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So, I found this one literally on the same trail I walk every week during shed season. It is at least 2, if not 3 years old. I must have walked by / stepped over it no less than 20 times. Unbelievable.

Stopped to evalute what was clearly a bucks bed, hoping for his sheds i glance around, TINES through thou leaves! A half from last year and to my amazment the other side not 5 ft away, first set of the year, first time finding them so close together too Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk

Venison steaks Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

4 egg omelet with crushed red pepper,red onion,ital. sausage and cheddar cheese.few splashes of red hot on top.wheat toast and hash.everything unhealthy but tastes delish

Rule #26 cubano sammich Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Got out again today for a quick hike. Found a set everytime I see them like this I can't help but think aaaccchhheeeewwww!!!! And off they came hate finding box turtle shells but it's getting very common these past few years.

Picked up a couple more yesterday. A nice 4pt with a small drop tine/flyer. The next was a year old,chewed up 4pt.

A better pic, a pretty thick six for sure Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk

I bought a selfie stick for my wife at Tractor Supply the other day so she can take it on her trips . It was originally $4.99 but on clearance for 99 cents . Not a bad item . I was at Tractor Supply and bought another one . They had 20% off on clearance and then another 10% off on total purchase . I hunt alone most of the time and have no one to take pics so I thought this might be a handy item to put in the backpack . It's about 9" long and won't take up much room . Not bad for 75 cents !

Chicken fingers with ranch dipping, zucchini patties, butternut, Brussels, blueberry pie.

They won!

Nothing happened to the dog, it was only seconds till the other dogs got there, that was the young, fast dog. I can't believe that my buddy thought about taking a picture when all that was going on, I would have been a little more concerned about the dog

I've got a pheasant and a couple chukar in the crockpot covered in cream of mushroom soup Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

First shot today and first shot since archery season is the one that is high center on the target. The bow is sighted in for broadheads still so the other three that are all high left would have been right on the mark. This was only at 10 yards just to scratch the itch I've been having. Ended up shooting 12 at 10 yards and 12 at 20 yards. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Found another decent one today. Couldn't find the drop tine buck shed. Looked around for 4 hours yesterday and today

