Now that hunting season is getting under way and I am getting some early season hunts in, I have been reminded of some of the little things that make the tasks just a little easier, better, more fun, or what ever. I decided to share a few of mine in hopes that others would do so. I know I can use all the little helpful things I can get. For many there is nothing new here for you, but for others maybe you will find something helpful. If not from me then maybe from others, who I hope will join in.
I was doing some last minute shooting lane clearing after an early season hunt in a spot I will not hunt again for about a month or more. As usual, I put the Gerber Machete to work. This thing is the best field tool I can think of right off hand for clearing and general light cutting work. I have not touched a limb saw, hatchet, or anything other than the pole saw since getting it. It make surprisingly short work of trees in the 3-4” range. Good size branches are gone in one swing. The hook bites into even small branches that would normally slide off other cutting tools. The heavy blade cuts deep with no vibration. The larger cutting edge makes hatchet accuracy a non issue. It will make short work of severing all kinds of limbs so be careful. It is not great for pounding stakes or splitting fire wood, but other than that I can’t find a fault with it. It is easy to pack and not all that heavy.
The jet sled. You can get them cheap after the ice fishing season slows down. They are a big step up from the kid’s plastic sled you may have used to drag a deer or organize equipment in your truck. They slide well over leaves and grass in addition to snow. They carry a heavy load. An average deer fits nicely into the medium size one with head, legs and all in the sled. It is very easy to load a deer with two people located on the sides; with the easy to grip and heavy duty edge you just lift and slide. No hanging legs, head and such to contend with when trying to lift them up and get them in. I have floated about 100# or more waterfowl equipment over water in it, and it rode well out of the water. It will keep all the blood and mess out of your truck if you put your deer in it and keep in until you unload. It makes a great slide out organizer for hunting and family trips. Two will fit into most trucks and they fit in short beds great. If you have a rubber floor matt just throw down a cardboard layer. That gives just enough slip to move it with reasonable force. I could write pages on what I have used this for as is and with the hitch bar you can get for it. I use it all year round. Have ice and need a temporary cooler to transport a lot of meat?
Plastic tote boxes, enough said.
You can’t beat the quality you get when you process your game yourself, and I find it shocking how much it coasts to get even the basic hack job processing done. For those who cut up their own meat, and if you don’t you should, I have a couple little simple packaging things I do. I am cheap so first I do it myself, and second I won’t spend the money on a vacuum packer and the bags. We eat a lot of wild game, and that is a lot of bags in a year. I get good quality plastic freezer bags. For solid meat I put the package in water to use the water pressure to push more air out. I submerge right down the very corner of a little section of the zipper, which I leave open. This gets most of the air out. We have very little if any freeze burn if we us it up in 12-14 months, and we usually don’t go more than that. I also pack meat packages in a doubled up paper shopping bag. This helps organize each type of meat or animal while adding more frost protection. For ground meat we fill the bag with the amount we need for a meal, and then we flatten it out. You can work all the air out this way. Again leave just a corner of the bag open and work the air and meat right out to the very last little bit of the opening. Again no freezer burn for me. But wait, there is more. Flat meat stacks real nice in your freezer. And if that was not good enough guess how ease is to thaw and brown burger meat when it is only about ¼” thick in a skilled on low heat when you forget to get it out to thaw for a meal? These are about ready to go into the freezer, but need the final rub down and burp of the bag to get the last of the air out.
Topic: The little things (Read 219 times)
