Outdoorsman Thread

[Dinadan]

I would like to add my success I’ve had so far this trout season. Nothing special, but it’s always nice to get out and get some air.

Out getting some air!?!? Some folks say that makes you a criminal right now!

Nice Trout. My wife and I went after some salt water trout last weekend: we caught some but they were just too puny to keep. But no matter the size, a trout, be it a real trout out of a mountain stream, or a salt water trout from a completely different family, are some of the most beautiful fish that ever swam.

[garddogg56]

I would like to add my success I’ve had so far this trout season. Nothing special, but it’s always nice to get out and get some air.

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Nice to see sum trout being caught good one

[Gettingaboutthattime]

I would like to add my success I’ve had so far this trout season. Nothing special, but it’s always nice to get out and get some air.

Out getting some air!?!? Some folks say that makes you a criminal right now!

Nice Trout. My wife and I went after some salt water trout last weekend: we caught some but they were just too puny to keep. But no matter the size, a trout, be it a real trout out of a mountain stream, or a salt water trout from a completely different family, are some of the most beautiful fish that ever swam.

My thought process is that if I’m deemed essential and can keep working, then I can deem trout fishing essential. These are just stocked trout as my local streams can’t support them all year. We have a native population, but I haven’t gone out to find them yet.

[Colonel26]

Just waiting for the processor!

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Very handsome hogs, Colonel.

Ray

Thanks Mr. Ray!

[Paladin]

Just waiting for the processor!

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Very handsome hogs, Colonel.

Ray

Thanks Mr. Ray!

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If I remember my college ag class, 'the higher the tail, the bigger the ham'....

Ray

[FRJ]

Nothing special, but it’s always nice to get out and get some air.

A Trout and a Char. That's always nice.

[Lansky1]

Out in the shed this morning, gathering up my car washing gear, and spotted this.
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Hey Steve - I'm not far from you ... had absolutely no idea we have black widows in our region. For sense of scale - how big was that sucker ?

[Steve Warden]

Out in the shed this morning, gathering up my car washing gear, and spotted this.
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Hey Steve - I'm not far from you ... had absolutely no idea we have black widows in our region. For sense of scale - how big was that sucker ?

HUGE!! GIGANTIC!! 6 FOOT 12 WING TIP TO WING TIP!! THAT MONSTER WAS MASSIVE!!!

Okay, maybe only the size of a kernel of corn
I've seen only 3 or 4 since moving to Jersey back in '86. All but one out in sheds. The one was in the basement. I just hit 'em with a bug spray.

[doglegg]

Used to see them all the time in my Traffic Signal days. Them and brown recluse as well. They loved the dark in signal pole bases and in the ground boxes as well. No one had to tell me to wear gloves when working in those places.

[treefarmer]

This post might also fit over in the "unofficial cookbook thread" too.
There is a family of vines named Smilax, there are quite a few varieties of these in the wild. They are commonly green brier, cat claw, bull brier, etc..
In the spring they put on growth in the form of tender shoots that are edible. I had been reading about the old time uses of the roots and noticed the articles about eating the tips. The tips of the smilax vines are easily harvested, simply move along the new growth till it will snap clean between the fingers. That is where it become tinder enough to eat. Some folks eat it raw and other cook it. I choose to gather enough to cook. In the end I found the cooked green brier tips "melts down" similar to a pot of fresh greens, they simply shrink. The cooked tips were tasty and would certainly make fine table fare if you could gather enough without too much effort. MY wife said they tasted good because I cooked them in butter and salt.
Here is what the Smilax vine look like and the process I went through:

Smilax (green brier) growing wild

the mature part, the part that will get you

A freshly harvested tip

A mess of green brier tips in the black iron skillet, sauteing in butter seasoned with salt

The shrank just like mustard greens

Finished product, everyone said they were tasty!

I will try this again and gather enough to make a big skillet full. If you like the taste of asparagus, this will suit your palate.
Treefarmer

[Steve Warden]

I'd try 'em.
I do like asparagus, as long as there's some crunch left in it. Don't like mushy, overcooked veggies. Nope. Not at all.

[WillyCamaro]

I'd try 'em.
I do like asparagus, as long as there's some crunch left in it. Don't like mushy, overcooked veggies. Nope. Not at all.

In total agreement sir , i would rather gnaw on raw garlic then eat mushy vegetables... .
Wily

[Dinadan]

Very cool post, Treefarmer. It just so happens that I have some Smilax putting up fresh shoots along my back fence. Maybe tomorrow I will try a bite or two raw.

If you spend a bit of time around marshes, you might want to try Cattail. The growing shoot of the Cattail is extremely bland but edible. It would probably be good dipped in a ranch dip - I have just tried a few bites to see what it is like.

[garddogg56]

The Camillus's and the shotgun bead brought me success in the Maine wood today

[Steve Warden]

Good show!

[Doc B]

Congrats on your turkey, garddogg!!!

[treefarmer]

Way to go, gdogg!
I've never been bitten by the spring gobbler disease. I hear there is no cure for it. They say it's a lot like regular deer season disease which doesn't have a cure either.
Might as well tell us how y'all are going to cook him.
Treefarmer

[TripleF]

Learned about Smilax tips a couple years ago Philip. Very cool share.

Knice harvest gdogg!!!

[WillyCamaro]

Well done gard . That's going to make for some mighty fine eatin' .
Willy

[doglegg]

garddogg, knice turkey and I like your old shotgun as well.

[jmh58]

Congrats gd!!! Nice combo..
John

[garddogg56]

Thanx guys and ya I love that old Savage Stevens TF sorry to report them Turks don't eat well NOT a butterball but I'll cut the breast up too one inch fingerletts and fry'em like grouse...here's the fantail from my jake.Not much of a beard or spur on this bird

[treefarmer]

gdogg, the few turkeys that I have killed were always during deer season. We tried to bake one back about 50 years ago and found out why the turkey hunters did what you said, pull the breast and make fry meat. We did usually cook the rest down, remove the bones and it made pretty good turkey and rice.
I learned to shoot a turkey right at the top of his back with a rifle so the breast was not messed up. The last gobbler I shot was coming out of a soybean field, the whole flock was single filing out of the field and making a little jog in their path giving me time to be set when one of the big ones hit the spot. 30/06 that time, he weighed 18 pounds, had 1 inch spurs and 8 inch beard. It was still an hour before dark so I carried the ol' Tom to the truck and got back in the stand. In just a few minutes a bobcat found the spot where the turkey lay on the ground and he went into a super stealthy mode. I made all sorts of squeals and strange noises and was entertained for several minutes watching the cat trying to find the turkey. I was tellin' the tale the next day or so and one old boy asked why I didn't shoot the cat? I told there was no need to kill him. Then he told me the old man that buy hides would have probably given me $75 if I had head shot him. Never did see that cat again.
Treefarmer

[garddogg56]

Ya TF not the best eating bird I will have to try the turkey and rice brew you speak of We can't shoot turkey with a center fire or rim fire at all just bow or shotgun.we try head shots up here.The only way I would have shot that bobcat was to protect livestock so I'm with you on that call.

[Paladin]

I finally made it out this morning and fished a little while. Photo is attached and I tried to get the Bride to get the phone a little closer so the fish would look bigger. Fact is, they were good eatin size. That is what you say when the fish are too small to brag about. It was nice to get out and we will have them on the grill tonight.

Ray
Jerry, I tried to get this straightened out but couldn't remember how to do it. Please bail me out or send me a remedial instruction.
Ray

Edit: I'm not Jerry but I'll bail you out this once.
Phil