'Tis Hunting Time—A smallish blog

[Shelby]

1 hour ago, heidih said:

Thanks for sharing the water set-up. We often see the cool shots and don't realize the amount of work going on "behind the scenes"

It really is a lot of work.  From mowing paths, to building blinds etc.  A lot of guys just show up the morning of the hunt without helping to do any of the prep.  The ones that help prep get special treatment  

[suzilightning]

1 hour ago, Shelby said:

   

I was just wishing that I was at the meeting with Rotuts so I could have a brownie.  Or six

be glad you are where you are.  You are making us very happy with this blog - can't speak for @rotuts but I got the most important things cleared up and can finish(or have John finish when he gets home) the rest tomorrow.  Got my car out of deep freeze, got the driveway cleared, got fresh seed to the birds … Smudge NOT happy.

Did Ron go out Thanksgiving Day?  I remember when we lived in Texas a lot of the guys went out usually dove hunting before coming back for the meal.  Saw about 7 cars this last Thursday morning up here.  Small game season; muzzleloader began today - regular gun on the 9th for deer in our area.

[Shelby]

2 minutes ago, suzilightning said:

Did Ron go out Thanksgiving Day?

No.  Years ago he and his brother would go and get back just in time to eat Thanksgiving dinner.  My sister-in-law and I kinda decided that wasn't fair and now they stay home and help out 😁.

 

But believe me, they were out bright and early the next day.

[Smithy]

Yayyy, it's huntin' season! I'm late to this party but glad to be catching up. I agree with you, going back a few posts, about the hypnotic effect of watching bubbles travel through clear piping. Your photos of the windmill and tub, looking into the sun, have a beautiful mood.

 

Here's hoping it's a good hunt, and a good time. I so want to invite myself to one of these hunting parties -- I bet I'd learn a lot about being a successful hunter, as well as being a good cook! I'm looking forward to the feasts.

[blue_dolphin]

3 hours ago, Shelby said:

Well, he hunts all the time and is very good at it, but it's just because he loves doing it so much.  So, yes he's full-time, but doesn't get paid lol.

 

1 hour ago, Shelby said:

A lot of guys just show up the morning of the hunt without helping to do any of the prep.  The ones that help prep get special treatment  

 

I know hunters get a bad reputation in some circles and it can be for good reason - like the ones more into going off for the weekend and doing more drinking than hunting.  My friend's dad was more of a full-time hunter like your husband.  He was out in the woods, watching the deer and other wildlife in every season.  He knew the paths the bucks followed, which does had fawns each year and would hike or snowshoe deep into the woods to leave feed for them after big blizzards or ice storms.  He hunted bow season, musket season and regular every year and provided pretty much all the meat for his family of 5 kids.  I have great respect for hunters like that!

Edited December 3, 2019 by blue_dolphin (log)

[Shelby]

2 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

I have great respect for hunters like that!

I love your post and me too!

[Jacksoup]

@Shelby along with everyone else, I’m excited to see this thread start up again.

[Katie Meadow]

Make sure Ronnie takes a camera so we can see pix of Chum on the job! A bird in the jaw is worth two in the paw. Or something. Is there room for a tripod in a duck blind? Clearly all this is a mystery to me, but I always like these hunting blogs.

[Shelby]

46 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

Make sure Ronnie takes a camera so we can see pix of Chum on the job! A bird in the jaw is worth two in the paw. Or something. Is there room for a tripod in a duck blind? Clearly all this is a mystery to me, but I always like these hunting blogs.

Will do!

 

There is for sure room in the "deer shootin house" for a tripod....but....getting them to do that --plus my camera isn't super great--would be asking a  lot lol.  They promise to take pictures though, so we will see what transpires.

[Shelby]

Happy Deer Day

 

Been up since before dawn.  Need to jump in the shower.  But first a few pictures.

 

Major tragedy a couple days ago.  My Thermapen died!  I thought it was just the batteries, but Ronnie replaced them and still no good  .  When I open it up it says "lo" and immediately says "err".  Anyone have any ideas on if it can be fixed?  I haven't googled yet.  Thankfully, good 'ole Thermaworks pulled through and I got a new one delivered yesterday.

