IF I COULD BE REINCARNATED, I’d come back as a used-car salesman,” Ramsey Russell says to me.

It’s 5 a.m., and we’re barreling down a dark highway in Obregon, Mexico. Russell, 53, is explaining how it would be easier to sell used cars than the international waterfowl hunts he deals with in his current gig as a booking agent (though he hates that term). I’m pretty sure he’s only half kidding.

“People go in to buy a car, and they know what they want,” he says. “Me, I’ve got to sell the experience.”

Later that morning, a handful of other writers,  some reps from Benelli, and I enjoy the most epic pintail shoot I’ll ever be a part of. Drakes in their breeding plumage, long sprigs trailing behind, float out of the clear-blue sky and cup into a decoy spread set along a tidal beach. Tucked into a mangrove blind, my hunting partner and I take turns shooting until we have our limits, then we sit back and watch the spectacle of teal, wigeon, pintails, redheads, and shorebirds whip down the shoreline. By the time we get picked up for lunch, we’re sold on the Ramsey Russell experience.

We’re here on the west coast of Mexico hunting wintering ducks thanks to Russell’s connection to Frank Ruiz, an outfitter who turned his family home into a hunting lodge.

Russell sends his clients to outfitters like Ruiz all over the world. Classic wingshooting destinations such as Mexico and Argentina are entry-level trips for Russell’s hunters. Think more exotic: shelducks in Mongolia, garganey in Azerbaijan, barnacle geese in the Netherlands, red-billed teal in South Africa. Russell hunts all of these destinations before he sends clients to them. 

Not all of his trips are  high-volume shoots like the one we experienced in Mexico. On an Alaska king eider hunt, for example, you shoot only a few ducks per day. What all of Russell’s hunts have in common, though, is that they are a blend of adventure travel and species-collecting expedition. 

And the trips are not as expensive as you might think. An average hunt costs about $6,000, which isn’t chump change, but it’s still cheaper than almost any international big-game hunt, Russell reasons on our drive back after the morning shoot. His mission is to create a passion (and a market) for adventure waterfowl hunting. He wants to foster a shift away from the posh international hunt clubs. 

“These are duck hunts for real duck hunters,” Russell says. “You’re not traveling around the world to smoke fat cigars and eat edible art. You’re going to hunt. If you want all that other shit, take your wife to Italy.”

Life Is Short

Like any great outfitter, guide, or booking agent, Russell can cut up with a group of new hunters as if they’re old buddies. He knows that if a hunt isn’t going well and tensions are high, a good joke or witty story can save the day. Over the years, he’s developed an arsenal of quips:

“My favorite duck is the next one over the decoys”—for when pintails aren’t working, but shovelers are dive-bombing into the decoys. 

“I’d agree with you, but then we’d both be wrong”—for defusing an argument with a client.

“It’s like walking through the pages of National Geographic with a shotgun”—for selling the idea of a hunt in a far-flung destination.

Russell was born in Mississippi, where his grandpa taught him to love hunting and fishing. He was tagging along on dove hunts at 8 years old. Soon enough, he was immersed in the world of duck hunting Mississippi River backwaters. Then, when he was 15, Russell was nearly killed in a freak accident. He was cleaning a paintbrush with gasoline when a water-heater pilot light caught the fumes and erupted in a fiery explosion. Russell suffered second– and third-degree burns on three-quarters of his body, but he beat the 8 percent chance of survival the doctors gave him.

Most of us save the concept of “bucket-list trips” for the twilight of our hunting career. We’re only willing to roll the dice once we acknowledge that time is running out. But Russell faced his own mortality when he was a kid. During a long, torturous recovery, the teenager forged a saying that became his personal creed and would later become his business slogan: “Life is short, get ducks.”

Eventually, Russell earned a forestry degree and landed a job with the federal government. When he worked up enough scratch, he started traveling to hunt waterfowl in Canada and Argentina. He made his first international trip to Saskatchewan in 1998. 

Russell has the ideal temperament to captain a crew of duck hunters. He’s intense enough to make sure everyone brings their A-game (“Turn off the damn phone and play for keeps”), but he’s also experienced enough to know that the whole point of the thing is to have a good time—and he’s unabashed about his love for shooting ducks (“Hell yeah, shooting ducks is fun, and hell yeah, it’s conservation”). So, Russell had no problem recruiting buddies to go with him abroad. He started bringing so many other hunters along that an outfitter convinced him to open a part-time booking–agency business. Then, in 2010, Russell went full-time with his site, getducks.com.

Greenheads International

Russell has learned some straightforward lessons during his world travels: Don’t drink the milk in Pakistan, and keep your firearms documentation on your person when you go through customs in China. 

But the biggest takeaway cuts deeper, to the culture of American waterfowl hunting. Generally, we kill fewer ducks per hunt than you can almost anywhere else in the world, and yet we’re the ones obsessed with numbers.

That’s because the strict limits on how many ducks and how many of each species we can kill forces American waterfowlers to be careful counters. Each dead bird is one notch closer to a limit. A full limit means the end of the hunt, and complete success.

As Russell says: “It’s almost like if you only shoot three ducks, you lost. It’s made to feel like if you’re not killing a limit, you’re not having fun.”

Of course, these limits are good and necessary for conservation. In the U.S., we have much higher hunter-density numbers than in other parts of the world. There are about 1 million U.S. waterfowlers. In comparison, only a few hundred Americans travel to the Yaqi Valley in Mexico to hunt ducks each winter, according to Russell. Those few hundred hunters end up harvesting a statistically insignificant number of ducks, even if they’re bringing back a whole pile of birds each day.

In the rest of the world, waterfowl hunting for sport isn’t as common, and neither are limits or hunting pressure. In some corners of the world, you set your own limit. One of Russell’s hunts in Pakistan drives home the point.

He was invited by a feudal lord to hunt a sprawling marsh along the Indus River (one of the longest rivers in Asia, which serves as a major flyway). The lord had heard that the American was a crack shot, so he made his way down to the blind to watch. He gave Russell a few boxes of shells from his personal stash—German-made, 3-inch lead loads—and insisted that Russell take long shots that most American hunters would consider sky blasting. 

“If you want to hunt in Pakistan, you must shoot like a Pakistani,” the lord said. 

So, Russell started burning through shells, and once he got the long lead figured out, birds rained from the sky. Russell wasn’t counting but figures he killed more ducks that day than most American waterfowlers shoot in a season. Each bird was recovered diligently (meat doesn’t go to waste in Pakistan), and Russell was immersed in a totally different hunting culture. To the Pakistanis, the most important aspect of the hunt was shooting ability.

The upshot? You can’t travel halfway across the world and expect locals to have the same hunting values as you do. 

And over time, Russell’s clients have developed new hunting values.

“In the beginning, the number-one question clients would ask is, ‘How many ducks can I shoot?’” Russell says. “Now hardly anyone asks that. Now everyone wants to know which species are present and what the experience is going to be like.”

But no matter how far you travel, in many ways duck hunters are all the same. 

“Mallards are the big prize bird anywhere they exist in the world,” he says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s Mongolia or Missouri.” 

Many times, Russell hunts with locals who speak a different language from him. This minimizes the small talk, but they still communicate through hand signals and gestures in the duck hunter’s common language: Fix the hide, the ducks are flaring; tweak the spread, they’re not committing close enough; good shot, here come some more birds.

“You can put four people from anywhere in the world together in a blind, and they’ll have more in common than they’ll have differences, because they’re hunters.”

The Next Migration

On our last day in Mexico, we opt to hunt Pacific brant in a tidal flat of the Sea of Cortez. Shortly after sunrise, the birds beeline for our decoys, low and tight, flying like giant black teal in slow motion. After two volleys, Russell’s 9-year-old Lab, Cooper, has a pile of retrieving work to do. Cooper is a registered service dog, and she’s traveled the world  with Russell. This is the last big tour of her career. 

Next, we head to a backwater to hunt teal, and for the first time, Russell sets aside his shotgun. 

As we pick off teal one at a time, Cooper methodically plucks our birds out of the marsh. She needs no direction from Russell, and is mostly too deaf to hear him anyway. She retrieves because it’s in her blood. It’s what she’s always done.

Meanwhile, Russell contemplates the future of waterfowling. He plans to target millennials with his international duck-hunting trips. This demographic has proven willing to spend more on travel than any other expense. He’s banking on the idea that the groups of hardcore young guns you see patrolling the goose fields of every Midwest town will one day want to chase birds in Canada, Mexico, or Russia. 

Getting this next generation of hunters excited about waterfowling and conservation on a global scale, he hopes, will be his legacy. 

“Someday, I don’t want my headstone to read, ‘Here lies Ramsey Russell: One million dead ducks,’ ” Russell says. “There has to be more to it than that. Don’t you think?” 

This story originally ran in the Fall 2019 issue. Read more OL+ stories.

The post This Old-School Duck Slayer Is Opening New Hunting Opportunities Around the World for Americans appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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In many ways, the wild tom turkey is underrated as a big game animal. He’s got excellent eyesight and hair-trigger instincts that have helped him avoid hunters and spread all across the country. Public land turkey hunting increases the challenge even more. Typically, public land toms gobble less, they frequent fields less regularly, and hang up outside of shotgun range more often. Plus, you’ve got to compete with other turkey hunters who are out hammering the same ground as you.

All of this means that turkey hunting success rates are lower than you might expect. Take my home state of Minnesota for example. We’re covered up with birds and habitat. But the hunter success rate for the spring season hovers around 30 percent. That means two out of three Minnesota turkey hunters are going skunked this spring.

So if you’re planning to hunt turkeys on public land and you don’t want to be among the 70 percent of hunters who will be eating turkey tag soup, then follow this ultimate guide to public land turkey hunting.

Where to Find Public Land Near Me?

Finding a good public land hunting spot is the key to success. You want to hunt where the turkeys are and other hunters aren’t. The search begins online. Use a mapping app like onX or Huntstand to identify public lands near you. Also check your state’s public land website (just Google the name of your state and “public hunting land”). Here are some common (and some underrated) land types that often offer public turkey hunting (check local regs before hunting):

• State wildlife management areas
• State forests
• National forests
• Bureau of Land Management land
• National wildlife refuges
• National scenic riverways
• Waterfowl production areas (non-toxic shot only)
• Walk-in access or voluntary public access areas
• Open forest crop
• County-owned forest land

Once you find public land parcels that look promising, it’s time to evaluate each one more thoroughly. Read my full guide on how to scout turkeys here.

Ideally, you’ll find an area that is hard for other hunters to reach. This means areas they are far from a parking lot or road, across a creek or stream, or on the backside of a steep ridge. Check out the screen shot below. This is just what you’re looking for: an hilly hardwoods surrounded by private land and it’s accessible only from the river. Most hunters are not going to go through the trouble of jumping in a kayak or canoe to access this piece of land. And this is precisely what makes these types of places so perfect. (Always double check your local access laws).

Terrain Features and Habitat

Toms love open fields and green meadows where they can display for hens and feed on bugs or leftover crops. But on public lands, these areas tend to get pounded. Many public land hunters will simply walk to the first field they can get to, set up some decoys, and then spend the morning waiting for a tom to strut in. This is unlikely to work on pressured public lands. Look for these areas instead:

Secluded Hardwoods

Get back into the woods where toms will be spending most of their time. Look for open hardwood flats that are secluded and hard to access. Search for roost sites along the way. Mature oaks are ideal, and since oaks often hold their leaves longer than other hardwood trees, you can identify stands of oak through the satellite view on digital maps if you sort by month (look at November and December).

Funnels

Turkeys will travel through pinch points in the terrain just like rutting bucks will. This might look like a strip of timber between two waterways, a saddle between two ridge tops, or a flat between a river and a steep hillside. Look for turkey sign in these areas, they’re good places to setup midmorning.

Small Open Areas

Avoid the big, popular fields everyone else is hunting and focus on smaller, less obvious openings where toms might want to strut. This could be an intersection of two old logging roads, an abandoned homestead, or an area that was burned or logged the previous season. If you can find one of these spots well off the beaten path, it will likely attract turkeys.

Calling and Decoying Public Land Turkeys

Most of the guys I hear in the public turkey woods are not great callers (full disclosure: I’m no Will Primos, either). Luckily, you don’t have to be a great caller to kill a whole bunch of turkeys. If you know you’re not an expert caller (or even if you flat out suck), you can be successful by setting up where the tom wants to be and then giving him some light yelps and clucks. If he likes it, give him a little more. If he doesn’t respond with enthusiasm, then you should stop calling. Curiosity might draw him, but a whole run of crappy calling won’t.

When it comes to bad turkey calling, a little goes a long way. If you can’t make even the best turkey mouth call sound like a real hen, then for God’s sake leave it in the truck. A slate call will draw the bird in, and a simple push-button call (which you can run with your shotgun shouldered) will pull him those last few yards into shooting range. When turkey hunting on public land, try to get close to a gobbler (within 200 yards or so depending on how thick the cover is) before calling to him. Most of the time it’s unlikely to call in a bird from a mile away on public land. And getting a turkey to gobble over and over from long range will only draw other hunters to him.

Be ultra careful with turkey decoys on public land. Do not use reaping decoys while hunting turkeys on public ground. Personally, I won’t use a tom decoy on public land either. There are simply too many other hunters around and it’s not worth the risk of them mistaking your decoy for the real thing. I also think that many hunters are too reliant on decoys. You know those videos you’ve seen on hunting TV or Youtube of a big tom strutting in to jump on a turkey decoy at close range? Yeah, that rarely (never?) happens with pressured public land turkeys. I prefer to set up in a spot in the woods where I know turkeys like to be and set out no decoys at all. If I decide to hunt a public land field, I’ll run two or three hen decoys.

Public Land Turkey Hunting Tips

Walk slowly, stop often, listen closely. Far too many hunters bomb through public land scaring turkeys as they go. When you’re moving through areas were turkeys are likely to be, walk as slowly as you can (then slow down even more). Stop and scan for strutters in the distance. Always listen closely for far off gobbles (especially after crows, owls, or coyotes sound off).

Hunt mid-morning and midday (if legal). Most other hunters will be out of the woods by then but those gobblers are still out there. Sometimes midday gobblers that have lost or bred their hens are the easiest ones to kill.

Find the roosts. Even though calling a bird right off the roost and into gun range rarely works, it’s still useful to know where gobblers roost. It gives you an idea of where birds will be first thing in the morning and where they’ll be in the evenings.

Talk to the other hunters you meet. If you see other hunters in the parking lot or on the trail, be nice and chat them up. Find out where they intend to hunt and let them know where you’re planning to hunt. It’s far better to work together than compete for the same bird. If you’re both targeting the same birds, consider hunting with each other instead of against each other.

Use trail cameras (if legal). If it’s legal to run trail cameras on the type of public land you’re hunting, you should do it. This will give you intel and when and where turkeys are moving. Just make sure the cameras are in places other hunters are unlikely to stumble into them. And, read our guide on how to use trail cameras for turkey hunting.

Read gobbler behavior. Most of the time public land toms will be sneaky and elusive. They won’t come into your set up gobbling and strutting. These birds take more patience to kill. So if a tom gobbles at one or two of your calls and then goes quiet, don’t be discouraged. There’s a very good chance he’s coming in silently. Give birds like this more time. On the flip side, when you encounter a fired up tom, get aggressive. Call actively and quickly get ready to shoot. This is the bird you’ve been hoping to hear.

Common Public Land Turkey Hunting Mistakes to Avoid

I’ve screwed up my fair share of public land turkey hunts, but I’ve learned from those bone-headed mistakes. If you’re struggling with public land hunts this spring, avoid making the following mistakes:

Don’t Hunt the Obvious Birds

Turkeys that you can hear gobble from the parking lot, birds you can glass from a busy road, birds that roost at the end of a walking trail. Forget ’em. Any public land gobbler that seems too good to be true, probably is. If you were able to find them without much effort, other hunters certainly will too.

If you spend your morning setting up on these “easy” birds, you’re almost guaranteed to bump in to other hunters and your enjoyable outing in the woods is going to get frustrating quick. It might seem crazy to pass up turkeys to find turkeys, but you’re much better off hunting birds that other guys aren’t messing with. Just like deer hunting on public land, you’ve got to do a little extra walking to get away from the crowds. Also, you’d be surprised how many turkey hunters won’t cross a creek or a marsh. Wader up and find birds that haven’t been called to yet.

Don’t Stop Scouting During the Season

The most successful waterfowlers spend way more time scouting than they do hunting. When they do commit to a hunt, it’s usually a great shoot. Take a page from their book and sacrifice a couple days of hunting to relocate birds. This is especially useful during midseason when those birds you scouted before the season have been bumped, buggered, or killed. Taking an early-morning drive and hitting as many locations as possible will help you find fresh birds and new spots.

Don’t Keep Sitting in the Same Old Blind

I’m amazed at how many hunters will pick a field edge to hunt for the season and just wait… and wait. There’s no doubt that sitting a field edge with decoys can be an effective way to kill turkeys. But on public land, the dynamics are always changing. Your go-to spot can get blown out without you even knowing it. So instead of stubbornly waiting in an area that used to have turkeys, change as the conditions change.

Try new, out-of-the-way spots. One of my best public-land spots is a hardwood peninsula that juts out into a big cattail marsh. Gobblers roost in the hardwoods and can’t get off the peninsula without walking by me. The best thing about it is I’ve never seen anyone else hunt it. But, I never would have found that spot if I hadn’t left a more popular piece of public ground to search for new birds.

Don’t Be So Damn Loud

Public land turkeys get blown off roosts. By the second week of the season they know that headlamps and boots tromping through the leaves mean trouble. Sometimes, birds that hear the noisy approach of a hunter won’t blow off the roost right away, but they’ll go quiet. Then they’ll fly down and slip away to safety.

Often times the hunter thinks the birds were henned-up and uncooperative. In reality, they were spooked. So on calm, quiet spring mornings, sneak in like a ninja when you plan to hunt near a roost. Leave earlier than you need to, so you don’t have to rush. Leave the blind at home and go as light as possible, so your extraneous gear won’t get caught up in the brush and make a racket. Turn your headlamp well before you get close to the spot. Tiptoe to within 100 yards of the roost and there’s a good chance the gobbler will fly down right in your lap.

Legendary turkey hunter Ray Eye once told me a story about a tom in Missouri that he and his buddies just couldn’t seem to kill. After a week of blown attempts, Ray decided to sneak in on the roosted bird at zero dark thirty. He took off his boots when he got close and crept toward the roost tree in his socks, guided only by the light of the moon. Then he waited silently for hours until sunrise. Eventually, the tom flew down and Ray shot him when his feet touched the ground. I’m sure parts of that story have been stretched over the years, but the lesson is a good one: be quiet and get there early.

Don’t Get Discouraged When the Hunting Gets Tough

Sometimes it seems like everybody and their 10-year-old kid has already got their bird. Plus, with all the Facebook and Youtube videos of suicidal toms charging in to decoys, it can be easy to forget that turkey hunting can actually get pretty challenging. So don’t get discouraged when your first couple outings don’t go as planned. Keep changing up your tactics and enjoy those early mornings and late nights, because it’s only a matter of time before that old tom slinks in to range.

How to Get Permission on Private Land

Sometimes it’s nice to have a go-to private land spot if you’re striking out on public ground. Farmers are often more willing to grant permission for turkey hunting than they are for deer hunting, which is a blessing and a curse—because there’s a good chance somebody else already has permission to hunt the place. So start your private land search the same way you’d start your public land search: Use a digital mapping app to locate likely turkey habitat that’s off the beaten path. Look for hardwood ridges near agricultural fields, river bottoms that might hold good roost trees, and timber points that jut out into corn or soybean fields. Mark all your potential new hunting locations and make sure to record the landowners’ addresses.

