turtles from getting into it. This is a less costly option, but it can ruin the aesthetic value of your pond.

3. Pond netting

Placing a mesh pond net over your pond is an inexpensive and effective way to protect your pond from turtle intrusions. This is certainly the least expensive option of the three. It is possible to find a pond net that is barely visible, thus helping you preserve the aesthetic value of your water space.

The Bottom Line: How to remove turtles from ponds

Although turtles can enhance the look of your pond and even contribute to the quality of the water, the harm caused by their presence outweighs any good they might do.

At the same time, however, attempting to hunt down and remove each turtle one by one might be an unnecessary and inefficient way of removing turtles from your pond. And it is important to remember that any attempt to kill these creatures may put you on the wrong side of the law. Always review the rules and regulations regarding turtle capture and removal for your area.

In general, it is much better to capture turtles with traps or consult with a professional. Companies with expertise and experience in this field can help you get rid of turtles in your pond quickly, safely, and humanely.

Backpack sprayers are absolute cheat codes in the lawn care game. Long gone are the days of walking around cranking the pump lever all over your yard. Or even worse, the little sprayers that you carry and set down and repeatedly pump then get maybe 1-2 seconds of spray.

The new backpack sprayers keep a consistent amount of pressure inside and make your life way easier. I think the first time I used a backpack sprayer I was caught off guard with how quickly I was able to complete the job.

Battery powered backpack sprayers are the tool of the future, available now.

They aren’t all made the same and have some unique features and benefits.

So let’s break them down.

1. Ryobi 40V Cordless Backpack Sprayer
2. Ryobi ONE+ Cordless Backpack Sprayer
3. Milwaukee M18 FUEL Backpack Sprayer (4 Gallon)
4. Spraymate Lil Squirt Sprayer
5. Dewalt Battery Powered Chemical Sprayer

Why we review lawn tools

The reason we started this website in the first place was because we had so much trouble trying to find reasonable, understandable, honest reviews for lawn equipment. And it’s not cheap! After hours and hours of research, trying products and returning them, and messing up our yards – we started this site.

As people who had to learn the hard way, we want you to know exactly what you are signing up for before you purchase a piece of equipment. That’s why we are committed to providing honest, easy-to-understand reviews that mean something.

What to look for in a battery powered backpack sprayer

Again, these aren’t all made the same. With one of these backpack sprayers, you want to make sure to have the below features.

• Comfort
  • It sounds silly, but if you are going to be personally hauling a bunch of chemicals on your back, you’ve got to make sure it is comfortable. Honestly, with how easy these things are to use, the main differentiator is what the experience feels like. Look for padded shoulder straps and an otherwise lightweight tool.
• Battery run-time
  • There’s not really a point to a battery-powered sprayer if the battery dies and you can’t finish the job. Regardless of how long your job takes, you want to make sure to get one with a decent battery life. That helps you if you take the battery off and use it on another tool.
• A see-through tank
  • This one sounds even sillier, but some of these battery-powered backpack sprayers have dark tanks. You can’t see how much fluid is in it. Not a huge deal but also a minor inconvenience that is so easy to avoid. Grab one where you can see the fluid.

Those are the main things I look for. Of course there are other important things like different nozzles and a strainer to make sure you don’t get a clogged line, but those should come standard.

5 Best Battery-Powered Backpack Sprayers: Ranked

Okay! Finally after careful consideration we have put this list together. We’ve gotten our hands on a few of these but also tried to get some more variety in new products. So let’s get to the bottom of it once and for all.

5. Dewalt Battery Powered Backpack Sprayer

The Dewalt Lithium-Ion Battery-Powered Backpack Sprayer is sure to be a rugged, long-lasting tool. Not only does it come with Dewalt’s trusted brand reputation, but it’s a part of their 20V battery series.

Dewalt’s 20V Battery series is compatible with TONS of Dewalt tools.

What I love about the Dewalt Battery-Powered Backpack Sprayer

• Part of the 20V battery series
• Padded straps with two wrap-around straps
• 10 different flow settings
• Several nozzles for different spray patterns

What I don’t love about the Dewalt backpack sprayer

This breaks rule number one! It doesn’t have a see-through tank. So you have NO idea how much fluid is left in there outside of the weight differential.

The other thing I don’t love about this backpack sprayer is the price! It comes in at a steep $300 and can be purchased online from Home Depot.

4. Spraymate Lil Squirt Portable Backpack Sprayer

Candidly, we have not used this little guy but thought it was so cool that it needed to make this list.

It isn’t really a backpack sprayer, but more like a satchel sprayer. It comes with a nice little strap that you can hang over your shoulder and waltz around your lawn to get the job done.

At just about $100, this thing is the most cost-effective way to get the job done with a battery powered sprayer.

So where is the battery?

Great question. Looking at this, you would have no idea. But it is actually built into the handle of the Lil Squirt sprayer. It plugs into the wall and has a nice little charger that you plug in directly. It makes the product super intuitive and easy to use without having to pull out a separate battery.

