SMOTHERED RAT AND ONIONS

4 rats (dressed & disjointed)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup flour
3 tbsp. fat
3 large onions
1 cup sour cream

Soak rats overnight in salted water (1 tbsp. salt to 1 qt. water). Season with 1 tsp. salt and paprika, roll in flour, and fry in fat until browned. Cover rats with onions, sprinkle onions with 1/2 tsp. salt. Pour in the cream. Cover skillet tightly and simmer for 1 hour. Serves 4.

FRIED BADGER

1/2 Badger
1 tbsp salt
1 cup flour
2 tbsp fat

Clean badger; remove glands; cut into 6 or 7 pieces. Parboil in salted water for 1 hour. Remove from broth; roll in flour and fry in hot fat (deep fat may be used) until brown.

Serves 6.

Buddies bobcat

This is one of the cats we called up one night. He would not come in close so we pursued him. He was 25 lbs. which is about right for our area. He wanted a mount that had no holes in it so he got the wish. This one got shot in the eye on accident. Dropped him in his tracts! This cat also had great spotting and well developed tail.

Good job Jay!

Wile E. Coyote!

Coyotes are at higher numbers than ever. I have killed about 40 or more. They just keep coming and coming. They are a Texas native here to stay. Southern coyotes refered to as lobos by our south of the border buddies even roam in Mexico. If you want a close encounter just take a squeeky toy and tear out the squeeker. Get a small brown stuffed animal and air it out for a few days. Take and tie the stuffed animal to long string with a 1-2 lb weight tied about 1 ft from the animal. Go out into the areas known to have coyotes and squeek (put squeeker in mouth) for about 1 min straight and jerk the string with stuffed animal. Just sit under a tree in the shadow and work in random intervals. Remember to use earth tone clothes while calling. Move 3/4 mile between calls. Have fun!

This little Piggy got cut off!

Me and a life long good friend have hunted, fished and just about every other outdoor activity together for years. We used to trap coyotes and a lot of them. In one year we were up to 40 or more just trapping. This did not take into consideration the ones we just happened upon or called. One that was really unique was the one toe wonder. At some point in this dogs life he was either caught in a trap or got his toe bit off in a battle for breeding. I can't recall when we got this one but I'd say it was in 93 or so.

Bobcats! There are more here than you know!

Most people never see these elusive nocturnal kitties. The best time to see them is in the early spring here in Texas. During that time you may get a glimpse of one in the late evening scouting the area. During the summers they are mostly nocturnal and rarely seen. I have taken 3 of these guys personally and that is just about enough for me. I currently have one mounted and I'm thinking of getting the one in the freezer done also.

Bobcats are found in almost all types of habitat and as of recent I have also seen some in metropolitan areas. They thrive especially in mountains and even in desert areas where water is available. It is the only cat found in all four deserts of the American Southwest. They run rocky, brushy hillsides on which to live and hunt small game such as rabbits, mice, rats and even rattle snakes.

GLUE FACTORY STILL DEAD

Incase you been waiting on an update for glue factory there ain't much going. I cranked it up today and let it run for awhile. So here is a pic of glue factory not long after I got it. It has a white top that was crushed on the back. The new one is black!

DEER SCENT MISCONCEPTIONS

Ok most hunters like me want to believe if I put out a scent bomb or dropper I will see a deer immediately. Well I have learned that is not true by far. I have now realized these are odds increaser for hunting. I have put out scents at my old deer lease and watched bucks walk right by where I dragged my scent and walk by the dropper. These deer never even acknowledge the scent's presence. Again I have also seen a few acknowledge the scent. I have used doe-in-heat, buck urine, dominant buck scent and doe estrous. As before I have watched deer stroll on by. Raccoons like it though! Maybe they use coon urine? Who knows! Then I have gotten great pictures by my scent dropper when I wasn't there.

