The real secret to catching more fish is knowledge! The more you know, the more fish you’ll catch. These Northern Pike ice fishing tips and techniques are proven winners.
Love ’em or hate ’em, if you’re ice fishing, you’re likely to run into some Northern Pike. Near the top of the food chain in nearly any lake they inhabit, these aggressive fish can be a ton of fun to catch! And, once you get past the slime and the Y-bone their good eating too.
If you want to catch more Northern Pike the two most important keys are location and presentation. You could have the most appealing bait in the world but if there aren’t any fish around it’s going to be a looong day. And, not catching a thing while everyone else around you is catching fish can be really frustrating. What you present to the fish is just as important as finding them.
The information found here is best used along with some investigative work done by you. Finding out what the Department of Natural Resources says about a lake and talking to local anglers, especially at the bait shop, can save you a ton of time finding the fish and knowing what they’re biting on.
Northern Pike have very good vision but limited night vision. Unlike most other fish species Northern Pike remain active in the winter and are primarily caught during broad daylight.
Northern Pike location is often dictated by their belly. They don’t swim in schools and can usually be found relating to the same types of lake structure as their next meal.
Structure like points, breaks, rock piles and humps are classic examples of structure that will have Northerns in close proximity.
In shallow water Northern Pike usually cruise about mid depth but as the water becomes deeper they tend to hang closer to the bottom.
During early ice Northern Pike can be found in fairly shallow water accompanied by weed edges, points and bars. Combined with inside turns or other structure is even better.
As winter progresses Northern Pike follow the food and move further out. Start by fishing outside weed edges and offshore humps and bars.
As spring nears Northern Pike begin moving shallower again into pre spawn areas. Besides shoreline points and breaks, look for them near river mouths.
Before we switch gears and talk about presentation, remember locating the fish is half the battle. Don’t just drill one hole in 10 ft of water next to a point. Instead drill several holes in varying depths and find the fish.
Using modern electronics can also help you find fish faster. Depth, fish and structure can all be seen using a flasher (Vexilar or Marcum).
Northern Pike Ice Fishing Presentation
OK, you’ve found the Northern Pike, now let’s look at some effective techniques to get them on the ice!
The most common way to ice fish for Northern Pike is by using Tip-ups. This ice fishing contraption is simple and effective.
More Northern Pike have probably been caught using a treble hook and a sucker minnow on a Tip-up then any other method.
Generally the bigger the Pike you’re after the larger the minnow you’ll want to use. I generally use a medium sucker minnow or smelt in the 6-8 inch range. Push the eye of the treble hook up through the belly of the smelt.
Most ice fishermen can attest that they’ve caught Northern Pike while jigging for other species of fish. Even the smallest lures have been known to produce Northerns, only because they’ll eat nearly anything you place in front of them.
Jigging has become a popular method for catching Northern Pike as well. Most likely this is because they’re more fun to fight using normal ice fishing equipment than with a Tip-up.
Jigging for Northern is basically raising your rod tip a foot or more, then dropping it back down to its starting position.
When choosing tackle to jig for Northern Pike you’ll use the same types of lures used for Walleye, only bigger in most cases. My favorite type is the sinking lure or spoon.
Sinking lures include the Live Target Golden Shiner Rattlebait and Dynamic Lures HD-Ice and nobody makes a better spoon than Len Thompson and their Dimpled Series spoon where added indents cause a lot more action has you move the rod tip up and down.
Sinking baits and spoons are great for more aggressive Northern Pike. Usually I put a minnow head on one of the treble hook barbs and start by fishing with one of these.
Hopefully you’ve found something new to try in these Northern Pike ice fishing tips and techniques that will help you ice more fish.
What most people consider luck is usually a combination of preparation and practice so get out there and enjoy the practice.
Looking to venture to a new species check out our 5 Tips for Catching Walleye through the Ice.
It’s important to stay warm and comfortable weather it be open water fishing or ice fishing. For that head over to our Elite Fishing Apparel section.
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A reflex sight that doesn’t run on batteries or solar power? Ruger says, “Yes!” with its new, low-profile Ready Dot.
by Rob Reaser
There is no question that red dots are “the thing” for a growing number of pistol shooters and EDC adherents. As such, there are many red dots on the market to choose from for full-size handguns to the micro-compact variety. The latter pistols, by virtue of their small size, favor a more minimalist approach in red dot optics — reflex versus enclosed emitter, diminutive lens, “always on” or “shake-to-wake” activation instead of on/off buttons, and a low profile for use with the factory open sights when backup is needed.
There are many good miniature red dots available, but as far as we know and have tested, all micro reflex red dots are battery-powered…except one.
Ruger just released the Ruger Ready Dot. It looks like a conventional micro red dot and pretty much acts like one except that it doesn’t require batteries to operate.
Instead, the Ready Dot incorporates a simple fiber optic system to gather ambient light and display it onto a 12 mm multi-layer coated lens. Since there are no batteries to maintain and no switches to turn on and off, the Ready Dot is, well, always ready. Of course, since the system requires ambient light to be gathered and reflected off the lens, the Ready Dot does not function in darkness or in low light levels.
Think of it as the crystal radio version of today’s advanced electronic red dots; it works as designed, but with limitations.
Construction, as you can see, is about as simple as it gets. The housing is black polymer fitted with an impact-resistant, optical-grade polymer lens. The fiber-optic light-gathering coil sits where the battery would be on an electronic red dot, with the output end of the coil permanently affixed in the emitter position.
Although Ruger engineered the Ready Dot for use with the company’s Max-9 micro 9mm and thus uses the Shield RMSc mounting pattern, the unit will work with most handguns that feature the RMSc footprint.
For testing, I pulled out my Sig P365 since it came from the factory with the slide cut for RMSc-pattern optics. The downside to choosing this handgun to host the Ready Dot was that I would lose the factory rear sight. That did not end up being a deal-breaker, though, as I will explain shortly.
Installing the Ready Dot onto my P365 began by removing the two screws securing the rear sight to the slide. These buggers were on TIGHT and threatened to round out the hex slots when I applied torque. Rather that risk having the screws permanently lodged in the slide because of damaged screw heads, I pooled a few drops of Kroil on them and let it work its magic for a few hours. That was enough to allow the screws to be safely backed out of the slide.
With the rear sight screws removed, the sight is freed of the slide.
Next, the slide cover was removed.
The Ready Dot dropped expertly into place with no alignment issues.
While the Ready Dot comes with two M4x0.7 8mm screws for installing the sight onto the Ruger Max-7, those screws will not fit the Sig P365 bushings. Variations in screw type, slide cuts, and adaptor plates among assorted handgun models means the Ready Dot may not work on all micro handguns even if they feature the RMSc footprint, so check with the gun manufacturer before you buy. For my P365 installation, M3x0.5×10.6 screws got the job done and the Ready Dot chassis fit perfectly into the slide cut.
Here is the non-enhanced, non-altered image of the Ready Dot. Boasting a whopping 15 MOA diameter, the red dot is big, bold, and quick to acquire. It is also crisp, with a parallax-free distance of 10 yards.
Of course, the vibrancy and visibility of the dot is wholly dependent upon the ambient light. The more light gathered by the fiber-optic, the brighter the image, and vice versa. Part of my testing included a heavily overcast day — so dark it seemed more like dusk than mid-afternoon. Still the Ready Dot made itself quite evident. Inside of the house, visibility varied considerably when transitioning between dim and well-lit rooms.
Background lighting also figures prominently in the red dot’s visibility. If you’re standing in a dark room and aiming into a lighted room, the dot is difficult to pick up. When outside, though, the red dot stands ready.
I mentioned earlier about the Ready Dot requiring me to eliminate the factory rear sight on the Sig. Given the practical effective range of this and most micro-compact pistols, and the relatively short distance of most self-defense encounters, the lack of a rear sight is not a huge drawback. The tritium dot on my factory front sight is clearly visible through the Ready Dot lens, and placing the bottom of the dot at the bottom of the Ready Dot lens corresponds to the same sight alignment as if the rear sight were present — the exception being any left or right shift. To keep that under control, the Ready Dot chassis has a ramped, U-shaped cut-out to help with sight alignment when the red dot is not visible.
