Hunting and Fishing News & Blog Articles

Often disregarded, always underrated, proper sinker choice can greatly increase your catch rate on virtually every species of fish. (Phil Duff Outdoors/Alamy/)

That sinker on your fishing line is much more important than you realize. The type sinker you choose, its weight, shape, and manner in which it's rigged and used can make or break a day of fishing.

In the most basic sense, a sinker is simply a chunk of metal used to take baits and lures to depths where fish are found. In most cases, weights are made of lead. But in recent years some states have made use of small lead weights unlawful because of the potential for lead poisoning in wildlife that may ingest sinkers.

Anglers must check state fishing regulations on lead weight use. Note that California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and New York require lead-free weight substitutes, chiefly for small weights under one ounce, or lead weights that may be small enough to be eaten by fish or game.

Federal lands and waters also may require lead substitutes for fishing. Such alternative lead weights (made of steel, tin, tungsten, and alloys) are more expensive than lead. But they've come down in price in recent years and are not cost-prohibitive. They manufactured by many companies, including Eagle Claw and sold by large retailers such as Cabela's and Bass Pro Shops.

While lead weight substitutes such as spark plugs, lug nuts, and pieces of bricks have been used successfully to take baits deep to fish, there's no question that sinkers designed specifically for situational angling are best for that purpose. For practical fishing purposes, treat all lead and non-lead sinkers the same, since physical shape, design, and weight of a sinker are the key issues in their proper use.

Camp tables can help you stay organized outdoors. (ALPS Mountaineering/)

Most people go afield to get away from the trappings of civilized life, not to drag them with us. So, taking a table into the woods seems about as antithetical to the experience as packing in a four-poster bed. But let’s face it, preparing a meal in the outdoors is easier with a stable platform. There’s no balancing act on a log or rock, and after you’ve spent time whipping up your favorite bankside or campground repast, it’s just more refined to enjoy it off of a proper table. Here are a few options to elevate your outdoor dining without weighing down the chuck wagon.

One-Piece

A folding table is easy to set up and pack up. (Redcamp/)

If you are looking for an easy way to set up a platform for cooking, serving, food prep, or even a little mobile workstation, a traditional one-piece folding table offers excellent convenience and stability. This style of table folds up on itself like a slim little suitcase and is as portable as any piece of camp gear. There are no separate parts to keep track of or maintain; just unfold it and get cooking!

Some Assembly Required

Multi-piece tables require some assembly but generally create a larger working space. (ALPS Mountaineering/)

Multi-piece tables make carrying a large surface area more feasible than one-piece designs. The framework and tabletop break down into separate sections that can be further collapsed in on themselves to conserve space. It is one more piece to keep track of, but the ratio of working area to storage size is much higher than it is with one-piece folding tables.

Any good adventure involves a certain amount of risk. Here's how to make sure you don't add to the risk by making unnecessary mistakes. (John Hafner/)

We all make mistakes. It’s only human. But what happens when our mistakes are combined with treacherous conditions in the outdoors? What happens when our blunders combine into a series of unfortunate events? Here we’ll look at the conditions and thought processes that get people into trouble, and the simple mistakes that could turn a small mishap into a life threatening situation.

1. Going Alone

Maybe no one was free on the afternoon you wanted to hike or scout that new hunting location. Maybe you just wanted some peace and quiet. There are numerous reasons that people go into the wilderness alone, but are these reasons worth your life? Each time you head out into the backcountry alone, you expose yourself to additional risk. Without a buddy, there’s no one to go for help if you become immobilized. Without a partner, predators will take more interest in you. Without a friend, you may not get a tourniquet on fast enough. Before you head out alone, take a moment to reconsider.

Prevention: Humans have instinctively relied upon strength in numbers for all of recorded history. Our ability to work as a team and problem solve as a group are some of our greatest assets. And even though it's not always convenient to wrangle up some companionship in the wild, it's still worth doing – every time.

