Hardworking outdoor apparel and gear, supported by partnership with American Hiking Society

MOUNT HOREB, Wis., April 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – Duluth Trading Company is relaunching its Alaskan Hardgear brand under a new brand name, AKHG™. The reintroduced AKHG™ will showcase an expansion into womenswear, extended sizes, all-weather performance apparel and gear alongside a commitment to conserving the outdoors with a two-year partnership with the American Hiking Society. Inspired by the Alaskan wilderness, AKHG™ is built to perform year-round in a variety of conditions – from the harshest to the most serene – and celebrates the rewarding moment arriving at camp and every bit of leg work it took to get there.

“There’s an undeniable growing desire across communities to explore the world around us and partake in the activities that come with being outdoors,” said Neala Shepherd, Senior Vice President, Customer Experience, Duluth Trading. “AKHG™ aims to provide clothes and gear for those who love the rolled-up-sleeves side of adventure and embrace the work that goes with exploring in the wild.”

With more size-inclusive offerings, weather-shielding fabrics, convertible features, and technical design elements that boost versatile, long-term use, each new AKHG™ style delivers superior quality, comfort, and function to let wearers Live Life Less Soft™. The brand continues to feature the ingenuity and innovative technology that Duluth Trading customers have come to know and love.

This spring, brand fans are encouraged to get outdoors and discover the latest from Duluth Trading and AKHG™:

The Crosshaul CollectionWith an exceptionally strong TOUGH COTTON™ finish, the Crosshaul Collection is three times more abrasion-resistant than regular cotton without sacrificing softness or breathability. New styles include the Women’s Plus AKHG™ Crosshaul Collection Cotton Short Sleeve Tee ($34.50) and the Men’s AKHG™ Crosshaul Cotton Hoodie ($64.50).

The Renew Bamboo CollectionThe eco-friendly Renew Bamboo Collection debuts with the Women’s AKHG™ Renew Bamboo Short Sleeve Shirt ($29.50) and similar styles. Transforming bamboo into a modern performance rayon, the fabric is blended with recycled polyester and spandex to enhance moisture-wicking and sun-blocking power, while still feeling supremely soft and flexible.

AKHG™ Olympic Coast Rain GearSeam sealed with a 2.5-layer fabric designed to prevent clamminess, the rugged-yet-soft Olympic Coast Raingear features 15K waterproofing and breathability. Built to withstand high winds and rain, the collection is durable and remains lightweight enough to pack into its own pocket. New styles include the Women’s AKHG™Olympic Coast 2.5L Rain Jacket ($129.50), Men’s AKHG™️Olympic Coast 2.5L Rain Jacket ($129.50), Women’s AKHG™Olympic Coast 2.5L Rain Pant ($119.50), and Men’s AKHG™️Olympic Coast 2.5L Rain Pant ($119.50).

Perfection Loop Fishing ShirtsMade with a lightweight, free-moving nylon blend, AKHG™️ Perfection Loop Fishing Shirts are sweat-wicking, fast-drying, and snag resistant. Featuring a generous amount of pockets, adjustable cuffs, convertible sleeves, a hook-and-loop rod holder for hands-free fly tying, and back vents, the new fishing shirts offer portable performance for long days on the water. New styles include the Men’s AKHG™️Perfection Loop Fishing Shirt ($89.50) and the Women’s AKHG™️ Perfection Loop Fishing Shirt ($89.50).

Strengthening its investment in making the outdoors accessible, AKHG™️ simultaneously launches as the Exclusive Apparel Sponsor of the American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day® for 2022 and 2024. American Hiking Society is a national organization empowering all to enjoy, share and preserve the hiking experience. Aimed at advocacy and trail service, National Trails Day® improves trail access for millions nationwide, hosting events across all 50 states with participation by hikers, bikers, rowers, horseback riders, trail clubs, federal and local agencies, land trusts, and businesses.

About AKHG™AKHG™ is an outdoor apparel brand within the Duluth Trading Co. family that was created for those who roll up their sleeves for adventure and Live Life Less Soft™️. The brand’s collection of apparel, accessories and gear offer functional design inspired by life in the vast Alaskan wilderness. Built to withstand the harshest of climates and toughest terrain, yet versatile enough for varied outdoor recreational uses like hiking, fishing, camping, and snow sports, AKHG™️ is dedicated to honoring the work of play. All products built by Duluth Trading Co. are backed by the company’s “Superior Standard” and supported with outstanding customer service under the “No Bull Guarantee.” To learn more, visit www.duluthtrading.com or one of the 65 Duluth Trading store locations nationwide.

About American Hiking SocietyFounded in 1976 American Hiking Society is the only national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering all to enjoy, share and preserve the hiking experience.

Media Contacts:

AKHG™️ | Jessica SchianodiCola | (212) 453-3490 | [email protected]

American Hiking Society | Heather Klein Olson | [email protected]

SOURCE AKHG By Duluth Trading Co.

To be very clear, moose is the largest species of deer, and no other species of deer can compete with moose size or height. After moose, elk is the second largest species of deer. If you aren’t a hunter or don’t live in those parts of the world where moose are found, you are surely unaware of the actual size of the moose or maybe just have seen it in pictures.

Further Reading

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To make it easier for you and give you a clear picture, a fully grown moose look taller and bigger than even a horse. There are different subspecies of moose that are of varying size and weight. Most of the subspecies are taller as compared to other animals.

In this article, you can find out the average size of every subspecies of deer and compare their size with humans and animals, including deer, horses, and elephants.

Moose Size Comparison – Subspecies of Moose

The name of the deer family in Latin is “Cervidae,” and the moose is the tallest and biggest species of the Cervidae family. Moose are brownish-black, almost black. Their appearance seems a little similar to a horse as both have long legs and the same body shape. However, moose have antlers while horses don’t.

Furthermore, moose have a droopy faceand dewlap covered with hairs. Their antlers are widespread, long, and have branches. So they add to the tall appearance of moose.

Moreover, there are a vast number of moose inhabited in Canada. The word moose evolved from the word “moosh,” which is from the language of the Innu people in Canada. There, “moosh” means bark eater. However, In European countries, moose are known as elk.

Moose has different subspecies, out of which four are the most prominent in Canada. These include (Alces alces America) Eastern moose from eastern Canada and the United States.

Alces andersoni, commonly known as northwestern moose, arepopulated in northern areas of Dakota, Michigan, central Canada, and Minnesota. Whereas the third subspecies is Shiras moose, inhabited in the Rocky Mountains of the United States.

Based on their distinctive traits and geographical location, some further moose species are Siberian Moose, Yakut Moose, and European moose, collectively recognized as Eurasian moose. The geographical areas affect the inhabited moose there and cause variation in their characteristics, leading to the evolution of subspecies.

Size of Different types of Moose – Comparison

All the subspecies of moose vary in their average weight, height, size of antlers, and skin color. The gigantic subspecies are Alaskan Yukon moose, mostly found near rivers in Alaska.

Alaska Moose

Male Alaskan moose can weigh more than 1800 pounds, while females have an average weight of 1000 to 1100 pounds with more than 7 feet in height. They can grow antlers of over 1.8 m in length.

Western Moose

After Alaskan moose, the second-largest subspecies is western moose from the western regions of Canada and the United States. The weight of male western moose is about 1000 to 1500 pounds, female between 600 to 800 pounds, and height is between 6 to 7 feet only up to the shoulders. Their antlers are a little smaller than the antlers of Alaskan moose, about 1.6 or 1.7 meters.

Eastern Moose

Eastern moose, which weigh around 1400 pounds, is the third-largest subspecies of moose. A male eastern moose has a height of 5.5 to 6.5 feet and weighs 1300 to 1400 pounds, while the female eastern moose can weigh around 600 to 700 pounds with 5.6 feet height.

Siberian Moose

Aside from these species, the largest subspecies of the Eurasian species is the East Siberian moose. Siberian moose are smaller in height and weight as compared to Alaskan moose.

Yellowstone Moose

Even the smallest subspecies of moose weigh up to 1000 pounds and are at least 5 to 6 feet tall. These species are named Yellowstone moose, inhabited in North America, Russia, and China.

