Hunting

Look here for the latest in tips on securing wild game. Everything from trapping rabbits to shooting deer you will find it here.

All mammals and birds are edible, although they are some of the toughest foods to obtain in the wild. Hunting animals and birds is difficult even for the most experienced hunters. With that in mind, as a beginning try still or "blind " hunting. Find a place where animals pass and hide someplace downwind, so the animal can't smell you, and wait for your game to come within range of your weapon or walk into your trap. You should remain motionless.

Hunting in the early morning and late evening just before dark will increase your chances of success. Always remember that animals depend on their senses of sight, hearing, and smell to keep them safe.

As you get better at hunting game you my want to stalk the animal. The secret to stalking any type of animal is seeing your prey before it sees you, so keep alert. Watch for the signs of game as you move, as you approach ridges, lakes, streams, or clearings slow down or stop and look in the distance first then closer up. If you find a water hole that shows signs of game hide up and wait for an animal to approach, this might take several hours.

Shot placement on large game is important , aim for the head, neck, or lungs. In the event that you just wound the animal wait for 15-20 minutes before you start tracking the animal. A wounded animal can run great distances if a pursuit is quick on its heels. By waiting for a while the animal is more likely to only run a few hundred feet and then lie down. Look in thickets for your game because that is where they feel the safest. When you find the animal approach it slowly and finish it off if need be.

After killing a large animal such as a deer, gut and bleed it immediately. Cut the musk glands from between its hind legs and at the joints of its hind legs, when gutting the animal be careful not to burst the balder while removing it. See figure 1 for where to make cuts on large animals.

You should clean and dress the carcass as soon after death as possible, delay will only make the job harder. to begin hang the carcass head down from a stout limb to aid in blood drainage. Cut the throat (a) and let the blood drain into a container. Boil the blood thoroughly as it a valuable source of food and salt.

Make cuts all the way around the knee and elbow joints and a "Y" cut down the front of the hind legs, carry this cut down as far as the throat. (b) From the belly make a cut down each of the front legs.

Make a clean circular cut around the sex organs. Working from the knee downward, remove the skin. Cut open the belly, pin the skin back with skewers, and remove the entrails from the wind pipe upwards, clear the entire mass with a firm circular cut to remove the internal sex organs. Save the kidneys, heart, and liver. Save the fat around the intestines. Just about all parts of the animal are edible including the meaty parts of the skull like the brain, eyes, tongue, and fleshy portions. Discard the glands and entrails in the anal and reproductive areas.

Save the skin, it is light weight when dried and makes great insulation for a bed or clothes.
 


Snares are an effective way to procure small game if they are made and set properly.
To make snares for small game it is wise to use material that is both strong and light weight. You should avoid monofiliment fishing line and use either the new strong, light weight braided lines or make your own snares using copper wire. to use copper wire you have to get a regular household extension cord. Cut the ends and insulation off of the cord exposing the wires inside. take 4-6 of these wires and twist them together tightly. To get the best twist have someone hold one end in a pair of pliers while you take the other end of the wire in another set of pliers and do the twisting. Once you have made up a few of these cut a couple of inches off each end (so you have clean ends). Using wire leader crimping ends (found in the sporting goods dept. of most stores) make a loop in each end of the wire. Make one just big enough to slide one end through to make a big loop. Make the other loop just big enough to slide some type of anchor stake (tent peg, sharpened stick, etc.) through. These wire snares are strong enough for most small game (rabbits, squirrels, birds, etc.) They should be used as one of the hanging or fixed snares pictured below.
You should place your snares along the trails used by small game. When ever possible you should place multiple snares in the same area. And above all you must do everything in your power to mask or hide all sign of human scent. A supply of masking and covering scents used by deer hunters should be a part of your survival kit. They are fairly inexpensive and a little goes along way. A small amount of a skunk scent placed on the soles of your boots while walking to the area you plan to place your snares and a small amount on the wire of the snare itself will go a long way in helping you have a full pot every night.
 


(Hanging Snares)
 


(Fixed Snares)


 
 

Treadle spring snares can be used in much the same manner as fixed and hanging snares. The treadle spring snare requires a little more time to construct and usually works best with a small amount of bait added.

The spring and spear trap above can be used for small and medium sized game. The spear height can be adjusted for different size game. For smaller animals set the spear 3-4" off the ground. For small pigs or deer raise the height of the spear 18-24" off the ground. If you use this trap the parts needed should be fashioned at your camp. The "spring" as well as the "spear" parts of the trap will need to be hardened in a fire prior to setting this trap. I learned that the spring and spear need to be fire hardened the hard way. I placed the trap in a productive area and waited. I had to wait for a few hours but my patience was rewarded by a small hog coming along the trail I had selected. He hit the trip wire and the "spring moved toward him ok, but it did it so slowly that he got out of the way. Even if it had hit him it is doubtful it would have broken the skin. Sometime later I had a chance to use this trap again. The results were much different this time out. This trap is very effective if made and placed correctly.
 

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