You may know about a few expensive mushroom varieties like truffles, but there are also some very rare and expensive mushroom varieties you may not have heard of.

This article will teach you about a dozen of the most expensive mushrooms in the world. You’ll learn how much each type costs and why they’re so expensive.

Why Are Some Mushrooms So Much More Expensive Than Others?

The most expensive mushrooms in the world only grow in the wild and are difficult or impossible for farmers to cultivate.

Since they can’t be mass-produced and only grow for a certain period of the year, they’re more scarce.

Varieties of fungi like truffles also grow under the ground, which makes them even harder to find, and therefore more costly (in time and money) to extract.

What Are the Most Expensive Mushrooms?

How many of these costly mushrooms have you heard of?

1. Kalahari Truffles

Cost: $4 per pound (£6.45 per kilogram)

Truffles have a reputation of being some of the most expensive types of fungi.

But though these truffles grown in the Kalahari Desert in Namibia, Africa may run slightly more expensive than your average grocery store button mushroom, they’re actually quite affordable.

Compared to the more popular white or black truffles, they have a more mild flavor and scent.

Their cheaper price is based on the fact that they grow in more sandy ground. They’re easy to find by looking for cracks in the sandy earth, so there’s no need to use truffle dogs or pigs to locate them.

2. Enoki Mushrooms

Cost: $8 per pound (£12.90 per kilogram)

Enoki mushrooms are now widely available in many grocery stores in North America and Europe. However, they don’t look like most other types of mushrooms that you can buy.

They have long, thin white stems with very small caps. They also tend to grow in clumps.

These little mushrooms have a mild flavor and make a nice addition to stir-fries. As long as they’re not overcooked, they tend to retain a lot of crunch.

3. Oyster Mushrooms

Price: $5 to $15 per pound (£8 to £24 per kilogram)

Oyster mushrooms are the second-most-common mushroom in North America and Europe.

They are exceeded in popularity only by the agaricus bisporus mushroom (which includes button mushrooms, cremini and portobello).

Oyster mushrooms are one of the easiest mushrooms to grow at home. Many mushroom farmers now grow them and they can even be grown from kits right on your kitchen counter.

Since they’re so easy to grow, they’re naturally the least expensive mushroom on our list.

These fungi are available in a wide range of colors including grey, white, pink, blue and others.

They’re best used fresh within a few days of harvesting, but they can also be dried.

4. Lion’s Mane

Price: $10 per pound (£16 per kilogram)

Lion’s mane is an interesting-looking mushroom with long, white spines. It looks a bit like a tiny mop, clump of hair or a little white hedgehog.

The flavor of lion’s mane is said to be similar to lobster or crab meat. You can eat these mushrooms raw but cooking lion’s mane enhances their flavor and texture.

Historically, lion’s mane was harvested from the wild. Now it’s fairly easy to cultivate in controlled environments.

Aside from being edible, lion’s mane is also used for its medicinal properties.

While lion’s mane sells for about $10 per pound when fresh, it can sell for significantly more when dried and powdered for use as a supplement.

Check out Growing Lion’s Mane Mushrooms: The Ultimate Guide if you’d like to try growing some for yourself.

5. Shiitake Mushrooms

Price: $7 to $15 per pound (£11 to £24 per kilogram), fresh

Shiitakes have been the favorite variety of mushrooms in many Asian countries for a while. They’re now quite popular in the west as well.

These fungi have a firm texture and a meaty flavor, which makes them great as a meat alternative in vegetarian recipes.

Many supermarkets and grocery stores now carry fresh shiitake mushrooms. They can also be found dried in bulk as well.

Shiitake mushrooms can be fairly easily cultivated, either indoor under controlled conditions, or outdoor when grown on logs. So they’re less expensive than most varieties on this list.

Although shiitake is mostly grown as an edible mushroom, it’s considered to have some medicinal benefits as well.

If you’ve got some spare logs laying around, try growing some shiitake using our resource How To Grow Mushrooms On Logs: The Ultimate Guide

6. Morels

Price: $30 to $90 (£21 to £65) per pound when fresh, $250 (£180) per pound or more dried.

Morels are some of the most sought-after varieties of fungus by mushroom hunters.

Once a mushroom hunter locates an area where morels grow, they’ll tend to keep it secret for just their family and friends. Morels will continue to grow back in the same place year after year.

Morels are very difficult to cultivate and they’re only available fresh for a few months each year in the wild. So they tend to command a high price.

They’re one of the most expensive mushrooms in the USA

7. Porcini Mushrooms

Price: $50 to $70 per pound (£80 to 112 per kilogram), dried

The porcini or king bolete mushroom is found in hardwood forests across Europe. They’re most common in Italy, although they can also be found in parts of North America as well.

You can recognize porcini mushrooms by their oversized caps and thick stems.

As with most expensive mushrooms, porcinis are difficult to cultivate.

So they’re harvested from the wild when they’re in season and then dried out to be sold around the world during the rest of the year.

8. Chanterelles

Price: $200 per pound (£320 per kilogram), dried.

Among most mushroom hunters, chanterelles are second only to morels.

These golden-yellow mushrooms are distinct and fairly easy to spot, without many look-alikes. However, they can cause illness and discomfort when eaten raw and need to be cooked.

They tend to pop up on warm humid days after rainfall.

Like most expensive mushroom varieties, they’re very difficult to cultivate and the majority are harvested from the wild.

If you happen to get your hands on some tasty chanterelles, be sure to read 30 Of The Best Mushroom Recipe Ideas to make the most of them.

9. Black Truffles

Price: $800 per pound (£1290 per kilogram) fresh

Black truffles are the most well-known type of truffle. Even though they aren’t as expensive as white truffles, they still come with a hefty price tag.

Like their white counterparts, black truffles are mostly found in the wild using pigs and dogs.

Some American and Australian mushroom producers have attempted to grow black truffles with limited success.

Since these fungi tend to grow at the base of mature oak trees, it’s a time-consuming and expensive endeavor.

That also makes black truffles some of the most expensive mushrooms to grow.

Most black truffles are bought by chefs at high-end restaurants.

There is even a bit of a “black market” for these truffles. There are numerous fake “black truffle oil” products on the market that are actually made from synthetic chemicals, rather than fungi.

10. Matsutake Mushrooms

Price: $1,000 to $2,000 per pound (£1600 to £3200 per kilogram)

Matsutake mushrooms are native to Japan. They look a bit similar to shiitake mushrooms, with shaggy brown caps. However, they have longer stems.

This Japanese mushroom has a distinct spicy smell and taste.

Like with products such as green tea, there are varying degrees of quality when it comes to matsutake mushrooms.

The best-quality mushrooms at the beginning of the harvest season command the highest prices.

Within Japan, you may be able to find them toward the end of the season for as little as $2 per pound, though.

For importing matsutake mushrooms into Europe or North America, the average cost is about $90 (£65) per kilogram.

The matsutake harvest has been drastically reduced over the past 50 years due to a pine-killing pest that affects the trees that matsutake grows around.

11. European White Truffles

Price: Anywhere from $1,000 to $4,000 per pound (£1600 to £6445 per kilogram), depending on the harvest that year.

White truffles are the rarest and most expensive of all the truffle varieties.

Although white truffles are actually quite common across Europe, they’re notoriously hard to find. Truffle hunters will often employ trained truffle dogs or pigs to help locate these expensive fungi.

So far, no farmer has successfully cultivated white truffles. That’s why the price still remains so high.

What Is the Most Expensive Mushroom in the World?

So what’s the most expensive mushroom in the world? The winner is…

The yartsa gunbu mushroom (Cordyceps sinensis).

Price: $50,000 per pound (£80,500 per kilogram), or $2,000 for a single ounce.

If you clicked this link while wondering how to grow the most expensive mushrooms in the world, things are about to get a little weird.

This mushroom is also known as the caterpillar fungus and for good reason. It infects the bodies of a specific species of caterpillars.

The fungus kills its host and then grows out of the caterpillar.

As you can imagine, these little mushroom fungi are hard to locate in the wild.

The caterpillars typically bury themselves a few inches into the ground before they die.

These mushrooms have also never been cultivated in a controlled environment.

Yartsa gunbu or cordyceps mushrooms are believed to be an aphrodisiac. It’s claimed to have other medicinal benefits as well.

Many people also simply eat them as a status symbol because of their rarity and cost.

Want to try growing something a bit more straightforward? See our article The five Easiest Mushrooms to Grow.

What Is the Rarest Mushroom?

The yartsa gunbu also wins the prize for rarest mushroom.

It’s not just that these mushrooms are only found in the wild growing out of caterpillars. They also only grow in a specific area as well.

These exceedingly rare and expensive mushrooms are mostly only found around the Himalayas, at altitudes from 3,000 to 5,000 meters (9,000 to 16,000 feet) above sea level.

Is There Any Cheaper Alternative?

Very few people are willing to pay $50,000 per pound (£80,500 per kilogram) for some mushrooms that grow out of caterpillars.

Luckily, there’s a much cheaper option.

While cordyceps sinensis is extremely rare and needs to be harvested from the wild, it does have a close relative that offers most of the same benefits.

Cordyceps militaris can be easily cultivated on much more conventional growing mediums (rice and soy) without the need to sacrifice insects to get it.

That means you can buy bottles of cordyceps militaris capsules for about $20 (£14.40), when the same amount of cordyceps sinensis would cost over $1,000 (£720).

Final Thoughts

There are some truly rare mushrooms out there, including some that cost thousands of dollars or pounds per serving.

What makes a particular type of mushroom expensive is usually an inability to cultivate it. Wild mushrooms only grow during a certain part of the year and they’re difficult to find.

Growing mushrooms doesn’t need to be expensive though.

If you’d like to try growing oyster mushrooms, our GroCycle Kits allow you togrow your own delicious mushrooms at home in just 14 days. They also make a great gift.

Or to grow them from scractch, check out ourmushroom growing courses.

Whether you just want to grow a small amount of mushrooms at home or start a Low Tech Mushroom Farming business, we offer something for everyone.

Last week, former NFL defensive lineman and Super Bowl 50 champion Derek Wolfe killed his first-ever mountain lion with his bow and some help from a buddy’s hounds — and the cat is absolutely massive.

The photo Wolfe posted to Instagram garnered plenty of attention. It takes a big guy to be an NFL defensive lineman, and at 6 feet 6 inches and 280 pounds, Wolfe is no exception. The photo (full version below) shows an absolute beast of a cat that practically dwarfs the retired football player.

“Gutted, he was 174 pounds,” Wolfe told Free Range American. “Obviously, I couldn’t weigh him up there on the mountain, so I’m guessing he had to be 200-plus.

“He was 8 1/2 feet long,” Wolfe added.

