Backwoods Bound Bullet

ARTICLE: A GREAT TROPHY MOUNT STARTS IN THE FIELD

 As; fall rings in another year of hunting with comes the chances of taking a trophy animal. With the help of Michael Combs, owner of Majestic Antlers Taxidermy, we bring to you these tips for caring for your trophy while in the field. If you plan on getting your trophy mounted, the process for doing so starts while still in the field. Special care and handling of trophy animals make a mount that much better.

 BIRDS

 Much; care should be taken to protect the feathers. The less they are handled the better condition they will be in. Don't worry if they have broken wings, the bird can still be mounted. Tuck the birds head under a wing and gently place in a plastic bag. Freeze as soon as possible.

 GAME HEADS

 Never; cut an animal's throat or make any cuts in the brisket area. Simply encircle the animal 12 inches behind the front legs and skin up to the base of the skull. Avoid letting the skin get exposed to heat or soak in water. Place the head with the antlers/horns attached in plastic bags. Large trash bags work great. Double bag if needed. Freeze as soon as possible. If you are ever in doubt about the skinning process, contact a taxidermist. The quality of a mount begins before it ever gets to the taxidermist.

 LIFE-SIZE ANIMALS

 All; animals the size of coyote and smaller should be frozen whole. Do not gut or skin the animal. Avoid letting the it soak in water or exposed to heat for a long time. Place in a plastic bag and freeze as soon as possible.

 FISH SKIN MOUNTS

 Do; not gut the fish! Smooth the fins down against the body and wrap the fish in a clean wet towel. Seal in a plastic bag and freeze as soon as possible. Contact your taxidermist about making arrangements to have the fish brought or mailed to the shop.

 If; you can't get your trophy to a taxidermist within 24 hours, place the animal in plastic bags and put it in the freezer no matter what the weather conditions are! SPECIAL CARE AND HANDLING OF TROPHIES WILL MAKE A BETTER MOUNT!

 Our; thanks to Michael Combs, a professional taxidermist and owner of Majestic Antlers Taxidermy in Millers Creek, North Carolina for these tips. If you have a question for Mike you can reach him at [email protected]. Visit him on the web at WWW.MAJESTICANTLERS.COM.

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BACKWOODS KNOW-HOW: BUILDING A TEEPEE CAMPFIRE

 As; fall rolls in so does the chilly evenings. Nothing beats setting around a warm, cozy fire after a day in the field. Whether its at home in front of the fireplace or in a fire ring at camp, a teepee fire is the best for quick lighting. It also puts out a tremendous amount of heat, even with a relatively small fire. And it is easy to maintain.

 Follow; these steps for success:

 ~ Bunch up some frayed bark, dried grass and tiny twigs along with your fire starting materials, if you have any, into a ball. One easy to carry, lightweight starter material is the "fluffy" material you get out of your clothes dryers lint trap. Pocket lint will also work.

 ~ Lay small twigs and sticks, about the size of your finger, against one another and over the ball to form a teepee shape. Make sure to leave a small opening through which you place a match to ignite the fire.

 ~ Continue adding more wood, gradually longer and thicker, up to the width of two fingers, to your teepee. Maintain your shape.

 ~ Once the teepee is built to your satisfaction, carefully strike a match, shield it from the wind and light the ball of kindling.

 ~ As fire has a natural tendency to climb, you'll be enjoying your fire in no time. Add more wood as needed remembering to maintain your teepee shape.

 ~ Remember to never a fire unattended and make sure it is completely out before leaving for home.

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ARTICLE: SMALLMOUTH BASS ARE NOT LARGEMOUTH BASS by Steven and Kurt vonBrandt

 Time; and time again over the years, we have listened to many anglers and clients express their frustration at trying to catch smallmouth bass. Most anglers don't realize that these fish have their own set of behaviors that sets them apart from largemouth bass.

 The; major differences between a smallmouth and a largemouth bass are as follows:

 If; you fish for smallmouth here in the northeast, especially in the Susquehanna river in Maryland, you will find that smallmouth bass do not stick that tight to cover. This is even more apparent in some of our slack water reservoirs. Smallmouth relate much more to a sudden or rapid depth change than they do cover. When we fish for largemouths, we are all taught to fish brush piles and thick weed beds, but smallmouth bass are more likely to be caught on a rock ledge that drops off quickly from about six to twelve feet.

 When; fishing in the reservoirs here such as Conowingo, or in the rivers like the Susquehanna, smallmouths are sometimes caught shallow, but they are seldom more than ten to twenty yards away from deep water.

