Cover photo courtesy of grandviewoutdoors.com

If you hunt whitetails, it should be no secret to you that whitetails communicate through scent they leave behind. Whether detecting danger, bucks seeking a breeding doe or a doe locating a hiding fawn, whitetail deer use scent for much of their survival and social interaction. Scraping behavior of whitetails, is one of the CHIEF ways whitetail bucks leave scent behind throughout the year.

Bucks work scrape’s overhanging branches, called a licking branch, throughout the year, often times more than they work the scrape itself. But their most aggressive scraping of these areas occur from October to December when testosterone levels are highest. When a whitetail buck makes a scrape he does so where there is an attractive branch hanging along a roadway, at the edge of a field, on a well-worn trail, or in a random area he’s walking through. In most cases a buck begins the scraping process by rubbing his forehead, preorbital, and nasal glands on the branch and in some cases will actually lick and chew on the overhanging branch. Once done, most bucks will paw the leaves and other debris from the ground under the branch, then urinate into the pawed-out earth.

Photo Courtesy of americanhunter.org

The process usually takes less than two minutes. During this time, however, a buck will leave liberal amounts of scent behind. Scraping, like rubbing, allows a buck to make his presence known. It’s a calling card of sorts; a post on a whitetail bulletin board. Research suggests that scraping is primarily a buck activity. Does have been known to work a scrape from time to time but they most frequently work the licking branch above the scrape. Bucks almost always work both.

Scrapes can be broken down into 3 different categories, though the names or classification of these are often debated. The are Boundary, Secondary and Primary Scrapes.

Boundary scrapes: Boundary scrapes are made by traveling bucks moving through his territory. These scrapes will show up along field edges, fence rows and roads that aren’t too busy.

Secondary scrapes: Secondary scrapes are made my bucks as more of an impulse. These are far more random and a result of the buck “feeling the need” to make a scrape. Call it impulse, hormones or whatever you’d like but these scrapes are less frequent, spiritic and typically not a good target for hunting over.

Primary scrapes: These are the scrapes that hunters need to target. These scrapes are the epitome of whitetail scrapes, with some having the potential of becoming very attractive to whitetail bucks. These scrapes can be found in strategic locations—inside corners of agriculture fields, ridge lines, pinch points and especially along well-worn trails between bedding and feeding areas during the rut. Find these primary scrapes and hang a stand!

Bucks work licking branches 365 days to leave their scent, scraping behavior peaks during the 30 day window leading up to peak rut, especially during the last 10 days. Once breeding kicks in scraping behavior drops off drastically. Scraping will continue during the post rut but at a significantly lower rate than occurs leading up to that point.

The popularity of hunting from ground blinds, like a pallet deer blind, has grown tremendously in the past few years. When placed in a strategic location, a ground blind can offer the most exciting close encounters with deer and other game that a hunter could hope for. This is especially true when the blind is left in place for a long period of time, allowing the animals to get used to seeing it.

I set up a doghouse-style pop-up blind in what I thought would be a good spot early one deer season, then left it alone and never went to it until the next season. The first morning I hunted it, I had a bobcat walk by within 20 feet, a young six-point buck slowly grazing by at about 20 feet, and a very nice eight-point buck working a scrape about 60 yards away.

None of the critters knew I was sitting there.

The only downside of leaving a portable blind in place for a long time is the effects that Mother Nature has on it. Later in the year after that memorable hunt, my blind started to fall apart (literally) from overexposure to sunlight, wind, and rain.

However, I was so pleased with the success of my earlier hunt out of it that I decided to investigate the possibilities of a more permanent ground blind. That’s how I came up with my version of the pallet deer blind.

Easy Pallet Deer Blind

The pallet deer blind is just that—a blind made from shipping pallets. Most of us are currently interested in saving a few dollars on hunting equipment whenever possible, and pallets are usually free for the asking.

In fact, most businesses are happy to have someone haul them away. Just be sure to ask permission. Never assume the pallets are free for the taking when you see them sitting there. Some businesses reuse them. Or the pallets may have been promised to another person. But I assure you there are plenty of free ones out there if you’re willing to do a little legwork to find them.

Once you find the pallets, you will need a way to haul them to your hunting camp. A few hand tools plus a little knowledge in carpentry and you are good to go.

A full-height blind works well on an elevated platform when you don’t need as much concealment. Wrap it in burlap and screw a few leafy branches to it. You will be amazed at how well it blends with natural surroundings.