2. Getting Lost

Try to set up a ground blind on level ground where you have good 360-degree visibility. (Barronett Blinds/)

Not long ago, hunting from a ground blind meant cobbling together whatever brush and boughs you found handy, then hunkering down behind it all to wait for the game to move. Blinds have come a long way since then, enhancing concealment while also increasing space and comfort. They typically accommodate more than one hunter and are a great way to share a hunt with others or conceal fidgety kids who are getting their first taste of the deer woods. Here’s a look at a few different bind features to help you zero in on which might work best for you.

Pop-Up Blinds

Pop-up blinds are easy to transport and set up. (Ameristep/)

Pop-up blinds work essentially like an umbrella, with a fabric canopy or shell fitted over an articulated frame. They are reasonably lightweight and portable, and can be placed anywhere you find level ground. They are the most common type of blind on the market, and for good reason. Deadly on everything from turkeys to deer, antelope, and elk, a pop-up blind can sometimes get you in the game when no other method will. Beyond that, they offer varying fields of view from 180 to 360 degrees, with different camouflage styles and window arrangements. Primos' new Double Bull Surround View blind features a one-way mesh billed as the ultimate in concealment with an unprecedented field of view.

Solid Blinds

A solid blind can keep nasty weather out while you sit and wait for game. (Terrain/)

In seriously cold or wet environments, a solid-wall ground blind can save the day. They are not nearly as portable as a pop-up blind but can you can move one from location to location with a bit of help. They're more stable than a pop-up under high winds, water-tight, and roomy enough for more than one hunter. A solid blind can even accommodate a small portable heater on bitter mornings.

An electric grill can prepare food as well or better than a charcoal or propane grill but are easier to clean after you eat. (George Foreman/)

Ever since George Foreman introduced the world to his “Lean, Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine” in the mid-1990s, electric grills have only become more popular. They cook with less smoke, produce fewer calories from fat, and are a favorite among home cooks who need a quick way to whip up tasty meals with the look and taste of more time-consuming methods. Here are a few things to consider when shopping for your next electric grill.

Tabletop Models

The Foreman grill popularized electric grilling in the 1990s. (George Foreman/)

The original George Foreman grill had just enough room to handle a few burgers or paninis, a sloped surface to drain fat, and a hinged lid for even heating and to lock in flavor. That style is just as popular as ever, available both from the Foreman brand as well as other classic names in grilling, like Char-Broil and Weber.

Stand-up Grills

Free-standing electric grills are great for outside cooking without the mess of charcoal. (Amazon/)

Need more of a traditional outdoor cooking surface? Free-standing electric grills for the back deck or patio are a great way to entertain without worrying about the smoke and mess of charcoal or wood. Some even convert from stand use to tabletop to ensure you can still get your grill on even if you have to move operations.

A good way to become better at sharpening knives is to practice with blades you don’t plan to use. (Whetstone Cutlery/)

Sharpening a knife on a whetstone is as much art as science. It doesn’t happen by chance or luck, and while there are some definite mechanical principles involved, the real secret to success lies in practice and feel. Even with automatic sharpeners, good technique matters. Here are three basics to keep in mind every time you sit down at the sharpening bench.

Correct Angle

The key to sharpening any knife is maintaining the proper angle. (Lansky/)

Sharpening stones basically come in two types, individual slabs and systems. A traditional sharpening stone sits flat on the bench top, requiring you to maintain a consistent angle as you draw the blade along the slab. There are exceptions, but generally speaking a hunting knife is best sharpened with the blade held anywhere from about a 22- to a 30-degree angle off the stone. The wider the angle, the more difficult it is to achieve a razor edge, but the more durable the hone. Commercial sharpening systems hold the stone at a predefined, optimal angle to ensure you get the perfect edge every time.

