What is hunting? Hunting is the art of killing animals to serve different purposes. These purposes include eliminating pests, and food, and dealing with the problem of overpopulation. People carry out different hunting projects, be it school projects or personal ones. The purpose of the hunting slogans is to make hunting look more exciting and a fun activity to carry out.

Catchy Hunting Slogans

Here is a list of the catchy Hunting Slogans

Nice rack!

Hooked on quack!

Hunt like a girl!

Hunting is an art.

The buck drops here.

Happiness is hunting.

I’d rather be hunting…

Don’t only live, Hunt!

We eat. Therefore we hunt.

The girl’s gone hunting.

Hunting is not for cowards.

This girl knows how to hunt.

Keep calm and aim at the heart

Rise n shine. It’s huntin’ time!

You have to be loyal to hunting.

Driving trucks and hunting bucks!

PETA: People eating tasty animals.

Life is a game; hunting is serious

List of Top 10 Hunting Slogans

1. Born to hunt
2. Live. Laugh. Hunt.
3. If it hops it drops.
4. This babe bags bucks!
5. Keep calm and aim and fire
6. Live to hunt. Hunt to live.
7. If you chum, they will come.
8. Real men hunt for their food.
9. No guts mean no glory at all.
10. I don’t wear bows, I shoot them.

Duck Hunting Slogans

I’ve made a list of the best duck hunting slogans that would help you with your specific assigned projects. As the name specifies, the duck hunting slogans talk about hunting ducks making it look cool. You can look for yourself by going through the following slogans

Duck. Duck. Boom!

The duck stops here.

Happiness is hunting.

Tis the season to be hunting.

Let’s play duck, duck, moose!

Driving trucks and hunting bucks!

Life is a game; hunting is serious

Hunting: Making small men feel macho

If I’m not hunting, I’m thinking about it.

I like big bucks and I cannot lie.

I love to make memories in the forest

Deer hunters have their own impression

You don’t have to regret being a hunter

Vegetarian: Old Indian word for bad hunter.

I love three things, Deer, ducks, and Elks.

I love adventures, but not more than hunting

I need a gun, and a forest to show my skills.

Some girls play house, real girls go hunting.

Hunt Daaaaay! C’mon, you know what day it is!

Hunting is not a sport, it’s a way of life.

Life is a game, and hunting is its play button

In my year, there are two seasons. Deer and Elk.

If you’re too busy to hunt, then you’re too busy!

Protect your hunting rights; spay or neuter a liberal!

Here I would like to add a point and inform you all, that hunting slogans are often also used for the purpose of discouraging hunting. The following slogans are an example of it, where the people who hunt are looked down upon!

• Put a stop to trophy hunting!
• Hunting will be a sport when animals shoot back!
• There are no hunting accidents. It’s called karma!

Turkey Hunting Slogans

Some essential gears are required for the hunting of Turkeys. And the companies selling these gears and types of equipment make use of the turkey hunting slogans to attract more customers to buy from them. Some of the Turkey hunting slogans include:

Down to Feast

Turkey Wasted

Talk Turkey to Me

Let’s Get Basted

Turkey & Touchdowns

Let’s Get Stuffed

Gobble till You Wobble

Get Your Fat Pants Ready

Be Grateful & Give Thanks

Thankful, Grateful, Blessed

Football, Feast, Nap, Repeat

Nobody Diets on Thanksgiving

Football, Turkey, Nap, Repeat

Save a Turkey, Kill a Workout!

Gather Here with Grateful Hearts

Let Our Hearts be Full of Both Thanks & Giving

Being Grateful Turns What You HAVE Into ENOUGH

I’m Into Fitness…As in Fitness Pumpkin Pie in my Mouth!

For All the Blessings in My Life, I Will Celebrate with a Fork & Knife

Give Thanks, Give Cheer, Not Only on Thanksgiving but All Through the Year

Deer Hunting Slogans

The deer hunting slogans assist in coming up with slogans that could be used on different channels and pages pursuing deer hunting. Deer hunting is a fun activity, and many people earn through it by attracting more people to it. Some of the deer hunting slogans include:

I’d rather be hunting…

There’s no season like deer season.

Some girls play house, real girls go hunting.

My year has four seasons. Deer, elk, turkey, duck.

Shootin’ deers and drinkin’ beers. That’s how I roll!

Hunting isn’t a port, it’s a call to something greater.

Hunting is not for kids, it is a gentlemen’s game.

My year has four seasons. Deer, elk, turkey, duck.

If you want to hunt a deer, consistency is the key.

There are no accidents in hunting, I call it Karma.

If I am not hunting, definitely I am thinking about it

Protect your hunting rights; spay or neuter a liberal!

Some people are good at hunting, others are just people

Hunting isn’t a port, it’s a call to something greater.

Deer hunting would be a fine sport, only if deer had guns.

To be a successful hunter, you just need to know your ground.

If you haven’t gone hunting yet, you haven’t seen anything yet

Knowing your ground and pack is the most important thing in hunting.

Fishing poles and hunting gear. Dreams of bass and big ol’ deer.

Hunting Phrases

• “If we act like prey, they’ll act like predators”
• “You not only are hunted by others, you unknowingly hunt yourself.”
• “The search for a scapegoat is the easiest of all hunting expeditions.”
• “Found the sheep too easy to kill?’ I ask. ‘Where’d you get the weapon”
• “People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war, or before an election
• “The more a woman appreciates the hunting prowess of her man, the more he will kill for her.”
• The way humans hunt for parking and the way animals hunt for food are not as different as you might think.
• The fascination with shooting as a sport depends almost wholly on whether you are at the right or wrong end of the gun.
• “I have a knife in my boot,” she said, and then wondered, for a moment, if she could throttle a moose with her bare hands.”
• “Was there any more repellent sight, Harriet wondered than a silly, self-centered, greedy woman clad in the skin of a beast so much more splendid than herself”
• “I ask people why they have deer heads on their walls. They always say it because it’s such a beautiful animal. There you go. I think my mother is attractive, but I have photographs of her.”

In short, Hunting is a skill that needs to be boosted time by time, and using hunting slogans is the best way to do so. Many cool and motivating slogans have been mentioned in this article, which can help prompt people to hunt more. The hunting slogans have made hunting look very spellbinding. It is quite appalling as the hunting slogans also somewhat have a story to tell!

Sausage casings are an essential part of making sausage. After all, when we have a look at what sausages are made of, we have, of course, the stuffing with the meat, the sausage seasoning, and the meat casing. After all, a sausage isn’t a sausage without something to stuff it in. But sausage casings are also important in ensuring your end product is flavorful, processed evenly, and has great texture.

The type of casing used is typically dictated by tradition but also varies by processing technique, ingredients, and size. Most sausage casings are natural, collagen or fibrous, with a wide array of sizes and applications depending on the type of sausage.

But what is the casing on sausage? Is the sausage casing edible? What are sausage casings made of? PS Seasoning professional chefs answer all your questions about sausage casings.

What is the Casing on Sausage?

Sausage casing is the material that encases the filling of a sausage. Natural sausage casings are usually made of animal intestines but can also be made from collagen, or cellulose material.

What are Sausage Casings Made of?

Generally, sausage casings are made either from beef or sheep intestines, collagen, or cellulose. Though more rare, some sausage casings are made of plastic such as lunch meat and bologna.

Types of Sausage Casings

Natural Casings

Natural sausage casings are made from the submucosa of the small intestine, a layer of the intestine that consists of naturally occurring collagen. The use of natural casing goes back centuries — it’s one of the oldest forms of sausage-making, a classic in the sausage tradition. They are the most popular choice today because of the “snap” they make when bitten. Natural sausage casings are also flexible, tender, easy to stuff, and are durable enough to hold up to smokehouse processing. Natural casings are commonly used for fresh sausage, smoked sausage, snack sticks, brats and more. Your natural sausage casings will come either packed in salt or a saline solution. The saline solution is designed for quick use, so once you rinse them off, you can use them within about 30 minutes after soaking in warm water. If salt-packed (in other words, heavily salted), you need to rinse off the salt from the natural casings, soak them in cold water and run cold water through them. After about half an hour of soaking in warm water, they can be used for stuffing sausages. These natural casings can be repacked in salt and stored in the freezer for up to a year.

Hog casings

Hog casings are the traditional choice when making any type of link sausage like bratwurst, Italians, and kielbasa. This type of natural casing is also commonly used for making smoked polish sausages, ring bologna with a small diameter and landjäeger.

29-32 mm Small Brats • Link Sausage • Landjaeger 32-35 mm Brats • Italian Sausage • Rope Sausage 35-38 mm Polish • Kielbasa 38-42 mm Bologna

Sheep casings

Sheep casings are the most tender of the natural casings. The smaller diameter of sheep casings makes the perfect for making small link sausages like breakfast sausage and hot dogs, to snack sticks.