Here is the full height version of the one-man blind. Just screw three more pallets on top (with the shooting windows already cut out):

The one-man, full-height blind consists of six pallets, two 2×2 corner strips, and a handful of wood screws. I also recommend finding a few scrap pieces of treated 2×4 blocking to set it on so that the untreated wood is not sitting directly on the ground. The best plan is to have all your pieces cut and ready to assemble prior to going into the woods with it. Then all you need is a cordless screwdriver and you can erect the blind at your hunting spot in less than 10 minutes.

Once the blind is erected, it’s time to use your imagination. Remember, it’s a blind made of wood. You can do virtually anything with it. You need a bow hanger? Screw in a hook wherever you want. Need a shelf or two? Screw in some shelves. Want a roof on it? Get a couple of wood slats and a scrap piece of tarp.

You can also make it warmer and keep the wind off of you. Just staple roofing felt around the inside or outside of it. Then wrap it with camo burlap, screw some leafy branches to it (or pine limbs), erect it on an elevated platform and you have a shooting house instead of a ground blind.

Add another stack of two pallets to the front side and now you’ve got a two-man blind. Be creative and have fun. The sky is the limit and you’ll have a really nice, almost free, hunting blind that will last a long, long time.

Homemade Pallet Deer Blind Plans

Here’s a diagram of the standard shipping pallet that works best and a simple instruction diagram on how to build a one-man, full-height blind:

One tip that will make this easier and faster for you is to get six pallets that are all the same dimension. Once you go in search of free pallets, you’ll quickly find out that there are several different sizes and configurations, but you can come up with six of the same after a little searching. And even if you don’t find six matching pallets, you can still make it work with a little creative cutting and shimming.

If you’d like to have a free copy of these pallet deer blind plans, as well as instructions for two other variations of the pallet blind: the two-man, full-height blind and the half-height pallet blind, please fill out the form below.

Full Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. There’s no extra charge to our readers for using these.

Kentucky’s 2022-23 white-tailed deer season opens Saturday, with the start of archery season. The 136-day season continues through January 16.

The outlook for the 2022-23 deer season is upbeat.

“I think we’ll have a good season,” said Deer Program Coordinator Noelle Thompson. “We’re hoping for good hunting weather. We don’t have CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) in Kentucky and have set up a surveillance zone.”

Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Surveillance Zone

New this season is a Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) Surveillance Zone in five counties in the Jackson Purchase — Calloway, Fulton, Graves, Hickman and Marshall Counties — and special regulations have been established.

CWD is a fatal, neurological illness occurring in North American cervids, members of the deer family, including deer, elk, and moose.

Since its discovery in 1967, CWD has spread geographically and increased in prevalence locally. CWD is contagious and transmitted freely within and among cervid populations. No treatments or vaccines are currently available.

Of great concern to wildlife managers and the hunting community, CWD has been detected in at least 23 states, and two Canadian provinces, but does not infect livestock or humans. CWD is transmitted directly through animal-to-animal contact, and indirectly through contact with objects or environments contaminated with infectious material, including saliva, urine, feces, and carcasses of CWD-infected animals.

CWD has not been found in Kentucky, but has been detected nearby in western Tennessee.

Special regulations in Kentucky’s CWD Surveillance Zone include:

For the complete CWD Surveillance Zone regulations consult page 13 of 2022-23 Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide.

Kentucky deer population dynamics

The 2021-22 Kentucky White-tailed Deer Harvest and Population Report stated that “Overall, the statewide deer population estimate shows a stable to slightly decreasing trend. The 2021 statewide estimate was 919,308 deer at the start of the 2021-22 hunting season, (which is) less than 1 percent below the 10-year average.”

Zone 1 counties have the highest deer densities in the state, are considered reduction zones, with an unlimited bag limit on antlerless deer.

At the other end of the spectrum the Zone 4 counties have the lowest deer densities, and antlerless deer harvest opportunities are very limited.

The Zone 2 and Zone 3 counties are at or near population goals.

Weather influenced last season’s deer harvest

The total number of deer harvested during the 2021-22 deer season was 132,328, which is the ninth highest harvest on record, but a 6.56 percent decrease from the 2020-21 season harvest of 141,620, and 5.6 percent below the 10-year average of 140,129.

Weather played a big role in the harvest decline last season.

During the months of October and November there were several days of warmer than normal weather and rain. In December there was a record-breaking weather event, a widespread tornado outbreak.