Just published this old hunting tale to my board and blog and thought some here may enjoy it. Al A condensed short story from Frank C Hibbon's Book "Hunting American Bears Rod Vance, Cass Goodner and I had been hunting bears the past two days. We had ridden hard the past two days, it is true the country behind the San Ysidro was rough in the extreme. The cliffs and canyons of that part of the mountains dissected and crisscrossed by fault lines that produced a disordered maze of ledges and protruding rocks. Douglas fir and pine protruded from the rough rocks along with pinyon and juniper. Into the rugged breaks and canyons of the San Ysidro the bear came in usually in the fall by the dozens. Of course it often seemed to us that these hardy animals by nature sought the roughest and rockiest terrain they could find. Cass had said on more than one occasion "it all looks level to a bear. On the lower reaches of Semilla Canyon this red rock gorge has some percolating water coming to the surface. Around these spots flourished groves of oak trees with graceful hanging clusters of delicious acorns. Long ago the Spanish rode their horses beneath these same oak trees and called the spot the Bellote or place of acorns. The bears of Jemez country well knew of the Bellotte and it's acorns and this is the stuff black bears used to lay on the winter fat when the time of hibernation was close at hand. On former occasions the bellote groves had been a sure place to circle for a bear track. We had ridden perhaps a half mile and entered the first of the oak trees. With a sudden flapping of wings a hundred band tailed pigeons swept out of the trees, they had been gorging themselves on the acorns. The three of us had grown silent after a half an hour riding, I swung low again to scrape my sombrero and shoulders beneath a low hanging limb weighted by last winter's snow, someone behind me said good god it's the dogs. I suddenly became aware that our hounds had gone crazy. Every dog we had was barking at the top of their lungs. It seemed like the pack was baying us which was preposterous for a well trained pack of hounds such as these. Even our horses were ill at ease in this strange melee. All of a sudden as they had begun the dogs were still. Every single hound stood near the head of my horse with ears elevated to the alert and nose pointing into the wind.Then we heard it too, it was a crash in the oaks off to one side of the trail, the swish of a heavy body of of young trees. The dogs all looked toward the sound and broke out anew, they were off like Beagles with a rabbit in sight. We knew it was no rabbit that made those crashing sounds. We spurred our mounts and hacked through the oaks in a reckless gallop and crashed on following the noise and confusion ahead. The dogs were growling and baying and some of their voices sounded muffled as though they barked with their mouths full of meat. My horse saw it first, as we cleared the last oaks this docile animal shied skittishly and I was thrown and dropped to the very edge of the wash. My mouth and hands full of gravel as I got up to look for my horse. Instead all I saw was the head and forequarters of a gigantic bear My horse with my rifle in the saddle boot had galloped off down the wash. At first all I could see was the bear's head and neck since his lower portions were obscured by the advancing and retreating hounds in front of him. Then all at once the beleaguered animal rose on his hind legs to fight off the dogs from that height. I was on my knees trying to remove my chaps and stared into the open mouthed towering bear beyond, it was a giant bear. Standing spraddle legged on his hind legs the furious animal plied his paws from both sides. The curved claws stuck out beyond his toes and looked as long as tines on a pitchfork. Time and time again the bear fell forward as some dog came close trying to gather an audacious hound between those frightful jaws. The light footed hounds would bounce warily out of his reach, he ground his teeth together and saliva flew in bloody strings from his mouth as he slung his head side to side to meet any onslaught. Cass was yelling over the turmoil "save the dogs" although I could not see how at the moment what we could do about it. Rod Vance came in from the side with his rifle in hand. I saw him raise the weapon once then lower it reluctantly as the dogs surged about their antagonist in a melee of moving tails and teeth. The bear in the middle of that hound pack suddenly bellowed like a bull and charged the dogs and ourselves as well. It was plain to see the bear was far to heavy to climb a tree even if there was a sizable one at hand. So ponderous was this huge animal that he could not even run for it to find refuge in the cliffs and ledges so close to us. None of us could keep our eyes from the flashing teeth and swinging claws, it was a battle to the death that we were witnessing and the only question was how many deaths there would be. Cass was screaming above the turmoil "quick shoot close in" To add emphasis he grabbed Vance's arm and jerked him toward the bear. Then I saw it! It was Poncho the Airedale, This remarkable dog was supposed to be a house pet but he had been on so many hunts with Cass that he undoubtedly considered himself to be the mainstay of the bear pack. Pancho was a peculiar duality he could be as gentle as a newborn kitten or a raging demon of flashing white teeth and hideous growls. It was Poncho with his Airedale temper that precipitated the end. The Airedale somehow worked his way behind the bear and in one sudden leap jumped clear onto the bear's back and seized the animal by the side of his face. In the swirl and surge of the fighting Pancho was an added lump of furiously clawing fur and feet on the very top of the bear's head. The astounded bear ducked as though a bee had stung him unexpectedly in an unprotected place. He raised both paws to his face and brushed furiously at the dog on his head. it would have been funny had we not known that Pancho's death was only inches away. For a second the audacious dog clung to one bear ear chewing that unprotected organ unmercifully and clawing the bear's face. Then one huge paw swung from behind. The hooked claws in unison caught behind Pancho's shoulders and swept him forward as inevitably as doom itself. For an awful second the bear held the Airedale between his paws like a squirrel about to crack a nut, then the huge head bent forward and those frightful jaws opened like the white rimmed mouth of hell. There was a sickening crunching of fiber and flesh and Pancho dropped limply and fell at the bear's feet. At the same instant a deafening blast of noise blotted out all other sounds. Rod Vance was among the dogs with a smoking rifle in his hand. Quickly he levered another shell and fired point blank into the bear's neck. A streak of fur flew out behind as the bullet carried through. The bear looked up surprised at this interruption. His little bear eyes seemed to focus for the first time at the forms of men. The eyes seemed suddenly darker as e stood there with his paws hanging useless in mid air. They then misted over like a hazy cloud drifting before the sun. The great body stood a moment more among the dogs reluctant to give way. Then without a sound the huge animal slumped forward and sagged into a heap of formless fur on the ground. Everyone seemed stunned by the abruptness of the end. Only Cass leaped forward to seize one of the gigantic paws and roll the carcass away from the Airedale. Pancho lay as lifeless as the bear and we carried him gently out and laid him on the oak leaves. Cass put his hand behind the foreleg of this fearless Airedale and we held our breath. Cass nodded slowly, Pancho's heart was still beating. In a few moments the jaws of the Airedale trembled a little and his red tongue out over his bruised lips. his eyes flickered open and he seemed to recognize friends, he licked our hands as we held him. Today Pancho has a patch of light colored skin on the side of his head where the teeth of the big bear had torn the flesh away from his skull. This Airedale is one of those few pioneer spirits to be scalped and yet live to tell about it.

