Oh Deer!

I had originally posted this picture in the Game Room and added it to one of the Wood Pile threads, but to refresh everyone's memory of the 6pt buck that I was within 18 yards of:

Well, someone said it would be back, but when it didn't show for almost 2 weeks, I thought for sure one of my neighbors nailed it. The very next day I heard a lot of practice shooting after I posted that picture, so I thought for sure it was a goner. But that doesn't seem to be the case.

Last night after I had gotten dressed for bed, one of the cameras lit up and there he was. I suppose I could have went out and shot him, but he has always been so well behaved when he's on my property, only eating grass and weeds. So I'm fighting with myself every time I see him whether of not I should shoot him.

Here is a short video of him passing a couple flower beds. I will apologize for the quality of the video. I had the settings on my new system set way to low. The actual video when I transferred it was 352 x 240 but I have since changed the setting to 704 x 480 with the video quality being high. YouTube increased the size making the video look even worse than it really is. But without further ado, here's the video. He shows for the first 15 seconds, and after that is just dead air for another 30 seconds.


I see snow flakes, and it's not suppose to snow! Just be cold!

 

Nah! Let him be ... and go vegitarian ... or chicken. I guess I am getting old and senile, now I just enjoy watching them.

 

I'm tempted, but he keeps flaunting himself, and the more he flaunts himself, the more I want to just shoot him and reduce him to steaks, roasts, chops, burger, sausage, and some jerky.

 

I like watching them too, but when they eat my ornamental trees and shrubs, I have issues.

 

I never feed wild animals like deer, rabbit, squirrel, or birds other than Hummingbirds. I don't bait them either. I do like watching them especially when they are under a year old and come into the yard to play. As long as they don't eat my flowers, trees, and shrubs, they can do as they please. But if I catch them so much as taking one bite "BANG!" Well, okay, it takes quite a few bites before I consider that. I have quite a few trees that still haven't recovered from their eating frenzy. Even rose bushes and holly trees that you would think they would leave alone due the the thorns were not exempt. Seedlings were chomped to the ground! That was only the Doe. The Buck's seem to have better manors.

If I do end up harvesting this buck, it needs to be a head shot so as not to stress the meat and have the adrenaline released into it's system. Otherwise it would have that wild bitter taste that is harder to get rid of.

 

Well, as long as I'm wearing something after I've showered, I would think that would mean I had gotten dressed, and since I was getting ready to go to bed, I had gotten dressed for bed. Makes sense to me!

If the buck would have come so close to the deck during the summer months, I might be tempted to jump on it and take it for a ride. Just grab those antlers and hang on. I'd bet that would be one wild ride! And then have it for dinner! They all tend to do the Deer in the headlights look when they catch sight of me. Or at least the OH S*** look before I send them to meet their maker.

The next video will be much improved since I changed the format. Setting up a new camera DVR system is a pain, but I think I have the settings all taken care of. I replaced 4 cameras with an additional 8 but I will use the original 4 someplace else. I have enough cameras in place now (some wired, and some wireless) that even a mouse can't escape my gaze or guns.

 

I love those little birds! I have between 35 and 50 that visit on a regular basis so I'm making their nectar by the gallon. They are fun to watch whether it's during their courting rituals, war games, or just protecting a feeder. Sometimes they can be so territorial! Most don't seem to mind my presence and some come to within a foot of me.

Usually they migrate by the middle to end of September, but this year my last visitor was towards the end of October. For September until they are gone, I tend to richen the nectar for their long trip and the same for when they return. Not that I'm really into them, but I do enjoy their presence.

 

Regardless of our viewpoint isn't it amazing how much we like to observe all the animals and birds trees, flowers, plants, landscapes and so forth? I think all of us on this forum are alike in this regard. There is something about country life and all the creatures that intrigues us.

 

I think 'someone' is craving a little venison for the Holidays ..

 

The deer that wander around here LOVE roses. I can't keep any flowers on any rosebush except for the one that has grown tall. They also LOVE tulips. Tulips have to be behind our chain link fence for me to enjoy them.