Multiple Grits

A finely sharpened knife requires multiple passes down different grits of stone. (Whetstone Cutlery/)

Whether you use a stone or a system, it takes multiple passes across a variety of grits for a blade to reach shaving sharpness. A double-sided whetstone with two grits is a good start, although to really hone the edge you will need to progress from that to possibly even finer grits, then perhaps a ceramic rod and, eventually, a leather strop.

Previous frog tracks are a sure tip-off to future bass hits. (David Brown/)

You know it’s coming; but the heart-pounding anticipation of watching a topwater frog traverse its perilous course takes us to the roller coaster’s peak and positions us for the sharpest shot of pure adrenalin in all of fishing. Is this the cast? Is someone watching, waiting, preparing to unleash epic savagery?

Cue the “Jaws” music.

I’ve had 10 fish days, I’ve had one fish days. I’ve seen first-shot bites and times where each attack cost 20 casts. Across the board, there’s one common thread: frogging for bass never — never — gets old.

You can, however, kill your game through faulty judgement or errant action. Minding these points will keep you on track to the unequaled thrill ride we call frog fishing.

1. Punch Through Cover

Nothing in the kitchen beats a sharp, well-built knife. (emojoy/)

A well-composed butcher’s block makes life easier for any chef. Having a bevy of go-to blades always in their place not only helps expedite the cooking process, it makes the kitchen a little classier, too. Pretty much all kitchen blocks are going to come with a chef’s knife and one or two other blades, such as a paring knife or hollow edge slicing blade. Beyond that, like any tool set, some arrangements are more complete than others.

The Honing Steel

Knife sets often include two or three general use blades, and then a few task-specific knives. (J.A. Henckel/)

A honing steel is only as effective as the person using it. Often mischaracterized as a "sharpening steel," its purpose is simply to realign the blade edge with the center of the spine. After your knife has been sharpened on a stone or by other means, a few whacks on a honing steel at about 22 degrees will bring it back into cutting shape. If you don't like the notion of drawing the blade back toward you ala Iron Chef, hold the steel on end atop a folded towel on the counter, and with the other hand lightly place the blade at 90 degrees. Then halve that angle and halve it again to find the perfect honing angle in a safe position.

Kitchen Shears or Steak Knives

Try to find a knife set that includes kitchen shears. (Cuisinart/)

Not all knife sets come with kitchen shears. Sometimes, they are sold with either shears or a set of steak knives. Both have their appeal, but when it comes time to finish dressing a limit of quail at the sink, spatchcock a chicken, or open a stubborn package, you'll be wishing you had the shears. You can also find sets sold with both. For ultimate class in the kitchen, double down with a case of dedicated steak knives in their own valet!

A tackle bag or box will help you quickly find what your looking for so you can spend more time with your line in the water. (KastKing/)

Plastic storage trays are hands down the best way to organize tackle across multiple species and angling methods. But you also need some way to store the trays themselves. Here are three solutions that will keep your gear close at hand and well-organized to maximize the time you spend fishing and minimize the time wasted searching for the right rig.

Backpacks

Tackle backpacks are great because you can haul a lot of gear while keeping your hands free. (Amazon/)

A tackle-storage backpack is ideal for anglers on foot, in a kayak, or with limited space in a small boat, and riverbank and lakeshore anglers love the ability to fish while hiking with their gear. Backpack systems are great if you’re carrying multiple rods or a cooler and need to keep both hands free so you can hopefully make it to the water’s edge in one trip, like you would if you’re beach fishing.

Shoulder Bags

Tackle bags make it easy to store and organize a large amount of tackle (Amazon/)

Shoulder bags offer great stowage capacity for anglers who may want to keep their entire arsenal in the hold of a boat or the back of a vehicle. Just grab whatever the day calls for and go! Look for heavy duty, preferably self-healing zippers with oversized pulls and compartments compatible with the size of boxes you’re using. Gadget loops, tie downs, mesh pockets, and plush padding all make traditional shoulder bags a widely favored storage system.

