Hunter Poll

Aabidano · Post by **Aabidano** » January 30, 2003, 4:25 pm

.308, 30-06 and 280 Rem are all good choices for deer/elk size critters. 6mm Rem or 243 Win if you'll be going after antelope/deer sized stuff. The ammo is widely available with a good choice of loads. If your going to hunt with it, a bolt action with a synthetic stock and a decent scope is the way to go IMO. Remington and Ruger both have decent guns that aren't too expensive and hold up very well.

I'd stay away from the magnums, you really don't get that much more for what you pay for the gun/ammo, and they're painful to shoot a lot in hunting weights.

I've got an FN Mauser 30-06 that I usually hunt with (not a military model)it's stamped Colt Custom on the barrel. I picked it up at a pawn shop for about $150. It had a beautiful french walnut stock and blueing that makes the metal look "deep". The action/trigger alone would have cost me ~$600 new. With a synthetic stock and a nice scope, it will drive tacks at 100 yds. Probably going to be getting it rebarreled to 280 Rem this summer.

Used is always a good option, if you know what to look for.

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » January 30, 2003, 4:32 pm

If you pick a gun for that beautiful French walnut stock then yes it would be painful for you to shoot a magnum.

My magnum has a lovely tricolord pastel green krylon rattlecan finish. With a hint of rust here and there for depth.

Aabidano · Post by **Aabidano** » January 30, 2003, 5:26 pm

I picked it up for the barrel/action, the pretty stock came off fairly quickly after I bought it. It weighs about 5.3 pounds now and isn't really comfortable to shoot too much with 165+ grain bullets, and will leave marks with 180s. A bruised shoulder isn't my idea of fun. Very nice to carry all day though.

I've got a couple guns I've hunted with yearly for 25 years, none of them have rust, including an 870 that's spent 100s of hours in salt marshes. It's got a thompsons' water seal finish on the stock, nothing else would stay for more than a year or two

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » January 30, 2003, 6:03 pm

Weight is not an issue when your weapon moves from the gunrack in the rear window to the hood with sandbags as a rule =)

ya gotta hunt the ridge roads, old logging roads in clearcuts. A big wide open draw with a road all the way around the ridge. Setup across the hood and scope make a little noise, roll a rock or something, wait till that bull elk gets just above the road on the other side of the draw take that 500 yd head shot.

Of course you have to do a lot of "pre-hunt" reco. Find, follow and know where the herd and your target is going to be at any given time of the day. Weather conditions are also a factor.

Not that I could'nt carry my 300. Its just an Elkhunt in the Pac Northwest goes like this.... The second you head into the brush you lose. Most of the time the only thing your gonna see is tails heading over the ridge (if your lucky) and lots of noise.

Drisanna · Post by **Drisanna** » January 30, 2003, 6:21 pm

I prefer caribou to moose, because caribou very tender and never gamey regardless of age. A trophy caribou is just as delicious as a yearling, a trophy moose is a LOT of meat that is going to require a LOT of careful preparation to be tender (though it's still quite tasty).

Canoe · Post by **Canoe** » January 30, 2003, 7:22 pm

I'll agree with you to a point Masekle, Hunting for elk in the Pac NW is nothing like hunting for whitetails in the NE.

In the NE hunting for white tails, weight is a fairly big deal, as the majority of the day (if you are hardcore) you are out walking the hills searching for your game (or at least humping up a mountain to get to your treesteand/blind). Whereas in the NW you are most likely road hunting, so weight isn't a big deal.

As well if you went out with a 50 caliber on a 120lb whitetail deer, your going end up with 20 lbs of meat, maybe less if you hit it in the wrong spot. Even with my 356 i have to be very careful so as to not ruin any meat.

As far as what cane is looking for, there are quite a few nice models out there, a classic is the Savage lever action 308, not too heavy, accurate, and not pricey.

Some other levers are the Marlin 336 (comes in a variety of 30-35 calibers) and the Winchester 94 (ditto to the marlin).

If you are right handed (i'm left, hence all the levers, left handed bolts can be few and far between), a bolt action ruger isn't terribly pricey and 99% of the time hella accurate. They also come in 30-06, along with a variety of others. If you're looking for a versatile gun, that isn't expensive, that's what i would go with. Will last you a long time, won't cost you an arm and a leg, and the shells are never going to be discontinued. As well a 30-06 with a decent shooter and a rest is still fine up to 300-350 yards (although I personally would not shoot over 250 or so), where a 30-30 or a 356 is only good about 150 yds before it starts dropping dramatically.

Hope this helps.

