Fall 2017 Hunting-nsfw

[John A.]

Was able to get a large doe this morning. And I actually took the smaller of the two that came in. I had them patterned on the camera around 8:15AM, but they came about 45 minutes early probably due to all the rain we've got from Hurricane Harvey the last few days and was on the ground at 7:25AM.

Took 6 hours to process all the meat and I'm worn out. But it was some of the prettiest and leanest meat that I've ever seen on a whitetail around here.

Got her with the Barnett recruit crossbow and a rage arrowhead at 18 yards. Unsurprisingly, was a complete pass through.

Found the arrow near where I shot her with the point bent and it hit a rib on the way in and deflected the shot and came out through her intestines and stomach on the far side. While it wasn't the heart shot that I thought it would've been, still nicked the heart with one of the broadheads, exploded a lung and half the liver.

She ran about 25 yards and piled up and was quick.

 

[SHOOTER13]

Nice shot John...

I like the use of the Swing Set "Hanger"...my buddy does the same thing where we hunt on his property in Tioga County...his kids long outgrew it.

 

[John A.]

It works.

I started to take it home and hang it in the basement, but didn't want to deal with the mess afterwards. To be honest, I'm glad I didn't. I'm beat.

That was the most unusual shot I ever had. Those RAGE broadheads are awesome though. Gave all new meaning to the word "blood trail".

You can see the entrance wound in the photo above. Just about right where it should be. And it was a straight on broadside shot too.

The exit, however, came out way behind after being deflected by rib bone.

 

[Djcala]

Mucho congrats man ! Looks like you got some good grocery there. Rice and deer heart tonight for you !! Yum Yum
Love the hangar. Ctossbow is the bees knees.

 

[John A.]

First order was thin sliced tenderloin on an open fire

Tomorrow's order consists of jerky. And lots of it.

Yes, there was a lot of meat there. I didn't keep track of how many bags got put in the freezer.

I'm thankful for it.

 

[MikeD]

Congrats John!!!

Happy to see you connect with the crossbow. Your season starts early, I've got another month befor the regular archery season starts.

 

[Djcala]

Well ya got the crossbow monkey off your back. From sound of it you had same experience i was amazed at lethality they hit hard and the couple i had never went mor than maybe 30 yards. Animal mortality is so strange i have a buck on the wall that i shot with my 30.06 about 10 years ago i thought i missed by his reaction he simply broke into a dead run over a 100 yard field and dissappeared. I found a couple specks of blood then followed tracks thru field and about 40 more yards into kudzu there he was doa. Autopsy heart was completely obliterated ? Others just drop on spot its very strange this hunting thing. And also why i take every bullet/caliber review with 2 grains of salt.
Kudos man happy for you and family good healthymeeat in freezer.

 

[John A.]

Thanks guys.

Our archery season started yesterday, which is earlier than usual. It's normally the 2nd weekend of the month, but I'm not complaining. Only thing I didn't like was the temperature because I felt like I had to rush to get it quartered up and in the cooler. I did most of the actual meat prep here on top of my deep freezer in the basement where it's a little cooler. It stays around 58-60 degree's year round down there. Outside temp this morning was 56* when I launched the arrow. By around 11 when I finished getting it off the mountain and skinning it and stuff was around 69*

Xbow season doesn't officially start here until 10/1. Only reason that I was able to use the crossbow now during normal archery season was because of my bow exemption certificate.

I was pretty content with the shot. With it being zero'd at 25 yards and the actual distance being 18 yards, did put me a little higher than I thought about when I lined up the shot, but it was still close enough.

Djcala, I agree about the terminal ballistics and how things react. I have shot things before knowing that I got a good solid hit, and have to track them what seems like forever. And then again, I have shot squirrels and when I get them home and skin them, find a single pellet on the whole squirrel that ended up being what killed it.

