Finding the right air hose for your air compressor or other air tool can be challenging. Because there are so many choices on the market today, it can be difficult to know which ones are best for you and your needs. In order to narrow things down, we have prepared a handy guide to two of the most common and highly recommended air hose materials: PVC and Rubber.

Below, we delve into the advantages and disadvantages each type brings to the table, what you should be looking for in an air hose, and hopefully you can end this article with a much clearer perspective as to which one you want to invest in.

What Is The Best Air Hose For Me?

Since an air hose can be used for multiple types of tools and tasks, you want to choose one that is versatile, durable, and made to last so that you can make the most out of your purchase. In relation to that, these 5 factors are what you should consider when looking for an air hose that is perfect for your personal needs and activities.

Length Of Hose

Standard sized air hoses are usually offered at 25 feet, 50 feet, and 100 feet. Air hoses that come in longer lengths result in lesser control but not enough to deem it ineffective. The length of the hose matters since this can affect how you can utilize it. For instance, if you will need the hose while moving from station to station, you may require one of longer length to allow greater mobility.

However, if you will just be working in one area, keeping a short hose may be easier in terms of moving around and also in terms of storage.

Diameter Of Hose

Most air hoses come in either one of two diameters, namely ¼” (6.33 mm) and 3/8” (9.5mm). The wider the diameter, the more compressed air it can hold, which allows for more strength. However, in order to maximize it, you will need to have a sizable compressor.

The narrow diameter is better for tasks that do not need as much fuel, such as when you are pumping a tire, air bed, or inflatable pool.

Weight Of Hose

To determine if you need a lighter or a heavier hose, you will first need to establish your main purpose for purchasing one. If your activities revolve around operating in one place, then heavier hoses can be more beneficial since they are less likely to kink. However, if you will need to move around often, a lighter hose may be better suited. Just keep in mind that these are more susceptible to kinking, so you will need to take more precaution when storing them after every use.

Who Manufactured The Hose

An air hose is not necessarily a household tool that you want to repurchase every now and then. To guarantee a longer lifespan, we highly suggest purchasing only from trusted companies with great warranties and even better customer support. Some of the best air hose manufacturers today are:

• FlexZilla
• Amflo
• Hitachi
• TekTon
• Goodyear

Material Of Hose

Air hoses also come in a variety of materials, with the two most common ones being PVC and rubber. To better understand which one of the leading materials is best for you, we put a detailed list of their benefits and disadvantages up against one another in the section below.

What is the better air hose: rubber or PVC

Below we discuss what exactly makes up each material and where do they function best?

PVC Air Hose

PVC stands for PolyVinyl Chloride, and is the 3rd most widely used plastic rubber across the globe. It can be used in a variety of materials – from tubing, wires, signs, flooring, and yes, hoses!

Apart from its versatility, another reason that PVC is so common is because of its affordability. It is also very lightweight, portable, and easy to handle. However, we do not suggest using the in colder climates or the winter season because they are prone to freezing up. Aside from that, another disadvantage is that they are susceptible to kinking quickly.

Rubber Air Hose

Rubber is made of natural material as it is extracted from the rubber plant. It starts off as a white, dense, and somewhat gooey liquid, which is then taken to manufacturers and turned into the many rubberized products you see today.

Just like PVC, rubber can also be used in a wide range of things, such as tires of vehicles, tubes, household items, and much more. Rubber is incredibly durable and can last a long time, but it does not come cheap.

Rubber air hoses are quite heavy, but they are very resilient, sturdy, and well worth the investment due to its long lifespan. Because of how much they weigh, they are best used for static workstations such as in a garage or at a workshop. They are also fairly simple to coil up and store away, with little to no risk of kink.

What are other air hose materials to consider?

While rubber and PVC hoses are the most common and widely available air hoses today, they are not the only ones on the market. You may also opt to purchase a Polyurethane Air Hose or a Hybrid Air Hose instead.

Polyurethane Air Hose

Air hoses made of polyurethane are very lightweight and do very well in extreme temperatures. They are also highly resistant to abrasive wear, tearing, or puncturing. Moreover air hoses made of polyurethane are highly flexible and smooth, which allows them to easily glide across varying surfaces. One flaw it may have is that it is more susceptible to kinking when compared to the more robust rubber air hose.

Hybrid Air Hose

As its name suggests, hybrid air hoses are made from a mix of material, namely PVC, polyurethane, and rubber. It was specifically designed to give you the best of all the materials by merging their positive features such as its resiliency against kinking. However, it does lack quite a bit in durability when compared to the pure rubber hoses, and are more likely to kink in the long run.

What Factors Should I Look For in An Air Hose?

The length, diameter, manufacturer, material, and weight of the hose are important when determining which hose is best for your specific activities and needs. However, the 5 additional factors below should also be weighed in as it can affect the overall quality of the hose you choose.

Coiling Capabilities

Air hoses usually either coil in a standard method or in a recoil method. With standard, the hose would lie flat without any bends, which makes them a breeze to unroll. Recoils, however, have small twists within the structure to make them recoil backwards once you let go.

Connections

It is important to consider the right sized connector that is also a quick release for your own set of tools. We recommend getting brass connectors as these are much more resistant compared to aluminum and are also resistant to corroding.

Kink Resistance

Similar to how you would weigh out garden hoses, consider the kink resistance of your air hoses as well. Investing in material that is less likely to kink can go a long way and prevent any disruption in your work.

Pressure Rating

All air hoses have their own maximum pressure rating, which is indicated by PSI (pounds per square inch). You must first determine how much pressure you would need for your tasks and then find a hose that is capable of handling it. Hoses with higher pressure ratings are usually only needed in much tougher jobs such as inflating truck tires.

Temperature Compatibility

It is important to find a hose that would not deteriorate or lessen in efficiency when the temperature shifts. PVC air hoses have a harder time in cold temperatures because it reduces their flexibility. A rubber hose keeps a stable flexibility level even in freezing temperatures, so does polyurethane air hoses and hybrid variants.

You’re All Set!

Knowing what to look for in an air hose can help you in making a more informed decision, and take home a hose you can use for many years to come.

If you are looking for other gardening equipment, check our best selling collections below:

Yard Butler Hose Reels

Yard Butler Hose Reel Carts

Yard Butler Hose Hangers

Yard Butler Irrigation Tools

Are you curious are the most expensive fishing rods on the market? There’s an old saying that it’s better to buy once and cry once than multiple times. When it comes to rod quality, it comes down to the materials used, attention to detail, and the experience of the craftsman. In this article, we’ll show you a handful of expensive rods that you should check out.

Are expensive fishing rods worth it?

Take it from someone who has sold a lot of fishing rods, the right rod is worth the money.

Pat Schlapper (Bassmaster Elite Angler)

Yes, expensive fishing rods are worth it. However, only you can decide whether it is worthwhile. Do you fish frequently enough to justify the purchase, or will this be another beauty on a shelf collecting dust?

