The Hunting Thread

I would never take an animal for a rug

I was to busy hyper-ventilating to take any pics of my own demise from a BIG brown rug

Thanks for sharing a large part of your "life"... with some super pictures... great places and people .. the plunger is great, hope it puts a smile on Ron's face, as it did mine... it's all good ...

[Edited on 9-19-2011 by wessongroup]

mtgoat666, You've convinced me! Throwing away all my hunting and fishing gear. Gonna become a vegan. Will vote for the most liberal candidate in all elections from this point on. Am I forgetting anything?

A Puzzle

Why is it that some of these 'kind' individuals are some of the most belligerent posters on the board?

Hi Ken,

Sure did..both several times in the mid-to-late 70's. I took my Silverline bass boat behind my pickup camper from Coyote Bay up to Sta. Rosalia and then across the SOC on the Guaymas ferry. Stayed in Alamos for a couple weeks with a neat gunsmith retired there from California. He had bought this grand old villa that was about 1 block square...the sum of $45,000 US in the late 60's I believe. What a place he made there..paddocks for horses, lots of rooms, patios, verandas, atriums, and a perfect place to ride out from on horseback dove hunts.

We fished for the then newly planted Florida strain of largemouth bass in nearby Lake Hildago....and wore ourselves out catching and releasing double-digit bucketmouths! I remember having to continually be on the lookout for snags and deadheads in the flooded lake.

We hunted ducks...and wild pig..(javelina)... a mangy goat or two...and even Canadian honkers....and flew out of there for desert muleys in Sonora.

I'll search in my photo morgue and see about posting some old Hildago, Alamos, Los Mochis, and other good times in that area of mainland Mexico.

We had some sweet times over there..yes, indeed. Thanks for jogging up some nice memories.

signed: BLOODTHIRSTY KILLER
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THE HUNTING THREAD - CHAPTER 3 - 'THE DUCK HUNT' - "plus some personal stuff"

THE DUCK HUNT.


Yesterday we went duck hunting on the Northern Plains...one of Mother Nature’s maternity wards.




A region of agricultural lands and thousands of pothole sloughs... known as The Duck Factory….and world-renowned for its waterfowl production.

A typical way to hunt ducks in this region is to go out scouting the afternoon before. About 2 hours before sundown is a good time. Naturally, waterfowl will spend the night on water, so position yourself in sight of whatever large slough or marsh is in your hunting area.



A good set of binoculars is a must. Don’t bother with the cheap ones…get some good optics.
Swarovski, Nikon, Bushnell, Pentax, Zeiss, & Steiner are some top mfgrs of fine field binocs.

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Soon, you will see the birds flying out to feed..and usually to the exact same place they fed that morning or the day before.


MOST IMPORTANT…USE GOOD HUNTING MANNERS……ASK FIRST!

Mark the feed, and then seek out the land owner to ask permission to hunt..even if it is not posted. As in all things throughout our lives, it pays to have good manners.


(A trait that unfortunately seems to be missing amongst certain nomad stalker/characters . .. makes me wonder what upbringing they suffered? I feel sorry for their plight…but then, it’s all about who you want to be, isn’t it?…after all, we’ve all have hard times and the choices we make define us.)

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If the landowner you asked permission from would like a good duck dinner, invite him and wife to the Duk Shak..or whatever you call your hunting place. If no dinner, send him a gift along with your heartfelt thanks. In our case, the accommodating landowner was a geography teacher of mine in high school, now retired to a life he loves in the country. Thanks, Myron!

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“We’re burning daylight, Pilgrim.”



Early next morning...like 3 hours before dawn… the boys splash some water on their faces and shake off the sleepiness….

….you have a hearty breakfast and pack a thermos of coffee for the road.

Wait while the boys splash some MORE water on their faces and shake off the sleepiness… again.

Gear up for the weather, check your gear, gun safes ON, ammo, etc. and hook up the decoy trailer...and drive whatever direction the chosen duck feed is located.





