Making a wildlife Food Plot

[rmclements]

Last year was my first experience with "aging" venison. I shot my buck (first ever!) on the 17th of November in northern Michigan. Last winter was extremely cold and we were planning on staying at "camp" (5th wheel trailers) until the 1st of December. The deer hung for the entire two weeks and then another week in my garage before my neighbor and I butchered it. We fired up the charcoal grill when we butchered it and were completely amazed at how the gamey taste was greatly reduced! My neighbor thought that this venison must be completely corn fed but I know that there is nothing but cedar swamps in the area that we were hunting. I do not normally eat venison steaks. I'm more into jerky, stew meat and burger. I always thought my BIL was crazy for letting his venison hang for 4-6 weeks before touching it! It just has to be cold cause we don't have a walk-in freezer.

 

[kmcconaughey]

I wonder if this deer's eyes hurt after this?

One for Bobby:

Sure wish these guys would stop by during hunting hours.

(note, the time stamp is wrong, off by about 6 hours, I need to correct that.) I believe the one on the left is the one I got the nice photo of when he was still in the velvet that I posted on Sept. 9th.

 

[mwhoward]

Robert, That is a major part of why I don't deer hunt down here in Florida. I used to hunt in Illinois a lot, but I would be afraid to let a deer hang 20 minutes with the bugs down here.

 

[bbowman]

Thanks Kraig!

!

 

[aschumacher]

OK, dumb question from a non-hunter. How do you get the buck shot out before you eat the bird? Or is it 'you eat very carefully'? A.

 

[kmcconaughey]

One more for Bobby, this one is from the camera with the incorrect time. I saw all 5 of these Toms on Sunday when I checked the cameras. I got a close look at the one with the long beard, I was within 25 yards of him, I think he's getting used to my Isuzu.

Allen, you shoot them in the head. Also, you would look them over for signs of the pellets when you process them. One really should PATTERN their shotgun for turkey hunting for best results.

Here's a LINK to a printable turkey target for patterning a shotgun.

 

[kmcconaughey]

Art, did you get a fall turkey permit?

 

[mwhoward]

Shotgun, you guys use shotguns to turkey hunt?

 

[kmcconaughey]

Mike, in Wisconsin for turkey hunting, it's either a shotgun or a bow, no rifles allowed.

 

[kide]

Kraig:
I think we might be able to lasso 'em around here - they're strolling through the yard right now.. We've got a white one in the flock - my buddy claims it's a goose!

Rober Clements :
Hi neighbor! Grew up in Grand Ledge, lived around Bath for the last 30 years or so, son-in-law's folks (close friends of ours, too) live just west of the corner of M-100 and Grand River (AKA "old US16 if yer of the age)..

 

[mwhoward]

OK, guess I can live with that. LOL The shot in the meat issue makes me think back to how good the pheasant hunting was when I was a kid. Really got into turkey hunting when I was living in north Georgia, The local boys really gave me the devil for using a rifle, but that bolt action 22 has filled every turkey tag I ever had.

 

[kide]

Mike:
Dense housing in rural areas (seems like a contradiction in terms..) limits the use of rifles in a lot of places.

 

[bbrigham]

They do that here, shotgun only during deer season. But....I can use my hand cannon. Not sure what their thinking is on that but I'm not gonna argue with it.

 

[bbowman]

Turkey hunting is a challenge,no matter what your weapon of choice is.I'm mostly a shotgunner,but I do use my recurve bow,just to keep my ego in check! Nice bird,Kraig. Looks like a three or four year old tom.
Been working on my food plot lately.Was using the CC 149 to disc some lime in,but something happened to the hydro.Just quit pulling and started to bog the engine.
Any body ever use Kohler 321 in a 128 frame?

 

[dmull]

I had a K321AQS in a 128 frame...it was my plow special. Of course I had the superior gear drive transmission option, so I didn't have any hydro-failing, engine-bogging issues.

 

[jott]

Talk about deer hunting, Someone from a local town shot a 30 point buck with a Bow & arrow! No lie! If you dont belive me, I will get some pictures. It looks like a frickin moose

 

[thoffman]

Wait one minute..... isn't that a tirty point buck

 

[jott]

Tom H, Ya ya sure sure

 

[mwhoward]

Kendall, I know all about that, got my NRA instructor and rangemaster certs about 15 years ago. Illinois was kinda stupid about that, too. Only shotgun for deer, but I used to coyote hunt with a .223 all the time, and used my favorite old 03 Springfield for sniping groundhogs.

 

[wshytle]

Fellow cub hunters - I was hanging some clothes on the line yesterday morning and I noticed some turkeys about 50 yards away. There were 11 as best as I could count in the tall, patchy grass. I live on an old farm with my house (built in 1900) in the middle of about 120 acres. Yesterday evening I got up to let my dog out and some deer caught my eye. One of the deer is at least a twelve pointer, probably more. It was dusk and my binocs don't gather light well but I did see a point hanging down; it looks to be atypical. I'm located in central NC where we are allowed to bait deer and turkey can only be harvested with shotgun or bow. It should be an interesting season this year. About 5 years ago we had a rash of albino deer around and I caught a glimpse of a good size buck that was at least 8 points. It can be downright amazing what nature provides year after year.

Kraig, keep the pics coming...they're great!

Just my little plug for the subject....