Many people use the hard hitting 450 Bushmaster for hunting deer, feral hogs, and many other species of big game with excellent results. Here are a few great brands of 450 Bushmaster ammo that will probably serve you very well next time you’re afield.

Released in 2007, the 450 Bushmaster cartridge essentially duplicates the performance of the outstanding 45-70 Government cartridge with the added benefit of fitting in an AR-15 platform and meeting the legal requirements some states have for hunting deer with straight walled rifle cartridges. Not surprisingly, the cartridge is now very popular and many companies like Barnes, Buffalo Bore, Federal Premium, Hornady, Remington, and Winchester produce several different variants of 450 Bushmaster ammo for hunting deer, feral hogs, and other big game animals.

Originally designed by Tim LeGendre of LeMag Firearms as the .45 Professional, Bushmaster Firearms International collaborated with Hornady in bringing the project to market as the .450 Bushmaster under license from LeGendre.

The new straight walled cartridge functions in the AR-15 platform and, pushing a .452″ 250-grain bullet at 2,200 feet per second (2,686 ft-lbs of energy), delivers bone crushing performance out of an easy to handle semi-auto rifle.

While the cartridge excels at hunting big game at short and medium range, it quickly drops off in performance as range increases due to the low muzzle velocities and low BC bullets used by the cartridge. In addition to having lots of bullet drop out past 150 yards, the cartridge is only available in a handful of bullet weights and recoil can be pretty stout as well.

These are all important factors that need to be taken into consideration. For these reasons, the cartridge is best suited for a few pretty specific hunting situations.

First, it’s a great choice for those who need a straight wall cartridge for deer hunting in states like Iowa, Ohio, on public land in Indiana, and certain parts of southern Michigan.

It’s also an excellent cartridge for hunters who want hard hitting performance at short range using a big bore AR platform.

The .450 Bushmaster is not limited to those situations though and plenty of hunters all over North America use it for hunting a wide variety of game.

Note that the .450 Bushmaster is a big step down in performance compared to many other big bore cartridges like the 458 Win Mag and 458 Lott and there’s a big difference between what those cartridges will do and what the 450 Bushmaster is best suited for, especially when hunting dangerous and/or much larger game.

In fact, though it is technically still a .45 caliber cartridge, the .450 Bushmaster uses .452 caliber bullets that are the same diameter as the pistol bullets used by cartridges like the .45 Colt, .454 Casull, and .460 S&W instead of .458 caliber bullets used by the .45-70, .458 Win Mag, and .458 Lott.

That said, it will definitely work on bigger and tougher game under the right circumstances though. Just be sure to use appropriate ammunition (which we’ll get to shortly) and keep your ranges short if you want to use the 450 Bushmaster for hunting elk, black bear, or moose.

Fortunately, there is a wide variety of 450 Bushmaster factory loads specifically designed for just about every conceivable big game hunting situation. So, regardless of whether you’re using a bolt action Ruger American Ranch, a Ruger Scout Rifle, a Savage 110, a single shot Ruger No. 1, a semi-auto Ruger AR-556, or one of the other many .450 Bushmaster rifles in production, there is pretty much guaranteed to be something for everyone on the list below of the best 450 Bushmaster ammunition for hunting.

In today’s post, I’m going to show you the best 450 Bushmaster ammo for hunting deer, feral hogs, black bear and other big game and I’ll also go over the pros and cons of each individual load.

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

Barnes VOR-TX

Do you love Barnes bullets? Well, you’re in luck because Barnes produces some great .450 Bushmaster ammo as part of their VOR-TX line. Featuring their legendary copper Triple Shock X (TSX) bullet, this ammunition is designed for rapid expansion, high weight retention, and deep penetration.

Barnes produces a single loading for the 450 Bushmaster using a 250gr TSX bullet. While this ammunition suffers from the same shortcomings as all other 450 Bushmaster loads in terms of range, it is still a fantastic option for those looking for great 450 Bushmaster ammo for elk hunting at shorter ranges. The same goes for game like black bear and moose as well.

In fact, I’d say the 250 grain TSX load from Barnes is some of the best 450 Bushmaster ammo for elk, bear, and moose hunting. I’m not a fan of using the 450 Bushmaster on truly dangerous game like brown bear or cape buffalo, but this is the ammo I’d recommend for those who insist on using the cartridge for those tasks.

It will also still work really well on game like deer and feral hogs. I don’t think you can do any better than this Barnes ammunition if you want something that’s hard hitting at close range on all manner of game for the cartridge.

For those reasons, I think this Barnes 450 Bushmaster ammo is the best option for those who want to hunt the widest possible range of game with this cartridge.

In addition to being one of the most versatile loads for the cartridge, this ammunition is are also 100% copper, which makes it an ideal choice of 450 Bushmaster hunting ammunition for use in states like California that that don’t permit the use of lead bullets.

• Bullet Type: TSX FB
• Bullet Weight: 250 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .200
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,200 feet per second (2,687 foot-pounds of energy)

GET BARNES 450 BUSHMASTER AMMO HERE

Also Available at: MidwayUSA

Winchester Deer Season XP

Winchester’s Deer Season XP line of ammunition is some of the best 450 Bushmaster ammo for deer hunting. The Extreme Point bullet this rifle ammo uses is similar to Winchester’s Power Point bullet, but the Extreme Point has a large diameter polymer tip that’s specifically designed to produce a gigantic wound channel along with massive impact trauma.

This normally results in a very short tracking job and a very easy to follow blood trail. Even so, it’s designed specifically to compete with popular whitetail deer hunting ammo like the Federal Fusion, Federal Power-Shok, Hornady American Whitetail, Remington Core-Lokt, and Winchester Super-X in terms of accuracy and reliability.

The Winchester Deer Season XP line is also competitively priced and has one of the lowest costs per round out of all the 450 Bushmaster ammo on this list.

So, not only is this some very reasonably priced 450 Bushmaster ammo, but it also has a very good reputation for producing a giant wound channel and minimizing the distance deer run after being hit. In fact, this Winchester ammo is one of my top recommended brands of 450 Bushmaster ammo for whitetail deer hunting. The same goes for blacktail and mule deer hunting.

While this might be the best 450 Bushmaster round for deer, I do NOT recommend using it for bigger game like black bear, elk, or moose though (keep reading for 450 Bushmaster elk hunting ammo recommendations).

• Bullet Type: Extreme Point
• Bullet Weight: 250 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .210
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,200 feet per second (2,687 foot-pounds of energy)

GET DEER SEASON XP 450 BUSHMASTER AMMO HERE

Also Available At: Cabela’s, Lucky Gunner, and Optics Planet

Hornady Black

Modern sporting rifles are extremely popular hunters and shooters in the United States. For this reason, many of the big ammunition companies produce special ammunition optimized for performance in those “black” guns. Unfortunately, some of those rifles are picky about the ammo they function best with.

Well, Hornady Black ammo is intended for use in so-called modern sporting rifles like the AR-15 family of rifles and carbines. Hornady designed this ammunition to reliably function in a wide variety of semi-automatic rifles (including direct impingement, inertia, & gas piston) and many of the various 450 Bushmaster magazines.

Since the 450 Bushmaster was originally designed as a “big bore” AR cartridge, it only makes sense that Hornady offers this cartridge in their Black line of ammo as well.

Don’t worry, this stuff will also work great in single shot, pump, and bolt action rifles with different barrel lengths, with or without a muzzle brake, and with or without a suppressor.

Loaded with a 250 grain Flex Tipped Expanding (FTX) bullet with a plastic tip, this ammunition is a great choice for those who want to use their 450 Bushmaster for deer hunting, especially if the hunter wants to use an AR platform or other semi-auto 450 Bushmaster rifle. Those FTX bullets are great on thin-skinned game and this is my #1 recommended 450 Bushmaster ammo for hunting using a semi-automatic rifle.

This is also great ammunition for those who want to take their .450 Bushmaster hog hunting. A skilled hunter can make short work of a group of hogs with a magazine full of Hornady Black .450 Bushmaster cartridges.

