The Bear Hug Blog

Dave Designs New Targets

2012-03-01T15:51:00.000-07:00

When Dave started on his adventure to make targets that didn't seem to be available in Canada, he focused mostly on silhouette targets. He soon discovered that many target shooters were asking for targets suitable for things like handguns rounds or heavier rounds.
So Dave decided to develop an IPSC/torso style target on an easy to set up stand that could be used for any rifle or handgun round and a super duty gong/stand suitable for heaver use like 50 BMG non armour piercing rounds or .338 Lapua, etc. Before he even had them built, he had requests from shooters for them. The specs on each are below:

IPSC torso targets
Full size 17.25"x29.5", weighs 46lbs, Two-third size 11.7"x19.5", weighs 22lbs
3/8" AR500 steel plate
3/8"x1.5" flat iron frame
Attaches to stand with a 1/2" Grade 8 carriage bolt in a U-shaped channel
Tall stand is 60" folded up, weighs 22lbs, short stand is 50" folded up, weights 20lbs

The super duty swinging gong 20"x24.5" - 5/8"thick AR500 steel plate, weighs 61lbs
Frame made of 1" hot roll, axle made of 1" cold roll, weighs 90lbs
Made in 3 pieces fastened together with pins and comes apart for easier transport.
Gong is attached to frame with 2 -1/2" Grade 8 bolts and is angled backward to deflect bullets downward.

For more information on prices on these and other targets, go to http://www.steeltargets.ca/.

Bushnell Trophy Camera Model 119435

2011-10-04T13:23:00.000-06:00

Quite awhile ago I wrote a post about our Bushnell Trail Camera and how it went on the fritz. We sent it back to Bushnell for repairs. After waiting for months for a response as to whether the unit could be repaired, we finally received a package in the mail. Apparently, our old model was irreparable so Bushnell sent us a new camera. It was quite abit smaller and a different type than the old one. No more solar charger (which didn’t work very well anyway). Just a small simple box that strapped onto a tree or other object. After trying the new camera out for a few months now, I have to say it is a superior camera to the last one. The pictures are better, the range is further, and the nighttime images are fantastic. It’s easier to set preferences and it works on AA batteries for an extended period. Here’s an early morning shot of a moose that happened to wander through the yard:

As you can see, even though it's dawn and still somewhat dark, the camera provided a beautiful shot of this cow moose on a leisurely stroll.
I wasn’t very impressed with the speed at which Bushnell handled our situation but I am pleased that they replaced our model, at no charge, with a new one. In my opinion, the Trophy Camera is a far better camera, less complicated to operate and smaller for easy handling. Here are the specs for the Trophy Camera Model 119435.

Image Sensor 5 Megapixel Color CMOS

Maximum Pixel Size 3264x2448 (8MP)

Lens F=3.1; FOV=50°; Auto IR-Cut-Remove (at night)

IR-Flash Range 36’-45’ (12m-15m)

Display Screen

Std B&W Display: 24x32mm(1.5”) ; Color Display:

32x42mm (2”)

Memory Card SD or SDHC Card, Maximum capacity 16GB

Internal RAM 32MB

Picture Size

8MP = 3264x2448; 5MP = 2560x1920; 3MP =

2048x1536

Video Size 720x480/30 fps, 640x480/30fps, 320x240/30fps

PIR sensitivity PIR with 3 sensitivity levels: High/Normal/Low

Operation Day/Night

Response Time 1s

Triggering Interval 1sec. - 60min. programmable

Shooting Numbers 1— 3 programmable

Video Length 5-60sec. programmable

Power Supply 8xAA recommended, 4xAA as emergency power

Stand-by Current < 0.3mA(<7mAh/day)

Power Consumption 200mA (+530mA when IR-LED lighted)

User Interface LCD display

Interface

TV out (NTSC/PAL); USB; SD card holder; 6V DC

external

Security Strap; ¼-20 attachment

Operating

Temperature

-20 - 60°C (Storage temperature: -30 - 70°C)

