Tuesday's Tip's & Technique's - #44

Broad heads for Bowhunting:

Now there are different types of broadheads to choose from and most of them that I have heard of work very well. It does all come down to two things I think 1. preference, 2. how they work for you.

Here I hope to show you examples of the different types. Again some I have used and some were told to me to be well worth the cost and were spoken highly of.

2-Blade Expandable Broadheads

Rear-deploying RAGE SlipCam broadheads are guaranteed to be fully deployed upon entry, giving you the full benefit of the head's cutting diameter. In flight, RAGE broadheads are streamlined with a 3/4" in-flight diameter. Upon impact, the SlipCam system initiates and the blades slide back, deploying from the rear. High-speed footage shows that RAGE broadheads are fully deployed, even hyper-extended at impact. Traditional over-the-top expandables, on the other hand, deploy as they enter, resulting in a much smaller entry hole. The blades on a RAGE cut a wide swath as they go, for maximum tissue damage. RAGE's ShockLock™ System employs an O-ring that acts as a small shock absorber for the blades, protecting them if they hit bone.

Penetration tests prove that, in spite of their impressive cutting diameter, RAGE broadheads out-penetrate fixed-blade broadheads and over-the-top expandables. All RAGE broadheads feature a stainless steel, instant-cut tip, HexFlat design for exceptionally stable flight, stainless steel blades, and a body machined from aircraft-quality aluminum. Cutting diameter of 2.0 inches, and a 100-grain weight. Includes a free practice head. Per 3. From Cabela's

Now when I did shoot I preferred New Archery Products Thunderhead 3-Blade fixed heads. I had started with the 125 grain with aluminum shafts than went to 100 grains with carbon shafts.

Thunderhead Broadheads have a patented Slimline® low-drag ferrule with scooped out sides for superior penetration. The hardened high-carbon steel trophy tip cuts on impact. Consistent quality - head to head, box to box. A patented lock ring, O-ring blade retention system ensures perfect head alignment and cushions the blade on impact. The .027" thick stainless steel blades are ground, honed and stropped to surgical sharpness. Per 6.
Available:

85-grain (1-1/8" cutting diameter)

100-grain (1-3/16" cutting diameter)

125-grain (1-3/16" cutting diameter)

Muzzy broadheads I have also heard are well worth the money. In this picture you have 3-blade on the left and 4-blade on the right.

It is an established fact that field points and broadheads fly differently. For absolute precise accuracy in the field, practice with broadheads is essential. Muzzy provides practice blades that will match the flight of a normal hunting broadhead without the sharp edge of a hunting blade, preventing injury during practice. Muzzy practice blades are shipped in packages of 12 blades, enough to equip three 100-grain Muzzy 4-Blade broadheads.







Don't forget to come back next Tuesday for the continuation of my "Preparing for Bowhunting Series"

Latest Project and a Painted Turtle

I am coming to the end of another project for the neighbor. I should have taken a before picture but sorry to say I didn't because you would have really understood what it looked like before.

I had to cut up and rip out a lot of briars and stuff that was growing in and around as well as through this nice white vinyl fence you see. I finally did that with quite a few extra scratches I might say. I started putting some nice red cedar mulch down which really makes the stone wall jump right out at ya.



I hope to finish it today with a little bit more mulch and the nice edger brick sitting there in the picture. I know she said she was going to buy some flowers for me to plant in there but compare to what I had to do to get it to look like that planting flowers should be a piece of cake.

I also wanted to mention that on my way back from Home Depot with materials I saved this painted turtle. It was trying to cross the road and I didn't want it to get run over. I brought it home to show Tyler who absolutely loved it.

Of course after Tyler played with it for a bit we took it down to the lake and let it go.

Tyler thought it was pretty cool and now he wants one as you could guess. I had to say no but he understood. Besides his birthday is coming soon and he doesn't know it yet but he is getting a hampster and all the goodies that go with it.

Savory Sunday's - #20

Venison Marinade:

Cover venison with:

1 c. each of dry red wine & water

Add:

6-8 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 sm. sprig rosemary
8-10 whole cloves
1 sliced onion

Marinade meat refrigerated and covered from 1-3 days turning occasionally.

From: Cooks.com

Could Somebody be Stealing our Posts?

Albert at "The Rasch Outdoors Chronicles" has stumbled across somebody or someone stealing a lot of our posts from a number of us. Now this is news to me and news I of course am not happy about.

If you want to know more here is the link to Albert's post "Plagerizing the OBS Bloggers".

Scheduling Posts

With my schedule and the way I like to post something new at least once a day I depend on the schedule post option when creating posts. The problem I am having is that I will create a post and schedule it to be posted at a specific time and day which was never a problem until this week.

The last 4 posts I had scheduled and it said they were scheduled but, they were never posted. My question is "Has anyone else experience this before"?

I can manually post but it is quite easier if I can schedule them.

The Grass Pond Buck

I was thumbing through some Walmart photo cd's yesterday and found this guy. It was back in the summer of 2007. I still had a trail camera back then (sorry to say I don't right now). I had knew of this old pond that was on state land and it was approximately 30 yards wide by 80 yards long.

I had seen a lot of seer sign before so I wanted to set up my camera to see what I could see. I hadn't been there sinse spring when it had water in it but now there was no water just knee high tall grass and hundreds of tracks going in and out.

