deer hunting

How to Skin a Deer

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While it may not be the most exciting job in the world, skinning a deer is important when returning from a hunt or when still actually on the hunt. If you have taken down the deer, elk, antelope or goat of your dreams in a glorious hunting adventure, you will need to know how to skin the deer and how to get the most out of your kill. If you are just learning about hunting, this information will also be incredible handy for that remarkable day on which you will finally be able to skin a deer.

Essentially, the act of skinning a deer is thought of to be quite simple. The basic fundamental guideline behind it is to follow the built-in guidelines of the body of the deer and work from that standpoint. The skin and muscle tissues of the deer are naturally separate from one another because of the protective membranes, making the process of skinning a lot more like following a built-in blueprint than like trying to lift a rug in the dark. The skin should easily peel from the meat because of these membranes, creating little risk of tearing the skin or tearing the meat.

The most important aspect in skinning a deer is the use of your hands and the pull of your own body weight. With these two integral tools, the aspect of skinning a deer becomes incredibly simple. In fact, skinning a deer can typically be completed in about ten to fifteen minutes without any serious complications.

You should first hang the deer. This makes it easier for you to use your body weight in the skinning process and creates a greater leverage point for skinning the deer. This also ensures that the meat will stay clean. Whether you hang the deer from the neck or from the legs, there is no particular difference. It is important to try to skin the deer within an hour or two of the deer’s death, making the skinning process a whole lot easier.

Your knife should be especially sharp. Supposing the deer is hung by the legs, find the large tendon connecting the lower leg segment to the rest of the deer’s leg. You should poke a whole with your knife in between the tendon and the bone there, then use your fingers to feel the lump that is created by the deer’s double-jointed bone. Once you have found that lump, sever the lower leg at the lower end of the two parts of the double joint. Cut the skin and the tendons here and then snap the deer’s leg over your own leg, using your body’s leverage to break it.

After you have broken the deer’s legs in this fashion, make several incisions around and near the tendon areas. There should be a whole between the tendon and the bone of the lower leg, as well as several incisions near the front legs. You will then sever and snap the front legs as well, making the skinning process easier. After you have made the initial incisions, you will begin the process of undressing the deer of its skin. Use your finger tips and thumbs to get inside the skin near the lower leg incisions and begin to pull the skin off.

Essentially, the pulling of the deer’s skin should work a lot like pulling a tight jacket or pair of blue jeans off. It may be a little bit awkward, but the layer of meat revealed below the skin should be a more than ample reward. After the skin is pulled off, you will notice the meat is ready to go and the separation of the meat thanks to the deer’s membrane has made the whole process a lot simpler than you ever thought possible.

Skinning a deer, while not particularly romantic, is a process that should take around ten to fifteen minutes and relies almost entirely on your own body weight and strength to pull the skin off of the deer’s body. It really is that simple.

elk hunting

Elk Hunting: An Art

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Elk are really royal animals and it is really a major challenge for skilled hunters to hunt them. You are fortunate enough if you get a chance to see an elk a large sized animal during your career of hunting. You will surely admire elk for its big size.

The elk is a shrewd animal like a fox and it is also a rare and vague creature. There are many hunters who have never got a chance to see hulk and many have made unsuccessful attempt to shoot elk.

The process of hunting elk is very slow and it requires a lot of patience. It is not possible to hunt elk without patience. If as a hunter you like to hunt many animals rapidly without much effort then you can’t hunt elk.

You have to do a research on the manners of male and female elks for hunting elks successfully. Autumn is the hunt season for elk and also the mating season for elk and you can imitate many activities and manner to attract the animal.

Some activities are required to be done during specific time of day. Certain degree of temperature can put great effect on behavior of elk. You can do one more important research for elk hunt and that is the research about the food and water resources of elk.

There are many options for hunting elk like many other hunting activities. Rifle hunting is very common activity. There are some other hunters also who like muzzleloaders and bow hunting.

These processes of hunting have other problems related to them. These methods require great proficiency and marksmanship. Hunters those come under this category are people who like to do challenging tasks.

Each kind of hunting process consumes its own time and it has its own limitations. You must be aware of the local hunting where you plan to hunt. The gun suppliers also tailor their goods for these kinds of hunting processes.

They provide hunters or muzzleloaders during their visit. In this way the gun suppliers fulfill the basic requirements of hunters for elk hunting.

The economy of many states has enhanced as they have provided areas to hunters for elk hunting. These states have seen the come back of hunters and outsider fans by using good methods for conservation of elks every year.