By mountain lion standards, Wolfe’s cat is an absolute monster. According to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, adult males on the large side reach 8 feet in length and weigh an average of 150 pounds.

But the cat isn’t only a trophy for Wolfe with an incredible hunting story attached to it — he actually did the local community a service by taking out this particular mountain lion.

As Colorado cat populations thrive, interactions between people and mountain lions have become tenuous, with family pets often ending up on the big cats’ menu. Before the hunt, Wolfe and his buddy tracked his big cat to a den under a residential porch, and two neighborhood dogs had recently fallen prey to an area cat.

It appears the local pet population and the owner of the house attached to that porch owe Wolfe a little extra gratitude. Here’s how he got on the cat, tracked it through a residential area, and treed it, and how the former pro athlete crawled on his hands and knees to make the shot after climbing a rocky slope completely smoked him.

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Derek Wolfe Untamed

Wolfe played college football as a defensive lineman for the University of Cincinnati and was drafted by the Denver Broncos in 2012. He played eight years with the Broncos, helped the team win Super Bowl 50, and then finished out his career with the Baltimore Ravens.

Wolfe said he grew up hunting and killed his first whitetail with a bow when he was only 13. However, football demanded so much time, energy, and focus that he didn’t have much left for hunting. Wolfe left the NFL just before the 2022 season. While he regularly spent the off-season chasing wild hogs and axis deer, now that the 32-year-old has retired from professional football, he has plenty of time to pursue his passion for hunting.

There’s even a YouTube video series in the works, titled Wolfe Untamed, highlighting the former NFL player’s efforts to tackle new hunting challenges.

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A Mounting Mountain Lion Problem

Wolfe bagged his colossal cat in Game Management Unit 46, which includes parts of Clear Creek, Park, and Jefferson counties. The unit is not far from Nederland, where mountain lions have terrorized the small town by killing at least 15 neighborhood pets, including a 100-pound Doberman pinscher.

“People in parts of Colorado are really dealing with this, and [Colorado Parks & Wildlife] is only supposed to help when it comes to livestock, and they have to follow the law,” Wolfe said. “There’s nothing that protects pet owners from mountain lion attacks. If a mountain lion attacks your pet and you kill it, you could be ticketed for that.”

Wolfe had been waiting for the opportunity to get a mountain lion with his bow, partly because he had heard about the animals harassing residents and killing their pets. He passed his mountain lion certification exam and bought his license, so when his buddy Alex Nestor called him up after a fresh snow and asked him if he wanted to cut tracks on a big cat, he was ready to go.

On the morning of Jan. 18, Wolfe and Nestor drove along back roads looking for a cat sign. They found evidence suggesting a mountain lion in the area may have been targeting pets, just like the mountain lions stalking Nederland cats and dogs.

“This was for sure a mature male,” Wolfe said. “We looked to the left as we were walking up on the tracks, and there was a full-grown 300-pound 4×4 mule deer lying under a tree that this cat had dragged across the road. It was still a little warm, so we knew it was fresh from that morning.”

They followed those monstrous tracks through someone’s yard and up under their front deck.

“When we looked under there, you could see that the cat had made a little bed in there. It looked like it had been living under there,” he said. “When we knocked on the door to see if anybody was home, we saw that the cat had walked right up onto their porch.

“We were like, ‘Oh, man. This isn’t good. This cat is way too comfortable being near people. He’s stalking something here, coming up on the porch and looking in windows. He’s looking for pets or people.’”

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The Hunt and the Climb

After two hours of calling around trying to get the landowner on the phone, the two hunters finally got permission to track the cat through private property up into the adjacent public land.

“We put the dogs on the tracks, and where is the first place they went? Boom. Right under that porch. That’s where the scent was heaviest,” Wolfe said. “It’s insane. Any time this guy came walking out of his house, this 8 1/2-foot, 200-pound cat could have been lying under there.”

The dogs eventually followed the cat tracks up into the surrounding mountains, and Wolfe and Nestor followed.

“This area is super mountainous, with straight up-and-down cliffs. There was 2 to 3 feet of snow on the ground, and once the dogs were on him, we went straight up to the top and then straight down the other side.”

Wolfe described how rushing up a nearly 4,000-foot elevation change was one of the most physically and mentally challenging things he’s ever had to do.

“It took me forever to get to the top on the first climb because I was just slipping and sliding on these rocks. It’s all rocks, straight up and down, and you can’t post into it because of the snow,” he said. “The rocks just slip out from under you. So I’m crawling up the hill on one side, then basically sliding down on my back the whole way down the other side, and then trying to get up through a ravine.”

Nestor, still following his dogs, had managed to get ahead of Wolfe, so he dropped him a pin on his phone, marking the spot where the hounds had the cat treed.

“I go straight to the pin and just come out on the road. Then I got the message that said, ‘Dude, you’re, like, 1,000 yards below me.’ I could hear the dogs howling their heads off up there.

“By this point, my legs were cramping. My hamstrings, my calves, and my quads are locked up, and I could hardly walk without being in a full-body cramp. I’m gassed and sucking air. The muscles in my rib cage just locked up on me because I was sweating. It was a crazy sweat, too, because it was so cold.

“Then Alex said, ‘Dude! Get. Up. Here.’”

As a retired pro football player, Wolfe is no stranger to hard work and physical exertion, but this hunt beat him up.

“It was the hardest hunt I’ve ever been on,” Wolfe said. “It felt like I just did a full padded practice in 90-degree heat, but it was cold and snowy somehow. It’s all right, though. You’ve got to pay the price to get to them, man. That’s just the way it goes, especially with a bow.”

Wolfe crawled on his hands and knees the rest of the way up the ridge to get to where Nestor’s dogs had the cat snagged in a tree.

“When I got to the spot, I was just laying there looking up, and there’s the mountain lion above me in the tree. And I’m like, ‘Oh, god. Don’t fall on me, please.’”

Wolfe was so exhausted he wondered if he could pull the 80-pound draw on his Hoyt Highline. Somehow, he managed to stand up and reach a good spot about 12 yards from the tree. Then, he lined up the pin on his Spot Hogg sight and sent a Sevr broadhead straight through the big cat’s vitals.

“I made a really good shot, an ethical shot, and that cat dropped right where I had just been laying.”

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The Real Work Begins

As every hunter knows, there’s only a small moment of celebration after a successful shot, and then the real work begins.

“After all that, I still had to get the cat out of there,” Wolfe said.

“We gutted it and stuffed it, long ways, in my Kifaru pack. His head was hanging out on my right side, and the tail and hinds were flapping out on my left. I put my bow on my back. Then, I got down on my hands and knees and crawled out of there backward, all the way down.

“I couldn’t stand up and walk because my legs were just locking up on me,” Wolfe said. “At one point, I fell about 10 feet down a rock face.

“Everything was straight up and down, I couldn’t get any traction, and I had to wrestle with 180 pounds of cat the whole way.”

He focused on taking one little backward step at a time, mostly on his hands and knees, until he finally made it back to the truck with his cat.

“CPW came out and checked the animal. I was laying on the side of the road because I was just wrecked,” Wolfe said.

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Keyboard Warriors Target Derek Wolfe

Now, as Wolfe spoke to me over the phone from his home in Denver, the hunt is almost a week behind him, and the cat is in various places. The mountain lion’s meat has been sent to a processor, his skull shipped off for scoring, and the hide sent to the taxidermist.

“I haven’t [eaten] mountain lion before, but I hear it’s really sweet meat, so I’m looking forward to it,” Wolfe said. “I had some breakfast sausage made so we can eat biscuits and gravy.”

While Wolfe admits this was one crazy hunt, he said the craziest part is the hate that’s been spewed at him online after the fact, despite the hunt being 100% legal. Major media outlets have been quick to cover how social media keyboard warriors have attacked everything from Wolfe’s character to his masculinity.

“I’ve had death threats. I would definitely say defamation,” Wolfe said. “It’s these animal rights groups coming after me, trying to say I had no right to do this, that I’m a murderer, or that I’m trying to compensate for something.

“I’m not trying to compensate for anything. I just love doing this. This is a lifestyle for me,” Wolfe explained. “Leave me alone. I did everything right. I did everything legal. I’m not out here poaching animals. I’m doing it the right way, the ethical way, and the way it’s meant to be done.

“It’s important to manage any herd, whether it’s deer, elk, bear, or mountain lions. They all need some kind of management because they will starve themselves out, they’ll get diseases, they’ll overkill, and they’ll harm people. There are lots of reasons.

“Hunters are conservationists. That’s what we are. We love animals, and we want them to be around for generations.

I do this because I want my kids to be able to hunt, and I want their kids to be able to hunt. I want them to be able to enjoy it as much as I do.”

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The longstanding practice of conducting warrantless searches on private property by officers with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is unconstitutional, a three judge panel hearing a case in Benton County Circuit Court ruled Tuesday.

The ruling invalidates Tennessee law that TWRA has relied on to conduct warrantless searches and surveillance on private land in order to fulfill its mission of enforcing the state’s hunting, fishing and wildlife laws.

It’s an authority that is not explicitly extended to any other state or local law enforcement. The law, the judges wrote, gives rise to an “intolerable risk of abusive searches” and violates the Tennessee Constitution’s property protections. It is “unconstitutional, unlawful and unenforceable,” their ruling said.

An attorney representing Hunter Hollingsworth and Terry Rainwaters, two Benton County men who filed suit against the TWRA over warrantless searches on their lands, called the ruling a “momentous thing.”

“This is a decision that’s going to have a really huge impact on private landowners in Tennessee,” said Joshua Windham, an attorney for the Institute for Justice, a libertarian leaning law firm.

Windham said the ruling may have implications beyond Tennessee. The Tennessee Constitution’s property protection language, cited by the judges, is echoed in the constitutions of 16 other states, potentially leading to legal challenges of similar wildlife agency enforcement practices elsewhere. TWRA’s practice of patrolling private property without an owner’s consent or a warrant is not uncommon.

A spokesperson for TWRA on Wednesday did not immediately respond to questions about the ruling, or whether state officials plan to appeal.

State wildlife officers patrol private lands across the state year-round without giving owners notice, obtaining consent or appearing before a judge to make a case for a warrant, court records said.

TWRA officers sometimes investigate turkey-, dove- and deer-hunting offenses by crouching in bushes and secretly taping hunters — hiding within the line of fire in some instances cited in the lawsuit. The agency keeps no records of when or how often officers enter private property. TWRA officers do not need a supervisors’ permission before entering private land. There are no agency rule limiting how long officers may spend searching private property.

TWRA attorneys have argued that state wildlife officers must have the flexibility to enter private lands to do their jobs. The agency’s mission is to protect wildlife and enforce hunting, fishing and boating laws. The vast majority of hunting in Tennessee takes place on private property and wildlife aren’t confined to public lands, they noted.

