While there is plenty of available data, charts, and information on aging deer, we hope the info below, as well as our whitetail deer aging chart, can help you learn how to age a deer on the hoof before your next hunt. And if you successfully harvested a deer, we provide three additional aging techniques to determine deer ages.

Reasons to Learn the Age Class of Deer (Before You Shoot)

Aging whitetail deer isn’t necessary for general deer hunting goals. It won’t make you more successful at putting meat in the freezer during or after hunting season. But for those who choose to target older, more mature bucks, estimating age is a skill you must master.

Those who aren’t confident with their ability to age deer in the field on the fly should start by aging deer within trail camera photos. Then, if they see the deer while hunting, they’ll already know if they plan to shoot or not.

Of course, there are plenty of reasons to age a deer and ensure it’s an older member of the herd before shooting it:

1. If you want to shoot a mature deer, you must ensure it is one before sending a bullet or broadhead downrange.
2. If managing land for older bucks, identifying a deer as a young buck, and subsequently passing on it to allow it to reach a more mature age class, is necessary.
3. Passing on younger bucks means more and bigger bucks to see and shoot in the future.
4. Allowing bucks to age gives them time to express and spread their antler genetics.
5. Not shooting younger bucks — and taking the correct number of does — helps balance the buck-to-doe deer population ratio.
6. Allowing bucks to get older creates a balanced, natural age structure for the deer population
7. Having a balanced age structure improves the overall deer herd.
8. Improving the buck age structure increases the overarching area’s hunting (and land) value.

On a side note, if you’re tracking numerous bucks and following them over a number of years, it’s hard to beat DeerLab’s Profiles. It’s an excellent tool that can help you with your deer management. The service allows you to track individual bucks or even groups of bucks, keeping logs of their activity and movement, as well as seeing a buck’s historical growth over time. One lesser-known feature is Albums. This is helpful if you want to share your trail cam photos (without all the stats DeerLab gives you), say just of your hitlist bucks or photos of mature bucks, with others, so they can help you with your deer management.

Aging Deer on the Hoof: Characteristics of Age Classes

While it’s not likely to age doe on the hoof, keying in on whitetail bucks body characteristics can help you make an age estimation. Each buck exhibits unique antler, body, and personality traits. However, certain body features tend to consistently change with age and exhibit features tethered to particular age groups. Because of this, it makes aging deer possible. Aging deer on the hoof won’t tell you the exact age, but it will within a year or so of its actual age, and this can help deer management.

Some deer body parts to look at when trying to age class a whitetail deer on the hoof include the antlers, back, belly, head, legs, neck, and tarsal glands. Each of these changes over time, and how they look can provide clues as to what age a deer is or isn’t.

Age Estimate: 1 ½-Year-Old Buck

Also referred to as yearling bucks, a 1 ½-year-old resembles a small doe with antlers. Antler size has only reached approximately 20-30% of overall potential and is likely a spike, four-pointer, six-pointer, or very small eight-pointer. Regardless, the spread for younger deer will remain inside the ears.

The head appears long and slender. Body weight distribution is more toward the rear end. The back line appears to slope downward from back to front. The belly and back of the buck do not sag. The deer’s neck has no swelling. Legs seem to be very long compared to their torso. Tarsal glands are lightly stained.

Age Estimate: 2 ½-Year-Old Buck

Once a buck reaches 2 ½-year-old status, it’s synonymous with large does with antlers. It often grows antlers with a spread just inside, at, or just outside the ears, and it’s likely sporting about 50-60% of its lifetime antler potential. Often, it grows between six and 10 points, with a typical average number of eight points.

The head is still long and slender. Body weight distribution shows a heavier rump than front end. This age bracket has a backline that still slopes from the rump to the shoulders but has no sagging of the back or belly. The buck’s neck is generally slightly more muscular than the year before, but no severe swelling occurs. The legs still look too long for the body. Tarsal glands are somewhat stained.

Age Estimate: 3 ½-Year-Old Buck

Now we’re beginning to see some size. This is the age bracket when a buck starts being classified as “big.” It almost always has an antler spread outside the ears and expresses decent mass and good tine length. This buck sports approximately 70-80% of antler potential.

As for the body, the head still appears elongated, but it’s getting thicker from top to bottom, too. It now has a straight line across the back from rump to shoulders (no downward angle or sagging). It has a tight belly line. Weight seems to be distributed evenly from front to back. The neck begins to swell considerably, especially compared to 2 ½-year-old bucks. Legs finally look proportionate to the body. Tarsal glands are moderately stained.

Age Estimate: 4 ½-Year-Old Buck

While a 4 ½-year-old deer is close to being fully mature, it still has much potential to express. In fact, on average, it only grows approximately 80-90% of its antler potential. That said, it exhibits impressive antler size, and begins showing exceptional antler mass, tine length, and more.

The head is now blockier than it once was. Its weight distribution is mostly even from front to back. This age bracket still has a straight line across the back and belly. The neck has significant swelling. The legs still look mainly proportionate to the body. Tarsal glands are heavily stained.

Age Estimate: 5 ½-Year-Old Buck

No hunter can argue that a 5 ½-year-old deer isn’t mature. This animal expresses most of its antler potential, sporting about 90-95% of it, and its body is huge. Antlers generally display incredible mass, beam length, tine length, etc.

Its head appears shorter and thicker than ever before. Weight distribution seems to shift more toward the front of the body. The backline is still straight from rump to shoulders but might show slight swaying. The belly might do the same. The neck shows heavy swelling, and the legs appear too short for the body. Tarsal glands are very heavily stained.

Age Estimate: 6 ½-Plus-Year-Old Buck

Now a bona fide mature deer, a 6 ½-plus-year-old buck’s body is taking on a new shape. It now carries approximately 100% of its antler potential but could grow its largest rack at age 7 ½ or 8 ½. This deer is distinctly different from younger bucks. The difference can be quite staggering.

Its head appears very short and very thick. Weight distribution makes it seem as if the buck’s front is much heavier than the rear end. The back and belly exhibit significant sagging. The neck is extremely swollen. The legs appear much too short for the body. And tarsal glands are extremely stained.

Aging a Harvested Deer

Hunters aren’t limited and restricted to aging deer on the hoof. Although there is no catch and release in hunting, hunters can certainly ground check their bucks, too, which is the act of determining the size, age, and gender of a deer or other game species once it is dead. There are two good ways to do this and a third option that works for supportive reassurance.

Skull Plate Thickness

Speaking of supportive efforts, those who skullcap their bucks will notice older deer exhibit significant increases in skull plate thickness. Generally speaking, the older a deer gets, the thicker its bones and skull plate becomes. The skull plate for young deer is more fragile, while older deer have thicker skulls. In theory, the skull plate aging method works, but when aging deer this way, it’s difficult to measure and it’s definitely not an exact science. If you want to be more accurate, tooth replacement and wear, as well as cementum annuli are the best routes to go.

Tooth Replacement and Wear Method

In contrast, tooth replacement and wear is an excellent and more common method for aging bucks after the harvest compared to on the hoof. This method was developed by C. W. Severinghaus in 1949 (1) and is sometimes referred to as the Severinghaus technique. The bottom jaw changes as deer age. The first step in determining the age of a deer with the tooth replacement and wear technique is counting teeth. Here’s a breakdown centered around tooth characteristics, as well as a video going through deer teeth wear from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

Fawn Teeth

Fawns have five (or fewer) jaw teeth, and the third premolar has only three cusps. For a fawn 3 to 4 months old, either the first molar is just starting to show, or isn’t showing yet. A fawn that’s 4 to 6 months old has its first molar erupted but its second is not seen. For fawns that are 7 to 9 months old, the second molar is now starting to show or fully erupted, but the third molar can’t be seen.

1½-Year-Old Deer Teeth

Deer or yearlings that are 1 ½-years-old likely have six jaw teeth along the bottom jaw, the third molar is starting to show, and the third premolar tooth has significant wear, having three cusps.

2½-Year-Old Deer Teeth

Once it reaches 2 ½, the third tooth has only two cusps, and the crests are sharp and pointed. There is minimal wear showing on molars.

3½-Year-Old Deer Teeth

At 3 ½, the slight wearing of the permanent teeth is visible, and slight concavity is present. The cusps of the first molar show substantial wear and the third molar is fairly level.

4½-Year-Old Deer Teeth

Most 4 ½-year-old bucks exhibit noticeable tooth wear and often slope heavily downward toward the jawbone. The cusps on the first two molars will have significant wear.

5½-Year-Old Deer Teeth

The same holds true for 5 ½-year-old deer, as the teeth become significantly blunted and worn. All three molars will show significant wear.

6½-Year-Old Deer Teeth

Once deer reach 6 ½ and older, the teeth are worn down smooth, or flattened, and little enamel shows. Eventually, the teeth will wear down very close to the jawbone.

Cementum Annuli Aging

Lastly, the best and most accurate method for aging deer is called cementum annuli (CA). In short, cementum is the connective tissue that forms on the root surface of most teeth.

During the life of a whitetail, as well as other mammals, cementum forms layers or rings, similar to growth rings that you would see in tree trunks. These rings are visible microscopically and form a pattern that wildlife aging experts can use to determine deer ages.

To have a professional age your deer, you would need to remove teeth from the lower jaw and send them off to be examined in a laboratory setting. Once there, the lab studies the teeth and tooth wear to age them. It costs approximately $50 per deer, and two of the most used labs include Matson’s Laboratory and Wildlife Analytical Laboratories.

Appendix

Cementum – A protective hard tissue that surrounds the root of each tooth.Anulli – Layers that are formed over the root of a tooth that are used in the process to age individual deer.Cusps – A point or ridge of a tooth, when viewed from the side.Crest – The top of the cusps or ridges of a tooth.Dentin – That part of the tooth that is beneath enamel and cementumEnamel – The white part of a tooth.Molar – The three permanent teeth in the rear of the deer’s jaw.On the Hoof – Alive, not yet harvested.Premolar – The three teeth in front of the jaw that are replaced by permanent teeth.Skullcap – The top part of the skull.Tarsal Gland – Found on bucks and does, the tarsal gland is a pad of stiff hairs located on the inside of each deer’s rear leg. The gland secretes an oily material that coats the hair, making it darker.