Otherwise, this sprayer has a nice six foot hose, a quick-connect extension wand, and is super lightweight.

If you are a more casual backpack sprayer user, then this is a really good cost-effective alternative to the others here.

You can grab this one at Home Depot or get its big brother, a fully built out backpack sprayer with four gallons on Amazon.

3. Milwaukee M18 4 Gallon Backpack Sprayer

Milwaukee rocks. In fact, we’ve gotten our hands on a few of their pieces of lawn equipment. Like their new blowers and even their M18 lawn mower.

They simply don’t miss.

So when I saw their backpack sprayer I knew it would make the top five.

What we love about the Milwaukee M18 Backpack Sprayer

• The M18 battery line is incredible and can service TONS of tools
• It can absolutely LAUNCH spray – like over 20 feet away if you desire
• The shoulder straps are supremely comfortable
• The battery placement is well-designed

What we didn’t love

• We didn’t have this problem, but from others have heard that the tank can leak
• It’s a bit pricey.

All in all this is a great backpack sprayer and perfect for those of us that already own M18 batteries, this thing is sweet. If you already own the batteries you can save a ton of money by purchasing the tool-only version on Amazon or getting it off of Home Depot, wherever you prefer.

2. Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless Backpack Sprayer

The Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless backpack sprayer is pretty slick. We loved using it and even filmed a long YouTube video that highlights all the different features and benefits.

It is a huge timesaver, just like the other battery-powered backpack sprayers, but is also really reliable. Ryobi products are super common as well, so chances are you already have one of their ONE+ 18V batteries to pop right onto this backpack sprayer.

What we love about the Ryobi 18V backpack sprayer

• Super easy, ergonomically designed trigger that fits your whole hand
• Battery interchangeability with all the other Ryobi 18V tools
• You can use the tank 11 times on the same charge
• Incredibly comfortable – way better than my Jansport backpack
• Easy to use pressure control valve on the side
• See-through 4 gallon tank so you know when you’re getting low

Frankly, there wasn’t much to dislike about this backpack sprayer. It comes in at a great price WITH battery and charger on Amazon or at Home Depot for a great price.

1. RYOBI 40V Cordless Backpack Sprayer

Okay guys, we have a confession. This one is basically IDENTICAL to the 18V ONE+ battery backpack sprayer above. And we like it for all the same reasons.

But the 40V series from Ryobi is just much more popular than the 18V series. If you already own a Ryobi tool, you can get this thing for an insane price from a number of places. We found the best price for the tool-only version on Home Depot’s site and it’s even cheaper than the 18V series.

Antique fishing lures can be worth a good amount of money – some have sold for as much as $100,000.

There are plenty of collectors out there looking to add to their collection, whether they are fairly common antique lures, or the rarest of the rare.

In this post, we will take a look at the most valuable lures out there and talk about their history, and how much they could be worth.

What is the Most Valuable Antique Lure in the World?

The most expensive lure in the world is the giant Copper Haskell Minnow. This lure was patented by Riley Haskell in 1859 and is a prime example of lures used in the very early years of recreational fishing in America.

The Copper Haskell Minnow is a very rare lure, but there is only one known example of the giant copper Haskell minnow size, and this single example, coupled with the fact that all Haskell minnows are very rare, led to the lure selling at auction for $100,000 dollars.

What Other Antique Lures are Highly Valuable?

Musky Charmer Minnow

There are several types of lures that are worth a good chunk of change in the charmer lure line, but the Musky Charmer Minnow is the rarest and most sought after of all charmer lures.

The Musky Charmer Minnow comes in at 5 inches in length, being the largest of all charmer minnows, and there are only a few known to be in existence today.

The paint scheme with stripes on the rear section of the lure is particularly rare, with only one known to exist, and recently, this one-of-a-kind vintage fishing lure sold for $25,000 at auction in 2018.

Heddon Black Sucker

Heddon has made tons of popular lure designs over a long period of time, and in fact, Heddon still produces some of its classic lure designs to this day.

The Heddon Black Sucker is a fishing lure that is worth quite a bit of money if you manage to get your hands on a quality example.

The Black Sucker is a 6-inch wooden bait with glass eyes, a non-movable intact tail, and a front prop spinner.

The lures typically feature a natural scale paint job and, as with most valuable lures for years passed, are very rare. One of these lures in great condition sold at auction for $19,000 dollars in 2006.

Heddon Mohawk Minnow

You will see the name Heddon a few times in this list, and that’s because Heddon was one of, if not the, top lure brand in the fishing early recreational fishing industry.

The Mohawk minnow was produced in the early 1900s and features a front and rear propeller arrangement and excellent color patterns.

If this lure comes with the Heddon paperwork and box and is in exquisite condition, you could find yourself selling it at auction for as much as $18,000 dollars, as someone found out when one sold for $18,400 in 2013.

