Category Deer

A Creative Alternative For Your European Mount And Dead Heads You Find In The Woods In The Spring

I love going shed hunting. It’s one of my favorite things to do in the spring. Although I don’t have the best success rate of finding them, I do have a good success rate of finding dead heads. But mostly I like preserving them to appreciate for years to come. One way I do that is by spray painting the deer skulls and hanging them up to display.

A couple of years ago I paid someone to paint my six pointer that I had shot the previous hunting season. She did an amazing job. When the next bow season rolled around and I took another buck. I decided I wanted to try my hand at doing it myself.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am NOT a good painter. I’m not even good at painting walls. But I can use spray paint to create a beautiful deer skull. When I am holding my harvest in my hands I know how much work went into that hunt. It just feels like the right thing to do. To honor that deer by using my own two hands to create something I can proudly display.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am NOT a good painter. But I can use spray paint to create a beautiful deer skull.

Painting deer skulls and turtles shells is an easy project to do and so rewarding when you see your finished piece. It’s also a powerful way to get kids excited about nature. I started doing it for fun a couple of years ago after having collected a multitude of turtle shells that I found in the woods. I wanted to find a creative way to display them.

Turtle shells moved on to my buck skulls which moved on to any skulls I found while out in the woods. Below is a step by step video of what works best for me in creating a decorative skull. There are only a few supplies you need to get started: Krylon Crystal Clear Acrylic, Krylon Color Master White Paint + Primer, Krylon Color Master Black Paint + Primer along with your choice of various Krylon Color Master Paint colors.

Painting A Deer Skull With Spray Paint Is Easy

Out in nature is my favorite place to spend my time. I love bringing home treasures from treks through the woods.

My 3 year old granddaughter loves to go out and gather acorns with me for future projects. It’s such a bonding time when you can share your love of nature with future generations.

However, what I love even more is creating something from my finds and then sharing it with others. I would love to share YOUR nature creations. TAG ME in your art and I’ll proudly display it on my page.

Remember that sharing our lives with others inspires them to share THEIRS.

Be An Inspirer!

Tips On Setting Up Your Trail Camera To Attract Mature Bucks

Tips on Setting Up Your Game Camera for Attracting Mature Bucks

Trail cameras are a very popular tool in increasing your chances of getting a shot at a mature buck.  They are also a lot of fun to use.   Everyone I know that hunts has at least ONE game camera placed on their hunting grounds if not at least several.  Trail/Game cameras have actually become as important a piece of equipment for hunting as the compound bow.   Over the last six years, through trial and error, I have learned a lot about setting up my cameras to bring in the big bucks.

Before you take your camera out in the woods you really must be familiar with it.  Although trail cameras are pretty much the same, they are also somewhat different.  That being said, my advice is to play around with it and really check out what all the buttons do and how the camera itself operates.  Don’t wait until you’re out there to figure it out.  PREPARATION is vital!  Practice different lighting times to see how the pictures take.  Also, play around with different heights to find out about high your camera needs to be on the tree to get good footage of the deer.

Now you’re ready to take it to the timber.  First, you need to set it up about 10 to 15 feet from where you think the deer are going to come through and possibly camp out for a bit.  Find a pretty sturdy tree with a decent size trunk, not too big, but stout enough that your camera will stay securely in place.  Next, you’re going to want to place it about waist high.  Sometimes if there’s a bend in the tree where I can see the camera is facing up a little, I’ll find a stick and place it between the tree and camera forcing it to position downward.    Make sure you position your camera facing north to prevent sun’s glare on your camera.  A lot of time when the sun’s hitting it, there’s more movement causing your camera to go off when nothing is actually out there.  Facing it north prevents that.   Also, make sure there are no limbs hanging down in the way obscuring the view of the lens.   Avoid placing your camera right there by your stand.  The cameras will alert the deer.

Scouting is part of the hunting process and putting up trail cameras is an excellent way to do just that.   Game cameras let you know just which deer are coming and going through your hunting spot.  To effectively identify mature bucks you need to have at least one camera for every 50 -100 acres.  Usually we put our cameras out about August, the month before bow season starts, but this year our plan is to leave them up all year round.  We live right next to Corp. property so hunters hunting conservation land tend to push deer onto our property.   Through the cameras we keep tabs on which deer have made it through gun season giving us hope of having a shot next season. 

