After Deer Season Is Over

January comes around and deer season is over. Well, not exactly. This is a great time to scout your woods for next year.

I like to get in the woods right after season. I look for trails that the deer have recently been traveling. If you wait a few more months when the weather warms, the deers travel pattern may change some. Scouting now gives you real time data that can be used again next year. One thing that I have learned over the years of hunting and scouting is, deer will change their travel patterns often.

Also, I like to keep an eye out for scrapes and rubs. You can usually find an area of the woods that has been worked over harder by bucks than other areas. Finding these could be key to having success next fall. You may find a big bucks home area where he spends the majority of his time during season.

Just because you can’t go hunting for deer January, doesn’t mean you can’t get into the woods. Go scouting and you may be surprised by what you find. You may even find an early shed antler. I am sure it will make you a more successful hunter next season.

Buttery Oven Baked Fish

On these cold winter days, it is nice to have an excuse to start the oven to help warm the house. I baked fish yesterday and it turned out very tasty! This recipe is full of flavor and very quick to make.

I started out spraying cooking spray in a 9 x 13 baking dish. I sprinkled some St. Elmo seasoning on the fillets.

Next, in a separate bowl I melted 4 tablespoons of butter.  To the melted butter I added more St. Elmo seasoning, Kosher salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon and lime juice.

I drizzled the seasoned butter over the fish fillets. If you like a little crunch, you can add Panko bread crumbs to the top of the fillets. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish.  That is it! This was a great dinner with virtually no clean up afterwards. That is my kind of baking.

Ingredients

3-4 whitefish fillets [Any whitefish will work]

A sprinkle St. Elmo seasoning over the fillet

4 tbs of melted butter

1/2 tsp of St. Elmo seasoning

1/4 tsp of Kosher salt

1/4 tsp of paprika

1/4 tsp of onion powder

1/4 tsp of garlic powder

1/2 tsp of lemon juice

1/4 tsp of lime juice