I figured this was a once of, or at most very rare occasion, but after searching a bit on the Internet we found a bunch of cases of bird-eating deer.

Deer have also been known to eat mice and there have been more than a few sightings of deer eating off carcasses.

It’s not breaking news, but we found the following video pretty interesting and hope you do too.

Craig Belknap, 24 year old graduate student in the agricultural field at Iowa State University hadn’t ever taken a buck with his bow until this past season. However he got it right the first time when he shot a 20 point non-typical.

Native to Des Moines County, he hunts near the family farm where small wood lots, draws and big timber are most common. Craig’s stand was placed strategically in a big elm tree along a fenceline bordering a 100 acres of timber. Deer droppings, tracks, small rubs and scrapes revealed a fenceline crossing they used to a corn and bean field to feed.

On October 16th, he made his second trip back home for a weekend of hunting. Craig recalls, “The skies were cloudy that morning and it rained most of the night. Nevertheless, I cut across the muddy bean field to my stand. The battleship gray colored sky didn’t give way to first light until around 7:15 and I was beginning to wonder why I’d ever left the comfort of my bed. Only minutes later all my thoughts changed when I glanced down the fenceline and spotted a large drop tine buck a mere 50 yards away.”

“As he relaxed and started walking my way, I rose slowly and readied an arrow. Approaching my 20-yard shooting lane, I drew and steadied the pin and triggered the release. The 125-grain Pro-Series Thunderhead penetrated both lungs, causing the buck to dash 150 yards before stopping. Disoriented, the buck stumbled back my way. Ready with a second arrow if needed, he fell only 50 yards away. I was relieved and ecstatic to see the buck go down and not require a second shot.”

Greg Andrews

Greg Andrews of Corning, Iowa shot this massive 20 point non-typical buck on November 28, 1998 in Adams County. The typical 5x5 frame nets 176 1/8\

He knew of one small 60-acre plot that harbored good bucks in the past, but still hadn’t hunted it. The narrow gnarly ridge consisting primarily of thorny honey locust trees had a sparse scattering of hardwoods and cedar. In addition, the ridge runs parallel to a creek bottom with a mix of small saplings, hedge and dense buck brush. The landowner had spotted a big buck on more than one occasion entering a standing cornfield nearby. The corn came out only a week prior and Greg figured the bucks had been holding up in the cornfield, which explains why the deer sightings picked up shortly thereafter.

Greg explains, ” I have three stands setup based on the main travel paths to and from the primary food source. One on both the north and south ends of the ridge and one about dead center along the edge of the timber near the creek. I made plans to hunt the center stand first because there’s always an active scrape line along the timber.”

“When you consider the tricky winds in the bottom, it isn’t always possible to hunt the stand. On the Friday morning after Thanksgiving, the winds prevailed out of the west, which was ideal for the north treestand. I hadn’t seen any deer that morning, but minutes before climbing down I could hear what sounded like a sparring match between two big bucks in the bottom.”

“Before first light the following morning, I made my way toward the middle stand toting a set of rattling antlers and a grunt call, using a thick blanket of fog to camouflage my approach. Shortly after sunrise I rattled for about 30 seconds, but didn’t get a response,” said Greg.

“However, almost immediately after the second sequence, I spotted a big buck running across the bottom from the south. Things were happening so fast, I barely had time to hang up the antlers and grab my bow. The buck came to a halt on the opposite side of the creek, white puffs of steam shot from his flared nostrils as he scanned the area for the intruder. It wasn’t until that moment did I realize just how big the buck truly was. As the non-typical stepped into the 10 yard shooting lane, I released the string. Upon impact the big buck barrel raced through the timber for only 50 yards before the woods fell silent.”

Merle Allen

Merle Allen, a 44-year old Project Manager for a local general contractor in Norwalk, Iowa spotted a large non-typical for the first time in early November while hunting in Madison, County. Merle and his brother, Bud hunt several tracts of land consisting of primarily agricultural crops and a few scattered wood lots, hedgerows, and brushy draws leading to surrounding big timber. Merle relates that he concentrates most his efforts on hunting the outer fringes of small wood lots, funnels and draws during the season and seldom hunts big timber.

Bud was actually the first to spot the buck on his way to work the week before. He studied the big buck through a spotting scope standing in a bean field with a doe he suspected was in estrous. Bud called Merle at work that morning excited, suggesting that he better get out and hunt while the buck was still in the area trolling for hot does.

Merle recalls, “The following morning I hunted a stand near the river bottom on a sidehill where the does were known to bed during mid-day. Even though the hillside is nearly a mile away from where Bud glassed the buck, I was gambling it would be the most likely travel route the buck would take to the doe bedding area.”

“Shortly after daybreak a group of does cut across the hillside, but a lone doe with a nice buck hung back in the thick brush. It wasn’t until they meandered within 40 yards did I realize it was the same buck seen by my brother. Unfortunately, they continued to linger in the thick stuff before heading back the same way they came,” explained Merle.

“The following morning I hunted the same stand, but hadn’t seen or heard anything until around 10:30, when the sound of a dog barking in the distance caught my attention. Not long after the big buck busted out of the bottom, crossing in the same place as the previous morning. I’d now watched the buck cross in the same place two days in a row and felt fairly confident I stood a good chance of getting a crack at the buck if I only setup near his escape route. I hung a new stand there but the wind was never favorable.”

“Therefore, I decided to hunt a small 25-acre woods on the opposite side of the road that’s proved productive in the past. I like to refer to this place as a “loafing area” where the deer congregated in the mornings before heading to a bedding area nearby. I moved in quietly and setup a stand for the following morning.”

On Sunday, the 15th of November I found my way to the stand at first light. A few does meandered through early, and then I caught a glimpse of big antlers further back in the brush. Although I couldn’t see the buck entirely, as he turned his head sideways, I was able to confirm he was definitely a thumper. Pulling out a grunt call, I grunted softly, hoping to draw the big buck into the open. The does had now moved directly in front of the stand, milling around in a small clear-cut. Nothing happened right away, so I grunted again. Only a short time later the buck started working through a wooly thicket heading in my direction. As he continued to close the gap, I stood with an arrow ready. Not wanting to get hung up staring at the antlers, I only concentrated on making the shot.”

