With hunting being such a long-standing, time-honored tradition in this country and around the world, it only stands to reason that over time, a number of practices or “traditions within the tradition” have developed among regions, cultures and particularly among individual groups of hunters.

Some are serious and revered, while others are, well, just plain strange to the uninitiated. Here’s a short list of traditions that run the spectrum of good, bad and just plain ugly.

— The Good —

Prayer

As in many aspects of life, prayer figures prominently in the hunt where sportsmen of faith – though often varying degrees of practicing it – can all agree that the time outdoors we enjoy, the friendships forged through a common love of hunting and nature, and particularly, the game we take are all blessed events that reflect the Lord’s grace.

As such, as soon as the game has hit the ground, there are many hunters who, before any game is moved or even tagged, will kneel or bow before the fallen creature and recite a prayer, honoring the animal with both blessings and remembrance.

Holding of Court

In the Southeast, where the deer hunting with hounds culture still reigns in shrinking rural pockets as it has since colonial times, a tradition that is also dying with the rush of modern culture is the “holding of court” at the end of the day when organized hunts are held.

Growing up hunting at the former United Hunt Club in Southampton County, Va., I have fond memories as a boy standing among the men in the freezing night air and gathered around the open skinning shed as court came into session. In all my years there, I only remember two different men serving as judge and they would open court allowing any hunter who had missed a deer that day to throw himself on the mercy of the court.

Few did as the banter that ensued was much more entertaining for everyone when an accused attempted to deny that he had missed and blame the shots on somebody else. Ultimately, those found guilty of missing often had to pay a fine by having their shirt tail cut – typically an inch for each fired shot – though on rare occasions, the hijinks got so animated that I saw the hat brims removed, entire shirts slashed, and once, a removed boot chopped by a meat cleaver!

This tradition played out through varying degrees throughout the South and underscored the social nature of this type of club hunting. Even though the old clubhouse sits largely unused these days, shirt tails, many more than 40 years old, still blow in the breeze beneath that skinning shed roof.

Lighting the Fire

Missouri outdoor writer Tony Kalna Jr. grew up hunting the Ozarks with his dad, grandfather and uncle, and they would pitch deer or turkey camp, depending on the season, and hunt for a whole week every year.

While in camp, they would use pine wood collected from old stumps that remained from past forest fires or had become almost petrified and formed fast burning lightered wood to always start their fire in camp. In 1983, family members bought a farm closer to where they lived and quit hunting the mountains shortly after. But on their final hunt, a turkey hunt, Tony and one of his relatives hauled one of these huge pine stumps out of the woods and back to their farm.

Every year since, they have chopped a small piece of wood from the stump and used it to build the first fire at each season’s deer camp. The stump is half gone by now, but because it takes so little of the flammable wood to ignite a good burning fire, Tony figures it will outlive him.

— The Bad —

First Deer

There are a number of long held – and sometimes odd – traditions surrounding the taking of a person’s first deer and the blood, or more rarely consumed organs, of that deer.

Some are really kind of cool, including a “blooding” rite as it is sometimes called whereby the lucky hunter’s forehead and/or cheeks are dabbed or smeared with blood to initiate them among them among the ranks of accomplished hunters. If not all hunters have celebrated their first kill in that manner, they have likely at least heard of it. A twisted twist on that experience is to remove the heart or liver from the still warm animal and take a bite from it.

“…a number of practices or “traditions within the tradition” have developed among regions, cultures and particularly among individual groups of hunters.”

That one may be a little too Legends of the Fall for most folks, and with concerns over blood-contaminating illnesses such as CDW or hemorrhagic disease, may not be the best way to continue that tradition. Some people even drink some of the deer’s blood, which unless you’re auditioning for a scene in the next Twilight movie, is just a bit ick.

A cool twist on the practice comes from Brian McCombie in Wisconsin, who says successful hunters will sometimes simmer the deer’s heart in water, along with celery, onion and beer, then slice and eat it. That’s one many of us could work with.

Drinking Night Before the Opener

For all the ink and genuine acceptance of women among the ranks of hunters, by and large, many hunting camps remain a “boys only” affair, where friends and male relatives annually gather to not only hunt, but also enjoy the camaraderie of men with a shared interest in hunting.

Nowhere is this more prevalent than in deer hunting where, as with most male-oriented activities, social time is spent drinking an alcoholic beverage or eight the night before opening day. This can lead to ready laughter and a plenty of good stories of stupidity that will be shared for years to come, but on more than a few of these occasions, I’ve personally witnessed hunters too hung over the next day to even crawl out of bed and hunt – or on rare occasions, were still inebriated so where they weren’t allowed to hunt. Enjoy a frosty beverage, or even a few, but try not to get so wild you miss opening morning. That’s just plain out stupid.

Clearing Out the Camper

Not so sure this counts as a tradition, but in researching this article, I came across this one in a thread on camp traditions. One hunter posted how his and his buddies’ hunt camp consists of many trailers, and on the Friday night before the deer opener, they all gather to B.S. in one of the campers.

However, as often occurs when among a group of dudes, someone “cuts the cheese,” as this hunter explained, at which point, everyone would get up and gather in another trailer. The conversation would resume until another “airing out” instance occurred and then they would move on to the next. Not sure what you do if you only have one cabin or tent for everyone to hang out in. Could be an unpleasant tradition to start on your camp.

— The Ugly —

Buck Sign

One Alabama hunter shared this tradition with me – a throwback to her dad’s younger days before there were cell phones, texting and even walkie-talkies. To this day, her dad and some of his contemporaries still follow the practice, but when they kill a buck and field dress it, they hang the severed genitals from a tree so anyone who happens past the gut pile will know the deer taken there was a buck. They can then excitedly hurry back to camp to see how big the trophy was taken by one of their hunting partners.

No Razors, Please

Another extremely individualized tradition among deer camps includes the resistance to shaving while hunting. On a message board, I found one hunter whose entire camp of guys doesn’t shave for the entire two-month long hunting season.

It worked for Robert Redford as Jeremiah Johnson – until his squaw trimmed him – and everyone knows how well it has worked for the Duck Commander boys. “Best marketing strategy ever thought of and it doesn’t cost us anything,”

Willie Robertson once told me concerning his father Phil’s decision to let the beards grow. Of course, if you still spend the majority of your time during hunting season in an office or shop instead of the woods or filming a hunting show, the ZZ Top look might garner you more Deliverance-minded stares of fear than smiles of admiration.

Horn Dance

I apologize, but I had to go out of country for this one, and it really is kind of a cool tradition once you know the history behind it. But at first glance, anytime you catch a video of men in knickers and lederhosen dancing in circles with each other sporting heavy racks above their heads, you have to stop and wonder.

What I’m talking about is the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance in Staffordshire, England, this year to be celebrated Sept. 10 in the village of, where else, Abbots Bromley. The dance was first performed as part of the Barthelmy Fair in August 1226. That means for 786 years, each year, dudes have been dressing up and dancing with antlers to celebrate the hunt.

Not sure if it blesses a hunt or just serves a rural curiosity among visitors these days (most likely the latter), but I can imagine me trying to get a bunch of hardened Dale Earnhardt-looking Midwestern hunters to dress like the sky ride attendant at Busch Gardens and dance daintily with antlers above their heads to the sound of a gonging chime.

In the animal kingdom, there are many creatures with impressive characteristics, but few can match the mighty bite force of a hippopotamus. With an astonishing capability of exerting around 1,800 psi (pounds per square inch) of force, the bite of a hippo is nothing short of extraordinary. Surprisingly, hippos surpass the likes of lions, tigers, and bears in terms of bite strength, and their jaws possess the ability to open at an astonishing 150 degrees with a mouth width ranging from 4 to 5 feet. As fearsome herbivores, hippos rely on their powerful bite not only for crushing and chewing tough vegetation but also as a formidable defense mechanism against potential predators like crocodiles, lions, and even humans. In fact, these powerful creatures are responsible for the tragic death of approximately 500 individuals every year, making them one of the most dangerous animals in Africa.

An Overview of Hippos’ Bite Force

Hippos, known for their massive size and intimidating presence, possess one of the most powerful bites in the animal kingdom. With a jaw strength capable of producing around 1,800 psi (pounds per square inch) of force, their bite can be quite formidable. This bite force surpasses that of even apex predators such as lions, tigers, and bears, cementing the fact that hippos are not to be underestimated.

Hippos’ Bite Force in the Animal Kingdom

Amongst the diverse range of animals in the animal kingdom, hippos stand out with their incredible bite force. The sheer power of their jaws allows them to exert immense pressure, making their bite force one of the highest recorded. This extraordinary ability showcases the strength and adaptability of these remarkable creatures.

Comparison to Other Animals

When comparing the bite force of hippos to other animals, it becomes evident just how formidable they truly are. While predators like lions, tigers, and bears are known for their strength, the bite force of a hippo surpasses even these mighty creatures. It is a testament to the immense power that resides within the jaws of a hippo.

Ability to Kill a Crocodile

Despite the formidable nature of crocodiles, hippos possess the strength and ability to defy the odds and overpower these reptilian predators. There have been recorded instances of hippos successfully killing crocodiles, showcasing their dominance in the animal kingdom. The combination of their powerful bite force and their natural defensive instincts enable them to prevail in these encounters.

The Anatomy of a Hippo’s Mouth

Understanding the anatomy of a hippo’s mouth provides valuable insights into the mechanisms behind their exceptional bite force.

Size of Their Mouths

One of the defining features of a hippo’s mouth is its size. With the ability to open their jaws up to 150 degrees, hippos possess large mouths that are designed to accommodate their substantial teeth and aid in their feeding habits. This generous mouth size contributes to their ability to generate such astonishing bite force.

Jaw Flexibility

A hippo’s jaw boasts impressive flexibility, allowing for a wide range of movement. This flexibility is essential in capturing and gripping food, as well as defending against potential threats. With a combination of strength and flexibility, hippos can maneuver their jaws with precision and force, maximizing the effectiveness of their bite.

Width of Their Jaws

In addition to their considerable size, a hippo’s jaws also possess significant width. Their mouths range from 4 to 5 feet wide, providing ample space for their teeth and facilitating the crushing and chewing of their food. The breadth of their jaws contributes to their ability to generate substantial bite force and aids in their overall feeding process.

Defense Mechanism Against Predators

Hippos’ powerful bite force serves as a formidable defense mechanism against potential predators, enabling them to protect themselves and their young.

Using Their Powerful Bite Force Against Predators

When confronted with threats such as crocodiles, lions, or humans, hippos utilize their powerful bite force as a primary line of defense. With the ability to inflict significant damage with a single bite, hippos can deter predators and potential attackers. The sheer force behind their jaws serves as a warning to those who dare approach.

Potential Threats Faced by Hippos

While hippos are known for their strength, they are not without vulnerabilities. In the face of predators, they must remain vigilant and cautious. The primary threats encountered by hippos include crocodiles, prides of lions, and even humans, who may encroach upon their territory or pose a danger to their calves.

How Their Bite Force Aids in Defense

The formidable bite force possessed by hippos plays a critical role in their defensive strategies. With a bite that can cause severe injury or even death, hippos can effectively deter predators. By utilizing their strong jaws, they can inflict significant damage upon attackers, giving them an advantage in confrontations. Their bite force allows them to establish dominance and protect their territories and young.

Hippos’ Diet and Their Bite Force

While hippos’ bite force is often associated with their defensive capabilities, it also plays a crucial role in their herbivorous diet.

Herbivorous Nature of Hippos

Contrary to their imposing stature and powerful jaws, hippos are herbivores. They primarily feed on grass and vegetation, spending several hours each day grazing and consuming large quantities of plant matter. Despite their voracious appetites, their diet consists entirely of plant-based material.

Specifics of Their Diet

The immense size and strength of a hippo’s jaws aid in their ability to crush and chew their food effectively. With their incisor and canine teeth adapted for grasping and tearing grasses, hippos rely on their molars and premolars, situated towards the back of their mouths, to grind and crush the fibrous vegetation. Their powerful bite force assists in breaking down the tough plant matter into more manageable pieces.

