Hunting!

[hilljack13]

People up here had some issues with a warm september, not abnormally warm but enough so that the dogs had to be called in and the hunt ended by noon.
Overheating dogs is not fun to deal with...

Same when I was growing up. Hunting in SC around Charleston area where dogs are allowed and the season opens mid-Aug. Fun, but not-fun.

 

[ehall]

You can eat beaver?! what does that taste like?!

 

[pvtpublic]

Congrats!

 

[Erik the Anglophile]

You can eat beaver?! what does that taste like?!

I don't know, I plan to find out...

 

[Brew_Dude41]

I don't know, I plan to find out...

Oh the jokes that are coming to mind....

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

.... *staying out of hbt jail*

 

[Yooper]

You can eat beaver?! what does that taste like?!

Sort of like bison if I had to put a name to it. Earthy beefy and not gamey is the best I can come up with.

 

[hilljack13]

I hear beaver tails are quite sweet...

 

[jtratcliff]

 

[Rish]

Beat me to it!

 

[ehall]

I'm glad you all got the 'innuendo' of my question, beaming with pride. but in all seriousness... I heard they stink really bad and you gotta be real careful with that gland.

 

[hilljack13]

Hope everyone had a good year. Rut is still full swing in AL. I had to call it after I finally got a buck. Also 3 does earlier this year. Freezer is jam packed! Both of them!!

Can't tell but he is an 8pt. The main beam barely splits at the ends of both sides. He was standing 20 feet from spot I got the one in my avatar.

 

[pvtpublic]

We had a good year. Last year I managed to help my brother-in-law shoot his first deer, this year he shot his first elk. So, I'm not sure what the goal will be next year!

My BIL and I had a few bulls running straight at us at 50 yards. The first is me with mine, second is my BIL's first elk

 

[hilljack13]

We had a good year. Last year I managed to help my brother-in-law shoot his first deer, this year he shot his first elk. So, I'm not sure what the goal will be next year!

My BIL and I had a few bulls running straight at us at 50 yards. The first is me with mine, second is my BIL's first elk
View attachment 867013View attachment 867014

That is awesome! I'd like to get out west and do an elk hunt. I have heard the out of state folks have pretty slim chances.

 

[pvtpublic]

That is awesome! I'd like to get out west and do an elk hunt. I have heard the out of state folks have pretty slim chances.

It's funny you say that! He's out of state!

It is true, unless you have a guide. With elk, you really do need to know the weather and their movements, which would be tough if you're not from the area. But it's still totally worth just being out there in the first place, I really hope you get the chance!

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

We did ok as well, I got a heavy 5 point, heavy deer not the rack haha, my wife got a nice doe, and my dad took the cake this year with a big 8 point. His was the only picture worthy deer, he shot it down over the other side of the mountain we hunt on so I went to help him drag it.. 2 of us dragging, uphill, rocks, big rocks, steep, 3 hours later we got to the truck.

 

[pvtpublic]

Try these game sleds next time. I have the large and it works great. I pulled a decent size muley buck over rock and thick sage brush without much trouble. In fact, you can see some of the sage brush in the background of our elk photos that I pulled it through.

https://www.j5gear.com/product/Large-Roll-Up-Game-Sled

They roll up and are light weight. I've created a sling out of 550 cord (paracord) for it to carry through the woods. The sling doubles as the rope to tie up the sled around the animal and to pull it with.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

Try these game sleds next time. I have the large and it works great. I pulled a decent size muley buck over rock and thick sage brush without much trouble. In fact, you can see some of the sage brush in the background of our elk photos that I pulled it through.

https://www.j5gear.com/product/Large-Roll-Up-Game-Sled

They roll up and are light weight. I've created a sling out of 550 cord (paracord) for it to carry through the woods. The sling doubles as the rope to tie up the sled around the animal and to pull it with.

We have used those and a wheeled cart, I always have paracord in my bag, typically from the truck to where I post is a 40 min hike without a deer.. this guy was several hundred yards down the other side of the mountain, this pic shows the terrain but doesn't express how steep it was. But we'll worth the effort.