All these factors contributed to the lower than expected deer harvest for the overall season, but in January the harvest was the highest on record for the month, 3,788.

Highlights from last season’s deer harvest

Here’s some deer harvest highlights from last season that are relevant going forward:

• The total antlered deer harvest was 68,035; 70.6 percent of which were adult males, 19.8 percent yearling males and 9.5 percent male fawns. It was the sixth highest antlered buck harvest on record.

The top three counties with highest antlered deer harvest per square mile of habitat were: Anderson County, 4.5 antlered deer/square mile; Pendleton County, 4.4 antlered deer/square mile, and Bracken County, 4.3 antlered deer/square mile.

The antlered buck harvest in Fayette County was 0.6 antlered deer/square mile, the lowest of all 120 Kentucky counties, according to the report.

Kentucky ranks in the top five for all time, in the Boone and Crockett Club record books.

• The total number of female deer harvested was 57,126, which is 11.6 percent lower than the 2020-21 season. However, the percentage of female deer harvested has been relatively stable over the last decade.

• Harvest by weapon type: archery, 14,869 deer; crossbow, 12,202 deer; modern firearm, 96,370 deer, and muzzleloader, 9,245 deer.

Kentucky 2022-23 deer season dates

For this upcoming season there are no changes to the zone status of Kentucky’s 120 counties, season lengths or bag limits.

There are 51 Zone one counties, 34 Zone two counties, 13 Zone three counties and 22 Zone four counties.

Deer season regulations

The complete regulations for the 2022-23 Kentucky deer season are available online at fw.ky.gov.

Deer season is a celebration of Kentucky’s wildlife bounty of quality antlered bucks and deer in abundance statewide. Start planning your hunts now.

DON’T MISS Episode 34 – 2022 Giant Gear Issue Series – Decoys with MOJO and Big Al’s

Dive Bomb Industries – F1 Wigeon Floaters

Many waterfowlers can’t think of duck and goose hunting without thinking about Dive Bomb, and for a good reason: their decoys work incredibly well. If it’s not already in your floater arsenal, one go-to should be the F1 Wigeon. A one-piece decoy that showcases lifelike perfection, these white-shouldered bad boys are sure to grab the attention of passer-by ducks and get them to put their feet down. These decoys have been hand-crafted by World Champion Jon Jones, and each six-pack comes with four upright drakes and a pair of active hens.

$75/6-pack | divebombindustries.com

Lifetime Decoys – FlexFloat Pintails

Lifetime Decoys has recently rebranded themselves as Heyday, but their famous Hydrofoam decoys remain the same. Pintails are one of my all-time favorite ducks. The boy birds are beautiful, and I love to see that white chest and black sprig in flight. The problem for many is finding a decoy with a sprig that’s not brittle as an icicle. That problem, luckily, has been eliminated. Enter Lifetime’s damn near indestrucbile FlexFloat Pintail. Available in 12 packs with eight drakes and four hens, the Flexfloat design means the sprig won’t snap off the bulls or hang on decoy bags. At 8.9 pounds per dozen, light weight is another plus.

$300/dozen | heydayoutdoor.com

Final Approach – HD Green-Winged Teal

New from Final Approach are several duck species-specific floaters, but we love an excellent early-season teal shoot, and these caught our eye. Decoy realism is remarkable, and the waterfowl masses will appreciate the full-size, one-piece construction. These floaters work well for stand-alone teal sets and make great filler decoys, especially when you want more ducks in the spread and the walk from the truck is long, and weight and space are critical.

$100/dozen | fabrand.com

Tanglefree – Flight Series Canvasback

Most duck hunters, me included, get smitten when they see the large red head and coal-black bill of a drake Canvasback. It’s moments like these when having the most realistic fakes come into play, and it’s hard to beat Tanglefree’s Flight Series Canvasback Decoys. Carved by Michael Braun, these four males and three hens sport ultra-realistic paint schemes and feather detail. The high-density foam fill is tough to beat, as is the tried-and-true weighted keel.

$85/6-pack | tanglefree.com

MOJO Outdoors – Flock-A-Flickers 2

Waterfowl hunters refer to it as a “flash” or “flick” — that brief glint seen when watching content ducks sitting on a pond or field. When passer-by ducks see these glints of movement, it gives them the confidence to come in. MOJO knows a thing or three about helping hunters put ducks in the decoys, and the new Flock A Flicker 2 4-Pack features an improved design with the same effective spinning wing beats that create that flash and flick, and the unit will work in water or on dry ground. Each unit can be programmed to spin at different times via the random on/off timers, and each will operate for up to 30 hours on three AA batteries.