This past month or so I saw a show on OLN where they were hunting S. Texas. This Mexican guide produced a scent I have never tried. I decided it must be new or something. They dragged this scent down the road to the deer blind and hung it in a tree. This scent is CODE BLUE STANDING DOE ESTROUS. I've gone to the manufactures website and read about it. I have used code blue's other products, but not this one. Now either another ready doe walked down that road or this stuff is the miracle scent! These bucks went ape shit when they walked across this road. I have seen deer drag their head through cactus and brush never looking up to see where they were going. These bucks did the same and I was impressed. I'm going to by some of this scent and test it out. I will let everyone know how it goes when the rut arrives in my area around the later part of the first week of November.

FRIED IGUANA

2 lb Iguana diced
Salt
Water
Beaten eggs for dredging
Cracker meal
Vegetable oil

Wash and soak iguana chunks in salt water for 2 hours. Pat dry. Dip in beaten egg and roll in cracker meal. In frying pan, heat vegetable oil almost to the boiling point. Add chunks; turn until golden brown on both sides. Drain on brown paper. Serve hot

SOFTSHELL TURTLE

2 lbs. turtle meat, cut into 2-4 inch pieces
1/2 cup vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. milk
2 eggs, separated
2 tsp. olive or vegetable oil
1/8 tsp. salt
Vegetable oil

Combine turtle, vinegar, and 1 tsp. salt. Cover with water; simmer 1 hour or until tender. Drain and set aside.

Combine flour, milk, egg yolks, olive oil, and 1/8 tsp. salt; mix well. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into batter.

Dip turtle pieces into batter; fry until golden brown in deep oil heated to 375 degrees F. Drain well on paper towels. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Deep Fried West Texas Rattlesnake

1 rattlesnake, cut into 3-inch pieces
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp. salt
Fritter Batter
Oil

Marinate meat in refrigerator overnight in lemon juice, 1/4 cup oil, and salt. Baste meat occasionally. Wipe meat dry. Dip pieces in Fritter Batter. Deep-fat fry in heavy skillet.

Fritter Batter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plus 1 to 2 tbsp. self-rising flour

Beat together eggs and milk; stir in flour. Let batter rest about 20 minutes. Batter should be quite runny, like fresh cream, when used. Only a thin batter will fry crisp

SOUTHERN STYLE CRISPY FRIED FROG LEGS

5 lbs. small frog legs
3/4 cup lemon juice or vinegar
Crushed ice
1 cup milk
6 eggs, separated
2 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
1/4 tsp. salt
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil

Wash frog legs thoroughly. Place in a large Dutch oven; sprinkle with lemon juice, and cover with crushed ice. Refrigerate 1 to 3 hours.

Combine milk, egg yols, olive oil, and 1/4 tsp. salt; mix well. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into batter.

Sprinkle frog legs with salt and pepper; dip each in batter, and dredge in flour. Fry until golden brown in deep oil heated to 375 degrees F. Drain on paper towels. Yield: about 6 servings.

STUFFED PIGEONS

Those European Rock Dove are um um good!






4 pigeons, picked and cleaned
1 can of sour cherries, drained
Melted butter

Dab pigeons all over with butter.
Salt and stuff with cherries. Roast them for 45 minutes in a 350 degree F. oven, basting occasionally with melted butter.

BEAR STEAK AND RICE

1 1/2 lbs. bear steak
1 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 large onions, cut into 1/2" slices, rings
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushroomsdrain & reserve liquid
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
3 cups hot cooked rice

Cut steak into thin strips. In a large skillet (oven-proof, if desired), brown meat in oil, using high heat. Add onions. Saute until tender crisp. Blend soup, sherry, liquid from mushrooms, and garlic salt. Pour over steak. Add mushrooms. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 hour or until steak is tender. (Or cover and bake at 350 degrees.) Serve over beds of fluffy rice. Makes 6 servings.

ARMADILLO 'N RICE

Texas Style!




1 armadillo, dressed and cleaned
4 large onions
1 small hot pepper
1 stalk celery
2 cans chopped mushrooms
2 cups rice, uncooked
Salt and pepper to taste
10 cups armadillo broth

Boil armadillo until tender; reserve broth. Remove meat from bones. Cut onions, celery, hot pepper and cook in butter until tender. Add mushrooms and meat and simmer for 5 minutes. Put in a large baking pan or dutch oven and add 10 cups of hot broth; add rice, salt and pepper; stir. Place in 375 degrees F. oven and cook until tender. Serves 12.