Do you wish to feel a lot and compete in competitions, or are you more of a casual/recreational angler? Do you need the most expensive fishing rods?

As stated, the short answer is yes. It’s worth it to pay a little more for better quality. However, no amount of high-quality, superior technology can make up for time on the water and first-hand experience. Purchase of this magnitude warrants an angler who will put in both the time and effort to maximize a rod’s potential.

Expensive rods are more sensitive, detect tiny bites, and are more enjoyable to use than their less costly equivalents.

The difference between a $50 rod and a $150 rod is significantly greater than between a $100 rod and a $300 rod.

1. Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods

Handcrafted Heirloom for Future Generations

Key Features:

• Full coverage hand engraving by W.S. Oyster on the reel seat and ferrules
• Gunmetal blued nickel silver hardware, premium snake guides
• Richly flamed cane with silk thread wraps and trim wraps on every guide

The Oyster Bamboo Fly Rod has a starting price of $4,600, making it the most expensive fishing rod on the market. It is partly because each example is handcrafted after a client makes a purchase.

It is the world’s only bamboo fly rod with a manufacturer who engraves his rods by hand. More so, each rod is outstanding in terms of performance and looks.

2. Orvis Penns Creek Full-flex Bamboo Fly Fishing Rod

Classic Fishing Rod with Remarkable Casting

Key Features:

• It has a fast action blank, light tip, and superb rod strength
• It has a timeless style, built with impeccable care and craftsmanship
• Short and light, encouraging effortless short-medium distance casting

Whether you’re searching for your first bamboo fly rod or you’re a seasoned collector, you’ll want Orvis Penns Creek Full-flex Bamboo Fly Rod in your collection.

Perhaps Orvis’s most enjoyable full-flex bamboo trout rod in more than a century. In the traditional trout line, weight, fast action, and a soft tip are coupled with the power of a swelled butt.

3. Hamachi 2018/2019 XOS GT’n’Doggie Expedition Series Popper

Best Popping and Spinning Fishing Rods

Key Features:

• Spinning popper rods – Spin reel version (fixed spool/thread line reel)
• XOS Gt Doggie Series, suitable for popper, lure fishing, and general spinning both shore and boat
• Ultra-high tensile full nano carbon blank

The XOS GT’n’Doggie Expedition series is a three-piece popping, plugging, stick bait rod with great casting distance and power!

If you’re after Jurassic-sized GTs, gigantic red bass, monster Dogtooth, Bluefin/Yellowfin Tuna, or other oceanic monsters, then this is the rod you need.

4. G. Loomis Asquith 690-4 All Water Fly Rod

Most Technologically Advanced Fly Rod

Key Features:

• Proprietary spiral X construction, superb power transfer from tip to hand
• Quick recovery, increased sensitivity, titanium guides
• Exceptionally light, swing, and weight

G. Loomis Asquith is the world’s most technologically advanced fly rod, a result of its international collaboration in design, materials, and manufacturing methods.

This fishing rod is built on Shimano’s Spiral X platform, which provides excellent power transmission from tip to hand, rapid recovery, and enhanced sensitivity.

This rod is a step into the future of rod production technology, designed by world casting champion Steve Rajeff, bringing a world-class rod to the average angler.

5. Sage Fly Fishing – X Fly Rod

Multi-Application Fly Rod with Fast Action

Key Features:

• Graphite Ille Technology, Fast action
• Fuji ceramic stripper guides, dark green thread wraps with metallic grey trim wraps
• Gloss black anodized aluminum up-locking reel seat, cork foregrip, and rear grip

The Sage X Fly rod’s all-new fast action taper, developed with Konnetic Technology, provides more blank recovery and a sharper tip stop. It results in tighter, more efficient loops across the board.

More so, this taper enables you to dig deeper into the rod and access the bottom portions, bringing power closer to the angler.

6. Sage Salt HD Fly Rod

Best Fly Rod for Fast Moving Saltwater Species

Key Features:

• Squid Ink blank color, Black thread wraps with blue trim wraps
• Integrated hidden hook keeper in the real seat, laser etched line weight on the slide band
• Black rod bag with blue logo and model tag, blue powder-coated aluminum rod tube with Sage medallion

The Sage Salt HD Fly Rods are built with a singular purpose in mind: to allow anglers to reach further, faster, and with more delicacy.

Sometimes anglers must make rapid first shots and be able to repeat this at speed or faster. Because of the salt’s fast-moving inhabitants, this fishing rod is the perfect combination of speed and accuracy.

7. G Loomis NRX T2S Fly Rods

Best For Top Saltwater Fly Angler

Key Features:

• Dynamic recovery technology, Grip ferrule two-piece design
• Recoil snake guides, Titanium SiC stripper guides
• Full wells, AAA grade cork grip, aluminum rod tube with cloth rod bag

The G Loomis NRX T2S Fly Rods masterfully combine an original design with the industry’s most cutting-edge materials and technology. This provides anglers with greater control and responsiveness than ever before.

It uses Dynamic Recovery Technology to deliver the power, line speed, and loop stability that current fast-action rods are known for without sacrificing “feel” and elegance in the short game.

From the first perch to monstrous deep-sea leviathans, fishing is a pastime that has been endured for many millennia. Fishing spans the gamut from family outings to competition. It is a sport, tradition, and way to put food on the table all wrapped in one.

Unfortunately, many of the rods purchased from generic superstores and sporting goods outlets can be overpriced and underwhelming in their performance.

The best fishing rod for your money can make all the difference when it counts, leaving you with a happy memory and not an empty hook.

Final Thoughts

These are the most expensive fishing rods that were made with a high level of craft. Throughout the process, every move and detail is closely examined. These rods are usually costly because of this.

Whether your budget and preferences lead you to a $900 fishing rod or a $9000 bamboo rod, fly anglers typically agree on one thing, Bamboo rods are second to none in terms of performance.

Nonetheless, they do take some getting used to. There’s no need to adjust if you’re starting with a bamboo rod, so it’s better to start with the best.

Description and Range:

Adult white-tailed deer are about three feet tall at the front shoulders. Maryland yearling bucks (males) weigh an average of 105 pounds; yearling does (females) average 90 pounds. During the warm months, deer possess reddish-brown hair. A grayish-brown coat with a thick undercoat replaces the reddish hair during the cold time period. The white-tailed deer’s distinctive white tail and white rump patch is readily visible when they bound away from real or perceived danger. White-tailed deer sprint up to 35 miles per hour and are able to leap over 8 foot tall barriers.

Only white-tailed bucks possess antlers. In extremely rare cases, does may grow antlers. Bucks use their hard antlers to establish dominance over other bucks during breeding season. Antlers are grown and shed each year. Antlers, which are composed of true bone, begin to grow in late March and early April. The growing antlers are covered with skin and blood vessels called velvet.

