AURELIUS - With the opening of the regular deer hunting season only five days away, hunters from all over the Finger Lakes region converged on Bass Pro Shop this weekend to learn a few new skills while stocking up on equipment.
Tony D'Agostino, one of the store's hunting pro specialists, said Bass Pro Shops hosts seminars and workshops every weekend to help anyone from novice to professional learn new tips and tricks.
“What we do is make our clients' experiences better, and we do that by sharing our experiences and teaching them about new products,” D'Agostino said. “There are new products all the time, and we show off the latest gear that we use. We are not just sales people, we have a feel for the equipment and what we believe works.”
On Sunday, D'Agostino taught two seminars, one on early-season hunting techniques and a second on late-season strategies.
“Late and early season are two completely different mindsets D'Agostino said. ”Early season, the deer have not been pressured yet and they are not as spooky. Late season, they have been pressured by the hunters so they are more nocturnal and spooky. They also have different food sources, so people have to change their strategies accordingly.“
In another seminar, hunters gathered around a recently killed pig and deer as taxidermist Jon VanNest demonstrated how to field dress, skin and prepare animals.
VanNest said he used a pig because it was the closest thing to a fresh deer he had since it was a couple days old.
“A lot of hunters think they know what they are doing and they don't, or they don't know what they are doing so they don't do anything at all with their deer,” VanNest said. “It's critical to prepare your deer as soon as you can to try and get all that heat out of the body, that is probably the most important thing you have to do.”
In order to get the heat out and prevent the meat from spoiling, VanNest said it was critical to have the right tools.
“A lot of times when someone comes into the shop, they have these big knives, but they are nothing but a hindrance,” VanNest said as he showed the crowd the knife he used. “All you need is a sharp, small 5 inch, or 6 inch blade at most ... And the most dangerous thing you can have is a dull knife. When you're using a dull knife you put more pressure on the blade so if you slip, it's going to be that much harder to catch yourself without getting hurt.”
Steve Tulla, a 35-year hunting veteran from Interlaken, said he planned to incorporate some of the techniques he learned from VanNest when he goes out into the fields.
“That stuff is really important, especially because a lot of people don't like venison,” Tulla said. “They think it's too strong, but that's only because it wasn't prepared right.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
“What we do is make our clients' experiences better, and we do that by sharing our experiences and teaching them about new products,” D'Agostino said. “There are new products all the time, and we show off the latest gear that we use. We are not just sales people, we have a feel for the equipment and what we believe works.”
On Sunday, D'Agostino taught two seminars, one on early-season hunting techniques and a second on late-season strategies.
“Late and early season are two completely different mindsets D'Agostino said. ”Early season, the deer have not been pressured yet and they are not as spooky. Late season, they have been pressured by the hunters so they are more nocturnal and spooky. They also have different food sources, so people have to change their strategies accordingly.“
In another seminar, hunters gathered around a recently killed pig and deer as taxidermist Jon VanNest demonstrated how to field dress, skin and prepare animals.
VanNest said he used a pig because it was the closest thing to a fresh deer he had since it was a couple days old.
“A lot of hunters think they know what they are doing and they don't, or they don't know what they are doing so they don't do anything at all with their deer,” VanNest said. “It's critical to prepare your deer as soon as you can to try and get all that heat out of the body, that is probably the most important thing you have to do.”
In order to get the heat out and prevent the meat from spoiling, VanNest said it was critical to have the right tools.
“A lot of times when someone comes into the shop, they have these big knives, but they are nothing but a hindrance,” VanNest said as he showed the crowd the knife he used. “All you need is a sharp, small 5 inch, or 6 inch blade at most ... And the most dangerous thing you can have is a dull knife. When you're using a dull knife you put more pressure on the blade so if you slip, it's going to be that much harder to catch yourself without getting hurt.”
Steve Tulla, a 35-year hunting veteran from Interlaken, said he planned to incorporate some of the techniques he learned from VanNest when he goes out into the fields.
“That stuff is really important, especially because a lot of people don't like venison,” Tulla said. “They think it's too strong, but that's only because it wasn't prepared right.”
Staff writer Nate Robson can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or nathan.robson@lee.net
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