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Remington 7600 Review | Is This Pump-Action Rifle Right For You?

Jason Tome
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Remington 7600 Review | Is This Pump-Action Rifle Right For You?

This Remington 7600 review is going to cover everything you need to know to decide if the pump-action rifle is right for you. The Remington 7600 isn’t perfect, but it does some things exceptionally well, better than any other rifle on the market, which may make it worth buying. This post is not affiliated with or sponsored by Remington in any way.

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use my links, but it does help fund these posts in hopes of bringing more value to you!

How Much Is The Remington 7600?

The price of the Remington 7600 is between the 700-1000$ mark depending on if you buy new or used. To see the most recent prices for the Remington 7600 You can also get the older counterparts like the Remington 760 for even better prices. But the question is – is the Remington 7600 worth the money?

How Accurate is the Remington 7600?

Remington 7600 with William's Peep Sight
Remington 7600 with William’s Peep Sight

Accuracy

Scope

Although you might not want to take this gun on your next western hunt in vast open country, it is very accurate in those short to mid ranges. The Remington 7600 is more than capable of shooting accurately out to 200 yards with a scope.

William’s Peep Sight For Remington 7600

I am able to shoot about a 2″ group at 50 yards with William’s Peep Sights. These peep sights are awesome for fast target acquisition which makes it a great option to pair with the Remington 7600.

Additionally, the 7600 is very comfortable to carry one-handed when using peep sights because you can easily grab onto the receiver and your thumb can wrap around the top of the receiver for maximum comfort. When using a scope you can’t grab around the top of the receiver, so you need to carry it from the bottom of the receiver or two-handed.

In this Remington 7600 review, I didn’t personally put the Remington 7600 through a rigorous accuracy test. This is because I use the Remington 7600 as a brush gun, the shots I take are rarely over 60 yards. This means accuracy is not a major factor for me at long distances.

Crisp Trigger

Out of the box, the trigger felt great. The trigger was very crisp and there was no trigger creep, which is something I definitely take into consideration when buying a new rifle. If your trigger isn’t crisp then you’ll be less accurate when shooting.

Pump-Action Benefits

Fast Follow-up Shots

This rifle is unique in that it’s a pump-action. Pump-actions can shoot fast follow-up shots reliably without taking your eyes off the target. When using other types of gun actions you will have to re-acquire your target which takes valuable time in those split seconds while shooting.

During follow-up shots with the 7600, you can keep the gun shouldered, with your trigger finger on the trigger, and your eye more or less still looking down the site at the target. Other guns on the market don’t offer this to the same extent.

You may argue that a semi-auto would be a better option, and I would agree if we were strictly talking speed. However, the 7600 is more reliable than semi-autos in poor weather conditions. I make this point in my Benelli R1 Review.

Cross-Bolt Safety

Another fairly unique feature of the 7600 is its cross-bolt safety. I really like this safety over other safeties because it is similar to the shotguns I use. I like to keep my shooting form as similar as possible between my guns so all of the little things become a habit and I don’t have to think about it during the moment of truth.

I had to get a gunsmith to reduce the amount of pressure on the safety because it was very hard to press and would end up making a loud audible click. Although it still makes a click, it’s quieter and much easier to press now.

I wish the safety was located in the front of the trigger housing because I feel like that is a slightly faster transition into shooting, but that is just personal preference.

Remington 7600 Cross Bolt Safety
Remington 7600 Cross Bolt Safety

Reliability

One of my favorite features of the Remington 7600 is that the bolt located on the side of the gun. This keeps debris from falling into the chamber from above while walking through brush which would otherwise cause malfunctions. Additionally, it has a plastic protective covering that works well to keep the elements out. These two features greatly reduce the chances of malfunctions and is a strong point to mention when talking about the reliability of this gun.

Additionally, not much can go wrong with pump-action guns because there are not many moving parts – like semi-autos for example. Because of this, your chances of a cartridge getting stuck in the chamber are greatly minimized.

Remington 7600 Protective Bolt Cover w text
Remington 7600 Protective Bolt Cover w text

Comfort & Carry-ability

One of the best features of this gun is its carry-ability. It is very comfortable to carry around in the woods for long periods.

Slim Reciever

The receiver is slim allowing you to comfortably grip around the receiver and magazine with one hand. Your thumb can wrap around the top of the receiver for maximum comfort. This works best with peep sights because when using a scope you can’t grab around the top of the receiver, so you need to carry it from the bottom of the receiver or two-handed.

Superb Balance Point

The receiver is also the balance point of the rifle so there is no strain on your wrist when carrying the gun one-handed. Some guns don’t have good balance points and your wrist has to compensate for the awkward tilt, which is fatiguing.

Remington 7600 Specs

  • Magazine Capacity: 4+1
  • Overall Length: 42 5/8″
  • Average Weight: 7.5 lbs
  • Barrel Length: 22″
  • Twist Rate: 10
  • Length of Pull 13.5″
  • Drop Comb: 2 1/4″
  • Drop Heel: 1 3/16″
  • Cross-Bolt Safety
Remington 7600 Magazine
Remington 7600 Magazine

Remington 7600 Carbine

The difference between the Remington 7600 Carbine and the Remington 7600 is minimal, the only difference is the shorter barrel. The barrel length of this gun is 18.5″ instead of 22″. This drops the overall length of 42 5/8″ to 38 1/8″. The weight change is minimal.

Remington 7600 Carbine Specs

  • Magazine Capacity: 4+1
  • Overall Length: 38 1/8″
  • Average Weight: 7.5 lbs
  • Barrel Length: 18.5″
  • Twist Rate: 10
  • Length of Pull 13.5″
  • Drop Comb: 2 1/4″
  • Drop Heel: 1 3/16″
  • Cross-Bolt Safety

Stripping & Cleaning

Assembly and Disassembly | Full-Breakdown

Another spot of contention with the 7600 is its poor ability to break down easily. I remember when I first bought my Remington 7600 I tried to break it down and it was so confusing I had to watch a YouTube video what seemed like 50x to try to figure it out.

Even then I couldn’t get the gun fully broken down and had to bring it to a gunsmith because I couldn’t get a piece out of the gun near the firing pin and I didn’t want to break it.

Now that the piece has been loosened by the gunsmith, it will likely be easier next time. But there are a lot of pieces so I will still need the YouTube video.

Basic Cleaning

That being said, you rarely need to break the entire gun down anyway. Maybe once a year before you put it away for the season. In most cases, you just need to take a handful of pieces apart which will allow you to clean the gun thoroughly. So although it is more complicated than I feel like it should be, it can still be done.

Action Bar

After I got my 7600 back from the gunsmith after getting it worked on, it was pretty hard to pump. I finally discovered that the action bar was ever-so-slightly warped. I was able to rebend this with my fingers and it now works.  Be aware of this when breaking down your gun so that you don’t bend these

Gunstock

Gunsmith Likely Required

Out of the box, there are no options for adjustments. This is one of the biggest downfalls of the Remington 7600. Further, the guns usually don’t fit right out of the box, the 7600s have been known for this.

The stocks seem to be made with a high comb for putting a scope on. So if you’re planning to use a scope it may fit you assuming your length of pull is correct. If you’re looking to put iron rights on it may take some adjusting.

There’s nothing more important than fit and feel when buying a new rifle for hunting. For this reason, I would recommend bringing it to a gunsmith to ensure a perfect fit.

Remington 7600 Recoil Pad Stock Extension
Remington 7600 Recoil Pad Stock Extension

Thumbhole Stock

I really wanted a thumbhole stock on this gun, so I bought a Boyd’s thumbhole gunstock. This stock was beautifully made, unfortunately, it was much heavier than the original stock and the balance of the gun was off which made it weird to shoulder.

It’s possible the balance would have been better if I had also bought the forearm as well but the gun was too heavy for the amount of walking I planned to do so I returned it. Boyd’s was very easy to work with and had no problem with me returning the stock. I would have no problem going back to them in the future for other stocks.

Boyd's Gunstocks Remington 7600 Thumbhole Stock
Boyd’s Gunstocks Remington 7600 Thumbhole Stock

Length Of Pull

I had to increase my length of pull from the factory 13.5-inches to 14.5 inches – an entire inch. This meant I had to put two spacers and a recoil pad on my 7600 just to get it to fit properly.

This is a feature Remington needs to improve in my opinion. There are modifications you can buy that will help the gun fit better, but the amount of increase in trigger pull I needed, there wasn’t anything on the market.

Remington 7600 Recoil

The recoil of the 7600 will depend on a couple of different factors – the caliber and weight of the gun and the type of ammo being used.

How Much Does The Remington 7600 Weigh?

The Remington 7600 is an averagely weighted gun. It comes in at about 7.5 lbs. for this reason it does not kick more than other guns that weigh that much. Now if you start loading bigger bullets it will pack a punch. 

A 30-06 and with 180 or 220-grain bullets will recoil pretty hard, just like any gun would that weight. This is why the length of pull is so important, so you don’t have the scope or your thumb knuckle hitting you in the head upon recoiling.

No Recoil Reduction Features

There are no recoil-dampening features of this gun, I did end up putting a recoil pad at the end of my stock which is much better than the hard plastic option it comes with stock. I didn’t have a choice anyway because I needed the recoil pad to achieve my proper length of pull. 

Remington 7600 Problems & Considerations

I haven’t had any serious problems with this rifle. Here are some things to consider:

  • The metal seems to rust easier than other guns I’ve owned so you have to be adamant about gun care.
  • The action bars can bend when taking your gun apart, be careful with them.
  • There is not a great way to adjust the Length of Pull – You may need a gunsmith for a good fit.
  • Reduced Safety Noise & Pressure

Suggestions:

My suggestions to Remington based on this Remington 7600 review would be to re-engineer to achieve:

  • Tool-Less Breakdown
  • Shim Kit to Adjust Drop and Cast
  • Easy Length of Pull Adjustments

Remington 7600 Review Conclusions

I think the Remington 7600 could use an upgrade, feels like it is missing the quality, adjustability, and simplicity that other rifles at the same price point offer. But there really isn’t anything else on the market that does what this rifle can do.

In my experience, the pros definitely outweigh the cons for what I use it for – a brush gun and tracking deer in Maine’s harsh winters. The Remington 7600 has the best bad weather reliability coupled with fast shooting capabilities.

Who Is The Remington 7600 Right For?

It makes for one of the best brush guns on the market because of its ability to produce quick and reliable follow-up shots without taking your eyes and rifle off your target. The Carbine is also a great choice, it’s a small gun that packs a big wallop and is great for maneuvering in dense brush.

In my opinion, the Remington 7600 is well worth the money if you’re using it for what it’s intended for (speed, reliability, and close-quarters) because there really isn’t anything else on the market that does what this rifle can do.

It probably isn’t the gun of choice for Western hunters who shoot at long distances. Bolt actions are more accurate in those situations and you likely don’t need the same speed for follow-up shots as you might in close quarters.

I hope you found this Remington 7600 review helpful, let me know what you think in the comments below or on social media:

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Signpost Rubs – Everything You Need To Know | Big Woods Deer Hunting

Jason Tome
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Signpost Rubs – Everything You Need To Know | Big Woods Deer Hunting
Signpost rubs are different than other rubs that bucks make and look different too. If you hunt bucks in the big woods you may have heard of signposts rubs, you may have even seen them without being aware of it. These rubs are important for big woods success because they are areas that bucks frequent more than other areas. In order to put the odds in your favor in the big woods you’re going to want to spend as much time as possible in the areas that bucks spend time in. Signpost rubs are one of these areas.

What Are Signpost Rubs?

Signpost rubs are communication hubs for bucks in the area, they are made every year on the same tree. A signpost is usually started by one buck and then other bucks will also often use that tree once it’s been opened up.

Where To Find Signpost Rubs

Signposts are not as common in more developed areas, these rubs are much more common in big woods settings. Although in different areas signposts can be made on different trees, most of the time they’re made on ash trees, more commonly on black ash trees.  What’s unique about green and black ash trees is that are only found in wetlands. Black ash only grows in very wet swampy areas, green ash grows in slightly dryer parts of wetlands when compared to black ash. But it will still be found in and around wetlands. Your time will be best spent looking within wetlands to greatly improve your odds of finding a signpost rub.
Black Ash Often – But Not Always Has Punky Bark. A Defining Feature If You See It
Black Ash Will Often Have Punky Bark (but not always) – A Defining Feature If You See It

When Do Bucks Use Signpost Rubs?

My YouTube video below is a 4-month study on when bucks use signpost rubs. I recommend watching this video to learn when the best time to hunt signpost rubs is. But if you want the short version, big bucks seem to use the signposts most at the end of October.

Why Do Bucks Make Signpost Rubs?

These areas are likely communication hubs so bucks know what other bucks are in the area. This is hypothesized because when bucks rub on these trees they are not usually rubbing to mark up the tree with their antlers, at least that’s not their primary objective. They are trying to leave scent by rubbing their foreheads on the trees. 

Signpost Rubs For Finding Big Woods Bucks

Since signposts are places that one or multiple bucks visit, you can at least conclude that bucks are within the vicinity. This is important in the big woods because deer densities are often very low. So just being able to confirm that you are in an area where bucks roam is putting the odds more in your favor.

