Wapsi Tree Rat
Well-Known Member
Any new revelations in 2020? I'm nudging towards the 50 mark, but apparently old dogs CAN learn new tricks. 
Some things I already knew, but were burned in my memory for life this past year. Here are my highlights.
1. Ground blinds are tons of fun! I've always turned my nose up at ground hunting, because that's what I did when I was a broke kid without extra money for a stand. The August 10 derecho changed some travel routes and created a perfect funnel, tons of deer but no tree. In early Oct I sloppily drug some dead branches to the funnel and sat behind them. I had no confidence in this. However, nearly every sit I could have punched a deer in the face! Saw plenty of big bucks but never had an opportunity inside 40. Not disappointed though. Super fun and did take a couple does for the freezer.
2. Venison is delicious at 138 degrees! It is dog food much past 145! I never put 2+2 together until this year. Venison is SO dark red when it's uncooked. That means a medium rare steak will still look quite rare. I've always been a bit hesitant to eat venison that red, but you just can't compare a finished color of cooked venison to the color of cooked beef. It's not the same! Trust that thermometer because the window for perfection is tiny. Also, the grill to the kitchen counter is another 5 degrees. NEVER pull that meat at target temp, it is still cooking 10 minutes later if you haven't cut into it. I can't tell you how many times I've overcooked, but don't want to waste so I chew on it till I can't. No more of that!
I did this last week and it was amazing. Seriously, If prime rib beef is a 10, this was all of 9.8.
3. The 3rd one is prolly the most important lesson I learned in 2020. Never, ever, and I mean NEVER, trust your favorite outdoor website to a guy named Skip.
I woke up one morning and it was just gone! True story!
Some things I already knew, but were burned in my memory for life this past year. Here are my highlights.
1. Ground blinds are tons of fun! I've always turned my nose up at ground hunting, because that's what I did when I was a broke kid without extra money for a stand. The August 10 derecho changed some travel routes and created a perfect funnel, tons of deer but no tree. In early Oct I sloppily drug some dead branches to the funnel and sat behind them. I had no confidence in this. However, nearly every sit I could have punched a deer in the face! Saw plenty of big bucks but never had an opportunity inside 40. Not disappointed though. Super fun and did take a couple does for the freezer.
2. Venison is delicious at 138 degrees! It is dog food much past 145! I never put 2+2 together until this year. Venison is SO dark red when it's uncooked. That means a medium rare steak will still look quite rare. I've always been a bit hesitant to eat venison that red, but you just can't compare a finished color of cooked venison to the color of cooked beef. It's not the same! Trust that thermometer because the window for perfection is tiny. Also, the grill to the kitchen counter is another 5 degrees. NEVER pull that meat at target temp, it is still cooking 10 minutes later if you haven't cut into it. I can't tell you how many times I've overcooked, but don't want to waste so I chew on it till I can't. No more of that!
I did this last week and it was amazing. Seriously, If prime rib beef is a 10, this was all of 9.8.
3. The 3rd one is prolly the most important lesson I learned in 2020. Never, ever, and I mean NEVER, trust your favorite outdoor website to a guy named Skip.
I woke up one morning and it was just gone! True story!
. Great hunting season & great posts above.