References Cited

1. Severinghaus CW. Tooth development and wear as criteria of age in white-tailed deer. Journal of Wildlife Management. 1949;13(2):195-216.

How To Find Arrowheads In The Woods: The Ultimate Arrowhead Hunting Guide

Since I started hunting arrowheads a few years ago, I’ve had a lot of people ask where the best places to hunt for arrowheads are. And if you’re an arrowhead hunter yourself, you know that a single perfect answer to that question just doesn’t exist.

But since many of the friends that ask me this question enjoy spending a lot of time out in the woods, I thought I would focus on that. And explain to them how they can take part in the fun I was having in hunting for arrowheads, even in the woods!

For information on learning the value of your arrowheads, check out my post, The True Value Of Arrowheads: What Are They Worth To You?

For tips on hunting arrowheads, keep reading!

Introduction

I created a list of tips for these folks to help answer their question…as well as to share with you, fellow arrowhead hunters. So keep reading, and I hope you find some tips that are useful on your next arrowhead hunting trip.

Once you begin finding arrowheads, the next fun part is identifying them! If you need help identifying Indian arrowheads, you might find my post, American Indian Arrowhead Identification: A Resource Guide helpful for that phase of arrowhead collecting.

Once you find your arrowheads, you’ll want to display them with pride! Check out my post of some of the Best Arrowhead Display Cases.

Recommended Reading

How To Find Arrowheads In The Woods

Like I mentioned earlier, the answer isn’t necessarily all that straight forward. I promise that you’re not going to be successful at hunting arrowheads if all you do is randomly walk into the woods and start looking at the ground. You might get lucky, but chances are you won’t find a single arrowhead point.

Get To Know The People And How They Lived

The first thing about hunting arrowheads anywhere, whether it’s in the woods, in a creek or in a field, is knowing what to look for. You want to really get to know where the ancient people who left the arrowheads behind would have spent time or gathered together. Get to know where and how these people lived, hunted and traveled, and you’ll be a thousand miles ahead of most arrowhead hunters.

Remember The Ever Changing Landscape

The other thing to remember is that the landscape 500, 1000 or even 5000 years ago was significantly different than it is now. The pond, lake or creek you see today very well could have been a dry meadow or seasonal creek 1000 years ago. And areas that are now dry, could have easily been shallow ponds, marshes or even the bottom of a massive lake.

So as you walk out into the woods to look for arrowheads, keep these following tips and suggestions in mind:

Look For Evidence of Indian Camps

Whether you’re walking in the deepest part of the woods or simply following a well used trail, keep your eyes open for evidence of old Indian camps. How do you find Indian Camps? Think about areas that you would be useful to you if you were to set up a camp today. Things that would be important for a camp are natural shelter, like bluff overhangs, sources of water such as springs could be a great indications of a possible Indian camps being near by.

Many Indian camps will be located near a water source, such as a creek, river or spring. Just like modern civilizations, ancient peoples relied heavily upon water. They would have almost always camped very close to a source of fresh water. Their survival depended on it.

Indian camps would have been close to water, but they wouldn’t have necessarily been right on the water. Look for high areas that are away from the water a bit, but more importantly, are up out of the floodplain, such as a bluff or a knoll.

Hunting Arrowheads In Creeks, Rivers and Streams

When thinking about tips on how to hunt arrowheads in the woods, one of the best tips I can give you is to find a creek or river and start your search there. For me, it all starts with a water source. Even the fields I hunt for arrowheads in must always be near some type of water source, such as a creek, stream or river.

Remember that not all streams, creeks and rivers were flowing the same way 1000 or more years ago. Always keep that in mind. But if you’re certain you’ve found a creek or river that was present in ancient times, it should prove to be an excellent place to begin your hunt for arrowheads.

Creek Walking For Arrowheads: What Time Of Year Is Best?

Time your arrowhead hunting trip during the part of year when water levels are at their lowest. This is typically during the summer months. Creeks and rivers with low water levels will expose much more of the gravel bars and creek beds, which is where the arrowheads can be found. Also look in the eroded sides of the creeks that would normally be covered with water.

Arrowheads are made out of stone, so they tend to move along the bottom of the river just like other rocks and gravel. Spend time looking for arrowheads in the gravel bars and other rocky areas. Look along the water line as well as just inside the water line. Moving water will wash away the silt and other debris making it easier to see the arrowheads.

Arrowheads tend to get caught between other rocks of the same size or larger as they are pushed along by the water, pinning it in place.

Hunting Arrowheads Where Two or More Rivers or Creeks Join

If you’re just starting hunting for arrowheads in the woods, one of the best tips you could ever receive is to look for areas where 2 or more creeks, rivers or streams come together. Creek walking for arrowheads is one of the best ways to find arrowheads, and this type of scenario is my absolute favorite location to hunt for arrowheads.

Not only are these areas a hot spot for Indian camps, but they were popular locations for other ancient hunting activities. This is where you can find many other artifacts in addition to arrowheads.

If you’re able to locate where two or more larger sized rivers come together, then you’ll probably find evidence of Indian camps nearby. In ancient times, these areas were teaming with activity. People would not have only camped in these areas, but they would have lived in these locations for long periods of time. Because of this, these areas are not only excellent for hunting arrowheads, but are also where to find ancient stone and pottery artifacts.

If you find where two or more smaller creeks or streams come together, you’ll probably also find a lot of evidence of high animal traffic. Today, these areas are excellent for finding deer and other wild game to hunt. The same would also hold true in ancient times.

Many arrows and spears were shot or thrown at deer and other game while they approached the water. Many of these arrows and spears missed their target, only to be lost in the creek or tall grass. Spend time looking for these lost arrowheads in the eroded sides of the creek as well as on the bottom creek bed and gravel bars.

Tips For Hunting Arrowheads In The Woods

Below are some tips you can use to be more successful at finding arrowheads on your next trip out.

How To Find Arrowheads in Creeks and Streams

Like I mentioned, creek walking for arrowheads is a great way to find them, and gravel bars can be great places to spend your time searching. Here are a few things to keep in mind when hunting arrowheads on gravel bars in streams, creeks and rivers and what your levels of success might be. These are not concrete rules, but rules of thumb.

Sandy Bottom: very rare to find arrowheads. Artifacts you may find are pottery shards and possibly flint.

Pea Gravel: Higher rate for finding small arrowheads/ birdpoints.

Small gravel: Higher chance of finding small arrowheads/ birdpoints and other arrowheads that are about the same size as the gravel.

Medium to Large Gravel: Any size arrowhead can be found in this kind of creek or river bottom.

How To Find Ancient Creeks

Use Google maps to your advantage. Google maps can play a very helpful role when researching good areas for looking for arrowheads in the woods.

Use the topographical option on Google maps to investigate where rivers and streams may have traveled through in the past. You may find that two streams converged in a much different location than where they currently join.

Do your research before you head out and you will find arrowheads and other artifacts!

Now that you know how to find arrowheads in the woods, get out there and start looking! Leave a comment below and share any other tips you might have.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve taken the information in this post and are still unable to find the elusive arrowhead. I’ve located a few places online that sell authentic Indian arrowheads. You can find these items on my post, Where To Find Indian Arrowheads For Sale. However, the best thing you can do is continue to educate yourself on arrowhead hunting.

Expert Knowlege!

The experts have given us everything we need to know to successfully find arrowheads! All that knowledge and experience is written inside the pages of this book! Take advantage of it! And go find those relics!

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Share With Other Rockhounds!

There are clothing items and den items in Animal Jam that can only be obtained during certain events in the game. The Sheep Cloak is one of those items. It was released on January 20, 2017, and was obtainable as a gift for completing the Message In A Bottle event.

The Message In A Bottle event started on October 27, 2016, and lasted until January 20, 2017. If you managed to partake in the event between those dates, and complete it, you had a chance to obtain amazing prizes. On the last day of the event, the Sheep Cloak was rewarded to those that completed it. This means that you only had a day to obtain it, making it extremely rare.

Sheep Cloak Appearance

The Sheep Cloak almost looks like a giant ball of sheep fleece. There are curls all around it, and when you put it on your animal, it will look like a ball of fur. The cloak is definitely puffier and larger than you would expect. There are two variants available; the regular grey/white one, and a glitched, full magenta variant. This is what the regular Sheep Cloak looks like.

Glitched Sheep Cloak – Magenta

If you completed the Message In A Bottle event within the first hour of release, the Sheep Cloak you would receive would be glitched. The glitched version is full magenta, instead of the regular grey/white. You can see what the glitched variant looks like in the picture below.

How to Get a Sheep Cloak in Animal Jam

There is currently only one way to obtain the Sheep Cloak, which is by trading. This method will take a lot of patience, and will require you to offer up your own valuable items, but it works! It is no longer possible to obtain the Sheep Cloak by completing the Message In A Bottle event.

Trading

The Sheep Cloak is currently valued extremely high. You will not be able to persuade a trader to put up their Sheep Cloak against your regular items. On several Animal Jam trading forums, you will find players asking for a Sheep Cloak, but traders comment that their offers are far too low.

If you are a collector on Animal Jam, you probably have valuable items of your own. Offering up those items for the Sheep Cloak is your only way to even get a chance of obtaining one. Keep in mind that, while the cloak is extremely valuable, it is not worth it losing all your items over. You will always get a chance to obtain it. However, it will just take a lot of time, as well as patience.

AJ Sheep Cloak Codes

There are currently no working codes for the Sheep Cloak, and there probably never will be any. If you weren’t around for the Message In A Bottle event, and you are not willing to trade for it, you will not have a chance to ever obtaining one for yourself. Any website claiming they have working codes for the Sheep Cloak is out to scam you, and you should stay far away from them!

If you have a hole or tear in your mesh fabric, don’t worry! You can mend it yourself with a few simple steps. First, locate the hole or tear. Then, cut out the faulty section of the mesh fabric with a pair of scissors.

Finally, use a seam ripper to remove any unwanted stitches from the hole or tear. Now you’re ready to mend your mesh fabric.

Source: ifixit

How To Mend Mesh Fabric

If you have a torn mesh fabric, the first thing you should do is clean the area with soap and water. Then, apply adhesive tape in a crosshatch pattern and press mesh onto the adhesive tape.

Allow to dry.