You will want to position your deek spread in the EXACT same place in the feed field as the ducks were in the evening before..this is very important.

Hint: A good sign that you have picked the right spot in the field...is the duck poop you will see in the stubble.
p.s. I’ll spare you a photo of the poop…but YOU KNOW I have one.. grin.


Factoid: Most everything that flys lands into the wind. So, bearing this fact in mind, position most, but not all, of your deeks facing into the wind. Don't bunch them up in a ball…which will send an alarm signal to arriving waterfowl...but place them in a lazy C-curve or even an U-shape. You want to present a flock feeding at ease and kind of scattered…like they have been feeding here awhile.





Place your shooting blinds placed downwind from the majority of the deeks. Thus, approaching ducks will be directly over you when they set thier wings. But...this is all up to you to experiment with...just saying this has worked for me for many decades.


You can mix duck and goose decoys together...it will make the set look more real and is very effective. Just keep them in their own species group.

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Randy likes to place a pink flamingo decoy in the set…and some other rather weird stuff….but I'm drawing the line at that!

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Motion decoys are a real asset…even a slight wind makes them move and the motion is seen by ducks/geese from a long, long distance.






Flagging with a black flag is good, too. Wave it..and the birds will come.



Forget about flying those decoy kites...while everyone likes flying kites....they're just too much hassle to keep aloft, are too noisy, and the truth is, they tend to spook more birds than they attract.





Okay..now we've set the deeks in a good feed, in a pattern that leaves open a landing area for incoming traffic.


The blinds are set facing downwind and at the downwind end of your set.


One hunter drives the rig out of the field and hidden from sight of the set. (Does not have to be a mile away! This is farming country and waterfowl are very used to seeing all kinds of machines under thier flyways)



Today was my turn to drive the rig away…and I found a good spot to park…Hey, seems to be reserved for me?




Another OldTimer. In the rig just relaxing, I got spend some quality time with a mighty giant. This grand old prairie dweller has been here a long time, and very likely has had a few thousand bison cool off under its branches…way back in the day.


All good duck hunters..young and old...should own at least 15 duck calls. Does not matter a hoot if you know how to use those calls....just take a deep breath and blast away. If nothing else, you will get a good laugh out of the racket you and your buddies make in the pre-dawn light.



Seriously, it's easy to use a duck or goose call, so easy that even a caveman can do it. If the flock is a LONG ways away...just put your lips to your call and trying saying this as loud as you can...CAW CAW CAW!... If the ducks turn towards you after that….shut up...you did well …and so now just let them approach the set.





If they don't set thier wings on an incoming landing to your set...and seem to want to circle and circle just out of range...like most mallards do...then get the call out again and say softly, but distinctly...Ticket..ticket..ticket. Ticket...ticket...ticket. That's a good feeding call and imitates the noise ducks make when happily chowing down.




Like these incoming I Nikon-ed from my blind….When the bird's wings are set and they are coming in...Shut Up.


To make your best wingshot at decoyed ducks, let them get into range for your furthest hunting partner...then take them as you are situated per your fellow hunters. That is: If you are the furthest to the left of all the hunters, then take the furthest Left bird..and so on. No sense all of you blazing away at that closest greenhead!

If you are successful and now you have a couple dead ducks on the ground..take a quick look at the horizon to make sure no other flocks are inbound..then gather up any downed birds ...and either make them decoys or put them out of sight..under a goose deek or whatever. Note: A dead mallard with it's feet sticking up in the air amongst your deeks does NOT help your cause.







Now the sun is going down..and it's time to got get the rig while the other guys are gathering the deeks and blinds into a pile. Take a couple of photos of the boys hunting together to enjoy later over dinner.





Congrats on a good hunt...amongst good friends!



Okay, the deeks are back in the trailer, along with ALL THE EMPTY HULLS...shotgun shells...which you, as a responsible hunter, will NOT leave in the stubble for the farmer's equipment to jam up on. An easy thing to do with these coffin blinds is to keep all your hulls, wrappers, etc inside them to take with you when leaving the field. Easy enough to dump them at home later.


