Anyone doing a specific forgings with deer hunting in mind such as gambrels, etc. or anything else for the hunt/ the camp? Dan:)

What are some cool things to do for deer season?

I used my tire bender last Saturday to roll a half dozen 32 inch diameter rings out of tubing for a friend. He is making some portable deer stands that hang on the side of a tree. These rings form the base of the stand.

Almost forgot, I also forged some larding needles out of 3/16 round stainless for another customer that wanted something to pull bacon strips through deer roasts.

I usually make a style of the "pig tail meat flipper"/"J hook (or whatever you call it) for the guys at camp. I make them out of stainless rod with deer antler handles and a fancy braided lanyard.

This year I also made 2 five foot long pokers for the out door camp fires and also made a set of fireplace tools for the cabin to replace the cheap set that has been there for years. For the long campfire pokers, I just forge a shaker point or welded spear point for the poker end and a balancing piece for the butt end. I mount them on conduit to save overall weight.

My deer camp in SW Pennsylvania is coming up quick....I'll be opening the cabin Thanksgiving day. Deer season here in Southern Illinois is a week earlier than that. (I don't hunt in PA, I'm the camp cook).

Leaving for Colorado in the morning to visit the grand daughter, see you guys in a week.

Deer Camp? Whatever happened to setting on the back porch and bagging a deer at the cattle feeder.

Deer camp is more about tradition, comraderie and great food for us. The hunting is secondary. Don't get me wrong, taking a nice deer is our goal, just not absolutely necessary for a successful deer camp. We currently have three generations of our family hunting together and sharing camp. I could take a deer just about any evening in my back yard, but it just wouldn't be the same.

Deer Camp? Whatever happened to setting on the back porch and bagging a deer at the cattle feeder.

Sure, Irnsrgn, "porch beef" is the easy option to fill a tag and Chevy season runs all year but getting together with the whole gang in camp to soothe the itch of my neanderthal gene is the best part... Anybody ever forge broadheads for primitive archery? Dan:)

I've forged gambrels and large S hooks to use in hanging up the deer and large campfire log tongs to move the campfire around. There's always the campfire cooking equipment commonly seen at rendevous'. I just finished a gambrel out of 7/8" sucker rod, but that was to hang beef cattle for butchering.

If you folks want to read some humorous deer camp stories check out Garrison Keeler's Prairie Home Companion site. In my opinion he is a genius. I've enjoyed many laughs thanks to him and his take on deer stories as well as many other subjects.

Anyone doing a specific forgings with deer hunting in mind such as gambrels, etc. or anything else for the hunt/ the camp? Dan:)

Here we go again, deer season approaches once again...:cool:

My neck is already swellin'...

hehehehehe
I never heard the expression "porch beef". We alwaysd called it speed beef.

I'm kinda like Irn--a couple of mornings back I was up just before daylight, looking out the back window at 2 nice deer standing up on their back legs picking apples from the trees 30' from the house with their chests toward me. I could almost taste the stew!

I made a gambrel out of 1/2 in. rd. stock last season for my brother. He hasn't gotten anything yet to try it out on.

Can't wait!!! Getting ready for Bow & Black Powder
I made a nice Gambrel 2 years ago for hanging and butchering
also made a neat arrow stand for a friend who shoots competitions.
He looked cool at the line with a forged quiver stand planted next to him!
(But I may be a bit Biased about that) :)

For me, it would be enjoyable to have a field knife (rough as it will be) done by then. Otherwise, all I do is check the sights on my very old friend- a 1969 Ruger Super Blackhawk, .44 Mag. He has been a reliable meat getter, and I will be unlikely to go through the original box of 50 cartridges(remember when they sold 50's- nowadays you need a loan to buy the 20's- this one box is my hunting load) in my remaining lifetime unless the old feller takes some really hard knocks.mike

Gambrels, meat hooks, fleshers and maybe a skinning knife or two..

My brother in law fed himself by poaching deer for several years while living in the Colorado Mountains. All he had was a .357 revolver. He was an ex-marine and a fair pistol shot who would get in close enough to get a head shot. I asked him about poaching and what he would do if he got caught and he replied "I recon I could tell them the deer committed suicide".

Well I`am making some camping tripods, Gambrels, s hooks (1/2 inch) , skinning knife , to take for deer season to my next demo along with the normal demo stuff.

Could y`all post pics of the stuff? (for ideas LOL)

While we are on the subject of hunting camp items, here is a descent list of items.

1. Gambrels - 30" - 1/2" round stock Mild steel
2. Larges hooked s-hooks- 8"- 1/2"round stock mild steel
3. Fire pokers; 4ft long from about 5' long 3/8'' square or round mild steel.
4. lantern stands; 3/8" square or round at different length depending on the height that you want.
5. Meat flippers; also depnding on length can be made out of 1/4" - 3/8'' square/round
6. Flesh/Meat forks; I usually make them from 3/8'' square about 24''
7. Spatulas; stainless blade with handle
   

There are alot of possiblilties. These are just some for those not knowing what can be made for the hunting camp.

anybody got anything else I forgot?

A bit preachy here- handguns for big game are not for everyone. I have been shooting centerfire since I was 10. I shoot combat style qualification with several law enforcement agencies about 4-6 times annually. While those tests require a Sig P229, they nonetheless pressure me to stay competent.I have yet to shoot a perfect 250 score, regularly 248- the flyers are my first two rounds from run to down prone, 6 rounds from that position. When I was 10 and up, my Dad and I shot .45ACP 1911's in the basement into a trap. It is a wonder that I can hear at all. Mom and sis went shopping- can't say as I blame them.

Unfortunately, since Iowa legalized handguns for deer, we have seen too many wounded, usually gut-shot. I have never lost a deer and all were one shot at the longest, 60 yards(once), with the gun sighted to 5" high at 40 yards.

If I get a knife done, then I'll go traditional and use my .45 plains half-stock- the one partially seen in some knife pics I have posted. ( I will say no more non- smith related in this thread- the wrought iron furniture on the half-stock was forged)mike

Im a gun collector and reloader myself..Worked in corrections for most of my proffesional working career..When I was doing my qual's at the federal LEO training acadamy the first M-16 I was issued had a bad auto disconnect in it..It would rack off 3-5 round bursts when it was suppose to be semi..Thats quit a supprise when your not expecting it..

Me I prefer Dear season to deer season any day. I love my DEAR very much:D

OK, BT. I've been huntin' deer for a whole bunch of years now, and you got me stumped. I never heard of pulling bacon thru a deer roast. I guess that it keeps it from drying out? Tell me more about those needles that you made.

The culinary term for it is "barding." Yes, added moisture during cooking is the purpose.mike( I skip that- I cut the tenderloins and a few "sirloin-type" cuts. The rest is jerky and sticks.) If I get a second, doe only, late season tag, then that deer gets conventional butchering except my guy does not do the marginal "steaks-roasts."