Then spend a couple afternoons in late winter knocking on doors. Don’t show up during dinner time or on Sunday morning when folks might be getting ready for church. Be friendly and upfront. Tell the landowner you’d like to hunt the place for spring turkeys only, you won’t rut up the fields, you won’t hunt near the cattle, and you won’t have a whole crew of other guys hunting with you. If the landowner declines (no matter what the reason), don’t argue or try to persuade him or her, just say “thanks for the time” and be on your way. Remember: Farmers don’t owe you anything. They’d be letting you hunt their land and not really getting anything in return. Also, local landowners talk to each other. You can earn a reputation in an area quickly, for better or worse.

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Turkeys are tough. They’re covered in dense feathers, and their vital area is deceivingly small—this is especially true for strutting toms. Because of all this, you must shoot a tom in the head and neck in order to kill him cleanly and ethically. Quite simply, putting the core of your shotgun pattern on a tom’s neck and head will drop him in his tracks. 

But it does get slightly more complicated than just “put it on his head!” Turkeys move constantly, and their heads move the most. Shot distances vary, which changes the spread and density of your gun’s pattern. Then there’s the challenge of turkey hunting with a bow, which requires a whole different type of shot placement. In order to simplify turkey shooting and help you make the quickest, cleanest kills possible, I’ve put together an in-depth guide on where to shoot a turkey. 

Where to Shoot a Turkey with a Shotgun

Decades ago, shotshell expert Tom Roster conducted the most in-depth turkey load lethality test of all time. In a report on that testing, he says that the fourth cervical vertebrae down from the head is the ideal aim point for killing a turkey quickly. Winchester copyrighted targets with an “XX” marking this aim point (which you can see circled in red in the photo below, left). Hitting a turkey here with a tight pattern ensures that pellets will strike the skull and vertebrae, which makes for a very quick kill. It essentially shuts the tom’s lights off. 

However, I recommend aiming slightly below Roster’s point. See the red dot in the photo below (right) for my ideal aim point. 

There are several reasons to aim here. First, there is a clear aim point: just above the large caruncles on the neck (which are usually glowing bright red on a fired-up gobbler). You can further bracket your aim point by holding where the black feathers meet red skin. Hit this area and the core of your pattern should strike the tom in the neck with a few pellets from the top of your pattern hitting him in the skull. This aim point is ideal whether a turkey is facing you, walking away, or broadside.

Second, turkeys move their heads frequently. At close range, your spread of pellets fired through a tight turkey choke is barely bigger than a softball. So if you aim higher at close range and the turkey bobs his head as you squeeze the trigger, you’re likely to miss. However, my aim point just above the caruncles on the neck stays relatively still, even while the gobbler’s head is bobbing back and forth. Just watch the Instagram video of a gobbler walking below. As the tom’s head rocks forward and back, the area we’re aiming for remains still, which makes for a much easier target on a walking bird. 

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A post shared by Robert Lake Pickle (@lakepickle)

Lastly, turkey hunters (especially those not shooting red dot sights) tend to miss high. With all the excitement of a gobbler strutting into range, many shooters fail to get their head down on the gun. Instead of looking down the barrel, they look over it, which causes them to hit high. An extreme version of this will cause a miss no matter where you aim, but it doesn’t hurt to shade just a little lower on the neck.

The downside of a lower aim point is that on longer shots, it’s likely that some pellets will hit the top of the turkey’s breast, which means that you might have some pellets in your meat. It’s pretty easy to pick a few pellets out when you’re butchering the bird, but you can also buy a small metal detector to make sure there are no strays left over. 

If you shoot a tight turkey choke, don’t be worried about meat damage. I typically kill four to six toms a year with this aim point and rarely lose meat because it’s bloodshot. 

Turkey Shooting Tips

Beyond knowing where to shoot a turkey, you should know a few things about ethically killing gobblers. 

Don’t Shoot at a Turkey That’s in Full Strut

Shotgun hunters should avoid shooting at a strutting tom because his neck is curled and his head is tucked close to his body. This makes it easy to miss the core skull/vertebrae area. Turkeys that are hit in the body often roll over and then get up running. This is not an ideal result. To bring a gobbler out of strut, give him a few clucks on a mouth call (but be ready to shoot). If you’re not using a mouth call, simply moving your gun ever so slightly so that it covers the tom is often enough to catch his eye and bring him out of strut. But again, be ready to shoot.

Pattern Your Gun

Patterning your turkey gun is critical. Not all shotguns hit exactly where you aim them. You need to know your exact point of impact and the density of your pattern at all the ranges you intend to shoot. Don’t shoot beyond the capabilities of your load/choke/gun combo. For most hunters shooting lead turkey loads, that’s going to be a max of about 45 yards, but it could be less depending on your pattern. You want about 100 pellet strikes within a 10-inch diameter circle, or about 200 pellet strikes within a 30-inch diameter circle. Hunt with a rangefinder.  

Identify Your Target and Know What’s Beyond It

This is one of the core rules of hunter’s safety and it’s especially important for turkey hunters. We need to make sure that we are shooting toms (or jakes and bearded hens where legal). Make sure you see a visible beard of a live turkey (not a decoy) before putting your finger on the trigger. It’s also important to make sure that you don’t accidentally hit any turkeys near the bird you’re aiming at. Remember your pattern will spread several feet wide at longer ranges. You don’t want stray pellets to hit collateral birds that are next to or behind your tom. 

Where to Shoot a Turkey with a Bow

Shooting a turkey with a bow is much more challenging than shooting one with a shotgun. Turkeys look big when their feathers are puffed up in full strut, but their vitals are relatively small. Plus, they typically don’t leave great blood trails, even when hit well. Here are your options. 

Head and Neck

There are different “decapitator” style broadheads out there with extra-wide cutting diameters. With these broadheads you aim square for the turkey’s neck and either miss completely or kill him cleanly. But that’s not the only option for archery turkey hunters.

Broadside

For a broadside shot on a turkey, you want to strike them through the heart and lungs, which are lower than you might expect. Move up the leg and slightly toward the base of the wing. The video below from Heartland Bowhunter shows about perfect shot placement. The Heartland crews shoots a ton of toms each year with archery gear. Aim where they aim. 

Facing Away

If the tom is strutting away from you, aim for the vent (or base of the fan). If the tom is walking away from you, shoot him square in the middle of the back just above the tail fan. See the video below for proper shot placement. 

Facing Head On

Bowhunters can shoot a strutting tom, you just need to understand the target is smaller than it looks. If the tom is squared up, facing you directly, aim just an inch or two above his beard. Make sure your arrow doesn’t drift left or right. You want to bury your pin inline between the gobbler’s beard and its head.  

Final Thoughts on Where to Shoot a Turkey

Turkeys are easier to miss than you might think. Hunters are able to shoot ducks flying through the air, how could we possibly miss a turkey standing in the open at 35 yards? Misses mostly happen because a shooter gets excited and jerks the trigger, while also pulling their head off the gun. So stay calm, keep your head down, and press the trigger. I think misses also happen because shooters don’t always pick a specific aim point. They just shoot in the general direction of a tom’s head/neck. So, focus closely on the gobbler’s neck where black feathers meet red skin, let your bead or red dot hover just above the big caruncles and … bang! Dead turkey.

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Bowhunting for whitetail deer is the most accessible and thrilling big-game hunt in all of North America. A mature, rut-crazed whitetail buck that stomps and grunts his way into bow range on a crisp November morning is a true spectacle to behold. Executing a perfect archery shot on that old buck—drawing your bow undetected, holding for the ideal window, squeezing the release, seeing the arrow in flight, and hearing it hit home—is perhaps the purest moment in all of modern hunting.

If you want to get in on the action, you’ve got a lot to learn. Bowhunting for deer requires general woodsmanship and hunting knowledge, plus some specific skills and gear. In this guide, we cover everything you need to know about how to bow hunt deer, including:

• How to find places to bow hunt
• Understanding deer behavior and deer sign
• Basic bowhunting gear
• How to practice shooting a compound bow
• Bowhunting tips and tactics
• Shot placement and shot selection
• Blood trailing and recovering your deer

The good news is that there are a lot of deer out there (more than 30 million), and every state east of the Mississippi has a robust whitetail population. Many western states also have excellent bowhunting opportunities as well. Find our full forecast on the 2022 deer hunting season here. With the right knowledge and gear, you can embark on a lifetime of bowhunting adventures. If you’re already a deer hunter and interested in adding an archery season to your fall, just skip down to the section on basic bowhunting gear. Otherwise, here’s how to get started.

How to Find Places to Bow Hunt

A bowhunter’s job is to ambush a deer at close range and then make a clean, killing shot. That can seem intimidating when you consider the fact that whitetails frequent large forests, small woodlots, rolling farm fields, expansive marshes, and almost every other wild land in between. So where do you start?

Begin your search relatively close to home. As a new bowhunter you’re going to need to spend time in the woods to learn. So, you want your main bowhunting area to be a place you can visit often with an easy drive. From there, consider the following types of land.

Private Land

Scoring a small piece of private land is a dream scenario for a new bowhunter. Maybe you have a family member or close friend with some farm ground you could hunt. Or maybe a neighbor might let you hunt on the back 40 acres. Or maybe you know some veteran hunters who might give you access to their private ground for part of the season. You could even try your hand at landing a small, affordable hunting lease. In any case, private land is ideal for a new bowhunter because it helps you avoid the biggest challenge in public-land hunting: competing with other hunters.

Public Land

If you don’t have access to private land, use a mapping app like OnX or Huntstand to identify public hunting lands in your area. Common public lands that usually allow bowhunting for deer included:

• State forests
• State wildlife management areas
• State natural areas
• National forests
• National wildlife refuges
• Waterfowl production areas
• Scenic wild river areas
• Bureau of Land Management lands

There are also a variety of private land programs that provide public access for hunting. Those programs include:

• Walk-in areas
• Voluntary public access areas
• Logging company owned lands
• Conservation easements
• Managed forest lands

Always check your local regulations before making plans to hunt a piece of publicly accessibly land. Even within states, similar types of public hunting land can have different regulations.

Once you’ve identified the piece of land you like (either public or private), then it’s time to look closer using your mapping application. Take note of access points, farm fields, bodies of water, and general topography (hills, ridges, lowlands, etc.). Once you have a lay of the land, it’s time to put boots on the ground and do some scouting.

Understanding Deer Behavior and Sign

There are an infinite number of articles written about whitetail behavior, deer sign, and the rut. But at the most basic level, deer need to eat, drink, and find a safe place to bed every day. During the rut, they need to breed. Deer leave sign behind as they move through the woods and progress through the breeding season. Understanding deer behavior, deer sign, the rut and how hunting pressure impacts it all, will help you pinpoint the best places to hunt at any point throughout the season. The following basics will get you started.

Basic Deer Behavior

In general, deer are most active in the early morning, the late evening, and at night. During the middle of the day, deer bed down in areas where they won’t be bothered by predators. This could mean thickets, grassy patches of marsh, or remote wooded ridges. However, deer do feed throughout the day, usually just closer to cover.

By late afternoon, deer will typically stir from their bedding areas, and start to mill around looking for food and water. By evening or nighttime, they’ll head for major feeding areas like agricultural fields or oak flats where there are lots of acorns on the ground. By morning, deer will start to head back to the security of their bedding areas. This means that ideal places to ambush whitetails is on trails between feeding areas and bedding areas or on core feeding areas themselves. But remember, there are no hard-and-fast rules on deer behavior. Whitetails will do whatever they like, whenever they like.

The Whitetail Rut

The rut (or the fall breeding season, which is spurred on by decreasing daylight) greatly impacts deer behavior and patterns—typically in a good way for hunters. As the photo period shortens testosterone in whitetail bucks increases, which drives them to breed. This means that rutting bucks will spend more time on their feet, searching for does when the rut begins. There are several phases to the rut, but in most parts of the country heavy rutting activity begins in late October and continues through mid-November. During the rut, bowhunters should target major deer trails or naturally occurring funnels (like a strip of woods between two ponds) to intercept cruising bucks.

It makes sense to hunt all day during the rut, since bucks could stomp by at any time. Many mature bucks are killed each year between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Bucks also fight for dominance during the rut, however it’s important to note that whitetails are not territorial. Bucks are fighting over breeding opportunities, not the ground itself. So, when all else fails, hunt where the does are, and soon enough a buck might come charging by.

Reading Deer Sign

The best bowhunters are knowledgeable woodsmen. They know how to read tracks, scat, sign, and interpret how deer use the landscape. This takes a lifetime of practice to master, and the only way to get good at it is to spend time in the field. However, these basics will get you started.

Tracks

You’ll find deer tracks in mud, sand, and snow. The points of the hooves tell you which way the deer was heading. Buck tracks are typically longer and wider (they appear blockier) and doe tracks are typically more slender. If you consistently see fresh tracks in the same area over and over, you know that’s a good area to hang a trail camera or a stand.

Scat

Deer poop is another easy way to identify that whitetails have been in the area. Look for an area that has a variety of scat freshness. In other words, there’s fresh poop, old poop, and very old poop laying around in piles. You’ll find this in main feeding areas or bedding areas.

Buck Rubs

As soon as bucks shed their velvet, they begin rubbing their antlers on trees. These rubs are sometimes made one after another along a trail—this is called a rub line. Rubs are good for showing that a buck was in an area, but they are not necessarily a dead giveaway for a hunting spot. However, spots that receive rubs every year, or large “sign post rubs” are worth targeting, at least with trail cameras.

Scrapes

A whitetail scrape is a circular dirt spot where deer have scraped away leaves and debris with their hooves. They can vary in size from about two feet in diameter, up to the area of a small dining room table. Above the scrape there will be a branch that hangs to about chest height, this is called a licking branch. Both bucks and does will urinate in scrapes and rub the glands on their face against the licking branch. Doing so leaves behind their scent and lets other deer know who’s around. You can dig into the details around hunting scrapes and making mock scrapes here, but for a simple explanation, think of them as that fire hydrant in the neighborhood that every dog likes to sniff and urinate on. Scrapes are most often used at night, so hunting over a single scrape is a bit of a gamble. However, active scrapes (which are often made along field edges) are good places to hang trail cameras. If you find a buck hitting a scrape in the daytime, it often pays to hunt it right away.

Basic Bowhunting Gear

Getting started bowhunting is an investment in time and money. Buying the wrong gear can cost you more of both, so here’s a guide to make sure you’re headed in the right direction. You’ll need:

• Bow or crossbow
• Arrows
• Broadheads
• Release aid
• Rangefinder
• Quiver
• Treestand or blind
• Knife
• Pack

Choosing a Bow  

The brand or model of bow you choose is not important. What’s important is that the bow fits you. There are two key things for bow fit: draw length and draw weight. Modern compound bows are so efficient that you can effectively hunt with low draw weight, so leave your ego out of that equation. You want to be able to draw the bow straight back easily. No wrestling the bow back through a series of awkward and dangerous movements. Just a nice easy pull, straight back. 

Equally important is draw length, which requires a studied eye to set properly. Also, your draw length might change a little as your form improves. That’s why you really need the help of a great archery shop to buy, set up, and tune your first bow. For many people, a good archery shop (not a big box store) requires a drive, but trust me, it’s worth it to get started properly. 

The Complete Bow Setup

There are many shiny and seductive accessories at archery shops, but for a new archer, keep it simple. A three- or five-pin sight, a Whisker Biscuit, and a bow quiver are all you need. A lot of the best bows for the money come as ready-to-hunt packages, which make things easier and save you money, which you can use for archery lessons. 

Arrows and Broadheads

You can’t shoot just any arrow from your bow. Arrows come in sizes, called spines, that correspond to your draw weight, arrow length, and point weight. When you’re buying a bow, the shop staff will help you figure out that equation, and every arrow manufacturer has a spine chart or calculator to help you find the right size arrow. 

Broadheads, like bows, are a matter of personal preference. Many will work great, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money on them to kill deer. But you do need to make sure that the broadhead you choose is sharp and shoots where you aim it. I recently tested more than 20 of the best broadheads, and you can use that review to help guide your choice. But you still need to shoot the head you choose and get it sharp again before you go hunting. 

Hunting Gear

You can kill a deer in jeans and flannel sitting in a natural blind. But a treestand makes the already difficult task of shooting a deer, a little easier. You’ll of course need all the treestand-related gear like a safety harness, lifeline, bow hanger, and bow pull-up rope. A small bowhunting backpack is helpful for carrying essentials like a knife, license, food, and layers. Trail cameras aren’t necessary, but they’re a helpful tool for new hunters because they can give you the confidence that there are deer in the area. 

READ NEXT: What Colors Can Deer See?

Avoid Gear Rabbit Holes

Bowhunting gear is fun. There are a lot of interesting products on the market as well as communities of people who are zealots for their preferred gear style. From heavy arrows to tree saddles, bowhunters can get downright tribal with gear choices and they can be pretty convincing that their way is the best way. But, becoming a successful bowhunter is not about the gear you choose. It’s about spending time shooting at the range and learning in the woods. Stick to the basics and let your taste in gear evolve through experience. 

How to Practice Shooting Your Compound Bow

Basic Archery Form 

You’ll hear the term “archery form” thrown around a lot in archery discussions, and form just means the set of steps you follow each time you shoot. Here are the important steps:

Grip

A good grip uses your body’s natural bone structure to help you support the bow and imparts no torque. Start with a relaxed hand and slide it up the bow’s grip until it can go no farther. The web of your hand should now be in the throat, which is the deepest part of the bow’s grip.

Next, rotate your hand until only the area between your thumb and the palm’s lifeline contacts the grip. As you look at your hand, your knuckles should be set back and at a 45-degree angle to the riser. Point your thumb toward the target, and lightly rest your other fingers on the front of the bow. If you find yourself squeezing the bow’s grip, tuck in your fingers, so they don’t touch the bow. If you use the tucked technique, you’ll need a finger or wrist sling to prevent the bow from dropping. Apply slight pressure to the bowstring to set your grip into place, and keep your hand relaxed throughout the shot.

Draw

Straighten your arm that holds the bow and pull with your arm attached to the string via the release aid. Keep your finger away from the trigger during this process—the one time I failed to mention that to a student, it resulted in a dentist visit. You should not need to make a violent motion to bring the string back, if you do, your draw weight is too high. Imagine the arm doing the pulling as a train, where your elbow is the locomotive leading the way. 

Anchor

Your anchor is simply the point at which your bow is at full draw and you settle in to aim. An often-missed portion of anchor is something called alignment. As your cams rollover and you feel the draw stops hit, it’s time to move your elbow and shoulders into position. Moving them into alignment means you’ll be supporting the weight of the bow with bone structure, rather than muscle. Bring your elbow back and around your head so that it’s in line with the arrow. Your shoulders should be aligned with each other and pointed toward the target. Once in this position, you’ll feel that keeping the bow back is very easy. Then look through your peep sight and center the circular sight housing within the circle of your peep. You can add more reference points to your anchor like a kisser button, which can make centering your sight an easier process. 

Aim 

Place the pin for the distance you’re shooting on the target and let it float around your aiming point. Don’t try to stop the movement. Just let the pin naturally float and move on to executing your release. 

Release

There are a lot of ways to activate a release. But the easiest to start with is to set the release so that the trigger is fairly heavy. You should be able to rest your finger on the trigger without it going off. Step one is to touch the trigger and hook your index finger around the trigger. Then slowly increase the pressure until the shot breaks. 

Follow Through 

There’s enough time between the release and the arrow disengaging for you to change the arrow’s path. So, your job in this moment is to do nothing. Don’t move, and don’t add flair to the shot. Just keep your eyes on the spot you want to hit and maintain your position. 

Learn to Shoot

You can learn archery form by reading articles, watching videos, or from old uncle Bobby, but you’ll be much better off by getting instruction from a qualified coach. A few lessons to learn the fundamentals followed by a lot of practice will set you up for success. 