Treat the land as if it was YOURS...take any garbage with you when leaving. We get invited back to hunt to many fields..because we care...the landowners realize that..and are our friends.

The drive home is full of good cheer and camraderie...talking about who made the best wingshot..or who made the most misses. Who cracked me up the most with his duckcalling...
Making plans for the next morning's hunt.







The hunt is over, but hunting duties are not. There are ducks to be cleaned and made ready for our dinner tonight. I particularily love Remington Mallards...a recipe my mother contributed to a Ducks Unlimited Cook Book many years ago.


Tonight, however, Munga has the chef's hat on and is making us marinated duck fillets, whitetail deer steaks, hush puppies, Mountain Dew for the boys, and cold brews for the adults. Not too shabby, amigo.

Now that was a FINE DAY of GOOD FELLOWSHIP and GOOD HUNTING.

See ya next time.




[Edited on 9-21-2011 by Pompano]

"It stands to reason. People followed Mahatama Gandhi because of his example."

Does set the bar a bit high for you know who .... there skip...


The old adage comes to mind .... Don't ask the question if ya don't know the answer... need a bandaid... or perhaps a tourniquet ... as this one maybe fatal....

Peace ~ Love and fish tacos

Quote:

Originally posted by Don Jorge Quote: Originally posted by Pompano [we went duck hunting http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-k5J4RxQdE

George, you know I am in the boondocks here..my Verizon air card just won't cut the mustard to show youtube movies. I'll just assume I should be laughing......

Most of the ducks down in the swamps where I duck hunt are Wood Ducks. Not big, but very good when mixed into a duck and cornbread dressing with plenty of gravy. Call 'em "squealers", real sharp little ducks. Probably the most alert and quickest to spot you. Now those little Teal... Mallards.... Have hunted those Blue Bills rafting up out in the bays... Don't like to shoot 'em with that steel shot, lead shot is much better. But, the powers that be also decree, "Steel Shot" only. Bad for the barrels of good shotguns.

The Cypress woody...and those teal, bluebills, and mallards.

Quote:

Originally posted by Cypress Most of the ducks down in the swamps where I duck hunt are Wood Ducks. Not big, but very good when mixed into a duck and cornbread dressing with plenty of gravy. Call 'em "squealers", real sharp little ducks. Probably the most alert and quickest to spot you. Now those little Teal... Mallards.... Have hunted those Blue Bills rafting up out in the bays... Don't like to shoot 'em with that steel shot, lead shot is much better. But, the powers that be also decree, "Steel Shot" only. Bad for the barrels of good shotguns.

Sorry about this tardy posting… been out hunting sharptail grouse in the Badlands. Flying footballs!


To Cypress and everyone reading this…..Oh yeah, wood ducks are challenging targets for sure, but that’s what sets them apart from other, more commonly hunted species of waterfowl. When they come zooming in over the deeks, they look like bumblebees on steroids.


Cypress, when you say ‘swamps”, I take it you are referring to the marshes & flooded pin oak country down south? Arkansas-Louisiana? (I’ve never found too many swamps in Idaho, but then..?)

I’ve hunted some Down South a long time ago…close to Stuttgart, Arkansas a few times, and then over at Caddo Bay, Texas/Louisiana border. Great times and superb decoying for puddlers of every kind, but wing-shooting in the trees is a lot different than open plains. Shooting a wood duck in flooded timber is like trying to gun down a stone released from a slingshot, only harder. Took me a little practice, but I soon got the hang of it with some good advice from local buds. I switched to an open choke as the flights were very close and was thinking, Heck, next time I’ll bring my skeet choke o/u.

And I agree, the little woody is indeed a great table bird, but then I find almost all Dabbling Ducks Delicious!

Actually, we hardly ever hunted wood ducks in my young years. Not just because they were not many around, but because we preferred the big corn-fed greenheads & pintails.