 

Old wives tale or not, only you can decide. There are plenty of published articles in books as well as on the internet that would dispute the "Old Wives Tale" when it comes to venison or most other types of meat including sheep, cattle, and pigs. But if your used to eating meat that has been stressed, muscles saturated with adrenaline, then of course you wouldn't notice the difference and even develop a taste for it.

From first hand experience, I've learned to make fast clean kills rather than have shot some deer that may run 100 yards or a mile before it drops. Then field dressing on the spot helps out quite a bit and the same for cooling and aging. The majority of the deer I've killed, die within a few inches to a few feet of where I shot them. I don't do gut or chest shots because there is too much of a chance the deer won't die right there, but rather run for who knows how long. I don't want a deer to flop around on the ground for a half hour before I might be able to retrieve it. My venison has been described by many as being right up there with some of the finer cuts of beef, so I must be doing something right.

Here is a brief list of articles that indicate adrenaline and stress do have an impact on the palatability of the various meats not to mention the actual processing of the meat from live animal to table. I did focus on venison though there are others.
TheHuntin'Stand: Deer Hunting That Makes Deer Meat Taste Bad
3 Ways Shot Placement Affects Venison Quality - Deer & Deer Hunting | Whitetail Deer Hunting Tips
12 Reasons Why Your Venison Tastes Like Hell
Proper Handling of Venison Makes for Excellent-Quality Meat (2014)
Humane Field Harvested Venison | Broken Arrow Ranch
CHAPTER 2: Effects of stress and injury on meat and by-product quality
Deer Dummy — Gamey Venison
Secrets To Succulent Wild Game
How Cattle Stress Affects Beef Tenderness and Flavor

So is it FOLK-lore or FORK-lore?
(I liked your post because it does bring up a common misconception)

 

One thing I know for sure is if your growing roses, the deer will come. Doe usually. I understand there are flowers you can plant with them to keep the deer away, but I don't want to mask the scent of the roses. Tea Roses especially.

The year before last I had over 20 rose bushes including climbers. This year 2015, they had been reduced to 7. My climbers and tea roses eaten by the deer! Of the 7, 4 are KnockOut Roses, and the other 3 were here when I fist purchased this place. Or rather it was one large bush that I successfully divided. Tulips are just a vague memory since deer and other animals like them too much so I don't bother with them any more. I tried fencing in my flower beds, but if the flowers were too close to the edge, all that would be left of them were stubs. I used the welded wire with steel posts which left much to be desired aesthetically, and I trued the 30# fishing line, but when cold weather approached, the line would sink to the ground leaving the flowers vulnerable. My flower beds aren't all that small. I have one that is 40' long by 6 feet wide, two that are 18 feet long by 6 feet wide, one 12 feet long by 3 feet wide, one 3 feet long by 2 feet wide, and that doesn't include the 4 foot square space beneath the ornamental trees (10) or my ornamental bushes (3)

I have tried using trees, shrubs, and flowers that deer "don't usually eat," but that didn't work. If they can wrap their lips around it, it's eaten. I won't give up my roses though, and plan on putting in more. But now with my property having cameras covering almost every square inch, even if it's the middle of the night, the deer will become dinner for either me or those I give the processed meat to. I have stocked many a freezer including my own! Last year I did 18 Doe! This year NONE! Guess I shot the majority of them in the area. Ooops! But they are gracing someones dinner table so it wasn't a waste.

 

I like a good lung shot. I want their heart to pump out as much blood as possible.

 

I'm guessing that's one of the many reasons we live out in the country, away from the lights, noise, and people. I love watching all the animals, and how often do city folk get to see or hear a hawk in action, or see an eagle just floating around in the sky. Even those turkey vultures don't look so bad. Or how about wild turkey just sauntering down the road or flying to the top of one of my arbors and perching there. Then squirrel, rabbit, raccoon, and possum. Deer is a love hate type relationship. I love watching them, but I hate them just the same when they eat my plants. There is nothing like watching young deer under months of age that come into the yard to play. If the deer would behave when they come onto my property, the only thing I would shoot them with is my camera.

 

I suppose, if you can get both lungs it would work, but just getting one and maybe nicking the other? Not so much.