Shane Helmich of Dickens, Iowa arrowed this dandy 14 point buck on the 27th of November in Clay County. The 12 normal points and a 17\

Shane Helmich
Shane Helmich, a 28 year old Electrical Field Technician from Dickens, Iowa has only been bowhunting 4 years. Nevertheless, he managed to shoot one of the bigger non- typical bucks of the 1998 season. The first time he spotted the 14 point was November 20th. Hunting mostly river bottom ground, Helmich sticks mainly to a public hunting area near the Little Sioux River in Clay County. The small tract of timber is only 50 to 100 yards wide at most points, but stretches over a mile in length. It’s only a small part of the 600 acres of grass fields, narrow bands of timber, small wood lots and coulees.

Shane’s wife, Patricia is not only his devoted hunting partner, but also became his eyes and ears this past season after shooting her buck in early November. On one occasion she spotted two big 10 pointers that led Shane to the woods where he had his first encounter with the large 14 point.

Shane recalled, “I slipped into the small 50 acre wood lot with a decoy late one afternoon. A half-hour after wedging a crotch board in a tree, a big non-typical sporting a drop tine appeared 70 yards away. I grunted softly bringing the buck within twenty yards, but when the bruiser spotted the decoy he spooked and left without offering a shot. Hoping for a second chance, I hunted the same area two more days, but my efforts were fruitless.”

“Later that week, Patricia called me at work and reported spotting two more big bucks in a bean field about a half mile away chasing does. I didn’t waste time getting to the area and approached carefully from the downwind side toward an inside corner of the bean field.”

“Reaching the corner I climbed into a ancient oak tree and stood on a branch 8 feet off the ground. Shortly thereafter, the big 14 point started working down the fenceline pursuing an obvious hot doe. About 4:15 the buck made a beeline toward my perch 150 yards away chasing the doe, closing the gap rather quickly. With an arrow knocked and ready, the buck stopped momentarily at 35 yards. Steadying the pin, a speeding arrow from my Martin Scepter hit the buck squarely behind the shoulder. After a short sprint for dear life, the buck dropped within eyesight.”

It takes many hours of practice to become a top of the food chain predator with a bow and arrow. But practice alone isn’t enough, you have to reinforce the right techniques – the ones that have been proven to produce success. Eventually your natural shooting form will take on these qualities and you won’t have to think about it. When the moment of truth comes, you’ll be able to act quickly and decisively.

Relaxing Through The Shot

Concentration on a single small aiming point is the aspect of shooting that brings all the other elements together.

Tension in the bow arm makes steady aiming difficult. Any tension in your body is transmitted through a rigid bow arm right to the bow, as if it were a hyper-sensitive antennae. If you can keep your bow arm very relaxed throughout the shot your accuracy will improve greatly. Consider bending it slightly (just enough to unlock the elbow) so it be softer and act as a tension insulator instead of a tension transmitter.

Many bowhunters have the bad habit of dropping their bow arms just after they release. Eventually this creeps into the shot earlier and earlier until it becomes a chronic problem. My buddy Dan does this, and it has cost him two really nice bucks during the past two seasons. On both bucks he shot just under the deer’s chest at less than 20 yards!

The shot isn’t over until the arrow hits the target, so hold your form with a steady bow arm until impact for optimum accuracy. Increased strength is the key to relaxing at full draw, so maintain a regular practice schedule. Your maximum bow weight can make a difference here too. It’s impossible to hold your aim steady if you’re straining with too much poundage. Sometimes being over-bowed even prevents you from getting a shot. Being involved in the warranty department at PSE, Terry Ragsdale hears many strange claims, but he remembers one in particular.

“A hunter sent back his bow, claiming that the cams were freezing up,” he said. “With absolute sincerity, the hunter told of a nice deer approaching his stand, and of his inability to draw the bow. Even though they worked fine before and after that incident, he honestly believed the cams had somehow locked up. Cool weather and excitement got the better of him, and he didn’t have the strength to draw.”

Letting Go
Because the timing of the shot is often more important than pinpoint accuracy under many bowhunting conditions, your release method is likely to be a bit more abrupt than if you were focusing on target shooting form. Don’t get jerky, however. When shooting a release aid, keep the trigger pull smooth, but don’t get too hung up trying to squeeze off a surprise-release. With fingers, get into the habit of relaxing the back of your string hand to trigger the shot rather than trying to voluntarily open your hand.

Focus Brings It Together

Ragsdale is widely regarded as one of the world’s best bow shots, and he is quick to point out that there is no such thing as perfect shooting form. “Walk up and down the line of any major tournament,” he said, “and you’ll see people shooting with all different kinds of form, but they all shoot very well. Consistency is more important than any particular form.”


On the other hand, Terry is a firm believer in “aiming hard” when shooting at targets, as well as game animals. Aiming hard is his term for focusing undivided attention on the small spot he wants to hit. He feels it is one of the most critical skills for the bowhunter and surely the one element that brings everything together for a great shot at game.


Realistic Practice

Just as you wouldn’t expect a professional football team to head into a big game without at least a certain amount of full-dress scrimmaging against the “scout” team, you shouldn’t enter the bow season without a few dress rehearsals of your own. Duplicating the conditions of the hunt during practice pays some very important dividends, as I found out (once again) a few seasons ago.

The grip should be relaxed. Let your fingers hang naturally without forcing them to straighten. Avoid grabbing the grip when you release the string.

The big 10 pointer was following the line of does past my stand toward the unharvested bean field beyond. With only a few minutes left in legal shooting time, I was glad they were walking quickly. Just before he got to my shooting lane I drew my bow and aimed through the peep sight. I was shocked to find that the buck was about as well defined as a drifting shadow. The pin was a fiber optic model, but not one of the brighter styles on the market. I could barely see the pin as I aimed. Thrown off by the situation, I failed to concentrate well enough. OK, I panicked. As the buck passed less than 20 yards away, I rushed the shot – sending an arrow right in front of his chest.



I had gotten lazy in my preparation for the season and had skipped my usual low-light practice sessions. I should have discovered the pins weren’t bright enough, and the peep too restrictive for optimal hunting. It was a painful lesson I won’t soon forget.