But…growing up on our southwestern ND ranch bordered by the Little Missouri River, we had plenty of tall dead oak and cottonwood trees with lots of empty holes for excellent wood duck nesting.

The wood ducks would usually appear in pairs, squealing loudly as they flew past our river bank. Females utter a drawn-out, rising squeal, "oo-eek," when flushed, and a sharp "cr-r-ek, cr-e-ek" for an alarm call when danger threatened…..like when a swimming skinny kid would try sneaking up on them. . The male call is a thin, high, rising "jeeeeee."

Hah... no doubt how they earned the nickname “squealers.” Those that weren’t calling still were audible on their fast approach. The noise made as air rushed through their pinions closely resembled the sound of a bottle rocket fired on the Fourth of July.

Those ranch woodies entertained us, too. The whole family got a treat when the little woodie ducklings were ready to leave their nest...we’d sit silently on a huge log down by our big cottonwood and get a great show watching those teenie little woodie ducklings jump one-by-one from those high nests into the water 25-35 feet below. Little drab-colored puffballs splashing into the river with nary a fatality. Always loved that sight and thought, “Wow...what little daredevils they are!”.


Teal:
It is the most abundant duck in the mixed-grass prairies of the Dakotas. We literally raise tens of thousands within 20 miles of my Duk Shak. Green wing, blue wing, cinnamon, etc….we have them all in numbers.




A teal memory: One of my prize mounts WAS a beautiful cinnamon drake like the one above…done expertly at rest on a piece of birch-bark driftwood…given to me by my late friend, Roger Page (nomad ‘aquaholic’). It was a remembrance of an unusual hunt we had together… ‘in downtown Seattle’s Long Acres Race Track.’. …but that’s a story for another time.

Unfortunately, a guest’s beagle chewed it to pieces when the untrained mutt was left alone in my Duk Shak….grrrr… (Note: The beagle mount is not nearly as pretty, but makes a good boot scraper.)


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Bluebills






Another favorite hunt is to go after bluebills late in the fall. Honest to God, it’s got to be freezing cold out there for you to really enjoy the experience!

My old lab, Gypsy, was an expert bluebill retriever…and spotter. Yup….a damn good spotter, too.

To explain her talent: The north end of the big marsh by my shack is a haven for late season ‘bills’. Known as Red Willow Slough.





Gypsy and I hunted this great spot for many a season.…setting out about 3 dozen blocks...and then push-poling my Old Town into our rush-blind. Sitting there, sipping hot coffee, smoking a stogie…and LONG before I was ready, a big flock of bluebills would suddenly come zooming in from the north…zip once over the deeks…looking things over…. before making a sharp turn and come splashing/crashing down into our set.





Gypsy had seen all this, of course…and looked up at me with a quizzical expression: “Hey, What’s Up? You sleeping or something?”

That’s when she learned to be my spotter.

From that time on, whenever she heard those approaching wings, she’d put her head under my forearm and push it up…as if to say…”Okay, sleepyhead…get ready. Here they come!”


Mallards

One of my Duk Shak mallards…courtesy of a taxidermist/hunting buddy.





Mallards. Big northern greenheads. Curly-tails. My favorite as a young duck-hunter.




Mallards. Santee Lakes sissy city-fieds. Still my favorite as an Old Hunter-Feeder.



More about those Wood Ducks:

Compared to the South, we don’t get that many wood ducks out here in Pothole Country…just not enough good habitat to support them, but we do have a good representative population that is growing, thanks to hunters and sportsmen.

Wood ducks are greatly increasing in numbers these days…..thanks to sportsmen’s clubs, Ducks Unlimited, and other like organizations that contribute time and money to constructing nesting sites.
Over the past 20 years, our local DU & hunter’s club members have installed more than 8,000 Wood Duck boxes, or woodie boxes, in sloughs, along ND rivers and lots of smaller tributaries. A vast amount of continued work by DU members takes place along these rivers collecting data, checking boxes for nests, cleaning out old nests and maintaining the boxes with fresh wood chips, hinges and tops as needed. We also volunteer to help next-door Clark Salyer game refuge live-trap for the yearly duck nesting count…using fired capture-nets.

