Well, as you know, I enjoyed my first success while bowhunting this weekend. Normally the tradition is to have the heart for dinner the same day the deer is killed. Due to family traveling and not getting out of the woods until dark, we weren't able to continue that tradition this year. Just in case anyone wants to try it, if they get the chance, I'll tell you how we normally prepare it.
First, the heart needs to soak in cold water for most of the day. Change the water multiple times. When it's time to get going on dinner, remove the heart from the cold water and cut off all the excess fat, sinew, etc. I cut across the heart making 1/4 inch slices. Next dredge the slices in a mixture of flour, garlic powder, salt, pepper, or whatever seasonings you prefer. Heat about 1/8 inch of oil in a frying pan. Oil should be quite hot. Lay slices in the oil. Fry just long enough to crisp the dredge then turn and repeat. Remove slices from oil and place on paper towel to get rid of excess oil. Serve with whatever sides you choose.
This year I tried something different. My dad is having teeth issues so he can't eat anything that requires actual mastication. I cut the heart into very small bits. Along with some of the backstrap, I sauteed it in butter and olive oil and seasoned to taste. After it was cooked thoroughly I added it to some cooked pasta, and stirred in a jar of alfredo sauce. It was quite tasty.
I know that many people, hunters included, abhor the idea of eating any of the innards of an animal. I feel that it's my obligation to use as much of the animal as possible. And for those out there that haven't tried it, you really should reserve judgement until you do.
Related Links
Someone else that had a successful weekend.
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Showing posts with label Deer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Deer. Show all posts
Monday, October 3, 2011
Saturday, October 1, 2011
How to Fill the Freezer
Just do this a few times.
This is my first deer with a bow. Let me tell ya how it went.
Got up at 5:00, showered, ate, dressed and headed out to the woods. In my stand before 6:00. After it started getting light watched several squirrels scampering around. About 8:30 I look over my right shoulder and see a deer walking towards me. It was a doe with two fawns. For those of you that don't know, it's nearly impossible for a right handed shoulder to shoot toward their right while sitting down. The doe spotted me before I had a chance to get to my feet so I sat absolutely still, hoping they would move to an area where there vision was blocked for a few seconds. Well they started walking back the way they came and I took the opportunity to try to stand. Must have made some noise because they spooked and took off. Sat back down and waited some more. 9:30 rolls around and I stand to stretch my legs. I'm standing for a couple minutes when I happen to look down to my right and there's a deer not twenty yards away. This time I was able to get turned around, but the safety harness makes it somewhat difficult to draw back normally. Also, my left leg won't stop shaking. Get the bow drawn back and the deer steps into an opening and I shoot. *THWACK* Well that didn't sound like and arrow hitting a deer. But the deer is still there. Get another arrow on the string, draw, leg is still shaking, shoot. *THUD* That sounded just like an arrow hitting the ground. But the deer is STILL there. Get my third and last arrow on the string. Realize I hadn't been holding proper form while shooting. Make a concerted effort to make sure everything is just right, and shoot. *Whack!!!!* That one sounded right. The deer took off and I heard it crash just a few seconds later. I can see my arrow sticking out of the ground and it's covered with blood.
Everyone says you need to wait and let the deer have time to expire so you don't spook it and cause it to run halfway across the county in a final desperate effort to spite you. Well this deer took off up the trail I have to use to get back to my vehicle. Plus, I'm out of arrows. So I get down and retrieve two of my arrows. The first one I shot is lodged in a small tree that I didn't see about 12 feet off the ground. I make my way as quietly and softly toward where I heard the deer go down as possible. After walking about 15 yards from my blood covered arrow I can see the deer lying in the brush. It's not moving and it's eye's are wide open and unblinking. I could see the exit wound and knew the deer was dead.
Went back to my car, drove to my grandpa's to borrow his truck and came back and loaded my deer. I took it home and it's mostly all cut up and ready to be canned or turned into jerky.
Dinner tonight will consist of backstrap and heart.
There are no related links today. Gotta get ready to head back out and don't have time to find humorous or interesting things to link to. Sorry for the inconvenience.
This is my first deer with a bow. Let me tell ya how it went.