TWRA also cited a well-established U.S. Supreme Court precedent, known as the “open fields doctrine,” which says that property owners have no “reasonable expectation of privacy” on private property deemed to be an open field — property outside the immediate vicinity of an owner’s home or yard, such as a field of crops well beyond a farmer’s homestead.

But the three judge panel in Benton County concluded that the Tennessee Constitution gives property owners more protection. Article I, Section 7 of the Tennessee Constitution provides a “broader guarantee of security for an individual’s real property than its federal counterpart,” they wrote.

Tennessee’s Constitution protects all “property, real or person, actually possessed or occupied,” the court noted. Under Tennessee Supreme Court precedent, land possessed or occupied extends beyond a homestead. Only “wild or waste lands” that are not used, farmed, fenced or otherwise utilized are excluded from those protections, the state Supreme Court has found.

The judges also concluded that the statute giving TWRA the right to enter private land amounted to a “general warrant,” giving officials wide latitude to conduct searches. “General warrants are dangerous to liberty and ought not to be granted,” the court ruled.

Hollingsworth, a Benton County railroad worker, said Wednesday he felt vindicated after years of challenging multiple TWRA officers forays onto his property, where they secretly hid behind bushes to videotape Hollingsworth, his girlfriend and friends while they hunted and socialized. They patrolled his land and surveilled his movements.

“I think it’ll be a lot more relaxing to be on my property and you won’t have to be paranoid that they’re looking at you all the time,” Hollingsworth said. “I think it’s fantastic that other people will get to enjoy their property without worrying if they’re being watched.”

Rainwaters similarly expressed “great relief to have the court recognize that searching my property without permission and without a warrant was unconstitutional.”

“It’s even better to hear that the court doesn’t believe anyone else in Tennessee should have their rights violated in the same way,” he said. “I’m going to sleep a little better tonight knowing that state officials have to respect my property rights.”

The case was heard under a new state law requiring a panel of three judges, one from each division of the state, to hear challenges to state law. Judge Donald Parish, Chancellor Jerri Bryant and Judge Russel Parkes presided over the case.

Parish, who concurred with the majority of the decision, filed a dissenting opinion in which he argued the court should have gone further.

The Institute for Justice had requested an injunction barring TWRA from entering private property — which was rejected by the panel because they had already concluded Tennessee’s law was invalid.

But Parish noted that TWRA lawyers argued that their authority to conduct warrantless searches also rests in the Tennessee Constitution’s recognition of a personal right to hunt or fish, subject to reasonable regulation.

Parish also cited a TWRA officer’s conversation with Hollingsworth in the court’s record. Hollingsworth told an officer who showed up on his property that he wasn’t invited.

“When you bought your hunting license, you invited me,” the officer told Hollingsworth.

Absent an injunction, Parish wrote, “I believe an ‘intolerable risk’ of improper searches by the TWRA persists.”

Your fishing reel is one of the most essential aspects of your gear. When you are targeting catfish, it becomes even more important! Catfish fishing reels are often a much-debated topic amongst anglers who love to chase these amazing fish. Using the wrong type or size of reel could be catastrophic and lose you a fish when you least expect it.

It is important to know what features you need in a good catfish reel and what kind of power you need out of it. After all, catfish can grow to enormous sizes and put some very serious strain on your equipment. By carefully selecting the right type of fishing reel, you can save yourself plenty of time, money, and trouble in the long run.

The first thing to consider is the species of catfish that you will be after. There are many different species out there, and each one is different. You should also consider what size of catfish you intend to catch from these species, as they can be very small (one to ten pounds) or extremely large (50+ pounds). Again, catfish are strong fish and the size will factor into your fishing reel selection.

There are three main species of catfish that anglers will be fishing for, blue catfish, channel catfish, and flathead catfish. These fish are all very different from each other. All of them, however, are very powerful and can grow to tremendous sizes. Because of this, you need the right type of reel. But which type should you select?

Among the many types of fishing reels that are available, there are two, in particular, that stands out when it comes to catfish. These are conventional reels and spinning reels. Let’s take a look at spinning reels, to begin with.

Spinning reels are one of the most popular types of fishing reels, and for certain situations, can be great for catfish. Spinning reels utilize a wire bale across the top of the reel that flips back and forth when you are casting. This makes them much easier to use and cast with than others like baitcasting reels. Because of their ease of use, they are very widespread and come in many different shapes and sizes.

Spinning reels are great for small to medium-sized catfish. If a catfish is too large, it can damage or even break the spinning reel with its power due to its design. If you are targeting truly large catfish, you are better off using the other type of reel: conventional reels.

Conventional reels (sometimes known as baitcasting or saltwater reels) are the best option for big catfish. These reels are bigger, heavier, and stronger. They are made to handle large fishing lines and weight and feature great drag systems for fighting heavy fish. For this reason, they are the number one choice amongst anglers chasing large saltwater fish or big catfish.

Both spinning reels and conventional reels are great choices for catfish depending on your style and the fish you intend to catch. Both will have their own unique advantages and disadvantages, but both are the best options for catching the elusive catfish. There are many great options of both types out on the market today, but with so many to choose from, where do you begin? Luckily you have come to the right place! Let’s take at some great fishing reels that can aid you in your next catfish fishing trip.

KastKing Rover Round Baitcasting Reel

The Rover Round baitcasting reel by KastKing is a conventional reel that is extremely tough and durable. It is reinforced with thick, hard anodized aluminum in the side plates and uses a CNC machined spool to be as strong as possible. All of the various gears are precision cut and made of high-quality metals, ensuring that they offer the best durability and are resistant to corrosion. With a carbon fiber drag system, you can enjoy up to 30 pounds of silky smooth drag. So how does this help catch catfish? With how tough it is, even the largest catfish will not be able to break this reel. The Rover Round by Kastking is available in many different configurations and options, allowing you to get the exact model you need for your style of fishing. With a fantastic design and high-quality build, this fishing reel will last you for years to come.

KastKing Kapstan Elite Saltwater Spinning Reel

Although the Kapstan Elite is designed to be a saltwater spinning reel, its excellent construction and design make it one of the best catfish spinning reels on the planet. Because it was made to be fished offshore, it features waterproof rubber rings to ensure no water, mud, or debris gets into your reel to mess it up. The carbon fiber drag system has a giant drag for the size (depending on the model you get) and the oversized spool disc allows you to use any size of fishing line that you need. An all-aluminum body and solid construction mean you can reel in any catfish you want. Available in a few different options, the Kapstan Elite is one of the best spinning reels out on the market, especially if you intend to catch large catfish.

KastKing ReKon Line Counter Fishing Reel

Last but certainly not least, the KastKing ReKon Line Counter fishing reel is another big conventional reel that has high durability and high-quality parts to ensure any size of catfish can be handled. It features an accurate mechanical line counter that allows you to know where to keep your bait so that you can target the zone where you are catching fish and know how much line is left. This large reel can hold plenty of lines, and the all metal parts ensure it is resistant to corrosion while out on the water. No matter what type or size of catfish you are after, the ReKon line counter reel by KastKing is an exceptional choice!

We recently sat down with Q’s Kevin Brittingham to get an update on the highly anticipated launch of 300 Blackout’s “bigger brother” – the 8.6 Blackout. Our last update on the round was in February 2020, just before the pandemic. While we recently released the full audio of the conversation, we wanted to pull the highlights of that recording as it pertains specifically to 8.6 Blackout, and where it stands as we enter the summer of 2021.

EDITOR’S NOTE – Our January 2022 Update on the status of 8.6 Blackout with Kevin is now live on ARBuildJunkie.com.

Kevin Brittingham, Q – It would be in production if it were not for the whole ammo crisis. We have production brass now. We are making millions of shells and now it’s a matter of loading time at Hornady, and some others. Primers and powders are also becoming a problem. But we have the cartridge squared away. It’s going to cost about what a 6.5 Creedmoor costs…before COVID, that was $1.10 to $1.20 a round.

8.6 is still a 6.5 Creedmoor shortened case, blown out for a .338 bullet…For supersonic, the lightest bullet is going to be between 150 and 160-grain. Out of a 12″ barrel, we’ll be able to get somewhere close to 2,400 feet a second with that. We’ll have subsonic up to about 360 grain.

One of the first two offerings of this for supersonic is going to be a Barnes 210-grain bullet. It’s about 2,000 feet per second out of a 12″ barrel. It’s a 1-3 twist, so we’ve settled on the twist. We’re using some of the energy that is wasted, converting that to kinetic energy now by spinning the bullet faster. So in supersonic, it is more kinetic energy on target by spinning the bullet fast.

Discreet Ballistics did a great video that did a split screen where the only difference is that one is a 1:7 twist and the other is a 1:3 shooting gelatin. You can see that the 1:3 is two to three times the initial wound cavity…same muzzle velocity, same barrel length. Everything was exactly the same.

Fast twist also gives you the big, long, slow subsonic bullet. It gives you several things. The first being better accuracy because when the bullet is long and slow, you need to spin it faster. For expanding subsonic bullets…it is more reliable expansion at lower velocities, which is great for hunting with subsonic. This is going to be the first subsonic, sub-MOA cartridge, and that’s due to the fast twist. You’ll be able to shoot groups at 300 meters that are sub-3″ with the subsonic…the first offering in subsonic will be a 300-grain Sierra Match King 338 bullet, loaded to 1,050 feet per second out of a 12.5″ barrel.

After that will be the target supersonic and the expanding subsonic. It will go from there, and you’ll see other manufacturers as capacity opens up…Basically, the way to describe (8.6 Blackout) is that it is double what 300 Blackout is. It’s double the range. So, if you are comfortable with shooting a deer at 150 yards with a Honey Badger, you can shoot at 300 yards with a 12.5″ 8.6. It’s super quiet in subsonic as well. We’ll offer two silencer lengths, a short one for hunting and a full-sized one as well.

Another advantage of the lower velocity supersonic is it’s incredibly quiet as a supersonic when the bullet is going 2,000 to 2,400 feet per second, compared to something shooting 3,500 feet per second or something like that.

Q: My brother built a .338 Federal AR for hog hunting and he raves about it. Can you address to readers who might ask why not simply choose .338 Federal?

Kevin Brittingham, Q – Let me use .260 Remington vs. 6.5 Creedmoor as an example. .260 Remington is a great cartridge, and it really spawned 6.5 Creedmoor, which everyone knows is incredibly popular. The reason .260 didn’t become popular and 6.5 did is because the .260 case is too long. .260 was originally a 110 or 120-grain bullet. If you load a 140 or 150-grain bullet, it doesn’t fit into a magazine or into a short action if you seat the bullet correctly.