Tortellini soup and meatball sandwhiches, the Mrs. never disappoints.

I think those two pieces of green pepper might put you over and give you food coma. Don't over do it buddy.

You could look at the $ as you don't need to constantly go into the woods to check your cams therefore saving gas money and reducing the chance of scaring deer . By not scaring deer you stand a better chance of killing one sooner therefore saving gas . Perhaps less days taken off of work equaling more pay therefore saving you money. Looking at the glass as half full And it's pretty slick seeing almost to the minute pics of as they are taken. P.S I don't own any but can definitely see the value

Sampling some beers at the International Restaurant and Foodservice Show at the Jacob Javitts Convention Center. Was there for work checking out POS vendors so I couldn't sample too much. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It depends if you use a blind it's not a big disadvantage at all. Doing it without a blind is a whole different game! I can't remember how many spring toms I have killed with a bow maybe 7 or 8 but I can tell you my success rate is pitiful! I am very fortunate to have great ground to hunt them and a lot of it so I can mess up a few ambushes a day and still have a chance. My best advice is turn your bow way down. Two reasons #1 shish kabobed turkeys don't fly well. #2 you may have to hold your draw a long time. If your not using a blind set up in a blowdown or behind a big tree to cover your draw then pop around it ready to shoot. I highly recommend it! It's a blast and a real challenge. I had given up turkey hunting for a couple years out of boredom until using a bow sparked my interest again. This year I will be attempting it with the longbow. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

We should probably clear up the crossbow issue first. But it does seem we are riding a slippery slope here. JMO.

Sent from my SM-S820L using Tapatalk

I'm going to broadcast it tomorrow, before the ground thaws again.. With the cold weather of the last couple of days I should be able to get the truck up to the plot without rutting things up..

That guy is a real stud . The other is someone wearing camo !

That dude has a face made for a hunting show, on the radio

I've gotten decent hero shots with the timer feature on the iPhone

I have one in my backpack, along with a gorilla pod tripod, works great for creative shots http://joby.com/gorillapod

Mr B likes them a lot...but he loves the zucchini patties. I'm so glad I spent a few afternoons making and freezing a bunch of packages of them last fall.

Not bad . Fish since it's Lent !

A little different then my normal tacos but I'll give them a try.

Wow! Red herring!

....and the meatball sandwich

Just joined up and have always loved the hunting country in NY since turkey hunting with friends for many years around Canasteo and Jasper. I'm 75 and soon to be 76 in July and my hunting buddy is 83 and will outdo me. I've loved to hunt and started in High School. I think I've done most of it and settled down to still hunting on the hunting club now. Kill one of two nice bucks there each year and the club is 5000 continues acres Ride a 4 wheeler and enjoy warm wx. Retired and enjoying life...........Glad to be a part of this community and will check in each day.

No . The pic was taken by some guys that were chasing a Yote near Atlantic Avenue and Wayne / Monroe County Line Road . I think the guy taking the picture shot the yote afterwords .

Doing good! I have a little more time on my hands these days since all im really doing right now is the EMT program and running with the ambulance agency im with so ive had more time to pop in and see whats going on here on the site

Yes thats how i have it setup, it takes 2 phones to set it up but once its setup you can run it all from one. it would eat up data but were both on Verizons new Unlimited plan so we can blow through 100+ gb per month and not worry about it at all

Larry if you still need help with the Chromecast message me. I recently set up my girlfriends Chtomecast to work with her phone because she doesn't have wifi in her apartment And yes to use an antenna like you described you have to scan for channels first

I am also a fan of the Black and Tan, I have had several I hunted Coon with and one of my best was a Black and Tan. Below is a photo about 30 years ago of Willie my last Black and Tan along with one of my Airedales and a couple of young English Coonhounds on a training session getting them fired up a Coon hide drag. Al

I am doing a big casserole of Lawdwaz's venison oven stew.... The recipe is on page 8 of this forum...

For $10 a member who reads this we won't tell the Mrs. Biz you said that

I need this like I need a cold sore but here goes Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That sounds like the same quote twisting that the fake-news media uses. I didn't read any of that into the response but let's twist it any way we need to support our anti-business agenda. It is so funny listening to all this anti-profit and anti business rhetoric from those that have no problem sucking up their share of business generated cash.

The biggest plus of getting them to 2-1/2 is that they are a much smarter animal than a 1-1/2 and more likely to make it further. The thought being if they make 2-5 a higher percentage are likely to make it to 3.5. And I can see and agree with that.

