Talk Hunting has grown each year and the staff at talk hunting work so hard to keep it going. With sponsors such as the Whitetail Institute of North America, Dead Down Wind, and Hunter’s Safety systems you can get all kinds of answers from people just like you and me.

Just for signing up at talk hunting you have chances to win free prizes each month just by posting and replying to other members post. The site is set up as a forum and with its thousands of members and still growing it has new things to talk about daily.

You don’t have to just talk to each member on the site to find out things about hunting and fishing. There are also pictures posted by members of harvested game and let me say that there has been some mighty big deer taken by these members. Hunters and fishermen just like you and me from all over the United States come to visit talk hunting each day and night.

I have seen other hunting forums such as HuntingNet.com, and ArcheryTalk.com but none of them comes close to talk hunting in my mind. All you have to do is click here at Talk Hunting and sign up for free to get started. Make post and ask questions to build your chances up at winning free prizes each month given out by the sponsors they have. So what are you waiting for? Get to the site fast and check it out.

Tell them you heard it from Hello Hunting…

Now I know most of you are thinking “umm that’s the taxidermist job”. and you are very right. However a lot of it starts with you. There are several things you can do to help ensure that your mount looks its best. Today I want to cover Birds.

Birds are the hardest animal to taxidermy in my opinion. They take great skill and patience to mount. The mounting is a LOT easier if the hunter has taken the proper pre steps before bringing it to us.The first thing to remember is the number one rule with any animal you want to have mounted ” FREEZE ” it as soon as possible. The longer you let that animal set out in the sun the smaller time window I have to work on it.

Bacteria begins to build up on the skin pretty much as soon as the blood stops flowing and bacteria is what makes a body rot.  If you cant freeze them due to the fact your not done hunting yet at least have a cooler full of ice just for the birds to put them in. If its a turkey please put it in a bag first we don’t want to get it wet.

The next thing you want to remember is if the bird is not a water fowl don’t let it soak in a cooler full of melted ice, bag it first to keep it dry. Turkeys floating in a cooler full of bloody water is not a good thing. Its very hard to get those feathers clean and fluffed back out.

Now once you are ready to freeze the bird the best thing to do is wrap a few paper towels around the body and head to soak up any blood that may seep out while freezing or thawing out. Once you have it wrapped slide a nylon stocking over the birds head first and down towards the tail, going with the feathers.

If the bird is a pheasant you will want to take an empty paper towel roll and slide it over the tail feathers to ensure they do not get broken.. once the bird has been wrapped and the stocking put on. Place it in a zip lock bag or garbage bag and freeze it.

Always remember  the more bags the better.

I also want you to know that sometimes the birds have dozens of holes in the skin from pellets or dogs getting a better grip on the bird. These holes are a big problem with birds. Its always a good idea to have a few birds for your taxidermist to choose from. This will insure the best looking mount..

The great thing to remember is I am a Taxidermist not a magician. If you shoot it in the head, pump it full of bullet holes, or let  the retrieving dog turn it into a sifter its gonna be a huge job to make it look good. So a quick over view.

Freeze or put on ice A.S.A.P

Keep non water fowl out of melted ice water

Wrap bird in a few paper towels

Slip into nylon stocking

Place into a few bags

Freeze

Have a few extra birds for your taxidermist to choose from.

If you do these things and your Taxidermist knows what he or she is doing, you will have a BEAUTIFUL bird mount.

Some people bring their fish in a block of ice, or wrapped in foil and already frozen.  All of these tips are nothing more than “fish tails”.  Wrapping a fish in a towel or newspaper is the very worst thing you can do. Also leaving your trophy out in the sun can be very bad for it.

Wrapping a towel or a newspaper will suck all the moisture and slime out of the scales of a fish such as bass, bream, and crappie. So when I mount the fish all the scales tend to stand up like a porcupine. We would like for the fish to be nice and slimy when we defrost it. This will allow us to make your trophy better looking and it will also be easier on us to deal with.

If you follow this very simple  step your fish will be fine stored  in the freezer for more than a year compared to a month with these other methods. Are you ready……… is the suspense killing you……. All you need to do is……..

Wrap it in several garbage bags, tie them up and pop it in the freezer. ”  Yes that’s it! ”  Your Taxidermist will be so thrilled not having to fight to save your once in a life time catch!

I hope this has been helpful and If you have any more questions you need answered about hunting and taxidermy my husband and I would love to hear from you.

Jennifer Cureton

Buckhead Taxidermy and meat processing.

978 54th street, Columbus, Georgia 31904

(706) 323-9500

buckhead_taxidermy@yahoo.com 0r check me out on face book!