Moose Size Comparison with Others

Moose vs. Deer

The adult male moose are called bulls, while the adult female moose are cows. Both are heavier and bigger than all other species of deer. The whitetail deer, blacktail deer, or elk cannot compete with moose size and weight.

Such as, the whitetail deer only weighs between 100 to 300 pounds with 3 feet shoulder length that is much smaller than a moose, almost half or even less than that. Similarly, an elk is also foot smaller than a moose.

Moose Size Compared To Horse

When comparing the height of a horse and moose, we consider that the height of horses is measured from their hoofs to the withers that are the part between the upper back shoulders. The average height of a horse is almost five and a half inches.

However, just like the moose, horses also vary in their height. There is also the smallest and tallest size for a horse. Comparing the tallest horse and moose, they can be almost the same height, i.e., 7 feet. But due to their bulkiness, a moose will still appear bigger than a horse.

Moose Elephant Size Comparison

No doubt that a deer, elk, or horse are smaller than moose, but comparing moose with other animals, such as elephants, one of the heaviest animals living on the earth, can make a seven-foot-tall moose seem smaller.

Like moose, different species of elephants and male and female elephants vary in average weight. An elephant can be an 11 to 13 feet tall male or only an 8 feet tall female elephant. So a female elephant and a male moose may stand at almost the height.

Moose Compared to Human

Have you ever seen a moose from close? No wonder that 7 feet or even more than that tall and heavy moose with wide antlers will make you look tiny in front of it. The moose are measured by their shoulders; their antlers make them even taller.

Even the height recorded of the tallest man alive on earth cannot exceed the height of a fully grown Alaskan moose.

Wrapping Up – Moose Size Comparison

Moose are the largest and most gigantic species of deer. Comparing moose with animals such as horse and elk give us the result that they are larger than all those animals. Similarly, humans are also tiny in front of a moose. But a moose can not exceed the height of an elephant; that is itself a large and bulky animal.

Additional Common Questions

How do moose measure up to other animals in terms of size?

In terms of size, a full-grown Alaskan moose is truly a majestic sight, often standing taller than 7 feet. To truly grasp the size of these magnificent creatures, think about those towering NBA giants, like Yao Ming, who stands at a staggering 7 feet 6 inches – a moose is essentially the Yao Ming of the animal kingdom! To further contextualize, horses, which we often perceive as large animals, measure an average of about 5 feet 4 inches at the withers, or shoulder height. This height places an average male Alaskan moose around a foot to a foot and a half taller at the shoulders than a horse. So an up-close encounter with a moose might feel a lot like standing next to an absolutely massive horse, dwarfing those familiar four-legged companions!

Do we have any animal that can size up to a moose?

Interestingly, there are animals that match up to the size of a moose, or even surpass it. One great example is the bison. Bison tend to outsize moose in most physical terms. On the scale, moose can weigh in at an impressive 1,500lbs, while bison can tip the scale up to a massive 3,000lbs or even more. When it comes to height, the moose can carry its head high up to 6.9ft at the shoulder and grow to an impressive total length of 10ft. However, bison have a naturally raised hump, which helps them achieve a total height of 11ft. Despite their towering height, bison generally maintain a body length somewhat shorter than a moose, about 9 feet. So imagine yourself on a safari tour sitting in a truck and being approached by a herd of bison. Their hump would be above your field of view, making them look like a moving wall – an experience highlighting their towering stature and sheer mass!

What is the size of a moose when it is fully grown?

As full-grown adults, male moose (also known as bulls) reach awe-inspiring dimensions, while females (cows) are somewhat smaller. The average adult bull moose stands around 6 feet tall at the shoulder. Recalling our human equivalent, that’s like standing up to the chest of a person who is 6 feet tall! As for their weight, well-fed and healthy male moose can weigh up to a massive 1,400 pounds, that’s the equivalent of carrying around seven adult humans! However, unlike in males, female moose, although also large, don’t reach these extremes. Their lower size requirements make sense from an evolutionary perspective as smaller size allows them a higher rate of survival.

How does the size of a moose compare to a car?

When we compare a moose to a car, we can gauge their size in a familiar context. A moose can tip the scales upwards to 1,500 pounds, reach a height of almost 7 feet, and extend up to 10 feet from nose to tail. In contrast, your average family car, weighing around 3,500lbs, far outweighs a moose. The car’s height, standing at around 4.75ft, is shorter compared to the towering moose. However, in terms of length, a car stretches further up to around 16.3 feet. If you’ve ever seen those road signs warning against moose in certain regions, now you know why. A collision with these massive animals can cause substantial damage due to their considerable weight and height. Just think about how your car would fare in an unfortunate meeting with this gigantic animal that’s comparable in weight to a small car and can look straight into your car window!

THE PRODIGY IS NO LONGER JUST A ’90S EDM BAND, AND 2011S JUST GOT MORE AFFORDABLE

It’s somewhat ironic that the eight years since STI’s patent expired on their hi-cap 2011 design have been the company’s most profitable, due in no small part to their rebranding as Staccato and making a serious play for the LE market by marketing raceguns to cops.

That business success has attracted others to the field, the latest being Springfield Armory, which aims to bring their manufacturing and marketing horsepower to the platform.

As one of the U.S.’s biggest 1911 vendors, Springfield’s decision to add a widebody option to the stable was an obvious one, but getting 2011s to run reliably seems for whatever reason to be more difficult than their single-stack brethren; this problem is exacerbated in calibers that don’t start with a .4.

We got hands-on with a couple of their preproduction models to see if they can pull it off.

LIFTING THE HOOD

Coming to market in early fall with two base models, a Government and Commander version, Springfield is giving the consumer just enough choices to make things interesting while hinting at what’s to come. Both guns ship with two magazines, a 17-round flush-fit, and an extended 20-rounder that complies with the USPSA 140mm limit, and both are ready for optics right out of the box.

To appeal to the maximum number of users, a system of optics mounting plates will accommodate most MRDS footprints, while preserving iron sights as a backup. Our test guns shipped with a Trijicon RMR on the 5-inch barreled version and one of Springfield’s Hex Dragonfly red dots on the 4.25.

This shares a mounting pattern with Burris and Vortex, so fans of those sights are already taken care of, and we’re told a Leupold-pattern plate will be available shortly.

Both mounting plates are beveled to blend the MRDS body into the slide rather than leave an unsightly overhang, and old-school users are taken care of with fixed front and rear, suppressor-height iron sights, and the front sporting a green fiber optic.

BUIS height appears to have been chosen so that even with red dots with a thick LED housing, such as the RMR, there’s just enough rear sight notch visible over the red dot to be useful without resorting to stratospherically tall irons.

The arse-end of the slide below your chosen sighting device is resolutely old-school and conforms to the Series 70 pattern, with thankfully no trace of a firing pin safety to mess up the classic 1911 trigger pull.

A standard extractor is fitted and correctly tensioned, while the firing pin stop is radiused appropriately for 9mm loads. On both guns, the ejection port is lowered and beveled — no voodoo here, just well-established 1911 gunsmithing.

Forward cocking serrations mimic ones at the slide’s rear, and the usual ball cuts are almost completely absent, save for a vestigial notch that lines up with the almost full-length dust cover. This adds a noticeable amount of mass to the muzzle, which may or may not be your cup of Earl Grey, but there’s no denying the Prodigy’s slide-to-frame fit, which is as tight as many custom guns.

Both slide and frame rails are very well machined, with a silky-smooth action.

1911 purists will turn up their noses at the full-length, two-piece guide rod that’s retained by a reverse recoil spring plug, but they probably didn’t make it this far into the gun anyway, having been turned off by the lack of a “cause they don’t make a 46” caliber and polymer grip.

Their loss. Should anyone want to return to Browning’s original recoil spring design, there’s a slot in the slide to accept a barrel bushing, though this is probably to reduce the number of slide SKUs on hand, rather than an indication of future design intent.

The Prodigy’s barrel is massive, stainless, conventionally rifled with a 16 twist, and Nowlin ramped. One of the first tests we do on 1911s before hitting the range is check barrel to slide lockup, as without hand-fitting, it’s tough to ensure proper engagement between the barrel lug’s camming surface and the slide stop.

