Bird hunting and dog training are full of terminology and words that new hunters need to learn.

To walk the walk, bird hunters need to first learn to talk the talk. Deciphering the various terminology of the pointing dog world can be confusing. Dog training verbiage is not universal. It can vary regionally, and the dogs you are running or the program you are following may have their own verbiage, too.

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When I picked up my first Deutsch Kurzhaar (DK) pup, I was greeted with a long list of required breed tests. I found myself swimming in alphabet soup in short order. I remember being told I had to run my DK in a young dog test called the Derby. When I asked how the testing system worked, the answer was a series of acronyms that ended up sounding like the teacher in Peanuts: “Wha, wha, whawa, wha.” With an overwhelming blank stare and a grin, I knew I had work to do.

Similar to learning a foreign language, there is a lot to learn when it comes to the linguistics behind training hunting dogs. Like the English language, there are many variations of saying the same thing. In this article, I will help provide you with some understanding of some of the more universally accepted terminologies we use in the field.

Bird Dog Field Terminology

Here is a glossary of terms often referred to during a hunt in the field.

• Back Casting – Backcasting is when a dog hunts behind the handler. Dogs are primarily expected to remain in front of its handler.
• Backing – Backing is when another dog stops and visually points to another dog’s point without the aid of scent. The backing dog should stop at first sight and remain in place through the steadiness process.
• Biddability – A biddable dog is ready for learning with a balanced temperament and can learn very quickly.
• Blind Retrieve – A blind retrieve is a retrieve made without the dog visually seeing the game or bumper.
• Blinking – Blinking is when a dog overtly refuses to complete a task. Though most commonly associated with blinking birds, dogs can also blink for other tasks such as retrieving or backing another dog.
• Brace – A brace is hunting multiple dogs together in the field at once.
• Breaking – The act of breaking means coming off or leaving, such as breaking point to locate or capture game. As well as breaking from the blind meaning leaving the blind prior to being sent for the retrieve.
• Breaking Cover – The dog’s willingness to leave easy terrain to search heavier thickets or brambles to locate game.
• Bumper / Dummy – A bumper or retrieving dummies are types of retriever training equipment used to teach retrieving. A bumper comes is many shapes, sizes, weights, and colors. They can be thrown from a string or shot from a launcher. They can mimic the shape and size of real game such as the Dokken retriever training equipment.
• Cooperation – Cooperation is the dogs want to comply and work as a team player with its handler.
• Covert/Cover – It’s the likely areas where game can be found.
• Creeping – Creeping also known as cat walking is the act of slowly walking into birds before or after establishing a point. Dogs that creep often do so to get deeper into the scent cone potentially flushing a wary bird.
• Crittering – Crittering is sometimes used to describe a dog that is hunting “off target” game species such as deer, song birds, skunks, or porcupine.
• Delayed Chase – Delayed chase is when a dog is told to leave a bird and move up ahead though instead, the dog chooses to re-engage the chase.
• Desire – A dog with great desire has the passion and drive to get away from its handler to locate game. It’s the internal drive or fire that fuels all aspects of the hunt from the want to point, search, or desire to retrieve.
• False Pointing / Unproductive Pointing – A false point or unproductive point is when a dog points old scent and doesn’t realize the bird is no longer there.
• Flushing Dog – A flushing dog is characterized by hunting within gun range at all times and will put the bird in the air for close shooting opportunities. It can hunt both on land and in the water.

• Give/Drop/Release – These are commands telling a dog to relinquish the item it’s retrieving item into the hand of its handler.
• Gun shy – A gun-shy dog is so fearful of the sound of a gunshot that it paralyzes them in fear and can no longer be hunted at that time, or ever again depending on the severity.
• Gun-sensitive – A gun-sensitive dog can recover from its fear of the shot and continues to hunt.
• Hacking – Hacking is when a handler over-commands their dog to maintain control
• Honoring – Honoring is the act of showing interest yet not interfering with another dog’s work be it pointing or retrieving.
• Hold – Hold is a command telling a dog not to drop game or retrieving dummy/bumper.
• Long Nose – Describes a dog’s ability to scent birds at a great distance.
• Making Game – Making game describes when a dog is working scent to locate a bird.
• Marker Words – Words used to identify good and bad behaviors. Yes is a word commonly used to identify behavior we want to see more of and Bad or negative tone or noise to mark behaviors we want to see less of. The word No is commonly used however it’s not a good marker word as it sounds too much like whoa.
• Mouthing Birds – The unsavory act of playing with, breaking bones, and putting holes in the meat potentially making game unfit for the table.
• Marking -To mark is when the dog makes a visual connection to a bird or bumper that is in the air as well as on land or in the water.
• Nose Work – Describes a dog’s ability to use scent to locate game.
• Obedience – Obedience is the dog’s ability to quickly follow commands without hesitation.
• Passive Disobedient – A passive disobedient dog uses submissive acts such as cowering and rolling over as a way to avoid training pressure.
• Parading – Parading refers to the selfish act of swinging out and/or past the handler before returning to its handler for the finished retrieve.
• Pointing – Pointing is defined as an intense, convincing, unmistakable, and in the end productive stationary positioning of a dog in the presence of game.
• Poison Bird – A retrieving exercise where a handler asks a dog to ignore a marked “poison” bird, then requires the dog to follow a separate set of retrieving tasks.
• Popping – When asked to search or retrieve and the dog hesitates to require additional commands to comply often associated with trust issues. Often seen at the release for a retrieve and just before the finish of a retrieve.
• Productive – Describes a dog that finds many birds in its search.
• Purpose – The desirable trait of showing a purpose to find game in the dog’s search. Alternatively, a dog lacking in purpose runs the field as if being taken on its daily walk.
• Pushing out / Nosing out the bird – The act of using its nose to push up the bird into flight. Often seen in the early steadiness work of developmental dogs or dogs that know they are not allowed to catch the bird.
• Quartering – Quartering is a windshield wiper-type pattern out in front of a dog’s handler maximizing the potential of finding game by leaving little area untouched by the dog.
• Recall – Recall is the trained finished position of a dog that is asked to come to you. It can be in your general vicinity, at the immediate front, or directly to the handler’s side. Preferably, the dog would be at the non-gun side so as to not be under the gun.
• Regrip – The act of putting the bird down (without the mouth leaving the bird) so that the dog can more easily return the bird to its handler. It’s generally accepted that a dog can put down a bird to get a better grip as long as it’s not playing with the bird.
• Relocate – The act of a dog’s ability to relocate running birds or short-flighted birds to a re-establishing point, providing another opportunity to kill the bird.
• Roading or Riding In On Birds – When a dog locates the scent of a bird and encroaches upon it in an attempt to get as close as possible.
• Self-Hunting – Dogs that are self-hunters will be selfish in their hunting style. This includes trying to catch birds on their own, refusing to listen to commands, and running for the hills. These types of dogs are of little use for the on-foot hunter.
• Self Release – The dog releases from its position prior to being commanded to do so.
• Soft – Soft is a description given to a dog that struggles to handle light training pressures and becomes fearful and submissive.
• Started Dog – A developmental dog that has begun its steadiness process and has an obedience foundation under it.
• Staunching Up Your Dog – Staunching up your dog is the act of supporting a pointing dog by stroking its tail, back, and shoulders to send a message of encouragement and teamwork between the dog and its handler.
• Steady – A dog can be steady, staunch, or broke, meaning it will remain frozen in place until commanded to move. No matter the number of shots that go off, or the direction the bird flies, the dog’s feet remain planted on the ground.
• Stealing A Point – Stealing a point is when a dog points ahead of another dog already established on point to compete for the bird.
• Stop to Flush – When a dog stops when a target game bird flies.
• Taking A Line – Taking a line is asking the dog to run a straight line towards an undisclosed objective until commanded to stop or until reaching its retrieving objective.
• Takeout – A dog that chooses to attempt to capture the game on its own is ripping birds, pushing them out, nosing them up, self-released, or taking the bird out.
• Trash Breaking – Originating from training your dog to leave trash alone in your home, trash breaking describes the training involved to keep a dog from chasing off game species such as deer, porcupine, skunks, or snakes.
• Underfoot / Boot Licking – Underfoot or bootlicking is the act of hunting so tight to the handler that it is of little to use as a productive hunting companion.
• Upland Hunting – Upland hunting is an American term describing the hunting of various game birds such as grouse, quail, woodcock, and pheasants.
• Versatile Hunting Dog – A versatile hunting dog is a dog that can hunt many game species both on land and in water.
• Wild Flush – A wild flush is when a bird takes flight when a dog approaches the bird without an opportunity to acknowledge the scent of the bird.
• Zones of Fire – Zones of fire are used when multiple hunters gather around a pointing dog. Each gunner restricts their shooting to their zone of fire for safety reasons.