The one thing I was curious about before I installed the Ready Dot was its co-witness with the factory front sight because there is no ability to make windage or elevation adjustments. As it turned out, the red dot corresponded with the factory sight just fine, so there were no issues with point-of-aim, point-of-impact performance. Will that be the case for every handgun that hosts the Ready Dot? I can’t say. But then again, we’re talking about micro-compact pistols with a typically short engagement distance.
Although the Ruger Ready Dot will not give the 24/7 aiming solution of a battery-powered red dot, it is not trying to compete with those models. This is for the shooter who prefers a hands-off, zero-maintenance, always ready red dot suitable for most situations. And with an MSRP of $99.95, this is an easy buy for anyone with a handgun featuring an RMSc optic cut slide who wants to try their hand at a red dot.
Bears are massive creatures, but that doesn’t stop them from running at an exceptional speed. They have robust figures with exceptionally sharp claws and jaws, hence the reputation of ferocious predators that can pose a danger to humans.
But what about the weight? How much does the average bear weigh?
Although many factors contribute to a bear’s weight, most of these animals have an average body mass that ranges between 200 and 500 pounds. That number can change when the animal is either pregnant or hibernating.
However, many bear species are much smaller than the average, while some exceed that limit to a large degree. For instance, the sun bear rarely weighs more than 100 pounds, while the average male polar bear can grow to a startling 1,100 pounds.
Now, let’s take a look at the average bear weight of all eight extant bear species that can still be found in the world. Below we rank them from the largest to the smallest.
1. Polar Bears (Ursus Maritimus)
The polar bear is already known to be the largest bear breed, so it’s not surprising that the heaviest recorded bear in history is a 2,209-pound male polar bear that was hunted in 1960 in Alaska.
Astonishingly, this creature managed to double the already enormous 1,100-pound average bear weight that these species are known for.
2. Brown Bears (Ursus Arctos)
The largest recorded brown bear had a body mass of over 1,200 pounds and was discovered by a taxidermist in 1976. In 2014, there was another great discovery of a grizzly skull, which measured 27 and 6/16th inches in length.
A close runner-up, a captive Dakota Zoo Kodiak bear, had a body weight of 2,130 pounds with a nine-inch thick fat layer at the time of his death in 1987. It’s speculated that a year prior to that, the predator weighed 2,400 pounds. However, there was no way to prove this definitely.
3. Asian Black Bears (Ursus Thibetanus)
American black bears already have a substantial 340-pound physique, but back in 1972, a 902-pound male was discovered in New Brunswick. It’s estimated to have weighed 1,100 pounds and was 7.9 feet long.
Imagine what it would look like if a person stood next to these enormous creatures! Considering their massive physique, does it really come as a shock that a male grizzly is five times stronger than an average human being?
4. Panda Bears (Ailuropoda Melanoleuca)
5. Sloth bear (Melursus Ursinus)
6. Andean Bear (Tremarctos Ornatus)
7. North American Black Bear (Ursus Americanus)
8. Sun Bear (Ursus Malayanus)
How Heavy Is a Bear: Determining Factors
Even among members of the same species, bears can vary in weight based on several factors, which we explore in detail below.
1. Species
As demonstrated above, the bear’s species is the most important factor in determining its specific weight and body type.
Generally, some
Smaller breeds—that don’t need to be exceptionally huge to survive—usually weigh under 300 pounds. In contrast, omnivore bear species that need to hunt or need that additional skin and fur to survive in the cool climate will be bulkier.
2. Age
It surely is no surprise that aging predominantly affects an animal’s body weight. Cubs start off relatively small, usually around a pound, and gradually raise more body mass until they reach their full-grown potential.
When they are still young, before reaching maturity, bears weigh under 100 pounds. Their size substantially increases in most cases, but some species don’t grow much.
Bears won’t hunt as much as they age, which can lead to a certain weight loss, but nothing would drastically change.
3. Sex
4. Time of the Year
How much do bears weigh when hibernating?
Hibernation influences a bear’s size throughout the year. During winter, bears completely shut down. They don’t need to eat or drink and rarely urinate or defecate.
To endure that state of hibernation, bears have to cram down as much food as possible during summer, especially carbohydrate-rich berries. This results in a significant weight gain during this season, which can increase by 30 pounds in just one week.
A similar thing happens when a female bear gets pregnant. Right after the mating season, these animals can put on 100 pounds. Polar bears, specifically, can even double up their size while carrying a cub.
Key Takeaways
So how much does the average bear weigh? As you can see, their weight varies greatly among the different species, subspecies, and genders. That said, the brown bear and the American black bear are most prevalent in the U.S., and their adult males weigh around 900 pounds and 600 pounds, correspondingly.
FAQs
How much does a grizzly bear weigh?
While their size varies between subspecies, male grizzlies can grow up to 900 pounds on average, with females weighing around 200 to 300 pounds less.
How much does a bear weigh at birth?
It depends on the species. For instance, male brown bear cubs weigh around a pound, and by the end of their first year, they grow up to 200 pounds.
Most air gunners know that shooting in cold weather has its challenges. The air is thinner, so the pellet loses velocity faster. But what exactly happens to an air gun in cold weather? Here’s a breakdown of how different types of air guns are affected by the cold.
CO2-powered air guns use small cartridges of pressurized CO2 to propel the pellet. These cartridges are sensitive to temperature changes, and can actually freeze in colder weather. When this happens, the gas inside the cartridge expands and can rupture the cartridge. So, if you’re using a CO2-powered gun in cold weather, be sure to keep extra cartridges on hand in case your gun freezes up. It’s also a good idea to keep your cartridges in an insulated pouch close to your body to keep them warm.
Spring-piston (springer)
Guns with steel springs are commonly used for hunting and target shooting because they’re very powerful. But that power comes at a price—namely, these guns are very sensitive to changes in temperature. Cold weather can cause the metal spring inside the gun to contract, which decreases the power of the shot. So, if you plan on using a steel spring gun in cold weather, be sure to sight it in at the range first so you know how much compensation you need to make for the reduced power.
Gas springs
Gas springs are similar to steel springs, but they’re made from a high-strength alloy that is less affected by temperature changes. However, gas springs can still lose some power in colder weather. They also tend to be louder than steel springs, so if you’re hunting in cold weather, be aware that your gas spring gun may give away your position if you take a shot.
Precharged guns (PCP guns) and other pneumatics
Precharged pneumatic (PCP) guns are powered by compressed air or nitrogen instead of a spring or gas cylinder. This makes them much more resistant to changes in temperature since compressed gases don’t expand or contract as metal springs do. PCP guns also have fewer moving parts than other types of air guns, so they tend to be more reliable overall. If you plan on doing any shooting in cold weather, a PCP gun is your best bet.
I walked into the fertilizer company’s office just in time to hear the radio crackle, “Bernie, are you there yet?”
I was showing up for work just after daylight that mid-November morning in 1989, and my boss was already asking for me on the radio. But when I answered, the call took on a whole new meaning.
“I’m by the slough on the southeast end of Paul Johnson’s home place. GET DOWN HERE NOW!”
Jerry was also my bowhunting buddy, and I knew what the call meant. It’s illegal to share hunting information over the radio, but I could tell by the urgency in his voice that this call wasn’t exactly work-related.
Jerry often showed up for work late at that time of year because he spent a couple hours each morning glassing the surrounding farmland for bucks that had pushed does out into the open fields. This morning, he needed help — and I was happy to oblige.
Ten minutes later I skidded to a stop next to his vehicle on the gravel road. With our windows down, he excitedly related what had prompted his radio call.
A “huge,” “giant,” “monster,” “unbelievable” buck had seen Jerry’s truck top the hill and had dived into tall cattails and willows, disappearing into the 1-acre slough. The buck was still in there, and Jerry was going in after him. My boss would give me a few minutes to work around and choose an escape route to cover in case anything went wrong with his stalk.