Role of Powerful Jaws and Teeth in Crushing and Chewing Food

Hippos’ strong jaws and teeth are essential tools in their dietary process. The crushing force generated by their bite allows them to break down the tough plant material, aiding in digestion. Additionally, their large teeth and wide jaws provide the necessary leverage to not only grip vegetation but also effectively chew and grind it down to a more easily digestible form.

Testing Female Hippos’ Bite Force

Due to the inherent risks associated with testing male hippos, researchers have focused on measuring the bite force of female hippos instead.

Implications of Testing Female Hippos

Testing the bite force of female hippos provides valuable insights into the capabilities of these creatures without posing unnecessary risks to the researchers involved. By focusing on female hippos, the data obtained can still provide a comprehensive understanding of their bite force and contribute to the overall knowledge surrounding these impressive animals.

Reasons for Not Testing Male Hippos

Male hippos, known for their territorial nature and aggressive behavior, represent a significant threat when it comes to conducting bite force tests. Their unpredictable nature and potentially volatile responses make it unsafe to engage in such measurements. As a result, researchers opt to study female hippos instead, ensuring their safety while gathering valuable information.

Procedure and Results of Bite Force Testing on Females

To measure the bite force of female hippos, researchers employ various methods. By equipping a specialized device with pressure sensors, they can capture the force exerted during a bite. By carefully provoking a bite response from a cooperative female hippo, researchers can obtain accurate and reliable data regarding their bite force. Such measurements contribute to our understanding of hippos’ capabilities and behaviors.

Hippos: One of Africa’s Most Dangerous Animals

While hippos may be perceived by some as lovable creatures, they are, in fact, one of Africa’s most dangerous animals, responsible for a significant number of fatalities each year.

Annual Death Toll Caused by Hippos

Hippos are responsible for approximately 500 deaths annually, making them one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. Their imposing size, territorial nature, and aggressive behavior contribute to these fatalities. It is essential to exercise caution and respect their space when encountering these animals in their natural habitats.

Comparison to Other Dangerous Animals in Africa

When comparing the danger posed by hippos to other notorious African animals, such as lions, elephants, or crocodiles, it becomes evident that hippos rank high on the list. Their confrontational nature and incredible strength make them a formidable force, and encounters can quickly escalate if precautions are not taken.

Factors Contributing to Hippos’ Dangerous Nature

Various factors contribute to the dangerous nature of hippos. Their territorial behavior, especially when defending their young, can lead to aggressive encounters. Additionally, their powerful bite force, which can cause severe injury or even death, further enhances their dangerous reputation. Understanding these factors is crucial in promoting coexistence and ensuring the safety of both humans and hippos.

Hippos’ Bite Force in the Animal Kingdom

To understand the significance of hippos’ bite force, it is important to delve deeper into its measurements and comparisons to other animals.

Overview of Hippos’ Powerful Bite Force

Hippos’ bite force is measured in pounds per square inch (psi) and typically registers at around 1,800 psi. This measurement places hippos amongst the upper echelons of the animal kingdom in terms of bite force capability. Their jaw strength and the pressure they can exert showcase the remarkable power packed within their formidable bodies.

Measurement in Pounds Per Square Inch (psi)

The bite force of a hippo is measured in pounds per square inch, which indicates the amount of force exerted over a given area. With hippos demonstrating bite forces of approximately 1,800 psi, it is clear that their bite is a remarkable force to be reckoned with.

Impressive Strength Compared to Other Animals

When comparing hippos’ bite force to other animals renowned for their strength, such as lions, tigers, and bears, hippos emerge as the clear victors. Their surpassing bite force showcases the immense power they possess and establishes them as one of nature’s true heavyweights.

Comparing Hippos’ Bite Force to Other Animals

To further appreciate the astonishing bite force of hippos, it is worthwhile to compare them to other formidable predators.

Hippos vs. Lions

While lions are often lauded as the kings of the animal kingdom, their bite force falls short in comparison to that of hippos. A lion’s bite force typically ranges from 600 to 700 psi, making them significantly less powerful in this regard. In a direct confrontation, a hippo’s bite force would undoubtedly give it the upper hand.

Hippos vs. Tigers

Tigers, renowned for their prowess as apex predators, possess a bite force that is greater than that of lions but still inferior to that of hippos. A tiger’s bite force ranges from 1,050 to 1,200 psi, making it formidable in its own right, but unable to match the jaw strength of a hippo.

Hippos vs. Bears

Bears, known for their strength and size, possess a bite force that rivals that of lions but still falls short of a hippo’s bite force. With a bite force ranging from 700 to 1,200 psi, bears are formidable predators, but they are outmatched by the sheer power generated by hippos when it comes to biting.

Hippos’ Bite: Capable of Killing a Crocodile

One of the most astonishing demonstrations of hippos’ bite force is their ability to kill crocodiles, despite the reptiles being known for their powerful jaws.

Unique Ability to Overpower Crocodiles

Crocodiles, being formidable predators themselves, are not easily overtaken. However, hippos possess the strength and bite force required to successfully overpower and kill crocodiles in certain circumstances. This ability showcases the exceptional power and force generated by a hippo’s jaws.

Evidence of Hippos Killing Crocodiles

Various instances have been documented showcasing hippos successfully killing crocodiles. While this might seem surprising given the reputations of both species as fierce predators, it highlights the superior bite force of hippos and their capacity to dominate encounters with crocodiles.

Factors Enabling Hippos to Prevail in These Encounters

Several factors contribute to hippos’ ability to prevail in encounters with crocodiles. Their massive size, combined with their powerful bite force, gives them a significant advantage. Additionally, the territorial nature of hippos when defending their territories, particularly against crocodiles, further solidifies their dominance in these interactions. Ultimately, it is the combination of strength, force, and strategy that allows hippos to overcome crocodiles, solidifying their position as apex predators.

The Physical Features of a Hippo’s Mouth

Exploring the physical features of a hippo’s mouth provides a deeper understanding of its capabilities and adaptations.

Size and Dimensions of a Hippo’s Mouth

A hippo’s mouth is a marvel of nature, characterized by its substantial size and dimensions. With jaws that can open up to 150 degrees, hippos possess mouths capable of accommodating their powerful teeth and aiding in their feeding habits. The vast expanse of their mouths is a crucial factor in generating the remarkable bite force for which they are known.

Range of Jaw Movement

In addition to their size, hippos’ jaws boast a remarkable range of movement. This flexibility allows for effective capturing and gripping of food, as well as facilitating defensive actions. The extensive range of jaw movement contributes to the overall functionality of a hippo’s mouth, enhancing their capabilities in various aspects of their lives.

Mouth Structure and Adaptations

A hippo’s mouth is specifically adapted to its herbivorous diet and its overall lifestyle. From the positioning and shape of their teeth to the structure of their jawbones and muscles, every aspect of their oral anatomy is optimized for crushing and chewing vegetation. These adaptations ensure their mouth’s effectiveness in both defensive situations and feeding processes, further emphasizing the significance of a hippo’s bite force.

In conclusion, hippos possess an impressive bite force that exceeds that of many other animals in the animal kingdom. Their powerful jaws, large mouths, and immense bite force make them formidable predators and a force to be reckoned with. Whether defending themselves against predators or exhibiting their dominance among rivals, hippos showcase unparalleled strength and adaptability. With their powerful bite force, hippos can hold their own against other apex predators, overpower crocodiles, and establish their dominance in their natural habitat. Understanding the anatomy, diet, and defensive capabilities of these incredible beings sheds light on their significance and the inherent dangers associated with their presence.

Last Updated on April 25, 2024

When I speak of my experience with squirrel hunting, I frequently receive strange looks from hunters who aren’t used to this particular type of small game.

However, squirrel hunting is pretty popular across the southeastern USA and other regions.

Good squirrel hunting dogs are essential for squirrel hunting, and while any dog can act as a squirrel dog, some dog breeds are born for this job.

History: What kind of dog is a Squirrel dog?

This is a dog breed trained to hunt squirrels scenting, tracking, and treeing them. While many household pets instinctively chase squirrels, they’re not trained to hunt them.

Even untrained canines chase after small animals with passion, which makes many people think that dogs hate squirrels. They’re just merely acting on their instincts to hunt.

Some breeds don’t have a strong prey drive, especially if they grew up with cats or other pets. Dogs and squirrels can even be friends! Just take a look at this video:

This is rare because most dogs chase squirrels without hesitation. This trait is handy in places where wild game and big game are hunted for food like venison and rabbit.

Did you know that squirrels have been a part of our diet for a long time? They say squirrel meat isn’t only sustainable, but it’s also tasty and healthy.

What is the best breed of dog for Squirrel hunting?

I am a subscriber of the theory that any dog can be trained to hunt, but some have better hunting instincts, so they’re easier to train.

The supreme squirrel dog breeds are Terriers, including those breeds with a bit of Terrier in their bloodlines, such as curs and feists.

Some people consider them mutts but these dogs are usually standardized and are bred for hunting bushytails for generations.

Good squirrel dogs are intelligent and have a strong prey drive, but they also need a great nose to be able to “wind” squirrels, meaning to detect squirrels by scent, through air currents.

Once the dog catches the squirrel, visually or by scent, it has to be able to follow it by sound.

They also need stamina and agility to keep up with their prey, the ability to tree the squirrel, and the willingness to stay treed until the hunter arrives.

1. Airedale Terrier

The Airedale Terrier, also known as Waterside Terrier and Bingley Terrier, is a dog breed from England with distinguished hunting instincts, and it’s one the largest terriers.

The colossal size, along with intelligence and treeing ability, makes this dog the “King of Terriers” and an excellent squirrel dog.

2. American Blue Gascon Hound

The Grand Bleu de Gascogne or Big Blu is a loyal, protective breed known as a passionate hunter for raccoons and squirrels. Its loud baying and treeing ability separate him from other squirrel dogs.

3. Black and Tan Coonhound

Derived from a foxhound and a bloodhound, this breed is well-known for its long ears and black and tan coat.

The Black and Tan Coonhounds are talented for many things, including tracking and treeing small and big game species.

4. Finnish Spitz

Known by many names, such as Finsk Spets, Lulou Finnoi, and Suomenpystykorva, this dog breed looks similar to foxes with its long and fluffy reddish coat.

The Finish Spitz is famous for its vocal ability and hunting prowess, including big and small animals alike.

5. Fox Terrier

Fox Terriers come in two variations, with the only difference being the type of coat – these are Wire Fox Terrier and Smooth Fox Terrier.

These smart dogs are mostly known for hunting foxes even though they excel at squirrel hunting too.

6. Mountain Cur

Also referred to as Original Mountain Cur, this breed arrived in America from Europe, and it is one of the most adaptable hunting breeds.

They were bred explicitly for treeing and hunting small game, but they are often used for baying big animals and as water dogs.

7. Norwegian Elkhound

The Norweigan Elkhound, which is the National Dog of Norway and rarely found in the USA, is also called Norsk Elghund Gra and Norsk Elghund Sort.

It is a Spitz type of breed known for hunting, herding, and protecting people and property.

8. Rat Terrier

The Rat Terrier is an American small dog breed used predominantly for hunting rodents like rats and squirrels.

They are infamous farm dogs, which is why they are considered a rare breed today with the diminishment of family farms.

9. Treeing Cur

These medium-sized size dogs have no restrictions regarding colors and markings, making it easier for breeders to focus on their hunting prowess.

Treeing Curs are fast, intelligent, and agile, and their treeing ability makes them quintessential for squirrel hunting.

10. West Siberian Laika

The West Siberian Laika is also known as Zapadno-Sibirskaia Laika and WSL, and it is a dog that looks a lot like a Husky and has a bit of wolf in the bloodline.