Got up at 5:00, showered, ate, dressed and headed out to the woods. In my stand before 6:00. After it started getting light watched several squirrels scampering around. About 8:30 I look over my right shoulder and see a deer walking towards me. It was a doe with two fawns. For those of you that don't know, it's nearly impossible for a right handed shoulder to shoot toward their right while sitting down. The doe spotted me before I had a chance to get to my feet so I sat absolutely still, hoping they would move to an area where there vision was blocked for a few seconds. Well they started walking back the way they came and I took the opportunity to try to stand. Must have made some noise because they spooked and took off. Sat back down and waited some more. 9:30 rolls around and I stand to stretch my legs. I'm standing for a couple minutes when I happen to look down to my right and there's a deer not twenty yards away. This time I was able to get turned around, but the safety harness makes it somewhat difficult to draw back normally. Also, my left leg won't stop shaking. Get the bow drawn back and the deer steps into an opening and I shoot. *THWACK* Well that didn't sound like and arrow hitting a deer. But the deer is still there. Get another arrow on the string, draw, leg is still shaking, shoot. *THUD* That sounded just like an arrow hitting the ground. But the deer is STILL there. Get my third and last arrow on the string. Realize I hadn't been holding proper form while shooting. Make a concerted effort to make sure everything is just right, and shoot. *Whack!!!!* That one sounded right. The deer took off and I heard it crash just a few seconds later. I can see my arrow sticking out of the ground and it's covered with blood.
Everyone says you need to wait and let the deer have time to expire so you don't spook it and cause it to run halfway across the county in a final desperate effort to spite you. Well this deer took off up the trail I have to use to get back to my vehicle. Plus, I'm out of arrows. So I get down and retrieve two of my arrows. The first one I shot is lodged in a small tree that I didn't see about 12 feet off the ground. I make my way as quietly and softly toward where I heard the deer go down as possible. After walking about 15 yards from my blood covered arrow I can see the deer lying in the brush. It's not moving and it's eye's are wide open and unblinking. I could see the exit wound and knew the deer was dead.
Went back to my car, drove to my grandpa's to borrow his truck and came back and loaded my deer. I took it home and it's mostly all cut up and ready to be canned or turned into jerky.
Dinner tonight will consist of backstrap and heart.
There are no related links today. Gotta get ready to head back out and don't have time to find humorous or interesting things to link to. Sorry for the inconvenience.
Friday, September 30, 2011
How to Pull an All Nighter
Well it's finally here. Bow season eve. I remember feeling like this when I was a kid on firearm season eve. (You were expecting me to say Christmas Eve weren't you?) This is one of my absolute favorite times of year. I've spent many, many hours preparing for this. I've spent WAY too much money preparing for this. And I do it on the cheap. I can't imagine how much the guys spend that have to have the newest and best of everything.
I remember reading an article in an old Buckmaster's that described my current condition as A.N.T.L.E.R.S. Another Night To Lose Essential Rest Syndrome. That is about the most perfect description I can think of.
Once I've finished washing my hunting clothes in special scent eliminating soap, drying them with a dirt scented dryer sheet, and sealing them in their airtight plastic bag, I'll head to bed where I toss and turn all night as I replay thousands of different scenarios of what is going to occur tomorrow.
I'll wake up early, eat something less than memorable, put on my gear and head out to the woods. Will this be the year that I finally get a deer with my bow? Which way will they come from? Is the wind going to be in my favor? I wish I had a way to kill all the dang squirrels without making noise. Why does my nose always run like crazy when I'm in a treestand? Why do I never remember that my nose runs like crazy when I'm in a treestand and bring some tissue or something? Should I bring something to eat? Will I actually be able to stay out long enough to get hungry this time? Okay, I'm always hungry, I'll bring a snack.
These and countless other thoughts flit through my mind. Eventually I will nod off only to awaken a few short hours later and actually do all the stuff I was thinking about the night before.
What will tomorrow bring? I'll let ya know.
Related Links
Post #83 is my weapon of choice for tomorrow
Yes I use these
And this is what I'll be sitting in.
I remember reading an article in an old Buckmaster's that described my current condition as A.N.T.L.E.R.S. Another Night To Lose Essential Rest Syndrome. That is about the most perfect description I can think of.
Once I've finished washing my hunting clothes in special scent eliminating soap, drying them with a dirt scented dryer sheet, and sealing them in their airtight plastic bag, I'll head to bed where I toss and turn all night as I replay thousands of different scenarios of what is going to occur tomorrow.
I'll wake up early, eat something less than memorable, put on my gear and head out to the woods. Will this be the year that I finally get a deer with my bow? Which way will they come from? Is the wind going to be in my favor? I wish I had a way to kill all the dang squirrels without making noise. Why does my nose always run like crazy when I'm in a treestand? Why do I never remember that my nose runs like crazy when I'm in a treestand and bring some tissue or something? Should I bring something to eat? Will I actually be able to stay out long enough to get hungry this time? Okay, I'm always hungry, I'll bring a snack.