Taking note of the wind direction and assuming the buck would try to sneak out with the wind in his nose, 10 minutes later I was covering a deer trail on the opposite side of the small patch of cover. Jerry began creeping in. Arrow nocked, release on the string, I was ready. I still hadn’t seen the buck, but Jerry and I had hunted a lot of these northern Iowa bucks in similar situations, and I could tell by his wide-eye description of the deer that this wasn’t just another 150.
Moments later, I heard Jerry yell. I stood up just in time to see the buck escape the far side of the cover and run across the field. I got a good, long look at him as he ran through the CRP field and over the crest of a hill. And what I saw defied description.
To this day, the sight of that buck is etched in my memory. In 45 years of bowhunting, I’ve never seen anything else like him. His rack was twice as wide as his butt. It reached for the sky, and my first thought was that he had a rocking chair on his head. Stickers and kickers and drop tines: this buck had it all.
Despite spending the remainder of that day and many hours over the following weeks and even years trying to locate the buck, we never saw him again. We never heard of him being killed. We never even heard of anyone else around there having seen him.
So, to our knowledge he was never killed. When we’d look at replicas of world- and state-record bucks, including the giant 282-inch Raveling buck at the Iowa Deer Classic, Jerry and I would just shake our heads and sigh.
Where did that giant we saw come from? Where did he go? How does a world-class buck just appear out of nowhere — and then disappear just as mysteriously?
An Old Theory Revisited
In 1993, Tom Miranda and I teamed up to write a book called Corn Fed Giants. In it, we offered a lot of information for the farmland whitetail hunter. Among the topics I wrote about in the book is a phenomenon I’ve not seen in print anywhere else.
I wrote of my belief that once an outsized, genetically superior buck gets big and strong enough to beat up every other buck he contacts, he just goes wherever he wants during the rut. He breeds does as he pleases, traveling far and wide if need be in that quest. He might follow long-running travel corridors for miles and miles. Then, when the rut is over, he might return to his original range — or, he might settle down right where he is, in the best available habitat.
When I announced that theory over 20 years ago, researchers’ ability to track wild bucks’ movements wasn’t what it is today. Now, with GPS collars, a lot more has been learned about travel patterns and home ranges. Even so, I don’t believe there’s been any research to back up my theory.
In fact, most research has shown bucks tend to reduce their home ranges they mature, particularly after passing peak breeding age. But I’m not totally ready to give up on trying to explain the issue of bucks that appear and disappear like ghosts.
One thing we’ve learned is that bucks are individuals with their own “personalities.” And to my knowledge, no one has put a tracking collar on a wild, world-class buck in Midwest farmland habitat. I’ve seen too many situations in which a huge buck just showed up on a camera, never seen before and then never shot or even seen again. Nor is either of his shed antlers found. It’s as if he simply appeared out of thin air . . . and then vanished in the same fashion.
What does this mean to the hunter who wants to know more about the home ranges and travel patterns of mature whitetails? And furthermore, is there information out there to help us improve our odds of bringing such deer home with us?
Defining Home Range
Every deer hunter has heard the term “home range.” It’s usually associated with a number of acres or square miles. The numbers vary greatly by terrain, habitat quality, food availability and time of year.
Home ranges of whitetail bucks in excellent habitat with plenty of food available can be quite small. GPS studies in prime areas of Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Maryland have shown home ranges averaging from 269 to 559 acres; not even as much as a square mile (640 acres).
Often a square mile is used as a baseline for a buck’s home range in good habitat, though there are clearly many places in which that figure is way off. A GPS tracking study in Texas showed an average home range of 2,271 acres. Availability of food and proximity to cover make all the difference.
In many parts of the West, in fact, whitetails routinely make treks of 2-3 miles between preferred bedding areas in timbered hills to feed on alfalfa in the lowlands. The deer make that long-distance hike each way daily. It’s hard to put a number of acres on a home range when deer are taking such long strolls.
Putting a number of acres or square miles on a home range is deceiving, because it almost implies the area is something of a circle or square. In reality, a home range might be a section of winding river bottom two miles long by 300 yards wide. It might include a couple areas where the deer move upstream on a small tributary, which further makes putting a number on it difficult. The shape of a deer’s home range is dictated by habitat, not by acres.
It can be a mistake to get caught up in home ranges when targeting a particular deer. Trail cameras can help you get a feel for where the buck is spending the majority of his time and when he’s there, but trying to determine the boundaries of his preferred area can be futile.
Bucks will go wherever they need to go to get food and water daily, and they’ll certainly roam during the rut. Home ranges are very fluid and dynamic.
Core Areas
While an overall home range might be pretty nebulous, a core area isn’t. The Quality Deer Management Association defines a core area as “The portion of a buck’s home range where he spends 50 percent of his time.” Core areas are all about security and comfort. While a buck might range widely to find food and water, he’ll often come back to the same small area in which he feels secure.
These core areas can change due to weather and food availability. If a food source completely runs out, and there’s suitable bedding cover near a new food source, the buck might pack up and move.
Bucks also tend to bed in the thickest, nastiest cover during bad weather, though they tend to select areas with some visibility during pleasant weather. A buck might use three or four core areas during the course of any given year.
On average, mature bucks tend to have smaller core areas than younger bucks. The 2 1/2-year-olds travel widely, having ranges much larger than even 3 1/2-year-olds.
Many bucks 5 1/2 or older have tiny core areas in which they’ve learned they can feel secure. These deer are big enough to take over the best of the best bits of security cover from other bucks if they so desire.
Excursions
The ability to track bucks’ exact whereabouts with GPS technology has opened a whole new world of information about their habits. One of the things learned through these studies is that bucks, especially mature bucks, take off on what biologists have termed “excursions” a few times per year. The GPS collars have shown these to be anywhere from one to four miles from the core area.
These trips often last around three days. It’s no stretch, considering the individuality of bucks, to suggest some are far longer. The “stranger” that just showed up on your camera might be on just such an excursion.
While the rut is one time in which bucks make excursions, it isn’t the only one. Spring also is “vacation time” for many bucks. In a GPS study done in Pennsylvania by the University of Georgia’s Andy Olson, all 19 collared bucks went on spring excursions.
It’s not fully known what triggers such forays, but some likely are the result of nutritional needs as antlers are beginning to grow. This also is the time when many bucks approaching their first birthdays are traveling around, looking for adult home ranges of their own.
Fall excursions might be related to rutting behavior or even hunting pressure. The collared bucks in these studies were quick to go entirely nocturnal when they felt hunting pressure or other human intrusion. Pressure even can cause bucks to leave their home ranges altogether for long periods of time.
Secondary Ranges
Following buck movements by GPS makes it clear most bucks have a backup plan: a secondary home range they’ll move to as needed. This is evidenced by the fact they tend to go directly to new areas and spend a lot of time there, indicating prior knowledge of those places.
I have no way of proving this, but I theorize these secondary ranges are often bucks’ natal areas. A buck spends the first year of life in his mother’s home range, learning it intimately. It stands to reason that if an adult buck is making a beeline to an area he knows well, it’s possibly one he learned as a fawn.
I suppose the only real way to prove or disprove my theory would be to put a GPS collar on a wild buck fawn and track him over several years. To my knowledge, this hasn’t yet been done.
In Conclusion
Keep in mind that only a relatively small number of wild bucks have been collared and tracked for lengthy periods. This leaves us with very general tendencies and few specifics.
Again, bucks are individuals; they often have remarkably different habits and personalities. Add to that the fact no truly giant wild bucks have been collared. They might behave quite differently from run-of-the-mill bucks.
I’ve resigned myself to never knowing where that giant non-typical Jerry and I saw in 1989 came from or went. I’m sure he wasn’t shot by legal means, or we’d have heard. He probably just died an “old man,” as many smart bucks do. But GPS tracking studies continue to offer new insights into whitetail movements and ranges.
Maybe one day a world-class nomad like him will be collared and we’ll all get a look into the secretive lives of such giants. No doubt it would be revealing.
Choosing the right air compressor hose for your compressed air system can be a difficult task. With so many options, and each offering their own benefits, DIYers often turn to advice to help them come to a decision.
