Guided Missouri Duck Hunting

Because of lenient regulations, liberal bag limits, inexpensive license fees, location along the Mississippi flyway, and large quantities of many duck species, Missouri duck hunting is popular among waterfowl hunters. According to Jim Low of the Missouri Department of Conservation (mo.gov, 08/19/07), surveys have determined that the estimated number of ducks has increased 14% since last year and is the 5th highest since 1955. During the duck hunting season, they can be hunted from a half hour before sunrise until sunset. Ducks frequent flooded soybean and rice fields, which we offer seasonal leases for. Read more

Rattlin’ The Alders

By A. Sayward Lamb

A. Sayward Lamb is an outdoor writer and published author. He writes for U.S. Hunting Today and Maine Fishing Today.

 

Rattlin’ The Alders

This story happened during the last week of November, in 1992. It was a beautiful day, with a foot of snow to hunt on, and my son, Jim; son-in-law, Blane Morse; and myself, decided we would go down to Dead Man’s Curve, in West Paris, to see if we could find any deer. We were especially interested in finding the where-a-bouts of a big buck, who had been frequenting the area for the past ten days. His tracks were huge, so we assumed it was an older buck, in full rut, seeking out the several does that lived in that lowland area. Read more

The Great Rabbit Chase

By Keith “Catfish” Sutton

Keith Sutton
15601 Mountain Drive
Alexander, AR 72002
501-847-9643
catfishdude@sbcglobal.net

Headline: There’s more to rabbit hunting than killing rabbits, a fact even children can understand.

One of my favorite hunting photos shows my son Zach, age six, mugging for the camera while trying to hold three big swamp rabbits. He’s wearing some old coveralls and an orange stocking cap, and he’s muddy from head to toe. Read more

My Dream Buck

By Rick Montgomery

It was the Middle of November and I’d been hunting this same area for more than two weeks. I had seen some nice does almost every morning that I sat in my stand. I had still not seen what I thought may be a big buck! The scrapes and rubs in this area had given me a good idea that he was just that “BIG”. The trees he’d been rubbing were larger than most rubs I’d seen before in these woods and they were scattered throughout. I knew this was a good stand location when I had seen it while looking for a place for it. I hoped to get this big whitetail or at least a look at him. Read more

Liver Cooking Tip

By A. Sayward Lamb

Here is a helpful cooking tip for those of us who enjoy a good feed of venison liver.

First, slice off the pieces of liver as you normally would making the slices about one half inch thick. Then take each of the pieces you have sliced and slice them again into strips about the size of french-fries. Next, cook some bacon and save the fat. Cut up some onions either into rings or chopped and sauté them in the bacon fat. When the onions are translucent drop, in the thin strips of liver and season to suit your taste. You will find that they will cook much quicker and this makes them more tender than if they were fried with the bigger slices.

First Aid

© 2003, GL Benton

As I looked down at the young man lying on the forest floor, I could see the pain in his dark eyes. His skin color was pale, his words where mixture of fear and anxiety, and his breathing was rapid. I quickly looked around the area and determined his injury, a possible fracture of the right leg, was the result of falling from a ledge approximately six feet above us. I knew, from the symptoms, he was suffering from shock. Shock is a condition that results when the circulation of blood is inadequate for the oxygen needs of the body’s tissues. What this means in a nutshell is a lack of oxygen to cells, which may result in cell death, and eventually it could lead to the death of the casualty.
Knowing the importance of reassuring the victim, I kneeled and spoke in a firm but kind voice to him. I kept talking to him as I determined his right leg appeared to be broken. I joked with him a little as I started treating his injury. I assured him that help was on the way, asked him about his pain, and eventually got him to talking about his new child. My goals of take charge, assess, and assure, had been met. Three days later I past him in the building we worked in. He had survived.

One aspect of the outdoors most of us pay little attention to is first aid. Why? I suggest that most of us think injuries will always happen to you, but not me. In psychology we call that attitude denial. It is an “it will never happen to me” attitude, and it is a very dangerous stance to have in the woods. See, all of us will sustain some type of injury eventually if we spend much time out of doors. It just happens.

Now, most of our injuries will be scrapes, shallow cuts, a fishhook in a thumb, or perhaps a small burn. These are easy to take care of and they usually never lead to larger problems. However, it is important to remember that the key in any emergency treatment is a two-step process (injury treatment and shock treatment).