$100 | mojooutdoors.com

Lucky Duck – Super Swimmer HDi

Realism on the water is essential to getting wings to cup and feet to drop, and one of the best tools you can add to your waterfowl arsenal to ensure this is Lucky Duck’s Super Swimmer HDi. This swimmer uses a jet-propulsion system to create natural swimming movement, and the decoy has a trio of timer modes. The durable EVA plastic handles wear and tear and promises no-fail use season after season. The Super Swimmer HDi includes a 12-volt lithium-ion rechargeable battery and a smart charger.

$180 | luckyduck.com

Decoy Central – Super Block Green-Winged Teal

Super Blocks are tough, affordable decoys than can bulk up your spread by mixing them in with your more expensive, ultra-realistic decoys. Floaters have high-contrast paint for great visibility and realistic detail, and are available in Mallard drake, Greenwing Teal drake and Lesser Canada Goose. Mallard feeding butt and mini spinner also available. Floaters have weighted keel with multiple head positions.

Starting at $30 | decoycentral.com

Avian-X – Topflight Early Season Mallards

Often, the difference between scratching out a few birds and filling duck totes is details. Enter Avian-X’s Topflight Early Season Mallards. These decoys accurately capture the early plumage of drake and hen mallards, and when this detail is combined with top-end paint adhesion, you get mallard imposters that bring ducks close. Each six-pack comes with a Feeder Drake, Feeder Hen, Swimming Hen, High-Head Drake, and a pair of Swimmer Drakes. The weight-forward swim-keel maximizes natural movement in the water.

$170 | avian-x.com

MOJO Outdoors – Mini Mallard Elite

MOJO’s Mini Mallard Elite is a waterfowling win and a staple for many duck killers. Smaller in size, this decoy is remote-ready and a breeze to tote around. The position of the motor, battery, and other operating components ensure less wobble, and the cam lock support pole, drop-in battery and on/off magnetic wings make setup quick. This realistic-looking duck fake comes with MOJO’s Multi-Decoy remote/receiver.

$120 | mojooutdoors.com

The freshwater drum (Aplodinotus grunniens) is a common fish found across much of the United States as well as parts of Canada and Central America. Also known as “sheephead,” this fish is unfortunately derided as a “rough” or even “trash fish” by some. Yet the freshwater drum is an eager biter that can put up a good fight when caught on rod and reel.

Drum get their name from the croaking or drumming sound they make. Drum species that dwell in saltwater like the red drum are very popular fish. Red drum are widely sought after for both sport and table fare. While those drum are popular game fish, the freshwater drum is mostly ignored. Since the fish are similar in so many ways, I don’t really have an explanation for that.

An average freshwater drum

In the early stages of life, immature freshwater drum are a food fish for many predators. As they grow they can take on enough size to put them out of range for all but the largest of predators. In most of their range freshwater drum commonly reach weights of 1 to 5 pounds (0.5-2.26kg). They can also get much larger than that. The world record freshwater drum weighing 54 pounds 8 ounces (24.7 kg) was caught in Tennessee’s Nickajack Lake back in 1972. Freshwater drum can live quite a while too. Some drum in the upper midwest have made it passed 70 years of age.

I’ve caught a lot of freshwater drum from Pennsylvania to Kentucky. Most were under five pounds, though a select few were much bigger than that. They were usually incidental catches that come when I am fishing for another species or no species in particular. I’m never disappointed to catch a freshwater drum in any case. Some of the larger drum I’ve hooked into were actually quite memorable.

How to find and identify the Freshwater Drum

Freshwater drum are deep bodied fish. They vary in color from a bright silver to a deep bronze reminiscent of smallmouth bass. They have a rounded snout and a long dorsal fin that stretches almost all the way back to the tail. The freshwater drum resembles the red drum in some ways, but the freshwater drum has a much deeper body and lacks spots.

The freshwater drum has a wide range that may not have been accurately defined yet. For example, the state record freshwater drum in Virginia was caught in Buggs Island Lake (also known as John H Kerr Reservoir) in 2018. That body of water down on the North Carolina border is well out of the range shown on most of the freshwater drum range maps I’ve been able to find.

