Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

Ok, @corewassen87
, I want pointers on butchering bear.  We leave on Thurs and so far I think 11 or 12 of the tag holders have bagged a bear.  I am probably going to butcher it myself so any hints would be awesome.

In all honesty the biggest part of cleaning a bear is a good shot and a clean gut job. A lot of the butchering aspect depends on what your intentions are with the meat-sausage, steaks, roasts or ? The quartering of it is just like a deer. I always do steaks out of the back straps and loins. I also take off as much fat as I can. When you get it quartered I always take the outside layer of silver skin and everything off to expose the muscles better. Hind quarters I cut roasts out of and the shoulders are jerky and grind. And whatever you do....don't waste the ribs! A lot of people don't even mess with them but that's a rotten shame.
 
coffee and ginger snaps for breakfast, and now coffee and a donut for lunch.

I am as high as I can reach with the tractor bucket.
I can't go any higher until we cap the chimney anyhow.
78 inches to go.


I always thought a skinned out bear looked sort of human like.

I have to make a trip to the feed mill for chicken feed.

........jiminwisc......



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LOL..yep Jim they do indeed appear that way.....X3 on keeping the ribs...they are way better than pork ribs....told that to the neighbor when he stopped by with his......he said cool, that his father in law would prolly love to smoke them. I never had them that way, but I know they would be to die for. I don't like folks that waste good parts of the kill either cw....just share them with others that would like them, rather than waste them...shame on them.

Stay Safe...bigz
 
LOL..yep Jim they do indeed appear that way.....X3 on keeping the ribs...they are way better than pork ribs....told that to the neighbor when he stopped by with his......he said cool, that his father in law would prolly love to smoke them. I never had them that way, but I know they would be to die for. I don't like folks that waste good parts of the kill either cw....just share them with others that would like them, rather than waste them...shame on them.

Stay Safe...bigz

I can't tell you how many venison rib cages I have salvaged from other people's deer.
they are happy to get rid of it, I am happy to use it.


the sun went away at about 2 PM. it has been raining since about 3 PM.
a little lightning and thunder, but not anything major.


the TV Dish guy (Chris) was here. He said we can do anything we want with the dish, he will come back and refocus it. just to give him a day or so heads up..

.........jiminwisc..........
 
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Ok, last post from me for a few days. Pretty sure they will not have wi fi at the lodge we are staying at. Everyone send positive thoughts for my son to get a bear this weekend. I know it would be a once in a lifetime accomplishment for him. I picked up a track chair for him to use today. His regular wheel chair would never handle the rough terrain. If anyone out there needs to use one from time to time contact Access Ability. They loan them out for up to a week at a time for free. The freedom it gives my son is amazing. If you need more info, pm me.
 
Fried--your chickens have nice down coats on! As long as they are draft free and dry you will not have problems. Make sure the perches are flat so their feathers can cover their toes so they dont freeze. I also like to keep the water out of the coop so it stays drier. You can start building up the bedding in there now ans by winter it may be starting to compost a bit providing even more heat. (deep litter method) There are lots of threads on here about dealing with chickens in the cold...pick and read wisely!
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x2! Great advice Terri.


Just popping in to say hello from the northwoods (Price county) This is my first flock, and I hope they survive their first winter. We moved up here 2 years ago from Burlington, and the first winter we had a whole week at -20 degrees. Any tips for keeping my birds alive? The coop is insulated and I have straw and pine shavings to put down when it gets chilly. I will have to bring water out twice a day for them, but I have a black rubber feed pan so ice removal will be easier. The coop is 6' x 9' and I have 10 birds in there. They free range during the day. I have no power in the coop and it's about 200 ft from the house, so I really don't want to use an extension cord. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Welcome to the Cheeseheads Fried! Hope you like it here. As long as your coop is insulated and ventilated enough to keep the condensation down (but not too drafty), your chickens should be fine in winter without a heat source. Like TerriO said, they have nice down coats. The deep litter method is a good idea also, especially in winter. I prefer poop boards under the roosts so I can easily clean them often, and deep litter all over the floor. As they soil it, just add more clean litter on top of it. It can be a chore to clean it out in the spring but it is better than trying to do it in the snow & freezing cold. Be careful about using straw in the winter because it holds in the moisture and will mold quickly, causing respiratory issues. Mixing straw with shavings will help keep it drier. I like just straight shavings in my coop, but that is just me. It is easier for me to shovel out too.

Mold, moisture, dust and using the deep litter method (ammonia build up) are all reasons to have really good ventilation in your coop, especially in the winter. A lot of people will argue that ventilation will cause it to be cold & potentially drafty in the coop, but it is far better for the birds to be exposed to a little cold than to have to breathe in fumes, mold spores & dust. The cold won't kill them; the other stuff might, or at least make them ill.

Hauling water twice a day will get old real fast in the snow & cold. You might want to consider a good quality all season extension cord. I have used them for years for heated water bases and heated dog bowls. A plastic 1 gallon chicken waterer fits perfectly inside one of those big metal dog bowls. Otherwise you can search for cookie tin heated water bases for a cheaper alternative to the store bought bases. F&F does put the bases on sale from time to time for around $30. I have had one for 13+ years & it is still working, although it isn't as effective as it used to be when I use the big 5 gallon waterers. I use smaller waterers on that one.

Most LF breeds are pretty hardy in the winter. I have a lot of orps and they seem to do better in the winter temps than in the hot summer. My little banties are the opposite.

This is just my humble opinion that I have discovered works best for me. You have to experiment and do what you feel is best for you & your birds. There is no one right or wrong answer. Gather as much info as you can and decide from there what you think will work best in your set up. And always feel free to ask us anything. There are no stupid questions. Good luck! :)
 

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