What Do Signpost Rubs Look Like?

Signposts can be all shapes and sizes. Some are so small you’ll walk right by them, others are very large and are hard to miss. One thing is common between these rubs though, and that is they are rubbed year after year so there is an old healed scar. The outermost layer of the scar will have fresh markings from the most recent rubbing activity.

How Long Will These Rubs Last?

The longevity of a signpost will be different for each tree. Some signposts are hit every year – but only by a single buck. Others are hit by many bucks. This means a signpost that only has one deer hitting it will stop being used if the buck dies. Conversely, if a signpost has many bucks using it then it is more likely to last year after year. It would not be uncommon for signposts to be hit for 30+ years.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully, you found some actionable signpost rub information in this post. Now it’s time to get out in the woods and find some for yourself, be sure to bring a GPS to locate these rubs.

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How To Choose The Best Video Cameras For Hunting

Jason Tome
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How To Choose The Best Video Cameras For Hunting

Choosing the best video cameras for hunting will depend on how you will be using the video camera. There are a few types of video cameras; camcorders, DSLR/Mirrorless Cameras, and action cameras.

The camera specs you are looking for will be the same across the board. It doesn’t matter whether you’re buying a camcorder, mirrorless/DSLR Camera, action cameras, or drone. But there is a trade-off for each type of camera. Below I go into detail on the pros and cons of each type so you can make the best choice when determining the best video camera for hunting for you.

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use my links, but it does help fund these posts in hopes of bringing more value to you!

Choosing The Best Camera Specs For Hunting

Some of the most important factors when determining how to choose the best video cameras for hunting include:

  • Price
  • Aperture
  • Sensor Size
  • Image Stabilization
  • Low-Light Performance
  • Depth of Field
  • Easy Focusing
  • Magnification/Zoom
  • Focus Peaking
  • Slow Motion
  • Autofocus While in Manual Focus 
  • Charging With Powerbank

Depending on the type of hunting you do you will want to weigh the importance of each of these.

Types of Video Cameras For Hunting

In order to choose the best video camera for hunting, you will need to decide which type of camera is best suited to your style of hunting. There are three main types of cameras:

  • Camcorders
  • Mirrorless/DSLR
  • Action Cameras

Below I list the pros and cons of each type of video camera:

Camcorders For Filming Hunts

Pros of Camcorder Video Cameras For Hunting

Built-In Lens

If you’re looking for the best video camera for hunting on a budget, I would suggest a camcorder. Camcorders already have a lens built into the cameras, unlike DSLR or mirrorless cameras which you’ll need to buy lenses and other add-ons for.

All-In-One Package

Camcorders also often come with many add-ons, for example, ND filters (sunglasses for your lens) built into the camera, making them easy to use in different lighting settings. With DSLR/Mirrorless you’ll have to buy ND filters for each of your lenses.

These cameras are great options because they are versatile and basically are an all-in-one package whereas other cameras require you to buy additional attachments.

Zoom

Zoom is another big benefit that camcorders offer hunters. Camcorders usually can zoom very far in and out which makes them very versatile. In order to zoom in, you only need to press a button and the camera does the work. This makes it really easy and much smoother than DSLR and mirrorless cameras which require you to rotate a lens to zoom in.

Less Fidgeting

Another huge benefit of camcorders is that they can be controlled with just your thumb using a Varizoom adapter. DSLR and mirrorless cameras require manual functioning of the camera for the most part which requires a lot of unnecessary movement. Using one of these small controllers with your camcorder is worth every penny. It will save you lots of time and prevent you from missing opportunities, well worth it in the long run. Make sure the model you buy will work for your camera.

Cons of Camcorders For Hunting

Low-light Performance

In general, camcorders do not have the same low-light capabilities as mirrorless/DSLR video cameras. Sensor sizes in camcorders usually do not exceed 1″. You want a large sensor size in order to bring in as much light as possible. That being said, a 1″ sensor is not terrible and could be all you need for your style of hunting,

Camcorders also have a fixed lens, so you cannot replace the lens with one that is better for low-light (like you can with a mirrorless/DSLR)

Depth of field

Camcorders also do not have the same capabilities as DSLR/Mirrorless cameras when it comes to depth of field. Depth of field gives you that nice buttery Boca background effect. Since camcorders are stuck with a fixed lens they don’t have the ability to use lenses that offer good depths of field.

Not as Customizable

Most camcorders do not have the same custom buttons that mirrorless/DSLR cameras have. Being able to customize your camera the most is nice for hunting situations because sometimes you have to be quick and don’t have time to get the setting perfect manually. That being said, camcorders do have some degree of customizability.

Exposed External Battery

It seems like most camcorders have an external battery that is exposed to the elements. I’m not sure why this is the case but it is frustrating. I would recommend looking for a camcorder that does not have an exposed battery so it can withstand the elements better.

Best Camcorder For Hunting (Editors Choice)

Sony NX80 Camcorder

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Mirrorless/DLSR Video Cameras

Mirrorless/DSLR video cameras are cameras with interchangeable lenses. The cameras are very customizable because you can put a specific lens on your camera that matches perfectly to the type of hunting you will be doing. There are also a lot of attachments and add-ons to make these cameras function exactly how you want them to. Below I go more into detail on the pros and cons of these types of cameras for hunting.

Pros of Mirrorless/DSLR Cameras For Hunting

Highly Customizable

These types of cameras often some with many custom buttons so that they are easier to navigate and to find the settings you want quickly in fast-paced situations.

Best For Low-Light

These types of cameras also generally have larger sensors than camcorders. A camcorder generally doesn’t have a bigger sensor than 1″, which isn’t horrible. However, Mirrorless/DSLR cameras have the ability to be 4/3″ or 35mm (full-frame) making their sensors able to pick up low-light much better.

This is often an important factor for hunters because wildlife is usually most active at dawn and dusk.

Weather-Sealed

Not all DSLR/Mirrorless cameras are weather-sealed, so I would recommend looking for one that is. Usually, the more expensive ones are. Hunters are often hunting in less than ideal weather conditions so it is important to keep your camera as safe as possible.

Interchangeable Lenses

Because these cameras have the ability to change lenses they have better depth of field, image quality, and low light performance. Having the ability to use interchangeable lenses is one of the main reasons to get a DSLR/Mirrorless. You can customize the lens to the exact type of hunting situation you expect to be in.

Cons of Mirrorless/DSLR Cameras For Hunting

Expensive

One downside to these cameras is that they are more expensive. But that is expected with the better overall performance out of these cameras.

Add-ons

Mirrorless/DSLR cameras also require more add-ons after you purchase the cameras (like audio, lenses, ND Filters…etc). This means that there is also a learning curve when setting up these cameras compared to camcorders.

Best DSLR/Mirrorless Camera For Hunting (Editors Choice)

Sony A7III Mirrorless Camera

The Sony A7III is an amazing mirrorless camera for the price, this is a highly recommended camera for someone who is a beginner to intermediate level. It’s very good in low-light and has a lot of customizations that you can program to make it fast to get the settings you need when it matters.

 

Sony A7iii Mirrorless Video Camera For Hunting
Sony A7iii Mirrorless Video Camera For Hunting

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Sony A7IV Mirrorless Camera

The Sony A7IV is the next generation of the A7III and it addresses some of the quirks that the A7III had. For this reason, this camera is faster, more reliable, and easier to use than the A7III. That said, it is more expensive. If you’re looking for one of the best cameras for hunting on the market for the price, look no further.

Sony Alpha 7 IV Full-frame Mirrorless Camera hunting Gift for filming hunts

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Action Cameras

Pros of Actions Cameras

Extremely Lightweight and Compact

Actions cameras are very small, which gives them a lot of appeal. They are great video cameras for filming hunts for this reason. You don’t need to carry a heavy camera, camera arm, and a bunch of other accessories. You will likely need some accessories for better audio but the overall footprint will still be smaller.

Amazing Image Stabilization

The 5-axis image stabilization that actions cameras now off is downright amazing. You can go biking down the side of a mountain and the footage still looks smooth. If you’re doing any running and gunning type filming don’t underestimate how good these cameras are, especially for the price.

Durable and Weatherproof

Another great benefit of these cameras is that they are durable and weather-proof. This is something that both camcorders and DSLR/Mirrorless cameras lack. In certain hunting situations it may be best to leave the more expensive and fragile cameras at home and to just use an action camera.

High Resolutions & Zoom by Cropping In Post

Another awesome feature of action cameras is that since most now have 4k resolutions of better they can be cropped in on using your editing software. This means you can have a 2x zoom when you crop from 4k down to 1080p and the video quality is still great. You can zoom in further as well but video quality will start to degrade more.

Remote Control With a Phone

Another feature that I use all of the time is the GoPro Quik phone app. I love this app because I can see if the camera is pointing in the right direction without adjusting it a million times.

Slow Motion

Another great benefit to action cameras is that they have slow motion capabilities, usually at least 120 fps if not 240 fps. These frame rates are very slow and make your footage look buttery smooth.

Good Value For The Money

For the reasons mentioned above action cameras are one of the best options for the money and are fantastic for beginners. They are super easy to film with because everything is always in focus because of their small sensor size. Additionally, they make great secondary cameras for those looking to have multiple camera angles. Basically, if you’re a hunter you can’t go wrong with an action camera. I still use my all of the time.

Best DSLR/Mirrorless Camera For Hunting (Editors Choice)

Cons of Actions Cameras

Poor In Low-Light

 

Since action cameras are so small they can’t support large sensors, at least not yet. Because of their small sensor size, they aren’t able to let in a lot of light compared to DSLR/Mirrorless and regular-sized camcorders. This can be a problem for hunters because a lot of the action happens in the first and last hour of light. Unfortunately, you will be hard-pressed to get good footage during these times with an action camera.

Battery Life

Again, since action cameras are so small they can support large internal batteries. Fortunately, there are ways around this using external batteries like power banks or battery extenders.

Sub-par Audio

Action cameras usually can record audio, and often times it is good enough unless it is really windy or rainy. But to really get great audio out of these cameras it is worth buying a microphone depending on the type of hunting you will be filming.

Zoom

As mentioned there is an opportunity to zoom in post-production using editing software if you’re using high resolutions like 4k or 5k. However, there is no opportunity to zoom in any other way so if you need to capture something in the distance it can be difficult. I’ve seen 3rd party camera lenses for GoPros but have not personally tried them but is something to mention.

Best Action Camera For Hunting (Editors Choice)

GoPro Action Cameras

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Conclusion

Each type of video camera has its pros and cons for hunting. I’ve done a lot of research on how to choose the best video camera for myself and it seems that no single camera is going to have it all. So just pick a camera that has more of the features that you want and get out there and start filming.

In general:

  • Camcorders are great for beginners looking for high-quality video but also want the process to be as easy and smooth as possible.
  • DSLR/Mirrorless Cameras are for those looking to step up their game and have more customizable options for more cinematic and low light capabilities.
  • Action cameras are small powerhouses that are great for run and gun filmers, beginners looking to start filming, or more advanced filmers looking for more camera angles.

Hopefully, you’ve learned some tips on how to choose the best video cameras for hunting. If you’re looking for more camera suggestions check out my post:

Best Video Cameras For Hunting – Filming Your Hunts (All Budgets)

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Best Video Cameras For Hunting 2025 – Filming Your Hunts (All Budgets)

Jason Tome
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Best Video Cameras For Hunting 2025 – Filming Your Hunts (All Budgets)

The best video cameras for hunting will have a few key features. Although your video style and budget will be a big factor in what camera will work best for you, some cameras have the upper hand. Here is a list of the best video cameras that are great for all hunters at different price points.

To be honest, I’ve tried video cameras under the 500$ price point and they just don’t seem to be up to the task for hunting scenarios (except for action cameras which I love). In this post, I recommended cameras at about the 1000$+ price range because I want you to be happy with the cameras that you purchase for hunting.

It is at this price point that video cameras seem to become worth their money. Video cameras in lower price ranges are just disappointing, at least in my experience and from my research.

I am not affiliated with any of these camera companies. These are the cameras I’ve personally owned and tried or debated buying in my journey for finding the best video camera for hunting.

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use my links, but it does help fund these posts in hopes of bringing more value to you!

Best Camcorders For Filming Hunts (Sorted By Price)

Below are what I would consider some of the best camcorders for hunting. The Sony AX53 is a great budget option, the Sony AX100 is a great intermediate camcorder, the Sony NX80, and Sony Z90 are great prosumer models.

Sony AX53 4K Camcorder – Best Budget Hunting Video Camera

The Sony AX53 camcorder is a great option for those looking for a budget option. Although coming in at around 1000$, it is well worth the money for the features it offers. For simplicity and price, this is a great choice. The 5-axis image stabilization keeps footage looking much smoother.