Making Shots Under Pressure 

Shooting groups in the backyard is one thing. Making the same shot when your pin drops onto a live animal is the true test. Success here is not about making yourself less nervous. It’s about shooting the same shot despite the nerves. To do that, don’t focus on how much you want to shoot the deer. Instead, keep your focus on the steps you need to do to achieve that result. Focus on the key steps of your archery form—one by one. By executing each step and only focusing on those tasks, you reduce the chance of making a bad shot. 

How to Bow Hunt Deer, Tips and Tactics

Hunt the Wind

Whitetails navigate the world by scent. They have incredibly powerful noses that lead them to food, other deer, and help them avoid predators. This means that bowhunters must always stay downwind from deer. Check prevailing wind data and hang key stands based on that info. Also make sure you have stand setups that are optimal for different wind directions. If the wind isn’t right for a given stand location, simply don’t hunt it on that day. If deer get downwind from you, they are almost guaranteed to smell you before they get into bow range. If you blow out deer from a stand location, you can burn that spot for several days.

It’s just as important to factor in wind when approaching your stand. Never let your scent blow into a bedding area. Likewise, don’t let your scent blow across the main trails that you are trying to hunt.  

Kill Your Scent (as Much as Possible)

Many veteran bowhunters (myself included), believe that it’s worth trying to reduce your scent. To do this, you can shower with scent-free soap before you hunt. Wash your hunting clothes with scent-free detergent. There are a variety of scent-killing sprays that you can spray on your outer layers before you walk into your stand. Avoid getting strong scents (like gasoline while filling up your truck) on your clothes or boots before a hunt. Wear rubber boots and spray them down. Avoid touching vegetation with your bare hands on the way into your stand.

All these tactics will help prevent you from being busted by deer; however, you’ll never consistently beat a deer’s nose. So always hunt with the wind in your favor, no matter what scent mitigation tools you use. 

Set Up for Close Encounters

Bowhunting for whitetails is a close-range game. When you’re a new bowhunter, it needs to be an ultra-close-range game. No matter how accurate you are on targets, your first shot on a whitetail deer should be 20 yards or less (read my story about deer jumping the string). To make this happen, you need to set up your stand or blind close to where you expect deer to show. Treestands are the go-to option for most bowhunters. Pick a good-sized tree that’s about as wide as your shoulders. If you’re using a hang-on stand, mount the stand so branches or forks break up your outline. Make sure that you have cover behind you. If you’re using a blind, brush it in diligently and tuck it into existing cover so you’re not sticking out in the open. Confirm that you’re setting up close enough to main trails by using a rangefinder. And when you’re sitting in your stand waiting for deer, range trees, rocks, bushes, ect. Establish a 20-yard perimeter and don’t shoot beyond it.

Hunt Does

It’s important for anyone learning how to bow hunt deer to get useful field experience. The only way to do that is to start shooting deer. And the best way to do that is by targeting does in areas with high deer densities. Many states have areas where whitetail populations are too high, often where rural lands meet suburbia. Trophy potential usually isn’t very high in these areas, but for a new bowhunter, any cleanly killed deer should be considered a trophy.

Use Calls and Scent Attractants

There are dozens of different deer calls and attractant scents on the market, and many of them are useful. They key is to use them sparingly. You can’t simply hammer on a grunt tube and expect deer to come running from far and wide. When it comes to calls, a grunt tube and a doe bleat are a good place to start. Read about deer calling tips from the experts here.

When it comes to scents, I’ve found that a little Tink’s 69 Doe-in-Rut sprinkled on a scent wick will get bucks (at least younger bucks) to stop in shooting range during the rut. But you still need to be in the right place at the right time.

Shot Selection and Placement

We’ve already covered taking close shots only. Now you need to know where to place your arrow. In the simplest terms, you want your arrow to enter behind the deer’s shoulder, pass through the heart/lungs area, and exit the body cavity (here’s our ultimate guide on where to shoot a deer). In other stories and on social media you might read about shooting heavy arrows that will penetrate the bones in a whitetail’s shoulder. It’s true that certain setups will penetrate bone without issue.

But beginner bowhunters should first learn proper shot placement behind the shoulder, no matter what setup they’re shooting. That means broadside and quartering away shots only.

On broadside shots, aim just behind the deer’s front leg (when it’s in the forward position) and halfway up the body. There are a lot of charts and videos online covering archery shot placement on whitetail deer. But this simple video from the National Deer Association is the best.

On a quartering away shot, visualize a line coming up from the front of the deer’s offside front leg. You want your arrow to exit through that line. However, you should pass on extreme quartering away shots. Buy a 3D deer target and practice shooting quartering away angles, and the high angle from a tree stand, as much as you can. When shooting from high angles pay close attention to how the arrow enters the 3D deer’s “body cavity.” With the arrow’s downward angle, you still want it to penetrate the top of the heart.

Blood Trailing and Recovering Your Deer

You got to full draw, waited for the deer to get into the right position, and let it fly. Congratulations, but your hunt isn’t over. You haven’t fully learned how to bow hunt deer until you’ve developed blood trailing skills. There are two keys to recovering deer: patience and attention to detail.

Watch and Listen

At the shot watch and listen. Listen for how the arrow sounds when it hits the deer. A hollow sounding “thunk” often means a shot through the body cavity. A loud “crack” often means a direct hit to bone. Watch how the deer reacts. A mule kick often means a shot through the lungs. A hunched up, arched back often means a gut shot. Continue watching as the deer runs (or walks) away. Mark the last spot that you saw the deer, and take a photo of that spot with your phone. Continue listening even after you no longer see the deer. Oftentimes you can hear them crash down. Mark the direction it sounds like the deer was traveling. From your stand, take a photo of the spot the deer was standing when you shot (this is called the hit site).

Wait for 30 Minutes

If you didn’t see the deer fall or clearly hear it fall, you job now is to wait. Just hang out in your stand and relax for 30 minutes. Set a 30-minute timer if you must. Climbing down early and rushing the blood trailing job is a good way to bump (scare off) a mortally hit deer. Bumped deer can run a far way and are often impossible to recover. Do not make this mistake. 

Call for Help

If you have hunting buddies or even a friend who likes the outdoors, now is a good time to call them. It’s much easier to blood trail a deer with a little help. Plus, when you find your deer, it’s nice to have a friend to help drag it out.  

Analyze the Hit Site

After a full 30 minutes, climb down from your stand or leave your blind and go directly to the hit site (the spot the deer was standing when you shot). Look for blood and look for you arrow. Bright red blood with bubbles in it typically means a lung shot. If you find your arrow and it’s covered in bright red blood with some bubbles, this is a very good sign. Mark the spot of first blood.

Now, follow the blood trail slowly and carefully. A deer that was shot through both lungs (and the heart) will bleed profusely. The trail should be relatively easy to follow. Still, take your time and leave trail markers every 20 yards or so to mark the trail. Within about 100 to 150 yards, you should find your deer.

Marginal Hits

If you comb the hit site and don’t find an obvious splotch of blood, or if you find blood that smells, rank and gutty (or has green slicks in it) then you’ve likely made a marginal hit. Quietly, and I mean very quietly, work your way toward the spot you last saw the deer. If there’s still a poor blood trail, or signs of a gut shot, it’s best to pull out and leave the woods. You should wait several hours, and likely overnight, before continuing the search. A gut shot deer can take hours to expire, bumping it means you might never recover it. Many states have volunteer blood trailing dog programs. Calling in an experienced blood tracker with a dog can be incredibly helpful for a new bowhunter. Tracking a marginally hit deer is a real challenge that even experienced hunters struggle with. For more information, click on the links below.

• 6 Blood Trailing Lessons Learned from Tracking Dogs
• 10 Myths About Blood Trailing Deer
• How to Bloodtrail and Track Wounded Deer
  

What it Means to Be a Bowhunter

The best bowhunters are patient, thoughtful woodsmen. They’re excellent shots on the range and in the field. And more than anything, they enjoy being in the woods and trying to get close to the animals they pursue. Bowhunting takes more practice and attention to detail than other types of hunting. Becoming a bowhunter means committing to mastering a craft. If that sounds like fun to you, then welcome to the club. We’re glad to have you.

The post How to Bow Hunt Deer appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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There are plenty of reasons to learn to hunt. The most ancient and trendiest modern reason for hunting are actually the same: it’s a great way to secure lean, free-range meat for yourself and your family. Wild game meat reduces your reliance on the commercial food chain and helps you know exactly what you’re eating in our age of processed foods. Hunting is also a great way to learn more about the natural world, and to support wildlife habitat and conservation in the U.S. Best of all? Hunting is fun.

But getting started isn’t always easy. Hunting is a commitment that takes time, interest, specialized gear, and lots of leg work. But it’s worth it. That’s why we pulled together this step-by-step guide to help you navigate all the essential stages and skills of becoming a hunter, from signing up for a hunter safety course to cooking your hard-earned venison, and everything in between.

Let’s get started.

Navigating this Post

Because there’s a lot to hunting, there’s a lot to this article. Here’s a handy list to help you find the information you’re looking for more quickly. Read straight through, or click on a chapter to jump right to it.

1. Hunter Education
2. How to Find a Hunting Mentor
3. Navigating Hunting Laws and Seasons
4. Hunting Gear
5. Guns, Ammo, and Shooting Practice
6. Finding a Place to Hunt
7. Basic Tactics for any Hunt
8. Field-Dressing, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game

1. Hunter Education

By Natalie Krebs

Hunting is a highly regulated activity, which means you’ll need a license to hunt wild game like deer, turkeys, squirrels, and more. Before you can purchase a hunting license, however, you need to take and pass a hunter education course.

Do I really need hunter ed to buy a license?

Each state has different requirements for this: Some states only require hunter education if you were born after a certain date; others require all license buyers to hold a valid hunter education certificate. You can find your own state or province’s requirements here.

No matter your state’s requirements, it’s still a good idea to take the course. Hunter ed teaches safe firearm handling, ethical shot placement, your state’s regulations, and more. In-person courses also give you the opportunity to ask experienced hunters questions and get to know other new hunters.

Can I try hunting before I take hunter education?

You certainly can, though this is easier in some states than others. This also requires you to know someone who hunts and is willing to take you. The first way to do this is to purchase an apprentice hunting license, which allows you to legally hunt and harvest an animal under the supervision of a licensed adult hunter. Apprentice licenses are only available in certain states, but they’re a great way to gauge your interest in hunting.

The second option is just to tag along on a hunt with another licensed hunter. With a few exceptions for non-game species (like coyotes and hogs), you won’t be able to pull the trigger yourself. But you’ll learn a lot, and get a pretty good idea about how you like that particular style of hunting.

Where do I sign up for hunter education?

Go to hunter-ed.com and click on your state. Most states allow you to take an online course through this site, and will note any additional requirements like in-person tests or field days. If your state doesn’t participate in the online course, check out this map to go straight to your state’s hunter ed page.

How much does hunter education cost?

Hunter ed courses range from $0 to $30, depending on your state and whether you take the course online or in person (usually free). There’s a service fee for online courses, though some states require you to pay up only after you’ve passed the class.

Where is my hunter education certificate valid?

You can use it to buy a hunting license in all 50 states and many countries. This is another reason why it’s important to take hunter ed even if your state doesn’t require it: If you ever want to hunt in a different state, you’ll likely need a hunter ed number to buy a license.

How long is my hunter ed certificate good for?

Once you pass, you’re certified for life.

Read Next: How to Shoot a Traditional Bow

Do I need a bowhunter education course?

Most states don’t require these, but offer them anyway. If you want to bowhunt (this includes a crossbow) in a state that does require a bowhunter education course, like Montana or New York, you’ll have to take one in addition to (not instead of) a general hunter ed course. You can find out if your state requires bowhunter ed here.

I passed my hunter ed course. Now what?

Congrats! You should have been issued a temporary or permanent hunter education card—go make several copies of this before you lose it, and file them in a safe place. It’s also a good idea to save your hunter ed number in your phone so you have it handy when you need to buy a hunting license. If you ever lose your card, you can print or request a replacement from your game agency, but it can sometimes be a hassle.

2. How to Find a Hunting Mentor

Hunter education classes are critical, but there’s no way around it: learning to hunt from one is like learning to drive by reading a driver’s ed manual. The only way to get good at either is to practice, and to do so with guidance. That’s where mentoring programs and other hunters come in.

Your Personal Hunting Mentor

If you already know someone who hunts, start there. This might be a friend, family member, coworker, or neighbor. Depending on your relationship with them, you might just be able to ask them to take you hunting sometime. If you don’t know them as well, ease into it. Ask them questions about what you need help with the most, like finding a good archery shop or buying the right hunting license.

Work your way up to asking them to join you for an in-person project. Maybe you need help picking out a deer rifle at Cabela’s, or navigating your first trip to the shooting range. Eventually you should know each other well enough that you can ask to tag along on a hunt. Better yet, your new mentor will hopefully invite you to join them.

Once you find someone who’s willing to help you, be sure to pull your own weight. Never forget that this hunter is doing you a favor, and that helping you learn to hunt cuts into their own schedule. Absolutely ask them for advice, tips, and to hunt with you, but take initiative, too. If they take you to the range once, go back on your own next time. If they recommend a public-land spot, go check it out. Don’t count on them to hold your hand for years to come, or to hunt with you every time you want to go.

Learn-to-Hunt Programs and Community Support

If the hunter you hoped would help seems non-committal, that’s okay too. There’s someone else out there who will be excited to help you, whether you know them yet or not.

This is where learn-to-hunt programs come in. These in-person workshops are usually organized either by your state game agency (like these, in Indiana) or a wildlife conservation organization, like the Quality Deer Management Association’s Field-to-Fork program. Search for programs by state or by the critter you’re interested in learning to hunt. Critter organizations include the National Wild Turkey Foundation, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever, the Ruffed Grouse Society, and more. If you want to talk to a real person who can give you tailored advice, contact the R3 coordinator in your state. It’s their job to help you get started.

A lot of learn-to-hunt programs fill up fast, so if you’re having trouble getting into a class, don’t give up. Keep trying, and in the meantime, do your best to meet people in the hunting community. Go to a Ducks Unlimited banquet or a Backcountry Hunters and Anglers pint night. These are great ways to get to know sportsmen and women in your area, who can offer you the advice you’re looking for, and maybe even take you hunting.

Finally, if you’re having trouble finding classes or events to attend, consider finding a mentor with digital resources like Powderhook. And if all else fails, remember: There’s not much you can’t learn from YouTube. —N.K.

3. Navigating Your State’s Hunting Laws and Seasons

As you probably noticed in hunter education, there are lots of regulations that govern how, what, and when you can hunt. To make things even more complicated, there are two sets of guidelines for hunting: laws and ethics. It may, for example, be legal to hunt deer with a rifle that you haven’t practiced with. But that doesn’t mean you should. You owe it to the hunting community and to the animals you hunt to follow your state’s regulations, and to do so under fair-chase conditions. Game law violations have serious consequences, ranging from tickets to revoked hunting privileges or worse.

The best way to avoid getting into trouble is simply to learn and follow your state’s regulations.

Start with your state game agency’s website. That’s where you can find season dates, general hunting regulations, and species-specific rules. You can also purchase a hunting license there.

Season Dates

Every year, your state game agency releases the dates that determine when you can hunt a certain species. Squirrel seasons, for instance, are usually pretty simple, with dates that typically start in summer or early fall and run through late winter. Deer and other big game seasons are more complicated. As a general rule, these open in early fall and run through December or even later. Season dates are usually broken down by the method of take, such as bow season, rifle or shotgun season, and muzzleloader season, with some overlap. Rifle seasons are the most popular, and you’ll notice the most hunters in the woods then. Your season may be further broken down by the type of deer that’s legal at a certain time (e.g. antlered vs. antlerless). Season dates can also vary by county or, out West, by hunting unit.

Hunting isn’t just a fall pursuit. Rabbit and predator seasons run through late winter, spring snow goose season opens in February, spring turkey seasons run from March to May, many bear seasons open in May and June, and you can often hunt invasive species like feral hogs any time of year.

Hunting Regulations

There are general hunting rules that typically apply anywhere in the U.S. For instance, it’s almost always illegal to shoot an animal from a vehicle or while you’re standing on or beside a road. Other regulations depend on your state: In places like Oklahoma and Texas, it’s perfectly legal to pour a pile of corn onto the ground and hunt deer over it. Meanwhile, this practice (called baiting) is illegal in states like Indiana and New York.

To avoid running afoul of such varied regulations, learn your state’s general hunting regulations by reading the current year’s reg booklet, which you can find online or pick up in a sporting goods store. Know when you need to wear blaze orange, how to transport your firearm to the field, and other essential info.

Then study the animal-specific section. If you’re hunting squirrels, you should know how many squirrels you can kill in one day (your daily bag limit), which squirrels are legal (e.g. gray squirrels and fox squirrels) what kind of weapon and ammunition you can use, and your possession limit (i.e. how many squirrels you can store in your freezer before you have to stop hunting or start eating them).

Pay special attention to tagging and transportation requirements for big game like deer and elk. There are rules about when and how to tag an animal you’ve killed, and how to transport it. You’ll also likely need to report, or check in, your harvest within a certain time period. States like Missouri are strict, requiring hunters to check in deer by 10 p.m. on the day it was killed. Meanwhile, other states may never require you to report your deer at all.

Finally, be sure to pay attention to wanton waste laws. Taking home meat is one of the best parts of hunting, and leaving behind certain edible parts of the animal is actually illegal. You can choose to take or leave the more adventurous parts of a deer, like the heart, liver, and tongue. But you cannot leave, say, the front shoulder just because you packed out most of the meat, and you’re too tired for one last trip.

Buying a Hunting License

Once you’re familiar with the season you want to hunt, you’ll need to purchase a license. Again, you’ll buy this directly through your state game agency online, or you can purchase it in person at sporting shops or big box stores like Cabela’s and Walmart. If you buy a license online you can usually print it out, but some states don’t do this with all their licenses and will mail it instead. Translation: Don’t wait until the night before opening day to purchase a license.

There are two general types of licenses: over-the-counter tags (abbreviated OTC) or draw tags. Draws are more common in Western states, and where the demand to hunt an animal is higher than the resource can handle. To mitigate that pressure, state game agencies only issue a certain number of tags for that species each year. That means you often have to apply for that license, like bighorn sheep in Wyoming or elk in Kentucky. Happily, there’s always something to hunt with an over-the-counter tag, no matter what state you’re in.

It’s also important to know the difference between a hunting license and a tag, and any other privileges or stamps you must purchase to hunt a certain species. Many states require you to purchase a hunting license, which is usually good for small game, and then purchase additional tags for deer, turkeys, etc. If you want to hunt migratory birds like ducks and geese, you must purchase an annual duck stamp online or at your local post office. (You can read more about duck stamps, and why you need one, here.)

Finally, there’s a difference between resident and non-resident licenses. Resident tags are much more affordable than non-resident tags, so you get the most bang for your buck when you hunt in your home state. If you ever travel to another state to hunt, you’ll have to fork over extra cash for the non-resident tag. (Remember: The pricier tag is a lot easier to stomach than the penalties for falsely claiming residency.)

If you’re ever unsure what license or tags you need, call your state game agency and ask. They’ll be happy to answer your questions. —N.K.

4. Gear

While there’s plenty of shiny (and expensive) gear out there, you don’t need all that much to get started hunting. Different species may require specialized gear, but the basics for every hunt are pretty similar. If you don’t want to invest in a bunch of new clothing or gear right away, borrowing gear from a friend or buying used gear is a great option.

A Note on Camo

While you can usually identify a hunter by his or her camo, camouflage isn’t mandatory for hunting. If you look at old hunting photos, you’ll notice that hunters tended to wear wool coats, flannel shirts, and blue jeans. It’s only in the last 50 or so years that hunters really started relying heavily on camo. More important than any camo pattern is your ability to remain still and conceal your profile (more on that below). Ducks, turkeys, and predators are typically exceptions to this rule thanks to their sharp eyes, though you can certainly kill any of these species while wearing a pair of Carhartts.