They are bark pointers, which is precisely the trait that squirrel dogs need to possess. These dogs are great hunters, but they can also be aggressive towards other pets and strangers.

11. Beagle

Beagles are remarkable companions and family pets that also possess exceptional scenting ability since they were bred as scenthounds for tracking small game, like rabbits, hare, and squirrels.

12. Jack Russell Terrier

Originally developed to hunt foxes, this small English breed is also known as the Parson Russell Terrier. They have considerable energy, so it can be challenging to keep up with them.

A well-trained Jack Russell Terrier is a great hunting dog with unparalleled agility and hunting instincts.

13. Border Collie

Although Border Collies are famous as sheep-herding dogs, they can also become great at squirrel hunting since they are highly trainable and clever.

With their unlimited amounts of energy, exceptional stamina and agility, and highly developed sense of smell, Collies can be used for hunting any wild game.

14. Kemmer Cur

Kemmer Cur is also known as the Kemmer Stock Hybrid Dog or Cajun Squirrel Dog.

This hybrid dog is almost indistinguishable from the Mountain Cur since they come from the same bloodline and they are equally adept at squirrel hunting.

15. Black Mouth Cur

Easily recognizable due to its black muzzle and golden brown coat, the Black Mouth Cur is a loyal, affectionate pet and a fearless hunter.

These dogs are strong, adaptable, and highly intelligent, with a great ability for treeing.

16. Bluetick Coonhound

The beautiful Bluetick Coonhound is a large dog breed named for its mottled or ticked coat pattern of black and blue.

These dogs are muscled but also sleek and athletic, incredibly vocal, and with a high prey drive that needs to be adequately channeled.

17. Denmark Feist

This is a medium-sized breed that is a hybrid of Mountain Feists, along with Thornburg Feist, Kemmer Feist, and a few others.

Also called Denmark Treeing Feist or DenMark Treeing Feist, this dog is a champion when it comes to hunting small critters like squirrels and raccoons.

18. Leopard Cur

Perhaps better known as the American Leopard Hound, this breed is one of the most versatile hunters out there. It is a medium to large dog that is highly energetic and outstandingly adaptable to weather conditions.

19. Treeing Tennessee Brindle

The Treeing Tennessee Brindle is a type of cur dog that has a proficient nose and a powerful voice. These dogs are sturdy, intelligent, and dependable, with short and smooth brindle coats.

When should you start training a squirrel dog?

Squirrel dog training should start while they’re young, preferably three to six months of age.

It’s best to develop a bond with your fido as early as possible, and you can teach him basic commands that will be useful while hunting.

Take this time to introduce your pup to squirrels by tying a squirrel tail at the end of a stick or pole.

This will help him get familiar with the scent, then tie it to a tree to encourage him to bark whenever he’s treeing squirrels. Some owners use live bait.

Hunters have a saying: “A dog can’t learn to hunt in the kennel.” That means you have to take your dog for a live pursuit.

Start in an area with plenty of squirrels so that it’s easy for your dog and it will raise his confidence. Then try different locations later on.

Keep the sessions short and positive to produce the best results as a dog trainer.

How to Successfully Squirrel Hunt with Dogs?

Squirrel hunting may sound simple – follow your dog while he locates the tree where a squirrel is hiding, or chase one up a tree – but in reality, it’s more complicated.

Before anything else, you should know that some squirrels are harder to spot, like gray squirrels.

You should also have a canine companion with a great nose to determine where the squirrel exactly is before you shoot it.

It’s also best that you learn these hunting terms before you and your squirrel dog hang out with fellow hunters:

• Bark Treed – The sound that a dog makes when he locates the squirrel in a tree
• Timbering – A term for a squirrel running through the trees, trying to escape
• Toenailed – When a dog pins the squirrel by positioning himself on the bark of a tree
• Has the Meat – When a squirrel is confirmed on the tree
• Range – The distance between the hunter and the dog while searching for a squirrel

Frequently Asked Questions About Squirrel Dogs

What Time of Day Are Squirrels Most Active?

Squirrels are usually active all day, particularly in the fall and spring when they look for food. However, they are most active during dusk and dawn.

What Happens When a Dog Catches a Squirrel?

Well-trained squirrel dogs will kill the squirrel when they catch it, but they will not eat it. Untrained dogs might eat the squirrel after they catch it.

Will My Dog Get Sick from Eating a Squirrel?

If the squirrel is freshly killed, and your dog is healthy and on parasite control, he will most likely be fine. However, squirrels are hosts to many parasites, so the risk of transmission always exists.

What Diseases Can Squirrels Transmit to Dogs?

Some of the more common diseases transmitted from squirrels to dogs include plague, rabies, and Lyme disease. In some parts of the United States, squirrels can also carry a deadly disease called Leptospirosis.

Can a Squirrel Kill a Dog?

Squirrels can harm your canine with their sharp teeth and claws, but a dog getting killed by a squirrel is highly unlikely and borders on impossible.

Should I Let My Dog Chase Squirrels?

Unless you are training your dog for squirrel hunting, you should discourage such dangerous behavior in public places.

How Do I Stop My Dog from Chasing Squirrels?

Starting obedience training when the dog is young can be very helpful when you try to control his hunting instincts. Get your dog to concentrate on you during walks.

How Much Does a Good Squirrel Dog Cost?

Squirrel dogs from a good stock cost $100 to $200, but you can buy experienced treeing dogs with a price range of $500 to $5,000.

These amounts depend on the dog’s age, gender, whether it was trained, and if it’s squirrel season.

Verdict: Should you get a Squirrel Dog?

If you plan to go squirrel hunting, it is critical to have a good squirrel dog and know how to utilize him.

Otherwise, it might be preferable to choose another breed – squirrel dogs are tremendously energetic and require a job to be healthy and satisfied.

Are you an avid squirrel hunter? Do you have something to add or contribute to more training tips? Let us know in the comments.

Reference

• https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/pets/infection/index.html

Isaac Yoder keeps busy. The 26-year-old is Amish, so he isn’t programmed to sit idly by. In fact, it’s his work ethic that eventually started him on the quest to kill an unbelievably wide-racked Ohio whitetail in 2018.

When his brother bought some land near their family farm in Belmont Co., Isaac began spending a lot of time there. He’s a farrier, a job that keeps him quite busy shoeing horses in the community. Isaac’s job actually played a part in how he was able to start hunting a truly superb buck.

Sitting on the porch after work on a hot July day back in ’17, Isaac let his mind drift to deer hunting. It was the time of year when he typically tries to find a buck to go after during hunting season. Without a target buck for the upcoming season picked out, Isaac decided to take a stroll to glass a nearby soybean field.

Right off the bat, he saw some bucks feeding on the tender summer crop. And then, a short distance from the bachelor group, Isaac saw another deer feeding in the field. This one’s head was down, and thus concealed by the beans. But when the deer raised his head, Isaac immediately knew he’d found a buck to go after.

“I’m telling you, when he lifted his head up, I started shaking,” Isaac claims. “The buck’s rack was so wide it seemed to go on forever.”

In fact, Isaac was so taken aback by the animal that he says, “I had the worst case of buck fever right then that I have ever had — more so than on any buck I have ever killed.”

That should tell you something about how wide this buck’s rack really is. It was wide enough, in fact, for Isaac to give the deer the apt nickname “747” in honor of the popular wide-body aircraft model by Boeing.

After spotting the huge whitetail, Isaac spent the rest of the night trying to convince himself that what he’d seen was actually real. The property on which he’d seen the buck butts up to his brother’s, and Isaac and his family had permission to ride their horses on it. But a conversation with the landowner, and an offer to shoe his horses, now meant that Isaac also could hunt the deer there.

Determined from the Start

Isaac doesn’t own any trail cameras, but a friend of his put some out. Soon they began getting the deer on camera. However, so were some hunters with permission to access neighboring properties. Isaac was determined to act quickly to harvest the magnificent buck before anyone else did.

If you want an example of how dedicated Isaac was to this buck, perhaps the hunter’s first trip to the stand says it all. Trail cameras had shown the buck was showing up around Isaac’s stand around 4:00 a.m. and hanging out until daylight. So, what did Isaac do? On opening morning of archery season, Isaac got into his stand at 1:00 a.m. The determined hunter sat there all day until shooting light had ended. In total, that was 18 hours on stand.

“I had every buck I knew of on the property walk by me at 25 yards and offer me a shot — every buck but him,” Isaac recalls.

He didn’t hunt the next day, and you guessed it: The buck showed up on camera in shooting light! And that’s how things would go between the two of them for the rest of the season. The game of cat-and-mouse dragged on for months, leaving Isaac frazzled.

The bowhunter saw 747 one time during the ’17 season, and he thought for a minute he was going to get a shot. But it didn’t work out that way.

Isaac was hunting a wooded area off a food plot, not far from a set of scrapes. The hunter wanted to be closer to the scrapes, as he felt that’s where 747 might show up. But Isaac was using a climbing tree stand, and there just weren’t any good trees to get in. He ended up being about 60 yards away from the scrapes. Sure enough, his only glimpse of the deer came as the buck worked the scrapes out of bow range.

The thought of letting an arrow loose did cross Isaac’s mind, but he wasn’t about to risk wounding the deer. He didn’t want it to go down like that. In fact, rather than take a shot he wasn’t 100 percent confident in, the gracious hunter would rather someone else make a good, clean shot on 747. That’s true hunter ethics.

On New Year’s Day ’18, 747 rang in the holiday by shedding his antlers. At that point, Isaac was done hunting him. Their chess match would have to wait until the coming fall to resume.

Restarting the Chase

When the time finally came to hunt 747 again, Isaac put together another piece of the puzzle. And he knew it could be the ticket for grounding the extra-wide buck.

The hunter worked out a deal with a neighboring landowner to be able to hunt a property that lies adjacent to the one where Isaac had first spotted the buck The landowner lives out of town and hunts the property himself, along with his children. Still, he gave Isaac the go-ahead. In exchange for hunting rights to the property, Isaac agreed to plant and maintain all the food plots on the property. He also vowed to hang and maintain the landowner’s tree stands and box blinds.

Isaac earned his keep around the farm, planting over seven acres of food plots, building and placing two box blinds and hanging and trimming tree stands for the owner, along with placing his own stands.

When September came around, Isaac began seeing 747 in the beans and corn he’d planted at the far end of the farm. Interestingly, though baiting is legal in Ohio, Isaac made the decision that he wasn’t going to hunt this buck over bait. Simply put, the hunter wanted to use another strategy to harvest the special whitetail.

As the season drew on, Isaac explains, the monster buck was showing up on camera nearly every day, either at one of the locations that Isaac wasn’t hunting or at a time when he wasn’t in the stand.

The labor of two hunting seasons was starting to wear on Isaac. He admits that by that time, he was physically and mentally drained. He just wanted the saga to end, one way or another.

Eerily, in mid-October, 747 vanished. Photos and all signs of him were gone. Hoping to find an answer to the buck’s disappearance, Isaac traveled to a nearby restaurant to see if he could chat with the father of one of the hunters on a neighboring property. The man frequented the joint, and Isaac had spoken to him of the buck before.

Luckily, Isaac connected with the man there. As the two discussed the deer and his behavior, the man mentioned that his son had gotten a photo of 747 at 4:00 a.m. that morning.

Leaving the restaurant, Isaac said to himself: Huh, typical for that deer to be so unpredictable.

Around the first of November, 747 showed up again around Isaac’s stands — and in daylight. Trail cameras showed him working scrapes at 9:00 a.m. on a regular basis. That’s all Isaac needed to know. The hunt was back on.

One of Isaac’s tree stands was ideal; it was situated in the woods about 80 yards from a food plot in a funnel area where deer travel around a ravine. For the next six days, Isaac hunted that stand. The wind was right, and he took advantage of it. While those six days passed without his seeing the deer, Isaac stayed determined.