Not only should you practice in low light, but you should also wear your hunting clothes a few times. What you find out in late summer and early fall may prevent your string from catching a loose flap of cloth, or a chest pocket, ruining your shot at a giant buck. If you’ll be hunting from a tree stand, practice from an elevated position. For many bowhunters, arrow impact changes when they shoot down at the target. Make sure you find this out before the season.

“Consistency is more important than any particular form.”

Practice at unknown distances in order to improve your range estimation skills. For most experienced bowhunters, getting the correct range is the hardest part of any accurate shot in the field. The more you can practice this important skill, the better you’ll perform this fall. 3-D shooting is the perfect tune-up for hunting. You’ll become better at judging distance, and you’ll have a great opportunity to debug your hunting bow. Everyone seems to be using customized tackle in an effort to score higher in this summertime sport. That’s great, but if you do that, just make sure to switch to your hunting rig as you get closer to the season.



When practicing, focus all your attention on each and every arrow. According to Terry Ragsdale, “As the season approaches you need to bump up the practice regimen. Shoot 75 to 100 arrows each day, for the last week or two, to gain the strength needed to hold the bow steady. Don’t get lazy on a single shot; shoot each arrow with intense concentration. Find something small to aim at with each shot and focus hard on it.”



There are few things more exciting than making a tough shot when the chips are down. But the satisfaction comes with a price tag attached. To be a consistently deadly bowhunter, many hours must be spent during the off-season perfecting technique.

If you are shooting downhill at 20 degrees treat a 40 yard shot as if it were 36 yards.

However, entering a buck or a doe’s bedding area can still get you a crack at a racked buck if you play your cards right. You just have to think about it a bit, and then time your entry. You see, it is not IF you should sneak into a deer’s bedroom–but WHEN. Let me explain.

By late summer a buck often has several bedding options open to him. His choice to bed in the planted pine plantation on the side hill on any given day may depend for example on wind direction, food supply or the absence of the neighbor’s barking dog. He may bed there two or three days in a row, and then bed down by the creek to get out of the wind for a couple of days before taking refuge in the uncut corn lot. You put a full court press on him early in the season, and he will definitely abandon any one of these bedding areas until he is sure it is safe for him to return.

However once the rut kicks in, he will abandon each of these sites for progressively longer periods of time, whether he feels safe there or not, to search for estrous does. And when he hooks up with a hot doe he will stay with her for a day or two, feeding where she feeds and bedding where she beds until she is ready to be bred. Then he will strike out in search of another willing female.

You have a window then of seven to 10 days before breeding actually takes place to sneak in and around a buck’s bedding area with relative impunity. And if you have not yet had a shot at him, or can pin-point his pre- rut travel entrance/exit routes through scrape lines and rub lines, then maybe this is the time you put conventional wisdom aside.

I was thrilled the first time I caught a trophy buck bedded down. He was indeed safe, but alert and ready to spring at the first hint of danger. I watched in awe until the buck casually looked over in my direction, did a double take (I was kneeling getting ready to shoot less than 30 yards away), and then disappeared over a nearby knoll snorting loud enough to wake the spirits!

Bucks like to bed down in heavy cover - often you'll find them sleeping right on the border of heavy cover and an escape route. Photo By Bill Vaznis

Pick a day when the weather is in your favor. A blustery morning for example will quickly disperse your airborne scent to the four winds, and help mask any unwanted noise. During or soon after a soaking rain however is my favorite because it reduces to near zero the likelihood I’ll snap any dry twigs.
Know how a buck beds. A single buck for example generally prefers to bed on the highest ridges facing downhill with the wind to his back. Nearby escape cover in the form of uneven terrain or thick brush is almost always present. This scenario allows him to see danger from below, smell danger from behind, and hear any approach through the thick stuff. All it takes is one leap, and he is gone.
Thus, you do not want to approach a suspected bedding area from below or anywhere where visibility is good. As for the wind, sneaking CROSSWIND along the edges of ravines, hollows and thick cover will offer you your best chances of blind-siding a resting buck.

The buck I mentioned above for example was bedded on the edge of a mountain laurel thicket where a quiet approach from behind was nearly impossible. The wind was to his back, and he could see downhill quite a ways. I caught him resting by keeping the wind to one side of my face.

Learn to look for a bedded buck, not one standing behind a blow down! They are much more difficult to see in this position, but one feature always stands out—the rack! A buck will turn his head at the slightest noise, and it is his set of antlers that you will initially see moving around especially if it is white or contrasts sharply with nearby cover.
Although a mature buck usually beds alone, he may have company. If you spot a bedded buck, this other set of eyes my foil any further approach.

Finally, once you see bucks up and about during the middle of the day, invading a doe’s preferred bedding site is a good strategy to consider. However, if you want to catch a love-sick buck in his bed, one that is throwing caution to the wind, try still-hunting those high places down wind of the doe’s bedding area. This is where a resting buck can use his nose AND his eyes in his search for a doe in heat! I once caught seven or eight bucks in such an area already with a hot doe, and arrowed a 180-pound eight pointer right where he lay!

Check out this cool video of a big buck bedded down.

12 EASY STEPS
1. To begin, hang your tom by the head.

2. With a sharp knife, cut the skin where the feathers on the neck meet the skin of the head.

3. Continuing down the back and toward the tail, remove the skin in an approximate two-inch wide strip. You will notice that the feathers attach to the skin in rows and the narrow strip of skin actually holds a much wider angular blanket of feathers.

4. Remove the skin to and including the fleshy end of the tail.

5. With knife and spoon, remove the fat and flesh.

6. Cover wet skin in Borax.

7. Lay Borax covered skin on large piece of flat corrugated cardboard.

8. With straight pins, pin the head end to cardboard.

9. Fan tail, spread to the desired width and pin each feather in place.

10. With an ice pick, lay each feather in place.

11. Let dry three to four weeks.

12. Remove pins, shake loose Borax and hang.

Note: You may wish to mount the cape on a piece of wood cut to fit the cape.—Rob Keck

Lohman's kit was an absolute cinch to do. The author first, of course shot his bird. After removing the the beard carefully and taking care of the breast meat, the next step was removing the tail.