First, you must determine the extent of the injuries and ask yourself if you are qualified to treat them? Obviously, if someone is seriously injured or near death, you may be out of your level of treatment. Nonetheless, in any situation you can do some things to assist the victim until help arrives. In a remote location during a survival situation you may be all the help that will be available for some time. No, you should never attempt any medical treatment you are not qualified to do, nor should you sit on your duff and cry the “poor me” song out over and over.

Your first step should be to assess the injury or illness. Take charge. But, keep in mind the most qualified individual should be in control. If someone on the scene is more qualified than you, let that person control the situation.

If you are the one to control the emergency, ask yourself the following questions;

First, is there still a danger in the area. Look around and ask yourself, what cause the injury and is it still able to hurt someone? This is important if the injury is the result of an electrical source, wild animal, human assault, weather, or other situations. I cannot cover all possible situations, but evaluate the cause first. You do not want to become the second or third victim of a mishap.

Second, is the injury life threatening? If not, it is a very simple process usually to treat the injured person. You can determine if the injury is serious by checking for breathing and pulse. Even if the victim is conscious, be cautious. Some injuries will not show all of their symptoms until later. Treat all victims for shock, which is covered further along in this article.

When you approach a casualty look to see if they are breathing or choking. If breathing is not a problem, check to determine if there might be neck or spinal injuries. Is the body bent at an awkward angle? Is there a loss of feeling in the spin or neck area? Is there intense pain in one or both of those areas? Do not lift or move the victim until you are able to determine the extent of injuries. If you remotely suspect a neck or spinal injury, do not move the casualty. Make them comfortable in place, if it is not life threatening to do so. At any rate, always remember your a, b, c’s….Check the airway, the breathing, and the circulation (abc).

Now, I cannot cover every type of emergency you could be faced with, but I will suggest you purchase a good quality first aid book and keep it on you at all times in the bush. You may never know when you will need it. If you suspect spinal or neck injuries, seek medical assistance immediately. But, while you wait there are some things you can do.

In any painful or frightening situation you may encounter a victim going into shock (Just like the man in my opening paragraph). Early signs of shock are,

-Pale skin, lips may have lost color
-Cold, clammy skin
-Restlessness
-Weakness
-Increased rate of breathing or a shallow rapid pulse
-Anxiety
-Severe thirst or vomiting
-Confusion

In the later stages of shock the victim may

-Show no interest or be unresponsive
-May lapse into unconsciousness
-Have vacant or sunken eyes

In all cases of shock you should do the following

-Reassure the casualty. Speak to them often and in an assuring voice. Keep your own wits about you and do not panic. You patient will know immediately if you lose control.
-Cover the individual to maintain body temperature. Remember to cover both over and under the injured person. Also, protect them, if possible, from the elements.
-If no spinal or neck injury, elevate the persons feet approximately one foot.
-Loosen all clothing. The key here is to improve blood circulation to all tissue, especially the vital organs.
-Do NOT give any food or water. Remember, there may be internal injuries and in that case food or water could cause problems.

If the casualty is unconscious and you do not suspect spine or neck injuries, you can place them in a “recovery” position until help arrives. This is done by raising the persons closest arm above the head as you prepare to roll the individual towards you. Guarding the head, rotate the entire body toward you as one unit. Place the individuals other hand under their chin to maintain a clear airway. By doing this you will assist in keeping the head tilted slightly in the event the injured vomits.

All of the stuff above is a bit scary, but it can and must be done in serious cases. However, in most day-to-day situations you will be back to fishing, hunting, camping, or hiking in no time. Keep in mind that the most common injuries are cuts, bruises, and scrapes.

In cases of open wounds, cuts and scrapes, make sure you clean the injured area. I care a first aid kid with items to clean and bandage open wounds. I usually use plain old soap and water to clean with, treat with a disinfectant, and then cover with a bandage. There, good as new! The key here is to clean the injured area and to cover it, to avoid infections. Small cuts and scrapes can become very serious if they become infected. And, very few of us are really that clean in the woods.

Another common day-to-day injury in the woods are burns. Most of the burns you sustain will be small burns, usually the result of picking up a hot lid to a pan or from touching a smoldering piece of wood. This type of burn is usually classified as a 1st degree burn and while painful, it is a minor injury.

