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My First Archery Season

StihlCuttinItStihlCuttinIt Member Posts: 83 ✭✭
I'm 46 years old, and a lot of teenagers are better hunters than me. I hunted some when i was younger, froze my @ss off, never had good guns, etc., and then i got busy with family and business. Anyway, that was years ago and i'm getting back into it, like it, but i haven't did very good. I shot one, which i was ashamed to even post about, because i never found it for two weeks when it was too late. It was a stomach shot, and the rain washed away the blood trail. I see deer almost every time i go out, but they're usually too far away for a shot and i'm afraid of wounding another one. I'm not giving up on bowhunting, but i am looking forward to gun season. My daughter is away at college and she keeps asking for deer jerky.

Joe

Comments

  • fishermanbenfishermanben Member Posts: 15,370
    edited November -1
    stihl, be patient. You will get used to how close a deer has to be for a clean kill, and even then, occasionally you will wound one. Whenever you get a gut shot, let it lie for an hour or 2. Then track. They always die, but they are hard to find. Bow hunting is not something that is easy to just jump into, and throwing an arrow is not something that you can take lightly, as you now understand.

    I always take my deep breath and count to three. On one I think BOW Hand. On 2 I think release hand and release. On 3 I keep my bowarm up.

    Ben

    "The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right time, but also to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment."
  • ENOS29ENOS29 Member Posts: 699 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ben is 100% correct, it will come. If you are seeing deer that much it is just a matter of time that the shot will present itself. Good luck!

    BAG IT. TAG IT. EAT. SLEEP. REPEAT..
  • SuspensionSuspension Member Posts: 4,783
    edited November -1
    This sounds familar to me, I've heard guys at work say things like that. So you had a bad shot and couldn't find your first deer, do you never have problems with anything else you do? Let it go, you can't help the matter now. It sounds to like your doing good for your first year bow hunting.
    If you see deer almost everytime you go out then your well on your way. You wouldn't believe how many people I know that very rarely see deer while they hunt, but they stink, they are not quiet, and they do not use common sense. How about magazines, do you read much about deer? I'm less than 2 hours from WV and have plenty of hunting magazines you are welcome to have, would meet ya half way or ship them to your house, just say the word. If the deer you see just aren't close enough it could be a simple matter of stand placement. Here's another question, are you hunting private or public land? Private land doesn't have hoards of people that show up for the first day of rabbit, squirrel, DEER, turkey, and every other season opener. I feel animals are more adapt to people the more they are around them so public land, in my opinion, would be harder to hunt. Plus you got restrictions on stands, putting out minerals, numerous things. Being in the logging business I would figure you hunt private land, but if your not then you might try to.
    If I remember right it took me two years of hunting with a bow before I got a deer, and a lot more than that for turkey. Just sitting in your tree stand watching them taught me a lot about their behaviors and so on. I haven't shot anything this year and I have deer hunted since I was 12 or 13, started with a bow around 15 and I turned 30 a couple weeks ago.
    One other thing that I do is rent videos and watch them, a lot are pretty fake seeming, but most have stuff you can learn from. We also have two tv's/vcr's because of this, mom doesn't get into deer videos on Friday nights....she's strange I know. [;)]
    To sum things up, don't sweat it, keep hunting, take your time, and above all just have fun. [^]
    have a good one stihl

    ps: I got a roast or two left from last year, vacuumed and froze, your welcome to for jerky, but I can't make good jerky, doesn't turn out for me. [:(]
  • gagirlgagirl Member Posts: 5,408
    edited November -1
    quote:I can't make good jerky, doesn't turn out for me. [:(]



    Have you tried Hi Mountain Jerky Cure? That is all I use and everyone seems to like my jerky. We normally do beef but have done a few batches of venison and they turned out great. It makes the process pretty darn easy and all you need is an oven and some patience. I have tried most of their cures but the original is what my crew likes. WARNING... the hot one... is VERY HOT!!!!!
    There web address is www.himtnjerky.com

    ps. Just remember the cure to their jerky is to leave the oven cracked. I found that putting a wooden spoon in the door works perfect. I have some of the mixes left... like cajun and a few others that my family just didnt like much. (or one liked and the others didnt) If you want them I will send you what I have left and you can try it.
  • SuspensionSuspension Member Posts: 4,783
    edited November -1
    I have tried that cure gagirl, and I did like it alot, the flavor that is. Here are some things I run into when we try to make jerky.
    A buddy or two comes over to help and we or I drink to much beer.
    I get fed up with being hunched over a table cutting all those small tiny stripes ( I bought one of those jerky kits with the knife and board alread).
    It dries out to much in the oven
    It doesn't cook enough in the oven and is chewy
    My buddy bought a dehydrator and we have had the same problems
    The biggest thing is how much time it takes to do everything, I get impatient, thats when I drink to much. [:D]
  • ENOS29ENOS29 Member Posts: 699 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Did someone say BEER?[:p]

    BAG IT. TAG IT. EAT. SLEEP. REPEAT..
  • StihlCuttinItStihlCuttinIt Member Posts: 83 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the encouragement...hope you don't think i'm b!t@hin....i've enjoyed it a lot, just looking forward to rifle season is all.

    Susp, i mostly hunt on my own property. Hunting isn't allowed on most of the tracts i cut. And, thanks for the offer of the magazines and roast. I might take you up on it if rifle season don't pan out.

    I have a Harvest Maid dehydrator. It's about 14 years old, has round stackable trays. You slice the meat about 1/8 or less. Soak for three days in a mixture of: 1 bottle liquid smoke, 1 bottle soy sauce, 1 bottle Worchester sauce, 1 Tbs coarse black pepper, 1 Tbs salt. How much meat it will do is however much the liquid will cover completely. Place it on the trays and it takes about all day, sometimes longer if it's humid out.

    If it's chewey, you might not of sliced it thin enough. You'll find it's easier to slice if it's not completely thawed. And, Susp, Jerkey and beer go good together, but you need wait till AFTER the jerkey is done before you drink. Wouldn't want someone finding a finger in that deer meat. Might even be your release finger.

    Joe
  • bang250bang250 Member Posts: 8,021
    edited November -1
    ENOS read my mind[:D]


    Why do they make it taste so good and put it in them little bitty cans- Dad

    At times, days in the field are more than sport, more than adventure. They are nothing less than a gift to the soul.- John L. Moore Buckmaster magazine
  • SuspensionSuspension Member Posts: 4,783
    edited November -1
    beer beer beer, is that all you guys think about? [;)]

    [:0] quote:i mostly hunt on my own property[:0]
    Stihl, your in there man. Hunting on your own land. Have you considered planting any food plots? It really helps the quality of deer and the number of deer increase due to the amount of food increasing. Takes a little work, but really it isn't to bad. Buy a bag of lime, maybe a little fertilizer, some clover, and your well on your way. I've been doing this for awhile and I got a couple of real honey spots now, just small tracts of land the deer really move through. Not so many big bucks this year, but I feel I am not shooting enough does and that is causing this.

    Todays first day of your rifle season isn't it?
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