My first roll of film produced a handfull of curious doe's and buck's ranging from spikes to at least an eight pointer including this guy.



Some of you might remember this picture from my old blog and I am pretty sure some of you haven't seen this one before. I named him "The Grass Pond Buck". I am pretty sure you all know why. He definately had a lot of potential.

That next deer season after this picure was taken I shot my Seven point 150 lb. dress weight buck on opening morning of the stateland lottery season as it walked the outer edge of this exact spot.

Guest Post from The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles

Here is another very informative guest post from Albert from "The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles" and I want to take a second to thank him very much for this great addition post.

First Aid for Hunting Sportsmen

Being prepared before you go out can mean the difference between an incident of minor discomfort, or a full fledged emergency.

You should have a modestly stocked first aid kit in your vehicle at all times, and you should have a pocket kit that goes with you whenever you go out in the field.

Think about what you are doing and then adapt and modify your personal rig for the circumstances. I live in Florida, and hunt around palmetto with its sharp teeth, sawgrass with its sharp edges, and wait-a-minute vines with their sharp thorns. I also have to contend with the fire ants, wasps, rattlers and cottonmouths. I don’t worry too much about them, but I get a lot of cuts and nicks. Now I’m not a big fussy type and most of the time I ignore the cuts and nicks. What I worry about are the deep slices and stabs I occasionally get from foolish mistakes I make, along with sprains to the knee or ankle. If you live up north then you might have different concerns, as would someone out west.

In your personal kit you should have:

* Ibuprofen, Aspirin and Benadryl.
* A cravat
* A couple of cloth bandaids
* Space blanket
* 20 feet of paracord
* A couple of yard size trash bags
* One freezer grade zip-loc bag.


Ibuprofen, aspirin and Benadryl. The Ibuprofen to help minimize inflammation and the Benadryl to counteract any allergic reactions. Aspirin for us older guys, just in case. Keep them in a 35mm film container, or buy one of those little packs they sell at the register and put three or four of each in the container..
A cravat - very helpful in plugging holes or holding pieces of you in place .The cravat makes a sling, bandage, eye cover, head cover, charcoal filter, pot holder, you name it. I consider it indispensible.
A couple of cloth bandaids, preferably the knuckle type. Cloth bandaids hold better and the knuckle ones work on every part of the body from fingertips to your rear end.
Space blanket. Just in case and it serves a dozen purposes from an emergency shelter to a signaling device.
20 feet of paracord. Splints, tiedowns, tourniquet, laces, lashing things together.
A couple of yard size trash bags. Those large yard trashbags can be made into emergency waders, raincoat, water hauler, bandage cover, or additional shelter.

That will all fit in a freezer grade zip-loc, and cover 95% of the injuries you might sustain.

Your vehicle kit should be a little more involved. Remember, your main purpose is to treat minor boo-boos, not perform surgery. Should you run into circumstances beyond your abilities, fall back to basic life saving techniques, stabilize the injured party to the best of your ability and get medical help at once!

The vehicle first aid kit should have back-ups of what is in your pocket kit plus:

• A dozen bandaids, again the cloth ones
• Antiseptic spray or liquid
• Antibiotic cream
• Self adhesive stretch tape. Totally great stuff!
• A half dozen sterile 3X3 or 4X4 pads
• Tweezers
• Space blanket
• Latex gloves
• Insect repellent
• Lidocaine or pain relief spray
• Pack of single edge razor blades
• Butane lighter
• Duct tape or 100MPH tape

I recommend the addition of a Tac-Pack QC. In it is everything that you might need for a serious penetrating injury. And in this day and age it is an important lifesaving tool that you may be called upon to use in an emergency. Tactical Medical Packs(1-800-892-2801) will be coming out with a Hunter-Pack soon, which is very similar to the Tac-Pac QC. Again, as I frequently say, it is cheap insurance!

There is also a very good PDF Tutorial by Dr. Maurizio A. Miglietta:

Trauma and Gunshot wounds: What you need to know to save a life.

Image Credit: RedCross GGR

It's very important that when you have an opportunity to attend a first aid class, you do so without hesitation. Listen carefully, read the material given out, and practice your skills when possible. Occasionally refer to any good first aid manual to refresh your memory.

A simple first aid kit packed with essential items is of utmost importance. It's not often that you are going to be presented with a a minor injury, much less a life threatening injury, but being prepared will make the former easy to live with and the latter easier to live through!


Regards,
Albert A Rasch
Member: Hunting Sportsmen of the United States HSUS (Let 'em sue me.)
The Hunt Continues...

Tuesday's Tip's & Technique's - #43

Carbon Arrows verses Aluminum Arrows:

When I first started shooting archery I was using the obvious. Aluminum shafts from Easton which served my purpose just fine at the time and then I bought a used bow from a friend who got me interested in Carbon arrows which were lighter, tougher and very much faster. Here I want to touch base briefly on the difference between the two.

I will say that some of the information that I am using is from "Easton Archery" They are the leader in arrows and one that I used all the time when I did shoot.


Easton aluminum comes in a variety of diameters and camo designs.

I myself when I shot aluminum used the Gamegetter II 2018,

Straightness: ± .002" Guaranteed max 7075-T9 alloy Weight tolerance: ± 1% Strength (psi): 95,000 Cedar, PermaGraphic wood-grain pattern

Now I used to buy all the material myself like arrow shafts, nocks, tip inserts feathers/vanes and makes them all up myself but, (that is another post down the road). I will say aluminum is very nice and easy to work with but it is not very forgiving in the field.
What I mean by that is the slightest wrap off a tree or rock for instance will effect how it flies. It dent's easy so any slightest dent or even a deep scratch can make it fly out of round.