A good idea, and we have done it a time or two, is to keep the pictures of the different bucks, give them names and keep a journal so you know their patterns of where they are going and at what times of the day.  It’s actually a lot of fun.  And if you’re lucky, as I was this year, you’ll get to take a SUCCESSFUL shot at one of those bucks.  I did…during the rut…an 8 pointer.  I contribute my success to keeping records and knowing which bucks were frequenting my stand and at what times.   Game cameras can be pricey, but really all you need is a good one to get your started.  Once you use one,  you’ll be glad you did and it will become part of your hunting routine.

It’s True That Families That Hunt Together Stay Together

Hunting, for many families is more like a holiday, a yearly tradition. It’s a time of gathering together with dads, mom, sons, daughters, grandfathers, grandmothers, aunts and uncles, and although there are many common bonds between all of them, the one that has brought them all together during THIS particular time of year is “opening morning” of rifle season.

Although I am partial to bow hunting and all that that entails, I too, love to rifle hunt and my favorite part is opening morning.  In our house it’s a huge deal.  I mean a really big deal.  So big that every year, as the day gets closer, it’s all we prepare for.

Many a trip is made to the local Walmart for more ammo, more camo, and hand warmers.  It’s not rifle season until we’ve each went out and bought some cool new Under Armour Blaze Orange cap or the newest Under Armour beanie.   It’s tradition.  Yes it’s true and everyone here will agree that I have enough camo to completely dress a third world country but something about mentioning that rifle season is coming up and I instantly need a new fleece “something.”   It’s colder than bow season and by gollys I need to be warm sitting out in that blind.   That’s tradition too.

It’s always fun the night before opening morning because we, as a family, sit around the kitchen table plotting and mapping out who’s going where and with whom.  We make a plan and we STRATEGIZE just how the whole opening morning deal is going down.

I normally like to go out by myself because after only five years of hunting now I consider myself to be pretty experienced and I would rather sit in the blind alone.  I have a tendency to take A LOT of “gear” with me and really there is only enough room in my blind for me…and my “gear.”   By the way, during that time when we’re strategically figuring out just what the heck we’re doing the next morning we are also, all of us, going through and organizing our hunting bags and making sure we have everything in order before we head out.   I might add that I am one of the FEW, and I mean FEW, maybe one of the ONLY ONES, that has her “gear” organized.

I get made fun of on a daily basis for my OCD-ness but let one of my tribe lose a grunt call or a doe bleat and who do you think they come to for a spare?   You guessed it.   I usually have at least two of everything and when things can’t be found in the eleventh hour before opening morning, “I” become the Walmart.

After the plan is in place we’re usually so pumped we can’t even think about going to sleep.  It’s almost like Christmas morning for us.  I am totally serious when I say that I am so excited that I can’t sleep.  I have been known to, and actually I do it every year, lay my exact wardrobe out the night before, boots, beanie, everything because my plan is to get up early and relax.

I am the “early riser”, the “alarm clock”, the “merry sunshine” of opening morning.   I’ve always been a morning person but come mid November I am THEE “opening morning” morning person.   I spring out of bed BEFORE my alarm goes off, while everyone else is hitting the snooze on their cell phones repeatedly.  The house sounds like a medley of waterfalls and harps, retro funk, and Colt Ford.   As bad as that is to even imagine, it still does NOT wake anyone up.   Therefore, I’m always the one that makes sure we’re all up and getting around.

Opening morning is pretty standard though.   I have to enjoy a nice cup of coffee, relax, and get my head in the game before I get dressed in all my camo while my husband and the boys jump out of bed, throw their clothes on and hit the door running.   I have my clothes laid out in perfect order the night before, while they run around upon waking like chickens with their heads cut off searching in buckets and drawers for that ONE jacket or pair of gloves that hasn’t been seen all season.   I wake up chipper and excited and although they are excited as well, their demeanors are predominately sour and grouchy.

But once everyone is awake, dressed and our guns loaded, it’s all business and we’re ready to go out and get this party started.    We head in our different directions, whether it be the blind, a stand, or a climber and we sit there until a shooter comes by or we get a text saying that someone else got something and they need help.

 Either way,  I always welcome both and nothing compares to the excitement and memories opening morning brings and the tales we pack back when we return back to camp. Hunting as family is my favorite tradition.

A Very Simple Venison Burger Recipe That Will Quickly Become One of Your Family’s Favorites Also

I get asked to make this all the time!!! One of our family’s most favorite venison recipes EVER!!! And believe it or not, it has quite a story attached to it.