This article will provide you with the pros and cons of PVC, rubber, polyurethane, and hybrid air hoses, along with their suited applications and other hose selection considerations to make your decision a lot easier!
PVC air hoses are probably the most affordable air compressor hose available on today’s market. PVC hoses consist of a PVC-compound inner tube and a polyester spiral outer, which allows them to hold their shape. Consequently, making it difficult and possibly impossible to lie them flat.
PVC air hoses are typically stiffer than rubber hoses, making them more difficult to coil and uncoil. They tend to kink which is not desirable, and they easily become inflexible in cold weather conditions.
PVC air hoses are often distributed for free with air compressors, but because of these points, they may be difficult to work with, which is why many DIYers will upgrade their air hose to one of the following materials.
Here’s an example of a PVC air hose readily available on Amazon!
PVC Air Hose Advantages
Affordable
PVC Air Hose Disadvantages
Stiff
Struggle to retain flexibility in cold weather
Tend to kink
Rubber Air Hose
Rubber air hoses are typically the most common and readily available air hoses on the market. They consist of synthetic rubber which is reinforced with either braided or spiraled yarn. These types of hoses are very durable, rarely leak, and if they do, it’s generally easy to fix.
Rubber hoses do not kink and coil so easily, which makes them very easy to work with, even when the ambient temperature is cold. Rubber hoses are typically more expensive than other types of air hoses and tend to collect a lot of direct when being dragged across the floor due to their tackiness.
Here’s an example of a rubber air hose readily available on Amazon!
Rubber Air Hose Advantages
Do not kink or coil easily
Durable
Rarely leak
Rubber Air Hose Disadvantages
Heavy
More expensive than other types of hose
Tacky materials – therefore, collect dirt
Polyurethane Air Hose
Polyurethane air hoses are often confused with PVC air hoses due to their similar appearance. The key difference between the two is that Polyurethane performs far better than PVC.
Polyurethane air hoses are lighter and more flexible than PVC, and they have a very smooth outer layer that allows them to glide across surfaces with ease. Polyurethane hoses are not as flexible as rubber hoses, which makes them susceptible to kinking. Along with this, they also have a relatively high cost among air compressor hoses.
Their qualities make them an ideal choice for working with pneumatic framing or roofing nailers, to allow both freedom of movement and weight distribution.
Here’s an example of a polyurethane air hose readily available on Amazon!
Polyurethane Air Hose Advantages
Flexible
Lightweight
Smooth outer layer – ease of transportation across surfaces
Polyurethane Air Hose Disadvantages
Not as durable as rubber
High cost
Likely to kink
Hybrid Air Hose
Hybrid hoses are a combination of rubber, polyurethane, and PVC. This powerful blend gives them qualities that are similar to rubber but at a lighter weight, essentially making hybrid hoses a lot easier to work with.
Hybrid hoses are very durable, lightweight, and flexible, making them perfect for all types of tasks, from being used with ladders to being used in your garage. Though hybrid hoses aren’t as tacky as rubber, and so, they don’t collect as much dirt, they are more likely to kink after extended periods of use.
Here’s an example of a hybrid air hose readily available on Amazon!
Hybrid Air Hose Advantages
Flexible
Lightweight
Not tacky
Perfect for all types of tasks
Hybrid Air Hose Disadvantages
Likely to kink after extended periods of usage
Hose Selection Considerations
Now you have an idea of the different materials available for air hoses, I want to switch attention to the other considerations you must factor in when selecting the right air hose for you. These include:
Coiling Capabilities
Connections
Hose Dimensions
Kink Resistance
Pressure Rating
Temperature Compatibility
Coiling Capabilities
Air compressor hoses either coil in a standard or recoil method. Standard hoses lie flat with no coils or bends, which makes them easy to unroll and stretch flat for maximum length or for storage.
Recoil hoses are ideal for working around a garage or workshop as they have small twists in their hoses, which cause them to recoil backward when the user lets go. Standard hoses can cause tripping hazards but are the ideal choice when operating a nailer because they have a longer maximum length.
Connections
Air compressor hoses typically have threaded ends to allow users to attach quick-release connectors to them, allowing you to switch between different power tools with ease.
You must take consideration into the right-sized quick-release connector for your tools. They are generally available in 1/8″ 1/4″ and 1/2″ sizes and as aluminum or brass. Brass connectors offer better resistance to corrosion and generally are known for more air-tight connections.
Hose Dimensions
First of all, the diameter of the hoses is important to decide how much air the hose is capable of delivering. Hoses range from around 1/4″ to 1/2″ and the right one will typically depend on the size of the air compressor. The most common size air hose is a 3/8″ hose.
Air compressors with high CFM outputs (cubic feet per minute) should use a larger diameter hose while air compressors with low CFM outputs should use a smaller diameter hose. For more information on CFM, visit our guide here!
The hose length is also important in determining which applications the hose can be used for, and how much pressure it will be capable of handling. Most air hoses range from around 5 feet to 60 feet.
If you require a hose for framing, roofing, painting, or other projects that require you to be a distance from your air compressor, then you will need a lengthier air hose. But, you must be aware that the longer the hose, the greater the pressure drop.
Shorter hoses are better suited to applications like filling truck tires or any other applications that demand higher pressures with sustained use.
Kink Resistance
Air compressor hoses, just like garden hoses, are liable to twisting and kinking when pulled or uncoiled. This can cause a delay in the airflow going through the hose, and may even lead to a burst at the kink if not dealt with.
Rubber hoses resist kinking better than any other type of hose. PVC has the worst of the hoses presented in this article, while hybrid and polyurethane offer good resistance to kinking.
Pressure Rating
Each and every air compressor hose will have a maximum pressure rating, indicating the amount of pressure, PSI (pounds per square inch), the air hose can withstand before breaking.
Typically, manufacturers will recommend an operating pressure for the hose as well as the burst pressure which is the maximum pressure the hose can withstand before bursting. Keep in mind, hoses with higher pressure ratings can handle tougher jobs like inflating truck tires.
Temperature Compatibility
An air compressor’s ability to resist changes in its flexibility typically depends on the different temperatures it’s exposed to. PVC struggle in colder temperatures and become less flexible, making them harder to work with.
In contrast, rubber hoses maintain their flexibility in temperatures that reach well below freezing. Polyurethane and hybrid hoses also are able to retain their flexibility in colder temperatures.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re wondering how to plumb an air compressor setup, visit our guide!
If you have any questions about PVC, rubber, polyurethane, or hybrid hoses, please leave a comment below, with a photo if applicable, so that someone can help you!
Jokichi Takamine, a Japanese chemist from a sake-making family, moved to New Orleans in 1884 to represent Japan at the city’s World Cotton Centennial, that year’s World Fair. He fell in love with a local wealthy white woman and they married, an unusual pairing for the time. In addition to his social iconoclasm, Takamine was a shrewd businessman who wanted to promote Japanese culture in the United States. His successes are too numerous to list in a story about koji: He patented the first hormone, adrenaline, which made him fabulously wealthy. With the money from that and other successful businesses, he financed the Japanese government’s gift of cherry trees, whose blossoms still grace Washington, D.C.’s tidal basin every April.
Takamine also introduced Americans to koji. In Japan, he had patented a process to grow koji on wheat bran, and he realized that koji and the enzymes it produced could dramatically speed up the whiskey-making process, its enzymes freeing sugar much faster than traditional malting. So Takamine partnered with his father-in-law in an attempt to transform the whiskey business.
Joan Bennett, professor at Rutgers University and former president of the American Society for Microbiology, believes that Takamine was not exactly welcomed into the world of 1800s American whiskey. Bennett has become somewhat obsessed with the Takamine story and has even written a short piece about him in Inoculum, the newsletter of the Mycological Society of America.
Bennett first discovered Takamine three decades ago, when she was a young scientist, writing her first review article on the genus Aspergillus. While amassing dates on great moments in the fungus’s history in microbiology, she discovered, to her surprise, that Takamine had patented the first fungal enzyme from Aspergillus. Six months later, wandering through the stacks at Tulane University’s library, where she worked at the time, Bennett randomly came across a narrow book about Takamine and wondered what could have been written about the Aspergillus patent holder. She discovered a vanity biography commissioned by his wife, Caroline, after he died.
