Fitty's Angling Ramble 6.0

[Nainoa]

Do you guys mark something like that so as to warn others? Kind of like an obstruction in the bay, guys will typically drive poles into something and report it to the coast guard.

In the case of similar holes like say a spear house you set a tree branch in the hole so it freezes up and tells others "Watch out, there's a spot of thin ice here.)

In the case of this thing... I wasn't 110% sure what to do... I decided to leave it as is... Figuring that the cracks at the edge of the trap door would refreeze faster if I left it properly aligned. I just shoveled a bunch of slush and snow between it and the opening to the mouth of the bay so people would recognize it as an area that was screwed with.

I thought about popping a hole "Near it" and putting in a tree branch... But I was afraid what would happen the only 7 inches of shakey ice if I popped a hole right by it.


Hopefully it's a moot point since I was on a remote bay of a remote lake... Only ice fisherman I saw was a Group of 4 on the complete other side of the lake, so far away they looked like ants... And the only access to the lake was a 1 mile walk.

[RMBros]

I thought about popping a hole "Near it" and putting in a tree branch... But I was afraid what would happen the only 7 inches of shakey ice if I popped a hole right by it.

Reminded me of a time that makes me laugh, at least it does now -

We had a super hard freeze in TX in '83 or '84 and some canals near a friend's house froze over hard enough that we could walk and play on them - never happens here, so we were out there goofing around and throwing a brick in the ice to check the thickness.

Of course, wanted to see where to avoid, so we worked our way over toward a spot where some ducks had kept the ice from forming by swimming all day.

Threw the brick and it went right through, so I yelled over to my friend, "Don't come over here, the ice is thin!"

He didn't hear what I said, naturally, walked over to me to find out what I had said.

Both of us fell right through and ended up completely soaked.

Being teens, we were back out on the ice in something less than 15 min (the time it took to get dried off and change clothes).

[GREENFEATHER]

Mergansers get a bad rap. Again, med-rare.

Bro, ANYTHING you cook turns out good.Those were damn good, gonna bring the stuff out to do crispy green beans and crispy duck when I can get away again.

Badger baiting was a fairly popular blood sport (like dog fighting and bear baiting) in 1700 and 1800s.

The descriptions I've read make it sound pretty stupid, but it involved making an artificial den for the badger and sending a dog like a dachshund or terrier into the hole to bite the badger with a firm enough grip to allow the badger and dog to be pulled out together - the badger was then returned to the hole and the dog was released down the hole to bite again. Winner was the dog who was able to pull the badger out the most times in a set time frame.

Evidently, it's back on the rise some places in GB.

So, next time you hear that yapping frickin' wienie dog, remember how badass his grandfather's grandfather was.

I'll put this guy up against a Badger, he takes out whistle pigs all the time.

[44hunter]

Bro, ANYTHING you cook turns out good.Those were damn good, gonna bring the stuff out to do crispy green beans and crispy duck when I can get away again.




I'll put this guy up against a Badger, he takes out whistle pigs all the time.

Well yeah... Hes chewing on a fuggin muffler

[BillBrasky]

Serious question here, y'all ever eaten opossum? We have one that lives in my palm tree in the backyard, and the dog keeps baying it back up everytime she goes outside, but my gf is "concerned the dog is going to get bit etc. etc. etc." and wants it "removed". I live in a very residential neighborhood so I can't shoot it. She's talking about hiring a trapper, but I figure I could lay traps myself if they'd work. I told her there's no way we're killing a native species to simply convenience her/the dog unless we eat it. Thoughts?

[Nainoa]

Serious question here, y'all ever eaten opossum? We have one that lives in my palm tree in the backyard, and the dog keeps baying it back up everytime she goes outside, but my gf is "concerned the dog is going to get bit etc. etc. etc." and wants it "removed". I live in a very residential neighborhood so I can't shoot it. She's talking about hiring a trapper, but I figure I could lay traps myself if they'd work. I told her there's no way we're killing a native species to simply convenience her/the dog unless we eat it. Thoughts?

I come from (On my Mother's side) back woods survivalists and fur trappers who lived off the land since the 1800's... Not a single one of them ever mentioned eat a possum... Not even my crazy uncle who is a conisseur of Raccoon.

[BillBrasky]

I come from (On my Mother's side) back woods survivalists and fur trappers who lived off the land since the 1800's... Not a single one of them ever mentioned eat a possum... Not even my crazy uncle who is a conisseur of Raccoon.