Some factories cheat by relying on the barrel link to push the barrel into battery, which works for a few hundred rounds but will eventually shoot loose, leading to sloppy lockup and vertical stringing on target. After hand-cycling the slide a few dozen times, we field stripped the pistols and found even wear on the slide stop across its mating surface, indicating that the barrel feet were making contact where they should.

Turning attention to the frame, controls are what you’d expect of a single-action handgun designed to span both competition and defensive roles. Ambi thumb safeties have zero play between the left and right levers, snicking into engagement with a positive click.

While the magazine release is slightly extended over a stock 1911, you’ll still have to rotate the gun in your hand to reach it, unless you wear a glove bigger than XXL, as the grip is slightly fatter than Browning’s original. That said, it’s nowhere near unmanageable, unless you think a G17 is unwieldy — the grip circumference is identical.

Using the same two-piece construction as an STI/Staccato/SVI means different grip modules can be added to the frame, should you get bored with the standard polymer lower. We have no idea if a steel 2011 grip will bolt straight up, as there’s considerable variation between existing frames in the marketplace, which may require the end user or their ’smith to be handy with a file. But if it does, SVI, Limcat, Cheely, Phoenix Trinity etc. will be happy to add about 7 ounces to the overall weight, while subtracting 600 bucks from your bank balance.

That said, it’ll probably be a while before you’ll want to swap anything, as all the usual modifications we typically do to a stock frame after it leaves the factory are already included — there’s a double undercut on the trigger guard, a soft-but-grippy stipple job and a perfectly executed, functional beavertail safety. Hinting at future accessories, there’s a rail at the grip’s lower edge, which is no doubt designed to secure a magwell in conjunction with the mainspring housing pin.

Compared to an older STI frame we had on hand, the Prodigy’s is approximately 2mm thicker through the dust cover area, adding non-reciprocating mass and burying the slide release, which is inlet into a machined pocket. This makes it slightly harder to engage for administrative handling but doesn’t affect the shooter’s ability to hit on a

reload with either the master or non-dominant thumb. In case you were wondering, the Commander-sized upper fits on the 5-inch frame, despite its 3/8-inch shorter recoil stroke, leaving room for a compensator should someone be so inclined. And we’d be surprised if a factory carry comp version weren’t high up on the agenda.

ROUNDS DOWNRANGE

Bottom line up front — yeah, they can shoot.

Once we made a slight adjustment to the red dot and dialed its brightness all the way down, standing unsupported at 50 yards, the Commander version turned in a 2.25-inch, five-shot group with 130PF reloads consisting of Montana Gold 121-grain JHPs over WSF powder.

We’ve shot pistol-caliber carbines that struggle to get that kind of accuracy, so for a 4.25-inch barreled handgun to achieve it in the first 20 rounds of a range session is an indication of its potential. In the next 300 rounds, we replicated that performance numerous times.

The 5-inch Prodigy didn’t quite achieve the same accuracy as its little brother with the ammo we had available, but it’s one of the softest-shooting handguns we’ve ever encountered, aided no doubt by the amount of heft in the hand.

With a little time to tune ammo to the gun, we’re pretty sure it would turn in similar groups, but deadlines limit the amount of tinkering we’re able to do.

We’d be interested to see what a steel grip frame does to further damp out recoil, because adding a SureFire X300U keeps the front end down during rapid fire.

Slide velocity is noticeably slower than the Commander version — you can feel the pistol pick up a round from the magazine if you concentrate hard — but we couldn’t outrun it no matter how hard we tried during Bill drills.

Are these handguns we’d take right out of the box and stick in a holster for daily carry? Hell no, but then we’d hesitate to do that with a Glock or SIG as well. The difference is that we’d expect the striker-fired guns to run 100 percent during a brief familiarization and break-in period, while the 1911-pattern pistols might stutter. And so it was.

We had two failures to feed in the short gun, both with hollow points, and both on the penultimate round from a magazine. These occurred during the first range session, after which it ran without a glitch, but we’d want to shoot a case of ammo through both Prodigy models before pronouncing them fit for duty — it’s just the nature of tight-fitting 1911s.

If you want the awesome trigger, shoot-the-balls-off-a-gnat accuracy, and overall shootabilty, then you’ll have to put in the time to gain confidence in the system.

Double-stack 1911s aren’t beginners’ guns. For anyone starting out, we continue to recommend a good striker-fired, polymer-framed service pistol of whatever flavor you like best. But when you’re ready for an upgrade, Springfield have made the cost of entry to the 2011 world much more affordable, and once you’ve shot them, you probably won’t want to shoot anything else.

SPECS

Springfield Armory Prodigy

• Caliber: 9mm Para
• Capacity: 17; 20 rounds
• Barrel Length: 5; 4.25 inches
• Overall Length: 8.5; 7.8 inches
• Weight: 37; 33.3 ounces
• MSRP: $1,499 without optic; $1,699 with Hex Dragonfly

If you’re not flying down The Big Mountain in Whitefish going mach speed, hiking Glacier National Park, or visiting the best places in Montana for 2024 than you’re not taking advantage of the best things that Montana has to offer.

Whether you’re sitting by Flathead Lake, jaunting through Custer National Forest in Billings, or just hanging with the good people of Big Sky Country, Montana is the best. It was tough to narrow down the top ten best places to live in this Northwest state.

But, HomeSnacks did it. How’d we do it? We consulted the numbers. In total, we analyzed the 32 cities for important factors like cost of living, crime, unemployment rates, rent and median home values for every place with over 2,000 residents.

We discovered fantastic places in Montana to live for every stage of life and every budget. Glasgow is the best for families just starting, Dillon is excellent for people looking to retire, and make sure to give Sidney a second look if you don’t have to worry about a budget.

Have we piqued your interest? Want to know more about our methodology and where the best places in Montana are located? Keep reading.

What is the best place to live in Montana for 2024? According to the US Census and FBI data, Whitefish is the best place to live in Montana if you care about home values, low crime, and high quality of life.

Read below to see how your hometown and other amazing Montana cities ranked. Hint: if you live in the greater Helena area, consider yourself one lucky Montanan.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the best states in America or the best places to live in America.

For more Montana reading, check out:

• Best Counties To Live In Montana
• Cheapest Places To Live In Montana
• Best Places To Raise A Family In Montana

Next 10 Cities

Mapping The Best And Worst Places To Live in Montana

Best Places To Live In Montana Size Requirement

Before we even started to collect data on the best places to live in Montana, we had to answer a tough question: Is it fair to pit Helena with a population of 32,060 against places with a population of 18?

We firmly decided no, that just isn’t fair.

So to create our ranking, we broke the best places to live into three tiers:

• Cities — Populations over 2,000
• Towns — Populations between 1,000 and 2,000
• Small Towns — Populations below 1,000

This left us with 32 cities, 62 towns, and 215 small towns.

We then decided, no matter how much anyone loves their town, the best cities to live in Montana have more of everything and therefore you need to have over 2,000 people to truly be ‘the best’.

Now we also realize that city living might not be your cup of tea, so we ran the same analysis on the best towns and then again for the best small towns.

You can see the results of those best place rankings at the end of the article.

Summary: The Best Places In Montana

If you’re looking at areas in Montana with the best economic situations, where there’s lower than average crime, and a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

Whitefish made a strong showing to take in the overall number one spot for the best place to live in Montana for 2024.