So, they shortened up the case, used different powders, a different shoulder, made it more efficient, and you can get almost everything out of a 6.5 Creedmoor that you can get out of a .260, and with a big, long bullet, you can seat it correctly in the throat, and you can get full performance. You can’t do that with a .260. The case is too long.

After we did 300 Blackout, Ethan and I did a few guns in .338 Federal, Model 7s…The problem with that is if I want to load a 300-grain subsonic bullet and seat it correctly…you don’t get all the efficiency. So, you’re limited on your subsonic and your big, supersonic bullets.

With that being said, .338 Federal, inside 300 meters is superior to .308. It’s an incredible cartridge. But if you want subsonic capability, and you want to load big, long bullets supersonic and subsonic, and you want to fit them into a magazine, you have got to shorten the case. So, we didn’t do it to be different. We wanted to start with .338 Federal, but you can’t get everything out of it – have full mag capacity, long bullets, have it cycle in a gas gun, and fit into a short action.

People ask about 375 Raptor…it does not work full mag capacity in a gas gun super and subsonic. You can’t feed it in an AR reliably. It may be enough for people who tinker or are not serious about it, but it could never be a military cartridge. We’re trying to cover as much as we can with this.

Q: Where do we stand on an 8.6 gas gun currently? I recall a mention of using a POF-USA Revolution as a start, or something similar?

Kevin Brittingham, Q – Since we spoke, the owner of POF was killed. So, that’s kind of dead in the water. I do need to reach out to them. We’re going to get some of those guns and do it ourselves…8.6 in a 9″ is way more effective than 300 Blackout. We can build a 9″ gas on their Revolution or Rogue or whatever they call their gun, that weighs almost what our Sugar Weasel weighs…and you’d have twice the capability.

So, we’re not currently working on it, but we have prototype guns. The very first one that we did was a Noveske. It cycled at full mag capacity super and subsonic, and locked open on the last round.

This isn’t just a bolt gun cartridge, or a subsonic cartridge, and it’s not just a super. It’s all of it, just like 300 Blackout, barrel change only.

But, yeah, there will be gas guns. That was a huge consideration in the development of this. The first things you’ll see are probably barrels offered, or we’ll build The Fix in a 12.5″ as a pistol or SBR. Eventually, we’ll have 16″ barrels available as well for our rifle. Whether it’s SAAMI-approved or not, we’ll share the chamber drawings and everything where people can build barrels for Remington 700s and also Stoner-based guns (AR-10s and SR-25s)

We may also have a gas gun that is available in it as well. Initially, we’ll partner and support companies like Noveske, LWRC…Todd Huey of Lone Star Boars has a 12.5″ LWRC. He’s a good testimony to the Barnes 210-grain. He called me and said he shot a pig with it and he had never seen what he saw. He described it as basically he hit this pig, and it did a flip.

The very first animal I shot was a white-tailed doe in south Texas. I shot it at about 50 yards with The Fix with a 12.5″ barrel and the Barnes 210, she was broadside, and it also did a flip. I could send you a picture of the wound. It’s horrific.

Q: Let’s wrap up with timing…

Kevin Brittingham, Q – I have no idea. I’ll say we’ll be getting the first million shells in here pretty soon. We got the first production run of shells here last month. Powder and primers are the problem.

So, the first 100,000 rounds and maybe the first million will be utilized for marketing, and this year, you’ll see ammo available. There are loading dies available through Hornady now. You’ll see shells, brass available. We stopped at a 1:3 twist so you can use current Barnes .338 bullets. All the bonded bullets that we’ve tested so far…a non-bonded bullet will come apart out of the muzzle with a 1:3 twist, but bonded and solid coppers that we’ve tested stay together out of the muzzle. We’re going to put out load data, chamber drawings, all of that stuff.

As production capacity becomes available with Hornady, Discreet Ballistics, Gorilla, and some of the other companies, you’ll start to see ammo available. This year, we’ll also have barrels for the Fix available, and we’ll also have gas gun barrels available, or you’ll see drawings and us partnering with those gas gun companies, and they’ll be able to do it. But, considering the state of ammo in the industry right now, what you’ll probably see is people that who are into it will probably have to load most of their own ammo.

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Bear hunting with dogs brings a whole range of emotions to mind.

More specifically, the pretty controversial bear hounding.

However, there’s also another variant of bear hunting (which could actually be beneficial to wildlife).

But first, let’s explore bear hounding and why it often damages wildlife populations.

Some people disguise hounding as a service to society while others deem it a sick sport.

Even hunting advocates seem to turn their back on bear hounding because it’s not only unfair but damaging to wildlife1 and possibly their own dogs.

• Bear hounding often orphans cubs
• Being chased into trees incites incredible anxiety in the animals
• Hounds are often hurt during encounters
• Non-target animals are chased since controlling dogs over large distances is impossible
• Hunters often trespass on private property, target endangered species, or chase bears onto busy roads

Why are bear cubs orphaned?

Because hunters don’t care to check or misidentify the gender.

Sometimes, they eliminate the threat on sight when encounters with their dogs ensue.

Other times, bears are chased over miles and robbed of their energy2 which may seal their fate, just for the hunters to notice the bear is off-limits due to age or gender.

But as mentioned, bear hounding is not the only way to hunt bears with dogs.

Below, I’ve listed all the breeds suitable for bear hunting.

A lot of breeds mentioned in other articles are absolutely not suitable for hunting bears in any way, shape, or form.

What Are Bear Hunting Dog Breeds Used For?

Hounding doesn’t necessarily only serve as a sport, instead bear hunting dogs are also used in some areas to control rising bear populations, but modern non-lethal methods include Karelian Bear Dogs to scare bears away.

As the polar ice melts, the number of bears roaming northern rural regions in Russia increases3.

Naturally, this creates a conflict between the inhabitants of small towns and these massive (and endangered) Polar Bears.

All parties involved will hopefully seek out a peaceful solution instead of allowing bear hunting with dogs, especially considering that it’s us humans who are destroying their natural habitat.

North America might soon face a similar problem and wildlife and law enforcement are seeking solutions.

Until now, bears who’ve gotten too used to people are either euthanized or put far away into another territory, both far from optimal solutions.

Hounding is partly allowed to serve as “population control” but all these (partly inhumane tactics) could be replaced by an altogether different method.

Organizations such as the Wind River Bear Institute created an actionable plan that includes dogs – but in a non-lethal way.

Dogs such as the Karelian Bear Dogs4 are used to scare bears away in the following steps:

• Bears who get too close and/or too used to humans are identified
• Bear hunting dogs are brought in to scare them (resembling Coyotes out and about to steal bear cubs)
• Upon release, the dogs track the bear, bark, and nip at the bear’s heels until called back
• If the bear has gotten used to a specific spot, they trap the animal and bring in the dogs to scare them and then release
• Additional methods like firing rubber bullets can be utilized

Sadly, there’s not a lot of literature out there discussing this way of controlling bears.

Instead, most (outdated) research papers focus on traditional bear hounding and its efficacy.

Even though there aren’t a lot of resources, I’ve tried my best and compiled a list of breeds that were traditionally used and could be introduced in this more modern way below.

Any dog breed successfully working bears offers a huge upside to the old ways:

• No known injuries to the dogs
• Bears are not unnecessarily eliminated
• No compromise in safety around campgrounds and National Parks for humans
• Karelian Bears Dogs have been able to find evidence of poaching and save polar bear dens near oil or gas fields

However, not all areas (think residential) are suitable for this type of bear control.

Besides the labor to raise and train these dogs, controlling bears this way is more labor-intensive.

So now you know about hounding as well as non-lethal bear hunting with dogs, but which breeds are actually suitable?

9 Bear Hunting Dog Breeds

The best bear hunting dog breeds include the Karelian Bear Dog, Plotthound, Coonhound, Foxhound, as well as large game hunters such as the Dogo Argentino or Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Here’s the full list of dogs capable of hunting large game such as bears:

1. Karelian Bear Dog
2. Plotthound
3. Coonhound
4. American Foxhound
5. Bloodhound
6. German Shorthaired Pointer
7. German Wirehaired Pointer
8. Dogo Argentino
9. Rhodesian Ridgeback

Karelian Bear Dog

Among the top spots for dog breeds used to work bear is the Finnish black-and-white Karelian Bear Dog.

Early breed ambassadors have been recorded in other colors as well such as red-gray or pure red.

However, black-and-white emerged as the desired color since the breed standard was formulated in 1945.

The Karelian Bear Dog looks like a cross between Border Collie and Husky with some resemblance to breeds like the Samoyed or a more wolfish German Shepherd.

While working bear is their field of expertise, they can also compete in search and rescue or sled dog trials due to their sturdy double coat and endurance.

Plott Hound

Technically also among the Coonhounds, the Plott Hound has a different ancestor though.

Plott Hounds don’t descend from English Foxhounds but rather from “Hanover hounds” in Germany.

The German immigrant who brought these dogs to the US frequently hunted bears in the mountains with his dogs.

Coonhound

There are various types of Coonhounds such as the Redbone, Bluetick, Black and Tan, American English, and Treeing Walker Coonhound.

Treeing Walker Coonhounds are among the most loving of the Hounds and quite sensible hunters too.

Ever wondered where the word “treeing” comes from?

It’s because this Hound is known to trail smaller game until it climbs a tree with the dog waiting below and barking to signal the location to the hunter.

Walker comes from the breed’s creator.

This breed is also commonly used for traditional bear hunting where the dogs hunt outside the hunter’s control and often camp for quite a long time at the bottom of the tree.

American Foxhound

The American Foxhound’s robust yet sleek frame is complimented by their soft eyes.

The bark that makes bear hunters love the American Foxhound could prove detrimental to your neighbor’s ears.

So before considering one, beware of their fierce barking which can only be controlled through training and exercise to some degree.

Bloodhound

Bloodhounds are known to be among the dogs with the best sense of smell out there (that and their incredibly long ears).

Did you know that the sloppy ears are actually there to block out sound when they’re following trails?

German Shorthaired Pointer

The German Shorthaired Pointer is a versatile hunting dog.

While Pointers are usually trained to point at birds, they can theoretically be used for pursuing and barking at bears too.

German Wirehaired Pointer

German Wirehaired Pointers could be a good fit for hunting bears.

The German Wirehaired Pointer may sound and look similar to the GSP but they’re different breeds.

While their wiry coat places first on the GWPs identifiable traits, their very loving and quite independent character is a close second.

Make sure you have plenty of time and commitment to research since this is a very active breed.

Dogo Argentino

The Dogo Argentino is the first dog of the Mastiff type on this list (there are actually 22 Mastiffs in total).

Rhodesian Ridgeback

Rhodesian Ridgebacks are actually hunting lions in packs in their home country.

Contrary to popular belief, Ridgebacks don’t actually fight the lions, but they’re good at baying them.