This is also one of the higher velocity 450 Bushmaster ammo options as well and also uses the same style FTX bullets with polymer tips Hornady offers in many of their LEVERevolution loads (to include the 45-70). So, while it’s far from a good long range ammo choice, this stuff does have a slightly longer effective range than some other 450 Bushmaster ammo loads.

It will definitely work on really large game if you don’t have anything better, but I do not recommend using Hornady Black 450 Bushmaster ammo for hunting game like elk, moose, or black bear unless that’s all you have. Instead, I think other loads I recommend later in this article are a better choice like the Barnes TSX if you absolutely insist on using the cartridge for a bear or elk.

All things considered, this Hornady ammo is outstanding on deer sized game and you can’t go wrong with Hornady Black 450 Bushmaster ammo for deer hunting.

• Bullet Type: FTX
• Bullet Weight:250 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .210
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,200 feet per second (2,687 foot-pounds of energy)

GET HORNADY BLACK 450 BUSHMASTER AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Brownell’s, Cabela’s, and Optics Planet

Winchester Super X

It’s not flashy or trendy, but this Winchester Super X loading with a 260-grain bullet is definitely great 450 Bushmaster ammo for deer hunting. Not only is it very effective, but this ammunition is also normally very reasonably priced and has been one of the easier 450 ammo options to find during these past few years.

These bullets are pretty soft and tend to expand very well at ranges inside 200 yards. Additionally, since this loading uses heavier bullets with a higher sectional density, it also tends to penetrate well and you’ll very likely get an exit wound from a deer regardless of the shooting angle with this bullet.

While I think this is outstanding deer hunting ammunition, I do not recommend using Winchester Super X ammo for hunting bigger game like black bear, elk, or moose with a 450 Bushmaster. Instead, stick to medium game like feral hogs and deer with this ammunition and you should have outstanding results.

In addition to being very effective, this ammunition has one of the lowest costs per round out of all the .450 Bushmaster ammo on this list. So, it’s tough to go wrong if you want some great 450 Bushmaster ammo for deer hunting. Place your shot where it needs to go and no deer will run very far afterwards.

• Bullet Type: Power Point
• Bullet Weight: 260 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .191
• Muzzle Velocity: 2,110 feet per second (2,570 foot-pounds of energy)

GET WINCHESTER 450 BUSHMASTER AMMO HERE

Federal Non-Typical Whitetail

The .450 Bushmaster is an outstanding cartridge for deer hunting and many of the big ammunition companies make special lines of ammo designed specifically for hunting whitetail deer. Federal’s Non-Typical Whitetail is another great example of some high quality ammo for deer hunters.

Loaded with a 300 grain hollow point flat nose bullet, this ammunition delivers hard hitting terminal performance on thin-skinned game like deer. Like all Federal Premium ammunition, this stuff is also renowned for really good accuracy and reliability. It’s also pretty darn reasonably priced.

Even though it uses a heavy for caliber 300 grain bullet, resist the temptation to use it on bigger game though. I’d use it without hesitation on deer or feral hogs, maybe black bear too. In my personal opinion, it’s too soft for use on elk though even though it uses a very heavy bullet.

Even so, Federal Non-Typical Whitetail 450 Bushmaster ammo is a really good choice if you’re looking for the best 450 Bushmaster ammo for deer hunting.

• Bullet Type: Jacketed Hollow Point (JHP)
• Bullet Weight: 300 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .225
• Muzzle Velocity: 1,900 feet per second (2,405 foot-pounds of energy)

GET FEDERAL 450 BUSHMASTER AMMO HERE

Hornady Sub-X

The 450 Bushmaster is a surprisingly popular cartridge among those who run suppressed rifles (especially in the AR-15 platform). Understandably, many hunters want to use 450 Bushmaster subsonic hunting ammo to maximize the effectiveness of their suppressed rifle. This is especially true in certain situations (like feral hog control) where the hunter is trying to shoot multiple animals out of a group.

Unfortunately, there are some very real downsides to using subsonic 450 Bushmaster ammo in a hunting situation. In particular, subsonic ammo has a very arching trajectory and many .45 caliber bullets won’t reliably expand at those slower subsonic velocities (under about 1,100fps depending on temperature and altitude).

This makes it both more difficult to hit the animal and the bullets cause less damage to the animal when they do hit when compared to supersonic loads.

However, Hornady’s new Subsonic line of rifle ammunition aims to solve those issues with subsonic loads.

Designed specifically for both accuracy and performance below the speed of sound, Hornady 450 Bushmaster subsonic ammunition uses their new 395gr Sub-X bullet. This heavy for caliber bullet has a deep hollow point cavity with a polymer Flex Tip and long grooves in its jacket to help it expand reliably at low velocities.

This ammunition also uses special powders optimized for subsonic use that also minimize the flash signature of the round.

With an advertised muzzle velocity of 1,050fps, this ammunition is extremely quiet (especially suppressed). However, even though it starts of pretty slow, heavy bullets like this 395gr Sub-X that also have a relatively high BC retain energy and velocity pretty well.

Since it’s designed specifically to expand at subsonic impact velocities, this is incredibly effective 450 Bushmaster Blackout subsonic hunting ammunition on game like deer and feral hogs at short range and with good shot placement.

And yes, it will function very well in a semi-automatic 450 Bushmaster rifle as well as in a bolt-action rifle. It also works well in rifles with a short barrel.

This ammunition still has a pretty arching trajectory, but it shoots flat enough for use at shorter range (which is where the 450 Bushmaster works best anyway). For instance, this ammo will hit no more than 3.5″ high at shorter range and will hit about 5″ low around 125 yards with a 100 yard zero.

So, a good marksman should have an effective range of 100-120 yards with this ammunition.

With all that in mind, I think this is the best 450 Bushmaster subsonic hunting ammo currently available. When used in conjunction with a good AR-15, a suppressor, and maybe even a thermal scope, the hogs won’t know what hit them until too late.

You’re not required to have a suppressor to use this ammunition either. In fact, this is also a really good low recoil 450 Bushmaster ammo option that will still be pretty effective on many species of game.

• Bullet Type: Hornady Sub-X
• Bullet Weight: 395 grains
• Ballistic Coefficient (G1): .300
• Muzzle Velocity: 1,050 feet per second (967 foot-pounds of energy)

GET HORNADY SUBSONIC 450 BUSHMASTER AMMO HERE

Also Available at: Cabela’s

NEXT: BEST 6.5 CREEDMOOR AMMO FOR HUNTING ELK, DEER, & OTHER BIG GAME

NEXT: 101 BEST GIFTS FOR HUNTERS

Featured Image From Lucky Gunner.

Enjoy this article about the best 450 Bushmaster ammo for hunting? Please share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

Make sure you follow The Big Game Hunting Blog on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Understanding the best crossbow scopes

How do they work?

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

Ocular lens

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

Eye piece

This part holds the ocular lens in place.

Diopter adjustment

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

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

Power ring

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

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

Scope tube

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

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

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

Objective bell

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

Focus lens

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

Erector tube

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

Reticle

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

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

Objective lens

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

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

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

Scope base and scope rings

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

Types of Scope

Fixed-power scopes

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

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

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

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

Variable scopes

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

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

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

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

Speed-adjusted scopes

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

What to do with a new crossbow?

Mount it

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

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

Sight it in

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

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

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

Zero it

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What features do the best crossbow scopes have?

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

Magnification

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

Length

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

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

Illumination

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

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

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

No stray light

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

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

Exit pupil

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

Field of view

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

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

Center-tube (or scope tube) diameter

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

Configuration Simplicity

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

Weatherproof

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

Good warranty

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

Eye relief

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

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

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

Scope accessories

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

Scope caps

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

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

Scope cloths

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

Scope Rings

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

The Best Crossbow Scope Reviews

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pros

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

Cons

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

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

UTG 4X32 1-Inch Crossbow Scope Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pros

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

Cons

• Some issues sighting-in

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Hawke 3X32 IR Crossbow Scope Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pros

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

Cons

• Doesn’t come with scope rings

Special Mentions

• Best Crossbow Scope for the money

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Hawke Crossbow 1.5-5X32 IR SR Scope Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pros

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

Cons

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

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pros

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

Cons

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

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

TRUGLO Crossbow Scope 4X32 Review with Rings APG

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

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

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

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

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

Pros

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

Cons

• May fog up
• Poor customer service

>> Check Price on Amazon <<

Best Crossbow Scopes: Conclusion

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

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

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

Who makes the best crossbow scope?