Best Towns To Live In Montana

1. King Arthur Park (Pop. 1,137)
2. Scobey (Pop. 1,175)
3. Montana City (Pop. 2,878)
4. Four Corners (Pop. 4,003)
5. Glasgow (Pop. 3,363)
6. Colstrip (Pop. 2,288)
7. Helena Valley Northwest (Pop. 3,967)
8. Plentywood (Pop. 1,881)
9. Baker (Pop. 1,866)
10. West Glendive (Pop. 1,922)

Best Small Towns To Live In Montana

1. Belknap (Pop. 291)
2. Kerr (Pop. 115)
3. Turah (Pop. 426)
4. South Hills (Pop. 529)
5. Park City (Pop. 944)
6. Sweet Grass (Pop. 95)
7. Saddle Butte (Pop. 175)
8. Huntley (Pop. 478)
9. Gibson Flats (Pop. 253)
10. Rader Creek (Pop. 234)

If you’re curious enough, here are the worst places to live in Montana according to the data:

1. Townsend (Pop. 2,224)
2. Polson (Pop. 5,161)
3. Hardin (Pop. 3,754)

For more Montana reading, check out:

• Best Places To Retire In Montana
• Richest Cities In Montana
• Safest Places In Montana
• Worst Places To Live In Montana

The Palmetto State Armory Dagger, also known as the PSA Dagger, was created to compete in the compact pistol market against the Glock 19. This is clearly a Glock 19 Gen 3 clone.

What makes the PSA Dagger so different is the fact that it comes in at a $299 price point. This price point makes it extremely attractive, considering Glock’s can be $500 plus dollars.

The Dagger really shines in terms of MSRP, but does it hold up to Glock’s reputation of quality and performance?

Well, that’s why I’m going to do a complete review of the PSA Dagger. I think it’s important to preface this by saying, I purchased this PSA dagger and while we do work with PSA sometimes, I purchased this outright, at the MSRP.

PSA Dagger First Impression

First of all, the PSA Dagger comes in a cardboard box with the foam cut out for the gun.

Upon opening it, you could take the gun out, take the chamber flag out, and the lid holds all of your manuals and other information. You can pull the bottom out and that’s where you’ll find your magazine, and other materials from Palmetto, including your Gun Lock.

PSA did a good job with the box, the opening, the presentation, is all very good. That’s very well done. It doesn’t come in a plastic case, but if you’re like me, you don’t much care about the plastic cases because you’re not going to use them anyway.

I typically have to stack them somewhere in case I ever decide to sell a gun, which I don’t do anymore.

My first impression when I held the PSA Dagger was, is this a Glock, or is this a Sig?

It’s very interesting because it definitely has the Glock frame, but I think what threw me was the texture of the grip.

So, when I held it, I was like, Oh man, this feels like a SIG. But the more and more I held it, the more and more I was like, Okay, this gives you a Glock feel with a SIG texture.

It’s a very interesting feel to the gun, and I really like it. So, I was actually really impressed with a $300 gun in the overall initial feel.

Now, the overall aesthetics and look are pretty much like Glock. There is a little bit of difference in the slide cut.

I think you get a little bit different finish than you would on a Glock or others. It does come with a Magpul magazine. So, no proprietary mags, and you can run standard Glock mags in it as well.

PSA Dagger Features

The features of the PSA Dagger include pretty much everything on the Glock 19 Gen 3.

You have the standard takedown method, you have your magazine release, which is done almost just like a Gen 3 with PSA’s slight touch to it.

There is a hump in the middle of the grip like the Gen 3’s are known for. The slide does have a unique design, but it doesn’t have any of Palmetto State Armory’s markings on it. It is just a clear, clean-cut, slide. I do like that.

Now, Palmetto State Armory does have all their information on the grip. The serial number for the gun is located in the same spot it would be on a Glock, and the sights are just standard, three white dot sights with no night sights.

In addition to no Palmetto State Armory markings on the slide, it does have front and rear cut serrations.

Overall, the gun feels good, the slide reminds me somewhat of the blocky design of the SIG P320, but at the same time, still looks like a Glock.

It just doesn’t have the rounded corners on the slide, it definitely has the edges more of a SIG.

Grip and Ergonomics

Like I mentioned in my initial impression of the gun, the grip really struck me.

It definitely has the same texture, that the SIG P320’s have. It has the ergonomics, however, of a Glock Gen 3.

I really like what Palmetto did with the grip texture. It does have the little Palmetto State Armory logo in the bottom right-hand corner of the grip, on the left side and on the right side, it would be in the bottom left-hand corner.

It’s definitely visually appealing and it’s also very nice and porous and allows you to get a good grip on the gun.

Establishing your master grip is very easy, and overall, I think they did a great job on the grip.

Sights

The sights on the PSA dagger are a little disappointing, but at $300, I’m not sure what exactly I was expecting.

I guess I’ve just become so used to sights on guns coming with night sights. So when I realized the PSA Dagger didn’t have night sights, I was a little surprised.

But again, I thought to myself, “This is a $300 gun. What did you expect?”

The good news is you can change these out to any Glock sights, they haven’t changed their design in years. So, these are definitely changeable.

The one thing I would say I would have done, had it been in stock, is buy the red dot cut slide.

It’s only $80 more, and I definitely would’ve gone that route if that was an option at the time I ordered this gun.

The stock sights aren’t, particularly my favorite type of sights. I prefer no rear dots on the rear sight and just a singular dot on the front sight.

I’ve had no problems with these though. I took it out and shot it, and we’ll get to the actual shooting of it. But as far as sights go, they’re accurate, they were on, had no problems hitting targets.

So the sights, once again, good, cool, would’ve loved to see them as night sights. But again, I think the price point would likely have to have increased.

Magazine

The magazine of this gun is nothing to write home about, it’s just a Magpul Glock 19 magazine. There’s nothing wrong with it.

There’s only one of them, but again, you’re buying a $300 gun. This is in the realm of Taurus and a lot of other guns, but you’re almost getting a Glock quality product for $300.

Now, if you have a Glock 19, and have carried a Glock 19 since they released the Gen 3 version, you have a ton of Glock mags that are already compatible.

I personally have an undisclosed amount of Glock mags, nice try ATF, which will work in the PSA Dagger.

So, I’m okay magazine-wise. I don’t have any issues with the Magpul magazines and so far, this has functioned perfectly fine.

Optics Ready Model

Like I mentioned, under the sight section, this is one thing that I think everybody should know about.

I think you should definitely consider getting the optics-ready version. The pistol world is likely going all red dot. I don’t blame them, it’s fantastic.

If you haven’t done it, try it, you might not like it at first, I didn’t. But give it a shot because it’s actually a really, really, nice way to shoot a pistol.

Once you get used to it, your accuracy is going to increase tenfold and I don’t think you’re ever going to turn back from not owning an optic mountable pistol.

With that being said, get the PSA cut slide from the factory, for 80 more dollars. You’re not going to be able to save any money getting it milled somewhere else.

Even some of the cheapest slide millers I know, charge a minimum of a hundred dollars to cut a slide. So, don’t try to save some money here. PSA’s already done that for you. Go ahead and get the RMR cut slide.

Controls

So, let’s talk about the meat and potatoes of any gun, and that’s the controls. The controls of this pistol are, once again, that of a Glock Gen 3.

You have your magazine release, you have your takedown in the middle of the slide, to where you can field strip the gun and take it apart.

You also have your slide release and also magazine release, and that’s pretty much the basics of the gun. You also have your trigger. So let’s dive in, starting with the magazine release.

Magazine release

The magazine release in this gun does stand up relatively high. It’s fairly easy to depress and does have the same texture as the Glock Generation 3’s.

The grip frame does have a spot cut for it, to where your thumb can fall in. Nothing special, it works.

It drops the mag clear, about what you’d expect from this gun, given the fact that the frame is based on the Glock.

Slide Stop

So the slide stop/slide release is pretty much the same thing as a Glock Gen 3.

They’re not, however, like the Glock Gen 5. So, this is only on the left-hand side of the gun.

I prefer the ambidextrous style slide stop slide release as it makes it easier to pull the slide release down.

This does not have that, it is the standard flat slide switch.

There’s nothing to really catch your finger. It’s about as stock as you can get, but it does work.

There are no issues with it, you can lock the mag back easily. You can drop it free, easy.

It does function extremely well, but just know that it’s a stock part on a $300 gun. It’s not going to wow you.

Trigger

The PSA Dagger trigger is probably the only part of this gun that disappointed me to an extreme level.

Everything else is pretty much on par with what I expect out of a $300 gun. Granted, the trigger is terrible.

Probably the worst trigger I’ve ever felt. They use a Smith and Wesson M&P trigger design, where it bends in the middle, versus something like the Glock trigger that has the safe action in the middle.