1905 Smith Minnow Wiggletail

The Wiggletail is a very unusual-looking mechanical vintage lure that makes you scratch your head when you first look at it.

The mechanical tail design certainly makes it stand out among other tackle from the period, and it is a very rare find, with only ten examples known to exist today.

In 2015 one of these steampunk-Esque-looking lures sold for a decent chunk of change at auction 2015 for $17,500.

Shakespeare Wooden Minnow

The Shakespeare wooden minnow lure follows the same popular lure design seen used by other lure builders in the early 1900s, with a front and rear propeller blade and a cylindrical body that tapers from head to tail.

The props are different than those found on many other lures from the same period, and are bent backwards at an angle, these propellers are known as A-notch propellers.

If this lure comes with the original box, which in itself is very rare, and if both the lure and the box are in great condition, you could fetch over $18,000 dollars for one of these lures, as some lucky person did in 2012.

What Types of Antique Lure is the Most Valuable?

There are several different types of antique fishing tackle that are worth money, from the copper-built Haskell minnow, the rarest of all old fishing lures, to standard steel lures.

The majority of antique fishing lures that are worth quite a bit are typically made out of wood and are hand-painted, and if the lure and paint condition of the lure is good, chances are you can get a pretty penny for one of these rare lures if you choose to sell one.

What are the Most Expensive Old Lures Made Of?

The Haskell minnow is made of copper, and since these are the rarest of all recreational fishing lures, the chances of finding one are like hitting the jackpot.

Most other old fishing lures are made from wood, and water can take its toll on wooden fishing lures. If you find a wooden fishing lure in great condition, chances are it wasn’t fished much and thus can be worth a good amount.

Which Companies Made the Most Valuable Old Fishing Lures?

Heddon, Shakespeare, and Creek Chub baits, Pardee, and Pflueger lures are the more commonly found fishing lures, and they were very popular in the early days of recreational fishing.

Heddon is probably the most familiar of all these fishing lure brands, and there are actually quite a few of them floating around, but not all of them are worth a substantial amount.

Where Can You Buy and Sell Vintage Fishing Lures

If you want to collect and potentially sell lures to collectors, a good place to start looking would be online, such as on eBay or in Facebook groups.

If you live in an area with a very prominent fishing culture, like the upper Midwest and Great Lakes region, start going to flea markets and rummage sales during the spring and summer, chances are someone has some old fishing lures sitting on a table for a few bucks, and that is where I have gotten many of mine.

Are Vintage Fishing Lures a Good Investment?

This is a hard question to ask, as many of the antique fishing lures you find are going to be somewhat common. For instance, I have a Heddon Dingbat sitting on my computer desk that is in great condition, but it features the most common paint job of the type, meaning it is only worth about 30 dollars.

If you happen to find one of the rare ones on this list, along with others not listed, they can be a good investment. There isn’t much information out there on how an antique fishing lure appreciates over time, so if you don’t want to keep and old fishing lure as a collectible, you’re better off selling it at auction.

• This article on turkey hunting is featured in the Midwest edition of March’s Game & Fish Magazine. Learn how to subscribe

When I started turkey hunting as a clueless 14-year-old, the loudest voices in the expert turkey space all said the same thing:

Yelp three times and shut up. Those were the dark ages of turkey hunting.

Since then, we’ve learned just how conversational turkeys can be—and how deep their vocabulary really is. To be a consistently successful turkey hunter, you need to understand this proclivity for conversation and know how to interact with turkeys accordingly.

1. YELPS

If you can’t yelp, you can’t call turkeys. This call functions to serve several purposes. The ladies use it to keep track of one another (gobblers too, just less frequently). Hens also use it to rope in a randy gobbler, and a good series of yelps often leads to other calls as intensity ramps up.

The key to understanding yelps is grasping cadence and structure. A yelp is a two-note call that drops off sharply at the end. Most beginners default to a one-note yelp, and it doesn’t work.

They also string their yelps together too quickly, which sounds unnatural. Whether you use a diaphragm call, slate or box, think “slow and purposeful” with your two-part yelps.

2. PURRS

Most of the purring you’ll hear from wild turkeys will come from hens as they preen themselves and slowly, contentedly pick their way past your blind. When birds fight, especially gobblers, they’ll engage in a souped-up purr that often transitions into other calls, but what most hunters should think about is the softer version. This is an all-clear, confidence-boosting call.

Whether you channel your inner Cajun and roll your Rs with a mouth call or drag a striker softly across a slate, this call is for close birds that need a little coaxing to cross the red line. It’s a great way to convince a hung-up gobbler that he should cover the last 50 or so yards.

3. CLUCKS

The cluck, a one-note sound that might remind you of that of a chicken, falls close to the purr on the vocalization spectrum. Content turkeys cluck, just like they purr. The two sounds are often made back-to-back, and if you learn how to do this, you can further sell the ruse that all is good with your faux flock.

