Though any catch is a good catch, seasoned hunters know that some animals are better trophy candidates than others. Regardless of your chances of being listed in the annals of time as a great elk or deer hunter, it's nice to know you can do a rough score of your animal in the field. So pack a steel tape measurer and a note pad to work out your own rough score.

Measure the inside spread of the main beams at it's widest point. Measure the length of each main beam from the burr to the tip. Measure the length of each point more than one inch long from the top of the main beam to it's tip. Measure the circumference of the main beam between the burr and the first point, then proceed to measure between the first and second, second and third and so on until you've measured the circumference of all segments.

Finally, add the measurements together to obtain a rough gross score for your rack. There are deductions for asymmetrical presentation, and a non-typical rack is harder to score. However, the Boone and Crockett club offer a great online scorecard you can fill in or download for use in the field.

One of the keys to success in hunting is placing an accurate shot - whether you hunt with a bow or a firearm, this sentiment rings true. So what is important when setting up your perfect shot, and perhaps more importantly, which shots should you let slip by? Though the window for placing your shot of a lifetime may be only seconds, it's important to exercise good judgement and aim to place your shot as effectively as possible.

Good shots are clear, no brush or other obstructions between you and your quarry. Don't take aim An ideal shot can be made when an animal is quartering away or presents itself broadside to you. Either of these gives you a clean shot at the vital organs allowing you to dispatch the animal quickly and ethically.

The golden rule, so to speak, is being sure you're aiming at the right target. This ensures safety for bystanders and other hunters. Bear in mind you should know what lies beyond your intended target, as a bullet or arrow can potentially carry on and cause serious harm to someone further a field.

The first question a lot of people intrigued by the notion of muzzleloaders ask is: what's a muzzleloader. In short, it's any sort of weapon you load through the muzzle. Generally, you pack gunpowder, followed by wadding, a projectile and a bit more wadding into the muzzle of your weapon.

Muzzleloader hunting requires a special kind of dedication. You've got to be an ace shot because you'll rarely have a chance to reload. You've got to enjoy maintaining your weapon because muzzleloaders provide the best results when they're clean. And, you'll have to be selective in terms of when you want to hunt and what you'd like to go after because muzzleloader seasons are different to the standard hunts in most states.

Safety, though important to all firearms handling, is exceptionally important in terms of muzzleloaders. It's vital that you are familiar with the manual for your weapon, follow the manufacturer's recommendations and never overload your muzzleloader. Also, bear in mind that lead is poisonous - don't eat while you're handling it and keep it where children can't possibly reach it.

You put a lot of thought into the weapon you choose to hunt with, and take care not to forget anything you might need at camp. An area many hunters overlook is the most important of all - their survival kit. Of course, a survival kit isn't the first thing most hunters think they need for their trek into the wilderness. But most of us don't set off for a hunt planning to get lost or injured along the way.

A survival kit should be compact - no larger than a fanny pack. The smaller it is, the more likely you are to keep it with you all the time. Your survival kit should include the following items:

- a space blanket, two if you can manage to fit them in
- at least one day's supply of food
- a pack of waterproof matches
- 20ft of nylon rope or parachute cord
- a suitable knife and sharpening stone
- two 8oz juice boxes
- a packet of water purification tablets
- a compact first aid kit including a gauze roll, adhesive tape, antiseptic wipes and aspirin

This is the bare minimum when considering your survival needs. With these items, odds are you can make it for a couple of days in the outdoors with little worry.

In today's gadget culture, it is easy to loose sight of basic skills all outdoors enthusiasts should possess before venturing into the wilderness for a hunt. One of the most important vanishing skills is the simple act of using a compass and a map to navigate.

Plenty of folks will tell you a good GPS is all you need to navigate the woods today - but they're dead wrong. What happens if the satellites you are using go on the fritz? What if the batteries go flat? What if the unit gets damaged? Well, if all you've got is a GPS and a hunch that the sun sets in the west, you're sunk.

So, visit an outdoor supply shop and have a look at the compasses on offer - try some, see which you find easy to read and which have the features you'll rely on most. Then, invest in a good map of the area you're hunting - topographic maps are great for finding low-lying areas deer and other game animals love to hide in anyway. And, most importantly, practice using the compass before you're in the field. You never know when your life might depend on it.

