When setup correctly, tarp shelters are like magic. With the right setup, you can stay dry in the rain, block rain, create a shady area to eat lunch, or even keep you warm on an unplanned night in the wilderness. There are literally hundreds of different tarp shelters you can use. Here I’ll go over the most important ones to know for camping, backpacking and survival/emergency use.

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Jump to:

• Infographic
• Which tarp shelter setup is best?
• Horizontal Ridgeline Tarp Setups
• Diagonal Ridgeline Tarp Setups
• Tarp Setups with Poles
• Other Tarp Shelter Setups

Tarp Shelter Setup Infographic

Which Tarp Setup Is Best?

The best tarp setups for camping are arguably: the A-frame, Adirondack, plow point, and holden tent. However, the best tarp shelter setup depends on many factors like the weather conditions, how you’ll be using it, and pitching conditions. Ideally, you will learn several setups including at least one which can be pitched quickly, doesn’t require trees or a ridgeline, has a built-in groundsheet, and is closed on three sides for weather protection.

Note: To hang a tarp properly, you’ll need to know the 7 main tarp knots and how to tie out the ridgeline and guylines.

Recommended Tarps:

• AquaQuest Guide Tarp: All-around good tarp which comes in a variety of sizes (10×10 size is 18.3oz).
• REI Trail Break Tarp: For when you need a larger tarp for car camping (12’x12′ size and 33oz).
• Sea to Summit Escapist Tarp: Lightweight tarp which is still durable (medium is 6 ft. 6 in. x 8 ft. 6 in and 9.5oz; large is 10×10 ft. and 12.3oz)
• Twinn Tarp by Gossamer Gear: Even lighter tarp for serious UL backpackers (just 9.7oz)
• Free Soldier Tarp: Very affordable tarp which is still lightweight. Plus it has tie-outs going down the middle! (large size is 118″ × 126″ and 42oz)

Don’t forget about cordage!

You will probably need at least 30 feet (10m) for a 10×10 tarp or 40 feet (12m) for a 10×15 tarp. I recommend getting REFLECTIVE paracord so you don’t walk into your ridgeline or tie-out points at night!

Horizontal Ridgeline Tarp Shelter Setups

These tarp shelters all have horizontal ridgelines. These are good options when you have two trees to pitch between. They are easy to learn and give you even headroom throughout.

The downside is that you’ll need a lot of rope (length of tarp + at least 8 feet for tying around trees). Some of the setups require even more rope to tie out guylines for walls or the roof. While many of these setups can be done with just poles, the roof has a tendency to sag.

Remember to make sure the ridgeline is perpendicular to the wind and the opening is on the leeward side!

1. A-Frame Tarp Shelter

The A-frame is one of the simplest and easiest tarp shelters to set up. It’s also somewhat versatile because you can hang it higher to get more headroom or hang it lower to get more interior space.

The major downside is that both ends of the A-frame shelter are open, so wind and rain can get in. For best protection, hang the A-frame so the openings aren’t facing the wind. If possible try to have at least opening next to a natural protection, such as a big bush which will block the wind from getting inside.

Instructions:

1. Hang your ridgeline about shoulder height.*
2. Put the tarp over the ridgeline. The midline of the tarp should be directly over the ridgeline.
3. Spread out the sides of the tarp so they are taut. You can adjust the height of the ridgeline is you want the tarp to be higher or wider.
4. Peg down the four corners of the tarp. Peg down the entire edge of the shelter for better weather protection.
5. Use a prusik knot to secure the tarp onto the ridgeline

Notes:

• A higher ridgeline will give you more headroom but will be narrower. A lower ridgeline will give you more width inside but less headroom.
• A 9×9 foot tarp hung at a 60 degree angle will give you a width of 4.5 feet and max headroom of 3.9 feet.
• It’s possible to use poles to hang the A-frame, but you’ll really need to stake them out. Even then, the roof will still sag – so it’s best to use a ridgeline for this tarp shelter.

Pros:

• Adjustable height and width
• Very fast and easy setup
• Weather protection on two sides

Cons:

• Somewhat claustrophobic inside

2. Lean-To Tarp Shelter

Also called a wind break shelter, the lean-to tarp setup is fast and easy. The downside is that it doesn’t protect against rain well. It’s also not great against wind, unless the wind doesn’t change direction. For this reason, the lean-to is only recommended for tarp camping in good weather or as a quick shelter setup for breaks.

Instructions:

1. Hang a ridgeline between two trees. Attach your tarp to the ridgeline. Alternatively, tie the top two corners of the tarp to the trees.
2. Peg out the bottom corners of the tarp.

Notes:

• You can also use poles to hang a lean-to shelter. In this case, first peg out the bottom two corners of the tarp. Then attach the top two corners to poles and stake them out.
• The “Envelope” pitch is a variation of the lean-to. Simply fold the tarp under itself to create a groundsheet before attaching it to the ridgeline.

Pros:

• Very fast and easy to pitch
• Possible with square or rectangular tarps
• Can pitch with ridgeline or poles
• Good headroom and interior space

Cons:

• Poor wind and rain protection

3. Wind Shed

Also called a fold-over wind shed, this tarp setup is a cross between a lean-to and an A-frame. Depending on the weather, you can set it up so the roof is flat (for more headroom and shade) or slanted (to repel rain). When the roof is slanted downwards (as in the drawing), the setup is called a “wind shield wedge.”

Instructions:

1. Hang a ridgeline.
2. Drape your tarp over the ridgeline so approximately 2/3 is hanging on the windward side and the other 1/3 is on the leeward side.
3. Extend the longer side of the tarp to make an angled wall. Secure the corners to the ground.
4. Using rope or poles, secure the corners of the shorter side to make a roof.

Notes:

You can pitch using poles instead of a ridgeline, but it’s somewhat tricky. You’ll need a lot of rope to stake out the poles to make it stable enough. Even then, the roof ends up sagging and doesn’t hold up well in high winds.

Pros:

• Good headroom
• Fast and easy setup
• Wind protection from one side
• Some rain protection

Cons:

• Requires a lot of rope
• Guylines are tripping hazard
• Difficult to pitch with poles instead of a ridgeline

4. C-Fly Tarp Setup

The C-fly tarp setup is the same as the wind shield setup. The difference is that, with the C-fly, you fold under part of the tarp to create a groundsheet. Because much of the tarp is used for the groundsheet, you won’t have as much interior space or headroom.

As with the wind shield setup, you can keep the roof flat (for more headroom and shade) or angle it downwards (for better rain protection). When the roof is slanted downwards, it’s called a “C-fly wedge.”

Instructions:

1. Hang a ridgeline about waist or shoulder height. A lower ridgeline will give you more weather protection but less headroom.
2. Fold the tarp under on line AB. This will be your groundsheet. It should be at least 2 feet wide for one person.
3. Drape the rest of the tarp over the ridgeline. AB should be on the windward side and CD should be on the leeward side.
4. Adjust the tarp so line CD is sitting on the ridgeline. The part hanging over the ridgeline (CDFE) will be your “roof”.
5. Pull corners A and B back to make an angled wall. Then stake them out.
6. Use rope or poles to secure points E and F to make a roof.
7. To make the shelter roof more taut, secure line CD to the ridgeline with a prusik knot.

Notes:

• To keep the wall and roof taut, secure points C and D to the ridgeline using a prusik knot.

Pros:

• Has groundsheet
• Adjustable height/interior space
• Decent weather protection

Cons:

• No weather protection on two sides
• Requires a lot of rope
• Can trip over guylines in the dark
• Difficult to pitch with poles instead of a ridgeline

5. Adirondack Wind Shed

This is one of my favorite tarp shelters. It offers very good weather protection while still giving you lots of interior space and headroom. One side is open, so you can have a fire in front of the shelter. Leave the “roof” up in good weather. If the weather gets bad, simply re-stake point D to pull the roof down.

The setup is also fairly flexible: you can experiment with folding the tarp at different places. Make the triangle folds bigger for more weather protection.