Hog patterns!

Well it is the dog days of summer. If you do the trail cam thing like me you learn the wildlife will change patterns around the drought. We had been having a drought for awhile till lately. As of recent I have not got a pig pic one. Hopefully with the coming of rain we have had it will get the pigs roaming back into my territory. I hope to be BBQing some of these guys and making some sausage soon. Its amazing cause I had been feeding so well and pigs have to have a water source or they will perish in this hot Texas heat.

When a drought sets in a few things may happen around the watering holes left in pastures and streams. Because feral hogs tend to live in the same areas as both deer and livestock, disease and parasite spread is quite possible. One of the most probable points of contact is communal watering holes as mentioned above. Due to its inability to sweat, the hog is attracted to watering areas to wallow and cool off. In areas where water is plentiful, a wallowed-out watering hole may be avoided by other animals. However, during times of drought and in areas where water is limited, all animals are often forced to water from wallowed out watering holes. Infected pigs can spread parasites and diseases through both direct contact and by contaminating drinking water. For example, leptospirosis (swineherd's disease, swamp fever, or mud fever) can be transmitted through contact with infected urine. Contamination of a watering hole with urine is consistent with the pig's wallowing behavior.

So hunt a pig as I always say!

Whitetail Rub Lines Part 2

What I usually look for in a rub is if the surrounding trees also show signs of rubbing going on. To be precise if there is a cluster of trees, check the trees or limbs behind the main rub. Carefully inspect them for tine marks because mature bucks with really tall tines will often leave scars on the trees or limbs behind the main rubbed tree giving you an idea of how big the rack he is carrying is.

Finding a rub line will mark the preferred travel of a buck between bedding and feeding. A well used trail of a whitetail will likely have rubs along the way of his usual travel route. This provides a lot of opportunities for younger bucks to view and scent the dominant bucks presence. A travel corridor with repeated rubs popping up is a good place to hunt. If the majority of rubs appear on one side of the trees along the rub line. Then this gives you a definite direction of travel that the buck uses. Also never expect to see that buck everyday there. I have the group of four bucks that I have only seen 1 time with my own eyes. The other handful of times were with my game tracker over a 3 year period.

Clusters of concentrated rubs are really exciting. Older bucks tend to make more rubs in an area where they prefer to bed and generally feel more relaxed. Thus I have noticed that where I see my bucks I'm sure my little young guys made the rubs. A line or plethora of clustered rubs tells me I will see a buck and it is a good place to hunt for the buck or bucks rubbing. I would not expect to see a trophy size deer just a nice young buck.

40 Things you'll never hear a redneck say!

40. Oh I just couldn't, she's only sixteen.
39. I'll take Shakespeare for 1000, Alex.
38. Duct tape won't fix that.
37. Honey, I think we should sell the pickup and buy a family sedan.
36. Come to think of it, I'll have a Heineken.
35. We don't keep firearms in this house.
34. Has anybody seen the sideburns trimmer?
33. You can't feed that to the dog.
32. I thought Graceland was tacky.
31. No kids in the back of the pickup, it's just not safe.
30. Wrasslin's fake.
29. Honey, did you mail that donation to Greenpeace?
28. We're vegetarians.
27. Do you think my gut is too big?
26. I'll have grapefruit and grapes instead of biscuits and gravy.
25. Honey, we don't need another dog.
24. Who gives a damn who won the Civil War?
23. Give me the small bag of pork rinds.
22. Too many deer heads detract from the decor.
21. Spittin is such a nasty habit.
20. I just couldn't find a thing at Wal-Mart today.
19. Trim the fat off that steak.
18. Cappuccino tastes better than espresso.
17. The tires on that truck are too big.
16. I'll have the arugula and radicchio salad.
15. I've got it all on the C: drive.
14. Unsweetened tea tastes better.
13. Would you like your fish poached or broiled?
12. My fiance, Bobbie Jo, is registered at Tiffany's.
11. I've got two cases of Zima for the Super Bowl.
10. Little Debbie snack cakes have too many fat grams.
9. Checkmate.
8. She's too young to be wearing a bikini.
7. Does the salad bar have bean sprouts?
6. Hey, here's an episode of "Hee Haw" that we haven't seen.
5. I don't have a favorite college team.
4. Be sure to bring my salad dressing on the side.
3. You All.
2. Those shorts ought to be a little longer.