20-22 mm Breakfast Sausage • Small Snack Sticks 22-24 mm Breakfast Sausage • Snack Sticks 24-26 mm Small Hot Dog • Wiener 26-28 mm Large Hot Dog • Wiener • Landjaeger

Beef Rounds

Beef rounds get their name from their characteristic round shape. They have minimal fat and are ideal for fresh, cooked or smoked sausage such as Ring Bologna, Polish, Mettwurst, Holsteiner, and Blood Sausage. These beef casings are very heavily salted in order to conserve them, so you need to rinse them in cold water then run warm water through them. The best treatment is to soak the beef casings overnight in cold water and soak them in warm water for about 30 minutes before beginning your sausage stuffing work.

Beef Middles

Beef middles are straight long casings that have a heavier texture wall with some fat. These beef casings are ideal for dry and semi-dry sausages like Salami, Liverwurst, Bologna, or Summer sausage.

Beef Bung Caps

Made from the end of a cow’s large intestine, beef bungs are large-diameter sausage casings that are typically used for large bologna, headcheese, souse, capicola, and mortadella.

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Collagen Casings

What is a collagen casing? Collagen casings are processed, edible sausage casings produced from the collagen in cow or pig hides, bones, and tendons. While they don’t give much of a snap, they’re inexpensive and give more uniformity in weight and size compared to their natural counterparts. Collagen casings are packaged in sheets around a tube that can easily be loaded on your stuffing horn, with no soaking required. They come in two varieties based on processing:

Fresh Collagen Casings

As the name implies, fresh collagen casings are used specifically for fresh sausages like bratwurst and breakfast links. These tend to be more tender casings that are unable to withstand hanging in a smokehouse.

Smoked Collagen Casings

Smoked or processed collagen casing are a bit stronger and thicker than fresh collagen to hold up to the processing schedule in the smokehouse, and can be used for making snack sticks, ring bologna, hot dogs or wieners. Their durability holds up well when hung on smoke sticks during processing. Collagen casings are available in clear and mahogany colors (no taste variation).

19 mm Smoke Mahogany Small Snack Sticks 21 mm Fresh Clear Small Breakfast Sausages 21 mm Smoke Clear or Mahogany Snack Sticks 23 mm Smoke Clear Large Snack Sticks • Small Pepperoni 26 mm Smoke Clear Hot Dogs • Wieners 30 mm Fresh Clear Brats • Link Sausage 40 mm Smoke Clear Ring Bologna • Liver Sausage • Kielbasa 43 mm Smoke Clear Ring Bologna • Liver Sausage • Kielbasa

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Fibrous Casings

Fibrous casings are inedible sausage casings made from a form of cellulose material that peels away easily when cooked. They are also made from a specific tree called the Abaca. The fibers in the Abaca tree are very strong yet easy to work with — they’re very stretchable. Fibrous casings are most commonly used for making pepperonis, summer sausage, bologna, liverwurst, and other fine smoked sausages. Their durability allows tight stuffing, making them ideal for fine or emulsified sausages. Fibrous casings should be soaked for at least 25-30 minutes in warm water (80-100 F). Lay the sausage casings flat in warm water and submerge completely, with the tied ends lower so that any trapped air can escape. After soaking, squeeze excess water out before stuffing your sausages.

There’s two main kinds of fibrous sausage casings — clear and mahogany. You can also get them printed with a design. The benefit of a mahogany casing is you’ll get a consistent color when you are smoking the sausage.

1″ Thuringer • Pepperoni • Salami • Cracker-Sized Sausages 2-2.5″ Traditional Summer Sausage 4″ Large Summer Sausage • Hard Salami 8″ Olive & Pimento Loaf • Mortadella • Deli & Sandwich Meats

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WHITETAIL DEER GLAND KNOWLEDGE

KNOW THE 8 GLANDS!

If you took a test right now on deer glands, how would you do? Do you know how many glands a whitetail deer has? Do you know where each gland is located? Do you know the function or purpose of each gland? If you are not sure how to answer any of these questions, you are not alone.

Over the last decade, I have been making mock scrapes and using only three glands lures. After learning more about some of the other glands, a whitetail uses to communicate with I have added more lures to my hunting arsenal. Let me help you understand the eight glands of a whitetail, their purpose and how BuckStik Products Utilizes and presents the three main communication glands creating the most powerful Communal Mock Scrape System on the Market.

GLANDS ON THE LEG

Interdigital Gland

Whitetail deer have an interdigital gland between their hooves on each foot. To see this gland, you will have to spread the deer’s hoof apart and look between them. Between the hoof, there is a small hole that allows the interdigital gland secretion to come out.

Each deer has a distinct odor. The interdigital gland allows deer to identify one another. Each time a deer takes a step, it releases a small amount of the gland secretion. Why is this so important?

The importance of the interdigital gland allows a mother to locate their fawns. Bucks can find a doe bed, check it, and follow a doe that might be in estrus. Non-receptive does will be on high alert when they smell the interdigital gland lure from a cruising buck. Deer know their home range well and like to know there are no intruders.

This is one of the three main glands BuckStik utilizes at the ground level during the season.

Metatarsal Gland

The metatarsal gland is located on the outside of a whitetail deer’s back legs. About five to six inches above the deer’s rear hooves is a white tuft of hair. Inside of the hair is an opening that is a duct for the metatarsal gland.

The metatarsal gland will give off an aggressive odor during the rut to warn other bucks in the area. Each deer will have a unique scent that it will give off. Bucks can become familiar with the individual odor of each other. The metatarsal gland seems to be larger in deer that live further north. Some biologists claim that deer are no longer using this gland. I am not sure what to think because I use the gland lure for hunting almost every year.

Tarsal Gland

A whitetail deer has two tarsal glands that are located inside the deer’s hind legs. You can find the tarsal glands where the deer’s back legs bend. The large tufted of lightly-colored hair sticks out and is strategically placed for the deer to create a unique scent specific to that deer.

Because of the unique odor hunters can sometimes smell a buck before they see him. The pungent odor is always most potent during the rut when the deer are making scrapes. When a buck is worked up, the hair on the tarsal glands can stand erect as a sign of aggression or dominance. Some deer biologists believe the tarsal gland scent can signal a doe that a buck is ready to breed.

GLANDS ON THE HEAD

Nasal Gland

The nasal glands are inside the deer’s nose. Biologists describe the glands as being shaped like almonds. The nasal glands are essential for deer. Hunters know deer rely heavily on their noses to help them detect odors in the air. But there is another vital purpose for the nasal gland.

The primary purpose of the nasal gland is to detect odors in the air to help deer survive. Deer are constantly checking the air and walking into the wind, so they know what is around them. A deer’s nose is far better than their eyes!

The second purpose of the nasal gland is two-fold. The gland lubricates the nasal passage, which allows deer to detect scents. The lubricant from the nasal gland can help deer leave their scent on licking branches.

Preorbital Gland

A deer has two preorbital glands that are just below the corner of their eyes. The preorbital gland has two different glands located in the tear duct. The sudoriferous and sebaceous glands are the glands inside of the duct. The preorbital glands are controlled by muscles and can open wider to emit an odor.

The primary purpose of the preorbital gland is a tear duct that helps lubricate the eyes. Deer will often put a licking branch in the corner of their eye. The preorbital gland will open and let the liquid from the gland cover the branch. Biologists believe this is a way that deer will self-mark areas. Older bucks often have preorbital glands that are more defined, which may be a sign of aggressive behavior towards other deer.

This is the primary gland that is used year round with the BuckStik/BuckBranch. A single spray elevated off the ground on the vine/ropes/leaves produce the greatest effect.

Forehead Gland

The forehead glands are located above the eyes and between the antlers of a buck. A doe also has forehead glands above their eyes and between their ears. The glands will start to produce an oily substance in September. As the rut moves on, the glands will secrete more oils. The secretion will cause the hair on the buck’s forehead to get darker and even reddish.

The purpose of the forehead glands on a buck is essential. As a deer marks a tree with the oily substance, it leaves some information for the other deer in the area. A deer can learn three things from a rub: First, a deer can determine the age of the deer, making the rub. Secondly, a rub can explain a deer’s social status. Finally, it can communicate to other deer its breeding status.

An older buck secretes more oils from his forehead glands. Thus, older deer will mark more trees. Some biologists believe that forehead gland secretion has a pheromone that can help a doe come into estrus.

Lastly, the Forehead gland completes the 3 gland communication system with the BuckStik. A single Spray on the forehead strip of the BuckStik will have your Bucks both young and old rubbing all day long.

Salivary Gland

The salivary gland is inside the mouth of the deer. The glands are on the roof of the deer’s mouth, in their cheeks, and gums. Deer use their salivary glands for more than just digesting food.