Instructions:

1. Hang a ridgeline about shoulder height.
2. Fold the tarp so triangle AEF is on the ground. The line EF should be on the windward side and point A on the leeward side.
3. Drape the tarp over your ridgeline. Line GH should be sitting on the ridgeline.
4. Pull EFHG back to create a wall. If you aren’t happy with the angle of the wall, adjust the height of your ridgeline.
5. Stake out points E and F
6. Pull point C inwards to create a side wall. Stake it down. Do the same with point B.
7. Using rope or a pole, stake out point D.
8. To make the shelter more taut, use a prusik knot to secure points D and G to the ridgeline.

Notes:

• If you want to use poles instead of a ridgeline with this setup, you’ll probably need a partner to help.
• Use fluorescent rope so you don’t trip over your guylines!

Pros:

• Good headroom and interior space
• Great wind protection
• Decent rain protection
• Has partial groundsheet

Cons:

• A somewhat difficult setup which requires practice to get right
• Uses a lot of rope
• Guylines are a tripping hazard

6. Body Bag Tarp Setup

Also called a tube tent, this is a simple tarp shelter. Because it is so small and uncomfortable, it’s really only for emergency situations. It is only closed on two sides. However, because the openings are so small, the tree trunks used for pitching will actually provide some weather protection. For even more protection, pitch next to a bush, boulder, or other natural protection.

Instructions:

1. Hang a ridgeline around thigh height.*
2. Fold the tarp along AB to create a groundsheet.
3. Drape the tarp over the ridgeline so CD is sitting on the ridgeline.
4. Adjust the position of the walls then stake out points A, B, E and F.

Notes:

• A 9×9 tarp will only give you a bit more than 2.5 feet of headroom at the highest point.
• I don’t recommend using poles for pitching the body bag setup. The roof will sag and there’s barely any headroom as is!

Pros:

• Good rain and wind protection from two sides
• Has groundsheet
• Quick and easy to set up

Cons:

• Open on two sides
• Claustrophobic inside
• No headroom and very little interior space
• Have to crawl inside

7. Shade Sail

The shade sail is also called the “hammock shelter” or the “diamond tarp.” Because it is pitched on the diagonal, you get more coverage. It’s popular for hammock camping and also as a sun shade for camp kitchens or even patios.

Note that the shade sail setup is not the same as the diamond fly. The diamond fly is also pitched on the diagonal, but one corner is staked to the ground. With the shade sail, both corners are elevated.

Instructions:

1. Hang a ridgeline.
2. Drape the tarp over the ridgeline. The diagonal midline should be on the ridgeline.
3. Use a prusik knot to secure the corners to the ridgeline.
4. Stake out the corners to create two angled walls. Keep the walls angled lower for more weather protection.

Notes:

• If you aren’t using a ridgeline, then just tie the diagonal corners to trees. Or attach to poles. However, the roof will sag a lot without a ridgeline.
• The guylines on this are serious tripping hazards. Use fluorescent rope!

Pros:

• Easy to pitch
• Lots of interior space
• Decent protection from rain and wind

Cons:

• Uses a lot of rope
• Guylines are tripping hazards
• Roof sags without ridgeline

8. Baker’s Wind Shed

The baker’s wind shed tarp setup uses a rectangular tarp. The tarp needs to be at least 10 feet on the long side if you want to sleep in it with your head towards the side walls. If your tarp is very large, you could also sleep with your head towards the back wall of the shelter.

I personally don’t like the baker’s wind shed setup very much. The Adirondack gives you more protection without sacrificing much space. However, the baker’s wind shed can be good when tarp camping with multiple people all sharing one big tarp.

Instructions:

1. Stake FG to the ground on the windward side.
2. Pull point A inward. Line AF should be at approximately 90 degrees with FG. Stake point A to the ground. Then the same with point D.
3. Attach points B and C to a ridgeline or poles.
4. Tuck corners E and H underneath the shelter to create a partial groundsheet. Alternatively, you can leave them outside the shelter.

Notes:

• Lines AB and CD are the height of the shelter when set up.
• An 8×16 foot tarp can be folded so line BC is 6 feet long. This will give you a max height of 5 feet and a depth of 9.4 feet.

Pros:

• Lots of interior space
• Protection on three sides

Cons:

• Need a long tarp
• Not lots of headroom

Tarp Setups with Diagonal Ridgelines

These tarp setups are good for when you only have one tree. You can also use a pole instead of a tree for many of these tarp setups. Unlike with the setups which use horizontal ridgelines, the roof won’t sag as much. Another benefit of these setups is that they don’t use a lot of rope.

You can get by with just 3 feet of rope for pitching some (though I recommend always bringing more just in case!). There is less interior space around the foot-end of the shelter, so the tarp will trap heat better. The drawback of this though is that they are claustrophic and you may need to crawl in feet-first.

9. Bivvy Bag Tarp Shelter

Also called the “cornet”, the bivvy bag tarp shelter is incredibly cramped (hence the name). However, it’s also one of the best tarp shelters for bad weather. You can pitch the bivvy bag on one tree or with a single pole. Unlike other tarp shelters which use poles, this one is actually easy to set up.

Ultralight backpackers will also love that the bivvy bag shelter requires just one guyline, so you save weight on rope.

What size tarp for a bivvy bag shelter?

You will probably want a 10×10 foot tarp for the bivvy bag shelter. The smallest size you can get away with is an 8×8 foot tarp. This will give you a shelter with an entranceway 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide and a length of 11 feet. But note that the groundsheet starts between CE (not at point D!). So, with an 8×8 tarp, the groundsheet length is only about 7 feet long. Because the end is so cramped, there’s actually barely enough room for a 6 foot tall person. You only get 3 feet of headroom at the place where the groundsheet starts and it gets narrow quickly.

Instructions:

1. Fold the tarp in half on the diagonal line AD
2. While holding the tarp upwards from point D, tuck sides AF and AB underneath so they are slightly overlapping each other. This will prevent the groundsheet part of the tarp from touching wet or muddy ground.
3. Stake point A to the ground.
4. Secure point D to a tree or pole.
5. Adjust the walls and then stake out points E and C.

Notes:

• The bivvy bag shelter is sometimes incorrectly called the
• Because of the shape, this tarp shelter is not good for two people.

Pros:

• Good weather protection
• Has groundsheet
• Uses almost no rope
• Can pitch with one tree or pole
• Traps body heat

Cons:

• Very claustrophobic inside
• No headroom
• Have to crawl inside feet first

10. Hunchback Bivvy Bag

The hunchback tarp shelter is a variation of the bivvy bag setup. It uses a pole to support the roof above the groundsheet. This allows you to angle point D downwards to create a “beak,” which means that the shelter roof blocks rain better.

Instructions:

1. Fold the tarp in half on the diagonal line AD
2. While holding the tarp upwards from point D, tuck sides AF and AB underneath so they are slightly overlapping each other. This will prevent the groundsheet part of the tarp from touching wet or muddy ground.
3. Stake point A to the ground.
4. Put a pole upright at point G
5. Secure point D to the ground
6. Adjust the walls and then stake out points E and C.

Notes:

• This tarp setup doesn’t need a ridgeline or trees at all, but I included it in this section so you can see how it differs from the classic bivvy bag setup.
• You can also set it up without a pole. In this case, you’ll create a tie-out point at point G and use guylines to attach it to a tree. Then you’ll tie the guyline at point D to the ground.

Pros:

• Great weather protection
• Has groundsheet
• Uses almost no rope
• Can pitch with one tree or pole
• Traps body heat

Cons:

• Very claustrophobic inside
• No headroom
• Have to crawl inside feet first
• Requires a pole
• Can easily knock pole over

11. Plow Point

Also called the plough point, flying V or diamond fly, this is another easy tarp shelter. You don’t need to use a ridgeline at all – just tie it directly to a tree. However, the plow point does have a tendency to sag if you don’t use a ridgeline.

Instructions:

1. Secure one corner of the tarp down on the windward side.
2. Tie the opposite corner to a tree or secure it to a pole.
3. Spread out the sides and secure down the remaining corners.

Notes:

• Tying the tarp higher will give you more headroom but less interior space and weather protection.

