Hunters Eating Ruminants Like Deer, Moose, and Bison Get Longevity Health Benefits?

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For many of us who hunt and enjoy eating deer, elk, moose and bison among other ruminants, recent studies say besides eating a healthy muscle building protein, you get a longevity boost too. Yes, this is true!

This knowledge discovered by a US Navy study of aging in Dolphins has revealed that a special fat compound is linked to longevity, metabolic health, and resistance to age-related diseases. 

See website below. 

pentadecanoic acid in wild game

Yes that’s right, a fat known as C15 or pentadecanoic acid (C15H30O2 ) is present in ruminant wild game meat and provides longevity benefits and aids in mitochondrial DNA repair

Amounts of C15 can vary, however FYI you can take this C15 as a supplement too to increase longevity as we age. I have begun taking a C15 supplement too. 

Note: Whole milk has much more C15 than Skim or 2%. Todays whole milk fat and cheese is good for longevity too.  I won’t use 2% milk for fish chowder, I use whole milk or cream and butter has C15 benefits. For years many doctors told us the opposite. Do your own research too. You decide!

 

Good Eating! Live Long and Hunt!

 

My Bison Meat Cuts and How I Cook Them

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My readers know that, this spring, I harvested a really big meat Bull on the plains of South Dakota with Jim River Guide Service and guided by world class guide Willie Dvorak. I used my Ruger Safari Rifle in .375 Ruger and 300g Nosler AccuBonds I handloaded. 

 

I had this bull butchered in South Dakota, frozen and shipped 250 one pound vacuum sealed packs to my home in NH. I have plenty of freezer space.

My South Dakota Bison cuts:

Diagram Bison Stock Illustrations – 211 Diagram Bison Stock ...

 

Tenderloin and Ribeye –

By Far the tenderest cuts. Simply delicious. I eat it   rare to medium rare. Best method is to grill or pan sear. I use Sous Vide technique in a water bath (see Wikipedia video below)

at internal temperature of 126F with herbs and spice, then grill at 400F for “grill marks only” or pan “sear” in a hot cast iron pan with beef tallow. Many families are now using less seed oils for frying and searing and more tallow/animal fat in their cooking. It’s better for you. 

NY Sirloin- In my buffalo, these were the tougher cuts. I recommend stewing this meat or smoking slow for 12 hours. Great flavor just have to cook till tender. Because I have a lot of other tender bison meat, I stew this NY cut with a pressure cooker, browning with beef tallow, thyme and then add 1/3 cup flour and 4 cups beef bouillon broth.

Pressure cook for 40 to 50 minutes.  Add veggies to the pressure cooked meat and pressure cook for 11 minutes. OMG Buffalo stew, so delish on a cold night. My favorite food after snow blowing and shoveling the driveway. 

Sirloin Tip – Marinade with red wine, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and minced garlic for two or three days. Pan sear and enjoy.

Bison Burger – I have lots of burger in 1 pound packs. I asked my butcher to add beef tallow. Excellent as burgers, chili, in pasta sauce, meat balls and sausage. One pound makes 4 burgers. We make patties and freeze them. 

Great Meat! Maybe a buffalo in your future?

 

 

 

Deer Hunt Rut Strategies for Older Hunters in Northern New Hampshire and Maine

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As an older hunter, my deer hunting strategies include knowledge of how deer use terrain and wind for movement, particularly big bucks during the rut. Instead of trying to track down a buck for miles, with my leg strength now on the older side, I look at topo maps for saddles and ridges where bucks bed for morning where updrafts carry estrous scent. And use saddles to slip from one side of a ridge to the other in early and late light.

Still hunting a long narrow ridge in the wind can get you a visual on a bedded buck that stands up to check out sounds and smells.

As it happened to me years back. I climbed to the top of a deep woods ridge in Northern New Hampshire and found a trail used by deer, moose and bear along its crest.

I hoped to find a buck bedded somewhere along the ridge. It was raining lightly thus muffling my footsteps. My nephew was already on the ridge and under a large fir tree as rain began to fall. I spotted him to my left and we walked toward each other to reconnoiter.

As we approached each other a buck stood out of his bed to my right at around 20 yards or so, as if to say “what’s goin’ on?” .

My nephew didn’t see the deer but watched me raise my rifle away from him toward my right, flip the scope caps making a pop pop sound as the scope caps lifted.

I could hear the click of my “safety” as I settled the crosshairs on the bucks chest. The buck stood broadside as I squeezes the trigger of my pet Ruger M77 in.338 Win Mag with 250g round nose bullets I hand loaded. Yes, it was a lot of Gun, I used it while on an African Safari! Why not on a big whitetail?

