What are your thoughts about this deer hunting quote

[BizCT]

13 minutes ago, Belo said:

bill's thread. 2 real nice shoulders. 

ah. gun kills don't count anymore this decade. especially not rifles.

[Five Seasons]

8 minutes ago, BizCT said:

ah. gun kills don't count anymore this decade. especially not rifles.

ok good to know. I will post gun kills this year.

[LET EM GROW]

On 9/12/2022 at 10:46 AM, WNY Bowhunter said:

Representing Steuben County here. It's been a tough year on trailcam this summer. That being said, my goal for the season is a 3.5 yr old buck, same as always. I don't get to caught up on score when it comes to my deer hunting, just a realistic buck for the area that I'm hunting. Maybe someday I will join one of Let Em Grow's leases and then I can up my standards a little!

I go in to every season expecting to eat tag soup lol.. That way when i do harvest a buck worthy of the Red barn wall, I perk up my shoulders and swell my head a bit.. Even though his antler inches are only half of what they would be on that 8P/8R line lol 

[GreeneHunter]

I am very selective when I hunt , I fill DMP's at the first chance I get and simply do not care Buck or Doe !  After that I look forward to taking a nap in my ladder stand through the rest of the season and if a Buck wanders by during Gun then so be it ! All trophies are stored in the freezer !

[AuburnNYC]

On 9/12/2022 at 5:18 AM, wolc123 said:

 The meat from a 3.5 year old, properly aged, is every bit as tender as that from a 1.5 year old. 

 

How do you properly age a big rutting buck? I'd like to try it for my next one.

[wolc123]

1 hour ago, AuburnNYC said:

How do you properly age a big rutting buck? I'd like to try it for my next one.

I have had very good results letting 2.5 year olds age for 5 days minimum and 3.5 year olds for 9 days.  Ideally, the aging temperature is between 33 and 43 deg F.

 Leaving the hide on helps insulate against daily temperature swings and let’s you get away with 32 to 55 deg F, so long as the average daily temp stays in the preferred range.  An insulated garage, with a concrete floor helps a lot.  Cover the widows in the day, to keep out the sunlight, and open them at night to let in the cool air.
 

I was shooting for 10 days in the insulated garage with my 3.5 year old post-rut buck last year, but I had to cut that to 9 days.  The average temperature outside was predicted to be 62 degrees on day 10, so I came home a day early from a NZ late gun-season bear hunt.  That middle aged buck turned out marvelous.

It always amazes me how some on this site, including at least one educated as a chef, seem to have no comprehension of how rigor mortis affects red meat. 
 

Even ground burger can be tough, if you freeze it before rigor mortis has passed.  

A simple, often free, “deer fridge”, is a great help in maintaining that preferred temperature range in these post-global warming days.  
 

Edited September 15, 2022 by wolc123

[Five Seasons]

A great listen if you want to listen to an actual meat scientist. I know the term "scientist" triggers some of y'all, but hopefully most of you get it.

https://www.themeateater.com/listen/meateater/ep-227-red-cutter

 

[AuburnNYC]

Awesome stuff. I've never aged a buck but may try now. My dad used to age beef himself - but I think he overdid it and I never liked it.

[wolc123]

3 hours ago, AuburnNYC said:

Awesome stuff. I've never aged a buck but may try now. My dad used to age beef himself - but I think he overdid it and I never liked it.

I’m really hoping to start aging an old doe a week from Saturday when our early antlerless gun season opens.  My 1950’s deer fridge is ready to go. I’ll give her seven days in there then grind her and freeze to make room for # 2. 

Edited August 28, 2023 by wolc123

[airedale]

I agree that letting a Deer hang for a few days to age works, as long as I have some cool weather I will let them hang. Warm weather requires immediate processing as I do not have a walk in cooler or spare fridge to prevent spoiling.

Al

[genesee_mohican]

I'd say if one isn't too excited about shooting a buck that passes by on the first day they get out to hunt, then it shouldn't bother them later in the season .That's just me. It wouldn't bother me because I like to see bucks have a chance to grow. If a small buck walks by my stand during the season and I give him a pass, there is a decent chance he'll be in the same area again next year, only bigger.  If someone else takes him, good for them! That's hunting and unless you own 1000 acres you have no control over that part.  If someone wants the meat and takes the deer I pass, that is fine with me. 

Bottom line : shoot what you want and enjoy it. 

[Doc]

To be honest, I have nothing negative to say about what other people shoot or consider worthy of taking. I will be the first to congratulate someone who has taken a fawn as long as they are proud of that harvest. I think we spend way too much time and energy trying to shame hunters into taking deer that WE feel they should take. It is important to me that I do not discourage any hunter who is appreciative of the deer they have taken (regardless of size). Whether it is one that I would have taken or not is entirely irrelevant. I often wonder how many hunters we have lost because we thought it was our duty to  make negative comments about the deer that THEY have chosen to take.