The primary purpose of these salivary glands is to produce saliva. The saliva will help a deer digest food it eats and is also vital for marking. Deer will deposit saliva on branches, vegetation, and trees to let other deer know they are in the area. When a deer takes the licking branch in its mouth, it will bite down with their teeth. Biting the branch allows the deer to deposit their scent to the licking branch.

NEWEST GLAND

Preputial Gland

This gland is located in the penal sheath of the buck. It has two primary purposes: lubrication for breeding, and it contains sperm for reproduction. The preputial gland is the newest gland that has been found and studied. Deer biologists believe it to be used for communication during breeding, but there is no hunting use at this time.

In Summary,

These eight glands are used daily in the whitetail world. Some are used more than others, and some are only used during certain times of the year. Deer use non-verbal communication to interact all of the time.

The BuckStik is a true pheromone communication system that ideally presents the Three Main Communication Glands at the ideal height for interaction. By presenting the Preorbital gland elevated in the vine/ropes, the forehead gland in the rubbing strip, and the interdigital gland a ground level it creates the ultimate communal mock scrape system.

Gland Presentation combined the the BuckStik’s ability to capture and hold deer DNA (Gland Secretions, hair) better than anything natural create an amazing communication hub that will last for years. Never again will you have to start over from scratch with a natural branch as the BuckStik lasts multiple seasons.

In the next post, I will give you some strategies on how to use each of the gland lures while hunting.

By Brian Kightlinger

Smallest spiders: Spiders are not the most desirable guests in the house. Everywhere they try to get rid of them, using improvised methods: slippers, for example, or chemicals. But once you take a closer look at these creatures, the desire to get rid of them is replaced by another – to release them.

Indeed, think, at the next meeting with a spider, why do not you, instead of killing them, release the representative of the arachnids carefully through the window or staircase? This requires only 2 items: a glass and a lid. You put the spider in a glass, put a lid on it, and then release it.

Did you know that you cannot kill spiders? Many legends are associated with 8-legged creatures. Among the ancient peoples, the spider in the center of the web was a symbol of the sun, from which the rays emanate.

And there is also a sign according to which a small spider (by the way, our article is about them) – for money, albeit small, and a large one – for solid amounts. As ordinary people say – the omen works, so first think about how to run for a sneaker.

In this article, we want to tell you about the smallest spiders in the world, look at their photos

1. Patu digua

Patu digua is the smallest spider among all. Scientists have found that the size of the male is only 0.43 mm. – without a magnifying glass we can’t see them. The spider belongs to the family of symphytognathidae. Distributed in West Africa on the Ivory Coast.

It is unimaginable, but with this size, the spider has a well-developed nervous system, which occupies 80% of the body. In addition to the nervous system, patu digua also has a developed brain, which occupies 25% of the body.

2. Maevia Inclemens

The Himalayan spider is tiny in size – the male does not exceed 5 mm, and the female grows up to 6 mm. For the first time, this unusual tiny spider was found on Everest, so that the representative of the arachnids can be attributed to the highest of all spiders on our planet.

If you pay attention to the name, it becomes clear that it was created for a reason, but means “living above everyone else.” The Himalayan spider was first discovered in 1922, but this species was qualified in the scientific world only 2 years later – in 1924.

3. Marpissa muscosa

This type of spider can be called the most charismatic. Distributed in the Palaearctic. Marpissa muscosa in length reaches 8 mm, the color varies from gray to brownish. The spider got such an interesting name due to its appearance because its entire body is covered with hair, which is very similar to moss.

Spiders of this species prefer to settle in nests that they create in dead trees. The Marpissa muscosa inhabits North Africa, Europe, and the Asian part of Russia.

4. Ant spider-horse

The Ant Spider Horse is called a miracle of nature, outwardly it looks like an ant. Its dimensions do not exceed 12 mm. Among other representatives of the arthropod species, he stands out for his jumping ability and is the owner of excellent vision. Many researchers even believe that the ant spider is endowed with intelligence.

Spiders of this species are representatives of fauna and flora, they are found absolutely everywhere. Once, in 1975, one of the subspecies was discovered at the top of Everest – at an altitude of more than 6500 m above sea level. There is a version that ancient ant spiders first appeared in Gondwana, and subsequently spread throughout the Earth.

5. Tegenaria Domestica (House Spider)

The Tegenaria domestica or house spider belongs to the funnel spider family. Of all the species, it is the most common – it lives everywhere in the wild, and also prefers to settle in human dwellings, especially they like attics. By the way, they manage to get into the apartment very easily – in warm weather, they do it through open windows.

For a person, a house spider up to 12 mm in size does not pose a danger but attacks only if it feels that something is threatening it.

An interesting fact: the house spider perfectly senses changes in atmospheric pressure. If it rains, they crawls deeper into the hole, and sits there, not sticking out.

6. Pholcus Phalangioides

Meet Pholcus phalangioides, this is a house spider that lives throughout the entire territory of our planet. It is found where there is low light in the basement, for example. If the Pholcus phalangioides is in the house, then, as a rule, it prefers the ceilings and corners of the house.

A characteristic feature of this baby (the length of adults is only 7-10 mm.) is the ability to tremble with the whole body and the net, in case it was disturbed. The trembling occurs with such frequency that the outlines of the spider blur in space, and it is almost impossible to see it.

Despite its strange feature, the phalanx spider is completely harmless to humans, and when it penetrates the skin (by 0.1 mm), a person feels only a slight burning sensation.

7. European Garden Spider (cross-legged spider)

There is a statement that the spider is dangerous to humans, but in fact, this is a myth – one of the most common spiders is poisonous only for small animals: rats, mice, etc.

The European garden spider is considered peaceful, but when outdoors it can cause some inconvenience. This species prefers places with high humidity, most often it can be found in gardens or shrubs that grow near water bodies.

The spider got its name due to its appearance – on the back of the arachnid there is a cross formed of white spots. Females are larger than males – their size reaches 25 mm, and the male does not exceed 11 mm.

8. Latrodectus Tredecimguttatus (Mediterranean black widow)

In another way, Latrodectus tredecimguttatus is called the “Mediterranean black widow“. The reason for this is two facts: the color (there are red spots on its black abdomen, but in adult females they are absent – black spiders resemble a widow) and the treatment of the female with the male – after mating, she eats him.

It is not surprising that one of the most dangerous species of spiders has been nicknamed the “Mediterranean black widow“. The spider has an interesting body structure – its abdomen is shaped like a ball. The bite of a Latrodectus tredecimguttatus is very dangerous, but all the people should not worry (if only residents of Azerbaijan, they can also be found there), because spiders live in North Africa and Central Asia.

9. Ballus (muscular horse)

This spider species has excellent vision, providing an all-round view of almost 360º. A pair of peepholes in front, like binoculars, gives a magnifying image.

The muscular horse was named after the mythological character of the son of Hercules. The jumping horse can be attributed to the smallest spiders in the world, but to one of the largest representatives of the jumping spiders – its length reaches 2 cm.

This interesting arachnid can be found in Southeast Asia, in forests, near swamps, and in foliage. The spider has one peculiarity – it does not weave webs, but during the hunt uses a safety thread, attaching it to a solid surface.

10. Brown Hermit Spider

The hermit spider is quite tiny, with legs its dimensions do not exceed 20 mm, but this does not prevent it from carrying a serious danger to humans. Its poison is so strong that without timely medical intervention, a person can simply die. In this case, the pain is not felt immediately, and the person can become a victim during sleep.

The brown spider likes to live in abandoned buildings, but it can also get into an apartment building. It is distinguished from others by the number of eyes – usually, a spider has 8 of them, and this species has 6. Despite the fact that the spider is called brown, in reality, they are also gray or dark yellow.

A barrel is essentiallya steel cylinder with the bore drilled out. It’s as simple as that. For typical handguns (with their short barrels), there isn’t that much more to it. But with rifles, for which the barrel is often the largest and heaviest component, the overall shape of the barrel can take many different forms. This is generally referred to as barrel contours or profiles.

As a baseline, consider a barrel with no exterior material removed, known as a bull barrel. Here, the outer diameter is constant along its length. Naturally, as a perfect cylinder, this is the heaviest profile, though the diameter can vary from large to small (typically referred to as heavy, medium and light).

At the cost of weight, bull barrels do provide some benefits. With all that steel and surface area, they take longer to heat up. This helps maintain accuracy under sustained fire and prolonging their useful life.

Their rigidity also helps prevent deflection, whether from a sling or pressure on the handguard (if not free floated) or from the addition of a suppressor. While it can be unpleasant to carry the damn thing and potentially awkwardly front-heavy, a heavier barrel equals a heavier weapon. A heavier weapon is generally steadier while shooting and helps mitigate recoil impulse.