What is the Best Bear Hunting Dog?

The best bear hunting dog is probably the Karelian Bear Dog with Hounds coming in a close second.

What the best bear hunting dog breed is also dependent upon the climate and geography in general.

In colder climates, the Siberian Laika was commonly used for hunting and/or baying bears while Hounds are more suitable and widely available in the USA.

In theory, many other dog breeds such as large game hunters or pointers could be trained to do parts of working bear but they’re not bred specifically for this purpose.

They are bred for a variety of work though and technically could be used for working bears in a non-lethal way.

Are Karelian Bear Dogs Rare?

Karelian Bear Dogs are rare as household pets in the US while they are consistently among the top 10 in their home country Finland5.

In Finland, there are over 1000 Finnish Hounds (i.e. Karelian Bear Dogs) registered each year which puts them at spot number 7 for the most popular breeds in 2019 and 20206.

At least 700 KBDs were registered in Finland for over a decade now.

That being said, there were 50,000 registrations in total so that puts the KBD only at about 2% of the total registrations.

As of July 2024, the database has not been updated with current registration numbers.

Everywhere else in the world, it’s safe to say that the KBD is pretty rare except for countries with increasing bear populations (even then, it’s not guaranteed).

Besides North America – where hunting is regulated by each state – and Northern Europe where the KBD is used for elks, Asia and Russia come to mind but there have been no reports of the KBD being common there.

The fact of the matter is that bear dogs may save lives. Look no further than what they did in Washington.7

Sources

1. Humane Society: Facts about bear hounding (…) ↩︎
2. ResearchGate, 2019: Behavioral and Physiological Responses of Scandinavian Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) to Dog Hunts (…) ↩︎
3. Phys.org, 2019: Weak Arctic ice sees 56 polar bears descend on Russian village ↩︎
4. Beardogs.org: KBD history ↩︎
5. Finnish Kennel Club: Karelian Bear Dog ↩︎
6. Finnish Kennel Club, 2020: KBD registration numbers ↩︎
7. Spokesman-Review (Washington newspaper), 2019: Washington’s first Karelian Bear Dogs, credited with busting poachers and saving kittens, die ↩︎

Disclaimer: This blog post does not substitute veterinary attention and does not intend to do so. I am not a veterinarian or pet nutritionist. If your dog shows any sign of illness, call your vet.

Ron Jolly | Originally published in GameKeepers: Farming for Wildlife Magazine. To subscribe, click here.

I remember being cold! I remember the fog on the Tensas River in northeast Louisiana hung like a thick blanket in the air. The myriad of sound coming from the hardwood forest on the river’s bank was a bit confusing to my ears. The waves lapping on the side of an old Jon boat was another distraction. My Dad sat in the stern of the boat and I sat on the middle seat with his best friend Mr. Sonny Hudnall. I remember straining my ears to hear a sound they were hearing that I could not. Their mission was for me to hear my first wild turkey gobble. Again Mr. Sonny asked, “Did you hear that?” Sure, I thought. I hear water on the side of the boat, birds in the trees, water dripping off the trees into the river. “Did I hear what?” was my answer. “It will sound like oble, oble, oble,” said Mr. Sonny.

I strained to hear the sound and finally thought I did. “Was that him?” I asked. My Dad leaned close to my ear from behind and said, “Son, that was the turkey you just heard. He has gobbled six times since we have been here. He is about a quarter-mile away. You just have to learn to separate all the sounds from the sound you want to hear. Focus on that sound and you will hear it clearly. The secret to hearing is in the listening!”

That morning was the first time I heard a wild turkey gobble. There have been many lessons learned about wild turkeys since that morning over fifty years ago, but none as important as how to listen for, and hear turkeys. Here are some tips that will help you.

Know What You Are Listening For

Learning what to listen for is the first step to hearing more turkeys. The gobble of the wild turkey is one of the most unique sounds in nature. To the experienced turkey hunter there is no other sound that can be confused with a gobble. To the novice it is a sound that can be hard to discern, especially when it is far away. Even harder to detect are the more subtle sounds made by turkeys such as drumming, yelps, and scratching in leaves. All these sounds can tell you that turkeys are near.

There are three places turkeys make sounds—when they are in the tree, when they are flying into or out of the tree, and when they are on the ground. Turkeys gobble, yelp, cackle and drum in the tree and on the ground. Turkey hens often cackle when flying up to or down from the roost. The thump of wings is another distinct sound made by turkeys. In most cases a gobble in the tree has a different sound than a gobble made on the ground. It is clearer and less muffled.

As a general rule a gobble made in a tree can be heard twice as far as one made on the ground. That same “twice-as-far” rule applies to all other turkey sounds.

Judging distance and coursing sound are other factors in turkey hunting success. Hearing a turkey sound and identifying that sound is step one.

To successfully hunt that turkey you must know the direction the sound came from and how far away it was. The first step to hearing more turkeys is to know what turkeys sound like. Experience and exposure to turkeys can teach you what to listen for. A better way is to watch other hunters. Videos and DVD’s put you in the woods with experienced hunters.

Listen to the sounds on the DVDs and learn how turkeys sound in the wild from your living room. Some companies offer videos dealing with nothing but turkey sounds and identifying what each sound is and what it means.

Isolate and Concentrate

The second step to hearing more turkeys is to isolate yourself from any distracting noise. If you are listening with a hunting partner, distance yourself from your partner. This will eliminate any distracting sounds they make or the temptation to talk. It also helps to triangulate the sound’s direction.

Choose a listening place where you can stand or sit motionless and be comfortable. I like to rest my back against a tree or sit on a log. I do not shuffle my feet in the leaves and I do not tinker with gear. I focus on hearing turkeys. You probably think I am talking only about hearing a gobble, and that is true for the most part, but eliminating any distracting noise applies when you are listening for turkey sounds in general.

Sound Advice

Two-time World Turkey Calling Champion Larry Norton is an experienced turkey hunter who has spent years guiding clients at commercial hunting operations like Bent Creek Lodge in Alabama. Norton offers some good advice on hearing more turkeys. “I guide hunters who have hunted for years and hunters who are hunting turkeys for the first time. It is our job to get each hunter on a turkey and hopefully get that hunter a shot. That all starts with hearing, coursing and getting into position on a gobbler,” says Norton.

“I like to start on high ground. From there I can hear more country. Many of my clients like to stand close or talk while we are listening for a roosted gobbler. I simply tell them in order to start the hunt we have to first hear a gobble and I can do that best when there are no distractions. Most hunters understand this and give me space.”

“At this point we are listening at day break for sounds turkeys make in the tree. We are primarily listening for a gobble but other sounds can disclose where turkeys are. If I hear hens tree yelping, cutting or plain yelping I know where a flock is located. I hope to hear a gobble, but if I do not I still assume a gobbler is near. If I do not hear a gobble at another location I will go to the hens and hope a gobbler will fire up after the flock flies down. At least I know I have put my client near turkeys,” says Norton.

“There are times when you do not hear turkeys on the roost and this is when you have to change tactics. I go to an area where turkeys frequent and slow way down. I move a few yards and stop to listen. I like to slip to near the top of a ridge where I can hear into the next hollow. I use the ridge to keep turkeys from seeing my approach. Now I am listening for sounds other than gobbles. “I listen for the distinct swish, swish, swish of turkeys scratching in leaves or for drumming. Turkeys are constantly making soft purrs, whines and yelps. This helps keep the flock together and these sounds cannot be heard from very far away. Many times if you hear these sounds and listen really closely you will hear drumming. When you hear any of these sounds set up right there. The turkeys are close!”

Cheat Norton also uses a Walker Game Ear to enhance his hearing ability. He cautions that there is a learning curve associated with mechanical hearing devices. “You have to learn to course with the Game Ear,” says Norton. “You also have to realize that sounds you hear using a mechanical device are always further away than they seem. I use the Game Ear to get in the general area of a turkey then rely on my own ears to close the deal but I know people who use them the entire hunt. It depends on you.”

My wife, Tes, suffers from hearing loss and uses mechanical hearing devices made by E.A.R., Inc. “I put them in before I leave in the morning and take them out when my hunt is over,” said Tes. “I cannot do without them. It was frustrating at first because all sounds are magnified. The sound of your steps, the birds, the wind, traffic, everything! I really had to work at getting used to them, but it was worth the effort.”

“Coursing and judging distance were also challenging, but in time it all came together. It really helped to go with someone who could hear well and compare what I thought I was hearing to what that person was hearing. After only a few outings I gained confidence in my ability to hear, course, and judge the distance to that sound. I never go hunting without them,” said Tes.

There are other ways to enhance the ability to hear more turkeys. Cup your hands behind your ears to gather more sound into your ears. You will be able to hear better in the direction you are facing but not as well in other directions. Turn your body to listen in all directions. Open your mouth while listening. This opens the ear canal and allows more sound into the ear. Slow your breathing. Take shallow breaths with your mouth open. This reduces the sound of air moving in and out of your lungs and eliminates some of the noise that competes with your ability to hear. Close your eyes. This helps you concentrate on hearing and eliminates visual distractions going on around you.

Avoid direct contact with the wind if at all possible. On windy days listen from the down-wind side of a ridge or hill. Face into the wind and allow the wind to bring sound to you. I am blessed with good hearing ability but I carry a single over-the-ear device made by Woodland Whisper that I use when I cannot hear turkeys with my own hearing. Often that device allows me to hear a gobbler that I could not hear naturally. Problem is, that turkey is usually too far away to get to. If that turkey is on the property I can hunt I will be there to listen next time.

Common Sense

Never listen near running water, traffic, or construction. Avoid any foreign noise that competes with your ability to hear turkeys. Move as far away from distracting noise as possible. Be aware of the time of day. Turkeys generally fly up to roost near sundown. Turkeys generally fly down from their roost as soon as they can see the ground. It is important to know if a turkey is on the ground or in a tree because a gobble from roost can be heard farther than a gobble on the ground.

Hearing a turkey gobble in the rain is challenging at best. If you’re confident of the path that turkeys take on your hunting property, set up a ground blind. A ground blind is an excellent way to hunt turkey in the rain. Your gear and calls can stay dry while you wait on a gobbler to respond. Turkeys, in general, are not as vocal as usual when it’s raining, so they need to be close to respond to your call. You will want to call more than normal as the rain makes it hard for hunters and gobblers to hear.

If you know where a gobbler roosts at night, set up nearby the following morning. In the west, using binoculars or spotting scopes can help you track a turkey’s movements in the evening. If you are in an area where timber prevents you from using optics to track turkey, you can use a locator call to find them. A locator call like an owl call used in the evening can get a gobble response from a roosted tom. Once you get an answer, plan your morning sit accordingly. Knowing where a gobbler is roosted will help you hear him the next morning.