Takamine did leave one koji-size mark on American history: The patent that Bennett discovered in her research was arguably the first biotechnology patent in the United States, given to him in 1891 for an enzyme created by koji he named Taka-diastase. This is the same enzyme that failed Takamine in the whiskey business, but he thought it could also be useful in aiding digestion, perhaps, says Bennett, due to a popular theory at the time that indigestion was caused by too much starch. Takamine used that enzyme to create and sell a popular Alka-Seltzer-like digestive aid called, appropriately, Takadiastase, which was a hit in late 1800s America and is still popular today in Japan. Bennett calls Takamine a “huge and somewhat overlooked figure in the history of biotechnology.”
The use of Aspergillus in biotech has continued since Takamine’s discoveries. The cholesterol-lowering drug Lovastatin is produced by a koji cousin. Aspergillus niger, used to ferment pu-ehr tea, is also employed industrially to produce citric acid.
But, other than the handful of companies making soy sauce and miso in the United States, koji’s potential as a creative ingredient in food fermentation and transformation has largely evaded American chefs. Until recently.
If you’ve just bought your first air rifle, you might be wondering if you should get a scope specifically for it or if you can just use a rifle scope you already have in your workshop.
When picking out a scope for your air rifle, there are many considerations, such as zoom level, optic quality, objective lens size, and the mounting system.
Shooting Mystery has the answer to the most commonly asked questions about air rifle scopes and compares them directly to regular rifle scopes in terms of their effectiveness and durability.
No, youcannot and should notuse a regular rifle scope on your air rifle. Doing so might actually break the rifle scope beyond repair.
Standard rifles fire bullets out of the barrel through pressure from ignited gasses inside the bullet. This combustion causes the familiar backward recoil you feel after pulling the trigger.
On the other hand, air rifles fire using a different method that gives it recoil that moves forward after the initial backward-moving recoil. This movement is something standard rifle scopes aren’t designed for.
This is why the inner assembly on your rifle scope will break if you use it on an air rifle scope. It’s just not designed to be used with that weapon system or handle the forward recoil it creates.
Instead of using regular rifle scopes, you should pick out a dedicated air rifle scope that’s designed to handle the recoil from the weapon.
Here are the essential things to consider when picking out an air rifle scope.
Zoom Level
There are two main types of air rifle scopes – fixed magnification and variable magnification scopes. Fixed zoom scopes are stuck on only one zoom level.
Zoom is the main feature that explains how a telescopic sight works. It allows a shooter to see at longer fixed ranges and hit a target effectively.
Meanwhile, variable zoom scopes are much more versatile because you can switch between magnification levels, such as zooming in from 3x to 15x. This is helpful when aiming at varying distances.
However, this can make the scope heavier than fixed zoom alternatives. You’ll also have to make more adjustments and re-zero the scope more often than fixed zoom scopes.
Optic Quality
An air rifle scope can have as many zoom levels as needed, but if the actual optical glass quality is poor, your shooting performance will still suffer.
You should get an air rifle scope that is clear and scratch and glare resistant. Despite the added cost, other features, like being fog-proof and waterproof, are also worth considering.
Variable scopes might have different optic lens qualities depending on the zoom level. Check reviews of the specific scope to see if the sight image quality drops when you zoom in.
Recoil Management
Some air rifles are very powerful, producing noticeable forward-jerking recoil. This can hurt or even destroy the scope if you’re not careful.
Thankfully, rifle scopes made explicitly for air rifles can easily withstand the forward recoil. Just don’t go buying cheaper, standard rifle scopes for your air rifle.
Check the product details and reviews to see if the scope is designed to be used on air rifles. If there’s no information, it’s best to pick another option.
Objective Lens Size
The objective lens size is significant in how an air rifle scope functions. The main reason to get a rifle with a smaller objective lens is that it’s more portable and generally lighter, making it a better fit for a lower-caliber air rifle.
On the other hand, getting a larger objective lens can have the crucial benefit of letting in more light into the scope. This allows you to see clearer in low-light situations.
Purchasing a scope with a larger objective lens size (40-50mm) is recommended if you regularly shoot at dawn or dusk.
Mounting System
This is how your scope optic will be attached to your air rifle. There are two main types of mounting systems: one-piece and two-piece.
Two-piece mounts are fine for most rifles and can be easier to install and take off. They’re also cheaper than one-piece mounts.
However, getting a one-piece mount is your best bet if you have an air rifle with a lot more power. These mounts are a lot better at handling recoil than two-piece mounts.
You should also get a higher mount for larger scopes and standard-sized ones for scopes that aren’t as big. This is directly connected to objective lens size. The larger the lens, the larger the mount needed.
Benefits of Using a Scope on an Air Rifle
Makes you more accurate
Variable zoom is idle for hitting targets at unique distances
Decreases eye strain versus looking through iron sights
Increases the effective range of your air rifle
Large objective lens scopes help shooters see in low light
Disadvantages of Using a Scope on an Air Rifle
Adds weight to your air rifle
Added expense for the shooter
Frequently Asked Questions
After learning more about air rifle scopes, you might have other questions about how they work. Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
What’s the Best Magnification Level for an Air Rifle Scope?
The ideal magnification range for an air rifle scope is between 1x and 16x. Whether you get a fixed or variable zoom scope is up to you and your shooting preferences.
Getting a scope with a higher zoom level than 16x might not be worth it because the range on air rifles isn’t as far as on conventional rifles.
PRO TIP: If you’d like to survey your surroundings and keep an eye on elusive game, consider getting a drone with a camera to act as a scout or overwatch.
What Is a Good FPS for an Air Rifle?
Most shooters prefer a “feet per second” (FPS) count of between 600 and 900 FPS for air rifles. This is ideal for accuracy while maintaining a decent pellet size.
Handguns using the same firing technology usually have a lower FPS count because of the shorter barrel and less robust and weaker firing mechanism.
Final Thoughts
You might be tempted to save a few bucks by sticking an unused conventional rifle scope onto your air rifle. You shouldn’t do this because it might break the optic.
There are plenty of excellent air rifle scopes out there that are designed to take the forward recoil and have all the great features that you love on conventional rifle scopes.
The crucial thing to remember is that optical quality, zoom level, recoil management, mounting, and objective lens must meet your needs and that of your air rifle.
Despite the hot, muggy, “dog days” of summer, July and August are special months for the avid whitetail hunter. Bucks are formed in bachelor groups and are highly visible as they frequent agricultural fields and other high-quality food sources. This provides opportunities to assess the number, age, and antler quality of bucks in your area. This becomes even more exciting when several quality bucks are sighted on your hunting property. However, this excitement often turns to disappointment and frustration as these bucks magically disappear once the hunting season begins. Did they leave, become nocturnal, or go “underground” as many hunters believe? Thankfully, advancements in technology have enabled wildlife researchers to gain a better understanding of buck movements.
Maryland Study Is Revealing
Equipped with radio-collars that monitor hourly GPS locations, researchers in Maryland recently discovered many new aspects of buck home range and movements. The study took place at Chesapeake Farms, a 3,300-acre wildlife and agricultural research site on the eastern shore of Maryland owned by DuPont Corporation. The research effort was led by James Tomberlin, graduate student from North Carolina State University; Dr. Mark Conner, manager of Chesapeake Farms; and Dr. Richard Lancia, Wildlife and Fisheries Program Coordinator with North Carolina State University.
Chesapeake Farms has been managed under Quality Deer Management (QDM) guidelines since 1994 and boasts a fairly balanced adult sex ratio of 1.5 does per buck, and an older buck age structure with more than half of all bucks harvested being 3 1/2 years of age or older. Approximately 50% of the property is forested, 33% is cropland and the remainder is ponds, marshes, hedgerows, and other areas managed for wildlife and hunting.
From 2003 to 2005, researchers darted 18 bucks that were 2 1/2 years old or older and equipped them with GPS radio collars, which recorded their location and movements 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This information was used to determine buck home range size, core area use and excursions, and unusual movements outside of their home range.
