Tips for Processing your Deer Properly

With hunting season in full force, knowing how to properly process your deer is important. Some people choose to send their game out for processing while many others prefer to do it themselves. Most hunters know that they should dress the carcass as quickly as possible, but once it is hanging and ready for processing, what’s next?

During the transport home, it is essential to keep the carcass as cool as possible. If placing it in the trunk of a car, allow the carcass to cool down prior to placing it in the trunk. Although it is popular to do so, it is not recommended that you tie the deer to the roof or hood of your vehicle. Doing so exposes it to heat from the sun and the engine.

Many hunters prefer to age the carcass prior to processing. If you choose to do this, keep it stored at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less for a period of 2 to 3 days. If possible, do not allow it to freeze during this time as doing so can cause the meat to become tough. This step is not necessary if you are using the meat to make sausage.

To freeze the meat, cut and package it into portions that are meal sized for your family. Wrap it tightly in waxed paper, freezer wrap, a heavy-duty aluminum foil, or plastic freezer bags. Ensure that all of the air has been removed from the bag prior to freezing for best results. Meat that has been properly wrapped will store in the freezer for up to a year.

Venison can be made into ground meat and jerky as well as the traditional steaks and roasts. It is important to remember that venison is very low in fat content - averaging approximately 5% body fat versus the 25% body fat found in beef cows. Most often pork is added to the venison and then they are ground together to help the meat stick together. This addition allows the cook to use venison to create hamburgers, meatballs, meatloaf and more. One advantage to making your own ground venison is that you are able to add any spices prior to freezing to save you some time when you are ready to cook.

Handling, processing, and preparing the deer properly helps to reduce the risk of any food-borne illnesses. It is essential that steps are taken to prevent contamination, starting with how the carcass is handled in the field and ending with proper handling in the kitchen. Stop by Milonajo Outdoors for all of your game processing needs! Have a question? Let us know! We’d be happy to hear from you!

Another Kind of White-Tail Trophy

After deer hunting for a good 30 years or so and searching for that trophy buck, this season I came across a little guy that was a trophy in his own right. Until this year I had never heard of the skewbald deer (sometimes called piebald or referred to as pintos.) Come to find out, it is quite uncommon to see one of these beautiful creatures and so I am not likely to ever have this opportunity again!

For those unfamiliar with the term, skewbald is a genetic variation that is uncommon to white-tailed deer. It causes the areas of brown to have white mottled in, similar in appearance to a pinto pony. Many times the terms are used interchangeably but the term piebald refers to black and white while skewbald is in reference to other colors - not black.

After doing a bunch of my own research, it doesn’t seem as though there really are any answers to what causes skewbald deer. They are not, as some believe, a cross between an albino and a normal white-tail but are just a genetic defect. Some believe they are the end result of inner breeding and these animals are inferior to the rest of the herd and should be removed to prevent them from carrying on this genetic flaw.

Myself, I was happy to take this skewbald from the area. He is currently at the taxidermist where he will be preserved forever and will no doubt be an interesting conversation starter at my house for years to come! And for those that are wondering, Yes - he made for some good eating too!

Milonajo Outdoors is on Facebook!

If you haven’t already joined us on Facebook, now is the perfect time for you to stop by and “like” our Fan Page! We have a lot of excitement taking place in the form of contests and free giveaways but you have to like us to enter!

The contest rules are simple! After you like our page, send 25 of your friends over to like us! Ask each friend to post on our wall telling us that you sent them! Once you have hit 25, you will be entered into our drawing. If you have more friends that want to join, we will hand you a second entry into our drawing when you hit 40! Each one of your friends that join can join in on the fun and send 25 of their friends too!

I cannot give away too much and tell you what the winners will receive, but I can promise you that it IS great gear you will want! I take a lot of pride in the items I offer in my store and you will win one of the hundreds of fantastic items that we currently stock! Hurry over to Milonajo Outdoors on Facebook and join in on the fun - we’ve almost reached enough entries to hold our drawing!

What's Been Happening at Milonajo Outdoors!

At Milonajo Outdoors, we are pleased to announce that we have partnered with US Outdoorsman Central (USOC) to be able to offer you outstanding deals, opportunities to win exciting hunting trips and much more! When you join USOC, you will also receive a code that will allow you to save 10% off of your purchase in our store!