White-tailed deer can be found in every county in Maryland. White-tailed deer are also common throughout much of the United States, southern Canada and even parts of central America.

Doe (left) by John White and a buck withvelvet antlers (right), by Kerry Wixted

Habitat:

Maryland white-tailed deer habitat includes most of the state except for open water and intensely developed urban areas (e.g. downtown Baltimore). Deer thrive in landscapes with wooded/brush sections and open areas such as cropland, pasture or landscaped yards. Deer use the wooded areas for food and cover, and open areas provide food. Landscapes with an abundance of edge habitat (areas where forested and open habitat meet) support prime deer habitats. Because of this, suburban sprawl creates ideal habitat conditions for white-tailed deer. When forested areas are converted into housing developments, portions are cleared for roads and home sites, while other sections remain forested. When open farmland is transformed into residential areas, new homeowners plant trees, shrubs and perennials. Both of these types of residential conversions provide excellent deer habitat. To learn more about managing deer damage, then click here.

The typical, annual average home range for white-tailed deer is considered about one square mile (640 acres). However, the sex and age of the deer and habitat types will influence varying size home ranges. Yearling males will move many miles while adult females usually have smaller stable, annual home ranges. Deer in good quality habitat will need to travel less than deer in poor quality habitat.

Diet:

Deer feed on nuts and berries, leaves, woody shoots and stems, grasses and cultivated crops. Some of their favorite natural foods include acorns, honeysuckle, poison ivy, green briar, young tree seedlings and mushrooms. Soybeans, corn and ornamental shrubs are several of their favorite foods planted by humans.

Deer have a four-chambered stomach that is required to digest the vegetation. Food first travels to the rumen that contains the bacteria and protozoans, which begin the digestive process. The reticulum circulates food back to the mouth so that the deer can chew the food again. The omasum functions as a pump and directs the partially digested food from the reticulum to the abomasum. This final chamber functions as a true stomach and completes the digestive process. Because of this special digestion process, it is generally not recommended to feed deer during the winter. Click here to view White-tailed Deer Facts​.

Reproduction:

Maryland white-tailed deer begin breeding in October and continue to breed through mid December. The shortening of day length (photo period) triggers the breeding season. Most does become pregnant during the first half of November. Because white-tailed deer are polygamous, one dominant buck can breed numerous does. Any receptive doe that does not become pregnant will cycle back into estrous (heat) in about 28 days and will mate again.

Fawns (baby deer) are born during May and June after a gestation period of about 200 days. Yearling does usually give birth to single fawns. Mature does in good physical condition frequently produce twins.

Newborn spotted fawns remain hidden and solitary for about three weeks. The doe visits her young only two to three times per day in order to nurse and groom the offspring. When the fawn is strong enough to run with the doe, it will follow its mother and begin to sample foods eaten by the doe. Fawns can live independently of their mother at about two months old.

Sounds:

Deer typically make three different types of sounds: alarm, maternal, reproductive.

Alarm calls help to warn other deer of real or perceived danger. When a deer is surprised, it will snort by forcing out air rapidly from the nostrils. When fawns or young adults are captured by a predator or trapped, they will make a bleating or groaning sound.

Does also use low grunts to communicate with her young and to maintain contact. Fawns respond with a mew like sound. Fawns will also use bleats to get attention from the maternal doe. Communication between does and young help to maintain a close pair bond.

During the breeding season, bucks make grunt sounds while searching for receptive does and while tending does. Bucks also advertise their presence to prospective does and potential competitive bucks with grunts of varying pitch and volume.

Behavior:

Bucks are often solitary creatures aside from the breeding season and occasionally during the summer when they form bachelor bands. In the breeding season, bucks will actively seek out females to mate with as well as spar with other males to fight for the rights to breed.

Does, on the other hand, can often be seen traveling together particularly in the winter when food tends to be scarce. Often, fawns will remain with their mothers through the winter and into early spring. Typically, young bucks leave their mothers earlier than young does.

Management:

White-tailed deer are primarily managed by hunting in Maryland. Click here to learn more about hunting as an effective tool for white-tailed deer management. Click here to learn more about white-tailed deer management, in general.

For an information sheet on common deer sign, please click here​.

Photo Acknowledgements:

• Doe by John White
• Buck with velvet by Kerry Wixted
• Fawn by Kerry Wixted

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Have you ever gone to pick up your air gun, only to find that it no longer functions after a few hundred shots? Air guns are delicate machines, and even with the best care, they will eventually break down. But how long do air guns last on average? Keep reading to find out!

When an airgun’s life is over, it means that there are no longer any spare parts available to repair the gun. This could be because they have run out or been destroyed entirely so you will need a new one for your collection. Here is a breakdown of the common types:

BB guns

The durability of a BB gun is unparalleled. The U.S Army has documented that these guns shoot over 20 million shots before needing parts replacement. The barrel of a centerfire firearm wears rapidly and may get 1,000 to 5,000 proper shots in its lifetime. It is difficult to replace when needed. A BB gun shot tube, by contrast, is an inexpensive part that any owner can replace.

CO2 guns

This class of air guns contains all the single shots like the Crosman 180s and Sheridan 2260. These longer-lasting action-type CO2-powered guns can be entirely built from parts if needed with no effect on their life span! As long as those proprietary pieces exist, they’ll continue working indefinitely

Pneumatic airguns

It’s true that pneumatic air rifles (variable pumps and PCPs) have an indefinitely long life, but there are some known issues. For example, the guns with barrels soldered to their pump tubes can separate at this point and no one has yet devised a commercial method for resoldering them either.
The other major failure happens when too much stress builds up on your pivot pins–they break off inside where you cannot reach them without professional help; repairing these failures is a thankless task requiring lots more money than buying a brand new gun.

Spring piston airguns

You can expect your spring piston air gun to last for 10,000 – 75 thousand shots before it needs repairs. This all depends on which model you have and how well they were made!

With proper care and maintenance, a spring piston air gun can last hundreds of thousands of rounds without any signs of failure or wear. An overhaul (new spring, piston seal, and breech seals) can make your springers last for decades.

(For more on the best break barrel air rifle that hits like a champ, see this post)

LAST UPDATED: May 8th, 2015

Wow, this is a turkey to be proud of… A new world record! Congratulations Todd Pringnitz. I was just surfing the web and found his site and story about his new world record turkey. Here it is:

For many turkey hunters, the thought of a world record animal must occupy their brains much like the elusive giant whitetail bucks that I have been dreaming about my whole life. In all the thoughts that have entered my brain, shooting a world record turkey was the farthest thing from my mind when my good buddy Dan Johnson and I headed to our Bale Blind on the afternoon of April 13th.