Of course, you could also simply select a shorter barrel. This reduces weight and can actually increase stiffness of the barrel, potentially helping with accuracy but at the cost of a loss of muzzle velocity. And if you plan to shoot longer distances, you’ll appreciate a higher velocity.

Tapering

Metal can be removed in various ways from this perfect cylinder, thus also lightening the barrel. It can be tapered, where the diameter at the breech end is greater than at the muzzle — with everything from a linear taper to various other profiles, limited only by the manufacturer’s imagination. It doesn’t make much sense for barrels to be tapered in the other direction, since pressures are greatest in the chamber and decrease as the bullet travels down the bore. Not to mention that it would make the rifle imbalanced all together.

Yet, there are lots of AR-15 barrels that have profiles mimicking military configurations, such as the ubiquitous M4 profiles that have thinner diameters under the handguards and thicker in front of the gas block, along with a cutout to mount an M203 grenade launcher.

Eric Kincel, Director of R&D for Bravo Company USA, Inc., explains, “The original AR-15 and early M16 barrel profiles were never like that. But with the adoption of the M16A2, the mass at the front of the barrel was added for one reason and one reason only — the barrels were bending when soldiers were prying crates open with the muzzle end of the barrel. Seriously.”

Tapering is a time-worn method of reducing the weight and improving a rifle’s balance and handling. While less weight is always a bonus when carrying a rifle, there are tradeoffs in heat dissipation and barrel rigidity. It’s a delicate balance to maintain. This is why matching barrel contours and treatments to your rifle’s intended use is key.

Fluting and Other Treatments

Material can also be removed in other ways, leaving the overall diameter constant but relieving metal in other patterns. With advancements in machining tools, more and more complex patterns are possible. Everything from fluting, which is longitudinal grooves (either straight, spiral or radial), to other geometric patterns (such as dimples, hexagonal honeycombs, etc.) are possible.

These sort of treatments are intended to shave some weight. They also maintain greater outer diameter and provide quicker cooling of the barrel during sustained fire, since more surface area of the barrel is exposed. And since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, they can look pretty damn cool as well, while still serving as an attractive host for your suppressor.

Let’s look at two identical barrels. If you flute one of them, the fluted one will not be as stiff as the non-fluted barrel. In theory, you can increase a barrel’s diameter enough to offset what you lose in stiffness from adding fluting. However, the simple rule is that no fluting means a stiffer barrel.

For complete rifles (or complete uppers), manufacturers tend to offer barrel contours that match the intended purpose of the weapon — from hunting rifles with relatively lightweight tapered barrels to target rifles meant for a benchrest with bull barrels to general-purpose ARs with medium-weight barrel contours.

Barrel makers are churning out custom, semi-custom and prepackaged offerings with a wide variety of profiles and contours. For those spec’ing out a build, whether bolt gun, gas gun or otherwise, virtually anything you desire can be done … with judicious application of cash or credit.

We’ve never had so many options as we do right now. So as always, choose what best matches your intended use, and enjoy!

Barrel Contours: Tale of the Tape

To demonstrate a variety of options, we obtained four identical standard 16-inch mid-length gas system barrels with government profiles (and 0.750-inch gas block) from Bravo Company USA. We sent three of them to Adco Firearms to be dimpled, fluted and turned down to a lightweight contour.

Dimpling is harder to apply, hence the price premium. It also results in less weight loss. So we dare say one would need to really like the aesthetics to make this choice.

It’s not uncommon to see a fluted process, and this provides a nice balance of characteristics.

The lightweight contour removes the most material, winning the “Biggest Loser” competition here with its anorexic pencil profile.

The pricing listed in the chart in the gallery above encompasses Adco’s gunsmithing fees plus parkerizing (shipping not included). Note that the stripped standard barrel retails for $310. Dave O’Malley with Adco suggests fluting or dimpling for those who want to use a suppressor or crank out high rates of fire. But he advises that “none of these services are ‘needed’ and fall into the ‘want’ category.”

Nevertheless, he’s more than happy to turn “end users’ ideas into reality.”

This article is from the summer 2015 issue of Ballistic Magazine. Grab a subscription to Ballistic Magazine at OutdoorGroupStore.com.

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Mark Drury explains the key factors that influence whitetail behavior, advice for beginning hunters and the benefits of onX Hunt and his new DeerCast hunting app.

What if the forecast could tell you where the whitetail will be the night before you head out into the field? What if you could look at a new swath of public hunting ground and know intuitively where the whitetail will be?

Missouri-based Mark Drury, co-owner of Drury Outdoors and a lifetime hunter with 40+ years of whitetail hunting experience, is a firm believer that it’s possible. In his “Thirteen” video series, he talks about 13 different indicators that dictate whitetail behavior and patterning. In a recent phone interview with onX, he noted three factors he always looks for when evaluating a potential hunting location:

– Bed- Food- Water

Food, he reiterated, is perhaps the most important factor.

“Whitetail are slaves to their stomachs,” he shared. “Really focus on your food plots. Befriend a local farmer or someone at the local co-op—they will know crop timing, what sprays and fertilizers to use and more.” That farmer or co-op member may end up being your best friend in the plot-planning game. Consider possibly calling up your local Farm Service Agency office and asking for information; usually they are more than happy to help.

Food is a moving target: a whitetail’s preferred source differs by both region and time of year and can also change on a day-by-day basis. If a deer is feeding on beans and then acorns suddenly start to drop, they’re likely to shift to eating acorns, therefore changing current eating habits and—most likely—movement patterns.

Mark is a steady user of onX Hunt as a tool to manage his food plots. “I absolutely love onX,” he shared. “I like using it to establish the size on all of my food plots. By calculating the correct acreages, it really helps estimate seed and fertilizer needs, which helps reduce costs. No need to guess anymore.”

Pending the time of year, a good water source and potential bedding spots may overtake the need for food.

“At certain times of year, water, food or bed may be the most important,” Mark noted. It’s up to the hunter to problem solve in certain areas—and to look for opportunities. “If they’re lacking cover or food, you can help provide it.”

Another crucial factor for whitetail hunters is weather. “It’s a big one,” commented Mark. “Weather influences whitetail behavior and movement on a minute-by-minute basis.” It’s this level of importance that helped inspire Mark, along with his brother Terry, to develop the DeerCast hunting app. It also inspired us to create our own deer hunting weather and forecasting capability in onX Hunt. Utilizing current weather reports and weather forecasting, DeerCast helps whitetail hunters predict deer movement in the field.

One of the last key factors Mark looks at is overall rut interpretation and dynamics. What does the herd ratio look like? For example, a high doe-to-buck ratio can lead to a prolonged, less-defined rut. Take some time to research the herd you’re hoping to hunt—game cameras are your friend here.

And perhaps most of all: don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and just learn. As a child, Mark lived in a rural town of roughly 400 residents. His father didn’t hunt, but he knew he wanted to be outside.

“Since the time I was little I just wanted to be in the woods,” he shared. “I took up hunting myself—that’s just what people did in our town; how they approached things. It was a lot of learning by trial-and-error.”

It was that same learning process that has now led to a 40-plus-year career as a whitetail hunter. “Hunters can never stop learning; you need to go at it with an open mind—hunting keeps us learning,” Mark added.

That same spirit of learning dictates the hunting lifestyle, for both first-year and seasoned hunters. Mark notes that 25 years ago, hunting media was largely limited to print magazines such as Field & Stream and Outdoor Life; now it’s easy to find all manner of information online.

His advice for new hunters? “Sit there and soak up as much as possible online—and never stop wanting to learn.”

It’s savvy advice for hunters of all levels, backgrounds, and locales.

header image: Donn Vidosh

Have you heard of Pfeilstörche? These are Bavarian storks with spears stuck in their necks. Scientists used these birds to discover their migration patterns from Africa to Europe. It was a revolutionary bit of knowledge, but we’re more interested in the arrowhead than the shaft.

When we think of the most valuable rare arrowheads, we focus on evolution and the hominids of the past who invented tools. But you can find arrowheads among indigenous communities that still practice traditional hunting techniques. So let’s go shoot some arrows!

Most Valuable Rare Arrowheads Worth Money

1. Barbed Tanged Arrowhead Near Stonehenge (Aldbourne, Wiltshire, UK) – Found Around 1900 – Genuine Early Bronze Age Artefact

Around the world, you’ll find communities like the First Nation (Canada), Inuits (Greenland, Arctic), Maasai (Tanzania, Kenya), Oceanians (Australia, New Zealand), and tribes from Polynesia and the Amazon. They maintain their heritage, including traditional arrowheads.

