First time.....be gentle ;)

[monkeylizard]

I'll be hunting for the very first time this year. My uncle moved up here recently from S. Carolina and has been a deer slayer for a long time, but had no place to hunt up here. We made a deal: I find the land and he'll teach me how to hunt. I have a cousin in Wilson Co. that said we can hunt his place, so my half of the bargain is done. We're going to go scout it on Sunday afternoon.

 

I can't wait for November 22nd.

[KahrMan]

That's awesome.  Good luck!  I have an extra deer rifle if you need to borrow one.

[Slappy]

Awesome!  You will feel like a fish out of water at first.  You will make lots of mistakes.  You will ask yourself many questions to which you don't know the answers to.  Make sure of two things: that you are legal, and you stay safe.  Don't take a step off the ground without a Safety harness!   

 

I wrote a bit about how to start hunting that is stickied at the top of this forum.  That might help you answer some questions.  You will find MANY knowledgeable sportsman here so please don't hesitate to ask for our opinions on things! It will at least be worth the price you paid for it.   :up:

 

Keep us updated on your first hunt!!

[BigK]

If it makes you feel any better monkeylizard, I haven't been deer hunting in about 30 years. Same reasons you have...no where to hunt.

[monkeylizard]

Thanks KahrMan, but I'm good. Thompson Center Icon in .308 with a Pentax GameSeeker 4-12 scope. I know it's not the best glass around, but it will get me started.

 

Slappy, I've read that sticky more than once. :up:

 

I'm sure my uncle will fill me in on some of the details, but here are my questions:

• What's a good place to have the deer processed in Wilson or Davidson counties?
• What's a fair price for processing?
• Are processors a cash business? Need to know if I should carry enough cash.
• Do you pay the processor at the time of drop-off or pick-up?
• How long does it take for processing?
• I don't have a pickup. How do I transport the deer? My wife has a Mazda Tribute (like an older Ford Escape). Could I just put plastic sheeting in the back? She'll kill me if I get deer gunk in her car. :)

[Shug]

1- Don't know

2- Don't know

3- Depends on processor 

4- At pick-up. Some processors are per pound. Some are a flat rate

5- Depends on how busy they are. Usually a couple days

6- Get you one of those Hitch Mounted Cargo Carrier Luggage Basket Trailer Receiver Rack 

[monkeylizard]

No trailer hitch on the Tribute....Looks like I'll do the Mafia method. Roll it up in an old rug and toss it in the trunk. :)

[KahrMan]

 

Thanks KahrMan, but I'm good. Thompson Center Icon in .308 with a Pentax GameSeeker 4-12 scope. I know it's not the best glass around, but it will get me started.

 

Slappy, I've read that sticky more than once. :up:

 

I'm sure my uncle will fill me in on some of the details, but here are my questions:

• What's a good place to have the deer processed in Wilson or Davidson counties?
• What's a fair price for processing?
• Are processors a cash business? Need to know if I should carry enough cash.
• Do you pay the processor at the time of drop-off or pick-up?
• How long does it take for processing?
• I don't have a pickup. How do I transport the deer? My wife has a Mazda Tribute (like an older Ford Escape). Could I just put plastic sheeting in the back? She'll kill me if I get deer gunk in her car. :)

 

 

1- I process my own deer but have used Flowers and C&F Meats.  

2 - $70-$95 depending on how it is cut up

3 - varies

4 - pick up

5 - 2-3 days up to a week 

6 - I keep a large silver tarp folded up in my Armada.  Works great.  Just get one big enough that when the deer is in the middle you can fold both sides over and then fold the top and bottom in to keep the blood from leaking out.

[bersaguy]

That is one thing I have been looking for is a good processor. I don't hunt but I have guys offer to give me a deer or two every year and use to have several in my area but they have gone away. Where is Flowers and  C&F Meats located   KM?  I have had a couple guys already ask me if I want some deer this year but need a processor first.......................... :up:  :up: 

[monkeylizard]

Flowers is on Eatons Creek Road on the northwest side near Briley Pky and Ashland City Highway.

http://flowers-farms.com/

http://goo.gl/maps/SZKAA  <<google maps>>

 

 

C&F is in College Grove

http://candfmeat.com/

[peejman]

I'm trying to talk a couple coworkers into helping me learn to deer hunt this season. They both process it themselves, which is something I want to learn anyway.

As for hauling it, if the Tribute has a trailer hitch, get a hitch hauler cargo tray thing. That's what I intend to do with my SUV.