Pros:

• Very easy to pitch
• Uses very little rope
• Only needs one tree or pole
• Adjustable height and interior space
• Lots of room for gear storage

Cons:

• Hard to get sides taut without ridgeline
• No protection on one side

12. Half Pyramid Free End

I personally don’t like this tarp shelter setup very much. IMO, the A-frame closed end or diamond fly give better coverage while providing more interior space. The bit of groundsheet you get with the half pyramid isn’t enough to justify the lost interior space.

However, the half pyramid can be very useful when combined with other tarp setups. For example, you can use it to make a vestibule or close off the entrance of another setup. Or you can put two half pyramids together to make a fully-enclosed tent.

Instructions:

1. Fold point A under the tarp. Stake down points E and F.
2. Secure point D to a tree or pole.
3. Pull in point B to create a wall. Depending on the angle of the roof, you may need to fold under some of the tarp. Stake down the corner. Do the same with point C.

Pros:

• Lots of headroom
• Easy setup
• Can be used with other setups
• Decent weather protection

Cons:

• Only partial groundsheet
• Not much interior space

13. Forester

The forester is a more difficult tarp shelter to pitch. It doesn’t work well with tarps made from more rigid materials (like painter’s dropcloth). You are better off using silnylon or canvas. Once you master this pitch though, it’s incredibly useful. You get excellent weather protection without sacrificing usable space.

Instructions:

1. Stake down corner A on the windward side.
2. Fold point D downwards to create point G.
3. Support point G with a pole. It helps to have a partner hold it up for you while doing the next steps.
4. Pull point C forward to create wall ACG. Stake point C down.
5. Pull point B forward to create wall ABC. Stake point B down.
6. Spread out triangles CGE and BGF to make door flaps.
7. You’ll have a bit of extra tarp material hanging inside the shelter. You can use a clip to hold it out of the way.

Tip: If you are going to use this pitch frequently, I suggest making a little mark on your tarp where the pole should go. Also note the height of the pole. This will make it faster and easier to set up.

Pros:

• Excellent weather protection
• Doesn’t require trees
• Uses very little rope
• Lots of interior space and decent headroom

Cons:

• Difficult to pitch, especially alone
• Requires pole

14. Bunker Half Cone Fly

The bunker half cone fly is similar to the plow point in that both are pitched on the diagonal. The difference is that the bunker setup uses two additional guylines to pull out the sides of the tent. This creates a V-shaped roof and two almost vertical walls.

While the configuration means you get slightly less interior space, you get much more headroom. This makes the bunker suitable for multiple people and much more comfortable for multi-night stays. It’s also better for larger tarps because the additional guylines prevent the walls from sagging.

Despite looking easy, the bunker half cone fly is actually a bit tricky to set up. You’ll need a good tarp too since the guylines put a lot of strain on the sides and they can easily tear.

Instructions:

1. Stake point A to the ground on the windward side.
2. Tie point D to a tree or a pole on the leeward side. Alternatively, you can run a ridgeline from point A to a tree and connect point D to it. This will help prevent the roof from sagging.
3. Pull out point B and stake it to the ground. Do the same with point F.
4. Attach a guyline to point C. Pull it outwards and secure it to the ground. Do the same with point E.
5. If windy, stake down the edges on AB and AF

Pros:

• Good weather protection
• Lots of headroom in the front
• Large entryway

Cons:

• More difficult pitch
• Roof sags without ridgeline
• Requires two additional guylines

Tarp Shelters which Use Poles (No Trees Required)

These tarp shelters are a bit more tricky to set up because you’ll need to stake out the poles to keep them upright (which takes some practice). If you have a very large tarp, then you’ll need a long pole – which may require you lashing two poles together. But, these tarp shelters are good to know in case you can’t find a suitable tree for pitching against. They are also great tarp shelters for ultralight backpackers because you don’t need to bring much rope with some setups.

Note that there are also many UL tents which use trekking poles instead of normal tent poles. See the best trekking pole tents here.

15. Holden Tent

Also called the “A-frame closed end” shelter, the holden setup is one of the best tarp shelters for ultralight backpacking, especially with two people. It is very fast to pitch and doesn’t require any trees.

For a tarp shelter with three walls, there is actually a lot of interior space inside and decent headroom. Since the shelter is open on one side, it doesn’t feel claustrophic either.

My main complaint with the holden tent shelter is that you have to lay the tarp flat on the ground. This means that, if the ground is muddy, the underside of the tent completely dirty. Thus, for muddy weather, you are better off with a shelter like the plow point.

Instructions:

1. Lay the tarp flat on the ground.
2. Stake out points A, B and C.
3. Put a pole under the tarp at point E. You’ll need to angle it slightly forward.
4. Pull point D forward to create a wall then stake it down. Do the same with point F. You might need to have a partner hold the pole upright while doing this.
5. Secure the pole in position with a guyline.

Notes:

• Depending on where you stake down the walls, you will end up with either a square or triangular interior.

Pros:

• Good interior space
• Decent headroom
• Weather protection from three sides

Cons:

• Can accidentally knock over the pole when getting in/out
• Takes practice to pitch by yourself

16. Dining Fly

The dining fly is one of the most important tarp shelters to know for car camping. As the name suggests, it is great for creating a covered area for cooking and eating. It might take a few tries to figure out the optimal height and roof angle (and thus the right pole length and guyline position). But, once you figure this out, the dining fly is actually pretty simple to set up.

Instructions:

1. Lay the tarp flat on the ground where you want your shelter to be.
2. Attach guylines (about 4-6 feet long each) to all four corners of the tarp.
3. Stake out all of the guylines. They should be approximately 5 feet away from the corners of the tarp and set at a 45 degree angle from the corners.
4. Find two very long poles. If you can’t find poles long enough, you can join two poles together using round lashings.
5. Using half hitches, tie long guylines to the top of each pole.
6. Push the first pole underneath the tarp so it’s at middle edge. It helps to have someone hold this pole in place while you do the next steps.
7. Push the second pole underneath the tarp. Now the roof of the dining fly should be completely raised.
8. Stake out the guylines on the poles.
9. Adjust the guylines on the corners so the tarp is very taut.

Pros:

• Excellent headroom
• Lots of interior space

Cons:

• Uses two very long poles and a lot of rope
• Takes practice to set up, even with help
• Rain and wind enter from sides when pitched high
• Underside of tarp gets dirty when ground is muddy or wet

17. Toque Tent

The toque tarp tent is quite different from the other setups. Instead of having the pole in the front of the shelter, the pole is set in the back. This means you end up with more headroom in the back (but a really low entranceway). Two guylines pull on the entranceway to create an awning. This awning does a great job of repelling water away from the shelter. However, the toque tent isn’t very stable in heavy winds.

Instructions:

1. Fold the tarp so points A and B are together. Stake them to the ground together on the windward side. This is now called “point AB.”
2. Put a pole under point G. The bottom of the pole should sit on point AB. This will make sides AG and BG stand straight up.
3. Pull out point C to create triangular wall AGC. Stake down point C. Do the same with point F.
4. Attach guylines to points D and E. Pull them outwards and stake them down. This will create a low awning.

Pros:

• Pole at back instead of blocking entryway
• Good rain protection

Cons:

• Weird interior space
• Not very sturdy in high winds

18. Tarp Tent

The tarp tent configuration can be a bit confusing at first. But, it’s actually not that difficult to set up. It’s a favorite tarp shelter for ultralight backpacking.

Instructions:

1. Lay tarp flat on the ground.
2. Stake out points A and B.
3. Now stake out points C and D, making sure that folds AD and BC are nice and tight.
4. Tuck corner F underneath fold AD. Then tuck corner E underneath fold BC.
5. Point H is on the ground. Pull tarp corner G there and stake it in place.
6. Point J is also on the ground. Pull tarp corner I there and stake it down.
7. Put a pole underneath the tarp so it stands up at point K. Put a cloth over the top of the pole so it doesn’t tear a hole in your tarp.
8. You’ll have a flap of tarp hanging in the entryway to the shelter.
9. Attach guylines to the midway points on the flap (points L and M). Pull the guylines back and secure them to the ground along the walls of the shelter.
10. Run a guyline from point N to the ground directly in front of the shelter.