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

Foul-weather hunting can bring the best opportunities when other hunters are staying home

There are many obligations in my life that distract me more than I’d like from hunting and fishing. Work, farm life and family all pull my attention out of the woods. Yes, there are days when I just can’t justify spending all day in the duck blind or tree stand. But as many excuses as there are to keep me out of the woods, I never allow weather to be one of them. As the saying goes, “a smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.”

Why you shouldn’t be a fair-weather hunter

A fair-weather hunter is someone who is only found hunting or fishing when it’s a blue bird day and the sun is shining high and bright. It seems as though precipitation has the power to stop most folks from even entering the woods. Most people will consider this a “lost day.” Don’t be most people. Time and again I have found myself completely alone in areas that are usually littered with hunters or anglers, all because a low-pressure system is threatening to dump a few inches of snow or rain. I have experienced some of the best hunting and fishing during these rare moments of respite. These days are essential for accessing areas without alerting animals to your presence, determining what sign is the freshest, what specific food sources are being targeted, and overall, broadening your understanding of the game you are pursuing. Animals also tend to be a little more one-track-minded on such days, seeking food and shelter usually in conjunction with each other. Coupled with the lack of human presence, it’s sometimes hard for me to settle on a place to hunt.

As the climate patterns continue to shift across the globe, extreme weather events become the norm. Hunters must adapt to these effects to successfully take advantage of the hunting seasons. The grow season in the foothills of the White Mountains of New Hampshire is typically mid-May to mid-September. Lately, however, we have been experiencing more snowstorms throughout the early spring compared to late fall and early winter. This climatic shift has also led to prolonged periods of drought throughout the summer and a much wetter fall season. This means more chance for snow during our spring turkey season and a higher probability of heavy rainstorms during waterfowl and deer seasons. But, if you are determined enough to make every effort to get into the woods regardless of the forecast, then you can capitalize on opportunities you, and many others, otherwise would have missed.

While rain and snow tends to put a damper on most human activities, fish, birds, and most game have no choice but to continue life regardless of significant weather events. This seems especially true when it comes to waterfowl. I have shot more ducks and geese in driving rain, sleet, fog and snow than I have on clear, sunny, warm days. Most rainy day duck hunts I’ve been on were fast in-your-face shoots, ending almost as quickly as they began with a limit of dabblers. Sure, you may be soaked from boots to barrel, but there is nothing better than successfully executing a hunt in less than desirable conditions and coming out the other side, all the wiser and more grateful for the roof above your head and the food on your table.

In 2017, the year was punctuated by major flooding events, one of which completely obliterated a local NHFG fish hatchery along the Baker River. Heavy rains at the end of October led to massive flooding along the Pemigewasset River and its tributaries. Jumping on the opportunity, my brother and I spent the earlier part of the storm scouting groups of ducks and geese in some of our favorite spots. With more rain in the forecast and rivers already breaching their high water marks, we figured half our spots would be inaccessible because most of the routes in would be inundated. We adjusted our strategy and scoured the local agriculture that parallels the rivers.

In the contour of an extinct oxbow, long cut off from the river and since cultivated for years, we happened upon several hundred mallards and black ducks piling into a newly flooded cornfield. In the adjacent block of oaks and beech we could hear wood ducks whistling, and somewhere on the far side of the field, a hundred geese were trumpeting. If there’s a waterfowl hunting heaven, this is what it must look like. We silently sat and watched the geese loaf along the back of the flooded oxbow and feed across the hillside. Strings of mallards worked their way through the submerged corn stubble, like feathered vacuums, devouring the left over crop.

The next morning with a loose plan in hand, we let the river dictate our access and setup beneath overhanging pine bows overlooking a transition between the timber and the corn. With limited time available before work we quickly threw out a string of floaters in front of us with a few full-bodies making their way up the corn. As dawn quietly approached, the torrent of the river was interrupted by a flurry of wings and whistles. The wood ducks were the first to arrive. They left as quickly as they came, albeit fewer in their ranks. After several agonizingly long minutes, the mallards graced us with their presence, settling amongst our spread. A few volleys and a couple handfuls of ducks later, we marched out of that flooded field soaked and grinning. We spent the next three days hunting that spot and hit our limits two out of three days. A week later there was a foot of snow and the river was frozen.

Tips for making the most of foul weather hunting

Hunting on short notice, over a new feeding ground, in an area that birds can’t typically access via water usually leads to grumbling and a dose of ibuprofen. To pull off a hunt in driving rain and in close proximity to a swollen river takes both luck and skill. The luck is finding the birds; the skill is in beguiling them. It’s through quiet observation that I’ve learned where and how to hunt. I don’t advise chasing divers in open waters when the water is choppy and the wind is howling, unless you like constantly chasing decoys and bilging water out of your waders or boat. During storms, time is better spent hammering the backwater with plenty of cover, while freshly flooded cornfields almost always make for great puddle duck and goose hunts. Of course, finding the X is always first and foremost, especially when the forecast is set to change.

With seasons as short as they are and limits constantly subjected to changes in population size, today’s hunters should seize any opportunity to get outdoors in order to succeed. If time is taken to properly scout and understand the behavior patterns of the animals you intend to pursue, your success rates will climb. Utilize every rare, solitary moment in the woods to sharpen your hunting skills, especially when most people are still relaxing at home, out of the woods and out of the mire.

Duck Blind Quick Tips and Hacks

The Origins of Retrievers: Hunting Dog Confidential Episode #8

A Introduction to Jump Shooting Ducks on Upland Hunts

Fly fishing isn’t just fun to do- it’s fun to read about! There are many books about fly fishing out there. Some are narratives, while others are essential how-to guides that can help you get started, learn new skills, or troubleshoot mistakes. Here’s our list of the fly fishing books you need in your home library. We also have included links for where you can buy, rent, or download these books.

How-To Fly Fishing Books

These books provide guidance, instruction, and ideas for the modern fly fisher. Some of them are for general fly fishing; others are more technical or specialized. However you want to improve your fly fishing skills, there’s a guidebook out there for you.

The Essence of Flycasting by Mel Krieger

This classic fly fishing instructional text is one of the best books for learning the ins and outs of the sport. The Essence of Flycasting shows you in photographs and diagrams exactly how to perform the intricate movements needed to create the perfect cast.

Book Information:

• Length: 144 pages
• Year Published: 2001
• Buy on Amazon: The Essence of Flycasting

The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide, Revised by Tom Rosenbauer

As a company, Orvis knows fly fishing better than almost anybody else. Their fly fishing guide is no exception to this rule. The author has been tying flies commercially since he was fourteen, and his four decades of fly fishing experience are distilled in these pages. A must have for any fly fishing enthusiast.

Book Information:

• Length: 408 pages
• Year Published: 2017
• Buy on Amazon: The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide – Revised

The Orvis Guide To Beginning Fly Fishing: 101 Tips for the Absolute Beginner by Tom Rosenbauer

If the instructions in The Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide are overwhelming, this book will get you started. The advanced fly fisher probably knows everything in these pages, but everybody has to start somewhere. This book is ideal for beginners at any stage- whether you’ve learned a couple of casts or haven’t even bought your first rod and reel yet, this guide is practical and easy to understand.

Book Information:

• Length: 208 pages
• Year Published: 2009
• Buy on Amazon: The Orvis Guide to Beginning Fly Fishing

The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing by Kirk Deeter and Charlie Meyers

The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing is essentially a pocket guide to the sport of fly fishing, written by two veteran anglers who came together to demystify their passion. Featuring 240 tips that don’t require any advanced physics lessons or innate understanding of how fish think, this is a straightforward guide to the basics of fly fishing.

