So, you’ve just brought home your newest addition to your family — baby ducks! Cute and fuzzy, ducklings melt hearts. But, don’t be fooled by their adorable faces; ducklings are challenging to take care of.

The good news? Once you’re equipped with proper knowledge, caring for your ducklings is both easy and rewarding.

The most critical aspect to keeping your duckling safe, comfortable, and happy is learning how to give them proper amounts of heat. Ducklings need to live at a specific temperature, and without their mothers around to provide them that heat, you as the owner must step in to give that heat to keep them safe and happy.

Below is everything you need to know about heat lamps for ducklings.

Do Baby Ducks Need A Heat Lamp?

Yes! They do need a heat lamp. Using a heat lamp is the best way to provide the necessary heat for them while they are babies.

When they’re young, ducklings have difficulty regulating their internal body temperatures on their own. In the wild, baby ducks stay under their mothers’ protection until they’re around one month to two months old so that their mothers can help keep them warm.

The mother ducks use their down feathers to keep them warm. At night, they snuggle together to stay warm, which is how to keep ducklings warm without a lamp.

If you’ve adopted a duckling, you’ll need to provide them with warmth since they won’t have their mothers around. The best way to accomplish this is with a heat lamp. To ensure you’re keeping a warm enough temperature, you may also want to purchase a thermometer and keep it inside their brooder.

When they are first born, set the lamp to 90 degrees. Then, drop the temperature by 5 or 10 degrees each week until you reach 70 degrees.

Check out this duckling temperature chart for more information:

Another question many duck owners have is if baby ducks need heat lamps in the summer. If your house is temperature regulated and you keep them indoors, then yes, you do. If you keep them outside and the temperature reaches 90 degrees or higher, you can remove the heat lamp. However, be sure to put the heat lamp back at night in case temperatures drop.

How Much Heat Is Too Much?

While ducklings do require heat to keep them healthy, too much of a good thing can cause problems. It’s important not to give them too much heat as this can cause health problems and even death.

As a result, many new duck owners wonder, “how do I know if my ducklings are too hot?” Luckily, ducklings aren’t subtle about how they’re feeling. If you notice your duckling is panting, breathing fast, or has moved away from the heat lamp, these are signs that your duckling is too hot.

You’ll also notice if they are too cold as they will group around the heat source and not move so they can conserve heat. If you see your ducklings huddled around the heat lamp and become lethargic, try raising the heating temperature in your brooder.

A healthy duckling will have a substantial amount of energy and, as a result, will run around the brooder. If you notice a rapid change in your ducklings’ behavior, such as becoming more lethargic, tweak the heat to see if that makes them feel better.

Heat Lamp Logistics

Many new owners also wonder, “how far should the heat lamp be from the baby ducks?” Typically, you should hang a heat lamp 18 inches above the bedding.

You’ll need to purchase an infrared heater as a regular bulb does not have the power to create enough heat for a brooder. A 250-watt heat lamp will be sufficient and can even keep up to 30 ducklings warm. If you have more than 30 ducklings, consider purchasing more than one 250 watt bulb.

Make sure to use an infrared heat lamp with a hood and place it on one side of the brooder. Putting it on one side of the brooder is vital so that the ducklings have the option to stay on the cool side if they need to cool down.

To decrease the temperature, raise the height of the infrared heat lamp by moving it further away from the floor of the brooder. You can purchase a stand that is extendable so that you can continue to raise the light stand as the ducklings grow older.

If you must, you can use a heating pad for ducklings, but those are harder because it’s challenging to regulate the temperature. Additionally, if you have more than one or two ducklings, they all won’t be able to fit on the heating pad. Therefore, your best bet is to stick with a heat lamp and a thermometer.

When Do I Need To Turn Off The Heat?

Once fully grown, ducks will have their down feathers to keep them warm. Once they have these feathers, they do not need supplemental heat. Many duck owners wonder how long do ducks need a heat lamp? Until they’re fully grown and have their down feathers.

Ducklings need the most heat at night, so you must leave your heat lamp on at night. It is safe, but make sure you buy a good brand heat lamp and follow all safety precautions.

FAQ

When Can Ducklings Sleep Outside?

Once the ducks are fully grown, they can sleep outside. When ducklings reach about two months, they fully develop their down feathers that keep them warm on their own.

How Do I Know If My Ducklings Are Cold?

If your ducklings are cold, they’ll tell you by their behavior. If you notice they’re lethargic, don’t move away from the light, and huddle together, that’s a pretty safe bet that they’re too cold.

Do Two Week Old Ducklings Need A Heat Lamp?

Yes, they do. Two-week ducklings have not developed down feathers yet.

How Cold Is Too Cold For Ducklings?

It depends on how many days/weeks the ducklings are. Typically ducklings cannot handle temperatures below 70 degrees.

The IGFA world record for crappie has stood since 2018 and is held by a Tennessee angler who caught the 5lb 5oz black crappie on a jig.

In this article, we provide full details of that record fish caught in Tennessee and a bunch of other notable crappie records, including the 50-year-old record for white crappie that has really stood the test of time.

Crappie, slabs, bricks, hogs, specks, white perch- no matter what you call them, nothing is quite as sweet as catching a huge crappie. Imagine your excitement at not only catching a beast but finding out it’s the new world record. Read on to find out more about crappie records and some hints on how to catch trophy crappie.

The Current IGFA World Record Black Crappie

• Date: 2018
• Location: Loudon County, Tennessee
• Angler: Lionel “Jam” Ferguson
• Weight: 5lbs 5oz
• Length: 19.75″

On May 15, 2018, Lionel “Jam” Ferguson of Paint Rock, Tennessee, got off work and did a little fishing. It was warm and muggy, and he was having a slow day bass fishing, so he moved to another spot he knew in the Philadelphia area of Loudon County, Tennessee.

Richeison Pond, a privately owned farm pond, was just a short distance away, and he had caught a few bigger fish from the pond in the past. He began lazily casting and retrieving a Triple Threat John Deere colored grub on a ⅛ oz jig head. His slow retrieve worked. An enormous fish grabbed the bait and dove.

Jam and the fish battled until he got the fish into shallow water. At this point, Jam knew it was a big crappie and didn’t want to lose his fish, so he jumped in the water and pulled it out by hand. The black crappie weighed five pounds, five ounces, and was nineteen and three-quarters inches long.

At the urging of his buddy, Jam took it to a local grocery store and had it weighed on certified scales, then contacted the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Once the Tennessee wildlife officer certified the weight and length, Jam wrapped the fish in wet towels and froze it until he found out if it was a state record.

Ferguson’s catch was not only the new Tennessee state record; it was also the new black crappie world record. The fish has since been mounted and tagged.

World Record White Crappie

• Date: 1957
• Location: Yocona River, Mississippi
• Angler: Fred Bright
• Weight: 5lbs 3oz
• Length: 21″

The white crappie world record has stood for over 50 years. The fish was caught near Enid Dam on the Yocona River in Yolabusha County, Mississippi, on July 31, 1957. Angler Fred Bright was fishing artificial bait on a fast action rod with a Denison Johnson reel when the five-pound, three-ounce fish grabbed the bait and ran. After capture, the fish’s weight and length were certified by an officer from the state of Mississippi, and DNA testing confirmed that the fish was a world record white crappie that weighed five pounds, three ounces, and measured twenty-one inches in length. See here for info on the differences between black crappie and white crappie.

Other Notable Crappie Captures

You remember Lionel Jam Ferguson, who caught the world record black crappie in that little farm pond. This one-acre private pond in Loudon County, Tennessee, might not have many fish in it, but it seems they are all about the same size. Just a few years before his world record, Jam caught a crappie weighing four pounds, four ounces from this same pond. Not realizing that it might be a record, Jam took the fish home and ate it.

Before Jam Ferguson caught his world record black crappie, John Horstman had the previous record. He landed a 5-pound, 19-inch black crappie back in 2006 while fishing in a private lake near his home in Callaway County, Missouri. After his catch was weighed and certified, Horstman donated it to Bass Pro Shops, where the fish lived in the aquarium at the company headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, until its death earlier this year.

Another massive crappie catch was that of Clear Lake Outdoors owner Dave Burruss of Lakeport, California. On February 17, 2021, while bass fishing, Burruss spotted three large fish on the screen of Garmin Livescope fish finder. He threw out a 4-inch Keitech Easy Shiner on twelve-pound test. He says it took 30 seconds to pull in the four-pound, five-ounce black crappie. The fish was larger than the previous state record, and after being weighed on a certified scale, it was officially named the new California state record.

Best Locations To Try For a New World Record

Crappie fishing has been associated with the southern United States for years, but more anglers are going after crappies in other states. Crappie fish actually live in forty-eight of the fifty states. The only places they are not naturally occurring are Alaska and Hawaii.

Crappie prefer to live in warmer water, which is why most of the world record fish seem to come from Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Kentucky.

The best time of the year to fish for crappie is late spring. In the southern states, that usually means mid-April to early May, when the days are warming up but the nights are still cool. Crappie won’t begin their spring spawn until water temperature reaches 57 degrees. Even then, they prefer to spawn in slightly deeper water than other panfish. Start dropping your bait around weeds and brush piles in the three to four-foot deep range.

If you are searching for the perfect place to catch one of these monster fish, there are a few things to look for.

• There is plenty of cover- weeds, tree tops, rocks, etc.
• The water gets deeper in the middle (at least 8 feet or more).
• There is algae, phytoplankton, and zooplankton in the water.
• The water is brackish rather than crystal clear.
• The bottom has more of a sandy than muddy texture.

If you must fish in clearer water, fish deep. In brackish water, they won’t be so deep unless it is very cold or very hot out. For those living on a lake or pond, here are some tips for attracting crappie to your dock.