Layers

Like most outdoor and athletic pursuits, layers are key and cotton is your enemy. The weather on a hunt can range from steamy 80-degree days during early bow seasons to the fridge temperatures of deep winter. Layers allow you to dress for the weather and the type of hunting you’re doing. If you’re going to be sitting in a deer blind most of fall, you’ll need more layers than if you’re chasing elk all over the mountains.

Base layers (long underwear and a long john top) are the best place to start. These should be synthetic or merino wool—wicking fabrics that keep you warm even if you get sweaty then start to cool down. Synthetic or wool socks are key, too. If you need mid-layers, opt for a sweatshirt, a fleece, a down vest—whatever fits under your outer layers and keeps you warm without adding too much bulk. You’ll likely want a camo jacket and camo pants, both dedicated outer layers. If you don’t have camo, wear natural, neutral colors like green, tan, brown, or gray.

Boots

A good pair of boots can make or break your hunt, so it’s wise to invest in a pair of these. Again, these don’t need to be camo, but many good hunting boots are available in camo patterns.

The type of boot you choose will depend on where you live and what you want to hunt, but it’s hard to go wrong with a durable mid-calf leather boot. Something similar to the classic, ever-popular Danner Pronghorn is a good place to start. Hiking boots can work well for early-season hunts across dry terrain. If you want to do a lot of backcountry hunting that requires packing heavy loads, you’ll want a sturdier boot built for that kind of weight. If you live in swampy country or you’re planning to turkey hunt (which often coincides with heavy spring rains), you’ll probably want a pair of knee-high rubber boots. Pay attention to whether your boots are waterproof, and what kind (if any) insulation they have.

Big Game Gear

If you’re going to be hunting deer from a treestand, invest in a safety harness. Think of it like a helmet for your bike: You probably won’t need it, but if and when you do, it could save your life. If you’re planning to hunt whitetails in the timber on public land, you’re also going to want a climbing stand. If you’d prefer to hunt on the ground, opt for a collapsible ground blind. Other important gear includes a pair of binoculars, a hunting pack, a bottle of wind indicator, and a haul line to raise and lower your bow or rifle if you’re hunting from a treestand.

Turkey Hunting

Camo is your friend when it comes to turkeys. You’ll want a face mask and thin camo gloves, and a box or friction call to get started. If you’re really intimidated by calling, try a push-button call. Many turkey hunters prefer to wear a vest with a built-in seat cushion, but a small camo hunting pack is fine if you don’t have one. You’ll also need decoys. If you only have the budget for one decoy, get a hen deke; if you can afford two, opt for a hen and a jake. A small pair of binoculars on a bino harness are handy, too.

Waterfowl Gear

This is one of the most gear-intensive types of hunting, which often requires lots of decoys and, frequently, a good duck dog. For new hunters, your best bet is to tag along with an experienced waterfowler, who can hopefully lend you a pair of waders (which aren’t cheap). If you’re field hunting, you can skip the waders and wear regular hunting boots or, better yet, a pair of knee-high rubber boots. You’ll also want to bring along ear plugs or electronic ear protection, especially if you’re hunting in a metal pit blind. Without them, fast shooting by multiple hunters can damage your hearing and give you a ringing headache in short order. Bring a camo hat to conceal your face from sharp-eyed ducks. If you already have a pump or semi-auto shotgun, bring it; if not, ask to borrow one.

Upland Gear

Camo isn’t important for hunting rabbits and upland birds like pheasants, quail and grouse. This style of hunting involves covering lots of ground and combing heavy brush to flush animals rather than hiding from them. Wear a pair of sturdy pants that can protect you from thorns and cacti. Don’t forget to layer, too. Even if it’s frigid out, you’ll warm up quickly. Good boots are critical on an upland hunt, and you typically want something lighter-weight without too much insulation. Hiking boots with good ankle support are a fine option if the terrain is dry or steep, but sloppy and snowy conditions call for a waterproof or warmer higher-profile hunting boot.

Women’s Gear

If you’re having a hard time finding hunting gear that fits you well, you’re not alone. Check out our women’s gear guides here and here for our favorite women’s hunting pants, boots, sports bras, and more.

Accessories

Don’t forget blaze orange (if required), a beanie or ball cap, gloves, and a camo face mask for bowhunting or turkey hunting (though you can use face paint if you prefer.) Remember to pack a hunting knife for any gutting or cleaning work (see the section on butchering, below, for more). —N.K.

5. Guns, Ammo, and Shooting Practice

By Alex Robinson

If you’re a recreational shooter who’s looking to get into hunting, this part will be pretty easy for you. Just make sure you’re getting plenty of practice, you choose quality hunting ammo, and you keep shots at game within a comfortable distance. But if you’re totally new to firearms, this can be one of the most intimidating aspects of getting in to hunting.

The first thing to know is that most folks in the firearm world are nice, friendly people who are usually more than willing to offer some help to a beginner. That’s even true if they may seem a little rough around the edges at first.

If you have a friend who is a hunter or shooter, ask them to introduce you to shooting with either an air rifle or rimfire rifle. The low recoil will allow you to practice good shooting form without taking a beating and potentially developing bad habits like flinching or jerking the trigger.

If you don’t know any shooters, find a nearby range that offers a course or class for beginners. Letting someone walk you through safe firearm handling and good shooting form will help you immensely. (Pro tip: Check your eye dominance before getting started.) You’ll get a little bit of this instruction in hunter’s education, but not nearly enough to make you a competent shooter in the field.

Your First Gun

Once you’ve got the basics down and have a little experience under your belt, it’s time to get a gun of your own. Choose a gun based on your hunting need and the regulations in your area. When you’re looking for a rifle or a shotgun, remember that you get what you pay for. If you’re looking for an affordable rifle or shotgun, you’ll be able to find a solid gun in the $500 range. Call a few gun shops and explain what you’re looking for. If they start trying to talk you into a gun that costs $1,000 or more, take your business somewhere else.

When you’re starting out, lighter calibers and smaller gauges are the way to go. Think .243 or 6.5 Creedmoor for rifles and 20 gauges for shotguns. Getting rocked by recoil on your first few trips to the range is going to slow your development as a shooter.

Once you’ve got a gun, there’s plenty to consider: safe storage, getting it sighted in, buying ammo, and cleaning it. Besides the safety aspect, your main job now is to practice with it and get comfortable handling it. This means spending as much range time as possible, which is good, because once you get comfortable, you’ll find that shooting is pretty damn fun. Just wear good hearing protection and eye protection, and follow all the range rules. And if you don’t know what the rules are or have questions about them, just ask!

Make sure your practice replicates what you’ll see in the field as closely as possible. When it comes to rifle shooting, that means practicing from field positions (after your rifle is zeroed, of course). If you’re trying to get into bird hunting, consider signing up for a sporting clays or skeet league, or even a wingshooting clinic. This will sharpen your skills and give you the chance to meet other shooters.

Just remember: The primary goals here are 1) to get comfortable with safely handling the gun you plan to hunt with and 2) to become competent with that firearm so you’re able to make a quick, clean kill in the field.

Making Shots on Game

Shooting a game animal is more challenging than shooting targets at the range. This is because you will be excited and there will be additional variables that affect the shot. This includes a moving animal, brush obscuring part of the critter, cold fingers, or wind swaying your treestand. Because of this, it’s extra important to only shoot at animals that are well inside of your comfortable range. For many first-time big game hunters, that means inside 200 yards with a rifle and well inside 100 yards for with a shotgun or muzzleloader.

Each hunter must decide his or her own ethical maximum range. But here’s a good rule of thumb to follow: you should be able to hit a target the size of the animal’s vitals 100 percent of the time. If you can’t, you need to move closer. Also, your maximum effective range may change depending on field conditions. Maybe you can’t get a steady rest, or the wind is ripping across the canyon. If you have any doubts, don’t take the shot and move closer, or wait and let the critter move closer to you.

6. How to Find a Place to Hunt

There are two versions of hunting ground—public and private. Many diehard hunters rely on a mix of private and public hunting land and there are pros and cons of each. But the goal when you’re starting out is to find land that is relatively easy for you to get to, has a good population of the game you’re targeting, and isn’t overloaded with other hunters.

Private Land

In an ideal scenario, you already have access to private land to hunt on. Maybe your family owns land or you’ve got friends who hunt and will give you access. This isn’t the case for many folks, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck on private ground. It’s definitely possible to get free access to private hunting land, but you’ll have to do some leg work. Identify nearby landowners (using a digital mapping app like HuntStand or onX Hunt) who have properties that look promising and simply go ask them for permission to hunt.

A couple important tips: It’s easier to get permission for small game or turkeys than it is for deer; get permission before the season starts; don’t stop by late at night or when the landowner might be eating dinner; cash crop famers are more likely to grant permission; be nice and courteous no matter how the landowner responds.

If asking permission on private ground seems too intimidating, you could also consider leasing land to hunt. There are plenty of websites that show which lands are available for leasing. Consider a small out-of-the way property and also splitting the lease with a hunting buddy.

Public Land

On the flip side, there’s public land. Most state wild game agency websites have maps that show designated public hunting lands. Some states, like Montana, have an incredible amount of public land that is open to hunting. Other states, like Illinois, have a minimal amount of public ground.

Once you get an idea of public land areas nearby, you’ll want to do some basic digital scouting. This means using a mapping app or Google Earth to check out satellite images of the property. Take note of access points, terrain features, and potential habitat. After identifying some likely areas, go check out the properties well before the season (see the “scouting” section below).

There are a couple important things to consider when looking for public-land hunting spots. First, any areas that are a short drive from large towns or cities will likely see a heavy amount of hunting pressure. You can have success on these areas, but the hunting is more challenging (because the critters are conditioned to avoid hunting pressure) and you need to be careful about bumping in to other hunters.

Read next: Newbie’s Guide to Hunting-Spot Etiquette

If you are in good physical condition and like to hike, use that to your advantage on public land. Most hunters set up relatively close to parking areas. The farther away you get from roads and other hunters, the more game you will find. Look for signs of other hunters out there. That means boot tracks, glow tacks, manmade trails, and stands or blinds. If you’re seeing a ton of hunter sign, you probably want to move on to a new spot. Also, use terrain obstacles like marshes or streams to your advantage. Most other hunters will not want to cross these obstacles, so throwing on a pair of waders and making the slog can often lead you to better hunting opportunities. —A.R.

7. Basic Tactics for Any Hunt

Every hunt for each different species calls for different tactics. Your hunting strategy can even change based on location, or weather, or season. But there are some very basic tactics that all hunts require no matter what the game or location. Understanding these basics will help you grow into a better, more effective hunter.

Scout More Than You Hunt

The most successful hunters spend more time scouting than hunting. Learn to love scouting—exploring new areas, learning about the species you’re hunting, and spending lots and lots of time outside. The goal here is to find areas that game animals hang out in before you actually start hunting. You can do this by spotting the animals, or by reading sign they’ve left in the area. Before the season starts, it’s a good idea to get out and walk the areas you plan to hunt. This will help you determine if there are critters around, but it will also help you get more familiar with the terrain. As you walk a new property, imagine that you’re a critter trying to travel through an area without getting spotted. Pay attention to the trails you take. Often times they will lead to natural terrain funnels (like a strip of dry ground between two ponds). These are good places to target and if you walk trails back from these funnels, they’ll often lead you to bedding areas or feeding areas. If it’s legal where you are hunting, setting trail cameras is an invaluable scouting strategy.

Once the season begins, keep scouting! Now you must try to find areas to hunt without spooking game. If you’re after deer or turkeys, that usually means exploring new areas midday, when the animals aren’t moving as much (you don’t want to scare them out of the area). You can also scout from your vehicle with binoculars. In more open country, just driving roads in the mornings or evenings can give you an idea of the areas animals are using. For example, if you’re after waterfowl, driving around and watching where ducks and geese are flying and feeding is key.

Get Sneaky

Animals know when they are being hunted. You’ve probably seen deer in a park or maybe even in your backyard. Those deer might have mostly ignored you, maybe they let you get close to snap a photo with your phone. But deer on public hunting ground (or private ground) won’t let you do this during hunting season. All wild animals have incredible senses and survival instincts. To get close to wild game on their turf, you’ve got to be stealthy enough to slide in under those senses, undetected.

It starts with being quiet. When you are in your hunting area, walk softly and slowly. This helps you avoid that loud crunching march of a hunter tromping though the woods, which wild game recognizes instantly. But it also gets you in the right mind set. It forces you to slow down, think, and watch before you move. Speak softly, too. The human voice carries an incredible distance in the woods. But on top of that, staying quiet will help you hear game coming. The quieter you are, the easier it is to hear all the sounds around you, like a turkey gobbling on a distant ridge, or a deer shuffling through the hardwoods.

If you are hunting big game, your most important consideration is wind direction. The sense of smell is the most powerful survival characteristic for critters like deer, bears, elk, and antelope. The only way to truly beat a big game animal’s nose is to use the wind in your favor. You want stay downwind of the critters, but also downwind of their bedding areas and trails. A simple windicator is an essential tool for any big game hunter. It will help you see how the wind swirls in valleys or drainages and shifts throughout the day.

And you also have to beat wild game’s vision. Camouflage clothing is useful, especially for sharp-eyed game like turkeys or waterfowl, but it isn’t essential. Dressing in earth-tone clothing that is quiet and suitable for the weather conditions works just fine. The real secret is to use the terrain and conditions to avoid being spotted. Don’t stand at the top of an open hill or ridge. This is called skylining yourself, because you stick out obviously against the skyline. Try to keep the sun at your back when possible and stay in shaded areas (animals can catch the glare off you and your gear if you’re in open, direct sunlight). If you are stopping to take a break or maybe do some calling, keep a wide tree at your back. If you’re hanging a treestand, pick a spot where the trunk and branches will break up your outline. Always use the terrain around you to break up your human profile.

Be Patient

A lot of content and advertising around hunting pitches the experience as an action-packed, adrenaline-fueled, adventure. It’s true that those moments exist in hunting, but for most of the time you’ll be sitting quietly, watching, listening, and WAITING.

This in fact, is the hardest part of hunting for many people—establishing the right mindset so that you are happy to go into the woods by yourself and sit quietly for hours on end, while still being focused enough to detect game before it detects you.

The secret is to enjoy the wait. Slow it all down. Watch the natural world come alive around you. Listen to the birds, look for squirrels, stay alert and stay off your damn phone. If you do this for long enough, the critter you are hunting will appear and then the adrenaline-packed showdown can begin. But even if the critter doesn’t show, you’ll have appreciated a different experience—the experience of actually hunting. My general rule is this: Wait until you are totally certain no game will show up, then give it another 30 minutes (or just wait until legal shooting light ends). —A.R.

8. Field-Dressing, Butchering, and Cooking

By Gerry Bethge

The plan was a good one, and four years in the making. Tucked into my fanny pack was a laminated card with step-by-step illustrations on how to gut a deer. As a kid, I studied that card far more than I ever had my homework, praying that I’d someday need to refer to it. Although I had cached its words and line-drawings to memory, it brought confidence to a young hunter and I checked to make sure it was in its proper pocket, right next to the dragging rope, each time I went afield. Two days before Thanksgiving in 1977, I had cause to use it. The 6-point buck I shot with my bow only went 30 yards before dropping in a stream.

In the times before headlamps, gutting a deer in the dark meant trying to steady a flashlight on the deer’s brisket while unzipping the hide on its belly. That went okay, but in short order I found that I needed to refer to my instructional card. Once I shined my flashlight into the buck’s guts, I realized there was no orderly compartmentalization of lungs, heart, diaphragm, liver, and intestines, as my card suggested. It all looked intermingled—with lots of blood.

A full hour later—a rather macabre yet clean gutting job completed—I was finally on my way back to the house. I hung the buck to cool and, when I cooked that first piece of meat, the venison tasted better than anything I had ever eaten before. That lesson in wild-game handling would remain indelibly ingrained in my mind. Whether big game, small game, or wildfowl, what you do before and after the shot will have the biggest effect on its palatability.

These are my simple rules for great-tasting game each and every time.

1. Get to the Range

No matter what the hunting implement, becoming proficient with it is crucial for clean, quick kills. You owe it to the game that you are hunting and you owe it to the folks who will eventually be eating it. The only way to do it is to get to the gun or bow range as often as possible to practice. Shoot, shoot, shoot—and then shoot some more. Make certain that your gun or bow functions properly, but above all know your capabilities and avoid taking risky shots at game or birds. The more quickly it expires, the better it will taste.

2. Gut It Quickly

Proper field care of wild game should begin the moment the animal hits the ground. If not, the result will be poor or gamey-tasting meat. To avoid this, you need to be prepared with the proper tools. Most importantly, a sharp knife, latex gloves, and the proper means to transport your game. Whether you are gutting big game, small game, or birds, take the utmost care not to puncture the stomach contents, intestines, or bladder during the evisceration process or risk tainting the meat. It’s also important to avoid contaminating the internal body cavity with dirt or debris. If contamination does occur, wipe it clean as quickly as possible.

3. Cool It Down

Next to gut matter and dirt, heat is the biggest detriment to great tasting wild game. It’s, therefore, critical to cool down bird and animal carcasses as quickly and efficiently as feasible. Thorough field dressing begins the process and is typically sufficient if it is not too warm during a day hunt. If not too warm—40 degrees—big game can be hung in a garage or barn for several days prior to butchering, although the more consistent temperature of a walk-in cooler is far more ideal. Game birds and small game such as rabbits can be more quickly butchered and prepared for the freezer.

4. Cut It Up

Loads of information is available on proper game and bird butchering. But no rule is more important than to use the proper tools—a sharp knife, a skinning knife, and meat saw—and to work on a clean surface in order to keep the meat dirt-free. Although butchering your own game might seem intimidating at first, you’ll get the hang of it. If you’re not interested in trying this, you can always drop your deer off at a professional game processor. Plenty of hunters do this, and receive professionally cut and wrapped packages of venison in a few days. This will cost you somewhere between $50 to $120 for deer, depending on how big the animal is and how much your butcher charges.

If you want to try it yourself, here’s how. For big game, begin by extracting the inner loins located on the inside of the body cavity. They run along the spine. Most hunters remove these first, because they tend to dry out quickly. These and the backstraps, which are located along the backbone outside of the body cavity are considered to be the best portions of meat. Halve the backstraps for better portion size. Meat from the neck, front shoulders and legs is often ground and mixed with ground pork or beef fat for the best flavor and consistency, or turned into sausage. To prepare the larger hind quarters for freezing, simply separate the muscle groups by running your knife blade along the seams and lines that are clearly visible on the quarters. Once separated, these larger cuts of meat can be further cut into steaks or roasts to freeze.

Gamebirds and small game are even simpler to butcher. Once plucked, skinned, and washed, they can be either frozen whole or separated into smaller portions. For ducks and other gamebirds, you can also use your hands to tear open the skin above the breast, and then use a sharp knife to fillet the breast meat off the bone.

Read next: 10 Mistakes Most Hunters Make When Cooking Wild Game

5. Freeze It

Much like temperature is the enemy of game in the field, air is the enemy of game in the freezer. So no matter whether using a vacuum sealer or ordinary butcher wrap, it’s important to remove all the air from your packaging in order to avoid freezer burn. If opting for butcher wrap, it’s a good idea to first seal the meat in plastic wrap and then butcher paper. To ensure the best quality results, add several packages of meat to a resealable plastic freezer bag and immerse it into a sink of cold water. The water will force out all the air. Seal the bag, and now your game meat is ready for the freezer.