These and countless other thoughts flit through my mind. Eventually I will nod off only to awaken a few short hours later and actually do all the stuff I was thinking about the night before.
What will tomorrow bring? I'll let ya know.
Related Links
Post #83 is my weapon of choice for tomorrow
Yes I use these
And this is what I'll be sitting in.
Saturday, September 17, 2011
How to Write a Post When You Have Writer's Block.
I really couldn't think of a particular topic to write about tonight. So be forewarned, this post may not be up to my normal standards of wit and intellect.
Here's a brief recap of my week leading up to and including my hunting season so far. Keep in mind that this is the early antlerless season in Michigan. That means you can only shoot deer with less than three inches of antler on one side. For those of you who aren't familiar with deer, antlers generally come in pairs, hence the distinction.
Monday night- get a text from the associate minister at my church to let me know the Bible study I normally attend on Tuesday mornings has been moved to Thursday morning this week. Great, Thursday was the first day of the season. Oh well, I'll just go later that evening.
Tuesday-During the day take several opportunities to practice shooting.
Wednesday-Spend some more time shooting in the afternoon. Notice that d-loop on bow string is starting to fray a bit. Immediately after noticing this, proceed to draw bow, only to have release open halfway through the draw due to a bit of frayed material stuck in the jaws. Punch self in mouth and unwittingly launch arrow who knows where. Great. I decide that as long as I'm careful not to get the material stuck in the jaws I should be ok. After all, I'm going out in the morning and I just don't have time to get it replaced before then.
Wednesday night-Get a text saying Bible study is cancelled, the third member of our group hurt himself and had to go to the doctor in the morning. Well at least I get to go hunting in the morning. Crap, gotta wash my hunting clothes. Stay up until 12:30 to put hunting clothes in dryer.
Thursday morning-Excitement prevents sleeping past 4:30. Get up, shower and have some oatmeal. Wait impatiently for 6:00. Head out to truck and leave for hunting property which is less than a mile away. Turn around when halfway there because I forgot my safety harness and don't relish the idea of tumbling 20 feet to the forest floor. Make it to hunting property. Walk to stand. Climb into stand and hook up to safety harness. Pull bow up. Sit dow. Nearly mess pants when a deer blows 20 yards away because it smells me. Listen as the deer blows about a dozen more times. Convince myself that all the deer in the area HAVEN'T taken off for the next county. Wait and wait and wait for it to get light. Once it's light enough to see, stare intently at every little movement I see. Nearly mess pants when a squirrel scurries down the backside of my tree with no warning. Look off to my left and see a deer walking. Notice antlers. Dang. Wait, there's another deer behind it. Even bigger antlers. Dang. (Remember, I can only shoot does right now.) Watch in frustration as the deer meander back and forth well within shooting range. Finally deer leave. Heart rate slowly returns to normal. Hear splashing that I KNOW is deer crossing the creek. Wait, and wait, and wait. The two bucks are back. The two bucks disappear into the brush. Look across the creek. See doe. Out of range and across the property line. Doe walks off. Sit and wait, and wait, and wait. Look to far left. See four deer. Swing my bow around to draw back. Antlers on all four heads. DANG. Sit until about 10:00 when I have to go back home to get some stuff done. Go home and get some stuff done. Head back out to woods around 5:00. Back in my stand. Wait, and wait, and wait. About 7:30 stand to stretch my legs and look behind me. A deer. More antlers. DANGIT ALL!!!!! Wait until dark and go home.
Friday morning-Force myself to get up at 5:30 to hunt even though I didn't get to bed until after midnight again as I was trying to finish a blog post as well as some other things. Go to put my hunting clothes in the dryer. They're already dry. Crap, I forgot to start the washer last night. Decide God must want me to let my stand cool off for a day. Spend the day getting more stuff done. Make SURE I wash and dry my clothes before I go to bed.
Saturday morning-Up at 5:30. Shower and get dressed, head out to woods. Get in stand. Sit until about 9:30 when I have to go back home and help set up for a family reunion. Spend the day with a bunch of people that make me question how I'm even possibly related to them.
Saturday night-Sit for several hours trying to come up with something to write for my blog. This is it.
And another
And one more.
Here's a brief recap of my week leading up to and including my hunting season so far. Keep in mind that this is the early antlerless season in Michigan. That means you can only shoot deer with less than three inches of antler on one side. For those of you who aren't familiar with deer, antlers generally come in pairs, hence the distinction.
Monday night- get a text from the associate minister at my church to let me know the Bible study I normally attend on Tuesday mornings has been moved to Thursday morning this week. Great, Thursday was the first day of the season. Oh well, I'll just go later that evening.