David Bernhardt is the secretary of the Department of the Interior, which manages about 500 million acres of public land. (Department of Interior/)

There are two common narratives circling President Donald Trump and our country’s public lands. In the first narrative, President Trump’s Department of the Interior is at the bidding of the energy industry, and it’s out to drill, mine, and develop our public lands—and then sell whatever scraps are left to the highest bidder. In the second, President Trump and the DOI are dedicated to supporting sportsmen and women because we boost the economy and fund wildlife conservation. They’ll do whatever they can to increase our ranks, while also promoting responsible resource extraction on public lands.

In the middle of both narratives is David Bernhardt, who holds the top spot in Department of the Interior—the federal agency that manages about 500 million acres of public land. Bernhardt was appointed secretary of the DOI in April after serving as deputy to former Secretary Ryan Zinke. While his predecessor was a brash, retired Navy Seal commander who considered himself a "Teddy Roosevelt guy" (remember when Zinke rode a horse through D.C. on his first day of work?), Bernhardt is a lawyer and a former oil-industry lobbyist, who considers himself a careful administrator.

"I am an administrator of an agency that has a whole host of legal obligations that I need to execute faithfully," Bernhardt told Outdoor Life in a recent interview. "And on top of that, I have the priorities of the President. And that's because the President's priorities are the reflection at any one time of the will of the American people. That's why we have elections, right? Those are my two touchstones. The laws that I have committed to execute … and to the extent that we have policy discretion, to exercise that in line with the President's priorities."

So just what exactly are the President’s priorities around our public lands, and how will Bernhardt’s department execute them? Here’s a look at three public-land issues that are critical to sportsmen and women.

Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota, where hunting access has been expanded under Bernhardt. (USFWS/)

Energy Extraction vs. Wildlife Habitat

You can use chocks and pads separately or together to level and secure a trailer. (Tri-Lynx/)

The best slide-in camper or RV in the world is only as good as the ground on which it is parked. Even well-established campsites can be uneven or full of the rocks and roots that make setting up camp a hassle. That task only gets trickier the farther off the beaten path you venture. Here are three easy solutions for leveling the playing field to get the most from your home away from home.

Leveling Chocks

Chocks and pads make it easy to make even small leveling adjustments when you’re camping. (Andersen Hitches/)

Chocks and pads are the simplest accessory to ensure a good night's sleep in a RV or camp trailer. Simply place them in front of whichever wheel you need to raise, drive forward until level, set the brake, and set up camp! Levelers will work on anything from a fifth-wheel camper to a pick-up with a basic topper.

Wheel Stabilizers

Used correctly, stabilizers prevent wheels from moving. (BAL R.V. Products Group/)

Despite the size and weight of campers with dual axles, they can get a little bouncy inside, especially when accommodating multiple people. Even with the parking brake on, there is still a bit of play in the suspension. Wheel stabilizers use opposing force to lock the front and rear wheels of a dual-axel trailer so that they can't budge, eliminating a major variable of excessive sway in recreational campers.

Some experts are linking a rise in tick-borne diseases with growing deer populations. (John Hafner/)

People in Massachusetts are catching more diseases from ticks every year. There were about 1,000 new cases of Lyme in Mass in 1994. By 2018, that number had ballooned to over 67,000. That’s a 6,600 percent increase in annual new Lyme infections in just 25 years.

Now, let’s look at deer herd figures for the same time frame. In the mid-1990’s, there were about 10,000 deer east of Route 495 in Massachusetts. That’s about five deer per square mile. Today there are about 50,000 deer in the same area, according to David Stainbrook, biologist at the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MDFW). That’s 20–25 deer per square mile, or about five times as many deer in 25 years.

During that same span, the deer herd west of Route 495 has held steady at roughly 50,000 deer. Lyme disease in that region over the same period has plateaued.