Buck Home Range & Core Area Use
Previous studies have revealed significant variation in buck home range size according to age, habitat type, deer density, buck age structure, and more. Therefore, the following results should be viewed with caution, especially if the habitat or composition of your deer herd is significantly different than those on Chesapeake Farms.
In this study, the average home range size of mature bucks was approximately 700 acres. However, taken alone, this information can be misleading. First, there was considerable variation in home range size among individual bucks. This echoes previous studies that suggest some bucks are “homebodies” while others are “travelers.”
Second, there was considerable seasonable variation, with home range size being largest during the rut and smallest during summer. This is not surprising given a buck’s drive to breed as many does as possible during the rut, and the lack of need to move during the summer, except between bedding and feeding areas. Many bucks also exhibited significant shifts within their home ranges between seasons.
For example, many bucks that spent nearly every moment on or adjacent to an agricultural field during the summer shifted their home ranges a mile or more away during the breeding season. Researchers believed that changes in forage availability was likely responsible for the shift, as agricultural crops at Chesapeake Farms were harvested during early fall and mast crops in nearby hardwood forest areas became available. This could explain why many hunters in agricultural areas don’t see the bucks they watched all summer during the hunting season.
How to Hunt Your Neighbors’ Deer
Finally, and perhaps most important to hunters, the average size of a buck’s core area, or where he spent at least 50% of his time, was only around 100 acres. Like home range size, core area size also varied seasonally and was largest during the rut and smallest during summer. Surprisingly, during the rut, bucks spent 50% or more time in only 16% of their home ranges! Given that their study also confirmed that buck activity was lowest during daylight hours, it is not surprising why many mature bucks seem to disappear during the hunting season.
These findings also stress the need for hunters to identify a buck’s core area—or areas—during the hunting season. This is best accomplished through hunter observations and the use of game cameras. However, just because you took dozens of photos of a particular buck in August doesn’t mean that’s where he will be during November. Remember, within their home ranges, bucks often shift core areas seasonally. Therefore, to harvest a particular buck, you likely will need to shift your hunting areas as well. Bottom line, while the locations of those August photos might be the best place to harvest that buck during early archery season, they may be among the least-likely spots to take him later in the season.
When Bucks Go Wandering
During summer, daily buck movements tended to be short trips from bedding to feeding areas, but this changed dramatically during the breeding season. Beginning during the pre-rut, several bucks covered large portions of their home ranges and then returned to their core areas within eight to 30 hours.
Additionally, 58% of bucks also made excursions outside of their home ranges during the rut, often staying in the new locations six to 24 hours before returning to their home ranges. While unsure, researchers speculated that these bucks likely were in pursuit of an estrous doe. These seemingly random excursions outside of a buck’s normal home range could explain how some bucks that have never been seen or photographed previously, seem to magically appear and either get harvested or vanish—never to be seen again on the property.
Another interesting finding was the change in time of day the excursions occurred. During both the pre-rut and post-rut periods approximately 70% of excursions occurred during nighttime hours; whereas during the peak rut, 70% occurred during daylight hours. This certainly helps explain the increased visibility of bucks by hunters during the rut.
Scouting and Installing Water Sources for Deer
How Will You Change Your Hunting Approach?
So, where do all the big bucks go? From this study, it’s clear there are numerous reasons why a hunter doesn’t cross paths with a particular buck during the hunting season. For example, where a buck spends his summer or early fall may be drastically different from where he will be during the rut. Also, a buck’s core area is smaller than previously believed. If you are not hunting within or very near this core area, you risk hunting locations that are never (or rarely) used by a given buck. Furthermore, except during the rut, a mature buck moves little during daylight hours except for brief periods during early morning and late evening.
To make matters worse, researchers at Chesapeake Farms also confirmed that at least some bucks can pattern hunters. They compared GPS locations of buck movements to those of their permanent hunting stands where all hunting occurred. For example, not once during daylight hours did one 3.5-year-old buck pass within shootable distance of any of these stands during the hunting season. However, at night he used them like mile markers on a highway, and was frequently recorded in their immediate vicinity. Unless this buck made a mistake, he had become essentially “unkillable” —at least by hunters on Chesapeake Farms.
Collectively, the findings of this study confirm what ardent whitetail hunters already knew—harvesting mature whitetails is among the most difficult of hunting challenges. However, armed with this new whitetail science, hopefully you can stack the odds a bit more in your favor this hunting season.
Planning Deer Hunting Vacations: Are Opening or Closing Days Better?
Have you been looking for the best hunting dogs with their specialty? Aside from being a great companion, some breeds are also suitable for hunting. However, not all pooches are ideal for such activities. Aside from your hunting gear, let’s take a look at 20 animal breeds that are always ready to come with you on your next hunting adventure.
Pets for hunting are capable of chasing other species, but it is essential that you pick the right breed that focuses primarily on the animal that you want to hunt. So we’ve listed down some of the best specialized hunting dogs in the hunting world. From small to big game hunting, indeed, there’s a pet that would match your game.
Hunting is now a sport for most people. Some hunters bring their furry pals, which makes it one of their key assets in capturing their prey. Just like humans, pets also have specialties when it comes to hunting. Pooches just need some experiences to unleash its full potential and use these natural talents.
Some breeds are good at catching flying prey, and some are even better at chasing down the wildest animals in hunting. It leads us to the question, what are the best hunting dogs with their specialty? When properly trained, dogs are far more efficient and capable hunters than humans because of their inherent strength, accurate sense of smell, and exceptional hearing abilities.
1. Best Rabbit Hunting Dogs: Beagle
If you love hunting rabbits, Beagles are your best companion. Aside from being an excellent homebody, these breeds are also great in picking up rabbit scents. Moreover, it is also the best canine for chasing bunnies in circles so that you can get a better shot.
For roughly 200 years now, tri-colored Beagles have been reliable when it comes to small game hunting. It may not be obvious, but this breed has one of the best noses in the canine world when it comes to scenting abilities.
The combination of a superior sense of smell, agility, and speed, Beagles are a good candidate for hunting rabbits. Moreover, it also excels in detection due to its keen sense of smell. It may sound like a service dog, but you can also expect a friendly demeanor. In fact, it belongs to the small-size breeds. Hence, you don’t need a large house or yard to give it a home.
Beagles are the best rabbit hunting dogs.
2. Best Duck Hunting Dogs: Labrador Retriever
Labradors have physical attributes that are suitable for cold-water retrieving. Hence, they can help you hunt ducks and other water prey in the water, making it the best all-around waterfowl dog. From the name itself, these dog breeds love water exercises and activities, which include swimming and retrieving. Moreover, Labradors are the most intelligent of all retrievers because they mature faster.
Aside from being smart, this dog breed also has a double coat for warmth and webbed feet for water repellency. It also has a muscled body and thick otter tail for better maneuverability in the water. So, these traits will allow pet owners to train this kind of pet even at younger ages. When it comes to hunting, Labradors can handle the learning curve of hand signals, and whistles, which are essential whenever you are close to your target species.
Still, Labrador Retrievers are also a great family dog. Physically strong outside, but these pets also have friendliness and loyalty to its family. In fact, this dog breed is the most registered dog in America. After you hunt all day, Labradors will always come home and most likely play with children.
3. Best Fox Hunting Dogs: American Foxhound
From the name itself, American Foxhounds are your best fox hunting dogs. These are perfect hunting animals because of its enthusiasm that’s going to chase down everything you’re asking them to do.
Unlike the first two breeds, American foxhounds are specifically bred for hunting. Way back to its rich history of loyalty and capability, you can always rely on these dogs when it comes to hunting, tracking, and more.
At first glimpse, it may look like a Beagle until you realize that that latter is taller and leaner. Thanks to its athletic built, it is one of the most hard-working canines that you will see when it comes to hunting. Moreover, you can maintain it quickly as it only requires little grooming. You may think that it is a very wild dog breed since it loves hunting foxes, but these pooches are also great family dogs and loving companions.