See also:

• Crappie Fishing Gear List
• How to Catch Crappie: Some Killer Tips
• Best Lures for Crappie Fishing

Best Baits and Lures for World Record Crappie

Crappie feed on living things, for the most part, and big crappie eat bigger things than smaller ones do. Don’t be afraid to pull your bass lures out of the tackle box and give them a try. Personally, I know at least one crappie was caught on a rubber frog in the weeds this summer.

Live minnows or small shiners suspended over brush piles, fallen logs, and recognizable spawning beds are always a hit.

Other common lures to try are:

• Small, deep diving crank baits presented slowly in deep water
• Silver spinners or spoons thrown across logs or at the edge of weed beds
• Lightweight jig heads with colored grub or skirt bodies
• An umbrella rig can also be effective for crappie

In dark or brackish water: white, chartreuse, pink and white, lime, red and white, gold

In clear water: white, chartreuse, black and white, dark blue, brown, motor oil color

For rods and reels for crappie, check out this article on choosing a good combo for crappie fishing.

How Records Are Measured and Verified

All fish state records and world records are maintained by the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) in a public database. Once a large fish is caught, local wildlife officers weigh it using a scale that has been calibrated and certified by a scientific lab. These types of scales can be found in grocers, packing houses, and other locations. State wildlife offices should also have a calibrated scale.

After verifying that the fish is larger than any previous records held in the state, by searching the IGFA database, an angler can fill out the application for examination, DNA testing, and measurement of the catch. If the IGFA determines the fish is a record, the angler will be credited, and the record will be uploaded into the database.

See also:

• Fly Fishing For Crappie
• The Best Ice Fishing Lures for Crappie Reviewed
• Best times to Catch Crappie
• Best Hook Sizes for Crappie Fishing

Final Thoughts on Record Crappie

Most anglers aren’t going to catch a crappie the size of Jam Ferguson’s catch. Huge crappies are not that plentiful, but fishing for crappie of any size is lots of fun. If you are lucky enough to catch a big slab that you think might be a record, immediately contact your local wildlife resources officer to begin the certification process. Your record catch may or may not be a new state record, but you won’t know unless you have it measured.

As a hunter, you want to score the deer with the highest number of points. Harvesting a 10-points buck is not only a matter of conquest but also of prestige. That brings us to the question, what are 10-points bucks?

Points on a buck are the distinct tines on its antlers. The more the tines, the more points a buck has. A 10-point buck has ten tines on its antlers.

For deer hunters keen on getting unique souvenirs from the animal, learning how to tell them apart by their points is a bonus. Not all bucks come with antlers that can be mounted as trophies. Continue reading as I explain what 10-point bucks are and how you can readily identify or even harvest one.

Are Buck Points Counted From the Size of His Antlers?

A deer’s antlers are made up of various parts. The main components are the beam, burr, brow tines, bay tines, tray tines, surroyal tines, plus the fork and crown. The beam or shaft is the central stem of the antler. The bony rim of the pedicle is known as the burr.

Brow tines refer to the place at which the first antler branches off. A bay tine is the second branching-off, while tray tines refer to the third branch-off. The fourth is the surroyal tine, and the fork is the point where an antler forks out into two tines. The tine at the top of a buck’s antlers is called a crown.

When antlers are developing during the late spring and summer, they have a consistent blood supply to help with growth. They’re usually covered with a soft hair-like material called velvet. In early fall, the blood supply declines, and the antlers harden.

A buck will rub its antlers against tree trunks, brush, and even rocks to get rid of the velvet. The points, therefore, refer to the number of tines on a buck’s antlers. That means that the rack will have ten points inclusive of all the tines and the central beam.

10-point Bucks Explained

10-point bucks are male deer that are mainly between three to five years of age. A 10-point describes the antlers’ size, not the weight or height of the buck. The size of these antlers is mainly determined by genetics, nutrition, and the deer’s age.

However, it’s important to note that some bucks, where there’s adequate food supply, manage to achieve the 10-points at an earlier age.

Typically, antlers start forming in April as the bucks get to enjoy more sunlight. During this growth period, they are covered by velvet, and their texture is spongy. The antlers become fully formed after only four months, and they harden completely during fall.

After the breeding season, that is, in between December and March, the antlers are now shed. A buck has a single antler on each side of the head, and each antler drops off by itself.

How to Count Bucks’ Points

A tine is any growth that protrudes from the main beam of the antler. Tines must be an inch long or more to qualify as a point. Any growths or nubs that measure less than one inch aren’t counted as points. So, for a 10-point buck, it will have ten tines, five on each side.

There isn’t an exact way to accurately calculate the age of a buck in the course of hunting besides examining its teeth. On the other hand, a buck between three and five years old will be a 10-point buck.

The antlers may start shrinking in size when the bucks reach approximately five and half years and above. As a hunter, you’ll need to consider other factors in distinguishing the bucks’ ages. Mostly, however, a healthy and mature 3 to 5-year-old buck will be a 10-point buck.

There are two methods of counting the points on a buck’s antlers. There is the Eastern Count and the Western Count.

Eastern Point Count

The Eastern Count takes into consideration all the total points on both antlers, including the eye guards. Therefore, in the Eastern Count, a 10-points buck will mean that the buck has 5 points on each side of its antlers, including the eye guards.

Western Point Count

The Western Count does not consider the eye guards and only counts the points from one side. So the same 10-points buck would be a 4-point buck when it is scored using the Western Count.

It is also essential to observe that most Whitetail deer are described according to the Eastern Count. The Western Count is usually applied for Mule deer and elk scoring.

How to Differentiate Bucks in their Various Age Brackets

Bucks in their different age brackets have other physical characteristics that make it possible to tell them apart. Hunters must learn how to tell the specific age of a buck by just looking at them. It comes in handy when making harvest decisions, which allows younger bucks a better chance of survival.

For instance, if you search for a 10-point buck, you need to know the exact physical characteristic to look out for.

The following are the age brackets of the bucks as well as their characteristics:

One-Year-Old Bucks

One-year-old bucks are very easy to identify. These male deer have similar builds with the does when you compare them to older bucks. They have thin necks, and their limbs appear more extended, which gives them a slim-looking body build.

There’s also a unique line that separates the shoulders and neck and some muscle definition. Their tarsal glands are slightly stained during the rut.

Two-Year-Old Bucks

Their waists are thin, and their legs still look like they are longer than their bodies. The tarsal glands are round, small, and stained moderately. The spread of antlers is similar in width to the ears.

For two-year-old bucks, there may be some slight muscle build-up on the neck during the rut.

Three-Year-Old Bucks

Three-year-old bucks have visible stomach lines, and backs are relatively taut and straight. Their necks are distinct from their shoulders, having thicker muscles. The chest starts to become deep compared to their hindquarters, but they still have thin waists.

Three-year-old bucks have legs that appear proportional to their bodies. The antlers now have an even spread outside or within the ears. The tarsal glands are dark and display plenty of staining during the rut.

These bucks have now achieved fifty to seventy-five percent of the maximum antler growth potential. Some of these deer qualify as 10-point bucks.

Four-Year-Old Bucks

Bucks in this age bracket will mostly qualify to be 10-point bucks. They have fully muscled necks that blend well into their deep chests and shoulders. Their backs and stomachs aren’t sagging, yet their high-end have rounded and filled-out appearances.

Four-year-old bucks have taut skin surrounding the jaws. The antlers are heavy, with many points, and they start to show off their potential. They have large, dark-stained tarsal glands during the rut that possibly extend to the legs.

Four-year-old male deer reach up to seventy-five to ninety percent of the maximum antler growth potential with proper nutrition. These bucks are different from their younger versions.

Five to Seven-Year-Old Bucks

Very few bucks live beyond five years except in some places with very favorable conditions. Bucks that are between five and seven years are mainly 12-point bucks. Five to seven-year-old bucks have very short legs for their bodies, and they have quite a number of the characteristics of four-year-olds.

The differentiating factor is that they may have pot bellies, sagging backs, and they have more rounded appearances making them look like small cows.

Eight-Year-Old and Above

A few of the free-ranging bucks will live beyond eight years, also known as the post-mature age. The bucks start to regress in their antler size and body. They also start losing the skin on the shoulders, necks, and faces. Additionally, they have pointy hip bones and shoulders while their antlers begin to show abnormalities related to aging, such as curvy or wavy tines or abnormal points.

While studying the specific physical characteristics of bucks in different age brackets, you’ll realize that there aren’t any specific age-related antler characteristics. Therefore, it’s a good idea not to rely mainly on the antler size when coming up with bucks’ ages.

Six Tips for Scoring 10-Point Bucks

It’ll soon be deer season, and there are ways to make your hunting more productive, with a pair of antlers to mount over your mantelpiece. The following tips will help you to hunt 10-point bucks more successfully. They include;

Scent Control

Bucks have susceptible protective systems in their noses that alert them when predators are close, including human beings. You must be invisible if you hope to hunt any of the 10-point bucks.

Use scent-free soap, which is highly recommended before going hunting. Even the towels you use to dry yourself up must be free from any scents. The same goes for your hunting clothes. Make it a habit of cleaning them with scent-free detergents, and remember to cover your face and head if possible.

Befriend the Wind

Paying attention to the wind is another superb strategy for controlling your scent. Failure to master the wind direction is a huge mistake that makes it difficult for hunters to hit their targets. The buck’s nose is the primary defense mechanism. If it smells a foreign scent, it will take off.

Observe Silence

Being quiet makes it hard for bucks to tell if the movement is from hunters or other animals. Bear in mind that bucks know precisely how human beings sound. Observe silence when getting your gun or bow up to the hunting stand.

It’s also a good idea to wrap metallic gear in duct tape to minimize noise while in the woods. In instances where you feel like coughing, try as much as possible to muffle it up.