I've tried just about everything and figured possum wouldn't be too far off, I was told to make a stew out of it since it's "greasy"

[RMBros]

I come from (On my Mother's side) back woods survivalists and fur trappers who lived off the land since the 1800's... Not a single one of them ever mentioned eat a possum... Not even my crazy uncle who is a conisseur of Raccoon.

My Dad's family is like that - they were dirt farmers who ate calf brains for breakfast and raccoons for dinner - they only ate possum once, according to my Dad, and would never touch the greasy crap again.

Honestly, I've seen some of them eat and I can't imagine something that would put them off, so I'm scared to even think about it.

Plus, that is a nasty looking critter - a steroidal rat with bad hygiene and a built-in Baby Bjorn - just doesn't sound like my idea of nutrition. Of course, I'd eat a nutria, and that's pretty much the same without the pouch.

What I need is a good recipe for armadillo.

[Procta]

who left the barn door open

[HairyScandinavian]

Serious question here, y'all ever eaten opossum? We have one that lives in my palm tree in the backyard, and the dog keeps baying it back up everytime she goes outside, but my gf is "concerned the dog is going to get bit etc. etc. etc." and wants it "removed". I live in a very residential neighborhood so I can't shoot it. She's talking about hiring a trapper, but I figure I could lay traps myself if they'd work. I told her there's no way we're killing a native species to simply convenience her/the dog unless we eat it. Thoughts?

I say club it over the head with a golf club/baseball bat and throw it in the trash can.
If you really want to keep it alive you have a couple options. Knock it out of the tree and let the dog get it, it'll play dead, pickup by tail and throw in GF's trunk and ask her to drive out into the country and open the trunk to let it out. Orrrrrr, $40 box trap will work great with a little cat food in it, and then you can use it for annoying neighborhood cats after you get the opossum out. You can get them at feed stores, or even some sporting goods stores (Academy has them down here).

[Nainoa]

I've tried just about everything and figured possum wouldn't be too far off, I was told to make a stew out of it since it's "greasy"

LOL...

You don't have to eat everything you kill... You can skin some of them... Do you think Muskrat trappers are just sitting down every night chowing on Muskrat Borritos.

Hell No!

They kill hundreds of them every winter because they breed so fast that they would become a nuisance otherwise.


One of the reasons we have hunting and trapping regulations is to balance out populations of animals that were normally regulated by predation, in the ages before we killed all the predators.


Bottom line... I'd get out there and nail that possum in the head with a shovel before it's dozen or so babies are digging holes under your foundation next week!

[Nainoa]

I say club it over the head with a golf club/baseball bat and throw it in the trash can.
If you really want to keep it alive you have a couple options. Knock it out of the tree and let the dog get it, it'll play dead, pickup by tail and throw in GF's trunk and ask her to drive out into the country and open the trunk to let it out. Orrrrrr, $40 box trap will work great with a little cat food in it, and then you can use it for annoying neighborhood cats after you get the opossum out. You can get them at feed stores, or even some sporting goods stores (Academy has them down here).

LOL...

"Honey I stunned a possum and put it in your trunk, my work here is done."


God help her if she's got a hatchback!

[fitnessman]

Possum and Taters

Ingredients:
1 young, fat possum
8 sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
salt

Directions: First, catch a possum. This in itself is excellent entertainment on a moonlight night. Skin the possum and remove the head and feet. Be sure to wash it thoroughly. Freeze overnight either outside or in a refrigerator. When ready to cook, peel the potatoes and boil them tender in lightly salted water along with the butter and sugar. At the same time, stew the possum tender in a tightly covered pan with a little water. Arrange the taters around the possum, strip with bacon, sprinkle with thyme or marjoram, or pepper, and brown in the oven. Baste often with the drippings.
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Stuffed Possum

1 possum (whole)
1 qt. cold water
1/8 cup salt
5 beef bouillon cubes
2 bay leaves
3 celery stalks (chopped)
2 onions (sliced)
1 bag packaged stuffing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Soak possum in cold salt water for 10 hours. Rinse meat in cold water and refrigerate 2-4 hours. Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Stuff possum cavity with prepared packaged stuffing. Close cavity tightly. Place stuffed possum in roasting pan, add water, bouillon cubes, bay leaves, celery and onion. After 2 hours turn meat. Reduce heat to 300 degrees. Cook for 1 more hour. Test roast, if not done reduce heat and cook until done.