I’ve turkey hunted the last few years without any-luck. My only previous experience having any sort of encounter with a tom turkey would be in my back yard back in my home state of Michigan. I somehow found a way to miss a tom turkey at about 8 feet. Needless to say, I didn’t exactly have a huge goal going into this turkey season. In-fact, I would have been pumped to kill any tom turkey with my bow! If it happened on video that would just have been an added bonus. I mean we’re whitetail video producers right?

Thankfully, the persistence of my good friend Dallas Ft. Worth to film my first few hunts of the season would end up being one of the best things to ever happen in my life. Our hunt started earlier in the year when while shed hunting I happened to find my long-lost decoy laying under a bunch of brush out in my CRP field. I remembered the location, and figured I’d grab it the first day I headed into the field turkey hunting. Thankfully I grabbed it a few days before I started hunting because there was an ant nest inside of it, and they were biters! I hosed it out, but didn’t have the stake to hold it in the ground. After digging through my old arrow pile, I found an arrow that would work just fine.

Throughout our first afternoon in the field, Dallas and I filmed a giant tom working the opposite side of the corn field as us. We called at the tom several times, but despite his gobbling and strutting action, he just wouldn’t come closer. I still considered this pretty darned cool because he was definitely a mature tom turkey, and we got some footage of him.

The following afternoon would find Dallas and myself back into the same Bale Blind in-hopes of seeing the giant tom from the day before. When putting out the decoy, we actually busted a hen from the field, so we didn’t even know if we would be seeing much. Within a few minutes, Dallas was performing his “box call magic”, and the wait was on.

About 45 minutes later, we saw a tom turkey enter the field. It was clear that he was a pig of a turkey, but he was leading a hen. He would work up to about 30 yards in-front of her, and then strut back. I honestly didn’t think he was going to come close because he was entertaining the hen. He worked back and forth within about 60 yards, and started circling parallel to us in the blind. With a hen decoy in-front of the blind, we called a little here and there to try to get his attention enough so that he would see the decoy.

With an occasional view of his strutting fan through the standing corn, he started coming closer to the opening in-front of our blind. I was very aware of the distances and shooting arrangement because we had been deer hunting from the same set-up this past late deer season here in Iowa. I knew if he was in the opening, he was within 40 yards, which was a bad place for him to be. He started working closer and seemed like he was committed to coming into the decoy.

This is a picture of the giant turkey entering the field. My first thoughts were “he’s a shooter”…

As he entered the opening, the old tom was clearly a giant turkey. Even though this tom was interested in the hen decoy, he seemed very cautious. He stayed out at a 35-40 yard parameter around the decoy and our bale blind, never coming closer to investigate the mangy looking hen with arrow fletching strangely sticking through the top of her back.

This shows my not-so-fancy decoy set-up in-front of our blind with the big tom circling at 35 yards…

In the back of my mind throughout these moments was the “Shipwreck” encounter that we had in the same corn field only a few months earlier. “Shipwreck” was the 190 class giant I had at 35 yards from a ground blind and I just couldn’t get a shot into him. With the same exact type of “cautious investigation” as the “Shipwreck” encounter, I wasn’t about to make the same mistake again. With the tom starting to walk back to the hen he was tending, I committed to the 35 yard walking shot and came to full-draw. A quick check with Dallas behind the camera, my anchor was locked, and an arrow was soon in-flight “tom-ward bound”.

This is when the tom started heading back toward the other hen in the field. It was now or never!

Of all the arrows I’ve ever release, boy am I glad this one was true. I hit the tom pretty-much dead-center of his body with a loud “thwack”. Dallas started screaming “you smoked him – you smoked him” and I couldn’t believe I had just shot my first tom turkey. After talking a short bit in the blind, we wanted to go track the bird and make certain he was done. After walking across the field, we saw the turkey and he was still alive. After making a quick stalk, I was able to center another arrow through the bird as he started his “death flap”.

This is Dallas and I in the bale blind just after the shot…

Still not knowing we had just shot the world record, Dallas and I were most concerned with putting the beautiful bird out of his misery. It wasn’t until I peeled back the feathers on his chest when all the beards separated and one after another was visible. My trembling hands sifted through the beards trying to keep track of them as they counted of. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and finally 6 beards were exposed and I couldn’t believe my eyes. I’d seen and heard of multiple bearded turkeys, but 6 wasn’t something I’d ever heard of. I proclaimed to Dallas; “I just shot a 200 class Boone and Crocket Turkey Dude”…. Yeah, I still had no idea.

Here is a picture I took of the beards in my hand after just realizing the turkey was a multi-bearded freak bird!

After taking our trophy pictures and making some phone calls, things started to take a turn to the ridiculous. I was SO excited to have killed this tom, I swear I don’t think I would have been any-more excited knowing what I had really just shot. Anyone who has seen our deer hunting videos before already knows what I’m talking about. I can shoot a doe and nearly start crying. Ok, maybe not that bad – but it’s pretty embarrassing I can tell you! This is no exception, but it is what it is. I’m not going to apologize for being myself. Ok, I apologize for those who don’t “get me” because sometimes I hate watching my own stuff!

Sitting in a Huntmore chair that I was fortunate enough to engineer for Huntmore owner Scott Hoffman; well, this is the best testing we can do. Pretty cool I get to combine my skills of product design with my passion for hunting. I’m a very fortunate guy to have Scott many years ago on a hunt in Effingham, Illinois!

Chris Brackett (Arrow Afflictions) was the first guy who let me know exactly what I had shot in his way “You idiot, you just shot a state record or something”. After sending him a cell picture of the beard he replied, “You just shot the new world record, you XXXXX”… I think you get the idea.

This is the Blind Ambitions Bale Blind that we used for this set-up. It worked perfectly!

After doing some “we don’t know how to properly measure turkeys – measuring”, we came to the conclusion that this indeed could be the new world record turkey. By this point all Dallas and I could do is laugh. I mean seriously; I’ve spent the last 22 years of my life basically “living for whitetails”. Every waking second of every single day I spend dreaming of bucks, planning, and working for the upcoming season. As soon as one is complete, we’re already working on the next aspect of our year-around pursuit.

Here’s another picture of the Iowa freaks beard.

The only comparison I can make is to the 12 year old that goes out for the first time bowhunting and shoots a 200 class whitetail. I indeed was just that of the turkey world, and I knew things would never be the same. With that being said, I’ve hunted hard enough over the past many years to realize there is always an element of “luck” in any hunt. I always considered all of my luck to be “made”. In this particular case however, it was not only luck, it was dumb luck! What do you do, every serious turkey hunter is probably going to hate me, but I guess there’s nothing I can do about that now.

The turkey was officially scored by Hazel Creek Taxidermy; and has been entered as the new archery World Record for the Eastern turkey in the NWTF record books. The entire experience has been eye-opening to say the least. I’d just like to thank the NWTF and Hazel Creek Taxidermy for their help with this unknown world of turkey hunting that I have just been thrust into. They have all been just awesome! Most of all, I want to thank my good friend, team member, and cameraman Dan Johnson (Dallas Ft. Worth). Without you brother, we wouldn’t have this experience documented to share with the entire world! The turkey and sport deserves it, and without you this would never have been possible. So, thank you so-so much dude! To think that a 9-fingered guy would film the new world record turkey kill – well, I don’t think you’re missing right index finger would have ever imagined. Definitely not right now anyway.