Look for Coverage

Whether you are using lock-on stands or climbing stands, it’s advisable to select a tree that is close to another tree around it, behind it, or beside it. That offers some form of cover. Bucks have different lines of sight compared to humans.

If there are trees, leaves, or branches, use these for camouflaging your presence without blocking your shot. On a stand, hunting up in the trees is an added advantage since your scent will be blowing way higher above the ground.

Familiarize Yourself with the Hunting Ground

Be familiar with the hunting ground if you’re to find where the 10-point bucks are at any given time and where they are going. The buck trucks will always tell you if the bucks were already there.

Learn to Stalk the Does

Stalking the does is an excellent tip for any hunter hoping to bag a couple of 10-point bucks. That’s because when the rut is starting, bucks will generally go after the does.

Remember that the rut brings many changes, and most hunters know that this is the easiest time to hunt male deer. Bucks that mostly tend to move during the night will come out during the day.

There are several other tips that you can follow, but if you can faithfully follow the ones above, you’re bound to have an incident-free hunting experience. Most important is to have a keen eye, making it possible for you to point out a 10-point buck from a group of them.

Conclusion

When hunting, it’s advisable to give the younger bucks a chance to survive longer, which increases their chances of reproducing more.

If you are a hunter searching for a trophy, killing bucks eight years old and above isn’t advisable. The reason behind this is that their antlers will most likely have deformities. 10-point bucks are easy to pick out due to their distinctive features.

Above are some of the old school concrete block pits at Jackie Hite’s Bar-B-Q in Batesburg-Leesville, SC. Below are plans for building your own no-frills pit suitable for a butterflied 75 pound hog, enough to feed about 35 people. It is designed so it can be a temporary structure or you can make it permanent. If you cut the head and remove the trotters at the knees and elbows, you can fit a 100 pounder or more on this rig. But don’t throw away the head and trotters. Just place them on the stretcher next to the torso. If you plan on cooking larger hogs, you can scale this plan up. You must cook with indirect heat. Click here for instructions on how to prep and cook the hog.

Materials

• SIDES: 54 concrete blocks 16″ x 8″ x 8″ (actually 15.75 x 7.75 x 7.75″). This will get your hog 32 ” above the embers, plus a course to hold the lid. Cost about $54.
• LID: 4 x 8′ sheet of 1/4″ plywood, cut down to about 44 x 60″ for the lid. Note that Hite uses sheets of cardboard for his lids as seen in the photo above, but I strongly advise against this. He is a master of fire control, and if yours burn, they could ruin the hog. And then you have no lid. Cost about $10. Usually the lid will not be a tight fit. If it is you can crack it open with a stone or make a vent by cutting a hole in it.
• HEAT SHIELD: Half of a 4 x 8′ sheet of 1/4″ plywood cut down to 20 x 36″ for the optional heat shield. Cost about $10.
• PROTECTION: 2 rolls heavy duty aluminum foil. Cost about $30.
• COOKING GRATE: 4 lengths of 48″ each of 3/8″ rebar. You can use a sheet of expanded metal rather than rebar if you wish. Cost about $5 per 10′ bar, 3 bars needed.
• STRETCHER: Non-climbable uncoated fence wire or rabbit wire at least 14 gauge, 46 x 72″. Do not use galvanized metal because it can give off noxious gases. Cost about $30 for a 50′ roll.
• STRETCHER HANDLES: 2 boards 1″ x 2″ x 6′ each. Cost about $2.
• STRETCHER HANDLES: 100 bare wire loop ties, 6″ each. Cost about $2.50.
• DAMPERS: 2 pieces lightweight sheet metal, about 20″ x 10″ each or you can use sheet pans. They will go over the openings in the sides to help you control oxygen to the coals if it runs too hot. Cost about $15.

Optional

• More rebar to pound from the top down into the ground to prevent the blocks from shifting. Cost about $15.
• Mortar to lock the blocks permanently into place. Cost about $10.
• Lightweight sheet metal for the lid, about 44 x 60″. Cost about $30.
• Lightweight sheet metal for the heat shield, about 30 x 48″. Cost about $30.
• 20 bags (40 pounds each) premix concrete for a 3″ thick slab FOR THE BASE AND BOTTOM. Cost about $40.

Tools

• Fire extinguisher.
• Wire cutter.
• Level.
• Hack saw.
• Hammer.
• Chisel.
• Utility stapler and plenty of staples.
• Wheel barrow, steel drum, or charcoal grill to start coals.
• Shovel.
• Garden hose or buckets of water or fire extinguisher.
• Good digital oven thermometer.

About the pit

Keep the pit at least 10′ from buildings and overhanging trees in case there is a grease fire. Keep a fire extinguisher rated for grease on hand. Fire extinguishers rated ABC can handle most everything except combustible metals. Beware, they contain a yellow powder that can damage electrical devices.

Start by clearing a base that is 4′ x 5′ by removing grass and prepare an all dirt or sand base at least 2″ thick. You will need to discard some of it when you are done because fat and meat drippings may get in the dirt. The dogs will roll in it and it will attract insects, mice, you name it. If needed, you can buy sand at a hardware store. I recommend lining the pit with aluminum foil.

Make sure the ground is level. Stack the concrete blocks 4 rows high, 3 full lengths and then turn one block on each course, staggering the blocks so they overlap as in the illustration. Notice that I have left out a block on the head and tail side so you can add coals and wood and rake them around. Cover these wholes with a board and a concrete block when they are not in use.

Make notches in the blocks with a hammer and chisel deep enough to hold the rebar so the next course of blocks will lie flat on the course below. Put the rebar on top of the fourth course of blocks. Don’t put the top course of blocks on yet.

The stretcher

To carry the hog and hold it in place on the pit, you need to build a stretcher. It is two poles for the stretcher bearers on either side, and a wire mesh sling in between for the hog. Non-climbable fence wire is heavier gauge and sturdier than chicken wire. You can use chicken wire for but it would be a good idea to use two layers. Make sure the wire is not coated with plastic. For something more permanent, use heavy duty expanded metal mesh. Do not use galvanized, it can create toxins.

Make the sling of the wire wide enough to rest on the rebar and hang over the edges of the pit by at least 1′ on either side. Attach two 6′ lengths of 1″ x 2″ boards for handles with staples and reinforce them with the wire loop ties. Then lay another section of mesh over the top of the first and fasten it to one of the handles, but leave the other open. Attach a handle to the open edge. You then have a reversible stretcher so you can flip the hog.

About the heat shield

I specified a sheet of plywood cut down to 20 x 36″ for an optional heat shield. If you bank your coals to the sides and corners properly you may not need it, but I recommend you have it on hand in case something starts to burn or overcook. This goes on top of the rebar and beneath the stretcher to shield the hog from direct heat. This size leaves space between the shield and the inside of the pit so hot air can rise alongside the shield and bounce off the lid. You will remove it late in the cook when it is time to crisp the skin. Wrap it in aluminum foil and staple down the foil. Don’t worry, it won’t burn unless you have a grease fire because the pig-sitter fell asleep or spent too much time in the toilet. If the pit is to be a permanent structure, make your heat shield from sheet metal, preferably aluminum because it won’t rust.

The cover

Cover the bottom of the plywood lid with foil. If you wish, you can use a sheet metal top instead of plywood.

Other designs for whole hog cookers from readers

Here’s the “Hog Cabin” built by Jacob Hanson of Tucson, AZ. Notice the innovation : He used half width blocks along the sides and put scalloped garden edging to hold the rebar. He also put an access door with an angle iron header. The wood frame holds a removable pitched roof, not shown.

James Brownfield of Kansas City built this beauty from concrete blocks. On the left is the hog pit and on the right he tacked on a separate vertical smoker. The hog pit side is a little larger than my design: 66″ long (4 blocks), 47″ wide (3 blocks) and 35″ tall (4 blocks) with a 2″ top cap. The interior measures 52″ long by 32″ wide. The cooking grate is 20″ above the coals and he has another grate 10″ under the cooking grate on which he can cover with foil and/or cheap catering pans to catch the grease. Both grates are simply expanded metal that rest on rebar. There’s some pretty nifty metalwork for the pit top, chimney, doors, and smoker shelving. The whole shebang sits on a concrete slab he poured.

Carl Herbert built this pit. The insert shows the access door on the other side.

From Jim S. This guy built a simple quick and dirty pit, below.

David Wm. Reed of Texas A&M has a good article on roasting cochon au lait, French for suckling pig, and a novel design for a pig roaster with the hog hanging by his hind legs.

By PJ DelHomme

Chuck Adams reveals what it takes to keep bowhunting—even into your 70s.

Chuck Adams is perhaps the greatest bowhunter of all time. That’s a bold statement, but consider this. In 1990, Adams became the first archer in history to harvest all varieties of North American big game—a feat called the Super Slam. As I write this in early August 2022, he has more than 210 Pope and Young record-book entries, which is more than any other hunter in history. In addition, he’s racked up six bowhunting World’s Records. Adams turned 71 in May, and I was able to track him down before he headed back to Alaska to hunt solo for Sitka blacktail deer. Here’s what he had to say.

You started bowhunting in California when you were 13. Why bowhunting?

The minimum age you could hunt big game there was 12, and both my grandfathers and dad had great hunting spots. As a young kid, I would think about hunting deer all year. Using a rifle, I got my deer down in a few days, and I thought it was a lot of anticipation for the pay off. I took up bowhunting, so I could hunt more and kill less. I got my first deer with a bow at 16. It took me three years to do that, just like my hero Fred Bear.

How do you continually get out there and get it done? What’s your secret?

It’s probably genetics. My dad was packing deer on his back when he was in his 80s. And I live a really healthy lifestyle. I don’t drink alcohol. I don’t eat domestic red meat—it’s all wild game. I’m out there hiking around and doing something all the time. I can tell you I still feel like I’m 30. I carried three deer back to my camp [last season] about five miles. The average Sitka deer is 60 pounds of boneless meat.