It a given that Wildlife Management can have a huge effect on a bird’s sustainability. The beauty of this Up North area I love is not just in the land and water we cherish, but also in the waterfowl that continues to claim the Big Open as its own.

Here’s an information tidbit for you: ‘The Wood Duck is one of the only species to nest in man-made boxes. Regarded as the most colorful waterfowl species in North America, the duck was in abundance before unregulated hunting and habitat destruction nearly wiped out the species in the early 1900s. Changes in habitat protection and hunting laws turned things around by the 1920s, with artificial nesting boxes introduced in the 1930s and serving as a key component to the species survival.’


Incidentally, one of the other birds is the Purple Martin, nesting almost exclusively in man-made houses, they are revered by homeowners for keeping flying insect populations like mosquitoes in check. I have built 2 so far…one at my Duk Shak on a high cat-proof pole….and another at my home on the Rainy River, Minnesota. (A word of caution….in Minnesota the mosquitos are bigger than the purple martins…..)


Build a nesting box yourself:
http://www.ducks.org/media/Conservation/Conservation_Documen...

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Hey….it’s almost time to go set the deeks! I’m outta here..




"I realize the answer is not to create wilderness and walk away.
In wilderness is the preservation of the world. "

Henry David Thoreau




[Edited on 9-22-2011 by Pompano]

SANDHILL CRANE HUNT

For those readers who may not know about sandys:





The Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis to you science buffs) is a large crane of North America ...and don't ask me why, but also extreme northeastern Siberia. Brrrr!! The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest. This is the most important stopover area for the Lesser Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis canadensis even...sheesh), with up to 500,000 of these birds migrating through annually.

There are five sandhill crane subspecies, but the most common is our old buddy, canadensis crane. Of the current sandhill crane population, the canadensis subspecies represents 450,000 members of the total population. The sandhill can grow to a length of 4 feet, and live up to 20 years. It's beak is a lethal lance that can..and has..killed many retrieving dogs. The breeding areas of the canadensis sandhill are focused in Canada, where these birds can be hunted.

Ahh...Some History!

According to the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, the sandhill crane population began to decline in the first half of the 1900s. Conservation efforts were undertaken to maintain safe breeding habitats and the Migratory Bird Treaty was passed in 1916. A population low-point was reached in the late 1930s. The population picked up in the 1950s, and by the 1970s the birds were back at peak populations.


Habitat and Range


A main nesting spot for the sandhill is near the Hudson and James bays in Canada. The winter migration takes these birds toward Texas, New Mexico and Mexico. According to Outdoor Canada, the best spot to hunt sandhill crane is in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, when these cranes are migrating toward their winter quarters. In the USA sandhill hunting is good throughout all the Great Plains states to Texas.


Hunting

Pass shooting, like we did a couple days ago, is a common way to hunt sandys..and is done by hunters placing themselves on a known flyway to and from sloughs to feeds. These are BIG birds and look slow, but don't be fooled...they're coming mighty fast at 30-40mph.

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Decoying like we did this morning.... draws the birds close to the blind and is our No. 1 choice for hunting storks. A 12-gauge shotgun loaded with heavy BBs is the standard shotgun choice.

You can use lead on cranes but most hunters stay with steel so they can shoot geese/ducks with them. I only shoot 3' BBB at them & have no problem knocking them down.

To be consistantly successful hunting cranes you must scout. Cranes are a creature of habit with great eyes. For example, If you have a 200 acre field they will almost always land in the same area of that field....just like mallards and honkers. You need to know where they are roosting & which way they approach the field. You must be hidden completely & not show the outline of your body.

