Hunting Tip of the Week

If the buck you're watching suddenly starts stomping his feet and bobbing his head as he looks in your direction, don't move. Although he's looking for something that has spooked him in the general vicinity, he may not know your exact location. Wait until the animal looks away before making any movement. You may still have the opportunity to take the animal once he settles down

Meeting on Mountain Lions Set for Jan. 7

The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will present information on the current status of mountain lions in Nebraska at a 7 p.m. meeting in Beatrice on Jan. 7, 2009. The public is invited. The meeting, which also will include the Commission’s protocols regarding mountain lions and a question-and-answer session, will be held at the Beatrice Public Library. For information on mountain lions in Nebraska, go online to the Commission’s Web page on cougars: http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/wildlife/mountainlion.asp.

Spurgin, Fisher Appointed to Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Board

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman recently appointed Mark Spurgin of Ogallala and Rex Fisher of Omaha to the Nebraska Game and Parks Board of Commissioners. Spurgin will replace outgoing Commissioner George Hall of Bridgeport and will represent the Commission’s seventh district. Fisher was appointed to the At-Large Commissioner position created in the previous legislative session. Spurgin is a native Nebraskan and University of Nebraska graduate who farms and feeds cattle near Ogallala. He said he enjoyed bullhead fishing with his mother when he was young, but he is now primarily a waterfowl hunter. Spurgin said “I think every person in the state is touched by the Game and Parks Commission and its impact in enhancing economic development in communities.” As a commissioner, Spurgin says he is interested in helping promote Nebraska’s hunting, fishing, boating and parks areas. He also wants to work toward increasing hunting access. “I can see the decline in the number of hunters and I know hunting opportunity isn’t what it should be,” he said. Fisher, an avid hunter and angler, is the president of Qwest Corporation. He also owns a farm near Lynch. “It’s a privilege to serve on the Commission board,” he said. “Game and Parks is one of the most important tourism and economic development assets we have. Stewardship of the state parks, wildlife and natural resources is a serious responsibility.” The Norfolk native moved to Omaha as a child and is a University of Nebraska graduate. Fisher, who likes to hunt deer, waterfowl and pheasants, said he believes his rural and urban background, as well as his frequent business travels and people he’s met around the state, should serve him well on the board. Commission Director Rex Amack said, “We welcome Mark and Rex to the board of commissioners and look forward to working with them in managing Nebraska’s wildlife and parkland resources.”

Venison Stew

Now that you have bagged a deer, it's time to start eating it. I will on occasion add different recipes that I have tried. This venison stew is very good. Especially when it's cold out. Now if your family is like my family, you get to eat all the deer that you bag because nobody in my family will eat it. So I spice my recipes up a little bit with some hot peppers or cayenne pepper and so on. This recipe, I added some hot pepper flakes to give it a little bite. I also added some potatoes with it. It was delicious. INGREDIENTS 3 stalks celery, diced 1/2 cup chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 pounds venison stew meat salt and pepper to taste dried oregano to taste dried basil to taste 1 cup tomato sauce 1/2 cup dry red wine 1/2 cup water DIRECTIONS Place the celery, onion, garlic, and parsley in the bottom of a slow cooker. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Brown the venison well in two batches, and add to the slow cooker. Season to taste with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil. Pour in the tomato sauce, red wine, and water. Cook on Low for 7 to 10 hours.

How to make a knife with an antler.

I have always wondered how they make knifes out of antlers. I did a little research and found this method. If anyone has different methods please share them.

The pithy core of an antler tine can be softened and allowed to reharden to form a tight bond to the knife tang. The procedure is simple, but the time from beginning to end is long. If you're patient, you'll be pleasantly satisfied with the results. Start by taking an antler tine that will fit the size of your knife blade. Submerge the antler into a bucket of creek or rain water. Now begins the waiting period. Soak the antler until the pithy core softens. I had to leave my antler in rain water for about a month before I could begin to mount the blade. Test the pithy core every now and then by pushing your fingernail into the core. If the pithy core indents from the pressure, then the antler tine is ready for the next step. A word of advise: It's best to soak the antler longer than necessary to be sure the pithy core has softened throughout the antler. When the core is ready, you may notice an odor coming from the antler. Submerged in water for so long, bacteria has begun to work on the antler. The antler is still good. The smell may be unpleasant for some. If it bothers you, work outdoors or in a ventilated area. Drying out the antler after you've completed your work will get rid of the odor. Next, cut the tang of the blade with a hack saw into a wedge shape to help facilitate the insertion of the antler tine. Also, cut the length of the tang to fit into the pithy area (see the "words of advise" section below concerning the pithy area and the tang).Tape the blade and point with enough duck tape to keep from accidentally cutting yourself on the sharp blade. Clamp the blade in a steel vise with the tang sticking up. The clamp should come all the way up to the blade, just before the tang begins. This will keep from bending or breaking your knife during the insertion process. Also it would help to place a soft material, like cloth, between the clamps and knife, to keep the blade from getting scratched. Wear leather gloves for added protection. The vise will keep the blade steady for the next step. Position the antler tine over the tip of the tang and push the antler into the tang. Use your body weight as leverage and gently push the antler into the tang. With a bit of elbow grease and patience you'll eventually push the antler tine all the way down to the hilt of the blade. Occasionally check the vise to see that the blade is not moving or loose. Take your time and do a good job. More words of advise:1. Be aware that the end of the antler tine is solid and does not contain any pith. You must compensate for that portion of your tine. The pithy section will start to narrow as it gets close to the solid portion of the tine. Do you have enough width and length of the pithy area to accommodate your tang? 2. Do not restart the procedure after you have started by pulling the tang out of the antler for whatever reason (example: the blade is going in crooked). The pithy core is not like rubber. The hole will not close up after you pull out the tang. Starting over will only widen the hole and will give you a loose bond. Think about what you are going to do ahead of time so you won't make a mistake during the procedure.3. Once you have worked the antler onto the tang, be careful in easing the final part of the antler down the tang. You don't want to bend the tang from side to side, causing the tang to break. After you've inserted the tang, let the antler tine dry out completely until the odor disappears. The bond is just as good as using epoxy. It's natural and strong. Another alternative to soaking the antler for a long period of time, is to boil the antler in water. As the antler is boiling, check the pithy core every now and then to see if it has softened. When it's ready, remove the antler and continue with the mounting process. Is boiling better than the soaking method? I haven't done any comparison tests with a boiled antler and a soaked antler, but my guess is that boiling the antler too long will tend to make the antler brittle. If you just boil the antler until the core has immediately softened, it will make a good knife handle. It's just a matter of how patient you are with this project.

The following is a website where you can get knife blades. http://www.ragweedforge.com/BladeCatalog.html