Book Information:

• Length: 224 pages
• Year Published: 2010
• Buy on Amazon: The Little Red Book of Fly Fishing

Tactical Fly Fishing: Lessons Learned from Competition for All Anglers by Devin Olsen

Most of us will never be professional fly fishers, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn a lot from the pros. Devin Olsen is a repeat medalist in global fly fishing competitions, and his techniques for winning are explained in this volume. He does a good job of taking what he knows and applying it to everyday situations, allowing anyone to fish more successfully on rivers, small streams, and still waters.

Book Information:

• Length: 224 pages
• Year Published: 2019
• Buy on Amazon: Tactical Fly Fishing – Lessons Learned from Competition for All Anglers

Fly-Fishing Advice from an Old-Timer: A Practical Guide to the Sport and its Language by Ed Quigley

Take some advice from a veteran of the sport and sit down with Ed Quigley’s book on fly fishing. Quigley’s straightforward explanation of the basics and detailed discussions of advanced topics are easy to understand, and his ingenious tips and compelling anecdotes from his own years of experience fly fishing streams from Labrador to Costa Rica and beyond make the book very enjoyable.

Book Information:

• Length: 352 pages
• Year Published: 2014
• Buy on Amazon: Fly-Fishing Advice from an Old-Timer – A Practical Guide to the Sport and Its Language

A Guide’s Guide to Fly-Fishing Mistakes: Common Problems and How To Correct Them by Sara Low

As a licensed fly fishing guide, Sara Low has seen it all. If it can go wrong on the water, she’s seen it- and has some good ideas about how to correct these problems. This book offers solutions for fly fishers on many topics, including approaching fish, fly selection, proper fly presentation, consistent and accurate casting, and techniques for hooking and landing of fish, as well as pointers for fishing in spring, summer, fall, and winter. This isn’t a book you’d typically sit down with and read cover to cover (although you can do that if you want); instead, it’s the book you pull out when you have a problem you want to fix. It’s an invaluable guide for any angler who wants to up their game.

Book Information:

• Length: 224 pages
• Year Published: 2016
• Buy on Amazon: A Guide’s Guide to Fly-Fishing Mistakes – Common Problems and How to Correct Them

Basic Fly Tying: All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started by John Rounds

Fly tying is one of many challenging aspects of fly fishing, and this book is a great introduction to it. It features photographs and illustrated diagrams to help you get the knack of the basic fly components. It illustrates every phase of the tying process, from clamping the hook in the vise to executing the final whip finish, and everything in between. You’ll learn seven of the most effective and foundational patterns for nymphs, streamers, and dry flies.

Book Information:

• Length: 90 pages
• Year Published: 2002
• Buy on Amazon: Basic Fly Tying – All the Skills and Tools You Need to Get Started

Nonfiction Fly Fishing Books

The history and culture of fly fishing is a massive part of the sport’s development. Participating in it is part of the fun, too! The following books all have something to say about what it means to be a fly fisher. Whether they’re personal stories, histories, biographies, or anything else, everything in the following books will help you understand the sport we all love.

The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies by Ian Whitelaw

The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies recounts the history of a sport that dates back 2,000 years, focusing on milestone flies from the first feathered hook to contemporary patterns using cutting-edge materials. While it might seem impossible to choose only 50 flies among the countless fly patterns dating back two millennia, these flies represent the development of the very sport itself. They chart the spread from its modern origins on the chalk streams of England and Scottish rivers to every country in the world. Filled with profiles of the key people involved, tying tips, photographs and illustrations of the flies, The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies is a fascinating look at the history of this fascinating sport.

Book Information:

• Length: 224 pages
• Year Published: 2015
• Buy on Amazon: The History of Fly-Fishing in Fifty Flies

The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing by Mark Kurlansky

Like all of Mark Kurlansky’s books, The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing is a deep dive into a subject the author finds fascinating. Kurlanksy’s observations aren’t just about the fly fishers, but about the fish themselves. He is deeply in love with the complexities of the sport and the battle between fish and fishermen, and his book is a combination of love letter and sport history. A very fun read!

Book Information:

• Length: 304 pages
• Year Published: 2021
• Buy on Amazon: The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing

Trout: An Illustrated History by James Prosek

If you want to catch a trout, you need to know as much as you can about it- how it looks, where it eats, what part of the water it likes, and much more about its behavior and evolutionary history. Prosek’s lavishly illustrated book features original watercolors alongside a fascinating natural history of the fish themselves.

Book Information:

• Length: 168 pages
• Year Published: 1996
• Buy on Amazon: Trout – An Illustrated History

Dumb Luck and the Kindess of Strangers by John Gierach

We recommend any and all of John Gierach’s fly fishing books, but we picked this one because it’s very approachable and is a great example of his prose. Fifteen books and countless articles and columns have made John Gierach probably the most prominent fishing writer in America, and his books encompass his love of the sport and the people who practice it.

Book Information:

• Length: 256 pages
• Year Published: 2020
• Buy on Amazon: Dumb Luck and the Kindness of Strangers

The Longest Silence: A Life in Fishing by Thomas McGuane

This collection of 40 essays shows what dedication to a sport reveals about life. Both funny and reverent at the same time, each piece shares McGuane’s deep experience of wildlife and the outdoors and love for the sport he pursues. The book takes you around the world, from Florida tarpon to Icelandic salmon, and provides you with an intimate look at many varied lives who all share one thing: a love of fly fishing.

Book Information:

• Length: 384 pages
• Year Published: 2019 (most recent edition)
• Buy on Amazon: The Longest Silence

The Optimist: A Case for the Fly Fishing Life by David Coggins

There’s plenty of books about fly fishing and being a fly fisher, but fewer exist about the philosophy of fly fishing. This is one of those: an argument for the skills and sensibilities of fly anglers around the world. It’s a meditation on how fishing teaches focus, inner stillness, and a connection to the natural world, all while being couched in entertaining fishing stories. It shares a great perspective on how fly fishing and the attitudes it requires really can improve your life- but if you’re a fly fisher, you probably knew that already.

Book Information:

• Length: 256 pages
• Year Published: 2021
• Buy on Amazon: The Optimist – A Case for the Fly Fishing Life

Fly-Fishing the 41st by James Prosek

Fly fishing is practiced around the world. In Prosek’s case, this is literal. Fly-Fishing the 41st chronicles his adventures fishing around the 41st parallel- the same latitude, all the way from Connecticut to Mongolia, with stops in Greece, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, and many other exotic fishing locales. It’s a very interesting look at lesser-known fly-fishing destinations and the people who live there.

Book Information:

• Length: 336 pages
• Year Published: 2004
• Buy on Amazon: Fly-Fishing the 41st

Fly Fishing Novels and Fiction

Fly fishing is a great backdrop for fictional stories- it’s a wonderful way to let characters self-reflect, learn about themselves, and even grow a little bit. When you sit down with any of these tales, you’ll find yourself wishing that you could fish these fictional locales!

The River Why by David James Duncan

One of the classics of the unofficial fly fishing book canon, The River Why has been popular since its publication in 1983. The novel is a coming-of-age comedy about love, nature, and the quest for self-discovery, set in the Pacific Northwest and featuring one man’s quest for steelhead salmon. The story’s protagonist, Gus Orviston, seeks function in a remote cabin away from his dysfunctional family. For Gus, fly fishing isn’t just a physical experience; it’s a spiritual one as well, as his quest for self-knowledge tests him with unpredictable experiences.

Book Information:

• Length: 418 pages
• Year Published: 1983 (most recent edition 2013)
• Buy on Amazon: The River Why

A River Runs Through It and Other Stories by Norman Maclean

Perhaps the best-known fly fishing story in history, A River Runs Through It is just as exciting a novella as it is a film. Maclean’s passion for fly-fishing, the natural world, and the interplay of life and art, created a classic of the American West. This new edition, with a foreword by Robert Redford, will introduce a fresh audience to Maclean’s beautiful prose and understated emotional insights.