The National Wild Turkey Federation’s Grand National Taxidermy Championship, held each year during the NWTF’s national convention, has raised the level of awareness of top-notch turkey creations.

Once you’ve brought your mount home, these tips will help keep your bird in top shape.

1. Do not place mounts near heat sources such as fireplaces, hot lighting or air vents.

2. Keep mounts out of direct sunlight to keep them from fading.

3. Do not keep mounts in damp areas.

4. Clean mounts with a dry cloth, brushing the feathers in the direction they lay; do not use a vacuum cleaner for cleaning.

5. Check mounts periodically for signs of insect infestation. Contact your taxidermist if you find anything suspicious.

6. Handle mounts as little as possible. They become more brittle over time.

7. Keep temperature extremes to a minimum. Constant room temperatures are best.

8. Clean glass eyes with a damp Q-tip.

9. Make sure all wall anchors supporting mounts are secure. Inspect periodically.

10. The tips of tail and wing feathers may become “ruffled.” Simply smooth them out with your fingers.

Be sure to catch some of the best taxidermy in North America at the NWTF’s Grand National Taxidermy Championship next year during the Federation’s National Convention and Sport Show in Charlotte, N.C., February 21-24, 2002. For more details, call 800-THE NWTF.—Rob Keck

LOHMAN KIT CONTINUED…

The author's mount took him all of 20 minutes to build and hang on the wall.

Some hunters don’t realize this, but you can remove a turkey’s beard easily by grabbing it firmly where the beard meets the breast feathers. Give the beard a solid yank and it usually comes off bearing nothing but a little white skin that holds it all in one piece. Otherwise, take your knife to breast skin around the base of the beard. Carefully cut all the way around the base of the beard. Then, do the necessary trim work and lay on the borax.

Next, pin the fan down flat on a fairly large piece of cardboard. A few days to a week is about all the time the fan needs to dry out. Now, it’s ready for the Lohman Kit.

Simply lay your flattened fan into the back piece of the mount. Place the piece of foam that’s included in the kit on top of the fan. Next, place the decorative front plate on top of the fan. Now, slip the black, beard-holding inserts into the holes. These inserts keep the entire unit tight as a drum. Now place your swingin’ beard into one of the beard holders and you’re ready to go lookin’ for a place to hang your trophy!–Nino Bosaz

For a huge selection of turkey mounts see eders.com

Of course, there’s no guarantee you’re going to harvest a wild turkey just because you go hunting, but trying is half the fun. While going to the store is still the most reliable means of getting dinner, spending time in the woods, getting some exercise and the pride of being self-reliant is what a traditional life outdoors is all about.

To learn more about turkey hunting, how to get involved in turkey hunting and find more great recipes for wild turkey and other game, contact the NWTF at 800-THE NWTF or check out the Federation’s web site at www.nwtf.org.—Doug Howlett

Cajun Mardi Gras Wild Turkey Breast
Get out your beads, masks and doubloons! It’s time for Mardi Gras, which is Latin for “removal of flesh.” Carnival has many symbols, including Boeuf Gras or “fatted bull.” Traditionally, Boeuf Gras is the ancient symbol for the last meat eaten before the Lenten season of fasting begins. Thanks to this delicious wild turkey recipe from Dave Constantine of Durand, Wis., in the Wild About Turkey cookbook, Dindon Gras, or “fatted turkey,” may be the newest Mardi Gras symbol! An easy to prepare entree, Cajun Mardi Gras Wild Turkey Breast served over rice is easily complemented with a Caesar salad, yeast rolls and, of course, a King Cake or Moon Pies for dessert. As they say in Mobile and New Orleans during Mardi Gras: “Laissez les bon temps roulez!” (Let the good times roll!)

Cajun Mardi Gras Wild Turkey Breast
1 pound bacon, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
Cajun poultry seasoning, as needed
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 (2-pound) boneless turkey breast, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

In a large, heavy skillet, add bacon and sprinkle it with Cajun seasoning. Fry until crisp. Drain, discard grease and set aside. In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of butter, and sauté the chopped onion until tender. Remove onion, and set aside. In a large bowl, combine turkey, 2 tablespoons of oil, Worcestershire sauce and more Cajun seasoning. In the same skillet, heat remaining butter and oil until sizzling. Add turkey, bacon and onion. Sauté until turkey is brown and tender. Serve entree over rice. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Stuffed Midwestern Wild Turkey
Springtime is a time of rebirth, a time of new beginnings. It is at this time of year that families celebrate many special occasions—Easter, Passover, christenings, weddings and Mother’s Day—just to name a few. And Spring is a great time to show off your newly- bagged gobbler! A.M. Glombowski of Lake Forest, Ill., has a delicious recipe using a whole bird—Stuffed Midwestern Wild Turkey. This is an easy-to-prepare recipe that will look beautiful on your special table this spring, or any other time of the year. Enjoy!

Stuffed Midwestern Wild Turkey
14 slices bacon, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup water
1 (8-ounce) package cornmeal stuffing mix
1 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 cup hot water
1 cup dry red wine, divided
1 (10- to 12-pound) wild turkey

Fry eight slices bacon until crisp. Drain bacon, crumble and set aside. Sauté the chopped onion and celery in bacon drippings. When the vegetables are tender, add 1/2 cup water, and simmer for five minutes. Stir in stuffing mix and crumbled bacon. Dissolve bouillon cube in 1/2 cup hot water. Add 1/2 cup red wine to bouillon. Add the bouillon-wine mixture to the stuffing mixture, and stuff the turkey. Transfer the turkey to a roasting pan. Lay 4 slices of bacon across the breast, and wrap a slice of bacon around each leg. Cover pan with foil; then place lid on pan. Bake in a 300-degree oven for 4 1/2 hours. Remove cover and foil. Pour remaining wine over the turkey. Baste every 10 minutes while cooking an additional 40 minutes. Yield: 12 to 15 servings.