• Type: Arrowhead
• Material: Stone
• Bids: Still Open
• Value: $266.48

But here in the US, the most valuable rare arrowheads come from Native Americans. You can find contemporary authenticated pieces, but you can also bump into fossil finds in areas with rich archaeological digs. You might even stumble upon arrowheads lying around old farms.

2. Missouri Cupped Bottom Puddingstone Boat Stone COA Arrowheads

But while you’re trading arrowheads, you can make money on related items spears, and other weapons. Bird stones, banner stones, and boat stones sell especially well. These weights were attached to spears or javelins so they could travel further, and faster while carrying more force.

• Type: Boat Stone
• Material: Puddingstone
• Bids: 38
• Value: $3,400

These stone weights were part of a tool called an atlatl. And the particular one above is shaped like an arrowhead, so you can convincingly categorize it there. With pieces like this, it’s worth getting a professional evaluation. Buyers want proof that it’s not just a pretty rock.

3. Lot of 08 Old Indo Persian Rajput / Mughal Arrowheads

On the subject of arrowheads that are not quite arrowheads, let’s talk about Clovis points. These ancient arrowheads were first found at Clovis, New Mexico, in 1932. Experts believe they’re 10,000 to 13,500 years old. They discovered maybe 10,000 units in total at that dig.

• Material: Metal
• Bids: Still Open
• Value: $250

These weapons are classified and labeled as arrowheads for convenience, but lots of them are designed for spearheads and javelins, so they’re better described as projectile points. An atlatl – which we mentioned above – was typically used to launch these sharpened stones.

4. Large Fine 6+ inch G10 Missouri Turkeytail Point with COA Arrowheads

Dalton and Folsom arrowheads are another top find for collectors. But Clovis points are the easiest to spot because they have a groove at their base called a flute. This made it simple to attach the arrowhead to the tip of a spear, arrow, or dart. The flute goes halfway up the head.

• Material: Metal
• Bids: 43
• Value: $380

Clovis arrowheads are also larger than other specimens. They can be up to 6” tall and 2” wide with a concave surface on the flute end. The curved sides of the arrowhead taper towards the tip. This makes its midsection its widest point, and the slicing action makes it more effective.

5. Lot of 25 Japanese Arrowheads

Now that you know how to identify Clovis arrowheads, let’s look into the other two types we’ve mentioned. Dalton arrowheads are shaped like fish. They have a broad middle, just like Clovis, but they also have an inward curve near the base. They’re from 10,500 to 8,500BC.

• Material: Metal
• Bids: Still Open
• Value: $150

As for Folsoms (9,500 to 8,000BC), their flutes were crafted more carefully than those Clovis bases. They also have distinctive grooves on their sides. Finally, we have Plano arrowheads from the plains. These were far simpler weapons crafted from flaked stone without flutes.

6. Authentic Ohio Beveled Serrated St. Charles Dovetail Indian Arrowhead

It’s easy for someone to fake an arrowhead. And while some of the ones you’ll find in the wild are genuine, they’re likely to be flint or chert arrowheads. Because these are younger and are pretty common, they’re not that valuable as a collectible, so you won’t make much reselling.

• Material: Stone
• Bids: 8
• Value: $102.50

Ideally, a Clovis point would be perfect. The first set was found in 1929 by Ridgely Whiteman. But most of these precious arrowheads are in the hands of collectors and are out of circulation. Instead, look for unusual crafting materials like jade, petrified wood, or jasper.

7. Leaf Arrowhead – Flint Tool – From near Stonehenge (Aldbourne, Wiltshire, UK) Found around 1900 – Late Neolithic / Early Bronze Age

To date, the most valuable rare arrowheads ever found were Clovis points. The one found by Les Ira Kreis sold for a good $276,000. He found it during the 1950s while working in a Badger Mountain wheat field in Washington. The 2013 sale was sealed at a Morphy Auction.

• Material: Flint
• Bids: Still Open
• Value: $174.03

This arrowhead is treasured because at 9”, it’s among the largest intact pieces in existence, and it’s made from a sea green shade of obsidian. You may wonder exactly how ancient cultures made the arrowheads. They would heat the stone and then hit and hammer it into shape.

8. Fluted 5” Clovis Point, Indian Artifact, Arrowhead, Cocke CO. TN.

The arrowhead-making process had three stages. The first was flint-knapping, where you would start with a big rock and bash it to break off smaller pieces. The second stage was pressure flaking when you would use tools to chip off pieces, making the arrowhead thinner.

• Material: Stone
• Bids: 12
• Value: $180.50

As the weapon got slimmer and flatter, you could sharpen the sides and edges, adding any important features like grooves or clan symbols. The final step is sometimes called notching. You could make slots to hold the twine, or you could carve out a sharp serrated edge.

9. Lot of 15 Old Indo Persian Rajput / Mughal Arrowheads

How did they make these weapons without modern machinery? To make the arrowheads, hunters used tools made from the horns, bones, and antlers of local wildlife such as deer, moose, or impalas (in Africa). Start off with a rounded hammer stone then move to bone.

• Material: Metal
• Bids: Still Open
• Value: $300

The base of a horn or antler works well for broad work, and the narrower tips are best for finer details. Today, lots of people flint-knap for pleasure. But avoid using metal tools like hammers or chisels. They’re too fast and forceful, so they’re likely to shatter your host rock.

10. Rare Large Fine G10 Missouri Graham Cave Drill with COA Arrowheads

You’ll see a lot of sites describing the fish shape of a Dalton arrowhead. Sometimes, it’s puzzling to understand these explanations without a photo. But why did these projectile points have a fish-tail curve near the base? Well, they didn’t have attachment flutes on them.

• Material: Stone
• Bids: 73
• Value: $193.50

Instead, hunters would use pieces of tendon or twine to tie the shaft to the arrowhead. The rope would be wound around the waist, that inward curve that’s close to the bottom. Daltons also had a sharp tip that would break off on impact, so many finds have that bit broken off.

11. Leaf Arrowhead – Neolithic Flint Tool – From near Stonehenge (Aldbourne, Wiltshire, UK)

If you’re looking for a book that tells you more about the most valuable rare arrowheads, try The Official Overstreet Indian Arrowheads Identification and Price Guide. You could also check the Artifact Resources Tab at Arrowheads.com for help with identification and pricing.

• Material: Flint
• Bids: Still Open
• Value: $163.15

This book can be useful for scouring sales online or when you’re out in the field. You might be physically hunting arrowheads and you can look up their likeness in the book – it has lots of high-res reference photos. But be sure you’re allowed to pick arrowheads where you are!

12. Super Fine Tennessee Dark Dover Flint Lost Lake Point COA Arrowheads

The point above may have startled you. After all, YouTube is flooded with videos of people excavating all sorts of sites for antique bottles, gold flecks, and yes, arrowheads. You’ll even find tips about hunting at Native American campsites, near rivers, or in roadside ditches.

• Material: Flint
• Bids: 25
• Value: $404.99

So where does ‘allowed’ come into it? Think of it this way – as you rifle through Native American sites, you may be disturbing holy sites like burial grounds, which is disrespectful. Would you want any random person digging up your grave or snooping through your house?

13. Lot of 05 Old Indo Persian Rajput / Mughal Arrowheads

Another factor to consider is legality. If you’re arrow-picking on private property, you may need the owner’s permission. Otherwise, they may take you for a trespasser and respond accordingly. Besides, anything valuable you find on their land technically belongs to them.

• Material: Metal
• Bids: Still Open
• Value: $150

Also, some local governments have laws about leaving relics and fossils where they are. It’s about retaining cultural value. The county may want to turn the spot into a museum, lease it for tax reasons, or set it up as a formal archaeological site. So be sure to get authorization.

14. Large Fine G10 Missouri Hidden Valley Point with COA Arrowheads

Once you’re sure that it’s okay to hunt for arrowheads in your region, you’ll need to find the best spots. Rivers and streams are good because they’ll have tons of arrows that sunk while harpoon fishing. Rain may also carry arrowheads into the water and dump them there.

• Material: Stone
• Bids: 36
• Value: $565

The best time to look is after a heavy downpour because it exposes buried items in fields and among rocks. It also washes them down to more visible spots. If you’re looking in the river itself, wait until the water level is lowest or the bed is dry so you can see your booty clearly.

15. Scythian Arrowhead, Authentic Arrow Heads, Ancient Artifact, 6th-1th Century AD

People within the industry will refer to these pieces as points rather than arrowheads. We mentioned earlier it’s because the points were used on spears, darts, and other projectiles, not just arrows. And once they got blunt or broke, they may be converted into scrapers.

• Material: Metal
• Bids: Still Open
• Value: $75.65

Scrapers were useful for – say – skinning an animal, peeling vegetables, or scrubbing plant-based fibers. You can differentiate arrow points, spear points, and dart points by their size. Spearheads were the largest and heaviest while tainted darts could be quite small and subtle.

