So, you want to commission a wood and metal masterpiece, or maybe try your own hand at stockmaking. If you’re going to shell out thousands of dollars to a custom gunmaker or spend hundreds of hours of your own time inletting, shaping, and finishing a stock blank, you’ll want to use the best materials available. Which wood makes for the best gunstock?

The CriteriaHow do we define “best?” In this context we are dealing with something very subjective—but a few characteristics are clearly desirable. A high-grade gunstock must be strong, dense, possess appropriate grain flow, and be attractive.

The Traditional ChoiceEnglish Walnut has, for centuries, been the choice of top gunmakers when it came to using the best wood available. In the excellent 1941 book The Modern Gunsmith, author and gunmaker James Howe makes his preference clearly known:

“The wood par excellence is walnut, and there is no substitute.”

“…the forests of the whole Earth have paraded their finest growths only to have it firmly demonstrated that walnut is the king of them all.”

“…English walnut, is by far the best”

The Expert DeferralThough I have done a bit of stock work, and I have commissioned a few custom rifles, I am hardly an expert when it comes to wood selection. I reached out to an expert in the field that I trust: custom gunmaker Duane Wiebe. Duane has spent decades hand-building some of the finest rifles that you’ve ever laid eyes on, all with wood stocks. He also doesn’t sell wood so he has no dog in this fight.

Duane’s OpinionThe premier choice for gunstock wood is known variously as Turkish, Circassian, French, English, etc., properly called Juglans Regia…literally “Royal Walnut”.

I’ve used Juglans from Australia, Turkey, Armenia, Tazmania, China, California…the list is almost endless. Wherever walnut will grow, there’s a very good chance of finding fine stock wood.

For the bolt action stock, the choice of a proper blank is far outnumbered by the availability of wood for two piece blanks and this will be reflected in cost. Any blank must be chosen with a critical eye to proper layout. That means the grip section grain should follow as close as possible the curvature of the grip and as parallel as possible to the bore.

The fore-end wood should also closely follow the bore line both vertically and horizontally; a little deviation in grain flow upwards (viewed from the side) is actually a plus. If the grain drops off (downward) the blank is simply unsuitable- at least for a bolt action. In time, the wood will drop away from the barrel…and it will happen EVERY time.

Traditionally, quarter-sawn blanks have been the most sought after, since the figure will usually be almost the same on both sides. This is not to condemn slab sawn and some feel the slab-sawn blank is a little stronger through the grip.

Of course, everyone likes pretty wood, so if you get pretty wood with proper lay out, you better buy that blank- but only if your supplier will swear that the blank is dry and seasoned. It doesn’t take very long for stockmakers and customers to get wise to the money-hungry supplier that sells wet wood. Even then, allowing the blank to set around for a year or longer is a good practice. I weigh the blank with a sensitive scale when it first arrives and write the date and weight on the blank. A weigh-in again in six months or so will tell you right off if the wood was seasoned properly.

I know of two suppliers that absolutely will not sell wood that has not spent a minimum of five years being air-dried. Yes, there are other methods of speeding up the process, but usually frowned upon by the customer or stockmaker who wants the very best.

The RulingJuglans Regia a.k.a. English/Turkish/French Walnut, is the king of woods when it comes to building a rifle stock.

What about American Black Walnut (Juglans Nigra)?: Black Walnut makes for fine stocks, but if we return to the work of James Howe, we get to learn its place in the World. “With the one exception of Juglans Regia, it is the best stock wood extant.” Duane agrees: “For some firearms, a traditional choice would be Black Walnut…pretty good, but not usually in the class of Juglans [Regia].”

My AdviceListen to your gunmaker. If you’ve done your homework and picked a great one (the American Custom Gunmakers Guild is a good place to start your search), he or she should know what the best stock blank for your needs will be. After all, they are the one that will be putting their name on it.

Breaking News Bucks

Records in the whitetail world are not easy to topple. Each year there are a few contenders, but for one reason or another they commonly fall short. A broken tine, mass that tapers off or mismatched sides have all dashed some hunters’ hopes over the years. Such is the trophy hunting game. Truthfully, while many of us yearn to take the biggest of the big, it is not easy.

There are few true giants to begin with, and whitetails reaching that status rarely walk out and surrender! You might hunt your whole life and never get an opportunity to take one. But we can dream, right? A million to one is still a chance!

So, what is the probability that two Alabama hunters would set new state records in the same season using primitive weapons? Maybe the answer lies in knowing how they did it.

Michael Perry’s Non-Typical

Let’s start with Michael Perry’s story. Michael hunts public land almost exclusively. He knows a lot about Black Warrior WMA because he’s hunted there for years and walks miles into the 90,000 acres seeking good deer. That extra effort pays off.

In 2019, he spotted signs of a good buck using an area with a heavy thicket near a creek. It was far enough off the road that he figured other hunters wouldn’t find it, so he hung a camera and moved on.

There is the first clue: Get far away from the pressure.

Hunting other areas kept Michael busy that season, and he never got back to check that camera. When he checked the camera the following spring, there was a good buck in there; and one daylight picture from the previous November. Again he left the camera, and in 2020 there were more pictures.

The deer was now a solid 160- class buck, and Michael set out to get him. He hunted the area a few times without success before leaving for greener pastures. The next time he checked the camera, he realized that he had missed seeing the deer by one day.

Clue two: Timing is everything.

When 2021 rolled around, Michael had a new plan. He bought a crossbow intending to hunt the buck as much as possible. But his busy schedule always seemed to get in the way, and the early archery season passed without an opportunity to hunt.

His wife, Kathy, had given him a muzzleloader the previous Christmas. Michael had already taken bucks worthy of the Alabama State Records program with rifle and bow, so he decided that he would use the new gun to try for the big deer. There was a five-day muzzleloader season in the first week of November, but work got in the way again, and he missed the first four days. With only one day left to hunt, it was then or never.

Another clue: Hunt whenever you can make the time.

That morning Michael dropped Kathy off in a good area, then he walked in for another hour. The weather was crisp from a light frost, and there was a steady breeze. He hung his stand off to the side of a trail and waited.

The action was slow until 9:30 a.m., when a familiar 3 1/2-year-old buck came by at 20 yards. He was close, but the buck didn’t have a very nice rack. Michael had seen him in trail camera pictures, and usually the bigger buck was right there with him. He let the younger buck pass.

Clue four: Let younger bucks walk.

A few minutes later, the non-typical appeared about 40 yards further out. He was much larger than the year before, and there would be no passing this one.

Michael picked up the muzzleloader and made the historic shot. The buck lurched forward, ran a few yards, and it was over. The new state-record non-typical muzzleloader buck was down!

The 6 1/2-year-old deer has a huge, dark rack with heavy beams, split points, stickers and beading that extends from the bases up onto the brow tines. It scores 196 3/8 inches, besting the previous record holder by more than six inches.

Shane Bailey’s Typical

A self-described turkey hunter who also hunts deer, Shane took the Alabama muzzleloader state-record typical in December of 2021. Shane cut his teeth in Bankhead National Forest, chasing the big birds as a teenager. Deer numbers were low back then, but that time in the woods taught him skills he uses to this day. And he learned a lot about whitetail behavior along the way. He also likes the challenge of hunting with a muzzleloader. Shane has taken many good bucks since those early days, including a 150-class deer in 2019 on Black Warrior WMA. He first encountered that one during the special muzzleloader season and missed it. A week later, he was back for a rifle hunt, killing it in the same area.