Book Information:

• Length: 262 pages
• Year Published: 2017 (this edition)
• Buy on Amazon: A River Runs through It and Other Stories

Hemingway on Fishing by Ernest Hemingway, edited by Nick Lyons

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the author of The Old Man and the Sea was a passionate angler himself. From his Michigan childhood to his twilight years in Florida, Hemingway was never far from a river or ocean. Fly fishing was a constant feature of his life, and this book collects his short stories and articles that revolve around the pursuit of fulfillment on the open water.

Book Information:

• Length: 272 pages
• Year Published: 2002
• Buy on Amazon: Hemingway on Fishing

The Laughing Trout: A Novel of Fly Fishing in A Mad, Mad World of Love and Pandemonium by Jim Ure

If you’ve ever been on a group fishing trip, you know the mayhem and hilarity that often follow. This story is the story of a professional fishing guide who tricks his annoying game warden cousin- and by extension, most of the world. He watches as his little corner of the river descends into bedlam- but coming clean might mean wrecking his best chance at finding true love. What’s a fly fisher to do when the world descends on his river in search of a fish that doesn’t exist? In this case, he just has to laugh about it.

Book Information:

• Length: 215 pages
• Year Published: 2013
• Buy on Amazon: The Laughing Trout

The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings

The Reel Sisters is the story of five women who would otherwise never be friends, were it not for their devotion to fly fishing. It’s a powerful novel about how anyone, no matter who they are or where they come from, can find themselves through fly fishing and learn a little bit more about how they work in the world each time they step into the river.

Book Information:

• Length: 412 pages
• Year Published: 2017
• Buy on Amazon: The Reel Sisters

Travers Corners: Classic Stories about Fly Fishing and a Small Montana Town by Scott Waldie

In the same spirit as Garrison Keillor’s A Prairie Home Companion, Scott Waldie’s Travers Corners takes you to a rural town where “nothing much has happened since Herbert Hoover stopped for gas.” What Travers Corners lacks in modern media and conveniences, it makes up for with the quality of the local fishing. You’ll fall in love with the cast of characters in this quirky little community- it’s just a shame they’re all fictional!

Book Information:

• Length: 151 pages
• Year Published: 2014
• Buy on Amazon: Travers Corners – Classic Stories about Fly Fishing and a Small Montana Town

Conclusion

This list is never complete. New content and books are coming out every year. If you’d like to see new additions to this list, contact us with your thoughts.

No matter how much deer hunters prepare and strategize, often success comes down to one simple tenet: be in the right place at the right time.

Perhaps this is no more evident than when hunting during the rut, when deer travel patterns become unpredictable and, to many, downright mysterious. Luke Brewster of Bristow, Virginia, had only a few years of bowhunting experience under his belt, but he knew that when hamstrung with limited hunting time, the rut is when you need to be on stand as much as possible.

On Nov. 1, 2018, Brewster pointed his pickup west and drove 10 hours from his home in Virginia to Edgar County, Illinois, to hunt a piece of land owned by his father, Jim Brewster. There the Marine Corps veteran met up with three other hunters, locals who had permission to hunt the Brewster property. All three are veteran bowhunters who had been mentoring Luke on the finer points of successful stick-and-string hunting. Brothers Brent and Justin Cearlock and Ron Wagoner also do most of the hunting grunt work like putting in and maintaining food plots, hanging stands and using game cameras to monitor deer on the property.

The primo buck that all of the hunters were after had been nicknamed Mufasa, or the Lion King, by Wagoner. The group had been collecting photos of Mufasa for five years, watching the buckxe2x80x99s rack metamorphosize from a huge typical to a jaw-dropping, nontypical structure. It turns out that this isnxe2x80x99t all that uncommon among mature bucks.

xe2x80x9cIn general, bucks do produce more nontypical points as they age,xe2x80x9d said Dr. Grant Woods, a well-known deer biologist. xe2x80x9cMost bucks Ixe2x80x99ve followed through research or on trail cameras for my personal hunting have an antler configuration that includes more nontypical points as they mature. This may be due to genetics, injuries, etc.xe2x80x9d

Whatever the reason, Mufasaxe2x80x99s antlers reached to the sky, stretching out into a freaky configuration that included several thick droptines. The morning of Nov. 2, 2018, Brewster climbed into a treestand situated next to a popular doe bedding area. His morning hunt was uneventful, with only a few does spotted. That afternoon, Brewster had to move to a stand farther south to give another hunter a crack at bagging Mufasa in the area where the buck had spent considerable time, based on game camera photos. His stand for the second half of the day was in a creek bottom deer travel route, with a heavily hit scrape a mere 26 yards away. As a soft rain fell, Brewster looked to the east and saw a doe bound off, frightened by some unknown danger. A moment later, Mufasa appeared to freshen the scrape. Brewster released an arrow at the monster buck and drew blood, then waited half an hour to trail his wounded prey.

Finding half of the arrow slathered in blood, Brewster surmised that hexe2x80x99d done lethal damage to the deer. He followed a short blood trail to the new world nontypical record. Upon inspecting the rack, Brewster noticed a fresh break in the left antler and what appeared to be a missing portion of bone. Sure enough, after retracing the blood trail, he found the other part of the left antler, broken off when the wounded buck ran into a tree. Due to a new rule instituted by the Pope & Young Club in 2016, Brewster was able to count the broken portion of the rack in the overall measurement.

xe2x80x9cIt is up to the decision of the measurers, but if a broken portion of antlers matches up perfectly to the rack, it can be included in the measurement,xe2x80x9d said Rick Mowery, communications and marketing manager for Pope & Young. xe2x80x9cBut it has to match up perfectly, like you often find when gluing back together a broken jar or pottery.xe2x80x9d

The broken droptine would have reduced the overall measurement by about 20 inches. While it still would have been a new world record nontypical harvested by a hunter, being able to include it in the overall measurement of 327-7/8 inches and 39 points means it far surpasses the next-largest hunter-harvested nontypical whitetail, a 47-point, 312-inch buck taken by Stephen Tucker with a muzzleloader in Sumner County, Tennessee, in 2016. The Brewster buck blows the doors off the previous Pope & Young record, a 294-inch, 39-point nontypical bagged by Michael Beatty in 2000 in Greene County, Ohio.

Brewsterxe2x80x99s success proves that all of the time and effort spent planning a hunt, capturing photos of mature bucks and studying deer movements mean little if youxe2x80x99re not in the right place at the right time. Thankfully Brewster was, and this victor will forever enjoy the spoils.

_________________

fPorcupines are rodents, and the name porcupine comes from Middle French porc espin, meaning “spined pig.”

There are two families of porcupines: Old World and New World porcupines. The old world porcupines are found in Africa, Asia, and South Europe, while the new world porcupines are found in North, Central, and South America.

This article provides a detailed explanation of what porcupines eat and where they live, among other things:

Facts About Porcupines

There are several interesting facts about porcupines. Here are some of them:

Habitat

Porcupines can be found in different locations depending on the species. For example, the North American porcupines live in coniferous and mixed forest habitats in Canada, Northern Mexico, and the North Eastern United States.

These animals are nocturnal and spend most of their time on trees. However, they will come down to the ground to look for food or during the winter season when there is little foliage on trees.

The Old World porcupines live in terrestrial regions such as deserts, hillsides, and woodlands. Some of these porcupines are excellent swimmers and climbers and spend most of their time in trees.

Characteristics

Porcupines are medium to large-sized animals. They have a round body with short legs and a long tail. The Old World porcupines are larger than the New World porcupines, with some weighing up to 77 pounds, while the North American porcupine is smaller, weighing between 12-35 pounds.

Porcupines have black or dark brown fur. The quills on their backs are stiff and sharp, and they use them for self-defense and to deter predators.

Reproduction

Porcupines are generally solitary animals. The male and female come together only during the breeding season between mid-summer and early fall to mate.

The gestation period for porcupines is about seven months, giving birth to one or two offspring at a time. The young ones are born with soft quills that harden after a few days.

The mother takes care of the young for about 18 months until they are ready to fend for themselves.

The Old World Porcupines VS. The New World Porcupines

In several ways, the old world porcupines(Family Hystricidae) are different from the new world porcupines(Family Erethizontidae). We discuss how the two porcupines differ below.

