Are you looking for a night vision scope that you can only use at night? Do you need a night vision scope that will convert the rifle scope that you use in the day to still be useful at night? Then you have to think about the money that you are willing to spend on your night vision weapon sights. 

Picking the Right Night Vision Equipment for Your Air Rifle

If you want to buy a night vision scope, you have to decide if you would like it to fit directly into your rifle. Some night vision scopes would need to be raised so that you can get enough clearance to get a multi-shot.

There are different night vision scopes that you can find in the market and it can get confusing and overwhelming in the beginning. You can check reviews to find the night vision scope that will give you the best value for your money. It does not follow that just because one scope is more expensive than another scope, it is already better. You can also ask other enthusiasts for their recommendations.

Let us say that you would rather get a night vision scope that will serve as an add-on to your rifle. You can check how well the products do when you consider these factors:

• Battery Life – The longer the battery life, the better.
• Detection Range – You would like your scope to help you detect movement even from a distance. The better the detection range, the more that you can effectively use your air rifle.

There are some night vision kits that you can purchase online. You can also choose to buy from actual stores. You can ask the staff some questions about the kits that you want to buy. You can also look for one that can offer better eye relief. Remember that the more comfortable it is to use your night vision scope, the better.

How to Choose the Right Night Vision Equipment for Airsoft?

Playing airsoft is a hobby that a lot of people enjoy. If you have not tried it yet, it is about time that you consider it. You can play it with people you know. You can also join groups and make new friends. One important requirement when you play airsoft is to have the best equipment. 

Is it Worth it to Purchase Night Vision Equipment?

Not everyone enjoys playing airsoft at night. If you have been playing for a long time, you should try it out. You are going to have an entirely different experience that you will still enjoy. Some even enjoy it even more than playing during the day.

Just imagine if you would get to feel like a hero while on the battlefield. You can thank your skills, your knowledge, and your equipment for all the things that you would be able to do. The enemies from the other team will be hard to see at night. The challenge can make you more passionate about playing.

Some Night Vision Devices to Consider Getting

You are familiar with the term “night vision devices” but you do not know what you need to get to play airsoft properly. Some of the items that you can get are the following:

• Monoculars – This can be attached to the weapon that you are using. You can also use it on its own.
• Binoculars – This can provide you with a better viewing angle. This is ideal if you want to improve your line of vision. Just imagine how useful this would be when the enemies are trying to hide in the dark.
• Goggles – You are going to need safety equipment when playing airsoft. Using your usual goggles might not work when you are trying to play at night. Night vision goggles will keep your vision clear at night.

You might think that using night vision devices to protect your eyes is meaningless. Remember this: your eyes are sensitive, if you get hit, you may lose your sight. It is better to look through goggles that can make your view slightly distorted than not having eyes to see at all.

Some Features to Consider

Different night vision devices will have features that can be helpful for you and the game that you want to play.

• Improved Range – The better your range, the more that you will be able to spot enemies even when the field where you are playing at is huge.
• Improved Illumination – You just need a small amount of light to see your enemies. It will also help you become more oriented with your surroundings in the darkness.
• Top-Down Ventilation System – This is a feature that you can find in most modern night vision devices. This will prevent the goggles and the other devices from fogging up while you are using them.

Remember that the range of the night vision equipment will not only depend on the item itself. In the dark, it can be tricky when the terrain is higher than usual. Other light sources may also distort the range of your enemies. 

Conclusion

Let us say that you have already chosen the right night vision devices. Make sure that you will use it accordingly. You should also remember to protect yourself at all times while you are playing airsoft. Things are going to be more exciting at night. Have fun with the right night vision devices.

YAKIMA, Wash. – Hunting Washington’s most prized deer can take significant time and effort, not to mention a little bit of luck.

For 27-year-old Jake Fife, it took 16 years to earn an archery tag for one of Yakima County’s most coveted and restricted units, the location of which he asked not be used in this article. So when his early scouting last summer identified a buck bigger than any he’d ever seen before, bringing it home became a single-minded obsession that defined his daily routine.