6. Cook It

Wild game and birds can provide some of the best meals available anywhere—if they’re prepared correctly. Poor-tasting game is almost always the result of having not followed the previous rules. Take proper care of game from field to freezer and it will almost always taste great—with a couple of caveats. Because game is naturally low in fat, it’s important not to overcook it unless you’re opting to use it in a braised dish or pot roast. Although some might disagree, it’s also full of deep, rich flavor making it a minimalist’s dream. Venison loin and steaks, for example, are served best when cooked medium rare in butter, salt, and pepper. Gamebird breasts and small game such as rabbit deserve similar treatment. It’s always fun to experiment with various recipes, but you might want to save that for store-bought meats and poultry.

The post How to Hunt: A Step-by-Step Guide for New Adult Hunters appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Best Overall		SpyPoint Flex G-36	SEE IT
Best Standard Cam		Lone Wolf Custom Gear Undercover Trail Camera	SEE IT
Best Under $50		Tasco 12mp Tan Low-Glo	SEE IT

If you break into a cold sweat at the thought of leaving a $500 trail camera on public land, you’re not alone. Those high-dollar cameras take great photos, but they’re overkill for most hunters’ needs.

After all, you can get a great trail cam for under $150 and it’ll still have top-end features like video, quality photo, long battery life, and cellular connectivity. To help you find the best budget trail camera, a team of three hardcore whitetail hunters spent months testing the trail cameras in the field and in a standardized backyard test. Here are the team’s top picks at the end of testing. 

• Best Overall: SpyPoint Flex G-36
• Best Image Quality: Tactacam Reveal X Pro
• Great App: Moultrie Mobile Edge
• Best Standard Cam: Lone Wolf Custom Gear Undercover Trail Camera
• Best Under $50: Tasco 12mp Tan Low-Glow
• Bushnell Cellucore 20
• SpyPoint Flex
• SpyPoint Link Micro LTE

How We Tested the Best Budget Trail Cameras 

Testing Trigger Speed, Flash Range, and Detection Range 

Each of the best budget trail cameras was set to its fastest shooting mode and highest sensitivity. Markers were placed at 10 feet, 60 feet, and 110 feet. Then the tester walked past the camera (left to right and then right to left) at a medium pace at the distance of each marker. This test was conducted during daylight and at night. 

The test measures the camera’s detection range, trigger speed, shutter speed, and flash range. We looked for blank photos, failures to trigger, blurry images, and overall photo quality. 

In the Field 

Each camera was set out in the field to see how it performed in the real world and stood up to the elements. In the field testing ran from three weeks to six months. In the field, we evaluated the camera’s photo quality, reliability, and ease of setup.

Price

Trail camera’s range from about $30 to $600 with a lot of variance in price and features in between. We decided to make the cut off for a “budget” camera at 25 percent of the most expensive camera, $150. You’ll notice that most of the cameras in this review still cost about $100 or more. That’s because the truly cheap cameras typically deliver cheap performance. They fail to trigger, they spook deer, or they die after a season of use. You can spend more money replacing cheap cameras than you would by buying a few quality cameras. The trail cameras in our list still feature advanced features like video, infrared flash, cellular connection, and quality images. But, they lack the sting when you buy multiples or one goes missing. 

The Test Team and Locations

Scott Einsmann, gear editor, Virginia
Drew Palmer, contributor, Kansas 
Alex Robinson, editor-in-chief, Minnesota and Wisconsin

Best Budget Trail Cameras: Reviews and Recommendations

Best Value: SpyPoint Flex G-36

Scott Einsmann

SEE IT

Key Features

• 8 AA batteries
• 0.3 second trigger speed 
• Advertised Detection Range: 100 feet
• Uses micro SD cards from 2 to 512 GB
• Two-year warranty

Pros

• Fast trigger speed
• Good flash range
• Detected movement at 10, 60, and 110 feet

Cons

• About 1 minute delay between bursts—even on instant setting

The Flex G-36 improves megapixels and performance over last year’s Flex without a price hike. It costs $100, which is $50 less than the similarly photo specced Tactacam Reveal X-Pro. 

SpyPoint didn’t just give the new Flex G-36 a glossy veneer of three additional megapixels. It gave the trail cam a serious upgrade under the hood. Last year, the Flex only triggered at 10 and 60 feet. The Flex G-36 triggered at 10, 60, and 110 feet—day and night. It shot three photos of me in frame at each distance too. 

The photos are crisp with no motion blur, and while the daytime photos are excellent, the night photos are the most impressive. The IR flash is even and reaches far into the night to produce high-detail photos after sunset.

The SpyPoint app is intuitive and easy to use. If you have hundreds of photos you can easily sift through them using the “buck” filter. I’ve used it on my other SpyPoint cameras and it’s not 100 percent accurate, but it’s a quick way to find peak deer activity times frames.

 My one knock on the best trail camera for the money is that it takes about a minute to reset between bursts of photos even though I had it set to no delay. In the walkthrough test, I walked from left to right and then right to left. The camera wasn’t capturing my second trip unless I waited about a minute between triggerings. That slight delay could cost you a photo of the second deer down the trail, which so often is the mature buck following a doe. But still, for $100 you can’t go wrong with the Flex G-36. —S.E.

Best Photo Quality: Tactacam Reveal X Pro

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Key Features

• 12 AA Batteries
• Less than 0.5 second trigger speed
• Advertised Flash Range: 80 feet
• Advertised Detection Range: 96 feet
• LTE/4G wireless module
• IP66 waterproof certified
• External port for solar panel
• Accepts Tactacam’s rechargeable lithium cartridge
• No Glow IR Technology 
• Built-in LCD Screen and GPS

Pros

• No Glow IR 
• Simple to set up
• Excellent photo quality 
• Superior battery life with Tactacam’s solar panel and rechargeable lithium cartridge

Cons

• Cell data plans are expensive per camera
• Requires a class 10 U3 SD Card (16GB-32GB) 
• Multi-shot sending requires an additional fee

The Reveal X-Pro is the most recent addition to Tactacam’s popular lineup of trail cameras. A new built-in LCD screen makes the X-Pro even easier to set up when compared to the rest of the lineup. Just turn the camera on, and use the LCD screen to frame your photos without the guesswork of snapping test shots. This makes it virtually impossible to miss your intended target within the camera’s field of view.

With optional accessories like an integrated solar panel and rechargeable lithium cartridge, the X-Pro provides the user with plenty of solutions to extend their camera’s battery life. Optional password protection, a built-in GPS, and the ability to run a single cable lock through the camera body and door make the X-Pro a great option for anyone concerned about trail cam thieves.

But what really won us over is that the X-Pro provides top-notch image quality that Tactacam’s lineup is known for. Most impressive, the X-Pro captured nighttime images at 110 feet during the test (30 feet farther than the 80-foot detection range advertised). All of the IR photos were crisp, and the camera’s shutter snaps with stop-motion speed to give superior detail at night. This is the difference between counting a buck’s tines and blurry, washed-out photos. Daytime photos were clear and vibrant. In addition, the camera settings can be adjusted so that HD videos with audio can be retrieved on-demand via the Tactacam Reveal app. We ran four Tactacam Reveal X Pros throughout last fall and winter and they worked without fail. —E.B.

Read our full Reveal X-Pro review to learn more.

Great App: Moultrie Mobile Edge

Moultrie

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Key Features

• 16 AA
• 0.85 trigger speed
• Advertised detection range: 80 feet
• Free unlimited cloud storage
• Internal memory (no SD card)
• SmartTags for species and buck recognition 

Pros

• Awesome features
• Easy setup
• Affordable for a cell cam

Cons

• Slower trigger speed

The Moultrie Mobile Edge is a functional, capable camera and costs only $100, which is impressive. But what’s truly remarkable about this budget trail camera is all of the features it brings to the table through its Moultrie Mobile app. The camera automatically connects to the strongest network in the area (without needing to switch sim cards) and promptly sends photos to the app on your phone. Here’s the cool part: The Moultrie Mobile app is designed with image recognition, so it identifies deer (including bucks vs does), turkeys, vehicles, and humans in photos. From there, you can sort your photos based on species. Say, for example, you set the camera in the summertime and by November you have a few thousand photos, including some shooter bucks, does, squirrels, coyotes, and that damn neighbor who keeps riding by on his ATV. The app allows you to filter images so you’ll only see the buck photos (or the ATV photos if you wanted). What’s more, it gives you activity data, showing when bucks are passing by the camera most frequently. 

I hung my test camera on a cornfield edge in a core area of our hunting property. According to the app, the highest buck activity for this site is 6 a.m. (I looked through the photos manually to confirm that the app was correct, and it was). Besides time of day, the activity data also accounts for temperature and moon phase. The possibilities for this technology are incredible. With a few cameras running on a hunting property over the course of several seasons, you’d have a powerful data set showing when bucks are moving based on time of season, time of day, temperature, and moon phase. This camera will do more than just pattern a specific buck, it will help you pattern deer activity in your area for a lifetime of good hunting. 

The only thing I’d knock the Moultrie Edge on is its slightly slower trigger speed. It had a hard time catching me at the 10 foot walkthrough (I was almost out of frame). However the slower trigger speed didn’t seem to hurt the camera in the field; it captures multiple photos every time a deer walks by. The camera did perform well in the night walkthrough capturing me at the 60-foot range and producing solid nighttime images. -A.R.

Read Next: Best Trail Cameras

Best Standard Cam: Lone Wolf Custom Gear Undercover Trail Camera

Lone Wolf

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Key Features

• Wi-Fi picture retrieval
• 12 megapixels
• 1080p video at 30 frames per second
• 0.4 second trigger speed
• Flash range: 20 feet
• Advertised detection range: 65 feet 
• Accepts SD card up to 32 GB

Pros

• The Wi-Fi transfer system is economical and efficient
• The Ultimate Aim Technology and ball joint bracket make setup easy

Cons

• Battery life is below average 
• 12MP photos lack clarity
• The night range is average at best

Lone Wolf came up with a solution to breaking sticks to get the camera angle just right: their ball-joint mount. It’s also one of the few budget trail cameras that can Wi-Fi transfer photos to your phone with an app. The app can also organize and store photos based on several filters. 

The Undercover’s camera performance was a little disappointing. At 12 megapixels, it’s not going to capture print-quality images for the trophy wall. The battery life on it was iffy past 6,500 images, which is below average compared to many of our other cameras. 

The daylight performance of the camera is definitely as advertised with satisfying trigger speeds. It captured me in the center of the frame at the 10-foot distance. The colors were also rich and the image sharp. At night, the camera triggered at 10 feet, but the photo quality was not great. The camera did not trigger at 60 or 110 feet. -D.P.

Best for Under $50: Tasco 12mp Tan Low-Glow

Tasco

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Key Features

• 8 AA batteries
• 12 megapixel images
• 720p video
• 1 second trigger speed, 5 second recovery time
• Flash range: 50 feet

Pros

• Easy setup with only two options for photo/video
• More than 15,000 images on one set of alkaline batteries
• Most retailers sell this camera for under $50

Cons

• Limited function settings
• Can be picky about card sizes/types
• Video lengths can be irregular

I rave to anyone that will listen about these amazing “cheapies.” I’ve had over 50 Tascos in the field over the past 12 months and haven’t had one issue. The simplicity of this camera makes it fast and easy to set up. It has a one or three shot burst mode for photos, and multiple interval adjustments. The only downfall I’ve found is that the videos can be irregular in their length, which cuts off some activity.

I was truly shocked at the 50 feet of flash range for a budget trail camera around $50. In my walkthrough test it captured me in the center of the frame at 10 feet both day and night. It didn’t trigger at 60 or 100 feet. I operate almost all my Tascos on three shot bursts, and on several occasions they captured deer running in all three frames. For the price and performance, these are my personal choice for mapping properties and putting patterns together. -D.P.

Best Image Quality: Tactacam Reveal X and XB

Tactacam

SEE IT

Key Features

• 12 AA Batteries
• Less than 0.5 second trigger speed
• Flash range: 80 feet (XB) and 96 feet (X)
• Advertised detection range: 96 feet
• LTE/4G wireless module
• 12 AA Batteries
• IP66 waterproof certified
• External port for solar panel

Pros

• Reliable
• Simple to set up
• Solid photo quality

Cons

• Cell data plans are expensive per camera 
• Requires a class 10 U3 SD Card 
• Limited HD downloads on the app

The Tactacam Reveal X and Reveal XB cameras combine all of the features that most hunters want in a cell camera, at a price we can all still afford. Let’s start with image quality, which is the backbone of both cameras. Over the thousands of images we scoured, only extreme fog defeated this camera. The XB took beautiful daytime photos on a property in Wisconsin, and the X recorded thousands of quality photos in Kansas. 

The two cameras are very similar. The Reveal X is a “low glow” camera, meaning it emits a red light while taking nighttime photos. The XB is a “no glow” camera, meaning it emits no visible flash while taking nighttime photos. As you can see in our images, the XB no glow photos are on par with the X’s low glow photos. Beyond that, XB has an integrated GPS, so you can see where the camera located within the Tactacam app. The XB is a little pricier, but there are often online deals that bring it down to the same price point as the X.  

The megapixel modes of 8,12, or 24 create versatility for folks who want to make a set of lithium batteries last 12 months. The only downfall of the camera is that if you own more than one, there is no way to set up different plans under the same account for different cameras. So, if you want one camera to have unlimited photos and another to have limited photos, you have to create different accounts for each trail cam.

At $120 this is one of the best budget trail cameras out there. In our walkthrough test, the X triggered out to 60 feet, however at night it only triggered at the close distance. The XB triggered at 60 feet during both day and night walkthroughs. -A.R., D.P. 

Bushnell Cellucore 20

Bushnell

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Key Features

• 12 AA
• Less than one second trigger speed
• Advertised detection range: 80 feet
• Accepts up to 32 GB SD card
• Low glow 
• 20 MP photo and HD video 

Pros

• Easy-to-use app
• Triggered at 60 feet at night
• Customizable flash
• Solar compatible 

Cons

• Inconsistent triggering at far distances  

Cell cameras used to be expensive pieces of tech, but they’re now becoming affordable and offering a lot of value for the money. One of the best buys in cell cams is the Bushnell Cellucore 20 with its 20 MP photos, customizable low glow flash, and easy-to-use app. 

During the walk-through test, the Cellucore triggered at 10 feet with a perfectly centered photo—day and night. The camera didn’t capture me at 60 or 100 feet during the day, but at night it captured a series of five photos of me walking at 60 feet. 

The Cellucore has three flash settings: short range, fast motion, and long range. I used the long-range flash setting during the walk-through test and it illuminated out to 43 yards. The downside of the long-range flash is that close objects will be over exposed. For my in-the-field test, I used the fast-motion flash and it produced evenly illuminated photos with good detail from 5 to 15 yards. It also captured several deer walking without much movement blur.

The daytime image quality was fair with good color and detail as well as no motion blur. At night, the photos had good black and white contrast with even exposure when using the fast-motion flash. -S.E.

SpyPoint Flex

SpyPoint

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Key Features 

• 8 AA batteries
• 0.5 second trigger speed
• Flash range: 100 feet
• Advertised detection range: 100 feet
• 0.3 second trigger speed
• 33 Megapixels
• 1080p video with sound
• 2 SIM cards included

Pros

• Good videos
• Good night photos
• Easy to use
• GPS enabled

Cons

• Receiving full HD video costs extra

The latest trend in cell cams is the ability to automatically choose the network with the strongest signal. It’s a feature you’ll find on expensive cameras, but it’s cool to see it in the SpyPoint Flex, which retails around $130. I’ve had a Flex for one month and moved it between travel corridors, mock scrapes, and feeding areas. While it’s nearly twice the price of some of the cheaper options in the best budget trail cameras test, it brings plenty of performance to justify the price. 

That improved performance was evident during the walkthrough test. At 10 feet in daylight and night the camera captured three photos of me in frame. During daylight it caught me in frame three times at 60 feet, but it did not capture me at night. The camera did not trigger at 110 feet. 

The Flex’s photo quality is excellent—day or night. The video quality is also great and the addition of audio to the video is a cool feature. But SpyPoint charges an additional fee to send the full 15 second video to your phone. If you don’t pay the fee, you get the equivalent of a flip-book video. Another thing to keep in mind is that sending a lot of video will hurt your battery life. -S.E. 

SpyPoint Link Micro LTE

SpyPoint

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Key Features 

• 8 AA batteries
• 0.5 second trigger speed
• Flash range: 80 feet
• Advertised detection range: 80 feet
• 10 Megapixels
• LTE cellular network 

Pros

• Easy to set up
• Good app

Cons

• Inconsistent detection
• Not recommended for trails

I had a Link Micro LTE set up under dropping oaks throughout the 2021 season. I didn’t need a camera with excellent photo resolution; I just needed to know when the deer were hitting those acorns. The Link Micro worked well for that purpose. This year I placed it on a trail that leads to a food source and I have a lot more blanks or pictures of tails. 

During the walkthrough test, I got one photo where I was in frame at the 10 foot mark and a couple blanks—both day and night. At 60 feet the camera triggered during daylight, but I wasn’t in the photo and it did not trigger at 110 feet. At night, the camera did not trigger at 60 feet or 110 feet. 

The Link Micro’s photo quality is OK. The daylight photos are sometimes under or over exposed—especially during dawn and dusk. The night time resolution is good enough to count tines, but don’t plan on zooming in and retaining photo resolution. -S.E.

How to Choose the Best Budget Trail Camera

Flash and Detection Range 
If your cameras are mostly tucked into thick cover, then you don’t need a camera with a long flash and detection range. But, if your camera is overlooking a clearcut or open field, then good flash and detection range are a must. 

Photo Quality
Even if you don’t care about naming deer or counting every tine, a quality image is still nice to have. Whether you’re sharing trail cam photos or you capture a crazy wildlife moment, you’ll be glad you have a crisp clear picture. Image quality is about much more than advertised megapixel capacity. In fact, more megapixels doesn’t necessarily mean better images. Instead, it’s more useful to look at sample images (our review is a good start) to see the image quality that each camera produces. For daytime photos, look for detail in the background, where big bucks tend to lurk. In nighttime photos, look for the camera to stop motion. You want to see a clear picture of the buck (or in our case, the tester) as he walks across the frame, not a blurry white shape. 

Trigger Speed 
If you have the camera on a trail, a fast trigger speed is more likely to capture a walking deer. That’s why we do the walkthrough test for each camera. Despite what each company advertised, the cameras that caught us in the middle of the frame at close range have the most effective trigger speed in the field. 

FAQs

Final Thoughts on the Best Budget Trail Camears

The original trail cameras used film and giant lantern batteries. Some of them were just disposable cameras linked to a motion sensor in a waterproof housing. In 2009, trail cameras became smaller and had IR flash, but still were only 5 megapixels at most and those top-of-the-line models cost around $600. The $50 Tasco in this review would blow those cameras out of the water with its features and performance. 

You get a lot of camera for your money these days and you don’t need to spend a wad of cash on a fleet of cameras. Whether you need a standard or cell cam, there are plenty of options within the best budget trail cameras to find one that’s right for you. 

The post The Best Budget Trail Cameras of 2023, Tested and Reviewed appeared first on Outdoor Life.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best Overall		Tactacam Reveal X Pro	SEE IT
Best Value		SpyPoint Flex G-36	SEE IT
Best Night Performance		Stealth Cam Deceptor	SEE IT

A lot of hunting and fishing technology has reached a performance plateau, but not trail cameras. The new models released late last year and this year are much better than the previous gen and there are even more advanced cameras being released later this year. So, if you’re in the market for a new camera you’ll be treated to more features, better photos, and more value for your dollar than ever before. 

For hunters looking for quality cameras that won’t break their budget, there are now several excellent cell cam options in the $100 to $150 range. This is on par with what a decent standard camera costs (but you, of course, also have to pay for the cell plan). 