The easiest way to do this is to end a purr on a slate call with a quick, soft pop of the striker. The key here is subtlety, just like it is if you make clucks with a mouth call. Content birds don’t scream their lungs out, so you want to keep your library voice going here. Again, if you’ve got birds that are hung up or respond negatively to more aggressive calling, clucking might be the ticket.

4. CUTTS

Cutting is the “come at me, bro” of the turkey vocabulary—though, technically, it’s more of a “come at me, sis.” This sound, which really ramps birds up, can be made like a cluck on a slate call but with some serious force and rapid-fire succession. It often triggers a dominant response from hens, which usually pulls in the boyfriends and can turn a dead setup into an action-packed gobble fest.

The cutt is also easy to make with a mouth call, but probably best created with a box call. Ensure you’re chalked up and confident, and tilt the paddle at as much an angle as you can. Then, bring it home with authority several times in a row.

Cutting, like all calling, is situationally specific. If you’ve got a hen that’s chatty, you’re off to a good start. You can also use the cutt around midday when nothing is going on, but you’ll want to start with softer yelps and purrs first. I often use two separate calls—a slate and a mouth call, for instance—to create calling sessions that sound like hens getting after one another. These sessions always lead to aggressive cutting, and they’ve brought in many longbeards over the years, especially on heavily pressured public ground.

5. GOBBLES

We all know what a gobble is, but most of us don’t actually know when to use it as a call. The best answer is “not very often.” Gobbling is something to consider if you know for certain that no one can potentially sneak up and shoot you with a load of No. 4s. It’s also a last resort for a hung-up gobbler that you can see but who just doesn’t believe your normal turkey talk. Occasionally, the competition aspect of throwing a gobble into the mix does the trick and you can coax a longbeard in closer.

There are gobble-shaker calls out there, but you can also hold a box call upside down and quickly shake it back and forth for a passable gobble. If you’re confident with a mouth call, you can shake your head like a lunatic and create a loud, realistic-sounding gobble that will have spit flying and your snoozing hunting partner checking his underwear. While a gobble might not be a great call for very many situations when you want to draw a longbeard into range, it’s an excellent locator call. In fact, in my experience, it’s the best one out there.

Locator Lowdown

Play a productive game of Marco Polo with toms.

As discussed, if you can gobble, you can get turkeys to gobble, which is the whole point of a locator call. Also, as mentioned, it’s not always smart to go around sounding exactly like the thing everyone in the woods is trying to kill. Fortunately, you’ve got other options.

Crow calls, owl hooters and even peacock calls are all available to spring longbeard chasers who just need to hear a few real birds to devise a plan. If you’re trying to roost a bird, an owl hooter is tough to beat (although a gobble is as good or better). If you’re running and gunning all day long and just want a midday bird to sound off, try a simple crow call. The best for this is a series of five caws, with the first three drawn out and the last two made very quickly (listen to real crows and this will make sense).

CLUTCH CALLS

Seven of the best turkey calls to carry this spring

Owning—and knowing how to use—a variety of calls improves your odds in the spring. While plenty of options exist, running diaphragm calls like the Primos Veronica ($6.99; primos.com) is an excellent way to expand your vocabulary. This three-reed, spur-cut mouth call is designed so that users can produce everything from the high-pitched kee-kee to a low-and-slow raspy yelp. Another great option for mouth calls is the Hunter Specialties Tongue Series ($29.99; gsmoutdoors.com). A four-pack contains options for producing every sound a turkey can make thanks to the unique cuts of the latex.

Naturally, you’ll want more than diaphragm calls, and no turkey hunter worth his or her salt would be caught dead in the woods without a box call and a pot call. In the former category, it’s hard to find a better option than Zink’s Wicked Series Box ($119.99; zinkcalls.com). This premium call is hand-built, hand-tuned and is double-sided to allow for different tones. Pot call fanatics should check out Flextone’s Pot Luck Glass ($12.99; flextonegamecalls.com). This compact and weatherproof call is designed to keep working even when the rain comes, all while producing crisp, loud-as-you-need-them sounds.

Here in Maine and many parts of New England, springtime means ice-out and smelt runs. In the early spring, smelt are spawning. Looking for tributaries and other feeder streams to complete their duty, trout and salmon will follow suit. Smelt can enter the river in many different ways, including getting tossed through dams, so they can be ever-present in many different areas in rivers, lakes, and ponds. Trout and salmon are hungry from a long winter and ready to feed. Baitfish meals that are full of protein are high on their list. This means it is a great time to get out those streamers. Some of the biggest fish are present and feeding this time of year and some of your best chances to find these beasts is to fish streamers. Here is a short list of some of our favorite ones at the shop!