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Cajun Possum Chili - NUCLEAR HOT !!!

Ingredients:
Tomatoe Sauce (depends on possum)
1 tsp.-1 cup Chili Powder (Depends on Taste and possum)
1 Large possum or 3 small (If you ran over the possum better make it 4)
1 large pot or two large ones if the first isn't enough.
5-10 chili peppers (depends on taste and possum)
5-10 red peppers (depends on taste and possum)
5-10 jalapenio peppers (depends on taste and possum)
How ever much Cayenne Pepper you like, it depends on your taste and possum.
1 tsp. Black Pepper
a pinch of salt
Chili Beans for extra flavor
And whatever other ingredients that are hot and spicy you would like to add.

Directions:
1. Skin possum(s)
2. Remove internal organs, head, claws, and bones. There is no flavor or use for these. But if you want to add them, Go ahead.
3. Put some tomatoe sauce in the pot(s). Then add the possum.
4. Chop peppers
5. Skip step four if you don't want chopped peppers; it doesn't matter.
6. Put the rest in and let set for a long dang while.
7. Before serving make sure you have enough bread, Milk, and Toliet paper for after dinner.
8. Serve. Enjoy
9. Race for bathroom. Whoever is first will make a large stench. Have enough air freshner.
Serving size of Meal-depends on how much you put in and on the possum.

[Nainoa]

My Dad's family is like that - they were dirt farmers who ate calf brains for breakfast and raccoons for dinner - they only ate possum once, according to my Dad, and would never touch the greasy crap again.

Honestly, I've seen some of them eat and I can't imagine something that would put them off, so I'm scared to even think about it.

Plus, that is a nasty looking critter - a steroidal rat with bad hygiene and a built-in Baby Bjorn - just doesn't sound like my idea of nutrition. Of course, I'd eat a nutria, and that's pretty much the same without the pouch.

What I need is a good recipe for armadillo.

Well later this week I have to write my annual christmas letter to my crazy bee keeping/animal trapper uncle down in Texas. I'll ask him what he does with "Dillo."

[HairyScandinavian]

Sometimes I wonder about you Fitty.

[Procta]

I'll pass on the possum

[HairyScandinavian]

Well later this week I have to write my annual christmas letter to my crazy bee keeping/animal trapper uncle down in Texas. I'll ask him what he does with "Dillo."

Those Dual Survival guys ate an armydildo once (I think it was them), not much meat on them suckers. Be sure to cook it well, they supposedly are carriers of Leprosy.

[fitnessman]

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
1/4 cup butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 armadillo, cleaned and cut into serving pieces
1 1/4 cup light cream
1 tablespoon brown mustard (e.g. Gulden's) or Poupon Dijon
1 tablespoon cornstarch




PREPARATION:
Mix all ingredients of marinade and add armadillo. Marinate about 8 hrs., turning meat occasionally. Remove armadillo and reserve marinade. Melt butter in deep skillet and brown armadillo pieces. Pour in marinade and bring to a boil. Stir in seasoning, cover and simmer until tender (about 1 - 1 1/4 hours.) Remove skillet from the fire and place armadillo pieces on a warmed platter.

Mix mustard and cornstarch, then mix in cream. Return skillet to low heat and stir in this mixture a little at a time. Stir sauce until hot, but not boiling, and thickened. Pour sauce over armadillo. Serve with steamed rice.

[Nainoa]

Those Dual Survival guys ate an armydildo once (I think it was them), not much meat on them suckers. Be sure to cook it well, they supposedly are carriers of Leprosy.

Well they eat Dillo all over South America... It's a beloved peasant dish, just like Guinnea Pig.

The Leprosy thing is true, but it's really hard to catch. For one, you would have to be genetically succeptible to Leprosy... Then you'd have to exchange mucus with it... Swap spit/snot/semen etc...

[Nainoa]

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
1/4 cup butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 armadillo, cleaned and cut into serving pieces
1 1/4 cup light cream
1 tablespoon brown mustard (e.g. Gulden's) or Poupon Dijon
1 tablespoon cornstarch




PREPARATION:
Mix all ingredients of marinade and add armadillo. Marinate about 8 hrs., turning meat occasionally. Remove armadillo and reserve marinade. Melt butter in deep skillet and brown armadillo pieces. Pour in marinade and bring to a boil. Stir in seasoning, cover and simmer until tender (about 1 - 1 1/4 hours.) Remove skillet from the fire and place armadillo pieces on a warmed platter.