Now I had switched to carbon arrows because of a new bow that I had purchased from a friend back then. He had suggested I try carbon arrows and had given me a few with the bow which just happened to be the right size.

I was amazed at the difference in flight and the speed was almost doubled in comparison to the aluminum.

Carbon is far more forgiving than aluminum but they need to be inspected more often in my opinion because they can splinter which will weaken the shaft and effect it flight.





There are enough brands out on the market that you should really find a qualified dealer that is willing to work with you on finding the proper arrow for that bow you shoot whether it is aluminum or carbon.

With the right bow and arrow combination as well as shooters ability (practice) that you can achieve any goal set forth. I am not bragging or anything, that just wouldn't be me but I had my bow tuned just so and had practiced so much that I could hit a dime at 20 yards and not think twice bout it. Those were the day, I miss them.

Any way you need to try both types according to your shaft size and draw length to determine which will work best for you. It can be a timely process so take your time and be patient. It will pay off in the long run.

A very Relaxing Day and one well needed.

Well, I can see a lot of comments on my father's day post which is very awesome and very much appreciated. Just as soon as I get today's post out I will go and answer those comments.

I had a very nice Father's Day and wanted to share a brief run down with you. First I spent the whole day with my family which was very nice. First off before I even got out of bed Heidi, Tyler and Sampson my dog wanted me to open my father's day gifts. After taking a minute to focus I started looking in this very large bag. I found 2 very nice t-shirts, one with a outdoor turkey scene on it that Tyler had picked out and the other shirt had a saying which read one thing but you had to read the fine print inbetween to get the full meaning with beautiful buck in the background which said "I Love it when My Wife let's me go hunting" It was funny because what you saw from a distance was I Love My Wife, that is why I said you have to read the fine print. You can guess who gave me that shirt.

I received my first puzzle ever. It has 750 pieces and if I ever finish it I plan to glue it piece by piece onto a backing and hang it like a picture.



Here is what it should look like, There is a lot of pieces and after spending a good portion of yesterday afternoon working on it I am still trying to get the outside pieces together.



At luch time Mom had called and said she was going to stop by which was also nice and enjoyed her visit very nuch and her bringing pizza had nothing to do with it.

I also wanted to show you a knife sharpening kit I got. I had wanted to get this and even had put it on my Cabela's wish list "Gatco Edgemate Knife Sharpening System"and wouldn't you know it was in the bottom of the bag. I always seem to mess up the edge on knife, inconsistant angles I guess. I figure this kit my help.



It was a pretty good day and I hope everyone else had a good day as well.

Savory Sunday's - #19

Making Venison Summer Sausage:

This is a little different, I am adding instructions with this recipe for "Venison Summer Sausage" . I am not set up to make sausage but it is something that I have always wanted to try.


Grinding the Meat

The process of making summer sausage begins with coarsely grinding the venison. The pork or beef are ground, then the different meats are mixed together. (the meat is kept cold until it reaches the smoker)
The Meat is Cured

Next, the curing salts are added and mixed into the meat. It takes several days for the salts to cure the meat. During this time the meat is kept refrigerated, and is remixed at least one time each day as it cures.

Seasoned and Stuffed Into Casings...

The flavorings are mixed into the meat mixture after the cure is complete. The meat is ground again then and stuffed into casings. Traditionally, beef middles are used, but synthetic fibrous casings 2-1/2 to 3 inches in diameter are common.

Then Smoked

The stuffed summer sausages are smoked, usually with the temperature gradually increasing throughout the smoking process. The low temperature in the smoker gently cooks the sausage, preventing the fat from rendering out.

After smoking, the sausages are rinsed in cold water to chill them and stop the cooking process. They are then dried and ready to be eaten or stored.

Home Sausage Making Shortcuts

Shortcuts can be taken by home sausage makers to speed up the process and make it easier. The curing time is often cut short, and the sausages are smoked at a high temperature, or even baked in the oven. These shortcuts affect the texture, flavor and keeping quality of the finished summer sausages.

Smokey Summer Sausage with Bacon:

This recipe makes an awesome tasting summer sausage. I mean, how many times in your life do you get to eat smoked bacon sausage? I tell you, this one is worth the time and effort. This lovely sausage recipe requires that you obtain...

• 3 pounds ground venison
• 1 pound ground bacon
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons Morton Tender Quick
• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons onion powder

If you don't have a meat grinder, chill the bacon until it's very hard and chop it finely. Then combine it with the rest of the ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Keep the sausage chilled in the refrigerator for 3 days (this gives time for the Tender Quick to cure the meat). Mix the meat once daily.

Stuff the raw sausage into casings and smoke slowly in your meat smoker at 140 degrees Fahrenheit for two hours. Raise the temperature to 160F and continue smoking the sausages for 3 more hours. Kick the temperature up to 180F and finish smoking the summer sausages. When they reach 155F, they are done.

Remove from the smoker and wrap in foil. Refrigerate for several days before eating. This will let the smoke flavor work its way into the middles of the sausages.

That bacon flavor in these sausages is something you have to try. I like a couple of half-inch thick slices fried along with my eggs for breakfast. That's a great way to start the day!