Marinated Wild Turkey Rolls

No matter the holiday or special gathering, a hors d’oeuvre made from a wild turkey is made from the heart. Marinated Wild Turkey Rolls, a recipe from Gary L. Crafton of Coffeeville, Miss., is easy to prepare and a tasty treat. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or friends over to watch the big game, everyone will love snacking on these. Once cooked, the rolls will easily stay warm in an oven on the lowest setting until serving time. The rolls also may be frozen (after the initial cooking). Just defrost them in the refrigerator and heat them in the oven before serving. At a dressy get-together, serve this meaty fingerfood in a silver chafing dish, or use a terra-cotta cooker as a serving container for a more casual affair. Enjoy!

1 (5 lb.) wild turkey breast, deboned
12 ounces commercial Italian dressing
12 strips thickly sliced bacon
toothpicks

Cut breast meat along the grain into long, thin 1/4-inch-thick strips. Submerge strips in dressing, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for three to six hours. Drain. Place a strip of bacon onto each sliced turkey breast strip, cut the bacon/turkey strip 4 inches long, roll into a pinwheel, and secure with a toothpick. Place in a large non-stick skillet and cook over very low heat for about an hour. (You may also try baking them at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.) The turkey roll is done before bacon browns. Yield: 6 servings

Southwest Shrimp, Turkey and Rice Soup

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
½ cup onion, sliced or diced
½ cup celery, diced finely
1 cup instant long grain rice
1 tbsp. cooking oil
several cloves of garlic, minced
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
¾ pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
¾ pound of turkey, cooked, in bite sized pieces
jalapeno pepper, sliced
green onions, sliced
cilantro, chopped
lime wedges

In a large saucepan, combine broth and water and bring to a boil. Add onion and celery and cook for 2 minutes; add rice, bring back to a boil then cover, remove from heat and set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet. Add garlic, red pepper, jalapeno (optional), shrimp and turkey; sauté just until shrimp are done (they will turn red); about 3 minutes. Stir the shrimp/turkey mixture into the rice/broth mixture.

Divide the soup evenly among 4 to 6 bowls. Top each bowl with a little chopped cilantro and green onion and serve with a wedge of lime.

Wild Turkey Dijon

2 pounds boneless turkey breast
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup green onions, finely sliced
sliced mushrooms, morels preferred
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup cream

Slice the turkey breast into serving size pieces and pound gently with a meat mallet (or the edge of a plate). Season with salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a large skillet and sauté the turkey, turning once, until done. Remove to a warm platter. Add garlic, green onion, mushrooms to the pan and sauté until onion is tender (add more butter if necessary). Stir in mustard, lemon juice, sherry, and cream and stir over simmer until slightly thickened. Add turkey to sauce until heated through. Serve with rice or noodles. About 4 servings.

A M.A.D. Planner

Tools of the deer-hunting trade; a topographical map, compass, grunt tube, arrows with razor-sharp heads...and a bow, too!

“Mark,” I said, “Mark Drury. What are you doing here?”

“Tad and I are up here bow hunting for a week. What about you?” he replied. “Carol and I are doing the same thing,” I remarked. “We’ll talk to you sometime this week.”

As most of you know, Mark Drury founded M.A.D. calls and has produced outstanding hunting videos for several years. His deer videos have captured on film his crew taking many outstanding bucks, all in the wild. Everything I had seen regarding Mark up to this point had been positive, but I’m always wondering exactly what kind of a hunter a guy really is. Does he take big deer because his hunting locations are so great he has to shoo bucks out of the way as he goes to stand, or does he succeed through sound hunting methods and persistence.

An excellent hunter. I found that out real quick when we visited with he and Tad that night. Mark had been hunting this area for a few years, and had his stands set well ahead of time. Each stand site was numbered, the location was duly noted, and what wind direction would be required to hunt each stand was also recorded. Every detail of their hunts was planned out well in advance–and more importantly, adhered to. It didn’t surprise me to see them fill their tags with nice bucks fairly quickly.

Carol and I, meanwhile, had our opportunities. She missed a great non- typical which would have scored in the 180s. I passed good bucks, but never had a crack at anything top end. We did this despite the fact we had never been to the region before. We had to obtain permission to hunt, then quick decisions as to stand placement had to be made. Still, we did have a plan we followed, and so should you every year.

Locate an inside corner in your land's terrain and you can bet the family farm that deer will use that point for heavy travel.

Seven-Phase Attack Plan
1. First of all, you must recognize your strengths, especially in the time of year to hunt. If you have been bow hunting very long, this should be fairly easy. My strength lies in rut hunting more so than in early season or late season deer hunting. Because of this, I plan my time off to fall near or in the rut. If you’re better at late season hunting, be sure to plan your vacations then. And always remember almost all of us, regardless of our vocation, have limited time we can take off. It may be a few days, a week, or two weeks, but rarely longer than this.

Because of the limited amount of days most of us have off, it is critical to take them at the right time. I know tremendous numbers of hunters here in Indiana who take a couple of their vacation days on October 1st when our bow season comes in. “I just couldn’t wait. I had to get out there!” is their common statement. Most don’t even see deer because of the heavy foliage. They would have been far better off to wait until the rut to hunt, when deer are moving better and visibility is great. Of course this takes patience, a trait you can definitely develop.

2. Determine where you are going to hunt. If you want a high scoring whitetail, this may mean going out of state. That’s why we and Mark Drury and Tad were in Iowa–big deer. If you hunt locally, it’s still important to list–on paper or in your computer– every place you might possibly hunt.

3. Obtain plat, topographical and aerial maps of every place you have listed where you might hunt. This is what Carol and I did before we went to Iowa. This enabled us to find landowners so we could obtain permission to hunt, and to then key in on hot terrain features quickly with the topo maps.

When the wind is right, set up at the base of a hilltop funnel. Bucks will chase does and travel in these areas regularly.

5. List the wind direction(s) you need to effectively hunt each stand site. You can do this by standing at the stand site with a compass in your hand, or you can even do it by placing a compass on your aerial or topographical map and determining the wind directions most desirable. And since all of you are reading this on a computer, I’ll share a neat little trick I discovered.

If you buy a topographical map on a CD, such as from Maptech, there is a route marker setting on the map. By clicking on the topographical map at the place where you want to place your stand, you then can move the route setting arrow around and you can determine the best wind directions using this method. It sounds harder to do than it really is.