4. Best Land Bird Hunting Dogs: Golden Retriever
Here are other best hunting dogs with their specialty, which is excellent in chasing land birds. It is one of the most popular dog breeds in the United States today due to its friendliness and loyalty. Aside from being a companion pet, these breeds also love to hunt. The beautiful and fierce body built is suitable for hanging out in the sub-urban and doing some fun active sports.
High stamina, extremely intelligent, and physically healthy – these are the traits that make Golden Retrievers excellent in physical sports, especially bird hunting. Moreover, it also has a happy disposition that’s why pet owners love adopting one in their homes. Golden Retrievers will hunt down ducks or small birds and smile all the way through.
You won’t have any problems in training, plus these pooches are fun for the whole family. These dogs could be both a man’s best friend and one of the best hunting breeds that you can find. After all, these breeds are retrievers, known for catching birds and returning them to the hunter without damage.
Golden Retrievers are the best land bird hunting dogs.
5. Best Quail Hunting Dogs: Pointer
Do you want more best hunting dogs with their specialty? The ultimate pooch above all the gun breeds – the slick, fast, and bird-obsessed Pointer will not stop until it gets its bird prey. This dog can work on the hardest terrain just to give you your target.
Don’t worry about staying cool because the thin coat allows them to get through the heat from the sun. Moreover, it has a perpetual endurance, which is suitable for all-day hunting. Still, make sure to bring enough water for your furry hunter.
Pointers have been dominating the field of bird hunting for decades. You can always rely on fast and hard work. Moreover, these dogs will never leave you because they have the willingness to lock and hold on for as long as needed. If you look for them, you can even find Pointers are usually high-energy pets that are suitable for hunting. When trained properly to behave, this dog breed is also ideal as family dogs.
6. Best Racoon Hunting Dogs: Coonhound
If you have been dealing with raccoons, let these sharp-nosed hunters get rid of the pests for you. Coonhounds have the instinct to catch raccoons as well as other prey that you want to find while hunting.
It comes from several variations like Bluetick, Black & Tan, Redbone, American English, and Treeing Walker, but they all came from one family. An ancestry of excellent hunting dogs. Of all Coonhounds, Treeing Walker has the most remarkable tenacity and intelligence.
Regardless, just like Retrievers, Coonhounds consist of dog breeds that are supremely tough with incredible stamina. Moreover, this pet also has excellent noses. In fact, its ancestors have been famous for pursuing cougars and mountain lions. If you’re a hunter who stays outdoors all day long, these are the trains of a dog companion that you must bring with you when it comes to massive hunting games.
7. Best Squirrel Hunting Dogs: Mountain Cur
Still haven’t found the best hunting dogs with their specialty? There are many ways to hunt squirrels. Either you catch them on the spot by walking through the forest while sniping, or stalk until you find the right timing to catch it off guard.
Another way and the best method is to use Mountain Cur dogs to locate, mark, and help you take a shot. Almost every pet may enjoy hunting squirrels, but Mountain Curs are the most special breeds to do this task with enthusiasm.
However, since 1998, UKC hasn’t registered these dog breeds. Still, it has been one of the most all-around dogs used for hunting and protection. With the mixed ancestry of Hounds that have great noses and voices, and Terriers with added tenacity – this is a dog breed for all purposes in the frontier of the wilderness.
Mountain Curs are the best squirrel hunting dogs.
8. Best Deer Hunting Dogs: American Foxhound
Originated in Maryland and Virginia, here’s the best dog for catching deer. It has all the characteristics required to run deer successfully. From energy, high stamina, excellent sense of smell, to enthusiastic natural hunting attitude – the American Foxhound is everything you need as a hunting companion.
Unlike many other scent hounds, American Foxhounds are “running” hounds, as opposed to “treeing” hounds. It means that these breeds love to hunt a lot more and be a part of the process than the outcome of the hunt.
American foxhounds are going to sprint through troubles to catch a deer or a fox. It can put reluctant deer on their feet and keep them going better than many other common breeds, such as the shorter-legged beagle.
9. Best Sea Duck Hunting Dogs: Chesapeake Bay Retriever
If you love sea duck hunting, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are the only embodiment of real American hunters. This hard-working and utilitarian dog breed can play the cold and rough waters. Moreover, it has a more solid built compared to Labradors
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The thick and oily coats help in repelling cold temperatures while the webbed feet are suitable for swimming. Whether the target sear duck is on icy or running water, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever will always find a way to hunt it down.
This pet may be a slower-maturing dog, but it can be tricky as you teach and train new tricks. However, you must train these pooches with authority without getting too physical. During the old times, Chessies’ job was to protect gear, guns, and boats at the docks as the hunters rested in waterfront saloons. Slowly, the role evolved to being a waterfowl-hunting retriever even in the harshest conditions.
10. Best Pheasant Hunting Dogs: English Springer Spaniel
If pheasants are your thing for hunting, English Springer Spaniel has the stamina to cover ground all day long and an excellent sense of smell to point the locations of the target.
Moreover, it can definitely catch up with the run-and-gun nature of the pheasant hunting game. Springers may be smaller than Labradors, but it can cover up the whole ground due to its high energy levels.
When it comes to retrieving instincts, you wouldn’t have any problems as these breeds have more reliable senses. Even just by picking up scents, springers have a pleasant temperament and are loyal to their owners.
English Springer Spaniels are the best pheasant hunting dogs.
11. Best Small Hunting Game Dogs: Irish Setter
Irish Setters are just like their English counterparts that are always ready to hunt alongside you day and night. However, these dog breeds require relatively high maintenance for its thick, beautiful, and luxurious coat.
From necessary fetching skills to hunting birds, these pets are smart, determined, resourceful, and highly energetic. Moreover, after a day of hunting, it changes its personality to a friendly, loving, and playful companion.
For over 200 years, this breed has been popular to all hunters and even sportspeople. Unlike Labradors, Irish Settles can be a bit boisterous, which means you may need patience in training. The process of learning is challenging for this dog, but it will serve you excellently in the bush while hunting. With those natural trains in hunting, Irish Setters are suitable small hunting games.
12. Best Wild Boar Hunting Dogs: Bloodhound
Unique and tough – these are the top qualities of a Bloodhound. It has superb investigative skills, which makes it suitable for tracking the scent of your target. Some law enforcement agencies use Bloodhounds to assist them in looking for missing persons. For this reason, pet breeders call it the Sherlock Holmes of the canine world.
These dogs will live up to your expectations due to unparalleled tracking abilities, which makes them excellent hunting dogs. Initially bred for big game hunting and other potential challenging outdoor games. It may seem too smart, but Bloodhounds are also a great companion both on and off the hunting game. The nickname suggests like it is a ruthless hunter, but these breeds are friendly, loyal, and playful towards its owners.
Whether you’re hunting for wild boar or deer, Bloodhounds are one of the best companions. However, take note that some are stubborn to follow tricks. So, it is essential to establish authority in the beginning. Moreover, there may be some instances that it will give other dog breeds of the same sex due to its strong personality.
13. Best Upland Birds Hunting Dogs: Weimaraner
Is there a dog that can help you track upland birds? Definitely, and Weimaraners are one of the best bird hunting dogs. It is one of the most unique and elegant breeds in the sporting group. These pups have their roots in Germany, where they were initially bred to hunt anything – from upland birds to bears. These breeds are energetic, but may not be too evident due to its ungracefully thin and tall appearance. Their lean legs make them look awkward at first glance, but it also helps the Weimaraners to be quicker and calmer.
Due to its thin built, expect extreme athleticism, unmatched intelligence, and incredible senses. Moreover, it requires very little maintenance when it comes to grooming the coat. These are the traits, which are perfect for hunting pheasant, quail, or other highlands bird species.
Weimaraners may look ferocious, which they are when it comes to hunting, but this pet bonds well with children and the whole family. Regardless, it has a hunting pedigree that is also suitable for big games in tracing predators like wolves. However, it requires lots of training in discipline and exercise because it can be loafing.
Weimaraners are the best upland birds hunting dogs.
14. Best Grouse Hunting Dogs: English Setter
When it comes to grouse hunting dogs, English Setters have a keen nose to track the scent of spooky birds without scaring it away. At first look, you may think that it is a Dalmatian because of its black spots, and white fur.