The next day, on Nov. 8, Isaac was on stand again. At about 8:00 a.m., he stood up to stretch and looked into the food plot he’d checked just before standing up — and there was the buck. For the first time all season, Isaac was looking at 747 in the flesh.

The bowhunter already knew from the way the deer was walking that he would soon be standing just 18 yards in front of the tree stand. Sure enough, within a few minutes, 747 was working the scrape only steps in front of Isaac’s stand. “It felt like forever before he stopped working that scrape and turned to move so I could get a shot,” he remembers.

When the buck did move, Isaac couldn’t shoot; limbs protected the deer’s vitals. Then, when 747 started walking again, he wasn’t broadside as he’d been before. Instead, the huge buck turned and started walking head-on toward Isaac!

When the behemoth whitetail did finally turn broadside, Isaac drew his Mathews Halon and found a spot behind the buck’s shoulder to settle his pin. Isaac then waited for the buck to stop, but he didn’t. Then Isaac felt his bow arm come up against a tree limb. It was either shoot then or let the bow down.

Isaac shot.

Immediately 747 crashed away, bulldozing everything in his path.

“He even caught a decent-sized tree in his rack and actually ripped it out of the ground,” Isaac remembers. He was fearful the deer would break off part of his rack in the commotion.

After running 80 yards or so, the giant buck faded out of sight. Isaac decided to play it safe and back out of the area. He took the long way out, hoping his caution would prevent him from bumping the wounded buck.

Upon taking up the blood trail, Isaac found what appeared to be an area where the deer had bedded for a period of time. After first backing out to allow time for the buck to expire, Isaac returned to find 747 bedded and still alive. The hunter stalked to within 20 yards of him and landed a lethal follow-up shot.

And just like that, Isaac’s 2-year quest for the mega-wide whitetail had ended. Next, the celebrations commenced. Soon, photos of Isaac’s trophy were circulating on social media throughout the country. As the bowhunter says: “It felt like the whole world knew about this buck.”

In Conclusion

Isaac notes that he couldn’t be more grateful to the landowners who have allowed him to hunt over the years and who played significant parts in his tagging 747. And what of the gracious landowner who allowed Isaac to hunt in exchange for food plot work and stand maintenance? That family couldn’t be happier. There were absolutely no hard feelings or bad thoughts on their part. That’s proof positive they’re stand-up folks.

After being officially scored by a Boone & Crockett measurer, Isaac’s spectacular buck boasted a gross score of 175 inches. The buck is a mainframe 8-pointer with seven addition points. But without a doubt, the most incredible aspect of 747’s unique rack is its incredible width. Officially, the inside spread is a whopping 32 7/8 inches, while the outside is 35 1/8!

Those are numbers virtually never seen on a whitetail rack, and it’s easy to see why 747 garnered so much attention from whitetail fanatics everywhere. Bucks with wingspans so wide they’re named for jetliners just don’t come along every day.

One of the most fun aspects about waterfowl hunting is when you get the opportunity to break a few rules. Like not using the classic alphabet decoy patterns or placing the blind in the kill hole kind of rules. Birds wise up to the rule book quickly, and it often pays to be different.

There are a number of key reasons of to vote for hitting the snooze and setting up later in the day to bang on birds, from the simple pleasure of sleeping in, to avoiding the competition of getting to a field first, to exploiting an overlooked and untapped potential, there’s just something special about being out there later in the day. You’ll likely find your own arguments for targeting geese in the afternoon, but if you’re still undecided, here are some additional tips from a seasoned goose hunter to help you get more geese on your late day hunts.

Get After It

Benjamin Webster, owner of Big Kansas Outdoors, runs his operation in central Kansas with hunts that often include afternoon goose setups, specifically. Unlike many other outfitters, Webster offers a single hunt each day that capitalizes on the weather, and if the scales are tipped to support a late-day hunt, that’s what they do. Instead of providing his clients with two average or mediocre hunts, when the weather dictates it, these afternoon sits can be real bang-up hunts.

“There are several advantages for hunting the afternoon,” Webster suggests, “There’s typically much less hunting pressure, it’s usually warmer, and you’ve got the sun out with no frost on your decoys.” “We use the weather to our advantage, and every hunter should. If it’s going to be brutally cold with no wind in the morning, you’re going to have frost on the decoys. Sleep in and scout the fields and hunt the afternoon when you have sun, better wind, and clean decoys.”

Webster goes on to advocate for goose hunters to think outside the box and aim for an afternoon setup for geese. “When you get stuck in a rut doing the same thing, you’ve got to try something different to get out of that pattern.” “The birds get a lot of pressure in the morning, so it’s good just to switch it up on them, it’s never going to hurt, and it can make a big difference. If you can just wait, be patient, and play the weather, you’re going to be way more successful.”

For anyone looking to go for gold on their afternoon goose hunt, Webster makes the following suggestions:

• The wind is usually better and more consistent in the afternoon vs the morning, where it may be light and variable—or no wind at all;
• Nine times out of ten, any geese that you see in a field in the morning will be back there in the afternoon;
• Use field edges and tree lines to hide, and be conscious of your shadows in the low angle of the late-day sun;
• Watch your hide and decoy setup with the sun setting in the west, vs. rising in the east like you’re accustomed to during the morning hours;
• Decoy setups stay the same no matter the time of day or part of the season you’re in, but pay attention to what you’re seeing in your scouting and match that in your decoy placements;
• Be ready. You’re going to get a shorter flight, maybe only one to two hours, but they’re going to come out hot and heavy and ready to feed.

Loving It Late

The morning magic of hunting geese at first light will never go away, but at times, there may be good reason for us to hunt later in the day. Perhaps you can sneak out of work early or maybe one day you’ll have to wait for the weather to break. Migrating geese will generally feed twice a day throughout the season, so consider capitalizing on the latter part at some point this year.

The best hunts—at least the most memorable ones—don’t just fall into your lap. Sure, there may always be some luck involved, but I’m willing to bet the stories you’ll be telling decades from now will revolve around the times you dared to do something different and had a blast. Just like the childhood book series, it’s “choose your own adventure” out there, you never know what you might find if you don’t try it.

What Is A Shotgun Choke?

A choke is simply a tapered constriction of the gun barrel’s bore at the muzzle end. The exit end of the choke is smaller by some dimension than the actual bore of the barrel. This difference is the amount of constriction. For example if the bore of the barrel is .730 and the exit dia of the choke is .710 you have a constriction of .020. The amount of constriction for a given degree of choke will also vary between manufacturers. As a general rule for standard chokes the total range will be between .000 and .045 thousandths of an inch under bore diameter. In the case of special purpose turkey chokes it can be as much as .100 or 1/10th of an inch. The length of the choke can vary as well. Most, but not all chokes will have an overall length of between 1.5 and 4 inches. Note that many fixed choke barrels marked skeet will actually be .000 or cylinder.

They can be grouped in 3 general types:

1- Fixed chokes- They are made as an integral part of the barrel and cannot be readily changed except by a gunsmith and any alteration is considered permanent.

2- Interchangeable chokes- These can be of the “screw on” style which is externally attached or the “screw in” which is recessed into the barrel. To change the degree of constriction you simply remove and replace with a choke of a different diameter.

3- Adjustable chokes- This style of choke is adjustable throughout the entire range by turning a sleeve, which collapses or allows a collet to expand thus changing the exit diameter. A popular choke of this type is the Polychoke.

The internal design of chokes can also be broken down into three main groups:

1- Conical Parallel- This style has a cone that blends into a parallel section which helps to stabilize the shot charge as it leaves the choke.

2- Straight Conical- This has a cone only. Where the cone stops is the point where the shot exits the choke.

3- Wad Retarding-They do not have the constriction in the same manner as either of the above designs but instead use bumps or projections to alter the shot pattern.

The most common design in use is the conical parallel. All Trulock Chokes are of this design.

Shotgun Bore Diameter and Pattern Performance

I am often asked the above question by people who are interested in purchasing a new shotgun. They reason that if a specific bore size inherently gives better, that is more even patterns, then it makes sense to purchase a shotgun with that bore diameter.

Shotguns that were made in the U.S.A. were for many years, all of the same nominal bore diameter (.730 plus or minus the tolerance of the individual manufacturer) as the U.S. standard for 12 ga was .7299. With the rise in popularity of foreign shotguns such as Beretta we were introduced to smaller bores running in the nominal .721/.725 diameter. Stan Baker to the best of my knowledge was the first to do extensive experiments with backbored barrels (the process of enlarging an existing bore diameter) taking the 12 ga bore up to a nominal 10 ga diameter of .775. Some time back Browning added a new choke design to their line which they named Invector Plus to differentiate it from their original design called Invector. The new chokes and the barrels were based on a nominal .740 bore diameter. I believe that Browning was the first company to offer a factory barrel with a bore diameter that was significantly larger than standard. Currently most of the major shotgun manufacturers offer at least some models with bores larger than their “standard” bores. Some have gone totally to a new larger bore. The results of this are that today’s shooter has a very wide range of bore diameters to choose from.

Pulling from my memory I can recall the following nominal 12 ga. bore sizes. These may not be exact numbers as each manufacturer has plus and minus tolerances. Some of the below numbers have been rounded when converting from metric measurements and some for my convenience.

.725

.730

.733

.735

.740

.745

.774

Now that you have all of the background information, you can get my answer.

I have always been able to obtain the pattern that I was looking for within reason (no 100% patterns at 80 yards) with all of the above bores by patterning with different chokes and or shells. I have had shotguns on occasion that took quite a bit of work to obtain the pattern I wanted but this has never been limited to a certain bore size as they were always a random mix.

Shotgun Patterns

Patterns are normally expressed as a percentage such as 50%, 60%, 70% ect. This is the commonly accepted method comparing pattern density. In a 50% pattern ½ of all the pellets contained in the shell will strike inside of a circle of 30 inches in diameter. To find the percentage of any given load divide the number of hits inside the circle by the total number of pellets contained in the shell. You can obtain the approximate number of pellets any given load will have from a shotgun shell reloading book or you can open a couple of shells and actually count the pellets. Normally all pattern testing is done at a distance of 40 yards with the exception of cylinder and skeet 1 chokes in all gauges and all chokes for the .410 bore which are normally measured at 25 yards. Industry pattern percentages for chokes were developed using the preceding distances. If you want to compare any given choke to the industry figures you should do your pattern testing at the same distance.

The purpose for this is to allow you to select a choke that will throw a pattern that is as large as possible without having the pellets so far apart that the target can move through the shot string without receiving multiple hits. For shooting both game and clay targets you want a pattern that is perfectly even in pellet distribution over the 30-inch circle. Having said that, and after looking at thousands of patterns over a span of 25 years I could count on my fingers the number that I would call “even” and if these were measured close enough they would not have qualified. In this instance “very close” is excellent. Two exceptions to the preceding would be buckshot and turkey patterns. With both of these you are looking for a tight center cluster of pellets.

One thing to remember –The only thing that is consistent about shotguns is that very few things are consistent. Identical guns with the same degree of choke and using the same shell may not pattern the same. The same load between various brands of shells can pattern differently. Patterns will change when changing from hard to soft shot. Patterns can change when anything in the shell changes such as different wads, powders or primers. What I am trying to get across is that when you change anything such as brands, shot size, or components you will need to check the pattern as it could have changed, sometimes by an extreme amount.

Once you find a choke/shell combination that gives you the pattern you want it should remain reasonably consistent as long as nothing is changed. I am satisfied as long as the percentage stays within a 5% plus or minus deviation.

The below chart shows the relationship between the degree of choke, the percentage and constriction based on lead shot. Keep in mind that the percentages are a guide only. What you actually want is a pattern that is dense enough to insure multiple hits on your target at the distance you normally shoot.