Tuesday-During the day take several opportunities to practice shooting.
Wednesday-Spend some more time shooting in the afternoon. Notice that d-loop on bow string is starting to fray a bit. Immediately after noticing this, proceed to draw bow, only to have release open halfway through the draw due to a bit of frayed material stuck in the jaws. Punch self in mouth and unwittingly launch arrow who knows where. Great. I decide that as long as I'm careful not to get the material stuck in the jaws I should be ok. After all, I'm going out in the morning and I just don't have time to get it replaced before then.
Wednesday night-Get a text saying Bible study is cancelled, the third member of our group hurt himself and had to go to the doctor in the morning. Well at least I get to go hunting in the morning. Crap, gotta wash my hunting clothes. Stay up until 12:30 to put hunting clothes in dryer.
Thursday morning-Excitement prevents sleeping past 4:30. Get up, shower and have some oatmeal. Wait impatiently for 6:00. Head out to truck and leave for hunting property which is less than a mile away. Turn around when halfway there because I forgot my safety harness and don't relish the idea of tumbling 20 feet to the forest floor. Make it to hunting property. Walk to stand. Climb into stand and hook up to safety harness. Pull bow up. Sit dow. Nearly mess pants when a deer blows 20 yards away because it smells me. Listen as the deer blows about a dozen more times. Convince myself that all the deer in the area HAVEN'T taken off for the next county. Wait and wait and wait for it to get light. Once it's light enough to see, stare intently at every little movement I see. Nearly mess pants when a squirrel scurries down the backside of my tree with no warning. Look off to my left and see a deer walking. Notice antlers. Dang. Wait, there's another deer behind it. Even bigger antlers. Dang. (Remember, I can only shoot does right now.) Watch in frustration as the deer meander back and forth well within shooting range. Finally deer leave. Heart rate slowly returns to normal. Hear splashing that I KNOW is deer crossing the creek. Wait, and wait, and wait. The two bucks are back. The two bucks disappear into the brush. Look across the creek. See doe. Out of range and across the property line. Doe walks off. Sit and wait, and wait, and wait. Look to far left. See four deer. Swing my bow around to draw back. Antlers on all four heads. DANG. Sit until about 10:00 when I have to go back home to get some stuff done. Go home and get some stuff done. Head back out to woods around 5:00. Back in my stand. Wait, and wait, and wait. About 7:30 stand to stretch my legs and look behind me. A deer. More antlers. DANGIT ALL!!!!! Wait until dark and go home.
Friday morning-Force myself to get up at 5:30 to hunt even though I didn't get to bed until after midnight again as I was trying to finish a blog post as well as some other things. Go to put my hunting clothes in the dryer. They're already dry. Crap, I forgot to start the washer last night. Decide God must want me to let my stand cool off for a day. Spend the day getting more stuff done. Make SURE I wash and dry my clothes before I go to bed.
Saturday morning-Up at 5:30. Shower and get dressed, head out to woods. Get in stand. Sit until about 9:30 when I have to go back home and help set up for a family reunion. Spend the day with a bunch of people that make me question how I'm even possibly related to them.
Saturday night-Sit for several hours trying to come up with something to write for my blog. This is it.
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And one more.
Friday, September 16, 2011
How to Enjoy Hunting Season...A Deer's Perspective
It's that time of year again. Hunting season is upon us. In many states, deer season has already started. Here in Michigan the early doe season started yesterday. The bucks are safe at least until October 1st, or until they die of old age if I'm the one hunting them.
I thought I'd take a different approach and try to analyze what this would mean to a deer from its point of view.
As your night time ritual of decimating farmers' corn comes to a close, you notice a change in the misty air. It's not something you can see or hear or even smell...yet. You begin to saunter back to your bedding area just as the sun starts to paint the eastern sky a soft salmon color. Tendrils of fog drift through the early morning air as you step from the field into the edge of the forest.
Then you hear it. A truck door closing. From different locations, near and far, you hear the sound repeated at irregular intervals, slightly muffled by the heavy atmosphere. You know what that means. Hunting season.
You snicker to yourself. You wait all year for hunting season to roll around. You've survived your share. Granted, some of the early lessons were hard. You still limp from where that kid shot through your front leg with an arrow your first year. But now you're wiser, and have come to appreciate the entertainment to be had in the fall months.
