Uncle Nicky

I'm not so sure I'd want to grind the breast meat for jerky either. Here's a recipe I use, it works equally as well for venison, foose, or duck. The recipe is for 5# of meat. First- slice meat WITH THE GRAIN into strips, about 1/4" thick. Next- brine in a solution of: 1 quart water 4oz sugar 2 1/2 oz salt 1t garlic powder 4T soy sauce Let marinate 12 hours in the refrigerator. Next- remove from brine, rinse, and let slightly air dry at room temperature. Next- place in a smoker at 140 degrees, with dampers wide open. It should take 18-20 hours to dry, you want it to be dried out but still somewhat flexible. I know you can dry it in a home oven at lowest setting, with the door cracked open, but I've always used a smoker. Once it's cooled, it will last about 4 weeks in the refrigerator before it starts to get moldy, it freezes fine in a ziploc freezer bag. But usually it just gets eaten up quickly.

I believe the push to ban semi-auto rifles & eventually all handguns, by both the government & the media, will come on strong in the next few months. I've been an NRA member for a number of years, and will continue to be as long as they are the premier lobby orginization to help us keep our guns & 2nd amendment rights. I don't buy everything they are selling, I don't put their bumper sticker on my truck, and frankly, Ted Nugent is an embarrasment as a representative for gun owners & hunters. But, I can't think of anyone I'd rather have in my corner when it comes to fighting the anti-gun loons than the NRA. I just wish I would have waited for the Bass Pro gift card offer before I rejoined, LOL.

Thanks for the suggestions, after I read Eddie's idea, I Googled "Homemede shooting tripod", found a few sites that have tutorials on exactly how to convert a camera tripod to a shooting tripod. It looks as if Midway USA also sells a device to convert a camera tripod for about $25. Also, I DO have a monopod with a gun rest that unscrews from the walking stick, as josephmrtn suggested, this may work also. I want a tripod for my son to shoot from, we might hunt from a tent blind, & I was thinking it might help him shoot a little more accurately if he had some sort of rest to shoot off of.

Sounds like a great idea, never gave it a thought. Have you tried this/know anybody that has? Thanks

WTB: Tripod for shooting, NOT the type that attaches directly to your gun, but 3-legged shooting sticks. I'll pay shipping if the price is right, I'm in Valley Forge, PA. Thanks, Nick.

Just my $.02, but if you can hook up with someone who's experienced, you can cut the learning curve greatly. If you decide to be self-taught, my suggestion would be to keep it as simple as possible as first, stick with a box or slate call or push-pin call, get an-extra-full choke for your shotgun, and scout as much as possible before the season starts. Good luck!

It's because of situations like this that I try my best to find private land to hunt. Just too many competitive people with loaded guns looking to start an argument. My opinion- setting out a stand on public land and then telling someone to stay out is just inviting trouble. I never gave much thought to hunting in someone else's stand, and I never got upset when someone hunted from mine. But, not everyone feels this way, obviously.

Would it hurt my feelings personally if military-style weapons & large capacity clips were banned? No, I don't a gun like this, and have no plans to in the future. BUT...as an NRA member & multiple gun owner...I say no changes. I don't believe for one second that the anti-gun crowd (at least in the US) will be happy until ALL forms of firearms and yes, hunting also are made illegal. And that, for me, isn't an option.

I'm in SE PA, special regulations area. I'm fortunate to have a hunting camp in your state as well.

Just an update...took my new Stoeger out this weekend to the patterning board at the range. I'm pretty impressed overall. I did file down the metal bead sight that came from the factory & installed a green fiber-optic bead sight. I tested it at 30 steps, threw a decent pattern from both barrels, I was a little worried the right barrel would shoot to the right (and vice versa), but all shots were right on target. Should work out fine for clay birds & small game, maybe even geese if I want to buy full chokes. Now the bad news....I also took it to the 50 yard range to shoot rifled slugs. Had a tough time even hitting paper, most shots were flying low. Cut the distance to about 30 yards, and was inside the rings. So, if I DO decide to deer hunt with this gun, I'll have to keep the shots close. Or use buckshot, which is legal in this part of my state.

Sounds like you will be repeating this class, LOL. Never argue with the guy who signs the checks or hands out grades. All kidding aside, any of us who own guns should get ready for a long hard fight. I'm assuming it's a lot simpler to just say "ban all guns" than it is to look at our young people, mental illness, and what our society is becoming/has become....