Operating Humidity 5% - 90%

Security

authentication

FCC/CE/RoHs/WEEE

Check out the link below for other Bushnell products

http://www.bushnell.com/

Nikon Binoculars – Action 8x40 8.2

2011-09-29T15:04:00.000-06:00

Awhile ago I went to use our Nikon binoculars to see what the cows were up to in the pasture. What I saw was a double image and I realized that our binos had a problem. Albeit nearly 20 years old, they were still relatively expensive binoculars and worth getting repaired. After leaving the binos with a local repair shop (for nearly a month) and then being told there was nothing wrong with them, huh?, I decided to send them off directly to Nikon to see if they could help. We could not locate the original purchase receipt to prove they were under warranty but we sent them anyway. Getting them fixed would likely be cheaper than buying a new pair. Not long there after a package arrived in the mail. It was rather large and from Nikon. I figured they must have sent the binos back repaired or not. Lo and behold, if they hadn’t sent a completely new pair of binoculars, including, strap, case, lens covers, etc. The invoice stated the old ones were not repairable and sent these instead, at no cost. I could not believe my eyes. That is outstanding warranty service and completely unexpected. Hats off to Nikon for providing unbelievable service!

Here are the specs on the Nikon Action 8x40 8.2 binoculars, which work beautifully by the way:

Magnification: 8x

Objective diameter: 40mm

Angular field of view: 8.2 real/degrees

Angular field of view: 59.7 apparent/degrees

Field of view at 1,000m: 143m

Exit pupil: 5mm

Relative brightness: 25

Close focusing distance: 5m

Weight: 760g

Length: 143mm

Width: 182mm

For all the great products from Nikon, visit http://www.nikon.com/

Bushnell Trail Camera - Trail Sentry

2011-02-12T16:42:00.001-07:00

A couple of years ago, I decided to buy a trail camera to monitor game movement on our land prior to the fall hunting season. I also thought the camera could pull double duty as a security camera for our farm yard the rest of the year. My choice was the Trail Sentry by Bushnell with the following specs:

Extended night vision
Moon phase stamp
Colour photos during the day, night vision at night
2, 3, 4 or 5 mega pixel
Infrared motion sensor
SD card slot
Still images or video mode
Motion LED lights
Low battery indicator
Solar panel, 4 rechargeable D-cells
Adjustable strap for temporary mount, bracket for permanent

For the first summer we had the camera, it worked very well. The still images were crisp and clear both day and night shots. The solar panel kept the camera well charged. The SD card allowed for hundreds (to thousands of shots) depending on your setting. We were able to get some nice shots of deer moving from the hay field into adjacent cover. The problem seemed to start when the temperatures dropped.

The manual that came with the camera does not claim that the camera can be used year round or that it can be used as anything else but a trail camera. But if you want to track game, it is likely that you would do so year round, depending on what species you are watching. Unfortunately, as the temperature dropped, the camera seemed to start having problems.

The first thing we noticed was that the batteries we're not charging. We decided that the small solar panel was probably not large enough to provide a charge in the fall and winter light conditions. So, we went to replacing the batteries every so often, and recharging them in the house.

The next problem was that the camera seemed to take pictures for awhile and then stopped, even with charged batteries. Finally, the pictures the camera was taking (even in the summer) were blurry. So, after attempting to adjust all the setting and checking out the Bushnell website for technical assistance, we finally decided to send the camera off to Bushnell for repairs.

And how did that turn out? Well, we sent the camera in about 2 months ago and just recently received a card saying that Bushnell received it and saying it was in line (apparently with lots of other Bushnell products) to be looked at. I contacted Bushnell by phone prior to receiving the card to find out if they received the camera. The lady I spoke to was very helpful and courteous but couldn't tell me much about the state of the camera. So, we wait and wonder if we will be using the Bushnell for tracking game this year.

Weatherby Mark XXII

2011-02-12T15:53:00.001-07:00

Accuracy, quality workmanship, good price. That's what I'm looking for in a new 22 target rifle. So the hunt begins, starting with the Weatherby Mark XXII.