And, Number ONE is:

1. Nope, no more for me. I'm driving tonight.

Whitetail Rub Lines

Rubs take on many roles during different times of the year. Early in the season rubs are made just to remove velvet from their hardened antlers. As the season progresses bucks continue to rub mostly on smaller trees and then begin to feel the effects of growing testosterone levels sparking the rut. Rub lines are the visual communication marks bucks use to distinguish their domain. A rub doesn't only present a visual sign but also a social level among the herd by leaving scent on each rub. Dominant bucks release a stronger scent than younger bucks and therefore organize their rank or social status on each rub through way of the Forehead gland.

A misunderstanding is that big bucks rub big trees and small buck rub smaller trees. Most would have to agree that the majority of bucks rubbing on trees are actually larger, more dominant deer. However some of these big will rub saplings as small as a broom handle. On that same note small bucks will rub on bigger trees. 2 years ago I found a rub on a young pecan tree the size of my thumb in diameter. Of course I envisioned a small buck to go along with that rub that was right out in the open for the other bucks in the area to plainly view from a short distance. A typical signpost that bore visible signs of previous years rubbing activity showed by deep scarring but never did give up it's source in 3 years that I scouted the area even though a new rub would appear each season. Much to my surprise I got some camtracker pictures that reveled 1 of 4 bucks made that rub. Either a spike, 4pt, 8pt or a 12pt made the rub. Then one day I notice a fresh rub just left of my camera. The developed photo showed all 4 deer but the 4pt show sign of fresh velvet hanging from his rack. In a further search of the thicket I have found a rub line that is about 100 Ft off the black gumbo farm road the length of the road (3/4 mile) roughly.

So stayed tuned and I'll talk about the different rubs I've seen and what they may or may not mean!

Time to cool off!

Thought this would cool everybody down. I work outside and really like the warm weather compared to cold. If I could get the cold for just 1 or 2 days I would be happy. Here in Texas we rarely get real snow. Mostly we get ice and ice and more ice. This was a picture I took on the way to work. The roads were clear and the views were great. Actually was driving at about 55 mph believe it or not. So sit back relax and chill.

Cat Fishing In Texas!

This is an old photo of my Uncle Morris. He is a great outdoorsman. Here lately he is not so healthy. He hasn't made it out to the deer stand I'd say in 4 years. He has taken many species of animals from fur bearing to large mammals and all species of fish. I have a picture of him also with a 12.5 Ft long alligator gar that weighed 480lbs. He has caught some fish that are just huge. Most never being recorded as a record or not. I've looked up the record for gar and its not even close to that 480. However being a 22 year old photo and no fish I'd say they wouldn't do much about it. The little girls are my sisters and he is 6'7" to give you an idea of how big the cats are. I couldn't even begin to describe the number of fish this size he has caught. Let it be known he did live in the boonies and may have used some other means of capture also. Who knows with him!

Antler restrictions in Texas!