Happy Father's Day!

I have been going pretty straight out lately it seems even with what has been going on so tomarrow which is Father's Day I am going to do nothing but relax. That is why I am posting this a day early.

I am not going to answer the phone, I am not going to turn on the computer, I am not going to do one bit of outside work. It is just going to be me and the family doing whatever we decide to do which is probably going to be not much.

I have a brand new deer hunting dvd from Drury Outdoors that I am saving for this day and hoping the weather might break long enough to fire up the grill. So to everyone else I hope you too have a Happy & Relaxing father's Day.

Planning Work In-Between Showers is Tough

For someone like me who has a lot of outside work to do this extended forecast does not look to promising. I tend to use Intellicast for my weather planning lately. It is a good site you all might be interested in.

I have a feeling if I get anything accomplished it's going to be in between showers. The weather lately has been so unpredictable for this time of year that it is not only ruff on outdoor side work but it effects the animals and the plants as well.

10 Day Forecast - F°

View the Detailed Extended Forecast »

Thu jun 18 Rain 63° 61°

Fri jun 19 AM Showers 69° 60°

Sat jun 20 Thundershowers 71° 60°

Sun jun 21 Showers 65° 58°

Mon jun 22 Showers 76° 58°

Tue jun 23 Few Showers 76° 58°

Wed jun 24 Showers 79° 61°

Thu jun 25 Scattered Thunderstorms 80° 62°

Fri jun 26 Scattered Thunderstorms 82° 62°

Sat jun 27 Partly Cloudy 82° 62°

Food Plot in the Making - "The Spot" Part 2

Well I received a email from my friend Nate with updated pictures to share on "The Spot" he is calling it. Here is a link to Part 1 of this saga.

Before I show you updates on the food plot I would like to show you Nate's buck from last season. He was just notified from The NBBC "Northeast Big Buck Club" that his buck was dubbed the,

Largest Muzzleloader Buck in Connecticut for 2008!!!!!

Here are the update's of the food plot as promised. Not to much to tell yet but Nate promises to keep us posted on the plot's progress.





I sure wouldn't mind playing around with this machine. That is probably why Nate and his partner got the plot so cleared.



This is what Nate had to say and he promised some more pictures so we can look forward to Part 3 in the future.

The seed has been down for 2 months now, and it really isn't coming up that great, it looks green though!!!!

As you can tell we have been getting a lot of rain here in Connecticut and I think that might have something to do with the seed not growing as good as they had hoped.

Straight from The Old Farmer's Almanac

Here is something interesting I thought. See I subscribe to "The Old Farmer's Almanac". My mother always got this booklet for years and surprisingly I believe a lot of what is inside it has some amount of truth to it.

Best Fishing Days

Fishermen swear by the Almanac's Best Fishing Days. For the coming month, the best days are June 22–July 7, when the Moon is between new and full.

Did you know that the Sun, Moon, tides, and weather all influence fish activity? For example, fish tend to feed more at sunrise and sunset.
During a full Moon, the tides are higher than average and fish tend to feed more. (See our tides predictor.)

Most of us go fishing when we can get the time off, not because it is the best time! But there are best times, according to fishing lore.

When the wind is on the south, it blows the bait in the fishes’ mouth.

If a dragonfly lands on your cork, quit fishing, for you will catch nothing.

For more fishing lore and advice, visit our Advice Center.

Another OBS challenge - Preserve and Defend the Outdoors

I really can't believe I missed this but I didn't know about the newest OBS Challenge until I read Arthur's rendition over at "Simply Outdoors" . I did figure out what happened though and that is I had st up to receive all new post from the "Outdoor Blogger Summit" but, it had the old address. That is why I didn't get anything.

Anyway Kristine at the "Outdoor Bloggers Summit" has issued a new OBS Challenge and one that I am pleased to take on. Preserve and defend is a two part challenge to me. So I am going to start with Preserve.

Preserve the outdoors is so vital to our ecosystem, to our health and well being and to nature itself that I feel we are obligated to do what we can to preserve what we have. When I go out into the woods for instance I try not to change anymore than I have to. I feel the more we change the more it disrupts the life cycle of plants and animals alike. Granted sometimes it is necessary to do so but if it is done in the right way for the right reasons than it will benefit us in the long run.

That same thinking goes for wildlife as well. Don't shoot it if you don't need to but, sometimes it is necessary to do so for reasons like the local herd needs to be more balanced or you livestock is being threatened or even god forbid a disease sets in and threatens the well being of us or our domestic animals.

There are so many ways we as individuals can preserve the outdoors. Another way which is a good idea to get youngsters outdoors and thinking of what is around them is to form a group and go out to clean certain parks or maybe there is a favorite swimming hole that has been littered with garbage that belongs in a garbage can. You can have them clean and rake and beautify an area which will benefit them and others as well as give them a sense of satisfaction. I can probably come up with a few more idea's on how to preserve but, I want to swing over to the other part of this challenge and that is to defend the outdoors.

A lot of people don't realize that what we are talking about effects them as well most of the time because they by choice mostly stay indoors and don't want to see what is happening. I know that sounds kinda harsh but it is reality.