Raptor Smelt

This is streamer pattern designed here at the shop that is tied to imitate a smelt. This pattern features a wing with a combination of synthetic and natural materials including Raptor hackle, Steve Farrar SF Blend, and peacock herl. These flies are tied on size 6 Daiichi traditional streamer hooks. With smelt runs in full swing during the spring, patterns that imitate this forage are incredibly important to have in your box. These flies will work well on floating, intermediate, and sinking lines depending on the depth desired. Smelt streamers in general work very well when swung, but can induce bites by being stripped sporadically as well. If you think you will be fishing for trout and salmon that are actively feeding on smelt, be sure to pick up a few of these flies.

Check out this pattern HERE

Floating Smelt

The floating smelt is an incredibly effective imitation of a dead or wounded smelt. This pattern is meant to be dead drifted on the surface to imitate this but can also be swung in the current with succesful results. The floating smelt works best when fishing on tailwaters that have smelt being washed down and injured through the dam turbines. With so many of our rivers heavily dammed in Maine this is a very regular occurence. This fly is tied with E-Z Tubing stuffed with foam and colored with a marker for the dark back. Tied on a size 4 Gamakatsu B10S stinger hook and features Fish Skull Holographic Living Eyes.

Check out this Pattern HERE

Grey Ghost

As effective as it is famous, it doesn’t make much sense to target Maine salmon and trout without a grey ghost in your box. Originated by the famous Carrie Stevens, this is probably the best known traditional Maine streamer pattern, and for good reason. This fly is very productive in the fall for inducing a territorial reaction bite, but is also a great pattern to be throwing during smelt runs. This fly can be effectively fished on a floating, intermediate, or sinking line depending on the depth desired. We offer a marabou wing version here at the shop that seems to be especially productive in our northern rivers and streams. These flies are tied on size 6 Daiichi traditional streamer hooks.

Checkout this fly HERE

Montreal Whore

Sometimes you just need the biggest piece of white marabou you can find tied onto a hook. That is what the Montreal whore is. A classic and super effective Maine “attractor style” streamer pattern, the Montreal Whore shines not only during the fall but during our smelt runs as well. This fly is a quick easy tie, but produces a lot of fish. Somewhere in between an attractor pattern and a smelt imitation, this is one fly you should be sure to have in your box. Like the Grey Ghost, this fly fishes well in both Spring and Fall months. Our version of this pattern is tied on size 6 Daiichi traditional streamer hooks.

Check out this fly HERE

Bead Head Woolly Bugger

As obvious as it is, this one had to make the list. Woolly Buggers just down right catch fish. And in the spring when the trout and salmon are looking for a big meal after a long winter, they cannot resist this super popular pattern. In the spring we like them on the larger size 4 and 6 hooks specifically in olive, white, and purple. Black is also very productive, especially in stillwater scenarios. We have many different sizes, colors and variations at the shop.

Check out this fly HERE

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15lb – Great for finesse tactics – shaky heads, drop shot, small swimbaits. Can be used to catch panfish, walleye, and great for trolling30lb – Best for walk-the-dog topwaters, swim jigs and chatterbaits. Can also be used for trolling50lb – Ideal for flippin’, froggin’, and big game fishin’BUY GOOGAN SQUAD 8X BRAID

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8lb – Excels for shaky head and jerkbait bass fishing. Useful as a leader when fishing with braided line. Also a solid option for walleye fishing.12lb – All around solid line. Good for crankbaits, spinnerbaits, bladed jigs, Texas rigs and Carolina rigs.15lb – Perfect when fishing the same baits as above, but around hard cover and/or vegetation. Also better when flipping jigs.BUY GOOGAN SQUAD FLUOROCARBON

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6lb – Great for panfish and trout. Excels on smaller size spinning reels. Perfect for float fishing, spinners, small cranks, and live bait. Ultralight techniques.8lb – All around solid line. Great for multi-species angling. Strong enough for small Texas rigs, small enough for float fishing and other light options.12lb – Great option for pond fishing. Texas rigs, soft plastic jerkbaits, poppers, jigs, and lots of other typical bass fishing techniques.BUY GOOGAN SQUAD MONOFILAMENT

Start catching more mondos with the Googan Squad mono! The affordable and versatile monofilament line is ideal for any bass or multi-species angler. The added stretch from monofilament helps absorb the shock while fighting a fish which makes the Googan Squad Monofilament a solid choice when fishing any treble hook baits.In addition to being deadly for largiesand smallies, this monofilament will help you fool trout, walleye, panfish and more. Available in 3 lines sizes, the Googan Squad Monofilament is the best value of all the three line options. Each spool holds 330 yards which should be enough to fill 2-3 of your reels.

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Shed hunting Michigan is tough, but it can be done.

As I walked past my treestand over to the puddle of standing water in the forest, I glimpsed what looked like tines poking out of the standing water. As I came closer, it immediately became apparent from the milky white coloration and the layout that I was looking at a brow tine, G2, and G3 just barely breaking the surface. Had the water been any higher, I might have missed seeing the shed antler completely.

After using a stick to pull the small 4-point side out of the water, I stood up, glanced to the side, and immediately felt dumb. The matching side was also laying in the water only about six feet away, and I hadn’t spotted it until then.