Not only are we now able to offer all of these outstanding opportunities but we are still offering competitive pricing and a large inventory for all of your outdoor sporting needs. We have expanded our selection to include Elusion Camo, archery equipment including Steel Force Broadheads, The Big Acuta knife collection and more! If you haven’t tried Proc’s Huntin’ Buddy yet, you can even find him at our store!

If you haven’t stopped by Milonajo lately, you’ve been missing out on a lot of great deals! Stop in and give us a look! Christmas is coming and we’re sure to have the perfect gift for your favorite hunter. While you’re there, why not buy yourself the perfect gift too? Don't forget to look us up on Facebook! We're excited to announce that we are offering some great giveaways on our Fan Page too. You won't want to miss out! We have been very busy at Milonajo Outdoors! 

Properly Maintaining Your Hunting Rifle

Maintaining your hunting rifle is not only beneficial in prolonging the life of your firearm, but also helps maintain the accuracy of your shooting. It can seem like a tedious task, but once you have become familiar with the process, it is an easy way to get the most out of your firearm.

Learning to maintain your hunting rifle can be pretty simple. There are many products on the market that are one-step total gun care products. These products are usually sprayed on to the barrel and cylinder chambers to remove any dirt and, after it sits for a few minutes, it just wipes right off. If you don’t already own one, consider buying a rifle cleaning kit. They will include rods, patches, solvent, and so on - pretty much everything you will need to clean your rifle.

You will also want to spray the action. Allow the spray to sit for a few minutes before you wipe it down. Make sure to remove all of the fluid from the parts.

Next you will want to clean your barrel. Many gun owners opt to use a bore snake versus the traditional patches. Using a bore snake is as simple as spraying the floss end of it with the solvent and then guiding it though the barrel and out of the muzzle. Pull the bore snake through a second time to make sure the barrel is completely clean.

With the help of a bore light, take a look down the barrel of your rifle to make sure that it is clean. This is also a great opportunity to inspect the condition of it and make sure that there is nothing out of the ordinary happening.

Now you will want to lubricate your rifle. If you are going to be storing it for a lengthy period of time you should also lubricate the bore, otherwise it is not necessary. Use just a small amount of gun oil when you lubricate the action on your rifle - too much oil will attract dust and gum up the works.

That is about it, in a nutshell! As we always say, if you have questions, contact us! If you have any pointers to add, please feel free to leave a comment, we’d love to hear from you! Thank you for reading our blog, we hope you have enjoyed it!

5 Duck Decoy Set Up Tips

Most duck hunters have spent years trying to perfect the spread of their decoys to make sure that they are set up in a way that will attract the most duck attention. When using the right setup and the right species of duck, you will, without a doubt, harvest more ducks during the season then you ever have before. We decided to share 5 of our decoy setup tips with our readers. 

#1 - Make sure that your decoy spread features a landing zone. If there is not one, you will see ducks circle around the spread and never land. The landing zone needs to be the right size and there shouldn’t be anything blocking the opening. If they do not have a place to land, it won’t matter how many decoys you set up or how real the decoys look, the ducks will not land.

#2 - Having the right decoys is important. That expression “ducks of a feather flock together” isn’t just a cute saying, but is true. Ducks are attracted to other ducks in their species. It sounds simple enough, but not everyone follows this rule. If you are hunting Mallard ducks then you should use Mallard duck decoys. If the area you are hunting has many different species of ducks that you are hunting, then you can use different species of decoys - but just keep each species in its own area of the spread.

#3 - How alive (or dead) does your decoy look? If you are hunting on a nice calm day, your decoy spread might look like a bunch of dead ducks floating around! Adding a little bit of motion to your decoys can help bring them to life and attract other ducks. Adding motion can be done with a machine, with magnets or even by using string. It really makes a difference!

#4 - To elaborate a bit on tip #3 - when buying decoys reconsider using decoys that do not have weighted keels. Although the weighted keel is a popular choice, too much weight in the decoy can hinder movement on days that only have a light breeze.

#5 - Spend some time during the season observing the ducks that you are hunting. By learning how they act on the water, how they circle, and how they react to your spread will help you place your set up in a way that will be the most effective. Pay attention and you will learn the best spread and how many decoys

We hope our tips help you have a great duck hunting season! If you have any tips to add, feel free to leave a comment - we would love to hear what works the best for our readers. As always, if you have any questions, you can always contact us! 