 Everywhere; we go, we see the majority of bass anglers beating the shoreline, and as this may work for largemouth bass most of the time, if you are after big smallmouth bass, turn around and cast to the open water rather than beat the shore.

 Unlike; largemouth bass, smallmouth bass often group together by size. We found that if we were catching smaller fish, in the eleven to fourteen inch range, we rarely caught a big one in the same area. On the other hand, when we caught a smallmouth that was above four or five pounds, many times there were several that size and even larger swimming right along with them. Big largemouth bass are loners, usually found by themselves on the best piece of structure, while larger smallmouth bass will often school together.

 There; are several things that tell you that smallmouth bass are much better suited for strong current than largemouth. For one, their pointed noses and the sharp angle of their fins are indicators that they are more suited to current. They often get behind a rock or stump and rush out to feed. Largemouth can adapt somewhat to current, but are much more at home in slack water.

 FALL

 By; October, the lakes and rivers around here are about seventy to seventy-five degrees, and the fish are suspending in the deeper water. After there are a few nights where the temperatures start to really drop the water temperatures, the smallmouth start to become far more catchable. Long points that run out into the river channel are perfect spots to use a crank bait to catch these smallies-especially on the windy days. We also take good size smallmouth on blade baits and spinnerbaits that are suspended on rock banks.

 WINTER

 When; the water temperatures are about fifty to fifty six degrees here, usually about mid November, the smallmouth we have caught were always on a point with a fast taper into deeper water. If the smallmouth are in water deeper than fifteen feet, we throw a blade bait or tail spinner, if they are shallower than that, we throw the Yamamoto grub again. We always load these baits with a new product called • Megastrike, which is a revolutionary new advance in scent technology.

 When; the water starts to drop below fifty degrees again, the smallmouth become a little more lethargic and start suspending off points and sloping banks. We use a hair jig then, or a drop-shot rig with a grub for these fish. Sometimes when these tactics fail, (and they do when the water temperatures drop below forty degrees), we then reverse our tactics and try larger baits such as a big jointed Rapala or similar type bait. We have even caught them trolling these bigger baits this time of year. Although the action is slow, many times the fish are giant!

 A BIG CHALLENGE

 Locating; and then catching big smallmouth bass is a real challenge. That is why it is so much fun. Hopefully by reading some of these methods you have gained a better understanding of where these trophy fish go and what they are looking for, and of course, this will hopefully get you the fish of a lifetime. Remember, get out early and late in the year and brave the elements, hit these prime areas with the baits we described, and remember most of all, you are after a completely different fish! • These are NOT Largemouth's!

 You; can book a trip or order a videotape from S&K; Guide Service that will help you learn new techniques to catch both largemouth and smallmouth bass by simply dropping them an email at [email protected] or by visiting the website at www.skguideservice.com .

 Steve; and Kurt vonBrandt are tournament anglers as well as guides and video producers, and have their own radio and TV shows on the Internet and Comcast cable in the area. They are also Redman/BFL regional qualifiers, and the 1998, 99, and 2001 Big Bass World Champs/Delaware.

 Don;'t miss part two in next month's issue when Steven and Kurt cover the spring, spawn, post spawn and summertime habits of the smallmouth bass.

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NEW PRODUCT RELEASE: THE COBB BBQ GRILL

• Florida-based CobbQ, Inc. launches marketing plans for their innovative outdoor convection grill. The unique product has hit the United States marketplace, just in time for spring and summer, popularly known as "grilling season".

• The design of the Cobb Convection BBQ Grill mimics the cooking process of a standard convection oven. Moreover, the Cobb does more than just grill. It bakes, roasts, smokes and fry's too. The small, portable grill cooks plenty of big meals serving up to eight people.

• Airflow through the dome's lid holes ensures consistent temperature and even cooking. The Cobb convection system cooks beef, pork and poultry that are moist and juicy. Fish, shrimp and lobster are cooked to succulent perfection. The circulating airflow ensures that flavors are cooked into extra juicy meat when your favorite marinade is added to the Cobb's "flavor well".

• Weighing only eight pounds, the Cobb Convection BBQ Grill is a campers and boaters dream! It's even lightweight enough for an eight-year old child to carry! The heavy-duty Cobb canvas travel bag features two extra long shoulder straps. The roomy design allows for extra utensils, charcoal briquettes or anything you need to prepare a gourmet meal.

