Author: Jacob.Edson

You asked for it: We’re doing it!

For years, D&DH readers have been pushing back against the trophy trend on today’s hunting shows and have asked us to show "real life" hunting scenarios on TV. While big antlers are beautiful and day-dreamy, viewers would like to see the real side of deer hunting in America.

Well, coming for 2012, we’re doing just that. Beginning next summer, we will be unveiling a new television show (don’t worry DDH TV fans, it’s in addition to our renowned D&DH show, not replacing it) that focuses on how every day Americans hunt whitetails across this great land.

We’re currently filming across the country, capturing all the ways deer hunters chase their quarry — from public land in some of the most hard-hunted states, to urban bow hunts, to over-looked spots like the beaches of Florida.

However, we’d also like feedback from you.
Where would you like to see us hunt?
Do you know of any off-the-wall locations that don’t get their fair play on TV?
Remember, no deer is too small. We just want to see how America hunts deer in all its unique forms.

Generally speaking, deer managers in the North have it rough compared to their Southern counterparts simply because of the major differences in season structure. States such as Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania have rather short gun seasons — the "big stick" of deer management. Whereas in the South (Alabama, Mississippi and Florida for example), gun seasons can stretch for months.

If warm weather, fog, rain or a delayed rut interfere with these short Northern gun seasons, the overall harvest can take a major hit. However, if these gun seasons coincide with perfect conditions for deer movement and hunter effort, record harvests can ensue.

In the South, long seasons are needed simply because the weather and rut are less predictable. This is helpful for Southern deer managers because their harvests are often more closely a result of populations that extenuating circumstances.

By the same token, a long, unpredictable season can be frustrating for some Southern hunters.

Of course, Deer & Deer Hunting can help Southern hunters take some of that frustration out of their season. We have just produced a Southern Rut Guide that offers some great tips for increasing your personal harvest during a long Southern season. To check it out, follow this link and save 17 percent.

Alaskan Congressman Don Young has introduced a bill — H.R. 3142, The Wild Game Donation Act — that would make hunters who donate meat to food-based charities eligible for a tax deduction for the processing cost of the game. Additionally, the legislation would provide a tax credit for processors who take part in this program. Of course, it requires that all animals are killed in accordance with state and local laws and by the individual making the charitable contribution.

This bill might be a tough sell during the current political climate, but Young has stated he believes the measure will eventually pass.

What’s your take? Do you think its a good idea, or would you prefer Washington stay out of the meat-donation arena?

In my previous post, I made the argument that there is no taste difference between young bucks and old bucks. Predictably, some readers have argued the point. I stand by my statement that most "gamey" tasting venison comes from handling techniques and the amount of fat and silver skin remaining on the meat.

Regardless, I do not argue the fact that some venison needs a little help. For those of you who find yourselves in this situation, first remove every bit of non-muscle fiber from your cuts. Then try this:

I was recently turned on to this sauce by a co-worker. It really does have a unique flavor that lands somewhere between BBQ sauce, ketchup and chutney. And it is perfect for wild game. The secret ingredient seems to be currant juice. I still haven’t put a deer in the freezer this fall, but I have tried the sauce on goose and pork loin. It was excellent on both. I can’t wait to slather it on a venison roast.

Oh, and if you are looking to purchase some, we are working on getting it into our online store. Until then, you can find more about this "Rare" sauce at www.wildgamesauce.com.

Today at work we had a discussion about what makes some venison taste better than other venison. It’s an age old discussion; do corn-fed deer and swamp monsters taste different? Do fawns taste better than old bucks?

Probably a little. Each individual animal might taste a little different. But the truth is most pallets can’t discern those subtle differences.

Yes, fawns are more tender than older deer, but that is because of physical differences in the muscle fibers. Basically, the fibers are smaller and have less collagen holding those individual fibers together.

The truth is, most differences in the taste of individual pieces of whitetail venison stem from handling and cooking the meat. While the fat and silver skin of beef and pork might taste just fine, whitetail fat and sinew are off-putting. The key to really good venison is carefully removing all of the extras.