Clue five: When you find one, stay after him.

Around that same time, he and his friend, Jay Hardin, began getting pictures of another good deer on a very small tract of private land (only 15 acres). That deer was not living on the property, but his frequent passes through gained their attention. Trail cameras were providing great intel, pinpointing where he traveled and when he was there. But most of the pictures were taken at night. Then just as quickly as he had shown up, the buck was gone.

The sudden disappearance was attributed to a large influx of wild hogs. It got so bad that Jay was shooting them in his yard, and that disturbance probably made the big deer avoid the area. So, back to square one. In all of 2020, the buck was a ghost.

Clue six: It takes time for a plan to come together.

During the summer of 2021, the buck showed up again. He put on a lot more antler, but like most older deer he was mainly nocturnal. There was only one daylight picture of him. That would likely change during the rut, so Shane and Jay started planning for later in the year.

He was moving through very thick cover, but he moved in the same general area every time. This meant dialing in tight because it was hard to see very far. It also required a careful approach to avoid spooking the deer again. They decided to set up on each end of the travel corridor in hopes that one of them would get a shot.

[Shane in crocs with deer –

Clue seven: Plan meticulously and use caution.

On Dec. 23, Shane was at his tree stand an hour before daylight. It was a cool 22 degrees, with a light northeast wind, exactly the conditions he needed. He poured a whole bottle of Tinks 69 scent out just below his stand and headed up the tree.

Clue eight: Go big!

Just after 7:00 a.m. Shane rattled a long sequence, mimicking an all-out battle between two mature bucks. He wanted the big buck to hear it if he was anywhere in the area. That sequence went on and on until his arms hurt. Then, he waited.

Hint nine: No pain, no gain.

After another 45 minutes passed, he rattled again. Since the action had been slow, he began texting Jay. In the middle of a text, he caught a glimpse of a buck running off, followed by a loud snort wheeze close by. Worried he had blown his chance, Shane grabbed his call and answered with a snort wheeze. Then he grunted twice.

Within a few seconds, there was more movement behind him: It was his target buck closing in cautiously! The giant buck stopped behind some pines, then stepped forward enough for Shane to take the shot. Smoke obscured Shane’s view, but after the slow start his hunt was over very quickly. The buck only went a few yards and expired.

Final clue: Be ready for anything!

The buck was big enough to topple the muzzleloader state record set just a year earlier by a slim margin, scoring 170 1/8 gross. The 6×6 rack has great mass and a 19-inch spread. The buck is estimated to be over 6 years old.

In Conclusion

Both hunters beat long odds, taking magnificent mature bucks. Some might say they were lucky, but they also have plenty of other big deer on their walls at home: the rewards for plenty of hard work and a large investment of time.

How long will the new records stand? I guess we will have to wait to see. Last season sure produced more than a few giant whitetails. Maybe another one is out there waiting for you in 2022!

Rock bass and bluegill share many similarities. For this reason many people ask if they’re the same fish or different. Therefore, let’s answer, is a rock bass the same as a bluegill?

Rock bass and bluegill are different species of fish although they are from the same family. Rock bass is the A. Rupestris and bluegill is the L. macrochirus species. The most identifiable difference is the rock bass bright red or orange eye color compared to the bluegill’s dark eyes.

This article will compare both fish tastes, textures, cooking methods, costs, mercury levels and whether one can substitute for the other in recipes. In addition, I’ll do a side-by-side comparison of their habitats, appearance and compare their nutritional value.

Rock Bass vs Bluegill: Habitats, Size, Weight and Appearance

How can you tell the difference between the two fish?

To tell the difference between a rock bass and bluegill is to check their cheeks, belly colors and dorsal fins. Bluegill have blue color on the sides of their mouth and chin. Rock bass has no blue, just a dark tear drop below their eyes. Bluegill has an orange belly compared to rock bass white/silvery belly. Bluegill has a dark spot on the base of the dorsal fin rock bass doesn’t have.

Other ways to tell the difference:

• Bluegill has a rounder body with the mouth more streamlined with the body. Rock bass has an elongated body with the mouth more pointier.
• Rock bass has 5-7 anal fin spines, bluegill has 3 anal fin spines.
• Rock bass has teeth in the mouth, bluegill has no teeth.
• Rock bass has red or orange eyes, bluegill has dark eyes.
• Bluegill has a small mouth, rock bass has a large mouth.
• Rock bass has dark spots forming laterals lines, bluegill has no lateral lines but vertical bars.

Rock Bass and Bluegill Scientific Classifications, Families, Species

Bluegill are from:

• Family: Centrarchidae
• Genus: Lepomis
• Species: L. macrochirus
• Common nicknames: Bream, panfish, brim, sunny, sunnies, perch.

Rock bass are from:

• Family: Centrarchidae
• Genus: Ambloplites
• Species: A. rupestris
• Common nicknames: Red eye, rock perch, goggle eye.

Both species are part of the sunfish family. Other fish include smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, warmouth and crappies.

Habitats

Bluegill

• Native to North America and can be found from Canada, Delaware to northern Mexico.
• When fishing they can be found in streams, ponds, lakes and rivers.
• They like to hide under fallen logs, piers or in weeds.

Rock Bass

• Native to North America and can be found from Canada down to Florida and west to Texas. They are mostly found in the eastern and central United States.
• When fishing they can be found in streams, ponds, lakes and rivers.
• The species prefer rocky shorelines and vegetation areas. They can be found under docks and near swimming areas.

Appearance

Colors

• Bluegills have an olive green upper body and light yellowish to orange belly. The sides of the head and chin are iridescence blue or purple. The fish have dark vertical bands on the sides. A breeding male will have more orange than yellow on the belly.
• Rock bass have an olive green to golden brown upper back and sides fading down to a silvery, white belly. The species have black spots which form broken lateral stripes down the body. The have red eyes and the fish has the ability to change colors to match their surroundings for protection.

Dorsal Fins

• Bluegill has one dorsal fin with 6-13 spines and 11-12 rays.
• Rock bass has one dorsal fin with about 10-13 spines followed by 11-13 rays.

Anal Fins

• Bluegill has three anal spines followed by 10-12 rays.
• Rock bass has 5-7 anal spines followed by 10-12 rays.

Mouth

• The bluegill mouth is small, and the jaw doesn’t extend to the eye line. They don’t have teeth.
• The rock bass mouth is large located below the snout. They also have teeth.

The rock bass has a pointier snout compared to the bluegill which has a more streamlined mouth and head which blends into the body. A big difference between the two fish is their mouth size.

Body Shape

• Bluegill are flat and have a rounder shape. The mouth hardly protrudes and is more streamlined.
• Rock bass are flat and not round. They are more elongated.

Size and Weight

• Bluegill average 6-7″ long and weighs less than 2 pounds.
• Rock bass average 6-10″ long and weighs about one pound.

Lifespan

• Bluegill average 5-6 years.
• Rock bass lives up to 8-10 years.

Diet

Bluegill consume the following:

• Worms
• Small crustaceans
• Insects
• Insect larvae

Rock bass consume the following:

• Smaller fish
• Insects
• Worms
• Small crustaceans
• Minnows

Both fish have a similar diet.