All this has boosted local economies and even private hunting areas. Some hunters visit for a chance to win trophy elk and on the other hand some come for just enjoyment of hunting in good areas. Some rich hunters just come for fulfilling their fancy of hunting elk. Hunters get the experience of hunting for which they have cherished.

deer hunting

A Dummy Deer for Dummies

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Body:
Decoying can be considered as a double-edge tactic and facing of an aggressive buck may very well be the last. But for experienced hunters, there are times that the realism factor can determine a successful hunt or a waste of time.

In most cases, creating decoys can be categorized into three different aspects.

Food plots can be used in order to lure at least a handful of deer to a specified area. It’s nothing like rat poisoning, although the main concept is to allow a buck to remain while looking for food. It’s best if food plots are in wooded areas with a nearby water source in order to feel secure.

The rut phase can be an advantage when it comes to decoying. Synthetic doe or buck urine can be purchased, although it’s not always successful. But in order to steer a buck to a breeding or territorial frenzy, which is to mark their territory by rubbing their antlers on trees, it’s also good to know a few doe grunts to lure the unsuspecting buck, then tag them.

Then there’s the actual decoy, usually hand made with various art materials like Styrofoam or paper and designed to look exactly like the real thing. In this case, a combination of using deer urine and grunts will attract the deer or challenge the decoy into fighting. It can be frightening at first since bucks on a rut can get careless and fearless which may result to charging at the hunter. But it’s pretty entertaining to watch a buck savagely charging at a decoy until it’s positioned to a perfect kill area.

Decoys aren’t considered as cheats, instead as mere implements and tools that will make hunting a more enjoyable sport. It’s not like during the old days when hunting was a necessity in order to survive, but considering today’s laws that varies in each State, it would be good for the hunter to use all the available tools necessary to tag that next trophy.

There might be manufacturers or home made decoys for sale on the internet, and it takes a bit of patience and vigilance to actually get one. But for now, it’s all about settling with the tools available. With a little creativity and experience, it won’t be long before the hunter has managed to grab his prize.

hunting

First Aid For Hunting Safety

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Hunting can provide opportunities for many types of injuries. Being prepared is your best defense against disabling injuries or even life-threatening accidents. Knowing some basic first aid and using common sense when in the wild can save both life and limb.

CPR

If you don’t know CPR, learn it. Call your local hospital, EMS, or fire department to find out when and where you can attend a community CPR class. You never know when you may need to perform CPR on a friend, family member, or even a stranger. A few hours of your time could save a life someday.

Many CPR classes offer basic first aid classes as well. Check with your local provider to see if this option is available before registering for a class.

Safety Rules during A Crisis

The first rule of safety during a crisis may sound selfish but it is important. Take care of yourself first. Check the scene of an accident for unsafe conditions. Make the area safe for yourself and bystanders before beginning first aid. The reasoning behind this rule is that if you become injured or incapacitated, you can’t help anyone else. If you become injured, rescue workers arriving on the scene will then have you as an added victim to care for. Seconds make a difference in a crisis, but take a few beforehand to ensure that you will be able to provide the help that is needed.

Basic First Aid

Healthcare personnel are taught the ABC’s of first aid: Airway, Breathing, and Circulation. Your first concern is whether the accident victim has a clear airway. If the mouth or throat is blocked by blood, water, or objects, tend to this matter first. Next, see if the victim is breathing or is in danger of ceasing to breathe. The brain and vital organs cannot last long without oxygen. Provide rescue breathing if necessary.

Then, check for a heart beat and any injuries that may be seeping blood. Apply pressure to any areas that are bleeding with a clean cloth if possible. Don’t be afraid to press hard! If there are others present who are able to assist you, ask for their help in applying pressure to a wound. If the bleeding is profuse and the wound in located on an arm or leg, you can use your belt or a section of rope to wrap around the limb and secure tightly to restrict blood flow to the injured area and slow the bleeding. This is called a tourniquet.

Call for help! After you have controlled breathing and provided an initial round of CPR, call for help and then continue CPR until rescue workers arrive. Performing CPR can be exhausting. If others are available to help, perform two-person CPR or trade off tasks frequently to prevent rescuer exhaustion.

If you or another hunter falls from a tree stand or other elevated area, do NOT move until you are sure there have been no spinal injuries. Moving a person who has spinal injuries can cause shattered bone to cut through the spinal cord and result in paralysis. Ask the fall victim to move their fingers and toes only. If they are unable to, they have injured their spinal column and need special care in moving. If they are breathing and not bleeding profusely, leave them in the position they are in and get help.

If they are able to move fingers and toes, gently turn them over onto their back if they are not already positioned so. Try to turn them as if they were a log; keep the head, legs and torso aligned and stiff as you roll them. This will prevent any compression on the spinal cord should the vertebra protecting the cord be compromised.