16. Fine Colorful 5 3/4″ Ohio Flintridge Dovetail Point with COA Arrowheads

The thing with arrowheads is they’re easy to fake. And if you find one on the farm while plowing, it might only be worth a few dollars. But if you bump into a genuinely valuable piece, your profits could run into the thousands considering you got it in the wild for free.

• Material: Flint
• Bids: 21
• Value: $1,125

But you still need an expert, because anyone can put up a thousand-dollar listing like this one. And if it’s counterfeit (or if you’re wrong about its value), your arrowhead will sit on the auction site for years. That’s why using the ‘sold tab’ is so important. It shows what moves.

17. Lot of 12 Old Indo Persian Rajput / Mughal Arrowheads

What’s a COA? You may have seen it mentioned on arrowhead listings or other collectibles. It means Certificate of Authentication, and there are various ways to get one. It could be a sales receipt from a verified dealer. Or a report from a recognized professional appraiser.

• Material: Metal
• Bids: Still Open
• Value: $250

But some Native American artifacts are contemporary, and these may include jewelry and points. They use traditional techniques to create modern pieces. They come with the artist’s name, their pueblo (or tribe), and a formally signed document verifying the piece as authentic.

18. Fine G10 Missouri Burlington Hopewell Point with COA Arrowheads

Just because a piece is beautiful, verified, and in demand doesn’t mean it’s the most valuable rare arrowhead. And this piece is the perfect example. You can see it drew a lot of attention – nearly 50 bids! But it barely sold for $100. What’s the deal? Well, you need market interest.

• Material: Chert
• Bids: 48
• Value: $127.50

Before you go off gathering tons of arrowheads, look around. See what collectors want. The reseller space travels in cycles and seasons, so there are times when a particular material, site, or style is popular. The condition of your arrowhead matters too since it’s for display.

19. Rare Bronze Arrowheads 400 BC – 100 AD Unique Ancient Artifacts, 40

Suppose you find a batch of arrowheads that doesn’t look too fancy. And maybe your expert tells you they’re only worth five to ten bucks a piece. You can improve your profit by selling them as a bundle like the seller has done here. You could even throw in some pricier pieces.

• Material: Metal
• Bids: Still Open
• Value: $106

Axe heads are a smart value-add if you can find them. They’re larger and more versatile than arrowheads, so they’ll fetch a higher price. But while you’re discounting your asking rate, count the weight of the batch – it could lead to high shipping costs that will swallow profits.

Tops Tips About the Most Valuable Rare Arrowheads

As you position yourself to resell rare arrowheads, try these proven tactics:

• Get a copy of the Overstreet Guide. It helps a lot.
• Confirm your pricing using ‘sold items’ instead of open ones.
• Protect the arrowheads so they don’t flake off and get ruined.
• Develop a cataloging system and keep your stock clean.
• If you’re a picker, be disciplined and discerning or you’ll soon have hundreds!

Do you have any advice on the most valuable rare arrowheads? Tell us in the comments!

This Anson County preserve owner has ideas for establishing quail habitat and restoring bird populations.

Anyone who loves quail hunting — or longs for the days when bobwhites were widespread in North Carolina — is restricted mostly to preserve hunting, if they want a chance to pursue these fast-flying game birds.

A few state game lands contain quail, but they’re exceptions.

Most preserve hunters aren’t interested in the glory days of quail hunting, nor the land management necessary to have property that produces huntable numbers of quail. Instead, they pay to walk behind well-trained bird dogs and a professional handler to see points, flush quail and experience the rush that comes from a covey rise.

For the vast majority of hunters, these birds nearly have disappeared at the family farms, untended fields and woodlot edges that once harbored tens of thousands of quail across the Southeast — and North Carolina is in that category.

Potential problems for quail have been speculated about for years. They include conversion of pastures to fescue, diseases, bad weather and increasing numbers of natural enemies. The problem is doubly perplexing because of success stories of other species, particularly deer and wild turkeys. Whitetails and turkeys have survived and thrived at the same habitats where bobwhite numbers have plummeted.

So why are preserves the main places to find quail today in North Carolina — with the exception of some large private farms and a few game lands?

The answer is clear — lack of habitat.

The South once was dominated by small farms. Farmers rotated crops but allowed some fields to remain unplowed. Natural vegetation growing in untended fields provided excellent food and cover for quail. Field-edge vegetation also was prevalent, creating nesting, roosting and feeding sites for quail.

But after farm machinery became more mechanized after World War II, most farmers plowed their fields annually, eradicated brushy field borders and cleaned out ditches, removing undergrowth such as honeysuckle and briars.

In North Carolina, that left pine forests and open hardwoods — neither suitable for quail survival — and that’s not to mention the conversion of former agricultural land to housing developments, more roads and urban/suburban sprawl.

With their habitat disappearing, quail became scarce. About the only places now with quality quail habitat are found at hunting preserves, managed specifically to provide food and cover by hunting-preserve operators who expend a tremendous amount of capital and work in order to create properties with suitable landscapes for bobwhites.

Once quail hunting could be enjoyed by nearly everyone with a decent pointer or setter, from the poorest kid living on with his family in a share-cropper’s cabin to Piedmont farmers and sons to the richest men in the country.

Habitat was key then, and it remains so today.

Don McKenzie, director of the National Bobwhite Conservation Initiative wrote in the Fall 20112 issue of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Upland Gazette, that lack of habitat was the major problem causing quail to disappear.

“Habitat degradation at landscape scales is the root of the range-wide quail and grassland bird problem,” he wrote. “Regardless of whether you are in North Carolina or any other southeastern state, look around and ask yourself ‘Where is the quail habitat?’

“It should be quickly obvious that the proper question is not ‘Where have all the quail gone?’ Instead, the question should be, ‘How are quail managing to hang on at all in such hostile landscapes?’”

The answer is what people such as 35-year-old Jason Kiker, who operates Buchanan Shoals Sportsman’s Preserve, know and have acted upon to benefit quail and hunters. He uses innovative techniques for rearing and protecting the birds.

Kiker manages 5,300 acres in southern Anson County. The Pee Dee River flows adjacent to some of the preserve’s property, marked mostly by pines with scattered hardwood forests and a few fields.

A 2000 N.C. State University forestry-management graduate, Kiker intensively manages Buchanan Shoals for small and big game, including quail.

“My dad (Paul Kiker) actually started the club,” he said. “He ran the operation for a couple of years.”

Before Kiker took over the full-time operation of Buchanan Shoals, he was a forestry management specialist handling about 250,000 acres of timber.

“We do lots of things for quail,” he said. “One of the main things we do is controlled burns in the pines. We burn all the quail areas, 1,000 acres each year, to control hardwood (sprouts) and upland hardwood (forests). We do the burns each two to three years on a rotating basis.

“We also apply herbicides to control hardwood sprouts. This helps seeds in the ground to grow and provide food and cover.”

The result is classic quail-hunting habitat resembling the pine plantations of South Carolina and Georgia.

“If we manage everything right, there’s no need for quail food plots,” Kiker said. “We have some food plots, but they’re mainly for turkeys and deer. We also plant 120 acres for doves and have six impoundments of 150 acres for wood ducks and mallards.”

Buchanan Shoals is host to a few “wild” quail, so Kiker employs what are known as “surrogators” to raise quail in a natural setting where they eventually will be turned loose to fend for themselves — and can be hunted.

“We have nine areas on the property where we use surrogators,” he said.

A surrogator is a box-like device that includes a propane burner to provide warmth at night when the chicks are small balls of fluff. It also contains a 50-gallon water tank with pipes that run just above the chicks’ heads and nipples they quickly learn to peck to obtain water. Pans inside surrogators are replenished daily with food for the rapidly-growing quail.

“We put them in the surrogators when they’re only two or three days old,” Kiker said.

Quail chicks quickly learn to eat and peck for water. At one point, Kiker sprays half-grown birds with a fine mist to stimulate their skin’s oil glands. This process waterproofs the birds’ feathers and insulates them from sicknesses caused by cold or wet weather.

After five weeks, they’re ready to be set free in the wild.

Some studies have shown quail reared in surrogators don’t survive long, but Kiker said he has learned how to increase his birds’ survival time. Some eventually survive to form native coveys and rear young.

“It just takes a lot of work and being attentive to the chicks and the surrogators,” he said.

He also uses “call” birds that pull the quail back to the safety of the surrogator where they can roost at night and not be worried about attacks from predators.

“I set up (surrogators) for other people who want to have quail on their land,” Kiker said. “Wildlife management plays a big role in having pen-raised birds survive.”

Kiker figures some of his raised birds have lived for months, a long time for quail raised in pens and released into natural habitat.

One of his keys for quail survival is to place surrogators in heavy cover near good habitat.