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » January 30, 2003, 7:40 pm

Thanks for the info bro, I will keep that in mind. I used to have this BLR .243 when I was younger. It was pretty damn sweet for a smaller round (good training for the young hunter). I love Rugers as well as Browning.

For Ducks, quail and dove, I use my Smith & Wesson Model 1000 20ga. Best autoloading shotgun IMO, even though they are no longer produced. Although I did see this Benelli combat shotgun that looked pretty slick, but more like something you would see in Terminator.

Wulfran · Post by **Wulfran** » January 30, 2003, 7:46 pm

Ah Drisanna, even the oldest, orniest, stringiest, toughest old bull moose makes WONDERFUL pepperoni, smoked sausage and garlic sausage...

Aabidano · Post by **Aabidano** » January 31, 2003, 10:59 am

My longest shot ever at a deer was a little under 50 yards, and that was with a bow, not a range I'd normally take a shot at, but it was perfect. Closest was ~6 feet, also with a bow

Fallanthas wrote:Yep, judos work great! Add a heavy aluminum arrow and you don't have to replace ammo very often, either.

I use 30" 2219 XX75s for everything, they can take a lot of abuse. I've tried lighter shafts (2413s, etc..), and didn't care for them. My recurve is just about silent with the heavy shafts, and they hold up very well.

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » January 31, 2003, 11:13 am

I am not to good with a bow--would shoot my own foot probably.

Fallanthas · Post by **Fallanthas** » January 31, 2003, 12:14 pm

Very odd. Very odd indeed.

I also shoot 30", but use 2217's. Darn things are just about indestructible. I have a few left from a dozen I bought eight years ago, and small game hunting isn't exactly easy on arrows.

Also currently shooting a recurve again, a Browning Wasp that is a year or two younger than I am. Nice little bow.

My custom longbow went boom. One of these days I will learn not to keep trying to make my bows 'better' and settle for 'good enough'. I've been building bows for almost a decade and still haven't turned out one that I like better than those 70's production bows.

Fortunately, the Bowhunter banquet and festival is this weekend. Don't know if I can stretch the checkbook far enough to accomodate a new hunting partner, but at least I can test drive some of the nicest bows around.

Canno, get some vacation time together and come up for a visit. Turkey season is just around the corner, and twenty bucks says I can have you hooked on a good recurve before you leave.

**EDIT** Oh yeah, I suck with a gun. I can just about hit the ground in front of me, if the rifle is sighted in properly!

Canoe · Post by **Canoe** » January 31, 2003, 12:19 pm

FYI falla - I'm an avid bowhunter as well - I love it! However not good enough with the recurve yet, still use my old compound which I have had for about 11 years now, and still kills deer like it used too.

Always found bowhunting more peaceful, and a much bigger appreciation for the skill it takes.

Small game i haven't mastered yet, only have shot a couple of rabbits, and a turkey with the bow, but both of those were while I was deerhunting and it was dumb luck they walked under my tree stand heh.

Aabidano · Post by **Aabidano** » January 31, 2003, 12:35 pm

I shoot a 65lb Bear Kodiak, been looking at Black Widows for years but can't bring myself to spend the money. I've got an old Wing recurve I shoot from time to time also.

If you can throw a ball consistantly you can learn to shoot a bow. It's a lot more relaxing and less of a hassle for me. FL doesn't have a bow season, so you don't get any real bonuses for it here.

Cotto · Post by **Cotto** » January 31, 2003, 12:43 pm

SQUIRRELS...not too god though, they taste like goldfish, meat stoo stringy...

Fallanthas · Post by **Fallanthas** » January 31, 2003, 12:43 pm

From Florida? I have a bowhunting bud down in Tampa. Got to go shoot a range with him two years ago. Damn, I thought Missouri humidity was bad!

Going to have a drink with Ken Beck from Black Widow this evening. Great guy. Unfortunately I think his bows are ugly and loud as hell.

Neat Canoobie. Didn't know you were a toxophilite. I shot a compound for....maybe four months. Third time I dropped it and knocked something off, I gave it to a friend and went back to my sticks and strings.

Compounds are a great ambush tool, I just prefer the speed and adaptability of a simple bow.

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » January 31, 2003, 12:50 pm

Hell yeah Falla! I haven't shot a bow in years, but I would love to try again..especially on them gobblers.

I might have to blow all of my vacation time this year on a hunting expedition with yall

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » January 31, 2003, 2:15 pm

Turkey hunting is the shit. We have an explosion in the wild turkey population here in southern oregon.