I don’t know the rationale behind this, but what I can tell you is it feels like sandpaper when pulling the trigger. It’s pretty bad.

I don’t want to harp on this too much, as the gun overall, is an extremely nice gun. It’s even fun to shoot, but the trigger is so lackluster that it’s crazy. This was beyond an afterthought, in my opinion.

I’m not here to hate on PSA. I own a number of their products and most of them are fantastic, especially for the price point. But even for a $300 gun, this just feels like sandpaper.

The take-up travel is good, and the break is clean. It’s not very crisp, but it is clean and not spongy.

The reset is short and it’s just back to the wall.

So my beef is really with the smoothness of the take-up which is almost like sand was dumped into the fire control group of this gun, and that saddens me.

But at the same time, it’s a $300 gun and still shoots great and what I found while shooting the gun is while the trigger is gritty it doesn’t have an impact on accuracy, and shooting the gun overall is actually really fun.

PSA Dagger Ammo

If you are in the market for some ammo for your PSA dagger the options are endless.

Accessories

The nice part about the accessories for the PSA dagger, the fact that pretty much any Glock Gen 3 accessories will work.

PSA Dagger Slides

Looking for a baller pistol on a budget? Turn to the PSA Dagger because the number of available slide options from Palmetto are incredible.

SW5 RMR Slide

I’ve always like the TIN barrels and bolts on guns so forgive me for being a sucker if these aren’t your thing. But for just $329 you can get the SW5 RMR Slide which features a milled slide with an RMR cut and a threaded barrel.

That is a crazy good deal considering Glock threaded barrels typically start at $119 and go up.

SW1 RMR Slide With Copper Threaded Barrel

With a number of different slide cut options you can really get the look you are going for with your pistol the SW1 RMR Slide With Copper Threaded Barrel is definitively a looker.

One of the great things about Palmetto is they don’t just offer you different colors but also didn’t cut styles and even better features like threaded barrels and optics ready cuts.

PSA Dagger Holsters

Now, the only exception to that is holsters. They’ll fit in some Glock 19 holsters, but not well.

It’s very tight and it’s extremely hard to get out. I think that has a lot to do with the slide, but I believe the retention point on the frame is the same.

The slide is thicker and has a slightly different profile so it doesn’t slide into the holster as easily as a stock Glock 19.

So if you want a Kydex holster for your PSA Dagger you might want to grab one that’s available on their website. But keep in mind it’s slim pickings right now, but hopefully, the selection will grow.

PSA Dagger Flashlight

I grabbed an Inforce Wild 2 flashlight for the PSA Dagger and while it’s a polymer flashlight I don’t even have a holster that will fit my Dagger yet so it’s more or less a light that wouldn’t see a lot of action outside of the range.

Personally, the light is fantastic but it still has it limitations namely it’s a polymer flashlight.

But output wise it’s fantastic!

The dagger is nice because the rail will allow nearly any pistol flashlight to be mounted to the gun.

Aesthetics

The overall look and feel of this gun are fantastic. Starting with the bottom of the grip frame features a nice little cut-out that allows you to grab and rip your magazine if it was ever stuck for any reason.

The DLC slide with carry cuts looks fantastic and gives a unique picture from behind the gun with the blocky design of the slide. This side is great and I like what PSA did with it.

PSA Dagger vs Glock 19 Gen 3

The PSA Dagger is a revamp of the Glock 19 Gen 3 and the most notable differences are the aesthetics.

The internals do feature some slight differences namely the slide rails.

The PSA Dagger also has a different grip and grip texture as you can see below.

The slides are nearly identical with the spring guide rod being the biggest difference.

Lastly here’s a side-by-side picture of the complete internals.

As you can tell there are some clear differences and clear similarities between these two pistols and I think each has its place in the market.

PSA Dagger Durability

North Carolina finally produced some snow for the first time in several years so I figured I might as well make use of such a fine day!

So I put the dagger through a quick and short test for function. By no means do I think these were comprehensive or even a true torture test but it’s more than most people would likely ever put their gun through.

I put the Dagger through several various things and it never skipped a beat. The misses were all me being it cold and almost never shooting with gloves on, I accept all of the misses as my fault.

I also dropped it from roughly waist height and shot it one-handed so I could video the results. I racked the slide on my boot and other than my misses it functioned fine.

Overall, I’m happy how the Dagger did in the mild snow test I performed on it.

Shooting the PSA Dagger

Now, shooting the PSA Dagger is actually a little different. It does feel like a SIG texture in your hand, but this thing absolutely shoots like a Glock 19, all day long.

Shooting this side by side with a Glock 19, you’re really not going to notice much difference and for better or for worse, that’s a plus in my opinion.

Will you like to shoot the PSA Dagger? It depends on if you like a Glock 19. It does well on the range, it shoots good, and it puts rounds on target.

I had no flaws, no malfunctions, and nothing bad to say about shooting this gun. I didn’t have any pins walk out on me.

I didn’t have any problems with this gun so far, whatsoever. In fact, it’d be hard for me not to recommend this gun.

Other than to warn people, you’re not going to have a nice trigger.

While triggers are changeable, by the time you throw a new trigger in this gun, you’re getting dangerously close to Glock prices.

If you don’t like the Glock trigger either, and you’re going to replace that trigger anyway, this gun is a value.

Overall shooting this gun is very smooth, very crisp, and clean and I really enjoyed it. The slide and the sight picture are fantastic.

Final Thoughts

My final thoughts on the PSA Dagger are this, I don’t think that this is a Glock replacement.

The Dagger is more of a reason not to buy a Polymer 80 Build. Now, if you’re worried about a serial number, that’s one thing.

But as far as cost savings, or building a cheap Glock, there’s no reason to build a Polymer 80 build, when the PSA Dagger is available at this price point.

Now, if you’re looking for night sights from the factory, or the nice clean trigger, or something of that nature, you might default to a Glock.

The Palmetto State Armory Dagger definitely gives a solid run for the money, and for $300, it is a bargain. I think it fits exactly in the niche it’s trying to fill and will be a great carry gun for a lot of people.

The Dagger, PSA Jakl, and PSA AK are hands down my favorite guns from Palmetto.

A reflex sight that doesn’t run on batteries or solar power? Ruger says, “Yes!” with its new, low-profile Ready Dot.

by Rob Reaser

There is no question that red dots are “the thing” for a growing number of pistol shooters and EDC adherents. As such, there are many red dots on the market to choose from for full-size handguns to the micro-compact variety. The latter pistols, by virtue of their small size, favor a more minimalist approach in red dot optics — reflex versus enclosed emitter, diminutive lens, “always on” or “shake-to-wake” activation instead of on/off buttons, and a low profile for use with the factory open sights when backup is needed.

There are many good miniature red dots available, but as far as we know and have tested, all micro reflex red dots are battery-powered…except one.

Ruger just released the Ruger Ready Dot. It looks like a conventional micro red dot and pretty much acts like one except that it doesn’t require batteries to operate.

Instead, the Ready Dot incorporates a simple fiber optic system to gather ambient light and display it onto a 12 mm multi-layer coated lens. Since there are no batteries to maintain and no switches to turn on and off, the Ready Dot is, well, always ready. Of course, since the system requires ambient light to be gathered and reflected off the lens, the Ready Dot does not function in darkness or in low light levels.

Think of it as the crystal radio version of today’s advanced electronic red dots; it works as designed, but with limitations.

Construction, as you can see, is about as simple as it gets. The housing is black polymer fitted with an impact-resistant, optical-grade polymer lens. The fiber-optic light-gathering coil sits where the battery would be on an electronic red dot, with the output end of the coil permanently affixed in the emitter position.

Although Ruger engineered the Ready Dot for use with the company’s Max-9 micro 9mm and thus uses the Shield RMSc mounting pattern, the unit will work with most handguns that feature the RMSc footprint.

For testing, I pulled out my Sig P365 since it came from the factory with the slide cut for RMSc-pattern optics. The downside to choosing this handgun to host the Ready Dot was that I would lose the factory rear sight. That did not end up being a deal-breaker, though, as I will explain shortly.