Sony AX53 4K Camcorder is the best budget hunting video camera

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Sony AX53 Pros

  • Lightweight and Compact
  • Good Value For The Money
  • 5-Axis Stabilization | Steady-shot
  • Has night shot IR
  • Remote control with a phone
  • 20x Optical Zoom (f=26.8-536.0 mm (16:9) f=32.8-656.0 mm (4:3))
  • 4K Resolution
  • Approx. 1 lb 2.9 oz, Approx. 535 g

Sony AX53 Cons

  • Small sensor size – low light isn’t as good
  • Fewer buttons for quick manual changes
  • External battery exposed
  • Does not have 120fps slow motion

Sony AX100 4K Camcorder – Best Beginner Hunting Video Camera

The Sony AX100 camcorder is a great option for bowhunters that are recording from a treestand. The larger sensor (1″) makes this camera better in low-light situations than the AX53. However, this camera does not have as good image stabilization, but that doesn’t matter as much when your camera is fixed to a camera arm.

Sony AX100 4K Camcorder the best hunting video cameras for beginners

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Sony AX100 Pros

  • Large sensor size (1″) – Good in Low-Light
  • Lightweight and Compact
  • 12x Optical Zoom (f=29.0-348.0 mm (16:9), f=35.5-426.0 mm (4:3))
  • Good Value For The Money
  • Has night shot IR
  • Remote control with a phone
  • 4K Resolution
  • More buttons for quick manual changes
  • Approx.1 lb 11 oz, Approx. 790 g

Sony AX100 Cons

  • External battery exposed
  • Does not have 120 fps slow motion
  • Optical SteadyShot only in certain modes

Sony NX80 4K Camcorder – Best Value Hunting Video Camera

The Sony NX80 camcorder is the next step up. It has a 1″ sensor like the AX100 so it is good in low light, but also has decent image stabilization. This camcorder would be a good option for anything from running and gunning to stand hunting.

Sony NX80 4K is the best value hunting camcorder

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Sony NX80 Pros

  • Large sensor size (1″) – Good in Low-Light
  • Lightweight and Compact (Approx. 2 lb 1.7 oz)
  • 12x Optical Zoom (f=29.0-348.0 mm (16:9), f=32.8 – 393.6mm (4:3))
  • 18x Clear Image Zoom
  • Has night shot IR
  • Remote control with a phone
  • 4K Resolution
  • More buttons for quick manual changes
  • Has 120 fps HD Slow Motion
  • Optical Steadyshot
  • Easy Manual Adjustments

Sony NX80 Cons

  • External battery exposed
  • Approx. 2lb 14.6oz (with lens hood, handle, eyecup, NP-FV70A battery)

Sony Z90V 4K HD Compact Camcorder

The Sony Z90V is similar to the NX80. It has a 1″ sensor so it is good in low light, but also has decent image stabilization. The Z90 would be a good option for anything from running and gunning to stand hunting.

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Sony Z90V Pros

  • Large sensor size (1″) – Good in Low-Light
  • Lightweight and Compact
  • 12x Optical Zoom (f=29.0-348.0 mm (16:9), f=35.5-426.0 mm (4:3))
  • 18x Clear Image Zoom
  • Good Value For The Money
  • Has night shot IR
  • Remote control with a phone
  • 4K Resolution
  • Has 120 fps slow motion
  • More buttons for quick manual changes
  • Approx.1 lb 11 oz, Approx. 790 g

Sony Z90V Cons

  • External battery exposed
  • Expensive
  • Heavier than previously mentioned models (Approx. 3lb 1oz with lens hood, handle, eyecup, NP-FV70A battery)

Best DSLR/Mirrorless Cameras For Hunting (Sorted By Price)

DSLR/Mirrorless make great video cameras for hunting because of their larger sensor sizes, replaceable lenses, and customizability.

Panasonic GH5 – Best Stabilized Hunting Video Camera

The Panasonic GH5 is one of the best video cameras for hunting, especially for running and gunning style shooting because it has very good image stabilization. The image stabilization on this camera is one of the best, if not the best in a mirrorless camera.

Panasonic GH5 is the best hunting video cameras for stabilization

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Panasonic GH5 Pros

  • Good in low-light – Larger sensor size than camcorders (Micro 4/3’s)
  • Micro 4/3 camera lenses are less expensive than full-frame
  • Very good image stabilization because of small sensor
  • Has 180 fps slow motion in HD
  • Customizable
  • Lightweight and Compact
  • Replaceable Lenses
  • Good Value Mirrorless Camera For The Money
  • Remote control with a phone
  • 4K Resolution
  • Approx. 1.6 lbs without lens

Panasonic GH5 Cons

  • Small sensor size for a mirrorless camera
  • Need to buy add-ons (like audio, lenses, ND filters…etc)
  • Low-light performance is not as good as a full-frame camera
  • Need to buy a dummy battery in order to charge with a power bank

Sony A7iii – Best Value Mirrorless Hunting Video Camera

The Sony A7iii is the best all-around video camera for hunting. It is a full-frame camera which is the best for low-light and has many custom settings for quick camera setting changes, which is important when running and gunning. It is also a fantastic camera for photos as well because it takes 24 mp photos.

Sony A7iii is the best value mirrorless hunting video camera
Sony A7iii Mirrorless Video Camera For Hunting

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Sony A7iii Pros

  • Full frame sensor – very good in low-light
  • Has image stabilization
  • Has 120 fps slow motion in HD
  • Highly Customizable w/ custom buttons
  • Lightweight and Compact
  • Replaceable Lenses
  • Good Value Mirrorless Camera For The Money
  • Remote control with a phone
  • 4K Resolution
  • Approx. 1.43 lbs without lens
  • Can charge camera directly with a power bank

Sony A7iii Cons

  • Full-frame lenses are more expensive
  • Need to buy add-ons (like audio, lenses, ND filters…etc)
  • Image stabilization is okay, but not as good as GH5

Sony A7iii Example Hunting Footage:

Sony Alpha 7 IV – All-Around Hunting Video Camera

Sony Alpha 7 IV is the best well-rounded hunting video camera

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The Sony A7IV is one of the best Sony video cameras for hunting and is an upgrade from the older Sony A7iii. If you’re looking for the best all-around camera for both video and still photography, this is the camera. Upgrades from the A7iii include:

  • The A7IV can shoot in 4K 60 fps
  • A7IV supports 10 bit 4:2:2 internal
  • Upgraded resolution of 33 megapixels from 24 (on a7iii)
  • Has a faster processor for snappy useability
  • 30% better autofocus (and animal autofocus)
  • And no overheating (which the A7iii will do when used a lot)

Sony Alpha 7Siii – Best Low-Light Hunting Video Camera

The “S” in the A7Siii means it is more geared toward videography. The video capabilities of this camera are outstanding, the “S” series of cameras have been well-known for their low-light performance.

The A7Sii was one of the best low-light cameras for many years. The A7Siii takes low-light performance up another notch (along with many other things). For hunters, this is very important because most of the time the action is within the first or last 30 minutes of shooting light. A good low-light will drastically increase usable hunting footage and reduce frustration. The Sony A7Siii has no problem seeing animals in those first or last minutes of shooting light when paired with the right lens.

This camera does not have a lot of megapixels for still photography because the reduction in megapixels actually helps it gather more light, which is one of the main reasons this camera does so well in low-light with video.

Sony Alpha 7Siii is the best hunting video camera for low-light situations

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Best Action Cameras For Hunting (Sorted By Price)

GoPro Action Video Cameras For Hunting
GoPro Action Cameras Are Great For Filming Hunts

Action cameras are just mini camcorders, they are excellent options for beginner hunters looking to do some filming. Today action cameras have amazing stabilization and very high resolutions meaning making them very versatile. You can crop in on the high resolutions, and because they are so stabilized you can still see animals clearly even with excess movement.

When you’re first starting out you might not need anything more than an action camera or two to capture good quality video. The biggest downfall for hunters is that action cameras are not good in low-light.

GoPro Hero 9 – 5K Action Camera

GoPro Hero 9 is a great b-roll hunting video camera for the price

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GoPro Hero 9 Pros

  • Extremely Lightweight and Compact (5.6 oz)
  • Amazing image stabilization
  • Durable and weatherproof
  • Over 2x Zoom from 4k to 1080p by cropping in post
  • Good Value For The Money
  • Remote control with a phone
  • 5K Resolution
  • Has 240 fps slow motion in 1080p

GoPro Hero 9 Cons

  • Small 1/2.3″ sensor size – poor in low light
  • Batteries don’t last long
  • The audio is pretty good, but not great

GoPro Hero 10 Black – Best Secondary Angle Video Camera

The new GoPro’s are fantastic for capturing hunts on film. They are one of the greatest cameras for hunters looking to get into filming hunts. The new internal computerized gimbal-like stabilization makes the footage look buttery smooth even with excessive movement. Not only do they have great stabilization but they also have 5K+ video, slow motion, and much more. The GoPro Hero 10 black has 5.2k video, 20 MP photos, a FAST brand new processor (finally), and also has insane stabilization.

GoPro Hero 10 is the Best Secondary Angle Video Camera

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GoPro Hunting Example Footage:

Sony FDR X3000 – 4k Action Camera

Sony FDR X3000 - 4k Action Camera For Hunting

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Sony FDR X3000 Pros

  • Extremely Lightweight and Compact (4.1 oz)
  • Has optical SteadyShot with active mode for image stabilization
  • Different ergonomically than GoPro which can have advantages for hunters
  • Durable and weatherproof with case
  • 2x Zoom from 4k to 1080p by cropping in post
  • Good Value For The Money
  • Remote control with a phone
  • 4K Resolution
  • Has 120 fps slow motion in 1080p

Sony FDR X3000 Cons

  • Small 1/2.5″ sensor size – poor in low light
  • Batteries don’t last long
  • The audio is pretty good, but not great

Best Drones For Filming Hunts (Sorted By Price)

These drones are excellent choices for hunters because they are lower profile which makes them pack easier. As a hunter, I appreciate the portability of these drones in addition to their excellent video quality.

DJI Mavic Mini 2 – Most Mobile Drone For Hunting

The DJI Mavic mini-series are the smallest drones that pack the most punch for their size. They offer a lot of great features while still maintaining a small size and profile.

DJI Mavic Mini 2 is the best mobile hunting video camera drone

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DJI Mavic Mini 2 Pros

  • Lightweight (86.2g), low-profile, compact 
  • 4k Resolution
  • GPS
  • OcuSync 2.0
  • 31 minutes of flight time
  • 3-axis gimbal stabilization

DJI Mavic Mini 2 Cons

  • Small 1/2.3″ CMOS sensor size (not great in low light)
  • Does not have 120p slow motion
  • No follow modes or cinematic modes
  • Does not have crash avoidance sensors 

DJI Mavic Air 2s – Best Value Drone For Hunting

The DJI Mavic Air 2s is a step up from the Mavic Mini 2. The specs of this drone are better in almost every way except for size. The Mavic Air 2s is larger but is still very compact.

 

DJI Mavic Air 2s is the best value hunting video camera drone

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DJI Mavic Air 2s Pros

  • Lightweight (198g), low-profile, compact 
  • 1″ CMOS sensor – good in low light situations
  • 5.4k Resolution
  • GPS
  • OcuSync 2.0
  • 31 minutes of flight time
  • 3-axis gimbal stabilization
  • 120 fps slow motion
  • Some cinematic and follow modes
  • Has some crash avoidance sensors

DJI Mavic Air 2s Cons

  • Larger than the DJI Mavic Mini 2

DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone For Hunting
DJI Mavic Air 2 Drone For Hunting

DJI Mavic 2 Pro – Most Cinematic Drone For Hunting

This drone is technically a better drone in DJI’s tier system. However, DJI recently came out with the DJI Mavic Air 2s so the technology is better in this cheaper and low-their model currently.

This means that DJI must be about ready to release a new version of the DJI Mavic 2 Pro. At the time of this posting, it makes more sense to buy in Mavic Air 2s because its specs are better overall for less money.

DJI Mavic 2 Pro is the best drone hunting video camera

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DJI Mavic 2 Pro Pros

  • Lightweight (297g), low-profile, compact 
  • 1″ CMOS sensor – good in low light situations
  • 4k Resolution
  • GPS
  • OcuSync 2.0
  • 31 minutes of flight time
  • 3-axis gimbal stabilization
  • 120 fps slow motion
  • More cinematic and follow modes
  • More crash avoidance sensors

DJI Mavic 2 Pro Cons

  • Larger than Mavic Mini 2 and Mavic Air 2s
  • Currently, the Mavic Air 2s is a better drone for the price

Conclusion

There you have it, these are the best video cameras for hunting in 2023. I spend a lot of time researching camera gear because I absolutely love cameras and gear.

I personally own or have used a lot of this gear in this post, and the gear I don’t own I wish I did own. Hopefully, you have a better idea of the best cameras for hunting currently on the market so you can make the best purchasing choice for your style of hunting and filming.  

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Best Broadheads For Turkey Hunting | Turkey Broadheads Explained

Jason Tome
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Best Broadheads For Turkey Hunting | Turkey Broadheads Explained

Learn the best broadheads for turkey hunting and an explanation on why they are the best so you can choose the best broadheads for yourself. There is a lot of information on the internet on which broadheads are the best but they don’t explain WHY. But this post will explain the why so you can confidently choose the best broadhead for bowhunting turkeys for yourself.

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use my links, but it does help fund these posts in hopes of bringing more value to you.