Bass Fishing

When looking at the sunfish family, rock bass fishing won’t win many popularity contests amongst anglers. Despite their gamefish appeal, when fishing they are strangely appealing.

They can get caught with almost any angling method. Live bait works extremely well. Bass fishing within a few feet of the bank is best.

Prior to fishing, always check with your local advisory, safety and management boards.

I recently wrote a comparison article with the species pumpkinseed. Their differences may interest you. Check out my comparison article here.

Panfish: Tastes and Textures

One of the most important things people takes into consideration when fishing or choosing a fish is its taste. When comparing the two fish, rock bass vs bluegill, does one taste like the other?

Rock bass taste similar to bluegill and has a mild to sweet taste. Rock bass and bluegill have a firm, flakey texture.

Rock bass is good eating and tastes pleasing to most people having a mild to sweet taste. The white flesh is slightly firm and flakey.

Depending on the time of year or type of water when fishing, both may taste slight muddy or fishy to some people. The fish can be soaked in milk to help eliminate any unpleasant taste or odor.

To conduct some original research, I polled clients, readers and people in food groups. I asked which one tastes better?

• 39% said they preferred the taste of bass rock.
• 34% said they preferred the taste of bluegill.
• 27% said they had no preference one over the other.

To conduct more research, I set up a taste test at home. Both fish were cooked the same way with the same seasonings. Three out of four people chose the rock bass.

Substitutions

When preparing recipes for dinner it’s not always possible to locate the type of fish in the store or when fishing. If you only caught one type of fish when fishing, you may ask, can I substitute one for the other?

Rock bass and bluegill can substitute for each other due to their similar tastes and textures. Both fish can be used in many of the same recipes and cooking methods. They both can be cooked by baking, broiling, steaming, grilling, deep frying and pan frying.

Bluegill substitutes:

• White crappie
• Black crappie
• Pumpkinseed
• Redbreast sunfish
• Redear sunfish
• Pollock
• Lake herring

Rock bass substitutes:

• White crappie
• Black crappie
• Pumpkinseed
• Green sunfish
• Lake herring
• Tilapia
• Pollock

Find out how green sunfish compared in my article, Green Sunfish – What’s The Difference?

Costs

The costs for some fish will vary depending on the type of fishing and where they’re sold. When purchasing any fish, be sure to check the label. Therefore, which fish is more expensive?

Rock bass and bluegill have a similar price. The average cost for either ones fillets are $19.43 per pound.

Rock bass fillets are extremely difficult to find for sale. Sunfish are easier to find online.

To conduct more original research for fish prices, I checked online at Walleye Direct and found the following:

• Wild, bluegill fillets
  • $25.36 per pound

Seafood Markets:

• Wild, sunfish fillets (does not specify which kind of sunfish)
  • $18.00 per pound

Dixon Fisheries:

• Bluegill fillets
  • $14.95 per pound

For stocking ponds, Pond King has the following price per live fish:

• Hybrid (green sunfish x bluegill) $0.75 per 3-4″ fish
• Bluegill – $0.75 per 3-4″ fish

Crappie is a little easier to find online than some of the other sunfish. See how crappie compared in my article, Crappie – What’s The Difference? Let’s Compare.

Mercury Levels

The EPA and The FDA have issued suggestions and warnings about mercury levels in fish and how often they should be consumed 1. This is especially important for young infants, pregnant women and developing children.

They established three lists:

1. Best fish
2. Good choices
3. Ones to avoid based

Therefore, which of the two fish has more mercury?

Rock bass and bluegill have similar levels of mercury. Both fish are listed on the FDA’s best choice of fish regarding mercury levels.

If you’re pregnant, breast feeding or has a young child, Always check with a physician prior to eating new foods or changing your dietary habits.

These mercury warnings can change over time or affect only a particular area or state. Please check with your local EPA and FDA for the current fish recommendations especially when fishing 2.

Nutrition

Both of them are an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, minerals and B vitamins. Both sunfish contain the following:

• Omega-3 fatty acids
• Magnesium
• Potassium
• Folate
• Niacin
• B6
• B12
• B5
• Thiamin
• Riboflavin
• Iron
• Selenium
• Calcium
• Zinc

Bluegill provides the following number of nutrients per four raw ounces:

Nutrient Resources 3 4

Both fish provide a similar percentage of the same nutrients. Keep reading the next section below to find out how the nutrients benefit health, especially omega-3s.

Since the sunfish are difficult to locate in stores, I’ll consume either fish available to me for their nutrient content, taste and health benefits.

Find out how redbreast sunfish compared in my article, Redbreast Sunfish – What’s The Difference?

Rock Bass and Bluegill Health Benefits

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

The omega-3 fatty acids are heart healthy and help keep arteries healthy. The omega-3s may help with the following:

• Reduce inflammation.
• Reduce plaque buildup.
• Keeping bad cholesterol low.
• Keeping good cholesterol high.
• Lowering triglycerides
• Help keep the heart rhythms more normal.

DHA and EPA, two of the fatty acids, are associated with lowering blood pressure and improving the health of blood vessels 5.

Studies suggest omega-3s from fish can help reduce joint pain and stiffness in people with rheumatoid arthritis. They may also boost the effectiveness of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Potassium

Potassium provided from either fish is approximately 400 mg. Potassium helps the body get rid of excess sodium which helps reduce fluid build-up. These help keep systolic and diastolic blood pressure lower 6.

The more potassium you consume, the more sodium your body will lose. Consuming too much sodium or not enough potassium throws off the delicate balance the kidneys need to remove the excess water 7.

According to Harvard Health, a number of studies have shown a connection between low potassium levels and increased blood pressure 8.

B Vitamins

The B vitamins provided by both fish include B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B9 (folate) B6, B12 and B5. B vitamins help support the following:

• Digestion.
• Brain function.
• Energy levels.
• Red blood cells.
• Cardiovascular disease.
• Nerve function.

Selenium

There are 14.2 mcg of selenium per four ounces. Numerous studies 9 show selenium may help to protect the following:

• The immune system
• Thyroid
• Cognitive issues
• Heart disease

Phosphorus

Both fish provide approximately 203 mg of phosphorus per four ounces. It has been shown in scientific research to help with the following:

• Promote healthy nerve conduction.
• Aides the kidneys in waste removal.
• Promote teeth and bone strength.
• Muscle recovery after exercise.
• Muscle contraction.
• Help the body store and manage energy.

Magnesium

Both sunfish provide about 34 mg of magnesium per four ounces. It calms and relaxes the whole body including blood vessels. Magnesium has been shown to help improve sleep related problems like insomnia 10.

Magnesium helps keep blood pressure levels balanced and stable. A recent study researched 22 studies and concluded magnesium supplementation decreased diastolic and systolic blood pressure 11.

The magnesium in rock bass and bluegill helps control muscle and nerve function, blood sugar and blood pressure.

In the muscles and heart, magnesium competes with calcium to help the muscles relax after contracting. When the body is low in magnesium, calcium can over stimulate the heart muscle’s cells causing a rapid or irregular heartbeat.

Calcium

Calcium is important for blood pressure and the heart. Harvard Health reports calcium helps maintain blood pressure because it helps to control the relaxing and tightening of blood vessels 12.

Calcium also helps the following:

• Build and maintain strong bones.
• Muscles need calcium to function properly.
• Improve nerve function.