Before you can expect a gobbler to respond, you have to be proficient with your turkey calls. If what you are producing is not realistic, you may not get a response. Worse, you may scare the turkey away. Work with all your calls until you are proficient with the clucks, yelps, putts and purring that a hen might make.

The Secret to Hearing is in the Listening

It is my firm belief that the key to turkey hunting success is the ability to “hear turkeys.” When you hear and identify a turkey sound you can judge where the turkey is, how far away he is and the direction he is moving. This information tells you where you need to go. Very few turkey hunts end with a turkey in your vest that did not start by first hearing turkeys. Learn how turkeys sound. Put yourself in the best position to hear and concentrate. Do this and you will hear more turkeys!

Today I’m going to show you the best Vortex red dot sight.

In fact:

I’ve hand-tested over 10 scopes alone for this review.

The best part?

I’ve sorted the scopes by use. So whether you’re on a budget or need the best Vortex red dot, you’ll find it here.

Let’s dive in!

Red Dots vs Holographic Sights

Just quickly, what’s the difference between red dot sights and holographic sights? And which is better?

Holographic sights, or holographic optics, use a laser to project a reticle onto a glass plate. The dot is then reflected up to your eye. Vortex makes a great holographic sight, the Vortex Razor AMG UH-1.

In red dot sight models, the reticle is projected directly onto the front lens. The lens is coated with a special material that allows it to display a crisp red dot on your target.

Holographic sights may have an advantage over red dot sights in durability and weight, but if you’re looking for something lightweight and easy to use, you may want to consider getting the best red dot sight for your needs instead.

How to Choose a Red Dot Sight

A red dot sight is a type of weapon sight that uses a red dot projected onto a crosshair, creating a sighting method in which the operator looks through the scope and aims at an object. Originally developed for use in military applications, they have become popular among hunters and recreational shooters. Many red dot sights can be mounted on pistols or rifles alike to give users quick access to their weapons while preserving accuracy. There are several different types of red dot sights such as holographic and laser sights.

But what do you look for when buying a red dot sight? The first thing you need to consider is price. If you want a red dot to have a lot of magnification, but also have a good field of view, high zoom optics are recommended. In addition these sights may have other features such as illuminated reticle locations and night vision lasers. High-end optics for red dot sights can cost anywhere from $400 to $1000 or more.

Next to look into is the brightness level of the sight itself. If you don’t plan on using it in dim light environments, then a brighter sight will be fine for your needs. However, if you’re planning on shooting in dim light sometimes, then low intensity sights are preferred by many people including hunters and shooters alike. The third thing to look for is user-friendly features such as a quick-release mount and an adjustable reticle. And lastly, the type of red dot sight you decide to buy should match your needs. For example, if you want a compact and lightweight red dot sight with a small magnification range, then an auto tracking optic (ATO) may be more suitable for you. On the other hand, if your needs are more specific and require a longer range with higher magnification than you may want to go with an illuminated red dot sight that has different types of reticles such as mil dots or crosshairs.

Regardless of your needs it is best to choose a red dot sight that matches your specific needs and goals. You can go out and try different types of red dot sights with the hopes of finding the perfect one for you, but don’t expect to find something perfect. The chances are most people will not be able to find their exact needs in one purchase, and each type of red dot sight will have different capabilities and limitations based on its size and magnification.

The good news is I already did all the research for you and found the best red dot sights made by Vortex. Let’s take a look…

The Best Vortex Red Dot Sights of 2021

If you’re pressed on time, here’s a quick list of the best Vortex red dots:

1. Vortex Spitfire AR Prism Scope: Best Vortex Red Dot for AR-15
2. Vortex Crossfire: Best for the Budget
3. Vortex Viper: Best Red Dot for Glock
4. Vortex Razor: Most Premium

1. Vortex Spitfire AR Prism Scope: Best Vortex Red Dot for AR-15

The Spitfire AR Prism Scope offers all the features of Vortex’s best red dot sight on an AR-15 platform. It may not be the Vortex Strike Eagle, but it’s the best red dot around. If you shoot AR-15’s, this is absolutely the sight you need.

Let’s dive into the features!

Glass Clarity & Reticle

The AR Prism Scope is constructed from glass lenses with anti-reflective coatings, providing a crystal clear sight picture with 100% field of view.

The design of this sight is also great for people with astigmatism. You won’t see anything through the lens that you shouldn’t. When working with AR-15’s, this is key when you’re trying to fire off quick, extremely accurate shots.

Probably one of the cooler features of this sight is the etched DRT (Dual Ring Tactical) MOA reticle. It’s perfect for quick and accurate close-range firing.

The prism design on this red dot allows you to see the reticle with or without illumination, which is handy in case the battery dies. However, the reticle does have twelve different intensity levels so you can choose the perfect illumination for the surrounding conditions.

Eye Relief & Eye Box

The Vortex Spitfire AR Prism Scope allows for a large eye relief, which is great for shooters who wear glasses or protective eyewear.

Additionally, the eye box is wide enough to provide ample viewing space for shooters.

Durability

Like a lot of other Vortex sights and scopes, the Vortex Spitfire AR Prism Scope is shockproof, waterproof, and fog-proof. If you do a lot of shooting competitions, this red dot might have to be your go-to. It’s compact, resistant to corrosion, mounts squarely and soundly, and can withstand severe weather conditions.

Elevation & Windage Knobs

The bold turrets allow the shooter to make adjustments quickly and accurately. The zero-reset feature allows you to re-zero the rifle without having to re-shoot the target at 100 yards after each adjustment. Combine these two features with the fast-focus eyepiece, you can make quick shots without having to fumble around with your sight.

What’s really special about the Vortex Spitfire AR Prism Scope is the 5.56 BDC turret with settings for AR-15s up to 700 yards! This feature can only be found on the Spitfire.

Parallax & Magnification

The Spitfire AR Prism is parallax-free with a magnification of 1x. These settings are great for ARs.

Mounting Options & Included Accessories

The Vortex Spitfire AR Prism Scope comes with a collapsible mount, which can be adjusted for height or can’t easily. It allows the shooter to quickly swap between magnified (magnifier) and red dot (1x) optic. It also comes with an integrated 11-slot Picatinny rail for mounting additional accessories like lasers, flashlights, or bipods.

Summary

The Vortex Spitfire AR Prism Scope is a great alternative to the ACOG or Aimpoint PRO. It offers an easy-to-use, rugged, and lightweight red dot optic that is widely compatible with most AR platforms.

Furthermore, it provides a reticle that is open enough to accurately hold at all times, which means you won’t have to constantly re-zero your rifle. The Vortex Spitfire AR Prism Scope also comes with a high-quality lower 1/3 co-witness mount type.

If the Spitfire is a little too outside of your price range, the SPARC AR and SPARC II are less expensive, comparable alternatives by Vortex. Or, perhaps you want to check out another quality brand, like Sig Sauer Romeo 5.

All in all, the Spitfire AR Prism Scope has earned its place as one of Vortex’s best red dot sights.

2. Vortex Crossfire Red Dot Sight: Best for the Budget

I can’t stress enough how good of a value the Vortex Crossfire red dot is. When you compare the cost to the features you’re getting, it really is an unbeatable deal.

I’ve tested countless red dots in my day, and this one definitely gives the most bang for its buck.

It really is perfect for someone who simply needs an affordable option without giving up much in return.

Enough chatter, let’s see what makes the Crossfire so great!

Glass Clarity & Reticle

The glass is crystal clear. In comparison to other reflex sights, the glass is much better.

It’s made from an anti-reflective material that will not wear off over time or damage the sight’s reticle clarity in any way.

The reticle is crisp and precise. It’s also an illuminated reticle (laser). The size of the dot is 2 MOA. It doesn’t have any other types of reticles, such as mil dots or hash marks, etc.

The Crossfire’s light source comes from a high-intensity LED bulb. This bulb is very bright and will not be affected by the wind like some other red dot sights with incandescent bulbs. This means you can shoot more accurately out to greater distances than before.

Eye Relief & Eye Box

The Crossfire has unlimited eye relief, meaning you can adjust quickly and efficiently to your target.

Durability

The Vortex Crossfire Red Dot Sight has been designed for a lifetime of use, with a steel housing and a lens cover that is nearly impossible to scratch.

Its quartz-type battery lasts an entire year before it needs changing, and can be easily replaced without tools. It’s made of aluminum and has a very hard-anodized finish that increases its durability and strength.

Elevation & Windage Knobs

The max windage and elevation on the Crossfire is 100 MOA.

The knobs are pretty basic and can be a little tough to adjust, but they are completely reliable. This red dot also holds zero extremely well.

Parallax & Magnification

The Vortex Crossfire is parallax-free, and it has 1x magnification. This works great for short and long-distance shooting with your rifle or shotgun, and it allows you to quickly focus on the target.

Mounting Options & Included Accessories

The Crossfire comes with a lower 1/3 co-witness mount, low height mount, and high height mount.

You can mount it on almost any weapon or arrangement of weapons, and still get the desired result.

Summary

The Crossfire is a well-rounded, rugged, and reliable red dot sight that can be used in almost any scenario.

The glass is crystal clear, the reticle is crisp and precise, the elevation and windage are well-designed for accuracy.

It has unlimited eye relief, and the battery life lasts an entire year before it needs changing. Best of all, every Vortex product comes with an unconditional, unlimited lifetime warranty, so you can breathe easy knowing they’ll take care of you no matter what.

Overall, this red dot sight is definitely worth its price. If you’re not on a budget and want something with a tad more umph to it, check out the Crossfire’s cousins, the Vortex SPARC and the Vortex Strikefire.

3. Vortex Viper Red Dot: Best Red Dot for Glock

For those of you specifically shooting Glocks, the Viper is the Vortex optic you want.

Out of the sights I’ve tested for my own Glocks, this open has worked the best by far. It’s lightweight, durable, and very user-friendly.

Check out the specs here:

Glass Clarity & Reticle

The Vortex Viper is a 1x red dot sight. It has a fully multi-coated optical lens surface, which makes the glass crystal clear for your target.

The reticle also has unlimited eye relief and it’s an open design (no hash marks).

The dot size is 6 MOA. The illumination level can be adjusted in brightness. The reticle can be set to low or high, depending on your preference. The illumination also indicates when the battery runs low, so you don’t accidentally leave it on when you exit your vehicle in the dark. Plus, the bright red dot makes it easy to see in any lighting or weather condition.

The Viper works in both single and dual modes without needing excessive programming for Glock or other pistol calibers.

Eye Relief & Eye Box

The Viper has unlimited eye relief, which makes it easy to transition from target to target accurately.

Durability

The Viper is made from aluminum, which is extremely lightweight and strong at the same time. I’ve taken my Vipers on multiple hunting trips without any issues.