We’ve tested the best trail cameras that are available right now, and whittled them down to the top options that range in price from $40 to $600. As more cameras hit the market later this summer, we’ll review them and add them to this review. Here are our top picks for models that you can buy at the moment: 

• Best Overall: Tactacam Reveal X-Pro
• Best Budget Cell Cam: SpyPoint Flex G-36 
• Best Night Performance: Stealth Cam Deceptor No-Glo
• Best Under $50: Tasco 12mp Tan Low-Glow
• Best App: Moultrie Mobile Edge 
• Bushnell Cellucore 20
• Reconyx Hyperfire 2 Cellular
• Cuddeback Tracks

How We Tested the Best Trail Cameras

Each camera in this review was tested while selecting the best cellular trail cameras and best budget trail cameras, and represents the top performers from those tests. We put each camera through a consistent test protocol to determine trigger speed, detection range, image quality, and reliability. Here’s how we did it. 

Each cellular trail camera was set to its fastest shooting mode and highest sensitivity. Markers were placed at 10 feet, 60 feet, and 110 feet. The tester walked past the camera (left to right and then right to left) at a medium pace at each given distance. The walkthrough test was then repeated at night. The test is meant to measure the camera’s detection range, trigger speed, shutter speed, and flash range. We looked for blank photos, failures to trigger, blurry images, and overall photo quality. 

From there, we set each camera in the field to see how it performed in real-world conditions. In the field, we evaluated the camera’s photo quality, reliability, and ease of setup. This included the ability to use each camera’s app to review and sort photos. Some of these cameras were field tested for an entire hunting season. Others are so new that they haven’t had adequate field time. We’re constantly testing the latest cameras and will update this review in August with the next crop of releases. 

The Test Team and Locations

• Scott Einsmann, gear editor, Virginia
• Drew Palmer, contributor, Kansas
• Alex Robinson, editor-in-chief, Minnesota and Wisconsin
• Erik Barber, contributor, Wisconsin

Best Trail Cameras: Reviews and Recommendations 

Best Overall: Tactacam Reveal X Pro

SEE IT

Key Features

• 12 AA Batteries
• Less than 0.5 second trigger speed
• Advertised Flash Range: 80 feet
• Advertised Detection Range: 96 feet
• LTE/4G wireless module
• IP66 waterproof certified
• External port for solar panel
• Accepts Tactacam’s rechargeable lithium cartridge
• No Glow IR Technology 
• Built-in LCD Screen and GPS

Pros

• No Glow IR 
• Simple to set up
• Excellent photo quality 
• Superior battery life with Tactacam’s solar panel and rechargeable lithium cartridge

Cons

• Cell data plans are expensive per camera
• Requires a class 10 U3 SD Card (16GB-32GB) 
• Multi-shot sending requires an additional fee

The Reveal X-Pro is the most recent addition to Tactacam’s popular lineup of trail cameras. A new built-in LCD screen makes the X-Pro even easier to set up when compared to the rest of the lineup. Just turn the camera on, and use the LCD screen to frame your photos without the guesswork of snapping test shots. This makes it virtually impossible to miss your intended target within the camera’s field of view.

With optional accessories like an integrated solar panel and rechargeable lithium cartridge, the X-Pro provides the user with plenty of solutions to extend their camera’s battery life. Optional password protection, a built-in GPS, and the ability to run a single cable lock through the camera body and door make the X-Pro a great option for anyone concerned about trail cam thieves.

But what really won us over is that the X-Pro provides top-notch image quality that Tactacam’s lineup is known for. Most impressive, the X-Pro captured nighttime images at 110 feet during the test (30 feet farther than the 80-foot detection range advertised). All of the IR photos were crisp, and the camera’s shutter snaps with stop-motion speed to give superior detail at night. This is the difference between counting a buck’s tines and blurry, washed-out photos. Daytime photos were clear and vibrant. In addition, the camera settings can be adjusted so that HD videos with audio can be retrieved on-demand via the Tactacam Reveal app. We ran four Tactacam Reveal X Pros throughout last fall and winter and they worked without fail. —E.B.

Read our full Reveal X-Pro review to learn more.

Best Value: SpyPoint Flex G-36

Scott Einsmann

SEE IT

Key Features

• 8 AA batteries
• 0.3 second trigger speed 
• Advertised Detection Range: 100 feet
• Uses micro SD cards from 2 to 512 GB
• Two-year warranty

Pros

• Fast trigger speed
• Good flash range
• Detected movement at 10, 60, and 110 feet

Cons

• About 1 minute delay between bursts—even on instant setting

The Flex G-36 improves megapixels and performance over last year’s Flex without a price hike. It costs $100, which is $50 less than the similarly photo specced Tactacam Reveal X-Pro. 

SpyPoint didn’t just give the new Flex G-36 a glossy veneer of three additional megapixels. It gave the trail cam a serious upgrade under the hood. Last year, the Flex only triggered at 10 and 60 feet. The Flex G-36 triggered at 10, 60, and 110 feet—day and night. It shot three photos of me in frame at each distance too. 

The photos are crisp with no motion blur, and while the daytime photos are excellent, the night photos are the most impressive. The IR flash is even and reaches far into the night to produce high-detail photos after sunset.

The SpyPoint app is intuitive and easy to use. If you have hundreds of photos you can easily sift through them using the “buck” filter. I’ve used it on my other SpyPoint cameras and it’s not 100 percent accurate, but it’s a quick way to find peak deer activity times frames.

 My one knock on the best trail camera for the money is that it takes about a minute to reset between bursts of photos even though I had it set to no delay. In the walkthrough test, I walked from left to right and then right to left. The camera wasn’t capturing my second trip unless I waited about a minute between triggerings. That slight delay could cost you a photo of the second deer down the trail, which so often is the mature buck following a doe. But still, for $100 you can’t go wrong with the Flex G-36. —S.E.

Best Night Performance: Stealth Cam Deceptor

Alex Robinson

SEE IT

Key Features

• 8 AA batteries
• 40 megapixel images
• 1440p HD video
• .3 second trigger speed, 2 second recovery time
• Advertised detection range: 80 feet

Pros

• Took excellent “low-glo” night photos
• Captured night images at 110 feet
• Great value

Cons

• App and customer service reviews are all over the place

We all know that big bucks move most frequently at twilight and nighttime. Unfortunately, a lot of cameras on the market, especially the “no-glo” versions, produce crappy nighttime images. Instead of a clear picture of a shooter buck you end up with a blurry, ghost-like critter in the frame. Is it your target buck or a just another basket-rack?

This was not the case for Stealth Cam’s new Deceptor no-glo camera. This cell camera produced solid nighttime images at 10, 60, and 110 feet. That’s impressive considering the Deceptor’s advertised detection range is only 80 feet. The only other cameras we tested that were able to capture images at 110 feet were the Tactacam and the SpyPoint. For a sense of nighttime image quality, look at the 3D deer target (15 yards from the camera) and you’ll see tines clearly. No problem counting points in that image. 

The images are even more impressive when you consider that the Deceptor is a no-glo camera, which means there are black filters over its red LED lights. Typically, no-glo cameras have a limited nighttime range and slow shutter speeds to compensate for less light hitting the subject (a slow shutter speed creates a blurry moving image). But that wasn’t a problem for the Deceptor in my walkthrough test. Even when I was walking at 60 feet, at the edge of the woods, the camera was able to capture me clearly.

The pros of a no-glo camera is that they don’t create a bright red flash while taking images at night. Some hunters argue that deer aren’t spooked by the red LED flash, others swear that the blacked out no-glo is the only way to go. When I walked by the camera at close range at night, there was no detectable noise or light to signal that the camera had fired. For hunters targeting mature bucks that might be skittish around trail cameras, this is the best trail camera. The only downside to the Stealth Cam is that the reviews of their Stealth Command Pro app and customer service vary wildly. Many users report problems with cameras not connecting, or the app crashing (it has a 2.8 rating in the app store). While using last year’s model Stealth Cam I was unable to connect to the app and Stealth customer service was unable to fix my issue. Hopefully they’ve ironed out those issues so you’ll be able to easily access all the great images the Deceptor is going to capture. —A.R.

Best Under $50: Tasco 12mp Tan Low-Glow

Tasco

SEE IT

Key Features

• 8 AA batteries
• 12 megapixel images
• 720p video
• 1 second trigger speed, 5 second recovery time
• Flash range: 50 feet

Pros

• Easy setup with only two options for photo/video
• More than 15,000 images on one set of alkaline batteries
• Most retailers sell this camera for under $50

Cons

• Limited function settings
• Can be picky about card sizes/types
• Video lengths can be irregular

I rave to anyone that will listen about these amazing “cheapies.” I’ve had over 50 Tascos in the field over the past 12 months and haven’t had one issue. The simplicity of this camera makes it fast and easy to set up. It has a one or three shot burst mode for photos, and multiple interval adjustments. The only downfall I’ve found is that the videos can be irregular in their length, which cuts off some activity.

I was truly shocked at the 50 feet of flash range for a budget trail camera around $50. In my walkthrough test it captured me in the center of the frame at 10 feet both day and night. It didn’t trigger at 60 or 100 feet. I operate almost all my Tascos on three shot bursts, and on several occasions they captured deer running in all three frames. For the price and performance, these are my personal choice for mapping properties and putting patterns together. —D.P.

Best App: Moultrie Mobile Edge

Alex Robinson

SEE IT

Key Features

• 16 AA Batteries
• 0.85 second trigger speed
• Advertised Detection Range: 80 feet
• Free unlimited cloud storage
• Internal memory (no SD card)
• SmartTags for species and buck recognition

Pros

• Powerful app with lots of features 
• Easy setup
• Affordable for a cell cam

Cons

• Slower trigger speed

The Moultrie Mobile Edge wasn’t the strongest performer in our walkthrough testing, but it’s a functional, capable cell camera and costs only $100, which is impressive. What’s truly remarkable about this cellular trail camera is all of the features it brings to the table through its Moultrie Mobile app. The Edge automatically connects to the strongest network in the area (without requiring you to switch sim cards) and promptly sends photos to your phone. Here’s the cool part: The Moultrie Mobile app is designed with image recognition, so it identifies deer (including bucks vs. does), turkeys, vehicles, and humans in photos. From there, you can sort your photos based on a variety of filters to put together patterns of the deer in your area. 

In the summer of 2022, I hung my test camera on a cornfield edge in a core area of our hunting property in Wisconsin. I ran the camera continuously all fall without issue. It consistently snapped photos of deer and captured me and my hunting buddy anytime we walked or drove by. 

According to the app, the highest buck activity for this site was 6 a.m. (I looked through the photos manually to confirm that the app was correct, and it was). Besides time of day, the activity data also accounts for temperature and moon phase. If you’re a serious deer hunter, I’m sure you already see the incredible possibilities for this technology. With several cameras running on a hunting property over the course of several seasons, you’ll have a powerful data set showing when bucks are moving based on time of season, time of day, temperature, and moon phase. This camera will do more than just pattern a specific buck, it will help you pattern deer activity in your area season after season. I ended up killing my biggest archery buck last season just a few weeks after we caught him on the Moultrie cam.  

The only downside of the Moultrie Edge is its slightly slower trigger speed. It had a hard time catching me at the 10 foot walkthrough (as you can see in the image, I was almost out of frame). It also missed me at the 60-foot range during the daytime. The camera did perform well in the night walkthrough capturing me at the 60-foot range and producing solid nighttime images. Also, the slower trigger speed didn’t seem to hurt the camera in the field; it captures multiple photos every time a deer walks by. The images weren’t as perfect as those produced by some of the other cameras in this review, but for getting hunting intel they worked just fine.

Moultrie is coming out with an Edge Pro camera this summer that promises more performance at a price of $180. We look forward to getting our hands on that camera and putting it to the test. —A.R.

Bushnell Cellucore

Bushnell

SEE IT

Key Features

• 12 AA
• Less than one second trigger speed
• Advertised detection range: 80 feet
• Accepts up to 32 GB SD card
• Low glow 
• 20 MP photo and HD video 

Pros

• Easy-to-use app
• Triggered at 60 feet at night
• Customizable flash
• Solar compatible 

Cons

• Inconsistent triggering at far distances 

One of the best buys in trail cams is the Bushnell Cellucore 20 with its 20 MP photos, customizable low glow flash, and easy-to-use app. 

During the walk-through test, the Cellucore triggered at 10 feet with a perfectly centered photo—day and night. The camera didn’t capture me at 60 or 100 feet during the day, but at night it captured a series of five photos of me walking at 60 feet.

The Cellucore has three flash settings: short range, fast motion, and long range. I used the long-range flash setting during the walk-through test and it illuminated out to 43 yards. The downside of the long-range flash is that close objects will be over exposed. For my in-the-field test, I used the fast-motion flash and it produced evenly illuminated photos with good detail from 5 to 15 yards. It also captured several deer walking without much movement blur.

The daytime image quality was fair with good color and detail as well as no motion blur. At night, the photos had good black and white contrast with even exposure when using the fast-motion flash. —S.E.

Reconyx Hyperfire 2 Cellular

SEE IT

Key Features

• 12 AA lithium batteries
• 0.2 second trigger speed
• Advertised Detection Range: 100 feet
• Made in the USA
• Five-year warranty

Pros

• High quality photos and performance
• Excellent warranty and durability
• Fast trigger speed

Cons

• App crashed
• Camera failed in wet weather
• Records video, but doesn’t transmit through cellular
• Expensive

There’s a reason why most professional wildlife researchers who use trail cameras rely on Reconyx: Their cameras are known for reliably delivering high quality images. Hardcore hunters who want that same type of performance lean toward Reconyx, too. This camera performed well in the walk through test, triggering out to 60 feet day and night and also catching me at close range.

Importantly, it was the only camera that truly stopped motion at close range at night (you can see that image below). The other cameras produced slightly blurry images of me walking close-range at night. 

At close range, I could hear other cameras firing, and at night I could see a bright red flash at 60 feet (the Stealth Cam being the exception here). This was not the case with the Reconyx. There was no visible flash and there was no trigger noise whatsoever. 

Surprisingly, I had issues with the camera in the field. First, the app crashed several times when I started using it. I had to delete the app and reload it three different times. In the app store, I saw several reviews with users complaining about the same issue. Happily, all my photos were saved in my profile and Reconyx seems have to solved the issue. Second, the camera fogged up for a few days during the summer. I received several foggy pictures, and when my buddy went to check on the camera, there was a condensation spot inside the housing. We pulled the camera, I opened it up to dry it out, and set it again. The Reconyx went back to capturing clear images. But then a big snow storm hit our area and the camera went down again, with more condensation inside the body.

The camera has a five-year warranty, so this would be a fixable issue. I know several hardcore deer hunters who run Reconyx cameras and never have problems. But still, in our testing and review, we had to ding this very expensive camera for its failures in the field. —A.R.

Cuddeback Tracks

Alex Robinson

SEE IT

Key Features

• 4 D batteries
• .25 second trigger speed
• Advertised detection range: 100 feet
• Low glow and no glo options
• Variety of affordable cellular plans

Pros

• Camera is easy  to set up and use
• D batteries provide longer life
• Solar compatible 

Cons

• Average performance in walkthrough testing
• No video option

Cuddeback is one of the trail camera O.G.s and their new Tracks cellular cam certainly stands out with its two large antenna paddles. Another big differentiator with this camera is that it runs on 4 D batteries instead of AAs, like all the other models in this test. Cuddeback says the D batteries provide more juice and lifespan for the money, which is notable. Anyone who has run a half-dozen or more trail cameras over the course of a deer season knows that batteries and SD cards can get spendy. The Cuddeback is also compatible with a solar panel to provide even longer battery life in the field.

From a performance standpoint, the Tracks camera did OK. It didn’t capture images at 110 feet and it missed me during the daytime walkthrough at 60 feet. Nighttime photo quality was decent. The camera did a great job of stopping motion at 10 feet. However, the images at 60 feet were not crisp. There were stronger performers at this price point, but if you’re a longtime Cuddeback fan and just want one cell cam to get started, this is the camera for you. Initial plans start at only $4 per month. —A.R.

Trail Camera Accessories We Like

• SD Card: Sandisk Extreme Pro
• Batteries: Energizer Lithium
• T-Post Mount: Moultrie Multi-Mount

How to Choose a Trail Camera

Cell Camera or Standard Trail Cam? 

Cellular trail cameras offer the most convenience because you can hang them and leave them in the woods until the batteries die. All while you’re getting near real-time scouting information sent to your phone. That saves time and gas. More importantly you’re not bumping deer and leaving scent by going into the woods to check camera cards. The main downsides are that you need cell service in the location you’re placing the camera, and they come with additional monthly costs. Cell camera plans typically range from $4 to $15 per month, with additional charges for downloading full-length HD videos or hi-res photos. Cellular trail cameras are more tightly regulated with some states allowing standard trail cams but banning the use of cell cams. 

Standard cameras don’t have monthly fees and have longer battery life. They also equal cell cams in photo quality. Of course, the main downside is that you have to physically check the cameras, and the data you’re getting is old. 

Price

Just like cameras used for photography a more expensive camera usually produces a better image and has more features. We’ve provided sample photos for each camera to help you see the difference between a $40 Tasco, a $150 Tactacam, and a $600 Reconyx. 

Most hunters will either buy the cheapest trail cam and replace them every few years or buy one in the $100 to $150 range. We’ve found that above $200 you start to lose value for the dollar, and running multiple cameras becomes very expensive. There are now several great cameras in the $100 to $150 range.

Trail Camera Flash: Low-Glow, No-Glow or White Flash

There are pros and cons for each type of camera flash. Here’s a quick and dirty break down.

White Flash

We’ve looked into if trail camera flash spooks deer and after talking to biologists and hunters, several of them prefer white flash and feel it spooks deer less often. They especially like the color images provided by a flash. However most of the best trail cameras are not offered with white flash. 

Low-Glow

Low-Glow IR cameras produce a visible red glow from the infrared emitters when they take a picture or video at night. The red glow is typically faint, but can be seen when looking directly at the camera. These cameras typically take superior night images compared to the no-glow cams. Many hunters and experts believe the flash can be detected by deer.

No-Glow 

No-Glow cameras like the Tactacam and Stealth Cam have black filters over the infrared emitters to hide the red flash. These cameras are sometimes described as black flash cams. No-Glow cams are much less likely to be detected by deer or humans at night, but they typically produce lesser-quality night time images. However, Stealth, Tactacam, and Reconyx have proven to be exceptions to this rule.  

Cellular Trail Cameras and Hunting Ethics

There is some controversy in the hunting community about using cellular trail cameras to hunt big game (make sure to check your local regulations before buying and using a cellular trail camera). Recently, the Boone & Crockett club issued this policy in regards to cell cams: “The use of any technology that delivers real-time location data (including photos) to target or guide a hunter to any animal in a manner that elicits an immediate (real-time) response by the hunter is not permitted. ‘Real time’ is the key concept. Seeing a photo and harvesting an animal a few hours later, or even the same day, uses this technology to assure a kill. It also takes advantage of the animal, which cannot detect impending danger from a camera. Waiting several days, or even until the following season, to pursue an animal captured on camera is different, and would not be deemed an unethical use of a trail camera.”

In reality, I don’t see many hunters using cell cams to capture images of a buck on a food plot or corn pile and then running out there to kill him that moment (though I’m sure it has happened). A more practical, and ethical, way to use this technology is to record consistent data on deer movement and then using those patterns to decide where to hunt. Most of us have limited days to hunt, so picking the prime spot is critical. The best trail cameras help with that.  

Final Thoughts on the Best Trail Cameras

Nothing has changed the way we hunt deer more than the invention of trail cameras. We don’t have to guess if deer are in the area or what time they’re moving through because we get a time-stamped photo of the deer as they pass by our trail cam. But trail cameras are notorious for malfunctioning, bugging, and dying in the field. So if you want to get serious about patterning the deer you hunt, do yourself a favor and get one of the best trail cameras.