A 2nd degree burn is identified by redness and the formation of blisters. This type of burn is serious and can be life threatening if large areas of the body are affected. Both the 1st and 2nd degree burn can be treated with cool water. This will lessen the pain and assist to lessen the amount of damaged tissue. Keep in mind that in the case of a 2nd degree burn, if the burn covers a large area it may not be possible to immerse the injury in cool water. In all burns, except minor 1st degree burns seek medical treatment immediately.

The last type of burn is a 3rd degree burn and it is by far the worse. The burned area will be charred or black in color. Surprisingly there may be little pain at first due to severe nerve damage. Use cool CLEAN water to treat the injury and cover the injury with a lint free cloth. Seek medical attention immediately! Keep in mind to treat for shock as well.

Most of us will cover many miles and sleep many nights in wilds of the world. We are usually as safe there as we are in our own bedrooms. But, just like at home, at times things can happen. Some of these things that occur cause bones to break, blood to flow, and skin to burn. You must know what to do and do it when the need arises. Remember to take charge, assess and assure. Be in control, evaluate the environment for other dangers, and assure your casualty that all is well. Treat the injury and then treat for shock.

By following my simple guidelines, reading more on first aid, taking course offered by the Red Cross or other organizations, you too can develop the knowledge needed to treat all types of injuries. Plan for the worse and expect it. Know that things can go wrong and usually will at the most inconvenient time. Remember, through preparation you too can be a survivor!

One aspect of this article that is important to remember is that these steps are for use in only in emergency situations until qualified help arrives. If you must apply any first aid, or use survival techniques, do so with extreme caution. The results of your actions will be yours and no one else’s. And, remember, no two emergency situations are ever the same. So, it would be foolish of me to give you the impression that I have all the answers. I do not. Only the person on the scene can accurately make the difficult calls that are often made in emergencies. The whole purpose of these articles is to stimulate your thought processes and to motivate you to learn more. I hope we have succeeded. Learn to Survive!

Stay safe and take care, I’ll see y’all on the trail.

Gary is a retired US military sergeant with over 26 years of active duty. He spent 12 of those years teaching parachuting procedures and survival skills.

Alabama Hunter Encounters “Two-Headed” Deer

It may not be exactly what the title describes, but it is quite and incredible story anyway – one that deserves a read.

And when you’re done with that story, check out the one of the guy who found two “locked” bucks that drowned in a lake. Combined dressed weight of the deer, 400 pounds.

Tom Remington

EHD A Bit “Ho-Hum” In The Deep South

We are at a point where it would be safe to say that this year’s outbreak of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) is quite widespread. Here’s a list of states that have confirmed cases of the virus that is carried to deer by biting midges or no-see-ums: Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, New Jersey, Montana, Mississippi and Georgia. In addition, some states are waiting for test results to confirm what they already suspect – South Carolina is one such state.

To confirm the presence of the disease, blood and certain tissue has to be analyzed.

According to both the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the Alabama Department of Conservation, dealing with EHD is quite routine. Charles Ruth, Deer/Turkey Project supervisor for the South Carolina DNR says flair-ups in that state seem to run in cycles of 3-5 years and there’s a reasonable explanation.

“This is probably related to the fact that once deer are exposed to the disease they are more resistant to it. Therefore, if you have disease one year the deer become exposed or inoculated to the disease and you do not see much disease activity until there is turnover in the deer population. After several years you are dealing with another cohort of deer and their systems are ‘naïve’ to the disease. The last time there was significant hemorrhagic disease activity in South Carolina was in 2002, therefore, disease activity could be relatively high this year.”

This theory is confirmed by a spokesman for the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

“We have some cases every year,” said Keith Guyse, a whitetail specialist with the Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division in the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. “In the Coastal Plain, the virus is there frequently enough that deer have been exposed to it and have some resistance to it.

Both representatives indicate that EHD in their respective states is pretty much routine only because of the build up of a certain degree of immunity. Therefore, these southern states don’t see wide outbreaks of the disease that often. When EHD hits the more northern climes, EHD seems to grab harder. Ruth explains.

Deer likely die in South Carolina each year from hemorrhagic disease, however, there is no indication that a major outbreak has occurred in the state since the mid 1970s. The disease is part of life for deer in the Southeast and fortunately it appears that Southern deer have acquired some immunity to the disease, said Ruth. Northern deer, on the other hand, are not exposed to the disease as frequently since the insect vector is not as common in cooler climates. For this reason, significant outbreaks and mortality from hemorrhagic disease are more likely in northern deer populations.