Best Broadhead Types For Turkey Hunting

  • Broadheads To Prevent Passthrough

    • Specifically Designed Turkey Hunting Broadheads
    • Use Regular Broadheads With A Stopper To Prevent Passthrough
    • Large Broadheads Are Better Than Small Broadheads

  • Decapitation Broadheads For Ethical Headshots

How To Choose The Best Broadheads For Turkey Hunting

Preventing Arrow Passthrough When Bowhunting Turkeys

Turkeys aren’t big animals. A 35 lbs bow can easily zip through a turkey. When an arrow zips through a turkey quickly the turkey rarely knows what happened even after a good shot. Turkeys will often take off flying or running and they can be tricky to recover.

To prevent this, a specifically designed broadhead or an arrow stopper is recommended to prevent passthrough. This will stop the arrow in the turkey, making it impossible to fly and much harder to run off. This makes recovery a whole lot easier.

Considerations For Choosing Turkey Broadheads

A potential downside to all turkey broadheads is that they’ll be difficult to shoot because they are large. You’ll want to practice with turkey broadheads a lot until you feel comfortable shooting them accurately consistently.

In my opinion, expandables are a great choice for turkey broadheads because if you’re shooting a large diameter broadhead you’ll want to keep it as low profile as possible to keep it accurate. In general, the larger the broadhead exposed to the air in flight, the harder it is to shoot unless you have really great form.

Decapitation Broadheads For Turkeys

Decapitation Turkey Broadheads For Beginners

As a beginner, I would not recommend shooting decapitation broadheads. These broadheads are very difficult to shoot even for experienced shooters because of their large surface area. Additionally, a turkey neck is a small and constantly moving target, making it a tough shot. You’ll need excellent form to shoot these, and it’s very hard to keep this form under pressure.

Additionally, the large blades can make it tough to shoot through the windows of blinds. It’s easy to hit the bottom lip window unless making a conscious decision to set up higher with this in mind.

Decapitation Broadheads For Ethical Headshots

Although very difficult to shoot they are very ethical. It you hit the turkey anywhere but the head, theres a good possibility the turkey will get away unwounded. If you hit the turkey in the head or neck it will be down quickly. This makes it an ethical choice.

Decapitation Broadheads & Bow Poundage

You’ll want to make sure your bow poundage is high enough so that it will be able to cut a turkeys head effecgively, and make sure the blades are razor sharp before you use them. 

Broadheads To Prevent Arrow Passthrough

Specifically Designed Turkey Hunting Broadheads

These broadheads are usually large and have arrow stoppers built into them making them great choices for turkey hunting.

These are a great option, they are specifically designed to prevent passthrough. Preventing passthrough is key when choosing turkey broadheads because this makes recovery much more effective.

Use An Arrow Stopper With Normal Broadheads

Another broadhead option for turkey hunting is using regular broadheads with a stopper. I prefer to use a medium-sized broadhead, like a 2-blade 1.25″ inch or a 3-blade around 1″ with a stopper. The smaller cutting diameter with an added arrow stopper will be effective at putting a gobbler down.

You will need to sight in your bow with the arrow stoppers because they will affect arrow flight.

Large Expandable Broadheads

It is understandable to not want an arrow stopper or a turkey broadhead because they affect arrow flight, especially in the moment in a hunting situation when good form can often go out the window.

If you’re not able to use a broadhead with some kind of stopper, the bigger the better. A 3-blade or large expandable broadhead that is 2″ or larger is ideal in this situation. This will slow the arrow down which causes more knockdown power, has better potential for hitting vitals, and breaking a wing to prevent turkeys from flying away.

The Best Broadheads For Turkey Hunting

Best Specifically Designed Turkey Hunting Broadheads

Rage Xtreme Turkey Broadhead 2.3″ x .75″ Cut

The Rage Xtreme broadhead is a top choice because it has a large cutting diameter, but it is expandable so it will fly through the air pretty well for how large it is. Additionally, you can see the arrow stopper built into the tip of the broadhead which creates massive damage and helps prevent the arrow from going all the way through the gobbler. I took my biggest tom to date with this broadhead.

Rage Xtreme Turkey Hunting Broadheads For Bowhunting Turkeys
Rage Xtreme Turkey Hunting Broadheads For Bowhunting Turkeys

Solid Broadheads Turkey D-Cap

Below is a photo of a decapitation broadhead. They have large blades that cut a turkey’s head and neck, making them very lethal. There is also less chance of wounding a turkey because you often kill them or you miss them. That said, they are tricky to shoot because of the large blades. You’ll likely need to practice a lot to get these dialed in and to feel confident shooting them at a small target.

Arrow Stoppers For Expandables and Fixed Blade Broadheads

Vista Small Game Adder Point (per 6)

Although this says it is for a small game point but it works well for turkeys. I have shot a turkey with this stopper and it works very well at stopping the arrow, he didn’t go 10 yards after the shot. If you’re shooting an expandable make sure the blades don’t interfere with this stopper upon opening. Make sure to sight in your bow with this stopper on, it will affect arrow flight.

Vista Small Game Adder Point | Broadhead Arrow Stoppers For Bowhunting Turkeys
Vista Small Game Adder Point | Broadhead Arrow Stoppers For Bowhunting Turkeys

Large Diameter Expandable Broadheads

Grim Reaper Razorcut SS Whitetail Spec 2″ Cut

This 3-blade Grim Reaper is a great choice for turkey hunters because the extra blade will add to the surface area of the cut which will slow the arrow as it passes through the turkey increasing knockdown power, shocking power, and damage. It’s also an expandable broadhead so you will have better accuracy shooting this broadhead than the other broadheads with collars or large decap blades.

Conclusion

Hopefully, you found this post about choosing the best broadheads for bowhunting turkeys helpful. If you’re looking for more turkey hunting information check out my Turkey Hunting Articles.

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Turkey Hunting Decoy Setups That Work | Positioning Turkeys Decoys

Jason Tome
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Turkey Hunting Decoy Setups That Work | Positioning Turkeys Decoys

Turkey hunting decoy setups can make or break a turkey hunt. Learn how to set up, position, and combine decoys to maximize hunting success. Positioning turkey decoys is an art, not a science. It’s not difficult once you learn the concepts behind the placement. This post explains the strategy of how to maximize your chances of bringing turkeys into your decoys.

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use my links, but it does help fund these posts in hopes of bringing more value to you!

How Many Decoys Should You Use?

The number of decoys you should use depends on how many turkeys are in a group. I usually don’t hunt groups of turkeys that exceed 10 birds at a time. For this reason, I use a max of 3 decoys.

Make Your Decoys Approachable

I like my decoys to feel approachable by larger groups of turkeys as well as single birds. Fewer decoys will allow for a larger group of turkeys to want to merge with your decoys or at least feel comfortable enough to check your decoys out. If you have too many decoys then groups of birds, as well as individual birds, will feel intimidated and stay outside of gun range.

If you’re seeing groups of turkeys regularly that exceed 10 birds in a group then you can add another decoy, but 3 seems to be a pretty good number regardless. Single toms will still decoy with 3 decoys because they don’t feel overwhelmed but you still can pull in those larger groups.

If I know I am hunting a single tom, I will use less than 3 decoys because I want that tom to feel as comfortable as possible coming into the decoys. In this case, I will use two decoys.

How To Position Turkey Decoys

There are strategies for positioning turkey decoys to improve your chances of success. When you’re placing decoys there are a few things to think about:

Direction Turkeys Are Coming From

A lot of hunters, including myself when I first started turkey hunting, place turkey decoys right in front of them and don’t take into consideration where turkeys are coming from. One trick I use almost every time is by placing my decoys 20 yards in the opposite direction of where I think the turkeys will be coming from. For example, if turkeys are roosting or frequently off to your left, then your decoys should be placed 20 yards or so to your right. This will make birds cross directly in front of you to get to your decoys. This is mostly a tactic I use with hen decoys. This is explained further below:

Toms vs Jake vs Hen Decoy Positioning 

Hen Decoy Positioning

I will almost always place hen decoys off to the side about 20 yards. I do this for the hens because toms and jakes rarely run straight into hen decoys and will often hang up just out of range.

Jake Decoy Positioning

However, toms and jakes will often come right into a jake decoy. This is usually because they are more comfortable and/or territorial with other male turkeys. For this reason, I place jake decoys closer to me. I still position the jake decoy off to the side, just closer.

Tom Decoy Positioning

I don’t use tom decoys very often because they are too intimidating. I’d rather use a jake decoy. However, I’ve had success with tom decoys and would use them in the same way as a jake decoy.

Facing Your Decoys Realistically

If you know which way the turkeys are coming from, then you probably can guess which way they want to go. Don’t face your decoys towards where you think turkeys are coming from because they will subconsciously make turkeys think they don’t have to come to you – because your decoys are already going to them.

Instead, face your decoys in the direction turkeys will naturally be traveling. This will also help pull those birds a little more in front of you.

Placing Decoys For The “Hang Up”

Additionally, a lot of times birds are hesitant when coming into decoys and will “hang up” just outside of gun range (like around 20 yards). Placing your decoys 20- yards in the opposite direction of where you think the birds are coming from it will help you bag those pesky toms that hang up like this.

Effective Turkey Decoy Setup Combinations

The Single Hen Decoy Setup

Unless you plan to be highly mobile (running and gunning), you’ll almost always want at least one decoy with you. Even then, I will often still bring one decoy. This should always be a hen decoy because when you call you’re mimicking a hen. So to not have a hen decoy in your decoy setup will look unrealistic to turkeys. Also, gobblers are looking for hens at this time of year, so there is almost no reason for not having a hen decoy.

I like this setup when hunting pressure is high, I feel like a single decoy seems more legit to real turkeys because other hunters are often using more than one decoy.

1 Tom + 1 Hen Decoy Setup

A hen is used as an attractor for toms and jakes. They can be used alone or with other male decoys. When placed with male decoys, a jealously and territorial trigger button will be pushed within male birds making them want to come into the decoys.

A tom turkey in strut when placed next to a hen decoy is used to get another dominant tom fired up and aggressive so that he will want to attack the decoy, thus bringing the bird into shooting range. Jakes will often be scared of a tom decoy so keep that in mind. Less aggressive toms may also shy away. For this reason, I rarely use this setup.

1 Jake + 1 Hen Decoy Setup

A jake turkey decoy that is semi-puffed up or even better – in full-strut – with hen decoys nearby will make a tom want to put the jake in its place by letting him know who’s boss. This will make the tom angry and want to come in and take the jake out of the picture so he can have the hen (your decoy) to himself. Additionally, other jakes will feel comfortable coming to join. This jake decoy can bring in any age male turkey. I use this setup a lot.

Turkey Hunting Tips for Beginners - A jake turkey with a hen decoy will make toms angry
A semi-puffed jake decoy with a hen decoy will make toms angry. This is one of my favorite turkey hunting decoy setups.

The 2 Hen Setup

Two hen decoys are good for larger groups of gobblers because a bigger group of male turkeys will feel more comfortable coming to a party of two. Two hen decoys are very non-threatening so you can attract any male turkey. However, although not threatening, a single male turkey may be intimidated and feel outnumbered, especially jake.

2 Hens + 1 Jake

A jake turkey that is semi-puffed up with two hen decoys is very similar to the 1 hen + 1 jake decoy setup.  This setup will make a tom want to put the jake in its place by letting him know who’s boss. This will make the tom angry want to come in and take the jake out of the picture so he can have the hens (your decoys) to himself. Additionally, other jakes will feel comfortable coming to join. This jake decoy can bring in any age male turkey. This is another one of my favorite turkey hunting decoy setups.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve found this article on turkey hunting decoy setups helpful. Reach out if you have questions, the best place to reach me is on Facebook. If you’re looking for more turkey hunting information, check out my other Turkey Hunting Posts.

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How To Hunt Maine Moose During The Rut – Tips For Finding Rutting Bulls

Jason Tome
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How To Hunt Maine Moose During The Rut – Tips For Finding Rutting Bulls

In this post, I discuss how to hunt Maine moose during the rut. The Maine moose rut is an exciting opportunity but it’s still challenging. With only a week to hunt and basically a once-in-a-lifetime tag, there is a lot on the line. These hunting tips and lessons learned will no doubt help reduce your odds of going home empty-handed.

I assume you came across this article because you got pulled in the Maine moose lottery and want to put the odds in your favor as much as possible when your one-week Maine moose rut hunting season rolls around in September.

Eating your Maine Moose tag is no fun. Learn from my experiences over the last couple of years hunting September bulls in the North Maine Woods.

I’ve been fortunate to go on a few moose hunts over the last few years and have learned a lot about Maine moose hunting. In this post, I share what I’ve learned to help you maximize your odds of shooting a Maine moose.

 

When Is The Maine Moose Rut?

The moose rut in Maine occurs during the last week in September which aligns with the first moose hunt of the year here in Maine. Bulls are likely to be rutting to some degree prior to the opening day of moose season as well. Drawing a September moose hunt can be a lot of fun because bulls are on the move, and are never more callable than during this time of year. Hunting the Maine moose rut can be exhilarating for this reason.

Where To Find Bulls During the Rut in Maine

Find the food, and you’ll find the cows. When you find the cows, you’ll find rutting bulls. But don’t forget to take hunting pressure and temperature into account.