Useful Tips for Training Your Dog to Hunt

When it comes to hunting waterfowl, there is nothing quite as awesome as watching your dog swim out into the freezing cold water to retrieve your prize and swim back to the shore carrying it in his mouth. Not only is it a great feeling when you are the one that trained your dog to do this, but there are few things that you will come to appreciate as much as your 4 legged hunting partner taking the swim into that freezing cold water for you.

A well trained hunting dog will not only help you hunt successfully, but will also become an obedient, lifelong friend and a cherished family pet. The following tips are meant to help you get started in training your hunting dog. These tips may not work for all dogs but will work with Terriers, Spaniels, Retrievers and Pointers.

To begin with, make sure that you do your research. There are a lot of different breeds of hunting dogs. Each one has a reputation for being skilled at one type of hunting or another. Research the different breeds to make sure you are choosing the one that is the best suited to your hunting needs. Each breed will vary in the amount of care that it will need. Some need a lot of room to run and others lead a sedentary life so it is also important you take the needs of the dog into consideration - and remember that a cute puppy could grow into a decent sized dog.

Many people find that choosing a puppy versus an adult dog nets better results. If you are simply looking for a house pet, then you should definitely choose an older, well behaved dog. Check your local dog shelters for the perfect household companion. For hunting it typically works best if you train the animal, beginning when he is a puppy. Taking the time to acclimate your new puppy to water will help ready him to go into open water when the time comes. 

Teaching them some of the most basic of commands is also beneficial. Although you may feel it is cliché to train the dog to sit, it will help set the foundation for the future when you are training her to learn and listen to more complex demands. Introduce your puppy to decoys and scents early. You want to make sure that he learns the difference between a decoy and a real duck at a young age.

Always take time to reinforce positive behavior with a positive reward. Dogs love to know when they have pleased their owner. It is important when establishing a long relationship with your dog that he knows, from an early age, when he has done something that he will be rewarded for. If it is possible, train the dog daily. Making it a fun and rewarding experience for her will help her learn quicker.

Use training tools such as decoys and scents often so that the dog will become adjusted to the scent and feel of the waterfowl (or other animal) that you want her to hunt with you. If a boat will be used, train her using the boat so she will learn how to get in and out and will not be scared of it. As the dog learns, begin taking him out into real hunting scenarios so that he will adjust to that part of the training phase. During the training, when you are training the dog to adjust to gun fire, start by shooting away from the animal and over time, make adjustments until you are able to shoot right over her head. In time she will learn not to be afraid of the sound of gun fire when she is out hunting with you.

As always, we would love to hear any feedback from our readers. If you have additional tips that will help us or other readers train their dogs for hunting, please leave us a comment that we can share with everyone. You are of course always welcome to contact us too.

How to Build a Campfire

Is there anything as great as standing around a campfire on a cool evening? It is a great feeling to warm up the front of your body, then turn around and warm up your backside until you are nice and toasty warm. Sitting around a nice campfire with friends and family, toasting marshmallows, cooking hot dogs and breathing fresh air while you watch the glow of the fire is one of those moments that you just cannot beat!

Enjoying a campfire and knowing how to make a campfire are two different issues all together. Some people seem to be able to start a fire without any problems and then others seem to try and try and cannot get a campfire going, no matter how hard they try. There are a few tricks that might help you get started. 

First, choose your spot. Be sure to choose wisely and think safety first. The area you choose should be away from dry grass, tree limbs, and any other debris. It is also important that it is far enough away from tents and screen houses to prevent a spark from blowing into one of them and melting a hole - or worse.

If you did not bring wood, you can normally find kindling size sticks and plenty of wood in the wooded area nearby. If there is no wooded area and you did not bring any, you can usually find a place to buy some, either a road side seller or small store.

One of the mistakes that many make is that they do not think small enough. When starting your fire, you want to use a gentle touch and start your fire with newspaper, pine needles, dry leaves, or any other item that will catch fire easily, placed under a small pile of little sticks and twigs. When the small fire is flickering and the sticks have caught fire, you can add larger sticks to it. As the fire grows, you can continue to add larger pieces of wood until you have made the fire as big as you want it.

