Archive for the ‘deer hunting’ Category

Study finds many Ohio deer infected by house cats

Posted: December 31, 2014 by gamegetterII in deer hunting
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December 29, 2014 5:00 am  •  Gazette Staff
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If you’re deer hunting in an area known to have a lot of feral house cats, you might want to make sure you cook your venison properly.

That’s because a new study published in the journal EcoHealth has found that a large percentage of whitetail deer in the greater Cleveland, Ohio, area are infected with a parasite associated with feral domestic cats.

“This study documents the widespread infection of deer populations in northeastern Ohio, most likely resulting from feral cats, and highlights the need for consumers of venison to make absolutely certain that any deer meat planned for consumption is thoroughly and properly cooked,” said Gregory Ballash of the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine at Ohio State University and lead author of the study.

Two hundred free-roaming cats and 444 white-tailed deer were tested for the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which causes toxoplasmosis. Almost 60 percent (261) of the deer showed evidence of infection and more than 65 percent (164) of the studied cats tested positive.

According to the report, approximately 14 percent of the United States’ human population is infected with toxoplasmosis by the age of 40, with an estimated 1 million new cases diagnosed each year. Cats, both domestic and wild (such as bobcats), play a critical role in the spread of toxoplasmosis because they serve as the definitive hosts, fulfilling the requirements needed for the parasite to sexually reproduce and complete its life cycle.

Back From Successful Deer Hunting Trip

Posted: December 8, 2014 by gamegetterII in deer hunting
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Decided to shoot this guy-not much in the way of antlers-but he’s a big deer-right around 200# as he’s hanging in garage,after field dressing.

It was about a 40 yard shot,used a 240 grain Hornady XTP bullet,a .45 caliber bullet with a .50 caliber sabot,with 2 50 grain pyrodex pellets for a 100 grain charge.

The load develops around 1750-1780 fps,as chronographed.

Depending on where I’m hunting,I’ll use the above load for close/medium range shots,for longer range shots-anything from 100yards out to 250 yards,I use 100 grains of triple 7 FFFG powder instead of pellets.

That load gets 1900-1930 fps, depending on whether I use a .44 caliber bullet w .50 caliber sabot,or a .45 caliber bullet w .50 caliber sabot.

At 250 yards,either load still has over 1000 ft lbs of energy remaining,for deer,anything over 900ft lbs is plenty of energy to make a quick,clean,humane kill.

The 40 yard shot I made pretty much liquified the lungs,as the bullet went through both lungs,and got part of the heart.

The inconsiderate prick still ran about 60 yards,then dropped dead in a creek-a really deep creek.

Fortunately,his back legs were still in shallow water,so I was able to drag him out without getting soaked.

I shot him from a blind I made using camo burlap,the 2 pieces I used cost a total of $28.00,also used a few zip ties,4 six foot wooden stakes,and some jute twine,making the total cost under $35.00 I had some leftover green and black spray paint laying around,so I made a camo design on the wooden stakes.

Blind is big enough for 2 people to hunt from comfortably,youngest daughter and I hunted out of it,the days she had to hunt were lousy days for hunting,15-20 mph wind out of NW kept the deer bedded down during daylight hours.

I had 6 scent wicks with estrous doe urine hanging just off the 3 main trails,used a grunt tube and estrous bleat can call,there were a few freshly made scrapes,so I enlarged them,and made a few fake ones on Thurs. and added scent on Fri. and Sat am’s.

The rut peaked here the second week of Nov. I started seeing lots of signs of the rut starting the first week of Nov.

The does that were not bred in Nov. cycle back into estrous 28 days later-so that’s the first two weeks of Dec.

Any late cycling does that still are not bred in Dec. will cycle back into estrous the first two weeks of Jan. Ohio’s muzzleloader season is 1/2-1/5 2015,so it coincides with the last does cycling back into estrous. Estrous scent wicks,grunt tubes,and estrous doe bleat cans will work in the first two weeks of Jan. just like they did in Nov. and Dec.

The deer I shot was partially behind some brush,couldn’t see the head clearly at all,saw enough of the shoulder to make the shot-I thought I was shooting a doe.

I had already reloaded before I walked to the creek,as I thought I may have needed a second shot.

As I said,the 240 gr JHP XTP passed through the deer,got both lungs,there was very little left of them-and the heart had a hole all the way through it.

Hell of an adrenaline dump for him to run 60 yards with no blood pressure,and no oxygen being inhaled.

The weather is perfect for letting the deer hang to age the meat.

I’ll let him hang ’till Fri. or Sat,then butcher him on the weekend.

I’m going to grind a lot of the meat,I’ll keep the 2 good shoulder roasts from the front,two good roasts from the hindquarters,cut the backstraps-(loins)- into steaks,smoke the tenderloins,slice the other 4 roasts-2 from shoulders,2 from hindquarters for jerky,the rest will be ground with some beef fat,with 1/3 being made into burger,1/3 into Italian sausage,the last 1/3 into country style/breakfast sausage.

One of my good friends also got a deer-he got a really nice 8 point-has an 18″ antler spread with a perfectly symmetrical rack-it’s not a big deer though-it’s about 140-160# hanging weight.