• The Cobb is a cooking solution for active people. Whether activities include camping, hiking, boating, RVing, or tailgating at the stadium, the Cobb travels, cooks and cleans up in a snap. Before leaving for an outing toss eight to ten charcoal briquettes into the fire chamber of the grill, place the grill into the travel bag, zip it closed and you're ready to go.

• Cooking on the Cobb has never been easier. Remove the Cobb from the travel bag and light the charcoal. Full meals can be prepared at one time. For example, red potatoes and corn on the cob are roasted in the flavor well while meats and seafood are cooked on the grill. Everything is cooked to perfection - at the same time!

• The Cobb is easy to clean too. Once the Cobb has cooled down, dispose of the ashes, place the grill into the travel bag, zip it closed and go. Once at home, rise with hot water then it's ready for the dishwasher. The Cobb's non-stick coating makes cleaning easier than traditional travel BBQ grills.

• The design of the Cobb originated with safety in mind. An innovation straight out of Africa, the Cobb was initially designed as a cooking system for people in rural areas without access to electricity so they could cook in a safer environment, with less danger of out of control fires. The first prototype of the grill was a ceramic sphere-shaped device that cooked well, but was heavy and cumbersome. The initial fuel source for the Cobb was dry corn cobs, abundant in rural Africa, hence the grill's name. The unit has been refined over and over, and the result is a small, eco-friendly, portable and incredibly efficient barbecue. Compressed charcoal briquettes - a universal commodity, have replaced the corn cobs.

• The Cobb's unique construction prevents accidental burns. While the Cobb cooks food at 600 degrees on the inside, the safety base stays cool on the outside. The Cobb can be picked up or touched while cooking - a great safety feature for boaters and peace of mind for campers. This unique safety feature is due to the built-in air pockets and heat shield in the polymer plastic base. Boaters can rest assure that fiberglass won't be damaged and campers can responsibly grill without the danger of starting outdoor flare-ups.

• For further information or to order your own Cobb Convection Grill from CobbQ, Inc., visit their website at WWW.COBBQ.COM or contact Chris Holloway at 954-427-2555 or e-mail him at [email protected] .

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In this issue:

** BACKWOODS BOUND CHILI SEASONING MIX **

As the urge to go hunting this month hits you, so does that crazing for a great pot of chili. Backwoods Bound Chili Seasoning Mix can fulfill that urge! Our unique blend of spices makes a perfect pot of chili every time. Besides making a hearty pot of chili, give it a try for delicious tasting fajitas, enchiladas, jambalaya and more! Backwoods Bound Chili Seasoning Mix. It's simple to use and great tasting too! What else could you want? Pick some up today at Columbia Mini Mart in Columbia, Illinois, Evansville Food Mart in Evansville, Illinois or order securely on-line at www.backwoodsbound.com/chili.html.

BACKWOODS TRIVIA: • See if you know this one.

How many times does 'One' appear on a dollar bill?

BONUS QUESTION: Who is on the most recent version of the two dollar bill?

Find the answer at the end of this newsletter.

Send your trivia questions to [email protected] .

RECIPE: BAKED DOVE WITH VEGETABLES

* In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the dove and brown on both sides. Remove the doves.

* In the same skillet, saut' the scallions, carrot, celery and pepper.

* Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, bring the chicken broth and wine to a boil. Remove from heat.

* Add the bay leaf, marjoram and boiling broth mixture to the vegetables. Stir together.

* Grease a casserole dish and place the doves in the bottom.

* Pour the vegetable mixture over the doves. Cover and bake for 20 - 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Look for more of recipes on our site at www.backwoodsbound.com/recipe.html.

** GREENLEAF DESIGNS **

If you'd like to spend more time hunting you need to be comfortable. As we all know the more time spent in the woods the better your opportunities to connect with a big buck! At Greenleaf Designs we take into consideration the quality and comfort aspects with each unique design we produce. From intermediate to advanced, we have a professional system created specifically for you. Don't be left out in the cold! Visit us today at WWW.GREENLEAF-DESIGNS.COM.

RECOMMEND THE BACKWOODS BOUND BULLET TO A FRIEND!

Know a friend who enjoys the outdoors as much as you do? Recommend The Bullet to them. It's easy to do, just follow this link or copy and paste the url into your browser! http://www.cumuli.com/ezines/backwo.ezine Thank you!

FISHIN' TIPS: If it is allowed at your favorite fishing hole, now is the time to put out your crappie cribs. Use an oak pallet and nail two by fours, three to five feet tall onto it about sixteen to eighteen inches apart. Nail them around the sides and through the middle. Use concrete blocks and sink them in water of appropriate depth near drop-offs and creek channels. Mark the spot with your GPS or site it in using three or four objects on the bank. By spring of next year, the crappie will have congregated in and around them yielding some great action.