Find out if the nutrients in redear sunfish differed in my comparison article, Redear Sunfish – Are They The Same? We Compare.

As a Certified Health Coach many of my clients ask me about seafood. In addition to educating my Health Coaching clients about bluegill and rock bass, I have researched, purchased and consumed both fish for 20 years prior to, during and after writing this article.

If you have any questions about this article don’t hesitate to email us. You can find an email on our contact page.

Read Next – More Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass and Green Sunfish Articles!

Black Crappie vs White Crappie – What’s The Difference?

Crappie vs Bass – What’s The Difference? Let’s Compare

White Crappie vs White Perch: Are They The Same? We Compare

Article Resources: Foods For Anti-Aging follows strict guidelines to ensure our content is the highest journalistic standard. It’s our mission to provide the reader with accurate, honest and unbiased guidance. Our content relies on medical associations, research institutions, government agencies and study resources. Learn more by reading our editorial policy.

1. FDA: Advice about Eating Fish[↩]
2. National Center for Biotechnology Information: Mercury accumulation in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) in a Florida lake[↩]
3. The Topeka Capital-Journal: Keto, Paleo or Atkins diet? Hunting, fishing can help trim your waistline in 2020[↩]
4. Nutritiondata: Fish, sunfish, raw[↩]
5. National Center for Biotechnology: Marine Omega-3 Supplementation and Cardiovascular Disease[↩]
6. American Heart Association: How Potassium Can Help Control High Blood Pressure[↩]
7. National Center for Biotechnology Information: The Effect of the Sodium to Potassium Ratio on Hypertension Prevalence: A Propensity Score Matching Approach[↩]
8. Harvard Health: Potassium lowers blood pressure[↩]
9. National Institutes of Health: Selenium[↩]
10. National Institutes of Health: Magnesium[↩]
11. National Center for Biotechnology Information: Effect of magnesium supplementation on blood pressure: a meta-analysis[↩]
12. Harvard Health: Key minerals to help control blood pressure[↩]

Here are the best choices for hunting ear protection that hunters can use to safeguard their hearing.

I think we can all agree that we’d love to keep our sense of hearing for our entire life. After all, I’m sure you know someone who has a tough time hearing and can barely carry on a conversation. There are many different things that can damage your ears, but if you do a lot of hunting with firearms, there’s one simple thing you can do to avoid hearing loss and make sure you don’t have to wear hearing aids later in life: wear hunting ear protection.

Any noise louder than 85 decibels can cause permanent hearing loss. I cannot state this strongly enough: if it is loud enough, a single gunshot can cause immediate hearing damage. For reference, a gunshot is about 130-180 decibels (give or take).

While noise induced hearing loss and tinnitus are both permanent, the good news is that it’s also preventable.

The Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of ear protection describes how effective it is. Basically, a higher NRR means that hearing protection does a better job reducing your exposure to really loud noises.

However, you should keep in mind that some firearms produce a pressure wave strong enough cause hearing loss by damaging the bones behind the ear, even if the ear canal is protected by an ear plug. This is particularly true for people shooting indoors or those exposed to repeated shots from shotguns or rifles (such as waterfowl hunters or hunting guides). While ear plugs are certainly better than nothing, ear muffs are actually the most effective shooting and hunting ear protection you can wear.

So, to avoid permanent damage to your hearing, it is important that you wear appropriate ear protection when shooting or when exposed to other noisy environments. Luckily, this task is much easier than many people assume and there are a lot more good quality options for hearing protection while hunting than there used to be.

In this post, I’m going go over some of the best hunting ear protection products that you should be wearing afield to safeguard your hearing.

Note: some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content that’s useful to hunters like yourself. Thanks for your support.

AXIL XCOR

What’s the best hunting ear protection? Hands down, it’s AXIL XCOR electronic ear buds. They amplify quiet noises, block loud noises, and have 5.0 bluetooth connectivity. They are also extremely comfortable to wear for long periods of time and won’t affect your cheek weld when shooting a long gun.

These electronic ear buds are a more expensive than basic electronic ear muffs and some other electronic ear buds, but are also similar in price to (or maybe even a little LESS expensive than) some of the electronic ear plugs I also recommend in this article.

AXIL XCOR ear buds provide excellent performance by digitally compressing loud noises over 85 dB back to safe levels and amplifying quieter sounds. AXIL advertises that the XCOR provide up to 6x hearing enhancement along with a NRR of up to 29.

So, not only will they protect your hearing from loud noises, but they actually improve it as well. This is the best of both worlds when it comes to hunting ear protection.

At the range, electronic ear buds protect the hearing of the shooter, but still allow him or her to hold a normal conversation with another person. While hunting, this allows the user to hear all the little sounds he or she needs to hear, like the snap of a twig made by an approaching deer.

The XCOR ear buds comes with several different foam tips of varying sizes. It is very important that you take the time to read the instructions and choose the tips that fit your ear properly. However, they work GREAT and are very comfortable to wear for hours at a time if you use the correct tips for your individual ear size.

Just slip them on at the beginning of a hunting trip and wear them until you’re done hunting. You’ll get hearing enhancement that will help you hear an approaching animal and won’t have to fumble around and put on ear protection before taking a shot.

I’ve worn the XCOR ear buds for up to 10 hours of hunting in a single day (with a short break around lunch) for over a week at a time without issues. I’ve never used any other hearing protection that comfortable.

The fact that they also offer bluetooth connectivity is also awesome because that gives you the option of listening to music or podcasts on your phone with them. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend doing that while you’re out hunting, but it’s a nice feature when doing something like mowing the lawn.

Finally, it’s important to realize that the XCORs are wireless digital ear buds, which makes them a somewhat unique form of hunting ear protection (most other models are analog). The fact that they’re digital hear protection means the XCOR ear buds provide excellent sound quality with minimal distortion. In fact, I think they have the best sound quality of all the ear protection on this list. Plus, they do that without having wires or sticks coming out of your ears.

All things considered, I consider AXIL XCOR wireless ear buds to be the absolute best hunting ear protection.

Click the button below to receive discounted pricing on these ear buds ($50+ off MSRP) along with free shipping to most locations.

BUY AXIL XCOR EAR BUDS HERE

AXIL GS Extreme

Next up on this list of the best hunting ear protection are AXIL GS Extreme electronic ear buds. These were my previous favorite ear protection model until AXIL released the XCOR wireless ear buds in 2024.

Like the XCOR ear buds, the GS Extreme ear buds amplify quiet noises, block loud noises, and also have 5.0 bluetooth connectivity. So, they have many of the same strengths as the XCOR ear buds that also make them excellent forms of hunting ear protection.

However, they’re not wireless and they’re analog ear protection, so the sound quality isn’t quite as good. While they’re still comfortable to wear, I don’t think they’re quite as comfortable as the XCOR wireless ear buds though.

On the other hand, GS Extreme electronic ear buds are a little less expensive and are still excellent hunting ear protection.

AXIL advertises 6x hearing enhancement with the GS Extreme and a NRR of up to 29.

All things considered, I consider AXIL GS Extreme ear buds to be well worth the money as hunting ear protection, especially considering the fact that they only cost a little more than traditional electronic ear protection.

Click the button below to receive discounted pricing on these ear buds (35-50% off MSRP).