I find it amazing that so many people call the turkey one of the hardest gamebirds to hunt. There are more variations,designs and brands of turkey calls than any other Game calling device. I have tried many. The best I have ever used, is the HORN in my truck.

I tossed the weapon approach to turkey hunting many years ago. I use a device to get em now. And a little "RECO"

First ya gotta find a flock follow em for awhile usually a couple days before Thanksgiving.

Then you prepare your device. (listen close here) Find a piece of PVC or culvert pipe 12" dia. 48" long. a small bag of cracked corn. Locate a good spot close to the road ( walking sucks) lay the pipe down in an area you know the flock passes through. Spread some corn around close to the pipe, make a couple trails of corn to it and place a pile in the center of it. Go back to your truck, Crack a cold one, put in your favorite CD and watch the fun.

When a turkey reaches in to get that out-of-reach kernal, oops it falls down and just lays there with its feet hanging out, really comical.

No muss, no fuss guide to Thanksgiving day feast

PS Dont go for the biggest meanest looking turkey. The younger ones are more tender.

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » January 31, 2003, 2:22 pm

That sounds OMGIAMRETARDEDCAUSEALOTISTWOWORDS like using dynamite to fish!

Fallanthas · Post by **Fallanthas** » January 31, 2003, 2:32 pm

I should probably warn you that I hold the dubious distinction of checking Missouris smallest ever fall turkey....

Hey, anyone can shoot a 200 lb buck in the chest, right? Let's see you pop a 3 1/2 lb turkey int eh back of the head with an arrow!

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » January 31, 2003, 2:34 pm

He was just a boy. He was just a boy and you killed em!

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » January 31, 2003, 2:34 pm

ummmm.. NO using explosives destroys more than you can eat.

This is my Fishing Method if you must know. Just for you Canelak.
Find some pickle barrels, Get your makita, drill a bunch of 1" holes about 6" apart all around and especially in the bottom go out in your 19" Ranger with the 250 merc. ( dingy may be a sustitute) locate some fish in SHALLOW water no more than 4 feet deep. Place your pickle barrels in the water (tie a rope to em) put a marker a 1 gallon plastic milk jug will do here. Go back to the boat ramp (in your case lol) or go to the nearest dock and get a few babes to pull around.

Around noonish go back to your spot and yank the barrels up

there you have it no muss no fuss fishfry =)

Shaerra · Post by **Shaerra** » January 31, 2003, 2:37 pm

Cow really should be an option. The title is "Hunter Poll", not "Good Hunter Poll". lol

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » January 31, 2003, 2:40 pm

Haha! great idea!

Back in Mississippi at my grandparent's house they had this estuary which was about 40 or so feet across.

We would run a trot-line shore to shore then go up and down banging the sides of the boat to run the fish into it. Now THAT produces a bigass fishfry as well

My family is so Southern that my uncle has a livewell in the bed of his truck

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » January 31, 2003, 2:40 pm

answer your PM's wench jeese

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » January 31, 2003, 2:45 pm

My Grandfather was from Climax Mis. I remember going to visit we would alwways go fishing. We would work the morning setting trot lines then spend some time working the brush. He would keep his bait in his mouth for a few minutes before putting em on the hook. Seems Copenhagen will stimulate the maggots and make them more appealing. Never tried it I used Minnows

Shaerra · Post by **Shaerra** » January 31, 2003, 4:47 pm

Masekle wrote:Copenhagen will stimulate the maggots

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » January 31, 2003, 5:03 pm

Good thing he didn't fish with squirrel heads eh?

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » February 1, 2003, 3:59 am

I suppose he woulda looked kinda funny with a squirrel head hangin out his mouth. That would've defeated the purpose. Tough to stimulate the dead =(

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » February 3, 2003, 6:56 pm

I was the only one that voted for bunny???
Now I am a Chef, and do the winebuying for 2 restaurants as well, but my title is head kitchen Asshole (with a capitol A) and I make a braised rabbit with kalamata olives over soft polenta, that will leave you feeling... simply... twitterpated!

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » February 3, 2003, 7:22 pm

I like rabbit. Make sure to use very light ammo as they tend to explode at close ranges, spoiling all

Brittney · Post by **Brittney** » February 3, 2003, 8:05 pm

Whats with redneks and hunting?

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » February 3, 2003, 9:24 pm

*shrug* Cuz shootin' is better than dealin with dem damn revenuers! Or people from the bank, er people servin papers. *shakes fist*

Hammerstalker PE · Post by **Hammerstalker PE** » February 3, 2003, 9:46 pm

Venison is excellent. I have had Cobra, Rattle Snake etc, very tasty. I travel a lot to Asia so I have had many odd meals.

cid · Post by **cid** » February 3, 2003, 10:12 pm

Shhhhh I am huntin wabbits!!