Clean Area With Soapy Water And Clorox

Cleaning mesh fabric is easier than you think. All you need is soap and water, and a few drops of clorox. Soak the mesh for about five minutes in warm soapy water, then rinse it off with cool water.

Don’t use hot water or bleach on mesh fabric because it can damage the material. When washing your mesh fabric, make sure to get all the dirt, dust, and stains off of it. Always shake out any excess water before hanging or placing your mesh piece back on the rack.

If needed, you can spot clean areas on the fabric with a damp cloth or sponge. To keep your mesh looking new, avoid getting liquids and moisture onto it; this will cause fading and wear over time. Make sure to store your mesh fabric away from direct sunlight and heat sources to avoid damaging it even further.

Apply Adhesive Tape In A Crosshatch Pattern

If you have a mesh fabric shirt that needs to be mended, there is an easy way to do it. First, take the shirt to a dry cleaner and ask them to remove the stain or damage. Next, apply adhesive tape in a crosshatch pattern to the affected area.

Then wait for the adhesive to set before removing it. Repeat this process on any other areas of the shirt that need attention. Finally, wash the shirt as usual and enjoy your newly repaired clothing item! Adhesive tape can be used on most fabrics, so be creative when applying it so that it doesn’t look too noticeable.

Keep in mind that adhesive tape will not last forever, so replace it regularly as needed. And last but not least, remember to always test a small area first before using it on a larger piece of clothing! Mending mesh fabric can be a simple task with the right tools and instructions—and sometimes just some patience.

Press Mesh Onto Adhesive Tape

When repairing mesh fabric, it is important to adhere the mesh to adhesive tape in order to prevent it from shifting or tearing during the repair process. To do this, first take a piece of adhesive tape and place it on one side of the mesh fabric.

Then carefully place the mesh over the adhesive tape, making sure that all edges are fully covered. Next, press down firmly on the mesh with your hands so that it adheres tightly to the adhesive tape. Finally, use a sharp object such as a knife to make any necessary cuts in the mesh fabric if needed.

Be careful not to puncture the adhesive tape when performing this step! Repeat these steps for any other areas of the mesh that need repairs. Once all repairs have been made, dry the mesh completely before re- installing into your garment or home decor project

Allow To Dry

If you notice any threads coming out of the mesh fabric, don’t panic. All you need to do is gently pull on the threads until all the evidence of the fray is gone. Once all the threads are pulled out, allow the fabric to dry completely before continuing with your project.

If there are still visible strands or holes in the mesh, fill them with a patching material and sew it down. When repairing mesh fabric, be sure to use a thread that matches the color of your mesh fabric and avoid using too much tension when stitching. After completing your repair, be sure to wash and dry your repaired fabric properly to avoid further wear and tear.

Remember: never leave mesh fabrics unattended while they are being patched – they can become damaged even faster if left untreated! And finally, if you ever have any questions about how to mend mesh fabric or any other sewing emergencies, don’t hesitate to reach out for help.

Remove The Fabric From The Mesh

Remove the fabric from the mesh by following these simple steps: Pry off the adhesive with a flathead screwdriver or scraper. Be careful not to cut yourself on the sharp edges of the adhesive residue.

Wipe down any dust or debris that may have gathered on the mesh during removal. Place a new piece of adhesive onto the mesh and press it into place firmly with your fingers or a blunt tool such as a Credit Card.

Hold in place for seconds, then release the mesh and gently pull off the adhesive backing. If necessary, reposition and re- adhere the fabric to ensure a tight fit against the mesh surface. Finally, use a vacuum cleaner to clean up any leftover adhesive residue.

Repair The Fabric With Sewing Supplies

If you’ve got a tear or hole in your mesh fabric, there are a few supplies that you need to mend it with. Bias tape is one of the most common supplies used to repair mesh fabric because it’s both strong and flexible.

You can use sewing needles and thread to sew the bias tape directly onto the mesh fabric. Once you have sewn the bias tape in place, use a hot iron to press it down and seal the repairs. Finally, use a seam ripper to remove any unwanted stitches or threads from the repaired area.

If you don’t want to rely on bias tape for your repairs, there are other options available such as Velcro strips or zippers. Always test a new repair before you go all-in and start stitching! If something goes wrong while you’re repairing your mesh fabric, be sure to have some replacement supplies on hand in case needed.

Be patient when repairing mesh fabric-it may take some time but it will definitely last longer if done correctly! When repairing mesh fabric, always make sure that there are no loose threads or areas that could come loose during wear and tear.

Wash And Dry The Fabric

When it comes to repairing mesh fabric, the most important thing to remember is to wash and dry it as soon as possible. Soak the fabric in warm water for a few minutes before washing it with your regular detergent.

Rinse the fabric thoroughly and then hang it to dry. If there are holes or tears in the fabric, patch them as soon as possible using a seam binding or zigzag stitch. If you notice any fading or yellowing of the fabric, treat it with a laundry stain remover before laundering it again.

Make sure that you store your repaired mesh fabric in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat sources. And lastly, if you ever have any questions about how to mend mesh fabric, don’t hesitate to ask a professional.

Apply A Patch

If you have a tear in your mesh fabric, the first step is to try to mend it yourself. There are a few different ways that you can mend mesh fabric, and each one has its own advantages and disadvantages.

One of the most common methods for repairing mesh fabric is by using a patch. When using a patch, be sure to follow the instructions that come with it so that the repair will last. Another option is to have your mesh fabric replaced entirely.

This is usually the best solution if the tear is large or multiple pieces of mesh have been damaged. If you choose not to replace the mesh fabric, be sure to keep the repair clean and free from moisture so that it lasts longer. Finally, if you do manage to mend your mesh fabric on your own, be sure to document the repairs so that you can re-create them if needed in the future.

Always remember: when repairing mesh fabric, take care not to stretch or tear the underlying fabric. If your are repairing pant fabrics, be careful doing so as they are expansive.

Conclusion

The best way to mend mesh fabric is by using a safe and effective method such as steam.

Trout Fishing With Rapala Minnows by Bryce Stupples

My first introduction to the mighty Rapala was through a family friend who has featured in a number of my stories – Chalky (aka Bruce White). He uses nothing but Rapalas and seems to catch more than his fair share of large trout.

Rapalas always seemed a bit ”poncey” and the price was always a bit out of my league, ”imagine if you lost one at $20.00 each,” I often thought!

Over the years I heard more and more references to Rapalas being used to catch large fish, though more often than not these monsters were caught while trolling, and as I don’t get many opportunities to fish this way, they still held little appeal.

One day a colleague at work was pouring over a fishing gear catalogue. As we talked he pointed out how cheaply you could import these items, especially Rapalas, given that our dollar was a lot stronger at the time. Getting over that immediate cost factor had just been achieved and I found myself putting in an order for a variety of types and colours.

After about six weeks the package arrived and I was now armed with a number of 7 cm Rapalas. My selection included floating, sinking and articulated. The colours were rainbow, perch (black and gold) and silver.

My initial excursions saw me catch no more fish than normal. In fact, I would often revert back to the tried and tested Toby or Tassie Devil in order to catch a fish. However, I persisted and explored different ways of using these lures. I soon discovered their worth, and now use them as my number one weapon against trout. Hopefully the following experiences, observations and tips will provide other anglers with some new ideas when next fishing these fantastic “fish catching” lures.

1. Rapala Knot Always use the special Rapala Knot. This knot forms a loop that assists the lure’s distinctive action by allowing it some slack to shimmer like a stricken baitfish when retrieved. An alternative is to use a snap-swivel which does affect the action slightly but in my experience makes changing patterns and types a lot quicker and easier as I tend to change over lures a lot depending on the water conditions.

2. Wear Shorts! When fishing with Rapalas I always wear shorts and boots. The reason being that although I set myself up relatively cheaply they are still pricey to replace. I have stripped down and gone for a few swims to rescue ‘a snagged Rapala. In saying this, however, even though these have twin trebles they don’t seem to get snagged as often as other lure types. My theory is that the plastic lip combined with the nose-down shimmering action glides the lure over most stones and through the weed – submerged trees are a different story!

3. Lure Size Lure size doesn’t seem to matter too much. I have regularly witnessed small trout being taken on very big Rapalas. I prefer to use a size seven as it doesn’t look too big and it provides me with enough weight to be able to cast effectively. Anything smaller and unless you have a tailwind you will be wasting your time trying to cast with it.

4. Casting These lures are difficult to cast. But life is made a good deal easier if you fish with light gear such as a small graphite rod and reel spooled with line no heavier than an 8lb test. Some recommend you use split shot about 30cm up the trace to help with casting and sinking the lure. With practice, I found this unnecessary as it changed the action of the lure and increased the number of snags I was getting.

Hurunui River Monster Trout on Scarborough Reel, 6lb line and Rapala Lure.

5. Colours & Models Rapalas come in a wide variety of colours and styles. Everyone I know who fishes with Rapalas seems to catch fish with each individual having a different preference for a colour and style. For what it is worth the rainbow pattern is universal but I prefer the “black and gold” or ”perch” patterns for fishing southern waters.

For trolling I prefer the articulated models, but for rivers and lakeshore casting I use either a floating or Countdown, once again depending on the type of water I am fishing in. The Countdown is designed to sink at approximately one foot per second then hold a fixed depth while being retrieved.

The floating Rapala will float until retrieved, or it encounters resistance from the current. Recently I purchased some of the new Blue Fox range. These are cross between a Rapala and a Veltec (made by the same people at Rapala) and although I have yet to catch a fish on one, they impressed me with their action and castability.

6. Casting Upstream One of my preferred methods to fish a Rapala is to cast a Countdown upstream in a smaller river or stream in a similar fashion to the way one would cast a dry fly up current. With this method, I try to cast in such a way that the fish turns away from me to take the lure. In other words, make the fish turn towards the opposite bank to which you are standing on.

In the waters of the Oreti River where I predominately fish with Rapalas the fish spook very easily and if they see you will rarely take.

When fishing blind I start at the bottom of a hole or run, and looking directly upstream, cast at 10 o’clock to the far bank or far side of the main current. My next cast goes to 11 o’clock midstream, or mid current, then finally on cast directly upstream to fish the near side.

I then take a couple of steps upstream before repeating the process until I have covered all likely water. It is by this method – with a bit of practice – that I have had the most success and caught all of my big trout over recent years.