Bird Dog Field Commands

Each handler will need their own set of field commands. They are highly customizable and can be individually specific to each handler. Commands need to be easily understood by the dog; they’re usually either one or two words. It’s important to only use commands when needed and keep the list to only essential commands.

READ: How to Correctly Command Your Dog

Here are some commonly used field commands:

• Back – The command back means to turn and take a straight line 180 degrees away from you.
• Come/Here – This is the recall command from a stationary handler asking a dog to come to you and to finish at a specific place usually to your front or side. The come or here whistle command is traditionally two quick and short blasts or multiple short blasts in succession from a pea-less end of a two tone whistle. However, many prefer a single tone whistles for all commands.
• Come Around – Come around is a command given to a dog as you are moving. It commands the dog to check back or check in with its handler with the requirement to finish.
• Down – Down is a command to lay down and not to move. It has many hunting and home-living applications.
• Fetch – Fetch is the release command given to go and retrieve a marked retrieve of a bumper or game.
• Heel – The heel command tells the dog to come with you at your side. The dog’s front feet align with yours and remain close to your side, no further than a body width from you. The dog should also not touch your leg.
• Kennel / Crate – The command given for the dog to go into its crate. No matter if it’s in your truck, backyard, or a kennel in your home, a dog should easily go to its crate on command.
• Leave It – Leave it is another command with many applications. Leave the skunk, porcupine, grass, or feces alone, and don’t go back.
• Mark – The mark command tells a dog to look ahead for a visual cue to assist in its retrieve.
• Over – Over is a retrieving command asking a dog to take a 90-degree line right or left and remain on that line until the retrieving item is either found or another command is given.
• Place – Place is a command telling the dog to go sit or stand at a location commonly identified by a blind mat or place board.
• Turn Commands – Some handlers like to use a turn command in the field to control their dog’s search pattern. This can be one quick blast with a change of direction from the handler or a hand signal pointing in the direction for the dog to follow.
• Up Front – Commands the dog to move ahead of you in its search.
• Release Commands – A release command tells a dog that its work is done and it is free to make its own choices. Ideally, it’s a command not commonly used in normal conversation. Free, break, or release are common examples of a release command. However, using the word “okay” as a release command is a mistake many new handlers make as it’s often used in conversation, resulting in the inadvertent release of the dog.
• Sit – The sit command asks a dog to plant its hind end on the ground.
• Stay – The stay command lets the dog know you will be moving away from it and it must remain in place.
• Whoa – Whoa is the command to stop or sit and not to move. Commonly, it’s one long blast of the pea side of a two-tone whistle. That being said, handlers successfully use all kinds of whistles.

It’s important to follow a consistent set of commands from early on in your dog’s development. Oftentimes, handlers will attempt to have more of a dialogue in the field which tends to confuse the dog. Your dog studies you incredibly hard each and every day to become masterful at following your commands. We can encourage clarity by doing our part in keeping to the script. In doing so, you will find a far more responsive dog who accurately follows each and every command.

Training and Troubleshooting the Recall Command with Dogs

The Importance of Training Steadiness in Bird Dogs

How to Correctly Command Your Dog

Thinking About Dog Commands to Avoid Confusion in Training

If there’s one enduring lesson from 2020, it’s that family matters. And for upstate New York bowhunter Phillip Pless, that’s never been more apparent than when it comes to the autumn pursuit of whitetails.

A disabled veteran from Newfane, N.Y. who served in the United States Navy, Pless saw all levels of family become an important cog in his recent hunt for a huge buck on a small farm barely 10 miles from Lake Ontario. From his wife to his extended family to even a late grandfather he never met; all played a key role in Pless’ recent bowhunt for a buck apparently destined for the upper reaches of the record book.

When the smoke had cleared from his recent outing, the 43-year old bowhunter — who has chased deer since he was 16 and has hunted whitetails with a bow since 2010 — had a massive 5 ½-year-old non-typical that could push up toward state-record status in the Pope and Young Club record book for the Empire State.

While he’ll have to wait until the mandatory 60-day drying period is over to find out what the buck’s official score is early next year, the early green numbers on Pless’ Nov. 8 bowkill put it into benchmark territory at 222 6/8 inches gross and 213 7/8 inches net.

If the numbers on the Pless buck hold, it stands to wrestle the top spot away in the archery record book from a 2011 buck taken in Suffolk County by Michael Giarraputo. That whitetail scored 209 6/8 inches net and has been the Pope and Young Club state record non-typical buck ever since.

Until Pless’ recent bowhunt, that is. Not bad for a bowhunter who wasn’t even sure if he would be able to get out into the woods on the fateful Sunday afternoon.

“I was at home watching the kids while my wife ran some errands, and I really had no plans to hunt that day,” said Pless. “Plus, the local fire company was having a raffle gun drawing on Facebook and I kind of wanted to watch that along with the Bills game.”

But when his wife Elizabeth arrived home around mid-afternoon — and with the Bills doing well on the gridiron in their eventual 44-34 win over the Seattle Seahawks — a beautiful fall afternoon in November proved to be too strong a temptation for the enthusiastic bowhunter.

“Since the Bills were winning, I said to my wife, ‘You know what? I’m going to go hunting,’” chuckled Pless.

So he quickly put on his new birthday present, a pair of LaCrosse rubber boots from his wife, and got dressed in his favorite Realtree Edge camouflage. Then Pless made the short 10-minute drive to the small family farm, hiked to his ladder stand, and put on a cover scent he relies heavily upon.

“I’ve tried to access my stands like the pros do,” said Pless. “I watch all of the TV shows and try to watch the wind like the pros do. But I also put on a Conquest scent on the bottom of my boots.”

After doing so, he climbed up to see what the afternoon would bring. Hopefully it would deliver a chance at a bruiser buck that Pless had seen for four years on his Wildgame Innovation trail cameras. But despite hunting the farm regularly, having a couple of the buck’s sheds, and having a growing library of trail camera photos, in the field sightings were all but non-existent for the big non-typical.

With any luck, that would change. But after getting settled in around mid-afternoon, the first hour was uneventful as Pless sat in his stand overlooking the old fruit tree farm that is now a mix of uplands, soybean and corn fields, as well as scattered woods.

As Pless waited, hoping to see the buck that had disappeared from his cameras in recent weeks, the beautiful fall afternoon with mild temperatures and light winds drew his wife to the family farm to walk with the couple’s young children — 3-year-old Grace, 2-year-old Liam, and the couple’s soon-to-be-born son Easton.

“After I had been sitting in the stand for a little bit, my wife had texted and said that she had come to the farm with the kids,” said Pless. “She asked if she could walk back that way with the kids. I told her yes, but not to come too far. When they got to a certain spot, I’d wave at them.”