“Wake up, go to work, think about the deer, get off work, go see the deer,” Fife recalled. “Think more about the deer. Come home, sleep think about the deer. Dream about the deer.”

Those dreams became haunted by a missed opportunity on the opening day of the season, Sept. 1, but nine days later Fife found the perfect chance for redemption. Countless hours of target practice finally paid off when he took down the buck, two weeks before the season ended.

Fife’s elation and pride from his first archery kill along with a full freezer plus plenty for friends from 175 pounds hanging at the meat locker provided enough rewards, but he would earn much more. The buck’s net score of 229 shattered the previous record of 2033/8 for Washington nontypical mule deer, and it won Best-of-Show in the archery category of the Horn and Antler competition at February’s Central Washington Sportsmen Show.

“It was really special due to the fact that I was able to finally get it down with a bow after a lot of failed attempts on other deer and stuff that I ended up never getting,” Fife said. “I feel pretty spoiled, but at the same time, there was a lot of hard work and disappointment before that happened.”

Hunting in his blood

Fife took his first hunter’s safety course to acquire a license at eight years old, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather.

He initially applied for the unit where he would eventually find his record-breaking buck as 10-year-old, and Fife gained experience hunting elsewhere with his father, Gary Fife. Longtime hunting partner Trevor Dallman met Fife during their freshman year at Selah High and joined him in collecting virtually all of the many deer mounts now hanging from the wall in his east Selah home.

“We started off pretty young and just kind of going together and before you know it, we just hunted well together and started having good success,” Dallman said. “Mostly deer, elk and waterfowl.”

Fife learned to hunt with rifles and muzzleloaders before finally picking up a bow a little more than three years ago. He worked hard to gain confidence and skill with his Bowtech Carbon Knight, learning how to factor in the wind and hide well enough to creep within range of a potential target. Dallman said the Naches Valley head baseball coach and P.E. teacher has always had the “eagle eye” for finding the biggest game animals, including a memorable one that got away after a close call a couple years ago.

So when Fife sent Dallman a picture of an even more massive buck, Dallman quickly agreed to be a spotter and help out however he could. That meant tagging along whenever possible, and he heard plenty of stories from days when he couldn’t make it out to join his friend.

“He’s just so dedicated, I knew he wasn’t going to go for anything else,” Dallman said. “There was multiple other bucks when he got this one that were, at any other time, ‘wow, that’s a huge buck.’”

As one of two hunters selected in late June for an archery tag on a unit known for old, large bucks, Fife found his ultimate goal after several days of scouting about three weeks before the season opened. He tried to track the buck for about six hours daily on the weekends and two to three during the week, totaling well over 50 hours.

Finding trends proved more difficult than expected as the buck wandered around to different trails, bedding down and drinking water at multiple spots. Fife figured the deer’s tendency to stay in the general area would give him a good chance, though he couldn’t imagine just how soon it would come.

Taking down a “giant”

Fife didn’t sleep much the night before he began his hunt for the buck he referred to as a “giant” in a blog post for Northwest Sportsman magazine last October.

He woke up early and shortly after the sun rose saw a shocking sight — the buck of his dreams all alone. Fife carefully worked his way to within 70 yards of the patch of sage where he believed the deer was resting, only to see it stand up 30 yards away, then bolt upon seeing a disturbance so close.

“He didn’t stop to look back to see what I was,” Fife said. “I watched him go over one ridge and then go over another ridge and then go over another ridge. I was like ‘oh my god’ and then he never came out of that one, a big canyon, so I knew he was around.”

Nerves engulfed Fife even more than before following the close encounter, but he remained patient, waiting for the ideal moment. He saw the buck out in the open and with others over the next few days, including on a couple when the unit was closed, choosing to keep his distance rather than risk another failed stalk.

Finally, on Sunday, Sept. 10, Fife discovered the buck behind a large patch of brush and watched it feed while darkening up its horns by rubbing them on and off for about two and a half hours. He also called Dallman, who went out to spot for his friend as quickly as possible on another beautiful, sunny morning.