The tines were sticking barely half an inch above the shallow water’s surface. It was my second matched set of the year.

It also just goes to show that looking for deer antlers in Michigan can be much harder than other parts of the country. These antlers easily could have been lost to time. As soon as the rains that accompany this time of year come, the antlers would be submerged completely, and quickly hidden by dead leaf litter in that swampy area.

After more than 25 years of looking for shed antlers in Michigan, I’ve discovered many of the tips and techniques that are good for other states don’t always translate to the Great Lakes State. Fortunately, I learned how to shed hunt this state the hard way. Now you won’t have to do the same. This is how I find shed antlers every year in Michigan.

When do bucks shed their antlers in Michigan?

In my experience, most Michigan bucks seem to start shedding their antlers around the second week of February. Many are completely shed out by March. The earliest in the year I’ve found a shed is mid-January. There are always outliers to these times though. I’ve gotten trail camera photos of bucks holding their antlers into late April here before. The factors that affect when deer shed their antlers are going to be different for each animal based on the animal’s health, testosterone levels, and other factors. Although it does seem like more bucks shed earlier the more severe the winter. As much as I hate long, lingering snows, those kinds of winters always leave me rubbing my palms together in anticipation. Mainly because it seems to concentrate where bucks shed their antlers more than a mild winter, but we’ll talk more about that later.

I should also note that you shouldn’t believe the myth that all antlers get completely chewed up if you don’t hurry. I’ve found shed antlers in Michigan in July and even September before. I will note that on private lands in Michigan, it helps a lot if you can hold off searching until March. On public lands that isn’t always an option because of the competition of course. In my experience, the less pressure on the deer the better, especially if you have exclusive rights to shed hunt a spot.

Think small when searching.

It’s easy to get excited scrolling through Instagram and seeing people piling up the big antlers in Iowa, Illinois, and other states of the Midwest. However, we need to temper expectations in Michigan a little.

Let’s be honest; our deer management is not great here. Most whitetail deer do not live to see their second birthday, especially the yearling bucks. You can thank our overly-long deer hunting seasons and bag limits that may be a little too generous. But I digress. The point is, if you go out looking for a sun-bleached 5-point side, odds are you’re not going to find it here in Michigan. Unfortunately, I think that’s why a lot of Michigan shed hunters get discouraged.

I finally found my first 5-point side this year and it took me nearly 25 years to do that. I’ve found antlers every year for the last decade, but it took that long to find a 5-point. It’s just not easy to find the big ones here.

Speaking of tempering expectations, you also shouldn’t expect to find a ton of antlers in Michigan, not without a ton of walking anyway. My record for a year is 11 and I’ve done that twice. Most years I’m finding around five at the most. They’re not easy to find in this state!

Finding sheds in Michigan requires more patience and persistence than it does in other states, and calls for a commitment to looking for smaller antlers. I’ve found more fork horns than any other type of antler.

There’s a lot to explain that we won’t get deep into, but it’s important to “train your eyes” to look for sheds. And once you do that, you need to commit to only looking for a tiny bit of antler at a time. I’m usually watching for only a few inches of bone. I probably spot more antlers by looking for the curvature of the main beam than anything else.

Unless you’re a natural, it takes time to train yourself to do this. For more detail on training and conditioning your eyes, check out this previous piece on the subject. Learn from those tips, and read on for more Michigan-specific pointers.

Where deer shed in Michigan.

If I had to estimate, I would guess I’ve found approximately 70% of my Michigan sheds in feeding areas or tall grass cover over the years, especially after a winter with snow that stays on the ground for weeks at a time. Winters like that help to concentrate the deer in one area and bucks will spend an inordinate amount of time restoring their fat reserves which were exhausted during the rut.

My second favorite spots to look are bedding areas, especially the ones on south-facing slopes. I should note that while I have found antlers while grid-searching bedding areas, they are not usually the areas that pan out best for me. This goes against a lot of the advice you’ll read in most shed hunting articles, but I cannot deny my own results favoring feeding and transition tall grass over bedding areas over the years.

Many Michigan hunters, including myself, spent years convinced that all bucks in this state drop their antlers in the thick cover where it’s hard to walk ten feet without bending over or brushing through thorns. I can count on one hand the number of sheds I’ve found in thickets like those. Not only is it hard to search, it’s also not usually the place bucks frequent during the winter months. Once the hunting season is over, they know the pressure is off, and they tend to let their guard down a little. They’ll start wandering closer to the food and in more open areas when the snows arrive.

Most hunters think because crop fields and food plots are usually more open, they can cover these areas quickly and move on. As a result, they walk right past antlers they should have found had they taken the time to slowly and properly grid-search the area. One of the worst pieces of shed antler hunting advice I ever read about was to use a four-wheeler to cover ground quickly. I did this for years without finding a single shed. I’m convinced now it’s because I was going much too fast. I shudder to think of how many antlers I’ve missed over the years due to improper search techniques.