Let us start with tents.The Elite line offers the ultimate family camping experience and is great for extended camping excursions. Easy to follow instructions are sewn into the carry bag of the Elite Montana 8 person tent by Coleman. Coleman camping gear is among the oldest companies in the outdoor world. negative angle windows, self-rolling windows, hinged door, and shock-corded poles make setup and storage simple. The tent includes remote controlled light and replaceable 15 watt spiral fluorescent tube. The light runs up to 22 hours on low on 8 D batteries which are not included. The average cost of this tent will sale for about $239.

Next on the agenda is coolers for keeping you food and drinks cold. Colman also has some of the top of the line coolers for you. A good cooler will sale for over $100 and the 150 quart white Marine cooler will be the one to have. It holds 223 cans plus 55 lbs of ice. The Marine drain fits standard garden hose for draining and it’s split lid with separate latches and fish measuring scale along with it’s exterior case has molded-in fish scale. If this cooler doesn’t hold your beverages then no other will.

My next pick for top outdoor gear is clothing. The World Wide Sportsman XPS series has become very big for Bass Pro Shops. My pick for shirts is the very light weight long sleeve shirt on the XPS solar guard shirt. It is made of quick-dry 100% nylon supplex with Solar Guard UPF50 protection. It also features a roll-up collar, plus mesh-lined vented cape back and underarm put zippers. Includes a waterproof pouch with bungee clip that can be secured in the chest pocket. The pants are also UPF50 protected and have zipper style legging at the knees to turn into shorts. They are also light weight and very comfortable.

At last I can only bring so much so my last pick will be on grilling and stove type gear. I will give Lodge Brand cooking pots. These pots are made of top notch steel and can last you a lifetime. The weight of these pots makes them worth cooking in for several years to come. The camping stove would also come from Coleman and there are so many of these type stoves to choose from. Well I hope I have brought you good info on a few top grade items to have for you next outdoor outing. Keep checking back to Hello Hunting for more great things to come in the future.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers manages six campgrounds at Alabama River Lakes. All campers are entitled to the full use of campground facilities such as grills and tables. There are also laundry rooms and don’t forget the shower houses with restrooms. Prairie Creek is a peaceful quit place to relax for the weekend stay in the great outdoors.

The six Army Corps campgrounds are “fee campgrounds” with resident park attendants who are all happy to help you with information on each park or campground and make your stay at these locations more enjoyable. The swamps that are located across the creek area of Prairie Creek holds all kinds of wildlife such as deer and turkey.

On warm or cool spring mornings you can lay awake in your tents or campers and listen to faint gobbling of some of the hardest turkey’s to kill in Alabama. These birds can be hunted in spring season by heading over to the Lowndes (WMA) which is rite across the creek of the campground. There is 11,000 acres open to the public to hunt for things such as turkey, deer, and even ducks.

There is so much to do when you take a trip here that you may never complete everything you want in just one trip. All six of these fee campgrounds also offer boat ramps, fish cleaning stations, playgrounds, basketball courts, and nature trails. Prairie Creek is located at 582 Prairie Creek Rd. Lowndesboro, AL 36752 and can be contacted by phone at (334)418-4919.

During the summer months I would suggest making reservations in advance due to the campground filling up with guest fast each and every weekend. There are 62 sites at Prairie Creek and 7 of them are tent sites only. There is water hook-up along with electric also. You may camp in a tent or an RV if you choose to do so. Non-water front sites are $16 a night, water front sites are $18 a night, and tent only sites are $12.

This campground is one of my favorites to camp at anytime of the year. There can be so much said about this particular one that I could go on and on all day if I chose to do so. The campground is roughly 35 miles west of Montgomery,AL and 20 miles east of Selma,AL. All you have to do to make reservations is call 877-444-6777 or go online to Recreation.Gov. I hope you enjoy your stay at one of Alabama’s most beautiful campgrounds.

Saltwater fish we take after are mackerel, flounder, sharks, and red snapper. But fishing for saltwater is not the same as freshwater fishing. Freshwater fishing can take as much skill and sometimes more than that of its natural saltwater neighbor. We all dream of getting the big one and we all have heard the stories of the big one that got away.

Fishing tales can be in all shapes and sizes if you sit and keep your eye on the one telling the tale. There are some very large catfish in public waters and the only way to catch them is to get out of the house and off the couch long enough to stay on the waters of your choice.

Catfish are like what I would call a Texas Chicken, known as a buzzard. A large black bird that will eat anything that may not eat him. A catfish will bite most any kind of baits such as chicken liver, stink baits, and even bacon if you lay it out there for them to get hold on it. When you hang into one of these large fish you might think you have caught a whale.

Let’s take a look at the Average Fisherman and see him give us the tips on how to catch and what to use to catch big cats in our native waters.

Weather it be golfing, fishing, and even camping you can do it all at Sherling Lake park and campground. Located 5 miles from interstate 65 between Montgomery, AL and Mobile,AL. One of the most beautiful scenes of the great outdoors here in Greenville,AL. Greenville is your largest stop between Montgomery and Mobile. Sherling lake has a little for all ages.