“Pretty much I had a perfect view,” Dallman said. “You could drive this road up on this hill and I could see everything.”

He watched as Fife slowly and methodically crept towards the bottom of the draw, eventually taking off his shoes and crawling on hands and knees through cheatgrass and stickers. He eventually settled into a spot about 40 yards away, behind a bush enough to be hidden from the deer, with a slight, steady breeze blowing into his face.

But as Fife partially stood up, awkwardly off-balance, waiting for the deer to stand and turn around, he felt his bow jump a bit and realized he needed a more comfortable position. So he immediately pulled back the string, stepped up and through the bush, then when the buck got up, locked eyes, and stomped his foot down, Fife let his arrow fly.

“It just went right through him, just disappeared,” Fife said. “It happened so fast I was just like — I knew I seen that I hit him but it didn’t make much sound or anything.”

An anxious hour

Doubts about what looked like a perfect shot crept into Fife’s mind after he watched the buck sprint away at full speed, and a phone call to Dallman only confirmed those fears.

From the road, he’d seen the buck tear off through the plain at full speed showing no signs of injury, then eventually slow down before it headed into some bushes and disappeared. Fife couldn’t find any traces of blood — or his arrow — so he decided to wait an hour until about 12:30 p.m. to begin a thorough search.

Dallman directed Fife to the bushes, and there it was, a buck even bigger and more incredible than he’d seen at a distance or in his pictures. Dallman and a game warden who watched the hunt helped Fife back to the truck with his price, which he estimates weighed about 300 pounds.

The success garnered Fife plenty of attention and opportunities to tell his story to fellow hunters, but he insists the high score isn’t really important to him. He’s hoping a full mount will be done by the end of the summer, and he’ll always have some unforgettable memories.

“Not even just to get him, but to be able to hunt a deer of that caliber was pretty cool,” Fife said. “Who knows if it’ll ever happen again? It might not.”

From destroying your lawn with brown urine spots to gnawing your plants down to the root, rabbits can be too big a burden to behold. Perhaps you think the best recourse for you would be to eat them. But the big question remains, are backyard rabbits safe to eat?

Backyard rabbits are edible and safe to eat, whether they are tamed or found wandering in your yard. As long as the rabbit meat is cooked thoroughly to 160-degree Fahrenheit internal temperature to remove any toxins, they are safe to eat.

The best rabbits for meat are Silver Fox, French Angora, and American Chinchilla.

Undoubtedly, your backyard rabbit’s main concern would be to eat without getting noticed or eaten. However, that does not mean that it is not safe for you, and neither should it mean you are free to dive in. Here are a few things you will have to keep in mind about eating backyard rabbits.

Eating Backyard Rabbits

If you were to imagine the sumptuous, fine eating of this cottontail, you might not want to resist.

First, rabbit meat is edible, whether your bunny is from the wild or tamed. But before you do that, it will be best to inspect whether the bunny is healthy or not.

One of the biggest concerns is the contraction of a disease called Tularemia, which can be passed to you upon touching the affected tissue or blood. Once you see any signs of this condition, avoid the rabbit. This condition is relatively predominant during cold seasons.

Usually, it would help if you wore latex gloves while gutting the rabbit. This move ensures that you do not expose yourself to any affected tissue or blood. Further, pay attention to the liver. If there are any white lesions on it, do not proceed to eat the rabbit.

Notably, there are times that you might misread the signs. In this case, ensure that you only eat rabbit meat that has been thoroughly cooked. The internal cooking temperature should be at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature, your rabbit meat is safe.

Which Backyard Rabbits Are Safe

There is no denying that sometimes you will want to raise backyard rabbits for meat. If this is the case for you, ensure that you go for the best breeds.

Usually, the best rabbits for meat would be Silver Fox, French Angora, and American Chinchilla. Besides, if you were to consider eating rabbit meat, these options should top your priorities.