Massachusetts has seen a 6,600 percent rise in new yearly Lyme disease cases in the past 25 years. The deer herd in the most populated area (east of the blue line) increased 400 percent in that same time. (Google Maps/)

The Deer Population Explosion

Rampant deer herd growth in Mass is the result of a recent ecological sea change. Massachusetts — and especially eastern Mass, which is much more populated — has become a friendlier place for deer even in the past 25 years.

A good tripod can improve the quality of your photos exponentially. (Ubeesize/)

No one single piece of equipment will improve your photography skills like a tripod. These unsung devices hold your camera level and motionless to provide the best possible image. Whether you fancy yourself a shutterbug or just want to commemorate your time outdoors as best as you can, you should pick up a tripod. Even if you’re only using a smartphone camera, a tripod can help you take your pictures to the next level. If you’re not sure what to look for, here’s a primer on the basics.

Size & Weight

Tripods with rubber feet are suited for indoor use, while tripods with spikes are better for outside. (UBeesize/)

If a tripod is too big or heavy, you'll end up leaving it at home. Look for a model that easily fits wherever you intend to stash it. If you plan on keeping it in a blind bag to get a trophy photo at the end of a day afield, you're limited to a compact model. This is fine but might not be the best choice for shooting landscapes where the added height of a full-size tripod is useful to capture the horizon line.

Load Capacity

Pick a tripod with a head that’s strong enough to hold a heavy camera. (Ubeesize/)

A tripod can only hold so much weight before it becomes unsteady or the head starts to tilt. Think of how much your camera weighs before selecting a tripod and make sure it's not close to the tripod's load rating. Even though the manufacturer may state it can handle heavy cameras, the tripod will start to get shaky when you approach the top end of the weight capacity. Stay within the lower two-thirds of the stated weight capacity for the best results.

Trail snacks are usually lightweight, easy to pack, and a delicious way to take a break. (Power Up/)

If you are beating the bush in pursuit of elk, venison, or some other free-ranging organic vittles, chances are you aren’t too concerned with, say, vegan trail snacks. But in addition to all the humanely sourced nuts and molasses on the shelves today, there are a host of other dietary qualifiers making their way into this most basic of outdoor foods. Fortunately, we live in the Golden Age of choice, making it easy to find trail snacks for even the most discerning palates.

Keto and Paleo Friendly

Keto and paleo trail snacks are low on carbohydrates and include mixes of nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. (Keto Farms/)

Two of the most popular diets in recent years are the Ketogenic and Paleo diets. Both call for reducing or limiting your carbohydrate intake to either move your body into ketosis (the state of burning fat for fuel), or to mimic the diet of our paleolithic ancestors before processed foods and commercial deep fryers turned us into walking carb sponges. If you are a serious adherent to either diet, then a keto or paleo friendly trail snack will keep you on the wagon even in the wild.

Gluten and Lactose Free

If your body reacts to gluten or dairy, there are trail snacks that don’t contain either. (Larabar/)

Gluten and lactose intolerance are serious conditions that can make life miserable for sufferers. Fortunately, it's easy to stay on the right path with gluten and dairy-free trail products that go heavy on nuts and berries.

Making sausage is simple with a few tools and ingredients. (Pixabay/)

No style of wild cookery says “game chef” like good sausage. It’s a skill that makes the most out of lesser cuts and takes the concept of nose-to-tail eating to its most refined state. Sausage making and other forms of charcuterie can be intimidating at first, but there are some basic principles that will keep you on the right path when you first set out to create an exceptional food out of a second-rate cut. Here are three essentials to keep in mind.

Mise en Place

Before you actually make sausage, organize your ingredients so it’s easy to run through the process like an assembly line. (Hakka Brothers/)

Mise en place is a French culinary term meaning "putting in place." It's a useful organizing principle for everything from general cooking to carpentry, but preparation is especially critical in sausage making, which can get messy. Mise en place means having the right number and size of bowls and appliances laid out, cubing the meat and fat and measuring out spices beforehand, soaking your casings, and just generally having the process well mapped out ahead of time. When it comes to sausage making, the old adage of a place for everything and everything in its place can spell the difference between disaster and turning those off-cuts of shank and skirt steak into memorable meals that you will enjoy long after the season ends.