“We also feed them the same thing (cracked corn) in the pens as we do after they’re released,” Kiker said. “We scatter corn for them in the areas where we hunt because the quail have learned to eat this particular food and won’t find it in nature.”

Kiker said with the survival rates of most quail raised in surrogators at less than 1 percent he “expects we get 85- to 90-percent survival.” And that’s over a period of several months.

That’s usually not the case, he said, for people who buy a surrogator, watch a DVD provided by the company and try to follow its directions.

“I know people who have used surrogators and gotten only a 10-percent survival rate — or less,” he said. “You can’t just watch the DVD and expect you’ll have a good crop of adult quail that’ll live more than a few days. There’s a lot of stuff they don’t tell you about on the DVD I’ve learned through experience.

“You have to check on the birds a lot. There’s a lot of baby sitting you have to do with young quail.”

The final step, after the birds have grown to adult size in five or six weeks, is to release them in a suitable area.

“You can’t take a pen-raised bird and turn it loose into a bad habitat and expect it to live more than a few days,” Kiker said. “It needs to come out (of a surrogator) and have food and cover nearby.”

Good habitat protects quail from aerial predators, such as hawks, and food should be available. Released quail obtain water from puddles, dew on grasses and leaves or after rains.

Another problem is predators and controlling them is no small expense. Kiker concentrates on reducing foxes, coyotes, raccoons and opossums, all eaters of quail eggs. Because quail nest on the ground, their eggs are on the menu of nearly every wild critter.

“We use a lot of fur-bearing predator control after deer season,” he said. “That’s when we have a licensed trapper take coyotes, foxes and bobcats. The fur-bearing predators are the ones we believe cause our quail the most problems.”

Kiker scatters cracked corn for released birds during hunting season.

“We put out feed and hunt them the next day or two because food concentrates the birds,” he said. “It’s like ringing a dinner bell, especially for hawks. So we hunt immediately after scattering feed.”

During the spring when quail nest and lay eggs, a hired trapper uses HavaHeart wire-cage traps to ensnare raccoons and opossums.

“It’s a 2 1/2-foot-long box, a live trap,” Kiker said. “We want to keep raccoons and opossums from breaking up nests. We trap them as much for turkeys as we do for quail because they’ll eat turkey eggs, too.

“We don’t use leg-hold traps because of the possibility of catching hunting dogs.”

Anyone who wants to have huntable quail numbers should consider Kiker’s approach — controlled burns and herbicides to stimulate ground vegetation, rearing quail in surrogators, keeping a close eye on growing quail chicks, allowing natural cover to grow and controlling predators.

So you’ve just lassoed yourself into the wild, wild world of cowboys.

You’ve got the hat, the boots, and even the sassy bandana. But what’s missin’?

Well, hoss, you ain’t no real cowboy till you’ve got yourself a nickname that’s as rugged and rough ‘n tumble as you are.

Look, it ain’t just a name we’re talkin’ about here—it’s an identity.

As a seasoned pro in the naming game, I’ve rustled up some of the rootinest, tootinest cowboy nicknames this side of the Mississippi.

We’re talkin’ names that’d make even John Wayne tip his hat to ya.

So grab yourself a swig of bourbon or sarsaparilla, kick up your spurs, and let’s giddy-up into this list of the best cowboy nicknames ever.

Funny Cowboy Nicknames

When it comes to humor, even cowboys appreciate a good laugh.

Here are 50 funny cowboy nicknames meant to put a grin on any cowpoke’s face.

1. Saddle Sore
2. Whiskey Lips
3. Two-Tooth Tim
4. Lasso Larry
5. Spur Snagger
6. Tumbleweed Tom
7. Grumpy Gus
8. Yeehaw Yohan
9. Boots McFunny
10. Slowpoke Sam
11. Rodeo Clown
12. Hat-Tipper Harry
13. Brokeback Bob
14. Jiggle Spurs
15. Cactus Cuddler
16. Yeller Belly
17. Prickly Pete
18. Galloping Goof
19. Nappy Ned
20. Dust Bunny
21. Cantina Comedian
22. Coyote Chuckles
23. Sassy Slinger
24. Snoring Snipe
25. Pecos Pudding
26. Ranch Rascal
27. Rowdy Rib-tickler
28. Saloon Joker
29. Chapped Chet
30. Windy Willy
31. Burping Buck
32. Tipsy Tex
33. Lame Lane
34. Lazy Luke
35. Itchy Izzy
36. Oily Oliver
37. Tantrum Todd
38. Grizzly Grinner
39. Silly Saddle
40. Wagging Wade
41. Squinting Squid
42. Muttering Matt
43. Moseying Mirth
44. Rattling Ralph
45. Twitchy Trigger
46. Wimpy Wyatt
47. Crying Clint
48. Wandering Wally
49. Rusty Razor
50. Jumpy Jack

Cool And Cute Cowboy Nicknames

Cool and cute aren’t terms reserved for city folk.

Here are 50 nicknames that are as adorable as they are rugged.

1. Cowboy Casanova
2. Rustic Romeo
3. Silver Spur
4. Lone Star Lover
5. Dashing Duke
6. Sweet Saddle
7. Wild Bill
8. Bronco Beau
9. Trailblazer Ted
10. Golden Gun Gus
11. Velvet Victor
12. Gallant Gary
13. Sunset Sam
14. Romantic Rider
15. Love Lasso
16. Melodic Marshal
17. Pastel Pete
18. Heartfelt Hank
19. Cute Clint
20. Serenade Steve
21. Dreamy Dan
22. Hunk Hunter
23. Peachy Paul
24. Cozy Carl
25. Blushing Bill
26. Serene Sean
27. Lovable Lance
28. Cuddly Cooper
29. Whispering Walt
30. Fluffy Fred
31. Charmer Charlie
32. Darling Dave
33. Coquette Cody
34. Soft Spur
35. Elegant Eli
36. Fondness Frank
37. Gentle Gene
38. Sensitive Sid
39. Amorous Al
40. Hugging Henry
41. Starry-eyed Stan
42. Warm Wally
43. Swoon-worthy Simon
44. Ticklish Tom
45. Caring Calvin
46. Breezy Barry
47. Affectionate Andy
48. Sweet-tooth Steve
49. Lovey-dovey Lewis
50. Adorable Archie

Unique & Uncommon Nicknames For Cowboys

Being a cowboy doesn’t mean you’re like every other cattle-herder out there.

Here are 50 unique and uncommon cowboy nicknames to stand out in the Wild West.

1. Quantum Quirt
2. Zenith Zorro
3. Frontier Philosopher
4. Vortex Vince
5. Peculiar Pete
6. Galactic Garth
7. Enigmatic Eli
8. Quasar Quaid
9. Cosmic Clyde
10. Starry Steve
11. Nebular Ned
12. Interstellar Ian
13. Lunar Luke
14. Astro Alf
15. Maverick Max
16. Quirky Quinn
17. Unusual Ulysses
18. Singular Saul
19. Weirdo Walt
20. Strange Stan
21. Curious Clint
22. Daring Drake
23. Exceptional Earl
24. Independent Ike
25. Atypical Adam
26. Nonconformist Nate
27. Outlandish Oscar
28. Offbeat Otis
29. Eccentric Ethan
30. Uncommon Uriah
31. Puzzling Paul
32. Ironic Irving
33. Paradoxical Pat
34. Conundrum Cole
35. Inscrutable Ivan
36. Ambiguous Arnold
37. Enigma Evan
38. Arcane Alan
39. Mystical Morty
40. Esoteric Eric
41. Puzzle Pete
42. Cipher Cody
43. Bizarre Bob
44. Freaky Fred
45. Odd Oliver
46. Unusual Upton
47. Wayward Wayne
48. Perplexing Percy
49. Deviating Doug
50. Outlier Ollie

Cowboy Nicknames For Cowboy Guys

Just like a well-worn pair of boots, these cowboy nicknames fit just right.

Here are 50 nicknames perfect for cowboy guys.

1. Rugged Rick
2. Big Sky Bob
3. Prairie Paul
4. Dusty Dan
5. Shotgun Sean
6. Gravel Gary
7. Lariat Larry
8. Mustang Mike
9. Canyon Carl
10. Trail Tim
11. Granite Greg
12. Cliffhanger Cliff
13. Stone-faced Steve
14. Rodeo Roy
15. Desert Dave
16. Scorching Sam
17. Ironclad Ian
18. Rebel Rob
19. Bandit Bill
20. Wrangler Wade
21. Marshal Matt
22. Badass Barry
23. Vigilante Vic
24. Lawless Luke
25. Sharpshooter Shane
26. Ranger Roger
27. Wanderer Walt
28. Rogue Ron
29. Tough Ted
30. Relentless Ray
31. Stalwart Stan
32. Gritty Gordon
33. Outlaw Owen
34. Brave Ben
35. Tenacious Tom
36. Spur Stan
37. Leather-clad Lou
38. Bullwhip Blake
39. Stampede Steve
40. Ferocious Frank
41. Gallant Gunner
42. Resilient Ralph
43. Ten-gallon Tony
44. Colt Carl
45. Homestead Harry
46. Tornado Terry
47. Strapping Stuart
48. Vigorous Vern
49. Drifter Doug
50. Bronco Buster

Nicknames For Cowboy Boyfriends

If you’re smitten with a cowboy, these nicknames are as romantic as a sunset over the prairie.