Building a great fire is really all about common sense. Start with a small fire and add wood however you want, to make the fire you want to have. Be sure to keep your fire at a reasonable level so that it does not get out of control on you. Then sit back and enjoy the great outdoors!

If you have any tips to starting a great campfire, feel free to comment and let us know! We would love to hear your ideas.

FoxPro Prairie Blaster Game Call Quick How-To Guide

As a serious predator hunter, you have probably heard about the FoxPro Prairie Blaster game call. You might not fully understand what makes it the best on the market or how to use it so you have put off buying it. One of the first things that are worth noting about this caller is that you can add sounds to this one. Some come preinstalled with 100 sounds but do not have the ability to add more. With the FoxPro Prairie Blaster you can as many sounds as you would like. More than a caller, the FoxPro Prairie Blaster also includes a decoy. You have made a great decision in buying this innovative, highly advanced, digital wildlife caller.

To fully understand the features of you FoxPro Prairie Blaster, read the manual that came with it in its entirety. In the meantime, this guide will help you to try out your new Prairie Blaster as soon as you receive it. 

Battery Installation:

The Prairie Blaster will require 8 “D” size batteries; they are not included in the box so you will want to make sure you have them handy. On the side of the caller you will find the battery door. Remove it and put the batteries inside of the cavity. Then replace the door.

The transmitter will require the use of 3 “AA” batteries, also not included. For best results you should buy lithium or high quality alkaline batteries. On the back of the transmitter is the battery compartment cover. Remove it and insert the 3 “AA” batteries as shown.

Playing Sounds:

Your new Prairie Blaster can be operated with or without the transmitter. This way if you want to walk with the sound and make it appear to be moving, you can. Make sure that at least 1 speaker is in the on position. To do this, turn the on/off knob clockwise, until you hear a click. This switch also serves as the volume control. Pressing the up or down arrow, select the number of the sound you want. When you release the button, the sound will play. To choose a different sound, press the up or down button again.

Operate the Prairie Blaster by Remote Control:

Turn on the transmitter by pressing the sound selector knob down for 4 seconds. If you do not hold it long enough, the screen will display “FoxPro the caller of the wild” and will shut back off. Otherwise you will know it has turned on because the words “FoxPro the caller of the wild” will appear on the screen and then the version number of the remote will show. You will select the sound you want by turning the selector knob on the transmitter either clockwise to scroll up or counter-clockwise to scroll down. When you reach the desired sound, highlight it and press the selector knob down. Next you can adjust the sound volume using the volume up arrow. To mute the sound, press the mute button. The mute button doubles as a pause button so when you un-mute the sound, it will pick up where you left off rather than starting over.

Powering Down:

To help ensure longer battery life, shut down both the Prairie Blaster and the transmitter when you are done using them. To power off the transmitter, press and hold the selector knob until the menu appears. Then press the knob a second time to shut it off. If you do not turn it off, it will shut down itself after 2 hours of inactivity. To shut off the Prairie Blaster, simply turn the on/off switch to the off position.

We hope that this quick guide has helped you learn to use your new FoxPro Prairie Blaster. We currently have this item on sale in our store, but act quickly as supplies are limited! If you have any questions, whether to find out more about how to use it or even why you should buy this one, please feel free to contact us. We would enjoy hearing from some of our readers that own this and want to share a story or two!

Monthly Wild Game Recipes! February - Antelope Soup

At Milonajo Enterprises, we know that half of the fun of the hunt is the eating! With this in mind, we have decided to start dedicating one blog each and every month to a tasty recipe for wild game. For our first recipe, we are going to feature Antelope Soup. A nice warm bowl of soup with some nice crusty Italian bread is perfect for this cold, snowy winter weather!

Antelope Soup:
1 pound Antelope, cut into bite sized pieces
1 large onion, diced
1 pound bag of baby carrots, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup diced celery
4 or 5 Medium sized potatoes, cubed
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP bacon fat
1 12 ounce can of sweet corn
1 cup Lima beans
Salt and pepper to taste
oil for sauteing
water or stock (beef or chicken)

In a pot heat oil and saute the onions and antelope meat until nicely browned. Drain the oil and add the remaining ingredients. If  you want to you can substitute any of the vegetables for your favorites or even add more vegetables to the pot. Use enough water or beef stock to cover all of the ingredients. Simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender and the meat is cooked. For best flavor, allow the soup to cool and put it into the refrigerator overnight. The next day, reheat, serve, and enjoy!

