BilletHead

Tree rats are good and we eat them at our house. One year I even pressure canned them. Unreal good eats. Best way to tenderize them. Pop open a jar and the meat would fall off the bones. Make squirrel salad like you would do canned tuna. Eat with crackers or on bread. Drink the broth out of the jars. BilletHead

That looks good Mitch! We had some of the Mrs. BilletHeads homemade vegetable soup with her potato rolls. I sometimes think soup is an under rated meal. What more can you ask for? Everything in one bowl, BilletHead

Just like any other animal except We don't sniff where we want to go. At least I don't. Can't really speak for some of these other critters on here that hunt, BilletHead

Dang it Duane I was only 20 seconds late.

Boy you guys go all out. Actually I loose weight doing this. Normally I am close to home and have short hunts on local ponds and fields. I almost never get hungry when I am busy so I just do without . Big bowl of cereal and coffee before the hunt either on the road or at home. Then when done one big afternoon meal when it is the Mrs. and I. I am getting where I don't do late big Evening meals too well. (acid reflux when too spicy or too much) When I am solo a small noon meal after the hunt then a small Evening meal when the Mrs. gets home after work. Mrs. did say this weekend wouldn't it be neat to have a boat or big blind and cook breakfast, make coffee, etc. I weighed 189 last week and after messing around four days I am now 184. And no it isn't that I am full of crap. The guy that I met and went with yesterday opened his blind bag and it looked like he had just been out knocking on doors for Halloween plus a fist full of honey buns. He munched during the hunt. BilletHead

Lots of them around and working. We only shot two of them. Five mallards, four teal and a gadwall. The way the morning started slow we decided to shoot a teal now and then. Should of waited. Later on the sun tried to peek out of the clouds and then the blitz started. This hunt rated close to the field hunt Birdwatcher took me to last year, BilletHead

Yesterday the Mrs. and I only got two. Today I went with a real duck hunter. The one who I told you about that were North West of our hide. Smashed them I tell you, BilletHead really needs a marsh boat to run with the big dogs. Staying with the kayak and ponds though

I bet that is yummy Scott. Plus you get a "10" for plating the feast. Oh yea by the way tore them up this morning, BilletHead

Way to go Mr. Howerton! That is way neat, BilletHead

Thanks from a non vet. BilletHead

Your welcome Phil. A very enlightening experience the first time I popped one of the morsels in my mouth. A light went on. Some folks don't know what they are missing. BilleHead

hahahaha I have never worked much with them. Got to have some fat and duck fat is the bomb!

We eat so well around here. Todays menu Seared teal on the charcoal grill with fixings. Prepared three of the teal from yesterday, the three bluewings. These birds were fat, fatest teal I have ever cleaned. Seal salt on both sides and let the meat come to room temperate. Pitch them on the hot grill skin side down. When the skin heats up the fat will flow and then flames! Don't let them burn cover them up and let them get happy, Check them once and a while. I have all the vents closed so you don't want the coals out. You want the skin crispy and the meat rare so timing is the key. Be ready as the drippings will almost explode when oxygen hits the coals during the flipping. So flip them for a spell, This process will go fast and I bet less than ten minutes pass before yanking the meat off the grill. Let the meat rest for three or four minutes for the juices to redistribute. This is what your looking for in doneness. Final plating. Half a baked sweet potato, fall lettuce right out of the garden. The Mrs. had just pulled home made potato rolls out of the oven. Timing was everything in making this today. She was picking the salad as I was grilling, Bon Appetit BilletHead

No problem Duane. I could hear the anticipation in your voice. Like I figured that was the place my friend went to. He had no shotgun so he borrowed mine. Good haul of birds. Did the wind get up during the hunt? It did here. My buddy also said the wind made a difference in his hunt. So certain stations were better, BilletHead

Monday night 30% rain snow mix 29 degrees Tuesday 38 and 22 Tuesday night. Hope it doesn't push them too far, BilletHead

Todays take, BilletHead

Believe me we are really blessed here at the BilletHead household! Ness it is the same cure I did for the goose. Cured in a brine for ten days. Put in the smoker with smoke on for three to four hours then finish off. I have control for smoke and heat in my smoker. Took longer to reach internal temp but I am sure it would of went quicker in the oven. Here is where I got the recipe. http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=440836 The corned goose is kind of similar but with out smoking and just boiled. We did the corned in in the crock pot cooking slower and longer. Recipe for the corned. http://flocknockers.com/showthread.php?t=64341 I am sure it will work for deer and we will be trying it. One thing we did instead of pre slicing like it calls for is to leave the goose breasts whole and injecting the cure like the pastrami. BilletHead

Yes it was Ness. Same way in and out. Only had to stop twice going in. Eight on the way out. I think if I ask she would do it again, not me as I try not to make mistakes twice. I did an easy paddle in and out in the kayak this morning with minimal gear. Quick limit of teal. BilletHead

Send grunts my way, BilletHead

They really do Justin. The Hollywood duck. I have eaten them before and will these also. The ones that landed we got to watch were so goofy. Swimming in circles lapping up scum with that bill, BilletHead

Mostly to aggravate feathers and fins. Turned out real good and juicy. Did it with a couple of roasts from the hams of Mrs. BilletHeads archery deer. BilletHead

OK here we go again, I have been walking to a place in knee muck type boots watching ducks for a couple of days. Lots of birds so excitement set in. Came up with a plan, good plan I thought. Last night I told the Mrs. we had an adventure in store for the following morning. This started at 4 AM. Going to use the kayak with wheels to take in what we needed. Decoys, guns etc. Have it in case we need to get through deeper water if we got ducks. Loaded up the kayak with goodies and slipped off into the dark. Off we go and about a third of the way the wheels start to gather mud, river bottom sticky mud and we slow down bogging down. Uh oooo I thought as Mrs. BilletHead engaged in a mini temper tantrum. What the heck she said? I thought you sais this would be easy? Well I thought it would be I said. The last two thirds was not too pretty with many stops and a bit of heated discussion. It will be worth it I said hoping it would be but not saying that out loud. Finally got to our destination and set up. Right off the bat three different flocks of green wings came in and out before we could react. Another what the heck she said? Then a flock of fifteen shoveler dump in and I say don't shoot don't want any of them. Ok they stay a long time and finally leave. Soon after that wind changes out of the West South west. So now over my right shoulder in scream two birds, small and in plain brown wrappers, I take them out. As I pick them up they are two little hen shovelers . Mrs. says I thought we didn't want any of them. I thought they were green wings she says sure you did. Things started getting better after that with more smiles from the Mrs. She said I have never seen so many birds. We ended up with four mallards, two pintail, one gadwall, one green wing, and the two spoonies. Should of had out limit but had a problem hitting today. I asked as we were picking up if it was worth it, yes she quickly said and then I told her I would ask again if we make it back to the truck. Photos now, A couple of the kayak loaded, Last one of the Mrs. holding birds. If she seen this before I post I wouldn't get to put it up. Easier to get forgiveness than permission I will not be doing this again unless I have two tuff fellows as my grunts. I would carry my own shotgun and be there guide, BilletHead

Thousands on the water, middle zone. BilletHead

Yes thanks Ness, Outstanding outing. I love to see dogs work. BilletHead

Hey Scott I seen something this morning that would make you slobber but it wasn't cooked yet