Pilsburry · Post by **Pilsburry** » February 3, 2003, 10:49 pm

If it Moo's, Cluck's or Oink's I'm all over that shit...itherwise you can eat it.

I have had deer, frog, alligtor, shark, etc...

I just can't say I really like them.
Deer was kinda tough, alligator was rather greasy....I can't remember the frog legs,..and I don't remember the shark much either.

If chinese food really has dog in it....then I like dog.

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » February 4, 2003, 1:49 am

Its all in the preparation. Also what part of the Deer you are eating. Ya gotta hang that sucker for a couple three or four days to "cure" the meat.

The best cut is the two little strips of meat along the upper sides of the backbone.

Also dressing immediatly is a must. Before you pose for pictures, get the guts out.

An instant kill helps the taste as well.

Fallanthas · Post by **Fallanthas** » February 4, 2003, 3:23 am

Aye, try to eat a steak off a beef that has just been killed and find the definition of tough.

Most meats have to be aged somewhat. The key to good venison is aging, and get it clean, clean, CLEAN! There are some nasty oils in deer hair that can ruin a good cut of meat.

Take backstrap, cut 5/8" thick (bias cut). Get an iron skillet five degrees short of smoking when lined in clarified butter, add all the garlic powder you can stand. Sear meat for about three minutes on a side and off onto a plate.

Precook some new potatoes and roll them quickly through the leftovers in the skillet, add to plate.

Fresh cucumber salad on the side and warn the wife you will be napping in half an hour

Aarenn · Post by **Aarenn** » February 4, 2003, 9:52 am

Hey Canelek where in CA you wanna go hunting...i can try and get some info for you...can also find some 10mm ammo for the guy who was lookin for it

just send a tell in game

Canoe · Post by **Canoe** » February 4, 2003, 11:26 am

To be honest i feel that the letting it "hang" for 3 or 4 days before butchering the deer is the biggest god damn farse on the planet. I"ve been hunting for 12 years, have shot 26 deer, and not once have I let a deer hang more than a day if it was > 25 degrees out.

Imho it is completely the cut of meat, and the preparation that "makes or breaks" the meal. In the past 10 years I've never had one person tell me my venison was "gamie" or tough.

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » February 4, 2003, 11:31 am

Any CA info is indeed appreciated, although I am not quite sure I can afford to hunt here, with the tag prices and all... of course, I lack any good info on the state. What price can you get a case of 10mm auto for? I saw some pretty good prices on ammo at:

http://www.georgia-arms.com/

..although I haven't called and don't know how much they charge for shipping..

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » February 4, 2003, 3:53 pm

Anyone hunt with pistols? It sounds like a heck of a challenge, although I would need a scope as I am only a fair marksman with handguns. I was reading that the most popular is the .357, although I think I would go with a heavier load like 10mm, .41 Mag, .44 Mag, .454 Casul, .480 Ruger.

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » February 4, 2003, 5:25 pm

Canoe wrote:To be honest i feel that the letting it "hang" for 3 or 4 days before butchering the deer is the biggest god damn farse on the planet. I"ve been hunting for 12 years, have shot 26 deer, and not once have I let a deer hang more than a day if it was > 25 degrees out.

Imho it is completely the cut of meat, and the preparation that "makes or breaks" the meal. In the past 10 years I've never had one person tell me my venison was "gamie" or tough.

How often did your guests beg to come back for dinner? JK

Try aging once and see if it makes a differance for you.

And yes,cutting the meat the right direction makes or breaks the toughness lvl as well.

Denadeb · Post by **Denadeb** » February 4, 2003, 5:40 pm

I'm very disapointed that Nutria Rat wasn't included in the list.

7 course Nutria Meal

how could you not wanna eat one of these guys.

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » February 5, 2003, 6:11 am

Nutria Rat is very oily and a little tough, but will keep you alive. That and Cattail root will keep you going. Easy to catch too. Usually inhabit small ponds and such where Cajuns like to dump there unwanted possesions. Have seen a few around Dallas, thought they were Muskrats like we have back here in Oregon. They sure dont taste the same.

As a rule most Scavenger meat is a little oily even Fish-type.

Denadeb · Post by **Denadeb** » February 5, 2003, 11:17 am

Well in all actuality Nutria Rats arn't scavengers. They only eat greens and they happen to be one of the best meats you can eat from a health standpoint. The meat is very good for things like chile and such.

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » February 5, 2003, 11:33 am

Ratattoui?