Old World Porcupines

There are 11 species of old-world porcupines that are classified into eight genera. These porcupines are found in Africa, Asia, and Southern Europe.

The Old World porcupines have longer and thinner quills than the new world porcupines. The quills on their backs are used for self-defense and to deter predators. These porcupines are generally larger than the new world porcupines, with some weighing up to 77 pounds.

New World Porcupines

There are 18 new world porcupines species classified into three genera. These porcupines are found in North America, Central, and South America.

The New World porcupines have shorter and thicker quills than the old world porcupines. The quills on their backs are also used for self-defense and to deter predators.

These porcupines are generally smaller than in the old world, with some weighing up to 35 pounds.

What Do Porcupines Eat?

Porcupines are herbivorous animals, and their diet consists of plants, fruits, and vegetables. They use their sharp incisors to bite off pieces of bark from trees. They also eat the leaves, stems, and roots of plants.

In the wild, porcupines eat just about anything they can find, including insects, rodents, and small reptiles. However, in captivity, their diet is much more regulated and consists mainly of plants and vegetables.

But while the diet of porcupines is general and may seem the same all through, they vary depending on the season and the types of porcupines. Here is a breakdown of what different porcupines eat:

• North American Porcupines

The North American porcupine is a herbivorous animal, and its diet consists of plants, fruits, and vegetables such as apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, and carrots. They also eat the leaves, stems, and roots of plants.

• Brazilian Porcupines

The Brazilian porcupine is omnivorous and will eat both plants and animals. Their diet consists of fruits, vegetables, insects, rodents, and small reptiles. They are expert climbers, which comes in handy when looking for food, allowing them to feed on a wide range of plants and small animals.

• African Brush-tailed Porcupines

The brush-tailed porcupines are one of the largest in Africa and can weigh up to 77 pounds. They are nocturnal animals and spend most of their time on trees. The African brush tail porcupine is a herbivorous animal whose diet consists of plants, fruits, and vegetables. They are also known to feed on animal carcasses.

• Asiatic Brush-tailed Porcupines

These porcupines are fairly small compared to other old-world porcupines but larger than the new world porcupines. They are primarily herbivorous and feed on fruits, grubs, and bamboo shoots. However, they can also feed on insects and scavenge on bones and hones.

• Sumatran Porcupines

These porcupines occupy the Surmattan region, which is the island of Sumatra. They are the largest porcupines in Asia and can weigh up to 60 pounds. The Sumatran porcupine is a herbivorous animal, and its diet consists of plants, sugarcane, melons, and bean. However, they will also eat insects, and other animal remains to get sodium and potassium.

• South African Porcupines

The South-African porcupines, or the Cape porcupines, are the largest of all the porcupines. They can weigh up to 110 pounds, and their quills can be up to 13 inches long. The South-African porcupine is a herbivorous animal, and its diet consists of plants, fruits, roots, bulbs, and vegetables. However, they will also eat carrions.

• Mexican Dwarf Hairy Porcupines

The Mexican dwarf hairy porcupine is one of the smallest species of porcupines. They weigh between two to four pounds and are found in Mexico, Central America, and South America. The Mexican dwarf hairy porcupine is a herbivorous animal, and its diet consists of sweet potatoes, tree leaves, carrots, and bulbs.

• Bristle-spined Porcupines

The bristle-spined porcupine is found in Central and South America. They are nocturnal animals and spend most of their time on trees. The bristle-spined porcupine is a herbivorous animal, and its diet consists of plants, fruits, vegetables, peanuts, and insects. However, their favorite diet is cocoa nuts, and they prefer to live in areas close to cocoa plantations.

• Thick-spined Porcupines

The thick-spined porcupine is found in Africa and Indo-Malayan Asia. They are nocturnal animals and spend most of their time on trees. The thick-spined porcupine is a herbivorous animal, and its diet consists of plants, fruits, vegetables, and insects. However, they are not good climbers and prefer to eat fallen fruits.

Porcupines’ Diet During Seasons

Porcupines are mostly herbivorous animals, but there are some exceptions. Depending on the season, porcupines will change their diet to include more fruits and vegetables or meat.

In the winter, porcupines will eat more bark and twigs because they are looking for food that is high in calories. In the summer, porcupines will eat more fruits and vegetables because they are looking for food that is high in water content.

What Animals Kills Porcupines?

Other animals do not often kill porcupines, but there are some exceptions. This is because the quills on a porcupine can be up to 13 inches long and are very sharp, forming one of the best defenses in any animal.

One of the most common predators of porcupines is the African leopard. Other predators include the cheetah, lions, and hyenas. There have also been spotting of quills on foxes, wolves, wolverines, bobcats, fishers, lynxes, coyotes, owls, and even dogs.

Humans also kill porcupines for their meat and quills. Porcupine meat is considered a delicacy in some cultures, and the quills are used to make porcupine quill art.

Are Porcupines Good For Anything?

Porcupines have many benefits. They are a food source for many animals and provide nutrition to the animals that feed on them. Additionally, they have quills that are used to make porcupine quill art. Porcupines are also known to eat the ticks off of other animals, which helps to control the spread of Lyme disease.

Moreover, porcupines can help the forest ecosystem by eating the bark of trees. This helps to control the growth of trees and prevents forest fires. They also help in pruning trees which allows new growth. The best part is that they aren’t as problematic as other wild animals and aren’t predators.

Final Words

Porcupines are often misunderstood as dangerous because of their quills. However, they are gentle animals that mostly keep to themselves. They are interesting creatures with a surprising diet and many benefits to the ecosystem. They eat leaves, small insects, fruits, and vegetables depending on the season.

10 Best Places To Hunt in Texas

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Texas is a state in the South Central region of the United States. It’s the second-largest state based on both area and population and is often called “The Lone Star State”.

When it comes to hunting, it’s not hard to find accounts of award-winning large-antlered whitetail deer and record-setting wild pigs in the Lone Star State. The phrase “everything’s bigger in Texas” seems to hold true even to their game animals.

Other huntable game species include alligators, javelinas, mule deer, pronghorn, squirrels, turkeys, waterfowl, and upland birds, especially quail. You can also find hunting opportunities for more exotic game species being offered in some of the state’s fine hunting ranches.

Big Hunts in the Lone Star State

With so many fine hunting opportunities abound, finding quality hunting opportunities in Texas can be difficult. Read through this article to find our suggestions for the best places to hunt in Texas, what game you can expect, and who you can contact for guides hunts and hunting opportunities.

1. San Angelo: Whitetail Deer

The City of San Angelo is the county seat for Tom Green County, Texas. The city, and its territory, cover an area of about 59 square miles and is located in the Concho Valley with an elevation of 1,844 feet.

When it comes to the city’s climate, San Angelo has hot and cold seasons. Its hot season lasts from May to September and can see average temperatures of up to 95 °F in July. Its cold season lasts from November to February when cooler temperatures go down to an average of 36 °F in January.

Whitetail deer is the main big game animal around San Angelo. To score some choice animals, you can contact Bar None Hunts. This company offers accommodations and guided hunts on over 50,000 acres of West Texas whitetail habitat.

2. Menard: Deer, Hog, Turkey, and More

Menard County is located on the Edwards Plateau in Texas. Covering a total area of 902 square miles, the county’s highest point sits at 2,432 feet of elevation.

The county gets just 26 inches of rain (compared to the US average of 36 inches) and only 1 inch of snow (compared to the US average of 28 inches) per year. Temperatures can go up to 93 °F in July and dip down to 31 °F in January.

Menard County has a variety of huntable game species including hog, turkey, and deer. Real Outfitters offers hunting opportunities for the above-mentioned animals plus a chance to hunt more exotic game like Blackbuck Antelope.

3. Coleman: Dove, Quail, Deer, and More

Coleman is another county located in the state of Texas. It covers a total area of 1,281 square miles, with its highest point standing at 1,702 feet of elevation. The county was named after Robert M. Coleman, a signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence and soldier at the Battle of San Jacinto.

Summer is hot and humid in Coleman county while winters are windy, short, and cold. Temperatures usually fall between 35 °F to 97 °F and are rarely below 23 °F or above 103 °F.