I would never have imagined in a million years that I would ever be “that guy”. Now that it’s done, I just can’t wait to share the story with everyone. I can only imagine how many “shaking heads” there will be when watching me completely not realize what I have just shot. To those guys, believe me, I feel your pain! With that being said, I’m not going to complain about being “that guy”…

My World Record Archery Eastern Tom Turkey had over 49” of combined beard length. He weighed 25.9 pounds, and had 1-1/4” spurs. He scored 149.6875 which beat the previous record of 139.2400. It could be broken tomorrow, but for the moment it’s pretty cool! Good luck to all the turkey hunters out there! Looks like I’ve got a new spring activity to get serious about. Unfortunately, it’s all down-hill from here!

If you need to be able to defend yourself at night, then you’re looking for an awesome Glock night sights review. In this article we will cover a wide variety of sighting systems. We’ll talk about the best iron sights, and some great red dot sights for low light self defense. As you’ll see, most shooters aren’t really focusing on the right details when trying to find the best night sights for their particular needs. Keep reading for more.

When doing my research for this article, it was readily apparent that most of the Glock night sights reviews were written by robots, or people who hadn’t shot more than a box of ammo in the last 7 years. It’s also patently obvious that most most reviewers don’t do much shooting at night.

As many of you know I’m, a competition shooter, as well as a police officer. I do a lot of shooting, in all hours of the day and night. While this doesn’t make me the worlds greatest expert on night sights, I can tell you that there are several issues that come up when you actually need a good sight system. Here’s a quick overview of the article.

Glock Night Sights Review

• Iron sights with tritium inserts are the best Glock sights for simplicity and durability
• Using a weapons mounted light can negate the need for night sights
• Red dot sights are good options for low light defense, provided it’s set correctly
• Stay away from exposed fiber optics sights for self defense use
• Rear sights with a ledge allow for one handed weapons manipulation
• Many of these sights come in different colors, follow the links for all options

Before we get to the details in this Glock night sights review, we need to discuss if you even need night sights. We will also talk about some facts and fallacies of low light shooting, which may help steer you towards one sighting system over another. Remember, there is no best system for everyone.

Do You Need Night Sights for Your Glock?

If you ask this question to most self defense minded, or tactical shooters, they will tell you that you need night sights to shoot at night. Unfortunately, they would be wrong, or at least no right enough. To illustrate this point I’m going to give you a little scenario.

You’re in your home, and you hear the proverbial bump in the night. You grab your Glock to go clear your house by yourself (not a good idea). You have a Glock 19 with standard tritium night sights, and no pistol light. You eventually confront the intruder, who is stealing your $3000 Taylor Swift tickets they saw on your kitchen counter.

You challenge them at gunpoint, and your sight picture is a dark blob, with three green dots in front of your face. You see nothing else! You can’t tell if they’re armed, or a drunk neighbor in the wrong house, or any other useful information. But hey, you can see your sights are in rough alignment!

You would be better off with a pistol light, and the standard Glock sights in this scenario. If you light up the person with your light, you will see a clear outline of your sights. You will also take away the intruders night vision, and disorient them. Most importantly, you can see if they’re armed.

Choosing Your Self Defense Pistol Setup

Don’t take this to mean I’m anti night sights for your self defense pistol. I’m simply pointing out that the ability to see three dots won’t solve this difficult and dangerous problem. I would argue that it does very little if you can’t ID the person in your house. It’s an all too common tale for someone to shoot a family member at night because they thought they were an intruder.

Night sights certainly have their uses, and they really shine in mixed lighting conditions, where there are areas of light and dark. These would be areas like parking garages, street lights, or lights around your house that provide some dim illumination.

After reading this article you should have a good idea of what Glock night sight set up you want. After that it’s up to you to train with your setup. Don’t be the guy to buy all the high speed gear and have no idea how to use it. I see this all the time at matches, and it makes me cry inside. The best part about having awesome gear, is learning to use it well!

I’ll get off of my soapbox now, and we’ll get to the equipment part of this article. I encourage you to follow the links, some of which are affiliate links, for the products that seem most useful to you. They will tell you more detailed info, and you can read other useful things like customer reviews. Rest assured, I won’t link to any terrible products. Don’t forget to join the email list below for more awesome articles.

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5 Best Glock Night Sights

By now you should have some idea that I’m not only going to include standard iron sights, in this Glock night sights review. I will include several iron sights options, and red dot options for low light shooting. I will also include the very best night sight option, a pistol mounted light!

1. Surefire X300U-B Pistol Light

The Surefire X300U is my favorite weapons mounted light. I have one on my duty gun, and I have another on my home defense pistol. It’s a very bright 1000 lumen flashlight that is compatible with nearly any pistol on the market. It also works well when mounted on a long gun, giving it nearly unlimited uses.

I tend to pair it with Surefire’s DG grip pressure switch, wich makes one handed activation easy. That pressure switch isn’t a must have, as I ran this light for many years using my support hand thumb to activate the light. The light uses a dual action switch that gives you momentary on, when pushed forward into the light body, and constant on when rotated down.

Of note, if you do opt for the pressure switch, the light still retains the standard rocker switch as well. This allows you to use it as a back up, and have constant on functionality. This is crucial if you actually find a bad guy, and need to keep him illuminated for 5-10 minutes, waiting on the police to arrive.

As of this writing, the light retails for a little over $300. The switch is a little over $100. While that isn’t chump change, it is a great option because you can move it to any firearm you care to use, quite easily. Next we’ll move on to my favorite iron sight system.

Trijicon Glock HD Night Sight (GL1010)

The Trijicon Glock HD night sights are used by police and military forces all around the world, for good reason. They’re durable, simple, and reasonably priced. This model features tritium inserts, which is a phosphorescent green chemical that will glow for 10 years or so, with no need for additional maintenance. The Trijicon HD night sights also include an orange front sight circle, around the front dot tritium insert. This helps to capture your eye in all lighting conditions.

This system will require gunsmith installation, unless you have a sight tool like this one (Amazon Affiliate Link). You can see in the video below that, putting new sights on your Glock isn’t all that hard, but you do need the right tools. One of the best features about this product, is the ledge type rear sight. This allows you to rack the slide off of objects with one hand. This isn’t likely to happen, but it’s a nice bonus feature.

As of this writing, the Trijicon GL 1010 retails for around $120. With the sight pusher linked above, you’ll be spending around $180 in total. Next we’ll move on to another great set of iron sights.

