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Any other hunters and fishermen/fisherwomen/fishers?


52Ponds

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I love to hunt and fish.  I share that passion with other family members, and in a special way with my young sons.  

 

In my fridge/freezer now:

 

Venison

Chain pickerel

Blue crab

Yellow perch

 

Hunting season is starting up, so with hope and some work there may soon be:

 

More venison

Squirrel (the best, yum!)

Quail (wild stock, pen raised)

Pheasant (wild stock, pen raised)

Chukar/partridge (wild stock, pen raised)

Ruffed grouse

Woodcock / timberdoodle

 

Other fishing outings can sometimes bring:

 

Striped bass

Trout (hatchery raised)

Bass (our favorite)

Flounder

Blue fish

Norther pike

 

I don't water fowl hunt at present, but my brother who does offers:

 

Canadian goose

Various ducks

 

We are blessed in North America with an abundance of wild and wild harvested fish and meat.  Truly blessed.

 

Anybody else? :)

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I am in FL also! I have always been a fisherman, but I am limited to panfish and cat without a boat. I am hoping to get my weight down by spring to get a kayak. I would love to navigate some of these lakes for small mouth. Cedar Key is not too far, so I also want to get into some saltwater. They have a nice pier there.

 

I am gearing up for my first hunting season (at 35). I will be limited to public land, and I am not sure what I am going for yet. For now, I only have a 12 ga, so I may go for small game and possibly turkey. I would like to pick up a .30-06 or a .30-30 for deer and hog, but finances will make this wait.

 

I figure this is a perfect activity as my food choices are changing. You can't beat fresh game and vegetables.

 

I would appreciate any tips you have for a new hunter. Take care.

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ArcheoGator, that's terrific!

 

I've gotten back to hunting the last several years, after growing up with it and then not participating for way too long.  I'm no expert, but am enjoying the learning curve.

 

I hunt deer with a 12ga smooth bore pump shotgun with a scope.  I use Remington rifled slugs, 1oz.  It's accurate out to 65yards.The longest shot I have from the stand is no more than 50 yards.  I'd like a .30-06 or a .308, but really don't need it for where I'm hunting, and like you money is tight.

 

My 11yo son is going on his first deer hunt this year. He's been hunting squirrels the last couple of years.  My 8yo boy comes along too, but he's not ready to shoot in the field yet.  I've got the 11yo set up this year for deer with a 20ga smooth bore shotgun with rifled slugs.

 

Access to hunting land has been the most challenging thing for me.  I'm blessed in that a couple of years ago I got in with a group that owns some private land.  I get to deer hunt there in trade for working on the trails and the stands in the summer.  We've all become friends in the process, so the comradery is the best thing about it.

 

I hunt public land mostly for squirrels and birds, as well as preserves for some birds.

 

Finding land to hunt on is a hobby in itself around here.

 

My brother has been kayak fishing and kayak waterfowling the last few years.  He's using a Hobie with the foot pedal power system, and installed an electric trolling motor. I'm planning on gearing up this winter with a couple kayaks. I'm looking at the Nucanoe.  Like anyone, I'd love a bass boat but just can't afford it or the upkeep.  Seems like more and more people are kayak fishing.

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I question using my shotgun for deer or hog. It is a Winchester Model 12, 1931. It has a fixed, full choke, and I have been told by many to not use slugs. That would limit me to buckshot, which I am then told can make a mess of deer and hog. Being new to this, I just do not know. 

 

For using public land, I just plan on (hopefully) going deeper than others. I know that Florida itself is what makes Florida hunting difficult. Though I am new to hunting, I have been in FL for 30 years (all but 5 of my life) so I am not new to the FL outdoors. Also, if I wait until small game for the WMAs, the deer hunters will be gone. Ideally, I would love to join a hunt club soon but openings are rare and prices are steep.

 

I hear ya about the bass boat. It is the saying that it is better to know someone with a boat than to own a boat. Kayaks are by far cheaper, easier, and you can use them in areas where engines are not allowed. Also, I look forward to throwing it on the truck and using it as me time. A buddy has a canoe, so we panfish in the Withlacoochee, and use the Rainbow for swimming. It is nice to dock the canoe away from others to find good swimming areas. I am going to check out the Nucanoe. Keep in touch.

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Yeah, I wouldn't use a full choke for slugs. I use an improved cylinder on a Mossberg 500.

 

As far as buckshot, I don't have experience.  It's only allowed here in Pennsylvania in certain areas and only during a a special late season in those areas.  By my thinking, if you're hunting meat and not trophies and that's what you have and it's allowed, no harm in trying it.

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Doh, I thought you were in FL as well, but now I see you were just making a comment to Sharon. FL allows buckshot for hog and deer. In fact, there are WMAs that are shotgun only, and a few that require buckshot and no slugs. If I am within 50 yds, buckshot may do the trick. I'll think about it; here in FL the landscape forces you to be close anyway. 