Specifications:
Price: $999 - $1099 (Can.)
Overall length: 41"
Barrel length: 23", blued
Length of pull: 13.5"
Weight: 6.5 lbs
Trigger: single stage, adjustable from 2-4 1/2 lbs
Action: Anschutz Model 64
Stock: High gloss walnut
Magazine: 5 round standard
Scope mounts: Drilled, tapped holes, or 11mm dovetail system

After reading several reviews on the Mark XXII, the general consensus was that the Weatherby was well balanced, had a comfortable stock, and a smooth 3 piece bolt action and was very accurate. On a trip to Calgary recently, we stopped at a couple of gun shops to see if we could find a Mark XXII. While neither shop had a XXII, one did have a XVII, which is exactly the same gun in a different calibre. After handling the gun for just a short time, it was obvious to me what the attraction was. The stock fit comfortably in my hands, was well balanced and the length of pull seemed to be about right, which surprised me as I prefer a shorter length of pull for my short arms. With the craftsmanship of Anschutz to top it off, the Weatherby would make a fine addition to my target shooting equipment. The only drawback? The $1000.00 price tag. While I'm sure it would be great value for the price, I'm just not sure I am in the league that requires such a fine instrument. So, the Weatherby Mark XXII will be added to my "must have this someday" list. In the meantime, the search continues.

Tikka T3 Camo Stainless .243 Centrefire Rifle

2010-11-10T20:57:00.002-07:00

Specs:
Model: Tikka T3 Camo Stainless .243
Calibre: .243
Capacity: 4, 3 in magazine, 1 in chamber
Rate of twist: 10in
Weight: 6 3/16 lbs
Overall length: 42 1/2in
Barrel length: 22 7/16in
Other: Stainless steel barrel, free floating, single stage adjustable trigger 2-4 lbs, cold hammer forged barrel, Realtree Hardwood camo stock
Manufacturer: Sako, Finland

When I went on the search for a centre fire rifle it was with the intention to find something I could use for hunting and high power silhouette shooting. My husband suggested the .243 caliber for less recoil but enough power to knock down most targets (except the rams, they just point and laugh at me). A .243 will also take down most large game.

So, off I went to my favourite gun store to try out a few models. The first gun I picked up was a Weatherby, which felt 'thick' and heavy in my hands. The next was a Remington 700 which was okay. Next up was the Remington 700 Predator. I had seen pictures of this one in catalogues and thought it looked 'cute'. Built for trudging through the bush hunting game, the Predator is lightweight with a short barrel. While it certainly was 'cute', it also felt like a toy and had a sloppy bolt. Then I picked up the Tikka T3 Camo. That was it. Despite the nearly $1000 price tag, I knew this was the gun for me.

The Tikka felt well balanced and comfortable. The bolt moved smoothly and closed easily. The weight was easy to handle and the length of pull was adequate for my short arms. I was able to hold fairly steady on my target without the weight being overwhelming. I especially liked the stainless steel barrel and the camo colour.

A couple of things I don't like about the Tikka (although I can live with them) is the smaller capacity magazine. When I am shooting high power silhouette, the 3 cartridge magazine means I have to stop part way though the 2 1/2 minute cycle to load 2 more rounds in the magazine. Not so convenient. I also find it difficult to chamber a round from the top: it's a tight squeeze even for my fingers, thus, the use of the magazine.

The Tikka has excellent accuracy. Be careful, though, to shoot with whatever ammo you sighted in with. As this year was my first try at high power silhouette, I decided to use factory ammo rather than reload my own. My first match, we sighted in with and shot Winchester. The second match I used Remington and couldn't figure out why I was shooting so low. My husband realized I was shooting different ammo. Lesson learned. Next year I'm reloading.

While the .243 calibre really isn't quite powerful enough for the high power silhouette game, the Tikka T3 is a joy to shoot. I shot my first deer with it last year. It is an accurate, comfortable, quality dual purpose rifle that I expect to be shooting for years to come.