The important thing to remember is to wind fast enough with the current to maintain the swimming action of the lure.

The other point to bear in mind is that fish more often than not have taken the lure coming downstream, and therefore even with big fish, the takes are very subtle. So be ready or otherwise you will miss the strike!

7. Floating Downstream Using a floating Rapala and floating it downstream to retrieve up through the middle of a pool or over-hanging grass or willows is another tactic I often employ. This involved my starting at the head of the pool, or above the rapid feed the hole – often standing mid current – and allowing the current to take outline as the Rapala floats on the surface taking the natural course of the river.

When the Rapala is at the bottom of the pool or past the fishy zone you engage the reel and start slowly retrieving. This method fishes the lure right up to the side of the area where fish will be feeding and gives the fish plenty of opportunity to get a good look at the lure. This method allows you to fish a lot of water that you would not be able to access without spooking the fish or tangling with obstructions such as overhanging trees. Indeed how many times have you seen trout cruising underneath willows or lying hard up against the bank where the grass overhangs and wished you could cast to them? Give it a go.

Rapala Fat Rap Shallow Running Bibbed Minnow designed for fishing in shallow water.

8. Across and Down Across and down is the traditional way for spin fishermen to attack the water. I rarely fish with Rapalas in this way, but where a river is wide or is carrying a large volume of water there is often no other way to cover the water. In such water, the likelihood of spooking fish is less so it is, therefore, the tactic to employ.

9. Lake Margins Fishing lake margins and over weed beds gives you the opportunity to utilize the different characteristics of the different Rapala lures. The Countdown is good as it allows you to fish the bottom, or fish through the water at different depths by utilizing the predetermined sinking rate.

One word of caution is to remember that as the water gets shallower the lure will start to hit the bottom so be wary of those submerged snags!

The floating Rapalas are useful to cast over weed beds as they will only go under the water a metre or so. If you feel them catching on the weed stop winding and they will float back to the surface. A jerky retrieve is often useful in these situations as this will keep your lure ”fishing” at all times.

10. Trolling The few times I have trolled with Rapalas I have used the articulated models for no other reason than they look fantastic in the water. Their appearance perfectly replicates the swimming action of a small fish very well.

Friends of mine swear by the rattling models fished on a downrigger but they all report that the Rapala is one of the best lures to use when trolling for trout.

In general the wider and longer the plastic bib on the front of the Rapala the deeper it dives when trolling. This makes it possible, generally speaking, to choose a lure to dive down to the depth that fish are appearing at on your sounder.

Keep in mind that Rapala lures trolled a good distance behind a boat will usually dive and swim at over twice the water depth attainable from the same lure by casting and retrieving. Also when trolling on lakes most fish are caught trolling in: the shallower water near the lake’s margins, close to river mouths, along drop-offs, and cover, rather than out in the middle in the deepest water.

Rapala Shad Rap Deep Runner is an excellent lake trolling trout lure.

11. Releasing Fish A characteristic of Rapalas is that fish take them very well. With the treble hooks, they tend to stay hooked. This often poses problems for me when I look to release a big trout and it is bleeding or the middle treble has hooked the trout in the eye. Therefore when you have caught enough for the table, remove one of the treble hooks or change them over to singles to give yourself the best possible chance of returning fish safely.

So from early scepticism about the Rapala lure, I am now a confirmed believer in their ability to catch fish. Be prepared to experiment with them and the results may surprise you. Of the last ten trout, I have caught on a Rapala I can honestly say that they have averages 6 pounds.

Rapalas do of course have their uses in sea fishing. I have also seen anglers catch salmon on them in the Rakaia and Rangitata Rivers.

Once you get the feel for fishing with Rapalas you will want more than one.

This is the video transcript. To watch the video for this episode click here.

GRANT: This time of year we receive a lot of images on social media and other ways from folks asking us to help them estimate a buck’s antler score. Tell you the truth, I’m not that good at it. I try to really focus on how old they are, and usually, the antlers are something I’d like to have at home. After that, I’m probably taking a shot if I agree he’s a certain age. But I have a friend, Richard Hale, that knows a lot about estimating and actually what buck’s score because Richard is the chair of Boone and Crockett’s Record Committee. And he’s a great hunter and been scoring racks forever. Richard thanks for joining us today.

RICHARD: Thank you Grant. It’s nice to be here.

GRANT: Rich – yeah. And Richard and I have hunted together and talked a lot about in the field – I’m talking boots in the ground experience. So, I want Richard to share some of the tips he’s developed through a career of hunting and serving with Boone and Crockett on helping us estimate a buck’s score before we pull the trigger.

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GRANT: Collecting the dark antlers do make every deer look larger. They just show up…

GRANT: Before sharing Richard’s techniques for estimating buck score in the field, I asked him to explain the Boone and Crockett’s scoring system.

RICHARD: Eh. For a Boone and Crockett’s score, the, the first measurement that’s taken is the length of the beam, which is measured from the outside edge of the main beam in line with the eye, around the back and out to the point. That’s one of the components of the score.

RICHARD: Another measurement that everybody is aware of is the inside spread, although, it’s often confused and just, it’s not the greatest spread – it’s the inside spread of the main beam.

GRANT: Yup.

RICHARD: So, when we do that, that’s about…

GRANT: Let’s do this. So…

RICHARD: Your inside spread…

GRANT: So, we’re talking in here to in here.

RICHARD: Correct. And your inside spread is on average around, to, 10% of your score.

GRANT: 40% of a buck’s overall score on average is tine length. That’s where all the money is.

RICHARD: If you’ve got three points going up, you’re looking at a 10 point. If you’ve got four points going up, you’re looking at a 12 point.

GRANT: A great tip Richard shared about 10 pointers – three points on a side – is if there’s a difference between that G2 and G3 and a big step down to G4, it’s gonna hurt the overall score. But if a 10 pointer carries that G4 tine way out there and it sticks up high, that buck is probably gonna score fairly well.

RICHARD: Uh, the mass – which everybody likes, including me – the mass of these beams typically is about 20% of the score on, on a buck.

GRANT: Again, there’s four measurements – one measurement, two measurement, three measurements – halfway in between here – four measurement.

RICHARD: Now, another thing. You’ll see some tremendous trophy animals that have thick points, uh, and, and, I, I love those thick points. It has to be a sign of good nutrition – that’s a healthy animal just forming that. Unfortunately, the Boone and Crockett system does not in any way quantify that.

GRANT: So, Richard, this is the hunt I was on a couple years ago in Kentucky, and we’re gonna play it, and you can see what I saw live. I mean it came in. You know it was right over my shoulder.

RICHARD: This, this deer presents really well. It’s a nice looking buck. Uh, I, I noticed that it, first off it, it has a…

GRANT: Let’s roll the footage here. Let’s roll it so you’re going real time just like, like, (Inaudible).

RICHARD: Okay. Okay. So here’s the deer.

GRANT: Yeah.

RICHARD: You’re seeing a compact set of antlers. They’re not real wide – not, not really. It strikes you as a smaller deer. And then you start noticing that it’s got some point length and a pretty nice looking deer.

GRANT: Yeah, you taught us tine length is a big factor.

RICHARD: And this deer certainly has it. Um, so, my first number I’m going to throw out there – I’m going to say 138, just under 140 inches.

GRANT: Okay.

RICHARD: And then, you know I start thinking I’m a little off on this guy because he’s got tall 2s. He’s got good brows – not exceptional. He’s got really nice beams. You know, I may be five, seven points short on it – maybe 145-inch deer. Um, both the 2 and the 3 have curvature, and anytime you go around the curve you’re gaining length. So…

GRANT: Yeah, so like this right here.

RICHARD: Everything about those points is gonna measure better than your eye is telling you because your eye doesn’t pick up all that unless you’re really focused on it. So, when you see a deer with straight points, they’ll disappoint you in length. When you see a deer with a curved point or even a double – some of ‘em will curve in and then back out – those deer have long points. And with the curved beam, this deer is probably gonna be a 145-inch deer.

GRANT: You’ll notice that I actually passed this deer – certainly not ‘cause – I would’ve been proud to have those antlers on my wall. That’s a great set of antlers for me. But his body didn’t appear to be four years old. He’s sleek; his back is not sagging; his belly is not sagging. We’re not talking about aging right now, but I estimated this deer to be three years old.

GRANT: When a deer turns away – like it looks bigger there – it just gained 10 inches on me there.

RICHARD: Right. Well, part of it is you’re seeing that curvature.

GRANT: Right. It, it’s really not bigger folks but deer going away from you almost always look bigger and that gets some deer shot that shouldn’t be shot.

GRANT: Alright. So Richard here’s a different setup. This is actually at my place here at The Proving Grounds. Uh, one of my guests was hunting. And, of course, you get a situation like this. Maybe it’s wet – it looks kind of wet and damp – you don’t know there’s a deer coming, and it steps out all at once. I mean we’re talking now…

RICHARD: Right.

GRANT: …a few seconds to work. So, what’s going through your mind right off the bat? Let’s just go ahead and start this slide, Daniel; and Richard, you tell us what’s going through your mind. I see something you’ve taught us right off the bat – I’ll go before you start this. I see a big stair step here. I see – I can’t see the brow very good. Richard’s taught us to look at the brow.

RICHARD: Right.

GRANT: You tell me if I’m getting this right.

RICHARD: That’s correct.

GRANT: I can’t see the brow. Pretty decent G2; decent G3. I’m gonna say the G2 probably scores more – it’s a little bit longer…

RICHARD: Correct.

GRANT: … just because of the curvature of the beam.

RICHARD: It’s an inch and a half longer.

GRANT: Yeah, because the beam is going down – even though it look the same height here. But my G4 is one of those tiny points – inch or two.

RICHARD: Grant, that’s correct, and, I, those things jump out at me. Don’t see the brows. Usually, that’s a bad sign at this angle. We should see something if they were adequate length to score well. So, we’ve got a lot of negative factors on this deer just right off.

GRANT: Yep. And I just want to stress again. We’re not saying shoot, don’t shoot. This is all about helping you estimate the score of a buck in a hunting situation.

RICHARD: Exactly. It’s, it’s, no, it’s no issue at all whether you shoot this deer or not. I’m just trying to help you evaluate the deer to make your own decision.