As the rifle boomed, the buck fell instantly. Astonished, my nephew walked to me. He said, “uncle, holy mackerel, I didn’t see that buck.” It was dead-right-there at my feet. The tree bottom behind the buck was splashed blood red with deer hair as if stuck in it as my nephew excitedly recalls. Below my brother and his buck on left and me with a grin with my buck. My nephew Jim kneeling to the right.  Son, Jason beside the deer in the background. Bruce on far left, Bob in blue jacket on right. 

I am looking forward to my hunt in just  a few weeks. I hope to take you along when I write my hunt article.

Deer density in northern Maine is low …but the bucks are huge! 

Think Positive- It Can Happen!

New Hampshire Deer Ticks Abound

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I was bow hunting in southern NH yesterday and had these tiny specks on my shirt. They were “deer ticks” aka ixodes scapularis also known as black- legged tick, as small as the tip of a pen. 

I noticed them while driving. I pulled into a gas station and found a private spot where I could remove my shirt and removed a dozen of them. I showered when home but one of the little buggers bit me overnight. My wife pulled the little tick which was not in me but for several hours. I put antibiotic cream on it. Then I sprayed permethrin on my hunting clothes, jacket and backpack. Little buggers!!

Be aware!

Responsible Scents Association – A Step Taken By Some Natural Scent Manufacturers to prevent CWD

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Here I am again talking about using natural deer urine for deer hunting as an attractant. I have successfully used them for more than 50 years in New Hampshire. My research finds;

Recently some states wisely allow deer urine manufacture protocols such as the Responsible Hunting Scent Association to allow use of natural deer urine under strict USDA control.

Producing natural scents is a long standing industry that wants to continue it’s urine practice in a wise and scientific manner.

Enter the Responsible Hunting Scent Association below.

I am supportive of this association and protocol vs an outright future ban across the country. 

https://responsiblescents.com/ 

The Responsible Hunting Scent Association says “It was established to bring professional cervid urine producers and hunting scent manufacturers together to work for the common purpose of protecting, maintaining and growing the cervid urine and hunting scent industry; to provide a forum to communicate effectively with other industry trade groups and state and federal agencies and legislators; and to help develop and manage their businesses in a manner that protects wild cervids while providing quality hunting scent products for hunters.”

Further that a Petersons Hunting Magazine article asks; Is doe urine really the culprit behind so many deer deaths? See the article below. 

https://www.petersenshunting.com/editorial/deer-urine-bans-spread-of-cwd/370115

One researcher, Dr. Nick Haley, a Midwestern University veterinarian and microbiology researcher, says urine bans will not stop or slow the spread of the disease.

Be Educated – Hunt Smart Destroying the scent industry is not a permanent fix. The Responsible Hunting Scent Association is a win-win for deer and hunters. 

 

Novice Knapping A Flint Broadhead? Continued

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I have watched many youtube videos on making primitive flint broadheads. The video below is a good start. 

The hard part is finding good flint or some say chert to knap. I bought some Texas Chert on eBay. 

Stacked Texas Primo raw chert flint rocks with black and tan stone slabs, arranged on a corrugated metal surface.

It was extremely hard to knap.

However, I made dozens of mistakes and a pile of rubble, thus I am learning. Was I successful in creating my first flint head? No, well almost – but I learned a lot. Some flint bearing rocks are easier to knap than others. I can practice on the rubble.

Continued…

Safety glasses, gloves and a floor tarp are a must for me. Amazon has this starter kit for $36.00

The tarp captures your sharp knapping debris and is easier to consolidate and dispose of the bits and unusable often sharp scrap that can injure you if your not careful.

I have some different rock on order and due to arrive soon for me to work with.

My new 3 pounds of heat treated Texas flint (spalls) arrived. It was a lot better than my earlier batch. I worked it for arrowheads with the kit above.

Did I make a perfect arrow head? No, but as a novice, I expect a long  learning curve.

On the bright side, I did make some rudimentary points below. The problem I had was reducing thickness and notching. Making the chips pointed was easier. The head on right was shaped only.  The cost of learning is high as it cost about $100 in flint and the kit. More flint will run about $35 for 6 to 8 “spall” pieces. 

You have got to really want to do this! Me? If I find my own flint, then, maybe.

 

 

 

 

 

My Alberta Canada Smaller Bear Mount Tariff, Taxidermy Lesson…

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I flew to Alberta Canada last spring with hopes of scoring on huge black bear. Never saw a keeper, just smaller bear like we have in New Hampshire. Yes, I harvested a smaller bear with crossbow. 

My 1/2 mount taxidermy cost $2500 and took more than 14  months to make.