Installing the Ready Dot onto my P365 began by removing the two screws securing the rear sight to the slide. These buggers were on TIGHT and threatened to round out the hex slots when I applied torque. Rather that risk having the screws permanently lodged in the slide because of damaged screw heads, I pooled a few drops of Kroil on them and let it work its magic for a few hours. That was enough to allow the screws to be safely backed out of the slide.

With the rear sight screws removed, the sight is freed of the slide.

Next, the slide cover was removed.

The Ready Dot dropped expertly into place with no alignment issues.

While the Ready Dot comes with two M4x0.7 8mm screws for installing the sight onto the Ruger Max-7, those screws will not fit the Sig P365 bushings. Variations in screw type, slide cuts, and adaptor plates among assorted handgun models means the Ready Dot may not work on all micro handguns even if they feature the RMSc footprint, so check with the gun manufacturer before you buy. For my P365 installation, M3x0.5×10.6 screws got the job done and the Ready Dot chassis fit perfectly into the slide cut.

Here is the non-enhanced, non-altered image of the Ready Dot. Boasting a whopping 15 MOA diameter, the red dot is big, bold, and quick to acquire. It is also crisp, with a parallax-free distance of 10 yards.

Of course, the vibrancy and visibility of the dot is wholly dependent upon the ambient light. The more light gathered by the fiber-optic, the brighter the image, and vice versa. Part of my testing included a heavily overcast day — so dark it seemed more like dusk than mid-afternoon. Still the Ready Dot made itself quite evident. Inside of the house, visibility varied considerably when transitioning between dim and well-lit rooms.

Background lighting also figures prominently in the red dot’s visibility. If you’re standing in a dark room and aiming into a lighted room, the dot is difficult to pick up. When outside, though, the red dot stands ready.

I mentioned earlier about the Ready Dot requiring me to eliminate the factory rear sight on the Sig. Given the practical effective range of this and most micro-compact pistols, and the relatively short distance of most self-defense encounters, the lack of a rear sight is not a huge drawback. The tritium dot on my factory front sight is clearly visible through the Ready Dot lens, and placing the bottom of the dot at the bottom of the Ready Dot lens corresponds to the same sight alignment as if the rear sight were present — the exception being any left or right shift. To keep that under control, the Ready Dot chassis has a ramped, U-shaped cut-out to help with sight alignment when the red dot is not visible.

The one thing I was curious about before I installed the Ready Dot was its co-witness with the factory front sight because there is no ability to make windage or elevation adjustments. As it turned out, the red dot corresponded with the factory sight just fine, so there were no issues with point-of-aim, point-of-impact performance. Will that be the case for every handgun that hosts the Ready Dot? I can’t say. But then again, we’re talking about micro-compact pistols with a typically short engagement distance.

Although the Ruger Ready Dot will not give the 24/7 aiming solution of a battery-powered red dot, it is not trying to compete with those models. This is for the shooter who prefers a hands-off, zero-maintenance, always ready red dot suitable for most situations. And with an MSRP of $99.95, this is an easy buy for anyone with a handgun featuring an RMSc optic cut slide who wants to try their hand at a red dot.

Yes, Turkeys eat ticks. An adult turkey is one of the best tick-eaters that it can eat nearly 200 or more ticks a day. Wild Turkeys in the forest floors, swamp regions, and grasslands are the best natural pest controllers. Domesticating Turkeys is one of the best ways to keep the ticks in control. But it is more significant to know more about the turkey-tick relations, effectiveness of tick elimination, etc before proceeding with your domestication idea.

How Dangerous Are Ticks To Humans?

Not all tick species are dangerous. Some prominent ticks can be vectors of life-threatening diseases to humans and animals.

Ticks are parasites that feed on blood. They are disease-causing insects with tiny hard heads and oval-shaped bodies. They are typically flat, brown, oval-shaped, and small and measure only a few millimeters in length. Ticks mostly live in woody, and brushy areas, clinging to shrubs and grasses, and they crawl on animals’ hair or skin when they move past and brush against it. You can find a large population and species of ticks in the USA, UK, Europe, and other western countries.

Most prominent diseases carried by ticks include:

1. Lyme Disease
2. Tularemia
3. Anaplasmosis

Diseases transmitted by ticks to humans may cause symptoms as mild as a localized rash to as severe as joint infections, cardiac distress, and even death if left untreated.

Ticks pose a genuine problem to pets, livestock, and local wildlife. Animals become anemic if they are hosted by large number of ticks. If left untreated, anemia can cause lethargy, weight loss, organ failure, and death.

Best Animal For Tick Control

Biocontrol is the correct method to control the tick population in one place. Meaning, we use one organism to reduce the spread of another organism. In that sense, Using natural tick predators on our property helps us keep the tick population in control.

Some animals that help humans control the tick population are frogs, lizards, squirrels, opossums, some birds, ants, and fire ants. In this list, opossums are the best tick hunters that play a vital role in controlling the tick population. They eat almost 5000 ticks per season – a considerable part in tick destruction. But we cannot raise opossums on our farm. Do you know Turkeys are one of the best predators of ticks that is safe and you can possibly grow them in your farm.

Turkeys And Ticks:

How to raise turkeys on our farm to control the tick population?

Raising turkeys on your farm is not a complicated process. They need some extra care than chickens on your farm. These birds spend most of their time hunting, pecking, scratching, and foraging for food. Once you start to have them in the yard, you will love them. They eat some foods like snails, fish, and lizards. They eat grains, nuts, fruits, insects, and vegetables too.

Do turkeys carry ticks?

Yes! They may carry ticks sometimes. But it is not much harmful to humans or other domestic organisms like dogs, cats, cattle, etc. A research found that turkeys eat almost all ticks – in their larval and nymph stages. They also remove a maximum number of ticks from their body during self-cleaning. So, it is hard for the ticks to escape turkeys.

When we raise turkeys on our farm for tick control, proper vaccination, biosecurity against outside contamination, management practices, and good hygiene are essential. Using antibiotics helps us treat and control diseases in turkeys and improve their overall health.

Do Wild Turkeys Eat Ticks?

Yes! They do. You can find wild turkeys in the suburban areas, grasslands, shrublands, etc. more often eating ticks. The presence of wild turkey is a threat to the ticks population. But you might be amazed if you know which type of turkey eat most ticks? If that i your question, here is the fact!

Which type of turkey eat most ticks? – Domestic or wild turkey:

Generally, domestic turkeys do not bother ticks as they have more options to eat other than ticks. They will fill their stomach with grasses, sweet corn, tomatoes, summer squash, lettuce, etc. Thus, it is obvious that wild turkeys are the potential predators of ticks compared to domestic turkeys.

Domesticated Turkeys and all the five subspecies of the Wild Turkeys eat ticks. Wild Turkeys will consume Ticks when they find them. They are not active hunters but they eat ticks on the ground, in the grass, in low vegetation, and even on their own bodies during self-grooming. Even though these birds are tick hosts, they tend to eliminate more ticks than they spread.

How Many Ticks Does Turkey Eat In A Day?

Turkeys have sharp eyesight and acute hearing, making them talented tick gobblers. A fully grown turkey can consume 200 or more ticks per day. A turkey family, including a female turkey and her two generations along with her mate, can consume around 3800 ticks per day.

Can Turkeys acquire Lyme Disease After Eating Ticks?

Lyme disease is the most threatening tick disease spread to humans by infected ticks. Blacklegged or deer ticks act as vectors of Lyme disease in humans and animals.

Turkeys do not get Lyme disease from eating ticks. The ticks have to be attached to the hosts for more than 36 hours to transmit the disease. There is no possibility for this to happen after the ticks have been killed and eaten by the Turkeys.

Other Birds That Eat Ticks

Chicken:

Chickens eat ticks. They will be able to consume 80 ticks per hour. Chickens will help control the ticks in the backyard. Chickens have been discovered as natural predators of ticks by a study published in 1991. They consumed around 3 – 330 little critters in a single session.

Ducks:

Ticks are fond of moisture, and the Ducks are the most appropriate choice in wet and muddy areas. Though ducks cannot completely eat all the ticks in an area, they can significantly keep down the tick numbers. They are beneficial to the farmers.