Freshwater drum can be found from Canada down to Guatemala. The fish live at least as far east as Vermont and as far west as Montana. They’re common throughout much of the Mississippi River watershed and several great lakes including Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, and Lake Michigan. They’re abundant in rivers like the Green, Ohio, Monongahela and Wabash. They are also common in a lot of smaller streams like Redstone Creek, Ten Mile Creek, and Pike Run in Pennsylvania.

Sheepshead will often come in shallow to feed and reveal themselves. You can also see them in some slower moving clear rivers and streams. So freshwater drum are usually not difficult to locate; and you can even sight fish for them at times. Yet they can also be present yet out of view. It’s pretty common to catch these fish when going for other species like catfish in muddy waters.

How to catch Freshwater Drum

Before I tell you about catching these fish, I want to let you know that I may earn commission when you make purchases through links on this page. This commission helps support my website, but it does not influence what I write. I only recommend products that I have found to be effective.

Freshwater drum are opportunist feeders. They will eat everything from small aquatic nymphs to minnows and crayfish. They can be caught on everything from flies like the San Juan Worm to lures like the Original Floating Rapala.

This big drum took a nightcrawler

That said, live bait is undoubtedly the most effective if you are looking to catch freshwater drum specifically. Most of the freshwater drum I’ve caught over the years took red worms or nightcrawlers. The bait was either drifting naturally with the current or held on the bottom with a sinker. Based on my experience with these fish, I am doubtful that anything would work better. Minnows can work, but drum seem to key in more on easily available worms.

Of course other things do catch freshwater drum. When it comes to flies they seem to be especially partial to the Clouser Minnow which they likely mistake for a crayfish. I’ve also seen them go after small nymphs tied competition style on jig hooks.

Freshwater drum will also attack small jigs like Lindy Little Nippers and Road Runners fished on spinning gear. Especially if they are tipped with maggots or wax worms. As any carp angler can tell you, freshwater drum will also eat doughball too.

Lures that look like Freshwater Drum

As I mentioned above, a lot of fish dine on young freshwater drum. Some very large predators may even attack larger drum later in life. Where legal, some anglers cut freshwater drums into strips and fish the meat as cutbait. This can work well for blue catfish and large channel cats. For most other predator species a lure that looks like a freshwater drum would be more effective.

I don’t know of any lures that are made to look exactly like a young drum. Yet there are many lures available that resemble small freshwater drum in one way or another. Lures with deep bodies, silver or bronze colors, and rattles come close to the real thing. Those are the lures I would look to if I found predator fish keyed in on immature drum.

The Carp RT Jackall Gantarel Jr resembles a freshwater drum

Both the Silver Rapala Rap-V and Chartreuse Olive Spro Little John Crankbait look enough like young drum to fool predator fish. They both put off sounds too, which could resemble the croaking noises that freshwater drum actually make. In any case both of these lures catch fish. Of course there’s no way to be sure what the fish think these lures are when they grab them. It may very well be that they are simply acting out of predatory instinct, though some colors absolutely outfish others at times.

If you’re looking to really replicate a freshwater drum you might want to consider the Jackall Gantarel Jr swimbait in “Carp RT” color. I haven’t fished with this lure yet, but it looks more like a freshwater drum than any other I have ever seen. I don’t think they were meant to resemble drum at all, but in terms of overall shape and even shade these things are right on the money. I wouldn’t hesitate to try one out anywhere I knew that fish were feasting on young freshwater drum.

Having gained the experience he needed on earlier hunts for Dall’s sheep (Ovis dalli dalli), Harry Swank, Jr., a resident of Anchorage, decided to try for a really outstanding ram in Alaska’s Wrangell Mountains. He knew there were some wonderful heads to be found there, even though the world’s record, at that time, had come from the Chugach Mountains. Swank’s story occurred in September 1961, and offers an excellent example of trophy hunting at its very best.

“A man must want a trophy pretty badly to put in all that time, and that man was me,” Swank said. “So last season I went into the wild Wrangell Mountains of Alaska with my hunting partner, Perley Jones, and guide Jack Wilson. From Jack’s base camp at Gulkana we made a number of reconnaissance flights deep into the mountains and finally picked an area that was so shockingly rough and remote it is seldom, if ever, visited by hunters. Then in September, I was put down on a big, tilted glacier—an operation that called for infinite skill. The country was as hostile as any a man is likely to meet; forbidding glaciers bounded by treacherous crevasses; cliffs whose sheer faces seemed insurmountable; and miserable weather.

