October signals a key month for hunters in Kansas and the surrounding region. The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks lists various starting dates for hunting elk, antelope, deer, Greater Prairie Chicken, snipe, dove, rail, squirrel, rabbit, coyote and even bullfrogs.

While some hunt for trophies, much of the harvest will make its way to the family dinner table. Kansas State University food scientist Karen Blakeslee said bringing home safe food begins in the field.

“Once the animal is killed, dress it out as soon as possible and chill the carcass promptly,” said Blakeslee, who also is coordinator of the university’s Rapid Response Center for Food Science.

“The goal is to ensure rapid loss of body heat and prevent fermentation of the guts. Keep your hands and equipment as clean as possible to reduce contamination. Quickly and efficiently dressing the animal in the field can also provide better meat quality.”

Blakeslee urged deer and elk hunters to be particularly aware of signs of Chronic Wasting Disease, which the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks reports has been found in 1,223 deer and elk, as of June 30, 2025.

“While no humans have contracted CWD from infected animals to date, the risk is still present,” Blakeslee said. “Cooking temperature will not denature or deactivate CWD prions that cause illness.”

Once home, meat should be prepared or stored appropriately to maintain safety, according to Blakeslee. Dehydrated meat – jerky – is a popular option.

“Because jerky is a meat product, the temperature that the meat reaches is important,” Blakeslee said. “Improperly prepared and heated jerky can support the growth of Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7.”

“The optimal dehydrating temperature is 130-140 degrees Fahrenheit to efficiently remove moisture from the meat. But the meat must also reach 160 F to kill harmful bacteria. This temperature can be achieved before or after the dehydration process.”

More guidance also is available online in the K-State Research and Extension publication, Preserve it Fresh, Preserve it Safe: Dry Meat Safely at Home.

“Always wash your hands and clean equipment,” Blakeslee said. “Slice meat no thicker than ¼ inch for optimal dehydration. Remove as much fat as possible to reduce rancidity. Add flavor with marinade and store in the refrigerator until it is ready to dehydrate.”

Dried jerky can be packed in glass jars or heavy plastic food storage bags. Blakeslee said vacuum packaging also is a good option. Homemade jerky is best used within 1 to 2 months; refrigerate or freeze homemade jerky for longer storage.

Meat can also be canned, but since it is a low acid food, “it must be pressure canned,” according to Blakeslee. “Use lean meat, and remove as much fat as possible because excess fat can interfere with the lid sealing onto the jar and could become rancid over storage time.”

A how-to guide on pressure canning is available online from the K-State Research and Extension’s bookstore. Wild game, such as venison, is pressure canned like beef.

Blakeslee said freezing meat is “easy, convenient and the least time consuming food preservation method.”

“For meat, package or wrap the meat tightly to remove oxygen and prevent freezer burn,” she said. “Use freezer safe packaging for best results. Freezing does not kill bacteria, so always wash your hands before and after handling meat. Freeze food in batches so the freezer can work efficiently. Keep the freezer temperature at 0 degrees F for optimal freezer storage.”

When ready to use the meat, Blakeslee says it should first be thawed in the refrigerator. Other options are a cold water bath or in the microwave, then continue preparing the meat. Avoid thawing meat on the counter at room temperature as this can allow any bacteria present to grow and multiply.

Approximate refrigerator and freezer storage times for meat and other foods can be found in an online publication also available from K-State Research and Extension.

More food safety tips are available online from K-State’s Rapid Response Center for Food Science. Blakeslee publishes a monthly newsletter, called You Asked It!, with timely tips for safe food in and out of the home.

More information is also available at local extension offices in Kansas.

For many people, Halloween would not be complete without a jack-o’-lantern. Americans are projected to spend more than $867 million on Halloween pumpkins this year, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. The U.S. pumpkin industry can thank Irish immigrants and a mythical character named “Stingy Jack” for Americans’ rush to buy pumpkins in October.

“According to Irish legend, Stingy Jack was an old curmudgeon who succeeded in tricking the Devil on several occasions during his acrimonious life,” says Trinklein. Upon his death, Jack appeared at the Gates of Heaven where he was denied entry because of his unsavory lifestyle. Instead, he was sent to Hell to learn his eternal fate.

Having been tricked by Jack on several prior occasions, the Devil wanted nothing more to do with him and refused to let him enter. Instead, he sent him off into the dark night with only a glowing ember to light the way. Jack placed the ember in a hollowed-out turnip and, the legend has it, Jack and his lantern have since roamed the Earth.

The association of jack-o’-lanterns with the end of the harvest season is related to the Celtic festival of Samhain, observed on Oct. 31, which today is also observed as All Hallows’ Eve, or Halloween. Both festivals are associated with the spirits of the dead roaming the Earth.

European immigrants to America continued the tradition of making jack-o’-lanterns but found pumpkins much easier to carve than turnips. Though pumpkin is a dietary staple throughout the world, in the United States this colorful member of the gourd family is sold primarily for decoration. “This fall, millions of Americans will make an annual pilgrimage to a ‘pumpkin patch’ or retail outlet to purchase a vegetable they are likely to look at but, unfortunately, not eat,” said Trinklein.

As a food, pumpkin offers many health benefits. It is high in beta carotene (vitamin A) and is a good source of dietary fiber. The spices in pumpkin pie have health benefits of their own. “Not many people could tolerate taking allspice directly to benefit from its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and stomach-calming properties. However, consumed in a piece of pumpkin pie, it tastes rather delightful,” said Trinklein.

Plant breeders today focus on improving pumpkin’s ornamental appeal rather than its “table quality,” he said. Driven by consumer demand, pumpkins today come in many different colors, shapes and sizes.

Most of the newer varieties mature into a deep orange color much earlier than pumpkins of the past. Many modern varieties now bear a large, dark green stem or “handle” for convenience. Another new development is pumpkins with rinds covered with warts, whichmake jack-o’-lanterns look even more ghoulish. In contrast, white pumpkins are now available that make faces painted on them more “spooktacular.”

When selecting a pumpkin for fall decoration, check for blemishes. Also, look for fully mature pumpkins by using the “thumbnail test”: If you can pierce the pumpkin rind with your thumbnail, the pumpkin was not fully mature when harvested and likely will not store well.

Stored pumpkins for later use by placing them in a cool, dry, shaded location at a temperature of 50-55 F and a relative humidity of 50%-70%.

University of Missouri Extension