You already know where the hunters will be. These guys use the same stands every year. In fact, you can hear one of them trying to sneak through the woods right now. You wonder how any deer are ever killed when humans are so loud, clumsy, and smelly. You see the beam from the hunter's flashlight flitting through the trees. Deciding to start the festivities off early, you move into position about ten yards from the stand. You watch the uncoordinated oaf as he wanders back and forth, cursing to himself, because he forgot which tree his stand is in. If you could laugh you would. The frustrated fellow finally finds his tree and begins his ascent. You wait until he's approximately halfway up and snort just as hard as you can and stomp away. You hear the hunter cuss some more as he nearly slips off the steps in surprise.
Ahh, good stuff, you think to yourself. So good, in fact, you do it to two other hunters you are able to find before there is enough light for their weak human eyes to see you.
Having too much fun, you decide to forgo your normal routine. You can sleep anytime.
You meander through the forest seeking out your next target.
Having located one, you walk in what appears to be a haphazard manner back and forth and around his stand. This only has the appearance of being random. You make sure that at all times there are several trees and brush between you and the hunter. You can see the intensity in his eyes as the adrenalin courses through his body. You can smell the nervous anticipation as it rolls off him in seemingly visible waves. Once you think you've brought his heart to its maximum sustainable rate, you put a tree between the two of you and walk straight away.
As the day wears on, you decide you actually do need to sleep. You make your way to your hidey hole in the local swamp and nap for a few hours.
You awake as evening approaches. Now it's time for your favorite tease. Just as the light begins to fade, you arrive at a nearby alfalfa field. You know exactly where the hunter is as he's been here several times a week hanging his stand, checking his trail cameras, and all but giving you a map and itinerary. Just before legal shooting light is gone, you prance out onto a knoll in the middle of the field, on the opposite end from the hunter. Your massive antlers are backlit by the waning light and you know, you just KNOW, that that hunter is watching you from his treestand, well out of range, cussing to himself about "stupid deer".
Related Links
Deer is funny people
Must have accessories
These are the things hunters dream about...yes, we need help
I thought I'd take a different approach and try to analyze what this would mean to a deer from its point of view.
As your night time ritual of decimating farmers' corn comes to a close, you notice a change in the misty air. It's not something you can see or hear or even smell...yet. You begin to saunter back to your bedding area just as the sun starts to paint the eastern sky a soft salmon color. Tendrils of fog drift through the early morning air as you step from the field into the edge of the forest.
Then you hear it. A truck door closing. From different locations, near and far, you hear the sound repeated at irregular intervals, slightly muffled by the heavy atmosphere. You know what that means. Hunting season.
You snicker to yourself. You wait all year for hunting season to roll around. You've survived your share. Granted, some of the early lessons were hard. You still limp from where that kid shot through your front leg with an arrow your first year. But now you're wiser, and have come to appreciate the entertainment to be had in the fall months.
You already know where the hunters will be. These guys use the same stands every year. In fact, you can hear one of them trying to sneak through the woods right now. You wonder how any deer are ever killed when humans are so loud, clumsy, and smelly. You see the beam from the hunter's flashlight flitting through the trees. Deciding to start the festivities off early, you move into position about ten yards from the stand. You watch the uncoordinated oaf as he wanders back and forth, cursing to himself, because he forgot which tree his stand is in. If you could laugh you would. The frustrated fellow finally finds his tree and begins his ascent. You wait until he's approximately halfway up and snort just as hard as you can and stomp away. You hear the hunter cuss some more as he nearly slips off the steps in surprise.
Ahh, good stuff, you think to yourself. So good, in fact, you do it to two other hunters you are able to find before there is enough light for their weak human eyes to see you.
Having too much fun, you decide to forgo your normal routine. You can sleep anytime.
You meander through the forest seeking out your next target.
Having located one, you walk in what appears to be a haphazard manner back and forth and around his stand. This only has the appearance of being random. You make sure that at all times there are several trees and brush between you and the hunter. You can see the intensity in his eyes as the adrenalin courses through his body. You can smell the nervous anticipation as it rolls off him in seemingly visible waves. Once you think you've brought his heart to its maximum sustainable rate, you put a tree between the two of you and walk straight away.
As the day wears on, you decide you actually do need to sleep. You make your way to your hidey hole in the local swamp and nap for a few hours.
You awake as evening approaches. Now it's time for your favorite tease. Just as the light begins to fade, you arrive at a nearby alfalfa field. You know exactly where the hunter is as he's been here several times a week hanging his stand, checking his trail cameras, and all but giving you a map and itinerary. Just before legal shooting light is gone, you prance out onto a knoll in the middle of the field, on the opposite end from the hunter. Your massive antlers are backlit by the waning light and you know, you just KNOW, that that hunter is watching you from his treestand, well out of range, cussing to himself about "stupid deer".
Related Links
Deer is funny people
Must have accessories
These are the things hunters dream about...yes, we need help
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