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » February 5, 2003, 3:19 pm

Looks like we will all be eating them before long I was going on My experience from 15 yrs ago. Guess they have invaded farther north =( From the College of Journalism, Capitol News Service on, Friday, February
10, 1995.

^CNS-Eating Nutria,745<
^Eds: For use Sunday, February 12, and later.
^Nutria: A Tasty New Treat from the Bay<
^By LORI WOLFGANG=
^Capital News Service=
ANNAPOLIS - There's a new tactic in the battle against the
destruction nutria are causing in Maryland's marshes. Some
conservationists are fighting back - by biting back.
Nutria, mammals resembling small beavers except for their rat-like
tails and orange buck teeth, compete with the smaller native muskrats for
food in Maryland's marshes. The devastation for marsh grasses has been
such that nutria control gets attention at the Statehouse.
Last year the solution was a bounty bill. This year, it's a barbecue
pit.
Sen. Richard Colburn, R-Dorchester, has tried barbecued nutria at the
annual South Dorchester Outdoor Show, where the Jaycees serve it to win
over new nutria eaters. The meat, Colburn said, tastes "pretty good."
This year's show is February 24-25 in Golden Hill. But Dorchester
County cooks may have competition.
Nick Carter, a biologist with the Department of Natural Resources,
recently hosted Maryland's first annual nutriafest, serving barbecued
nutria to about 20 guests.
Carter said the taste is similar to pork, "rich-flavored meat, a lot
better than muskrat, not nearly as greasy." And it's versatile: "You can
do just about anything you want with it," he said, from nutria barbecue to
nutria soup to nutria salad.
Carter found nutria for sale at an Eastern Shore country store, after
failing to bag any on his own hunt. He later learned from watermen that
it's better to wait for the marsh to freeze to hunt the animals, because
nutria can't hide in the ice like they can in the thick marsh grass.
Maryland isn't alone in its nutria problem, or in its appetite.
Writer Calvin Trillin reports in the February issue of Atlantic Monthly
that Louisianans are taking a bite out of the troublesome nutria
population there - with nutria chili, nutria fricassee, pan-fried and
deep-fried nutria and nutria sauce piquante.
A few years ago, the article said, famed Cajun Chef Paul Prudhomme
was asked by the Louisiana Nature and Science Center to provide nutria
dishes for a nutriafest, which became an annual event. The winner of the
last year's cook-off, Trillin reported, was an "apple-smoked nutria and
wild-mushroom crepe in bourbon- pecan nutria sauce."
Louisiana's problem, like Maryland's, stems from fur farming. The
rodents originally were imported from South America for their fur.
Peter Jayne, furbearer program manager for the Maryland DNR, said
nutria were released or escaped from fur farmers in the 1940s. When the
market diminished, the nutria population exploded: to around 100,000 in
Maryland today, concentrated in the bay tributaries in Dorchester,
Wicomico and Somerset Counties.
Jayne said there is once more a small market for nutria fur. He
mentioned that one buyer in the state pays $3 per pelt.
While Maryland's Eastern Shore has a strong tradition for eating
muskrat, Jayne said, nutria don't have the same popularity. A few
volunteer fire companies serve nutria along with muskrat at fundraising
dinners, he said.
Among Eastern Shore lawmakers surveyed last week, only Colburn had
eaten nutria. But others were willing to try.
Sen. Lowell Stoltzfus, R-Somerset, said he might eat it if given the
opportunity. It's "a great idea," he said. "They all need to go."
Del. Ronald Guns, D-Kent, said "any method to control the population
would be better than what's happening now." The bounty law enacted last
year, he noted, has not been successful.
Del. Ken Schisler, R-Talbot, was a little skeptical. While eating
nutria would help, he said, "we'll never be totally rid of them if we give
them any value."
Eradication "is a huge task," Schisler said. He underestimated it
when considering the bounty bill, he acknowledged. The law only allots
enough funding to trim the population, and, Schisler said, "if you're not
going to do the whole job, it's not worth it."
Jayne agreed that the bounty law - which set up a program for
trappers to lease state-owned marshes and pay off the arrangement with
nutria carcasses - was flawed. For starters, the state has too little
marshland to lease, he said. Beyond that, there is money to kill only
about 1,000 animals per year - a figure Jayne said was about 9,000 short
of effective.
The DNR's Carter, however, maintained that any effort would help the
bay.
"It would be well worth it to hunt nutria. It's good meat and easy to
get," he said.
"All you need is a license and a .22."
-30-

VeeshanVault

Hunter Poll

Which tasty animal do you prefer to eat?

Canelek