Coleman is known for its big game like whitetail deer and hog but you can also find smaller game like dove, quail, duck, and spring turkey. First Shot Hunts offers lodging and opportunities to hunt the above-mentioned animals. The company operates on over 600,000 acres of prime hunting land throughout Central Texas.

4. Lubbock: Goose, Crane, Deer, Hog, and More

Lubbock is a city in the Estacado region of northwestern Texas. The city is ecologically part of the southern end of the High Plains subregion and sits at an elevation of about 3,200 feet.

The city and the areas surrounding it have a cool semi-arid climate. The area receives around 18 inches of rain and around 7 inches of snow per year.

Crooked Wing Outfitters offers some of the finest hunting in all of West Texas. This company offers lodging as well as hunting opportunities for several game species including hog, deer, turkey, waterfowl, pheasant, quail, dove, duck, crane, and goose.

5. Ingram: Deer, Sheep, Antelope, and A Whole Lot More

The city of Ingram lies in Kerr County, Texas. Nestled in the geographic region known as Texas Hill Country, the city sits at an elevation of about 1,700 feet.

Ingram receives about 31 inches of rain and just 1 inch of snow per year. The hottest days are in July with temperatures going up to 92 °F while winter temperatures can dip down to 33 °F in January.

The city of Ingram is where you can find Texas Hunt Lodge. This award-winning company offers accommodations and hunts for over 80 game species year-round. Feel free to check out their site for more information.

6. Quanah: Deer, Turkey, Quail, and Hog

The city of Quanah is the county seat of Hardeman County, Texas. It covers an area of just 3.48 square miles and sits at an elevation of about 1,500 feet.

Quanah summers are mostly clear, hot, and humid while its winters are partly cloudy, windy, dry, and cold. Temperatures usually fall between 31 °F to 98 °F and are rarely below 20 °F or above 105 °F.

For opportunities to hunt deer, hog, turkey, and quail in Quanah, you can contact Red River Valley Outfitters. This company specializes in hunting the above-mentioned animals on 10,000 acres of land. They also added hunting opportunities for duck, goose, and Sandhill crane.

7. Eldorado: Deer, Elk, and Much More

The city of Eldorado is the county seat of Schleicher County, Texas. The city covers an area of about 1.4 square miles and sits at an elevation of about 2,400 feet.

Eldorado gets about 24 inches of rain and just 1 inch of snow per year. Temperatures can go up to 93 °F in July and drop down to 30 °F in January.

If you’re looking to hunt the native Texas game and more, you can contact Magnum Guide Service LLC. This company offers full-time guided hunts for Texas whitetail deer, mule deer, and elk as well as more exotic game like kudu, sable, and wildebeest.

8. Brady: Whitetail, Blackbuck Antelope, Oryx, & Much More

Brady is a city located in McCulloch County near the very heart of Texas. This small yet self-sufficient city sits at the outermost edge of Texas Hill Country at an elevation of about 1,600 feet.

The area experiences hot humid summers and mild to cool winters. Temperatures in July can go up to 94 °F and dip down to around 32 °F in January.

For opportunities to hunt whitetail deer and more exotic game, feel free to contact Cross Oaks Ranch. This company is located just outside Brady and offers lodging as well as guided hunts for whitetail deer, Blackbuck Antelope, Oryx, and more.

9. Austin: Deer, Hogs, Turkey, and More

Austin is the capital city of the state of Texas. It’s situated where the Colorado River crosses the Balcones Escarpment, separating the Texas Hill Country from the Blackland prairies.

The city has a humid subtropical climate which gives it long hot summers and short mild winters. Temperatures usually fall between 43 °F to 97 °F and are rarely below 30 °F or above 102 °F.

There are many fine hunting outfitters in Austin, Texas and Sisco D Ranch is one of them. This company offers lodging and hunting opportunities for whitetail deer, hogs, turkey as well as more exotic game like aoudad, Blackbuck, and fallow deer.

10. Mountain Home: Deer, Hogs, Aoudad, & Much More

Mountain Home is an unincorporated community in Kerr County, Texas and one of my favorite Texas hunting locations. Being located in Texas Hill Country, Mountain Home sits at an elevation of about 1,900 feet.

Mountain Home gets just 29 inches of rain a year. Temperatures can go up to 91 °F in July and drop down to 32 °F in January.

Being on the Edwards Plateau, Mountain Home is a prime habitat for whitetail deer, hogs, and turkey.

West Kerr Ranch offers lodging and guided hunts for the above-mentioned animals as well as year-round hunts for more exotic game like:

• Axis
• Fallow
• Aoudad
• Elk
• Blackbuck Antelope
• Sika
• Aoudad
• Scimitar-Horned Oryx
• Mouflon rams

More Adventure Related Reading:

10 Best Places for Hunting in Montana

10 Best Places For Hunting In North America

10 Tips for How to Protect Yourself from Mosquitoes & Ticks While Hiking

An Adventurers Top 20 Essential Travel Items

Backpacking Meal Planning 101

Like This Article On The Best Places to Hunt in Texas?

Please consider sharing Gettr & Telegram & Twitter.

To your next adventure!

-David

Brandon Burks and the 8.52 pound stare record meanmouth bass

*Editors Note: Originally reported to be the world record meanmouth bass, IGFA officials recently informed Brandon Burks that his record would not count because his Alabama Rig had five hooks instead of the IGFA maximum allowance of three. However, since Texas allows anglers to fish Alabama Rigs with five hooks, Brandon’s bass will be the state record, which now weighs more than the world record.

State Record Meanmouth Bass

The state record meanmouth bass weighed 8.52 lbs and was caught from Lake O.H. Ivie by fishing guide Brandon Burks who was using an Alabama Rig in January 2022. Meannmouth are a hybrid species usually consisting of half smallmouth and half spotted bass. However, Brandon’s fish and the previous world record were the rarer, largemouth and smallmouth combo. The last two state record meanmouth bass were both caught from O.H. Ivie Lake a little more than a year apart.

Big Bass Factory

A 10+ largemouth pulled from O.H. Ivie

Lake O.H. Ivie has become one of the most talked-about big bass lakes in the country because of the blimp-like bass being pulled from its waters. Two 14+ pound largemouth were caught within the first two weeks of 2022 and the lake has reported dozens of bass weighing over 10lbs in the previous seasons.

The Catch

The Texas Parks and Wildlife measuring board measuring Brandon’s bass at 23″ inches.

On the day of the catch, Brandon was guiding a client near specific structure areas where he noticed bluegill stacking up amongst the forest of trees left standing when the reservoir was flooded in 1990.

By making casts that stayed within view of his forward-facing electronics, Brandon and his client were working their A-rigs through the timber and among the large concentrations of baitfish without getting snagged. The target fish were suspending bass that nestled themselves within the standing timber as they waited to chow down on passing bluegill.

By using years of on-the-water experience with trophy caliber bass, Brandon applied a specific cadence and technique to help trigger the inactive fish into biting. Once he hooked the massive bass, he jacked up on the fish while simultaneously winching down on the reel handle, this technique might seem aggressive, but it was needed to help pull the big fish up and away from the standing timber.

After an epic battle, the client helped net the fish, which they both assumed to be a largemouth until further inspection. After taking another glance, Brandon was realized he had the world record meanmouth bass on his hands. Unaware of the meanmouth species, the guide client remained skeptical when Brandon claimed, “This is a world record fish.” Eventually, they made their way back to the ramp and contacted Texas Parks and Wildlife, who sent a representative to the boat ramp.

The Texas Sharelunker representative pulled a sample from the fish, confirmed its weight and length, and then watched Brandon release his world record catch back into the lake.