Another prime area to search is the cover immediately surrounding food sources. Michigan deer are under a ridiculous amount of pressure during deer season. In some areas, the seasons stretch into January, well after the first snow and cold temperatures. At that point in late winter, most bucks are worn down after the rut and they just want to eat. However, they’re not stupid about it. They still like to stage up along the edges of these food sources and scope the food plot or field out before they head out.

I’ve also seen too many shed hunters in Michigan waste time randomly following heavy deer trails through the woods. I usually only start checking the trails closely when I’ve exhausted the bedding areas, feeding areas, and grassy cover.

Even then, one big thing I’ve noticed over the years is that the big bucks are rarely using the heaviest of trails. A lot of those tracks are does and fawns. Many bucks, especially the older ones, seem to take lighter trails running parallel to those, especially if there’s more cover.

Don’t forget about water. Last September I found a small three-pointer ten yards inside the woods off a public Lake Michigan beach in the Upper Peninsula. That find came after I found a 110-inch matched set from a big 7-point while kayaking a river in July. The 4-point side was what caught my eye when I spotted it laying on the bank. The 3-point match was sitting in the river itself right next to it. If there’s a pond or river running through the area you shed hunt, you owe it to yourself to check the shores of it closely. Don’t forget to look IN the water too. Case in point: my submerged pair mentioned earlier.

Other things to keep in mind.

The biggest thing I’ve learned about Michigan deer over the years is that they don’t behave like the majority of other deer. The animals here receive so much pressure from deer hunters that there is often little rhyme or reason to many of their behaviors. Many articles will tell you not to look for sheds in the same places where you had a sighting during deer season. However, Michigan deer usually don’t follow those rules. If an area provides food, water, and cover, many bucks are content to stick to the same area all season. This is especially true of areas that receive little hunting pressure.

Although you should also be aware many Michigan bucks will also sometimes roam a larger-than-normal area than other states. Case in point: I’ve found sheds from bucks I watched all season before, but I also sometimes find random sheds from deer I later learned were photographed most of year three to five miles away. You’re more likely to find those roamers during a mild winter when bucks aren’t stressed about finding food. Most hunters associate a buck’s wanderlust with seeking out does during the rut, but some will continue wandering well after the rut is over.

The bigger point is that sheds can be found almost everywhere in Michigan. If you’ve exhausted the obvious spots, it’s time to move to the less obvious ones. Think way outside the box. The biggest shed I’ve ever found was from an urban buck. I found that 65+ inch, four-point side in a tiny patch of woods behind a movie theater. The antler was laying less than thirty yards from a heavily-used bike path and forty yards from a road! Michigan bucks are extremely smart and will seek sanctuary wherever they can find it sometimes. Shed hunters who are successful here year in and year out know how to find these honey holes.

Most of all, I encourage anyone interested in shed hunting to not give up no matter where they’re searching. It takes time and patience to find antlers in Michigan. However, if I can pull it off year after year, I’m convinced anyone can at this point. Get out there and burn some boot leather, and you may be surprised at what you find.

For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Instagram For original videos, check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.

READ MORE: 7 SHED HUNTING TIPS FOR THOSE WHO JUST CAN’T SEEM TO FIND THEM

Meat sticks, snack sticks, beef sticks, slim jims, whatever you want to call them, these on-the-go meat snacks are a staple in sausage making. A cousin of jerky, this semi-dry sausage is thinner in diameter and can be made from pork, beef, venison or other combinations of wild game.

Meat sticks are ground then stuffed in either collagen or natural casings. They can be seasoned with virtually any profile and enhanced with add-ins like high-temp cheese, encapsulated citric acid or cultures. No matter how you flavor your meat sticks, they’re the perfect hand-held meat snack and are a great way to utilize your venison or leftover trimmings.

Tools of the Trade

• Meat Grinder with 3/8” and 3/16” plates
• Meat Mixer or Your Hands
• Meat Lug or Large Food-Safe Container
• Stuffer (13 or 16mm horn)
• Smokehouse

Meat (and Fat) Instructions for Meat Sticks

For this venison snack stick recipe, making sure you have the right meat-to-fat ratio is important. For the best meat sticks, you’ll want to shoot for a range of 15-25% fat and 85-75% lean for the finished product. Any leaner, and you risk a dry and crumbly texture in your snack sticks. This is especially important when making deer sticks. When working with venison, we recommend adding about 50% venison and 50% pork trim with 50% fat content into your snack sticks. Pork trim, or the trimmings from the shoulder or butt, are typically available at your local butcher shop (make sure to call ahead!). If you want to be really precise, you can separate the visible fat from the meat and weigh them out separately to get the exact ratios right for your venison sticks.

