Deer hunters: how much game is your reward | Louisiana outdoors

While we are in the early stages of deer hunting season, a lengthy treatise came out of the National Deer Association on how much venison a hunter can expect from a whitetail deer.

First, it indicated that deer size varies widely in different parts of the US, that the Midwest and North produce heavier deer than the Deep South, and that deer are generally heavier during the early days of the season and the Most Sometimes we lose weight during late fall and winter, when food sources are most scarce.

So the first thing most good hunters do is field dress their prize. That meant removing the intestines. After removing the skin and bone, the general rule is that a hunter will have about 48% of that total weight in meat.

So a 90-pound field-dressed doe will yield 43 pounds of venison, and a 130-pound field-dressed deer will put 62 pounds of boneless meat in the freezer.

All the article points out is that for a hunter to be able to use more meat, he or she should become as skilled as a processor, meaning using meat from the neck and cutting it close to the bone. Other parts of the deer can also be used, including the ribs, flank, brisket and shank.

We will not go into details about what is written about the organs, although hunters we know indicate that the heart and tongue are great.

Attention reef fishermen

With so many reef fishermen in our state complaining so bitterly about years of restrictions on catching red snapper, it might be a good plan to participate in the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council’s public engagement session on November 18.

This is enough as an advance for the 5-8 p.m. session that is part of the federal Recreational Initiative, which will take a look at the inner workings of what federal folks are calling a review of “past and current management strategies for recreational reef fishes and to identify potentially innovative to investigate management. approaches that can be applied in the future.”

To be clear, the current administration has committed $2 million to the Gulf States Fisheries Management Councils and Marine Fisheries Commission to help coordinate plans to create more efficient data collection systems and better allocate fish stocks to the recreational sector. and commercial sectors.

The goal of this initiative is to create a working group made up of people representing “key interests of Gulf recreational fishing, including private fishermen, rental companies, related maritime industries and advocacy groups.”

This session will focus on reef fish, including snappers and groupers.

You must register for this webinar: register.gotowebinar.com/register/384340229051154517

Record catches

Five new first-place fish have entered Louisiana’s Top 10 Fish Records.

One, a blue runner, came in the Fly Fish Division. David Melton claimed first place with a 2.01 pound entry.

The other four were in the Rod & Reel division, including: Clayton Downings 0.9 pound black bullhead; Jesse H. Shaffers 1.34 pounds southern kingfish; Louis Chevalier II‘s huge 46.22-pound yellow-sided bass; And, Joe von Thron‘s equally impressive 20.68-pound queen snapper (yes, we have those off our coast!)

The data is maintained by the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association. Need more? Email: [email protected].

Great honor

The State Wildlife and Fisheries’ Enforcement Division received the Southern Region Law Enforcement Award for the division’s actions during the June 4-6 Operation Dry Water Weekend campaign, a statewide effort to reduce boating accidents caused by impaired drivers push.

Enforcement agents arrested 25 boat operators who, when tested, were found to be driving or operating a vessel while impaired.

More water

Delta Waterfowl and State Wildlife and Fisheries collaborated on a project for a new main water control structure in the Bean Field Impoundment of the Russell Sage Wildlife Management Area, a project that improved nearly 300 areas for waterfowl and other migratory birds.

The Monroe-based Northeast Louisiana Chapter of Delta Waterfowl used funds from its annual banquet to finance the project. Each of Delta’s 325 national chapters may retain as much as 20% of the fundraising project in the ‘Waterfowl Heritage Fund’ to assist with local conservation projects.

Russell Sage WMA’s 38,213 acres are located in portions of Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland and Caldwell parishes.

Oh no

Three Acadiana-area men are facing federal migratory bird penalties after Wildlife and Fisheries field agents cited them for allegedly taking pigeons to a baited area.

They are 65 years old Paul Eson73 years old William Stagg and 71 years old William Voitier that were found in a field in Lafayette Parish.

Here’s what everyone is considering breaking the gaming laws: Social media is a powerful tool these days and there are a lot of eyes and ears everywhere. These three were delivered into the hands of officers through a call to Wildlife and Fisheries.

And one more

Derek Mayea42; Jathan Cowart41; And, Ja’veyian Archangel21, were cited by state Enforcement Division agents for allegedly taking crabs from traps they do not own at Six-Mile Lake near Morgan City. Once again the three were found after complaints about the activity were called to Wildlife and Fisheries, and the officers “… set up surveillance of the area and observed the three subjects removing crabs from crab traps they did not own or have permission to to care for. ,” the agency report said.

If found guilty, the Franklin men face fines of up to $950 and up to 120 days in jail.

The payout

Tips like the last two can pay off.

Earlier this month, Louisiana’s Operation Game Thief board handed out $4,900 in rewards to tipsters who led enforcement agents to 15 cases involving 26 subjects and totaling 51 citations.

At the quarterly meeting, matters discussed included deer, migratory birds, alligators, turkeys, small game and commercial fishing.

Operation Game Thief is 40 years old and was founded to “preserve and preserve Louisiana’s natural resources.” It runs on private donations.

LOGT has a toll-free 24-hour line – (800) 442-2511 – and all calls remain confidential.