Canada now has a $1000 dollar export tariff to be paid on my mount before shipping. Then about $1400 US for shipping. So between taxidermy I paid already,  tariff and shipping it will cost close to $5000 to get my lesser black bear home. When the shipper called, I asked myself, is the tariff of $1000 and $1400 ship fee totaling $2400 US  worth it to bring home this lesser Alberta bear?  Canada is punishing US clients with their export fee. I would have paid the $1400 shipping. I had to say no to the tariff fee which nixed the whole deal. 

Honestly, is the $2400 better spent elsewhere here in the USA. You bet. I thought about the transaction for less than a minute and said…No Thanks. They are sending it back to the taxidermist.

My word to the wise, If its not a Canada trophy bear, don’t shoot.

I wont be hunting Canada any time soon with that tariff.

USA hunting is looking better and better. 

Hunt USA

 

 

Camo My Marlin 45-70 Stainless Rifle? Update

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I Imagine a sunny day hunting in November with my Marlin SBL 1895. Yes, great rifle but, I believe the suns glare from my mirror like surfaces on this rifle can spook a wary buck. What to do?

Well, It depends. You can spray paint your rifle. Nope. You can buy camo duct tape, Cheaper, it works. Or buy some camo sniper veil to put on your rifle with elastic bands. Mossy Oak makes a gunwrap see 

Gun Skins. They do not make a kit for my marlin but they should. 

 

I chose to use camo duct tape ($9.00) and cut it to fit parts that would reflect the sun. Took me an hour. 

In this case, it is most of the metal on the rifle. Big difference below!  This reduced reflection greatly and the tape can be easily removed. 

One thing you want to avoid is getting your barrel hot from shooting practice. Your tape will get hot and gummy. So shoot a shot or 2 and cool your barrel making sure the tape stays in place. Mossy Oak Gun Skins is another great option see the blue colored  print site above.

Update

In review, I had some “gun skin” tape, so I remove the duct tape from the barrel only and added the higher quality gun skin tape. It will handle barrel heat better if I practice at the range.  

Good Hunting!

 

 

 

 

November Deer in Rain, Snow, and Ice – Taping Your Rifle Muzzle To Keep Snow, Ice, Rain Debris Out When Hunting?

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Sounds scary right? Covering your muzzle with electrical tape when hunting?

I have walked under a fir tree laden with snow. Snow fell into my muzzle. I thought, if only I taped the muzzle. Secondly, falling awkwardly and your barrel muzzle is now pugged with snow. What to do? Use a stick to clear the muzzle is not a wise option as it just pushes snow further down the barrel, better yet, tape the muzzle in the first place with one layer of tape. 

Many use electrical tape to cover your rifle muzzle when rain, snow, debris can accidentally obstruct and plug your barrel.

Soldiers cover barrel muzzles in the military when slogging in mud and debris! You can too. 

 

My experience – Firing your rifle with just a small piece of tape covering the muzzle will not affect accuracy nor injure your rifle. As shown above, you can also cut a piece of a surgical glove, or nitrile glove like the thumb or finger portion and place it over the muzzle then tape it to the barrel.  I put tape on my barrel, then pull a piece of it off to cover the muzzle. 

I like the very thin nitrile glove idea too. 

Think Smart!

 

Kids and New Hampshire Fish and Game’s Great Bay Discovery Center – Fall Program

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I have been receiving New Hampshire Fish and Game news via email for quite some time.

Not long ago, I got an e-mail looking for Volunteers to teach 3rd and 4th grade NH students about New Hampshire’s Great Bay & its Inland Estuary and its value to humans, flora and fauna alike in a fun hands on program. See www.greatbay.org 

Great Bay Discovery Campus

The goal is education. Passing on the love of the Bay and “Discovering” its value and environmental balance to young students and adults alike covering Animals, Archaeology, Biology, Birds, Earth Science, Ecology, Environmental Science, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Clamming, Oystering,  Native Americans, and Natural History.

On September 2, I gathered all day, with other would be volunteers to receive training to educate young students through the Great Bay Discovery Center in Greenland New Hampshire, right on the Bay itself. 

As a sportsman-conservationist I felt right at home in this program which educates from September to early November. I was impressed.

The program includes the value of hunting, fishing, trapping, harvesting of wild game and estuarian food sources like clams and oysters and protecting the resource from overuse and re-seeding of disappearing flora and fauna like oyster beds and reintroduction of wild turkeys.  

I felt like a time traveler visiting the life of the native Abenaki people their customs, wigwams, and wampum.

So much fun! I was hooked!

Also early settlers and how life evolved along the bay and commerce using flat bottom sail boats called Gundalows to sell goods among shoreline settlers.   

We learn that Great Bay Matters in a fun and educational way!

Organizations like The Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership is also involved, a collaboration of conservation organizations in the coastal region that promotes landscape-scale land conservation and stewardship.

http://www.greatbaypartnership.org/

 

Check it Out!