The post Best Trail Cameras of 2023, Tested and Reviewed appeared first on Outdoor Life.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best Overall		Tactacam Reveal X Pro	SEE IT
Best for the Money		Spypoint Flex G-36	SEE IT
Best Night Photos		Stealth Cam Deceptor No-Glo	SEE IT

Let’s get this part out of the way first: Trail cameras are a pain in the ass. Batteries die, SD cards get corrupted, settings get messed up, and squirrels trigger thousands of useless images. So why would you make your trail camera strategy more complicated by throwing in cellular cameras, which require network connection and pairing with apps? Simple, it’s because once you finally have the best cellular trail cameras linked up and set properly, they provide you with constant, realtime scouting information that will help you pattern deer. 

With that in mind three diehard deer hunters spent the last year testing the top cellular trail cams. We ran them in the field and conducted a standardized backyard walkthrough test. Our results will help you pick the best cellular trail cameras for your hunting style and area. 

• Best Overall: Tactacam Reveal X-Pro
• Best Budget Cell Cam: SpyPoint Flex G-36 
• Best Night Photos: Stealth Cam Deceptor No-Glo
• Best App: Moultrie Mobile Edge
• Tactacam XB
• Cuddeback Tracks
• Bushnell Cellucore 20
• Reconyx Hyperfire 2
• Covert Blackhawk LTE
• Spypoint Flex
• Stealth DS4K Transmit
• Wildgame Terra Cell

How Cellular Trail Cameras Work

All the cell cams in this test have a similar basic setup process. First you download an app from the company. Then you set up a plan, load the camera with batteries, a sim card, and an SD card, pair the camera with the app (by scanning a QR code with your phone) and then establish your camera settings. When set in an area with cell service, the camera will send photos (or videos) to the app. Plans for each company are structured differently, but there are usually monthly or annual options ranging from about $5 per month to more than $20 per month. 

How We Tested the Best Cellular Trail Cams

Each cellular trail camera was set to its fastest shooting mode and highest sensitivity. Markers were placed at 10 feet, 60 feet, and 110 feet. Then the tester walked past the camera (left to right and then right to left) at a medium pace at each given distance. The walkthrough test was then repeated at night. The test is meant to measure the camera’s detection range, trigger speed, shutter speed, and flash range. We looked for blank photos, failures to trigger, blurry images, and overall photo quality. 

From there, we set each camera in the field to see how it performed in real world conditions. We set cameras in areas that had reasonable cell service. In the field, we evaluated the camera’s photo quality, reliability, and ease of setup. This included the ability to use each camera’s app to review and sort photos. 

The Test Team and Locations

• Scott Einsmann, gear editor, Virginia
• Drew Palmer, contributor, Kansas
• Alex Robinson, editor-in-chief, Minnesota and Wisconsin Erik Barber, contributor, Wisconsin

Read Next: Best Trail Cameras

Best Cellular Trail Cameras: Reviews & Recommendations

Best Overall: Tactacam Reveal X-Pro

SEE IT

Key Features

• 12 AA Batteries
• Less than 0.5 second trigger speed
• Advertised Flash Range: 80 feet
• Advertised Detection Range: 96 feet
• LTE/4G wireless module
• IP66 waterproof certified
• External port for solar panel
• Accepts Tactacam’s rechargeable lithium cartridge
• No Glow IR Technology 
• Built-in LCD Screen and GPS

Pros

• No Glow IR 
• Simple to set up
• Excellent photo quality 
• Superior battery life with Tactacam’s solar panel and rechargeable lithium cartridge

Cons

• Cell data plans are expensive per camera
• Requires a class 10 U3 SD Card (16GB-32GB) 
• Multi-shot sending requires an additional fee

The Reveal X-Pro is the most recent addition to Tactacam’s popular lineup of cellular trail cameras. A new built-in LCD screen makes the X-Pro even easier to set up when compared to the rest of the lineup already known for simplicity. Just turn the camera on, and use the LCD screen to frame your photos without the guesswork of snapping test shots. This makes it virtually impossible to miss your intended target within the camera’s field of view. 

With optional accessories like an integrated solar panel and rechargeable lithium cartridge, the X-Pro provides the user with plenty of solutions to extend their camera’s battery life. Optional password protection, a built-in GPS, and the ability to run a single cable lock through the camera body and door simultaneously make the X-Pro a great option for anyone concerned about trail cam thieves. 

The X-Pro provides top-notch image quality that Tactacam’s lineup is known for. Most impressive, the X-Pro captured nighttime images at 110 feet during the test (30 feet further than the 80-foot detection range advertised on the website). All of the IR photos were crisp, and the camera’s shutter snaps with stop-motion speed to give superior detail at night. This is the difference between counting a buck’s tines and blurry, washed-out photos. Daytime photos were clear and vibrant. In addition, the camera settings can be adjusted so that HD videos with audio can be retrieved on-demand via the Tactacam Reveal app. —Erik Barber

Read our full Reveal X-Pro review to learn more.

Best Value: SpyPoint Flex G-36

Scott Einsmann

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Key Features

• 8 AA batteries
• 0.3 second trigger speed 
• Advertised Detection Range: 100 feet
• Uses micro SD cards from 2 to 512 GB
• Two-year warranty

Pros

• Fast trigger speed
• Good flash range
• Detected movement at 10, 60, and 110 feet

Cons

• About 1 minute delay between bursts—even on instant setting

The Flex G-36 improves megapixels and performance over last year’s Flex without a price hike. It costs $100, which is $50 less than the similarly photo specced Tactacam Reveal X-Pro. 

SpyPoint didn’t just give the new Flex G-36 a glossy veneer of three additional megapixels. It gave the trail cam a serious upgrade under the hood. Last year, the Flex only triggered at 10 and 60 feet. The Flex G-36 triggered at 10, 60, and 110 feet—day and night. It shot three photos of me in frame at each distance too. 

The photos are crisp with no motion blur, and while the daytime photos are excellent, the night photos are the most impressive. The IR flash is even and reaches far into the night to produce high-detail photos after sunset.

The SpyPoint app is intuitive and easy to use. If you have hundreds of photos you can easily sift through them using the “buck” filter. I’ve used it on my other SpyPoint cameras and it’s not 100 percent accurate, but it’s a quick way to find peak deer activity times frames.

 My one knock on the Flex G-36 is that it takes about a minute to reset between bursts of photos even though I had it set to no delay. In the walkthrough test, I walked from left to right and then right to left. The camera wasn’t capturing my second trip unless I waited about a minute between triggerings. That slight delay could cost you a photo of the second deer down the trail, which so often is the mature buck following a doe. But still, for $100 you can’t go wrong with the Flex G-36. —S.E.

Best Night Photos: Stealth Cam Deceptor

Alex Robinson

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Key Features

• 8 AA batteries
• 40 megapixel images
• 1440p HD video
• .3 second trigger speed, 2 second recovery time
• Advertised detection range: 80 feet

Pros

• Took excellent “low-glo” night photos
• Captured night images at 110 feet
• Great value

Cons

• App and customer service reviews are all over the place

We all know that big bucks move most frequently at twilight and nighttime. Unfortunately, a lot of cameras on the market, especially the “no-glo” versions, produce crappy nighttime images. Instead of a clear picture of a shooter buck you end up with a blurry, ghost-like critter in the frame. Is it your target buck or a just another basket-rack?

This was not the case for Stealth Cam’s new Deceptor no-glo camera. This cell camera produced solid nighttime images at 10, 60, and 110 feet. That’s impressive considering the Deceptor’s advertised detection range is only 80 feet. The only other cameras we tested that were able to capture images at 110 feet were the Tactacam and the SpyPoint. For a sense of nighttime image quality, look at the 3D deer target (15 yards from the camera) and you’ll see tines clearly. No problem counting points in that image. 

The images are even more impressive when you consider that the Deceptor is a no-glo camera, which means there are black filters over its red LED lights. Typically, no-glo cameras have a limited nighttime range and slow shutter speeds to compensate for less light hitting the subject (a slow shutter speed creates a blurry moving image). But that wasn’t a problem for the Deceptor in my walkthrough test. Even when I was walking at 60 feet, at the edge of the woods, the camera was able to capture me clearly.

The pros of a no-glo camera is that they don’t create a bright red flash while taking images at night. Some hunters argue that deer aren’t spooked by the red LED flash, others swear that the blacked out no-glo is the only way to go. When I walked by the camera at close range at night, there was no detectable noise or light to signal that the camera had fired. For hunters targeting mature bucks that might be skittish around trail cameras, this is an excellent option. The only downside to the Stealth Cam is that the reviews of their Stealth Command Pro app and customer service vary wildly. Many users report problems with cameras not connecting, or the app crashing (it has a 2.8 rating in the app store). While using last year’s model Stealth Cam I was unable to connect to the app and Stealth customer service was unable to fix my issue. Hopefully they’ve ironed out those issues so you’ll be able to easily access all the great images the Deceptor is going to capture. —A.R.

Best App: Moultrie Mobile Edge

Alex Robinson

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Key Features

• 16 AA
• 0.85 trigger speed
• Advertised Detection Range: 80 feet
• Free unlimited cloud storage
• Internal memory (no SD card)
• SmartTags for species and buck recognition 

Pros

• Awesome features
• Easy setup
• Affordable for a cell cam

Cons

• Slower trigger speed

The Moultrie Mobile Edge is a functional, capable camera and costs only $100, which is impressive. But what’s truly remarkable about this cellular trail camera is all of the features it brings to the table through its Moultrie Mobile app. The camera automatically connects to the strongest network in the area (without requiring you to switch sim cards) and promptly sends photos. Here’s the cool part: The Moultrie Mobile app is designed with image recognition, so it identifies deer (including bucks vs. does), turkeys, vehicles, and humans in photos. From there, you can sort your photos based on species. Say, for example, you set the camera in the summertime and by November you have a few thousand photos, including some shooter bucks, does, squirrels, coyotes, and that damn neighbor who keeps riding by on his ATV. The app allows you to filter images so you’ll only see the buck photos. What’s more, it gives you activity data, showing when bucks are passing by the camera most frequently.

I hung my test camera on a cornfield edge in a core area of our hunting property. According to the app, the highest buck activity for this site is 6 a.m. (I looked through the photos manually to confirm that the app was correct, and it was). Besides time of day, the activity data also accounts for temperature and moon phase. If you’re a serious deer hunter, I’m sure you already see the incredible possibilities for this technology. With a few cameras running on a hunting property over the course of several seasons, you’d have a powerful data set showing when bucks are moving based on time of season, time of day, temperature, and moon phase. This camera will do more than just pattern a specific buck, it will help you pattern deer activity in your area for a lifetime of good hunting. 

The only downside of the Moultrie Edge is its slightly slower trigger speed. It had a hard time catching me at the 10 foot walkthrough (I was almost out of frame). It also missed me at the 60-foot range during the daytime. The camera did perform well in the night walkthrough capturing me at the 60-foot range and producing solid nighttime images. Also, the slower trigger speed didn’t seem to hurt the camera in the field; it captures multiple photos every time a deer walks by. —Alex Robinson

Tactacam XB

Alex Robinson

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Key Features

• 12 AA Batteries
• Less than 0.5 second trigger speed
• Flash Range: 80 feet 
• Advertised Detection Range: 96 feet
• LTE/4G wireless module
• 12 AA Batteries
• IP66 waterproof certified
• External port for solar panel

Pros

• Reliable
• Simple to set up
• Excellent photo quality

Cons

• Cell data plans are expensive per camera 
• Requires a class 10 U3 SD Card 
• Limited HD downloads on the app

We tested both the Tactacam X and Tactacam XB but we’ll focus on the XB because it brings a few more features to the party. For this camera, the story is all about photo quality. Over the thousands of images we scoured, only extreme fog defeated this camera. The XB took beautiful daytime photos on a property in Wisconsin, and the X recorded thousands of quality photos in Kansas. Even though the XB is a “no glow” camera, it’s nighttime photos on par with other cameras in its price range. 

During the walkthrough test, the camera captured me at 10 feet and 60 feet both day and night. The app is easy to use though I’d like to see a few more tagging and filtering options for organizing photos. The camera does have a built in GPS so you can see where it’s located on the app. —Alex Robinson

Robinson spent the season hunting the big ten that’s bedded in one of the photo’s above. See how his hunting season turned out by clicking here.

Bushnell Cellucore 20

Bushnell

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Key Features

• 12 AA
• Less than one second trigger speed
• Advertised Detection Range: 80 feet
• Accepts up to 32 GB SD card
• Low glow 
• 20 MP photo and HD video 

Pros

• Easy-to-use app
• Triggered at 60 feet at night
• Customizable flash
• Solar compatible 

Cons

• Inconsistent triggering at far distances 

One of the best buys in cell cams is the Bushnell Cellucore 20 with its 20 MP photos, customizable low glow flash, and easy-to-use app for around $100. 

During the walk-through test, the Cellucore triggered at 10 feet with a perfectly centered photo—day and night. The camera didn’t capture me at 60 or 100 feet during the day, but at night it captured a series of five photos of me walking at 60 feet. 

The Cellucore has three flash settings: short range, fast motion, and long range. I used the long-range flash setting during the walk-through test and it illuminated out to 43 yards. The downside of the long-range flash is that close objects will be over exposed. For my in-the-field test, I used the fast-motion flash and it produced evenly illuminated photos with good detail from 5 to 15 yards. It also captured several deer walking without much movement blur.—Scott Einsmann

Cuddeback Tracks

Alex Robinson

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Key Features

• 4 D batteries
• .25 second trigger speed
• Advertised detection range: 100 feet
• Low glow and no glo options
• Variety of affordable cellular plans

Pros

• Camera is easy  to set up and use
• D batteries provide longer life
• Solar compatible 

Cons

• Average performance in walkthrough testing
• No video option

Cuddeback is one of the trail camera O.G.s and their new Tracks cellular cam certainly stands out with its two large antenna paddles. Another big differentiator with this camera is that it runs on 4 D batteries instead of AAs, like all the other models in this test. Cuddeback says the D batteries provide more juice and lifespan for the money, which is notable. Anyone who has run a half-dozen or more trail cameras over the course of a deer season knows that batteries and SD cards can get spendy. The Cuddeback is also compatible with a solar panel to provide even longer battery life in the field.

From a performance standpoint, the Tracks camera did OK. It didn’t capture images at 110 feet and it missed me during the daytime walkthrough at 60 feet. Nighttime photo quality was decent. The camera did a great job of stopping motion at 10 feet. However, the images at 60 feet were not crisp. There were stronger performers at this price point, but if you’re a longtime Cuddeback fan and just want one cell cam to get started, this is the camera for you. Initial plans start at only $4 per month. —A.R.

Reconyx Hyperfire 2 Celluar

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Key Features

• 12 AA lithium batteries
• 0.2 second trigger speed
• Advertised Detection Range: 100 feet
• Made in the USA
• Five-year warranty

Pros

• High quality photos and performance
• Excellent warranty and durability
• Fast trigger speed

Cons

• App crashed
• Records video, but doesn’t transmit through cellular
• Expensive

There’s a reason why most professional wildlife researchers who use trail cameras rely on Reconyx: Their cameras reliably deliver high quality images and run without fail. Hardcore hunters who want that same type of performance should consider the Hyperfire 2. This camera performed well in the walk through test, triggering out to 60 feet day and night and also catching me at close range. Importantly, it was the only camera that truly stopped motion at close range at night (you can see that image below). If you’ve reviewed nighttime photos during the rut, you know this is important. Often a buck that runs right by the camera is captured in a photo as a white blur, making it impossible to count points. That won’t be as much of problem with the Reconyx. 

The Hyperfire 2 also performed well in the field, capturing a series of buck photos as he slunk through tall green grass on a property in Wisconsin. Nighttime field photos were excellent. It’s also worth noting that the camera was essentially silent in the walkthrough test. At close range, I could hear other cameras firing, and at night I could see a bright red flash at 60 feet. This was not the case with the Reconyx. There was no visible flash and there was no trigger noise whatsoever. 

I have only two small quibbles with the camera. First, the app crashed several times when I started using it. I had to delete the app and reload it three different times. In the app store, I saw several reviews with users complaining about the same issue. Happily, all my photos were saved in my profile and Reconyx seems have to solved the issue. I’ve been running the app for about a month now without issue. Second, the camera did fog up for a few days. I received a few foggy pictures, and when my buddy went to check on the camera, there was a condensation spot inside the housing. This didn’t stop the camera from running and photos are now clear, but we did record a few days of foggy pictures. If price is no object, this is the best cellular trail camera you can buy. —Alex Robinson

Covert 2021 Blackhawk LTE

Covert

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Key Features 

• 12 AA batteries 
• 0.65 second trigger speed
• 60 no glow LED’s
• 2-inch color viewer
• 100-foot flash range
• GPS function

Pros

• Battery life is very good with high quality image mode and lithium AA batteries
• Custom “Working” operating times in Covert App
• True no glow IR

Cons

• 100-foot flash range is closer to 60 feet with average clarity
• Video mode trigger speed is extremely slow 
• False triggers in detection at night

One of the main reasons we picked the Covert 2021 Blackhawk LTE as one of the best cellular trail cameras was the operational customization within the app. You can set custom working times for when the camera is operational and taking photos. This can tremendously extend the already great battery life even longer. There is no question you can get a set of lithium AA batteries to last 12+ months with custom work times on this camera. Covert offers a great line of accessories for this camera. If you have a deer hunting property that you run feeders on, you can set this camera to instant trigger or hourly transfer times and run it via solar and rechargeable batteries. The camera has a 2-inch color viewer in the body, which allows you to get your angles right during set up. 

The unlimited plan on the Covert online management page, is only $20 a month per camera. Which in today’s economy, is highly budgeable considering gas to and from to check the camera once a month is most likely going to result in more than $20 plus your time. —Drew Palmer

Spypoint Flex

Scott Einsmann

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Key Features 

• 8 AA batteries
• 0.5 second trigger speed
• Flash Range: 100 feet
• Advertised Detection Range: 100 feet
• 0.3 second trigger speed
• 33 Megapixels
• 1080p video with sound
• 2 SIM cards included

Pros

• Good videos
• Good night photos
• Easy to use
• GPS enabled

Cons

• Receiving full HD video costs extra

I’ve had a SpyPoint Flex for one month and moved it between travel corridors, mock scrapes, and feeding areas. While it’s nearly twice the price of some of the cheaper options in the best budget trail cameras test, it brings plenty of performance to justify the price. It took excellent photos day and night as well as some very cool video with audio. I’ve had very few blank photos with it too. 

Like many hunters, my cameras are in places with one or two bars of service and the Flex still reliably sent photos. The latest trend in cell cams is the ability to automatically choose the network with the strongest signal. It’s a feature you’ll find on expensive cameras, but it’s cool to see it in the Flex, which retails around $130. 

In my walkthrough test the Flex triggered at 10 and 60 feet, but it wasn’t reliable at 60 only triggering once. It did capture photos with me completely in frame and with no motion blur. —Scott Einsmann

Read the full SpyPoint Flex review for more info.

See how Einsmann’s hunting season went as he hunted the big eight above with his trad bow by clicking here.

Stealth Cam DS4K Transmit

Alex Robinson

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Key Features

• 12 AA batteries
• 0.2 trigger speed
• Advertised Detection Range: 100 feet
• Burst mode of 1 to 9 images
• Solar power pack compatible
• App monitors activity by day and weather data

Pros

• Wide variety of photo and video options
• Lots of customization through the app

Cons

• App failed to pair with camera during setup
• Mediocre nighttime photos

Let’s cover the bad news first: During setup the camera failed to sync with the app. I received an error code and called customer service. I spoke with a very nice representative who couldn’t figure out the issue and guessed that I had a bad sim card. After two hours of waiting on hold, I gave up. 