Mix mustard and cornstarch, then mix in cream. Return skillet to low heat and stir in this mixture a little at a time. Stir sauce until hot, but not boiling, and thickened. Pour sauce over armadillo. Serve with steamed rice.

And you wonder why your children never come to your place for Thanksgiving!

[RMBros]

Well they eat Dillo all over South America... It's a beloved peasant dish, just like Guinnea Pig.

The Leprosy thing is true, but it's really hard to catch. For one, you would have to be genetically succeptible to Leprosy... Then you'd have to exchange mucus with it... Swap spit/snot/semen etc...

Gonna have to quit giving mouth-to-mouth to roadkill armadillos then.

I think the leprosy thing is supposed to go back to a lab that was doing experiments on skin conditions and had some escapees.

Took me two years after returning to TX to see a live one - tons of 'em taking that final roadside nap though.

With the "urban foraging" movement growing, there has also been a bit of "urban hunting" or "urban ranching" going on. Saw an article from a guy who had basically done what we're all talking about - I think he killed a squirrel, a rabbit, a goose (from a nearby pond), and some pigeons. Ate all of them and may have even had them prepared by a chef. Pretty funny stuff, but probably only because it has crossed my mind.

[RMBros]

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed (optional)
1/4 cup butter
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 armadillo, cleaned and cut into serving pieces
1 1/4 cup light cream
1 tablespoon brown mustard (e.g. Gulden's) or Poupon Dijon
1 tablespoon cornstarch




PREPARATION:
Mix all ingredients of marinade and add armadillo. Marinate about 8 hrs., turning meat occasionally. Remove armadillo and reserve marinade. Melt butter in deep skillet and brown armadillo pieces. Pour in marinade and bring to a boil. Stir in seasoning, cover and simmer until tender (about 1 - 1 1/4 hours.) Remove skillet from the fire and place armadillo pieces on a warmed platter.

Mix mustard and cornstarch, then mix in cream. Return skillet to low heat and stir in this mixture a little at a time. Stir sauce until hot, but not boiling, and thickened. Pour sauce over armadillo. Serve with steamed rice.

I think you just doomed at least one armadillo.

[Nainoa]

Gonna have to quit giving mouth-to-mouth to roadkill armadillos then.

I think the leprosy thing is supposed to go back to a lab that was doing experiments on skin conditions and had some escapees.

Took me two years after returning to TX to see a live one - tons of 'em taking that final roadside nap though.

With the "urban foraging" movement growing, there has also been a bit of "urban hunting" or "urban ranching" going on. Saw an article from a guy who had basically done what we're all talking about - I think he killed a squirrel, a rabbit, a goose (from a nearby pond), and some pigeons. Ate all of them and may have even had them prepared by a chef. Pretty funny stuff, but probably only because it has crossed my mind.

Well I consider myself a "Modern Rustic" and an "Urban Scavenger" But that scavenging is for Materials not food...

Help a guy replace his windows so he gives me the old ones for free... Stop by the local cabinet shop and pull wood out of their scrap bin... Help tear down a warehouse and take 10 shelving units... Then use them all to build a greenhouse... Sell heirloom seedlings out of the greenhouse, use the profits to pay for my own massive gardens, which, when Canned/jammed/dried/stewed/pickled etc... Saved me $5K at the grocery store.

So I'll scavenge for materials that I can use to GROW food... But I ain't scrapin' up no damn road kill!

[lhprop1]

LOL...

"Honey I stunned a possum and put it in your trunk, my work here is done."


God help her if she's got a hatchback!

That reminds me of a story. My roommate in college was a real character. He was raised on a farm in Door County, WI (the "thumb" of Wisconsin, east of Green Bay) and lived a very simple existence up until he came to college. His whole family trapped and one day he and his brother got a wild hair and decided to live trap some possums.

The next day, they walked into their high school with a gunny sack instead of a back pack. I guess in Kewaunee, WI in 1992 that's not suspicious behaviour. They went into the school bathrooms, shook the hell out of their gunny sacks and released the possums back "into the wild" in the middle of school.

This is also the guy who moved out of our apartment because his boss said he could live in the old abandoned farm house for free. There was no heat, which meant he had to chop wood to keep warm, no running water which meant he had to carry buckets in order to do dishes, wash, etc. Apparently, the woodchucks had a habit of popping their heads through the floor boards of the living room so he took care of the problem the way any logical human living in an abandoned, run-down farm house would deal with it: He kept a shot gun on his couch and just blasted the little buggers right there in his living room.