Pros:

• Excellent weather protection
• Decent interior space

Cons:

• Underside of tarp gets dirty if setting up on wet or muddy ground
• Slightly more difficult to learn
• Pole can get knocked over

Other Tarp Shelter Setups

Once you learn the basic tarp shelter setups, you will be able to experiment with variations to meet your needs — such as staking out an extra side to get more interior space or adjusting the position of the ceiling to block rain. Here are some examples.

19. Modified A-Frame

One wall of the tarp has been pulled outwards in the middle to get more interior space, but the sides are down for weather protection.

20. Kayak Pitch

This is essential an A-frame tarp setup with one side more slanted down than the other. Instead of poles, kayak paddles are used.

21. Large Bunker

This tarp setup a lot like the bunker half cone. However, there are extra guylines on the sides. This helps pull out the walls to keep them from sagging and to give you more interior space.

22. UL Tarp Setup

Pitching low to the ground means you get weather protection even from a tiny, ultralight tarp. The head area is staked a bit higher so it isn’t as claustrophic inside.

23. Wind Shed Variation

One walls slants and the other has a partial wedge to make use of the space and tree positions.

24. Wind Shed Variation 2

25. Half Tetra Wedge Cover

This is a flying half tetra wedge setup. The roof is angled downwards, which is great for directing water off the tarp in rainy weather.

26. Homemade Tarp

Here’s a very small, UL tarp made by Bob Cartwright of The Outdoor Station.

27. Umbrella

Here’s a way to set up a tarp so it makes an umbrella shape.

Image credits: “Pyramid and Tarps” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Umnak “Finland_Canoeing_01” (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0) by jjay69, “Kitchen Tarp” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Umnak “Bob and Tarp” (CC BY-NC 2.0) by Andy Howell “Our Tarp at Petroglyph” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Umnak “Tarp camp shelter” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Umnak “Sheep Camp Tarp” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Umnak “Inner Point Camp” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Umnak “Sarah’s tarp” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Umnak “Tarp Camp on Deer Island, Ernest Sound,” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Umnak “Tarp Camp, Inner Pt” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Umnak

Cane pole fishing might seem primitive compared to other types of rod fishing, but you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how fun and exciting it is, even if it is reel-free. But how do you get started on this fishing method that dates back generations?

We’ll walk you through everything you need to know about cane pole fishing, including how to make one!

What Is a Cane Pole?

Before buying your supplies for a DIY cane pole for fishing, you need to know what a cane pole is. Don’t worry, though. It is not as complex as you think it is.

A cane pole is a long stick that usually has a 1″-1-1/2″ butt diameter and is between 8-foot-20-foot in length. Some are made from bamboo, while others are graphite or fiberglass. Unlike modern fishing rods, a cane pole doesn’t have a reel, drag system, and line guide. As a matter of fact, you will be using a line as long as the pole itself, if not a tad longer. The hook is at the end of the line, wherein you can use live or artificial baits.

What Are the Different Types of Cane Poles?

Bamboo fishing rods and poles are the most popular. However, there are other types of cane poles that you can use.

Telescopic Cane Poles

Telescopic poles are made from graphite or fiberglass instead of treated bamboo. This choice of material makes them more lightweight. Since they are collapsible, often shrinking half of their length, they are more compact for camping trips and air travel.

For convenience, many fiberglass telescopic poles also have add-ons like a metal eye tip and line keeper. Length can also vary too, ranging from 8-foot to 20-foot.

Calcutta Poles

Calcutta cane poles are made from solid bamboo, specifically the Calcutta Bamboo (Dendrocalamus Strictus) species. They are highly prized in the fishing community because of their strength and flexibility, which many argue is 100% better than fiberglass. A high-quality Calcutta Bamboo pole is also resistant to rot from saltwater.

These poles are available in various lengths, although most are between four and twenty-five feet long.

Pro Tip: The longevity of bamboo poles is determined by how well they are cared for.

Jigger Poles

Jigger poles are typically 15 to 20 feet long and can also be telescopic. They’re adaptable and great for fishing in places where traditional casting is tricky. Jigger poles can be bamboo, fiberglass, or graphite, among other materials. They’re strung with a short leader attached to the pole’s end and a plastic or wooden plug at the other end.

How to Rig a Cane Pole?

Rigging a cane pole is easier because there is no reel to deal with. However, it’s best first to secure your line lower down the pole’s body. This way, if the tip breaks under pressure, you won’t lose your line or fish.

Rigging a Bamboo Cane Pole

1. Tie a piece of dacron or monofilament to the center of your pole, just below a notch.
2. Twist the line to the tip of your bamboo pole by rotating the pole.
3. Do a half hitch and secure the line in the slit you made in the tip when you get to the top.
4. Make sure you have enough monofilament to reach the pole’s handle.
5. At the end of the line, add a swivel or a hook. If you want to adjust the depth of the hook, add a bobber and any split shot you want.
6. You can now put your bait to the test.

Rigging a Telescopic Cane Pole

Rigging a telescopic pole is as easy as stringing a bamboo rod. As a matter of fact, the procedure is nearly identical, except that there is a decreased danger of the tip breaking under stress.

How to Fish With a Cane Pole

Cane pole fishing is pretty simple, but since it doesn’t have any reel and your line is limited, it can be challenging at first. Here’s how you can master cane pole fishing.

1. Lower your line into the water by gradually dipping the rod below and slowly raising it.
2. Avoid moving it around too quickly or forcefully.
3. Once you’ve hooked a fish, raise the pole above your head. This will bring the fish closer to the banks or boak.
4. Then grab the fish, either by hand or net and remove the hook.

Cane Pole Fishing Techniques and Tips

You can use cane fishing poles to catch small to medium-sized fish, including bluegills, crappies, and catfish. If you target a larger fish like a Northern Pike, we suggest using a conventional fishing rod.

• Bass: If you want to catch bass, make sure you use a bait that can function in cover. The bait should also look as natural as possible to the bass.
• Trout: Use a tiny fly as bait and travel upstream to the stream’s or pool’s mouth. This approach entails carefully dangling the fly 2 or 3 inches over the water’s surface and occasionally touching it, just like a natural fly would.

• Bluegill & Crappie: While crappie and bluegill are generally easy to catch, a cane fishing pole allows you to get your bait into hard-to-reach areas near dense cover.

• Catfish: Use a slightly heavier line and anchor your line closer to the base of the pole because the weight of this fish can put a strain on your pole and potentially cause it to crack.

How to Make a Cane Fishing Pole?

You don’t need a sophisticated rod to catch fish at your nearby lake. The following is a step-by-step guide to making your cane fishing pole:

1. Find a 10-foot to 20-foot long piece of bamboo. Choose one that is straight as much as possible.
2. Cut the bamboo stalk below the knuckle closest to the ground, near the root.
3. Remove any attached leaves, but be careful not to cut into the stalk itself.
4. Cut the tip of the stalk just above the last knuckle.
5. Allow the stalk to cure for a few weeks by hanging it in a dry location until it turns a solid tan hue. This ensures that the bamboo has dried thoroughly and will endure as long as feasible.
6. Sand the base and the rest of the pole.
7. Apply a coat or two of wood lacquer.
8. Set up your fishing cane and get started.

Cane Pole Fishing FAQ

What Are the Best Baits for Cane Poles?

When using a cane rod or pole to catch fish, the most common species are bluegill and tiny catfish. When going after catfish, you’ll use a variety of baits, including earthworms, crickets, mealworms, and a minnow-shaped plug that floats.

How Long Should a Cane Pole Line Be

The rope’s length should be enough to extend from the pole’s tip to the bottom. This ensures that even if the pole’s very thin tip broke, you could still land a bigger fish.

How to Cure a Cane Pole for Fishing?

You can cure a cane pole for fishing by laying the bamboo on a flat surface. It can take several weeks to months before it completely cures. You will know that the pole is cured if its color changes from green to brown. Never put bamboo poles under direct sunlight because they will crack.