Now, let’s assume the bad sim card was simply bad luck and focus on the good news: this camera offers a motherlode of interesting photo and video settings. It has four video resolution options (including 4K) and four photo resolution options (up to 32MP). It also has a interesting option that allows you to shoot in burst mode and record from 1 to 9 images per triggering. Other cameras often shoot three or maybe five images in burst mode. 

In the walkthrough test, the Stealth Cam did a nice job of capturing me at close range and at 60 feet. Though the nighttime photo quality was not as good as other top cameras in this test. It did shoot high quality photos in the field. —Alex Robinson

Read Next: Stealth Cam DS4K Transmit Review

Wildgame Terra Cell

Alex Robinson

SEE IT

Key Features

• 8 AA batteries
• 0.7 second trigger speed
• Advertised Detection Range: 80 feet
• Compatible with solar panel

Pros

• App includes image recognition software
• Affordable price point

Cons

• Subpar performance in walkthrough test
• Subpar nighttime images
• Antenna didn’t stay up

Wildgame is known for making affordable trail cameras and at $120, the Terra Cell is right on par with other budget cell cams in this test. However the Terra Cell’s performance wasn’t as strong as those competitors. During the walkthrough test, the camera did not trigger at 60 feet, during day or night. At 10 feet, it did a nice job of capturing me in the middle of the frame, though image quality at night was not very strong. 

On a happier note, the HuntSmart app allows you to sort photos by species and time of day (though it doesn’t present the data quite as intuitively as the Moultrie Mobile app). Still, if you’ve been running Wildgame cameras for years and want to step up to the cellular version, this would be a solid option to hang near a feeder, food plot, or key natural food source. —Alex Robinson

Trail Camera Accessories We Like

• SD Card: Sandisk Extreme Pro
• Batteries: Energizer Lithium
• T-Post Mount: Moultrie Multi-Mount

Cellular Trail Cameras and Hunting Ethics

There is some controversy in the hunting community about using cellular trail cameras to hunt big game (make sure to check your local regulations before buying and using a cellular trail camera). Recently, the Boone & Crockett club issued this policy in regards to cell cams: “The use of any technology that delivers real-time location data (including photos) to target or guide a hunter to any animal in a manner that elicits an immediate (real-time) response by the hunter is not permitted. ‘Real time’ is the key concept. Seeing a photo and harvesting an animal a few hours later, or even the same day, uses this technology to assure a kill. It also takes advantage of the animal, which cannot detect impending danger from a camera. Waiting several days, or even until the following season, to pursue an animal captured on camera is different, and would not be deemed an unethical use of a trail camera.”

In reality, I don’t see many hunters using cell cams to capture images of a buck on a food plot or corn pile and then running out there to kill him that moment (though I’m sure it has happened). A more practical, and ethical, way to use this technology is to record consistent data on deer movement and then using those patterns to decide where to hunt. Most of us have limited days to hunt, so picking the prime spot is critical. The best cellular trail cameras help with that.  

FAQs

Why Trust Outdoor Life?

Since 1898, OL has been a leading authority in testing and reviewing hunting gear, fishing tackle, guns and shooting equipment, and much more. We have more than a century-long history of evaluating products, and we’re now bringing that expertise to online reviews. Our editors are experienced outdoorsmen and women, and most importantly, we’re trained journalists. We prioritize field testing and objective data when reviewing products. We conduct interviews with gear manufacturers and engineers as well as outdoor experts so that our readers have an understanding of how and why a product works—or doesn’t.

Advertising does not influence our gear reviews and it never will. While we always focus our coverage on standout products—because we want our readers to be aware of the latest and greatest gear—we also cover the flaws and quirks of any given product.

Final Thoughts on the Best Cellular Trail Cameras

The best cellular trail cameras are powerful scouting tools. But they are also incredibly fun to use (after you get through the setup process). There’s nothing like receiving pictures of shooter bucks all week to get you fired up for a weekend hunt. Even when you’re working, mowing the lawn, or watching your kids’ football game, one simple photo can bring you right back to the woods, if only for a moment.

The post The Best Cellular Trail Cameras of 2023, Tested and Reviewed appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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Knowing where to shoot a deer for a quick kill is the responsibility of every deer hunter. Most of us were taught that the best place to shoot a deer is the “boiler room,” which means the top of the heart and the lungs. For the vast majority of hunting scenarios, that’s still the best option. Penetrating these vital organs (with a bullet or an arrow) leads to massive blood loss and a quick death. It also results in very minimal meat damage.

So, if you know you want to shoot a deer in the heart and lungs, where exactly should you aim?

Put simply, if the deer is broadside, follow the front leg up the deer and aim just below the halfway point on its chest. Look for the “crease” that the deer’s shoulder creates. Shooting with a rifle, you can edge tighter to the deer’s shoulder. Bowhunters want to hit just an inch or two behind the crease, which allows a little more room for error (more on this later).

There isn’t much of a difference in aim point for rifle hunters or bowhunters, as you can see in the photo below. 

The video below, created by the National Deer Association, does an excellent job explaining where to shoot a deer on an anatomically correct deer target. Look closely at the bone structure of a deer’s shoulder. It is not one solid mass of bone. First the bone angles forward of the leg and then the shoulder blade sweeps back. Understanding this anatomy is especially important for archers who generally want to avoid hitting these large bones with their arrow (well constructed rifle bullets will easily blast through bones). This is a key difference for bowhunters: There’s simply a much smaller margin of error.

Understanding Shot Angles

Now, the discussion on where to shoot a deer gets more complicated when deer are quartering away from you or angling toward you. You still want to hit the vital area of the heart and lungs, but now you must change your aim point. The best way to do this is to visualize where the heart and lungs are placed within the deer’s body cavity and aim so that your bullet or arrow angles through them. In general, this means holding farther back on quartering away shots and farther forward on quartering-to shots. 

Quartering-Away Shots

Many hunters prefer quartering-away shots to broadside shots. In some cases, the angle creates a larger margin of error for hitting the lungs. Plus, the deer is facing away from you so it’s easier to draw or shoulder your gun without being detected.

Visualize an angle that takes your bullet or arrow through the deer’s heart and lungs and then continues into its offside shoulder, or just in front of it. One way to do this is to look at the offside leg. Follow the front of the offside leg up to the body. 

The photo above is the aim point for bowhunters on this angle. Rifle hunters should aim a few inches farther forward.

Quartering-To Shots

Quartering-to shots are not ideal for bowhunters. This is because you must hold into the shoulder or risk hitting guts. Lighter arrows and lower draw weight bows will not penetrate bones in the deer’s shoulder. But for rifle hunters shooting quality bullets, the quartering-to angle still presents a good shot opportunity. You must hold into the frontside shoulder now, with your bullet exiting the middle or back of the rib cage. This shot will damage more meat than a well-executed broadside shot.

Frontal Shots

Frontal shots can be incredibly effective but they offer a smaller margin of error than broadside shots. When a deer is facing directly toward you, aim between the two shoulders, just below the half-way point on its chest. Executed properly, this shot typically drops deer very quickly. Because your target is much narrower at this angle, however, this shot should only be taken at close ranges. 

Bowhunters who hunt from the ground and rattle in or decoy bucks commonly see frontal shots. If you’re a bowhunter and intend to take frontal shots, you should opt for a heavy arrow with a high FOC and heavy, durable fixed-blade broadheads. But most importantly, you must have your setup tuned properly and be able to shoot baseball sized groups without fail. 

Where to Shoot a Deer with a Bow

Shooting a deer with a bow is more complicated than shooting one with a gun. As we’ve already discussed, there’s less margin for error with archery gear. Plus, since bowhunters are often hunting from treestands and taking close-range shots, they have to account for the sharper angle of the shot. Lastly, deer commonly jump a bow string on farther shots, meaning they duck or spin the instant you loose your arrow. Here’s what you need to know about where to shoot a deer with a bow.

Crease vs the Vital V

Many bowhunters advocate for shooting deer through the shoulder in the “vital V,” instead of the crease. By this they mean, holding into the deer’s shoulder, where its humerus and scapula make a sideways V shape. If you place your arrow through this window, it’s unarguably deadly. There are no bones (besides the ribcage) in this V. Plus, bowhunters shooting heavy arrows, stout draw weights, and durable fixed-blade broadheads are able to penetrate these bones without issue anyway. The YouTube personality “Ranch Fairy” has been one of the most prominent modern advocates of aiming for the Vital V, and you can see his explanation in the video below.

Aiming for the vital V is problematic, however, especially for new bowhunters. If you pull your shot low or forward, you’ll hit heavy bones in the shoulder, which your arrow might not pass through. Plus, the lungs narrow in the deer’s forward body cavity. The National Deer Association, bowhunter’s education courses, and this author recommend holding farther back into the crease of the deer’s shoulder, and not aiming for the vital V.

As long as you’re using quality archery gear, a well-placed shot through the crease will be deadly, almost without fail. Arrow weight, broadhead style, and draw weight aren’t as much of a factor here. Plus, you have slightly more room for error by holding behind the shoulder. By aiming for the crease, you’re holding for the area on the deer’s body where the lungs are the tallest and widest. If you miss a little forward, you’ll likely hit the vital V, if you miss a little back, you’ll likely hit the back of the lungs and liver. 

It’s also easy to see the crease and use it as a specific spot to aim for. Picking a singular aim point is crucial.

Read Next: Why Mechanical Broadheads Are Still the Best Option for Most Deer Hunters

Shooting from a Tree Stand

When shooting from a tree stand, your arrow will be striking deer at a downward angle. The higher your stand and the closer the deer, the steeper this angle will be. For example, if you’re 20 feet up, shooting a deer that’s 15 yards away, you’ll be shooting downward at an approximately 60-degree angle. When your arrow strikes the deer, it will look something like the photo below. 

So for close shots at a steep angle, you want to aim slightly higher. This ensures your arrow will pass through both lungs. But the keyword here is “slightly.” Generally speaking, hitting a deer too high with a bow is bad.  

The best thing you can do to master elevated shot angles to is practice them. Use  a 3D target and shoot from an elevated position, as if you were in a treestand. This will help you get an instinctual understanding of where to hold for different shot angles. You want your arrow to pass through the top of the near lung and the bottom of the far lung.

Jumping the String

All of this gets a bit more difficult for bowhunters because so often deer jump the string or duck at the sound of the bow releasing. This is typically only an issue beyond 20 yards. Some bowhunters solve for this by simply aiming a little lower for farther shots. For shots beyond 20 yards, it’s a good idea to hold a little lower, but still in the vital zone. However there is no rule or formula for outsmarting string-jumping deer.

“Their reactions are so dynamic and different in every situation that you cannot predict what the deer is going to do,” says Aaron Warbritton of The Hunting Public. “Over all the video we’ve watched, we noticed that some deer would duck straight down to the ground. Some deer would drop a foot at 30 yards. Some would drop four inches at 30 yards. Some would not move at 30 yards. Some would duck and roll away. So, they would be broadside at 30 yards, duck six inches, roll away and by the time the arrow impacted, the deer is actually quartering away instead of broadside.”

Every scenario is slightly different, but here are some basic tips and takeaways to deal with deer jumping the string:

• Big animals duck less. Small Southern deer and twitchy does generally duck more.
• Watch the deer’s body language and attitude. For example, rutting bucks that are distracted by does duck less.
• Ambient noise matters. Windy days with blowing leaves and grasses generally means less ducking than dead-quiet days.
• The vast majority of whitetails do duck or react to the shot in some way—upward of 80 to 90 percent.
• Stopping deer for a shot does promote ducking. Ideally, let the deer stop on its own or stop it as softly as possible (by using, say, a squirrel noise). But some rutting bucks will require a loud bleat to stop.
• Depending on the conditions, ducking is most problematic from 25 to 40 yards. At long ranges whitetails seem to react less to the shot. But setting up for close shots, is the best way to ensure good, lethal hits.

Where to Shoot a Deer with a Gun

Because rifle bullets carry so much more energy and generally do more damage to bones and organs, rifle hunters have more options besides the heart and lung area. With a heart/lung-shot, deer often run off even though they die quickly. A heart-shot deer can still make it 100 yards. Some hunters want to drop deer in their tracks, so should these hunters aim elsewhere? We asked a number of deer cullers—sharpshooters whose job requires them to kill deer quickly, for their perspectives on bullet placement. Their advice, detailed below, is: “It depends” on distance, bullet type, shooting ability, and your goals for meat retention. Besides the heart and lung area, other options include high-shoulder, neck, and head. There are pros and (major) cons to each.

High-Shoulder Shot

Pros: The ultimate shock-and-awe shot. A big, fast-moving bullet will likely snap the spine, short-circuit the nervous system, break bones, and anchor a deer where it stands. 

Cons: The volatile, upsetting bullets best suited for this shot damage a lot of meat, from the shoulder through the neck and upper backstrap. Plus, it’s easy to miss high when aiming here.

When you sharpshoot deer for a living, as Grant Woods did for 21 years, “you can’t afford misses or wounded deer running around,” he says. Both cost you time and money—especially a wounded, bleeding deer, running for its life and spooking other deer.

Woods, a noted whitetail biologist, did much of his deer-­control work on golf courses. There, shots usually ranged between 200 and 300 yards. His first choice was the double-shoulder shot, with a .308 round entering a shoulder blade on one side, slamming through the body and into the far shoulder blade.

“If you watch slow-motion video of a deer being shot this way, its whole body flexes when the bullet hits,” says Woods. “That snaps the spine. That deer’s never going to move again.” This shot can damage more meat than the heart-lung approach, but the benefit is that the deer will likely drop immediately.

READ NEXT: Best Deer Hunting Rifles

Head Shot

Pros: A deer dies instantly when its brain takes a direct hit. Plus, there is very little meat lost to a head shot. 

Cons: The brain is a tiny target, and it’s easy to miss the deer entirely or, worse, to wound it through the jaw.

How do you guarantee a drop-it-where-it-stands shot? For Anthony DeNicola, owner of White Buffalo, a top deer-control operation, it’s all about the brain.

“Draw a line from tear duct to tear duct, then go 2.5 to 2.75 inches above that line, centered,” says DeNicola. “That’s where you want to place your bullet—first and best option.”

A bullet in the brain instantly incapacitates the animal; death follows in seconds. Of course, DeNicola and his team have an advantage over hunters: They shoot at night with infrared optics, from raised mobile platforms, over bait, at known distances (usually 50 to 60 yards), and (where legal) with suppressed rifles.

DeNicola uses .223-caliber rifles, firing 50- to 55-grain frangible varmint projectiles that expend all their energy into the brainpan. In the urban and suburban environments in which he works, DeNicola can’t afford to have a round exiting an animal.

The second best shot placement for headshots is a brain shot from the side. DeNicola’s third choice is a shot just below the back of the skull in the first four cervical vertebrae of the spine.

“The deer drop immediately,” DeNicola says of the vertebrae shot. “Heart and lung functions will cease. They lose consciousness and die in eight to 12 seconds.”

For hunters, however, taking head shots is ill-advised. 

“There’s simply no margin for error around a deer’s relatively small brain (about 3 inches on the average deer, as much as 4 inches on a large adult buck),” NDA’s Lindsay Thomas wrote for OL earlier this year in his column, Don’t Aim for a Deer’s Head. “Plus, a deer’s brain is a deceptively small target. Yes, a big whitetail might look like it has a large head. But for reference, compare a deer shoulder mount to a skull mount. With the skull mount, you’ll see that the cranial cavity only makes up a small portion of the skull. It would be easy for hunters to misjudge the location of the brain, within the skull, on a live, moving deer.”

Head shots should be reserved for sharpshooters only. 

Neck Shot

Pros: A correctly placed bullet will kill with massive shock to the spinal cord and vertebrae while damaging very little meat. 

Cons: The vital area on a neck shot is quite small. Hit low, and you will wound a deer with very little chance of recovery. Plus, this shot often merely paralyzes a deer, requiring a second shot.

Like the head shot, the neck is a deceptively small target. This is especially true for bucks with swollen necks during the rut. Unless the deer is at close range and you are extremely confident in your marksmanship, avoid attempting neck shots and wait for a better opportunity. 

Q&A

Where is the best shot on deer?

The best shot on a deer is tight behind the shoulder, through the lungs and heart.

Will a deer survive a shoulder shot?

Deer can survive a shoulder shot if the projectile doesn’t penetrate through the scapula or humerus bones. Deer that are hit high behind the shoulder often survive, too.

Where do you shoot a deer to save the most meat?

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, shooting a deer tight behind the shoulder, through the lungs and heart, is ideal placement, and does not ruin meat.

Final Thoughts on Where to Shoot a Deer

Unless you’re a professional sharp shooter, the old school deer hunters had it right all along on where to shoot a deer. The best shot placement for deer is through the lungs and the top of the heart, just behind the shoulder. With any standard deer hunting cartridge or any quality broadhead, a well-executed shot here will mean a quick death for the deer, plus a highly visible and short blood trail for the hunter to follow.

The post Where to Shoot a Deer appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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OUTDOOR LIFE turns 125 this year. To celebrate, we’ve put together this ambitious digital edition that combines some of the most iconic stories and images from our archive with modern in-depth reporting and feature stories that look to the future of outdoor sports and conservation in America. 

But on any notable birthday, it’s worth reflecting before looking forward. When J.A. McGuire founded this magazine, in 1898, Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders were fighting the Spanish in Cuba. Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, and Hawaii were all still territories. Bicycling was the hot new outdoor trend (as you can see on our original cover). The .30/06 Springfield was yet to be developed, and magazines printed in color wouldn’t become mainstream for a few more decades. 

In other words, times were different. But in his very first editor’s letter, McGuire outlined a mission and attitude that are still the heartbeat of Outdoor Life today: 

“For the publication of what we intend shall be a perfect sportsmen’s magazine in every sense of the term there is surely no apology necessary and if there was we have none to offer, preferring to let the merits of our publication justify its existence.…

“We propose to represent and reflect the interests of every devotee of outdoor life and its attendant sports and recreations as well as of those tradesmen who cater to and supply their demands, not only in our own unequalled local territory, but throughout the length and breadth of the great West.” 

The archival stories we’re republishing in this issue capture McGuire’s sentiments completely. We’ve published several stories by and about Theodore Roosevelt, but the one we chose for this issue is by McGuire himself, written after the two met in 1901. From there we included stories by or about other icons—Buffalo Bill, Amelia Earhart, Babe Ruth, and Ernest Hemingway—and ended the collection with one of our own: Jack O’Connor.

Looking forward now, you’ll find that OL is more similar to its past than you might have guessed. We remain unapologetic—perhaps you’ve read stories by our shooting editor (“Two Rifles for the Ages, Chambered in .35 Whelen”)?—and our intention is still to deliver a perfect sportsmen’s magazine, albeit a digital one.

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Many of our editors and writers live in the West, just as they did when the publication was originally founded, in Denver. However, we know that most of our readers today live in the East, Midwest, and South. 

And while the focus of this publication is and always will be hunting and fishing, we’ll continue to include stories about competitive shooting, backpacking, camping, paddling, and conservation on our website and in our digital editions. And of course, you’ll also see our deep dedication to rigorous testing and honest reviews of firearms and outdoor gear on all of our platforms.

If you read the lines from McGuire’s editor’s letter closely, you’ll see that today’s OL is even more in line with his original vision. 

So thank you for reading and subscribing after all these years. We know now, just as we knew then, that the future of this publication belongs to you—our readers and our friends. Here’s the last line of McGuire’s letter: “And now, having stated our aims, ends and ambitions, we place ourselves wholly in the hands of our friends.”

A version of this column originally ran in the 125th Anniversary Issue of Outdoor Life. Read more OL+ stories.

How to Read the 125th Anniversary Issue

• If you’re a subscriber but are new to OL+, set up your password here.
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• If you’re not a subscriber but you’d like to be one, sign up for a subscription here.

The post Celebrating Outdoor Life’s 125th Anniversary appeared first on Outdoor Life.

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