Our Weekly Visit
By Pete Fandel, Crop Systems Educator

From Deer to Venison:  Proper Care & Handling 

With harvest in full swing and the leaves beginning to fall, many deer hunters are getting anxious for the up-coming firearm deer season reports Bob Frazee, University of Illinois Natural Resources Management Educator.  Deer numbers are up considerably, and the 2008 shotgun season for deer in Illinois is scheduled for two time periods: November 21 – 23; and December 4 – 7.

After the last shot, the novice deer hunter often suffers a few moments of frustration......”Now what should I do?”  Illinois deer thrive on diets of corn and alfalfa, but the right care in the field will significantly improve your chances of getting many pounds of quality meat.  A flyer entitled “From Field to Table – A Pocket Guide for the Care & Handling of Deer and Elk” provides an in-depth outline of suggested steps in properly handling your kill to ensure maximum meat quality and safety. 
This four-page flyer highlights important points in field-dressing the deer, care in transport & processing, cutting the carcass and food preparation tips. It also provides valuable information on how to identify deer which might be affected by a disease called Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
CWD symptoms in affected deer include weight loss, stumbling, tremors, lack of coordination, excessive salivation, listlessness, teeth grinding abnormal head posture, excessive thirst and urination, and drooping ears. To date there is no evidence the CWD has been transmitted or can be transmitted to humans under natural conditions. However, neither is there strong evidence that such transmissions could not occur. Therefore, hunters should take a few simple precautions when handling and transporting deer carcasses.
A copy of this “Pocket Guide for the Care & Handling of Deer & Elk” is available online and can be downloaded, at no charge, from the North Dakota State University Extension Service website http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/foods/ncr525w.htm  It is one of the best “hands-on” pocket guides available for deer hunters to help ensure the best venison quality and safety, and the price for this pocket guide is right.

Harvesting Black Walnuts

Now is a good time to begin harvesting black walnuts, according to Bob Frazee, Natural Resources Educator for University of Illinois Extension. In general, the light colored black walnut kernels will have a milder flavor than the dark ones.  If you prefer light colored kernels, Frazee recommends you hull the nuts as soon as they drop from the tree.  Allowing the hulls to partially decompose before hulling causes a discoloration of the kernels.
When black walnuts are mature, their hulls will be thick and fleshy. They can be mashed and removed by hand but using mechanical devices such as a corn sheller will make the job a lot easier.  After hulling, wash the nuts thoroughly and spread out away from sunlight to dry for two to three weeks.  Then store in a cool, dry place.
Because the hard shell can make it difficult to remove the black walnut kernel, try “tempering” the kernels before the shell is cracked.  To “temper” the black walnuts, plan to soak the nuts in water for one to two hours, drain, and then keep in a closed container for ten to twelve hours.  The kernels will absorb enough moisture to become tough, yet will remain loose in the shell.
For individuals wanting more information about growing your own nut trees, selecting appropriate nut tree varieties, learning about their insect or disease pests or harvesting nuts, a pamphlet entitled “Nut Growing in Illinois” is available online at this University of Illinois Extension website http://www.aces.uiuc.edu/~vista/html_pubs/NUTGROW/nuthome.html