Guyse from Alabama makes reference to the same theory.

“Typically in North Alabama and above the fall line, they’re not exposed to it as often. So over a period of time you have a population that doesn’t have much resistance. When you have (outbreaks) up there, it tends to be more noticeable.”

This helps us understand why some states may have more severe outbreaks, killing larger numbers of deer, than others but why this year are outbreaks so widespread across the landscape of the country? Some have related it to the summer heat and drought. That may be true, I don’t know. It would be logical to assume that being that the virus is carried and spread by tiny midges or gnats, a larger than normal population of that insect would be directly proportional to the spread of the disease. Of course science isn’t that simplistic and we know that there are probably many more factors to consider or it could be just merely a coincidence.

However, Guyse from Alabama eludes to the theory of increased numbers of midges, somewhat.

“Auburn (researchers) had traps out to catch the flies and they might catch a few every once in a while, and then all of a sudden they catch hundreds,” Guyse said. “Much of that still is a mystery.”

Obviously, they don’t have a good handle on it either.

Hunters and others should be aware of the symptoms they may find on deer suffering from the disease.

Symptoms of hemorrhagic disease include poor physical condition, sloughing hooves, abrasions or sores on the brisket and legs, and ulcerations on the mouth, tongue, and rumen (stomach).

As I said earlier, verification of the disease has to be done in the lab.

If you see sick or dead deer in your travels, please report it to the appropriate authorities. It is highly recommended that nobody eats any of the meat from deer sickened by EHD.

Tom Remington

EHD Or Blue Tongue Showing Up In More States

Epizootic hemorrhagic disease or blue tongue is affecting whitetail deer herds in several states now. On the list are Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois and now New Jersey. There may be more.

Fred J. Aun of the Star-Ledger, in reporting about the discovery of the disease in New Jersey, describes EHD this way.

EHD is not uncommon and it’s not dangerous to humans. It is caused by the bite of certain midges and results in high fevers and hemorrhages in the mouths, noses and eyes of deer prior to death. Fish and Wildlife said deer usually expire within 10 days of getting EHD.

Vice President of Global Operations for Skinny Moose Media and U.S. Hunting Today, John Stabley, called Dr. Colleen O’Keefe, IDOA division manager of Food Safety and Animal Protection, in Illinois to ask her specific questions about the disease, its affect on deer and other animals as well as humans. You can read the entire interview at Stabley’s blog, Stabley Outdoors.

J.R. Absher, the Newshound, has been keeping his readers abreast of the locations and severity of the disease.

In the meantime, as we hunters head into the woods to do our scouting or for the start of any of hunting seasons, keep an eye open for the possibility of EHD being present in deer. If you encounter any cases you are encouraged to contact your fish and game department with the information.

Tom Remington

EHD Found in Indiana And Pennsylvania

Thanks to my good friend J.R. Absher, the “Newshound” at Outdoor Life for providing me the link I was looking for that confirms the presence of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease, also referred to as blue tongue, in the whitetail deer population.

Yesterday I reported that EHD had been confirmed in Virginia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee and Alabama. Today, Pennsylvania officials report 100 deer found dead in the southwestern part of the state was due also to EHD.

Here’s a bit more information about EHD from the Indiana DNR website.

The disease is transmitted by biting insects called midges. EHD is not transmitted to humans and is not normally found in domestic animals, which generally contract a related disease commonly called Blue Tongue instead.

EHD poses no danger to humans from handling, processing or eating the meat of an exposed animal. Hunters should take normal precautions handling all deer. As always, deer meat should be thoroughly cooked to kill any bacteria present.

This disease should not be confused with the unrelated brain disease in deer, Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which has never been found in Indiana.

EHD causes severe, flulike symptoms, plus a high fever in deer, apparently causing those infected to seek open water to cool. Sick deer may lose their appetite, coordination and their fear of normal dangers. The animals become dehydrated and progressively weaker as the disease progresses, with mouth and eye tissue often showing a rosy or bluish color. A sick deer will be obvious to someone familiar with what a healthy deer looks like.

EHD is a common virus found in whitetail deer and will run its usual course until the first hard freeze, when insects that carry the disease will die off. It is not always fatal to the deer.

Tom Remington

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