Some falls and spinal injuries that affect the neck area can result in a person not being able to breathe on their own. If this happens, you must provide rescue breathing for them until help arrives.

Using firearm safety and common sense like avoiding aggressive animals can go a long way to prevent hunting accidents. Educate yourself, hunt with others, and always tell someone where you will be hunting and when you will return. Keeping safe in the woods is everyone’s responsibility. Be sure to do your part.

hunting news

Magnum Guide Service LLC Announce Private Leases for Texas … – Melodika.net (press release)

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Magnum Guide Service LLC Announce Private Leases for Texas …
Melodika.net (press release)
Jim helps hunters locate leases for private Texas deer hunts, private Texas turkey hunting leases, private corporate hunting leases and New Mexico hunting …

Source: Magnum Guide Service LLC Announce Private Leases for Texas … – Melodika.net (press release)

turkey hunting

Turkey Hunting

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One of the most popular ways to hunt turkeys is with a bow and arrow. It is a tradition in North America, apparently, that relies on turkey calling and making the perfect shot. There are many agencies and organizations in place to both put a stop to turkey hunting and to support the tradition of turkey hunting. Like most warring factions, these two groups will stop at nothing to try to prevent the overtaking of their ideals. One cannot typically pick a side on an issue, however, without knowing the issue itself. It is important, therefore, to get as much of a foundation in the information on turkey hunting as possible to guide an informed decision.

Turkey hunting is all about luring the birds out into the open and plugging them with a bow and arrow or with a shotgun shell. Many people prefer the bow and arrow because it adds a great deal of tradition to the hunt, almost justifying it. The first notion of turkey hunting is finding a turkey roost. These are generally easy to find, though, because the roost is within a controlled environment in North America for the most part. Wild turkeys are also quite easy to find because they gather together in large groups. The idea is to not get too close to the roost of the turkey. It is recommended that the hunter stays about one hundred to two hundred yards away from the roost, leaving ample room to fire and to get set when the turkeys come running.

The next focus of the turkey hunt is to get the turkeys out of the roost, of course. For this, the hunter must begin a series of embarrassing but effective turkey calls. These consist of an array of clucks, clicks, whistles and hoots. It is important not to confuse the call of an owl or of another bird with a turkey call, lest the hunter is set upon by various predatory birds and the hunt becomes a lot less enjoyable. When turkey calling from a location, start with a series of clucks and yelps. If there is no return cluck or yelp from a live turkey, increase the sound volume and get more aggressive. This will make turkeys think that a turkey nearby is either aggressively approaching or is challenging territory. Eventually, a turkey should come out of the roost.

When this happens, it is a good idea to set the sight of the shotgun or the bow and arrow on the target. Prepare and continue calling the turkey, as this will draw them closer to the range of fire. If the turkey will not approach a suitable range, try to use very soft purrs or clucks. As always, watch out for the other predatory birds or cats that may latch on to the use of this sound. The clucks and purrs should, theoretically, entice the bird out and closer to the range of fire for the hunter. Turkeys can be stubborn at times and incredibly stupid at other times. They really do not have much of a distinction between knowing human calls and knowing actual turkey calls.

Nonetheless, the shot must be taken when the bird is close in range. The hunter should release the intellectual grasp on the clucking and purring for long enough to release an arrow or squeeze off a shot. The follow-through is important as the sound will likely send more turkeys scattering away or in all sorts of directions. The birds quickly will become disoriented, so it is important to remember to spot the kill and mark it before continuing. Resist the temptation to try to pick off another one of the scattering birds, as this may lead to a never-ending cycle of killing running turkeys without the freezer space to accommodate.

A turkey hunt typically results in a bird for Thanksgiving or Christmas. There are many countries and states, however, that do not allow wild turkey hunting anymore. The hunter is responsible for checking on local regulations before participating in any turkey hunt and learning the laws of the land in which they are prepared to cluck and purr.

hunting

Disease and Hunters

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There are many possibilities for hunters to get sick. Many critics consider these aspects to be nature’s defense mechanisms towards human interference. Whatever the case may be, care must be taken when outdoors at all times to avoid these diseases and these problems. There are many precautions one can take to avoid getting sick in the great outdoors, so attention must be paid at all times to the surroundings and to the natural habitat in which the hunt is taking place. Without proper due care and attention, there is no telling as to what type of affliction can set upon a camp.