Back to Basics

Cane pole fishing offers you the opportunity to go back to the basics of fishing! It may seem primitive and outdated, but the joy of catching a fish without using any modern fishing gear is exhilarating! Plus, it is a terrific method to learn to fish without spending a lot of money.

It’s a game changer! The innovative new Benjamin Pioneer AirbowTM ushers in a new era in big game hunting, creating a whole new category of weapon that’s safer than a crossbow, easier than a compound bow, and just as simple to use as an air rifle. Based on Benjamin®’s proven Pre-charged Pneumatic (PCP) system, the Pioneer can be cocked with just two fingers, and de-cocked just as easily. It’s easy to handle, remarkably accurate and delivers wicked-fast 450 FPS velocity and 160-ft.-lbs. of wallop that can take down big game, predators, hogs and more.

Power and accuracy. You can feel it in the air.

Driven by 3,000 psi of compressed air, the Benjamin Airbow shoots up to 450 F.P.S. with 160 ft.-lbs. of energy for devastating effect on any size game. Plus, the unique design of the Airbow propels the arrows form the front of the weapon, rather than the rear, which means no archer’s paradox or canting effect. 2″ groups at 50 yards are easily achievable. In addition, arrows fired from the Airbow stabilize quickly while in flight, providing an expanded kill range for any game animal.

Easier to cock and de-cock.

The Benjamin Airbow is easily operated by an ambidextrous cocking bolt that takes little effort to cock and de-cock… just 2-lb. of cocking force. That means almost anyone, regardless of size or strength, can handle this weapon. And, with no cocking rope to lose or tangle, the Airbow is especially safe for treestand use.

CHARGE IT. COCK IT. FIRE IT. UP TO 8 TIMES.

Unlike crossbows which require re-cocking after every shot, the Benjamin Airbow can fire 8 shots on a single pneumatic charge in the same amount of time it takes to fire 3 shots from a crossbow. Plus, the Pioneer fires full-length arrows with full-weight broadheads and requires very little maintenance, all of which give it a clear advantage over crossbows. Benjamin offers a High Pressure Hand Pump (item 660427 ) and 4,500 psi Charging System (item 660428) as filling solutions.

DRAW A BEAD WITH SPECIALLY DESIGNED OPTICS.

For deadly accuracy, the Benjamin Airbow includes a CenterPoint® 6×40 mm scope that was specially designed with the Airbow in mind. The adjustable objective provides parallax settings from 5 yards out and the custom MTAG reticle provides aiming points out to 75 yards. A canted Picatinny base provides 20 MOA of additional adjustment.

• Powered by 3,000 psi of compressed air
• Integrated pressure regulator delivers 8 consistent shots at 450 FPS
• Ambidextrous top cocking bolt is simple to operate
• Delivers a game-stopping 160 ft.-lbs. of energy with 375-gr. arrows @ 450 FPS
• Bullpup configuration is just 33.5″ in length, making it easier to handle, pack and store
• Includes 3 custom 375 grain arrows with 100 grain field tips, hand-fletched helical vanes with unique spine alignment and nano ceramic Victory ICETM coating for increased speed, greater penetration and easier retrieval
• Picatinny rail system for mounting accessories
• Also includes 6x40mm Scope, Sling and Quiver
• Length: 33.5 inches
• Weight: 7 lbs.

Be among the first to experience an exciting new way to hunt! Order yours today!

Key Specifications

• Item Number: 665642
• Stock: Synthetic
• Power Plant: Benjamin® PCP
• Velocity: Up to 450 FPS
• Energy: 160-ft.-lbs.
• Overall Length: 33.5″
• Overall Weight: 7 lbs.
• Scope: 6x40mm
• Special Features: includes 3 custom 375 grain arrows with 100 grain field tips, Sling, and Quiver

No Returns on discounted items – feel free to call us for information on accessories and regulations 205-664-3431

There are big bull elk. Then there are really big, world-record-class bull elk. The Pope and Young Club awards North America’s finest archery-killed wapiti by size in two categories: typical or symmetrical antlers and non-typical or unsymmetrical horns. The minimum score for a typical elk to qualify for the club is 260 inches.

Arizona claims seven of the top 10 Pope and Young typical world record bull elk records. Six of the seven largest archery-killed elk in the world were taken in Coconino County alone. Other P&Y records, including non-typicals, have come out of Greenlee, Navajo, and Graham Counties.

Coconino County accounts for approximately 20% of Arizona’s hunting opportunities. It’s the largest county in the state, with some 95% of the acreage open to the public as United States Forest Service land.

Why are there so many P&Y archery records from that area? First, Arizona has a warm climate, excellent habitat, tightly managed hunting, and a Goldilocks elk population: not too big or too small.

Second, the hunting seasons favor archery, big time. Early archery season covers most of the rut in Arizona, October is closed completely, and then late archery opens in November for another two weeks. Other western states like Montana, Idaho, New Mexico, and Colorado follow the same archery-preferred early seasons.

Third, getting drawn for an Arizona elk tag is about as likely as marrying for love then later finding out there’s money, too.

Let’s take a look at the top five typical archery killed world record American bull elk:

Related: So you Want to Shoot an Archery World Record?

No. 5 – The William Wright Bull

Score: 404”Location: Coconino County, ArizonaDate Taken: 9/15/1992Hunter: William Wright

Think back to 1992, when we striped our faces with black, brown, and green greasepaint, shot long arrows with Wasp Cam-Lok broadheads, and wore Treebark camo and boonie hats. That was the feel of bowhunting the year William Wright shot this impressive bull in Coconino County, Arizona.

Wright’s 404-inch bull is one of six record-setting archery bulls in the top 10 from that county. There’s no information on the story behind his elk — we just know it was the No. 1 bull in the world for eight years until Chuck Adams dropped a giant in Rosebud County, Montana.

Related: Speaking Elk: The 3 Elk Calls You Need to Hunt and Kill Big Bulls

No. 4 – The Chuck Adams Bull

Score: 409 2/8”Location: Rosebud County, MontanaDate Taken: 9/16/2000Hunter: Chuck Adams

With 200 Pope & Young record-class animals to his name, Chuck Adams is a bowhunting legend for good reason. Adams was the first to kill every North American P&Y big game species with a bow and arrow. The feat became known as the Super Slam, a term Adams coined after filling all 27 tags.

In 200, Adams was shooting Easton Full Metal Jacket arrows with a Hoyt bow when he arrowed his 409 2/8-inch bull in Rosebud County, Montana; and his legend went to another level. After unseating the Wright Bull, Adams’ bull held the No. 1 spot in the record books for six years. This special animal was also the 200th elk of his career.

Related: How to Speak Elk, Lesson 2: Understanding Every Funky Sound

No. 3 – The Jed Reidhead Bull

Score: 410 6/8”Location: Greenlee County, ArizonaDate Taken: 9/3/2013Hunter: Jed Reidhead

Jed Reidhead sits in the No. 3 spot in the record books with his 410 6/8-inch bull, killed in 2013. Reidhead connected with this bruiser in Greenlee County, Arizona. Located southeast of Coconino County and separated by Navajo and Apache Counties, Greenlee is a game-rich area with antelope, black bear, Merriam’s turkey, mountain lion, mule deer, bison, whitetail deer, and waterfowl. Days after notching his tag, Reidhead helped put a friend on a 370-class bull.

Related: Bowhunting Elk: 7 Last-Minute Efforts the Can Improve Your Chances

No. 2 – The Shaun Patterson Bull

Score: 412 1/8”Location: Coconino County, ArizonaDate Taken: 9/16/2005Hunter: Shaun Patterson

Another Coconino County bruiser erased Chuck Adams’ record in 2005 when Shaun Patterson, former Arizona State University and Green Bay Packers defensive lineman, shot this massive 8 x 8 typical bull. It was almost a record that didn’t happen.