GRANT: Okay, so let’s run this real time and go through it.

RICHARD: Okay.

GRANT: It’s just stepped out. Here we go.

RICHARD: So, Grant it, it seems like each thing against this deer works against it. You’ve got tiny brows – almost nonexistent – 4 on one side – no 4 on the other side. You’ve got light mass. This is not a deer that’s gonna score well.

GRANT: So, your quick estimate on this thing. He’s, he’s getting out of shot range real quick.

RICHARD: I’m, I’m thinking possibly 100 inches without doing any math. Just maybe 100, 100-inch deer.

GRANT: Yeah, yeah, 100, 110-inch deer.

RICHARD: Right. I’d say no more than 100. Easy.

GRANT: Well, it’s on my place, so I’m gonna give him 10. I’m just teasing you.

RICHARD: Well, I told Grant that. I said when a deer is on your property, you always have to deduct 10 inches because of your inherent enthusiasm.

GRANT: Richard, this was a hunt I was actually on here on my property. So, again, I’m biased. This drops off really steep, so I did not hear this deer coming. He’s actually out of bow range right now and he just stepped out in the field. So, you’re getting some of the first glances, just like I really did when this occurred.

RICHARD: Well, that, that’s, that’s a neat situation Grant. I see two things here off the bat – really three – that just strike you right off. One, is you got two points going up. You’re looking at, you’re looking at an eight point.

GRANT: Yup.

RICHARD: So, the second thing I notice is that these beams come high off the head. I mean that, that’s remarkable. You know, most of ‘em will turn out to the sides Grant. But these are, these beams are coming high off the head. So, that’s telling you this, this deer is gonna fool you a little bit. Then you look up the beam just a little bit and you’re seeing – for a deer of this size – very good brow tines. They’ve got to be four inches. They might be four and a half. So, the deer is gonna score a little better than you think – um, probably 115-inch deer.

GRANT: Okay. Let’s roll it and see what we do now that we’re rolling.

RICHARD: Okay.

GRANT: This is what I’m seeing. I see that, and I go “Ooh, look at that tine length there.”

RICHARD: Right. You’ve got a great 2. That, that bumps a little bit. You know this deer may be getting close to 120. Um, mass is ordinary for a rack of this size. Um, but.

GRANT: So, what are you giving it on mass?

RICHARD: Fourteen.

GRANT: Fourteen. Fourteen on the side. So, we would double that, it’d be 28 inches.

RICHARD: 28. A lot of symmetry; not a lot of spread; probably 12 inches inside.

GRANT: Yup.

RICHARD: Um, boy, look at that 2 now. That, that, that jumps out at you.

GRANT: Yup.

RICHARD: Um, the deer has no odd unusual points; no breakage – uh, just, just, just a beautiful deer.

GRANT: Yup.

RICHARD: Now, here, here’s a great picture, Grant, because this shows how, how tall beams will fool you. The beams come so high off the head that you look up the top of the 2, and it’s so far over the nose, that you’re thinking this is a giant deer.

GRANT: Right.

RICHARD: But as, as you go through your system, you realize that this is a young deer. It’s got a beautiful set of antlers. They’re not gonna score over 120 inches.

GRANT: Yup. So, I think that’s a critical point. This buck is what we call a high-rack buck. My generic term is a high-rack buck.

RICHARD: Right.

GRANT: And there’s only, again, eight scoreable points on here. It just doesn’t add up to much. This is nowhere close, folks. When I look at this right off the bat, I’m nowhere thinking 140, 150, 160. That’s not even in that world.

RICHARD: No, no.

GRANT: Yeah. But a great deer and got a lot of, a lot of room to grow.

RICHARD: I want to emphasize you want to look at this brow as soon as you get the chance. Because it’s the first point that goes away when there’s brush; there’s bad light; there’s a bad angle on the deer.

GRANT: Twisting around, can’t see it.

RICHARD: Right. It, it, when you get a chance to look at that brow, you want to look at it and then once you’ve done that, move on.

GRANT: Richard here’s a different situation. And, you know, I live in the Ozark Mountains. I have some food plots but there’s no ag fields around. A lot of guys hunt in places like I do. And we see deer in timber like this. I mean here’s the buck – a lot of people probably didn’t pick it up from home. You know, looking at the monitor here. But we can’t see a whole lot; we don’t get that perfect view. So, I want to play this real time, and you just start sharing with me what’s going on.

RICHARD: Okay Grant. Thank you.

GRANT: Okay, so here we go.

RICHARD: Uh, the first thing I would notice is you’re probably gonna hear this deer coming in these dry leaves. Is, so, I’m, I’m evaluating the deer before I can see it. Is it dragging its feet? An old buck will make more noise walking through the leaves when it’s on alert. It is, when its feet hit the ground, does it sound like a big deer? Um, and then you start seeing it. If you can’t see the antlers, start looking at the body. Gather, gather whatever information is presented itself to you because it may be all you’re gonna get.

RICHARD: So, you’ve got a missing brow. You really don’t have a G3 on the right beam – the deer, on the deer’s right beam…

GRANT: Yeah.

RICHARD: …what we’re seeing on the left side. You’ve got a non-typical point coming out of the base of, of the G2. Um. Nothing really extraordinary about this deer. It’s uh. If you had to put a number to this deer, you’re probably looking at 90, 90-inch deer.

GRANT: Yup. And I, I wanted to share this one because a lot of guys in the heat of the battle; coming through timber – branches, sticks, everything in the way, see this long tine, say, “Ooh, that’s a good deer.”

RICHARD: But, but you know a hunt like that Grant can be just as fun as a hunt for a giant deer, too. You know, you get an arrow through there and get it in the right spot, and that deer goes 30 yards and piles up, and you’ve had a great time.

GRANT: Well, Richard you’ve been in my shop. I’ve got a whole bunch of those out there, right? And I can re-tell and relive all those moments, my family enjoyed the venison. So again, not knocking a deer, but we get all these questions about, “What’s this buck’s score?” And I write folks back and I’ll say, you know, 110, whatever. And they go, “Oh no, it’s a 150-inch deer.” Well, I don’t want to hurt your feelings folks, but there’s some math to this, and Richard is here to tell us his formula of how that goes together.

GRANT: Richard this was a great hunt. This was actually my daughter, Raleigh. I’ve taught my kids – we’re all worried about age and, and then we’ll figure out the score later. But let’s look. A lot of hunters want to know the score. So, as we run this real time – because things happen quick here – I want you again to share with us what’s going through your mind.

RICHARD: First thing I would say here is you’re looking – it’s just great deer. You know, mature buck; big antlers. That’s just the first thing that pops in your mind.

GRANT: Okay.

RICHARD: And then you’re seeing it’s got three points up. Now, it’s going away. So, as you noted, when a deer is going away, it’s gonna look a little bigger. Right now you’re saying 150-inch deer. Uh, but then you put a little math to it. And you realize it’s a little short out on the 4s. Brows look good. Um, I’m, my feeling right now is that that buck’s gonna get away anyway because he’s, he’s moving right along and nobody’s shooting him.

RICHARD: Um. The buck has dark antlers. Dark antlers always show up better. Uh, they will, they will make you over judge ’em a little bit. So, you, you have to say that deer is a little less than 150. Um, you know, got good 2s – not exceptional; good 3s – not exceptional. Nice spread. Spread is probably 17 inch inside, average mass. This is just a great deer.

GRANT: Um-hm.

RICHARD: Um, if, to put a number to it at this point right now I’m gonna say it’s 140 plus.

GRANT: Okay.

RICHARD: Uh, it’s every bit of it. You know, that deer…

GRANT: So, let’s let this play out here. Raleigh finally gets him stopped – boom. Done. Hugging; celebrating and all that. I actually did put a tape on this deer – and I’m not saying I’m 100% accurate because I’m not a certified scorer. But I come up with like 142. You called this a low 140, so your field estimate was spot on.

RICHARD: Well, thank you, and what a beautiful deer.

RICHARD: Interesting thing about brow tines is they can be measured from the front or the back. So, you measure ‘em over the longest way. So you – sometimes you’ll see a deer that scores best coming up the front of one beam, and it will always, of course, score longest over the curve. With this one, it kind of has a double curve. And I don’t know, I’m gonna think the front. But what you know is this is a nice brow. It’s a very good brow for a good scoring deer. It’s, it’s approximately 5 inches, which is the norm on 140 to 160-inch deer.

GRANT: Richard, this is a little cheating for you because I was hunting with you on your farm. But this was a stranger deer to me. I didn’t see this deer ahead of time. I don’t think you showed me trail camera pictures or anything. So, I’m in a tree. Uh, but I want you to walk through when we start playing this. What’s going through your mind?

RICHARD: Okay.

GRANT: Alright, so this deer steps out. I’m a stranger now at a guest’s property. I don’t know this deer. So, what am I looking at Richard?

RICHARD: Well, when he was turned sideways, you noticed tall points right off.

GRANT: Yup.

RICHARD: Beams come high off the head. It’s, it’s a five point on one side but four-typical on the other, so that’s gonna hurt the score.

GRANT: Right.

RICHARD: As he turns toward you, you notice that the brows are good – not exceptionally long. One of ‘em appears to be split on the right. Um, and the tall points strike you again and the spread of about – it’s gonna be just under 16 inches.

GRANT: Okay.

RICHARD: So, those are the things I noticed. And then now – as the deer is turning his head there, look at that G2 on the left. That, that G2 is probably over 12 inches long but not 13 – matched pretty closely on the other side — just a real nice looking deer. Um, the 4 is a little weak. It’s gonna keep it from scoring real well, and it’s non-existent on the other side. A little odd point going off the left G2. Um, a great deer. I’m gonna say that, again, that deer is gonna come in there low 140s. And I don’t remember. I’m sure we probably scored it at the time. But low 140s kind of deer. The beams aren’t exceptional. Also, it’s a mature buck.

GRANT: Yeah.

RICHARD: Being a mature buck, you know, certainly something in that size range, a person would want to consider harvesting.

GRANT: Yeah. Uh, I don’t remember exactly – several years ago since Richard allowed me to have this hunt. But I believe it was like 149 kind of high one 140s- gross score, gross score.

RICHARD: That could have been. I may have been a little low on it. Um.