“After a good night’s sleep, Perley and I made a blood-curdling descent down the side of the main glacier into a valley. Moving slowly up a canyon we carefully glassed the surrounding ridges. There were sheep, but nothing that looked like a world’s record. By now it was well into the afternoon, but I decided to have a look at what lay beyond the next hill. The hill proved to be farther away than I’d estimated and the sun was getting dangerously low when I finally glassed the valley beyond it. Seeing nothing, I was about to return to camp when two rams suddenly appeared on a ridge a quarter-mile away. One was a youngster but the other was huge—bigger than any sheep I’d ever seen.

“Caught out in the open, there was nothing I could do but try to get closer to the ram,” Swank said. “Strangely enough, I managed to get within a few hundred yards of it before the young sheep noticed me and started to act nervous. Groaning inwardly, I dropped to the ground and brought my .264 against my shoulder. The great white sheep moved closer to the edge of the ridge and peered down curiously. Instantly I brought the crosshairs to bear, but as my finger tightened on the trigger, doubts began to assail me. Should I shoot or wait? I was not sure this ram was of world’s-record stature, and if I shot him my hunt would be over for the year.

“‘Maybe,’ I was saying when the rifle went off, almost by itself, with a wham, before I’d truly made up my mind,” Swank recalled. “The big ram leaped convulsively, then slumped to the ground. By now it was almost dark.

“The next morning I carefully measured the curl and learned that my seven year quest was over—the head was a world’s record,” Swank said. “Later, the Boone and Crockett Club officially scored it at 189-6/8 points.”

This trophy won the coveted Sagamore Hill Award in the 1961, signifying both trophy excellence and a hunt exhibiting the finest standards of fair chase.

As a father, few things are as rewarding as passing along my love of hunting and shooting to my three children. The looks of joy on my kids’ faces when their shot rings a freshly-painted steel target are memories that money can’t buy. Shooting was a way for me to bond with my own father, and I am now enjoying that same opportunity with my family. Teaching kids to shoot builds responsibility and demystifies firearms, hopefully satisfying some of that natural curiosity. With the correct equipment and close supervision, shooting is an incredibly safe activity. The ability to use a firearm safely and put food on the table is a valuable skill that has endured in our nation for centuries.

Through my own experience, I’ve learned more than a few things about the right and wrong way to teach young shooters. For starters, a rifle that fits the child’s stature is an absolute must. A rifle that is too large is setting the new shooter up for failure, so it is important to pick the right tool for the job. A rifle that fits an eight-year-old isn’t going to be ideal for a teenager and vice versa. Length-of-pull and comb height can be critically important since both dimensions are key in ensuring that the shooter can use the sights effectively. It can be incredibly frustrating to both the shooter and the coach when the child can’t find the sights or reticle.

A cartridge that is inexpensive to shoot and minimizes recoil and muzzle blast is a must, making the .22 LR a natural choice. Most children have limited attention spans so creating a rifle that will give the young shooter a good possibility of success is key. Nothing will be more frustrating to a young shooter than not achieving the gratification of a hit on the target so quality sights or the ability to mount optics are a must.

Choosing the correct rifle can mean the difference between your child or grandchild becoming a lifelong shooting enthusiast and someone who is scared of firearms. You only get one chance to take them shooting for the first time. Here is a closer look at four rimfire rifles that are ideal for youth shooters.

Crickett Rifle

When each of my children were born, my local gun store gifted each of them with their first rifles. Those little guns were made by Crickett, pink stocks for the girls and camo laminate for my son. Crickett rifles are single-shots with 11 ½” lengths of pull and 16 1/8” barrels. Weighing just three pounds, these tiny .22LRs are ideal for beginners. As the child grows, spacers can increase the length of pull so the rifle can grow alongside. Crickett rifles are available in a wide variety of configurations and colors and come equipped with simple but serviceable iron sights. I added an optional rail so that I could mount an Aimpoint Micro red dot to my son’s rifle, which uses with great success. For those who own a rimfire suppressor, threaded barrel models are available. I’ve found suppressors to be a fantastic tool for teaching new shooters. Starting at $163; keystonesportingarmsllc.com

Winchester Wildcat

A bolt action fire can get a bit boring for a child, especially a teenager. Winchester’s Wildcat is a compact and lightweight semi-automatic .22 LR. With a length-of-pull of 13 ½”, the Wildcat is better suited for older children. This autoloader comes with both aperture sights and a Picatinny rail for mounting optics. Its synthetic stock A 10-round rotary magazine means that more time will be spent shooting than loading. $250; winchesterguns.com