Patterson said in an interview that he and his guides crawled to within 100 yards of this giant and started bugling. As the bull made his way toward them, a raghorn came out of the trees at 10 yards and busted them. Every elk vacated the premises. Relocating the bull and stalking back into range this time, Patterson made a solid shot, and the bull went down within 100 yards of where he was arrowed. The impressive animal taped out at 412 1/8 inches and earned Pope and Young glory. Today, this previous world record stands at No. 2.

Related: Elk Hunting on Public Land: How to Build a 3-Year Strategy for a New Area

No. 1 – The Steve Felix Bull

Score: 430 0/8″Location: Powder River, MontanaDate Taken: 9/10/2016Hunter: Stephan Felix

On a beautiful Montana morning in September 2016, 100 yards stood between Steve Felix and a jaw-dropping bull. The gold standard of elk — the pinnacle of the world’s finest typical archery bulls — took his sweet time bugling and feeding his way down a basin toward Felix. With a skinny, ragged-out tree marking the outside of his range, Felix waited an eternity before the giant finally followed a 310-class bull into Felix’s reach.

A well-placed 60-yard shot just behind the shoulder of this massive 430 0/8” bull (official score) was all it took. After a half-hour wait, he found the elk not far from where he’d shot it, and the rest is world-record elk history.

Read Next: How to Score a Bull Elk

It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about 200-pound alligator gar in a Texas reservoir, a 3-foot longnose in a Minnesota river, or a 5-pound shortnose in an Arkansas slough-they’re all first-class sportfish. They’re all willing biters, too, often revealing their location during summer by rolling on the surface to gulp air. They’re also powerful fighters who will launch their muscular armor-plated body into the air when hooked. The problem with gar is their tooth-filled mouth and habit of running long distances with a bait before swallowing it. This makes them difficult to hook and land with traditional rigs. But a handful of modified rigs will catch any species of gar wherever they swim.

Hooks

Gar lack any appreciable amount of flesh in their mouth, making hookups with large single hooks difficult. Small sharp treble hooks penetrate faster and the additional hook points increase your chance of a good set. Lip hook a baitfish with a #6 to #2 treble hook on a set or float rig. Gar often grab the bait sideways and slowly swim off. Wait until the fish stops and starts to swallow the bait. When he starts to run again, set the hook firmly. Quick-strike rigs and lures with multiple treble hooks increase your chance of a hookup without risking injury caused by swallowed hooks.

Snares

Wire snares like those used to catch rabbits may be the most effective gar rig of all. Make a snare by wrapping one end of a 2-foot piece of stainless steel wire around a heavy barrel swivel. Run the free end of the wire through the back of a lively baitfish, just below the dorsal fin. Swing the free end back toward the swivel and form a loose loop that slides easily on the leader. Tie your main line to the swivel and cast the rig onto a shallow flat. When a gar grabs the bait, a firm pull will tighten the snare around its beak.

Ropes

Versatile lures and flies also can be fashioned from strands of frayed nylon rope. Cut a 3- to 6-inch piece of 3/8-inch nylon rope, and thread it onto the shank of a hook, jighead, or spinnerbait as you would a plastic worm. Use a flame to fuse the rope to the hook shank, then wrap over the melted rope with strong thread or braided line. Cover the thread wraps with a couple coats of epoxy to increase the lure’s durability. Unravel the nylon strands the the base of the head, and you’re ready to fish. When a gar strikes, the lure becomes tangled in its teeth and around its snout.

Jugs

Jugs, or pop-ups as they’re called in the south, are similar to the juglines used by catfishermen. They consist of a 4-foot section of PVC pipe or a sturdy branch tied to 2-liter soda bottle. One end of a 2-foot wire leader is attached to the branch, the other to a large study hook baited with livebait or cutbait. Fleets of jugs are drifted across shallow flats at night. When a fish begins its second run, indicating it has swallowed the bait, the angler grabs the limb and attempts to haul the fish aboard.

Hornady has an incredible track record with cartridges over the last 20 years: 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 300 PRC, 17HMR. The list goes on. In fact, I’d guess that 60% of the new hunting rifles in most gun stores today are chambered in a cartridge designed by Hornady.

The 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge is a long-action centerfire rifle cartridge designed to shoot 180 grain bullets at 2,950 fps. It is intended for long-range shooting due to its ability to utilize high BC bullets, and is also uniquely suited for hunting large animals such as elk.

Pros and Cons of the 7mm PRC

Comparing 7mm PRC to Similar Cartridges

The 7mm PRC is similar to a 7mm Rem Mag, but it can shoot heavier bullets with higher BC’s, has no belt which causes problems for reloaders, and slightly less case capacity so longer barrels are not necessary. Think of it as a modernized 7mm Rem Mag.

The Precision Rifle Cartridge line is now broad enough that for many hunting uses, shooters will have a tough time deciding between the 6.5 PRC, 7 PRC, and 300 PRC.

As you can see from the above table, the 7mm PRC is most similar to the Gunwerks 7 LRM. In fact, Aaron Davidson, CEO of Gunwerks, jokingly said that the new 7PRC is the 7LRM. Obviously, there are many technical differences between the two, but they do fill a nearly identical hole in the market.

Personally, I have said for a long time on the Youtube channel that my ideal hunting cartridge would be a 7mm shooting 180 grains at 3,000 fps. That’s exactly what the 7PRC is, but it is by no means the only cartridge that offers those specs.

My prediction? The 7mm PRC will beat the following cartridges in sales over the next 20 years: 280AI, Gunwerks LRM, and the 7mm Rem Mag. Personally, I like all three of those cartridges for different reasons, but I think this new cartridge will become so popular over the next few years that those cartridges will quickly fade in the rearview mirror. Obviously, the 7mm Rem Mag isn’t going to just vanish in the next 10 years. It’s an incredibly popular cartridge, but over time, I expect the 7 PRC to overtake it.

The following table compares the 7 PRC to several other cartridges using Hornady’s Precision Hunter line of ammunition.

Recoil

The recoil of the 7mm PRC produces 27.7 ft-lbs of energy at a recoil velocity of 14.1 fps. That is more recoil than a .30-06 but less than a .300 Win Mag. It is on the upper end of what most large adult shooters can comfortably tolerate.

When I first shot the 7 PRC in a lightweight rifle, I was surprised by the stout recoil; however, adding a muzzle brake or a suppressor tames the rifle dramatically. I shot a coyote yesterday with the 7 PRC and had no problem seeing the bullet impact the coyote and the aftermath without losing my view of the target in the scope due to recoil.

7 PRC Cartridge Design

Before SAAMI drawings of the 7 PRC were released, I fully expected the 7 PRC to follow the industry-wide trend of overbore hot-rod cartridges. I thought for certain it would have more powder capacity than a 7 Mag so Hornady could advertise the new cartridge “beating” the old standard.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the cartridge is quite mild. The 7 PRC has very slightly less case capacity than the 7mm Remington Magnum, but also has a twist rate and neck length capable of shooting much heavier bullets than are common in a 7 Mag.

Bullet Weights

The 7 PRC is designed around the 180-grain ELD-Match bullet; however, some people will certainly point to the fact that the 7mm Rem Mag has been able to shoot 180-grain bullets for many decades. The specified twist rate for each cartridge dramatically impacts the ability for a firearm to spin a bullet fast enough to stabilize a long bullet in flight.

Shooters will gravitate toward heavy-for-caliber high-BC bullets in the 7mm PRC. I have a table showing the highest BC 7mm bullets, but here are a few bullets likely to be popular in the 7mm PRC:

• 175gr Hornady ELD-X
• 160gr Hornady CX
• 180gr Hornady ELD-M
• 195gr Berger EOL
• 183gr Sierra MatchKing
• 180gr Berger VLD Target
• 180gr Berger VLD Hunting
• 175gr Berger Elite Hunter
• 175gr Nosler Accubond

Below are the specified twist rates for many similar cartridges to the 7 PRC. A faster twist in the rifling of a barrel allows the bullet to spin more quickly to stabilize longer (and consequently heavier) bullets.

Converting Your Rifle to a 7 PRC

Backfire was the first publication to put together a 7 PRC as soon as the SAAMI specs for the cartridge were released. Building a rifle with no reloading data and no established manufacturing was a challenge, but now you can easily get a rifle rebarreled for 7 PRC.