Send your tips to [email protected] and we will post them on the site or use them in an upcoming issue of The Bullet.

GET READY FOR DEER SEASON!

Beat the rush and order your Backwoods Bound State Shaped Trophy Plaque now! Deer season is almost upon us and now is the time to get your order in. You know you're going to get the big one this year, so why not order your plaque in advance. Don't waste your money buying one of those plaques from the discount stores. Not only are they made from imitation wood, but they all look the same. Mount your trophy on something unique this year and have it stand out from the rest.

Don't forget about that trophy fish you caught this summer or that trophy trout you'll catch this fall. Tell your taxidermist that you'll supply your own plaque and order a Backwoods Bound State Shaped Trophy Plaque. ALL states and Canadian provinces are available. ORDER TODAY!! You'll be glad you did! For more information and photos or to place your order go to www.backwoodsbound.com/antlrplaq01.html .

WHAT'S NEW

As always we have several new recipes on the site. Give them a try and let us know what you think. While on the subject of recipes, we received several notes in August about a few of our great recipes. Sarah sent us a note saying " Crispy frog legs, I luved them. They were great!!!" And Tammy posted this note on our Bulletin Board. "We have made a lot of deer meatloaf a lot of different ways, but this recipe is the best by far!! We loved it ....so did our neighbors and friends!! Thanks so much!!" Thank you both for your kind words and keep the compliments coming. (we need to feed our egos)

We have lots of new subscribers and would like to welcome them aboard. We look forward to receiving your recipes, tips, photos stories, questions and comments. Send them to: [email protected] .

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** SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA GUIDE SERVICE **

We offer a premium guide service specializing in striper fishing, duck hunting and catfishing on Lake Texoma and the Red and Washita Rivers. We offer over fifty-years combined experience guiding on Lake Texoma. Our fishing boats are all modern off-shore style boats, 23-26 feet in length, that easily accommodate 2 to 7 people. Lake Texoma is the premier striped bass fishery in the United States. In addition, our lake is a major migration transition area for waterfowl on the Central Flyway.

Our goal is for you have a rewarding and memorable experience fishing or hunting on our beautiful lake. We are located at Soldier Creek Resort, a full service resort and marina south of Kingston, Oklahoma. Check us out on the web at WWW.SOUTHERNOKLAGUIDES.COM, or contact Doc Walker at 877-664-2208 or [email protected].

See this month's Crazy Captions photo at: www.backwoodsbound.com/funphotos.html and send us your Crazy Caption. Have a photo that would make a great Crazy Caption? Send it to [email protected].

RECIPE: GRILLED TURKEY BREAST

* In a bowl with a lid, shake together the spice rub ingredients

* Cut the turkey breast into strips. Sprinkle liberally with the spice rub.

* Spray a rectangular grilling basket with cooking spray. Cover one side completely with bacon.

* Place the turkey strips on the bacon. Cover with the other pack of bacon.

* Place the grill basket on a heated grill and cook on a low heat for about 20 - 25 minutes. Make sure not to overcook.

Our thanks to Derek Edge for sending in this recipe. Get more of our recipes at www.backwoodsbound.com/recipe.html .

HUNTIN' TIPS: • We've got several tips for your this month. The first one comes from Matthew Nolen who writes, "When you are deer hunting and the deer won't stop walking so you can get a shot, whistle at it. It stops them in their tracks and you will get a clean shot."

Up next is a tip from Rick Grubbs who sends us this one on turkey hunting. "....If hunting a gobbler you or someone else has hunted before, try very soft calls and scratching leaves like a hen is feeding. Realism is best for hunting pressured toms. Also works well for hunting a "hung-up" tom!"

And a couple of no-brainers. "Don't forget your gun" from Ryan and from Kay Kuzie, "Every hunter should know never aim a gun or an air rifle at a house or at someone."

For more tips visit our site at www.backwoodsbound.com/tipshunting.html.

FUN FACTS: Phil and Kirsty sent us these two fun facts; Elephants can't jump and dolphins sleep with one eye open. Thanks guys. And here is one from Wendy Keyes. The term "dog days" of summer comes from when the constellation Canis Majoris (big dog) is high in the sky. The brightest star Sirius (the "dog star") is in this constellation. Thanks Wendy.

** ADVERTISE HERE **

Place your ad here for only $5.00 an issue. Reduced rates for multiple issues. Contact us at [email protected] for details.