Lead Shot Choke Chart

Constriction Percent Cylinder .000 40 at 40 yds- 70 at 25 yds Skeet 1 .005 45 at 40 yds- 75 at 25 yds Imp Cyl .010 50 at 40 yds Skeet 2 (lite mod) .015 55 at 40 yds Modified .020 60 at 40 yds Imp Mod .025 65 at 40 yds Full .030 70 at 40 yds Extra Full .040 73 at 40 yds Turkey .045 Plus 75 PLUS at 40 yds

Keep in mind that this chart should be used as a starting point only. Select the choke and pattern it. Change chokes or loads as needed to get the pattern you want. If you do not pattern your gun please feel free to accept this chart as being infallible.

What Choke Should I Use

The most frequently asked question we get is “What choke do you suggest”?

Use a choke that will give you 70 or so percent patterns at the distance you plan to shoot.

If you look back at the “lead shot choke chart” it is obvious that open chokes at long distances will have a much more open pattern than tighter chokes. I will not argue the point that you can certainly break/kill targets at 40 yards with a skeet choke but the odds are certainly not in your favor. Try your best to estimate the distance that you would normally encounter for a specific shooting condition and select a choke that gives you an evenly spaced 70% pattern with your choice of shell. Rarely, will your estimate be “on the money” so test pattern this combination at distances both closer and farther from your established base line. If the shooting distances change then change your choke to match them.

When I first started dove shooting many years ago, I noticed there were always one or two men at every shoot that almost never missed a bird. After long observation I realized that the one thing that each had in common was that they picked their shots instead of blasting at every bird in the field. They were simply shooting those birds that were within range of whatever gun/choke/shell combination they were using. In my opinion shooting range equals 70% pattern density.

While there are other variables, for all practical purposes chokes will have the biggest effect on pattern density. I look at density from two different ways. The first is the pattern percentage. This is simply a figure telling you how many pellets out of the total number of pellets that were fired at the target hit inside a thirty-inch circle. Example: 250 pellets were in the shell and 200 landed inside the circle. Divide 200 by 250 = 80%. Percentage is percentage and it does not matter what size of shot is used.

The second way is pellet spacing. Common sense tells us that a 1-¼ oz. load of #8 shot will have many more pellets than a 1-¼ oz. load of #4 shot. If both loads pattern at 70% you will have more # 8 shot in the target than you would have with 4’s. The pellets must be close enough that the target cannot slip through. While I generally think that the 70% rule is sufficient, some of the larger pellets may not give enough density. Pattern and make sure.

How To Pattern

I like to use paper that measures 4 feet square. Paper this size may be hard to find locally. If it is not available try taping several sheets of butcher paper or newsprint together. Bruce Buck the “technoid” of “Shotgun Report” suggested using red resin flooring paper. This is available at any home supply store and shows the pellet holes perfectly when viewed from the back. He noted it is available only in 36-inch wide rolls but it cuts and tapes easily. If you use small paper and your gun does not shoot to the point of aim, part of your pattern could be off of the target. You would probably confuse this with a bad pattern. Mark the target center for use as an aiming point. I strongly suggest that you use a padded shooting bench when patterning. At this point you are not checking the gun for fit and a bench rest helps to remove some of the variables. Note that if your head/eye is not located in the same place on the stock between bench rest and offhand shooting your point of impact will be different. From the correct distance, shoot at the center of the target. I would do this a minimum of 5 times on different targets with each shell or choke that is being tested. You will need to draw a 30-inch circle around the most dense portion of the pattern on each target. If you intend to do much of this get a 30-inch diameter piece of thin Lexan [Plexiglas]. You can easily move this around on the paper to find where to draw the circle. Count the pellets inside of the circle. Divide this number by the total number of shot contained in the shell and you will have your percentage. Take the percentage from each target, add them and divide by the total number of shots fired for each shell or choke. This will give you the overall average for that test. Sounds like a royal pain doesn’t it? It is, but there are no short cuts if you really want to know what your shotgun is doing.

After you have finished look carefully at each pattern for holes that are big enough to let your intended target slip through. You want a dense enough pattern to ensure multiple hits.

Point of Impact

We are asked on occasion about chokes that do not center the pattern exactly on the aiming point. Most shooters want a shotgun that centers the pattern exactly with the point of aim. Most shotguns are manufactured in theory to do this. The problem arises between theory and fact. It is not unusual to find shotguns that shoot high or low and to the right or left or a combination of these. Shotguns that pattern ½ above and ½ below the point of aim have what is commonly known as a 50/50 pattern. One that shoots ¾ of the pattern over and ¼ under the point of aim has a 75/25 pattern and so on. Certain guns are designed to give patterns other than 50/50. WE WILL ASSUME that you know if your gun was designed to give a pattern other than 50/50.

Some of the common reasons for off center patterns are listed below.

1-Defective choke tube

2-Bent barrel

3-Choke/barrel alignment

4-Loose barrel

5-Poor gun fit

6-FLINCH

This could also result from a combination of any of the above.

To check your gun for point of aim we suggest the following

1- Shoot from a padded rest.

2- Make sure to get perfect bead alignment if your gun has a center bead, if it doesn’t get the rib perfectly flat, with the bead visible.

3- Use the same load as you will use in the field or on the range.

4- Squeeze the trigger. This is easier said than done as most shotgun trigger assemblies give anything but a good pull.

5- Use targets with a center aiming point.

Shoot several targets, change chokes and repeat.

I would suggest you do this with several different chokes. If you are using aftermarket chokes also test some of the factory tubes that came with the gun.

1- If all of the chokes shoot to the same spot or at least very close to the same, your problem is not with the chokes.

2- If your point of impact changes with each choke you test your problem is not the chokes.

3- If one choke shoots to a different point of aim and the others do not. I would say that choke is defective and a call to the manufacturer would be in order.

One other thing you should be aware of is the “point of convergence” [POC]. This problem will be found only on side-by-side or over/under shotguns. Both barrels should shoot to the same spot. Again what works in theory seldom works in practice. Generally with O/Us the top barrel will shoot high. When testing for proper POC you will find it somewhat easier if you use tight chokes. If the POC is close, be happy, many are not. If you cannot live with the error I suggest you talk to the manufacturer.

Steel Shot/Waterfowl Chokes

Much has changed over the years with steel loadings. The quality and consistency of the shells has been greatly improved. However, the fact that steel shot exerts much more stress on choke tubes has not changed. The problem is that steel shot is much harder than lead. It will transmit much more energy to the choke when it strikes the conical portion and if the tube is not of sufficient strength it will cause it to deform. This is known as “choke creep”

Over a period of time choke creep can lock a choke in the barrel so that it is next to impossible to remove. Most Trulock Chokes are rated for use with steel shot from cylinder bore through improved modified with the exception of the Tru-Choke S.D. which are not recommended for any shot other than lead. In addition our Super Waterfowl Choke was designed especially for steel and all other environmentally friendly shot.

It is strongly suggested that you use our Extended Precision Hunter style choke for steel shot as they normally give a superior pattern over the flush style chokes.

Close Range -approximately out to 30 yards – Skt 1= pattern percentage of about 55% Medium range- approximately out to 35 yards-Skt 2 [light mod] =pattern percentage of 65%

Medium range- approximately out to 35 yards-Skt 2 [light mod] =pattern percentage of 65%

Long Range-35yards and further- Improved Modified =pattern percentage of 75%

Extreme Range= Super Waterfowl series=pattern percentage of 80% plus

The above suggestions normally work well with number (4, 3, 2 ect.) size steel shot. If you are using letter size (BB, BBB ect.) steel you may find your best results using cylinder (close range) improved cylinder (mid range) and modified for long range.

If you are switching from standard velocity steel to fast steel and you notice a decrease in pattern performance try backing off of choke constriction by .005 from whatever size you presently use.

These suggestions should be used as a starting point and should not be taken as a substitute for patterning your shotgun.

The recommendations below are for Trulock Chokes only.

Tungsten Iron- Use the same choke constrictions as you would for steel shot.

Tungsten Shot such as Hevi-Shot, Hevi 13, Winchester Extended Range and Federal Heavyweight.

For waterfowl and upland bird hunting we suggest you use two sizes smaller shot than you would with steel. We find that these alloys can be used in chokes with much more constriction than you can use with steel shot and they retain velocity much better. This, in my opinion makes them the ultimate choice for long range shooting. For normal patterns using # 6 thru # 2 size shot we like a skt 1 for close range, a skt 2 (light mod) for mid range and improved modified for long range. For shots on the long side of 40 yds try the extra full constriction or one of our Super Waterfowl chokes.

This type of shot can be used in our turkey chokes and normally deliver excellent patterns.

Bismuth – Use the same chokes you would use with lead shot.

All current production Trulock Chokes are marked on the body if rated for steel or tungsten or both.

Turkey Chokes

We make a wide assortment of chokes that fall under this heading. No one choke works well in all guns with all loads but one thing has to be consistent, the shot shell. You will have to shoot premium factory loads or assemble your hand loads with the best components available in order to get good dense patterns at long range. While this basically holds true for all shotgunning it is especially so when hunting turkeys. You have a very small kill zone even when the bird is at close range and it is imperative that you know exactly what your shotgun and shell is capable of doing. In testing different shells we have found several that work very well.

1- Hevi Shot

2- Federal Premium Mag Shok Heavyweight

3- Winchester Supreme Elite Xtended Range Hi-Density- No longer loaded but some existing stock may be on dealer’s shelves.

4-Winchester Long Beard™ XR™ Scroll down for more information

As a rule we found that the shells with “heavier than lead” pellets shot tighter patterns than those using lead but this may not be the case with your gun.

To get a dense pattern with a tight center you will need the Precision Hunter style choke. Our three most popular chokes have exit diameters of .670, .665 and .660. Although some shotguns like a .680 generally one of the above ends up working better. We also make a.650 and .640 but these are better suited to card shooting and not live bird hunting as they like smaller # 8 shot better. The smallest exit diameter does not always give the tightest pattern. We find that the smaller the exit diameter the more erratic the patterns. Normally one particular load will pattern considerably better than the rest. Let me repeat that you will be wasting your time to shoot a cheaply made or promotional type shell. We have patterned the above listed shells with our chokes and make the following suggestions.

Suggested turkey chokes and shot size

.690 first choice for .774 bore guns- #5/6 lead, #6 “heavier than lead”

.670 first choice for .740 bore guns- #5/6 lead, #6 “heavier than lead”

.665 first choice for .730 bore guns- #5/6 lead, #6 “heavier than lead”

.660 first choice for .725 bore guns- #5/6 lead, #6 “heavier than lead”

We have NOT had a chance to test Remington’s replacement for Hevi Shot but will do so and post the results.

Please note that a choke of a given exit diameter is usually going to give a different pattern when used in guns of different bore diameters.

Take a Beretta at .723 a Remington at .727 a Browning I.P. at .740 and using a .660 in all three guns normally gives three different patterns. Just because a .660 worked very well in your Remington does assume it will work great in your Browning.

Special Turkey Chokes for Specific Shells

Trulock Fed # 7 turkey chokes

After testing the Federal Heavyweight turkey # 7 we were so impressed we designed a series of turkey chokes especially for this shell. It gave very good results as per the below pattern. The folks at federal tell me that the # 7 tungsten pellet has the same killing power at 40 yards as a # 5 lead pellet.

Federal #7 turkey load fired through Trulock Fed #7 choke at 40 yards.

Winchester Long Beard™ XR™ turkey chokes

These shells use lead shot that are encased in a special solid buffer that fractures upon firing. I don’t have a clue what the buffer is but I can tell you that patterns fired using this type of shell are amazing.

We developed a line of turkey chokes for this shell that is shot size specific. We make chokes specific to the #4, #5 and #6 shot sizes.

Combine the Longbeard XR™ turkey load with Trulock’s new LongBeard XR choke tubes to maximize the shell’s performance. With this remarkable combo, you can expect 10% greater penetration over standard lead loads beyond 50 yards and twice the number of pellets in a 10″ circle out to 60 yds.