GRANT: It had a kicker, also, coming off that you didn’t address. So we gained two or three inches off that one side there.

RICHARD: Right.

GRANT: When you start going through the math – and Richard is giving us some great points. Okay. Average beams – 20; start adding if they’re exceptional.

RICHARD: Right.

GRANT: Taking off if they’re less; spread 15 – unless it’s really exceptional or really narrow. Mass, we’re gonna call an average good buck…

RICHARD: 17, 18 inches.

GRANT: 17 inches on a side. So we double that. We’re 36, 37 inches, somewhere in there. Okay? You starting doing the math, and all of a sudden they starts coming down a little bit.

RICHARD: That’s right. It’s a, it’s a numeric thing.

GRANT: Richard, years ago there was a buck on our property that was a clean 12 pointer. And, and I had watched him all summer through trail camera pictures, video. And I just knew this was a good deer.

RICHARD: Hmm. Hmm.

GRANT: And sure enough in October, I saw this deer moving through the woods, and I grunted, and of course he’s shed out velvet now, and he comes up, and I make a great shot, and he piles up, and I get down there. My heart just sunk because I had memories of velvet score basically in my head, and when I got the real antlers in my hand…

GRANT: Based on his experience, Richard shared that when the velvet is removed off antlers, the score can decrease by 10 to 20%. Summertime bucks – when that velvet is really full and looking big – gosh, we can easily overestimate the score by 20%.

GRANT: Richard, this has been great because you’ve taught me a lot and I’ve been doing this a long time. I’m sure you’ve helped everyone at home. But, but summarize with just, again, your overall quick field judging tips, so they can use this in their situation. ‘Cause they’re not seeing it on a video. They can’t play it back five times like we can. They’re making a five-second decision.

RICHARD: Right.

GRANT: So, we’re looking at a deer. Kind of let’s – what’s the first thing you’re thinking?

RICHARD: I’m looking at a big, mature deer with what I consider a large set of antlers. You don’t, you don’t see anything wrong with it. Uh, so, you, you throw out a number. You’re gonna say 160-inch deer. Then, the next thing I would look at – I would try to get a little numerical about it to see if this actually is a really good scoring deer.

GRANT: Hmm. Hmm.

RICHARD: The, the first thing I notice is the spread. The spread is just ordinary for a big deer. You know 18, 18-1/2 inches inside – nothing exceptional about the beams – not exceptionally short or long – just a great looking deer.

RICHARD: So, next I’m gonna look at mass – 20% of the score. And I’m gonna call that average mass for a 160-inch deer.

GRANT: Yup.

RICHARD: So, we’re gonna call it 18 inches per side.

GRANT: Seconds are ticking away. What’s the next thing you’re looking at here?

RICHARD: Grant, Grant, the next thing I’m looking at is, is the beams. And, again, the beams are just exactly what you want to see on a 160-inch deer. They come high off the head; they, they go out; they turn back in a little bit at the tips. They don’t strike you as extraordinarily long, but they’re, they’re solid, so you’re, your just gonna say 25 inches. Um, and that’s…

GRANT: And that’s per side, per beam.

RICHARD: Correct, yeah. The brow on the deer’s left antler is short. There’s just no question about it. It’s two to three inches. It really needs to be close to six inches to get a big score out of that deer.

RICHARD: Then we get to the 4s, and you’re thinking those 4s are good. They’re gonna offset the brows a little bit because they’re close to seven inches.

GRANT: Yeah. And you like anything over six inches on the 4s.

RICHARD: Five to six inches is gonna put you in that 160 inch range. So, um, all in all, I’d, I’d just stick with that number. You know, it’s a 160-inch deer – give or take two inches – and, and really a beautiful, big deer, so.

GRANT: Yeah, yeah. And so, this is just a great example. You know, if you’re hunting 150-, 160-inch deer – this is actually ended up being 160 and a little change. This is what you want to see. You want to see that spread Richard talked about; that mass. And really importantly, that tine length.

GRANT: Richard, you’ve spent a lifetime hunting deer, just like I have, and you’ve really specialized in the antler score. Your contributions to Boone and Crockett Club and whatnot. So, you actually donated a chapter to this book. You contributed a chapter just really highlighting in greater detail than what we shared today – all your field estimating tips.

RICHARD: Yes I did. Thank you.

GRANT: Yeah.

RICHARD: And there’s also some other methods outlined in there in one or two other chapters, um, which, which have merits of their own, so.

GRANT: Yeah.

RICHARD: Just because this is how I do it, doesn’t mean it’s, it’s the only way or even the best way.

GRANT: Yeah. So I would do what I do. If you’re into this stuff, go to Boone and Crockett’s website, get a copy of this book, and really study it before you get into the field this fall.

GRANT: Richard, it’s hard to do, but you’ve changed my opinion on a few things today. So thanks for being patient with me and giving me time. And I really look forward to hunting with you again this fall.

RICHARD: Great. Thank you Grant; enjoyed it.

GRANT: Hey, if you’d like to visit in person about food plots, habitat management, estimating a buck’s age or score, I’ll be at the Springfield Bass Pro store August 19th from 10:00 to 5:00. I’ll probably spend most of my time in the hunting department, and I look forward to visiting with you there.

GRANT: Daniel and I are blessed to have an elk hunt scheduled about a month and a half from now. And I’m super excited and preparing for that hunt. But it’s just as important that I slow down every day and enjoy Creation and take time and listen to what the Creator is saying to me. I hope you do the same. Thanks for watching GrowingDeer.

The rule of hunting is getting to understand your prey. Expert hunters know this, and sometimes they get particular when choosing their weapons depending on what you are hunting. If you are a novice hunter, it is easy to make the mistakes I did when starting. I used heavy-caliber rounds for all my hunting experiences. Though suitable for taking down big game it literally destroyed small game.

When you are hunting small game like squirrels, it is unnecessary to use heavy gunfire. You will need to have the best air rifles for squirrel hunting. Hunting any game is not easy, especially small games like raccoons and squirrels.

In this article, all my focus is on exploring the best air rifles in the market and the different features they all have that make them ideal for squirrel hunting.

Reasons for Using an Air Rifle

Using an air gun will improve any hunter’s marksmanship and shooting skills while using any rifle. It is the first form of practice you need before challenging yourself with big game hunting. Spring-powered air guns have adverse recoil as well, and this will let you handle the full recoil of a rimfire or bore rifles as well.

When going out for target practice, it is cheaper to do it with an air rifle than with a full bore rifle. The logic is that the costs of an air gun are more affordable, yet it offers a similar hunting experience. When you get better aim using the air gun rifles, the same will reflect when hunting big game using a rimfire or center rifle.

When hunting for small pesky rodents like vermin rats and squirrels on your farmyard, air guns are safer and will not destroy farm machinery when you miss your target. Besides using it for pest control, air guns can be for entertainment as well. Not many states have dire ramifications for possessing and owning an air rifle gun. Therefore you can use it to shoot at targets with your friends when they come over.

Why I Like Them?

Air rifles are a silent killer when you fix it with a moderator that takes away the noise when you fire. Because of this, you can hunt as many squirrels and vermin rats on the go before realizing they are being picked out one by one.

Unlike using a rifle or shotguns, air guns will not need regular cleaning each time you fire. It is because they never use chemicals as fuels; therefore, they are not complicated to handle.

Also, because air rifles have little recoil compared to rimfire and center rifles, they will not stress your body each time you fire. It makes them the preferred choice for people with disabilities and the aged who require little resistance and complications.

Headshots are very effective for taking down even big game animals. The advantage is it preserves the meat if you plan to eat it. Because air rifles have limited power and chemicals, the meat stays free from peppered pellets you would have if you used a shotgun instead.

Review of the Ten Best Air Rifles You Can Find in the Market Today

Gamo Magnum Air Rifle .22 Cal

I will start with the first air rifle that I tried during my squirrel-hunting quest—the Gamo Magnum Air Rifle .22 Cal. The first thing I noticed when I handled it for the first time is how sturdy it is. It also feels lightweight, which is a bonus if you want to use it for longer hours. There is also so much control when locking into targets, especially fast-moving targets.

The good thing about the Gamo Magnum air rifle is that it gives a clean but lethal shot. I realized that the squirrel I hunted was not battered to a pulp, and the meat was preserved. Another advantage is how much power it has yet subtle and causes only slight vibrations you can handle after you fire it. Few vibrations mean a firm hand and can easily get the second shot accurately if you need more than one shot to kill a squirrel.

The Gamo Magnum air rifle comes fitted with a rear sight and front scope for improved accuracy. The front scope is fixed, but you can make adjustments on the rear sight. One thing that favored my quest when using the Gamo Magnum air rifle is the excellent optics. The field of view is clear and reliable, which makes you hit targets accurately.

I had the advantage of speed, as the .22 Cal used on the Gamo Magnum air rifles has a fast velocity. They move at 1300 feet per second. It is safe to use as it has a recoil pad that reduces the recoil to a paltry 74%. It is also waterproof since I used it in the rain, without any hiccups.

Pros

• It has minimal vibration
• The Gamo Magnum air rifle has a high velocity .22 Cal
• Adjustable trigger
• Reduces the felt recoil by up to 74%
• It offers the hunter powerful shots
• It comes inclusive with useful accessories

Cons

• I found it to be more loud compared to other air rifles under review here.

Hatsan 95 Air Rifle Combo

It is one of the best air rifles for squirrels as it has two features that other models do not have. The first thing I loved about this rifle is that it has a high-quality and two-stage trigger that makes it easy to engage. The second aspect is that the trigger pressure is ideal, and it let me take shots at the precise moment I wanted.

The Hatsan 95 Air Rifle Combo is a gun that is also aesthetically appealing. The steel barrel looks nice, yet it manages to fire accurately with minimal effort.

With this particular air rifle, you can have three versions: .22, .25, and .177 — and each will give you exceptional performances. The .22 has a maximum velocity of only 1 000 FPS, which is decent as it builds on accuracy. On the other hand, the .177 caliber is the best for all long-range shooting as it offers a velocity of up to 1,300 FPS. The .25 is the least in terms of velocity as it only has a maximum velocity of 650 FPS.