I've never owned an expensive shotgun, so I can only give my opinion on lower-end models. I've owned 3 870s over the years, they were all good shooters. I've got a Mossberg 835 that I use for turkey, I wouldn't sell it if you offered me $1,000 for it. I bought my son a Mossberg 535 recently (he's a left-hander), while it feels cheap & plastic, he can hit whatever he aims at with this gun. Extremely light, & points fast. I also sold an old Stevens SXS 311A recently (couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with this gun), and traded sideways for a Stoeger Uplander SXS. I like it so far, very light, fits my shoulder well, and points quickly. I'm going to take it out this weekend & try to get a pattern on it. If it shoots good, this may be new favorite gun.

Benny Spies/Gun It is probably the most realistic show I've seen. It's not for everyone, bunch of 20-something rural Midwest hipsters hunting pheasants, ducks, & deer in South Dakota with the inevitable Winnebago race at the end of each episode, but I find it entertaining. I used to like the old Jim Zumbo show too. Most of these shows are promotions for bow or muzzleloader products or guide services. Most of us aren't going to shoot 150 class bucks very often, unless we want to shell out the big dollars and hunt these private ranches, whether low or high fence.

Is there any chance you can move your stand, so he won't be able to see you hunting? Eventually he's bound to get tired of standing in the woods with his shotgun and give up, especially if he can't see you. I don't think the DEC takes him very seriously, or else they would have been knocking on your door. Good luck with this, I'm dealing with a new neighbor now at my camp, he keeps putting his posted signs 40-50 yards over on MY property line, I rip them down faster than he can put them up. I sense he's getting tired of this by now, I'm seeing less & less of his signs every time I go up there. LOL

I've often heard how great the turkey hunting was in NZ, if I had the coin I'd come give it a try. Just curious, how expensive is it to ship meat/trophies to the US? Or do guys usually just donate the meat?

I asked Santa to bring me enough 8' high fence to totally enclose my hunting camp, a post hole digger, and a few breeder bucks to make my private hunting preserve complete.

Congratulations on your deer!! I hate to ruin your moment, or sound like an internet cop, but Fletch has a point. To answer your question, I would have waited until you visually saw the deer coming, cock the hammer back, and get ready, making sure your gun was pointed awy from the drivers. Again, at the risk of sounding like a nag, deer drives can be dangerous, everyone needs to be extra careful. Anyway, no harm, no foul, and enjoy your venison!!

I've shot 3, and all tasted fine to me, a little chewier than venison, and a little less gamey than deer meat. Supposedly they often carry trichinosis, so the ones I killed were cooked medium-well, and I didn't make any of the meat into smoked sausage or jerky. I've heard that if they are on a garbage diet they can be rank, and brown bears that eat mostly fish aren't worth eating, but I don't know this first-hand.

No, I wouldn't retire, but I would certainly approach the next downed deer with a loaded firearm (on "safe") or a nocked arrow.

Deer (and bears) pack on as much fat as possible in the fall, the further north and the colder the winter is, the more they try to compensate. As bubba mentioned, a buck that's been fighting & chasing does for a couple months will be almost fatless. I have seen bucks with a lot of fat on their bodies, but this was usually in early archery season.

Good luck, I'm in the special regulations area (5C), so I can hunt until the last Saturday in January or until I fill tags, whichever comes first. I usually skip the PA opener.

A decent size meat bison (2 year-old) is 800-1000#, and will yield about 250# of boneless meat, which is delicious, along with a nifty hide & set of horns. I shot this one on a private ranch (not high fence, but there were cattle guards) last month, while I was in Wyoming, combined with an antelope hunt.

It puzzles me why anyone would be so quick to condemn something they've never tried....NOT all hunting in Texas is high fence, trust me, I've been there & done that. This looks free-range to me, look at the background in many of the photos...hard to fence in country like that.

Renegade Hunter- you say you aren't looking for an argument, yet you create a post trying to trash out-of towners (or city hunters as you call them)?? I spend a lot of time at the range, and in the woods. And I live 10 miles from a major city. Sorry bud, but there are just as many lousy shots who live in in the mountains as there are in the burbs. I used to remember this type of animosity between the locals & out-of-town hunters 40 years ago when I started hunting...I guess it still exists.

I do know they are giving less doe permits in 9P than they were years ago, maybe that is a factor?