A tanned hide or mounted head isn’t the only thing a hard working hunter can show off after their hunt. A successful hunt can yield pounds of burger meat, sausages or jerky that will last for months.  It starts by getting your meat from the field into the freezer, which requires some time and skill. As quickly as possible after the kill, hunters should fully dress out the animal, including removal of the windpipe and anus, to prevent contamination of the meat.  

Next, cool the animal by opening the shoulder blades and hip sockets, to ensure complete cooling throughout the entire body, which will also prevent spoilage. Taking care of your meat properly will determine how much you can expect to get back. My advice is always to take good care of your meat in the field and you’ll be a lot happier in the end! A meat processor can only work with what he has been given.

I’ve found that sprinkling black pepper on the animal while dressing it can help keep the meat fresh. It definitely is a great deterrent to the flies as well. If necessary, a hunter can skin and quarter the animal in the field, but if the animal comes in with its skin still on, it stays cleaner and holds moisture better.

When quartering an animal, I also recommend not splitting the loin down the center. This will help to prevent contamination from the spinal cord, where CWD is often found. I’ve found that putting meat in a plastic bag does not work well; they don’t breathe and therefore increase the risk of spoilage. I recommend wrapping meat in a cloth or muslin bags when packing it out of the field.    

Hunters who bring meat in for processing should know that the yield, even from a large kill, could be lower than they expect. I’ve found a 500 pound bull elk is only going to turn into about 150-170 pounds of meat.   

A 500 pound elk can lose about 90 pounds each from the abdomen and head, in addition to losses from the hide and legs. Pounds also can be lost depending upon where the animal was shot or how it was packed out.    

All in all a large elk for example will yield between 70 and 80 pounds of prime meat, such as steaks and roast, in addition to 80 or 90 pounds of trim meat, such as burger, sausage and specialty items.

Weatherby® has expanded its line of SA-08 semi-automatic shotguns with new Youth Synthetic and Waterfowler models for hunters and shooters.

The Youth Synthetic has a short 12 1/2-inch length of pull, 24-inch barrel and only 5 3/4 pounds of weight.  The Waterfowler sports Mothwing Marsh Mimicry™ camo on the stock and metalwork, with the exception of the matte black bolt.  Utilizing the moth’s biological patterns, Mothwing camo is designed to mimic and disappear into the surrounding environment.

“Like all SA-08 semi-auto shotguns, the Youth Synthetic and Waterfowler are precisely balanced, and feel trim and lightweight,” said Brad Ruddell, Weatherby’s vice president of sales and marketing.  “They offer the utmost in load versatility, as well as performance-tested reliability and very affordable prices.  The Youth Synthetic is easy for young hunters and shooters to handle, while the Waterfowler helps marshland hunters stay well concealed in their environment.”

If you are interested in hunting Maryland Black Bear in 2009 then you have to apply online or through their phone system anytime from today to September 1st, 2009.

Starting Monday, August 24, through Friday, August 28, you can apply by phone between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
 
The number is 1-888-579-6768.
 
We put together an online guide to hunting black bear in Maryland and other useful information in response to many requests from hunters like yourself. This information will give you the basics of bear hunting in Maryland and may be helpful to you if you have never bear hunted before or if you are trying to encourage a friend to participate.
Visit the Maryland Black Bear Hunting Guide: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/BlackBearGuide.asp
 
Want to see what last year's hunters said? http://www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/BearHunt_Testimonials.asp
 
Follow Maryland Black Bear on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/mdblackbear
 

Hunters Helping Kids is one of those organizations that is near and dear to our hearts and they are running a fantastic Natioinal Raffle.

Grand Slam Raffle 

The Grand Slam Raffle is $20.00 per chance, 3 chances for $50.00 and 7 chances for $100.00.

Winner Gets a "Grand Slam" Turkey Hunt, plus camo clothing, hunting boots, several custom-made Turkey Calls and a Remington 870 Turkey Express.  Winner will also receive a Bobby Trusdell Knife, custom made version #1 of 1.

Eastern Turkey:    
Hunt in upstate New York on private property.  Includes food and lodging.  
Also includes a 6 hour fully guided trout fishing trip on the Salmon River.
(Boat, tackle, bait, etc. provided.)

Rio Turkey:
Hunt 3 days on a private ranch in Rankin, Texas. Includes lodging. Minimal fee for food.
Second person can hunt for only $250 per bird, two Bird Limit.

Merriam Turkey:
Hunt near Broadus, Montana with Doonan Gulch Outfitters – Russ Greenwood
(ONE BIRD LIMIT)  Includes food and lodging.
    
Osceola Turkey:
Hunt in Florida on a private ranch.  (ONE BIRD LIMIT)   Includes food and lodging.