Grinding & Mixing for Snack Sticks

Meat sticks don’t require a very fine grind, as you’ll want to retain some visual separation of fat and meat in your final beef sticks. To get the right snack stick texture, we recommend grinding twice; the first pass through a 3/8“ plate then twice through a 3/16” plate.

Pro tip: Remember to always keep your sausage stick’s meat cold! We recommend popping your meat block back into the cooler between grinds to prevent smearing.

Once each of your proteins has been ground, you can begin mixing either by hand or by using a meat mixer. We recommend doing it by hand for batches less than 25 lbs as you don’t want to break the any encapsulated citric acid or high-temp cheese you’re adding into your snack sticks.

Beef Sticks Seasoning & Additives

Begin by adding your seasoning to your meat sticks. Whether you’re making pork, venison, beef sticks, we recommend our No. 765 Honey BBQ Snack Stick Seasoning or No 769 Willie’s Seasoning. Both have a great depth of flavor that are equally good on their own or mixed with other additives like high-temp cheese. Other favorite meat stick seasonings are:

• No. 769 Honey Sriracha Seasoning: Sweet with just the right amount of heat. Comes with Speed Cure. Perfect for beef sticks.
• No 491 Seven Pepper Seasoning: Feel the burn! This blend is just like the name implies with chili, jalapeno, chipotle, habanero and red peppers. Comes with Speed Cure. Amazing for venison sticks.
• No. 798 Pepperoni Stick Seasoning: The delicious taste of pepperoni in a snack form. Comes with Maple Cure. Best for pork sticks.

If your seasoning doesn’t have any larger pieces, you can season after the first grind and have the grinder do some of the distribution for you.

All of our meat stick seasonings come complete with cure for up to 25 lbs. of meat. Nitrites help preserve the red in the meat in the absence of oxygen and also kill bacteria that can result in food-borne illnesses. Add the appropriate amount of cure for your meat batch to your water and stir to combine.

Once the seasonings and cure have been well incorporated into your meat stick mix, this is the time to add in any other flavorings. We like to add in high-temp cheddar cheese and encapsulated citric acid. Encapsulated citric acid gives a mouthwatering tang to your finished sausage sticks and because it’s coated, won’t break down the texture of the meat.

For meat snack sticks, you’ll want to get a good amount of protein extraction before stuffing. The end results should be sticky and pasty, with seasonings well incorporated throughout. For proper jerky stick flavor and color development, refrigerate your meat mixture overnight or for several hours before stuffing.

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Meat Sticks Casings

Meat sticks have a smaller diameter and are typically made with either natural sheep casings or small collagen casings. We prefer the irresistible “snap” that comes from natural sheep casings, but collagen casings will offer better uniformity and rich mahogany color for your snack sticks. For the best beef sticks, we recommend:

• 20-22 mm Natural Sheep Casings (Home Pack)

• 20-22 mm Natural Sheep Casings (Preflushed)

• 21 mm Mahogany Processed Collage Casings

• 21 mm Clear Processed Collagen Casings

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Meat Sticks Processing

One of the trickiest parts of making meat sticks is the processing or smoking process. If the sausages heat too quickly, the fat has the potential of melting out of the beef stick and the encapsulated acid can break down. The key is to gradually increase the temperature to ensure there’s no fat or additive loss inside the snack sticks.

The type of combustible you will use for smoking also has an impact on the taste and smoking process of your meat sticks. It is best to do some research and figure out which material you should use to obtain the best beef sticks.

To make the best smoked snack sticks, we recommend using a high quality electric smokehouse, like the Pro Smoker PK-100, which uses sawdust as smoke fuel. Always refer to your manufacturers instructions for smoking times and temperatures, but as a general rule, our recommend processing schedule is:

• Set smokehouse to 120° F. Hung sausage sticks and set in the smokehouse to dry for ½ hour (no smoke)
• Increase temperature to 130° F and smoke for 1 hour (dampers closed 75%)
• Increase temperature to 150° F and smoke for 1 hour
• Increase temperature to 170° F and remove smoke
• Cook until internal temperature of the snack stick reaches 155° F degrees

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Cooling

There are two ways to cool down sausages and snack sticks after the smoking process: air drying or ice bath. If you choose to air dry, let the meat sticks rest at room temperature for about ½ hour to bring the internal temperature of the snack sticks down to 110 degrees before placing them in the fridge to cool completely. The ice bath method goes faster, but both processes with get the casings to firm up and create the nice snap texture when you bite into your beef sticks.

Once in the fridge, wait until the snack sticks reach an internal temperature of 39 degrees before vacuum packing or storing. If properly sealed and packaged, snack sticks can last in the freezer for several months or in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.

Enjoy Your Homemade Beef Sticks!

You now have succeeded in making your own homemade meat sticks! Whether you chose to follow it as a venison or beef sticks recipe, we are sure you will feel proud every time you go for a quick meat snack!

Don’t hesitate to check out all our sausage recipes and meat & sausage tips!

For printable instructions, see our recipe for Honey BBQ Venison Snack Sticks.