I grew up learning all this on my own. It is not my fathers fault because he was taking care of 5 other people in the family and didn't have a lot of time for himself. I was always outside in one form or another but believe it or not I didn't actually start hunting until 1990. I was about 28 if my math is correct. I feel it was the best thing I ever could have done for me. To this day I feel being in the outdoors with nature wether I am hunting or just plain watching and listening is my way to find peace. Everything in and around nature seems to all make sense even when the rest of reality is confusing and messed up.

The best way to defend it is to speak out to others who don't really know. Don't preach but nicely inform. If there are laws and regulations that come up and threaten you lively hood it is your god given right as an American to say how you feel. If nobody speaks out than nothing can happen.

The best way I think to describe defending the outdoors is to teach our youth of today what and why we are so passionate about so that maybe they will teach their kids. I feel the future of the outdoors rests with our kids and their kids. So I ask all of you to keep that in mind the next time you head out into the outdoors.

I sincerely hope I didn't babble to much but I think this post get my point across.

Tuesday's Tip's & Technique's - #42

Bow Maintenance:

There is so much to know and learn about today's compound bows that as a bow hunter it is vital to know how to take care of your equipment.

There is so many pieces that could change the way your equipment functions that it could be the difference to filling a tag or not filling a tag.

I know when I was shooting archery equipment i got into the habit of doing my own repairs and maintenance partly because I knew what was done and how it was done. It gave me better insight to how things worked and gave me better confidence of what it can do.

Here are just a few maintenance tips that will help keep you bow operating at peak performance when that all so important shot comes up.

• keep axles and cams lubricated
• constantly inspect all parts for damage and/or cracks
• inspect string for area's of fraying
• keep bow string waxed
• make sure all screws and bolts are tight
• NEVER DRY FIRE A BOW

Mother nature and the elements have a way of doing unseen damage to a bow so I would recommend making sure you wipe down every inch at the end of every outting.

State Land Shotgun Lottery Drawing

Well, I am excited. This past weekend I received the lottery drawing results in the mail for state land shotgun deer hunting. I received what I put in for which is "area 18" and the best part of it is I have "A" season is is the best. I got stuck with "B" season once and by that time the deer were so spooked that they went nocturnal.

This year I filed with a friend/neighbor Ralph so you can imagine he is excited to. Last season my favorite area was hammered with a group of guys that I never seen before and after speaking to one of them I realized they were not even from the area because the guy I spoke to didn't even know where he was.

I am sorry to say I hope they don't come back because from what I saw they had no consideration for anyone else that was out there. If they do come back I will have an alternate plan to put in place.

Savory Sunday's - #18

Citris Trout:

Ingredients:

8 trout fillets.
4 sliced lemons.
¼ cup of melted butter.
¼ cup of chopped parsley.
Salt and pepper, to taste.

Preparation Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 400°F (205°C).

In a shallow dish, combine the melted butter and salt and pepper.

Dip the trout fillets in the butter mixture and place on large rimmed baking sheets.

ID Tags prove beneficial for Deer Operations

I have heard of putting radio collars on bear before so why not deer. It makes sense for some of these breeders (if that is what you call them) to help keep track of their deer. Let me just say right now that I am not trying to throw rocks at a hornets nest per say but, I really don't understand very well the concept behind deer farms. None the less this is a interesting article I found and wanted to share it.

by Brian Brus
The Journal Record

OKLAHOMA CITY – The less Charlie Bunch has to handle his easily stressed whitetail deer, the better the profit margin. So he’s pleased with his new radio-frequency identification tags to help keep accurate inventory of his herd.

“Not many people wanted to participate in this program. Some guys saw it as ‘Big Brother’ watching over them,” said the owner of Heavenly Whitetails of Oklahoma near Spiro. “But, I look at it as a matter of ease in herd inventory.

“And I think it will become mandatory at some point, so I’ll be that much farther ahead,” he said.

Bunch is one of about 190 commercial deer herd operators in Oklahoma, worth an estimated total annual sales value of $125 million, according to the state Agriculture Department.

Bunch breeds and sells his deer to other ranchers and hunting reserves. He has about 30 head on four acres, which he considers a small but thriving operation.

The Agriculture Department reported only 31 of the state’s commercial deer ranchers currently are participating in a program that offers free radio-frequency identification tags, or RFIDs, that can be read by electronic equipment placed near their food or water. Ranchers don’t have to try to round up their stock, herd them through a chute or tranquilize them; the tally is recorded passively, without the risk of animal stress or handling accidents.

By participating in the voluntary monitoring program, those operators are increasing the marketing opportunities and value of their herds, department spokesman Jack Carson said.

The program is free now but department veterinarian Mike Pruitt said a nominal fee might be applied in the future. Pruitt said he expects more producers to participate in the program as they learn about the electronic readers and their benefits.

“This provides a more accurate inventory of the animals and eliminates the possibility of injury or death through handling them,” Pruitt said. “Anytime you have someone out here manually recording identification numbers, there is always the possibility of making an error or transposing numbers. That can’t happen with this system.”

Pruitt said the herds are monitored for chronic wasting disease, tuberculosis and brucellosis. The monitoring process is an addition to regular veterinary care and requires an annual inventory.

Bunch said the consistency and simplicity of the new system also will make it difficult for dishonest producers to lie about their resources.

Shelf Life & Storage of Gun Powder - Continued

Shortly after my post earlier today I received a phone call from Ken Green. Ken is the Technical Director from "Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute" also know as "SAAMI".