How often do you practice shooting your bow?

I talked to a doctor about 20 years ago because my friends were having shoulder issues. My doctor said I would be better off shooting less. So that’s what I did, and I’m one of the few guys over 60 that I know who has had no shoulder problems. And I usually shoot a 75-pound bow.

I’ll usually start shooting 20-30 arrows twice a week in May. Then in July, I shoot about 60 arrows each week. I always warm up with about five minutes of shoulder rolls. I also take time between shots to re-oxygenate my muscles. When I shot tournament archery, I watched people shoot too fast, and they didn’t let their muscles or their mind recoup between shots.

Did you ever go on a hunt and think you weren’t going to make it back?

I wrote about the “Death March” in one of my books about a hunt in British Columbia in the 1970s. We had 29 horses and mules when we started, and nine of them died on the trail because of malnutrition. The hunt was set up with one of the companies I worked with, and they didn’t do their research. It started snowing, and we didn’t dare ride the horses except to cross the streams, which we did 28 times—I counted. If we all hadn’t been in good shape, I’m not sure what might have happened.

How much does luck play into hunting—bowhunting in particular?

It’s huge—sometimes. For example, I didn’t expect to kill the new World’s Record typical velvet Sitka deer last year, and it was the first deer I saw on the trip. Overall, though, luck is fairly small when it comes to planning. The most important thing in bowhunting is persistence. If you’re persistent enough, you will overcome anything.

Do you ever kill anything without big antlers? Do you take all that meat home?

I love the meat, and I pack it all out. I eat the heck out of wild game. Nowadays in Alaska, the excess baggage fees have gotten so high that I donate some meat to the local mission on the island. If my bush pilot needs meat, I’ll sign it over to him. And the laws are pretty clear about wanton waste. This year I applied for a cow elk permit in Wyoming, which I’ll probably get. And one in Montana, too.

Most folks can’t say they hunt for a living. Can you say that?

No. I make a living, so I can hunt. I write, do seminars, TV shows and rep a few companies that I like, so I can go hunt. If I felt any pressure to hunt, I think I’d quit. I hunt for fun, not to make money.

Any hunt you would never want to do again?

Polar bear. I was 1,000 miles away from my outfitter, and it was a rodeo from start to finish. My guide said he had the best dogs, but they had supposedly run away, so he had another set of dogs that were terrible. They ran away from the first bear we saw. I ended up stalking that bear myself.

Do you have a state or terrain that speaks to you more than others?

My two favorite states to hunt are Montana because of the variety of game and Alaska because there you can hunt most species without a guide. I only go with a guide if it’s legally required. I’ve been bowhunting for 50 years, so I don’t really need one. Guides do have knowledge of the area. But honestly, I wouldn’t want another Chuck Adams guiding me because two bowhunters make twice as much noise as one.

In just about every photo I see of you, you’re wearing the same faded camo and old boots. Why not upgrade to high-tech camo?

I don’t think all those new camo patterns work as well as merino wool and traditional stuff. I think it’s a stunt. That stuff is too expensive. You can fade a pair of black Levis and be just fine. Today, I would say there is a cult following all those camo patterns. When guys show up at hunting camp all wearing the same fancy camo, I just laugh.

Any plans to hang up your bow and take up golf?

I’ll hang up my bow when I can’t put one foot in front of the other. I’ve got 211 Pope and Young animals, the most of any hunter, and my buddy Frank is trying to catch me. That’s really not the reason, but I am challenge oriented. I can’t stand the thought of running a race and even seeing anyone close. I hunt because I love it. I think the bottom line is that I enjoy bowhunting as much as I ever have. The glitter has never worn off for me.

Learn more about Chuck Adams at his website, www.chuckadamsarchery.com. Or follow his exploits on Instagram @Chuckadamsarcheryofficial.

PJ DelHomme writes and edits content from his basement office in western Montana. He runs Crazy Canyon Media and Crazy Canyon Journal.

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Today I’m going to show you the best scope rings.

In fact:

I’ve hand-tested over 15 scope rings alone for this review.

The best part?

I’ve sorted the scope rings by use. So whether you’re on a budget or need the best AR scope mounts, you’ll find it here.

Let’s dive in!

Different Types of Scope Mounts

Looking for a scope mount but not sure what kind to get or how to install it?

I’ll help you decide, and give you the instruction necessary to mount your scope.

Weaver vs Picatinny vs Dovetail Mounts

We see these names all the time in the gun world, but what the heck do they mean?

Being a shooting enthusiast for years, I never gave much thought to the matter. I could install most of my rings on any of them interchangeably, and didn’t worry much about it, until I tried to install a spec Picatinny mount on a Weaver rail.

Here’s a basic breakdown without getting too complicated.

Dovetail Mounts

First, the dovetail mount.

This is by far the simplest type of mount, and you may come across it with rimfires more than other weapons.

In short:

Two grooves are milled into the frame or receiver of the weapon, and your scope mounts attach directly to this.

There are no grooves or indents to allow space for the tightening bolt to fit over. Luckily, most of the time the dovetails are cut in such a way that they shouldn’t really interfere, but this is also where they slip up, literally.

Heavy recoil can cause your rings to slide a bit forward along the dovetail, inching their way toward the end of it.

The little grooves cut into modern rails are there to prevent this.

Weaver and Picatinny Mounts

Weaver mounts and Picatinny rails look very similar.

They both have a flat top with slots cut across it and the edges are wider than the top and bottom, giving your mount something to bite into.

The biggest difference here is tolerance.

Weaver bases don’t follow a standardized format, and there are generally fewer slots cut into a rail of the same length. The slots also tend to be narrower than Picatinny slots.

What this means is that the bolt from a Picatinny base may not always fit into a Weaver style base, and Weaver rings won’t fill the slot on a Picatinny rail. You also have less choice in where to mount your optics due to less slots available.

In short, get Picatinny rails. But sometimes you can get away with using them interchangeably.

If you do put Weaver style mounts on a Picatinny rail, make sure they are as far forward in the slot as they will go when you tighten them down, so they don’t creep forward as we discussed with the dovetail mounts.

Specialty Mounts

Some mounts are just odd.

There are a few manufacturers out there who have created their own mounting systems that match special attachments for scopes. While the rings themselves are usually a standard size, the mounting system is anything but.

A classic example is the Leupold Dovetail mount.

These attachments are not based on any kind of rail system, but a fixed pivot that cannot ever slide. If you don’t intend to use any kind of quick release mount, these can be a great touch, and they are usually machined to fit certain rifles.

The downside is that they might not fit all scopes, and you may have to buy rings with a built-in offset, known as cantilever rings. You’ll also want a special wrench to mount these rings.

Speaking of mounting, if you want to remove your AR-15 front sight, read my guide on that.

Other base designs abound, but none are more popular than the almost universal Picatinny rail system. Some guns require a specialty mounting platform because the rifle doesn’t conform to a shape that easily accepts a scope rail, like SKS mounting systems.

Different Types of Attachments

Rings are what typically connects the scope to the mounting base, and there are many ways to do this.

Since nearly every gun has a different mounting setup, and every scope has its own dimensions, there are several varieties that solve different problems that might come up when trying to mount a scope to a rifle.

Dovetail Rings

If your weapon already has integral slots cut in it, then you can sometimes get away without installing a mounting base at all, and just buy rings that fit your dovetail grooves.

Generally, the grooves will be spaced either 9mm or 11mm apart, and it’s important to get the right rings, or a more flexible ring mount that fits both.

While you’ll save some money on rings and the lack of a new mounting base, this is not always the best option. On high power rifles the rings can move under recoil, and that’s a never a good thing. Even if there are locking tabs, these can break under even the modest kick of a .308.

On the other hand, if you are scoping a rimfire or a pellet gun, sometimes a set of dovetail rings is the perfect option. Easy, cheap, and effective.

Picatinny and Weaver Rings

Mostly, these are interchangeable, but there are always exceptions.

One absolute rule on this is not to try and mount Picatinny rings or other attachments onto a Weaver style rail if there are multiple screws in the same plate. The grooves in Picatinny rails are standardized, not so with Weaver bases.

Other than that, you can try, but in this case it’s best to get Weaver rings as they will always fit Picatinny rails.

Picatinny is the new gold standard when it comes to rings, so if you are installing a rail for the first time, go with what everyone is using, and you won’t be disappointed. After the military adopted this style for their M4 rifle rings, the rest of the world soon started using them.

Red Dot Attachments

One thing I love about red dots is that they come with their own mounting system, so you don’t generally need to go shopping for a mounting plate.

However, if you are putting a red dot on a pistol, there may be some other work involved.

Mounting plates can be installed on rails, in the dovetail that holds the rear sight on the pistol, or mated to a custom mount machined directly into the slide.

On a rifle, the standard again is that they attach to picatinny rails, though they do exist for other mounting styles. You can get air-rifle and rimfire red dots that will mount to your rifle’s dovetail.

Ring Height

Attachments give a lot of things to consider. There are different styles, but one of the most important considerations is the height.

The height is measured from the top of the scope base to the center of the ring. One reason this is so important is because scopes typically have a very large objective lens on the front, and you want rings that are tall enough to accommodate it.

The last thing you want is to finish installing the mount and rings, and then not be able to get the scope in because it’s touching the barrel.

As a general rule of thumb, the rings should be at least half as tall as your scope’s objective diameter. This is the last number on the scope description.

For instance a 1-3×40 would have a 40mm and require at a minimum 20mm tall rings. Much of this depends also on the rifle design and the thickness of the scope body.

There is an advantage, of course, to keeping your scope as low to the bore as possible. When you zero the rifle, the drop calculations will be affected with different scope heights. Close to the bore means that there will be less elevation change in the bullet at shorter ranges, or flatter shooting.