[lhprop1]

The Leprosy thing is true, but it's really hard to catch. For one, you would have to be genetically succeptible to Leprosy... Then you'd have to exchange mucus with it... Swap spit/snot/semen etc...

Well, it's a good thing there aren't any dillos in Iowa, then. Hartski could be in some real trouble!

[Nainoa]

That reminds me of a story. My roommate in college was a real character. He was raised on a farm in Door County, WI (the "thumb" of Wisconsin, east of Green Bay) and lived a very simple existence up until he came to college. His whole family trapped and one day he and his brother got a wild hair and decided to live trap some possums.

The next day, they walked into their high school with a gunny sack instead of a back pack. I guess in Kewaunee, WI that's not suspicious behaviour. They went into the school bathrooms, shook the hell out of their gunny sacks and released the possums back "into the wild" in the middle of school.

This is also the guy who moved out of our apartment because his boss said he could live in the old abandoned farm house for free. There was no heat, which meant he had to chop wood to keep warm, no running water which meant he had to carry buckets in order to do dishes, wash, etc. Apparently, the woodchucks had a habit of popping their heads through the floor boards of the living room so he took care of the problem the way any logical human living in an abandoned, run-down farm house would deal with it: He kept a shot gun on his couch and just blasted the little buggers right there in his living room.

Yeah that's how my uncle basically lives... But he's down in Texas, so the winter thing isn't as big an issue, but the summer heat is etc...


I'm not gonna lie... There's a thing in my blood, especially the older I get, that wants to live that way. And not just in the whole "Screw the world, I'm takin' my ball and livin' off the land" kind of way. Because I accept that the best wisdom is learned while living in the rat race.

But there's a part of me that when I'm out in the true wild, and not just on a lake where I can see the Becker Power Plant smoke stack, where I tap in and connect. I prefer to live by the natural rhythms and a simple way of life doing the whole Zen "Cut wood and Carry Water" type of thing.

[RMBros]

Well I consider myself a "Modern Rustic" and an "Urban Scavenger" But that scavenging is for Materials not food...

Help a guy replace his windows so he gives me the old ones for free... Stop by the local cabinet shop and pull wood out of their scrap bin... Help tear down a warehouse and take 10 shelving units... Then use them all to build a greenhouse... Sell heirloom seedlings out of the greenhouse, use the profits to pay for my own massive gardens, which, when Canned/jammed/dried/stewed/pickled etc... Saved me $5K at the grocery store.

So I'll scavenge for materials that I can use to GROW food... But I ain't scrapin' up no damn road kill!

I scavenge all the time - try to stop short of larceny, but the line can get grey.

There's a garden center on the way to my volleyball spot that has been out of business for the nearly three years I've been back in TX - keep thinking I need to make a run and "reclaim" the steel structure that they used to support their greenhouse/shade fabrics with. I've got a two-story deck in mind and plenty of DIY lifting stuff I could build.

Was going to recruit my brother, but since he got his law degree, he's not nearly as much fun.

[RMBros]

For some reason, pigeon hunting with a blow gun sounds like a good time to me - could just be that I hate pigeons, but I would at least try to eat them.

[lhprop1]

With the "urban foraging" movement growing, there has also been a bit of "urban hunting" or "urban ranching" going on. Saw an article from a guy who had basically done what we're all talking about - I think he killed a squirrel, a rabbit, a goose (from a nearby pond), and some pigeons. Ate all of them and may have even had them prepared by a chef. Pretty funny stuff, but probably only because it has crossed my mind.

There's nothing wrong with squirrel. It's actually pretty good. My aforementioned roommate and I pretty much lived on squirrel for a few years in college.

I've been known to put out a 110 conibear on my deck and catch a few fresh squirrels from time to time. The taunt my dog through the windows and their punishment is being sentenced to my frying pan.

[Nainoa]

There's nothing wrong with squirrel. It's actually pretty good. My aforementioned roommate and I pretty much lived on squirrel for a few years in college.

I've been known to put out a 110 conibear on my deck and catch a few fresh squirrels from time to time. The taunt my dog through the windows and their punishment is being sentenced to my frying pan.

You need to salt those tails and send them to Mepps for the rebate money!