There are many diseases that are spread by mosquito. These are called “arboviral” because they are spread by arthropods. Arboviral diseases are known to produce clinical illnesses in humans that require the attention of a medical professional. Arboviral diseases transmit what are called “alphaviruses” to the patient, causing typically mild symptoms but sometimes releases harmful after-effects. Another arboviral disease that is getting a lot of air time lately is the West Nile virus. This is also spread by mosquitoes, but originates in birds. Mosquitoes feed on the birds and then spread the virus to humans by feeding on the humans, mixing the blood types. For this reason, always bring bug spray and always ensure that mosquitoes are instantly swatted or squashed as they appear.

A bacterial infection that hunters can find themselves with is brucella. Brucella is a bacterial infection that is typically spread from animal to animal as they feed on one another. As hunters kill and eat animals, there is a potential for brucella to be present. Brucella are actually bacterial organisms that are highly infectious. The food is typically the highest source of infection and the most likely area of capturing brucella infection. Fortunately, there are very few incidents of person-to-person brucella transmission but it still is possible. Standard precautions should be taken at all times in dealing with hunted meat. The kill must be cleaned and cooked properly to professional specifications. Hand washing is also a must.

Lyme disease is a common disease for outdoors-people. This is an illness that may affect joints and bones, creating a possibility of skin and nervous system problems as well. Lyme disease can affect people of all ages and is considered to be the most frequently diagnosed of the outdoor afflictions, making precautionary measures especially important. This affliction is actually caused be a bacteria that looks like a corkscrew and is transmitted by the bite of a tick. Persons with Lyme disease will likely start feeling the symptoms around seven to fourteen days after the tick bite, starting with chills and joint pain. Precautions should be taken to keep ticks off of the skin at all times.

There are many other bacterial infections that can be caught in the great outdoors. With taking the proper precautions, however, most hunters can avoid having serious incidents and can simply concentrate on the hunt. Clothing should be kept relatively light but tight fitting, making it hard for bugs to get on the skin and easy to spot the bugs. Of course, the problem with light clothing on the hunt is that it also makes the hunter more visible to the animals. Compromises can be reached, however, and there are those that suggest the risk of disease is far too great to take a chance on not being prepared.

Regardless of the point of view, there are numerous afflictions in nature that should be avoided and considered when hunting. It may well be nature’s way of protecting itself, but these afflictions and diseases can spread from the hunter to the family members, making for a dangerous situation. When planning any kind of trip to the outdoors, research the area of travel and find out all there is to know about the possibilities for diseases and afflictions in that area.

deer hunting

Spotting mule deer

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There is a often-referred to acronym that successful mule deer hunters know – FERAL. It should serve as a reminder of the key parts of a muley you’re likely to spot when searching for that big buck. Let’s face it, odds are you’re not going to find a trophy buck just standing in the middle of a field.

F is for the face – train your eyes to pick out the bright white of a mule buck’s muzzle.
E is for the ears – mule deer ears are large, stand out at attention and often masquerade as broad leaves.
R is for the rump – a mule deer’s backside is distinctive, and the round white area with the black point just the bottom side of center is practically a target.
A is for antler – arguably, the mule deer is most often given away by the fact that their antlers rise up away from the rest of their well-disguised body.
L is for legs – though one might think that a deer’s legs were easily hidden, there are few straight objects in nature that form tight groups of four.

hunting

The Problem with Canned Hunting

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Canned hunting is effectively trophy hunting. A canned hunt is a type of hunt that involves the hunter being essentially promised a kill by a hunting agency or governing body. The activity basically takes place on the grounds that the host of the hunt, whether a hunting agency or private party, captures an animal and releases it in a generally enclosed area to be hunted by the hunter. The enclosed area tends to be a small fenced in area so that the kill comes rather easily to the hunter.

Naturally, there have been all sorts of ethical issues involving canned hunting. Through the years, the controversy and criticism of canned hunting has reached a fever pitch. Rightly so, as the issue with canned hunting is one more directed towards animal cruelty than any other type of hunt. The animal is captured and “canned”, giving it no original chance for survival. This type of simplistic approach to hunting is often polarizing to many within the hunting community, some of which appreciate the delicate balance of nature in its own right.

The United States actually has a set line of legislation regarding canned hunting because of the criticism. In the Sportsman Hunting Act of 2005, the United States proclaimed that anyone who transports an exotic animal for the purposes of canned hunting shall be fined or put in prison for no longer than one year. While the penalties are not all that tough, the sentiment is still resounding. The United States government does not particularly qualify what constitutes an “exotic animal”, however, and this has led to some confusion among canned hunters.