#5 Shot #6 Shot

Chokes for Buckshot

As with Turkey chokes you will be trying to get a very dense, tight pattern but since you have such a small number of pellets you cannot afford to have as many fliers. However, the rule about using premium shells does not change. Hard, plated pellets with a buffer will normally shoot tighter patterns with fewer fliers than those loads made with soft lead and no buffer. I would suggest the Precision Hunter style choke [extended] with a constriction of .030. This would be our full choke. Some gun/load combinations will work better with a constriction of .040 (extra full). One of these two constrictions will normally give you a very dense pattern.

The only sure way to know for sure which choke your gun likes the best is to test pattern and see.

Do not use turkey chokes for “00” buckshot. They have too much constriction and will decrease not increase the density of the pattern.

The constrictions suggested were based on the use of 00 size pellets.

We have patterned Hevi Shot’s 9-pellet buckshot load.

We consistently got 6 of the 9 pellets in a 10-inch diameter circle at 40 yards using an extended full and ex full choke.

00 and 000 Buckshot Choke Tubes For Big Game

Deerstroyer™ Choke Tubes

At the 2015 SHOT Show we introduced our Deerstroyer™ style of choke tubes especially for 00 and 000 buckshot sizes. All of these are made in a 4 inch overall length. For 2016 we have redesigned this choke internally for improved pattern performance. All of the Deerstroyer™ chokes have a nominal .030 constriction based on average bore size for each specific model.

Boar Blaster™ Choke Tubes

The Boar Blaster™ style of choke has a totally new internal design consisting of 5 steps with 6 parallel sections. This design has been tested with numerous loads of 9 and 15 pellet 00 and various 000 shells and has shown an increase in pattern density over conventional conical parallel choke designs with every load we have tested. Made from high strength stainless steel with a black oxide finish and knurled head.

Predator/Varmint Chokes

Our suggestions on chokes are as follows.

Mossberg 835’s and similar .774 bore shotguns .710 exit diameter

Browning Invector Plus and similar .740 bore shotguns .680 exit diameter

Remington and similar .730 bore shotguns .670 exit diameter

Beretta Optima Plus and similar.733 bore shotguns .683 exit diameter

Benelli Crio Plus, Mobil style and similar .725 bore shotguns .665 exit diameter

We suggest the below loads

Hevi-Shot Dead Coyote (T Pellets)

Win Xtended Range HD Coyote (B Pellets)

Number 4 buckshot

In any given shotgun you may find one load patterns tighter than another. You will have to pattern your gun to find the best load.

Predator™ Choke Tubes

At the 2015 SHOT Show we introduced our Predator™ style of choke tubes especially for # 4 buckshot and the large pellet predator tungsten loads. All of these are made in a 4 inch overall length with a longer (3 inch) than normal conical section for less pellet deformation. All of these chokes have a nominal .050 to .060 constriction based on average bore size for each specific model.

Choke Cleaning

Ideally chokes should be cleaned each time the gun is used. Plastic fouling and powder residue will build up in screw in chokes much faster than in fixed choke guns. Powder fouling will also work between the choke and the choke counter bore in the barrel. Remove the choke and clean with a toothbrush using some sort of solvent. We use and suggest Choke Shine as a cleaner. Simply, drop the choke into the solution for a short time and it will come out with the fouling dissolved. Clean the inside of the barrel with a cleaner/lubricant such as Clenzoil making sure the threads do not have any residue, lightly wipe the choke with oil and reassemble.

Remember that rust can occur in the barrel and freeze a choke in place even if the choke is made from stainless steel. Waterfowl hunters should pay particular attention to keeping the choke and barrel clean.

Choke Tightness

Although this seems like a no brainer we believe that there is a proper way to install a choke tube. When changing a choke in the field or at the range, wipe the choke with a clean rag to keep any abrasive from being ground into the threaded area of the choke/barrel. Finger tighten and then use a wrench that properly fits the tube to finish tightening using a moderate amount of pressure. This will help keep the choke from loosening up when in use. When a choke is not properly seated the possibility of the shot charge striking the edge of the choke greatly increases. If this happens a bulged barrel and a ruined choke are almost guaranteed. Most chokes will loosen and back out to some degree if they are left finger tight. A perfectly clean, dry choke installed in a clean, dry barrel and moderately tightened with a wrench should not work loose. Having said that, most shooters are better off to make sure that there is a light coating of oil on the choke before installing as this will help prevent rust in the barrel. All chokes should be checked on a regular basis for tightness.

Prior to doing anything with a choke, be sure the gun is unloaded and the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.

Frozen Chokes

We have pulled frozen chokes in our shop of almost every brand. Normally by the time we get the barrel one or more people have attempted to remove the choke. Did you ever wonder where the saying “Fixed Guns Repaired” came from? This is a problem that can be prevented 99% of the time by simply cleaning the choke/barrel on a regular basis. The number one problem is RUST in the threaded area of the choke/barrel. If you keep this from forming, you generally will not experience any problems. The second problem is choke creep [expansion]. This fortunately is much less of a problem than rust. This is caused normally by using large steel shot in tight chokes [full or tighter]. Follow the manufacturer’s suggestions when using steel shot and the odds are very much in your favor that you will have no problems. If choke creep happens you will notice the choke becoming harder to remove and install and if you continue shooting it will eventually lock itself in the barrel.

If you find yourself with a frozen choke my first suggestion is to take it to a competent gunsmith. Make sure the smith has some experience in this line of work.

The information below is not intended to be all inclusive instructions. If you are not responsible for your own actions do not attempt to use any of the suggestions.

Unload the gun, remove the barrel from the action and soak the muzzle in a can of penetrating oil for several days. Make sure the container has a sufficient amount of oil to completely cover the barrel as deep as the choke is recessed. Use a proper fitting choke wrench and try to work the choke back and forth in small increments. If this does not work try letting it soak several more days. Heat applied to the choke area can be of help. Never get the barrel so hot that you cannot touch it with your hand for several seconds. Do not use a hammer of any kind to try and “tap” it. Soaking and low heat will get most frozen chokes out. Take your time, we have seen a number of barrels ruined because of impatience.

Choke Storage

We suggest that you keep your chokes in a padded case especially designed for them. There are a number of quality cases on the market for under $10.99. The purpose is to keep them from hitting each other or any hard object that could cause burrs or deformation. Chokes are particularly susceptible to denting in the skirt area. We have seen this occur on numerous occasions when chokes stored in plain boxes were dropped. We also urge you to clean all of the chokes that have used when you clean your gun. Alloy steel chokes need a light coat of oil prior to storage and stainless steel keeps its rust resistant properties best when it is free from all contamination.

British Shotgun Choke Tube Constrictions

Choke constrictions in Britain are normally marked using a different method that what we are accustomed to seeing here in the United States. In some cases the same name is used in both countries with an entirely different meaning as to the amount of constriction in the choke.

The below chart gives a comparison between the choke name and the amount of constriction.

Constriction Constriction British US Trulock MM Inches Marking Marking Marking .00 .000 Cylinder Cylinder Cylinder .13 .005 Imp Cyl Skeet Skeet 1 .25 .010 1/4 Imp Cyl Imp Cyl .50 .020 1/2 Modified Modified .75 .030 3/4 Lite Full Full 1.00 .035 Full Full

We have tried to give you a very basic course on chokes and their use. If we can be of any service to you please call us. We will be glad to help with any questions or problems you may have. This will be a constantly evolving paper. If you would like to see any subject discussed concerning chokes or related please let us know.

Arguably, rifles are harder to shoot (and harder to shop for) than pistols and shotguns. Out to a certain distance, rifle shooting is pretty straightforward, but long-range shooting might be the most difficult kind of shooting there is. What’s more, you’ll often see many kinds of scopes and attachments on rifles. Do you need any of that stuff? How do you know if you do?

Buying your first rifle doesn’t have to be hard or confusing, as long as you ask the right questions and follow the right steps.

Why Do You Want a Rifle?

Most people buy rifles for one of three reasons: hunting, home defense or sport shooting. Most rifles are designed primarily for one of these three purposes, although some can fill multiple roles fairly well. For your first rifle, we recommend focusing on just one of these applications — whichever is most important to you. Later in this guide, we’ll offer some tips on how to choose the best rifle for your specific needs. If you’re more interested in a different kind of firearm, we have a guide to buying your first handgun and a guide to buying your first shotgun, too.

Know the Law

Under federal law, you must be at least 18 to purchase a rifle from a gun shop or licensed firearm dealer. Most states have the same requirement, but in some places, the minimum age may be higher. Be sure that you understand the law before attempting to purchase a firearm.

Other legal requirements apply. To purchase a rifle, you must:

• Not have any past criminal convictions, with certain limited exceptions

• Not have undergone treatment for drug or alcohol addiction within the last five years

• Not suffer from any disease or mental illness that could impair your judgment

• Be a U.S. citizen or legal immigrant

• Obey all other state and county laws in your place of residence

If you need help finding or understanding your local firearm laws, contact the police department or sheriff’s office. They’ll be happy to help you fill in the blanks.

Types and Parts of Rifles

Before you buy your first rifle, you should have a basic understanding of the vocabulary of firearms, as well as the types of rifles and how they work. We won’t cover everything there is to know about rifles here, just the fundamentals. You can find a more detailed breakdown in our guide to identifying the parts and functions of a rifle.

• Rifle bullets are measured by caliber, which describes the diameter of the bullet in either inches or millimeters. Generally, you can assume that the measurement is in inches if it doesn’t have a “mm” specification, as in “7mm.” Larger bullets typically travel faster, hit harder, and inflict more damage, but depending on your needs, that may not be the ideal outcome.

• The barrel is the part of the rifle through which bullets travel after being fired. The end of the barrel (from which bullets exit) is called the muzzle, and the end closest to the shooter is called the breech or chamber.

• Depending on the type of rifle, bullets (also called “rounds”) are loaded into a detachable magazine, a tube magazine, or directly into the chamber by hand.

  • A magazine is a container that feeds bullets into the chamber, usually by means of a spring. Detachable magazines, as the name suggests, can be separated from the gun entirely. Tube magazines, on the other hand, are integrated into the rifle itself.

• The bolt is a heavy, cylindrical part driven by a spring or operated by hand. Its function is to push bullets out of the magazine and into the chamber.

• The charging handle, if present, enables the shooter to manually retract the bolt, and the bolt release allows it to return to its normal forward position.

• The stock rests against the shooter’s shoulder to provide support and stability.

• The trigger actuates the firing pin when pulled. The firing pin, in turn, strikes the primer of the bullet currently loaded into the chamber, igniting the gunpowder and causing the rifle to fire.

Action Type

There are many different rifle action types, but in most cases, the differences are negligible from the user’s perspective. For simplicity, we’ll go over semi-automatic rifles (a broad category), bolt-action rifles, and lever-action (or pump-action) rifles.

The majority of rifles owned and sold today are semi-automatic. These rifles use detachable or integrated magazines and fire one round with each pull of the trigger, with no further action required from the shooter. Many novice shooters prefer semi-automatic rifles for their simplicity and ease of use, although they’re typically more expensive.

Bolt-action rifles are close behind semi-automatic models in popularity. They may use detachable or integrated magazines, or they may require rounds to be loaded directly into the chamber by hand. After firing, the shooter must manually retract the bolt to eject the empty casing, then close it to chamber a new round. Bolt-action models are easy to use and often cheaper than semi-automatic rifles, making them another great choice for your first rifle.

Today, lever-action and pump-action rifles aren’t very common, but they’re still popular with certain kinds of shooters. Both have integrated, tubular magazines similar to those found on many shotguns. Shooters load rounds into the magazine individually, then chamber rounds by actuating the forearm or lever mechanism. Some shooters prefer inexpensive, pump-action rifles chambered in small calibers, such as .22LR, for target practice or varmint control.

Caliber Selection

When you’re ready to start shopping for your first rifle, we recommend choosing a caliber or range of calibers first, based primarily on the role you most want the rifle to fill.

There’s no official consensus on where the dividing lines are between small, medium, and large rifle calibers, but there are some especially common and popular calibers within each group.