Overall though, I'm glad it wasn't a repeat of last year. I didn't even get to draw down on one because of a string of bad luck. Bears, trespassers and just a hard year in general. Last year was a bad year for deer here. I have several friends who hunted hard that didn't get one either.

And that's why they call it hunting I reckon.

 

[CaddmannQ]

It sounds like a lucky break, John.

I would be hard-pressed to go out and take a legal game animal around these parts. Too much civilization.

Also, it sounds like you were blessed with some reasonably cool weather.

I went out to spray a little paint on the boat yesterday and it was an unbelievable 124° up under my canopy.

They had 109° in San Francisco the other day which was at all-time record.

 

[John A.]

In all fairness, hunting does require some luck. I don't think anyone could disagree with that. And we do have the occasional trespasser and poacher to deal with unfortunately. But our family has owned and worked that land for more than 40 years. Clearing land, building access routes and roads and trails, building the cabin, etc.

And the last 5-7 years, have began to concentrate on more "long term" projects that should be there for and benefit several generations to come.

While it is nice to be able to take a deer, turkey, or whatever, we try to leave more than we take.

 

[SHOOTER13]

There ain't nuthin' like God's Bounty...!!

"Ask and you shall receive...Seek and you shall find..."

 

[ripjack13]

Mmmm....yummy.
Nice deer.

 

[CaddmannQ]

It smells good even from here.

 

[CaddmannQ]

Oh wait ... I took out a barbecued pork roast!

Time to go put on the taters.

 

[MikeD]

I cheated and took my venison from last fall to the butcher for some summer sausage.

Just got it back today 32# (50/50 pork/venison) of meaty goodness. Took it to Kerns Sausage here in Frankenmuth and it turned out great. They only do venison once or twice a year. They have to keep is completely separate from other meats so they tend to do it over holiday weekends like Labor Day. I cut the sticks oin half and vacuum sealed them so they will last a while in the freezer. While I was in Frankenmuth I stopped in the Cheese Haus and picked up a selection as well. I'm good to go!!!!



I wanted to try and make my own this year but to many life events have prevented me from finishing that task so I cheated and had it professionally done.

If you have not heard of Frankenmuth, MI, it is a small village that has capitalized on its German Bavarian themed shops, candies, food and beer. They are also the home of Bronner's, the year round Christmas decoration store. People travel from all over the country to visit. Having actually been to Germany, it is a nice try but not quite the same. But they do have good cheese, sausage and a good selection of beers and ales. ;D ;D

 

[CaddmannQ]

I have only been to Germantown in Cincinnati and that's as good as it gets for me.

But I do like certain kinds of sausage, and I'm a sucker for sauerkraut and German potato salad.

Haven't made any of that in a long time. But I remember buying Reed's German potato salad in a can, and eventually I learned to make it myself.

 

[Djcala]

Thats some good lookin meat sticks Mike. I unfortunately dont have anywhere close to make those nice sausages. Definetly making my mouth water.

 

[MikeD]

Thats some good lookin meat sticks Mike. I unfortunately dont have anywhere close to make those nice sausages. Definetly making my mouth water.

Its really not that difficult if you have a grinder. You can cook them low and slow in an oven if you dont have a smoker. Its just time consuming. There are a couple places near me that will do it, fortunately.

 

[John A.]

I was looking for a grinder the other day and my walmart had marked up every one they had.

 

[MikeD]

I was looking for a grinder the other day and my walmart had marked up every one they had.

I bought the smallest guide series electric they had at GM a couple years back. Still works fine after several deer. Just have to make sure the meat is pretty lean with minimal silver skin. Fat and silverskin will clog it horribly. You can cheat a little by making sure you cut the meat into smaller chunks when prepping.

My small gringer may take longer but it was a fraction of the cost of the larger ones. I think I only paid arounf $80 for it. The first deer I used the manual gringer and it seemed to take forever and my arm was toast when I was done.

Just keep looking they have sales occasionally.