Henry Golden Boy Youth

There isn’t much more American than a lever-action rifle, especially one made by a company that prides itself in making everything here in the U.S.A. Henry’s Golden Boy Youth rimfire will bring out the inner cowboy or cowgirl in all of us. This little rifle can use .22 Short, Long or Long Rifle ammunition, which is a real benefit for younger shooters. Like most lever actions, the Henry feeds from a tubular magazine, the capacity of which varies with the size of the ammunition used. The brass receiver, butt plate and barrel band are a throwback to some of the earliest lever-action rifles from the 19th Century. The length of pull on this Henry is 13” and the octagonal barrel is 17” long. A brass front bead and buckhorn rear sight come standard and the receiver is also drilled and tapped for scope mounting. Like most lever actions, this rifle is ideal for right or left-handed shooters. $589; henryusa.com

Ruger Precision Rimfire

Long-range shooting has become incredibly popular in past years and young shooters aren’t immune to its challenging appeal. Ruger’s Precision Rimfire combines all of the features of its centerfire Precision in a lighter, more compact and less-expensive format. The real beauty of this rifle is its adjustability: The length of pull can be adjusted between 12 and 15” without tools so it can be tailor-fit to each shooter. An M-LOK-compatible forend makes mounting accessories such as a bipod simple and painless. The 18” barrels is threaded ½”-28 at the muzzle, meaning that it is compatible with rimfire suppressors. The rifle looks very modern, like something kids might see in a video game. Let’s face it, that’s important. $529; ruger.com

We have discussed a lot of different types of batteries on our blog. We have talked about batteries based on performance, functionality, weather, usage and a lot of other factors.

In this article, we are going to discuss the different batteries available for you if you need a car battery, specifically the best group 27 deep cycle battery. Different cars with different designs require different size batteries.

Now, if you know about batteries, you must also know that the design of batteries also affects their performance. As it turns out, Group 27 is one of the most popular battery groups and is very common in vehicles, both terrestrial and marine.

Group 27 batteries offer a great size-to-performance ratio. They are mostly used in vehicles requiring high power such as Jeep Wrangler. Group 27 batteries are also seen in other domains such as scooters and other appliances. It greatly depends on what the type of battery is.

In this article, we’ll be mostly looking at deep-cycle batteries. It is very important, however, to figure out beforehand what kind of battery fits your requirement. Getting the wrong battery can be a real hassle and can often cause problems in the long run.

Luckily, we have discussed at the end of this article how you can find the best deep-cycle battery for you. But before that, let us have a quick look at the different products available in the market for you to choose from.

Best Group 27 Deep Cycle Batteries – Our Top Picks

How to find the Best Group 27 deep-cycle battery?

Choosing a good battery can be really tricky but in this section, we are going to talk about a few points you can keep in mind while buying a new deep-cycle battery.

Since you have already identified the size of the battery you want, a lot of the work is already done. Keep these points in mind when you buy a deep-cycle battery.

Capacity

Needless to say, one of the most important features of deep-cycle batteries is their capacity. 100Ah batteries are widely used but that doesn’t mean that a 100Ah battery would be the best choice for you too.

As the capacity increases, the price also increases and you should try to figure out your exact power consumption to get a good idea of the exact battery capacity you need. It will help you save some money and also improve your overall performance.

Battery Type

We have looked at a few different battery types in this article. Flooded, AGM, Li-Ion and Gel are some of the most common battery types available in the market. Each has its own advantage and disadvantage.

Before you buy a battery, make sure you read about the different battery types available in the market and see which one’s the best for you.

Price and Warranty

Last but not the least, you should always make sure that you get reliable batteries. Getting a reasonably priced battery with a good warranty is a safer option than buying cheap batteries with no warranty.

There are a lot of budget options when it comes to batteries but make sure the battery you are buying has a decent quality.

Batteries with warranties are always a good deal as it makes sure your investment is safe in case something goes wrong.

Here is a helpful video on how to choose the right car battery:

FAQs

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed the best Group 27 deep-cycle batteries available in the market. Towards the end, we also talked in brief about some things you should look out for while buying yourself a deep-cycle battery. We hope you found the article helpful.