But as Pless dropped his cell phone back into a pocket, he looked up and had to catch his breath — the giant buck he had watched for four years now was in the scrub field in front of him with a doe.

“I looked at him through my Vortex binoculars — I use the 10×42 Diamondback HD set — to make sure it was him, then I took couple of pics and sent them to my wife and told her not to come back here because he was here.”

While the full details of Pless’ hunt will be saved for a future issue of North American Whitetail magazine, suffice it to say that the bowhunter began a cat-and-mouse game with the giant buck that lasted into the final minutes of sunlight. At first, the buck disappeared into the woods while the original doe remained in the field. A short while later, the buck reappeared with a couple of other does and chased one around briefly as the group slowly advanced in the bowhunter’s direction.

When it seemed like the bruiser would come no closer, Pless decided to trust his long hours of practice work on the shooting range this year as he sought to improve his skills at longer distances. Drawing his Hoyt Maxus 31 back, he steadied the sight pin on his Trophy Ridge sight, touched the release, and let the Easton arrow and Rage broadhead sail downrange towards the buck 40+ yards away.

“As I drew back, I prayed to God that I wouldn’t miss and then I let the arrow go,” said Pless. “He turned a bit on the shot, but the arrow hit him and went through the shoulder, shattering it, and getting lung. He went about 80 yards, stopped about four times — each time I could see blood coming out — and then I saw him drop.”

Composing himself — Pless admitted he started shaking like a leaf after he cut the shot loose — the archer waited until dark. As he climbed down, the bowhunter ruefully discovered that in his haste to get out of the house and into his stand, he had left his flashlight at home. After using his cell phone light to briefly examine the area, Pless retreated to the farm house for a light and some tracking reinforcements.

“When we got back down in there, he wasn’t too far from where I had last seen him,” said Pless. “My arrow had gone through the right shoulder and gotten lung.”

With the deer now successfully recovered, Pless and his family members couldn’t get over how huge the buck was, both in terms of its antler dimensions and body size.

“He weighed about 250 or 260 before we gutted him,” said Pless. “And he was bigger (antler wise) than he appeared to be in the trail cam photos I had. He looked big in the pictures, but in person, he was just huge.”

Pless admitted that he was a little befuddled as he went about tagging the animal, getting it field dressed, and loaded up for the ride out.

“I couldn’t really concentrate as I tried to soak it all in,” he laughed. “I even asked someone for a pen five times. As it turns out, I had the pen in my hand all along.”

When you’ve just shot a buck that could be a new archery state record — in the year of the COVID-19 pandemic, no less — that’s understandable.

Now Pless will sit back and enjoy fresh venison on the family dinner table, look forward to the completion of a pedestal mount of the buck that is being done, and eagerly await the final scoring process in January 2021.

Already, others in his small western New York region are pretty excited to hear the story and see the photos of this great buck.

“Yeah, my brother told me that this thing would go viral,” said Pless. “And I guess it has, because I’ve even had people approach me when I’ve been out and about. One was the other day in the parking lot of a gas station. The guy looked at me and said ‘Hey, is that you?’ And I said, ‘What do you mean?’ And then he said, ‘Are you the guy who shot that big deer?’ as he pulled his phone out and showed me a photo of me and my deer. And I said ‘Yeah, that’s me, I’m the guy!’”

In the meantime, as Pless enjoys his brush with local fame, he’s also filled with gratitude as the season of Thanksgiving approaches. First, for his wife and her daily work from home, along with her also trying to help her husband get into the woods to pursue his outdoors passion.

Next Pless is grateful for a host of friends and family members who have taken an interest in his hobby along with helping to drag the buck out, including Kevin Austin, Scott Pipelis, Jason Pless, and Connor Pless.

And finally, he’s thankful for the memory of one of his primary deer-hunting inspirations, the late grandfather that he never met, Clarence Pless. Years ago, the late hunter was passionate about his own pursuit of New York’s big whitetails, even taking a record-book giant with a shotgun.

“My grandpa Pless used to hunt, but I never got to meet him since he passed away before I was born,” said Phillip. “My grandpa was a good deer hunter, and last week, my uncle Glenn gave me some of my grandfather’s stuff because he thought I might like to have it. It included a picture of my grandfather at deer camp with several others.”

In that deer camp photo taken near Greenwood, N.Y., the black and white image shows several proud hunters along with several good bucks hanging from the camp’s sagging meat pole. And the biggest belonged to Clarence, who was also 43 at the time — a huge typical whitetail placing high up in the New York State Big Buck Club.

He’s heard the stories of his grandfather’s love of deer hunting from his dad Bruce, his uncle Glenn, and others — so much so that he felt his grandpa’s presence during his recent hunt for a record book giant.

“You know, I don’t honestly know how to feel about all of this, I guess it really hasn’t all sunk in yet,” said Pless. “But it’s been really exciting, and I’ve been telling others that I think my grandfather was either sitting beside me or was up above watching over me when I shot this deer. He shot his big buck back in 1942 at the age of 43 and I shot mine at 43 — my birthday was just the other day.”

Proving that even in a time of unprecedented health crisis and uncertainty, many of the things that have made our country great still remain, things like hope, family, love, and a desire to get outside to see and experience the great outdoors.

Pless certainly understands, especially this year, a time when the coronavirus has ravaged his home state.

“I know it’s been bad here,” said Pless. “But I don’t know anybody who has gotten it and suffered from it — at least no one in my family, thank the Lord.”

Whatever else people remember the year 2020 for, Pless will always remember it for something wonderful and grand every time he looks in the antlered direction of a certain big buck he dreamed of tagging for several years. In the end, it was a deer that lived up to the hype, in the passionate bowhunter’s mind at least.

“It is the buck of a lifetime,” agreed Pless.

In a year that will never be forgotten. May all of us as hunters be so blessed in the fall of 2020 as we head to the woods with the hope for a big buck, good health, and the love of family and friends tucked away in our back pocket.

Chipmunks can be a real nuisance when they start invading your property. They can damage plants, gardens, and even homes. If you’re looking for tips on how to get rid of chipmunks, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog post, we will share some tips on how to get rid of chipmunks using different methods. Read on for more information.

What Is a Chipmunk?

A chipmunk is a small, ground-dwelling squirrel that is found in North America. Chipmunks are members of the squirrel family, which also includes rats, mice, and voles. These animals are easily recognizable by their striped backs and bushy tails. Chipmunks are usually brown or gray in color, but they can also be reddish or black.

Chipmunks typically measure 8 to 10 inches in length, including their tail. They weigh between 2 and 5 ounces. Male and female chipmunks are similar in size and appearance.

What Do Chipmunks Eat?

Chipmunks are omnivorous animals, which means that they eat both plants and animals. Their diet consists mostly of seeds, nuts, fruits, and insects. In the wild, chipmunks typically live for 2 to 3 years. However, in captivity, they can live up to 10 years.

Chipmunks are active during the day and sleep at night. They are solitary creatures that only come together to mate. During the winter months, chipmunks hibernate in underground burrows.

Chipmunks Versus Squirrels:

It’s easy to confuse chipmunks with squirrels, but there are some key differences between these two animals. For one, chipmunks are much smaller than squirrels. They also have stripes on their backs, while squirrels do not. Finally, chipmunks typically eat insects and other small creatures, while squirrels primarily eat nuts and seeds.

If you’re not sure whether you’re dealing with a chipmunk or a squirrel, the best way to tell them apart is by their size and appearance. Chipmunks are small animals with striped backs, while squirrels are larger animals with solid-colored fur.

(Do squirrels carry rabies? See this post for more)

How Do Chipmunks Get in the House?