The camping is wonderful with bathhouse and playground for the kids. There is RV camp sites with electric and water hookups. You also have tent sites if camping the old style is your way of doing it. There are two lakes where great fishing can be made fun for the old and the young. The cart path leading from the tee off box of hole number 5 on the Sherling course separates the two lakes. With most of the fishing in the bottom lake is done by boat. The larger bass are caught from the bottom lake. Even though the upper lake has produced great bass and catfish fishing also. The upper lake can be fished from boat or the bank.

There is a walking trail that leads around through the woods of the park. The lake house and the pavilions are great for family gatherings. These can be rented from the main office in the park. In park staff is very friendly and helpful at all times. The city of Greenville is grateful for such a place.

If walking and hiking or even fishing is not you thing then try one of Alabama’s most beautiful golf courses on the Robert Trent Jones Golf trail. The course of Cambrian Ridge which joins the park has excellent golfing. There are 36 championship holes at Cambrian Ridge. The Sherling course and the Canyon course could be two of the hardest on the trail. There is also a beautiful Loblolly course of 9 holes that help make up this 36 hole course. If 18 or even 36 holes is too much golfing in one day the you may want to try the short course. The short course is a par 3, 9 hole course that also boarders the lower lake. The Canyon course hold its own beauty with deep hills and hollows and even the site of old fixed ladder stands from deer hunting well before the course was ever built.

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail of Alabama has some of the most beautiful scenes that a golf trail could have. Sherling lake is owned by the city of Greenville which has grown very nicely over the years. As I have said before the park is beautiful, peaceful, and quite for any age. Wildlife such as deer, turkey, geese, and even the parks own peacock can be seen here. During the spring beautiful sounds of mature long beard gobblers can be heard at day break around the other lands that join the park. With tall Alabama pines and white oak trees the scene at Sherling lake is like none other. The dark blue and green shaded waters of the lake are like a glass mirror on a cool spring windless morning just begging you to take a pole and throw in a cork and hook.

So the next time you want to go out for a little camping trip head down to Greenville,AL to Sherling Lake park where camping, hiking, golfing, fishing, and even fun is allowed all in one place. A place for the entire family can come and enjoy the great outdoors. For more info on camping at Sherling Lake call Matt, La Don, Paul, or Bill at 334-382-3638. Remember that at Sherling Lake park all outdoor dreams may come true.

I can still remember my first fishing trip with my dad. Oh boy was it fun to be around water and be fishing. Kids today would much rather sit inside playing a xbox or a playstation. So get them up and way from the TV and place a fishing pole in their hands. You want be making a mistake by doing it.

You may even make yourself a new fishing buddy. What are you afraid of ? I think you may be afraid that they may out fish you. You will never know until you take that first trip with them to a pond or a river.

Start off with something easy for them to really get them into it. Crappie fishing is a way to do it and trust me they will have the time of their life doing it. This is a way to keep your kids enjoying the outdoors and off the streets. Let’s take a trip with Darian Brown from 5  Degrees of Fishing ” The Hunt for Trophy Fish” as he takes his kids out for a day of fishing for crappie. Remember that when you take a kid fishing it’s your way of giving back to a new generation. Our kids are our future.

Let’s take a look at the video now. “Crappie 101″

If you like to fish then the water is where you will start.Rather it be with a jig,spoon, or even a crank bait yo will still need to know how to use them. On the cool spring mornings you may fish a little different than you would on a warm summer morning.

When it comes to fishing for big bass know where to go and have your gear ready for anything. You don’t want to get out on the water and not have your favorite pole or jig with you cause you may not catch a thing. Some fishermen like their special pole or baits. You wouldn’t fish with a soft bait like a worm or lizard the same way as you would a jig so let’s take a trip with anglerinsider.com’s fishing pro Dand Wood and let him teach us how to catch big bass with a jig.

For over 30 years Moultrie has grown to be one of the top feeder companies in the nation. I have been using their feeders for over the last 6 years and I can say one thing. “Great” I would choose no other feeder over Moultrie.

They not only have feeders but the scouting cameras to go with them. So when you use a Moultrie feeder try one of their great game cameras to go with it. What a combo they make.  But the cameras and the feeders are not all they have that are great products.

The ATV spreaders, and the sprayers are also good tools to attach to your ATV. These things come in handy when trying to kill weeds or plant a food plot that you can’t get to with a tractor. So why not go to Moultrie for all your hunting needs.

The fish feeders that they have are something that every fisherman should have on their private lake or pond. When feeding fish  like catfish and bream grows to be an everyday job you can sit back and enjoy that time on the bank to actually catch fish. Cause the fish feeder dose all the work for you.

So when you are looking for that perfect feeder to feed your deer,turkey,and fish try a Moultrie Feeder. They want let you down and you will have a feeder that will suit your needs.

Now lets take a look at a video of Dan Moultrie explaining to Jim Strelec how important it is to use a Moultrie Feeder.