We’re going to cut his up Wed or Thurs,as he got his last Thurs. That one will be processed the same way as mine.

I still have another tag,so I’ll continue to bowhunt until end of Dec,hunt the 4 day Jan muzzleloader season,then go back to bowhunting the rest of Jan.

I’ll try to help the daughter get a deer,and my brother get his.

The $24.00 for an either sex deer tag is well worth it for the 100# or so of meat I’ll get from the deer I just got,another $24.00 for another 100# or so of meat.

Where else can you get 200# of organic,free range meat for $48.00?

IMG_0342[1]IMG_0341[1]

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Ohio’s Deer Gun Season 12/1-12/7 2014

Posted: November 29, 2014 by gamegetterII in deer hunting
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Just a few words on the Ohio gun season.

Doe tags are NOT valid anywhere in Ohio during gun season-if you have a doe tag,go hunt tomorrow and Sunday with your bow or crossbow,take a nice fat doe,so you have the meat for your freezer,and so the tag isn’t wasted-unless you just want to give ODNR an extra 15 bucks-in that case,don’t use your bow to take a doe,just waste the tag you paid for.

Hunting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise,to 1/2 hour after sunset.

Ohio sunrise/sunset tables…

Sunrise/Sunset Tables

            Sunrise/Sunset State Map

Eastern Ohio

Eastern Ohio Sunrise/Sunset Table

Western Ohio

Western Ohio Sunrise/Sunset Table

You can take only 1 buck anywhere in the state,you can take up to 9 deer total,by taking no more than the limit for each county,or you can take 1 deer each from 9 counties,etc. The limit is still only 1 buck,no matter what county you take it in.

Hunting any wild animal (except waterfowl)from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset during the youth deer gun season, deer gun season, the antlerless deer muzzleloader season, and the muzzleloader deer season is unlawful unless the hunter is visibly wearing a vest, coat, jacket, or coveralls that are either solid hunter orange or camouflage hunter orange. This requirement applies statewide on both public and private land.

hunter orange example

Pay attention to property lines-do not trespass on private property.

Written permission is REQUIRED to hunt on private property that you do not own.

You must have the written permission with you when hunting private property that you do not own.

Make sure you have your license and tags with you.

Make sure you have the correct type of blaze orange vest,which must be worn during deer gun season-unless you are hunting waterfowl.

Be sure that you know the hunting rules/regs.

If you are charged with a hunting violation that results in loss of hunting privileges,your hunting privileges are also lost in every state except Mass. and Nebraska-so, unless you want to only hunt in Nebraska and Mass.-don’t violate the hunting regs !!!

Rifles that use straight walled cartridges are legal this year-about time.

You can also hunt with a handgun next week…

  • Handgun: with 5-inch minimum length barrel, using straight-walled cartridges .357 caliber or larger.
  • Straight-walled cartridge rifles in the following calibers: .357 Magnum, .357 Maximum, .38 Special, .375 Super Magnum, .375 Winchester, .38-55, .41 Long Colt, .41 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .444 Marlin, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .45 Long Colt, .45 Winchester Magnum, .45 Smith & Wesson, .454 Cassull, .460 Smith & Wesson, .45-70, .45-90, .45-110, .475 Linebaugh, .50-70, .50-90, .50-100, .50-110, and .500 Smith & Wesson.

It is legal to take more than one deer a day,as long the first deer has been tagged.

Good luck to everyone hunting-be safe-practice safe gun handling like you learned in hunter’s safety class-be sure of your target and what’s behind it-there’s a half million hunters in the woods for Ohio’s gun season.

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GPS study tracks grizzlies as they follow hunters

Posted: November 25, 2014 by gamegetterII in deer hunting, elk hunting
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  • grizzlyGPS.jpg

    Wildlife officials put GPS tracking devices on eight bears in the Grand Teton National Forest. (USGS)

This GPS system is a real bear.

Eight Montana grizzly bears have been outfitted with GPS trackers in an ongoing study that could bring some unnerving news to hunters.

N.E. Ohio Whitetail Rut Winding Down

Posted: November 22, 2014 by gamegetterII in deer hunting, hunting
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Rut activity appears to be slowing down a lot. In most years,in NE Ohio,the peak of the rut falls the second week of November. More deer are bred on or within a day or two of November 15th than at any other time during the rut.

That doesn’t mean the rut is over-far from it-what it means is that the peak has passed. Deer are still being bred,does are still coming into estrous,and bucks are still trying to breed them.

The does that are in estrous are either being “tended” by a buck right now- have a buck following them everywhere,never leaving the doe’s side-or have a buck-or bucks following them. The majority of does who still have not come into estrous are going to do so this week.

Then,starting the first week of December,and peaking the second week of December,all the does who were not bred during the November rut are going to cycle into estrous again. The December rut is nowhere near as intense as the November rut,but it is still well worth your time to hunt if you’re looking to tag a big buck.

Rattling is less effective,but doe bleats and grunt tubes can be very productive-as can the fake scrapes you made back in late Oct.