Drawing will be held on January 1st, 2010.

For Tickets Call Dennis Campbell at 540-529-2202

Go to the HHK Website

Email Dennis Campbell 

MISSOULA, Mont.—Seven counties in New Mexico are slated for wildlife habitat conservation projects using $65,358 in new grants from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

The 2009 RMEF grants will affect Catron, Lincoln, Mora, Otero, Sierra, Socorro and Taos counties.

“Our volunteers across New Mexico helped drive the 2008 fundraisers that made these grants possible. This is where Elk Foundation banquets, auctions and other events transform into on-the-ground conservation work, and it’s part of the payday for supporters who are passionate about giving something back to the outdoors,” said David Allen, Elk Foundation president and CEO.

    Mitchell, SD - August 17, 2009-

Pheasants Forever announces Greg Wolbrink as the organization's new Farm Bill Biologist in Mitchell, South Dakota. Wolbrink joins PF after two years as a wildlife technician with South Dakota Department of Game, Fish & Parks (SDGF&P). The new position was created in partnership with the Mitchell-based Pheasant Country Chapter of Pheasants Forever and SDGF&P. Wolbrink will be based out of the USDA Mitchell Service Center's Natural Resources Conservation Service office.

Pheasants Forever's Farm Bill Biologist program is designed to educate farmers and landowners about the benefits of conservation programs, as well as assist those farmers and landowners after programs have been implemented. The program originated in South Dakota, and Pheasants Forever now has 36 biologists working in six states – Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. In just over six years, Farm Bill Biologists have contacted and consulted 28,065 landowners, resulting in the improvement of nearly 1.3 million acres! In South Dakota, seven Farm Bill Biologists have contacted and consulted 8,316 landowners, resulting in 434,362 acres that have benefitted from habitat recommendations.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Three new scientific reports conclude that critical salmon fisheries along the Chuit River will suffer severe long-term damage and never fully recover from the impacts of PacRim Coal LP’s proposed Chuitna coal strip-mine.
 
The scientists who completed the analyses concluded that PacRim’s plan to strip-mine for coal directly through 11 miles of salmon-bearing streams would significantly damage local wetlands and headwater streams in an area 45 miles west of Anchorage. Restoration of the fragile and valuable wetlands and streams that feed the salmon-rich Chuit River would be virtually impossible, they determined.
 
The researchers, whose expertise is in reclamation, restoration ecology and fishery and aquatic biology, based their findings on a review of PacRim's hydrology reports and preliminary mining and reclamation plans. The reports are available online at: www.inletkeeper.org/energy/Chuitna90813.htm.
 
“There is no scientific evidence that wetlands or streams can be put back together to be living, healthy ecosystems after the kind of mining impacts described in the PacRim reports,” said Dr. Margaret Palmer, who analyzed PacRim’s restoration plans. “The science just isn’t there. Experimentation should not be confused with sound, science-based knowledge.”

Ed Wardle knows a thing or two about surviving in the wild and he has decided to spend a couple of months alone in the wild and on assignment for National Geographic.  This trip into the Yukon Territory has been wonderful to watch and I highly recommend that you check out his videos and check into his twitter feeds

Watch Ed’s video diaries

Follow Ed’s Twitter feed

Zing Outdoor Adventures DVD's have been my escape from the real world for the past month.  When things have gotten crazy at the office, the pressures of real life crowd in and when I need an escape from the business end of running the site, I have been turning on these two DVD's and getting to watch a couple of great hunts with some real hunters and escape back into the West with these great guys.

Team Zing has put together some great action packed DVD's and they are an absolute joy to watch.  Jason and Tim Matzinger, Jeff Thorsen, Lance Groff, Jon Edwards, Ryan Merkel & George Dieruf are an amazing set of hunters to watch as they pursue everything from Western Turkey, Antelope, Elk, Mule deer and more.  These guys are real hunters and real guys based out of Montana with a passion for hunting and it bleeds through onto their DVD's.

One of my favorite hunts is the bear hunt in Montana and after several shots the bear keeps going with one miss after another.  They checked the scope and the scope had been knocked way off alignment.  They were not afraid to show this great footage and show what can happen on a real hunt.  Another great hunt with Jon Edwards taking an Antelope is fantastic with a great buck taken and some awesome footage. 

I would hunt with most any of these guys in a New York Minute or a Montana Mile.

If you like great action based DVD's filled with hours of great hunting footage then I suggest you log onto their site and check out these DVD's.  These are keepers in my collection and they were well worth the $34.95 for the combo pack at Schnees.

Zing Outdoors

Zing Outdoors DVD's at Schnees