BilletHead

I have a buddy who lives in Arnold Mo. He is deadly with his air rifle. He lives in a subdivision out of the city limits. So he was complaining about the starlings and in the conversation I told him they sell starling feathers and skins for fly tying. Wasn't too many days later I get a package in the mail. He actually shot one, completely skinned the little critter, salted it and sent it to BilletHeadVille. He said he used an exacto knife. He keeps the squirrel population in check too . Cleans and eats all of them, BilletHead Yes, yes and even if they are legal you get shamed if you do it. Then there are some that want invasive, non native things like carp protected and the same guy hopes zebra mussels become established so they will clean up streams. Takes all kinds and it makes for some interesting discussions, BilletHead Black oil sunflower seed is the bait of choice. Baiting is illegal too. I think just for deer, turkey and waterfowl and other migratory species. You can plant corn and bush hog the patch for deer and turkey and dove but not for waterfowl, BilletHead

You got to eat what you shoot Wrench. Tell me what does a starling taste like? Chicken? You know by law you are supposed to report all animals that are taken because of nuisance control to your local Conservation officer. European Starlings and English sparrows are not. Doubt pigeons have to be reported. i realize this probably chaps your rear but it is the law . BilletHead

He has another friend who can shoot them from their recliner out the window with a .17hmr or a .22 . He just walks to look out the window now and the tree rats scatter! BilletHead

We went to bed on the screened in porch. As I shut my eyes Pat said I seen a shooting star. So we laid there and watched, every time I started to doze off she would say I seen another. She seen eight before going to sleep. I tried but it is hard seeing them through my eye lids , BilletHead

Nice Job John that is good to see, Mrs. BilletHead and I had a quick shoot yesterday morning. Check out the Cooking forum, BilletHead

Pretty fancy Gavin, Mine is pretty generic. No Bluetooth . 79 Bucks on sale at Macys right now. http://cruxkitchen.com/crux_sous-vide.php BilletHead

Kind of like you were saying about a community hot tub? Chief it is pretty hard to control a crock pots heat and the immersion cooker has a propeller type deal that keeps the water circulating around what you are cooking. Very precise gadget. BilletHead

Good deal and we buy chicken thighs in bulk cheap and they are the best tasting part of the chicken we think. Like you said vac seal with some herbs and seasoning, freeze and use as needed! BilletHead

The steak we tried this on worked great and this is why I seared the mallard on the back porch. That and the duck fat splatter! BilletHead

25 to 30% for sausage and as lean as venison is 20% for burger, pork of beef it doesn't matter to us. You have me hungry now. BilletHead

Sounds really good John, I need to get some fatty pork and grind a batch to mix with ground venison. We all know how lean deer is and it needs help for sure. We from time to time cook straight ground deer in a skillet breaking it up, adding a sauce of some sort (Billet BBQ sauce ) works good and eat it like a sloppy joe. Ground meat is so versatile no mater what critter it comes from. BilletHead

I need to do chicken Gavin. We really like to precook chicken before we grill it. Normally boil with some seasonings and retain broth for cooking dishes later. Then grill the chicken. Boiling works great but too done IMO. Thinking trying the Sous Vide thing on the lighter side of the heat scale but long enough to consider it pasteurized then grill. Think that will work? BilletHead

Yeppers

What do you do when you kill mallards in the AM? You Sous Vide them in the PM! Heated up the Sous Vide bath to 129 degrees. Vac sealed four breast halves in individual bags with a bit of wild garlic and thyme from the garden. Cooked for 1.5 hours. Fired up propane burner on back porch. Put the meat in the cast iron skillet. Skin side first, then opposite side, then a kiss of heat on the fat side of each breast half, Plated up with potatoes roasted in goose fat and some bean greens . , Good things happen here at BilletHeadVille!

One of three jigs used for three days. The "little jig that wouldn't die". I used 8 lb. nanofil with about three feet of 6 lb. Vanish fluorocarbon leader. I couldn't get the I think it was an Allbright knot down pat so I used a surgeons loop suggested by forum member snagged with four turns wetted thoroughly before cinching down. In the three days of fishing the only failure I had was at the jig knot. I used two colors. Triple olive and olive and ginger. Was I getting to the bottom? Yes not much paint left on this one, BilletHead