This gets better every freaking page. Statistics from one of the most well regarded biological programs in the country are thrown out the window in favor of Anecdotal observations on your back 40.

Neither should be killed, unfortunately we have hunters here that will shoot anything with a bone sticking out of their head. So we are stuck doing the best we can with the simpleton clientele we have.

I fail to see your point? Yes those 2 1/2 yr old bucks would be legal but I'm willing to bet that you just like me have 10+ 1 1/2yr old buck pictures to every 1 of the 2 1/2yr olds. I am against any mandated AR but there is no doubt that they do save a majority of yr and a half old bucks. In my opinion once a buck reaches its 2nd year it has learned a bunch on how to stay alive and has a much better chance of making to to maturity. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good info. Larry. However, allow me to point out a couple things about my home State (Pa). #1. Foremost, In 2001 when AR was introduced, we had approx. 800,00 gun hunters. Previous to this point, our buck harvest consisted of 75-80% yearling bucks and upwards of 80% of ALL available bucks. Secondly, AR was 3 pts. to side (typical six point) for the vast majority of the state. Only a few Counties in the western part of the state had a (4) pt. rule. Current day AR is 3pt. one side for majority of counties and a (3) "UP" point rule for those western counties. A slight change but none the less more easily determined by hunters. Thirdly, Herd reduction was seriously needed in Pa. Our habitat qualities (winter habitat in particular) was being devastated with too many deer for a very long time. Winter severity in Pa is not like NY which over time results in lower overwinter kill but they depend on the same food sources (browse). Essentially we carried too many deer(doe) over from one year to the next and habitat suffered. AT NO POINT IN TIME was the management plan ever presented that killing more doe would result in more bucks. I'm not sure where you got that from? What was presented was, we need to reduce the overall population of our deer herd because they are devastating the habitat. And, we need better age structure in our deer herd for healthier breeding ecology by implementing AR to protect the "majority" of 1.5 year old bucks. Period. Many people have twisted this information to their agenda over the years. In the end, AR and HR were needed although many would argue the contrary. Our age structure was dismal prior to AR because yearlings were getting crucified every year. If you look at the stats now, yes, we reached "only" 59% of the buck harvest is 2.5 yrs. of age or older but that's compared to 20-25% prior to AR because there just weren't many out there. That's a huge improvement in age structure. Current day, we are actually in a herd stabilizing or herd increase mode for most of the State. They have reduced doe allocations almost state wide and reduced the number of days we can hunt doe in rifle season. We also have 300,000 fewer hunters which could result in yet more changes because of having fewer hunters to do the job. I anticipate a higher number of doe tags being issued and if our numbers continue to dwindle pulling back on AR some day OR allowing a second buck tag with AR in order to keep the herd from growing too much. In regards to "high grading", I would argue that killing 75-80% of yearlings every year is much more detrimental to a herd than targeting bucks that are 2.5 and older. We all know it's much easier killing 1.5 year old bucks than any older than that. AR is NOT a trophy plan by the standards set in Pa or would they be in NY. Allowing a majority of bucks to reach 2.5 years old doesn't mean you will have monster bucks. We have definitely seen improvements in our bucks from the perspective of body weight and antler but that's really only because of more reaching 2.5 years of age than before. I will say this: In regards to Ny, the dynamics are much different, as I said winter loss is much more significant in Ny. You have fewer hunters than Pa and as you have shown, the harvest rate is much more balanced by age group of the bucks than ours was many years ago. AR may not be beneficial to Ny like it was in Pa but maybe it would be. Only those who actually study the dynamics could really say what the probabilities are.

I had a couple of copperheads join me in a blind while hunting in NC. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