Guineafowl:

Farmers use guineafowls as a natural tick repellent. Guinea fowl can eat as many as 1000 ticks per day.

Cattle Egret:

The cattle egret is a bird species that lives in grasslands and cattle pastures in many regions. It removes and eats ticks and flies from the body of animals. Thus, these species do their part in controlling the tick population. These birds ride on cattle backs to pick ticks and eat.

They have a diverse diet chart that depends on the habitat. Generally, these birds are insectivores, and their favorite foods are grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets. Ticks are also on their diet chart but only in small numbers. Some other prey of cattle egrets include earthworms, spiders, crayfish, mollusks, tadpoles, frogs, snakes, lizards, rats, fish, and birds.

Partridge:

Partridges look small, plump, and cute. You can find these ground-dwelling game birds throughout the United States and near water sources. They eat ticks and contribute a remarkable portion to tick control. The thick bristles on their tongues act as a brush-like tool for catching insects and ticks. They can pick and consume all types of ticks, even under leaves and grasses.​​​​​​​ These birds help keep the population of ticks in control by taking ticks as food.

Roadrunner:

Roadrunners belong to the cuckoo family with the native of North America and Mexico. They eat ticks occasionally. So this behavior will not affect the presence of ticks in the environment. These birds get ticks on their feathers and body when they hunt food sources like lizards, mice, insects, snakes, etc.

Their favorite foods: black widow spiders, millipedes, centipedes, crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, caterpillars, snails, mealworms, cockroaches, tarantulas, mosquitos, and dragonflies.

Woodpeckers:

Woodpeckers can naturally eat more ticks. They do this with their long and sticky tongues. The Woodpecker population has a vital role in controlling Lyme disease around the world. Some other favorite foods of woodpeckers: Ants, beetles, termites, spiders, caterpillars, bird eggs, other arthropods, small rodents, nestlings, fruit, lizards, sap, and nuts.

Oxpecker:

An oxpecker is a bird that feeds on ticks and commonly lives in Africa, Asia, and Australia. They often sit on large animals like giraffes, zebras, buffalo, and rhinos. Then they start eating ticks and lice from their body. These birds use their sharp beaks to remove pests from an animal’s skin. Usually, these birds live in woodlands or grasslands and help animals keep their body healthy and clean. They also eat flies, maggots, and all other kinds of larvae from their host body.

Do Quail Eat Ticks?

• Quails usually forage on the ground and eat what they find. Many people and various communities, especially farmers use quail for tick control in their farms. They can naturally eat more ticks and control tick infestation. Generally, quails are ground birds that dig around in the ground to find food. They consume ticks when they get them from the ground.
• Like any other animal, quails also get ticks. But they do not have proper immunity to tick bites. So sometimes, these ticks bite may create harmful effects on the overall health of quail. Once you find any tick infestation on your farm quail, ask for medical support. Otherwise, those ticks may start latching onto the quail’s skin.
• We know that deer ticks are the prime cause of Lyme disease. In some areas, people use quail to control Lyme disease.

How many quails do we need to control ticks in a particular place?

It entirely depends on the area of the place and the severity of the tick infestation. Quails eat all the ticks effectively wherever you allow them to roam freely. Setting them free in the backyard is the best idea to control the ticks population there. Around ten quails are enough for controlling ticks in an area of 1 acre.

Can quails get Lyme disease by eating ticks?

No! They can not get Lyme disease from eating ticks. They receive this disease only when the microbes that cause Lyme disease enter their bloodstream. When quails eat ticks, they will get digested, and there is no direct contact with the bloodstream.

Final Thoughts

Turkeys have proved to be effective in controlling the tick population. So, growing or domesticating some turkeys is best if you live in a tick-infested area. But never forget to follow the precautionary measures advised by the government to prevent tick infections. Turkey treatment might be an additional way to prevent ticks but being precautionary is the basic thing that needs to be followed to prevent tick infections.

FAQ

Q1. Do turkeys transmit ticks?

Wild turkeys do not spread deadly ticks. A recent study shows that turkeys get rid of as many ticks as they carry. The reason? Turkeys eat ticks.

Q2. Which animal eats the ticks the most?

Opossums are one of the top predators of ticks and kill more than 90 percent of the ticks they encounter. Opossums are good at removing ticks, and they can eat up to 5,000 ticks per season.

Q3. What kills ticks naturally?

Eucalyptus and Neem oil can kill ticks effectively. Just combine 4 ounces of purified water into a spray bottle and 30 drops of your carrier oil of choice. Shake well and spray anywhere you want to kill ticks.

“The Very Best Value in a 22LR Bolt Action Rifle”

The CZ-455 American 22LR is 99% of everything I want in a 22LR rifle. My most important requirements are accuracy and great looks, and the CZ-455 delivers both.

This rifle features a nicely finished walnut stock with cut checkering and beautiful matt blue solid steel action and hammer-forged barrel. For about $400 street price, this rifle gives you the accuracy associated with names like Anschutz or Cooper, or high dollar custom Ruger 1022’s. Even the standard model like the American in 22LR will produce 1 MOA or better groups with off the shelf ammo like CCI standard velocity. If you are looking for a very accurate rifle at a very reasonable price, the CZ-455 is for you.

The CZ-455 replaced the 452 series (although special 452’s are still listed on their website), and features interchangeable barrels between 22LR, 22Mag and 17 HMR. You can even get the 455 with both 22LR and 17 HMR in a combo rifle set. Just remove the stock, loosen two set screws that retain the barrel and exchange the barrel. The barrels are pre-fit with proper headspace to make the change easy, and the combo rifle comes with one 5-round magazine in each caliber. Of course, you will have to re-zero the scope because of the big differences in ballistics of the 22LR and more powerful 17 HMR or 22Mag.

The 455 models feature an integral 11mm dovetail for mounting scopes, so some rimfire rings will not work. I like BLK rimfire scope rings best for rimfire rifles with dovetail available from AMAZON . These rings will work on 3/8” or 11mm base and are perfectly machined to align with your barrel.

The Classic style stock is Turkish walnut and my rifle has a nice finish and attractive straight grain. You can get many variations of the 455 including, varmint, trainer, suppressor-ready, stainless steel, and more. If you hurry, there is still a limited quantity of 452 Grand Finale’s available. The CZ-452 Grand Finale is built using the last 452 actions ever produced, embellished with hand-engraved scroll work on the action, barrel, bottom metal and included 1” scope rings. The upgraded American walnut is trimmed with an ebony forend and grip cap, the bolt is jeweled and it has a deep glossy blue finish to the metal. This model is about $1150, over twice the price of a standard CZ-455.

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Vortex Diamondback 3×12 HP Scope

Vortex Diamondback 3×12 HP Scope ON SALE At AMAZON

I mounted a Vortex Diamondback 3x12x42 HP Scope on the CZ-455 and it has turned out to be an excellent scope for the rifle. The Diamondback HP series has the Vortex extra-low dispersion (XD) glass to increase resolution and color fidelity, and fully Multi-Coated lenses with XR proprietary coatings on all air-to-glass surfaces.

The Diamondback HP offers extremely clear, extra-low dispersion glass with XR multi-coated lenses to allow hunters to squeeze out every bit of shooting light from the day to bag their trophy. The side parallax adjustment, this rifle scope keeps a trim profile and gives you all of the features you need to be successful.

The side focus lets you shoot parallax-free down to 30 yards so it is a great scope for at 22LR or more powerful caliber. The finger adjustable turret knobs are great for making quick changes when target shooting and the Vortex Deadhold BDC (bullet drop compensation) reticle makes it easy to shoot accurately in the field. This Vortex Diamondback HP series is also available in 2×8 or 4×16 power, depending on your needs. The scope worked so well on my CZ-455, I bought more for my other 22LR and centerfire rifles. The street price is about $300.