During the Maine Moose Rut Bulls Will Be Found Close To Cows
During the Maine Moose Rut Bulls Will Be Found Close To Cows

Food = Cows = Bulls

Finding the food is key for finding bulls because this is where the cows will be. Cows and their calves are trying to put weight on as they can for winter so they’ll be found in the food.

It’s common to see cows in cuts in the mornings and afternoons. It’s not uncommon to see them in cuts during the day too but at a lower frequency. Keep an eye out for bulls that are chasing these cows.

What Moose Eat In Maine

There are a few good food sources for moose in the Maine woods:

Active Cuts

Active cuts are great places to find cows because the fresh cutting brings fresh high-quality vegetation scraps to the forest floor where moose can reach it. For this reason, cows and calves will gravitate to these areas. If you’re seeing cows in calves in these areas bulls will not be far away during the rut.

New Aspen / Hardwood Regeneration

Cuts that are a few years old are also good bets. These cuts will have vegetative regeneration at about waist height and sometimes higher. These young shoots provide better nutrition which is why moose are often seen in cuts, it’s basically a remote wilderness food plot. These cuts will harbor cows and calves, thus bulls will follow during the rut.

Maine Bull Moose In Recent Cut - Aspen Regeneration
Maine Bull Moose In Recent Cut – Aspen Regeneration

 

How To Hunt Maine Moose Rut - Finding Bulls In Maine
We shot this moose in a recent cut that was reestablishing with young vegetation. It had aspen and maple regeneration which moose will eat.

What’s The Temperature?

Warm Weather Bulls

Temperature plays a big role during the moose rut. If temperatures are warm bulls will do a lot of rutting at night when things cool down. Big-bodied animals like moose don’t have the same ability to cool off as smaller animals do.

For this reason, moose have to be careful not to expend too much energy during hotter times of the day. Your best bet for seeing a bull in these hot temps is during rainy or windy periods or at dawn and dusk.

During warmer periods you can find moose in cooler places like in shaded areas near water during the day. They’ll likely be bedded so it will be hard to find them. However, they won’t be in just any place where there is water. They will still want to be bedded near the cows.

Cool Areas

If you find high-quality cuts with cows, there’s likely a bull nearby that may not be showing himself because he is conserving his energy in a cool shaded area. It can be worth slowly hunting and calling in these cooler areas to get one out of its bed. This may be a dense shaded canopy that follows a stream – that is also near cuts and cows.

Find Bulls Away From Hunting Pressure

If you’re looking for bigger bulls it is recommended to hunt away from the competition. Finding cuts that aren’t hunted hard, or getting on foot to walk to places where you can get a vehicle can be beneficial. These bulls also have likely heard less calling from hunters and will be more willing to come into a call.

Driving During The Rut

Driving is an excellent way to find bulls, in fact, it may be the most effective way. This may or may not be what you want to hear, and trust me I’d rather shoot a bull that I called in too. But the fact remains that there is a fair distance between pockets of moose. So if you’re walking it may take you a long time to get from pocket to pocket.

When you drive you can get from pocket to pocket quickly, and during the rut, and you are likely to find cruising bulls on the road at any time of day, especially with good temps. That said, it may be harder to consistently find bigger bulls from the road but it’s still very possible, I’ve seen 40″+ bulls every time I’ve been moose hunting while driving.

Big Maine Bull Moose During The Rut
A Big Maine Bull Moose Steps Out Onto The Road During The Rut After Pushing A Smaller Bull Across The Road

The Shooter Shouldn’t Drive

Having the shooter drive is a big mistake. The half-second it takes for the driver to shut the truck off, load the gun, and set situated to shoot is very often the difference between a moose on the ground and a moose that got away. Have someone else drive so they can shut the truck off while you load your gun, this way you can be at the ready at all times.

Know When to Call & When To Drive

Depending on the weather conditions, it may be more advantageous to drive and look for moose than be on foot. I think most people would agree they’d rather call in a big moose in ideal weather conditions. However, if you’re looking to get a bull on the ground knowing when to drive and when not to drive will help you put a bull on the ground.

For example, if it’s raining I would be driving because the moose are likely up and running around due to the cooler temps. However, calling won’t help you in these situations very often because bulls can’t hear you. By putting more miles on i

Hunting Pressure And Maine Bull Moose Activity

Know The Hunting Pressure Of Your WMD

Different MWD’s will have different amounts of hunting pressure depending on how many tags are issued. If there are a lot of tags given for your WMD then try to find places where other hunters won’t be.

Know The Hunting Pressure Of Where You Plan To Hunt

It’s a good idea to do some homework on the hunting pressure on the area you’ve decided to stay in. If you’re camping in an area where there is a lot of other moose hunters it might not be a bad idea to get up earlier than other hunters and get to more remote spots further from camp and other hunters.

Don’t Overcall In Areas With Higher Hunting Pressure

Overcalling is a big mistake when bulls are pressured. If you are seeing a lot of moose hunters in the areas you’re hunting don’t call as much later in the week. Bulls are likely to have smartened up, and some light calling may be more effective. A good rule of thumb is to mimic the frequency and volume of real cows.

There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as calling in a big bull out of the thick brush in close quarters, but don’t force it.

Keep Expectations Realistic To Avoid Frustration

Don’t get me wrong, you should be excited you drew a September Maine moose tag but don’t think it’s going to be easy going into it. It’s better to expect to hunt hard and long for 7 days from dawn to dusk and be pleasantly surprised to get one sooner because that is often the reality. If you go into it thinking you’re going to shoot a 40-50″+ bull in the first couple of days you’re not going to want to keep hunting later in the week.

Target Practice

Practicing before the season starts is a very good idea. Once you get your rifle sighted in, start practicing real-life scenarios. Some scenarios I suggest practicing are:

  • Getting out of the truck and loading your gun quickly, then taking a quick free-hand shot at 50-100 yards.
  • Getting out of the truck, loading your gun, then shooting your gun rested on the open window.
  • Taking 100-200 yard shots off a tripod or shooting sticks like you would in a fast-paced hunting situation.
  • Taking 300-yard relaxed shots to replicate shooting a feeding bull far away in a cut.

 

Scouting and Calling Right Before The Season

If you’re scouting before the season it is best not to go right into a spot and mess things up by leaving scent and calling. Calling may be the worst thing because it is smartening bulls up for the actual hunting season. If you call a bull in, then spook it, he may not be willing to make the same mistake twice and could leave the area.

A better alternative is to scout from a distance if possible. If this is not an option and you need to get into a thicker area to scout, then just don’t call. Instead, do a speed scouting mission looking for bull rut sign, then get out of there.

Checking a handful of cameras and honing in on bulls that are active on the cameras within a week or two before the season is a great way to see what caliber bulls are in the area.

Scout As Much As Possible From A Distance Right Before The Season

Although getting right into the middle of an area you suspect is a good place to hunt and scouting right before the season is not recommended, it is highly recommended to scout right before the season at a distance. Moose have seasonal patterns, and scouting too early or too late will give you poor intel on what is actually happening in the moose world.

If possible, taking a week before moose season starts to scout is a very good use of time. By driving around and glassing for moose at dawn and dusk is a good way to get an idea of where the bigger moose are hanging out. Finding good habitat on aerial imagery and then cruising those areas quickly for bull sign can give you a good idea if an area is worthwhile to hunt during the season.

Scouting From A Distance Is A Great Way To Reduce Pressure Until The Season Starts
Scouting From A Distance Is A Great Way To Reduce Pressure Until The Season Starts

Don’t Assume Moose Are By Themselves During the Rut

When hunting Maine moose during the rut, a big mistake is to assume moose are by themselves. One of the hunts I went on we shot a small moose towards the end of the hunt, and we were happy with that small bull because we had hunted hard. But we didn’t think about the possibility of another bull being nearby. Sure enough, a 50″ bull popped out after the shot at 40 yards.

Even more commonly you may be driving around and see a cow and think “it’s just a cow I don’t need to get out of the truck” but this is a mistake. During the rut, a bull might be in the brushes off to the side just out of sight. It is good practice to get out of the truck, load your gun, and start glassing around the cow for a bull.

Have Others Scouting While You’re Hunting

Having other friends or family with you to help you scout while you’re hunting is an excellent way to get a bull on the ground. The more eyes you have the better chances someone will be able to find a spot where a big bull could be hanging out.

Keep Hunting Groups Small and Agile

With that being said, it is important for the shooter not to be with a lot of people because as you increase in the number of people, there is more time being wasted. Instead, break up into teams of 2 to 3 and rotate who gets to go with the hunter. The others should be scouting to help the shooter find a bull.

Good quality walky-talkies are great pieces of gear to have when moose hunting in Maine so information of moose sightings can be relayed quickly by others in the party.

If enough people are in a party, split up to help the shooter find a bull.
If enough people are in a party, split up to help the shooter find a bull.

Hunt All Weather Conditions

When you’ve only got one week to hunt, you’ve got to make the most of it. Fortunately, moose are moving in just about all weather conditions except warm ones. That means windy and rainy days are good days to be hunting and they are great days to be hunting from the truck.

Maine Bull Moose During The Rut In The Pouring rain
Maine Bull Moose During The Rut In The Pouring rain

Don’t Give Up

With essentially a once-in-a-lifetime tag it is important not to give up. It’s easy to get discouraged. You want to look back and say you gave it all you had. Hunt all day and hunt hard, it will pay off. Just put the odds in your favor as much as possible.

Conclusion

I’ve been fortunate to go on a few moose hunts over the last few years and have learned a thing or two about how to hunt Maine moose during the rut.

Eating your Maine Moose tag is no fun. I hope you’ve been able to take away some information from this post and learned from my experiences over the last couple of years hunting the Maine moose rut in September in the North Maine Woods.

Don’t Forget To Check Out My Additional Maine Hunting Articles:

Tagging and Weighing Maine Bull Moose After Successful Hunt During The Rut
Tagging and Weighing Maine Bull Moose After Successful Hunt During The Rut

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Planning My Off-Grid Subaru Forester Hunting Rig Camper Conversion

Jason Tome
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Planning My Off-Grid Subaru Forester Hunting Rig Camper Conversion

I’m working on an off-grid Subaru forester hunting rig conversion because I’m planning to maximize my time hunting and do more out-of-state hunting while staying flexible and agile in my approach.

After looking into every method I could find from trucks, RV’s, cargo trailers, pop-up campers, campers…etc, I finally decided to just keep the vehicle I had and convert it into a hunting rig to keep costs as low as possible and to keep things simple.

Sure, a Subaru Forester it’s going to be tight but I think I’ll be able to fit everything I’ll need to make it work. I’m willing to sacrifice comfort and off-road capabilities for more hunting.

It’s not going to be able to handle 100% of what I want it to do, but it will get me into around 70% of where I need to go safely. I can make up the rest with a little extra legwork. I am willing to make that sacrifice for now but may need to upgrade to a truck in the future.

This is my first post documenting the process and I still have a lot of work to do. That being said, it’s been coming together nicely over the last month or so.

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use my links, but it does help fund these posts in hopes of bringing more value to you!

Storage Plan

Many people online convert their vehicles using wooden storage and drawers. I personally didn’t want to go this route if I didn’t have to. I didn’t want to take the time to build unless it was an absolute benefit. So far I’ve found that there isn’t a big enough benefit for me to invest the energy.

I’d rather buy plastic storage. I have some work to do to figure out what bins will be most efficient.

I may need to buy roof storage as well, but I’d like to be able to carry a canoe during hunting season, so we’ll see how crowded it is in my car when hunting season rolls around.

Sleeping In My Subaru Forester

I haven’t slept in my car yet because I’ve been getting everything together but I’m going to try to sleep in my car this weekend as a test run. I plan to write a post on how that goes.

Cot

For sleeping, I am using a tall Coleman cot. It fits absolutely perfectly in my Forester. I’m 6’3”, which is quite tall for a Subaru Forester, but the way the cot is situated I don’t have to sleep diagonally at all. This helps maximize space a lot.

By taking the headrest off the passenger seat I am able to gain many inches of extra length because the height of the cot is about level with the passenger seat after this modification.

Subaru Forester Off-Grid Hunting Rig Camping

 

Mattress Pad

When I add my 4″ Tri-Fold Memory Foam Mattress pad the slight difference is not very noticeable. I’m able to rest the top of my head over the top. I will go more into this in future posts and videos. I’ve got a tri-fold mattress for easier storage when not in use. I may buy another mattress, I’m not sure that I’m going to stick with this memory foam model.

 

Tri-fold memory foam mattress pad
Tri-fold memory foam mattress pad

Privacy

One of my first purchases was pop-in window shades for my car. It keeps people from looking into your car when you’re sleeping or just in general. They are the WeatherTech Windshield Sunshade for Subaru Forester.

Window Covers For Subaru Forester Camping
Window Covers For Subaru Forester Camping

They are very simple to use and provide thermal regulation in both hot and cold weather depending on if you face the reflective side in or out.

Cooking When Hunting

For cooking, I bought the Camp Chef Everest with 20,000 BTU burners because of the amazing reviews it has. I have yet to try it but am looking forward to it.