Ken is the person that I was directed to from "Federal Premium" who would be able to answer my question. From the brief but very pleasant conversation we had I was told by Ken that gun powder and bullets really don't have any real shelf life for them as long as they are stored properly.

Stored properly means not in a damp basement or hot attic as he put it but in a cool dry or at the very least a steady temperature climate.

Shelf Life & Storage of Gun Powder

I have been slowly stocking up on powder & bullets for a little while now as a lot of us have been doing from what I have read and heard through the blogosphere and I was just thinking.

Is there a Shelf Life on Powder & Bullets?

Now I have sent out a few emails asking that very questions and let me say I am really disappointed and I'm gonna tell you why.

I sent an email to Hodgdon and never received an answer.
I sent an email to North American Muzzleloader Hunting Association and never received an answer.
I sent an email to Federal Premium and received a reply that stated to send question to a certain person and never received a reply.

You would think somebody like Hodgdon or Federal Premium would be at least able to give a consumer an answer to a simple question.

I have searched and searched because I thought this would make a good informative post and didn't find much but, I did find three tips on storage of Gun Powder and it did slightly reference age.

TIP 1.

Gun powder deteriorates over time. Ten years used to be the shelf life given to government powders. The average shooter/reloader buys a few tins of powder and uses that within a year or two.

The problem is when you buy one tin of powder to try out. You end up not using that particular powder often enough because it doesn't suit your shooting needs at the time. It gets stored in the cupboard somewhere.

So what to do? Consider trading that partly used tin of gun powder for another type of gun powder you really need by asking members of your local gun club, reloading friends, etc. You are bound to find a shooter/reloader who wants to trade.

TIP 2.

Modern gun powder is so well made that deterioration under proper storage conditions is unlikely to happen - however, never assume this is the case. Here is how to check if gun powder is no longer usable:

• Smell the gun powder. If it has a strong, foul smelling acidic odour then don't use it
• Check how the powder has been stored - if exposed to extreme heat its likely to go off much more quickly - so always store gun powder in a cool, dry place

TIP 3.

When determining the best place to store gun powder, remember this rule - keep it away from direct sunlight or in any place close to heat like electrical equipment, furnaces, hot water heaters, etc.

Also, avoid areas where electrical and mechanical equipment is operating.


If any of you would like to add to my findings as short as they are I would appreciate it. Stocking up on ammunition I feel is a good thing but, if it is going to go bad after a certain amount of time than you might want to think twice about wasting money especially in this struggling economy.

Raise a Flag for Flag Day - June 14, 2009

Flag Day is one of those holidays that doesn't get a lot of notice from what I've seen. After doing a little research there was a few things I learned that I didn't really know, so it was interesting.

I consider myself to be very patriotic. I have our country's flag hanging off the front of my house where everyone can see it. It is always clean, it is never wrapped or folded and it never touches the ground.

National flags are not merely symbols of a country. Their colors and designs convey past history and future goals. Flags have powerful connotations. They speak to the people and politicians. People of one country will burn the flag of another with whose politics they do not agree. To show their anger, students display their own nation's flags with the design altered or cut out completely. Dictators fly flags; dissidents rip them down. In every country of the world, the treatment of a flag displays an opinion or statement.

Americans take the treatment of their flag seriously and in the 20th century this has become an important issue. Included in the code of ethics are such rules as the national flag cannot be used for advertising. It cannot cover a monument or any ceilings. It must not be folded while being displayed. No one should write on an American flag. Ships can lower their flags slightly in greeting each other, but otherwise should not be dipped for any other object or person.

In the late 1960s, American students wore small flags sewn to the back of their jeans, symbolically insulting the American government and protesting its involvement in the Vietnam War. They burned the American flag in front of the Capitol Building in Washington as a statement of protest. In the early 1990s, senators suggested an amendment to the Constitution that would make this treatment of the flag illegal. The proposition was opposed because many others felt that this change would be a violation of Americans' constitutional rights to express their opinions freely.

(I need to mention that I disagree with the opposing of this amendment. I personally feel it is illegal and disgraceful to burn our country's flag in protest and should be treated as such.)

For all the controversy it is interesting to point out that the United States did not even have a standardized flag until 1912! Called the "Stars and Stripes" or "Old Glory", the flag is one of the most complicated in the world. No other flag needs 64 pieces of fabric to make. The current flag has 13 red and white alternating stripes (representing the original 13 states) and 50 stars (each star represents one of the states of the Union) on a blue background.

This coming Sunday the 14th. is Flag Day, I am asking everyone to show their support and raise a flag, a flag that shows that we would not be here or free with out it's history.

Read more, The History of Flag Day

American Flag Etiquette.

Federal law stipulates many aspects of flag etiquette. The section of law dealing with American Flag etiquette is generally referred to as the Flag Code. Some general guidelines from the Flag Code answer many of the most common questions:

• The flag should be lighted at all times, either by sunlight or by an appropriate light source.
• The flag should be flown in fair weather, unless the flag is designed for inclement weather use.
• The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.
• The flag should not be used for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.
• The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard.
• The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.
• The flag should never have any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind placed on it, or attached to it.
• The flag should never be used for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
• When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously.
• The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.
• When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.

Read a more comprehensive set of flagetiquette rules for display of the American Flag.

Jessica Haack completes Grand Slam of Turkey Hunting

I thought this needed to be mentioned, it is not everyday that you hear of someone harvested every sub-species of wild turkey in the United States.