 

Red for @rotuts

 

 

You'll have to enlarge these pictures--I took them with my iPhone and I didn't want to go outside because it would scare them, but 8-9 does came right up to the house yesterday evening.  They know they are safe here  

 

 

I've had these two mallards brining in a salt/water mix for a couple of days.  Made for a nice, quick meal last night.  I'm addicted to rubbing them and stuffing them with lemons.

 

Very non-fancy sides to go with.  My canned green beans and bakers.

 

Ronnie will be picking up our friend from the airport in a couple hours and then coming back here for lunch.  I better get a move on.  Be back soon

 

 

[rotuts]

yes @Shelby  red is the best.

[rotuts]

PS  make sure you put the two  ( I think ) batteries in  

 

properly + / -   I had trouble once figuring this out at the batteries are etched 

 

with + / - and are hard to read

 

maybe you will be lucky and thus have 2 Therm'os

[kayb]

Ohhhh, this gives me a taste for venison chili! Must find a hunter to cadge a couple of pounds from, as I no longer have any hunters in the family.

 

Looking forward to the hunt, and all the details!

 

[Shelby]

The guys have eaten and are on their way to the shootin' house.  With Chum, of course.

 

Lunch was:

 

Pickled stuff

 

 

Ham and beans

and cheesy cornbread

 

[Shelby]

It was a big day yesterday.  I got to bed a little after 10--which is late by my normal standards, but early when our hunter friend is here lol.

 

Without further ado I'll catch up from yesterday.

 

An afternoon view of the shooting house

 

 

Around dusk I received a text--success already !  I can't remember the last time they shot a deer on the first day.  

 

   A nice buck.  Here he is hanging in the garage.

 

 

The guys shot a little pictorial of the gutting process and of removing the prized tenderloins--you want to do that first thing because if you don't, they dry out.

 

I completely understand if some don't want to see this so scroll by these next few.

 

All of that gets dumped in that tub and then they took it down to the river.  I'm sure the coyotes had a feast last night.

 

Next they cut the tenderloins out

 

They are in the fridge --probably will be eaten either Saturday or Sunday night.

 

Meanwhile, while all of that was taking place, I was making pizzas for dinner.

 

Oh but first I made the usual breakfast sandwiches for this morning--ham, jalapeño cheese and eggs.

 

Simple appetizers last night (I really did do some searching for some new ideas and just didn't hit upon anything that tripped my trigger)

Pimento cheese and deviled eggs

 

Pizza dough rising

Salad--there is pasta underneath there.  I ate a bit of that since I still can't eat lettuce🙄 Sigh.  My plan was also to make that momofuku dressing, but I pooped out.  I'm sure we will have salad again sometime this week and I'll do it then.  I realllllly want to taste that.  Even if it's just plain off of a spoon lol.

 

Venison cheeseburger pizza

And pepperoni and mushroom pizza

 

And this is what's happening as we speak.  They are all tucked into their house--heater is going--binoculars out

 

 

They told me Chum got so dang excited every time she spotted a deer--she had to be told to settle down lol.  When the buck was shot she tracked it like a champ.

 

I'm going to try to come up with something exciting for dinner.  Maybe pheasant piccata?   Oh, and sigh, an appetizer.  Oh and breakfast lol.  Be back later!

 

 

 

 

 

[Okanagancook]

Your DH is very skilled with his knife work and knowing his way around the inside of a deer!

Your pizzas look very inviting as did the salad.

Thank you for doing the blog....I always enjoy it.

cheers

[kayb]

Nice buck. I do love tenderloin.

 

[gfweb]

@Shelby Great stuff!

 

Re an appetizer. I just discovered this stuff https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/sun-dried-tomato-dip-recipe-1941164

 

I sub mayo for sour  cream and finely sliced shallots for green onion.  I probably add more sun dried tomatoes too.   Addictive. and it improves over time

[Kim Shook]

I totally get wanting to do something new.  That being said, you really can't beat deviled eggs and pimento cheese.  😄

[SLB]

Very excited for this.

