It is the firearms season for deer- one of the high holiest days of the Hoosier outdoor calendar.

The next month will be filled with silent mornings spent on the deer stand, impeccable memories of fog-shrouded field edges and the always-present jitters when a buck strolls into your field of vision.

This is one of the few times when the Indiana outdoor world is united in a quest- it seems that everyone is on a journey to find a trophy or something even better in the wild places we love so much.

Regardless if you are standing in the grocery store, along the street or in the gas station, all outdoor talk turns to deer.  It’s an exciting, tiring, frustrating, rewarding, aggravating but ultimately wonderful time to be alive in the outdoors.

Here are a few stories to help make the time spent indoors pass more quickly until you can return to those special places only hunters understand.

Tips and technique

Venison on the table- How to prepare toothsome venison

Joe Smith Taxidermy-  World-class taxidermist Joe Smith talks about his craft and how NOT to treat your trophy

The good stuff- How to make the best- and worse- venison jerky

Tree stand safety- Deer hunting is not worthy dying for

Stories, Humor and Commentary

Deer Diary- A recap of one unsuccessful season

Opening Day Deer Season 2007- Some thoughts when the Big One got away

Opening Day Deer Season 2008- A washout of opening morning

The Ladies opening-day hunt-  What the ladies don’t want us to know

Deer Juice- A true story, but not for the squeamish!

The deer hunting pigs- are you a hunter or a pig?

Ghosts in the mist- Hunting with a muzzleloader is special but not always successful

Snow Hunt- one of my favorite all-time stories

To deer or not to deer- a great problem to have

Ethics- where do you fall in the scale?

The sweet sensation of success:  Once in a while, even an outdoor writer gets lucky

What really happens: A minute-by-minute account of getting ready for deer season