The duck is one of North America's most commonly hunted species. Our most common duck breeds are the mallard, teal, gadwall and widgeon. Other ducks often hunted across the continent include the northern shoveler, the wood duck, the bufflehead, the ringneck and the bluebill.

The mallard is, according to scientists, the daddy of them all. His striking coloring and distinctive style makes him a favorite for trophy seekers as well. Mallards are omnivorous, eating everything from grains and insects to aquatic plants depending on what's available. They make their homes near ponds, lakes and marshes as well as in ditches and urban water features.

Whatever the duck, it's behavior is bound to be similar. So, the best advice is to practice your calling techniques, dust off your decoys and find the best blind location you can. Be patient, think safe and take care of your bird dog while you're waiting - the rewards are there for the taking.

1. Be sure the animal is definitely dead. Don't get too close until you know for sure.
2. Tag your animal in accordance with local regulations before you do anything else.
3. Roll the animal onto it's back. If at all possible, the animal's head should be uphill from it's tail.
4. Remove the penis and scrotum if required, then cut around the anus. Some hunters recommend tying it off to avoid contamination that fecal matter can cause.
5. Work up from the rectum, cutting through the hide carefully so as not to puncture the innards
6. When you reach the rib cage, turn the animal onto one side and the organs will roll loose, you can then reach under to sever the tissue holding them in place.
7. Reach inside the brisket as far as you can and cut the windpipe, then remove the lungs, heart and liver.
8. The animal is now ready to move. When you reach your destination or camp, hang the animal to allow it to cool while you clean the remaining scraps of tissue from the carcass.

One of the best ways to improve your chances of success on the hunt is to identify areas where your chosen quarry eats and sleeps. The best hunting ground of the two is the area where the animals eat. Hunters recommend lying low in an abandoned orchard or another area with plenty of good browse crops to get a great deer with good reason.

For a start, most animals are a little distracted while they're eating. Though the exquisite senses of animals are on alert most of the time, eating seems to dull them slightly. So get familiar with the animal's eating habits - figure out what they like, and how hard they'll work to get a favorite crop.

Then, scout the area you're going to hunt and look for suitable crop land within the hunting zone. While you're at it, look for tell-tale signs that the game you're hunting is enjoying the menu on offer - trails, scrapes and rubs might surround the area and with a little practice, you can identify partially-eaten fruits and even the damage to foliage your chosen animal eats.

There's plenty to be said for the benefits of eating natural foods over the processed variety our grocery stores are packed with. And there is a growing body of evidence supporting the time-honored proposition that game meats are more healthy than their farmed counterparts. But there are plenty of people out there who refuse to eat game purely based on past experiences of meat that's been cooked badly.

A few tips that will help you make the most of the meal before you have even brought the meat home are:

- field dress it properly
- get it cool as quick as you can
- double check for contamination

Just like any cooking experiment, the more you dabble in the kitchen with game meats, the better you'll be at cooking them to perfection. So, to ensure you prove them wrong, start with simple dishes - if it's venison you're trying to impress with, use a beef recipe you've had good results with before. A few tips for whatever game you're preparing include:

- don't over cook it, but be sure it's done before you serve it
- if grilling, brush or spray lean cuts with a little olive oil so they don't stick
- use slow, even heat whenever possible
- don't over season it, but rather, allow the natural flavor to come through

The number of scares because of contamination in the food chain in recent years has increased steadily. As a result, many hunters are harvesting more from the animals they take than ever before. Often, you'll cook up a great spread of venison, elk or even goose and your dinner guests will greet your delicious offering with a simple question: is it healthy?

Breathe a sigh of relief, because in virtually every case, the answer is a resounding yes. Game meats are lower in saturated fat, as well as total fat content, when compared to their domestic counterparts. For example, a 3.5 ounce serving of beef has, on average, six grams of fat - a 3.5 ounce serving of venison has half that. When it comes to providing nutrient-dense meals, you can't beat a rabbit - they pack an astonishing amount of vitamin B12. And, game meats are among the best sources of lean protein nature has to offer.