BUY AXIL GS EXTREME EAR BUDS HERE

AXIL TRACKR BLU

While I think the AXIL GS Extreme is the best hunting ear protection, not everybody likes wearing ear buds. If you prefer wearing over the ear muffs instead, then you should definitely check out the the AXIL TRACKR BLU.

Like the AXIL GS Extreme, these muffs block loud noises and amplify quiet noises. However, AXIL TRACKR BLU electronic ear muffs also protect the bones of hearing behind your eardrum from damage caused by the pressure wave produced by gunshots.

Like other forms of electronic hearing protection, TRACKR BLU electronic ear muffs provide excellent performance by blocking loud noises and amplifying all other sounds. AXIL advertises that the TRACKR BLU will provide up to 40 decibels of hearing amplification, which can be easily adjusted with a simple volume wheel on the side of the muffs.

Most importantly, they provide excellent hearing protection with a NRR of 27. I’ve compared them side by side and the AXIL TRACKR BLU provides noticeably more protection than the Howard Leight Impact Sport. The TRACKR BLU also has an ultra fast reaction time of just .02 seconds and will protect your ears from sounds 85 decibels or louder.

Additionally, they may also be combined with ear plugs for extra protection in extremely loud environments. This makes them an incredibly effective form of shooting or hunting ear protection.

So, not only will they protect your hearing from loud noises, but they actually improve it as well. This is the best of both worlds when it comes to hunting ear protection.

The sound quality of the TRACKR BLU ear muffs is also significantly better than the Howard Leight Impact Sport and it also uses AAA batteries.

Some people do not like to use ear muffs when shooting a rifle or shotgun because they think they’ll get in the way. Personally, I have not had this problem with the AXIL TRACKR BLU muffs.

They are designed specifically for hunters and shooters and therefore have a low profile design that does not interfere with my cheek weld when I’m shooting rifles and shotguns. They’re also very easy and simple to properly use and have adjustable headband that will fit a wide range of users.

So, many hunters use them for their shooting and hunting trips (including both big game and waterfowl hunting).

Finally, the TRACKR BLU muffs also offer bluetooth connectivity, so you can listen to music or podcasts on your phone with them.

All things considered, I consider AXIL TRACKR BLU ear muffs to be well worth the money as hunting ear protection, especially for those who just prefer to use ear muffs.

Click the button below to get the best pricing on these ear muffs (up to 50% off MSRP).

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Pro Ear Gold II

Hunters desiring high end over the ear muffs should definitely look at the Pro Ear Gold II. Like the AXIL models, these muffs block loud noises and amplify quiet noises (about 8x sound enhancement for this model).

With a NRR of 26, they provide a similar level of protection to the AXIL models. However, the Pro Ear muffs do have a little better sound quality. I think they’re also a little more comfortable than the AXIL TRACKR BLU.

They’re also made in the USA and have separate volume controls for each ear so the user can fine tune their adjustments for best performance.

Pro Ear Gold II earmuffs also have a low profile to avoid interfering with cheek weld, but without compromising hearing protection.

That said, Pro Ear Gold II muffs are quite a bit more expensive than the other over the ear muffs on this list and do NOT have any bluetooth functionality.

All things considered though, the Pro Ear Gold II ear muffs are an excellent for those who don’t mind spending a little extra money for the best possible electronic ear muffs for hunting or for use at the range.

BUY PRO EAR GOLD II EAR MUFFS HERE

Howard Leight Impact Sport

While I think the AXIL GS Extreme and TRACKR BLU are the best hunting ear protection options, I think Howard Leight Impact Sport electronic ear muffs are a great value option. Like the AXIL models and the Pro Ear Gold II, these muffs block loud noises and amplify quiet noises.

The Howard Leight Impact Sport is slightly more expensive than ear plugs or regular ear muffs, but they are still pretty reasonably priced.

With a NRR of 22, they don’t provide as much protection as the AXIL models, but the Howard Leight Impact Sport still provides ample hearing protection under most circumstances. I definitely recommend combining them with ear plugs for extra protection in extremely loud environments though (like shooting indoors or near especially loud rifles).

I bought my first set of Howard Leight Impact Sport ear muffs over 10 years ago. They were cutting edge then and still work fine now, but there are definitely better options for shooting and hunting ear protection these days.

Their price is their best selling point these days and they remain good choices for hearing protection for those on a more strict budget, especially considering the fact that they only cost a little more than a traditional pair of ear muffs.

BUY IMPACT SPORT EAR MUFFS HERE

Walker’s Razor

Very similar to the Howard Leight Impact Sport, Walker’s Razor electronic ear muffs are another great choice for hunting hearing protection. They also amplify quiet noises, but shut off to block loud sounds above 85 decibels.

With a NRR of 23, they also provide ample electronic ear protection under most circumstances. You can also combine them with ear plugs for extra protection in extremely loud environments.

Just like the name says, the Walker ‘Razor’ shooting earmuffs have a very low profile to avoid interfering with cheek weld, but without compromising hearing protection. The Razor series also comes in a bunch of color options (including camo).

BUY WALKER’S RAZOR EAR MUFFS HERE

Howard Leight Quiet Band

Designed to be worn around your neck when not in use, the Quiet Band is well suited for hunters: wear the band around your neck while you’re trying to find game, the just simply pop the plugs in your ears right before taking the shot. This gives you the best of both worlds by having full use of your hearing most of the time while still protecting your ears at the moment of truth.

Since it only protects the ear canal and not the bones of hearing behind the ear, the Quiet Band suffers from the same drawbacks as other ear plugs though. For this reason, I don’t advise using it for situations where you’ll be exposed to high levels of continuous gunfire for long periods of time (like waterfowl hunting or shooting at an indoor range). The design of the Quiet Band also prevents it from being used in conjunction with over the ear muffs like traditional foam plugs.

All that being said though, the Howard Leight Quiet Band is inexpensive, lightweight, easy to use, and will provide good hearing protection for most hunting situations. These characteristics make it a great choice for hunters on a budget. Yes, this is the same ear protection Hickock45 wears in his YouTube videos.

For what it’s worth, Peltor also makes a very similar product called the Peltor Banded Hearing Protector that works very well too.

BUY A HOWARD LEIGHT QUIET BAND HERE

Impulse Ear Plugs

Impulse ear plugs are a significant step up in capability when compared to traditional foam ear plugs, but still go for a reasonable price. I have a set of Safariland Pro Impulse Plugs that work well for me.

Unlike the Howard Leight Quiet Band, impulse plugs are designed to be worn all the time. The big advantage to these plugs is that they allow the user to hear ambient noise relatively well while still providing protection against gunfire and explosions when they’re used in the noise activated mode.

That is why similar ear plugs are issued to Soldiers in combat zones.

Since impulse ear plugs allow you to hear the much of the noise present in the environment around you, this also makes them good choices for hunting ear plugs.

While they are a good product, impulse ear plugs do not provide a very high level of protection overall (they claim to have a Noise Reduction Rating of 33, but that seems high). With that in mind, they aren’t the best form of hunting ear protection if you’ll be spending a lot of time at an indoor shooting range or shooting short barreled rifles. Use some higher end ear plugs or ear buds (or over the ear muffs) for that sort of shooting.

However, they are a pretty good choice for protecting your hearing while hunting if you’re on a budget (they’re the least expensive of the group).