• Popular small calibers include .22 LR, .22 WMR and .17 Hornet

• Popular medium calibers include .223/5.56, 7.62x39mm and 6.5mm

• Popular large calibers include 30-06, .308, and .50 BMG

If you plan to go hunting, caliber selection depends on what you want to hunt; you’ll need bigger bullets for bigger game. Sport and recreational shooters also choose calibers based on the particular sport. Different events call for different calibers, and there’s a lot of variance. Home-defense rifles should generally be medium-caliber, but overpenetration may be a major concern; we’ll cover this in more detail toward the end of this guide.

Carrying or Transporting Rifles in Public

In most states, it’s legal and fairly straightforward to transport long guns in your vehicle. Keep them in a case and unloaded to be safe. You can also check cased guns as baggage when you fly domestically—just make sure you comply with all TSA and airline-specific regulations.

It’s also legal to drive through firearm-unfriendly states with guns in your car, as long as you comply with all provisions of the Firearm Owners’ Protection Act (FOPA). For more information, check out our guide to traveling with guns.

Other Considerations

Safety

Most modern rifles have external safety mechanisms that must be toggled off before the rifle will fire. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the safety mechanism of any rifle before you buy it, as there are many different kinds. Always follow the four rules of gun safety, and if you have kids, make an airtight plan for keeping your guns out of their hands (our gun safety guide for parents is a good start).

Reliability

In the context of firearms, a gun is reliable if it consistently fires when it’s supposed to (and never fires when it’s not supposed to). Most modern rifles are highly reliable, but be sure to emphasize this point in your research.

Capacity

Magazine-fed rifles typically hold between five and thirty rounds. In general, a bigger magazine is better, but some states have implemented legal restrictions on magazine capacity, so make sure you know the law. There are also some situations wherein you may want or need a smaller magazine — more about that in the next section.

Size, Length and Weight

A rifle’s overall size, weight and caliber are three of the biggest variables that determine how easy or hard it is to fire it. In particular, smaller shooters will find it more difficult and uncomfortable to fire large, high-caliber rifles.

Pay special attention to a rifle’s length and weight if you plan to install any firearm attachments, such as scopes, bipods or extended magazines. It’s easy to get carried away with attachments, too many of which can make a rifle too bulky and awkward to use effectively.

Price

Guns are expensive, and high-quality guns are really expensive. Even so, we don’t recommend looking for the cheapest rifle you can find. Cheap rifles are more likely to be poorly designed or manufactured, either of which can lead to safety or reliability problems. There’s nothing wrong with shopping around for a good deal, but in our experience, it’s best to spend a little more on a well-made gun that you can count on for a lifetime.

Accessories

New shooters should buy only those accessories that are truly essential for the rifle’s intended purpose. For example, if you want to hunt deer or compete in long-range shooting sports, a decent or high-end scope is virtually mandatory. A sling and a hard-sided case are good investments for any rifle shooter.

Ease of Use

There is such a thing as “too much gun.” If you’re new to rifle shooting, start simple and master the fundamentals first. To that end, a mechanically simple rifle with few or no accessories is often best. Once you’ve become familiar with a rifle’s parts and operation, you can confidently upgrade to a fancier, more complicated model if you want to.

Cleaning

There’s usually a linear relationship between simplicity and ease of cleaning. Bolt-action plinking and hunting rifles that have only a few moving parts are quick and easy to clean, whereas some semi-automatic models can require much more labor-intensive maintenance. Whichever way you go, never underestimate the importance of keeping your rifle meticulously clean.

Choosing the Right Rifle for Your Needs

Now that we’ve gone over the basic considerations, we’ll offer a few tips on choosing your first rifle based on its primary purpose.

Hunting

You’ll want to choose the caliber of your hunting rifle based on the kind of game you plan to hunt. Your local Game and Fish department likely enforces restrictions regarding minimum calibers for large game (bullets that are too small can’t ensure a clean kill and cause the animal unnecessary suffering). Conversely, you don’t want a large-caliber rifle for small game; there won’t be much usable meat left behind.

In some states, there are also restrictions on magazine capacity for hunting rifles. The intent behind these laws is to encourage hunters to take careful shots so as to maximize the chances of a clean, humane kill — an important skill to practice, even if it’s not mandated by law.

A high-quality scope is arguably the most important part of a hunting rifle. Any experienced long-range shooter will tell you that an expensive scope on a cheap rifle will serve you better than a cheap scope on an expensive rifle.

Sport Shooting

Again, we can’t offer much specific advice on choosing a rifle for sport shooting because it will depend heavily on the sport. There is one useful rule of thumb, though: don’t spend a ton of money on a rifle right out of the gate. Start with a basic, affordable rifle that complies with the rules of the sport and give yourself some time to make sure you want to stick with it for a while. If you do, you can upgrade your gear later on.

Home Defense

Pistols and shotguns are typically better home-defense weapons than rifles, but not always. The biggest problem with using rifles for home defense is overpenetration. Rifle bullets travel much faster than pistol and shotgun projectiles, meaning they tend to go through more things before finally stopping. This can be a real problem indoors; rifle bullets are more likely to penetrate multiple walls, possibly hitting your other family members, or even your neighbors several houses over. You could be held civilly or criminally liable if you accidentally shoot an innocent bystander while defending your home.

If you do choose a rifle for home defense, keep the caliber relatively small. Calibers like 5.56 are popular for home defense because they offer decent stopping power without a wildly increased risk of overpenetration. Be sure to also choose ammunition specifically designed to minimize penetration, such as hollow-point rounds or frangibles. Or you could opt for a shotgun to defend your home instead.

Finally, bear in mind that rifles are long, meaning they’re difficult to maneuver in small rooms or hallways. Regular training on using long guns in close quarters can help mitigate this concern.

Once you’ve narrowed your list of potential rifles down to a few candidates, test them out, if possible. Many gun ranges rent out rifles for $10 to $20 per hour so you can try before you buy. If you’ve never fired a rifle before, sign up for a beginner’s class or ask an experienced friend to help you get started. After following all the steps in this guide, you’ll be well-prepared to buy a rifle perfectly suited to your needs. Happy shooting!

GOOD BAIT FOR A GOOD CRAYFISH CATCH

To catch lots of crayfish, you need a good, productive, crayfish trap. But without bait, even the best trap isn’t much good. To catch crayfish, you need bait. That’s a simple and accurate statement. Here comes the difficult question.

WHAT IS THE BEST BAIT?

Ask several persons this question, and you’ll get several answers. Here is my simple answer to this question:

FISH MAKES THE BEST CRAYFISH BAIT

Traditionally crayfish traps in most countries are baited with fish. Swedes use sunfish, shiners and herring while Louisiana Cajuns often entice the crawfish with gizzard shad and pogies (menhaden). A commercial crayfisherman on the West Coast catches his crayfish with salmon heads and other oily fish. Lately, I had good luck using salmon trimmings from the local grocery store. For free!

Yes, fish makes an enticing bait that usually surpasses all other baits. But that doesn’t mean other sources of bait won’t work. For years I bought cheap chicken necks and wings and had very good success with them. One store trimmed their chickens leaving the backs of the birds at a reasonable price. I brought home thousands of crayfish with chicken backs.

But, as I said, each person has his own opinion about bait. A description about crayfish catching from Finland, a country that knows plenty about catching crayfish, included as good bait “a stealthily shot neighbor’s cat”. But it also mentions squirrels, chickens and other assorted animals as well as fish from the lake where the fishing takes place.

Loading the boat with baited traps

But here is a warning. Crayfish bait must be fresh! Contrary to some people’s opinions, crayfish don’t like spoiled, smelly or sour bait, be it fish or meat. I found that out the hard way recently. I had several pieces of turkey necks left over from a successful 1400 catch in the mountains. After four days of keeping the bait unrefrigerated, I froze it after arriving home. Then, some weeks later, I defrosted the old bait and used it in a lake known for its large amount of crayfish. To my great surprise and disappointment, I caught very few crayfish under conditions that usually had been very productive.

Analyzing the conditions that led to the dismal catch, I came to the conclusion that it was the spoiled bait. I recalled that, as I was baiting the traps, the bait felt slimey and obviously was too far gone to be considered fresh. It was just plain foul fowl!

A few weeks later I returned to the same lake. This time I brought fresh bait in the form of fresh salmon trimmings from the local food store. With traps located in the same general area, I now had a good catch. I finally believed my friend and crayfish expert who had told me that crayfish demand fresh bait. It’s simply a myth that they eat rotten food.

Another rule about bait is this:

THE MORE BAIT, THE MORE CRAYFISH!

Again and again I find that the more bait I put in a trap, the more crayfish I catch. What probably happens is that as soon as the crayfish have eaten all the bait, they simply start looking for a way out of the trap. That explains why a Finnish article about crayfish catching stated that up to 75% of the crayfish in an overnight trap eventually escape. Well, wouldn’t YOU start looking for the exit if you either had had your fill or if you found that all the food was gone?

Many crayfish traps have some kind of an escape stopper, some quite efficient, some not. But here is the solution to crayfish escaping a trap. It has been well documented that as long as a trap has good bait in it, crayfish who have already entered the trap, will stay there while new crayfish still will be entering the trap. Once I discovered this secret, I found that my traps were much more likely to be full of crays, whether the trap had an escape stopper or not. So, keep your traps filled with good bait, and you will catch more crayfish. The traditional spiral netted Swedish traps can not be equipped with escape stoppers. Consequently, when I use those traps, I make it a rule to empty them at least every four hours all through the night. That way I get lots of crayfish, but very little sleep…

When you empty traps that have to be checked every three of four hours, be sure to bring some fresh bait. Often the traps are simply empty of bait. And empty traps don’t catch crayfish. This rebaiting can be tricky in the dark, but it pays off.

Some trap manufacturers supply their traps with a little container for bait. The idea is to let the scent of the bait entice the crayfish without letting them actually eat it up. In theory that sounds fine. Recent experience tells me that this sometimes can be a productive method for catching crayfish. Canned cat food based on fish products has often proved to be an effective bait. Most experienced crayfish catchers I know prefer to use bait in the trap that crayfish can sink their teeth into. This most likely will result in a larger catch. The advantage with containerized bait, though, is that it will last longer as the crayfish can’t actually get to it.

MANUFATURED BAIT

Down in Louisiana’s Cajun country, crayfish catching has gone commercial and professional. With an annual production of 30-50 million pounds of long clawed red swamp crawfish, they are harvested on more than 120,000 acres of wetland that also produces large quantities of rice and other grains.

While fish bait is often used in the south, manufactured bait is now increasingly common. Several feed companies, e.g. Purina, now produce formulated baits containing cereal grains and by-products with commercial flavorings. Sized at 1.5 to 3 inches and a 2 inch diameter, they are easy to handle and are sold in 50 lb. bags that don’t require refrigeration

But when the water temperature is below 70 F, manufactured bait is not very productive. During the cold months, fish bait is better, but after lakes warm up, manufactured bait is often even more productive. Trapper Arne has experimented with manufactured bait and found it true that during the warm weather months, manufactured bait works quite well. And it certainly is easier to handle, doesn’t go sour and won’t mess up your hands when baiting traps.

But when using manufactured bait, it is a good idea to use a bait container in the trap. Bait lying on the bottom of the trap is often attacked by the crayfish from the outside of the trap. Keeping bait in a container lures the crayfish inside and makes the bait last longer. The artificial flavorings in manufactured bait, or the oily fish too for that matter, gives off a “smell” that spreads to the whole crayfish community. This is what lures them to find the source of the smell and into the trap they go. We hope.

The health benefits of fish are numerous, as fish are rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. But those looking for a luxurious fish dinner experience might want to skip the cod and canned tuna and opt for a high-quality, tasty fish.

The most expensive fish to eat is bluefin tuna, especially specimens caught off the coast of Japan. A single bluefin tuna can sell for more than $2 million! If you’re looking for a domestic fish to chow down on, you’ll want to choose an American glass eel, as these cost upwards of $2,000 per pound.