From D&DH How Venison Spoils By: Jacob Edson, D&DH managing editor | March 29, 2012 The key to obtaining top-quality venison starts the very moment you pull the trigger or release an arrow. By Dr. Phillip Bishop The first deer I ever took with a bow and arrow was shot just before dark. I was shooting a fiberglass recurve in those days because compounds were an expensive new development and hadn’t yet become widely popular. I was shooting without sights, because I had enjoyed shooting instinctively as a kid, and I had never considered any other option. I made a good shot on a doe in the edge of a cornfield. My hunting mentor, Bill, happened to be our local professional wildlife manager. When I told him I had shot a deer, he didn’t hesitate. “We will come back in the morning and find her,” he said firmly. It really wasn’t open to discussion. I asked him whether the meat would still be good. He assured me it would be, and we left the woods quickly. Sure enough, the night was cold and the next day we found a good blood trail. We then found my heavy fiberglass arrow still intact. A short distance later, there she lay. And Bill was right; that meat was just fine. The Antlers of a Dilemma It seems quite often that the best bucks keep to heavy cover until right before dark. We can’t pass up a chance to arrow a nice deer, so we shoot at the last minutes of legal light. And then we pray. Did I hit him right? Was it too far back? Did I have a good angle? How far will he go? Where will he go? Do I risk trying to follow those dark red blotches with my weak flashlight? What if I jump him; then what? What are the odds he’ll run off our property? Is there anything in these dark woods that might like to take a chunk out of me? If I wait until morning, will I lose the meat to spoilage? Some of those questions will be answered later, but a couple of them need answers right now, on the spot, before we climb down from our stand. We have all heard tales of venison lost to spoilage. One of my friends, who was one of the most ardent hunters I have ever known, once butchered a deer himself. He left it in his back yard to soak in clean water, left it too long and lost the entire deer. What a tragedy! Keeping Venison Safe Spoilage is excessive deterioration of meat as a result of bacteria, molds and yeasts. When the population of these ever-present microorganisms grows large enough, the meat is spoiled. In contrast, “aging” meat is deliberate, controlled deterioration that is stopped before it reaches the spoilage state. Controlled deterioration breaks down some of the connective tissue, and the meat is more tender and, perhaps, more flavorful. The factors that cause meat spoilage are pretty simple. The four key factors in spoilage of a deer are moisture, temperature, time and condition. Of these four factors, temperature is the most important. Taking a Deer’s Temperature A deer’s living temperature at rest is about 101 F. Deer, like hunters, heat up if they use their muscles more, so a deer’s temperature at the time of death depends on what it was doing just beforehand. A deer that has been chased by dogs for the previous 20 minutes will have a higher temperature than one that was calmly browsing when shot and dropped on the spot. A hard-running deer’s temperature could rise about 5 degrees, so a healthy deer’s maximal living temperature would be a bit above 106 F. Whereas 4 or 5 degrees might seem like a very small increase, warm-blooded creatures (humans included) live within a very tight range of body temperatures with mechanisms (shivering, panting, sweating) used to control temperature variations much like a thermostat. The ideal temperature for bacterial growth is between 70 and 120 degrees. Under ideal conditions, bacteria can double about every 20 minutes. Therefore, the whole time the dead deer’s meat is above 70 degrees, microorganisms are multiplying rapidly, a condition that only diminishes a bit from 70 down to 40 degrees. After meat temperature falls to 40, bacteria reproduction drops drastically. Meat (not air) temperatures between 30 and 40 are the perfect temperature for fresh meat refrigeration. How’s the Weather? The environmental temperature is as important as the deer’s body temperature. The environment includes not just air temperature, but the temperature of the earth and, occasionally, bodies of water. The secret to good venison is quickly cooling the meat. Conversely, the greatest danger to meat is maintaining it at too high a temperature. Due to radiant heating, meat exposed to bright sunlight will spoil faster than meat kept in the shade. Any time the environmental temperature is 40 F or warmer, spoilage is a major concern. Keep in mind that insulators will hold the meat temperature higher, longer. For example, most of the time, a deer that is left on the ground will spoil more rapidly than a deer that is hung from a meat pole and exposed to air. The only exception would be in weather conditions wherein the ground is very cold compared to the air temperature. Several years ago, I was helping one of my wildlife manager friends recover an early season whitetail that had been shot but not found the previous evening. It took us a while to find the deer, and it was very instructive to see the results. After we pulled off the hide, it was striking to see how the “down” side of the deer carcass had spoiled, while the “up” side still looked and smelled fine. However, I would recommend against eating any meat coming from a carcass that gave any signs of spoilage. Moisture Matters One of my friends was hunting in Wisconsin about 15 years ago, during a rainy gun season. They had two deer on the meat pole and the temps were in the high 30s. Within two days, even in these cool conditions, they lost both deer to spoilage. Spoiling microorganisms need moisture. That’s why dried meat, such as jerky, will last a long time