The state of Texas has more whitetailed deer than any other state. However we really don't produce enormous low fenced free ranging deer. Also some areas that used to be highly populated have become low volume deer areas. About 15 years ago in Columbus Texas my brother-in-law's dad's farm was in an area that used to produce good deer in the late 70's early 80's. In the late 80's however deer numbers declined or the buck to doe ratio was way out of wack in their area. People were looking for meat and meat only. They over looked the fact that they should be in a management program. As local land owners watched the numbers fall they became concerned. So in his town of Columbus a co-op was put together. Many like-minded individuals got together and decided on a scheme for hunting. First was to get the ratio of deer close to 1 to 2 or closer instead 1 to 20 which was actually more like it. These folks realized they were only shooting 1.5 yrs old deer. Where are the 2.5s and 3, 4, 5.5s? They weren't there for one cause they never made it to the next season. So some restrictions were brought about. All bucks must have an inside spread of 13 inches or more. If they were genetically inferior like a spike or at least 1 unbranched antler then they must be removed. This area saw an increase in deer age in 5 years. More older bucks were being taken and they were breeding rather than a 1.5 yr buck.

So here's where TPWL saw a difference in that area. So Biologists in 2001-02 decided to implement a 6 county area as a test zone. It had Colorado Cnty and Austin Cnty and 4 other surrounding counties. The state posted an antler restriction law that got some area owners upset. Remember that not everyone cares about deer size but deer meat! In these counties all legal deer must have inside spread greater than 13 in. Also have 1 side with 6 or more branched points or have 1 or more slick unbranched antlers. 3 years later and the area is experiencing an explosion in deer population. The state tossed out the 6 or more branched points clause and now threw in an extra tag for a buck! Now my bro-in-law can shoot 2 bucks. I can't recall a time that they could shoot 2 bucks in that area. Now you can shoot 1 trophy and 1 cull or 2 culls! Now if the meat hunters aren't happy then they don't see the great opportunity that has fallen in their lap. So the above picture is proof of the test working. I was told that deer was 5.5 yrs with an almost 20in inside spread. 4 years ago that buck would have not stood a chance in hell to mature and pass his genes on to the next generation! My applause to the TPWL biologists and staff!

Another Old House

This house is an old house off in the boonies. It is in a remote area of the Louisiana bayou. It is primarily the style of an old Creole house inwhich hundreds of these dotted the swamps and bayous of Louisianna. As you can see this house is only accessible by boat. Creole people must have been rugged folks to have lived in places like this. This bayou is inhabited by gators and black bear. Plus take into consideration there are water moccasins and scorpions too.

A bayou is a small, slow-moving stream or creek formed in the former bed of a river. Bayous are usually located in low-lying areas, especially in the Mississippii River. Many bayous are the home of crawdads or better known as a crawfish and certain species of shrimp, other shellfish and catfish. Plus numerous softshell turtles which in some areas are becoming extinct. Other turtles are the natorious snapping turtle or alligator snapping turtle which has prehistoric horned growths on its protective shell.

Project Glue Factory Update!

Where to begin. Ever had an old piece of shit ride that when you fix 1 thing 2 break? Then fix 2 and 4 break? Yes project glue factory is dead again. Now my clutch has gone ka-flop. Also the motor is now getting like 12 miles to the quart of oil. She's getting wore out. So I am starting the adventure hunting down a cardiologist for my motor. Sure I got some cholesterol and some valves that are not sealing well. Plus the rings may not be rings at all. Hell do I have rings? May not! So Harry Hines Blvd. has City Motor. Go down there and maybe get a head job while I am at it. I'm sure a good head job is in need. Lots of miles on the heads. Something about that area and a head job go together. So as always stay tuned to project glue factory!

Fallow Deer

Native to the Mediterranean region & parts of the Middle East. Introduced widely in Europe, and to parts of North & South America, southern Africa & Australasia. They compete with native animals and eat the same as the natives.

Wild fallow deer usually live in small herds. Park herds are often larger, numbering 70 animals or more. Outside the mating season, bucks roam around in their own herds separately from the does and their young. Dawn and dusk are the most likely times to spot deer feeding, although they may feed at any time.

They prefer an open clearing with plenty of grass and other ground plants. During the day, the deer usually rest and ruminate (chew the cud) as mine is doing the above photo. Fallow deer rarely drink and appear to get all the water they need from dew and moisture in plants. In summer, the deer feed mainly on grasses and herbs, but also browse on the foliage of trees and bushes. The trees in deer parks often have a 'browse line' about 4.5 to 6 ft. above the ground which marks the limit to which the deer can reach. In autumn and winter, the deer may eat nuts, berries, strips of bark, dead leaves, holly and fungi.

