Deer Hunting

[BLACKJACK]

SHORELUNCH, I like your choice of bows! I have the Golden Eagle Splitfire I.

You were asking about deer processing. Getting the deer processed into your basic steaks, roasts, and burger will cost you about $50-60 a deer. Its when you start getting the sausage, breakfast links, and jerky made that it runs into the big bucks - the sky is the limit if you're not careful! Consider investing in a dehydrator and making your own jerky, either out of the steaks or burger. Do you like beef steak or hamburgers? Then you should like venison. As others have said, serve it pink and hot! If you overcook a deer steak it will taste like tough liver!! Use the burger in casseroles or even in burgers, you'll like it, less fat to render off. Or mix it 50/50 with beef.

Good luck!

[Shorelunch]

Thanks for the info Blackjack.

If you're from the northern metro or around the Park Rapids area, who's your processor?

[BLACKJACK]

Sorry Shorelunch, Willmar area. I use either the butcher shops in Belgrade, Kerkhoven, or Corvuso. Talk to one BEFORE you get your deer because you want to know what the hours are, maybe they close at noon Sat... If its hot out you need to think about meat care. You my be able to talk one into opening on a Sunday to get your deer into the cooler. I may not go out Sat night or Sunday morning because I don't want it to spoil.

[The Chemist]

We have always processed our own deer. We skin and de-bone them. When we are done we have a few roasts, some tenderloin steaks and grindings. We then take some of the roasts and the grindings to a processor in the spring and have it made into sausage and sticks. This way we don't get our meat mixed w/ others. Does anyone know of a NW metro shop that does processing? My brother in-law never took in this years meat and I don't have the time to drive 60+ miles to get it processed.

[huskminn]

I had a deer processed last fall at Osseo Meats in, you guessed it, Osseo.

They "guaranteed" that I would get my meat back. Of course, I had to trust them on that. Overall, I was happy with the job and the summer sausage was some of the best I've had.

They do all of the other stuff, sausage, jerky, sticks, etc. I do not know if they would do this stuff in the off-season and I also don't know where they stand on processing with the CWD situation.

I normally get my deer processed in South Dakota, because that's where I shoot them. However, this year I didn't get my tags, so I don't know what I'm doing come November.

[Havin' Fun]

Shorelunch,

If your into deer hunting you really should learn to butcher your own deer. Find someone to help you on your first. I learned a few years back, and it was extremely easy to find someone willing to offer their help. Just ask. But once you can do it yourself you know what you are getting all the time and than you can just package your own meat. I usually save the cuts I want, than baggie the rest for processing or for my jerky. One deer cut up equalled a pretty full kitchen freezer. Now there is no worry about spoiling of deer meat. Good luck. If you need help, go to a certain bowhunting internet site(I'm not sure I can post their address but you can only guess what you need to type in) and they have links to gutting and butchering your deer.

[graffitigreg]

Fivebucks,

I've got two API Predator Grand climbers in like new condition for sale. Did you find a climbing stand yet? Check out my post on the Used Gear forum if you are still looking. They are great stands.

[Shorelunch]

Thanks for your help guys.

Couple of broadhead questions . . .
I have 100 grain NAP Thunderheads.

What is, or where is the best way to resight my bow for broadheads?

I'm in the NW metro and the nearby Coon Rapids range has haybales - they aren't the best for broadheads, right?

Being broadheads are heavier and would shoot lower and when you're on a stand you tend to shoot a little higher, would you just use your sights as normal (right now set for field points)?

[Havin' Fun]

I have found that my fieldpoints and broadheads travel pretty much the same height. I have a thin, dense foam target that I shoot into. The broadhead goes threw, and you can than just pull the arrow through the other side. The feathers just slide right threw the target.

[huskminn]

Bales are a bad thing to shoot broadheads into as sometimes they don't come out so well.

It has been a while since I've bowhunted, but I always shot the same grain field points as broadheads. However, most broadheads will cause a different arrow trajectory, so you're best bet is to sacrafice a couple of broadheads for target practice. If you notice different impact points with the broadheads, change your pins accordingly.

Because I am most familiar with older equipment (10 years) there is a chance that the new bows, arrows and broadheads don't require one to change pin settings.

You'd better shoot a good amount of reps with your broadheads at all ranges, though, to make sure.

Kinda wish I was still bowhunting.....a lot of good memories.

[metrojoe]

Shorelunch,

You should always match your field points and broadheads. If you are using 100 gr. broadheads then you should be using 100 gr. field points.
Alot of people find that broadheads fly a little different than their field points. I shoot Muzzy's 125 gr and they hit about 3 to 4 inches to the left and about and inch or so lower than my field points. I just use my bow for hunting so I have gone to just shooting broadheads. That way I don't have to go through the sometimes tedious process of tuning my bow to shoot both. If you go to Eastons archery page they have a guide that explains tuning.

I'm not positive but doesn't Bunker Hills have targets for broadheads?

joe

[This message has been edited by metrojoe (edited 09-11-2002).]

[BLACKJACK]

Hammer'em, where do you cut-up your deer at? On what? I've contemplated butchering my own deer but then I think about finding a clean table/sheet of plywood, scrubbing out buckets to hold the meat, and all the other mess and I say to heck with it and take my deer to a butcher shop. Also, what does the name of that web site for archery hunting? Or what does it rhyme with?