Chipmunks typically live in the wild, but they will sometimes enter homes in search of food or shelter. If a chipmunk finds its way into your house, it can be a real nuisance. These animals are known to damage furniture, gnaw on electrical wires, and contaminate food sources.

Why Are Chipmunks a Problem?

Chipmunks are generally not a problem for people. However, these animals can become a nuisance if they start invading your property. Chipmunks are attracted to yards and gardens because they offer food and shelter. These animals will eat plants, fruits, and nuts from your garden. They can also damage trees and shrubs by burrowing into them. In addition, chipmunks can carry diseases that can be harmful to humans, such as rabies.

Are Chipmunks Dangerous?

Chipmunks are generally not dangerous to humans. However, these animals can carry diseases that can be harmful to humans, such as rabies. If you are bitten by a chipmunk, it is important to seek medical attention immediately.

If you have a chipmunk problem on your property, it’s important to take action quickly. These little rodents can cause a lot of damage and may even carry diseases. If you’re not sure how to get rid of chipmunks, read on for some tips.

How to Get Rid of Chipmunks Indoors?

• Isolate dogs and cats in a room or crate;
• Close all interior doors;
• Open windows and doors leading to the outside;
• Wait for the chipmunk to find its way out.
• Set a humane trap with sunflower seeds, pumpkin, raisins, cereal, or nuts to lure it;
• Release the chipmunk back into the wild.

How Do I Know If I Have Chipmunks?

There are a few signs that you may have chipmunks on your property. The most obvious sign is the presence of these animals. If you see a chipmunk, it is likely that there are more nearby. You may also see burrows or holes in the ground. These are typically located near foundations, trees, or shrubs. In addition, you may hear chattering or scampering noises coming from inside your walls or beneath your floors. If you think you have chipmunks, it’s important to take action quickly to get rid of them before they cause any damage.

How To Get Rid of Chipmunk Tunnels?

Chipmunks burrow underground to create their homes, which can be a problem for people if the tunnel is located on your property. These animals will dig holes in your yard, which can damage your landscaping. In addition, chipmunk tunnels can create trip hazards. If you have a chipmunk tunnel on your property, you can get rid of it by filling it in with dirt or rocks. You can also try using traps or repellents to discourage the chipmunks from digging new tunnels.

How To Deter Chipmunks?

There are several things you can do to deter chipmunks from your property. First, try to make your yard less inviting by removing food sources, such as bird feeders, pet food, and garbage cans. You can also try using traps or repellents to discourage the chipmunks from coming onto your property. Finally, if all else fails, you may need to call in a professional pest control company to help get rid of the chipmunks for good.

How to Get Rid of Chipmunks Outdoors?

• Keep Your Yard Clean: Remove potential food sources, such as bird feeders and pet food.
• Set Traps: You can purchase chipmunk traps at your local hardware store. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully so that you don’t accidentally trap other animals.
• Repellents: There are a number of commercial repellents available that can help keep chipmunks away.
• Spicy Spray: You can make your own repellent by mixing cayenne pepper and water.Professional Help:
• Introducing Predators: One way to get rid of chipmunks is by introducing predators, such as owls, into your yard. For example, to encourage owls onto your property, create an owl box as an easy-to-use nesting spot
• Call a Professional: If you’re still having trouble getting rid of chipmunks, you may need to call in a professional pest control company.
• Do-it-Yourself Method: Using an air rifle is one of the effective ways to get rid of chipmunks on your property for good.

(For more on the best air rifles for pest control, see this post)

Most Expensive Rifle: Meet the Barrett Model M82A1 – The Colt AR-15 remains in the cross-hairs of politicians including President Joe Biden, who has vowed to do everything in his power to ban the sale of the most popular firearm; as well as the entire category of modern sporting rifles. However, there is another rifle that has long been targeted by lawmakers and gun control advocates who apparently fear what they don’t understand.

That firearm is the Barrett Model 82A1, the first and only semi-automatic .50 caliber rifle produced to date. It is also the most expensive firearm currently in production – at least one that can (mostly) be owned by civilians.

(Subscribe to Our New YouTube Channel Here. Check out More Original 19FortyFive Videos Here.)

Spotlight on the Barrett

There have been big bore rifles since the First World War, but all were bolt action. However, in the early 1980s former professional photographer, Ronnie Barrett, became intrigued with the idea of developing a semi-automatic rifle that could fire the .50 BMG round. In 1982, he launched the Tennessee-based Barrett Firearms and set about creating such a weapon.

The result was the Barrett M82 sniper rifle, and it was as innovative as it was powerful – and arguably as expensive. Today, a Barrett M82A1 will cost upwards of $8,000.

The shoulder-fired, semi-automatic rifle was designed around the .50 BMG cartridge, and unique among firearms of the time the Barrett rifle’s barrel recoiled backward after firing. A rotating-lock breech block equipped with an accelerator arm used part of the recoil energy to push back the block on firing. This cycled the action, cocked the firing pin, and loaded a new round from a ten-round steel magazine.

The Barrett M82 offered a solution to a problem the military really didn’t know it had, which was how to use a rifle that could shoot nearly a thousand yards. In fact, the U.S. military didn’t immediately see any need for Barrett’s design. Fortunately, Barrett did convince the Swedish Army to adopt the weapon, and that was reportedly enough to keep the company afloat.

Then in 1990, the United States military became involved in Operation Desert Shield and while preparing for Operation Desert Storm, the liberation of Kuwait, and the invasion of Iraq, the U.S. Marine Corps acquired 125 of the rifles. Orders from the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force soon followed. The M82 was adopted as the SASR – Special Applications and Scoped Rifle – and it proved its worth in Operation Desert Storm.

Official State Rifle of Tennessee

Since the founding of the United States, there had been a “long rifle” tradition in Kentucky and Pennsylvania of naming an official firearm of the state. Not wanting to be left out, in 2016, the Barrett M82 became Tennessee’s official state rifle. It joined a long list of other honorary state symbols, including the state flower, state tree, and even state rock.

Yet, not everyone was pleased that the rifle had gained such respect.

Gun control advocates expressed concerns that it would be used against light armor, helicopters, and even commercial aircraft. Some suggested it was the “perfect assassination weapon” or that it could be used by terrorists – even as the planes on 9/11 were taken over with little more than box cutters. Yet, the concern was so great that the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence called for a ban on civilian ownership of the Barrett rifle, while the New York State Senate even attempted to pass legislation to ban the sale and civilian ownership of the firearm in the Empire State.

Yet, to date, it hasn’t been employed in any nefarious ways by U.S. citizens – although there are reports that some M82s bought by the Mexican military have been used by the drug cartels, so too have weapons that no civilian can buy, including AT4s and Javelin anti-tank rocket launchers.

Moreover, despite its capabilities, the M82 still requires training to be able to hit anything at distance – not to mention it remains the most costly firearm on the market today. And then there is the fact that each round, which isn’t readily available at most gun shops, also costs upwards of $5 per shot!

A Senior Editor for 19FortyFive, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,000 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu.

Why You Need A Good Pair Of Fishing Pliers

Every angler should carry a quality set of fishing pliers. While regular pliers are OK, fishing pliers with strong cutters are more appropriate for fishing applications. Here are the 3 key reasons why you need a good pair of fishing pliers.

1. Your Health & Safety

For years I watched my dad use his teeth to cut mono fishing lines. Bad idea. With pliers by his side, he might have saved a few broken teeth.

Removing hooks from the mouths of fish with sharp teeth is hazardous. With fish like barracuda, pike, and sharks, it’s downright dangerous. You risk severe lacerations or worse – the loss of a finger or hand when you attempt hook removal without pliers.

Opening split rings and replacing treble hooks requires force. Without pliers, you risk embedding hooks in your hand.

2. Fish Health

For catch and release, removing embedded hooks from deep in the mouth of a fish is nigh on impossible without a good set of fishing pliers.