Meprolight Adjustable Tritium Sights

The Meprolight adjustable night sights are a great option for those that want a more accurate sighting system, with a snag-free design. These sights feature tritium vials for reliable low light performance, with an adjustable rear sight. This allows you to fine tune your sights for your shooting style, and ammunition choice. This is one of the biggest differences between these sights, and stock, white dot factory sights from Glock.

I know some shooters really enjoy having adjustable iron sights. I’ve shot both standard and adjustable sights. To be perfectly honest, I almost never adjust them. I would also point out that the rear sight has a very small ledge that would make one handed manipulations harder. That wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me, but it’s something to consider.

These sights have good reviews on Brownells, and they’re currently priced around $145, which is a great price for all the options these sights include. In the next section of this Glock night sights review, I’ll cover two great red dot options for those that need to shoot at night.

Holosun SCS Multi Reticle Red Dot Sight

The Holosun SCS is one of the best choices for low light shooting, and general everyday use. It also has some distinct advantages over other red dot sighting systems. The biggest advantage is that it features an extremely low deck height. This allows you to use it without installing suppressor height back up sights.

This means you can maintain whatever iron sights you have installed, which can save a lot of money. Suppressor height front post, and rear dot sights, can be expensive.

If you have a newer Glock with the MOS optic plate, you can install the SCS directly to the slide, without using an optics mounting plate. While many mounting plates are very durable, you can run into issues where the plate screws shear, leaving you with your red dot sight tumbling through the air.

Realistically, this is something most Glock owners will never experience. I’ve put around 6,000 rounds through my CZ Shadow 2 Optics Ready competition gun, and I’ve had no issues with this.

This dot has a solar charging system with a rugged titanium housing. If you’ve read the Sage Dynamics White paper, you’ll note that this specific sight is still going strong after more than 6,000 rounds, while being dropped directly onto the optic every 500 rounds.

As of this writing, the SCS for Glock pistols retails for about $370, which is a great price for a very durable optic. This is the best choice for the vast majority of Glock models. Next, we’ll talk about another great red dot optic.

Trijicon RMR Type 2 Red Dot Sight

The Trijicon RMR Type 2 is by far the most rugged red dot pistol sight. It’s been around for several years, and Aaron at Sage Dynamics has one variant of this sight that is still going strong after 30,000 rounds, and dozens of drops onto concrete. At this point, I would say its as durable as iron sights.

It features a tremendous battery life, with up to 2 years of normal use. Moreover, it has a sensor that automatically adjusts the dot brightness, for different lighting conditions. This is great for those that have a pistol mounted light.

Because Trijicon has released an updated version of this optic, which is much more expensive, you can find this 6.5 MOA variant for $470 at the time of this writing. This is the cheapest I’ve ever seen this optic.

If you plan on putting your sights through some abuse, then this is your best choice. Next I’ll cover some good advice for setting up your pistol for ease of use.

Setting Up Your Sights and Lights

In this section I want to review a few practical recommendations to help you choose the right sights. First, and foremost, do not use a red dot sight if you don’t plan on practicing with your gun. You have to get enough live fire, and most importantly, dry fire reps, to develop a natural point of aim.

I shoot Carry Optics in USPSA competitions, and I regularly notice lower ranked competitors have a lot of trouble finding their dot. This demonstrates a lack of practice. I rarely if ever see a B class shooter, or above, have any issues here. If you’re willing to practice, then dots are great. If not, go with iron sights.

Secondly, if you do run a red dot sight, then you need to pick the correct brightness setting when your light is illuminated. For self defense, you need to err on the side of brighter rather than dimmer. This is especially true if you have a pistol light. Bright light will wash your reticle out, if you set the dot to dimly. If this seems like too much hassle for you , then go with iron sights.

Lastly, I strongly recommend that you go with the pistol light, and then worry about changing your factory Glock sights later on, if needed. The light will be much more useful in a self defense scenario, and it works well with stock sights, as well as night sights. Now, let’s finish this Glock night sights review up.

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of considerations when discussing this Glock night sights review. The most important thing you can do is practice with whatever setup you choose. Time and again, I see shooters buy a gun, or a piece of equipment that promises to give them some new capability.

They purchase these products like a talisman, thinking that if they own them, they can do the thing it says they can. This isn’t true. You must learn to use it proficiently before it does that. I recommend finding a good instructor, and getting into competition shooting. You will get more bang from your buck in one match than years of flat range training.

You can also find links to great training ammo, and self defense ammo here. Don’t forget to join the email list below. Now get out there and get training!

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By Yamil Sued

The 10mm Auto is an undeniably powerful round, born in the mid-1980s from disappointment with the perceived inadequate performance of the 9mm. The cartridge was designed from the ground up to have immense stopping power, and it would prove itself to be a capable performer in both self-defense and hunting applications.

Testing the Perception

But how powerful is it, exactly? We all hear about how terrific the 10mm is, but what if we perform a 10mm gel test to see what kind of penetration and expansion we can expect?

I decided to do just that, taking a Springfield Armory Range Officer Elite Operator 10mm 1911 and running three different full power 10mm loads through it and into ballistic gelatin. Check out my video above to see how it all did on the range.

For this 10mm ammo comparison, I selected three loads, all with bullets weighing 200 grains. These loads covered both high-performance 10mm self defense ammo as well as basic range ammunition. I tested Federal Personal Defense HST, Speer Gold Dot Personal Protection Gold Dot Hollowpoint, and CCI Blazer FMJ range ammunition. Both of the full power personal protection loads used proven hollowpoint bullet designs while the range load used a 10mm FMJ projectile.

10mm Ballistics Performance

I set up a 32″-deep batch of ballistic gelatin and set about running all three loads through the RO Elite Operator 10mm. I was very impressed with the performance of all three loads and found that the 10mm does really push out some power.

Hollow Point vs. FMJ in Ballistics Gel

When testing 10mm penetration, both the Speer and Federal drove to roughly 18″ deep in the gelatin (within 1″ of each other), and expanded very nicely. These are both very powerful and effective rounds.

With the Blazer load, the FMJ punched clean through all 32″ of the gelatin, and impacted heavily on the safety berm behind it.

Excessive penetration is generally not preferred for defensive ammunition. While FMJ loads are great for paper targets, they simply do not expand in an attacker and will generally overpenetrate as this 10mm gel test shows.

I also chronographed all three 200-gr. loads to see how they performed. The Federal HST came in at an average of 1,130 fps, the Speer Gold Dot at 1,100 fps, and the Blazer ammo at 1,030 fps.

Conclusion

My test was intended to show 10mm ammunition performance and penetration, both full power self defense ammo and FMJ target ammunition.

I think that the results speak for themselves — the 10mm is an undeniably powerful round, and one that clearly will excel in both a hunting and self-defense role.

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By GunSpot

In the late 1890s, the U.S. military began using a newly developed round that would command the battlefield all the way to World War II. The .30-06 caliber was a cutting-edge ammunition technology now that smokeless powder had almost completely replaced blackpowder. It served well on the battlefield chambered in the 1903 Springfield bolt-action rifle during the First World War and, of course, in the M1 Garand during the next World War.