Rio Grande Turkey

I got this picture of a fine Rio Grande in Glen Rose Texas. He is a great example of a Grande if there ever was one! Here are a few facts about these birds

Facts on the Grande

The Rio Grande wild turkey is native to the semi-arid areas of the southern Great Plains states: Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Northeastern Mexico. It received its common name from the Rio Grande River, which is the water supply bordering the brushy scrub, arid country of some of its prime range in western Texas and northeastern Mexico. This subspecies was first described by George B. Sennett in 1879 who said it was intermediate in appearance between the eastern and western subspecies, hence its scientific name, Meleagris Gallapavo Intermedia.

Originally existing in the millions, this turkey had depleted to extremely low numbers by 1920. Formal programs involving trapping and transplanting were initiated in the 1930's and today it exists over much of its ancestral range. Texas has the most Rio Grandes with a population estimated at over 600,000 birds.

Physical Description

The Rio Grande turkey, at full maturity, is approximately four feet tall with a slightly smaller body size than the Eastern wild turkey. It is pale and copper-colored having tail feathers and tail/rump coverts (short feathers located at the base of the tail) tipped with a yellowish buff. An alternating color pattern includes tan feathers with medium or dark brown buffed tips. The Rio Grande’s color is consistently lighter than the Eastern or Florida bird, but is darker than the same feathers in the Merriam or Gould subspecies. Feathers of the hen breast, sides and flanks are tipped with pale, pinkish buff.

Range & Habitat

The Rio Grande turkey was originally found in the southern Great Plains, western Texas and northeast Mexico. They have expanded their range and been introduced into Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Wyoming, Utah, South Dakota, and California. This race of turkeys generally occurs in areas having 16 to 32 inches of rainfall.

The Rio inhabits brushy areas near streams and rivers or mesquite, pine and scrub oak forests. It may be found up to 6,000 feet elevation and generally favors country that is more open than the wooded habitat favored by its eastern cousins. The Rio Grande is considered gregarious and, nomadic in some areas, having distinct summer and winter ranges. They may form large flocks of several hundred birds during the winter period. It has been known to travel distances of 10 or more miles from traditional winter roost sites to its nesting areas. Since the areas they are found usually do not have many roosting trees, they will often use the same tree which makes finding them a lot easier. Their range in a lot of cases is determined by the location of their preferred roosting tree, the cottonwood.

Texas Bison

In early days the bison was found in great numbers over a vast range in North America. With the westward expansion of the white settlers, it became an object of exploitation on a tremendous scale that resulted in its total disappearance from the East and its almost complete extermination over much of its western range. By 1825 it had become practically extinct east of the Mississippi River. The building of the transcontinental railways after 1830 hastened the slaughter of the vast herds west of the river. In the 1870s hundreds of thousands were recklessly killed for their hides and tongues. In 1877-78 the last great slaughter of the "southern herd" took place south of the main transcontinental railroads. In the north their numbers likewise rapidly decreased.

When protection of the buffalo was under consideration by the Texas Legislature, General Phil Sheridan opposed it, pointing out that the sooner the buffalo was eliminated the sooner the Indian would be starved into submission. Sure enough, before 1880 both the buffalo and the Indian had all but passed away.

The big slaughter took place about 1877-78 when there were reported to be 1,500 hunting outfits working out of Fort Griffin (Shackelford County) alone. More than 100,000 hides were taken in the months of December and January of that winter. From 1881 to about 1891 there were shipments of buffalo bones from Texas totaling $3 million in value.

In the late 1880s it was realized that the bison was approaching extinction. By then, there were left in the United States only a few privately owned herds and a herd in Yellowstone National Park. It was not until May of 1894 that an effective law for the preservation of the bison was passed by the United States Congress, and subsequently, the various herds were built up in the United States and Canada. By 1933 the total population of bison in North America was estimated at 21,000, of which the greater part (17,000) were in Canada on the Buffalo National Park near Wainwright, Alberta.