Keep Everything Cold

Keep your meat and equipment cold to prevent the process from becoming a greasy mess. (Hakka Brothers/)

One of the most basic mistakes in sausage making is to let the meat, fat, and kitchen appliances remain at room temperature. Chill everything before you start, making sure the meat and fat are nice and cold, as well as your grinder parts. The grinding and stuffing process can build heat from friction that causes fat to break down inside the casing, leading to a greasy mess during preparation and a dry and crumbly finished product. When in doubt, err on the side of going colder.

Even though ladder stands are safe, you should still wear a safety harness to prevent falls. (Big Game/)

When it comes to choosing a treestand, the type you purchase should be dictated by what and how you intend to hunt. They will all get you above the game’s line of sight and smell, but with varying capabilities for different hunting methods. Here are the three basic types of stands, and the type of hunting to which they are best suited.

Ladders

Ladder stands are easy to install and ascend. (Big Game/)

Ladder stands, or “leaners” as they are sometimes called, are the most user friendly of all stand types. Set one up against a good straight tree, lock it in, and easily ascend in comfort and safety. They are the preferred stand type for many southern hunters who need an elevated platform with a stable rest. Cutovers, beanfields, and plantation-style hunting are all home turf for the ladder stand. Place it along the edge of a cut cornfield or food plot and slip in and out all season long as deer patterns dictate.

Climbers

Most climbing stands have very comfortable seats, but you have to work to climb up and down the tree. (Summit Treestands/)

Climbing stands use a mechanical advantage to allow a hunter to ascend a tree trunk to virtually any height. They do not require climbing steps and are generally more comfortable and safer than hang-on stands because they usually have a rest or bar encircling the sitting position. Climbers are suitable for both rifle and compound archery or crossbow hunting, though traditional archers may find that the safety bar interferes with their draw. Climbers are a bit bulkier than hang-on stands, can only ascend relatively straight and limbless trees, and require you to make an ascent each time you enter your stand location.

The Leupold SX-5 Santiam HD and Maven S.2 were two of the more intriguing spotters in our test field. (Bill Buckley/)

There were no clear winners in this year’s spotting scope test, but the following optics warrant extra attention from big-game hunters and shooters.

Leupold SX-5 Santiam HD

Leupold SX-5 Santiam HD 27–55x80 • $1,800 (Bill Buckley/)

Wearing the same rugged armor and aggressive styling as Leupold’s Santiam line of binoculars, this angled-eyepiece spotter (a straight eyepiece is also available) meets all your expectations of a full-size spotter. Its controls are tight, the aluminum chassis is durable, and the center-barrel focus is precise. And because the eyepiece is permanently attached to the body, the scope is impervious to dust and moisture.

The Santiam’s good glass is improved by Leupold’s proprietary coatings, including the Twilight Max system that minimizes glare and enhances the blue and violet wavelengths that predominate in low-light conditions. We suggest adding a sighting tube to enable target acquisition at high magnifications.

The spotter is heavy—a little over 4.25 pounds—but because the rotating tripod mount sits aft of the objective lens barrel, it balances well and maintains a low profile.

Winning rangefinders: Zeiss Victory RF (right) won our Editor's Choice award, and the SIG Sauer KILO3000BDX (left) won our Great Buy award. (Bill Buckley/)

We reviewed most of the laser rangefinding binoculars on the market to provide prospective buyers with a sense of the capabilities of all units, not just those new for this year. We created a course of targets varying in surface type and distance from 10 yards to 5,000 yards. We used Steiner’s military-grade M830r rangefinder, capable of ranging targets beyond 6,000 yards, to set standards for each distance, then measure each submission’s ranging power, precision, and processor speed against the Steiner.