I highly recommend Preferred Barrel Blanks for this job. I had them make me a short 20″ carbon fiber-wrapped barrel chambered in 7 PRC. I’m getting impressive velocities despite the short length, and the accuracy has been insanely good-one of the most accurate rifles I’ve ever shot.

Be cautious when rebarreling a rifle into any of the “PRC” cartridges. Due to the extremely tight tolerances of these cartridges, I’ve seen MANY manufacturers struggle with delivering barrels that spike pressures or have brass that doesn’t fit right. The #1 reason I recommend Preferred Barrel Blanks is because they’ve sorted through those issues and can deliver problem-free prefit barrels.

The cool thing is that Preferred Barrel Blanks does prefits for just about any action you already have. You can get a new barrel for your Ruger American, Tikka, Bergara, Savage, etc. Or, you can of course use a custom action like a Terminus, Defiance, etc. As long as it’s a standard long-action, you should be just fine putting a 7 PRC barrel on it.

If you’re new to this, just call Preferred Barrel Blanks at (435) 635-6900 and tell them you read about them on Backfire and you want a 20″ carbon fiber-wrapped prefit barrel like the one they made for me. When it gets mailed to you, you screw it on and you have a 7 PRC! Simple as that. Below is a picture of the 7 PRC that Preferred Barrel Blanks built for me (Note: I also bought a MDT HNT26 chassis from them, which they had in stock).

Factory Rifles Offered in 7 PRC

I have a complete article on the best rifles available now in 7mm PRC.

As soon as the cartridge was officially announced, Hornady announced many rifle makers that will be producing factory offerings for the 7 PRC.

I was somewhat surprised by the list of firearms manufacturers who are not yet jumping on board with the 7 PRC. Tikka, Browning, and Bergara are conspicuously missing from the list and yet they all chamber for the 6.5 PRC.

Since this new cartridge has been announced, I’ve talked with my contacts at many of the major rifle manufacturers and have been surprised by how many of them are extremely frustrated with working on PRC chamberings in their rifles. There have been many changes to the reamer specs of the other PRC cartridges, and the tight tolerances make manufacturing difficult.

Reloading for the 7 PRC

I’ve done a significant amount of handloading and reloading for the 7 PRC over the last few months. Using dies from Whidden, I got to work.

Initially, I expected H1000 or Retumbo to be the best powders for the 7 PRC since they are fan favorites of the 7 Mag. I quickly saw that the 4 fewer grains of case capacity in the 7 PRC made these powders not ideal. So far, my favorite powder for reloading the 7 PRC is H4831SC using standard large rifle primers.

The challenge of loading for any of the PRC cartridges is the extremely tight tolerances. Even fairly experienced reloaders sometimes struggle to get reloaded brass to fit properly into the rifle.

Obviously Hornady makes dies for the 7 PRC, but I personally am not a fan of their dies. The only other company I’ve seen with die sets is Whidden Gunworks. They sent me their full-length bushing resizing die and micrometer seating die and I’ve been amazed with the quality. Seriously, it’s by far the nicest die set I’ve ever owned-and I’ve tried just about every brand out there.

Loading the 175gr ELD-X Bullet in the 7mm PRC

Important Note: This is anecdotal testing. Your results may vary. Unlike a load data book from one of the ammunition companies, I am not measuring pressure with a computer. I’m just looking at the brass for symptoms of being over-pressure, but sometimes those symptoms don’t show up until a cartridge is significantly overpressure as could be measured by a computer. This is for academic purposes only. Do not rely on my anecdotal testing for your rifle. If ya do… you might blow your face off.

First, let’s take a look at H4831SC powder loaded with a 175gr ELD-X bullet. This is using CCI Large Magnum primers, and shooting out of a 24″ test barrel.

Next, I loaded H1000. Unfortunately, the chronograph (Labradar) glitched out and didn’t record all the velocities, but I did at least shoot the following two that were recorded. Note that BOTH of these are a compressed load, so you couldn’t really go much faster than this with H1000.

This is again shooting the 175gr ELD-X bullet out of 24″ test barrel with a large magnum CCI primer.

Last, I shot Accurate Magpro powder with the same 175gr ELD-X and CCI large magnum primer out of a 24″ test barrel. Here’s what I found.

I also received some information from a gentleman in Canada who built a 7PRC. Here’s what he reported using a 175gr ELDX, Federal 215M primers, and Reloder26 powder. Here’s that data using his 24.5″ barrel:

After seeing these numbers, I’m most interested in pursuing H4831SC for this cartridge. H1000 ran out of space for powder before I reached max velocity. Magpro had a lot of case capacity left, but wasn’t getting the velocity I’d hope to see without just burning a ton of powder.

Personally, my load for the 175 ELD-X in the 7mm PRC will be 64gr of H4831SC, which should yield around 2,925fps. I believe that should be a max load but still safe in my rifle, efficient loading, and impressive speed.

It seems that the cartridge was designed to compress the load right at the point where you’d reach pressure with these common powders.

Interestingly, I loaded 61.2 grains of H4831SC in a 7mm Remington Magnum, and a 7mm PRC. I used the same primer, and the same 175gr ELDX bullet. However, the 7mm PRC shot on average 105 fps faster.

There is still quite a bit more case capacity left with Magpro (my guess would be you could go to 77 grains before it compresses), so that could be an option for max velocity, but you’d be going through quite a bit more powder to get there.

Loading the 195 Berger EOL Bullet in the 7mm PRC

For this load, I chose the 195 Berger EOL and loaded it to max COAL of 3.34″. I used CCI large magnum rifle primers, and lovingly caressed each bullet before sending it on the ride of its life. I’m still using the same 24″ test barrel by Preferred Barrel Blanks for this cartridge.

Loading the 150gr Hornady CX Bullet in the 7mm PRC

Note that with these loads, I switch to a standard large rifle primer-not a magnum primer.

I personally worked up my load using the 150gr Hornady CX bullet, but now Hornady has announced a new 160gr CX bullet with a much higher BC and only one band instead of the two bands on the 150gr CX. I will likely switch to that bullet once it becomes available.

Surprisingly, the factory ammunition for the 160gr CX bullet offers the same 3,000fps muzzle velocity as the 175gr ELD-X bullet. I expected it to go a little faster in the CX due to the lighter weight, but copper bullets can also increase pressures, so it seems that Hornady wasn’t able to get any increased speed out of it.

History of the 7mm PRC

Hornady officially announced the cartridge on October 26, 2022 at the NASGW Expo. The 7mm PRC was approved by SAAMI on June 7, 2022 and the public introduction was released on June 16, 2022. Backfire’s Youtube channel was the first publication to break the story of the cartridge’s SAAMI approval, and Backfire was also the first group to build a 7mm PRC and show it to the public.

Bull Shoals Reservoir is one-of-a-kind. It’s character doesn’t resemble many other man-made lakes in the country. It’s banks are, for the most part, void of docks or buildings. It seems as if it’s lost in time when the Ozark Indians used to use the once White River for their source of life.

Bull Shoals Reservoir is one-of-a-kind. It’s character doesn’t resemble many other man-made lakes in the country. It’s banks are, for the most part, void of docks or buildings. It seems as if it’s lost in time when the Ozark Indians used to use the once White River for their source of life.

What about the fishing?! As many lakes in the midwest, white bass are a sought after trophy, for their meat and for their fight. I remember years ago in Oklahoma, to name one state, white were considered a trash fish and not fit to eat. No limits on this abundant fish didn’t seem to deter the population on most lakes and rivers. There seemed to be an endless number schooling up and down the flats, devouring and schools of shad in their way. Times have changed, as they do, and the white bass, or called sand bass in some other parts of the country, have become coveted as crappie and walleye (well- almost). Most anglers come out of the woodwork on warm, sunny days in March and April to line the banks and fill the channels with their boats to do what? Chase whites.