CZ 452 Scout Silhouette Rifle

2010-11-10T20:19:00.002-07:00

Specs:
Model: CZ 452 Scout youth model
Calibre: .22LR
Capacity: Single shot, 5 & 10 round detachable magazines available
Rate of twist: 1:16in
Weight: 5.1 lbs
Overall length: 32.8in
Barrel length: 16.2in
Length of pull: 12.0in
Other: Adjustable trigger, hammer forged, blued barrel, beechwood stock
Manufacturer: Ceska Zbrojovka Uhersky Brod

When I first started shooting smallbore silhouette, I wasn't sure it was the sport for me. I began by using my husband's CZ 452 Silhouette .22. Unfortunately, I found the length of pull too long, making shooting uncomfortable. After searching for something appropriate, I decided on the CZ 452 Scout Youth Model.

Although the Scout is a little on the small side, it was easy to handle and was extremely accurate. The Scout shoots most ammo very well. We added a stock extension and put some weight in the stock which helped to hold it steady.

The CZ 452 Scout is perfect starter rifle for a youth or small statured shooter and, for the $360 price tag, is a great buy with excellent accuracy.

The Canadian Firearms Journal

2010-11-10T15:32:00.000-07:00

Published by: The National Firearms Association
I recently decided to join the National Firearms Association after picking up their publication, ‘The Canadian Firearms Journal’ at a local gun show. I was impressed by the amount of information in the Journal, especially the stories dedicated to the long gun registry.
After reading the publication, I went to the NFA website, http://www.nfa.ca/ and discovered a few more things I liked. The NFA offers a reasonably priced membership which includes a yearly subscription to ‘The Canadian Firearms Journal’ and a yearly subscription to ‘The Canadian Outdoor Sportsman’ magazine, as well as other incentives. I also signed up for the NFA liability insurance for both my husband and I to insure that we are covered hunting or target shooting at home or away from home.
I truly enjoyed reading ‘The Canadian Firearms Journal’. The stories are well written and well researched. Definitely worth the membership price.

Canada’s Outdoor Sportsman

2010-11-10T15:30:00.000-07:00

I received my first copy of ‘Canada’s Outdoor Sportsman’ as part of my membership to the National Firearms Association. While my husband is more the hunting and shooting magazine reader, I decided to rifle through it to see what it offered and I was impressed.
I discovered a good variety of articles from reviews of gear to hunting tips and hunting stories to question/answer pages and what’s in the news. The magazine is well laid out with beautiful colour photos and advertisements that get that hunting itch started.
A one year subscription to ‘Canada’s Outdoor Sportsman’ is $25 for Canadians and $31 outside of Canada or get an NFA individual membership and get it plus ‘The Canadian Firearms Journal’ for $35 ($45 family membership).