• Silver Fox: Whether you want to meat, fur, or pets, this breed will be the ultimate choice for you to raise. That they have large litters is no secret. Besides being beautiful, these rabbits assure you of not only safe but also tender meat. As long as they are healthy, there will be no reason for you to worry.

• American Chinchilla: This breed has become relatively prevalent among people who do not put attention to the fur produced. Usually, they assure you of more than enough meat, thanks to their incredibly muscular bodies. Their sweet meat will, undoubtedly, get you smitten.

• French Angora: While this breed is specifically for meat, its rabbits hardly come with enough meat. As if that is not enough, their fur is vulnerable to matting. That means you will need to keep brushing it from time to time. You will also need to be on the lookout for chances of getting attacked by the rabbit fever.

Here are the two incredible options from the wild.

• Cottontail Rabbits (both mountain and desert): While they come with a relatively small stature, these rabbits have proven to be excellent delicacies. Their tasty and high-quality meat will readily get you smitten. In most cases, you can hunt them from the late evening into the night, thanks to their nocturnal nature.

• Eastern Cottontail Rabbit: There is no denying that this is the most hunted rabbit in the US, thanks to the delicacy it provides. The cotton ball tail and the reddish-brown coat are some of the features that make this beauty distinctive. Usually, it would be best for you to hunt them at night, as they are nocturnal.

If the rabbits come into your yard during a time that you aren’t home or aren’t able to catch them, check out this cheap, effective, spring loaded trap on Amazon to setup in your backyard to easily catch and prevent them from running away.

Last update on 2024-11-16 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How To Tell If A Rabbit Is Safe To Eat

In most cases, wild rabbits come with warbles and parasites. While warbles might not pose any risk to human beings, pests and parasites could be a significant problem in the long run. For this reason, you need to be wary of rabbits that have fleas and ticks.

Besides that, you will have to check whether the rabbit has Tularemia, also known as rabbit fever. This condition could be fatal to both human beings and pets, and immediate medical attention will always suffice.

You can only check if the rabbit has this condition when eviscerating it. During this time, you will have to confirm whether there are any pin-sized lesions on the liver. The presence of these lesions shows that the rabbit is not healthy for you.

Dangers Of Eating Rabbit Meat

From how delicious rabbit meat tends to be, to how available they are, you will hardly want to resist eating them. However, there will always be a few dangers for you to keep in mind.

Unless you pay attention to these issues, you could end up unhealthy in the long run. Here are the two main dangers of eating this meat.

• Tularemia: You can hardly ignore the impact that this condition could have on your health. In most cases, you will contract this illness when skinning the rabbit, as it is passed upon contact with affected tissues and blood. This condition will expose you to fever, chills, and body aches. Fortunately, antibiotics will be enough to treat this condition altogether.

• De-Populating Wild Rabbits: While the rabbit population is relatively high, too much hunting could result in some species’ decline. For this reason, it would be best for you to be cautious about when and how to hunt. Perhaps, paying attention to the state regulations on hunting rabbits could be helpful in the long run.

• Stomach Upsets: This issue will only arise if you do not cook your meat thoroughly. Experts suggest that you cook the meat to at least 160 degrees Fahrenheit. This way, the meat will be not only tender but also free from various pathogens.

Why Can’t You Eat A Rabbit In The Summer

Typically, you will be free to eat rabbit meat at any time. However, the restrictions during summer are thanks to the ease of spreading worms. Most rabbits will spread worms and parasites to other bunnies during summer, unlike when there is a drop in temperature.

However, all you need to do is to take all the necessary precautions mentioned above. It will be much easier for you to identify the presence of worms when you do so. If you do, it would be best not to eat that meat.

Is It Safe To Eat Jackrabbits

Did you know that jackrabbits are relatively akin to cottontails? While this is so, jackrabbits are typically hares.

That means that they will hardly be safe for you to eat, particularly when not cooked thoroughly. If you were to cook it accordingly, you would have no reason to worry about anything.

With their stringy meat, ensure that you take as much time as you can when cooking it. You will also need to aim at an internal temperature of over 160-degree Fahrenheit.