Shorelunch, the guys gave you good advice on the broadheads, shoot the same weight field points and broadheads (100 or 125 grain) and you should shoot fairly close. The reason that important is that the archery season is long and you need to keep practicing through out. I like to take a few shots (with field points) every evening before I go out. Buy yourself a portable butt or foam deer you can use to shoot a few broadheads into. Those broadheads are strictly practice broadheads!!!! Use new broadheads with new blades for hunting!! I also use the Thunderheads and my rule is that if the broad head hits the ground, I put in new blades. Arrows/broadheads kill by causing massive bleeding, and you want as much cutting as possible, hopefully with inlet AND exit wounds. With a slice thru the lungs and an exit wound, that deer is yours.

Good luck!

[Havin' Fun]

Blackjack,

Usually I set up on a card table or will use a picnic table and lay my fish cleaning board accross it. My fish cleaning board is the board that is usually cut out of your countertop for your sink! My deer is still hanging, and I take it one leg at a time. I have done this both in the garage and outside.

For putting meat into I just clean out a couple of coolers. One for steaks and the other for process meat. So when I'm cutting I just throw it into either one.

The neat thing about the coolers is that if you run out of fridge space or your doing this at your shack, all you need is to buy a few bags of ice and lay them over the meat and it stays fresh.

You read the magazine Bowhunter? Just add the internet ending and you will find it.

I really enjoy butchering my own meat. Makes the hunt that much more enjoyable knowing I did everything, from the hunt to the kill, to the table.

[BLACKJACK]

Thanks Hammer'em, I may give it a try this year. Need to rig up away to hang them in my garage, its sheetrocked. Could be kind of fun, get the electric frying pan going for sample pieces, a little grog....

You bring up a good point about Bowhunter, its the best archery magazine on the market! Shorelunch, think about subscribing, its a good mix of how-to, advice, and adventure articles. After reading the current issue, you're ready to go after'em!!!

[fivebucks]

Good luck to all hitting the woods tomorrow. I don't think I'll sleep too much tonight. I'm hoping I don't jinx myself by bringing the big cooler along but you have to be prepared cause you can't hang a deer in this weather. Here's to cutting up a deer Sat. or Sunday. Have fun out there!

[Guest]

BLACKJACK
Go to the hardware store and get a 5/16 inch eye hook, screw it into the celing joist,use a stud finder if you cannot find the screws. Then hook a pulley to make the raising of the deer easier, you can use a boat winch to crank your deer up real easy.Or use a atv,or even your vehicle.
I have a few eye bolts in my celing for more than one deer,then use the boat winch the raise the deer ,and have a short pc of rope to hook to the eye hook once I get the deer raised up. Works real good.
Don't buy too small of hooks though.
Good luck

[CorynTracySellHomes]

Stories everyone!!! Did anyone brave the skeeters this weekend? Unfortunately I had to work, but, my nieghbors boy got his first deer last night! Man is he pumped! This is his first year he can legally hunt, but, he has got an awesome dad who has had him in a tree stand since he was three! Awesome job Tracy Shinler!

Cory Frantzick

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[metrojoe]

Shorelunch,
I wouldn't worry about it. Get the meat in the freezer and then hold out for the trophy.

[Sand Burr]

Cory,
Congrats to Tracy! I'm sure dad influced the shot! He used to wrestle for me until he moved on to bigger and better. Those darn kids have so many things to worry about now days? I'm sure dad is waiting for the big one.

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"Hey Nice Rack"

www.bucketrack.com

[HUNTER2]

Has anyone bow hunted the LacQuiParle area? And I was wondering if I could get a few hints where to hunt there since I dont have any private land to hunt. Its about 50 miles from where I live so it would be a hit and miss thing. All the wildlife areas around here get hit hard.

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Hunt&Fish tell you drop!

[Shorelunch]

Went up near Becida this weekend. Bow/deer hunted for the first time. I now know what the excitement is all about.

Saw a lot of doe (w/in 5 - 30 yards) and a couple of bucks. Had an 8 pointer w/in 20-30 yards but couldn't get a clean shot. Didn't take a doe. Learned a lot - used to think deer just stood in the ditches and waited for cars to pass by.

Will go back up in a couple of weeks. Is it too early in the season to take a doe (for pride's sake)?

[fivebucks]

Shorelunch,
Take a doe, she'll eat good. Look through the regs., most areas in the state you can bow hunt and get a management tag and some places intensive harvest tags. You can use those tags for the does and keep your main archery tag for a buck later or to keep your gun license open. I took my first deer with a bow on Monday morning. It is definately a thrill. I had a nice clean broadside/quartering away shot at 20 yards. Was in the garage last night cutting her up. I think fresh venison on the grill is in order tonight. Another good thing is that the skeeters were not bad at all in northern MN.
Good luck to all.

[Havin' Fun]

Congrats fivebucks! It's an awesome feeling to harvest a deer with a bow. I'm hoping to get out as soon as this heat subsides a little. By the way, the mosquitos are HORRIBLE in parts of northern Minnesota. I had probably over 2000 mosquitos on me the other night. Fortunately I had thick gear on. Pray for a freeze soon.

[Shorelunch]

And of course our MN mesquitos swarm into a frenzy and attack when deer are close and you have to be still.

Is there such thing as non-scented insect repellant that works?

One more question. Is it absolutely essential that EVERYTHING you wear hunting be washed in that non-scented UV stuff?

[fivebucks]

I guess I got lucky on the skeeters but I didn't get bit at all on the stand in the mornings. They were out in the evenings if I was where the breeze didn't reach.

Shorelunch,
I was my stuff in the UV remover stuff, first time was last year. I don't know if it really works but sometimes those deer just seem to pick you out that I fiqured it wouldn't hurt. It kind of gets you fired up for the hunt if nothing else.