The Hatsan 95 Air Rifle Combo comes with open sights that I found the best for taking clear shots. Because it is the best for both mid and short-range shooting, I rank it as one of the best air rifles for squirrel hunting.

The Hatsan 95 Air rifle has a beautiful design of walnut wood. It will give you superior accuracy and is a rifle with superior features than most.

Pros

• Accurate
• Anti-beartrap mechanism
• Sturdy gun
• Clean shots
• Lightweight

Cons

• Some people may find it difficult gun to cock
• The grouping is sometimes spread in a few of the rifles made.

Gamo Varmint Air Rifle .177 Cal

Hunting pesky tree rats and squirrels can be a fun sport if you have the Gamo Varmint air rifle. Sometimes after having a bad day, all I need is to feel better, and hunting squirrels offers more resolve than the rigorous process of hunting deer, hogs, or ducks.

The Gamo Varmint air rifle is a .177 Cal designed to remove the stress pests bring to your life. It is a simple air rifle that fires a caliber up to 1250 feet per second. With such firepower, it is enough to fall a squirrel from a tree minimizing the rare chance of missing your target.

The Gamo Varmint Air Rifle is also an all-weather gun with excellent stability, which combines well with quality to give you maximum performance. It is lightweight and synthetic stock that is also easy to carry everywhere you go.

It uses match-grade polymer steel, and the jacketed barrel is somewhat fluted, which adds speed and spin to your ammunition. The Gamo Varmint air rifle uses a two-stage and adjustable trigger that gives the feeling of a comfortable and customized fit. The thick butt-pad will absorb most of the recoil, and this ensures a smooth shooting experience for all hunters.

Pros

• Sturdy gun
• Clean shots
• Lightweight
• Accurate

Cons

• Is somewhat louder than other air rifles

Gamo Whisper Silent Cat Air Rifle

Another best air rifle that I tested is the Gamo Whisper Silent Cat Air rifle because it has decent speed and accuracy. It has a maximum velocity of 1200 FPS, which is fast enough for hunting squirrels from mid to short-range distances.

The Gamo Whisper Silent Cat Air Rifle operates using a single cocking system, which is ideal for smooth shooting. It also uses automatic cocking to make it faster to shoot and easy to operate. The most crucial feature I loved about this air rifle is that it has a first and second stage of trigger adjustments that make it precise and comfortable.

The barrel is of the Gamo Whisper Silent Cat Air Rifle is fluted and has a polymer jacketed steel. The air rifle is also dead silent as it has a noise dampener that makes it undetectable to the squirrel population. It means that you cannot disrupt the squirrels because the gun makes no noise when your fire. The dampener has the potential to reduce the noise from air rifles by almost half.

You would not disrupt the squirrels since this air rifle comes with a noise dampener that is not detachable. The noise dampener can minimize the noise produced by air rifles by almost half, which allows you to attract more squirrels.

The design comes with a rubber pad for the butt of your air rifle. It takes away the recoil and makes for comfortable shooting as well. It comes with the best optics, which makes you shoot accurately at your targets. The sights are both waterproof and fog proof, which makes it a durable all-season air rifle.

Pros

• Powerful shots
• Reliable optic sight
• Durable
• Quiet operation

Cons

• The scope is sometimes wobbly

Benjamin Trail NP XL Magnum

The Benjamin Trail NP XL Magnum is among the best air guns for novice hunters. It has a total length of 4.25 inches and is considered among the full rifles available under this review. The aesthetic wood stock design makes it a lightweight air rifle at only 9.7 pounds.

It has a thumbhole stock that feels comfortable for all hands and coupled-up with a good grip that adds to your pinpoint accuracy shots.

The Benjamin Trail NP XL Magnum uses Benjamin’s Nitro Piston Technology and is also a single hot air gun. The manufacturer replaced the steel spring as the source of power with this new technology as its main aim is to reduce the feel of recoil when you fire.

Through the use of Nitro Piston technology, you can have improved accuracy as you have a faster locker time. It can fire pellets at 1100 feet per second, making it a lethal rifle for hunting small game like squirrels and rabbits.

It has a quiet but simple break barrel as its action. Because it reduces noise, you can take a second shot if you happen to miss your first one. The trigger is also smooth and is only a brisk 3.5 pounds. The weight of the trigger is not adjustable, which is a downside, but if you are a straight shooter, you will have no qualms with this design.

Most novice hunters will enjoy using this air rifle for target practice as the skills can easily be transferred to the full gun when hunting for a big game. Every shot you fire will carry a 30-foot-pound of downrange muzzle energy. The Benjamin Trail NP XL Magnum, therefore, is among the most hard-hitting air rifles that take down small game with a single shot. The hard punch is a welcome feature as I like to consider the humane side of killing prey; it should be a quick and painless death.

Pros

• Powerful shots
• Reliable optic sight
• Durable
• Quiet operation

Cons

• The weight of the trigger is not adjustable

Seneca Dragon Claw

Under this review, this is the most potent air gun rifle in the market. The Seneca Dragon Claw is for situations where you need one shot, and it must be the killer shot. When I was using the Seneca Dragon Claw air rifle, I preferred the .50 Cal.

One thing I admire most about this rifle is the pre-charged pneumatic design. It makes this beast gun able to fire .50 Cal up to 679 feet per second and a 230 ft.-lbs muzzle energy. With this kind of firepower, it is no surprise that you can hunt and successfully kill both small and medium-sized game like small hogs, foxes, coyotes, and possums.

The outstanding feature of the Seneca Dragon Claw air rifle is that it uses dual tanks of 500cc air capacity. The dual tanks are under your air rifles barrels that give it balance when handling it. It also comes with the best adjustable sights accompanied by a dovetail rail to mount the optics on your rifle’s barrel. It has an appealing aesthetics as the wooden stock finish on the fore-end is quite attractive.

Pros

• Sturdy gun
• Clean shots
• Accurate and powerful

Cons

• The dual tank feels cumbersome and makes the rifle heavy

Benjamin Vaporizer SBD Air Rifle

The Crosman Benjamin Rogue SBD is an improved version of the original Benjamin SBD. The acronym SBD stands for Silencing Barrel Device. As a result, this reduces the noise when you fire the rifle and is up to three times more silent than other air rifles in the market.

It is also a powerful rifle as it fires the .177 caliber design pellet up to 1,400 feet per second. If you are looking for a silent killer’s true definition, then you must try the Benjamin Vaporizer SBD. When hunting for small prey like rabbits and pesky pests like squirrels, it is a brutal rifle that kills on impact. It, therefore, offers the prey a humane, quick, and painless death.

The Silencing barrel device is odd-looking, but I love how it functions well and is also out of the way, so it doesn’t block the adjustable scopes. Another essential feature worth mentioning is the two-stage trigger that gives a smooth squeeze.

Pros

• Accurate
• Sturdy gun
• Clean shots
• Lightweight
• The most silent air rifle because of the SBD

Cons

• Appears complicated and not for the novice hunter

Beeman R7 Air Rifle

The Beeman R7 is one of the smallest and compact air rifles in the market today. Yet, despite the size, it is still powerful enough to fall small pre like squirrels. It is also not lacking in the accuracy department as it has excellent balance and control. When I was using it, I discovered that it is remarkable at hitting fast-moving objects as it also has high speed and velocity. It can fire a .177 pellet up to 700 feet per second.

It is a model that takes after the popular Beeman R1 air rifle. The idea behind the same design was to create a shorter, lighter, and comfortable to shoot weapon. An excellent feature that complements the design is the use of a double joint cocking lever, which reduces the effort when cocking.

The barrel design is a spring-piston that can propel a .177 Cal accurately and at faster speeds. The trigger is also adjustable and breaks at 1.25 lbs.

The Beeman’s reduced effort cocking device makes it unique and an overall excellent break barrel design. The fact that it is 5 inches shorter and 2.5 pounds lighter than the Beeman R1 makes it the clear winner.

The Beeman R7 is among my favored air rifles because it comes with adjustable scopes and mounts for all your optical needs.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Sturdy
• Adjustable trigger

Cons

• Some people feel like it lacks enough killer power

Benjamin Fortitude Gen2 PCP Air Rifle

When you want a simple design, then the Benjamin Fortitude is among the top air rifles. It is also easy to use and affordable. The Benjamin Fortitude has all the features you need to hunt and kill small game like rabbits and squirrels. The pellets come in two sizes you can choose from, either the .117 or—22 caliber pellet rifles. For the .117Cal, you will have a 950 FPS, and the .22 offers up to 800 FPS.

It is a bolt action and a single-shot air rifle that has a 10-round rotary magazine. The Benjamin Fortitude weighs a paltry 5.3 pounds and is an all-weather type of design. It is lethal at distances under 100 yards, and this is why I love it for all my hunting experience. The single-stage trigger design allows a constant pull that makes it accurate.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Lightweight
• Accurate
• Lethal at distances under 100 yards

Cons

• None worth mentioning

Air Arms TX200 Hunter Carbine

It is an elegant and refined air rifle design. It has a sleek appearance, and it does back it up with more firepower. The Air Arms TX200 Hunter Carbine is a compact and lightweight .177 rifle known to be the best for target shooting and hunting of small game. This gun has excellent accuracy and can send a pellet downrange up to 930 FPS. It comes with an underlying under lever of 34 pounds cocking effort.

The Air Arms TX200 Hunter carbine is the best for hunting small game as it is lethal for prey like rabbits and squirrels. It is exceptionally lightweight and has a beautiful wooden stock finish that makes it aesthetically appealing. It has decent handling, and it is easy to use and the best for the novice hunter.

The most impressive feature is the two-stage adjustable trigger that is coupled-up with a barrel from Lothar Walther to give it precision and accuracy.

Pros

• Easy to use
• Lightweight
• Accurate
• Sleek design and a two-stage adjustable trigger

Cons

• Expensive is not a con as you cannot drive a Ferrari that you cannot afford.

This past spring, we used the Wall Tent Shop’s 12’x14’ Wilderness Tent on a turkey hunt. When I hear the word “tent”, my mind naturally thinks lightweight, small dwelling that provides the minimum shelter essential for survival. A wall tent is a completely different story. It is literally a portable cabin. My family, friends, and I were impressed with how easy it was to set up and the ridiculous amount of room for living, sleeping, and storage. It was easily heated with a simple propane burner.