I’m also looking into a JetBoil, I’ve heard these are great for minimalist camping.

Off-Grid Electricity

Because I film and blog, my Subaru Forester hunting rig conversion needed to have as much power as possible. When I’m out there in the woods I don’t want to run out of power. I bought the Jackery 1000W portable power station. It’s basically a giant battery. This power station is supposedly able to handle a LOT of power. In addition, to the battery, I bought two Jackery solar panels to keep the battery charged when I don’t have a way to charge it.

Jackery Off-Grid Power Subaru Forester
Jackery Off-Grid Power Subaru Forester

It also can be charged while my car is running. These features will be very helpful for keeping my cameras, laptop, drones…etc charged for week-long hunts or longer.

The Jackery 1000 is currently the biggest battery made by Jackery and I had to buy the largest because its the only model with USB-C plugs for my camera gear. Otherwise, a smaller model battery may have been plenty but I’d rather have too much power than not enough. 

Tires

I bought BF Goodrich tires because heavy-duty 8-ply tires are important. Flat tires are stressful and time-consuming. Every time I’ve gone on moose hunts in northern Maine I’ve had a slow leak because of small metal staples or nails that a more rugged tire would be able to defend against. I also don’t want to deal with this traveling out of state.

On top of that, I needed some tires that could handle more off-road terrain. My all-seasons just weren’t cutting it in the snow. I was always scared I was going to get stuck. Although I have tire chains, I’d rather have a nice set of tires.

Other Thoughts

Lift Kit

I’ve briefly looked into this. A 2″ lift is pretty expensive. It would be helpful, but at that point, I might as well save the money for a truck if I need a lift that bad. So, I think I’m going to make do with it at stock height. I think it will be good enough, but not ideal.

Canvas Tent

I haven’t looked into this too much yet, but maybe something I consider for extra room or to just get out of my car once in a while. A tent would be especially nice in the winter because I could use a wood stove.

Conclusion

I’ve still got several small details to wrap up. For example, cookware, fine-tuning storage, ergonomics…etc. But for the most part, the big stuff is taken care of. I’m going to start practicing living in it soon, maybe this weekend especially as the temperatures warm up so that I can figure out the things that aren’t as obvious.

Let me know if you’re interested in more of my Subaru Forester hunting rig conversion posts. I hope you guys enjoy reading these short simple journal posts. I’m looking to do these at least once a week to document scouting, hunting, hunting prep, ideas, SUV-Living/Conversions…etc.

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21 Maine Spring Turkey Hunting Tips That Work

Jason Tome
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21 Maine Spring Turkey Hunting Tips That Work

During my two decades of turkey hunting in Maine I’ve discovered a handful of Maine turkey hunting tips that work. I’ve learned most of these tips through trial and error.

These are my best Maine turkey hunting tips. I wish I had these tips when I started. If you follow these tips I have no doubt you’ll increase your spring turkey hunting success in Maine.

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use my links, but it does help fund these posts in hopes of bringing more value to you!

Tip #1. Northern vs Southern Maine Turkey Hunting Tips

Turkeys can be found from southern Maine to the northern parts of Maine. Understanding the turkey densities in different parts of Maine is critical for designing the hunt you want.

Northern Maine Turkey Hunting

When I talk about northern Maine I am referring to the parts of Maine located north of the visible development on aerial imagery. In this region of Maine turkey numbers are much lower.

You will want to find pockets of turkeys that are residing closer to the limited development and farm country. These areas provide enough food for northern Maine turkeys.

Turkey hunting can be harder in the north because there are less birds, but if you can find pockets of birds in the north, you will likely have them all to yourself.

With minimal hunting pressure, these birds will decoy and come into calls better than southern Maine turkeys which get more hunting pressure, especially later in the season.

Southern Maine Turkey Hunting

Although hunting pressure is higher in southern Maine, there are still great opportunities for turkey hunters.

Southern Maine winters are much easier on turkeys and they find plenty of food. For this reason, there are a lot more turkeys in southern Maine. The trade-off is that there is also more hunting pressure.

The first week is usually really good as birds aren’t pressured much. After the first week you can expect birds to be more weary and finding those less pressured pockets of southern Maine will make for more enjoyable hunts after the first week.

Tip #2. Turkey Hunting Pressure in Maine

Compared to other states Maine has fairly low hunting pressure, however, that does not mean there aren’t areas of high turkey hunting pressure. Knowing the hunting pressure of certain areas of Maine is a big part of having a successful turkey hunt in Maine.

You can often get an idea of how heavily turkeys will be hunted by how easily visible they are from a road, and how busy the road is. Other hunters are taking notes too. Don’t discount these areas, but do your best to find turkeys away from high human traffic areas. It’s always best to find them in areas with very minimal to no traffic.

Competing for Turkeys

You don’t want to be competing with other people for the same turkeys if you can help it. In my opinion, it takes away from the fun of having a 1 on 1 battle with a group of turkeys. Other hunters can be discouraging because turkeys may go to them instead of you. Especially if they have more knowledge than you and are better at calling.

That said, don’t give up if a hunter shoots a turkey near you. Although turkeys may not be talking much after the shot, there could easily be other turkeys roaming around and may come into your decoys within an hour, you just never know. This is especially true during the first week of the season when they’re not wise to the hunting pressure yet.

Turkey Hunting Pressure & Calling

Additionally, knowing the hunting pressure will allow you to adjust how much calling you should do. If the turkeys you are hunting are not pressured at all, you can get away with a little more calling even if it is a little bit unnatural compared to real hens.

The effects of hunting pressure get worse as the season continues, this means turkeys will often stop gobbling altogether except for when they’re in their roosts. This means you should mimic this behavior when you’re calling. This will be more realistic to the turkeys.

Often that means the best tactic is to never call. It sounds counter-intuitive but pressured birds will often go to the hunter that does not call over with a hunter that is calling.

Tip #3. Travel To Less Pressured Areas of Maine

If the season progresses and you still don’t have your turkey, start scouting new areas. Specifically, areas that might be overlooked or that don’t have much hunting pressure. These can be great late-season honey holes. Sometimes you just have to give up on the turkeys you’ve been hunting to find easier turkeys to hunt.

You can head north, but there are plenty of opportunities to find overlooked honey holes in southern Maine.

Tip #4. Take The First Week Off From Work

If you’re serious about bagging a Maine turkey there is no better way than to spend most of your time hunting during the first week. Hunting pressure will be in full effect before long and you’ll want to take advantage of non-pressured birds for as long as possible.

I’ve found that after the first week, birds become smart to hunters and are harder to kill. If you spend most of your time hunting when turkeys are less call-shy and timid, you’ll have better luck. Plus it will be more fun because turkeys will be more apt to be gobbling their heads off.

Tip #5. Maine Turkey Hunting Gear

The Maine turkey hunting season starts around May 1st, and ends in the first week of June. In Maine, May mornings are cold especially early in the season. The afternoons get quite warm though, so you’ll want to have the right clothes and be prepared to shed layers.

I’ve written a more in-depth article for Best Turkey Hunting Gear For Beginners which you may find helpful. This article is applicable to Maine turkey hunting because it is the exact gear that I use when hunting turkeys in Maine.

Tip #6. Plan For Maine Insects/Bugs

Ticks and mosquitos can be a real problem when hunting turkeys in Maine. Ticks are at full-force in May. For this reason, I prefer to use a ground blind.

I also use Rynoskin to deal with ticks and mosquitos. It is a chemical-free baselayer that keeps ticks from getting to your skin and helps reduce the number of bites from mosquitos.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you can check out my review. There is a certain way to use it to its full potential which I go over in that post.

Tip #7. Scouting for Turkeys in Maine

I can’t express how important scouting is for turkey hunting success in Maine, and frankly, it’s not that hard to do since turkey gobbles are easily heard and turkeys are quite visible. Especially in fields just before hunting season, before hunting pressure starts.

Scouting for turkeys is often an overlooked aspect of turkey hunting, you will be ahead of the game if you do.

Pre-Season Turkey Scouting in Maine

Pre-season scouting helps tremendously for early success. You’ll want to put a tag on a turkey as soon as possible because as the season progresses turkeys become warier and will be harder to see, call, hear, and find.

Scouting Maine Turkey Roosting Areas

To find roosts, it is best to drive around areas where turkeys are known to hang out and listen 30-min before daylight while they gobble before getting out of the trees.

This can also be done in the evening right at sunset but in my experience, it is not as effective because turkeys don’t gobble for as long so it can be hard to check multiple places in the same scouting session.

Another tip is to drive around early morning and about an hour/hour-half before sunset and find the turkeys that are making their way back to their roosts.

If you see turkeys in fields at these times you can be their roosts will not be far away. Mark these locations on your GPS and come back to find where exactly they are roosting.

Tip #8. Hunt Multiple Locations for Turkeys

My favorite tactic is to find a handful of roosts before the season starts so that you can hunt multiple areas during the first week of turkey hunting. Having multiple areas in your back pocket is very helpful.

Many times you’ll find out that one spot you were planning to hunt gets too much hunting pressure. These areas can be frustrating to hunt and makes hunting harder. By having different places to hunt you can stay in better hunting situations.

Tip #9. Hunt Turkeys Near Roosts

After you’ve located a few roosting areas, watch where these birds naturally want to travel in the mornings when they get down out of the roost. When you hunt, position yourself between the roosting turkeys and where they naturally want to go to intercept them.

Take advantage of their natural patterns. Turkeys will often use the same travel corridors when getting down out of their trees because they will likely be heading to the same morning food source each day.

Just make sure you don’t get too close to their roost because they may fly out of range when getting out of the trees in the morning. I like to be about 75 yards from the roost in the direction of travel.

Tip #10. Hunt Turkeys All Day In Maine

In Maine, you can hunt turkeys all day long. This wasn’t always the case though, quitting time was at noon which is common in other states. Now that you can hunt turkeys all day, this makes Maine fairly unique and a great place to turkey hunt.

Hunting all day is an excellent way to put the odds in your favor. You might think there are no turkeys are around or that they have moved on after the morning excitement, but if you’re in an area where turkeys frequent chances are you will see some action. 

Keep your eyes peeled, they can come into the decoys silent. Oftentimes though, once a gobbler gets within a 30-yard ‘bubble’ they can’t help themselves and will gobble, often startling the **** out of you. These situations really get the heart pumping as they are least expected but if you stick it out will happen more often than you think.

Tip #11. Bring Comfortable Gear

I started seeing more success turkey hunting success when I bought a camo pop-up blind and comfortable lawn chair. This enabled me to move around a lot and not be seen because the blind was enclosed. It also gave me the comfort of staying in the bling for hours longer than just sitting against a tree with a cushion.

It also helps keep you warmer and dryer on windy or rainy days, not to mention keep the ticks and mosquitos away which is worth every penny in my opinion. Bring a good book, or binge-listen to podcasts or audiobooks, whatever it takes to stay longer. If you’re patient in an area where turkeys frequent, you will eventually have success.

Blinds Are Effective Pieces Of Turkey Hunting Gear
Blinds Are Effective Pieces Of Turkey Hunting Gear

The pop-up blind I use is the Ameristep Care Taker Ground Blind which offers enough room for two hunters. It has adjustable shooting windows with removable mesh screening. It’s very easy to put up and to take down. It’s completely blacked out on the inside, so hunters stay out of sight. My favorite aspect of this blind is how easy it is to travel with because it comes in a carrying case similar to that of a lawn chair. Also, it’s very easy to set up because it pops up in sections similar to an umbrella. I’ve linked to it above if you’re interested.

All turkey hunters will appreciate a fully adjustable and swiveling blind chair. The legs of this chair adjust which allows for a perfectly leveled sit. This is key for maximum comfort. Additionally, the chair swivels 360º so that you can shoot out of any window of a blind easily at the approaching turkeys. A comfortable chair is key for success because when you’re comfortable you can last longer in the blind.

Tip #12. Be Patient

Patience is key to turkey hunting success. Morning in the turkey woods is often exciting, the turkeys are often gobbling and the anticipation of success is high. But if the gobblers don’t do what you were hoping then hope can die quickly.

But don’t give up, be patient. Birds are usually still nearby you just have to wait for them to make their rounds. A good time to be hunting is when they’re done with their breakfast and are looking to get a little frisky. The toms will be out looking for hens.

Don’t Lose Hope If They’re Not Gobbling

Morning in the Maine turkey woods is often exciting, but sometimes they just won’t gobble. Or they will stop gobbling altogether once they leave their roost. These birds may be over-hunted and are weary, or the weather may not be right for them to be gobbling.

You may think there isn’t a turkey for miles, but don’t lose hope. Just because you don’t hear them gobbling doesn’t mean they haven’t seen your decoys and are coming in. Give them time and your patience may be rewarded.

Tip #13. Turkey Hunting Weather in Maine

The Maine turkey hunting season starts around May 1st, and ends in the first week of June. In Maine, May mornings are cold especially early in the season. The afternoons get quite warm though, so you’ll want to have the right clothes and be prepared to shed layers.

Sunny Days are Best

Sunny days are the best days to be turkey hunting. Especially, if the few days prior were not good. This will often have birds out running around and gobbling their heads off.