How The Recipe Came To Be

Several years ago I had seen a competition online for a women’s hunting and outdoor website and thought it might be fun to enter it. Prizes were involved along with recognition as a female hunter on this particular website. And although I am only a slightly competitive person, I thought it might be fun to step out of my comfort zone and just do it.

There was a long list of “to do’s” and points were earned by checking off the completed tasks.

Contacting businesses in the hunting industry and asking if you could review their products was one of the tasks we were asked to complete. We had to contact the business, ask them to send you THREE products, and then review it and write up a review to leave on the website. We were to keep ONE of the products for ourselves but send the other two to the website putting on the competition. I was on fire as far as contacting companies went. In fact, I am still friends with those contacts today. It was a huge learning experience for me but one that helped me meet people in the hunting circuit.

Another task we were asked to complete was to submit a wildgame recipe of our choice and we were to take a picture of our finished work.

I will interject here and just say that I have a chicken pot pie recipe that was to die for and I made it all the time for my family. I mean I made it at least once a week. It was that good.

Our Kids Can Sometimes Be Our Best Recipe Inspirers

Months prior to the competition, our son, Tyler, had suggested that I take my chicken pot pie recipe and tweak it, subsituting the chicken for deer or venison burger. I had never tried this but it peaked my interest. I was curious how it would compare to my already tried and true recipe. As it turned out Tyler had a good idea and that recipe would end up being a family favorite in our household.

That would be the recipe I submitted.

First, I prepared the pot pie and baked it. Feeling proud, I took a few pictures and submitted them. It worked out well. Because I needed something for supper that night and voila! That part was covered.

The next day I received an email stating that it would be great if I would take step-by-step pictures as I was making my recipe. Okay! Yes, I can do that.

Yet, another pot pie? Sure, no big deal.

Twice As Nice

Although it wasn’t what I planned to do, I baked another one. Step-by-step, picture after picture. I got it done. And yes, my family had to eat pot pie for a second night. They devoured the previous one for dinner the night before followed up by lunch. These are growing boys. It was fine.

Again, I submitted the pictures.

And again, I received another email saying that I would get more points IF I could do a video to show HOW TO make the venison pot pie. Of course I was up for that! How could I not be? I was trying to win.

Third Time’s A Charm

So here I go a THIRD time. I got all the ingredients, set up the camera, and videoed myself preparing yet ANOTHER venison pot pie.

I won’t lie. As much as my family loves my pot pies, by this point they were SICK of it. Three pot pies in three days! That’s a lot of vegetables for boys that don’t like vegetables. However, they were troopers and kept eating everything I kept making.

Long Story Short

I ended up getting second place in the competition, although I held “first” for a very long time. Proudly I can say that although I wore the welcome out of this family favorite, whenever I make it for our grown children they still devour it just like that very first time.

It will be one of those recipes that get passed down long after I’m gone. It thrills me to know that they still get excited when they stop by and I pull one of those pot pies out of the oven. You can bet that they grab a plate and a fork and sit down for a slice. It’s easy to make and I believe your family will love it as well.

A Few Simple Ingredients

All it takes is a very few ingredients to make this tasty venison burger pot pie and I even made a step by step video for you to follow along with. Here is what you need:

1-lb venison/deer burger
1-bag shredded cheddar cheese
2-cans cream of potato soup
1-bag frozen vegetables – cooked
2-Pillsbury crusts (top and bottom)

The Steps In Making Venison Pot Pie

Preheat oven to 350

1. Brown burger
2. Mix remaining ingredients thoroughly together
3. Fill into bottom crust and then put on top crust
4. Bake approximately 45 minutes or until nicely browned
5. Let cool and then cut

Watch The Video

Below is the step-by-step video in case you get stuck on what to do. By the way…YOU’RE WELCOME :).

This is such an easy recipe to make your family and takes literally and hour and a half at the most, including baking time. Even though I have friends that don’t like the taste of deer meat (or so they think), I always get rave reviews from them on this venison recipe. If you’re a mom like me that has many irons in the fire, this dinner classic will become a family favorite in your house. I can almost promise that.

xoxoxo

Kelly

I Had To Start Somewhere

Ever since I was a little girl I have always been obsessed with nature and exploring the great outdoors.   There was just always something inside me that was sparked by watching butterflies flit from flower to flower, or listening to the different songs birds sing, or even so simply as studying squirrels gather their food for the oncoming winter.   I was always in awe of it. When I was a kid, if you wanted to find me all you had to do was walk down the road through the neighbor’s pasture, to the little patch of timber down by the creek. I’d be busy making maps of my little forest and would give different areas and trees their own individual “names.” I grew up eating fried mushrooms, deer steaks, squirrel, and fried rabbit as my dad was an avid hunter and my mom was an amazing cook.  Nature has always been a passion for me and a place I feel most at home.