without refrigeration. In fact drying, of all sorts of foods, is one of the oldest means of food preservation. When venison is exposed to air, the outer surface dries somewhat, reducing bacterial activity. When that meat is exposed to moisture, such as rain or even high humidity, the spoilage rate is greatly accelerated. That’s why some experts recommend against washing out deer carcasses unless they will be refrigerated quickly. If the deer cavity is exposed to intestinal contents, it is wise to wash this area to remove as many of the associated bacteria as possible. However, don’t wash any of the clean areas, unless the deer will be refrigerated. Likewise, if deer have to hang for a few days, hang them in a dry location. Condition of the Deer The rapid multiplication of microorganisms, which we call decay or spoilage, doesn’t commence until after death. Healthy, living animals have intact immune systems which keep harmful micro-organisms in check. Sick or infected animals are unable to keep these harmful bacteria, viruses, yeasts and molds at safe levels. Ironically, when we shoot a deer and don’t recover it immediately, it is better for the meat if the animal lives as long as possible because this results in a shorter time the carcass will spend growing bacteria at a high rate. Although ethically we ought to do everything in our power to achieve a quick and merciful kill, systemic spoilage only begins once the animal dies. After the animal expires, the spoiling microorganisms begin their unhindered multiplication. Because these spoiling organisms multiply most rapidly in warm, wet environments, the longer meat is held to these conditions, the more rapid the rate of decomposition. Deer intestines are a reservoir of bacteria. If the intestines are damaged by an arrow or bullet, the bacteria will leave the enclosing barrier of the intestines and fill the gut, hastening spoilage. Freshly killed gut-shot meat provides an ideal environment for rapid reproduction of microorganisms because it is high in bacteria, moist and provides the microorganisms with good nitrogenous “food.” This food is high in vitamins and minerals and is at a good temperature for microorganism reproduction. Keep in mind, too, that simply recovering a deer doesn’t stop spoilage. The more rapidly the organs and the blood can be removed, the faster the hide is removed, and the faster the meat is cooled, the better the meat will be. A Question of Time So, the conditions of the environment and the deer both help determine the time between shot and recovery without spoiling venison. If the air temperature is 50 degrees, we have three to six hours to recover a deer after it dies. If the temperature is higher, or the animal has elevated its temperature by running hard, then the safe time available for recovery is shorter. Keep in mind that it is not the temperature at the time you shoot the deer that matters; it’s the expected temperature experienced by the carcass that matters. So if you shoot a deer at 50 degrees, but the skies are clear and you expect the temperature to fall into the high 20s that night, your deer is safer than if the temperature is 45, it’s cloudy with an approaching warm front and the night temperatures are going to stay above 40. Remember, unless venison is frozen, it will eventually spoil at any temperature — even in the refrigerator. Decision Time So, do we go after our deer in the dark, or wait until morning? We need to ask ourselves a few key questions. Where was the deer hit? A double-lung shot means the deer dies quicker and might be easier to find. However, if you don’t find the deer quickly, and you are sure you got a good chest hit, then spoilage commences as soon as the deer dies. If the shot accidentally hits the deer in the gut, the deer is likely to survive a while, delaying the onset of bacterial multiplication, but it is likely going to be hard to recover. In this case, unless it is very warm, it seems waiting for light is the best option. If the temperature is 40 F or higher, we have little choice and need to make an effort to find the deer as soon as possible. In that scenario, the wisest approach would be to give the deer one to two hours and then begin the search. We need to use the waiting time to get organized, get help and get the proper equipment, including several strong lights, something to mark the trail, and a coordinated search plan for us and our helpers. Time is of the Essence After we recover a deer, we need to get it as cool as quickly as we can. This means getting the organs out quickly, keeping the intestines intact (don’t spill the bacteria), spreading the chest and abdomen open, and getting the carcass off the ground. The hide and hair are good insulators, so get them off as quickly as feasible. Keep the carcass as clean as possible so as not to introduce more bacteria to those already present. The smaller the pieces of meat, the faster it cools. Use whatever means available to cool the venison. If ice or ice water is available, use these to cool the carcass. Ice water cools more effectively than un-melted ice because the un-melted ice has air pockets that insulate the meat and slow down the cooling process. Freezer Storage Meat not immediately eaten should be frozen quickly. Meat with a large surface area, such as ground meat or sausage, has a much greater exposure to bacteria and, hence, is more inclined to spoil. Packing an entire deer into a small freezer will slow the rate of freezing of the interior meat. This usually won’t matter, but for meat that has had a long exposure to warmth, even a little more time increases bacterial action. Great Eating Venison is one of the healthiest meats we can eat. It’s sometimes difficult to acquire, but it’s delicious. One of the keys to quality venison is making good tracking decisions, keeping the meat clean, and cooling it as quickly as possible.