Let’s take a gander at the most expensive edible fish so that you can choose a luxury-quality filet for your next fish dinner.

Why Are Some Tasty Fish Expensive?

A standard can of tuna often costs less than $2, but it’s bound to pale in comparison to the tastiest (and most expensive) fish in the world. So for the most refined palate-pleasing experience, you’ll need to pay far more.

Still, you might find yourself wondering, “What qualities make some tasty fish so expensive?” Typically, the three factors that contribute to a dinner-friendly fish’s cost include:

• Rarity
• High demand
• Legal restrictions

Let’s take a quick moment to explore why these aspects influence cost.

Rarity

Rare fish are often the most expensive type of seafood, as diners are willing to pay a high price to enjoy something that few ever get to enjoy. But a rare and tasty fish is even costlier, as it tastes far better than the standard fish filet and is nearly impossible to obtain.

But scarcity alone doesn’t make an edible fish expensive. High demand is just as crucial to a fish’s price.

High Demand

What do the most expensive steak cuts and fish have in common? The tastier they are, the more people want to try a bite!

The most costly types of fish have unique flavors and melt-in-your-mouth textures that make them culinary delights. Unlike a fried cod filet, these tasty fish are often served lightly cooked or raw to ensure diners get an unspoiled experience.

Legal Restrictions

For better or worse, some of the world’s priciest fish are endangered or close to reaching endangerment. After all, the more scarce and delicious a fish is, the more demand there is!

Some regions have strict regulations about specific fish species, limiting the number of certain types of fish that anglers are allowed to catch each year. Unfortunately, these legal restrictions only make these delectable fish more valuable and desirable. An estimated 20% of wild-caught fish imported to the United States are illegal in some way.

Still, if you’re determined to try the priciest fish in the sea, be sure that you’re choosing specimens that are legally obtained. Otherwise, you could be looking at some hefty fines that outdo the initial cost of the fish.

Most Expensive Fish to Eat: Summary List

1. Bluefin Tuna
2. American Glass Eel
3. Pufferfish
4. Alaskan Wild King Salmon
5. Swordfish
6. Yellowfin Tuna
7. Chinook Salmon
8. Halibut
9. Dover Sole
10. Sockeye Salmon

10. Sockeye Salmon

Salmon is one of the priciest fish species in the world, though some types are more expensive than others. Sockeye salmon tends to fall on the lower spectrum in terms of price, though it’s one of the tastiest types of fish you can add to your shopping list.

Notably, this type of salmon is hard to forget, especially if ordered whole. It has bright red scales across most of its body but a distinctly green head. Overall, this fish is considered the most flavorful salmon, though it’s often smoked to accentuate its natural taste.

At $20 per pound, sockeye salmon isn’t the priciest type of salmon, but it will cost you more than cod, tilapia, or mackerel.

Why It’s Expensive

Wild-caught sockeye salmon tend to command the highest prices, as they’re often much larger than farm-bred fish. Larger fish means heftier portions, so heavier specimens always cost more than smaller ones. Still, high demand and transportation costs have helped make this fish comparatively expensive.

9. Dover Sole

The Dover sole might look like the most appetizing fish. It has a muddy brown body that’s far flatter than a fresh-caught, round-bellied tuna. But it has a uniquely sweet flavor that’s often compared to spiced chicken or beef.

This flavor profile is unusual, as the Dover sole are saltwater fish. Still, they’re the least “fishy” type of fish you can enjoy, making them an ideal choice for those that tend to avoid seafood.

And with a price tag of about $29 per pound, these flatfish are far costlier than other species of edible fish. Naturally, wild-caught specimens are more expensive than farmed options.

Why It’s Expensive

The primary reason Dover sole fish are expensive is that they’re so tasty. This species is also easy to prepare, with most professional chefs and at-home cooks baking them whole. Because they have a mild flavor profile, they’re a favorite among diners that enjoy the benefits of eating fish but don’t enjoy the taste of seafood.

8. Halibut

Halibut is also a type of flatfish, but they can grow to jaw-dropping sizes, making full-grown Dover sole fish look like babies. For example, Pacific halibut can weigh more than 400lbs, and their Atlantic cousins often weigh in at more than 300lbs.

This species is also notable for its low fat content and sweet taste. Many people compare the taste of halibut to tilapia, but milder and thicker. As a result, halibut filets are ideal for fish burgers or filling fish dinners.

However, wild-caught halibut isn’t as common as it once was, making it one of the pricier types of edible fish. Generally, you can expect to spend about $30 per pound to enjoy this saltwater fish.

Why It’s Expensive

Halibut is one of the tastiest and most filling types of fish, and as a result, it’s become one of the most popular types of fish around the world. However, this high demand has boosted the price of halibut filets and made wild specimens scarce. These factors make it pricier than similarly flavored species like tilapia.

7. Chinook Salmon

Unlike sockeye salmon, Chinook salmon tend to have greenish-white bodies with small brushstrokes of red along their abdomens. However, they can be almost as enormous as their bright ride relatives, making them easy to slice into hefty portions ideal for meals.

Native to the Pacific Ocean, these fish are prized for their savory, buttery flavor and soft texture. But this mouthwatering taste has also made Chinook salmon endangered in some areas and rare in others.

You’ll likely spend about $30 per pound on farmed Chinook salmon.

Why It’s Expensive

There are two reasons why Chinook salmon is one of the most expensive types of edible fish. Firstly, they’re well-known for being one of the most delicious types of salmon, with a rich flavor that’s rarely found in other species.

However, Chinook salmon are also threatened by overfishing, making them increasingly scarce. This rarity and superior flavor profile make it pricier than other anadromous (living in saltwater and freshwater environments) fish.

6. Yellowfin Tuna

Yellowfin tuna (ahi) are gorgeous edible fish with glittering silver bellies and colorful blue-green spines. Native to tropical waters, particularly those off the coastlines of Hawaii, these fish tend to grow into enormous creatures. It’s not uncommon to see anglers catching 300lb or 400lb yellowfin tuna.

Because these fish can grow to impressive sizes, they’re often used for a variety of meals, including sushi and fish patties. But their mild taste and significant portions also make them a popular choice. Ahi typically costs about $30 per pound, but prices may be higher for those living far from tropical regions or coastal areas.

Still, once you’ve tried yellowfin tuna for yourself, you might never be able to go back to albacore! Adding a small handful of some of the world’s most expensive mushrooms to your tuna dinner can make things even better.

Why It’s Expensive

Yellowfin tuna is pricier than other types of fish because it’s gigantic, tasty, and in high demand. Additionally, some diners may pay more for this fish due to high transport costs.

5. Swordfish

The swordfish gets its name from the long, blade-like protrusion sticking out from its head. It’s been a treasured catch among anglers for centuries, but it’s also prized for its meaty filets and mild flavor.

Like other costly fish from around the world, swordfish can grow to jaw-dropping sizes. While it might not be quite as hefty as some tuna or salmon, the average swordfish can weigh about 200lbs. Consequently, a single swordfish can feed quite a few people!

At about $60 per pound, this tasty fish is also one of the most expensive types of seafood.

Why It’s Expensive

It’s impossible to raise swordfish on standard fish farms, as these fish require plenty of space and saltwater to thrive. But marine fisheries are far more costly to maintain than terrestrial fish farms. Additionally, wild-caught swordfish are becoming a rare sight to the high demand for this delicately flavored fish.

4. Alaskan Wild King Salmon

Technically, Alaskan Wild King salmon and Chinook salmon are the same species. However, Chinook salmon is the more generic term and often refers to fish bred on fish farms or wild-caught throughout the continental United States.

On the other hand, Alaskan Wild King salmon is almost always a wild-caught Chinook originating from Alaska’s pristine rivers and coastlines. Because these fish have more unspoiled areas to explore and thrive in, they can grow larger than their continental cousins.

Diners may prefer Alaskan Wild King salmon over farm-bred Chinook due to the cleaner Alaskan environment. But the higher demand for Alaskan-caught Chinook salmon results in a noticeable price difference of over $30. For example, Alaskan Wild King salmon often costs $70 or more per pound.

Why It’s Expensive

A cleaner and more expansive environment can result in better-tasting and larger fish. Of course, the same is true of any other commonly eaten animal, including chickens and cows. So you can think of Alaskan Wild King salmon as free-range or grass-fed beef.

It’s higher quality than standard Chinook salmon, which means that folks are often willing to pay a higher price for it. And because it’s caught in Alaska (almost 3,000 miles away from the continental United States), transportation costs are high.

3. Pufferfish

The pufferfish (also called fugu) is one of the most expensive seafood items on the planet. Unfortunately, it also happens to be one of the most dangerous, as pufferfish contain a combination of potentially lethal toxins.

If prepared incorrectly, pufferfish toxin can kill you in just four hours! And while you might think that this dangerous quality makes pufferfish one of the least-desired fish in the world, it only increases demand.

The most skillful chefs in the world know how to prepare pufferfish in a way that makes it entirely safe to consume. As such, many daredevil diners are more than willing to give this fish a try.

Still, you’ll need to be willing to invest some money to give this fish a try. A single fugu sushi dish can cost $60, and this fish is known to cost $200 or more per pound.

Why It’s Expensive

Pufferfish has a taste that’s challenging to describe, with most diners describing it as absolutely unforgettable. But it can also prove deadly if poorly prepared.

This combination of unique flavor and high risk makes it fugu an attractive experience for many. Still, the primary reason it’s expensive is the skillful preparation needed to make it safe to eat.

2. American Glass Eel

The American glass eel (sometimes called the bay eel) is native to northeast coastlines in North America. However, it’s not nearly as common as it used to be. As a result, anglers in Maine can now charge outrageous prices for a single pound of fresh-caught eel.

In 2009, the per-pound price for Maine glass eels was about $100. But in 2019, that price tag stood at a hefty $3,000 per pound!

Still, eel typically isn’t the first dish people imagine an exquisite and expensive fish dinner. So, why is the price of American glass eels so high?

Why It’s Expensive

The glass eel is often compared to chicken and catfish in terms of taste, and it’s not beloved due to its flavor profile. That said, this slim snake-like fish is one of the most expensive because it’s become scarce.

Poaching and illegal catching are significant problems, leading to substantial catching restrictions that have inflated the price of these fish. The American glass eel can also grow to an astounding length, occasionally reaching up to six feet long.

This quality makes them ideal specimens for sushi, and the most expensive sushi platters often include at least one cut of glass eel.

1. Bluefin Tuna

Bluefin tuna is the most expensive edible fish on the planet. In 2019, a whopping 600-pound bluefin tuna sold for ¥333.6 million (that’s about $3 million). That’s nearly $5,000 per pound!

This type of tuna is native to the North Atlantic Ocean and the Meditteranean Sea. But the costliest specimens are often found in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Japan.

While many types of tuna fish grow to enormous sizes, bluefin tuna is one of the largest types of tasty fish. It’s also considered a delicacy due to its increasing rarity and distinct flavor. Still, these aren’t the only reasons bluefin tuna are so expensive.

Why It’s Expensive

Bluefin tuna is one of the most prized sushi ingredients. It’s also constantly in high demand due to its international reputation for being the best-tasting type of tuna.

But this massive and tasty fish isn’t plentiful, primarily due to overfishing and enormous demand. In addition, larger specimens have become increasingly rare over the last several decades, making the heaviest catches incredibly expensive.

Try These Tasty Fish

The most expensive fish to eat is Japanese bluefin tuna. That’s because these fish are massive, rare, and in high demand. That said, bluefin tuna isn’t the only tasty fish that costs a pretty penny.

If you’re feeling in the mood to treat yourself, be sure to consider any of the above options. Though your wallet might be lighter, your belly is bound to feel a little fuller!

Are you hungry for more of the world’s most expensive foods, experiences, and items? If so, be sure to check out our blog now!