6. Determine the best entry and exist routes to your stand. This is tremendously important. You want to disturb the whitetails in the region as little as possible. For example, Carol and I almost always go to our stands just before daylight, at daylight, or even a little later. This surprises many hunters. “You have to be there early,” they say. Not really. Our best entry to many of our stands is through fields where deer feed. It’s foolish to walk through deer to get to stand. It’s much better to wait until the whitetails clear the fields, then ease into the stand site.

There are exceptions to this, of course, such as getting to a deep saddle in the hills before the deer arrive there. Even then, however, arriving late doesn’t hurt you on a morning hunt. Over 70% of the trophy deer we kill are taken between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. This brings me to the next point.

7. Determine how long you are going to stay on stand. If you only have two hours to hunt in the morning or evening, there’s no major decision here. If, on the other hand, you have all day to hunt, then you need to determine how long to stay. This decision most often will be determined by the time of year. During the late pre-rut, rut and post-rut, boomer bucks can be moving at any hour. We do make some draining all day hunts, although most often we hunt from daylight until 1:00 p.m. then from 3:00 p.m. until dark. This gives us a little break. The best three hours of the day for us, as previously mentioned, is 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

Again, this is where making a game plan and sticking to it will really increase your success rates. By saying you are going to hunt until 1:00 p.m. no matter what, you have made a commitment to stay there. Even if you don’t have confidence deer will move at noon, by trying this time a few days, you will see it happen, maybe even take out a bruiser. This builds both confidence and patience, important ingredients in the successful trophy hunting recipe.

Putting It All Together
Once all this information is recorded, make sure you hunt the stand locations offering the highest odds of success. Don’t hunt with the wrong wind, thinking you will “get lucky”. You will ruin all your days of preparation if you do. Yes, this may mean you will spend time setting in secondary stands feeling sorry for yourself some days. Despite this, doing so is a breakthrough. You are on the road to being an outstanding deer hunter, and you will be rewarded.

To show how a plan can work, I’ll share a typical hunt I made. The day was November 7, 1998. The late pre-rut. Getting out of bed at 5:15 a.m. I checked the wind direction with my weather radio–southeast. Going to my list of stands I could hunt with a southeast wind, I found three. I knew a good buck was using the Bench Funnel Stand area, so decided to hunt there. I planned to stay until 1:00 p.m.

After driving for forty five minutes, I arrived at my hunting spot. Once again I checked my weather radio. The weather direction was holding. If the wind direction predictions had changed, I would have gone elsewhere. I waited until it was breaking light before I walked about three fourths of a mile through the middle of a picked soybean field. Finally reaching the stand location (the tree stand was already in place), I crossed a small pasture and eased into my stand. I had to cross a major deer trail to do this, something I detest. There was no other way

By 9:30 a.m. the sunny day had warmed the temperature into the low 50s. I had not seen a deer. Then the woods came alive. A yearling buck was chasing a doe; a 2 1/2 year old buck was chasing a doe; then silence. Time passed. Was it over?

Not even close. At 11:45 a.m. I took out a 150 gross 12-point who was out taking a midday stroll. Incidentally, the wind was perfect, still being from the southeast, the only wind direction I could hunt this stand with that day. It’s a good thing, the buck stood only 10 yards away when I released the arrow.

Yes, if you’re the man (or gal) with the plan, you are going to find yourself tagging deer much more frequently. Learn all you can about tactical hunting in this magazine (use the archives), then map out your game plan as described. Then remain true to your plan. Be patient; be smart; be persistent; be confident; be successful!!!

Someone may have led you to believe that the key to shooting a decent buck in the early season is just a matter of trekking across as much prime real-estate as possible. Sure, on occasion a hunter gets lucky and tags a good deer the first week of the season, but for the majority of others this tactical approach results in something closer to a crap shoot. To consistently pattern an old timber warrior before the season opener, there’s much more planning, scouting and research required beforehand. Let’s take a look at a few early season tactics that have worked not only for myself, but many others as well in the past.

Gain Access Early

In the early years, gaining access to bowhunting real estate was certainly much easier than it is now. It wasn’t uncommon to have several pieces of ground sowed up within a couple of days going from door to door. Unfortunately, as people with big money enter the picture, the days of finding a place to hunt through a friend-of-a friend are slowly approaching an end.

You can bet if you’ve been watching a buck that’s highly visible, some other hunter is working on it too! Personally, I never stop working on keeping the areas I have and looking for new ground. This might entail stopping by on occasion to shoot the bull with the landowner, or possibly offering a portion of the game you’ve taken. Believe me when I say, it’s a small price to pay.

Zero In On Key Food Sources

High in protein, the soy bean is one of the whitetail’s favorite early season foods.

Of all the cash crops, soybeans have been at the top of my list for years. I’ve known a whitetail enthusiast from Illinois for a few years now that normally needs to re- plant a particular food plot twice each year. Hunters would be well advised to take advantage of beans from the get go.

It’s best to look for deer goodies in small concentrations, which makes it much easier to narrow down a buck’s feeding pattern. Deer are opportunists and if you’re banking on a food with a short shelf life and haven’t taken the buck before it’s exhausted, chances are the opportunity will never be presented!

A good example of concentrated foods might be small stands of acorn bearing hardwoods. It’s been my experience that white and red oaks are especially great choices, however, this doesn’t mean that deer won’t feed on pin oak, burr oak, swamp oak, shingle oak or shin oak. It’s simply implies that red and white oak nuts are most commonly found in the areas where I hunt in the Mid-west.

A few years ago while scouting in Illinois, I discovered a small grove of persimmons consisting of about a dozen trees, of which only half were bearing fruit. Setting up in the grove the first evening of my hunt in November, I arrowed a nice buck just two hours later. Although I’ve never found persimmons anywhere in my home state of Iowa, you can bet when traveling to the southern states where they are more common this fall, I’ll be looking for the sweet treat.

Element of Surprise

Aerial photos and topographical maps can be used year a round for mapping out all the pertinent information such as, bedding, trails, rublines and scrapes in your hunting area.