This way, you will be sure of eliminating all the toxins, worms, among other pathogens, that could be on the jackrabbit.

Helpful Tips To Know If Backyard Rabbits Are Safe To Eat

One of the biggest concerns one could have is understanding when rabbits are safe for you to eat.

One of the most prominent variables to consider would be the presence of lesions on the liver. There could also be a ton of worms under their skin.

Here are a few other tale-tell signs that your rabbit is sick:

• Be wary of sudden stasis instances, which involves digestion problems, gas, cramping, and tooth issues.

• Check whether the rabbit’s foot is raw or inflamed. If it is, it is a sign of sore hocks. Its meat could be dangerous.

• The presence of deerflies and ticks on the coat of your rabbit could be a bad sign. Usually, these parasites could compromise your health in the long run too.

Final Thoughts

The safety of your rabbit delicacy is all dependent on how you prepare it. From using latex gloves when handling the meat to cooking it thoroughly, every precaution will suffice.

Whether your backyard rabbit is tamed or wild, the procedure remains the same. Are you still asking, are backyard rabbits safe to eat?

Well, it is time to get yourself this delicacy, with the only catch being to observe every precaution.

Mule deer and elk are two large deer species in North America. They may look similar at first glance since they both have antlers that are shed once a year, and both are popular for sport hunting. Even though they’re both deer, there are some key differences between the two species. This article will compare the mule deer vs. elk so that you will be able to recognize their differences and even identify them.

Enjoy!

Mule Deer vs. Elk – 8 Key Differences

These two deer species are similar in many ways, but they also have many characteristics that set them apart. Continue reading to learn more about mule deer vs. elk.

1. Differences In Size

The main difference you will notice between elk and mule deer is their size. Elk are some of the largest deer in North America, coming in second to moose. Mule deer are much smaller in size and stature.

Adult bull elk stand around 5 feet tall at the shoulders. They can weigh 700 to over 1,000 pounds.

Female elk are called cows. They weigh anywhere from 500 to 600 pounds and stand over 4 feet tall at the shoulders.

Mule deer stands about 3.5 feet at the shoulders, with does being slightly shorter than bucks. A buck can weigh over 300 pounds and does typically weigh up to 200 pounds. Needless to say, mule deer weigh a few hundred pounds less than elk.

The overall appearance of an elk also differs greatly from a mule deer. Mule deer look like other deer typical of North America, like the whitetail deer. In comparison, elk look more like big reindeer or are similar to caribou.

Elk, in appearance, is a bigger animal with a broader body, wider stance, and bigger features all over, like a bigger nose and hooves. Mule deer, while also large, look thinner compared to elk and have smaller bone structures and stances.

2. Color Differences

Mule deer and elk differ greatly in their colors. Mule deer are reddish brown or dark grayish brown in the summer and then fade to gray in the winter.

Elk, on the other hand, have more red in their color. In the summer, they’re darker reddish brown and then turn lighter tan in the wintertime.

Elk also don’t have any of the white on their backside and underbelly like mule deer. Elk are darker brown on their neck to their face, almost appearing to have a mane. Their belly and legs are also darker browns in color.

3. Bucks And Does vs. Bulls And Cows

Male mule deer are called bucks and females are called does. This is pretty typical of most deer. Male elk, on the other hand, are called bulls, and females are called cows.

This comes down to the etymology or origins of the names of the animals. Bucks in deer comes from a relation to male goats and the bleating sound made. Bull in elk comes from their bugling sound that compares to a bovine.

4. Diet

Both elk and mule deer are ruminants which means they eat plants and vegetation and then regurgitate it to chew the cud as a stage in their digestion. However, they have different feeding habits.

Mule deer tend to be browsers and foragers. They pick and eat as they move. They have a varied diet depending on their habitat but mostly feed on shrubs, grasses, and weeds that grow in desert areas and higher elevations.

Elk are mostly grazers but also forage occasionally. They primarily feed on grasses and will sometimes eat bark or other low-hanging vegetation from trees.