My Soapbox: Farmed versus Wild Salmon

2010-11-10T15:15:00.002-07:00

I haven’t been fishing for years. When I lived in BC, I would occasionally drag out my wee rod n’ reel and fish for trout. I’ve been telling Dave, my husband, that we need to break out his aluminum boat and motor and go fishing from some nice Alberta perch or pike (I have never tasted either). Although I was born and raised in BC, the land of wild salmon, I have never fished for nor do I particularly care for the taste of salmon. It’ll do in a sandwich if there’s no tuna in the cupboard. Nevertheless, I appreciate the fact that many people do sport fish for salmon and many commercial fishermen and aboriginal people rely on the wild salmon stock.
I’ve been watching a few documentaries on the controversary surrounding the effect of farmed salmon on wild salmon stock and have searched the internet for stories both pro and con. On the very far pro wild side, there are groups lobbying for the complete erradication of salmon farms, citing damage to the environment of the wild stock as their primary reason. They are the same people that would come to our cattle farm and shut us down because our cows are just farting and burping way too much and polluting the atmosphere. On the other extreme side are the fish farm lobbiests who wouldn’t admit to a problem if their mouth was full of sea lice and they were choking to death. They are the same people who would come to our cattle farm and tell us that drilling an oil well right next to our water source won’t cause any problem at all. In between those extremes are the more reasonable voices who are trying to find a solution that works for everyone. At the end of this post, I’ll put several website links to both sides of the story and you can read and decide for yourself but as for me, I’m going to stand on my soapbox and tell you what I think (aren’t you excited?)
My personal belief is that farming any wild critter will eventually lead to problems. I don’t think it’s any different than trying to feed animal byproduct to herbavores, as with the BSE cattle crisis. Naturally, cows choose to eat grass, not meat, so feed them grass. This seems really simple to me. In the case of salmon, sea lice infestations, genetic degradation and other disease is a real outcome of trying to farm wild salmon.Salmon are not contained creatures; they swim upstream, they swim downstream. They live in freshwater, they live in saltwater. Sticking them in a cage where they swim around and around in a singular environment seems off to me. Having said that, if the government says that farmers can stick salmon in a cage and raise them, well okay. I guess that’s fine. But, at the very least, locate these farms far away from naturally occuring wild salmon habitat if they are open net systems. Otherwise, if they are in the vicinity of wild stock habitat, the farms should be absolutely contained. There should be no contact between wild and farmed stock. If that costs the farmer to put that wall in place so be it. If the filtration system required for such a contained unit is expensive, oh well. Cattle farmers aren’t too happy about paying more money to use electronic tags for their cattle ears but if it makes tracking BSE cases alot easier, than so be it. It’s the cost of doing business.
Since I met and married my husband, I’ve become much more aware of environmental problems associated with farming. Now that I’m taking my hunter training, I’ve also learned more about the importance of wildlife management and how critical it is to all of us to ‘get it right’. The wild salmon stock are an important resource to all of us and, in my opinion, it’s best to err on the side of the wildlife and do what is needed to preserve their habitat.
Just a few interesting tidbits I found in my search:
-the BC government has put a moratorium on fish farming along BC’s northern coast, March, 2008
-most fish farms in BC are owned by Norwegian companies (upwards of 80% according to some of the articles)
-pink salmon fry are most affected by the farms due to sea lice infestation, sea lice occur naturally but not in the numbers associated with the farms
-farms use a chemical call ‘Slice’ to treat sea lice infestations. In an open net system, this chemical residue will eventually filter into the waters beyond the net. This cannot be a good thing.
-most fish farm are farming Atlantic Salmon
Some websites to check out:
http://media.wildernesscommittee.org/news/2008/03/12481.php
http://www.savebcsalmon.ca/what.html
http://www.raincoastresearch.org/witness.htm
http://www.salmonfarmers.org/
http://www.aquacan.com/AquacultureInfo/Links.htm

Black Powder Silhouette

2010-11-10T15:14:00.003-07:00

Recently, Dave and I took in a black powder cartridge silhouette shooting match. Having shot smallbore and high power silhouette, we were curious to see this popular shooting discipline.
Black powder cartridge silhouette uses the same range as high power but different equipment and positions. BPCS uses original or reproduction single shot rifles with black powder cartridges and iron sights instead of scopes. Chickens are shot offhand while the remaining targets are shot from the prone position using crosssticks.
This traditional style of shooting has grown in popularity over the past few years. To find out more about shooting black powder cartridge silhouette please visit the following websites:http://pcfga.net/what-we-do/black-powder
Peace Country Fish and Game Association

Outdoor Adventure Network
http://www.myoan.net/shootingart/sm_hist_bpcs.html

Deb learns to be a better silhouette shooter

2010-11-10T15:13:00.003-07:00

Well, after my first real season of silhouette shooting, I’ve decided I need to get serious and find a way to hit more than 1 or 2 targets in a 40 shot match.

The first time I shot in a smallbore match, I used Dave’s (my husband’s) CZ452 Silhouette Rifle. Well, that didn’t work so well. Everything about me happens to be short, especially my arms (lucky for me, my legs are just long enough to reach the ground). This presented a definite problem handling the gun. So, this past season I decided to get my own rifle. Problem is the only rifles with shorter pulls are junior models. Finally decided on the CZ452 Scout Rimfire rifle mostly because of the quality of the CZs and because this junior model allows for mounting optics and the use of a 5 shot clip (and also because Dave said I should get that one). So, after mounting an extra scope on it that Dave had, I was off to the races…. or not.
Even with my new equipment, I still wasn’t hitting much more than I did before. For one thing, the smaller gun is a little on the light side, making it difficult to hold on the target. But my worst problem turned out to be flinching. So, my task over this winter off season is to put some weight into my gun and do a pile of dry firing and maybe some benchrest shooting to get over my ‘jumpiness’ when I pulll the trigger. Tune in next week to see the outcome.