However, the thick, long coat and the shape of the face make it different. Setters are famous for propensity to work closely with you during a hunting game. It will stay in sight to hold a point just to give you the best position in taking a shot.
Chasing a grouse can be a challenge, so you must ensure that your dog is comfortable with tracking, retrieving, and force fetches commands. Like other dogs that are popular in hunting, the English setters have two distinct lines: verification and ground. It means this breed excels well in tracking the prey and even chasing it after the hunter made the shot. Due to its popularity even in the past, the first dog registered with the American Kennel Club was an English Setter, named Adonis.
15. Best Pig Hunting Dogs: American Pitbull Terrier
For hunting wild boar and pigs in the forest, American Pitbull Terriers can accompany you. In early history, most farmers and ranchers found one of the most versatile canines. It has the built of a Pitbull and the intelligence of a Terrier.
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These two primary traits make it suitable for forest hunting games. In some countries, they also use it as rescue and police dogs. When trained properly, it can perform narcotics and explosives detection, and border patrol dogs. In competitive dog athletics, the American Pitbull Terriers will prevail in endurance, agility, and weight pulling.
Experimental mating between Bulldogs and terriers started in England, Scotland, and Ireland in the 19th century. The goal was to cross the athleticism of Terriers with the power of Bulldogs. Foreigners eventually brought the bull-and-terrier crosses to the United States. Since then, it has been famous to most ranchers and farmers when it comes to driving livestock and hunting while being a dedicated family companion. The American Staffordshire Terrier and the American Pitbull Terrier came from the same ancestry, but different names are depending on the location of the dog clubs.
16. Best Bird Hunting Dogs: Boykin Spaniel
Boykin Spaniel is a natural when it comes to hunting, especially for birds because it excels well when it comes to flushing and retrieving. The best trait of this breed is intelligence, which makes the training a lot easier.
Moreover, the uncompromising determination when hunting will give you an advantage when tracking down your prey. Aside from bird hunting, this dog also performs well in dense brush and wetlands, which makes it ideal for shooting waterfowls like ducks.
Outside the context of hunting, a Boykin Spaniel is an excellent pet that is loving and easy-going. However, take note that it requires more maintenance due to its long and relatively wavy fur. Boykin Spaniel originated in South Carolina at the beginning of the 20th century. These uncommon best hunting dogs are famous for serious hunters. Therefore, it climbed up the rankings on hunting dog charts all over online hunting dog resources.
Boykin Spaniels are the best bird hunting dogs.
17. Best All-Around Hunting Dogs: Brittany Dog
Brittany Dogs are almost similar to Setters, which are incredibly versatile and talented when it comes to hunting. Whether your game includes flushing, retrieving, pointing, and even agility, this dog breed is an excellent companion. Just like its beautiful name, these dogs are exceptionally handsome or charming with just the right amount of fur. Hence, it requires minimal maintenance when it comes to grooming.
Whether for hunting, adventure, and companion at home, Brittany dogs are loyal and smart. Originated in France in the 1800s, these breeds are originally for pointing and retrieving. It is a cross of distinct Spanish and English setters, resulting in a quick and curious species.
Apart from being merely adorable, loveable, and friendly family dogs, Brittanies are one of the best hunting pets. However, take note that you need to be physically ready when owning this pet because it requires a lot of exercise. Otherwise, it may become restless without activities.
18. Best Rabbit Hunting Dogs: Jack Russel Terrier
Developed in England some 200 years ago, this breed was originally for hunting foxes. In hunting, never belittle small breeds. Jack Russel Terrier is an energetic breed that will help you point the location of your target rabbits. Once properly trained, it is one of the smartest pets for small game. It can do more than flushing and hunting squirmy little species.
If you love hunting rabbits, you should put Jack Russell close to the top of your list. As long as you can reduce their energy in the morning, you won’t get disappointed by this breed.
Even at home or on the game trail, it is bright and extremely loving. Charming, affectionate, lively, and independent, these are the traits that you will love about this dog.
19. Best Turkey Hunting Dogs: Appalachian Turkey Dogs
Let’s continue our list of the best hunting dogs with their specialties. When it comes to hunting turkeys, it is essential that you have a companion that is a big runner while tracking the scent through thin air.
In this case, Appalachian Turkey Dogs are also a popular choice for many turkey hunters. It is a combination of Setters, Plott Hounds, and Pointers.
However, AKC does not recognize such dogs. Still, it has a stylish appearance with excellent stamina, fast speed, and range. Moreover, it has the desire to chase, track, and bark as loud as it could, which are suitable for driving prey. Appalachian Turkey Dogs fill a hunting specialty that requires specific attributes derived from its purebred roots.
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20. Best Hog Hunting Dogs: Dogo Argentino
This cute and extra special breed is stunning from its muscular built to its unique face. Bigger, stronger, and more agile than a Pitbull, Dogo Argentinos have been bred specifically for big-game hunting. Originating in South America, Dogos are also the best hunting dog even during a hot climate and rough terrains.
The well-muscled body of this breed and the thin white coat make it look so beautiful. The intimidating game face look is so fierce whenever this dog goes into hunting.
However, it is still a friendly and loyal companion at home. Just make sure to train it to avoid displaying its aggressiveness towards other people and even other dog breeds.
The Best Hunting Dogs – FAQ
Even in the old days, people have been hunting other species with the assistance of their dogs. However, since not all breeds are suitable for this activity, make sure that you come with the best hunting dogs with their specialty on our list. Depending on the species that you want to catch, some dogs have their unique strengths while others are suitable for all-around hunting games. Finally, let us answer some of the common questions about the best hunting pet companions.
What is the Most Versatile Hunting Dog?
Brittany Dogs are one of the most versatile hunting dogs that are adaptable and flexible to various tasks whenever on the field. From pointing, flushing, to retrieving, this dog breed loves to be a part of every process in catching prey and even join some agility contests. Moreover, it can track down various species from small to large sizes. Whether hunting companions or at home buddies, Brittanys are loyal and intelligent for as long as you train in properly.
We understand that you’re probably looking with the best hunting dogs with their specialty. Brittanies are exceptionally unique and beautiful. It also has thin coats that match the muscular built that requires little maintenance when it comes to grooming. However, this pet needs a lot of exercise. Otherwise, it will become restless. So, whether you go hunting or not, make sure that you do some physical activities at least 30 minutes to one hour every day.
What is the Best Coon Hunting Dog?
Black and Tan Coonhounds are the best coon hunting dog. Judging from its name, it has a great nose to the ground for tracking its prey and barks up when hunted. With its large bone structure, it can move swiftly with rhythmic strides, which is suitable for any kind of hunting game. Moreover, it has impressive stamina that is excellent for running. In fact, it can go for miles and overcome the thick bushes of any forest, and even cross the river.
This canine is recognizable with its distinctive size and color. Moreover, it is relatively larger compared to other coon hunting dogs of the same family tree. As a home buddy, Black and Tan Coonhounds are independent and smart. It may also be playful and gentle towards children. Find out more about the best hunting dog with their specialty for every game.
What is the Best Gun Dog Breed?
Retrievers and Pointers are some of the best gun dog breeds of all time. Both pets have a beautiful appearance and spooky nose to track their prey. These breeds are both smart and have the physical strength to take on any hunting adventures. From its thick otter tail, muscled body, to fierce space, these trains will allow pet owners to train this kind of pet even at younger ages.
Moreover, these breeds have been dominating the game of gun dog hunting for decades now. You can always rely on its fast and hard work because it is always willing to lock and hold whenever needed.
What is the Best Rabbit Hunting Dog?
If you enjoy scavenging rabbits, you should consider Jack Russell dogs. Developed in England about 200 years ago, this breed was originally for hunting foxes. It is energetic and will help you determine the location of your target rabbits. It could be one of the smartest small game pets. As long as you consume their energy every day, you won’t be disappointed by this breed. It’s intelligent and extremely affectionate even at home or on the game routes.
Different types of hunting benefit from their most suited breed. Now you can purchase a hunting breed with confidence and know they will be your best friend and the ideal hunting companion.
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