From the Trail to the Table

Nothing beats the feeling of hunting, preparing, and cooking your own meat. Deer, duck, and grouse are some of the most flavorful game meats you can eat, and as a bonus, they tend to contain fewer calories than domestic meat. But hunting and bagging game takes some preparation.

At Agescan International, we know that hunting enthusiasts love tracking game, and enjoying the spoils afterward. Here’s what you need to know to successfully take down game and bring it home to the dinner table.

How to Find Them

The best deer, duck, and grouse can be found in different areas all across North America. As we’ve discussed before on this blog, when hunting for them, you’ll need to keep several local hunting regulations in mind as you move from state to state and park to park. Here is a breakdown of what you need to know.

Where to Find Deer

One of the best places to find deer is Kodiak Island, Alaska. Here, you’ll find plenty of bucks, especially if weather conditions are good. You will need to purchase harvest tickets to hunt deer here, which can be done online. Bag limits vary by season, so check Alaska’s hunting regulations before going on your hunt.

Tracking Down the Best Ducks

When it comes to hunting duck and other waterfowl, Southern Saskatchewan has most other locations beat. The best season to go hunting is from late September to October, and you’ll likely find a large variety of ducks mingling with other waterfowl species. Permits can be purchased online. Your bag limit is 8 ducks per day, with a possession limit of 24 ducks.

Grinding Grouse

When it comes to grouse hunting, look no further than Minnesota. No other state is home to as many different types of grouse. You’ll need a valid same game license to hunt grouse in Minnesota, but licenses can be purchased online. Your daily and possession limits will vary depending on the season and the type of grouse you’re hunting, so it’s best to check with current, up-to-date regulations before you begin.

How to Bag Them

The hunting methods for deer, duck, and grouse all differ from one another. For your best chances at success, follow these tips.

Deer Crossing

When hunting deer, you’ll need to make an effort to scout out the area beforehand. Look into areas of undisturbed brush, where you’re more likely to find bigger bucks. Once you find signs of deer, settle in and wait for them to return.

On your deer hunt, be sure to bring ammo that can take down large game. One of the best types of ammo you can use is environmentally-friendly tungsten shot. The density of tungsten shotshells will ensure that you hit and bring down deer of all sizes — at short and medium range. The density and power of tungsten super shot ensures that you can take down big game easily.

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Duck Hunt

When it comes to duck, patience is key. So you’ll want to make sure that you bring plenty of camo, and pack a gun that is able to withstand all weather conditions. Use the vegetation around you to disguise your presence, and wait for the perfect opportunity to bring down a duck.

When it comes to shotgun cartridges for duck hunting, tungsten super shot is your best bet. Since tungsten shotshells don’t lose momentum when they exit the barrel, you can take down waterfowl, even if they spook and try to fly off. With tungsten shot, you can take down a duck, even at longer ranges.

How to Bag Grouse

The secret to hunting grouse is to keep moving. You’ll want to cover as much terrain as possible, especially in thick cover. You’ll likely find more success if you hunt in a group as well; spread your group out in a horizontal line and go through cover at the same pace. This will make it easier to get grouse to flush.

Tungsten super shot is one of the best types of shotgun cartridges you can use for grouse hunting. They pack the same punch as lead shot without being toxic, and have more than enough power to take down a grouse, even if you’re unable to get a clean shot. When a grouse suddenly flushes in front of you and you need to take a quick but messy shot, you can usually take it down even if it was only struck by one or two tungsten alloy balls. Tungsten shot shells are one of the most effective non-toxic shotshells you can use to hunt grouse, even if tungsten shot can be a bit of an investment.

How to Cook Them

The biggest rule of thumb to follow when cooking deer, duck, or grouse is to not overcook the meat. Game meat tends to be lean, meaning it can quickly go dry when it’s cooked for too long. For all three of these meats, keeping the center pink is the way to go.

In addition, it’s imperative that you use a non-toxic shotshell when you’re hunting game meat that you’re planning to eat. Bagging game with ammo made from tungsten alloy makes preparing your meat easier, and keeps you from accidentally ingesting toxic materials.

Take Pride in Your Food

When you hunt for your own meat, you find a rare type of satisfaction — a great tasting meal that you tracked, bagged, and prepared yourself.

If you plan on hunting for your own meat, make sure you know where you can find the best game, and make sure you know the differences in how to hunt deer, duck, and grouse. When cooking your meat, make sure you don’t overcook it, and use a non-toxic shot in order to avoid ingesting toxic materials by accident. When you know exactly where your meat came from, you can take pride in the food you put on the table.