Benchrest Practice

2010-11-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

So, I thought I’d attempt to benchrest my wee gun and see how well it was shooting.

Turned out, not too bad as you can see. Eight out of 10 shots went in the same place, (although not at the center of the target) and 2 strays. I did try to adjust the scope to get closer to center but this was the best overall group for the day.
Awhile later, Dave did some work on my gun to add some weight to the stock. The gun feels a little heavier which should make it easier to hold. Thought I’d try it out but the day was a touch windy and I ended up with this (the cirle is 4″ in diameter)…

…which wasn’t all too bad considering the day. So, Dave has done a little more work on my gun and now it’s ready for the final benchrest before I get back to stand off shooting. I think I’ll get Dave to attempt benchresting it this time as he is not nearly as jittery as me and always gets a better group, but I’ll give it my best shot too. We shall see how it goes.

Dave’s Whitetail Buck

2010-11-10T15:12:00.002-07:00

Well, another hunting season is here and, as usual, it’s a stretch to get out to our own back yard and do a bit of hunting. But, we managed to set work aside for a Saturday and Dave and I went out to see what we could see.
Dave had whitetail buck and mule deer buck tags and I had a whitetail buck tag. This was my first season of hunting and I was hoping to see something I could get with a good, clean shot. Well, we saw lots of tails wagging in the air as those ‘way to smart for their own good’ whitetails ducked and dove for cover. After a good morning of sitting and watching and stalking we were almost back to the truck and ready to head for home. On our way through the last grove of trees on our route Dave spied a nice 3-pointer and a good size too. Problem was he was down at the bottom of a gully in very brushy surroundings…not a good shot for a first timer like me. After a few minutes with the binos I finally spotted what Dave saw… a pair of eyes looking at us and a nice set of antlers. That was about all I could see. So, we decided that Dave should take the shot as he had a better view and could make the stand off shot through the trees. And a good shot it was.

Deb finally gets her deer

2010-11-10T15:11:00.003-07:00

Here we were, at the start of the 2009 hunting season, prepped and ready to find that skittish white tail…
and find him we did.
I had purchased a hunting blind for this season thinking we might set up close to a good game trail. Well, we tried that just for one afternoon session but never did see anything. We had our trail cam out in a few spots and got some photos of the willy critters alright but none crossed our path where the blind was.
The next time we went out, we (my husband Dave and I) decided to do some walking around to see what we could see. We weren’t out too long and we spotted a nice looking white tail buck. Dave wanted me to take a shot at him but he was just too far away for my first shot at a deer and I didn’t feel comfortable that I could drop him. So, as he turned tail and took off, we continued on our way to see what else might be out there.
Dave had brought his antlers for rattling and we did call in a nice looking mule deer. He was awfully curious about us and stood for several camera shots before

deciding we weren’t the sort he ought to be hanging around with and meandered along his way.
Several hills and a few hours later, we decided to set up in a likely spot and Dave started rattling the antlers. He told me to be ready for whatever came over the crest of the hill into our gully of trees. Lo and behold if a nice buck didn’t stroll on in looking for the source of that rattling and stood perfectly for me to take a clear shot. And I did.
The deer was down with the first shot right were he stood. It was a front shot in the chest I had taken and the bullet had gone through his arteries and nicked his spine, accounting for the sudden drop.
I was very happy that the deer went down in one shot. My biggest fear was of wounding him and having to track him through the bush to finish him off. It turned out to be an interesting catch as one of his antlers looked like a white tail and the other like a mule deer but his colouring was of a white tail. Check out our short video clip.
So, all told, we had a great hunt that day. Dave’s antler rattling was at just the right time of the rut, November 14, very impressive. Cost of my new Tikka .243 rifle? $1000. Tags and certificates? $70. New hunting blind and related equipment? $150. Trail cam? $350. Bagging my first deer? Priceless! (Okay, we hunters are nutty people!)