“One sighting of a buck may not warrant moving in with a stand, but two or more should!”

There are a couple of ways to maintain the element of surprise with little or no impact on the deer herd. As mentioned, glassing from nearby roadways has been the normal practice for many, while others choose to setup with spotting scopes much like the tactic used in western hunts for elk and mule deer. Although I often use these same approaches to scouting, observation stands setup around the outside perimeter of the hunting area has been a personal favorite.

As I sit back and look at my nearly 30 years of bowhunting experience, a good percentage of the big deer I’ve taken were a direct result of spotting the buck from another stand first and then moving in for the kill. This tactic is often referred to as “working from the outside in.” Nevertheless, the whole object of this tactic is to first observe all deer movement to determine where their entrance/exit routes and bedding areas are. In doing so, you’ll be able to determine the best ambush point with the least amount of risk involved and the best odds of tagging the buck. One sighting of a buck may not warrant moving in with a stand, but two or more should!

Hunting Pressure

Although the majority of hunters consider the rut the most productive time to sit on stand, it doesn’t necessarily mean their odds of bagging a buck are the greatest. Because hunting pressure is normally at an all time high, coupled with unpredictable travel patterns, bucks can be here today and gone tomorrow. Obviously, if there are fewer hunters in the woods during the pre-rut, it’s self-explanatory why your odds of bagging a buck on a routine travel route will never be greater. Let me explain why.

First, bucks are most patternable during a time frame that I like to call the early “pre-rut ramp-up,” which runs up to about a week prior to peak rut activity. If left undisturbed, most are quite comfortable in their core area during the first month or so of the season, therefore actively making scrapes and rubs that help us identify their whereabouts. Another advantage of hunting this ramp up period involves bachelor bucks. Because some bucks are still traveling together, chances are the rub lines and scrapes you find were made by a group of deer and not a loner. This alone has proven time and time again the deadliness of hunting rub lines and bed to feed travel routes during the early season. Unfortunately, all too often after the first phase of hunter’s trek across the sacred ground, the bucks are scattered to parts unknown.

Secondly, with each passing day moving closer to the madness of the rut, priorities change from feeding to locating a harem of does. Because of this transition, feeding and travel patterns become the least predictable of any other time of the season. There’s simply no rhyme or reason to there travel patterns and in some cases bucks leave their core area haunts for long periods of time searching for hot does.

Many bucks are pushed into nocturnal seclusion, feeding only during the twilight hours. This probably explains why some hunters complain that they were seeing a lot of deer during the early season and as the rut approaches, they seem to evaporate. If you’re going to be an early season hunter, then you need to focus your efforts on early season strategies that put you in the transition routes early on!

Play The Wind Game
Some hunters never consider the wind when setting up stands and consequently void the element of surprise their first time out. When hunting from stands without considering the wind, you’ll always run the risk of pushing deer out of the area. I’ve come to understand over the many years that knowing how to play the wind game should be an essential part of any hunter’s strategy. During the warmest part of the season winds can be so unpredictable, even the most experienced hunters can mess up a good ambush site. Certainly most have experienced hunting fickle winds such as thermal eddy currents and what I call, “back drafts” created by some barrier or break line in the terrain.

For example, a few years ago my son and I were hunting the smaller ridges of a narrow draw that paralleled two higher ridges on both sides. The problem wasn’t identified until the first day we sat in our stands and It cost one us an opportunity at tagging a big 10 point spotted the week before.

As the southwest winds blew across the north/south ridge, I noticed on occasion a warm thermal back draft coming back up the ridge. At the time I didn’t think much about it until the buck unexpectedly came down the ridge rather than up as we expected. Obviously, the old warrior had used the back draft to his advantage before, because just short of shooting range another blast hit me in the face and the big buck vaporized. In this case, the back draft was created by the wind rolling off the encompassing higher ridge.

Mapping Your Area
Here’s a tip for those of you who want keep track of your stand sites and the type of winds you might expect or experience in various terrain features. Aerial photographs and topographical maps can help you keep track of the four polar coordinates and what the winds might do before leaving your front door. Mark your potential stand site locations on the map during post-scouting and pre-scouting, but pay close attention to the rise and fall in elevations. In doing so, you can sometimes predict what the wind will do under certain conditions. The key to success here will be hunting the stands only when the wind conditions are perfect.

Furthermore, position your stands in such a way that you’re able to cover nearly any wind condition that might crop up. This may entail having as many as 5 or 6 strategically placed on the same piece of ground, but your odds of getting busted are reduced considerably.

Conclusions

Whether you’re hunting the early season or not, maintaining the element of surprise should be the most important detail of your plan of attack. Since deer feeding patterns are by far the easiest to undermine, concentrate your long distance scouting and observation stands near primary food sources. Always remember, don’t get hung-up on a single food source that you may have read about that worked for someone else. Continue scouting throughout the season and keep your eyes open for new sign of a feeding frenzy. Chances are within a few days of observation, you’ll be able to locate that hot stand site that will lend way to tagging a buck. As the pre-rut ramps closer to the final days before the peak rut, change your strategy to hunting doe transition routes from bed to feed. I’m confident that if you follow these simple early season rules, you’ll be tagging a buck too! Good luck and happy hunting!

Gain The First Light Advantage!!
Interestingly, most hunters find it increasingly difficult slipping into stands as the season wears on. By early November deer have become educated and probably know your every move. Although getting to a stand is normally easier in the evening, the morning hunts can be a nightmare.
The main reason why success rates are lower during the first two hours of the morning than the last two hours of the evening is because deer are still feeding when we try to approach our stands. A good tip here is to wait until first gray light when deer move off the fields. In many cases you’ll be able to spot deer feeding and make a plan to slip around them unnoticed. You may have to take the long way around or possibly choose another approach route, but your chances are still better than blundering across open fields or noisy timber in the dark.

If you’re previous observation revealed a buck feeding in the same area in the evenings as morning, it might be best to abandon morning hunts and stick to the evenings. Slipping into stands in the evening has proven much easier, since deer normally haven’t reached the feeding area yet.