The critique involving canned hunting is rather obvious. Animal rights groups claim that is it cruelty to animals and, while they protest all types of hunting, their position is somewhat more compelling when it is amplified by other hunting groups. Certain hunting groups claim that canned hunting takes away from the element of the “fair chase” or the “fair catch”. In other words, hunting groups typically claim that part of the adventure of the hunt is, of course, the hunt. Without the hunt, hunting is left to barbaric slaughter. These hunting groups claim that canned hunting simply strips away any of the elements of survival in terms of hunting and brings it down to its most animalistic classification.

Naturally, another opponent of canned hunting is the North American Humane Society. They claim that canned hunting represents cruel activity towards animals and exists to promote brutality towards animals. The hunted animal, according to the Humane Society, has literally no chance to escape and is essentially a victim of terrorism by the hunter and the hunting party. The animal is captive and is nearly tortured by the psychological implications of being in captivity and then being hunted while in such captivity.

There are several incidents in current events which reflect canned hunting. The United States Vice President Dick Cheney is said to be a fan of canned hunting, once apparently bagging around seventy ringneck pheasants on a hunt in which the pheasants were captured and then released in a specific area upon Cheney’s request. Of course, the most famous Dick Cheney canned hunting incident likely involved the shooting of Harry Whittington. It is not known if Cheney has any objections to canned hunting on a moral level, however, as the Vice President tends to be known for a certain level of ambiguity.

Canned hunting represents a great deal of controversy and criticism in America. It is not looked at favorably at all and, instead, is rather shamed even within the hunting community. As the community of hunters tends to progress and allow for nature to operate on its own constraints within their boundaries, canned hunting tends to represent all that is wrong with human interference on its most brutal and basic level. Canned hunting is not hunting at all; it is simply a deadly game of capture and kill that gives the animal no chance to run.

bear hunting

Exploring the Dangers of Bear Hunting

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For some reason, people seem interested in the notion of tracking down a bear through the wilderness and killing it. While it may seem strange, there is a small cult of people that follow bear hunting considerably and make it an active part of their lives. These people tend to find generalized hunting a little too “tame” for their tastes and instead lurk after the lumbering bears of the forest. Often seen as an attempt to prove their manhood, bear hunting is a dangerous and largely unnecessary sport that typically challenges all notions of natural balance and order. Instead, most bear hunting aspects lead to dangerous outcomes or to the possibility of extinction.

Bear hunting, while seemingly unnecessary to the average person, is actually a legal and monitored part of the hunting regulations in North America. Alaska is one of the largest places for hunting bears. Several times a year, Alaska can be found swarming with hunters trying to bag the big one and those just curious to watch the bear hunts. The danger and general excitement of the hunt is enough to draw on the very basic components of human nature and create a buzz around bear hunting. Unfortunately for the bears and for some innocent bystanders, bear hunting creates a chaotic and unfortunate scene.

It is argued by hunters that the bear population is quickly recharging and regenerating itself, leading to the moral validity of bear hunting. In other words, there are enough bears in the world and, furthermore, without bear hunting the population of bears in certain areas would be overwrought. While this notion may be partially true, it is also important to consider that bear hunters typically are not properly educated in the matter. Some bear hunters are not hunting for purposes of thinning out a particular species to maintain some sense of animal control in the area. This leads to many bear hunters callously shooting at anything that moves and taking down anything that looks like a bear, paying no mind to the species or importance of the bear.

For this reason, bear hunting is best left to the professionals. There are many within the wildlife community that are given the task of taking down the bear population by statistically represented and supported numerical values. These wildlife officials know what bears to look for and have identified the bears that are older and weaker, leaving the decision of hunting bears down to an actual representation of the bear community in a particular area and to actual natural law.

In that respect, bear hunting appears to be the domain of the testosterone-driven hunters. The hunters looking for the best possible kill are typically adrenaline junkies that are looking for danger and excitement. As many examples over time have proven, bear hunting can provide that danger and excitement in more than ample amounts. This leads to fatalities or injuries that are often results of people getting too close to bears or people getting too involved in the bear’s natural habitat. In short, people simply do not know when to leave well enough alone.

With all of this rhetoric around bear hunting, one would think that the very notion of how dangerous the sport is would be enough of a repellent. However, every season more hunters are flocking to alleged hunting sites and every season more needless waste is being done to the beautiful natural backdrop that bears and other animals call home. The amount of human-led damage to the forests and natural setting of Alaska because of bear hunting is staggering.

Regardless of any moral convictions, it is important to maintain a factual focus when discussing hunting of any kind. Whether we live in an age in which hunting is a necessity at all anymore is certainly up for dispute. Many argue for the sport aspect of it, but a more logical approach might suggest that the arguments for the sporting aspect of bear hunting are better left behind.

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