Ring Size

Another important consideration is the size of the scope rings.

Generally speaking, there are two that most scope bodies use:

One inch, and 30mm.

Many brands make both, so until you know what the scope tube size is, it’s best to hold off on buying rings.

While the solution is simple, I mention this here because too often it happens that shooters will buy expensive rings, only to find out that they aren’t the right size for the scope they want.

Murphy’s Law in full effect.

Specialty Rings

If you are going to be using a special mounting base, then you need to get rings that match it.

Leupold Dovetails are the most common outlier, but be sure that you are getting rings specifically made for any non-rail systems.

There are also a number of standard style rings that have different mounting designs.

Cantilevered rings are the most common. These include one ring and generally attach to the base with one bolt (sometimes two), but they are offset from their mount point.

If you have a short rail or limited mounting points, cantilevering can give you more options for scope fit and placement, by changing the distance between your rings or shifting the scope position forward or back.

There are also dual-ring attachments that contain two rings on the same base mount. One attachment, and you have everything you need to attach your scope.

The options go on and on, including integrated bubble levels, or even extra bits of rail mounted to the sides or tops of the rings themselves so that you can add other devices to the same mount point right beside your scope. One use of this might be a night vision scope with a separate IR source mounted to the side.

Quick Detach Attachments

And how could I talk about attachments without mentioning quick disconnects. These attachments have a lever at the bottom instead of a screw or bolt to lock them to the rail.

If you want to remove the scope after installing it on a Picatinny rail, you simply flick the levers and pull it off. How cool is that?

This option is so popular that it is quickly becoming a standard all its own.

The 8 Best Scope Rings

If you’re pressed on time, here’s a quick list of the best scope rings:

1. Aero Precision: Best Scope Mount for AR-15
2. Vortex Optics Pro Series Riflescope Rings: Best 30mm Scope Rings
3. Leupold Rifleman: Best for the Money
4. Talley Lightweight: Best 1 Inch
5. Warne 1” Matte PA Rings: Best Rings For Heavy Recoil
6. Warne Quick Detach: Best Quick Release Mount
7. Burris XTR Rings: Best for Picatinny Rail
8. Seekins Precision: Best Scope Rings for Long Range Shooting

1. Aero Precision: Best Scope Mount for AR-15

The Aero Precision is the best scope mount you can get for the AR-15.

It’s not only great for high-end optics, but it’s also the lightest mount on the market.

But that’s not all. Here’s why I have the Aero Precision mounted on my AR-15 to this day…

Durability

The Aero Precision mount’s lean design does not define its strength.

In fact, a bulky mount doesn’t always mean a sturdy build.

It’s constructed of extruded aluminum with a hard-coat, black matte finish.

Plus, the edges are rounded and smoothed that compliments its design.

Which makes it a lean, mean mounting machine.

Eye Relief

The eye relief will mostly depend on your specifications when mounting it to your AR-15 scope.

But this mount also works for a variety of different heights and length for your eyes.

In fact, the only issue with the eye relief was with the installation of the mount itself.

When trying to adjust for eye relief, the included mount rings were not securely holding my scope in place.

Which means you should probably switch the rings out for something more reliable.

I highly recommend these 30mm LaRue rings to hold your scope in place while adjusting it for eye relief on this mount.

Installation

Now here’s the tricky part.

When it came to installing the scope mount, there were some issues.

Due to the integral ring’s pinch bolt style, this can cause the scope to rotate as you use a Torx tool to screw it on.

Which means the reticle can become unleveled. So torquing the mount became trial and error.

But one solution is to use a stack of gauge blocks to get a snug grip between the bottom of the scope and the mount.

And then torque the rings to keep the mount in place for a level scope.

If one thing could be improved on this mount, it would definitely be the installation.

But it’s up to everyone’s individual specifications to decide how tricky it is to properly install this mount.

So keep it in mind, but the other great qualities of this mount remain unmatched.

Who’s the Aero Precision for?

The Aero Precision scope mount is a great option if you’re looking for a lightweight and sturdy mount for your scope.

Plus, it’s a high-quality mount that’s also affordable for most budgets.

So whether you’re into hunting or target shooting at the range, the Aero Precision is a versatile mount any AR-15 scope.

2. Vortex Optics Pro Series Riflescope Rings: Best 30mm Scope Rings

I’m a big fan of using rings to mount my scopes, especially on tactical rifles.

They’re time-tested, rugged, and ultra-reliable.

When you first start using them, they take some getting used to.

If you can put your first pair of rings onto your rifle the first time perfectly, I applaud you.

After you get the hang of it though, you’ll never go back to one piece mounts again.

Vortex is one of the best gun accessory makers in the business.

They offer incredible quality, precision, and durability for a comparatively low price.

Plus their warranty is unbeatable.

So when they came out with their Pro Series Rings, I had to give them a shot.

Their extra high 30mm rifle rings are now my hands down favorite type of mount.

In my opinion, they’re basically one of the best AR scope mounts you’ll find.

Keep reading and I’ll tell you why you need to give the Vortex Optics Pro 30mm Rings a shot.

Durability

Vortex is a company known for putting out high quality and insanely durable products.

Their Pro Series rings are no exception to that claim.

Made from T6 aluminum, these things are solid.

They’re thick and attach securely to your rail or rifle with 4 T-25 Torx screws per ring.

Once these rings are on, they stay on.

They’re not going to get bent, or twisted, or knocked out of place no matter what you do to them.

It’s their job to stay put and keep your zero and that is exactly what they do.

In addition, they’re coated with an anodized finish that offers a ton of weather protection.

The best part is that even though each ring is made of a solid chunk of nearly indestructible metal, they’re still super lightweight.

That means you won’t have to worry about compensating for the weight of them like I’ve had to with some one-piece mounts.

I put these on my scout rifle and after over 500 rounds, my zero is still in place.

I’ve marched this setup through the brush, up and down hills, across streams, and climbed trees with it.

They’ve been banged against rocks, scraped through weeds and bushes, and submerged in water.

The rings have never budged so much as a centimeter.

I’m by no means gentle on my equipment and I couldn’t put a dent in them.

To me, that speaks for itself.

Eye Relief

Vortex offers low, medium, high, and extra-high rings to fit any standard 30mm scope.

That means depending on your scope and rifle, you can customize your eye relief for the perfect fit.

My advice is to generally get a bit higher than you think you’re going to need.

It’s a lot easier to lift your eye up a bit than it is to mash your cheek onto your rifle to see through your optic.

Plus, if you pick rings that are too short for your scope, you might have to mount them farther back, compromising your eye relief.

If you haven’t picked out a scope for your scout rifle yet, check out these muzzleloader scopes.

Installation

If you’ve never mounted a scope before, check out this page for mounting basics.

Although rings require a little more precision to mount than one-piece mounts do, they’re still fairly easy.

This is a great video from Vortex Optics showing you how to tighten their rings.

One of the best things about these rings is that they have the torque specifications engraved directly onto the rings.

So even if you take them off and switch them to another rifle, you’ll always know exactly how tight to tighten them.

They’ll easily attach to any Picatinny rail or Weaver mount you have as well.

Thanks to the torque specifications and everything that you need to mount the rings included, it took me less than 20 minutes to get them on and tightened.

They’re extremely user-friendly, and you shouldn’t be intimidated.

If you have any issues make sure to take advantage of Vortex’s great customer service.

Who’s the Vortex Optics Pro Series Riflescope Rings For?

If you’re looking for unbeatable quality and durability, then these are the ring mounts for you.

They’re perfect for long-range rifles, scout rifles, and thanks to their incredible durability they even work on air rifles.

If you’re in the market for a new air rifle scope, check out these scopes.

Plus, because they come in so many different heights, they’re perfect for larger scopes.

These rings are also an excellent choice for rifles with high recoil because they just don’t budge.

To review:

• Durable
• Lightweight
• Anodized finish
• Made in the USA
• Made from T6 aluminum
• Torque setting engraved on rings
• Comes in a variety of models to fit your needs

Plus they’re covered by Vortex’s Lifetime VIP warranty.

No matter what happens to your rings, who you give them to, or when it happens, Vortex has you covered.

They’ll replace or repair them free of charge.

It doesn’t matter if it’s been a week or eighty years, when they say lifetime, they mean it.

If you haven’t made the switch to ring mounts for your rifles yet, I urge you to take a look at the Vortex Optics Pro Series yourself.

Trust me, you’ll thank me later.

3. Leupold Rifleman: Best for the Money

Every shooter knows that Leupold is a reputable brand that manufactures products with excellent workmanship.

This household name is well known to design high-quality yet affordable scopes, including a line of mounts called “rifleman rings.” For less than $25, the scope rings have more than 3,000 reviews all over the internet.

The good news: You don’t need to read through thousands, just this one.

Interested? Let’s dive in…

Durability

The Leupold Rifleman rings are sturdy and reliable.

The workmanship is excellent, the fit clean, the pieces arrived without marks or scratches.

Take note:

The rings are not made of steel.

Although they’re precision-machined from aircraft-grade aluminum for strength and lighter weight, it can still create challenges.

Read the directions before mounting. Do not overtighten the scope rings on the optic. If they loosen up, use a thread-locker to prevent the scope from moving when in use.

Design and Fit

The Leupold Rifleman rings are designed for a 1-inch tube scope, and the base will fit any Weaver/Picatinny rail.

Don’t forget:

Proper ring height is needed for clearance of the scope objective from the barrel.

The Rifleman rings come in different heights. I recommend high rings for 50mm objective lenses, medium rings for 40mm, and low rings for 32mm or less.

Once fitted into my AR-15 rifle’s grooves, the mounting screws disappeared, providing the maximum unobstructed viewing area beneath the scope.

Speaking of mounting…

Installation and Eye Relief

Proper installation is crucial.