Without pliers for clean, efficient hook removal, you risk doing great harm to a fish, reducing its chances of survival, or killing it outright.

3. Catching More Fish

If your line’s not in the water, you’re not catching fish. Fishing pliers provide excellent rigging efficiency as well as the ability to fine-tune lures and rigs quickly.

With good fishing pliers, you can tie complex, high-performance rigs much faster, giving you more time in the water – the key to every successful fishing trip.

Fishing Pliers Buying Guide

Fortunately for us, there are a lot of great products out there, and it’s hard to go wrong with fishing pliers. Here are some key purchasing criteria to keep in mind.

Cost

You can get serviceable pliers for under 10 bucks. For quality, multifunction pliers there’s a lot to choose from around $20 to $40.

Between $40 and $100 expect multifunctional, lightweight designs with superior anti-corrosion credentials. Above the $100 mark, high-end ergonomics and construction materials are a must. Pliers at this price point have to feel great and last for years.

Functionality

If you fish a lot of lures or tie more complex rigs regularly, split ring nose and crimping functions are ideal. They must also include blades appropriate for cutting braided lines, monofilament fishing lines, fluoro leader, and steel leader.

But for many anglers, an ergonomic grip, with secure jaws and side cutting is enough to cover their needs. For example, a crimping tool is great for closing splitshot weights, but easily achieved with any nose shap.

Saltwater Pliers vs Freshwater Fishing Pliers

Most pliers are constructed from anti-corrosion materials. By and large, the higher the price point, the more corrosion resistant. At the highest price point, expect no rust at all.

Once you’re over $100, expect them to be corrosion-proof. If you want pliers that endure, only buy saltwater fishing pliers. For me pliers that are suitable only for freshwater fishing are unnecessary.

Materials

Most fishing pliers are made from a variety of lightweight alloys for corrosion protection and easy handling. Many brands will have different materials, such as stainless steel (often replaceabl) for the jaws for better grip and durability.

Stainless steel pliers are very durable if at times a little heavy. Materials such as aircraft-grade alloys and tungsten are generally reserved for more expensive brands and models.

Lightweight aluminum pliers are inexpensive and durable, and always a good bet.

Cutters

Tungsten carbide blades are pretty well the standard these days for blades. They’re not all constructed equally, however, so stay-sharp durability can be a bit of a lottery. To avoid replacing pliers regularly, look for reversible and replaceable blades.

Nose Length

If you’re removing hooks from big fish with big mouths and teeth, look for long nose pliers with a total length of up to 11 inches. 7 inches is a standard overall length, and you’ll be choosing between standard and needle nose. 7 inches is the Goldilocks length and suitable for the vast majority of fishing applications.

I like the maneuverability and dexterity afforded by needle nose. However, there’s a lot to be said for the purchase afforded by standard nose widths. This will often come down to feel – therefore a personal choice.

Grips

Ergonomic grips can make a set of pliers. But we all have different ideas as to what constitutes grip comfort.. Comfort is important, but I also look for non-slip grips. Some anti-corrosion coatings and anodizing can be slippery – I tend to avoid these. A solid grip is vital, as is a safe grip. An aluminum handle will often have a well-shaped ergonomic design, great for gripping, but can be cold to the touch in winter.

Be aware that plastic and rubber overlay grips will allow salt and sand to get between the grip and the handles. This can cause corrosion if not cleaned properly. Spring-loaded handles are great, but the spring can invite weakness and corrosion.

Lanyard & Sheath

In nearly all cases, the lanyard, and sheath will die long before your pliers do. The key thing to look for is the strength of the link between the chord and pliers, and the sheath and pliers. These are often weak points. I always change out the factory links with my own strong split rings or carabiner for peace of mind.

Final Words On The Best Fishing Pliers

Every angler should carry pliers. Fortunately, there are countless worthy options in every price bracket. My winner today, the Piscifun Aluminum Fishing Pliers, has very strong competition. But for price-relative functionality, they were hard to beat. My runners-up are the KastKing Intimidator Fishing Pliers, and the Gerber Magnipliers – awesome options from contrasting price points.

Introduction: Crappie Fishing and the Length of Rods

I was recently down at the Cabelas near the house and happened to browse through the fishing rods as one does when in a Cabelas or a BassPro.

While being familiar with crappie fishing and having my favorite rods for various purposes in various lengths, I couldn’t help but notice the sheer numbers of rods and lengths available. I can only imagine how overwhelming it can be to try and select a fishing rod, especially if you are a beginning fisherman.

With that in mind we are going to discuss what the best crappie rod length is in a given situation and why you might want to select a different length. But let’s start with a quick answer, for what is the best crappie rod length, before we dive into the details.

The ideal length of a crappie rod is dependent on the style of fishing you intend to do. For shooting the docks and targeted casting a 6 foot rod is ideal. For crappie spider rigging and trolling then a 14 to 16 foot rod is the perfect choice. When ice fishing for crappie, select a rod that’s around 2 to 3 feet in length.

Now that the best lengths are out of the way, let’s discuss why these lengths are the best.

Length of Crappie Rods – Best Crappie Rod Length for Each Fishing Style

When looking for a crappie rod you can find lengths starting as small as 2 feet and ranging all the way up to 20 feet long.

This huge variance in rod lengths is due to the nuances of fishing and the different baits, presentations and conditions present during each style of fishing.

Length for Crappie General and Targeted Casting

For all around fishing in the most flexible conditions I feel that a rod between the lengths of 5 and 7 feet is ideal. Hence why I recommend a length of about 6 ft for targeted casting. Targeted casting includes working a bait along the shore line, targeting bushes and rocky outcroppings and of course shooting the docks.

A rod that is 6 feet long is small enough that you can control your cast, but still large enough to use it to control and lead the fish. Often it is necessary to guide the fish away from certain obstacles as you real it in, you will find they attempt to snag the line on anything they can once hooked.

Ideal Length of a Crappie Rod for Ice Fishing

When talking about ice fishing for crappie I mean on lakes that have a good solid ice layer over them. In these instances you are often going to be cutting a hole in the ice and fishing through that.

Since you are fishing straight down in these cases, there is relatively little need to have a long rod to properly position the bait and retrieve your fish.

For these reasons I recommend that you select a rod that is around 2 to 3 feet in length. Keep in mind that with this length of rod you need a limber rod with light action. (Quality rods should list their action rating.)

This lighter action will help to compensate for the pull when you set the hook.

Selecting a Rod Length for Spider Rigging and Trolling

Spider Rigging and Trolling style crappie fishing is where the big rods come out. Both of these techniques use the extremely long rods crappie fishing is known for.

While it is possible to spider rig with poles as short as 8 feet in length, this frequently results in tangled lines.

With many tournaments allowing as many as 8 rods, spider rigging and trolling both take advantage of this.

Rods are mounted along the front of a boat and fanned out in several directions from there, creating the appearance of spider legs reaching over the water.

Unless there is a lot of overhanging cover such as trees the longer a rod here the less chance that you will tangle your lines. Longer rods also allow you to cover more water if fishing above channels or drop offs under the surface.

Most professional crappie fishermen prefer a rod in the vicinity of 14 to 16 feet with it seeming that 16 feet rods are the most commonly seen in tournaments.

If you know what depths you intend to fish then you can set up your rods in the style of a cane pole. In these cases the rod has no reel, simply a line that is cut close to the same length as the pole. This has the advantage of allowing you to simply pick up the rod and the fish swings to you.

If you want to adjust the depths you’re fishing at though, make sure to select a crappie rod that has eyelets and a reel.

Weight Considerations For Length

While it may not be a factor you have considered, keep in mind that the longer the pole, the more it will weigh. For instance a 16 foot Lews Wally Marshall only weighs 9.6 ounces without a reel this feels like far more when it’s all held out in front of you.

