Jerky is a snack enjoyed by many if not all outdoorsman from time to time. About this time of year I always end up making some from whatever wild game I can find in the back of my freezer. Venison gets the call often, so does duck or goose. I am playing with the idea of trying pheasant this fall as well. I will let you all know how that works out.
I like making jerky for a variety of reasons. First of all, I am cheap and beef jerky is pricey if you buy it at the store. Second It is a great way to use up some less than favorable cuts of meat. It is fun, you can add whatever spice you like, it is great in the blind, boat, or truck... the reason go on and on. That being said I thought I would share a few of the tricks that have worked for me.

I have already mentioned the different types of meats I have used. Any lean meat can work for you. Make sure you trim all the silver skin and fat off the meat before drying it. It will cause your jerky to go bad faster not to mention that it is tough to chew.
I recently bought an electric knife to help with the slicing of strips. This has made that portion of the process much easier than years past. It is great for taking those just a little too thick slices and making a perfect cut in half to get two thinner slices. I paid 20 bucks for the knife I got. You can pay more but this one seems to be getting it done. Plus I can use it to carve the turkey in a couple weeks.

After slicing the meat, I have started running a Jaccard over the meet. This is basically a mechanical meat tenderizer. It allows the meat to better absorb the marinade and it helps to even out the thickness of the strips allowing for even drying. Some folks like to make jerky out of ground meat. The end product is easier to chew but the grinding process is labor intensive not to mention you have to clean the grinder and the tube gun that lays the strips in the dryer. I find the Jaccard to be an easier option.

Marinades are as numerous as stars in the sky. I even read a recipe lately for jerky ice cream. I dont know about that.
You can buy pre-made marinades, you can find recipes on line or you can buy a book. As you look at them all you will find a few ingredients make up 80% of them. soy sauce, teriyaki, salt, brown sugar and liquid smoke are in most of them. Add some garlic, ground pepper and any hot pepper and you have them covered. Mess with these, add some hot sauce, beer or whiskey and enjoy.

Original jerky was dried by smoking it. If you have a smoker, have at it. I don't, so I have used the oven. The lowest heat with the door cracked will work. A dehydrator does work a little better however. The air movement dries the meat more evenly. Either way you will enjoy your tasty snack while hunting for more meat for your next batch.

I hope this gives you a few ideas or motivates you try making jerky yourself.

Good luck in the field,
Sport