The ArmorTek finish has held up great, and the lens covers are nearly impossible to scratch or damage.

Elevation & Windage Knobs

The elevation and windage settings can be easily adjusted.

The knobs are also very durable and will not be affected by the shock or recoil of your weapon.

Parallax & Magnification

The Viper has 1x magnification, which is clear enough for you to quickly focus on your target even in low light conditions. The magnification isn’t too high either, which is beneficial for both target accuracy and battery life. It also has a parallax-free reticle.

Mounting Options & Included Accessories

The Vortex Viper comes with a Weaver or Picatinny mount and locking screws that can be used with most small compact handguns, rifles, shotguns, and even bullpups.

It also comes with an AK-style rear sight that can be mounted on almost any weapon or arrangement of weapons as well.

Summary

The Vortex Viper is a great choice for your Glock.

It’s constructed very well, easy to use, and will last you a long time without any issues. It’s perfect for anyone looking for a simple, dependable red dot sight.

4. Vortex Razor Red Dot: Most Premium

This sight, the Vortex Razor Red Dot, is cream of the crop.

If you want the best of the best, and you’re willing to pay the price tag for it, the Razor is what you need. Vortex took several of the primo features they’ve mastered and carefully crafted them into this design.

It really is a top-notch product. Let’s find out why.

Glass Clarity & Reticle

The glass is astounding. You get HD clarity without any distortion or loss of focus, so you can always see your target clearly.

The lens area is large and comfortable to look through, with unlimited eye relief for fast and easy target acquisition. It also works great in any lighting condition, including cloudy days or bright sunlight, making it easy to spot your target even when other sights may not be working well.

If you don’t have 20/20 vision, this red dot will make you feel like you do. With this sight, the dot is, well, a dot. There’s no light spreading, no glares, no flares. The Razor has nine illumination settings for different light conditions, and no matter when you’re shooting or where you’re looking, your light will always be right on target.

Eye Relief & Eye Box

The Razor has unlimited eye relief, much like the other sights we’ve looked at here, but what’s great about this red dot is the eye box is wide and has a super crisp, defined outline.

This feature, combined with the ultra-clear reticle, makes quick target acquisition a breeze.

Durability

Vortex really stacked the Razor with durability features. There are a lot, so let’s just list them out:

• XR Fully Multi-Coated lenses
• Lightweight (only 1.3oz)
• Thick aluminum coating around the window
• Single-piece chassis
• Waterproof
• Shockproof
• Matte Anodized Finish
• ArmorTek coating

These are most, if not all, of Vortex’s primo durability features all rolled into one package. And for that reason, this sight packs a big punch and can withstand an incredible amount of wear and tear.

Elevation & Windage Knobs

Just like the Razor is made from carbon fiber, so is its elevation and windage adjustment knobs.

The hard material provides a firm, precise grip. Plus, they have a cool flip-out detent so you can quickly lock them in place without any fumbling or messing with them.

Parallax & Magnification

The Razor is also incredible with parallax and magnification. Much like the other sights we’ve looked at here, it is parallax-free and has 1x magnification, which is clear enough for fast target acquisition as well as accuracy with tight groupings at longer distances.

Mounting Options & Included Accessories

The Razor’s mount is Picatinny compatible, so it can mount on multiple platforms with ease. It also has locking screws. The included battery will provide plenty of power for the sight, and if your battery runs low, the red dot will turn off to save you from ever coming up empty when it matters most.

Summary

If you want the best of the best in red dots, the Vortex Razor is what you need. It’s made from high-quality materials and performs at a high level every time without fail. It’s also got all of Vortex’s top-notch durability features that will ensure you get many years out of this investment without needing to buy another sight again.

Now It’s Your Turn

I hope you enjoyed my Best Vortex Red Dot Sights guide.

Now I want to turn it over to you:

Which Vortex red dot sight will you pick for your firearm? Or perhaps you already have one and would like to share your thoughts.

Either way, let me know by leaving a quick comment down below.

FAQ’s

The best crossbow scope in 2024 is the Hawke 3X32 IR Crossbow Scope.

It does everything right, nothing wrong, and comes in at a more than fair price.

To start with, I made a shortlist. All the best crossbow scopes have excellent feedback from a significant number of online reviewers. Once investigated, I removed some due to negative feedback on other sites. I was left with the following six options:

• NIKW9 Prostaff P3 Crossbow 3×32 Matte BDC 60
• UTG 4X32 1″ Crossbow Scope, Pro 5-Step RGB Reticle, QD Rings
• Hawke 3X32 IR Crossbow Scope
• Hawke Crossbow 1.5-5X32 IR SR Scope with Illuminated Circles, Matte
• Excalibur Tact-Zone Illuminated Scope, 2.5-6x32mm
• TRUGLO Crossbow Scope 4X32 with Rings APG

When you buy a new crossbow, unfortunately, a lot of the built-in scopes often lack quality. It’s good to do some research and budget a little extra for a top crossbow scope.

Maybe you have the best crossbow in the world, but it defeats the point if your scope fails at a particular distance or particular light level.

I’ve done a considerable amount of research into the latest best crossbow scopes. Before we dig into the reviews, I’m going to share all the essential information you need to make the best decision when buying a scope.

Understanding the best crossbow scopes

How do they work?

Not all of the best crossbow scopes will have all of these features, but most will. I’ve summarised the main parts briefly, starting from the back of your scope:

Ocular lens

The ocular lens focuses the light which comes in through the front end of the scope (the objective lens) so that you can focus on it with your eye. Good scopes apply finishes to the ocular lens, which repel water and improve light intake.

Eye piece

This part holds the ocular lens in place.

Diopter adjustment

At the rear of your scope right above the eye-piece is the diopter adjustment. This might be the only real adjustment on a lot of crossbow scopes. It allows you to sharpen your scoped image by getting your reticles clear.

In essence, it compensates for differences between your own two eyes. Lots of beginners don’t even realize they can adjust this!

Power ring

The power ring is the gear that you twist to change the magnification of the target through your sight.

You only find this on variable scopes. If you have a fixed-power scope, you won’t have this. (More on the differences later)

Scope tube

The bridge between the ocular lens and the objective lens, which is one long piece of metal.

The scope tube is where you’ll fix the scope rings or base, to attach the scope to your crossbow.

They come in 1-inch and 30mm tube diameters. 30mm tubes can only be used with 30-mm scope rings and 1-inch with 1-inch.

Objective bell

The objective bell is the part of the scope which increases in size from the scope tube to the objective lens diameter.

Focus lens

In the objective bell there’s a focus lens which helps focus objects in the scope.

Erector tube

The erector tube sits in the objective bell in front of the objective lens. It houses both the magnification lenses and the reticle.

Reticle

The reticle is the part of the sight with markings like crosshairs, a target dot, or chevrons to shoot several distances.

If the reticle sits in front of the magnification lenses, it will also change in size as the magnification is altered on variable scopes. This is generally better as you don’t have to make a manual adjustment.

Objective lens

The objective lens gathers light from around the target you are sighting.

A larger lens means more light comes in, and a more full viewing area through your scope. The objective lens can be quite heavy though, so if it gets too big it can compromise weight and balance. This shouldn’t be an issue for scopes in the best crossbow scopes review below, though.

Cool tip: when you see a scope description, you can tell the objective lens size. For example “a 3×32 scope” means three times magnification with an objective lens of 32mm.

Scope base and scope rings

You attach your scope to the crossbow using a scope base or scope rings.

Types of Scope

Fixed-power scopes

Fixed-power scopes are the opposite of variable scopes, that’s to say you can’t change the level of magnification of your targets.

A good crossbow magnification level is anywhere from 3x to 6x magnification; dependent on the game size and hunting distance.

For example, 3x magnification is great for small game over short to medium distances, like turkey hunting. If you go for any more, you’re going to struggle to find the turkey amongst the foliage!

People will boast about stronger magnification, but it’s likely you won’t need any more than 3x.

Variable scopes

A variable scope allows you to change the magnification as needed. This isn’t without its difficulties though, as you will need to regularly zero in. This means resetting the scope at that magnification every time you change zoom.

Even worse is if you have what’s called a ‘second-focal-plane scope’. In that case, if you change magnification, the reticle won’t change with it. You’d have to sight-in the crossbow again so that your distance markers are correct.

If you use a first-focal-plane scope (typically more expensive), the reticle and the image move together, so the crosshairs will adjust with the magnification, avoiding this problem.

If you can, it’s better to set the scope magnification for your whole hunting session and not change it again. Instead, you can use your crosshairs or dots to shoot varying distances. It’s not comfortable to keep changing on the go.

Speed-adjusted scopes

Some manufacturers have started to include another dial for you to input your bow’s FPS. I liked this feature on the Excalibur Tact-Zone, but it was confusing on the Hawke 1.5-5X32.

What to do with a new crossbow?

Mount it

When you get your new scope, first you’ll want to attach it to the rail assembly on the bow, securing it with scope rings. Be sure that there’s no movement in the scope from recoil when shooting.

You can read about how to mount your scope here. I recommend getting it fixed by a professional if you’re not sure what you’re doing. It’s an important job because you want it to be perfectly aligned, which involves a trial-and-error process to get it perfect.

Sight it in

‘Sighting-in’ is matching the POA (point of aim) with the crossbows point of impact (POI) for a given range.

It can be really tedious the first few times you do it, but it gets easier with practice. It’s an exercise of trial and error aiming and firing at a fixed point until you get it right.

Again, if you’re unsure we recommend you take it to a pro shop, to ensure it matches up over all distances.

Zero it

This is only for adjustable scopes, where you reset the scope to place the middle of the crosshairs at your new “sighted-in” point of aim. You’ll do this every time you change the magnification.

Minutes of Angle (MOA): learning to adjust while shooting

MOA refers to the number of clicks necessary to adjust the scope to account for windage and elevation.

If you have a 1/4-inch MOA, you’ll need four clicks to move the scope an inch over 100 yards.

Ensure you factor in distance though! If you’re only 50 yards away, you’d need double the clicks (8) to adjust the scope correctly.

1/8, 1/4 or 1/2-inch MOAs are appropriate for a crossbow. A lower MOA gives you more precise adjustments but means you’ll have to spin the adjustment gear more to make it.

Cool tip: Scopes have writing on them to let you know the MOA, i.e., “1/2 MOA per click.”

What features do the best crossbow scopes have?

Spending money on a quality scope will buy you a sturdier more durable scope which lasts longer. It will cost you less in the long term. Consider the following features when purchasing your scope:

Magnification

Magnification is how many times bigger you want the target to be through the scope.

Length

Length is measured from the front of the objective lens to the back of the eye-piece. A more extended scope means higher magnification.