Editor's Choice: Zeiss Victory RF

Zeiss Victory RF 10x42 • $3,300 (Bill Buckley/)

This rangefinding bino does almost everything right. Its fluorite glass is among the best in the field. Its balance and ergonomics are so nimble and its profile so slim that it's hard to believe there's a laser and processor in its guts. Its ability to connect to a mobile app through Bluetooth was the final detail that pushed the Victory RF to our top spot of 11 units in our laser rangefinding binocular test.

The Zeiss is not quite perfect. The ranging button, out on the right-hand barrel, caused testers to lose their grip on the optic when activating the rangefinder. And the processor, especially in scanning mode, is slower than we’d like. Also, it’s very expensive (although the nonranging Victory binocular costs $2,800).

But the laser is powerful­—we routinely ranged non-reflective targets to 2,100 yards—and precise. The Zeiss has the full gamut of modes, and the mobile app allows users to load specific ballistics data in the Victory RF’s brain.

The winning binos, clockwise: Meopta Optika HD 10x42, Nikon Monarch HG 8x30, Maven B5 15x56. (Bill Buckley/)

It's unfair to test a tiny portable binocular against a massive optic meant to be used with a tripod. So in our test, we divided binoculars between those portable units intended to be carried on a hunt and those intended to be mounted on tripods and used for extended stationary glassing sessions. Then we tested the glass, low-light performance, and ergonomics. But our main standard for rating a binocular is how comfortable it is to use. If that sounds overly subjective, consider your own experience. If a binocular makes you squint, or doesn’t fit your hands or your face, or the focus wheel feels spongy, you simply won’t use it as much as you might if it had better glass, more comfortable contours, and precise controls.

The three award-winners in our two binocular categories—medium- and large-frame—all are a joy to glass with. That’s the real measure of a binocular; the more comfortable it is to use, the more you’ll use it, and the more game you’ll see.

Midsize Binoculars

Editor's Choice: Nikon Monarch HG

Nikon Monarch HG 8x30 • $950 (Bill Buckley/)

Nikon's Monarch HG is a hard-wearing classic. Its pebbled finish is grippy and handsome, it balances beautifully, and its extra-low-dispersion glass is vivid and bright. The Nikon was runner-up in our low-light test and posted excellent resolution and image-­quality scores. The oversize focus wheel is buttery-smooth but tight and precise, and the open barrels are well-suited for one-handed operation. The three-position eyecups comfortably fit nearly any facial dimension.

Versatile scope standouts. Top: The SIG Sauer Whiskey5 3–15x52, our Editor's Choice winner. Bottom: The Nikon Prostaff 5 4–16x42, our Great Buy winner. (Bill Buckley/)

We declared the death of the duplex reticle last year, and before that, the demise of the 3X–9X riflescope. A decade ago, we cheered the departure of the porro-prism binocular, replaced by the compact and durable roof prism. What optical trend is in its twilight this year? The simple and the modest are on life support, replaced by scopes with gee-whiz reticles and uber-​­turrets, and binoculars with integrated laser rangefinders and Bluetooth.

Companies making these products are meeting a demand for specialization, to help customers shoot farther and better, to move more nimbly, and to pay less for good-quality glass. But don’t assume all optics in this year’s test are built for a narrow niche. You’ll see some excellent crossover scopes that are suitable for shooting distant targets and close-up deer. You’ll also see a growing trend: the integration of electronics.

Versatile Riflescopes

Editor's Choice: SIG Sauer Whiskey5

SIG Sauer Whiskey5 3–15x52 • $1,200 (Bill Buckley/)

With its Whiskey5, SIG has a crossover hit on its hands. The company has correctly read the market, understanding that precision shooters require extremely tactile turrets tuned to reticles with abundant references, but that hunters want a second-plane reticle and a modest magnification range.