GOAL ACCOMPLISHED: Jessica Haack of Gothenburg completed the grand slam of turkey hunting last month. Haack has shot all four sub-species of turkey in the United States.


Local Hunter Shoots Grand Slam.

Haack shoots four species

by Deb Egenberger - The Gothenburg Times

A Gothenburg lab technician fairly new to turkey hunting has accomplished a goal few hunters ever claim.

Jessica Haack went on her first turkey hunt a couple of years ago when she had first begun dating boyfriend Dustin Noble.

Noble is an avid outdoorsman, having hunted most of his life.

Last year, Haack shot her first Tom turkey and she has been hooked ever since.

Haack set a goal for this spring, hoping to shoot all four sub-species of turkeys in the United States.

She accomplished what is known as the grand slam in May when she killed an Eastern turkey on a hunt in eastern Kansas.

The other three birds in the grand slam were an Osceola turkey shot in Florida in March, a Merriams turkey killed in the Sandhills of Nebraska and a Rio Grande hunted in southern Nebraska.

All four birds where mature Toms with two of them sporting inch and a quarter spurs.

Noble served as Haack’s guide. He said he completed his own grand slam in 2007.

Deer Fangs - Believe it or Not!

Caleb Pearce from Wisconsin mentioned to me about Chinese Water Deer, I did a Wikipedia search to see what he was talking about. The whole thing started when there was a question about deer giving up fangs for antlers, this is what I found so far.

The Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis) is superficially more similar to a musk deer than a true deer (Cervidae - order Artiodactyla) but it is classified as a cervid despite having tusks (downward-pointing canine teeth) instead of antlers and other anatomical anomalies. These unique characteristics have caused it to be classified in its own genus (Hydropotes) and its own subfamily (Hydropotinae). Native to China and Korea, there are two subspecies: the Chinese Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis inermis) and the Korean Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus).

Water deer are indigenous to the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, coastal Jiangsu province (Yancheng Coastal Wetlands), and islands of Zhejiang of east-central China, and in Korea, where the demilitarized zone has provided a protected habitat for a large number. They frequent the tall reeds, rushes along rivers, and in tall grass on mountains and cultivated fields as well as swampy regions and open grasslands. They have also been known to inhabit swamps, and when the cultivated fields that they occupied are cut, they may be found lying in the furrows and hollows of the open field.

A proficient swimmer, water deer can also swim several miles to make use of river islands.

Tusks

The water deer have developed long canine teeth which protrude from the upper jaw like the canines of musk deer. The canines are fairly large in the bucks, ranging in length from 5.5 cm / 2.1 in. on average to as long as 8 cm / 3.2 in. Does, in comparison, have tiny canines that are on an average of 0.5 cm / 0.2 in. in length.

The teeth usually erupt in the autumn of the deer’s first year at approximately 6-7 months of age. By early spring the recently-erupted tusks reach approximately 50% of their final length. As the tusks develop, the root remains open until the deer is about eighteen months to two years old. When fully grown, only about 60% of the tusk is visible below the gum.

At the end of the male's first winter, his canines will be about half their full size; final length is reached after about 18 months. These canines are held loosely in their sockets, with their movement controlled by facial muscles. The buck can draw them backwards out of the way when eating. In aggressive encounters, he thrusts his canines out and draws in his lower lip to pull his teeth closer together. He then presents an impressive two-pronged weapon to rival males.

Read more about Water Deer:

Tuesday's Tip's & Technique's - #41

Getting Ready for Bow Hunting Season:

This is the time of year when the weather is steadily getting better and we can step outdoors and do some archery shooting. To be good with the bow and arrow you need to practice, practice and than more practice. Years ago when I archery hunted I was shooting all the time. I had a number of ways to practice to get ready for the upcoming season which in most states is the first season for deer to open.

I started with a 3-D target that I actually received for Christmas one year, it was a McKensie, just like this one. I will tell you that I shot that up so much that I had to by a new mid-section for it.

I practiced from 20, 30 & 40 yards and even from a tree stand that I had built in the back yard that was about 13' high.

It made a big difference shooting at different angles and at different heights. You never know what kind of shot you will have and a 3-D target is the best for practicing because it gets you use to aiming for a specific body part.

I also used different targets that would be set up on the ground.

You can buy portable bag targets that are made out of like burlap which hold up quite well and should give you your monies worth.

This is one example and is real close to the one I used. It's approximately $40.00 from Cabela's which if you think of it is not a bad choice.

I can not stress enough about practicing with a bow and arrow. Ask any veteran bowhunter and they will tell you the same thing.

You have to tone of the right muscles to shoot archery equipment properly and with consistant accuracy. You can't expect to shoot perfectly every day.

You owe it to the animal you hunt to be as proficient as humanly possible to aquire a shot that will expire your game as quick and humanely as possible.

I will try to touch on more bowhunting and the equipment used during the summer months so the veteran and newcomer alike will be prepared when the season opens.

A Family filled Sunday morning Fishing

Finally, I put stuff down, I didn't pick stuff up or answer the phone and go some where. Sunday morning Heidi, Tyler and I went fishing. It was a beautiful sunny morning so we grabbed the fishing poles and a stool for Heidi to sit on so she could read her book and grabbed the nightcrwalers that I picked up the day before and headed out.

