What are the "Essentials"

dennishoddy · Aug 13, 2016

Deer fat taste is typically a product of what they are eating in their habitat. If they are in semi-arid areas, eating woody browse and sage brush, it will have an off taste.
Tons of agriculture in my area, so all year they are living off wheat, corn, soybeans, milo, etc. their fat is pretty neutral in taste.
I grind in 20% pork fat with the venison mainly to give the meat a binder to hold it together and add moistness.
Making sausage, I'll do 25 lbs at a time, 1/2 venison, 1/2 pork butt with no fat trimmed. Add cure, hi temp cheese, seasonings, etc.
If making burger patties, add ground pork if you have some folks on the line about eating straight venison. The addition of the ground pork "fixes" some issues. Later, wean them off the pork. Lol.

dennishoddy · Aug 23, 2016

dennishoddy said:
I have different methods of getting them out of the field on private ground. This is one.

If you blow the pic up, this buck died 533 yds from my blind. The blind is way in the background . .243wssm in the AR platform. He made B&C, but the drop time took it below that level.

Got the official Boone &Crockett scoring done today. 158 7/8". I'm happy.

Dux-R-Us · Oct 28, 2016

The Duck's minimum gear list for deer hunting.

Weapon and projectiles (important to remember to bring the projectiles)
Knife
A "tag" (paper, a pencil, string)

As sage Dennis has written, the scents are all gimmick. I once used scents, anti-human stink spray, washed my clothes etc. None of this improved my success rate. I only "hunt the wind" now, as Dennis writes, and am equally or more successful.

There are tons of things to buy now for hunting. Most are designed to get your money. I despise these gear gimmicks that attempt to take the hunt out of hunting.

LuckyDucky · Oct 29, 2016

dennishoddy · Oct 29, 2016

Spencer said:

Hell yes that's a shooter!

Got my first decent buck on cam recently.

Jonathan Waits · Oct 31, 2016

So do these deer look healthy? I take it the big one is the mama and the other three are the kiddos?

dennishoddy · Oct 31, 2016

Triplets are not common, but they do occur. Take momma and let the young ones grow another year or two.

Jonathan Waits · Nov 1, 2016

Ok one more question. Looking at the prices for processing, it is a lot cheaper than I thought, and since this will be our first time out this season, my buddy and I are discussing taking it in if we get one. By the time we buy all the knives and kitchen wares needed to do it ourselves we would be spending twice as much and we can slowly acquire the equipment to do it ourselves over time. The only place I can find near where we would be hunting is Sallee Meat Processors in Guthrie, anyone hear anything about them? Also when you bring it to a processor, do you need to field dress it first as courtesy or just if you don't think you will make it over to the place in a timely fashion?

LuckyDucky · Nov 1, 2016

I cut em up myself.

dennishoddy · Nov 1, 2016

Field dress it first before taking it to a processor. Some won't take it if not. Field dress it in the field as soon as possible. Use a stick when done to prop the cavity open for faster cooling. Getting the meat cooled as fast as possible will improve the taste. I make a beeline for a place to buy ice to put into the cavity as soon as it gets out of the field.
Salees in Guthrie has a great reputation. I've heard their deer stick snacks are incredible.

Jonathan Waits · Nov 2, 2016

If I felt like I was going to harvest more than one this year I could justify buying my own equipment, but as it stands, I think we will be lucky to get one.

dennishoddy · Nov 2, 2016

It takes some change to get started processing your own for sure. I started with a really cheap grinder and white butcher paper to wrap it in. Over the years it's been upgraded to a grinder big enough to do a whole deer into burger in 30 minutes and a vacuum sealer to help preserve the meat.
Work at it slowly. Save up enough to buy a quality grinder first. Those cheap plastic ones for $89 will take 5-6 hour or longer to grind a deer into burger. The knives in them suck so your constantly taking them apart to un jam, etc. Buy once, cry once.

Jonathan Waits · Nov 2, 2016

We have a kitchen aide attachment one that works well.

Jonathan Waits · Nov 14, 2016

Do I need a hanging scale? Or do people just guestimate? I mean if I can record my kill online, how do I tell them how much it weighed.?

dennishoddy · Nov 14, 2016

They don't ask for weight any more. Just basic info like doe or buck, number of points, time/date of harvest, etc.

LuckyDucky · Nov 14, 2016

dennishoddy said:
They don't ask for weight any more. Just basic info like doe or buck, number of points, time/date of harvest, etc.

The do ask if it is an adult though.

Jonathan Waits · Nov 16, 2016

ok. awesome. Also, how much on average does a hunting lease cost in Oklahoma, due to some miscommunication between my father in law and myself, I may no longer be welcome on his land after this year, which is frustrating as I am just getting into this and invested some money into it thus far for a successful harvest. So I am just curious if it is affordable or even an option for me.