Shooting The CZ-455 22LR

The CZ-455 is a pleasure to shoot. It just has that perfect feel of a classic hunting rifle. Everything feels right and operates smoothly. The rifle functions perfectly, the mags load easily and feed flawlessly, the trigger has no creep and breaks very well. The trigger was a little heavy, so I replaced the trigger spring with the ACE #144 spring to bring it down to 1.5lbs. There are other trigger kits like the YODAVE that has 3 springs and pin shims to give you a choice of trigger pull options for about $18. YODAVE also has bore guides, scope levels, and other handy items for the CZ-455 shooter.

I went by the range between showers today to shoot a few groups with CZ-455 and managed to shoot 3 groups worth posting. The targets below were shot at 100 yards with a 10 MPH headwind, so in good conditions and the right shooter, it should really shine. The three groups averaged just under 1 MOA. That’s really good with me behind the wheel. Ammo was my favorite, SK Match Rifle. Guess it is time to cut the cards at 100 yds again.

Leupold Mark AR 6-18×40 Scope

A Leupold Mark AR 6-18×40 Scope arrived today, so I decided to mount it on the CZ-455 and see if I can improve the 100-yard groups. It has a fine duplex reticle an a few more power to work with so I hope to shoot better at the 100-200 yard range.

WOW! Going from a 12x to 18x scope makes so much difference at 100 yards and beyond when shooting a 22LR. Zero at 50, 15 clicks up on the P5 dial, one full turn for 200 yards with Aguila HV Super Extra. First impressions of the scope are very good. You can aim at a 22 caliber bullet hole at 100 yards and the CDS type elevation dial tracked perfectly moving back and forth between yardages.

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Scopes For 22LR Rimfire Rifles

The primary difference between a rimfire scope and a high-power rifle scope lies in their intended applications and the specific features designed to accommodate those applications. Rimfire scopes are without a paralax adjustment have are paralax free (in focus) at around 50 yards. High-power rifle scopes are paralax free at about 150 yards.

If you want a scope for your rimfire rifle, make sure to get a rimfire scope or a high-power rifle scope with a paralax adjustment or your image in the scope will be out of focus at short range, ie 25-75 yards.

Let’s explore the key distinctions:

Caliber Compatibility:

Rimfire Scope: Rimfire scopes are specifically designed for use with rimfire cartridges, such as .22 LR. These scopes are optimized to withstand the lower recoil and unique ballistics of rimfire ammunition.

High-Power Rifle Scope: High-power rifle scopes are designed to handle the recoil and performance of larger, high-powered centerfire cartridges, such as .308 Win or .30-06 Springfield.

Magnification Range:

Rimfire Scope: Rimfire scopes generally have lower magnification ranges, typically a 4X or variable ranging from 3x to 9x. This is because rimfire cartridges are typically used for shorter-range shooting.

High-Power Rifle Scope: High-power rifle scopes offer a wider range of magnification options, often starting around 3x or 4x and reaching higher levels, such as 12x, 16x, or even 24x. These scopes are intended for longer-range shooting where precision and target identification are crucial.

Parallax Adjustment:

Rimfire Scope: Rimfire scopes may or may not have parallax adjustment features since rimfire cartridges are typically used at shorter distances where parallax is less of a concern.

High-Power Rifle Scope: High-power rifle scopes often feature parallax adjustment knobs or side focus controls to help eliminate parallax error, especially when shooting at longer distances. Do not choose a high-power rifle scope for your rimfire without a paralax adjustment.

Turret Adjustments:

Rimfire Scope: Rimfire scopes usually have capped turrets or turrets with low-profile adjustments, as they are designed for shorter-range shooting where frequent adjustments are less common.

High-Power Rifle Scope: High-power rifle scopes often have exposed or tactical-style turrets that allow for quick and easy adjustments, facilitating precise shots at varying distances.

Reticle Options:

Rimfire Scope: Rimfire scopes typically feature simple reticles, such as duplex or basic crosshairs, suitable for shorter-range shooting and general target acquisition.

High-Power Rifle Scope: High-power rifle scopes often offer a wider selection of reticle options, including bullet drop compensating (BDC) reticles, mil-dot reticles, or even illuminated reticles, providing additional features for long-range shooting and holdover estimation.

It’s important to note that these differences are not absolute, and there can be variations within each category. Ultimately, the choice between a rimfire scope and a high-power rifle scope depends on your specific shooting needs, preferred shooting distances, and the caliber of your firearm.

Why The 22LR May Be Most Popular Cartridge In The World

The .22LR (Long Rifle) cartridge is often considered one of the most popular cartridges in the world for several reasons:

Versatility: The .22LR cartridge is highly versatile and can be used for various purposes. It is commonly used for plinking, target shooting, small game hunting, pest control, and even in some competitions. Its versatility makes it appealing to a wide range of shooters, from beginners to experienced enthusiasts.

Availability and Affordability: The .22LR cartridge is widely available in most regions of the world. Its popularity has led to widespread production and distribution by numerous ammunition manufacturers. Due to its popularity and high demand, it is generally more affordable compared to other centerfire cartridges, making it an accessible option for many shooters.

Low Recoil and Noise: The .22LR cartridge generates minimal recoil, which makes it comfortable to shoot, especially for beginners and those who prefer a milder shooting experience. Additionally, it produces relatively low noise compared to larger calibers, making it suitable for shooting in areas with noise restrictions or populated areas.

Firearm Options: The .22LR cartridge is compatible with a wide range of firearms, including handguns, rifles, and even some semi-automatic and bolt-action rifles specifically designed for this cartridge. The availability of different firearm options, ranging from small compact pistols to full-sized rifles, contributes to the cartridge’s popularity.

Skill Development and Training: The .22LR cartridge is an excellent tool for developing shooting skills and practicing marksmanship. Its low recoil, affordability, and reduced noise make it ideal for beginners to learn and improve their shooting techniques. Additionally, the low cost of ammunition allows for extended practice sessions without breaking the bank.

Recreational Shooting: Plinking, informal target shooting, and recreational shooting are popular activities among firearms enthusiasts. The .22LR cartridge’s affordability and versatility make it a preferred choice for these types of activities, as shooters can enjoy extended shooting sessions without spending a significant amount on ammunition.

It’s important to note that while the .22LR cartridge is popular for the reasons mentioned above, its effectiveness for certain purposes, such as self-defense or long-range shooting, may be limited. Shooters should always choose a cartridge appropriate for their specific needs and requirements.

History of CZ Firearms

CZ firearms, also known as Česká zbrojovka, have a rich and storied history. Here is an overview of the history of CZ firearms:

1. Origins and Early Years (1919-1945): Česká zbrojovka was founded in 1919 in Czechoslovakia, shortly after the end of World War I. The company initially produced military and civilian firearms. One of their notable early designs was the CZ Model 27 pistol, which became the standard sidearm for the Czechoslovak Armed Forces.
2. Post-War Developments (1945-1989): After World War II, CZ firearms continued to evolve and expand. They manufactured a range of firearms, including rifles, shotguns, and pistols. One of their significant contributions during this period was the CZ 75 pistol, introduced in 1975. The CZ 75 gained international recognition for its innovative design and reliability.
3. Privatization and Expansion (1990s-2000s): With the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia, Česká zbrojovka underwent privatization. The company underwent a reorganization and focused on modernizing their manufacturing processes. They continued to produce a diverse range of firearms and gained popularity for their quality craftsmanship and competitive pricing.
4. Global Success and Expansion (2010s-present): In recent years, CZ firearms have experienced significant global success. They have expanded their product line to include various models of pistols, rifles, shotguns, and submachine guns. CZ firearms have gained a reputation for their accuracy, reliability, and ergonomic designs, attracting a growing number of enthusiasts, competitive shooters, and military and law enforcement agencies worldwide.
5. Innovation and Future Outlook: CZ continues to innovate and introduce new firearms to the market. They have developed cutting-edge technologies, such as polymer-framed pistols and modular rifle platforms. Additionally, CZ has acquired several other firearms manufacturers, expanding their portfolio and establishing a presence in different segments of the market.

Overall, the history of CZ firearms is characterized by a commitment to quality, innovation, and meeting the needs of shooters around the world. From their humble beginnings to their global success, CZ firearms have established themselves as a respected brand in the firearms industry.

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