Here are 50 cowboy nicknames for the cowboy love of your life.

1. Cowboy Crush
2. Rodeo Romeo
3. Saddle Sweetie
4. Prairie Prince
5. Lasso Lover
6. Bronco Beau
7. Wagon Wheel Wally
8. Romantic Rider
9. Heartland Harry
10. Wrangler Romeo
11. Outlaw of My Heart
12. Love-struck Luke
13. Partner Paul
14. Charmer Charlie
15. Gallant Gary
16. Sweetheart Steve
17. Dashing Duke
18. Moonlight Marshal
19. Western Whisperer
20. Southern Seducer
21. Plains Poet
22. Heartfelt Hank
23. Devoted Dave
24. Affectionate Adam
25. Darling Dan
26. Hunk Hunter
27. Caring Carl
28. Intimate Ian
29. Infatuated Isaac
30. Kissable Kyle
31. Starry-eyed Stan
32. Sun-kissed Sam
33. Smitten Sean
34. Wooing Walt
35. Loveable Lewis
36. Sincere Sid
37. Passionate Pete
38. Flirtatious Fred
39. Wooing Will
40. Beloved Bob
41. Fondness Frank
42. Cozy Clyde
43. Tenderness Tom
44. True-hearted Ted
45. Infatuated Ivan
46. Adored Andy
47. Smooching Steve
48. Sweet Smiles
49. Love-tied Larry
50. Heart-warming Harvey

Western Cowboy Nicknames

To capture the authentic spirit of the Old West, these nicknames come straight from the pages of a Western novel.

Here are 50 Western cowboy nicknames fit for any gunslinger or cattle rustler.

1. Frontier Fred
2. Wyatt Worthy
3. Sundance Sam
4. Nevada Ned
5. Tombstone Terry
6. Badlands Billy
7. Cattle King
8. Rough Rider Roy
9. Cheyenne Charlie
10. Texas Tornado
11. Sagebrush Steve
12. Frontier Frank
13. Outlaw Owen
14. Horseshoe Hank
15. Western Walt
16. Golden Gulch Gary
17. Sheriff Simon
18. Panhandle Pete
19. Pecos Paul
20. Lonesome Luke
21. Butch Buck
22. Dodge City Dan
23. Calamity Carl
24. Prospector Phil
25. Silver City Sid
26. Maverick Max
27. Vigilante Vic
28. Homestead Harry
29. Justice Jack
30. Stagecoach Steve
31. Rattlesnake Ralph
32. Buffalo Bill
33. Wildcat Will
34. Stampede Stan
35. Red River Ron
36. Desperado Dave
37. Lone Wolf Larry
38. Prospector Pete
39. Tumbleweed Tim
40. Gold Rush Greg
41. Wagon Train Walt
42. Shotgun Sam
43. Deadwood Doug
44. Coyote Carl
45. Sarsaparilla Sid
46. Whiskey Walt
47. Boot Hill Bob
48. Lariat Larry
49. Cattle Baron Ben
50. Gritty Gordon

Mexican Cowboy Nicknames

Cowboys are not limited to the American West; they have a rich history south of the border too.

Celebrate the Vaqueros with these 50 Mexican cowboy nicknames.

1. Vaquero Val
2. Desierto Diego
3. Tequila Tom
4. Cactus Carlos
5. Sombrero Simon
6. Ranchero Rafael
7. Loco Luis
8. Pueblo Pedro
9. Macho Miguel
10. Charro Charlie
11. Jalapeño Jack
12. Salsa Sam
13. Fajita Fred
14. Bandido Ben
15. Taco Tim
16. Agave Andy
17. Mariachi Mark
18. Zorro Zack
19. Pancho Pete
20. Rancho Ralph
21. Guero Gary
22. Fiesta Frank
23. Serape Steve
24. Churro Chuck
25. Cantina Carl
26. Mojado Max
27. Enchilada Eli
28. Burrito Bob
29. Tamales Tony
30. Queso Quinn
31. Caballero Clyde
32. Espuelas Eric
33. Maracas Mike
34. Cerveza Carlos
35. Desperado Dan
36. Tejano Ted
37. Mezcal Matt
38. Sombrero Sid
39. Vaquero Vic
40. Hacienda Harry
41. Sol Steve
42. Amigo Andy
43. Chaparral Charlie
44. Cinco Clint
45. Laredo Luke
46. Durango Doug
47. Tortilla Tom
48. Guacamole Gary
49. Pinata Pete
50. Sopapilla Simon

Pop Culture-Inspired Cowboy Nicknames

For those who like to blend the Wild West with a bit of modern flair, here are 50 cowboy nicknames inspired by pop culture.

These names are a fun mix of traditional cowboy culture and the movies, music, or TV shows we all know and love.

1. Woody Wannabe – Inspired by Woody from “Toy Story”
2. Django Drifter – A nod to “Django Unchained”
3. Star-Lord Spur – From the Marvel Universe’s Star-Lord
4. Skywalker Slinger – For fans of “Star Wars”
5. Stark Sheriff – Tony Stark from “Iron Man”
6. Westworld Wade – Inspired by the TV series “Westworld”
7. Red Dead Ralph – A nod to the “Red Dead Redemption” video game series
8. Yeehaw Yoda – “Star Wars” meets cowboy culture
9. Thrones Trotter – For “Game of Thrones” enthusiasts
10. Breaking Bridle – “Breaking Bad” with a cowboy twist
11. Gunslinger Gump – Inspired by “Forrest Gump”
12. Black Panther Buckaroo – Marvel’s Black Panther gets a western makeover
13. Cowboy Cap – Captain America goes western
14. El Mariachi Max – From the “El Mariachi” film series
15. Eastwood Earl – An ode to Clint Eastwood
16. Ringo Ranger – Inspired by the Beatles’ Ringo Starr
17. Walking West – A nod to “The Walking Dead”
18. Spur-tacus – Inspired by the TV series “Spartacus”
19. Mandalorian Marshal – For “The Mandalorian” fans
20. Potter on a Pony – Harry Potter joins the cowboy crew
21. Stranger Spur – Inspired by “Stranger Things”
22. Archer Outlaw – A nod to the TV show “Archer”
23. Indiana Jonesin’ – “Indiana Jones” gets cowboy-fied
24. Cowboy Kirk – Captain Kirk tries the cowboy lifestyle
25. Gambit Galloper – From the X-Men character Gambit
26. Cartman Cowboy – “South Park” meets the Wild West
27. Trekking Tim – “Star Trek” in the frontier
28. Hulk Hoedown – The Hulk joins the square dance
29. West Side Wrangler – Inspired by “West Side Story”
30. Grey’s Gallop – A nod to “Grey’s Anatomy”
31. Targaryen Trailblazer – “Game of Thrones” inspired
32. Peaky Blinders Buckaroo – From the British TV series
33. Rick and Morty Rider – Cartoon characters go cowboy
34. Deadpool Dude – Deadpool’s cowboy alter-ego
35. Matrix Marshal – Inspired by “The Matrix” series
36. Cowboy Cobain – Kurt Cobain as a cowboy
37. Galloping Gollum – From “The Lord of the Rings”
38. Iron Man in Boots – Tony Stark gets a cowboy update
39. Bridgerton Bronco – Inspired by the TV show “Bridgerton”
40. Marvel Mustang – A nod to the Marvel Universe
41. Time-Traveling Ted – Inspired by “Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure”
42. Gangnam Galloper – A cowboy version of Psy
43. Sopranos Sheriff – A nod to the TV series “The Sopranos”
44. Hamilton Hoedown – Inspired by the musical “Hamilton”
45. Cowboy Khal Drogo – “Game of Thrones” meets the Wild West
46. Wrangler Who – Inspired by “Doctor Who”
47. Ozark Outlaw – A nod to the TV show “Ozark”
48. Breaking Badlands – “Breaking Bad” with a cowboy flair
49. Tarantino Trailblazer – Inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s films
50. Hobbiton Hoedown – For “The Lord of the Rings” fans

Final Word

I hope these expanded lists offer you a full range of cowboy nicknames for any situation.

Whether you’re looking for something funny, cute, unique, or region-specific, there’s a nickname for every cowboy in your life.