Elk prefer grasslands that produce lots of native grasses for their grazing. Many migrate to the same areas to feed during different times of the year.

5. Antlers

Elk and mule deer antlers are significantly different. In both species, only the males grow antlers and shed them every year.

Elk antlers are tall and dark-colored. The tines grow from one large main beam that is much wider at the base than mule deer. One adult elk antler can weigh over 10 pounds and measure over 4 feet tall.

Mule deer antlers are not nearly as elongated as the elk’s and are much shorter. They also spread out more, with more tines forking off of one another for more points. Mule deer antlers are lighter gray in color.

6. Herding Behavior

Behaviorally, there are some key differences as well. Elk are known for their herding behavior. They will often form large herds of up to 100 animals.

Some elk herds have reached upwards of 500 members. Interestingly, elk will separate by gender in their herds, with males in one area and females in another while grazing together.

Mule deer, on the other hand, tend to be more solitary creatures. While they are social animals, they rarely remain in large herds year around. They will usually only travel in small groups of 4 to 7 animals.

Mule deer may gather in group feeding areas during certain times of year and mating season but move in and out of larger family groups. Young bucks leave the group once reaching sexual maturity.

7. Sounds and Calls

Elk and mule deer make entirely different sounds and calls, especially when it’s time to find a mate. Generally, you’ll only hear males calling for females.

Elk are generally much louder than mule deer, and their calls can carry for miles. Mule deer calls are usually softer and shorter-range.

Mule deer grunt, snort, and bleat out sound, especially during the rut. The rattling of antlers is a good way for hunters to attract mule deer since that’s another common sound for bucks to make.

Elk make a signature bugling sound in addition to grunts and barks. Bull elk bugle to show dominance and attract cows for mating. It’s a loud, hollow, multi-tone call.

8. Habitat

Mule deer and elk have overlapping habitats, but their preferences vary greatly. Mule deer ranges are much broader than those of elk.

Elk primarily remain in the Rocky Mountains further north than the mule deer range. Mule deer live in the western part of the continent ranging from Canada to Mexico.

Mule deer like dry areas with shrubs to forage. They are well-adapted to living in arid conditions and can be found in desert scrublands, sagebrush steppes, and rocky mountain slopes.

Elk prefer meadows and open ranges in mountainous regions with thick grasses. They’re less likely to be seen in dry arid deserts where mule deer are found.

Tree stand selection, placement, set-up and safety all factor into a successful hunt—and each aspect is a never-ending topic of discussion. Everyone has their own opinions on placement, hanging tactics, concealment and even the tree stand itself. While tree stand hunting is a personal decision, there are a few basic principles that can increase a hunter’s odds of seeing deer, having a good shot and make the entire process far more comfortable—and safe.

Portable tree stands come in three main categories, each suited to different uses and hunter preferences. Hang-on stands, the most basic, are simple stands that must be manually moved into place and secured carefully. Just like the name suggests, self-climbing stands allow a hunter to “walk” the stand up a tree and are best-suited to smooth trees with no branches between the hunter and the ground. Ladder stands look like a combined ladder and tree stand, and can be used on a wide range of trees but are often more conspicuous. Of the three options, hang-on stands are the most commonly used.

We covered tree stand placement thoroughly in our recent post How to Hunt Whitetail Deer Using the onX Hunt App, including sitting food, water, cover and seclusion. We also showed how best to enter and exit your stand without disturbing nearby deer and ruining that shot you’ve been waiting for all season. During the summer months, consider clearing multiple trails into your stand so you can walk in based upon deer feeding habits, wind direction and time of day, and mark these trails on the onX Hunt App.

