Deer hunting BS thread

its been strange year here...lots of nocturnal deer, few and far between in daylight. And those are typically does. My neighbor shot a large bodied spike, Im holding out on a nice buck...if it gets too late I'll pop a doe.

 

Neighbor lady shot a nice doe last night, I was talking with her husband on the phone about hunting and about that time she called on the radio saying she shot a deer and asking for his help. So I told them I'd help look for it. We get to where she shot and zero blood, but it was a 30-40yd shot so we knew she hit it. So we go looking around and nothing...her hubby was down below me in the woods and she was up above me where she shot it from and I was down in the middle about 30yds in the brush and I hear some thrashing around. So I thought it was the deer either taking off wounded or in its final throws. So I call on the radio to see where they were (at the time I didnt know where they were exactly) once I figured out where they were I told them I heard some thrashing around not far from where I was. So it took us about 3 minutes to find the doe after we go to where I heard the thrashing!

It was a liver shot but at the close range the bullet pulled some fat from somewhere inside the deer and it clotted the exit hole! So not much of a wound going in and the exit was plugged! Luckily we found the thing, if the wind had not quit blowing I prob wouldnt have heard it. But anyway it was about 110-120lbs on the hoof

 

I saw a super nice at least 10pt buck crossing the road last night on the way home...he was so confused he didnt know which way to run...Im guessing the rut is in full swing...so now its raining but maybe this afternoon I can get out and hunt.

 

I've only seen 2 does all season so far (been hunting 4 times I think...all in the morning). I don't have tons of time, but I'm going to try to get out in the afternoon sometime soon. Bucks are on the camera, but I haven't seen any hunting yet. The wife doesn't eat deer, so I'm mainly trophy hunting this year since I've still got plenty of meat from last year.

 

Ive had the best luck evenings...get to where you are hunting 2-2.5hrs prior to last shooting light. Doesnt the rut kick in later in GA?

 

It's conflicting. some folks say it's already come and gone...some say it's in full swing now...some folks say this is just a mini rut and the big one comes later. From pics I've seen, the rut seem to be just starting because necks are starting to get swollen and bucks are starting to get stupid.

Last year I killed a doe in the morning and a buck in the evening...I might give evening hunting a try this week.

 

yeah I know weather has a lot to do with it. But if you can see bucks and their tarsals are white they arent rutty yet...if they are black and stinky then they are rutting...late winter and spring they still have black tarsals...I know TX rut was later around Jan I think...But yeah the best indication of rut is a lot of movement and the Tarsals blackened and stinky...

 

They're running right now. I shot a good 6 trailing a doe Friday. Grunted him in. It hasn't fully kicked off yet, but they're starting. Typically here in north ga it's around thanksgiving week. I usually try to take the whole week off, but my boss/best friend is having a kid so I took last week and will take another week in December.

 

Passed on a big 8 point on Sat morning. Good mass all the way up, just not enough main beam length to be really interesting. Probably a 130" deer. Will be a great deer next year if it lives.

 

So I wasn't a huge fan of venison for a while, but if you want to try her on it again I have 2 things you can try.

1 - quarter the deer and put in a cooler full of ice, and fill in with water. Everyday, drain the water, top off with ice, and refill with water. Do this for three days and then take it to the processor and it will be much less gamey.

2 - Take your deer to Steve Bishop Taxidermy. They hang the deer for a few days before processing, and it really helps. I had a big, mature buck last year done by them and it was the best venison I've ever had. I drive out of my way from Athens to have them process for me now.

That said, my wife and kids still won't touch the tenderloin or back strap, so I just have it all ground.

 

Also, I got some much needed freezer replenishment today.

 

I do step now number 1 but for 4-5 days, then process it myself.

As for getting the wife and kids to like backstrap, cooking it in a pressure cooker can do amazing things

 

Time to get a new family! JOKING!! what dont they like about the backstraps?? its the best parts!

 

Or just start processing the deer yourself. No one will take better care of your meat than you will. I've fed people deer, elk, moose, caribou, mnt goat, and probably other stuff and most never knew it wasn't beef.

My wife doesn't hunt, but she got in on the hunt this year. She hit a huge 8pt last week about a half mile from our house. I was able to salvage half of it. We had shoulder steaks that night. I like to eat the shoulder first and that tells me the quality of the deer. If the shoulder is good, the rest will be great.

 

Soak it in coke for a couple days. Takes away almost all of the gamey taste.

I like it gamey, personally. Took the tenderloin off that 6 and put it straight on the grill

 

The best ribs I've ever had were grilled 30 minutes after shooting the hog.

 

how do you describe the gamey taste?

 

I've heard you can make a pretty good roast with them that way. Maybe I can try that on them this year.

They won't eat them red enough to not be chewy.

Two years ago my brother and I ate the tenderloins within a few hours of shooting the deer. They were still warm when we put them on the grill haha. Good eating.

 

To me it's when there's too much blood in the meat still (for ground venison).

 

My wife describes it as a strong liver taste. As in a lot of extra Iron