I suggest that you hold the pole for a few minutes in the store to see how comfortable it is to do so. If after a relatively short period it causes pain in your wrists then you might want to go with a shorter rod.

1,2,3 Piece Rod or Collapsable How is Length Affected?

In years past sometimes your only option for longer rods was a two or 3 piece rod. Now it is not that uncommon to find 1 piece rods up to 8 feet in length.

When selecting a rod length for crappie fishing, make sure to consider not only the overall length of the rod when assembled, but also its transport length.

This becomes even more critical if you have extended travel times to reach the fishing hole. Two and three piece rods allow you to separate the pieces and reduce their overall length in that manner.

The downside to doing so with these rods is that frequently they are still rigged for fishing and if you are not careful they can easily get tangled.

Another option is telescoping rods. These rods are frequently made from fiberglass or other light weight material and feature sections that slide into each other. These come in both cane pole styles with no eyelets as well as styles designed for reels in which eyelets are positioned at each section.

One drawback is telescoping rods can rarely be found in lengths longer than 8 to 10 feet. This means you will need a 3 or even a four piece rod if looking for rods of that length.

There are mixed opinions on collapsing fishing rods, but I do feel they definitely have a place in my fishing gear.

My favorite telescoping rod is a 6’6” KastKing Blackhawk while it’s not the super long rod used for trolling, it makes an excellent all around and general casting rod to keep in the truck.

Conclusion:

To sum it up, while there is no “best” there are definitely use cases for a specific length of crappie fishing rod.

If you take nothing else from this post though, suffice it to say that for most teenage and adult anglers a 6 foot crappie rod featuring light or ultralight action is the way to go.

This length will get them started in the sport and present them with the largest selection of fishing styles. This length of crappie rod can be used for casting, spinning, fishing with a jig and shooting the docks, you can even fish a minnow under a bobber with no problems.

If you want to know more about selecting a rod length check out this article on rod lengths by age group. In the meantime, hit the water, catch a slab or two and enjoy the outdoors.

Glue making has a long and rich history, possibly dating back to the Neolithic period and beyond. Not only was it used in weaponry, fastening arrowheads to arrows and the like, but there is also evidence that it was used to repair broken pottery. In this blog post, we will look at two types of primitive glues, hide glue and resin glue. As always, please feel free to read the whole blog or just click on the section that interests you the most. Remember, the only way to truly learn these techniques is to practice them in a real-world situation. Join our intermediate bushcraft course to learn more about these techniques.

• Making hide Glue
• Pine resin Glue
• Kit
• Further reading

Making hide glue

This section will give you a brief overview of the what, why and how behind hide glue. At its essence hide glue is made from extracting collagen from the hide, bones, sinew, etc. of an animal. It has been used throughout the years in everything from hunting bows to furniture and has even been found in Egyptian caskets.

Softening up the rawhide

The hide needs to be softened first. The method of doing this depends on where you are sourcing the hide from. The best method of doing this is to cut the hide, if you’re taking the glue from the hide, into small pieces, put it into a pot and cover it with water. The water should be allowed to reach a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, and allow it to remain simmering until the hide becomes semi-transparent. This can take up to several hours so be patient.

Remove the pieces of hide

Use a strainer or the like to remove the pieces of hide from the substance. Leaving the liquid in the pan, strain out the big bits of the hide using a sieve or the like, then strain the liquid through a finer mesh, such as a cheesecloth, in order to remove the finer particle.

Cool the liquid

Allow the liquid to cool naturally. You will be left with a congealed, rubbery substance. This can then be broken up into small pieces and put aside to dry. These crumbled up bits can then be stored away somewhere waterproof and relatively airtight.

Using your glue

When you need to use your glue, take out as many of the small crumbled up bits as you think that you need and warm them slowly using as little water as possible. The more water that you add the thinner, and therefore weaker, the glue will be.

Making pine resin glue

Pine resin glue is, arguably, somewhat easier to make. It relies on using the pitch, or resin, that is excluded by some trees in order to help heal cuts in their bark.

Gathering the pine resin

As mentioned above, pine trees secrete resin in order to close cuts in their bark, and in doing so, reduce the risk of the tree becoming infected. Remember, treat the trees with respect and do not do anything which could damage them. The pine resin that is needed for glue can either be collected from dried, previously secreted, resin or from fresh running resin. If you’re collecting the hard resin, simply lever it off the tree using your knife. If collecting fresh, running resin, take it from trees that have been naturally grazed.

Prepare the pine resin

The pine resin should be prepared before use. In order to do this, heat the pine resin on a stone next to your fire and mix in some fine ash powder from the fire.

Using your pine resin

When it comes to using your pine resin glue it should be remembered that it dries very quickly. This means that the item that you’re intending to glue should be ready to receive the pine resin before you come to use the glue. In order to use the glue, simply heat up the ash and pine resin mix and then apply it to what you are hoping to glue and then let it cool.

Kit

There are a few key pieces of kit that you will need for making primitive glues. These are outlined below, remember though, you need to choose the kit that suits your purposes and abilities.

• Fallkniven DC4 This diamond/ceramic whetstone is perfect for use in the field. https://www.fallkniven.com/en/knife/dc4/
• Knives Wildway Bushcraft uses Bear Blades. “Constructed from superb quality D2 steel this knife is ideal for bushcraft and wood crafting. Our most popular knife due to its versatility and functionality, suited to tough daily use in the woods.” http://bearblades.co.uk/

This article covers the rangefinders the top precision rifle shooters in the country carry in long-range competitions. This is the first year I’ve asked about rangefinders, so it was exciting to see which brands these experts trust to give them an accurate target distances. The data is based on a recent survey I conducted of the top-ranked shooters across the country in both the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) and National Rifle League (NRL). (Learn more about the PRS & NRL). This is a very unique data set, because it includes a wide sample size (170+ shooters) who also represent the leading experts in the field. (View all the What The Pros Use articles)

Many pieces of gear are simply nice-to-haves, but most long range shooters would agree that a good rangefinder is one of the most critical pieces of gear in your kit. If you don’t know the exact distance to the target, your odds of connecting on the first round plummet dramatically. (Want to see how much an accurate range matters? Read this post.) Almost all stages in precision rifle competitions are comprised of known distance targets (aka “KD” targets), which means the match director or range officer provides all shooters with the target distances. You don’t have to range them yourself. However, I can say from experience that there are typically at least a couple targets at every match where the distances provided are wrong by more than 5 yards, which could be enough to result in a miss. I usually carry a Vectronix PLRF rangefinder, which is a military-grade rangefinder that is EXTREMELY accurate, and I carefully double-check all the ranges before a stage. I’d estimate that 95% of the targets are within 3-4 yards of what is provided, which rarely would cause a miss, but many veteran shooters double-check ranges to increase their odds on that last 5%.

But here is the dilemma with rangefinders: The further the target, the more critical an accurate range becomes. Yet at the same time, the further the target is the harder it is to acquire an accurate range. In a long range competition, many targets may be set between 300 to 600 yards, which most rangefinders can easily get a reading for. At the same time, the exact range at those distances usually isn’t that critical (unless it’s a very small target). But when targets start approaching 1,000 yards and beyond it is critical to have an accurate range, which can be difficult for some rangefinders to pull off in bright/midday conditions. While targets at 1,000+ yards don’t represent the majority of targets in a match, it’s those scenarios we’re thinking about when choosing which rangefinder to trust. That’s especially true among these fiercely competitive shooters, where just a couple of hits could be the difference between 1st place and 10th place! Having an accurate range is key!