onX Ambassador Steve Tittsworth knows that in his home state of Tennessee, tree stand placement is the most important part of the hunting puzzle. “Over the course of many years, our deer have learned to look up,” Tittsworth shares. “Once I have determined where I need my stand relative to the deer I’m hunting, I look for cover while looking up myself. Be it 30 feet high or only eight feet high, if that perfect tree is a white oak, hickory or hemlock, I’m looking up for the spot that a deer can’t see. Many times I’ve put a set at only eight feet off the ground in a leafed limb cluster and watched deer look right over top of me. I also set these up so I’m completely covered while the deer is directly under me and my opening comes as the deer is passing me. This ensures he’s looking away and the shot is never quartering to me. Higher is not always the best answer.”

onX Community Engagement Specialist Jared Larsen spent his fair share of time in tree stands while growing up hunting both Wisconsin and Iowa. And after years of hunting out of tree stands, he’s finessed his stand maintenance and set-up for maximum safety and comfort. He recommends:

• Oiling moving / connecting parts in the off-season to eliminate creaking in the cold.

• Adding felt tape between metal parts that touch and move (i.e a metal seat that you can fold up when you stand and fold down to sit—where it folds down, tape with felt to eliminate the metal-to-metal contact).

• If you have large feet, invest in a stand with an oversized platform (small platforms are a common issue with ladder stands).

• If you choose to leave your stand up year-round, remove your foam seating pads; otherwise the foam becomes a favored food for mice and squirrels.

• A screw-in bow holder for warmer hands and far more comfortable sits.

Once ensconced in your tree stand, ensure that you place your gear in easy-to-access locations. The last thing you want to be doing when the time comes is scrabbling for binos or rangefinders—a bit of advance planning can keep things calm, cool and collected and ensure you’re not spooking that mature buck that’s finally decided to make an appearance.

Tree stand security is a significant problem in some regions. Consider placing your tree stand away from heavily-used trails in locations where it’s harder to spot (then add a Waypoint in your onX App so you can find it easily, and share with friends if needed). Secure your stand with a highly-visible lock (a log chain or cable lock works well)—often a would-be thief will be deterred simply by seeing a lock. You can also remove the bottom of the ladder, tree steps or climbing sticks, making the tree stand not readily accessible.

Aaron Warbritton, host of the Hunting Public and onX Ambassador, has a few tricks of his own for tree stand hunting in the Midwest. “I use a lineman’s rope to hang the stand. It allows me to safely lean away from the tree and use both hands to set the stand up, making for a much quicker and safer setup,” he shares.

He adds: “Before I leave the ground, I’ll also tie one end of a 30-foot rope to my waist. The other end I tie to my gear (bow, pack, etc.) so I can pull it all up once in the stand. I also use milkweed pods as wind checkers. The seeds float for a long distance so you can watch wind currents away from your stand, unlike powder which only tells you wind direction at your exact location.”

Tom Petry, onX Ambassador and co-owner of Become 1 TV, believes the details truly set apart serious tree stand hunters. He shared a few of his tips with us:

• When transporting stands to and from your location, be sure to keep all straps, chains, etc. secured to the stand. The sound of metal clanging on metal travels a long way and can spook your game before you get a look at it.

• Once hung, be sure to secure all straps, pull-up ropes and loose pieces so they aren’t blowing in the wind. Dangling straps increase your chance of being seen or heard even when you aren’t in the stand. Spook a mature buck once—even when you aren’t there—and they may change their route instantly.

• Always have at least two stand sets for your major hunting areas, and set up accordingly for your two most typical wind directions.

• Be sure that your access to and from the stand is well thought out. From noise to exposure, how stealthy is your approach?

• Choose a location that will provide a good backdrop, especially if it’s a location that you will hunt throughout the year.

• Always check ratchet straps before hanging a stand. If there is ever a doubt as to the integrity of a strap, throw it out and go buy a new one… it will be much cheaper than the hospital bills.

• Never think you are too cool for lifelines and safety harnesses. They will never be as uncomfortable as the result of falling out.

And don’t forget the creature comforts. If the weather is cold, bring along more layers than you think you’ll need—nothing saps body heat like sitting still in an exposed environment. Layer up, keep your head covered to save body heat and never underestimate the chilling power of a persistent breeze during a cool morning. (Or the hot, beating sun in the afternoon.) Even if it’s pleasant in town, weather in the woods tends to have a mind of its own.