The box comes with a hex key, set screws, and a straightforward guide.

In fact:

I have a Leupold VX-6HD LPVO mounted on my Benelli semi-auto .300 win mag using the Rifleman Rings.

It took me less than 10 minutes to set up.

The Rifleman Rings also allow any optic to be mounted forward far enough for proper eye relief.

The scope held zero after 250 rounds and never budged.

Final Verdict: Who’s the Leupold Rifleman Rings for?

Are they the best in the market? Most likely not.

But do they work? Absolutely!

You can spend $100 on Leupold’s better rings, but for $20, I’d say the Rifleman Rings are pretty decent.

Here’s why…

• Holds zero
• Budget-friendly
• Quick Installation
• Reliable construction

Plus, the rings come with Leupold’s lifetime warranty. You can get them replaced if they arrive at your door with defects.

All in all, Leupold Rifleman Scope Rings are trustworthy and quality scope mounts that won’t disappoint or break your bank.

If you’re on the search for the best AR scope mounts, check out my latest review!

4. Talley Lightweight: Best 1 Inch

Do you hunt dangerous game in unforgiving territory? Do you need a scope mounting system that can take a serious beating and hold zero?

If you want a bombproof mounting system, you should seriously consider the Talley Lightweight mounting system.

Durability

If you’ve been around firearms for a while, you’ll notice that the most tried and true way to mount a scope to a rifle is a two-piece mounting system. A set of rings that wrap around the scope. Then those rings attach to a base that is screwed into the rifle’s receiver.

The base and rings are separate pieces. Sometimes that joint where the base and rings come together can be a weak spot.

The joint can be shaken loose with recoil. Or I can damage that connection when I knock my scope scrambling up a rocky hillside searching for a better shot or cover.

Talley has eliminated that weak spot.

Their rings are machined directly to their base meaning this system screws right into my receiver. There’s no joint between the bottom ring and the attached base because it is all one solid piece of 7000 alloy.

This gives me more rigidity and greater stability than any other mounting system out there. My scope will hold zero only as well as its mountings. If the mountings shake loose with recoil, then I’ll have to resight my rifle.

Not so with a Talley Lightweight.

Because this mounting system is perfectly machined as a single piece, I can beat the ever-living-daylights out of my rifle and scope and those mounts will hold steady.

Even better, the rings are coated with Cerakote and will be resistant to scuffs, scrapes, and rust. This system will not only hold your scope steady-but it will look good doing it.

The Talley Lightweight is easily the best AR scope mounts you can find.

But, if mounting without a rail isn’t your thing, then these other mounting options might be more useful to you.

Eye Relief

While Talley recommends that the rings are best mounted directionally-I found that by turning them around I can better adjust the distance between my eye and my eyepiece to get the best eye relief distance for my optic.

Installation

The Talley Lightweight rings will install a little different than you may be used to. It doesn’t matter if you have a weaver or a picatinny mount on your rifle-you won’t be using it.

If you have a rail you will need to remove it.

These rings mount directly into your receiver. If you don’t have any holes to accept the mounting, you’ll need to have your receiver professionally drilled and tapped.

After I got my gun back from my gunsmith, screwing in the bottom portion of the mounting system-the base, if you will-was simple.

I didn’t want these screws to loosen over time, so I locked them down with Locktite Blue 242. I didn’t need much.

Once I attached the bases, I could set in my scope then the top rings. I used a level set to keep everything lined up

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and a torque wrench to make sure I didn’t over tighten.

Please note that while the alloy that these rings are made from is fantastically sturdy-you will strip the screws if you tighten them as much as you can. Do not over-tighten the screws! You’ll want to torque them between 17in/lbs to 20 in/lbs.

Who’s the Talley Lightweight for?

The Talley Lightweight rifle scope rings are for anyone who wants an extra-durable mounting setup. Don’t let their light 4 oz weight fool you. These rings are built tough and can withstand any abuse you can give them.

To recap Talley Lightweight’s top features:

• Easy to install
• Cerakote finish
• Single piece system
• Weigh in at only 4 oz

If you like these mounts, but still need a scope, check these durable optics out.

5. Warne 1” Matte PA Rings: Best Rings For Heavy Recoil

Warne is a company that I think deserves more attention.

Their products are incredibly durable, strong, and reliable.

They make some of the best permanent riflescope mounts that I’ve ever used.

Plus, their products are made entirely in the USA.

That being said, let me introduce you to the Warne 1” Matte PA rings.

They’re an insanely good value for the price, and you’d be hard-pressed to find scope rings of a higher quality.

Warne rings are rock solid, and once you’ve got them tightened down, they’re not going anywhere.

Neither is your zero.

Keep reading and I’ll tell you all you need to know about the Warne 1” rings.

Durability

It’s not often that I’m able to find a mount or set of rings that can really handle the kick of a heavy recoil rifle.

Standard mounts are fine for those fancy high-tech scopes because you’re usually not using them on anything with a kick.

Put one on a .17HMR and you’re in business.

Put one on a Ruger and there’s a good chance your rings and your scope are dust.

That’s where the Warne 1” rings come in.

These rings are ultra-durable.

They’re made of stainless steel and have been proven to be the strongest rings on the market.

In addition, they’re equipped with a no-slip positive recoil surface.

That means they’re built to withstand even the heaviest recoil.

It works by evenly distributing the force of the recoil across the entire setup.

That way no one part is bearing the brunt of the force, so it’s a lot easier on your equipment.

I’ve used these rings on shotguns, scout scopes, and ARs, and the rings have never budged.

This kind of quality and durability is insane for the low cost.

If you’re looking to go big game hunting, these are the rings you need.

If you just want to make sure nothing budges during your deer hunt, these are the rings you want.

Basically, these are fantastic all-around rings for whatever purpose you need.

Eye Relief

Your eye relief is really going to depend on your scope.

The great thing about using rings rather than one-piece mounts is that you have more control over where you place them.

Since they’re more versatile, you can adjust them for your perfect eye relief.

I’m personally a big fan of long eye relief scopes.

I like the wiggle room they offer and the ability to adjust my eye for the shot.

If that sounds like you, then these rings are perfect.

They work great with these long eye relief scopes.

Installation

I recommend buying the Warne Base to help mount your rings.

It makes it easier to mount than a Weaver or Picatinny rail, and since it’s Warne they were made for each other.

These rings aren’t hard to mount if you follow the included instructions.

Once they’re installed, you can set them and forget them.

Seriously. You’ll never need to adjust these rings ever again.

This is one of the best AR scope mounts you could ask for because of how user friendly it is.

The main difference between these rings and others is that they’re split vertically instead of horizontally.

Once you’ve wrapped your head around that, there’s nothing to the install.

Here’s a youtube video by Warne showing you the install process.

Who’s the Warne 1” Matte PA Rings For?

These rings are perfect for anyone who wants to mount their scope once and never wants to worry about it again.

It’s possible to take it off and move it to another rifle, but you’re better off just buying multiple sets of rings.

If you’re looking for a set of rings that’s gonna hold up to a high recoil rifle and perfectly distribute the weight, then these are for you.

Combined with the Warne base, these are perfect for any type of firearm.

They also work with most scopes, including these 1-8x scopes.

To review:

• Inexpensive
• High quality
• Super durable
• Made in the USA
• Hold perfect zero
• Set it and forget it design
• Stainless steel recoil control
• Perfect for guns with heavy recoil

They’re also covered by Warne’s lifetime warranty, and by lifetime they mean as long as someone has the product.

No matter how it breaks or when Warne will repair or replace it for free.

That’s a company that stands by their product, so you know they’ve gotta be good.

Check out the Warne 1” Matte PA Rings for yourself.

6. Warne Quick Detach: Best Quick Release Mount

If you’re after a mounting system that will let you run different scopes on the same gun, look no further than the Warne Quick Detach (QD) Ring set.

With a set of Warne QD Rngs on each scope, you can swap out optics in 10 seconds. Just throw the lever and pop your variable distance scope off. Slip your red dot in place and use the lever to lock it down tight. These rings will keep zero when you reattach your optic-no need to sight in your scope again.

Do you want to swap out a variable powered scope for a thermal scope or for a night vision scope? With this affordable set of rings, you can easily put them on all of your optics.

Durability

The Warne QD Rings are heavy-duty, American made rings are crafted out of stainless steel. Their electrostatic powder coating is pretty tough. These rings can take a beating.

I have them on my Weatherby 300 win mag. Despite my gun’s heavy recoil, they hold solid. I don’t have to tighten them.

I don’t treat my firearm or optics lightly. They get knocked, smacked, dragged through the dirt and submerged. I think my Leupold VX-5HD 3-15×44 might give out before these rings do.

Eye Relief

Warne QD Rings are designed to go on a weaver style mount. The adjustability for eye relief is limited to the length of my weaver rail.

These rings aren’t designed to forward mount a scope. Using these, expect to mount your scope within standard eye relief distances. Your eyepiece should be about 3 to 4 inches from your eye-depending on your scope’s specs.

Installation

Installing the Warn QD Ring set to my optics was super easy. They come with an allen key, all I needed was a torque wrench

and a gun vice.

Here’s what you’ll need to do:

• Remove the screws from each ring. Notice that they aren’t the same length-you’ll want to make sure you put them back in the right spots.
• Put your scope inside the two halves and add the recoil key. Heads up: Ruger and CZ rings will not have a specific recoil key.
• Start all 4 screws, but only tighten the bottom ones to 25 in/lbs using your torque wrench.
• Attach your rings to the base and make sure the recoil keys are set into the slots and press each ring towards the muzzle to lock the recoil keys in.
• Then tighten the throw lever tight with your thumb and forefinger-there’s no need to over do it.
• Next you can adjust your eye relief and reticle.
• After you have your eye relief and reticle as you’d like tighten the top screws to 25in/lbs with your torque wrench.
• Once all of the screws are set, you can pull out your quick release lever and face it-or index it-the direction you’d like.