Big Bass Family

Before guiding full-time Brandon worked in the concrete business alongside his father who is an established Texas tournament angler himself. In fact, Brandon’s dad landed a 13lb largemouth from lake O.H. Ivie last year which was followed up by a 12lb fish reeled in by Brandon on the same day.As a guide he specializes in fishing tech and, more specifically, the Garmin Livescope and Lowrance Ghost forward-facing sonar units. With the latest electronics, Brandon can see and do things never before possible in fishing. For example, he can cast 80 feet in front of him and watch his lure being retrieved live on screen through his entire cast. He’s able to lift the lure over a brush pile, around a tree limb, or slow it down for a brief pause if he notices a trailing bass on the screen. Watching fish interact with his lures, or clients’ lures in live-action via today’s latest fishing technology is part of what makes Brandon Burks guide experience so unique. After leaving his job working in concrete and transitioning to a full-time guide, he made it his mission to differentiate himself from the crowd.

His on the water electronic demonstrations allow customers to try live sonar units before making a purchase but most commonly he’s jumping on a client’s boat and helping them dial in their new gear. System settings, on-the-water tutorials, and installation help are all common questions Brandon helps answer.

“If someone is willing to spend thousands of dollars on their electronics, why not pay a little bit more to get really dialed in with a guide,” Brandon said. “I have so much experience on the water and I can help eliminate the learning curve quickly and get guys familiar with their units”

Having the latest technologies and gear is great, but you still have to know how to use it. And that’s where Brandon comes in.

Book A Trip With Brandon: Burks Fishing Guide

Since its inception in 1952, the .308 Win. has increasingly pilfered proponents of traditional deer hunting cartridges, such as the .270 Win. and .30-06 Springfield, and, thanks to .308 Win.-chambered “tactical” bolt-actions and modern sporting rifles (MSRs), next-generation hunters have flocked to the round, too. Due to its popularity, there’s now an abundance of ammunition (and component bullets) from which to choose for pursuing deer. Below are some of my personal favorites, and by selecting only seven, many good ones have been omitted. I also eschewed perennial favorites, such as the Core-Lokt, Power-Point and Ballistic Tip and instead opted for “different” options. Hopefully, you’ll find something new to try on your next deer hunt.

Barnes 130-grain TSX BTAmong the “gold-standard” combinations for deer hunting is the .270 Win. loaded with a quality 130-grain bullet. When loaded with the Barnes 130-grain Triple-Shock X-Bullet Boat Tail (TSX BT), you can best the downrange performance of Jack O’Connor’s baby, and with less perceived recoil to boot. With top velocities approaching 3,300 fps, the all-copper TSX BT shoots extremely flat—perfect for wide-open areas—and hits hard. Thanks to its monolithic construction, high weight retention is assured for deep penetration. Grooves in the bullet’s shank help reduce friction (and thus pressure), aid accuracy, and enable crimping. The projectile’s sole weakness is its ballistic coefficient, which is an atrocious .340; however, this can be somewhat overcome by high muzzle velocities. The Barnes 130-grain TSX BT is a handloading-only proposition right now.

Hornady 150-grain SSTThe Hornady .30 caliber, 150-grain Super Shock Tip (SST) is aptly named—fairly-hit deer expire extremely rapidly. I know this firsthand because I’ve employed it more frequently than all others on this list. Upon impact, the sharp, red polymer tip, which, when combined with a boattail base (and streamlined shape) results in a .415 BC, is forced rearward, initiating expansion. To prevent jacket-core separation during expansion—thereby reducing penetration—the jacket is mechanically locked to the 3-percent-antimony-lead core via the raised InterLock ring. Despite their cup-and-core design, only once have I recovered a 150-grain SST, and it was when fired from a .300 Wby. Mag. Beyond phenomenal terminal performance, SSTs are superbly accurate, too. They often rival match-grade bullets. Outside of handloading, 150-grain SST .308 Win. ammunition is offered by Hornady in its Custom and Superformance lines, and the projectile is loaded in Fiocchi Extrema and Black Hills Gold, too.

Sierra 150-grain GameKing SBTThere’s nothing flashy about Sierra’s .30 caliber, 150-grain GameKing Spitzer Boat Tail (SBT), and yet—unsurprisingly—the simple, cup-and-core-style bullet provides devastating terminal ballistics to down deer fast. Recovery distances of even the largest whitetails and mule deer are generally short (if they run at all), and the spent bullet will typically be nestled against the offside hide. It probably won’t be picture perfect—lacking a mechanical lock, jacket-core separation is a real possibility. This’ll matter not at all as you’re admiring your trophy; it did its job well. It always does. Perhaps the projectile’s only weakness is its modest BC of .380. That being said, since 150-grain GameKing SBTs are only about 30 cents each, you’ll be able to practice all year without “breaking the bank,” learning how to dial in elevation for that all-important shot. Or, just take your shot from a realistic range. At this point, these Sierra bullets are available for handloading and are also factory loaded by HSM in its GameKing line.

Hornady 150-grain GMXHunters who choose (or are required) to go leadless will find a great option in Hornady’s .30 caliber, 150-grain Gilding Metal eXpanding (GMX) bullet. Manufactured from copper alloy, the projectile has a polymer tip, boattail base, two relief grooves to reduce friction (and thus pressure), and fouling and aid accuracy. Expansion runs 1.5X the projectile’s pre-expansion diameter. Weight retention is upward of 95 percent, and penetration is extremely deep. It’s doubtful you’ll recover one from a broadside shot on a deer. In addition to an improved blood trail (i.e. exit hole), deep penetration offered by the GMX provides insurance for less-than-ideal shot placement. The .30 caliber, 150-grain GMX has a BC mimicking that of the like-weight SST. Outside of the biggest bears, this bullet will also work well for all North American species. It’s loaded by Hornady Superformance and Black Hills Gold.

Swift 150-grain Scirocco/Scirocco IIDeer hunters looking for a projectile that will expand reliably (upward of 2.5X) at long range, but hold up during a violent, close-range impact will find it in the Swift Scirocco/Scirocco II. Enabling said performance is a lead core that’s bonded to a tapered, extra-thick, copper jacket. In addition to aiding expansion, the polymer tip—when teamed with the secant ogive and 15 degree boattail base—create a streamlined bullet that sheds velocity slower than many of the other bullets in this list. The .30 caliber, 150-grain Scirocco II has a BC of .430. Like Hornady’s GMX, don’t expect to recover many Scirocco bullets from deer-size game, and it can be employed on all North American non-dangerous animals, too. That being said, if elk is on the menu, you might consider moving up to the 165-grain variant. Accuracy is often very good, though experimentation with seating depth will be necessary for best performance. As for the 150-grain version, outside of handloading, it’s only found in Swift High Grade Hunting Ammunition.

Nosler 165-grain PartitionThe grandfather of “premium” big-game bullets, Nosler’s Partition—the 165-grain variant in particular—is a top choice for hunting deer with the .308 Win.—especially if there’s an opportunity for black bear or elk, or if you’re a one-gun hunter. Featuring dual, lead-alloy cores separated by a cross member (or “partition”), the front core is washed away during expansion and serves to further enhance trauma, all while the rear portion drives deep. So deep, in fact, that seldom will you find one in anything but the largest game animals, such as elk. Like the GMX and Scirocco, the Partition provides a measure of insurance in case of a less-than-perfect shot or steep angle. Nosler’s 165-grain Partition is factory loaded in .308 Win. ammunition (Custom and Trophy Grade).

Norma 165-grain OryxFactory loaded by Norma USA (American PH), the flat-base, semi-spitzer, 165-grain Oryx features a heavily tapered, gilding metal jacket that is bonded to the lead core. This results in rapid expansion and high weight retention—bullets exhibiting ninety-percent-plus weight retention are commonplace. Given its blunter profile, this isn’t a bullet for shooting long range, but at all practical distances, it will hit hard and penetrate deep no matter what.

Only days before this piece was written I used the 165-grain Oryx to take a medium-size Virginia buck for the freezer. Catching it feeding in a hayfield undisturbed at 40 yards, the bullet entered mid-way up the left shoulder and exited around the last rib on the opposite side. The buck traveled about 60 yards before expiring. A post-mortem inspection revealed tremendous trauma—little wonder for its rapid demise. Given the performance and strength of this bullet, it would make a good one-load option for the hunter who hunts deer but also pursues bigger, tougher species, such as elk, or is going on safari.

There’s a plethora of bullets that are suitable for deer with the .308 Win. Hopefully this article will open your eyes to a few that you might not have previously considered.