BUY IMPULSE EAR PLUGS HERE

In addition to the ones made by Rooth, Earmonyx, Safariland, and Surefire also make similar impulse ear plugs.

Howard Leight Impact Pro

For those that want to spend a little more money for a significant increase in performance in a set of hunting ear protection, you should really consider a set of top of the line over-the-head electronic ear muffs. In addition to the Impact Sport model previously discussed, the same company also produces the Impact Pro.

The Impact Sport model is great, but the Impact Pro headset has a higher noise reduction rating noise reduction rating of 30, which makes them a better choice for hearing protection in really loud environments. At the same time, they are a little larger and bulkier than the Impact Sport electronic muffs.

BUY IMPACT PRO EAR MUFFS HERE

The two Howard Leight ear muffs models are by far the best value choices for hunting ear protection. The Impact Sport muffs also made cut for my holiday gift recommendations. To see what other stuff is on the list, check out the following article:

101 Best Gifts For Hunters

Electronic Ear Plugs

For those that want the performance of electronic ear muffs in a smaller package, there are several different types of electronic ear plugs on the market today that are good choices for use as hunting ear protection. Etymotic Gunsport Pro electronic ear plugs are one really good choice. The same goes for Walker’s Game Ears and Walker’s Silencer Digital Earbuds.

Like electronic ear muffs, they block loud noises and amplify all other sounds. However, since they are similar in size to old school hearing aids (or even smaller in the case of the Gunsport Pro), they are much smaller and more portable than electronic ear muffs.

Since they are ear plugs, they do not protect the outside of your ears. As a result, they are designed more for hunters than for shooters (though they may be used for both). On the other hand, they have the advantage of not getting in the way of a rifle or shotgun and they can be worn with any headgear. I have a pair of Walker’s HD Pro Elite plugs and I’ve used them successfully on multiple hunting trips.

Walker’s Game Ears, Walker’s Silencer Digital Earbuds, and Etymotic Gunsport Pro earbuds are all great choices for hunting ear plugs. You’ll probably find that one of those models fits you a little better and is more comfortable to wear than the others though.

Once I got them adjusted properly, the Walker’s Game Ears were fairly comfortable to wear for hours at a time (even when wearing shooting glasses or headgear) and did a good job of amplifying and blocking the proper noises. That said, the AXIL earbuds at the beginning of this article were much more comfortable (and less expensive).

While they are good choices for hearing protection while hunting, electronic ear plugs have two significant drawbacks: their cost (they are by far the most expensive option for protecting your hearing while hunting) and the fact that they do not protect the bones of hearing.

The price is a bit steep for a casual hunter or shooter but they are well worth the money for a serious hunter who will frequently use them and take advantage of their awesome features.

BUY WALKER PRO ELECTRONIC EAR PLUGS HERE

BUY ETYMOTIC GUNSPORT PRO ELECTRONIC EAR PLUGS HERE

BUY WALKER’S SILENCER DIGITAL EARBUDS HERE

I hope that you’ve found this article on the best hunting ear protection choices both helpful and informative. As long as you take the right precautions, it is possible preserve your sense of hearing despite exposure to noisy environments. Trust me, you will be glad that you wore proper hunting ear protection many years from now.

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Read the rest of the article to learn my take on the buckshot vs slug for hunting debate.

Shotguns can be extremely effective for big game hunting if they’re used correctly. For those who hunt big game with a shotgun, it is important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of using buckshot or a slug. The buckshot vs slug debate has been raging for many years. While I won’t settle that question during the course of this article, I will discuss the pros and cons of hunting with buckshot vs a slug and hopefully provide some good advice for prospective hunters.

Note: some of the links below are affiliate links. This means I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make a purchase. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create free content that’s useful to hunters like yourself. Thanks for your support.

Buckshot

Buckshot is the largest type of “shot” loaded in shotgun shells and a typical buckshot load consists of multiple medium diameter pellets. There are many different types and variations of buckshot currently in use, but 12 gauge “00” (“double-aught”) buckshot consisting of 9 (sometimes more) .33 caliber pellets, is the most common. As the name would suggest, buckshot was originally designed for use on medium-sized species of game such as deer.

Like all types of shot, a buckshot pattern grows in size as the range increases. To a certain extent, this is good because it gives the hunter a little room for error when aiming. However, this also means that buckshot has a relatively short maximum effective range. Depending on the exact shotgun and buckshot load being used, you’re probably looking at a maximum range of around 30 yards.

Another disadvantage of using buckshot is the fact that since the individual pellets are normally relatively lightweight (a lead 00 buckshot pellet weighs 50-51 grains), they do not retain their energy or penetrate as well as slugs. This also limits the effectiveness of buckshot on thick-skinned animals and at longer ranges.

That being said, buckshot is absolutely devastating when used at close range on thin-skinned game. The characteristics of buckshot also make it extremely effective for shooting at moving animals.

For that reason, buckshot is very popular among hunters pursuing deer with hounds and by guides in Africa following up wounded leopards. As long as it is used under appropriate conditions, buckshot is an excellent, though not very versatile choice.

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Slug

In direct contrast to buckshot is a slug, which is a single, large diameter projectile designed to be fired from a shotgun. Just like buckshot, there are many different types of shotgun slugs available on the market. While there are numerous differences between the various types of slugs, they all share several basic characteristics in performance.

The big advantage of using a slug is that it has a much longer effective range than buckshot. A 50-75 yard shot on a deer is usually well within the performance capability of a shotgun shooting slugs. When using a barrel designed to shoot slugs and more precise iron sights or a scope, this range can be extended even further.

Though a shotgun shooting slugs will not even come close to matching the effective range of most centerfire rifles, it can easily be used to take ethical shots on animals 2-3x further away than a shotgun shooting buckshot.

Additionally, since a slug is a single large diameter projectile, it makes a very big hole in whatever it hits. Though the exact size of the projectile varies, at .615 caliber, a 20 gauge slug is approximately twice the diameter of a .30-06 bullet and a 12 gauge slug (.729 caliber) is even larger.

Shotgun slugs are also usually very heavy: a 3/4 ounce (328 gr) 20 gauge slug and a 1 ounce (437.5 gr) 12 gauge slug are both significantly heavier than a 150 gr .30-06 bullet. Additionally, shotgun slugs retain their energy better and typically penetrate much deeper than buckshot.

A shotgun shooting a slug is also much more precise than a shotgun shooting buckshot. Depending on the situation, this can be either a good or a bad thing. However, this means the hunter has less margin for error when aiming, which is especially apparent when shooting at a moving target.

BUY SOME GREAT 12 GAUGE SLUGS HERE

BUY SOME GREAT 20 GAUGE SLUGS HERE

Buckshot vs Slug

So what should you use: buckshot or a slug?

Well, it depends on the animal being hunted, the circumstances of the hunt, and the local hunting regulations. It is not legal to hunt big game with buckshot in many places, probably due to the fact that so many hunters wound and lose deer by shooting them with buckshot at too long of a range.

If this is the case where you hunt, the choice is simple: use a slug.

For the majority of hunters, using a slug is probably the best choice due to the superior range and flexibility of the slug vs buckshot.

However, if you hunt thin-skinned game (like deer) in an area where you are likely to only take extremely short range shots and where it is legal to do so, then use buckshot.