Cooling the meat quickly to prevent the growth of bacteria is also important.

Also, if you can drop the deer on the spot, it will not work those muscles and build up lactic acid in the muscle. Lactic acid is formed when the muscles are extremely active and the deer is not taking in enough oxygen to supply the movements. Inside the cells, sugars such as glucose, fructose and sucrose are converted into cellular energy and the metabolic byproduct lactate. This is referred to as anaerobic cellular respiration. If the animal were to live, the lactic acid would eventual dissipate. However, when the animal dies, the lactic acid becomes locked in the cells. It produces a sour taste.

The truth is, properly handled, carefully trimmed venison from ANY deer tastes great, whether that deer is an old swamp buck or a young corn-fed fawn.

For more insights on whitetail venison, check out THIS ULTIMATE COLLECTION of venison resources or our new Gut It, Cut It, Cook It downloadable resources.

This week on D&DH TV we detail many whitetail oddities, including the life of an incredible albino buck.

In whitetail herds, there are white deer and then there are albinos. True albinos have white coats, plus pink eyes and pink noses. These deer lack the ability to produce melanin, a pigment in the skin and coat. This condition results from a recessive gene that is found in less than 1 percent of the whitetail population. It is also commonly associated with other genetic defects, including poor hearing, vision and physical disabilities.

These deer are genetically inferior, are even often shunned by other whitetails. Yet, some states, including my home state of Wisconsin, have regulations that prevent shooting albino deer.

Why?

Biologically speaking, these rules are simply illogical. Albino whitetails hurt the overall genetic health of a herd. These protections are simply born from human emotion, and they aren’t new. Many Native American cultures revered albino animals, and many still believe these animals should be protected. Yet, so much of the human/nature experience is aesthetic. And white deer have certain aesthetic appeal that can’t be denied. Despite their faults, they enrich our world.

So, I ask you: Should we protect albinos?

It’s the time of year deer hunters around the country wait for. In most locales, bow season is mere weeks away (if not open already). We’ve put in our work securing land to hunt, scouting, hanging stands, and in many cases, spent hours working food plots to attract and nourish our deer herd.

For those of us that plot, this is can be an exciting time. All that hard work shows in the lush green forage and bustling trail camera activity.

However, it can also be a time of disappointment, when we realize that hard work isn’t paying off like we hoped. Did we fail in our soil prep? Was a lack of moisture to blame? Did we choose the wrong seed?

These are all common problems when food plots fail. But they aren’t the only cause. Perfectly prepared plots with optimal growing conditions can also fall flat. Why? Simply, we failed to realize that food plots are simply meant to supplement natural food. They cannot be a herd’s only source of nutrition.

Over-browsing can destroy a plot before it ever gets a chance to produce optimum forage. If your food plot is failing for no apparent reason, take a hard look at your herd and your property. If deer are abundant, natural forage must also be.

In these cases, quick fixes won’t cut it. Sure you can plant an emergency fall plot, such as winter wheat, peas or quick-growing rape, to help your fall hunt. But that won’t solve your problem. Ethical hunters will take a two-prong approach.

First, examine your herd. Chances are you are going to need to harvest some does. Whether you want to do that early in the season to help protect your plots, or later, to protect your rut hunting, create an antlerless harvest plan and stick to it.

Next, take a hard look at the natural forage on the property. Hard and soft mast are great. But in areas with abundant herds, natural browse is the real key. Early succession forests are the best answer for creating natural browse. If you are short on this type of landscape it might be time to call your local forester and plan a cut.

Whether you are just getting into the fascinating world of wildlife food plots, or you’re a seasoned hand, keep this philosophy in mind when food plots don’t perform as expected. For more insights on food plotting for whitetails be sure to catch this week’s episode of Deer & Deer Hunting TV "Food Plot Payoff" at 9 a.m. Eastern Sept. 10 on Versus.

For even more in-depth information check out our Building Successful Food Plots Hunter’s Resource package.