With new advancements, forces needed the performance of the .30-06 150-gr. load, but in a shorter cartridge — which required a shorter action. That is how the 7.62x51mm NATO round, and its .308 Winchester civilian sibling, was born. In 1952, the round was introduced commercially after being developed for the military. Two years later it was adopted by NATO with its new designation being 7.62×51 NATO.

The United States has long loved the .30-caliber round and it has been used in standard-issue rifles and machine guns for decades. In fact, militaries around the world have used guns chambered in .308. Popular guns like the M14, M60, M1919 and countless others. The .308 caliber is fast and carries one heck of a punch. But how effective is the caliber at distance?

In this video and article, I explore the effective range of the .308.

Reaching Out

The .308 Winchester is the most popular sniper/counter-sniper round by far. It far outweighs any other caliber when it comes to standard-issue rifles.

But first off, let’s define what “effective” is. When we talk about the effectiveness of a caliber, we are usually referring to the distance that the round can still humanely kill.

In a hunting scenario, it’s not good sportsmanship to wound your game, only leaving them to die a slow death or live the rest of their lives maimed. If you are hunting prairie dogs, .308 would be lethal easily out to a mile. However, if we are talking about shooting that medium-size North American game like a whitetail deer, the distance would be much closer. In fact, I argue that the effective range of .308 on deer is 300 yards.

The round easily has enough energy to kill whitetail deer at 300 yards. But by 500 yards, the bell-shaped trajectory of the .308 makes the shot unethical for the majority of shooters. Now, before you .308 lovers hate on me, that doesn’t mean you couldn’t do it. But if your skillset doesn’t include high accuracy at that distance, it wouldn’t be right for you to take the shot.

We asked Maximum Life Expectancy’s Chief Instructor, Grant LaVelle, about his past as a Marine and SWAT sniper. In the Marine Corps, they would shoot .308 to 1,000 yards; however, in SWAT it was much closer. What was preached to SWAT snipers was that in a law enforcement capacity there were no second shots. In certain military situations, that might be acceptable. But in law enforcement, snipers need immediate incapacitation to save lives.

When a sniper fires a round, he needs complete de-amination of the threat. So, we are talking about 100% accuracy in the cranial vault that houses the brain. If hostages are involved, which they often are, the police can’t have there be any chance of causing harm to innocent lives. Grant stated they were never granted clearance to take a shot over 200 yards. In most cases, that would require a special circumstance, special permission and thoughtful consideration.

Conclusion

So, what is the effective range of .308? It depends on the need.

If we are talking about putting down a moose versus taking down a prairie dog, the distance will vary. Can it kill at one mile? Yes, but it depends on what you’re shooting.

If you want to just hit a steel target it could even shoot farther than a mile. In a law enforcement sniper application, however, it seems they won’t take a shot over 200 yards unless absolutely necessary.

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As I mentioned in my previous articles on patterning my shotgun, the basics of turkey hunting, and camouflaging my shotgun, I’m in the process of preparing for an upcoming turkey hunt during Memorial Day weekend. For my next article in my series on turkey hunting, I’m writing about the differences between some of the various types of turkey calls commonly used by turkey hunters. Since spring turkey season overlaps with mating season for turkeys in most of the United States, imitating turkey vocalizations is the most popular and most effective technique used by turkey hunters to call in a big gobbler. There are a wide variety of turkey calls available on the market today, and I hope to provide some useful information on the advantages and disadvantages of each in this article.

Before we begin, please note that I’m not necessarily endorsing any particular type or brand of turkey call in this article. Indeed, I haven’t actually used any of them on a turkey hunt yet, so I’m not really in a position to say which type or brand works “best.” Instead, I’m merely presenting some of the pros and cons of each type of call as well as some things to consider when getting ready to purchase one.

The push button call is probably the easiest turkey call to use. Made from wood (primarily walnut) and/or plastic, push button calls can produce realistic sounds imitating turkey hen clucks, purrs, and yelps. Since they are so easy to use, push button calls are very popular among new turkey hunters. Another advantage of the push button call is that a hunter can also easily operate one with only one hand, or even mount it on the stock of a shotgun for quick and easy access.

Unfortunately, push button turkey calls are very sensitive to moisture. While turkeys will still move during a spring rain shower, a little rain can silence a push button call and ruin a hunt for a hunter who relies solely upon push button calls. Additionally, push button calls can present problems for a hunter going after turkeys subject to heavy hunting pressure. Since they are so popular, and since push button calls do not produce quite as wide of a variety of sounds as other turkey calls (particularly diaphragm or pot and striker calls), mature gobblers may quickly wise up and become less responsive to a hunter using a push button call midway through the season.

Like the push button call, the box call is also extremely popular and very easy to use. Box calls are most often made of wood such as walnut, cedar, or mahogany, among others. However, some box calls are now made out of metal. In the hands of a skilled caller, a box call can produce a very wide variety of turkey vocalizations. Additionally, box calls are great for calling over long distances, as they can mimic turkey vocalizations at loud, as well as soft volumes.

Like push button calls, box calls are also sensitive to moisture and don’t work nearly as well when wet. However, this is not as big of a problem as it used to be because some companies now manufacture waterproof box calls (like the call pictured above). Another problem with box calls is that most of them require two hands to operate. This makes it more difficult for a hunter to transition from operating the call to aiming his or her shotgun without being spotted by a sharp eyed gobbler.

Finally, box calls have the same disadvantage as box calls when hunting heavily pressured turkeys. Since they are so popular, turkeys sometimes learn what a box call sounds like and become less responsive to them. Since the goal of a hunter is to sound like a turkey, not a turkey hunter, this can be a problem.

Pot and striker calls consist of a round disc, usually made from glass, slate, or ceramic materials, and a striker usually made of wood, aluminum, or carbon. To use, apply pressure to the pot with the striker at varying pressures, angles, and patterns to create different sounds. Using these calls, a skilled caller can produce a dizzying array of turkey calls. Additionally, most pot and striker calls are much more tolerant of wet conditions than box or push button calls are.

While pot and striker calls are great options for a turkey hunter, they are not without disadvantages. Like a box call, pot and striker calls have the disadvantage that they require two hands to operate. Additionally, they are more difficult to learn to use effectively when compared to push button calls or box calls.

Also known as mouth calls, diaphragm calls are small, horseshoe shaped calls with rubber or latex reeds that vibrate when air is forced across them. Many different manufacturers produce diaphragm calls in a wide variety of variations that can imitate virtually any turkey vocalization. Diaphragm calls are inexpensive, small, lightweight, and weatherproof. They also do not require the hunter to use his or her hands for operation. This significantly cuts down on movement and allows the hunter to use the call right up until the point that they take the shot without spooking the bird.

