High Plains Outdoors: Smokin’ Venison Chili

In this week's show, Luke gives some tips that might help you transform that big buck or doe into some tasty steaks and roasts.

Hanging a deer a couple of days before butchering is always a good idea, but sometimes not possible because of warm temperatures. In a controlled environment, such as a walk-in cooler that can keep the meat just above freezing for several days greatly improves the flavor. If the weather is cool, it's always a good idea to hang the deer in a garage, barn or covered structure for a couple days.

Alan Cain whitetail deer program leader for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Alan and Ellis Powell, also with TPWD, recently used big bore air rifles to do a bit of research into the effectiveness of big bore air rifles for harvesting game.

Cain recently spoke at the TPWD Commissioners meeting in Lufkin and gave his opinion of the power and effectiveness of big bore air rifles in cleanly and humanely dispatching deer-sized game. 

November marks the beginning of trophy blue catfish season on many lakes. Guide David Hanson says about the time the whitetail deer begin their annual rut, the big blue catfish turn on at Lake Tawakoni, where he has been fishing and guiding for most of his life.

Luke gives an update on the whitetail rut and some tips on rattling bucks during early season. Whitetail bucks have started breaking away from the bachelor herds where they spent the summer months.

Luke describes the easy way of making smoked jalapeno German summer sausage, from a kit that contains the blended seasoning, casings and cure.