Once I had my optic on securely and zeroed, I can remove and replace my optic to my heart’s delight without having to sight it in again.

Who’s the Warne QD Ring Set for?

These rings are for anyone who wants to exchange multiple optics on the same rifle. The Warne QD Rings are very easy to remove and reattach. Just throw the lever, remove your scope, slip in the next one and lock it down.

The Warne QD Ring set:

• Holds Zero
• American made
• Easy installation
• Durably crafted from stainless steel

If you are looking for a great rimfire scope to use with these rings check out this list.

7. Burris XTR Rings: Best for Picatinny Rail

Burris is known for designing some of the most robust and reliable riflescope rings on the market.

I bought the XTR signature rings because I needed additional vertical adjustment for shooting at extended ranges. I considered buying a 20 MOA Picatinny rail, but they were expensive and difficult to find for custom actions.

Let me tell you this: the Burris XTR Rings solved my problem.

By the end of this review, you’ll know if these XTR signature rings are for you.

Let’s get started!

Durability and Fit

The Burris XTR Rings are lightweight yet rugged.

Although they’re not made of steel, the rings are precision-machined from aircraft-grade aluminum and come in an elegant finish.

The shims are designed to offset your scope’s minor misalignment or build a custom MOA base for long-range applications. You won’t need to buy additional bases to adjust MOA.

By choosing the right combo of inserts, you can easily adjust for unusual ring/mount/barrel alignments.

The inserts can also be aligned to provide additional elevation or windage if necessary.

Plus:

The XTR rings allow perfect alignment of the scope without adding stress on the tube, thanks to its nylon inserts.

The well-constructed rings hold the scopes securely without leaving a mark on them.

Nothing is more disheartening than to have your expensive scope marred up by scope rings.

The XTR Signature Rings come in stated heights of 1.0″ (medium), 1.25″ (high), and 1.5″ (extra high) for 1″ and 30mm diameters, and only 1″ and 1.5″ in 34mm.

Remember, proper ring height is key to a perfect cheek weld for the most comfortable fit and accurate shooting.

Installation and Eye Relief

The installation is very straightforward.

The Burris XTR Rings come in a waterproof storage container with a set of instructions.

It includes all the tools and parts needed to make 0-40 MOA of cant in the scope mount.

Each ring set includes:

• One set of the +/- 0 MOA concentric.
• One set each of the +/-5 MOA and +/-10 MOA.
• Two sets of the +/-20 MOA.

Take note!

These rings don’t come with two sets of 0 inserts, so if you don’t want to change your MOA angle, you need to carefully install the two sets of +/- 20 MOA to achieve 0 MOA.

I also found that the six screws on the ring clamps make it easier to tighten without changing the scope level compared to the four screws set up on the regular signature zee rings.

I used a laser bore sight to get them dialed in. I was just 2 inches off zero at 200 yards.

I mounted a Burris XTR II 8-40×50 FFP scope to a 6.5 Creedmoor with these rings. I shot about 100 rounds through the rifle and found no issues holding zero.

Final Verdict

I’ve been a Burris fan for over five years and have several sets installed on my rifles.

What can I say?

The Burris XTR rings are one of the best AR scope mounts I own.

Here’s why:

• Holds zero
• Easy to install
• Good price point
• High-quality construction

Regardless if used for hunting, tactical, or target shooting, the Burris XTR Rings are an excellent choice.

If you’re on the hunt for the best handgun scopes, I’ve got the perfect list for you!

8. Seekins Precision: Best Scope Rings for Long Range Shooting

Seekins Precision scope rings are an ideal mount for long range shooters.

With a solid mount that you can count on, making those precision shots becomes a whole lot easier.

Seekins Precision provides that support and gives you the opportunity to concentrate on your shooting.

Want to hear more? Keep reading…

Durability

These scope rings were built like a tank.

They are made from 7075-T6 aluminum and precision machined for a high quality, sturdy feel.

Seekins Precision are a tad on the bulky side, but they don’t get in the way and they’re incredibly durable. The solid build allows them to handle the recoil from any caliber, including the heavy hitting 45-70, which I use for big game hunting.

Plus, you won’t have to do any lapping, like I usually do with cheaper rings.

They are also specifically made for the picatinny rail, so they’re one of the best AR scope mounts.

Installation

Since these were made for the picatinny rail, installing them on one is a breeze.

If you’re using the Seekins rail, the cross bolt fits right in the channel and there’s no movement at all. I’ve noticed movement there in other rings, which is why I love the Seekins precision so much.

While they do come with a T25 key, I had to use a T25 torx screwdriver to get it on the way I wanted. But once set up, it was perfect.

And my scope slipped right in and fit nice and tight in the rings. I’ve even tried these rings on a SKS rail and they worked perfectly.

Eye Relief

The Seekins Precision scope rings come in multiple heights to give you the clearance you need for your weapon.

Because they secure to a picatinny rail, you can position them to give you the best eye relief.

The firm, solid fit keeps your scope in place, so you never lose your zero.

At this point, I’ve shot over 200 rounds using these and haven’t had to readjust a thing.

Who’s the Seekins Precision Scope Rings for?

Seekins Precision scope rings are perfect for long range shooters that need to know they have a solid mount.

They are:

• Easy to install
• Strong and sturdy
• High quality aluminum
• Solid, with no movement

If you’re looking for the best quality scope rings on the market, try the Seekins Precision scope rings. You won’t be sorry.

How to Properly Mount a Rifle Scope

There are a lot of how-to’s out there on this subject, and some are better than others.

I realize that not everyone has a machine shop, and some of these steps are a bit of overkill for a rimfire plinker that won’t be used for competition or even to take game.

With that in mind, I’ll go through each step of the process for a professional scope job, but take it with a grain of salt. Depending on your gun, mounting, and scope, not all of these steps will be necessary.

If you are interested in a professional mounting kit, this video might interest you, and it’s a great how-to resource as well:

How to Attach the Scope Mount

The first step is to get your rail on the weapon. Obviously, if you are using an existing dovetail that is cut into your receiver, you can skip ahead.

Most rifles have some tiny screws in the top of the receiver that can be removed with a small flathead or phillips screwdriver. The threaded holes left behind are what the mount will attach to.

If there are no holes, then you may have to drill and tap the receiver, or some other machining may be necessary. A trip to the gunsmith is usually in order, as those who have a machining skillset and the right tools will know what to do. But here is a little more information:

Usually, the mount is placed on the receiver and the screw hole centers are marked with a punch. Holes are drilled in the receiver, and then a tap is used to thread them to the proper size and pitch.

Once you have the mounting holes located or drilled, it’s a simple matter of placing the mounting rail over the exposed holes, and then attaching it with the included screws, which are typically torx screws. 30 inch pounds is the usual torque recommendation.

To make life easy, ensure that your rail is made for your weapon platform, and you should have very few issues. Manufacturers make rails machined perfectly for just about any rifle out there.

How to Attach the Lower Half of the Scope Rings

I like to make sure everything is going to fit well before I start screwing it all together. I start by separating the rings and only attach the half with the lug on it to my rails. Just snug them up finger-tight for now.

Then I lay the scope across the open platform. If I have the wrong size rings, then it won’t fit right. Consider that check number one. The rings should hug the scope, but it should drop in easily. Check that the spacing between the rings is not interfering with the scope.

While you are at it, you may also want to check the eye relief to ensure that you are happy with the scope location, and also that the primary optic isn’t touching the barrel. There should be a little air gap between the two.

Optional: On Picatinny rails in particular, you can try to adjust the spacing where the front ring rests comfortably against the body of the scope (the bulge in the middle where the elevation and windage knobs are). Having that change in diameter butted up against the front ring will eliminate any possibility of the scope creeping forward later on.

Once you are happy with the placement, snug up the lower rings to the recommended torque from the ring manufacturer.

Lapping the Scope Rings

If you have a lapping rod, this is an additional step that will ensure that the scope is held snugly by the rings with minimal chance of the tube distorting over time.

First, lapping compound is applied to the insides of the rings. Mark both of the rings with a pencil or grease pen on top, so you will know which is the front and the back, and which side faces the muzzle. Once you start, you want to stay with the exact same configuration.

The lapping rod is secured into the rings just like a scope would be, but the rings are only tightened enough to hold it in place. It should still be able to slide freely.

Work the rod forward and back a couple dozen times, and then check the rings by taking everything back apart and examining the wear patterns.

Repeat this process until you’ve removed at least 75% of the surface finish.

How to Swab the Rings

You want to remove any residual oils or foreign matter.

I prefer rubbing alcohol and a rag, but there are several options out there.

Clean the rings thoroughly to remove grit, grime, lapping compound, oils, cosmoline, or anything else that will wipe off. A spray cleaner of some kind with a little straw attached to the head can be used to get inside the screw holes as well.

Clean everything, and then dry everything. To be extra safe, go over the whole setup with a can of compressed air when you are finished to dry out any leftover solvent.

How to Check the Level

Lay the scope onto the bottom rings, then cover with the top rings and start threading in the screws until the scope is held securely, but it can still twist and move if you turn it. Not tight enough to scratch the paint, but not so loose that it will move on its own.

Check that the gaps on either side of the rings are the same as well.

Once all of the screws are finger tight, secure the rifle in a vice and place a level bubble on any flat along the top of the receiver or barrel.

Both the rifle and the turret top should be perfectly level. This ensures that both will match, and that will give you a leveled finish.

Now start tightening the screws. Just a little snug at first, and if there are more than two per ring you will want to criss cross when tightening. A simple star pattern, such as forward-left, rear-right, rear-left, forward-right. Kinda like tightening lug nuts on a car wheel.

Once everything is nice and snug, apply the final tightening with a torque driver using the same pattern.