The biggest disadvantage to the diaphragm call is that they are the most difficult turkey calls for a hunter to learn how to use properly. Indeed, many experienced and successful turkey hunters do not know how to use a diaphragm call to its fullest potential. The other disadvantage to a diaphragm call is that they are not as loud as other turkey calls, especially box calls.

As you can see, each of the different types of turkey calls I described here fits into a particular niche. None is perfect, but they can complement each other very well if used appropriately. As a result, instead of looking for the “best” call, it’s probably a better idea for a turkey hunter to purchase and master the use of 2-3 different turkey calls. This will give the hunter several options if he or she out in turkey hunting and gets caught in a rain shower or the turkeys stop responding to a particular call. By having a different, but complementary, call on hand that he or she can use well, that hunter may be able to change things up and end the hunt with a big gobbler on the ground.

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by Darrin Glenn :: Featured: August, 2002

Every rabbit hunting season I try to invite someone along that has never been on a rabbit hunt, or someone that has not been on a rabbit hunt in a long time. I have always figured there is really no better way to get a new person into rabbit hunting and beagling than to get them out on a good actual rabbit hunt! You can sit and attempt to describe the pure, clean fun of bawling beagles, shotguns and rabbits to a potential hunt partner, but there is no substitute for experiencing the real deal first hand. I have read in numerous publications how the number of hunters is declining in the U.S. each and every year, and it grips me that sooner than one thinks we hunters could be so outnumbered by the liberal, ANTI-Hunting whackos that our seasons “could” be in jeopardy. I realize that the majority of the public is made up of non-hunters (those who are neither anti-hunters nor hunters), and if the figures I have read are indeed correct, the declining number of hunters and their positive influence on the non-hunting public could have drastic consequences on our hunting future! We as hunters need positive, responsible newcomers, young and old, to join our ranks every day to keep our tradition alive and well.

When I invite someone along on a rabbit hunt and they accept, one of the first topics to surface is of course safety and the principles of a successful rabbit hunt. This is and always should be “priority #1”. For everyone to return safe and sound, hunters and dogs, is top priority. Usually the next thing most newcomers want to know about is the proper gear to hunt rabbits. The proper gear for a successful rabbit hunt often is minimal, which is good for young folks. Rabbit hunting does not require an expensive, elaborate firearm or piles of varying camo and clothing. Usually the first topic of gear centers around a firearm. What style of action, chokes, shot size and gauge or caliber? Many may disagree with me, but as a general rule, my regular hunting partners and myself discourage the use of rifles for rabbit hunting with beagles. Why? I feel that using rifles could pose a threat to the hounds as well as others in the hunting party due to the nature of hunting rabbits behind beagles. Usually the rabbits stay in heavy cover when pursued by hounds and usually are on the move, often at a quick pace. This equals shots at fleeing game in cover, where a hound could be unseen in heavy cover some distance from the bunny. A rifle bullet retains much more energy at greater distances than the shot discharged from a shotgun, and with beagles in the brush and hunters spread out to cut off the fleeing rabbit, I feel the rifle is not the best choice for this type of hunting. So that leaves us with a shotgun.

Any type of shotgun will take rabbits successfully. From low-end single shots to top-end fancy doubles, they will all do the job. It boils down to personal preference. I myself prefer either a semi-auto or a pump action, as often my shooting leaves a little to be desired and the second or third shot comes in handy! However, there have probably been more bunnies taken with a trusty ole single shot smoothbore than any other. Most all the gauges of shotguns are suitable for rabbit hunting as well, with the exception of the big-bore 10 gauges, which would be over-kill. 12 gauges are a tad on the heavy side, especially for cottontails, but can be used successfully with minimal meat damage utilizing less restrictive chokes and smaller shot sizes. I have used my trusty Remington 870 12 gauge for years to take rabbits and have found with an Improved Cylinder choke tube and light field loads of 7’s or 7 ½’s that meat damage is minimal for the larger bore shotgun. 16, 20, 28 and 410 gauges are all good rabbit getters when matched with appropriate shot shells. Over the years I have noticed that the majority of cottontail chasers prefer a 20 gauge to the other gauges, and they are probably right! The versatile 20 gauge, matched with the proper choke and shot shell, is an extremely good rabbit hunting gun and can humanely and quickly dispatch a rabbit at about all normal shooting distances with minimal meat damage. Also remember that most rabbit hunts take place in nasty, briar and thorn choked cover, so don’t expect to bring your new, prized expensive shotgun from the cabinet and return home without a scratch on the stock!

Proper clothing is also important for a successful rabbit hunt. Wading through tangles of briars and mean thorns is not pleasant while wearing a pair of your leisure blue jeans and a t-shirt! If a newcomer has visions of a rabbit hunt taking place on the likes of a dove field, he/she will be in for a rude awakening. It is important that proper protective clothing be worn while rabbit hunting. “Briar pants” are a must for the rabbit hunter to be comfortable and to enjoy the hunt. Briar resistant clothing comes in many styles and in a wide array of prices. Many rabbit hunters prefer to wear bib overalls, chaps or pants with the protective leg covers sewn on. All seem to work well if made with quality materials and it is just a matter of personal preference. A briar-resistant jacket is also a must. Scratched and bleeding arms are just as painful as scratched and bleeding legs! I prefer a jacket with several deep pockets and an attached game bag in the rear, and I like the bag to zip off to be cleaned. I also like to wear a good pair of tough gloves, as I don’t enjoy picking briars out of my hands either. Always remember that fluorescent/blaze orange is required in most states while hunting with the use of firearms. Even if not required, wear it! Safety should be first and foremost, and blaze orange on all in the hunting party is a must. The orange material should be plentiful and visible from all sides. I personally like an orange cap and my favorite hunting jacket has an orange game bag on the rear and orange shoulder patches and orange pockets on the front. When in the thickets, there is no such thing as wearing too much blaze orange!

I carry a variety of items with me while rabbit hunting. My hunting jacket pockets are usually stuffed with goodies, such as a whistle for calling in the dogs, a sharp pocket knife, rubber gloves, a small section of parachute cord, a bottle of water, a few snacks and a couple of band-aids for that rebel briar that usually smacks me in the face. I also usually carry a cell phone for instant contact for aid in any emergency.

Any time you have a novice or first-time rabbit hunter accompanying you to the field, be sure to stop and explain the “basics” of rabbit hunting with beagles to them. Be sure to try and place them in the prime spots to take a rabbit and to enjoy the hunt. As the hunt goes along, take the time to explain what is going on, what the hounds are doing and what to expect from “Mr. Unpredictable”, the rabbit. An enjoyable rabbit hunt with friends can mean the difference in having a future beagler join our ranks, another hunter on our side. While in the field, also take the time to show your guest that hunting is not always about the taking of game, but just about being out in God’s great creation, enjoying what He has so graciously given us to use and enjoy!