Turkey Hunting in the Rain

Turkeys are on the move in the rain and you can have great luck on rainy days. However, you will likely not hear any gobbling and you should not call much yourself. Your best bet is to set a decoy out in a highly visible spot and just wait. Also, there is nothing more beautiful than a dry turkey, but a wet turkey is uglyr’n hell.

Turkey Hunting in the Wind

Turkeys are on the move on windy days too. Again, you will hear less gobbling and you should not call much yourself. Your best bet is to set a decoy out in a highly visible spot and just wait. your decoys will look more realistic with the wind adding some life to them.

Tip #14. Don’t Call Too Much

Beginners often call way too much because they love getting gobblers to call back to them, who doesn’t! I highly suggest resisting this urge, there is a fine line here, don’t overdo it.

When you call too much, it will start to seem unnatural and the gobbler may lose interest. Pay attention to how often and how loud real hen turkeys call and try to mimic that. You’ll notice they’re often not all that loud and that they don’t call very much.

Tip #15. Play Hard To Get

Once I have a gobbler fired up and talking back to me after every call I make. He will often stay out of range because he is trying to get the hen (my decoy) to come to him. To counter this, I will stop calling as often and pretend to lose interest.

Turkey Hunting Tips For Beginners - Play Hard to Get This Maine gobbler kept gobbling but would stay out of range. I had to play hard to get in order to get him in the decoys.

I do this by making the gobbler call 2-3 times before I respond with some light yelps. Often, toms will get frustrated that you’re losing interest and will often make their way to your decoys. Playing hard to get pays off big-time. This process can take hours so don’t overdo the calling.

Tip #16. Let The Gobbler Go

There are a couple of tips you can implement if you find yourself struggling to pull a gobbler in that sounds fired up and interested. First, you should implement “Don’t Overcall” then “Play Hard To Get”. The next step is to just let them go. If a gobbler just won’t come in don’t try to force it by calling more. This will just make things worse and he will figure out that your decoys aren’t the real deal.

Very often, especially for mature birds, just let them go. Toms get mad when they can’t convince you to come to them. They will keep you in the back of their minds while they go about their business. Often, after they’ve had some breakfast they will come back to see if you’re still around. They often come in silent, but they will be more apt to come right in because they are impatient and tired of waiting. Be ready!

Tip #17. Blind Call Sparingly

Blind calling is when you call even when you don’t think there are any turkeys around. This can be an effective tactic because it can bring birds in that are in earshot. If you’ve been calling at a fairly normal volume, it is not a bad idea to throw in an unnaturally loud call to see if you get a shock gobble once in a rare while.

However, I’ve had the best luck calling at a natural volume even if I feel like turkeys are not around. I will give a short calling sequence every 20 minutes just in case something has moved into earshot. You’d be surprised how many turkeys are actually around, but just aren’t calling back.

Tip #18. Turkey Decoy Placement

Different decoy combinations are used in different situations to get the gobblers to do what you want. Turkeys are territorial and lustful, you can use decoys to play on these weaknesses. Try to visualize and anticipate how and in what direction gobblers will approach decoys. 

Toms will often hang back from hen decoys 15-20 yards as they get a read on the situation. But they will have no problem approaching another tom or jake decoy. I often place my hens off to the side of my blind and the male decoys close to where I want to shoot but only about 10 yards away. This makes the gobblers cross in front of me so I often create shots 20 yards and under.

Tip #19. Maine Turkey Decoy Setups

1 Hen

Unless you plan to be highly mobile (running and gunning), you’ll almost always want at least one decoy with you. Even then, I will often still bring one decoy. This should always be a hen decoy because when you call you’re mimicking a hen. So to not have a hen decoy in your decoy setups will look unrealistic to turkeys. Also, gobblers are looking for hens at this time of year, so there is almost no reason for not having a hen decoy.

I like this setup when hunting pressure is high, I feel like a single decoy seems more legit to real turkeys because other hunters are often using more than one decoy.

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1 Tom + 1 Hen

A hen is used as an attractor for toms and jakes. They can be used alone or with other male decoys. When placed with male decoys, a jealously and territorial trigger button will be pushed within male birds making them want to come into the decoys.

A tom turkey in strut when placed next to a hen decoy is used to get another dominant tom fired up and aggressive so that he will want to attack the decoy, thus bringing the bird into shooting range. Jakes will often be scared of a tom decoy so keep that in mind. Less aggressive toms may also shy away. For this reason, I rarely use this setup.

1 Jake + 1 Hen

A jake turkey decoy that is semi-puffed up or even better – in full-strut – with hen decoys will make a tom want to put the jake in its place by letting him know who’s boss. This will make the tom angry want to come in and take the jake out of the picture so he can have the hen (your decoy) to himself. Additionally, other jakes will feel comfortable coming to join. This jake decoy can bring in any age male turkey. I use this setup a lot.

Turkey Hunting Tips for Beginners - A jake turkey with a hen decoy will make toms angry
A semi-puffed jake decoy with a hen decoy will make toms angry and is a decoy layout I use when turkey hunting in Maine.

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2 Hens

Two hen decoys are good for larger groups of gobblers because a bigger group of male turkeys will feel more comfortable coming to a party of two. Two hen decoys are very non-threatening so you can attract any male turkey. However, although not threatening, a single male turkey may be intimidated and feel outnumbered, especially jake.

Tip #20. Practice Your Turkey Calling

Calling is an important part of turkey hunting. Especially when it is more effective at the beginning of the hunting season when turkeys are not as badly pressured by hunters. I suggest listening to real hens calling on YouTube, taking mental notes, and practicing your turkey calling my mimic these turkeys. I like slate calls myself. Just remember that knowing when not to call is just, if not more important, than knowing how to call well.

Tip #21. Be Mobile

Although there is a lot to be said for being patient. Sometimes you’ve just gotta take the game to the turkeys. A good strategy is by walking around and calling periodically until you hear a gobble, then try to get close to the gobbler and set up a single decoy and try to call him in.

A gobbler will often want you to go to him which is a tricky situation, sometimes it pays off by walking in the opposite direction and calling or calling quieter. This will make you sound further away and will make the tom angry and will start coming to you.

Final Thoughts On Maine Turkey Hunting Tips

These are the best Maine turkey hunting tips that I’ve learned through years of trial and error. I hope you’ve found some value in these tips. I have no doubt you’ll increase your Maine turkey hunting success significantly by following these tips.

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14 Popular Binoculars Field-Tested To Find The Best For The Money

Jason Tome
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14 Popular Binoculars Field-Tested To Find The Best For The Money

I bought 14 popular binoculars for hunting at different prices to determine the best binoculars for the money and conducted field tests to judge and compare each binocular. In this article, I cover everything from entry-level to high-end hunting binoculars and everything in between, sorted by price.

How Hunting Binoculars Were Chosen For This Review

I bought 14 highly recommended binoculars from multiple sources across the web, at different price points, to test and review the best value binoculars for hunting.

After researching hundreds of binoculars using multiple online sources and cross-referencing them, I decided to buy hunting binoculars where these multiple sources overlapped in recommendations.

To keep these binoculars on a level playing field, I purchased 8×42 binoculars in most cases. But this review does cover some other sizes such as 9×45, 10×42, and 10X50 for further comparisons.

How These Hunting Binoculars Were Scored

I tested these binoculars over 3 weeks, using them in common hunting scenarios to see how they compared. 

They were scored using 10 categories that are essential for hunting applications:

  1. Build Quality
  2. Bulk & Weight
  3. Usability
  4. Field of View
  5. Brightness
  6. Low-Light Performance
  7. Clarity/Color
  8. Chromatic Aberration
  9. Price
  10. Warranty

This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Of course, you are not obligated to use my links, but it does help fund these posts in hopes of bringing more value to you!

This Hunting Binocular Review’s Credibility

No Affiliation

I’m not affiliated with any of these binocular companies. I bought all of these binoculars with my own money, except for the Vortex Vipers which I borrowed from a friend.

Testing a bunch of binoculars to determine the best value binoculars for hunting for the money
Some of the hunting binoculars tested in this review to determine the best value binoculars for hunting for the money

My Credentials

As a wildlife biologist, Maine hunting guide, and avid outdoorsman I spend a lot of time in the outdoors and with outdoor gear that will make my life easier. For these reasons, I choose my hunting gear very carefully. I’m very picky about choosing my gear because I want it to do the job at hand as efficiently as possible without becoming a burden. Choosing the right binoculars is no different.

I’ve owned a few binoculars and had opportunities to try different types of binoculars through friends, family, and other outdoor professionals over the years. I also do photography and videography using interchangeable lens cameras. The concepts of how these lenses work with cameras are basically the same as how binoculars work with the human eye.

This, combined with extensive research on the ins and outs of how binoculars work, and how to choose binoculars to get peak performance for specific hunting styles is something I believe I’m very qualified to do.

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Field-Tested Hunting Binoculars Under 350$

1. Vortex Diamondback (Old Version)

These are the binoculars that I’ve been using for the past 5-6 years now. For the price (on sale for 150$) these binoculars worked great and were some of the better binoculars on the market at the time for this price. However, after using other binoculars I found that my Diamondbacks were not nearly as clear as the newer binoculars that were around the same price.

The reason I included these older model binoculars in this review is to point out how much technology has changed in the last few years. Manufacturing has been able to produce much higher-quality glass, allowing for better binoculars to be a more reasonable price.

The difference between these Diamondbacks and the other binoculars in this review is night and day. If you have older binoculars, I would highly suggest an upgrade.

Edge-to-edge clarity just isn’t there either. It feels like you have tunnel vision when looking through these binos, but at least the center is in focus. Below are my field notes for each category:

Build Quality Durable binoculars, they have lasted over 5 years with no issues.
Bulk & Weight Fairly heavy and bulky binoculars for a 10X50.
Usability Focus knob is hard to move, one solid click-in eyecup setting.
Field of View 315ft/1000 yards – not bad for 10X, but has tunnel vision (edge-to-edge clarity lacking)
Brightness Not very bright compared to the other binoculars in this review 
Low-Light Expected more out of 50mm, orange-yellow tinted in lower light, things become ‘fuzzy”.
Clarity/Color Edge-to-edge clarity is poor.
Chromatic Aberration Aberration is noticeable and present but not terrible.
Price Inexpensive, not made anymore
Warranty One of the best there is for warranties – Lifetime Warranty

 

Vortex Diamondback Old Version

Older Version Vortex Diamondback 10x50 Hunting Binocular Review Chart | Chart showing the best binoculars for hunting for the money results

2. Vortex Diamondback HD

You might be wondering if there is a big difference between the older model Diamondbacks and the newer Diamondback HD’s. I had the same question, so I bought the HD’s to compare how glass quality has increased over the past few years.

There was a huge difference. The Diamondback HD’s were better in every way and were much more competitive and comparable to the other binoculars in this review. Below are the field notes I took during my review:

Build Quality Durable, feels very well made
Bulk & Weight Average for 10×50, slightly front-heavy
Usability Eyecups work well, focus knob works well with one finger
Field of View 315 FOV, average for 10x
Brightness Brightness is about average compared to other binos
Low-Light Not bad for 10×50, about average
Clarity/Color Pretty good, also about average
Chromatic Aberration Some, but not bad for the price
Price One of the most affordable tested
Warranty One of the best there is for warranties – Lifetime Warranty

 

Vortex Diamondback HD

Vortex Diamondback HD Binoculars Hunting Binocular Review Chart 2 | Chart showing the best binoculars for hunting for the money results

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3. Celestron Nature DX ED

The Celestron Nature DX ED 8×42 was the most affordable binocular in this test. For its price, it does well. It does a good job in situations where there is plenty of light. But once the sun starts to set you start to notice where this binocular is lacking. That being said, it does not do a horrible job, it just is obvious when comparing these binoculars to the other binoculars that it does a below-average job in brightness, low light, and clarity.

A big reason to get good hunting binoculars is to be able to see when animals are most active, during low light. But if the type of hunting you do doesn’t require you to see low-light situations, then these binoculars are not bad for their price. But if you spend 50$ more you can get a substantially better pair. Below are the field notes I took while reviewing these binoculars:

Build Quality Eyecups are finicky, they don’t stay in place well.
Bulk & Weight Average compared to other binoculars
Usability Does a good job focusing on objects quickly
Field of View Excellent, 393 FOV, very wide
Brightness Orange-yellow tint, especially in low-light
Low-Light Slightly below average when compared to other binoculars
Clarity/Color Slightly below average when compared to other binoculars
Chromatic Aberration Slightly below average when compared to other binoculars
Price One of the most affordable tested
Warranty 2-year or Limited-Lifetime

Celestron Nature DX ED

Celestron Nature DX ED 8x42 Hunting Binocular Review Chart

4. Athlon Midas ED

Build Quality Average, feels sturdy in hand.
Bulk & Weight Slightly better than average, lower-profile
Usability 1 finger focus knob adjustment, everything works well
Field of View 426 FOV, tied with best there is in this review
Brightness Excellent, bright white, amazing for the price
Low-Light Excellent better thana and comparable to more expensive
Clarity/Color Edge to edge is very well done for wide FOV
Chromatic Aberration Slightly better than average, not very noticeable
Price Inexpensive, one of the more affordable options, especially for what you get
Warranty Athlon offers a very good lifetime warranty.