For a more detailed discussion on the different shotgun gauges and their recommended uses, read the article below:

Shotgun Gauges Explained: 10 vs 12 vs 16 vs 20 vs 28 vs 410

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NEXT: THIS IS THE BEST 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO FOR HUNTING ELK, DEER, AND OTHER BIG GAME

It’s coming quick this year – ice season. Often early ice can be one of the best times of year, so let’s get ready!

We use two types of rods when ice fishing for walleyes. One is for jigging and one is a dead stick, which is simply hanging a bait in a secondary hole.

One of the things that makes catching walleyes tricky is the way they bite. They don’t really bite a bait, they suck it in. As they move close to their prey, they open their mouth, flare their gills and suck a volume of water, hopefully containing your bait, into their mouth. Then with their sharp teeth they hold the bait in their mouth, waiting for it to quit struggling while determining if they want to swallow it. If they detect something is wrong (bad taste, too much resistance, wrong texture) they just open their mouth, slam their gills tight and blow the bait out. The problem is this can all happen is less than a second!

So as a walleye angler, we need sensitivity in our equipment to not only feel a soft bite, but to feel it quickly and then set the hook before the walleye spits out our offering.

The hookset can often be problematic with walleyes, as their mouth is very boney. To set the hook point into their mouth you have to make your lure move inside the mouth, so it can drive into those bones. With a walleye this can often be difficult because of the way they are holding that bait solidly in their teeth. A hard, solid hookset, is imperative.

Lastly, the rod needs to be able to handle the fight of a walleye. Since the rods are short, normally less than 3-feet, you don’t have a nice long bow in the rod to take up the head shaking of a big walleye. These head shakes are amplified by the use of no-stretch lines (see below). So, a good walleye ice rod needs to be able to absorb the pull of the fish.

It is also important with this short length be able to keep continuous tension on the fish, so it can not throw the bait. Add to that the issue of having to fight the fish up through a small hole and you must have the right action to consistently land fish.

Jigging Rod

This is the rod you’re working by popping, dropping, jiggling, and pounding as you try to entice a walleye to first get interested, and then to strike. We use a couple of different rods for jigging. The Clam Ice Team Professional Series 26” Medium Action Walleye Rod and the JT Outdoors 30″ Gold Digger are great all-around rods. For targeting bigger walleye, we use the JT Outdoors 34″ Black Reign. All of these rods have similar attributes. The shorter ones are particularly good in one-man shacks like the Clam Legend XL Thermal and the longer rods for bigger shacks like the Clam X200 Pro Thermal.

These rods are all super sensitive and lightweight. When fishing in cold conditions, walleyes often don’t hit the bait very aggressively, once again, they are just sucking it in. Also, many times you will be getting bites as the fish chases your bait in an upward direction, so it is hard to detect the bite because they are pushing slack in the line as they bite while they swim toward you. You’ve got to be able to feel them to move on to the next step – setting the hook!

To increase sensitivity, we use a no stretch line as our mainline. The best choice out there is Berkley NanoFil. NanoFil is a uni-filament line, meaning it is a single strand of no-stretch material with no braiding or weaving. The no-stretch attribute greatly increases your ability to feel what is often a subtle bite. The beauty of uni-filament is that it does not retain water in the line, so ice build-up is greatly reduced. Nothing dampens sensitivity more than a big glob of ice on the line! The ice that does build up on NanoFil is on the outside of the line and is quickly taken off with a single sweep between your fingers. For walleye fishing, 8-10lb NanoFil is best.

Often in ice fishing conditions, the water is much clearer than in summertime. There is no algae or sediment from wind to cloud things up. For this reason, you will want to use a Fluorocarbon leader to make the line that is tied to the bait nearly invisible. We use a small #14 to #18 swivel to attach the NanoFil to the Fluorocarbon leader. The length and pound test of the leader depends on conditions. If you are targeting larger fish, then lean towards a 10lb leader made with Berkley Professional Grade 100% Fluorocarbon. For smaller fish or in super clear conditions, you might go as light as 6lb Fluorocarbon. A standard leader length is 2-feet, although in gin clear water a 4-foot one is not uncommon.

The nice thing is that you can rig your reel one time with NanoFil and then adjust your leader to the situation. You can even quickly change to a 2-pound leader if some nice crappies happen to show up! A power hookset can be achieved with these rods because they all fast taper. This means that only the last few inches of the rod have a lot of bend. Since the majority of the rod is stiff, it has a strong backbone and thus amazing hook setting power.

With the few inches on the end of the rod being extremely flexible, you have some rod bend during the fight. It is a very specific action to get the right power in the backbone but flexibility in the tip, and these three rods nailed it!

Dead stick

There are a couple instances when we use dead sticks. The first is when walleyes are in a finicky mood. Often hanging a rod with a simple jig and live minnow in a hole next to where we are jigging produces better than the jigging rod. Jigging is still important to draw the fish in, but we see it on our Lowrance HDS units all the time, a walleye comes in and looks at the jig rod, doesn’t bite, but fades over to the jig and a minnow and slurps it in.

Second, we are also big proponents of using JT Outdoor Hot Boxes for our dead sticks. These boxes have a propane heat source in them to keep the hole clear of ice, so they can be set up remotely from our shacks. They are very portable and quick to set up. These boxes really give us big advantages! If you are fishing a flat or basin area by spreading out lures similar to how you would use planer boards in the summer, you can multiply your results. If you are fishing structure it is nice to be able to set up rods in several depths. Try jigging in a shack at the top of the break with a Hot Box set at the middle or bottom of the break to cover several depths.

In any situation, the big difference between a jigging rod and a dead stick is that you’re are not typically holding the rod to detect the bite. The walleye is going to suck the bait in and either hold it while determining if it is going to eat it, or it will slowly start to move away. Since there is a delay between the bite and the hookset you need to use a much more limber rod for this set-up. Enter the JT Outdoors 36” Walleye Snare Rod. This is one of the coolest rods out there for ice fishing! It is super flexible at the tip to about half way down the rod. You could call this rod action Slow Taper. The idea is that the walleye will suck in the bait and feel little or no resistance from the rod. Remember too much resistance will make them want to spit the bait.

The Snare Rod has a built-in red ball at the end of the rod, so even at a distance you can see the slightest bite as the rod tip and ball will move slightly down. When you get to the rod at this point, a solid sweeping hookset will double over the Snare Rod enough to get into its strong backbone and drive the hooks home! We have never seen another rod on the market that duplicates this rods ability to trick a walleye into holding on to a bait with its limberness, but still have the hook setting strength of a Snare Rod!

Sometimes, especially with Hot Boxes it might take a while to get to a biting walleye. What’s interesting is that you will catch a surprising number of fish that sit still and hold on to the lure a long time. The other thing that may happen is that once the walleye determines its ok to eat the bait, it will typically swallow the bait a little deeper and it will start to move away. Correspondingly the Snare Rod will double over even more. Often the red ball will even touch the water!

This is where things get interesting. As the Snare Rod bends more and more, it also starts putting more pressure on the fish. Many times the fish will make a sudden move to try to get away. This move often puts the Snare Rod into its strong backbone and the fish will literally set the hook by its self – thus the name Snare Rod! One big advantage of the Snare rod, is once the fish is hooked up, you’ll have all kinds of flex in the rod and fish rarely get off.

Set up the Snare with the same Nanofil mainline and don’t be afraid to drop down a size or two in your leader pound test, this is a more finesse technique, so a lighter leader will often allow the minnow to swim more actively on a light jig.