On the other hand, times occur when even experienced deer hunters can’t put time in the woods and must make do- for instance, when hunting new areas. Recently, I was faced with just such a situation during a hunt at Bent Creek Lodge in Jaclyn, Alabama, part of the famed Black Belt region. Hunting conditions were at their absolute worst, with sweltering heat and rain. At night, when things cleared up and cooled down, a brilliant full moon allowed deer to feed. the nocturnal feeding coupled with lethargic daytime deer movement made filling even a doe tag a challenge.

Scouting to the Rescue

Outwitting a trophy whitetail takes knowledge of its habits. Extensive scouting is best, but in emergency conditions, even brief scouting can give you the edge.

“A bowhunter with only two days to hunt should spend the first one scouting,” says Mississippi archer Jerry White, a man with more than 40 whitetails to his credit. Jerry and Eddie Salter, the World Champion turkey caller, were videotaping the Bent Creek hunt and shared their lifelong outdoor experiences.

“We hunt deer through their stomach, literally,” said Salter, summarizing the duo’s shared approach. “I walk through the woods and try to find deer droppings. Especially in the South, deer will pick one tree and every deer around will seem to feed under it.”

Hardwood Strategies
In the hardwood forests, acorns are the principal food of deer. Salter added, “An old timer once told me ‘Son, if you are walking through the woods and see a deer run, you need to go there immediately to see what that deer was doing’.

When Salter bumped four deer while scouting, he moved directly to the spot. “We found 20 piles of dropping around one tree, the best thing we found all day,” he said.

The “scout where you see them” technique is a good idea, but a person must closely examine what he finds. White and Salter looked for dropping, and although not exactly dinner conversation, they do wind up with a lot of information from their research.

What to Look For

“The color of the dung is important as well as the size of the pellets. Fresh dropping will have a shiny, slick-green appearance and will tell you whether deer have been feeding in the morning, afternoon, or intermittently. A really good acorn tree will have numerous piles of droppings at varying stages of decay, showing that multiple deer have been feeding over a period of time. Large deer make larger pellets and big ones are a sign of a mature doe or buck,” said Salter.

“Sometimes the dropping will lead you to that one place where the deer are bedding and feeding. If you are not finding droppings, you are wasting your time. I think a deer is a lot like a human going through a buffet line. They may take a little of this and a little of that, but an acorn is like a good meal. Once they find an acorn feast, they stay there and feed heartily. As a result their droppings will be in piles rather than strung out as they walk. Acorns won’t bloat a deer’s stomach like corn. They are really high in protein and a deer’s system has adapted to make the most if it,” White said.

Holding Area Hot Spots

The author poses with a good buck, taken at a food source.

Bowhunter Bob Dixon, Vice president of Mossy Oak and Larry Norton, two time World Champion turkey caller and guide at Bent Creek follows a similar strategy. Dixon is an enthusiastic bowhunter while Norton spends hundred of hours scouting the large tract to help hunters score.

“Bent Creek is so big that there are parts of it I’ve never seen,” said Norton, “but during the bow season, we look for food sources- primarily acorns. We look for white oaks and chestnuts oaks. Generally, the chestnut oak acorns drop later, but once they start to fall, deer will visit trees constantly. Chestnut oaks are often called cow acorns because they are so big. Deer really love them.”

Like White and Salter, Dixon and Norton had one day to scout and walked fast and furiously to find that one good tree. “It will have lots of droppings, both fresh and a day or two old, acorn caps, and crushed hulls (the part the deer don’t eat), and lots of acorns on the ground, “said Norton.

In an oak forest, it may seem fruitless to search out one tree, but Norton explains, “Even though there are lots of oaks, deer will show a preference for one tree. Even if three are several white oaks dropping at the same time, one may have sweeter acorns than the others. There may be only one such tree in a square mile, but once found, it will look like hogs have been in there.”

Narrowing the Search

Rather than hunting an edge of a field, these experts recommend backing into a staging area, probably where acorns are available.

When Dixon and Norton come upon a well-used trail, they split up and each follows the sign in opposite directions to get a better picture of the deer movement patterns. They also recommend backing off 200 yards from a food source to a “holding place” especially if some good acorn producing oak trees are there.

“Another advantage of holding areas is that deer are more relaxed and you may be able to get closer and better shots,” Norton says. “Once they step into an open field, all of their sense are on high.”

Ready for the Rut
Early and mid fall hunters will have great success hunting oak trees, but what about when the rut begins. Shouldn’t we then be looking for scrapes, rubs and buck sign? This certainly seems a logical assumption, yet Norton disagrees.

“The bottom line is you find the girls,” he said with a grin. “When the rut starts, I go back to the places where I saw lots of deer earlier in the year. The does generally stay in the same place. They still have food on their minds even though the bucks don’t and they’ll probably be feeding on late acorns. In fact, throughout the deer season we look for acorns. You will often find a tree that drops late (in the bottoms for example) or had too many acorns to be eaten. When white oaks are down and cleaned up, you will find deer on water oaks and pin oaks.”

With just one day to scout, hunters often focus on places where they can cover a lot of ground. Logging roads, for example, often have soft soil that will show the direction of deer travel and other valuable information. Large and small tracks together often are does and fawns, while a large singular track is likely a good buck. Norton scouts this way in February when all of last year’s sign is evident, especially entrance trails to food plots and fields. “Most people hunt the most worn trails, but I think this is a mistake if the hunter wants a buck. There are doe trails and buck trails. A real heavy trails is tempting, but with a little more research, you may find a secondary trail with lots of buck sign. Once you find the buck trails, you’ll find the buck.”

A topo or aerial photo map will allow you to plan approaches to good areas by learning the prevailing winds. You must pay close attention to the wind. “If I locate a big buck, I never hunt it until the wind is absolutely right,” said Norton. “These animals have grown old by using their nose and they don’t make many mistakes.

Scouting Pays Off

The best recon missions will involve long-range, low-impact scouting.

Scouting is best accomplished throughout the year, however, if you time is limited, make the most of even a single day. Look for trail traffic, funnels, rubs, and scrapes. Remember, food sources will work throughout the year. Find the hot oak tree and you’ll find the “girls”. Once accomplished the big bucks won’t be far behind.

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