We also set it up for a spring bear hunt. We got smashed by unforeseen snow and spent an entire day riding out the storm. It was fantastic. We had no cell service. No internet. No agenda. I stoked the fire, slept, and stared at the stove for hours. We were warm and dry and comfortable. It was amazing how great it felt to unplug and disengage for the day.

The tent is currently set up in the backyard as a semi-permanent “yard cabin” where my boys can hang out and sleep out whenever they want. It also comes in handy when they have friends come over and want to add a little adventure into the mix.

This fall, we’ll be taking it to elk camp. I have an elk spot that I can barely drive to. Getting a camper back there is impossible. This year, instead of getting up extra early and riding the ruts to the trailhead, we’ll take The Wilderness Wall Tent. That means less wear and tear on the Silverado and easier access to the comforts of camp.

First Impressions

You can’t help but notice the Wall Tent Shop’s emphasis on quality and durability. They have extensively thought through their product. Every option is built for a specific reason. All their wall tents are built with “Army Duck-Double Fill Canvas”. I’m a simple man. All I really care about is strength, durability, and high-quality performance. But if you want the canvas details, here’s a link.

The upper corners of the walls and the roof ridge line (high-wear areas) are reinforced with an extra layer of canvas. This increases the overall life of the tent and protects the ridge from holes and tears especially when using a lodgepole frame.

Some wall tents use grommets for tying guy wires, but a grommet cuts the canvas fibers creating potential weak points. Instead, the Wall Tent Shop sews webbing into the canvas with an attached D-ring as shown below.

Wall Tent Stoves

We’ve used propane burners in the past and they worked great. I have a double burner ready for this fall but for extended camp trips and colder weather, I want a wood stove. The Wall Tent Shop sells a variety of wood stoves available here. Their flat cooking tops would be a game changer. I’m a little jealous. Since my daughter can weld and my dad had a 35 gallon barrel, we decided to build our own. It was cheap and easy to build and it works. If you’re handy or on a budget, give it a try. I found the kit and all the necessary materials at our local hardware store.

Included Features

In addition to what has already been mentioned, each Wilderness Tent has a storm flap on the front and back of the main entrance protecting the YKK zippers from snow, ice, sand, etc. The flap has YKK buckles on both sides which gives you the ability to securely close the front door if the zipper were to become damaged or frozen.

A vinyl sod cloth is attached to the bottom of the walls. The sod cloth tucks inside the tent and creates both an air seal and a moisture barrier. This discourages the canvas walls from wicking ground moisture, and greatly increases the heating efficiency of a stove. You’ll burn less wood.

The stove jack comes standard. A canvas flap covers the chimney hole and can be held shut with Velcro or tied open. The stove jack includes a cut pattern to accommodate larger stove pipe sizes.

Wilderness Tents also come with the option of either a back window or a back door.

Additional Features (Take a Deep breath)

The extras are overwhelming and seemingly limitless. I get lost in the options. You can add doors and windows. You can have a kitchen cupboard, bow rack, gun rack, coat rack, fire mat, aluminum shelves, and a floor. Even add a porch for extra storage or outdoor cooking. They sell “T-angles” for adding a middle leg to the center of the tent if you’re expecting heavy snow loads … and the endless list goes on and on.

Each user will need to think through what options fit his individual needs. There are, however, two options that are essential in my opinion.

You Must Have A Rain Fly

Canvas tents are heavy. Once rain-soaked, they’re nearly impossible to load by yourself. Sewing the extra canvas to reinforce the ridges results in tiny pinholes that could leak. The tarp also helps keep the tent clean from pitch/sap, bird crap, pollen, and whatever else might fall from the sky. Thinking about the sticky-resin-buds that fall from cottonwood trees gives me nightmares. A spark hole in your tarp can easily be taped but a burn hole in the canvas would have to be sewn. In the long run, the UV light from the sun is your worst enemy. Just buy the rain fly!

Screens

If you think that you might use your wall tent in the summer or early fall, then you’ll need airflow and bug protection. My tent has screen windows on three sides. The windows are 30” x 30” with zippers on the sides and Velcro along the top. The screen door is full-sized. D-rings in the corners secure the screen door out of the way when not in use. Airflow without mosquitos is a big deal.

Final Thoughts

There is a nostalgia that comes from hunting out of a wall tent and I like that feeling. It reminds me of my childhood. It reminds me of my roots and I remember where I came from. Those memories help me focus on the things that matter the most. Unfortunatley, memories don’t punch tags and fill freezers. The Wall Tent Shop reminded me that I can bring camper-level-comfort into the back country. The ability to get warm, dry off and rest in comfort makes the hunting trips last longer and sometimes a few more days is all it takes. If that peaks your interest, then I’d encourage you to look into a wall tent.

There are a lot of tips and tricks that come from experience. Too many to include in a review. Join me and others on the Rokslide forum and let’s discuss what we’ve learned. I’ll share more photos after the elk season. Hopefully, we’ll have an elk head leaning against the wall!

Comment on this review or ask Howard questions here.

Also check out Jared’s review.

I can remember it like it was just yesterday. My dad had borrowed a bow from a family member and was tinkering with it at the dining room table. I thought to myself, “Could it be? Were we about to become archery hunters?” Up until this point, my dad and I had always toted rifles in the deer woods. Watching him shoot and sight that old bow in seemed like an agonizing process. It seemed like it took days to get it right. The sight looked like something out of a junk pile when compared to those of present day. There were no fiber optic pins or bubble levels. No, these pins were painted: a poor excuse of red and yellow. Yeah, we’ve got it pretty good today in the world of bow sights. We even have the option of having one single pin or multiple pins to look at. Pretty spoiled, right? Yet, this is a common conundrum when picking out a sight and this current topic: single pin sights versus multi-pin sights. Each have their pros and cons. Let’s look down the path of each and see which one might be the better option for you.

Single pin sights

Single pin sights are exactly what they sound like. Within the sight housing, there is one pin for you to focus on and one alone. There isn’t a bunch of clutter in the form of other pins and target acquisition comes faster. It puts the confusion to a minimum and, in the heat of the moment, that could help a quite a bit. These sights operate on a slider, meaning that you can dial that one pin to exact yardage. It’s a huge benefit in terms of accuracy, which is probably why it is the most popular choice for target archers. This feature takes the painstaking task of pin gapping out of the equation altogether. For those that don’t know, pin gapping is where you aim between pins. Say you’ve got a 35 yard shot. You aim between your 30 and 40 yard pin. It’s a technique that works and gets the job done, but one that will never be better than single pin accuracy.

There are also some drawbacks of running a single pin sight. These have nothing to do with accuracy on the range, but everything to do with hunting because of having to adjust the sight to yardage, which poses a potential problem. Actually, it poses a few. The first is that things happen quickly out in the field sometimes. Say you’ve got a buck standing at 30 yards and have your sight adjusted to 30. You come to full draw and all of a sudden that buck jumps and runs out to 53 yards. Now, you’ve got to either know your exact holdover for 53 yards or have to let down and readjust your sight to 53. That is either going to potentially hurt you in accuracy or in time. Another issue is the actual act of adjusting your sight. Doing so involves movement and movement is what can bite you as a bowhunter. Drawing your bow back is movement enough. Adding more to the equation definitely has the potential of blowing an opportunity.

Pros

• Open sight picture
• Fast target acquisition
• Exact yardage accuracy

Cons

• Have to adjust sight for each shot
• Adds in movement
• Might cost one opportunity in the field

Multi-pin sights

Multi-pin sights are definitely the most popular in the bowhunting world, especially for beginners. When starting out, it’s comforting to know that you’ve got a set pin for each yardage. They come in three, five and seven pin models with the option of adding a slider to reach way out to longer yardage. These pins are usually set in 10 yard increments; often at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, etc. That right there is probably the biggest advantage to using a multi-pin sight for hunting. It completely takes the step of adjusting the slider for each shot. That deer standing at 30, but then bounds out to 53? A hunter wouldn’t even have to let down from full draw. All they would have to do is switch the pin they were aiming with. They are a timesaver and, in the mountains, mere seconds can be the difference between notching a tag or eating tag soup. Not having to adjust to yardage also gives the advantage of less movement. And, on an archery hunt, the less movement the better.

Just like single pin sights, multi-pin sights are not all peaches and cream. While having multiple pins in the sight housing is a plus, it can also be a disadvantage. The first is clutter, especially with seven pin models. In dense cover with branches every which way covering up your sightline, having a bunch of pins doing the same thing is not optimal. It could create an issue with trying to pick a spot. All of those pins in there not only cover up the sight picture, but also add an element of confusion. If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say “I used the wrong pin,” I could probably buy an out-of-state tag or two. It’s even happened to me. The first elk I shot at I couldn’t tell you which pin I used with how intense the situation was. That is the reality of bowhunting and why many of us thrive on it. The intensity and intimacy of close range encounters where thinking straight comes few and far between. In this regard, simpler is better with sights. There is also the issue of pin gapping, which doesn’t offer that exact yardage accuracy you get with a single pin sight.

Pros

• Great for beginners
• Have set pins for various yardages
• Timesaver in the field

Cons

• Multiple pins cover up the sight picture
• Could use the “wrong pin”
• Must be aware of pin gap for yardages in between set pins (no exact yardage accuracy)

Closing

Choosing between a multi-pin sight and single pin sight really comes down to you and your style of hunting in my opinion. Most spot and stalk bowhunters I know that are crawling around open country usually opt for a multi-pin sight. They need the ability to adjust yardage on the fly—especially for hunting the rut when bucks move every which way without a moment’s notice. This is what I prefer as that is the country in which I mostly hunt. However, someone in dense cover or hunting from a treestand might prefer the single pin. Being in close quarters, they know their yardage and can have that single pin set right to it, ready for action. My best advice is to try these sights out and see what you like better. Even if you are a spot and stalk hunter, you might find that you prefer the simplicity of a single pin. There is nothing wrong with that. The same can be said for hunting out of a tree. This is one of the coolest things about bowhunting to me. We have the luxury of molding our system exactly to what we want and how we want it. All of this is a far cry from those red and yellow painted pins bolted within that bent piece of metal I saw as a kid.

Check this out!

For another look at single vs. multi pin bowsights, check out this article here: Single pin bow sights: Are they really better?