How to Sight In Your Rifle

With a new scope, it’s good to ensure that the scope is as close as it can be before actually putting a shot down range. There are generally two ways to do this.

At the range, set a short target at twenty or thirty yards and zero there first. When you are hitting the paper close to center, you can reach out to 100 yards and re-zero.

If you know the intermediate point of impact for your rifle caliber, you can set your short target at that range, and it should be pretty dang close when you reach out to a longer range.

A bore sight tool is another option. This is a little laser that chambers just like a bullet, and will put a dot on the target for you to align to.

But be aware:

You will still need to shoot some groups to get everything dialed in, but it should get you on the paper at 100 yards.

Now It’s Your Turn

I hope you enjoyed my best scope ringsguide.

Now I want to turn it over to you:

Which scope ring will you pick for your firearm?

Let me know by leaving a quick comment down below.

These bucks are only known by the sheds they left behind.

In whitetail hunting history, there are plenty of successful hunt stories that ended with a legendary whitetail deer. But for every huge deer that falls to a hunter, there are probably just as many that get away. Some of these bucks are total ghosts that are only known by the shed antlers they left behind.

For today’s #WhitetailWednesday, here are seven bucks that left behind their antlers and vanished into thin air.

The Kansas King

These gorgeous 12-point deer sheds were found in the early 1990s. This buck may have rewritten whitetail hunting history had a hunter ever spotted it. There are actually two sets of sheds from this buck. The first scores 201 7/8, but it’s the second set that garners everyone’s attention. We can only speculate on the inside spread, but it is believed this buck would have netted a whopping 217 inches!

Had the buck met his demise by a hunter, Milo Hanson’s typical world record would likely actually be number two in the record books. Unfortunately, the world will never know.

The General

Yet another would-be typical world record, this gargantuan buck wandered Nebraska sometime in the late 1950s. For years, the sheds remained in relative obscurity in a farmer’s home. That is, until he showed them to an Oklahoma hunting outfitter. The outfitter recognized the significance of the awesome antlers subsequently scored them.

It’s estimated this monster buck would have grossed over 230 inches typical and would have likely netted somewhere in the 220s! That’s mostly thanks to main beams of over 30 inches. What’s crazy is the farmer who found them said there wasn’t one, but THREE bucks of this caliber running around the area that year!

It’s felt like Milo Hanson’s world record has been untouchable the last 25 years, but one can only wonder how much more out of reach the record would feel had the General fallen to a hunter.

The Excelsior Urban Giant

This buck was actually pretty well-known to many of the locals who tracked his movements and antler growth with trail cameras near Excelsior, Minnesota, in 2011. Many shed hunters searched for the large antlers and eventually his sheds were tracked down on two separate days by the same hunter in February 2011. The two sides scored around 175 inches without factoring in an inside spread, which would probably put the buck in the 190-inch range.

But in 2012, it the buck seemingly vanished without a trace and no one seems to know for sure what happened to it. There are internet rumors, but no proof he was hit by a car in late winter. This giant, like many mature bucks, will probably remain one of the great mysteries of whitetail history.

The Knife-Handle Buck

This giant wandered Iowa sometime in the 1970s. Unfortunately, the sheds were picked up by a farmer who didn’t really care about them and not someone who loves antler hunting. The farmer gave one side to a visiting trapper and the other side to a friend who had a hobby of making knife handles.

Yes, one of the largest sets of typical antlers ever was partially cut up for a knife! Fortunately, only part of it was destroyed and the leftover piece was later recovered in 2012 still in fairly good condition. A taxidermist was able to recreate the long-missing side from the piece.

Of course, this means no accurate numbers can be ascertained for this deer, but we can make a good guess. Estimates on this buck’s score over 230 inches, meaning this buck would could potentially have shattered all current typical records if only the buck had met up with a lucky hunter during hunting season.

The Wensel Shed

Photos of this single massive shed have circulated the internet for years now. You wouldn’t have to be a shed hunting master to spot something like this.

This buck had some good genes. This seven-point side scores over 100 inches all on its own! An Illinois giant grew this antler back in 1980, and as far as we know, the other side was never found, although it was rumored to be just as big.

Looking at this side, it’s easy to imagine it probably would’ve been a world record had the deer been harvested. But, like many of the bucks on this list, it just seems to have vanished into the wild, never to be seen again. But, it’still igniting the imaginations of hunters all these years later.

Mystery Wisconsin World-Record 5-Pointer

Another buck shrouded in relative mystery and known by only one shed deer antler, this 5-point side is the stuff of shed hunting dreams. The antler was found by a Wisconsin farmer (Are you also noticing a pattern here with farmers picking up world-class antlers?) and then tacked to a barn, where it stayed for years before it was sold and brought out of obscurity.

The thing that grabs everyone’s attention with this antler is the jaw-dropping 13-7/8-inch browtine. As far as we know, the other side was never found and the buck was never shot. This one side scores an eye-popping 98 6/8 inches. If the other side was anything like this one, we may have been talking about a 10-pointer that rivals the Jordan buck for king of the 10-pointers.

The Minnesota Monarch

This buck puzzled hunters for years in Minnesota, mainly because no one could find the deer before late winter. One landowner found several sets of sheds, as he noticed the deer only showed up on his property in February.

In 1990, the buck’s antlers scored 310 inches non-typical. Keep in mind, that was before calculating in the inside spread which can only be guessed. It’s very likely this buck would have been a world record for a hunter-killed whitetail at the very least.

But the following year, the Monarch didn’t return. Instead, he vanished into Minnesota hunting legend, and hunters in the area were likely left wondering what could’ve been.

NEXT: #WHITETAILWEDNESDAY: 5 WORLD-RECORD BUCKS THAT SUCCESSFULLY AVOIDED ALL HUNTERS

I’ve never intentionally gone shed hunting, but my daughter, Vayda, and I have been lucky enough to find antler sheds in the spring on a couple of occasions. Vayda has an eye for deer antler sheds.

She was only four years old when she found her first deer antler. We were walking through a cornfield at my grandma’s house in early spring during one of our Thursday visits. At the time, there were a couple of miniature ponies in the pasture adjacent to the cornfield and Vayda liked visiting them. She picked up the broken antler and asked why her stick looked so funny. I was shocked when I confirmed it was an antler on closer inspection.

She was proud to show off her find to my grandma and mom. And she was even more pleased when my dad told her how impressed he was later that evening.

I wouldn’t say a hobby was born. She didn’t find her next antler sheds until she was eight years old, and again, by total coincidence. This time a couple of mature bucks had each dropped an antler next to our house, just out of the yard under the cover of the pine trees sheltering where they liked to bed down.

We had only moved in six months prior to the find. Although we regularly observed the deer feeding on the apple trees in the backyard at dawn and dusk, we hadn’t realized they slept and migrated through the pines that bordered our yard.

When Vayda came running out of the woods with the large antlers, we thought she may have found a set. But after further inspection, we realized the antlers she had found had to have come from two different deer.

Dropping and growing antlers

Every year a buck deer grows a new set of antlers. The process starts after they shed last year’s rack sometime between late January and early March. Their antlers fall off because their hormone levels decrease after breeding season. If winter has been particularly tough and food sources have been scarce, deer may shed their antlers earlier than normal.

Once their antlers have been shed, they begin growing a new rack. Most bucks will have noticeable velvet-covered nubs by May. The new antlers will continue to grow through September. During late summer, the antlers will harden and the velvet outer covering will be rubbed off on small trees and shrubs. Bucks also use their antlers to spar with competing bucks in their territory and establish dominance in preparation for breeding season that begins in October and ends in December.

February through March is an ideal time to look for deer antler sheds because they will be in the best condition and the easiest to spot. After the snow melts before the spring vegetation starts to green up and grow thicker deer antlers will be the easiest to see. Additionally, finding them soon after they are shed is better because rodents will find antlers that have been laying on the ground for a while and gnaw on them for their minerals and to wear down their teeth.

How to find deer antler sheds

Scout during winter. Deer often seek places with food availability and cover during the winter. Looking for deer tracks in the snow is a great way to locate the places they frequent. Deer are most active at dusk so this is the best time to try and observe active deer.

Bucks stick together. Bucks separate from does and fawns during winter and travel in groups with other bucks. An area where you found one shed will often have others from bucks in the same group.

Look in areas that aren’t heavily hunted. Fewer bucks survive in heavily hunted areas, so areas that are not hunted can be the best places to find antler sheds.

Locate food sources. Locating food sources is a great way to narrow down places deer have frequented throughout the winter. But they aren’t necessarily the same places deer frequented during the fall. Sometimes agricultural fields become hotspots after harvest; however, woody browse in woodlots are also a favorite food source for deer in winter. Learn to identify which plants deer prefer. Oak and other late-producing mast trees attract deer during winter.

Look around bedding areas. Deer spend a lot of time in their beds conserving energy during the winter. They prefer coniferous woodlots because they provide dense cover from the wind and snow. Tall grasses, brushy thickets and heavily wooded areas are other common bedding sites. They also prefer areas that are south-facing to maximize the amount of direct sunlight they get. The southern edges of a forest or the south face of a hill would be ideal for deer during winter. The best time to check bedding areas is around ducks when deer vacate them to forage.

Check around obstacles on travel paths. Deer make travel paths from their food source to their bedding area. Once you’ve located a travel path, look for sheds near obstacles like fences or ditches. Sudden movements caused by jumping and running can knock antlers lose.

Walk slowly and have a keen eye. Walking slowly allows your eyes more time to separate antlers from broken sticks and corn stalks. Train your eyes to look for parts of antlers instead of the entire antler, so you don’t walk past a shed.

Related Content

• Get ready now for shed hunting season
• Best thing to do in February: Shed hunting
• It’s deer shed hunting season

Resources

• Ohio Department of Natural Resources