One last note is that many guys prefer to carry ranging binos, like the Leica Geovid HD-B 3000 Rangefinder Binoculars or maybe the new Sig Kilo 3000BDX 10×42 Ranging Binoculars that so many seem to be talking about. Having ranging binoculars can be really convenient, because you just carry one piece of gear for both observation and ranging, and don’t have to pack or fumble between two devices. However, some of the most accurate rangefinders may only be available as a monocular, like the Vectronix Terrapin X, so the “right” rangefinder may come down to striking the right balance for your application between ranging performance, convenience, optical clarity, etc. If you’re not willing to compromise on any of those, you could end up spending a lot! Recently a few new ranging binos have been released, which is a welcomed change. A few new monocular rangefinders feature 7x magnification (compared to the more common 5x), which is also trending in the right direction. Hopefully more manufacturers will move to 7x or even more magnification for pocket rangefinders, which seems more appropriate to help you pinpoint targets at the distances these devices are capable of. The majority of the time these guys are ranging targets from a supported position (like off a tripod) for the best accuracy, where the old 5x magnification might be more appropriate for closer range targets that are primarily used off-hand. Higher magnifications will also make monocular rangefinders more useful for observation as well. (Hint, hint, manufacturers!)

Most Popular Long Range Rangefinders

So let’s dive into the data and see which brands of rangefinders these shooters chose to put their trust in when every shot counts! Here’s the data:

The various colors on the chart represent the league and rank of the shooters. For example, black indicates shooters who finished in the top 10 in the PRS, dark blue is those who finished 11-25 in the PRS, and the lighter the blue, the further out they finished in PRS Open Division season standings. The green colors represents the top shooters in the NRL, where the darkest green is the top 10, medium green is 11-25, and light green are 26th to 50th.&nbsp;<strong>The legend on the chart itemizes the league and ranks each color represents, but basically the darker the color, the higher up the shooters placed.

Sig Sauer and Vectronix are the most popular rangefinders, combining to represent 50% of the 170+ shooters surveyed! They were followed by Leica, Swarovski, Nikon and Bushnell, who combined to represent 42% of these elite marksmen. The remaining 8% of shooters were split among several brands.

Sig Sauer was the most popular overall, representing 28% of the top competitors in the nation. Sig has been very aggressive in the expansion of their optics line, and have quickly taken the place as one of the industry leaders in terms of both value and performance. The Sig Kilo 2400 ABS Rangefinder ($1300 street) is a very popular pocket rangefinder capable of ranging long distances, and it’s equipped with the Applied Ballistics engine for calculating a full firing solution on the fly. Sig recently released the Sig Kilo 3000BDX 10×42 Ranging Binoculars, which also features the Applied Ballistics engine on-board. I’ve heard an early report from a trusted laser expert that this new rangefinding binocular from Sig offers world-class performance compared to other 905nm, consumer-grade rangefinders. The optical clarity of the binos may not be to the same level as Leica or Swarovski, but the price tag is less than half of those brands. The street price for the SIG Sauer Kilo3000BDX Laser Range Finding Binocular is just $1,200! Like I said before, Sig is really competitive in terms of both performance and value.

22% of these top shooters said they used a Vectronix rangefinder. I also noticed Vectronix was the most popular brand among the top 10 shooters in the PRS, with 4 shooters represented among those top competitors. Vectronix is considered by many to be the gold standard when it comes to rangefinders. Vectronix primarily serves military customers, and until recently their lowest priced model on the market was the Vectronix PLRF 25C, which is a military-grade rangefinder with a street price of $9,300 that is capable of ranging beyond 6,000 yards even in bright/midday conditions (see my field test showing that). A military rangefinder is based on a 1550nm wavelength laser and the pulse produced might have 100,000 watts of peak power, compared to a 905nm wavelength consumer-grade rangefinder that produces 10-25 watts of peak power. There is a lot of technical details behind the differences, which I explain in this post, but the executive summary is the parts in a military-grade rangefinder are MUCH more expensive and overkill for distances 99% of shooters will ever engage. It’s really only the guys shooting Extreme Long Range that need the level of performance the PLRF is capable of, although I have seen some of these guys carry a PLRF at matches. Many of these guys are shoot A LOT (like 5,000+ rounds per year), so having a rangefinder that will give you a ridiculously accurate range on virtually any target you might ever point it at is a pretty compelling proposition. They may not drive a new truck or own a bass boat, but they have a killer rangefinder! It’s all about priorities, I guess.

Vectronix released the Terrapin X a few months ago, which is a consumer-grade rangefinder with a street price of $1800. While it doesn’t have the same extreme performance as its military-grade big brother, it is capable of ranging beyond 2000 yards, even in bright/midday conditions (see field test data). The Vectronix Terrapin X provides very accurate ranges well beyond the ranges most long range shooters will ever want to engage, and you won’t have to sell a kidney to be able to afford one! I’m sure a few of these guys already had their hands on a Terrapin X, but I’d expect that number to grow in the future since this product was still relatively new last year.

Leica rangefinders were used by 15% of these top shooters, which landed it as the 3rd most popular brand among this group of pros. One interesting note was that 4 of the top 10 shooters in the NRL said they were using a Leica rangefinder, which made it the most popular brand among those top finishers in that league.

The Leica Geovid HD-B Ranging Binoculars seem to be very popular among this group. Leica HD-B binos offer both world-class optical clarity and outstanding ranging performance. While they may not be quite as capable as the Vectronix models, they are far better than the average rangefinder. When I tested several rangefinding binoculars a couple years ago, the Leica HD-B’s were standouts among the group (see the data), and what I personally ended up investing in after conducting that test. The latest model, the Leica HD-B 3000 is even better than the model I tested, and it has a street price around $3000.

Leica also recently released the Leica Rangemaster CRF 2800.COM Laser Rangefinder, which is really compact, pocket rangefinder capable of long range performance. It also features Bluetooth connectivity so that you can link to your Kestrel Ballistic Weather Meter, and once you range the target it will wirelessly transmit the distance to your Kestrel, the Kestrel calculates the firing solution and sends that back to the rangefinder, which displays it in the field of view. That makes for a very quick and smooth workflow from seeing the target to getting on the rifle and applying the necessary adjustment. The Leica CRF 2800.COM rangefinder has a street price of $1100.

Swarovski rangefinders were used by 12% of these shooters overall. Like Leica, Swarovski does offer a monocular rangefinder, but it seems like more of these competitors use their ranging binoculars. The Swarovski EL Range Binocular offers the legendary optical clarity that Swarovski is known for, and also offers rangefinding capabilities. However, according to Nick Vitalbo’s epic rangefinder test that was published in Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting Volume II, the Swarovski rangefinders don’t perform as well as the Leica products when it comes to ranging. The street price for the EL Range bino is around $3300.

Nikon rangefinders were used by 8.1% of shooters. The Nikon BLACK RANGEX 4K rangefinder claims to be capable out to 4000 yards on reflective targets with its “8-Second Sustained Measurement.” I’m a bit skeptical that it’d be able to range that distance on real-world targets, although it might could range the side of a barn that far in ideal conditions. However, an independent industry expert tells me the ranging performance is exceptional for the price, with ranging performance similar to Leica rangefinders. The Nikon Black RangeX 4K rangefinder has a street price of just $450, so it’s MUCH less expensive than any of the other models referenced so far, and based on that performance report it has be one of the highest value rangefinders on this list!