Athlon Midas ED Binocular

Athlon Midas ED 8x42 Hunting Binocular Review Chart

5. Athlon Midas G2 UHD

Build Quality average
Bulk & Weight slightly better than average
Usability average
Field of View 426, tied with best
Brightness excellent, bright white
Low-Light great, comparable to more expensive
Clarity/Color edge to edge is very well done for how wide
Chromatic Aberration very little
Price inexpensive
Warranty lifetime

Athlon Midas G2 UHD Binoculars - Best Hunting Binoculars For the Money

Athlon Midas G2 UHD Hunting Binocular Review Chart

6. Nikon Monarch 5

This review examined the 10×42 model of these binoculars. Overall I was impressed with these binoculars as they were 10×42’s competing with mostly 8×42’s in this review. 

I was impressed with the brightness and low-light capabilities of these binoculars, especially for being 10×42’s, which normally don’t do as well in this category compared to 8×42’s. But these were able to keep up with and do better than some of the more expensive 8×42 binoculars.

The Monarch 5’s didn’t slouch in any department except slightly in build quality. The build quality, in my opinion, was not great because of the rubber that gets marked up very easily. Although the rubber coating of the binoculars is great for grip and deadens noise when bumped, the rubber is ‘pencil eraser-like’. My first impressions indicated that residue would likely remain on this rubber coating. This doesn’t affect performance but I’d like to keep my hunting binoculars clean and looking as nice as possible for years to come.

These binoculars were also very lightweight. This may be fine in an 8×42 pair, but for these 10×42’s I wouldn’t mind having a little bit more weight to stabilize my viewing experience. It can be difficult when looking for small details, and small details are often the most important for hunters. For example, being able to see antler tines, turkey beards, or identifying waterfowl at a distance.

I think I would have enjoyed the Nikon’s higher if I had tested an 8×42 pair. This is because it would have ranked better in field of view (330 ft instead of 288 ft at 1000 yards), they wouldn’t have appeared to be as shaky, and low-light may have been even better than it already is. Below are my field notes from reviewing these binoculars:

Build Quality rubber grip leaves marks easily
Bulk & Weight very light
Usability too light, shaky ( 10×42)
Field of View 288 ft 10×42
Brightness Better than expected for 10×42
Low-Light Better than expected for 10×42
Clarity/Color very clear binoculars for the price
Chromatic Aberration some chromatic aberrations present
Price affordable
Warranty Limited Lifetime

Nikon Monarch 5

Nikon Monarch 5 10x42 Hunting Binocular Review Chart

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7. Celestron Trailseeker ED

The Celestron Trailseeker ED 8×42’s were basically the same as the Celestron Nature DX ED 8×42 (above). They have a slight advantage because the eyecups are definitely better. There was no improvement in low-light performance with the increased price of the binoculars over the Nature DX.

These binoculars also do a good job in situations where there is plenty of light. But once the sun starts to set you’ll notice where this binocular is lacking. That being said, it does not do a horrible job, it just is obvious when comparing these binoculars to the other binoculars that it does a below-average job in brightness, low light, and clarity.

A big reason to get good hunting binoculars is to be able to see when animals are most active, during low-light. But if the type of hunting you do doesn’t require you to see low-light situations, then these binoculars are not bad for their price.

What I found during this review is that you can get binoculars that perform much better in low-light for less money. Below are my field notes I took while testing:

Celestron Trailseeker ED

Celestron Trailseeker ED 8x42 Hunting Binocular Review Chart

8. Celestron Trailseeker ED

Maven C1 ED

Maven C1 ED 8x42 Hunting Binocular Review Chart

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Field-Tested Hunting Binoculars Under 500$

9. Zeiss Terra ED

The Zeiss Terra EDs are all-around solid binoculars. They ranked slightly above average in most categories. The eyecups were a little sticky but not so bad it would prohibit me from buying. I liked that the focus knob was more easily moved with one finger than most other binoculars. They are very bright, and crisp, and do well in low-light. I was not a fan of the lens caps, they are different than other binoculars and got in the way often.

Overall these binoculars were very good, but I was just as impressed, if not more impressed, with some of the lower-priced binoculars such as the Midas’s and Maven C1. I would be more inclined to buy this binocular over the Maven C1 because of Maven’s metal adjustment knob. The Mavens did appear to have better optics though. So, if the metal knob is not an issue for you then the Mavens would be a better choice. Below are my field review notes:

Build Quality Slightly better than average
Bulk & Weight Average
Usability Slightly better than average
Field of View 375 ft @ 1000 yards, pretty good
Brightness Slightly better than average
Low-Light Slightly better than average, 88% light trans
Clarity/Color Slightly better than average
Chromatic Aberration Slightly better than average
Price Fair mid-range price
Warranty Pretty good, not the best

Zeiss Terra ED

Zeiss Terra ED 8x42 Hunting Binocular Review Chart

10. Vanguard Endeavor ED IV

I did not have a good experience with the Vanguard Endeavor ED IVs. I may have received a faulty pair, I’m not sure but they did not perform well. The eyecups and focus knob were terribly sticky, especially when cold. If the weight of your finger was not placed on the center of the focus knob, it would be even harder to twist. For this reason, I primarily had to use fingers from both hands to be able to move the dial to focus. This is annoying, especially in hunting situations when you often need to get focused quickly.

It was difficult to get a clear picture, even after using the diopter to adjust both eyes. The brightness and low-light capabilities left some to be desired. It had an orange tint to the glass in low lighting, similar to that of the cheapest binoculars in this review.

For the price, I believe there are many better binocular options to choose from for hunting applications. Below are my field review notes:

Build Quality Below average, sticky dial and eyecup
Bulk & Weight Average
Usability Everything was sticky, knob didn’t work well with 1 finger
Field of View 377 ft @ 1000 yards, pretty good
Brightness Average
Low-Light Average
Clarity/Color Below average
Chromatic Aberration Average
Price Expensive for what you get
Warranty Average

Vanguard Endeavor ED IV

Vanguard Endeavor ED IV 8x42 Hunting Binocular Review Chart

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11. Vortex Viper HD

The Vortex Vipers were one of my favorite binoculars in the review. These were my favorite binoculars in the mid-tier price range (350-500$). They were above average in most areas but were not as bright nor did they have the same and low-light capabilities that the Zeiss Terra ED, Maven C1, and Midas binoculars had. That being said, the Vipers were still competitive in these areas.

These are great binoculars but are beginning to be on the more expensive side. For the price, these aren’t a bad purchase, but I found that some of the cheaper binoculars did equal to, if not better, when compared to the Vipers. My field review notes are below:

Build Quality Feels like its built solid
Bulk & Weight Small but heavy
Usability They work great, no complaints
Field of View 409 ft @ 1000 yards, excellent
Brightness Average
Low-Light Average
Clarity/Color Slightly better than average
Chromatic Aberration Slightly better than average
Price Fairly expensive
Warranty Excellent, can’t beat it

Vortex Viper HD

Vortex Viper HD 8x42 Hunting Binocular Review Chart

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Field-Tested Hunting Binoculars Over 1000$

12. Maven B2 ED

The Maven B2s binoculars were awesome, I really liked them. They were clearly better than all of the other binoculars tested so far in terms of glass quality.

However, these Mavens were also big and long which added a lot of bulk. They were 9×45’s so I did expect some increase in size but I did not expect them to be as big as they were. If you plan to hunt mobile, these binoculars should be carefully considered. For this reason, they did not score well in the bulk/weight category.

Like the Maven C1s, they had a metal focus knob that made a lot of noise. This is very unfortunate because hunters have more important things to focus on than making sure their binoculars don’t make noise. For this reason, they did not score well in the usability portion of this review.

Despite not ranking well in these categories, the B2s still scored well for how clear their glass was. Below are my field notes from testing:

Build Quality Top of the line
Bulk & Weight Quite big, but they are 9×45
Usability Loud metal knob
Field of View 377 ft @ 1000 yards, for 9x, quite good
Brightness Very bright
Low-Light Great light transmission, 94%, it was noticeable
Clarity/Color Very clear
Chromatic Aberration Very minimal
Price Expensive
Warranty Maven offers top-of-the-line warranties.

Maven B2 ED

Maven B2 ED 9x45 Hunting Binocular Review Chart

13. Vortex Razor UHD

The Vortex Razor UHD binoculars were fantastic, I liked them a lot. They were better than all of the other binoculars in terms of glass quality, even slightly better than the Maven B2s.

However, like the Mavens, these binoculars were also big, well, I should say long but sleek, which added bulk. These binoculars were only 8×42’s and they were about the same size as the 9×45 Maven B2s. I did not expect them to be as big as they were. If you plan to hunt mobile, these binoculars should also be carefully considered. For this reason, they did not score well in the bulk/weight category.

These binoculars score very well in every other category except price, as they are very expensive. Below are my notes from field testing:

Build Quality Excellent, perhaps my favorite
Bulk & Weight Huge for 8×42 when hunting
Usability As good as it gets?
Field of View 420 ft @ 1000 yards, 2nd best, excellent
Brightness Very bright, it’s noticeable, especially in low-light
Low-Light Excellent low-light binoculars
Clarity/Color Very clear
Chromatic Aberration Very minimal
Price Expensive
Warranty Vortex has one of the best warranties for binoculars

Vortex Razor UHD

Vortex Razor UHD Hunting Binocular Review Chart

14. Swarovski EL

Every credible article that I researched when determining which binoculars to buy for this review pointed to these binoculars as being the best of the best. I knew I had to buy these binoculars so that I would have something to hold all other binoculars to during the review.

These binoculars did not disappoint, everything that is mentioned about them in other reviews about them being exceptional binoculars I also found to be true. They were, without a doubt, the best binoculars I tested. They scored just about perfect in every category, except for price because they are by far the most expensive binoculars.

The diopter was the easiest to set, it was a very easy experience to perfectly dial each eye. The focus was unmatched by the way it was able to push in and out of the thick cover, and it was amazing clarity and low-light.

They were a little heavy and bulky when compared to most of the other 8×42 binoculars, but it made them feel very well made and durable as well as cutting down on hand jitters. They were much less cumbersome than the Maven B2s and Vortex Razor UHDs.

I particularly enjoyed how I did not need to be perfectly on-axis when looking into the binoculars. I could move my eyes side-to-side without the annoying ‘blackout’ effect you see from the lower-quality binoculars. This meant eye strain was at a minimum when using the Swarovski EL’s. Below are the field notes I took while conducting my review:

Build Quality Very well made
Bulk & Weight For 8.5×42, slightly big and heavy
Usability Excellent
Field of View 399 ft @ 1000 yards, excellent for 8.5x
Brightness Very bright
Low-Light Superior low-light capabilities
Clarity/Color A very clear and crisp glass
Chromatic Aberration Minimal to none
Price The most expensive binoculars tested
Warranty Average

Swarovski EL

Swarovski EL Hunting Binocular Review Chart

The Final Results

It was clear after conducting this review that both the Athlon Midas G2 UHD and the Athlon Midas EDs are the best value binoculars for the money. You can’t go wrong with either one for the price. When compared to the Swarovski’s, there was a difference, but for hunting applications, there wasn’t a 10x difference in price. For the price difference, the Midas’s had, in my opinion, 80% of what the 1000$+ binoculars had to offer.

Best High-End Hunting Binoculars For Hunting

The Swarovski’s and Vortex Razor UHD’s both tied for first place. These two were built differently, so you’ll need to consider your personal style of hunting when choosing them.

For me, the Swarovski EL’s were the best high-end binoculars for mobile hunters because they were the smallest of the tested binoculars in the 1000$+ category while also have slightly more zoom and maintaining a very wide field of view.

The Vortex Razor UHDs are built differently than the Swarovski’s but were also very nice binoculars. If you don’t mind a little more bulk for the type of hunting you do, these binoculars are just about every bit as nice.

Are Expensive Hunting Binoculars Worth The Money?

There is a point of diminishing return when buying hunting binoculars. You can obtain 80% of the quality by spending 10x less money.

For example, the Athlon Midas binoculars cost +/- 250$, whereas the Swarovski EL’s cost +/- 2500$. So for 10x less money, you can still have at least 80% of what those expensive binoculars offer.

For me, if 250$ binoculars are even 70% comparable to 2500$ binoculars, that’s good enough for me.

I put my hunting binoculars to the test in all types of weather and through rough habitat and I don’t need to be worried about losing, dropping, scratching, or forgetting expensive binoculars.

For the reasons mentioned in this article, I believe the Midas binoculars are the best value binoculars for hunting because they offer, in my opinion, 80% of the value when compared to the most expensive binoculars that cost 5x-10x more money.

I hope you’ve found this review of the best hunting binoculars helpful, if you have, feel free to share it using the social media buttons below.

If you have questions or comments feel free to leave them in the comments section below or message me on Facebook or Instagram.

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Welcome to Jason Tome Outdoors. I am a Professional Ecologist, Registered Maine Hunting Guide who writes and films helpful and authentic outdoor lifestyle content for those interested in the outdoors.

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