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I live in Naples! True I can fish anytime but it's not fun when you don't have someone to keep ya company. Blegh..maybe I'll just go it alone.

 

As far as hunting.. I am not a hunter..but I'd really like to go on one of the guided wild hog hunts they have close to here.

 

I haven't eaten venison in many years, it's something I grew up as my Dad would hunter every year to put a deer in the freezer along with our beef and pork. My dad no longer hunts and I don't know anyone else who hunts.

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  • 2 weeks later...

My husband and I love to fish and are avid striper fishermen.  I also love panfish and cat which we can catch out of our pond but we also get some on the lake that we striper fish on.

 

My husband and stepson are the hunters in the family, I'm not much into hunting unless it's wild mushrooms, wild greens or blackberries.  We usually get 2-3 deer each year and a steady supply of waterfowl, I make a oven baked "beef" stew from Canada goose breast that is delicious. This past weekend was an early season woodduck and teal and I've got some freash meat from both in the fridge to be fixed for dinner one night and have found a oven baked dish that uses the breast and is baked with apples and onions which I'm going to try.

 

We usually take at least one deer to the Amish to have made into summer sausage and jerky that we give as gifts in Christmas baskets and everybody loves it.

 

I'm really wanting an elk for the freezer.  I've only had elk a few times and if it's cooked right it tastes like prime beef, surprisingly tender for such lean meat.

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My husband just got an elk (archery) Saturday. My first experience from calling it in, bugling in front of me 15 yards, and him getting it with an arrow. Wow. He has been hunting for 17 years so harvesting the elk was no big thing for him, but for me it was the first time I saw this whole process go down. I might need counseling, JK!. The amount of lean meat on these things is amazing. I have been eating lots of elk this last year too. I haven't figured out how to cook it right yet, but working on that. It really seems to be all in the way you cook it for good flavor.

We wanted to make jerky and sausage out of it too, but I am positive what they put in this stuff is not 100% clean. In fact, I but the suet they are going to add in the ground burger is from grain fed cattle. UGH! Just kinda bums me out to have this perfectly clean animal and then the additives are crap. Hmph.

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Congratulations on the elk!

 

I make my own jerky and ground venison.  Up to now, I've used grain fed pork for the ground meat.  I'll get better quality pork to add this season if all goes well with the deer hunts.

 

So much more meat on an elk.  Would it make sense though to get a grinder?  I just use a Kitchen Aid with a grinding attachment.  Probably not robust enough to process an elk.

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52Ponds, thanks! Looking forward to trying this one, and we got a deer too (muzzleloader), so we should have quite a bit of meat.

Any good recipes for jerky you have without sugar? I know I can find them online but would rather use somebody's suggestion who has tried (and loved) it.

Are you saying you use pork to ADD to the ground meat?

As far as the grinder, well, I think that process would be a great experience to do a few times, but in the end, it is an all day affair. My husband has done it, but it is a lot of work as I am sure you know. I'd rather get a dehydrator. :)

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What's the trick to getting safe edible mushrooms?

I would recommend the book "Mushrooms Demystified" by David Aurora (considered the bible on the subject), and find your local mushroom society for possible foraging/indentification outings.

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Vanniek71,

Boy, I learn something new every single day. :) My next job, "Biltong Maker", hee hee. THANKS! That is strange stuff, never heard about it. We may consider that but have to read more about it. Do we need to make a box? Did you? Ingredients are simple sounding though for sure.

Appreciate it!

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52Ponds, thanks! Looking forward to trying this one, and we got a deer too (muzzleloader), so we should have quite a bit of meat.

Any good recipes for jerky you have without sugar? I know I can find them online but would rather use somebody's suggestion who has tried (and loved) it.

Are you saying you use pork to ADD to the ground meat?

As far as the grinder, well, I think that process would be a great experience to do a few times, but in the end, it is an all day affair. My husband has done it, but it is a lot of work as I am sure you know. I'd rather get a dehydrator. :)

 

I need to find/try a new recipe that doesn't use sugar.  Every batch I've made in the past has used it.  No more though! :)

 

Any thoughts?

 

Yes, I use pork in a ratio of 2/3 venison to 1/3 pork.  That's for making sausage.  I just ground up the last of the cubed venison from last season and used the same ratio but didn't make sausage this time.

 

I went upland bird hunting today.  It was my Springer Spaniel pup's first hunt.  She did great. Put a chukar partridge in the fridge.  Perfectly beautiful Pennsylvania fall day.

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52Ponds,

Thanks. I guess I will have to figure out the sausage making too at some point. We should have enough game to experiment on some of this stuff.

I am thinking of this recipe from Mr. Robb Wolf for the jerky - - http://robbwolf.com/2011/05/11/diy-maple-sage-beef-jerky-recipe/

You can leave OUT the maple syrup if you want it says.

Your bird hunt sounds awesome too!

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