Bushnell rangefinders were used by 7.6% of these top shooters. I know some see Bushnell as a “cheap” brand, but I’ll say that once I really started doing objective, data-driven testing, my perception of Bushnell changed dramatically. Yes, they do make some entry-level products, but they also make some higher performance equipment that typically offers exceptional performance for the price. In fact, I can’t remember a field test I’ve done where I included a Bushnell product and they didn’t end up having the best performance per dollar spent. Case in point, is the Bushnell Elite 1 Mile CONX Rangefinder/Kestrel Combo, which includes both a rangefinder and a Kestrel Sportsman Weather Meter with Applied Ballistics and Link for $1000! Normally that Kestrel model sells for $400, and you’re also getting a fairly capable rangefinder with it – and the two can connect wirelessly for a seamless solution. I tested the Bushnell 1 Mile Ranging Binoculars in a field test a couple years ago, and you can see how it performed in this post.

Those brands of rangefinders already mentioned represent 92% of the top shooters, and the remaining 8% were split among a few different brands:

• 4 shooters used a Leupold rangefinder. In my last post, one of my readers mentioned that they used the Leupold RX-2800 Rangefinder in the field and had this to say about it: “I cannot speak to its ‘true’ accuracy, but I was able to range bluffs and eroded hills in the North Dakota badlands out to 2200+ yards consistently in midday and late day conditions.” That unit is priced at $600, and Leupold also offers a new ranging bino for $3000.
• 2 shooters used a Vortex rangefinder. Vortex’s best performing rangefinder is the Vortex Razor HD 4000 monocular rangefinder for $500, and they also offer a Vortex Fury HD 5000 Gen II 10×42 Rangefinding Binocular for $1200.
• 1 of the top 25 shooters in the PRS used a Gunwerks rangefinder. The Gunwerks G7 BR2500 Rangefinder is a very capable device with an accurate ballistic engine on-board, which I’ve personally used to get first-round hits out to 1 mile. I also believe it’s one of the easiest to program and use in the field. The street price is $1600.
• 1 shooter said they used a Kahles ranging binocular. Kahles is the tactical sister-company to Swarovski, so their products typically have amazing optical clarity. I personally hadn’t heard about Kahles offering a ranging binocular, but was able to find some info on the Kahles Helia Rangefinder Binoculars.
• 1 shooter used a Steiner rangefinder. According to Nick Vitalbo’s rangefinder test data published in Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting Volume II, the Steiner Military 8×30 Rangefinder Binocular was one of the top performers, with very similar performance to the Leica HD-B Rangefinder Binoculars. It has a street price of $2250, which makes it one of the highest values among ranging binoculars.
• 1 shooter used a Zeiss rangefinder. I included the Zeiss Victory Rangefinder Binoculars in a field test I did a couple years ago, and you can see those results here.

4 of the 170+ shooters surveyed said they didn’t use a rangefinder, or they just borrowed one at matches from someone in their squad. That only makes up 2% of these guys, but many shooters are more than willing to share ranges they measure with whoever asks. I certainly would. So if you’re on a tight budget, don’t feel like you absolutely HAVE to own one before you try out your first match. You can get by without one, but long-term a reliable and trustworthy rangefinder is a worthwhile investment for a long range shooter. I hope this helps you guys narrow down your search to find the best rangefinder for your application.

If you’re interested in learning more about rangefinders, here are a few good posts you’d probably be interested in:

• How Do Rangefinders Work?
• Ranging Binoculars Field Test Results
• How Much Does Accurate Ranging Matter?
• Extreme Long Range Tips: Rangefinders
• 2019 Pocket Rangefinder Field Test Results

If you REALLY want to learn more, I’d recommend reading Nick Vitalbo’s expert explanation of rangefinders in Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting Volume 1, and see his epic rangefinder test in Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting Volume 2. That is BY FAR the best information I’ve ever come across on rangefinders, and I still go back and reread and reference it occasionally. GREAT resource!

In many areas, fall is one of the best times to fish for yellow perch. These brightly colored fish are hard fighters and make excellent table fare. Although small fish are present during the fall season, trophy class yellow perch are often caught.

For anglers in search of jumbo sized fall yellow perch, location can be a key factor. Large fish are often caught in areas where fishing pressure is light. In many cases, yellow perch hot spots are difficult to reach or present challenges to anglers.

When targeting yellow perch during the fall season, recent information can be extremely valuable. Among the sources are catch reports from bass or crappie specialists. Both of these niche angling groups tend to catch yellow perch by accident while targeting their favorite species. Although some anglers are very tight-lipped when it comes to sharing information, most are more than happy to discuss non-target species.

Structure Fishing

In most locations, fall yellow perch are found near structure. In main rivers, they are often found along steep drops, although perch are quick to move up onto shallow flats to feed during warm periods. During the late season, river anglers sometimes find yellow perch in good numbers, often mixed in with largemouth bass, crappie, white perch, or other species.

In creeks and smaller tributaries, yellow perch move into pools or other deep sanctuaries during the fall season. They often feed aggressively, staging along areas where currents meet eddies.

In small ponds, yellow perch often stage near dropoffs during Autumn. In some impoundments, bass or crappie anglers are sometimes surprised as trophy class yellow perch attack their lures, especially near sunset.

In larger lakes, yellow perch may congregate along slopes or in deep channels near their summer feeding areas. As aquatic vegetation dies off and settles to the bottom, perch may lurk in these deeper areas, feeding on forage fish, insect larvae, crustaceans, and other food sources that are swept into the open.

Lures vs. Baits

When choosing lures or baits for fall yellow perch fishing, anglers take into consideration the type of habitat, water depth, clarity, and temperature, weather conditions, and other factors. Other species may also influence gear choices as some anglers prefer to target yellow perch exclusively, while others may seek a variety of species, including crappie, white perch, white bass, sunfish, largemouth bass, and others.

Best Lures for Catching Yellow Perch

The most common yellow perch lures include a variety of small to mid-sized jigs, spoons, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, tube lures, plastic worms, and other selections. In many environments, the best artificial lures for yellow perch are ones that can reach deep fish while moving enticingly at low speeds. When fish are found among stumps, tree trunks, or other obstructions, snagless designs become essential.

When fishing among obstructions, downsizing of traditional largemouth bass lures and techniques is sometimes effective for yellow perch. Although perch may slow down in cold water, they sometimes bite aggressively and will take plastic worms, tube lures, or other soft plastics.

Live Baits and Rigs for Catching Yellow Perch

In some areas, live baits are preferred for catching yellow perch. Minnows are by far the most common choice as live baits. Alternative live baits sometimes include small crayfish, nightcrawlers, or insect larvae (grubs).

Live minnows can be fished using a number of rigs, with each having one or more specific applications. The simplest rig consists of a basic jig such as a shad dart, tube jig, or marabou jig, tipped with a live minnow. Jig-minnow combinations work particularly well when casting or drifting over shallows or moderate depths.

Minnows can also be fished on a live bait or circle hook, rigged on traditional top and bottom leaders, dropshot rigs, or as Carolina or Texas rigs. Live bait hooks and other traditional style hooks are popular in some applications, although they do have a number of drawbacks.

Floating jig hooks are also useful in some situations, especially when rigged as a Carolina rig. Floating jig heads position live minnows just off the bottom, away from obstructions and other debris.

One option for fishing live minnows is the circle hook. Circle hooks reduce fish mortality by greatly reducing deep hooking. Although circle hooks require a higher level of skill to use than conventional hooks, most anglers find them extremely effective.

Circle hooks are available in a number of styles. Many circle hooks come with offset points, although a true circle hook, by definition, has no hook offset. Most freshwater circle hooks can be easily bent in order to remove any offset, making them less likely to snag on obstructions or gut hook yellow perch.

Circle hooks work well for drifting live minnows on Carolina rigs or on a long leader with a dropper type sinker configuration. Some anglers add a small tube body, bucktail skirt, or mylar skirt above the hook to add elements of flash and color.

Regardless of the type of rig used for catching yellow perch, late season fishing can be productive. Depending on local conditions, yellow perch fishing may continue into winter. In northern areas, more perch fishing follows as soon as lake ice over enough for winter fishing to begin.