The bison of the western United States is normally a dweller of open prairies. The subspecies B. b. athabascae of Canada and the Old World relative (Bos bonasus), however, are forest animals. This, together with the fact that our plains bison lacks the keen eyesight of most plains dwellers but has a keen sense of smell, suggests that at some remote time in the past the plains bison, too, lived in woodland areas.

Bison are gregarious creatures that live together in herds, except for the old bulls which, especially in spring and early summer, lead a more or less solitary existence. During the period of rut in July and August, and again in winter, the old bulls tend to be more tolerant of the herd. Normally, bison are unobtrusive but when angered or when called upon to protect their calves they are vicious and dangerous. As with domestic cattle, old bulls are surly and may attack with slight provocation, as will cows with calves.

The daily activity of bison is much like that of domestic cattle. The chief feeding periods are early morning and late afternoon, with midday given over to cud-chewing, siesta, and wallowing. Normally, nighttime is a period of rest. Formerly, the plains bison migrated seasonally, going south as far as Florida and Texas in winter, and northward again in summer. Their normal gait is a plodding walk, which may break into a swinging trot or, when frightened or angered, a stiff-legged gallop.

Plains bison are predominantly grazers, feeding chiefly on grasses and secondarily on forbs. Browse species contribute slightly to their menu. Because of this, competition between bison and domestic cattle for range forage is so great that we cannot afford, for economic reasons, the return of the bison to anything like its former numbers.

The period of rut is July and August. The animals are promiscuous in mating habits but usually only the large, mature bulls do the breeding. Young and undersized bulls are driven from the herd to linger on the outskirts and await with anticipation the opportunity to participate whenever the herd bull is off guard. As with range cattle, a scale of social dominance is established with each bull next highest dominating those below him.

The period of gestation is 8½ - 9 months — the calves arriving in April, May, or early June. One calf at a time is the rule; twins are rare. The young one normally is weaned in late fall, but occasionally it continues to nurse until the arrival of the next calf. Sometimes cows breed only in alternate years. Sexual maturity is reached in the third year. According to Cahalane, cows have remained productive for 40 years indicating a life span of at least 45 years.

At present, the plains bison has little economic importance. There is some demand for its flesh as food for man, but the temperament of the beast will not permit its wide replacement of cattle.

THE RUT ! !

The phenomenon known as "the rut" is the period when deer breed. People often ask biologists when the rut is going to occur. It's a question biologists commonly hear in the fall. Many hunters want to make sure that they plan hunting vacations to include that magical time when bucks lose all caution and deer are moving.
Can hunting during the rut help you? You bet. Anything that encourages bucks to move enhances the chance of seeing one. Buck deer, like most male mammals, seem to lose a lot of their natural caution when the scent of a receptive female is in the air. One of the tips gained from this study is that rutting bucks can be found during most of the hunting season in many regions of the state. Consistently successful hunters spend a lot of time in the field throughout the hunting season, not just during the peak of the rut.

Antler growth ends soon!

Sometime here shortly these boys will soon rub off their silky looking velvet. The antler will harden due to a lack of blood to the velvet. This lack of blood is due to a vessel that shuts off the flow. Soon after that a switch will go off in the deer and he will begin rubbing the velvet off. He will rub saplings, mature trees, and even cedar posts. All at the same time using this a boundary marker to let other bucks now this is his domain. These visual markings also are accompanied by scent left from glands on the head, legs, and feet. Thus bringing on the rut! Keep an eye out where you live. You may think you live in a no deer zone but its the rut that gets deer moving.

Whitetail of all whitetails!

This picture will speak for itself. I took this picture personally this past weekend. It really is a huge, huge deer. His body looks young and small but I was told he is actually 8.5 yrs. Of age. I would not age this deer more than 3 or 4 years of age. He has forked matching browtines and is just about as typical as you can get. He has one deduction on the left beam to be a 5x5 typical. Wow is all I can say. This is a once in a life time buck!