Jig Fest day three, So I had already been asked by HKjesters DJ if we could fish together on Saturday. Sure I said and then he told me he wanted to go to the North Fork Tail water early to try it for awhile with his jerk bait. Let me tell you this guy is a go getter. Same age as BilletHead JR. Actually reminds me of our Son. Wound for sound and bouncing off the walls. Very talkative. The BilletHead was this way but now pretty easy going. I thought this may prove to be an interesting day . Mike and John were up early and going there for a try too. So we all ate a quick bite and headed off to the river. Cold again and boat needed cable thawing again. We got there to find low water. Instantly I thought this may be a chance to break out the fly rod! We all got our gear ready and looked back down towards the river, generation had begun , Crapola. We all fished anyway and Mike and DJ each caught a rainbow I believe. In the parking lot I thought I found evidence of gigging. Well some would instantly assume that, Actually the BilletHead had heard there was some stripers in the tailwater and some lucky angler had caught and filleted one . I have learned not to assume the worst in people and others should too. So DJ and I loaded up and discussed where to fish? After some thought we decided we had heard fish were caught at the Wild Cat access. New place to me and with no expert (Griz and Ham) to ask for tips on where to go we launched there. One word for this place on that day WIND, BAD WIND. Drag chain and all it blew us all over the river. Could hardly get a good float. None the less we both caught a few fish. DJ was a man possessed. Slinging that jerk Bait and talking ninety miles and hour. Come on big brown hit my bait, all I want is one good one! Loved it I did. Picked up a jig maybe twice and threw it twice those two times. He wanted a good one and I wanted it to happen for him. The dude has a set of eyes on him too. He seen flashes of strikes after his bait. Missed some hits but got a few rainbows that thought they were browns smashing at the big bait. Finally we had enough of the wind and headed to another access. Decided on the Cotter access. Where I had fished the first day. We hit the access and seen Big Jake in his boat with Mike and Ron go by as we launched. Then we seen Big Jake's brother and dad down there with I am sorry and another fellow i did not know fishing in their boat. I heard Jakes brother had caught a nice brown but did not get to see it. I tossed jigs and my cohort the jerk bait maniac went to town catching rainbows until the BilletHead got lucky again, Another cutthroat . Sometimes luck happens to me and lightning struck twice this trip. We then seen Jake and his crew up above the old concrete bridge. Headed up for a visit. We all talked and compared notes. They sent us farther up river to a place for more drifts. We did that and sore lipped a few more. I was beginning to tighten up and actually laid in the back of the boat watching the jerkbait man cast his heart out looing for the big one. Back down river for a couple more drifts and out we pulled dodging deer all the way back to the lodge. Then to the final feast of BBQ and Got muddy cooked some fish he had caught, some of Phil's salmon and jumbo shrimp. Griz was slicing taters with his slicing gizmo. John was working up more mushrooms to fry. More sausage and smoked cheese snacked on when the meal was cooked. Stories were told and maybe a lie or two. Miles showed up and gave us a show. I hated to retire for that last Evening knowing I was leaving in the AM. Again as I laid there I bed I could hear fun being had downstairs by brothers of Jig Fest with so much in common. I felt good knowing I had got to attend. New friends, so many new friends. I wanted to fish with them all and learn more about each of their lives. Great bunch and I hope I can fish with some of them again. Next morning was ready to leave and said goodbyes to the ones up. Some were getting ready to fish more, others ready to head home also. Sad as I was to leave I was ready to go home to my bride and number one fishing partner. Tell her stories and she would be jealous, yes she was , BilletHead

All of you all would be the reason, BilletHead

Been there did that too, Launch a boat on a dry cold narrow ramp. Drag out trailer with water coming off. Come back to frozen ramp. Like Griz says "Got be tough when you are stupid" , BilletHead

You all make me feel bad. Knowing there would be a big freeze while I was down there I picked all the lettuce in the BilletHead garden. Eight big bags of fresh lettuce was in my fridge. Could of brought that, My bad. BilletHead

Well you were singing. Duets some of the songs. BilletHead

We know you are "that guy" buddy . You have the clicker and it keeps honest track of your tally! I did have 13 on my truck when we left the lodge Friday morning. Still amazed I did stay warm fishing. Again thanks to you fellows suggesting waders regardless if we waded or not. I have broken ice too but not like that . Have went down icy steep ramps where I had to get help getting back out too. I am somewhat smarter now in my older years. just a little, Marty

I wondered if my first mate for that day would come clean. We would of caught many ,many more fish if we were not dealing with Johnitis. I admit I had a small dose of it. Passed the rod for unsnagging to the first mate and went back to retrieve my jig. So what did first mate do to get even with me? He yanked and broke my jig off ! I lost three jigs during the fest. This Folly guy did one of them. I did let him get the barge up to speed and on plane once and he is a pretty good trailer backer , BilletHead

Yes me too guys. Had my first mates both days back me in and there was no float off? Then a POP and I began to float. Coldest days I have ever fished. BilletHead

Real glad all I needed was some sunshine to create a thawing of cables!

So cool Ham, thanks for sharing. I caught a channel cat below Truman dam that was tagged. Did not have the great story you have here but did have the 25 buck price tag like you got. Used to be a bunch of guys that fished up there when remote control boats were allowed. They would collect tags from big blue cats. Brag about it and not send them in. Without people like you sending in info that research becomes a mute point. So what are you going to get with all those bucks? Zig Jigs or fencing material for baby chestnut trees , BilletHead