Two rods, same result – The Next Bite!

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

Further Reading

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

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

Moose Size Comparison – Subspecies of Moose

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

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

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

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

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

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

Size of Different types of Moose – Comparison

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

Alaska Moose

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

Western Moose

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

Eastern Moose

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

Siberian Moose

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

Yellowstone Moose

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

Moose Size Comparison with Others

Moose vs. Deer

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

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

Moose Size Compared To Horse

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

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

Moose Elephant Size Comparison

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

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

Moose Compared to Human

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

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

Wrapping Up – Moose Size Comparison

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

Additional Common Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The beaver is an abundant furbearer throughout most of North America, and trapping is an enjoyable and rewarding activity that can produce high quality fur pelts for mittens or hats, and meat that makes excellent table fare. Beavers are quite easy to locate, and easy to trap once you get them figured out. A wide variety of traps are used to catch beaver. The best beaver trap probably depends on your individual situation. Let’s take a look at the options.

330 Conibear / Bodygrip Trap

The 330 is the most common trap used to catch beaver. It is a large bodygripping trap (also often referred to as a ‘Conibear’) typically measuring 10″x10″. The 330 is usually placed in blind sets along a beaver’s natural travelway. As the beaver moves along a trail or run in the water or at the water’s edge, it travels through the trap opening, trips the trigger and is caught. The 330 is designed to be a quick kill trap, which is very humane and effective. Being such a big and powerful trap, it can be very dangerous if not handled or used properly. Be sure to take precautions, use safety devices where appropriate, and never set these traps in a location where they could catch a domestic animal. Most states require these traps be set in water to avoid catching nontarget animals.

330 traps are made by a variety of manufacturers, including Duke, Bridger, Victor (the owner of the name ‘Conibear’), Belisle, and RBG. The Duke 330’s are the cheapest and provide the best bang for your buck. They are actually a bit smaller than most 330’s, measuring 10″x9″ instead of 10″x10″. Bridger and Duke both make a magnum version of this trap (Bridger’s is 10″x10″, Duke’s is 10″x9″), which closes completely without any gaps, and often results in extra catches by holding beavers that are only caught by the tail, foot or other body part that would allow them to pull out of most other traps. The only thing I don’t like about the magnum style is that I find some of them very difficult to set, particularly the Bridgers. Some adjustment can help with this. The Belisle 330’s are also a magnum type trap but with a different jaw style. They are made of top quality construction, have superior safety catches and triggers, and are the top of the line trap with a correspondingly high price tag. RBG bodygrip traps are unique in that the jaws are shaped in a circle rather than a square, appealing to an animal’s natural tendency to enter round openings.

330’s can catch otter as well, especially if the trigger is configured to cover a large percentage of the jaw opening. They also catch the occasional muskrat that trips the trigger in just the right location while swimming at the right speed.

Although the 330 is by far the most common beaver trap, other sizes can be used to take beavers as well. The 280 bodygrip trap has an opening of 8″x8″. It can catch beavers in the right situation, particularly in areas with very small runs and trails. Smaller beaver are more likely to be caught in 280’s, but I have caught larger beavers in these traps occasionally as well. With the smaller trap it can be a challenge to get the beaver to swim through the opening. Sometimes they’ll swim around the trap instead. Some trappers have good success using 280’s when they are baited as opposed to using them in blind sets. Although beavers can be caught in 220 bodygrip traps, with 7″x7″ jaw spreads, it’s not as common and I wouldn’t recommend it. On the other end of the spectrum, Minnesota Brand makes a huge bodygrip trap, the MB 1216, which measures 12″x16″ and is designed to cover large, wide runs. This can also be a very effective trap, but misses are possible as well, because a beaver can often swim through the large opening without setting the trigger off at all, or setting it off too late to be effectively caught. RBG makes a Big Bear, a 10″x22″ opening trap, that works on the same principal.

TS-85

The TS-85 has been gaining in popularity among beaver trappers for years. This coil spring foothold trap has a massive 8.5 inch jaw spread, which allows for a large target area for the beaver to put its foot and get caught. Foothold traps for beaver are most commonly set as drowning sets in the water near shore. They are designed to catch a beaver as it approaches the shore or enters the water from land. Proper depth and guide sticks, as well as lure and bait placement all play a part in a trapper’s success using footholds for beaver. The TS-85 was designed by professional trapper Tim Sawatzky and has a lot of experience behind it. The trap is easy to set and has several features, including a dogless design with easily adjustable pan tension and high lever lockup on the jaws. It’s a nice trap for the money and my favorite beaver foothold trap.

MB-750

The MB-750 is a beast of a trap. Designed and built by Minnesota Trapline Products, the trap is super strong and sports a 7+ inch jaw spread, smaller than the TS-85 but still pretty large. One unique feature of the trap is that it has a locking mechanism that holds both jaws down, eliminating the loose jaw. Some trapper have issues with the loose jaw being flipped up by a beaver while moving through the set area, causing the trap to fail to connect. The fact that this trap has no loose jaw, however, means that it’s a bit dangerous to set for the inexperienced – your fingers are right in the danger zone when making any adjustments to the pan!

Related: MB-750 Beaver/Otter Trap Review

WCS Pro 7.5

The WCS Pro 7.5 is basically a reboot of the extremely popular CDR trap. The CDR was a 7.5 inch jaw spread beaver trap a simple, effective design. The WCS Pro 7.5 features a solid chain and swivel system, wire levers which make it fast underwater, and the Paws-I-Trip pan system, a very popular feature that I’m a big fan of.

Bridger #5

The Bridger #5 is a work horse of a beaver trap with a simple design and a very reasonable price tag. Minnesota Trapline Products has made some recent improvements to the trap design and construction. It’s a good contender in the beaver foothold trapping game.

No-BS Beaver Extreme

Kendall Obermeir has made some noise in the trapping industry with a new line of No-BS traps that are super impressive. Their ruggedness of design, top quality products and workmanship and unique new features make these traps unique and worth checking out. The Beaver Extreme trap features heat treated steel, a lower pan, dogless design, and the traps are pre-coated from the factory.

Duke 850-FJ

The Duke 850 is the newest beaver trap on the market. The 850-FJ is the closed jaw model, designed for beaver (the offset jaw trap of the same name is designed for wolf and mountain lion). This trap is essentially a larger beefed up version of the Duke 550 or 650 traps, which were almost a carbon copy of the MB-550 coyote trap. The trap features heavy cast steel jaws, heavy duty chain and swivels, four coiled, and the Paws-I-Trip pan system. It’s a nice looking trap, but hasn’t been on the market long enough for me to really get a feel of how it works for different trappers.

So, What’s the Best Beaver Trap?

There are plenty of great options for beaver trappers these days, which makes it tough to determine the best trap. The 330 is the best type of bodygrip/conibear trap for beaver trapping without question, and if I had to choose a ‘best’ brand of 330 I’d go with Belisle. That said, all of them work and catch beavers effectively.

When it comes to foothold traps for beaver, it’s tough to say. The different models vary quite a lot. I prefer the TS-85, but there are advantages and disadvantages of each model, and I haven’t used them all extensively. Regardless of what you choose, if you pick from the list above you’ll have yourself an excellent beaver trap that will effectively catch beavers year after year.