 

[pvtpublic]

We have used those and a wheeled cart, I always have paracord in my bag, typically from the truck to where I post is a 40 min hike without a deer.. this guy was several hundred yards down the other side of the mountain, this pic shows the terrain but doesn't express how steep it was. But we'll worth the effort.

I know what you mean! Hillsides have a funny way of becoming more steep when you're dragging an animal. I've had to do something similar with an elk a couple years ago. At least it's good exercise!

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

Precisely! Good exercise and quality time with dad, we both shared blood, sweat, and some choice words a few times. Haha.

 

[Brew_Dude41]

Reminds me of going out with my dad in my teens where he grew up between Altoona and Johnstown (pa). We went out for small game the weekend before bucks season open so he could teach me the lay of the land and pick our spots. When we came to a spot at a power line, he made it clear if we were on a push and I saw anything to the left, "don't even raise your gun, and let it go, please"
Naturally I asked why(the please was very out of character). He said unless you drop it where it stands (which you won't-nobody ever does) you aren't going to want to track, or worse, drag it out. "AND I AIN'T Helping if you do!" He then walked me 50 yards around the corner to the "deep valley" that dropped abruptly down between the 2 mountainsides with a switchback trail carved into it that ran hundreds of feet below the high tension power line. Young dumb and full of-energy- even I saw the wisdom in that warning.
The rocky hillsides of PA can be a workout without anything extra to drag. I am sure Montana is just as much fun.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

Reminds me of going out with my dad in my teens where he grew up between Altoona and Johnstown (pa). We went out for small game the weekend before bucks season open so he could teach me the lay of the land and pick our spots. When we came to a spot at a power line, he made it clear if we were on a push and I saw anything to the left, "don't even raise your gun, and let it go, please"
Naturally I asked why(the please was very out of character). He said unless you drop it where it stands (which you won't-nobody ever does) you aren't going to want to track, or worse, drag it out. "AND I AIN'T Helping if you do!" He then walked me 50 yards around the corner to the "deep valley" that dropped abruptly down between the 2 mountainsides with a switchback trail carved into it that ran hundreds of feet below the high tension power line. Young dumb and full of-energy- even I saw the wisdom in that warning.
The rocky hillsides of PA can be a workout without anything extra to drag. I am sure Montana is just as much fun.

Yep, my dad's side from butler.. hunted in western PA when I was young, now we're more central pa. Definitely best to drop it in it tracks, which I did this year... last year I tracked my deer for almost 2 hours, that's what happens when you hesitate.

 

[Agent]

Yep, my dad's side from butler.. hunted in western PA when I was young, now we're more central pa. Definitely best to drop it in it tracks, which I did this year... last year I tracked my deer for almost 2 hours, that's what happens when you hesitate.

It may not even be a "your fault" sort of thing. I had one this year go over 800 yards after a lung-only shot. If not for the fact it was open fields and the deer keeled over next to the road, I can tell you that blood trail was pretty sparse and I would not have wanted to be tracking it in the woods.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

Totally agree, I was lucky to find that deer, it was not my best shot, but I've taken good shots and wondered how the hell did that deer run so far.. when tracking last year's I gave up a couple times then as I started walking out of the woods I came across random blood by dumb luck, got me back on the trail and eventually there she was. This was my longest track, and literally the only time the deer actually ran in the general direction of the truck haha.. so long track but shorter drag.

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

I thought deer and turkeys would show up when I moved to the country, but I have seen two turkeys on my land in 7 years and no deer. Not even hogs, which I would welcome.

It's squirrel, squirrel, squirrel here. I quit shooting them, which was a mistake.

They ate the wiring harness on my truck. I bought a CO2-powered squirrel execution device, and they won't go near it.

I bought a Tikka in December. Time to get back to work.

I used to fry squirrels, but it was a ton of work for so little meat. Now that my wife has moved in, she wants to try them. And as luck would have it, we have a new deep fryer.

 

[Rish]

Maybe try squirrel dumplings. Easier to get off the bone.
https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/main-course/other-main-course/squirrel-and-dumplings.html

 

[Clint Yeastwood]

It's surprising how good they taste. They don't taste like chicken. They taste better. Like chicken raised on mixed nuts.