Coyote hunting

2010-11-10T15:10:00.000-07:00

Like most Alberta farms, we have our share of coyotes.
We like to keep them down to a manageable number in the neighbourhood. We have a cattle farm and calve out in late March. A favourite activity of coyotes is to sneak into the maternity ward (where we keep the cows that have calved) usually late at night to steal a tasty delight of calf poop. Yes, you read that right, calf poop. Because the calves are eating mostly milk the first few days of their life, their poop is pretty rich. (The dogs like it too). The coyotes don’t generally bother the calves but they tend to spook the cows which causes a cow riot which wakes us up (and we’re already loosing enough sleep through the calving season - well, mostly it’s Dave that looses sleep).Anyway, by letting the coyotes know that if they come too close to the farmstead, they are likely to be on the receiving end of one of Dave’s well aimed bullets, helps to keep the disturbances to a minimum. The last few years we’ve found that some of the coyotes have a skin condition called ‘mange’. The pictures below show the beginning stages of mange in this female coyote Dave shot: pinky looking skin on the underbelly and missing patches of hair that the coyote has rubbed off because of itchiness.

Mange is a nasty condition for coyotes. It’s caused by mites that burrow under the animal’s skin causing severe itching, damage to the skin, loss of hair and eventually (at least in cold Alberta) a nasty, painful death. Below are a couple of good sites about mange for those of you who hunt. Most hunters are familiar with mange but if you are not, be sure to check out these sites:
www.srd.gov.ab.ca/fishwildlife/livingwith/diseases/pdf/WDsarcopticmange.pdf
www.nexicom.net/~wolfz/mangey.html

Deb & Dave go big game hunting

2010-11-10T15:09:00.000-07:00

Well, it’s been awhile since I got back on here to write anything. We started calving in the last week of March and it’s been pretty hectic. Dave did get my wee gun set up with some more weight in the stock but I haven’t had a chance to resight it in. We finally had an afternoon that wasn’t so busy and the weather was good, so we decided to go do a little spring big game hunting. That’s right, we were after the elusive…
Richardson Ground Squirrel. Okay, that was a nasty trick to get you to read more. But I’m not kidding when I say the Richardson Ground Squirrel is elusive. Tricky little devils they are!
Otherwise known as a gopher (or the technical name: holediggerusonfarmlandus), this little rodent can cause a heck of a pile of damage to our hay land if not controlled. Dave usually traps them or shoots them. This year we will try gopher poison.The best solution is to work up the land a few years in a row to eradicate the gopher holes but that isn’t always possible, especially with hay land. So, a little spring target shooting helps out.
Dave sights my gun in
As cute and fluffy as gophers are, they are pretty prolific in our area and do alot of damage. This was the first time ever for me to go gopher hunting with my little CZ 452 Scout 22 rifle. I managed to hit two gophers, one squarely in the chest. (Took a picture with my cell phone but I won’t show you cause it’s a little sad, poor cute gopher). Dave’s gun wasn’t quite sighted in properly so didn’t have the best luck. We’ve shot at gophers before so they are a wee bit shy of popping their heads out when they see us coming (wouldn’t you duck, too?) so didn’t get off too many shots. At least it’s a start to the shooting season.
For all you ever wanted to know about the Richardson Ground Squirrel, go to the following site:
www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex3471

The Deer Hunt

2010-11-10T15:08:00.000-07:00

This past deer hunting season went well. Dave got a nice little 2 1/2 yr old white tail (the subject of my previous post under recipes)…..
and Dave’s youngest son Blake got an older muley which we cut up for Blake’s mom. Both were really nice animals and the young white tail tastes just great. The guys got a couple of coyotes in the early winter and hope to get a few more as we have a whole lot of coyotes on our land. Good to thin them out now and then.

BBQ Deer Steak

2010-11-10T15:06:00.002-07:00

This isn’t exactly a recipe as you would think of it but it’s a pretty good way to cook deer steak on the bbq.