It isn’t necessarily the best because of trade-off in weight and profile. It’s more important to have a scope relative to what you’re hunting and the distance at which you’re shooting.

Illumination

Some scopes have an illumination feature: a dial with rear-stat settings for a little dot in green or red.

An illuminated reticle brightens the reticle so that you can better see your crosshairs or other markers. It’s excellent in tricky lighting and helps to improve accuracy.

Is it necessary? No. Is it sometimes helpful? Yes, depending on the situation.

No stray light

Sometimes as light reflects off the metal of a scope, the glare can enter the lens and distract the shooter.

Get a scope with an interior coating to prevent reflection on the metal from external light. Otherwise, it makes it harder to make out the target.

Exit pupil

A measure of the amount of light which reaches your eye through the scope when shooting.

Field of view

Field of view refers to the width of your view when looking down your scope. If you sight-in at 150 yards, you might have a 20-yard wide field of view.

Field of view depends on magnification and focal length of the lenses. More magnification means less field of view.

Center-tube (or scope tube) diameter

The 1-inch tube size is popular in America, and the 30-mm is more prevalent in Europe. There’s a commonly misheld belief that 30-mm tubes let in a little more light, but it does have a thicker wall for better strength and durability.

Configuration Simplicity

Intuitive and straightforward adjustment options for no faff when scoping in. IMPORTANT!

Weatherproof

Is your scope good in all climates? Make sure your scope’s fog proof and waterproof. The distinct advantage is that your lens is clearer for shooting. But you’ll also avoid future repair costs or just giving up and buying another.

Good warranty

Does it have a lifetime warranty? Lots do these days, so find out.

Eye relief

Typically measured in inches, eye relief refers to the distance between the lens and the eye that you sight with. You need sufficient eye relief so that you don’t hit your eye against the scope when you fire.

Realistically, this is more appropriate for firearms due to their higher recoil.

It does make sense to account for it though. If there’s too much or too little eye relief, you might not be able to focus on the target (and have to re-fix your scope!)

Scope accessories

Many of the following come standard with bows. Check yours before you buy:

Scope caps

An additional but worthwhile accessory to protect the lenses on your scopes.

Several types exist, like flip-up caps and elastic caps. They live on the scope and are only taken off to hunt/shoot.

Scope cloths

Take care of lenses with a good scope cloth or lens pen to gently remove smudges.

Scope Rings

Most scopes include rings so that you can mount the scope immediately.

The Best Crossbow Scope Reviews

NIKW9 Prostaff P3 Crossbow 3×32 Review (Matte BDC 60)

Nikon is well known for its optical performance, and this scope is an excellent example of their quality.

The Prostaff P3 is a 3x fixed-magnification scope with a proprietary ‘BDC’ reticle. It’s designed to maximize the range and efficiency of hunting crossbows.

Despite no illumination, there are no reports of difficulty in low light levels. It has anti-reflective compounds on every glass surface, which help to provide bright and vivid images and excellent light transmission. Many reviews point out the quality of its crisp image.

Nikon has tested the BDC 60 reticle extensively, with a variety of bolts, point weights and crossbow speeds. It has aiming points which reach out to as much as 80+ yards.

Reticle changes are made in 1-inch adjustments which make an excellent click. There’s a neat little button to reset the windage and elevation adjustments to 0, so it’s considerably easier to make adjustments on the go.

The all-metal scope has been made of high-quality materials. The main tube is made of one-inch aircraft-grade aluminium as has the quick-focus eye-piece.

One thing of note: according to one review, if you shoot a fast crossbow there’s a chance the yardage markers (point of aim) on the reticle won’t line up precisely with your point of impact.

Pros

• Instantly reset turrets to zero
• Great for the price
• Great light
• Accurate
• Consistent
• Good build quality

Cons

• No illumination
• May fail to sight-in at high FPS

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

UTG 4X32 1-Inch Crossbow Scope Review

The UTG 4×32 has a 4x magnification fixed-power scope with a respectable 27.2-foot field of view and high-quality image thanks to its broadband lens coating.

The UTG has an MOA of a 1/4 inch. There are several reviews of people taking a long time to sight it in, although others had no problems.

The scope is built on a True Strength Platform which uses smart spherical structures to achieve windage/elevation adjustments and strong recoil resistance.

Like the Prostaff P3, this scope also has a reset to 0 button on the windage/elevation adjustments to help sight-in.

The reticle includes five horizontal lines calibrated at 300FPS so that you can quick-aim out to fifty yards. You can also control a red/green dual illumination from a side wheel on the side of the scope. It’s great for hunting in different lighting conditions.

Two things that were liked and commented heavily are how forgiving the eye relief is, and the flip-open lens caps that come with it.

Pros

• Generous field of view
• High-quality image
• Instantly reset turrets to zero
• Forgiving eye relief
• Comes with flip-open lens caps and low profile quick detach ring mounts

Cons

• Some issues sighting-in

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Hawke 3X32 IR Crossbow Scope Review

The Hawke 3×32 seems to be a remarkably good scope choice for hunters of all abilities.

Unless you hunt at long distances, its 3x fixed-power scope is plenty magnification. The 3x magnification and design gives it an excellent field of view at 33.3 feet.

So many reviews commented on just how crisp and clear the image is with a sharp edge-to-edge focus.

The ballistic reticle has laser-sharp illumination, which can be switched on and off. The fantastic 5-setting rheostat illumination comes in red or green and doesn’t produce that ghosting effect you find with cheaper reticles.

The reticle features illuminated hollow circles instead of crosshairs which I quite like because they don’t cover the intended POI. The circle is supposed to be a 2″ kill zone at the corresponding distance. It also has left-right hairlines representing 12 inches and 24 inches.

The scopes 315 FPS calibration point worried me that high-performance crossbows might struggle to sight-in correctly. Hawke, however, has taken this into account. The new model is calibrated at 340 FPS, and Hawke says this will work with crossbows reaching speeds of as much as 475 FPS.

The optics are multi-coated to protect against fogging and liquids, and there are no reports of this being the case.

The scope even features resettable turrets like the first two, and really can’t do much wrong.

Pros

• Great customer support
• Excellent field of view
• Bright and crisp wide-angle image for edge to edge clarity and sharp focus
• Best crossbow scope for low light
• Weatherproof

Cons

• Doesn’t come with scope rings

Special Mentions

• Best Crossbow Scope for the money

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Hawke Crossbow 1.5-5X32 IR SR Scope Review

Hawke’s variable scope is also proving to be a massive hit, which speaks volumes for the brand.

The Hawke 1.5-5X32’s precision reticle offers aim points at 10-yard intervals from 20 to 100 yards. It has five crosses – not illuminated circles as they advertise in the name – corresponding to yards 20-60, and postmarks for yards 70-100. Only the IR model has crosses which light-up.

This scope, like the fixed-power version, has excellent feedback for sighting-in. Once you configure the speed selector ring – on which you can input speeds anywhere from 250 to 425 FPS – you will hit all your yard markers accurately.

The speed selector ring, however, is a frustration for several buyers. After all, it’s advertised as a 5x scope, but in reality, you can’t set the zoom level you desire. Instead, you have to input your crossbow FPS, which will automatically adjust to the zoom level necessary.

So technically it is a 5x scope as if you set 425 FPS you will zoom in to 5x. It can be incredibly annoying if you want to set the FPS correctly to your crossbow because you can’t achieve the maximum advertised zoom.

The reticle offers red and green illumination in five levels of brightness (SR model). The one-inch optics are fully multi-coated for high levels of light transmission.

The 1/2-inch MOA is crisp thanks to the no-snag fingertip turrets.

Pros

• Great customer support
• Bright and crisp wide-angle image for edge to edge clarity
• Great accuracy after easy setup
• Solid illumination and sharp focus

Cons

• Not really a 5x scope (see above)
• Doesn’t come with scope rings

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Excalibur Tact-Zone Illuminated Scope Review (2.5-6x32mm)

The ultra-compact Tact-Zone from Excalibur has a 2.5-6x magnification variable zoom. It comes as standard on the whole Excalibur Matrix series of crossbows.

The scope is adjustable to speeds from 275 DPS to 410 FPS, and unlike the Hawke 1.5-5×32 above, the speed adjustment is independent to the zoom adjustment.

It features a new updated reticle design for tact-zone. The new reticle does an excellent job of lining up bolt POI with POA up to 60 yards out, for any given arrow speed.

The scope features 1/2-click MOA adjustments for sighting-in and a 30mm tube for added strength. It holds up well against the elements, be it rain, fog or knocks from dropping it.

The reticle has red/green rheostat illumination and a multi-coated lens for exceptional clarity. The lenses are also protected by flip-up caps, although numerous buyers decide to replace them citing that they’re a little bit tacky.

Pros

• Crossbow speed adjustment ring for easy configuration
• Weatherproof and shockproof

Cons

• May struggle on high-performance crossbows over 410 FPS
• Cheap lens covers

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

TRUGLO Crossbow Scope 4X32 Review with Rings APG

The TruGlo 4×32 is a fixed-power 4x magnification scope. The old-school reticle – although not illuminated as some people report – is designed for range finding and trajectory compensation.

The fully coated lenses provide brightness, clarity and contrast, and despite not being illuminated, plenty of buyers state just how well it works in low-light levels.

What people like about the scope are the rubber eye-guard and generous 4-inch eye relief. It has a durable leaf spring for windage and elevation adjustments located under screw down caps.

The manufacturer claims that the scope is weatherproof, but I’ve read 5+ reports of the scope fogging up. If you do have issues with it, the customer service at TruGlo doesn’t seem to be great, so it may be better to purchase through Amazon.

All in all, there are more impressive scopes out there, but this one is great for those with reduced budgets. Nonetheless, the scope has garnered a whole heap of really positive reviews from Amazon.

Pros

• Good crossbow scope for the money
• Old-school reticle if that’s what you like
• Great for dawn/dusk hunters

Cons

• May fog up
• Poor customer service

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Best Crossbow Scopes: Conclusion

My opinion is that the best scope for 2024 is the Hawke 3×32 IR crossbow scope. It’s thanks to its excellent field of view, crisp edge to edge image, reliability in all conditions and solid illumination.

If you’re keen on a variable scope, then you have a toss-up between the Hawke 1.5-5×32 (my choice), and the Excalibur Tact-Zone. Unless your conditions favour it, I don’t believe a variable scope is necessary for crossbow shooting.

Of the two, the Hawke seems a better option for overall quality. That said, some people are put off by the magnification dial issue which controls zoom based on the crossbow FPS. If that’s the case for you, then you should choose the Excalibur Tact-Zone.

Who makes the best crossbow scope?

Based on my research, it looks like Hawke is the best at making consistently good variable and fixed-power crossbow scopes.