The snow we have will be gone by Mon,except for a few isolated patches here and there. Mon. is a good day to visit your fake scrapes,clear the debris from them,make some “antler marks” in the dirt with a small rake,or gardening claw type tool. Adding some dominant buck scent,and some estrous doe urine to the scrape is also effective.

I plan on freshening up all my fake scrapes either Sun. afternoon,or Mon late morning/early afternoon.

I’ll decide which stand to hunt just before I go-as wind direction matters-a lot. Just because the bucks are looking for does to breed doesn’t mean they get stupid-they still move carefully,scent checking as they go-that’s how they got to be big bucks-by paying attention to their surroundings.

Since gun season is coming up quick-12/1-12/7-I plan on hunting hard from now until 12/6,and with a little luck-tagging a nice buck before gun season has them all stressed out for a week or ten days.

I’ll still hunt the gun season whether I got a buck or not-you can’t eat antlers-so I use gun season as freezer filling time if I’ve taken a buck already. If I haven’t taken a buck,I’ll still take a doe during gun season if the opportunity presents itself. I plan on taking a doe this week as well,since we can’t use doe tags after 11/30.

Three deer will feed us for a year,add a few rabbits,a few pheasants,the steelhead we’ll start catching soon,and we don’t buy much in the way of meat or fish from the grocery store.

Combined with all the veggies we grow in the gardens,we feed ourselves without going to the grocery store for anything other than coffee,tea,salt,sugar,yeast,flour,condiments,spices,and a few canned goods.

Now,if I could just get the beer and wine production going again-add a few solar panels,a small windmill,build a still,we would be 100% self-sufficient…

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Whitetail Deer Tip: Follow the Breeder Track an estrous doe and you’ll have bucks in your pocket

Posted: November 7, 2014 by gamegetterII in deer hunting
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Photo by Donald M. Jones

When fresh snow falls overnight, most big-woods hunters are out at first light looking for the track of a trophy buck to follow. That’s a good early-morning strategy. But if you can find and follow the right doe trail, big bucks will actually come to you.

Lady = Luck
An estrous doe, including any late-cycling female coming into heat a month after the primary rut, makes every effort to attract amorous bucks. She may stay on her feet all day, lingering near scrape lines, milling along edges, and feeding in openings where she’ll be seen easily. In short, she’s a buck magnet. Get close and you can tap her drawing power.

But first, you have to get on the right track. When you find doe prints, follow them and watch for rose-colored urine stains in the snow. This is a dead giveaway that she’s in heat. Also, look to either side for the tracks of a flanking buck or two. If she’s close but not quite ready to stand, bucks will zigzag her trail like skiers running a slalom course, each using his eyes, ears, and nose to keep tabs on her exact whereabouts. You can’t miss it.

The Solo Doe
When you find only the rose-colored stains, and it’s clear the doe hasn’t caught the attention of a buck yet, follow her trail, being careful not to spook her. And keep an eye on the flanks. Eventually, a passing buck is apt to spot her, move in to check out her breeding status, and give you a shot.

Should you spook the curious buck, let him go, allow things to calm down, and get back on the doe’s trail. Sooner or later, the buck will circle around and try to intercept her, or she may attract another suitor in the meantime.

read more at…

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2014/11/whitetail-deer-tip-follow-the-breeder?cmpid=enews110714b&spPodID=020&spMailingID=7268701&spUserID=NjI2NzA0MjQyMzcS1&spJobID=560719208&spReportId=NTYwNzE5MjA4S0

NE Ohio Whitetail Rut Heating Up

Posted: November 6, 2014 by gamegetterII in deer hunting, hunting
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A walk through area woods this afternoon showed lots of new rubs and scrape lines.

Some of the scrape lines first appeared around the third week of Oct.then appeared to have no new activity,now they all show signs of recent activity.

I saw a ton of fresh rubs,lots of fresh tracks in the area,and I’ve been seeing bucks chasing does behind the house-where no one can hunt,as it’s national park land.

We are supposed to have this cold, rainy weather through at least Sat am,so deer should be up and moving long before dark,and long after first light.

Tomorrow and the weekend should see lots of activity between the rut nearing it’s peak,and the cold rainy weather-this could be one of  the best two weekends of the year,with next weekend being the best,as that should be right around peak of rut.

The peak of the rut remains fairly consistent from year to year,and usually occurs the second week of November in NE Ohio.

That means next week is the best week to be in the woods if you’re hunting for a big buck.

I’m hunting every day starting on Sat.

Going to hunt Ashland county on Sat,Geauga county on Sun. and Summit county Mon,then repeat the sequence until I get a decent buck.

The Geauga county place is public hunting land,the other two are private land.

I’ve had mineral blocks out on the private land since early spring,started putting some corn out last week too.

Made my fake scrape lines weeks ago,they appear to have been getting some activity.

Made sure my blinds were secured good today,cleared branches of the trails that were under the leaves,so I don’t step on them in the dark on my way in to the blinds. Double checked shooting lanes,cut any branches that I missed back in Aug/Sept.

Put new blades in my broadheads-NAP  Thunderheads-and shot a few goups to be sure they still flew the same,so I’m all set for a solid week of bowhunting.

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