When it comes to shotguns, Benelli and Franchi are two of the most well-known brands. Both companies make high-quality shotguns that are popular among shooters all over the world. So, which one is better? In this article, we will take a closer look at both brands and compare them head-to-head. We will discuss their history, their products, and their customer service departments. By the end of this article, you should have a good idea of which brand is right for you.

Benelli vs Franchi

Benelli was founded in 1967 by Bruno Civolani. The company is headquartered in Urbino, Italy. Benelli has a long history of making high-quality shotguns. In fact, they are one of the most well-known shotgun manufacturers in the world. Benelli’s shotguns are used by many different law enforcement agencies and militaries around the globe. They are also popular among competitive shooters and hunters.

Franchi was founded in 1868 by Pietro Franchi. The company is headquartered in Brescia, Italy. Franchi has a rich history of making high-quality firearms. In addition to shotguns, they also make rifles and pistols. Franchi’s products are popular among both recreational shooters and professional shooters.

When it comes to customer service, both Benelli and Franchi are excellent. Both companies have knowledgeable staff members who are always willing to help. They also have a wide variety of resources available on their websites, including FAQs, manuals, and instructional videos. If you ever have any problems with your shotgun, you should be able to find the information you need from either company’s customer service department.

Are Franchi shotguns good?

There are a lot of factors that go into whether or not a Franchi shotgun is good. The make and model of the gun, how well it is maintained, and the intended use all play a role in its quality. For example, a Franchi 48 AL used for trap shooting might be very different than a Franchi SPAS-12 used for home defense. Ultimately, it depends on the individual gun and situation.

That said, Franchi shotguns generally have a good reputation. They are known for being reliable and well-made firearms. Many people who own them report being happy with their purchase. If you’re considering buying a Franchi shotgun, doing some research to find out which model best suits your needs is a good idea. You can also talk to other gun owners to get their opinion on the matter. Whatever you do, make sure you’re comfortable with the gun before you buy it.

Franchi shotguns cons

• -Not great for home defense: While a Franchi shotgun can be used for home defense, it is not the best weapon for this purpose. A pump action or semi-automatic shotgun would be a better choice.
• -Relatively expensive: Franchi shotguns are not cheap, with most models costing over $1000. If you are looking for a budget-friendly option, there are better choices out there.
• -Limited ammunition capacity: Most Franchi shotguns have a limited ammunition capacity (usually no more than five rounds). This can be an issue if you need to defend yourself against multiple attackers or if you simply want to go hunting with friends.

All in all, Franchi shotguns have some pros and cons that you should consider before making a purchase.

Are Benelli shotguns good?

There is no simple answer to this question as it depends on what you are looking for in a shotgun. Benelli shotguns are certainly well-made and reliable, but they may not be the best choice for everyone. It really depends on your individual needs and preferences.

If you are simply looking for a good, reliable shotgun that will get the job done, then a Benelli might be a good option for you. However, if you are looking for something with more features or customization options, then there may be better choices out there for you. Ultimately, it all comes down to what you want and need from your shotgun.

Benelli shotguns cons

In spite of all its advantages, the Benelli shotgun also has some disadvantages that should be considered before making a purchase. One such disadvantage is its price tag; Benelli shotguns are generally more expensive than other brands on the market. Additionally, some users have reported issues with the gun’s reliability, particularly when it comes to firing shells that have been damaged or deformed in some way.

Finally, the Benelli shotgun’s recoil can be significant, which may be an issue for shooters who are inexperienced or sensitive to recoil. Overall, the pros and cons of the Benelli shotgun should be carefully considered before making a purchase. With its high price tag and potential reliability issues, it may not be the best choice for everyone.

Did Benelli buy Franchi?

The answer is yes, and no. In 2000, Benelli purchased Franchi from the Beretta Holding Company. However, Franchi still operates as an independent brand under the Benelli umbrella. This means that while Benelli now owns the company, it still produces guns separately from its new parent company.

Who is Franchi shotgun made by?

Franchi is an Italian company that has been making high-quality shotguns for over a hundred years. Their guns are used by many professional shooters and hunters, and they have a reputation for being very reliable and well-made. Franchi shotguns are made in several different models, each designed for a different purpose. Some of their most popular models include the AFP Over/Under, the AL 48 semi-automatic, and the Vinci pump-action.

If you’re looking for a high-quality shotgun that will last you for many years, then Franchi is definitely a brand to consider. Their guns are used by professionals all over the world, and they offer a wide variety of models to choose from.