Thaw the steak (I am assuming it was previously frozen), sprinkle both sides with the following:
vinegar, worcestershire sauce, soya sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, pepper and brown sugar
Rub into the meat really well, throw on the bbq and cook til medium rare. Turns out pretty tasty. I’m not a real game person, but you can hardly even tell this is deer (of course if your deer is older than, say, 3 yrs, might be more gamey.)

Gingered deer

2010-11-10T15:04:00.000-07:00

This is another one of my experiments and it’s not bad (if you like gingered beef, you won’t mind this).
2 lbs. of deer steak, sliced into small strips
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp. soya sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger powder
dash of pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar
Mix all the above ingredients together and put in fridge to marinate for at least a couple of hours (the longer the better).
Using a fairly large skillet, put 1 Tbsp. of oil and a few drops of sesame oil in the pan. Put in meat, juice and all and fry on low heat until most of the juice has evaporated and deer is tender (don’t overcook). Drizzle 1/4 cup honey over mix and stir in and serve.

Peppered Deer Steak

2010-11-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

This is a good one:
1 lb. deer steak, cut into thin strips
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 medium onion, diced
5-6 large, fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
dash pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1 pkg. powdered beef bouillion (1 tsp.)
Preheat frying pan with a bit of oil or spray, toss in meat with salt, pepper, garlic pdr, onion pdr and beef bouillion. Stir and cook until brown and tender. Toss in vegis and fry for another 5 minutes then add:
1/4 c. barbecue sauce, 1 tbsp. soya sauce, 1/4 c. water mixed together
into meat and vegis and stir to coat and heat through. Serve with rice or noodles.
If you have leftovers, try this:
Take some sourdough or other crusty bread, sliced thick. Toast bread then butter it. Spread heated peppered steak over slices of bread. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese. Pop in the toaster oven (or broil in regular oven) until cheese has melted. Really tasty!

Recipe for Fresh Venison Sausage

2010-11-10T15:02:00.000-07:00

After countless tries using recipes from cookbooks, the internet, etc (and failing miserably), I believe I have finally created an acceptable recipe for using ground deer meat in a fresh fry sausage. My goal was to duplicate as closely as possible the taste of a breakfast sausage and this recipe comes pretty close; of course it has more flavour but it’s pretty good

There are a couple of unusual ingredients in this recipe. Because I have celiac disease (inability to digest gluten, ie wheat and derivatives, rye, oats, barley, etc) I can’t use regular bread crumbs as filler for the sausage. Instead, I use crushed tacos chips (the plain ones). I have also tried crushed potato chips but the taco chips are better. Feel free to use bread crumbs instead but you may end up with a slightly different taste or consistency. The second is bacon. I use the cheapest stuff to add a bit more fat content, but if you like it super lean (read dry) or you want some maple flavored, give it a try, it all works. Before you do anything, make sure you have hog casing or collagen casing for stuffing your sausage. Most local butcher shops will sell them to you (most have bacon ends to sell too, great for sausage). Or, you can order butcher supplies from http://www.halfordsmailorder.com/. You can also order seasoning mixes for all types of sausage and they are all good but most use wheat crumbs or starch as binders.
6 lbs of ground deer meat
2 lbs. of lean ground pork
2 lbs. of lean ground beef
1 lbs. of bacon, ground
1 1/2 cups crushed taco chips
3 level tablespoons of seasoning mix.
smidge of water to make a good consistency, not too sticky
I usually fry up a bit before I start stuffing just to make sure I have enough seasoning: 3 Tbsp. is pretty mild and not too salty, add more to taste. This is a good basic sausage recipe. Add you favorite flavour (italian, maple, etc) for more interesting combinations.Stuff away! I tried smoking a few of these but we preferred them plain. Twist into sausage links, wrap and freeze.

Seasoning mix:
2 & 3/4 cups table salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
3 tablespoons Accent (MSG)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons dill weed (dried, not fresh)
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons celery salt
4 tablespoons black pepper
4 tablespoons white pepper
4 tablespoons sugar
Mix thoroughly and store in plastic container.