Have a favorite recipe that you would like to share with our readers? If you do, contact us and we might feature your recipe in one of our upcoming blogs. We will, of course, give you full credit and will provide a link back to your blog if you would like us to! Be sure to check back for our March recipe!

Being Prepared for Spring Turkey Hunting

If you are like a lot of hunters, you may already have cabin fever and you just cannot wait for the next hunting season to begin. The good news is that spring turkey hunting season is just around the corner in most states. Not only will you be able to get outside, but you will also be able to enjoy hunting in some warmer weather once again.

One thing you will want to be when the day finally comes is prepared. You will be disappointed in yourself if you get out into the field to hunt and forgot some of the essential items that every turkey hunter needs to have. You might want to consider purchasing a hunting pack to carry all of your items in.

A good backpack can be especially handy for everything from a hunting seat to some snacks. Other things that you should consider bringing are decoys and turkey calls, shells for your gun, and some water to drink. A good hunting knife has a way of being handy when you least expect it to be, and so it always a good idea to keep one of them in your bag too.

Some people also like to carry a rain parka, first aid kit, and a map or even a GPS of the area they will be hunting. If you like the idea of taking a map but do not want to deal with having to fold it up, consider using an online map service where you can print it out onto a 8” x 11” piece of paper - it will fold up much easier than a standard map does.

A few other items to take with you include a good source of light, in case it is still dark when you head out, and a good solid pair of binoculars so that you can have a great view of the turkey and you can tell if it is a tom or a hen. Bringing these items along will help ensure that you are well prepared for the hunt. Some people also like to carry a camera when they hunt. This way they can share the experience with family and friends. It is also one way to document the hunt.

Take some time, a week or so before hunting season starts, and scout the area where you plan to turkey hunt. Going out and scouting too far before the start of season might be misleading because you might see a lot of turkeys that will no longer be there since they will go a long way on their search for food. Scouting early in the morning, even before dawn might help you spot the turkeys. If you scout later that day, look for other signs such as droppings, bedding areas, scratching in the ground, and so on.

If you have any hunting stories you would like to share, we would love to hear them! We also welcome any additional tips that you might have to offer. Please feel free to leave us any comments that you might have. 

Photo courtesy of Fired Up Outdoors

The Beginners Guide to Calling Coyotes

Thanks to the excitement that it offers, coyote hunting has become quite popular in North America. The purpose of this blog post is to provide beginners with a few tips that will help ensure your success at calling coyotes.

The first crucial step to being a success is scouting the area. Keep an eye out for signs such as scat and tracks to indicate that there are coyotes present. You might consider taking notes as to where you see coyotes repeatedly so that you can target these areas specifically. Seek out areas where there is prey that coyotes will be hunting such as rabbits, deer, mice, and so on. This will help to make sure that you are able find some coyotes.

The coyote’s sense of smell is amazing. For this reason it is vital to pay attention to the direction of the wind at all times and to make sure that you position yourself with the wind in your face or in a crosswind. If you are using one of the remote controlled callers available, position it upwind of where you are positioned, putting you in the perfect spot as the coyote circles. If it is possible, you should also keep the sun at your back so that the coyote has trouble seeing you or hidden in the shadows where you will be concealed from his view.

Thirdly, camouflage is essential for successful coyote calling. Blending into the surroundings is important. You will want to also make sure your face and hands are covered as human skin is extremely reflective and the coyotes will be able to spot you easily if any skin is visible.

Finally, the calling itself, and getting it right, is vital to your success. Items that are widely available today including the Foxpro Firestorm, the Foxpro Prairie Blaster, and the 100 sound Foxpro Fury Std. make it easier than ever to sound like a distressed rabbit, a coyote cub, or other animal that these predators will be on the hunt for.

These are just a few basic tips to help the beginner. Taking some time to study them and learn their habits will help you become a successful coyote hunter. Before you know it, you will be hooked for life! If you have any questions, like always, you are more than welcome to contact us. We love to hear from our customers!