We got to where I fished the last time which turned out to be very successful. There wasa couple of other guys fishing that appears to be giving up. One of them said they ain't biting on spinner so maybe you'll have luck with those crawlers. I said thanks and have a great day, he said the same.

We set up and I gave Tyler a few basic instructions on what to do. He was so excited that I don't think his smile could have gotten any bigger, it made me feel good.

I have thought it would be a good morning because we were seeing trout pop up all over the place. but, like the other guy said they were taking spinner. I tried just for the heck of it.

I set up my pole and had decided to try night crawlers. I think the whole morning all I got was two nibbles that's it.

Heidi seem to be doing well sitting on the bank and reading one of here books. She gave up the stool so Tyler could use it. Some how eventually the stool and half of Tyler ended up in the stream which was quite a surprise to Tyler.

I continued to try my luck while watching them pop up all around me and Tyler kept on practicing his casting (he was getting quite good at casting) but, we will need to work ar letting the crawler do it's job before we reel it in. LOL.

All in all it was a good day, no fish but that didn't matter. We got out as a family and spent a nice couple of hours together.

First Aid kits come in Handy

I was reading a post from Ben over at Ben G. Outdoors and he was talking about knives. He said that he never goes anywhere without at least a pocket knife and I have to agree with him 100% on that. It made me think though about what else you should carry with you a lot especially in the field.

If you are like me I always seem to cut myself when I use knives. Don't ask me why but it seems the more careful I am the more of a chance to get cut. A few years ago I was cleaning my knife off in a stream after field dressing a deer. The water and air temp were so cold that I didn't even know I cut myself until I starting seeing blood all over my pants.

Than there was the time I was cleaning meat off a skull and rack when I slipped and practically cut my finger off. But, that is another story. What I always have in my pack when I head out into the woods is a first aid kit. This is one I bought a few years ago and it is enough to take care of the basics at least until help arrives, if need be.

First Aid Kit - Day Hiker Kit (Level 2 Care 2 People/3 Days)


Bass Pro Shops: Unlike other first aid kits that feature a general variety of items, our Bass Pro Shops first aid kits are tailored specifically to the outdoor activities you love most. Kit includes everything you need (and nothing that you don't) for maximum safety and effectiveness. Made in USA.

Contents:
• One - Povidone iodine ointment
• Six - Antiseptic towelettes
• One - Green soap sponge
• Four - Ibuprofen tablets
• Four - Acetaminophen tablets
• Two - Decongestant tablets
• One - Sting relief
• Two - Antibiotic ointment
• One - Tincture of benzoin
• Six - Adhesive bandages 1" x 3"
• Five - Mini bandages
• Two - Knuckle bandages
• Two - 2" x 3" non-stick pads
• Six - 3" x 3" gauze pads
• Two - Sterile wound closure
• One - Adhesive taps 1/2" x 10 yards
• One - Gauze roll 2" x 5 yards
• One - Moleskin 2" x 3"
• Tweezers
• Resealable bag
• Pair nitrile gloves
• First aid booklet

Savory Sunday's - #17

Tis the season for BBQ's and grills.

Grilled Venison Delight

2 pc.boneless loin(backstraps) about 10 inches each 2 cloves of garlic (after all I am sicilian) Fresh black pepper Salt 1cup burgundy wine 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 small bunch italian style parsley (not curly parsley) 3-4 pc.fresh basil Put wine and olive oil in a bowl or casserole dish, cut garlic and scallions into 1/4 " slices. Add to wine and oil mix. Coarsely chop parsley and add to mix: the parsley, salt, fresh pepper and whole basil leaves .Place backstraps in marinade( make sure they are completely submerged) and refrigerate for at least 12 hours......... Cooking: Either grill on BBQ or broil in oven. Use very high heat. Well done on the outside and medium rare on the inside is perfect. Please don't kill your deer twice. Once in the field is enough. Enjoy dinner. Gasper123

From: Cooking with SuzeeQ

End to a nice Saturday Afternoon

Like I said in my last post I finished today in front of a nice outdoor fire, a cold beer and my buddy Tyler.

I have to admit I didn't get to much accomplished but I kinda knew that would happen.

I did get some nice red cedar mulch spread around the front yard and trimmed what I call the Charlie Brown tree, the lower branches were getting out of control. I also hauled some lawn garbage (roots & weeds) to the empty lot.

But, you know it was a good day. I spent some time with both of my boys outside and I think they were happy about that and I know I was.

We did have one casualty to the afternoon though and it was a Swallowtail Butterfly.

I was playing kick ball with Tyler in the backyard when I accidentally knock a swallowtail out of mid air. I felt bad but Tyler understood it was a accident.

Pretty butterfly none the less though.

Side work is keeping me busy

I have a feeling that this summer is going to be busy.

Besides trying to do some occasional trout fishing and working on projects around my own house my next door neighbor has kinda made me the handy man around the house.

So between her house and my own I have lot to do. my neighbor has a friend who wants to hire me to do her yard work during the summer. I sure hope I can keep up, we'll see.

Heidi is working two part time jobs also. It sure does help between the two of us we are making it but there still ain't much left over. I'm sure most of you know what I mean.

It is actually helping me in a way with the arthritis. I still get a lot of pain from swollen joints but I think it would be worse if I was to lay around.

I'm off to start on a list of things for today but I think I will finish the day with a couple cold beers by my outside fireplace.

The wall is a work in progress, still have more to do but, that is another day.

Gotta do what we must to keep going.