[Chris]

+1 for Flowers.

I do my own processing now, but they are a quality outfit.

Processing your own meat really isn't difficult... It takes me about four hours to get one from field to freezer.

I taught myself using this video:  http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-DP-101-Processing-Complete-Instructional/dp/B000VIRBDA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414007143&sr=8-1&keywords=dvd+deer+processing

[monkeylizard]

I plan to learn to do my own at some point if I like the sport, but for now I think I'll leave it to the pros. Flowers' sounds like it will be my choice. Thanks for the advice.

[raildog]

No trailer hitch on the Tribute....Looks like I'll do the Mafia method. Roll it up in an old rug and toss it in the trunk. :)

I know a guy that did this with a deer got blood on the back of the car drove back to Nashville got pulled over for speeding cop saw the blood and freaked out got a little tense till the cop poped the trunk and saw Bambi's mom looking at him and yes it was a Lincoln Continental

[monkeylizard]

Edit: nevermind

 

I found this that answered most of my questions about tagging and check-in: http://www.tn.gov/twra/pdfs/harvestfaqs.pdf

Edited October 23, 2014 by monkeylizard

[Hozzie]

I go to Flowers as well.  I thought C&F was way high and i can't imagine any better deer sticks that I got from Flowers.  

 

This year I will give mine to Hunters for the hungry.  I just don't eat enough deer to make it worthwhile and there are others who could use the meat.

[JWC]

Once back in high school none of us had a truck we could all ride in and my buddy's dad's bronco was broke down so to save gas and all ride together 5 of us piled in his moms Taurus and rolled out to Humphries county. We had absolutely no forethought as to what we would do if all if us killed one. Ah the good old days.


Damn his mom was cool her only stipulation was we couldn't take it up the big hill at their farm. But we did.

[KahrMan]

Hey Monkey, its a little late to be asking but you have taken the Hunters Safety Course haven't you?  Its required for everyone born after 1969 I believe.

[LagerHead]

I've hunted a couple times. Even helped dress a deer. So far haven't gotten to fire at anything not made out of paper or cardboard. Still waiting for my chance. 

[monkeylizard]

KahrMan, yep. safety class is all done. :up:

 

My uncle has a pickup, so bloody deer in my wife's car won't be a problem. I've only ever seen him driving something else, so I didn't know he had a truck.

 

We scouted the land a couple of weeks ago. We found lots of rubs on the trees and some poop, so we know they're in there. We'll be going back in the next week or so to sit for a while and pick out our 1st spot and really pay attention to the route in so we can make it back to it in the dark/early morning. I may flag some trees so we can find our way. Is that a bad idea?

[Trekbike]

and pick out our 1st spot and really pay attention to the route in so we can make it back to it in the dark/early morning. I may flag some trees so we can find our way. Is that a bad idea?

Do you by chance have a handheld GPS? If you do, that's the easiest way to trace your path to and from the stand. If you don't, shoot me a PM.

[monkeylizard]

I have a GPS route app on my phone. GaiaGPS

Edited November 7, 2014 by monkeylizard

[Omega]

I have a GPS route app on my phone. GaiaGPS

That will do, I would test it out during the day before you rely on it though.  Marking your trail in and out is not a bad idea either, I used to use orange reflective tacks to mark my trails (both in and out).  you can see them a ways out and recover them to use again.  They make al kinds of marking aids including clips, tape, and tacks with varying pros and cons.  I used to use marking tape a lot, but in public areas they tend to get confusing with many trails going everywhere.

[KahrMan]

Those reflective tacks you stick into trees work pretty well.  How large of an area are you hunting?

[monkeylizard]

About 30 acres. Let's call it three times as deep as it is wide. We'll be staying on the front 1/2 to 2/3 of the area. It goes up hill, then drops off for the back 1/3 the property. Good signs of deer in the back area too, but I'd rather not have to pack one out from back there unless it runs off after a hit. There's another guy that hunts it sometimes, but he's setup in a ladder stand on one of the long property lines at the crest of the hill. We can stay towards the other side and have plenty of depth to work with and not get in each other's way.

 

Reflectors, marking tape, spray paint, or anything else will be fine. My cousin wouldn't care if I put a solar powered beacon light back there, but I doubt it would be good for deer hunting. :) There's nobody on that land but the one other hunter and my great uncle's grandkids. He lives on an equal sized parcel next door and they ride their dirt bikes back there. Here's hoping they don't decide to ride on hunting days.

Edited November 7, 2014 by monkeylizard