 

But -- Shelby, why can't you eat lettuce?  

[Shelby]

10 minutes ago, SLB said:

Very excited for this.

 

But -- Shelby, why can't you eat lettuce?  

 

 

I'm sorry!  I thought I had complained all over this place so I didn't want to complain any more 😂.  I had a tooth pulled, a bone graft etc. etc. on Nov. 4.  The list is LONG of stuff I'm not supposed to eat.  I still have stitches that are making me crazy.  I've cheated.  I take baby size bites of forbidden foods and chew on the non-bad areas, but that takes a really long time.  Anyway, lettuce is one of the things that gets major stuck in places that you don't want lettuce stuck.  Sigh.  I have 2-3 more super icky surgeries to go, but I'm not thinking about it.

 

I wasn't supposed to drink wine, either, but I rebelled against that the very first day  

[SLB]

I've been kind of behind all over, so I probably just missed it.

 

I'm raising my glass to you over here, in support and solidarity and [huntin']-seasonal gladness!

[heidih]

@Shelby  Oh yes did catch the boxes of a Franzia red behind the buck. Everyone reports satisfaction  with that brand of boxed wine.  I used to collect miniature glass bottles and had the most adoroble Franzia one - no idea where it decamped to...  It was a very old collectible.  Blog on!

[Shelby]

13 hours ago, heidih said:

Oh yes did catch the boxes of a Franzia red behind the buck

😂

 

I was hoping no one would see that.  When we go to town we stock up--it's like 2-3 dollars more a box at the closest liquor store to me.  It does seem to be a very popular wine--at times we go to buy some and it's sold out.  However, it is very sweet.  If you like dry wine, this is not the one for you.

 

What can I say?  I'm a cheap date  

 

Happy Friday everyone!

 

The guys rolled out of bed at 4:45 again this morning.  Chum lifted her head up, groaned and went back to sleep. 🤣 I asked her if she wanted to go and all I got was another groan.  She does this occasionally when Ronnie hunts a million days in a row.  My girl needs her beauty sleep.  So, she's now peacefully snoozing on the couch.  I'm sure the guys would be very happy with me if I'd bring her out to be with them now, but I think we need a girls day in  .

 

A look at the early morning sky

 

 

Breakfast for this morning.  Smoked venison sausage that our hunter friend brought.

 

Appetizers--with special thanks to @gfweb for the sun-dried tomato dip recipe.  REALLY good.  I used some of the cherry tomatoes that I semi dried and put in olive oil in the fridge.  Worked like a charm.  I might need some for breakfast.  Also put out some zucchini butter.

 

 

Our friend brought some pheasant breasts out with him too.  He doesn't really care for them too much.  Always dry he says.  

 

I hoped to change his mind with pheasant piccata. And I did

 

All pounded, dredged in flour and fried.

 

 

Plated with a white wine lemon caper sauce, my canned green beans and a mushroom alfredo pasta.

 

 

I think I'm going to do something Asian-ish tonight so that means I need to start right now.  I am so slow at that cuisine. I'm not sure why lol.

 

I think the guys are doing some duck/goose hunting (don't tell Chum, she'll be sad she slept in) so maybe we can have those for dinner tomorrow.

 

I best get going.  Need some coffee first.........it's a cold morning and coffee sounds good.

 

 

[IowaDee]

I drink the same brand but stick to pinot grigio.  Probably mentioned this before, but one of the kids calls it Mom's box 'o drunk.  Around here the price varies from $20.99 to $22.99 a box.  I stock up too when it is on sale.  I just convert the closet under the stairs to my refreshment closet rather than the cleaning supply closet!  When we both still smoked, we used to make a "vice run" across the border to Missouri.  Beer, wine and cigs were so much cheaper.  Maybe they still are?  

 

As usual. I'm really enjoying your blog and your meals look amazing.  Your energy puts me to shame.  And I get Chum's need for  a day off to laze around.