When do the whites start their march? All depends on the weather. In January, we start to see white bass show up when fishing for winter crappie off mud flat banks or fishing for walleye off the flat channel in deeper water. On into February, more start to show from K-Dock up to Beaver Creek in the main channels and you can usually depend on finding them close to the bottom. How do you locate them? Find them through countless days of drifting and trolling in this 4 to 6 miles stretch… or… read my reports and I’ll tel you where I’ve either caught them or heard of other catching them. I don’t know about you but I can’t afford to spend countless anything but working here at the resort! Once found, they won’t move too far too fast- especially if they are close to say Beaver Creek where they will run up to spawn.

How to catch pre spawn whites- as I said, they will be close to the bottom of the lake. **Bull Shoals is designed to be the holding basin for the White River Chain of lakes- it can hold lots of water. About 15 years ago, they put 40 feet of water over the normal pool- that’s allot of water!! Then normal thin lake went sprawling all over the place and it was difficult to find anything in so much water.** You need a good depth finder, not necessarily to find the whites but to see what kind of depth you’re in. Finding the fish is good too. Lures and techniques- your preference from here. I like jigs. I use 1/18th and even 1/4th oz jigs, depending on the depth and wind conditions. I use marabou mostly when vertical jigging. White, blue, chartreuse, gray, yellow, purple…. I switch around until I find a color to their liking. Some people like to jerk spoons. I’ve never got the hang of that but I know it works. One thing to remember when working either a jig or spoon up and down- look for it to stop before it hits bottom. You won’t feel the proverbial tap like when retrieving a lure- they usually take the lure on the drop. Drifting minnows on the bottom is good. Either with the wind or current. Careful not to use too much weight so as to get hung on the bottom a lot. Trolling deep diving crank baits is also good- blue/silver hot-n-tots, shad raps and heavy rooster tails. If the lake level is low enough, use 1/8th oz lead heads and swimming minnows and work them slowly across the bottom. We use several colored minnows including motor oil, blue, purple, chartreuse and smoke. Powersite will start holding white bass early in the season. Either fishing from a boat or the banks, working crank baits or swimming minnows is current or not can be productive. You really never know what you’ll catch up there too- whites, crappie, black bass, rainbow or brown trout, drum, carp, catfish, walleye- even striper now. That’s why they call it the “Pot Hole”.

Night fishing for pre spawn whites is very popular and productive closer to the spawn. I’ve headed out in my boat from River Run on many a night, while others are heading in. I head down to the “Willows” and anchor in current along the mud bank in about 18 feet of water. I throw a purple swimming minnow (1/16th oz lead head in medium current and 1/8th in heavy current) towards the bank almost at a 90 degree angle and let the lure drop close to the bottom before retrieving it. When the lure makes the swing at the back of the boat, I usually get the strike. This is when we catch a lot of the “sows” or female whites- big whites!! Conditions do have to be just right for this to happen but in most years- we do get water generation at night and we do catch whites this way. Other ways to catch whites at night- off the banks- the same willow bank, the mouth of Swan Creek, up close to Powersite Dam and the mouth of Beaver Creek. Use slow-moving lures like jigs, grubs or swimming minnows and work them close to the bottom. Darker colored lures usually work best.

Spawning whites- when does it really happen? Water conditions in the creeks need to be: warm- 60 degrees or higher; running water preferred; water color- I believe anything but extremely muddy. In the spring, weather fronts and rains play havoc on fishing. “The whites and running- now their not- it’s too muddy- water is too high- too low- too clear- too cold- new moon- old moon.” If you’re like me, you spend half your time chasing “stories” about what happened yesterday and coming up empty. In early to mid April, our white bass are usually in peak spawn and most of the time, you’ll find white spawning on up into May. Whites will certainly stay in the creeks into June sometimes feeding on minnows.

Early mornings and late evenings in low light times, whites generally make a run up in our creeks and are easy pickings. Night time too. Whites will moving up in creeks and then hold in deep pools before continuing on their trek. People wading using minnows in holes below riffles usually do real well. Use 4 lb line with a small split shot and #8 hook. Toss the line in the current and let it settle in the pool. If the pool isn’t real deep, blue rebels are a hot lure to use. Jerk it erratically, triggering the strike. This technique works on post spawn whites too in the main lake and in creeks. Working swimming minnows through these pools also is good. Use different colors- depending on water color- till you find a color they will hit. Fly fishing is a blast for whites in the creeks now. Fly fishing is the best technique for fishing the fast riffles and pockets along these riffles. Use small jigs, streamers and even nymphs like stones and hellgrammites. Whites usually like flashy flies.

Whites bass hang around the same areas for weeks after spawning, usually out closer to the mouths of the creeks and in the main lake. After spawning, they are vivacious feeders and very aggressive. Jerk baits like the blue rebel and sluggos are a blast to use. We fish up in Swan Creek with small sluggos into the month of June and in clear water, you can see the white swarming the lure as you twitch it in. Main lake- rattle traps is one of the best lures to locate and catch whites.

Bottom line- white bass is a great sport fish to fish for and even to eat. I hope this helps you have a successful fishing trip this spring.

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Most modern bows have a complex method to adjust the draw length, and most require a bow press.

However, Bear compound bows are generally very easy to adjust and do not require the use of a bow press.

For this reason, Bear compound bows are one of the best bows for beginners.

Bear Adjustment System

Bear bows are one of the most beginner-friendly compound bows on the market.

This is because Bear archery made their bows completely adjustable for the draw weight and even the draw length.

There are some variations between the models, but the concept is generally the same.

Adjusting the Draw Length

Adjusting the draw length on your Bear compound bow is quite simple and can be done in less than ten minutes.

There are two steps to adjusting the draw length of a compound bow. First, we will adjust the module; this will set the draw length to your desired length.

Second, we must set the stop; this will ensure that the cams stop turning when you drawback.

Tools Needed

Adjusting a Bear compound bow is so easy that there are no tools needed other than the right size Allen keys.

This varies from model to model, so I like to have an Allen key set.

Fitting the small screws can also be a bit tricky, so I like to put my bow in a bow vice when adjusting it; however, this isn’t necessary.

Adjusting the Module

A compound bow module determines the draw length of a compound bow.

Many modules have only a limited range, allowing the bow to be adjusted in only small increments or in some cases, not at all.

However, the modules found on a Bear compound bow have a wide range of adjustments and, in most cases, do not need to be swapped for any size draw length.

To adjust the draw length on the bear compound bow module:

1. Find your draw length number. Once you know your draw length, you can find it’s corresponding number on the bear compound bow cam. For example: on a Bear Wild compound bow a 28 inch draw is number 4 on the module.
2. Secure the bow in a position that is comfortable to work on.
3. Locate the module. This is usually located on the cam on a single cam bow. On a dual cam bow the module is typically located on the tom cam.
4. Unscrew the two screws on the back of the module. Be careful not to lose the screws as the module will fall once the two screws are undone.
5. Slide the module to the number that corresponds with your draw length.
6. Locate the two holes that perfectly align between the module and the bow and redo the screws. Hand tighten the screws and be careful not to overtighten.

Adjusting the Stopper

Now that the draw length is set, we have to set the stopper to align with the draw length.

1. Locate the stopper. Typically on a single cam bow, the stopper is located on on the outside of the cam.
2. On a dual cam bow, there are two stoppers, and it is important that both are set equally to ensure your bow is firing evenly.
3. Undo the stopper and set it to the same number as what you set the module to.
4. Drawback your bow to check your draw length.

Important Things to Remember

Ensure that you are using the proper tools. Some bow manufacturers use metric measurements, and others use imperial. Find the one that fits your bow perfectly to prevent damaging the screws.

Double-check that you are undoing the proper screws. There are a lot of screws around the cams of a bow, so it’s important to double and triple-check that you have the correct screw.

Undoing the wrong screw could cause damage to the bow and injury to you.

Final Thoughts

Adjusting the draw length on a Bear compound bow is straightforward.

Once you find your corresponding number on the module to match your draw length, it’s only a matter of moving the module and the stopper to that number.

The whole process takes less than ten minutes, and you’re back up shooting again.

It’s easy to mistake the screws, so double-check that you have the right screw before undoing it to prevent damage and possible injury.