Anyone who has spent time in a tree stand will tell you to bring snacks and entertainment. Snacks, hot coffee and something to burn the hours will go a long way once you’re settled in your tree stand and waiting for the deer to arrive to the area. Make sure wrappers are not crinkly and loud—if it sounds loud in your house, it’s going to sound even louder in the woods. Repackage food into quieter containers if necessary.

Basic tree stand safety—wearing a harness at all times, having a lifeline system on each stand, conducting regular maintenance and hanging your treestand at the appropriate height—all factors into your success in the field. Practice your movements of getting in and out of the tree stand and know your personal limits. With a bit of advance research and good, old-fashioned hard work, you can have your most productive hunting season to date.

header image: Dave Fields

Several methods are available to estimate the weight of a fish. Some use length as well as girth measurements. Weight also can be estimated using only length measurements based on relationship between length and weight. Length-weight equations can be developed for specific waters, regions (e.g., states), or for a particular species.

Formulas containing length as well as girth are often most accurate for estimating weight, because the fatness or plumpness of the fish is accounted for. If only length is available, the most accurate weights often are estimated from length-weight relationships for specific waters or regions. For instance, in some waters fish might be relatively “skinny,” and the weight estimate might be overinflated if based on a formula created from data on a water body where fish are “fat” or even “normal.” That’s why adding girth to the formula can help with accuracy. Formula’s containing girth, however, also may not be as accurate as we’d like, because of inherent differences in the shape of fish and finding the right adjustment factor (or “shape” factor) to use in the formula. And it’s important to measure girth carefully, and at the fish’s fattest point, as girth estimates affect weight estimates powerfully.

One easy way to estimate fish weight is through the use of standard length-weight formulas. Species-specific formulas, called standard-weight equations, have been developed for dozens of fish species by fishery biologists to describe the standard growth form of a species as a whole. These relationships often are used to assess body condition (the relative weight or plumpness of a fish), which provides an index of a fish’s well-being, such as whether there are forage shortages or surpluses, and can sometimes reflect fish growth rate.

These standard length-weight formulas are often developed using thousands of fish from hundreds of populations across the range of a species, so they describe the “general” growth form of that species. For instance, the equation for black crappie was developed using over 20,000 fish across a range of sizes from 175 populations across the geographic range of black crappie.

*An important thing to keep in mind is that these standard length-weight formulas describe fish in “above-average” condition. In fact, the weights in the tables represent the 75th-percentile in the samples for that particular length, and are not average weights. In other words, if you lined up 100 random bass of the same length in order of weight, and those bass were a good representation of the range of weights for that length, the weight provided in the table would be for the 75th heaviest fish. While it might have made more sense to use the median weight for these formulas, fishery biologists decided to go with the 75th percentile so that the standard weight at a given length was an above-average or “ideal” target to shoot for in terms of body condition. So, if your fish appears plump and healthy, the weights from the table should be relatively close. If your fish is skinny to average, it will weigh less, and if very plump and remarkably “fat” it will weigh more. Just make an adjustment. No formula is 100-percent accurate, but if you have only length and not girth, this should help get you in the ballpark. Your state fishery agency may have standard weight tables based on regional data posted on their website. These formulas use total length of the fish, measured from the tip of the snout to the tip of the tail fin when compressed.

Crappie Length To Weight Conversion Charts

White Crappie 6 in0.09 lb7 in0.16 lb8 in0.25 lb9 in0.36 lb10 in0.52 lb11 in0.71 lb12 in0.95 lb13 in1.24 lb14 in1.59 lb15 in2.00 lb16 in2.48 lb17 in3.03 lb18 in3.67 lb

Black Crappie6 in0.11 lb7 in0.18 lb8 in0.28 lb9 in0.41 lb10 in0.59 lb11 in0.81 lb12 in1.08 lb13 in1.41 lb14 in1.81 lb15 in2.28 lb16 in2.83 lb17 in3.47 lb18 in4.20 lb