By the fall of 2009, I had lost both parents and was basically “orphaned” at the age of 45. The passing of my mother hit me terribly hard and it was in that life altering event that I began to question whether or not I would be able to provide for my family, if times got tough enough, to have to go out and kill something.   Would I be able to shoot something? What would I do after I killed it? How would I gut it and skin it?     Heck, I didn’t even really know how to load a gun, let alone shoot it.  Although my children were grown and were living their own lives, these questions weighed heavy on my heart. It was then God sent me an angel, the love of my life, my very own hunting mentor…and he bought me a bow.

From the very first time I buckled my release, nocked my arrow and drew back, I was hooked. There is nothing, in my opinion, more rewarding than bow hunting.   My hunting experiences began with a rifle in 2010, where I shot my first spike, but my passion is hands down bow hunting. There is just something more challenging and traditional about hunting with a bow and arrow.   Over the last five years I have shot and killed several does, a spike, even this past fall a wild hog. However, the deer I am most proud of is my first “mature” buck that I harvested this year during fall bow season…my 8 pointer.

That morning is still very vivid in my mind.   The rut had just started and that particular morning, here in southwestern Missouri, was colder than it had been in the weeks past.   Although I’ve only been hunting for 5 years, I have already acquired quite a hunting wardrobe and I was struggling between Under Armour Early Season or Scent-Lok Late Season. This might not seem like a big decision for some but for me I have a hard time pulling my bow back when I’ve got bulky clothes on so I was not really wanting to wear the heavy fleece. However, with the cold temps…heavy fleece it was.

I always believe that early is better and waking up early to prepare for your hunt is key.   I normally get up at five o’clock so I can have my coffee and relax a little and think about what I need to take with me out to the stand.   That morning was no different. I had my fanny pack filled a grunt call, doe bleat, rangefinder, and release.   I sprayed down my clothes with scent free spray and my drag rag was saturated with doe estrus. I was ready to head to the stand.     At about 6:15 I was in the stand, sitting in the dark, just listening and waiting for all the little critters to wake up. I always find it very peaceful in the stand. There’s just something about watching the darkness disappear as the first light takes over because for me it’s a little unnerving to walk out to your stand in the pitch black.  As I sat there for what seemed like a very long time listening to the quiet sounds as well as watching my breath in front of my face, all of a sudden out of nowhere I heard the loudest, noisiest CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH coming from down the draw behind me headed straight up to my stand with the sound of purpose and intent. My first thought was someone was trespassing on my property. What I found when the heavy footsteps stopped and I looked down was an 8 point beauty strutting right out in front of me about 20 yards.   I quietly stood up and positioned myself to draw back.   With a racing heart, I calmly pulled back and put my 20 yard pin right on his vitals and “meh’d” at him to stop and turn and THWACK…I shot.   He ran off. Although I know you’re supposed to stay in your stand for at least an hour or two to give the deer time to lay down and die, I was anxious and impatient and got down early and ended up pushing the deer farther than I needed to.   That one mistake was costly.   I shot the deer at about 7:30 a.m. and by 2:30 p.m. we were still following blood without finding my buck. Long story short we didn’t end up finding him until the next morning a very long way from where he was shot, down by the lake’s edge and the coyotes had been feasting on him all night.   We dragged the buck back to the house and I tagged him but that moment was bittersweet for me. We all worked hard tracking him but in the end all we had was a rack and no meat. I take pride in putting meat in the freezer for all of us and I fell short with my first “mature” harvest.

The advice I would like my fellow huntresses to take away from my story is to appreciate the journey of hunting first. It’s about gaining more knowledge each season over the prior season and constantly growing in your experience.   I think it’s important to learn new things every year that you can apply in order to grow as a hunter.     If I could give three tips that I feel are most important I would say safety has to be number one because you won’t be able to hunt if you get injured. Secondly, live by the philosophy to fill your freezer first. Big bucks aren’t the most important. Feeding your family is. And last but not least…when you hit your target…WAIT! Be patient and sit. Pushing your deer could cost you all the hard work you’ve put in.