Decoys: The absolute best decoy is full upright mounted cranes, but this is a very expensive method at $300-$400 per decoy. I use 40 plastic full-body no-shine crane decoys & about 30 gray windsocks on 3 foot dowels. Sillo socks also make a good motion decoy. Placement is a little different than goose decoys. You must put them exactly where the cranes have been & put them in bunches of 3-6 then skip 15 yards or so. Always set yourself where the birds have to fly over you on windy days to get to the decoys or between the roost & your decoys.

We never have trouble finding a place to hunt cranes. Farmers hate cranes. We usually find them in wheat fields. They bulldoze the ground something terrible. Gets to the point that farmers know what these fellas are doing and will call us whenever they spot cranes in their fields. And if the cranes are here when the wheat is still in windrows…the farmers can get downright hysterical…offering up dinners, drinks, daughters, wives, mothers-in-law, sheep, etc.


Be VERY careful with crippled cranes. Dog can get tore up bad by a wounded crane…or even killed. That's why I always shoot for the head. Either I miss them completely or they are dead before they hit the ground.
if you have a standing cripple , shoot it again before you send a dog after it, as they will go for the dog’s eyes.
Several things to be aware of is they are very aggresive when wounded. Their long sharp beak is dangerous to dogs & man alike. Also they have very sharp claws. I had an amigo grab one by the neck & it took a 2 inch chunk of skin off his hand.


This rather hilarious, but dangerous photo below shows what can happen with a wounded crane. This is Dick, a retired New York detective, who neglected to take his shotgun along when going out to retrieve a previously wounded sandhill…A BAD IDEA! All he had to defend himself with was a broken piece of board…luckily he KO-ed it before it jumped him and speared his eye. Warning: Do not do this in the field.


Hunting Season

The sandhill crane hunting season begins with the goose season on September 1. The season closes on December 15.
Regulations


A permit is needed before you can hunt sandhill crane. After birds are hunted, the number of sandhill cranes killed must be recorded through the Federal Game Commission. The sandhill possession limit is five per day, with a total of 10 for two days.



Crane as a viable food source? YES!

There is no doubt that the poor sandhill crane deserves a better reputation as table fare. Most neophytes ..or just plain lazy…wild game chefs have the wrong conceptions about eating crane…they always recommend putting the marinated sandhill on a soaked cedar board and grilling the works over charcoal, then throwing away the crane, and eating the board.

This is simply baloney. The sandhill crane is called ‘ribeye’ for good reason. My favorite is to slice it thin with fajita seasoning. Like any wild game or domestic animal, the secret is in taking good care of it the minute after it is killed. The old cartoon of a city-slicker hunter driving around with a deer tied to his hood, remember? Groan…nice way to slow-cook your carcass, I suppose…yeech!

The sandhill crane is superb tablefare. Here’s a couple of other tried and true recipes for you.


Do not throw the bird carcass away after breasting. The legs are full of piano wire so don't do well with roasting or grilling, but cut the remains up and braise with veggies and aromatics to make a stock. Strip the cooked meat off the bones and tendons and use for gumbo, salad toppings, tamales etc, it's all good. Strain and use the stock as a base for soup, gumbo, beans etc. Nothing should be wasted on these majestic birds beside the fact that after you have made all the other stuff which is just as good or better than the breasts (which are outstanding.

I like to age them about 5-7 days just like deer, cube in 1 1/2" cubes and marinate in italian dressing and seasoning. skewer and BBQ ..hovering over hot coals just enough to seer. Leave them rare and they will be tender and succulent.

CRANE CANDY..My specialty. Strip the breast meat and marinate in your favorite jerky sauce overnight in the fridge (12-14 hours minimum) Then place in a carousel meat dehydrator…or hang by toothpicks from the grills in your oven. Low-low heat and crack the oven door open. Oh yeah…be SURE to line the ovenbottom with tin foil or your Co-pilot will kill you.








Cranes..! They're a little like sandpipers on steroids.




Some really avid crane hunters will go to any lengths to fix up thier aptly named CRANE HOUSE just down the lane...behold the new cigar & brandy porch to come.



BACK TO WORK!! Okay, enough hunting for today, it's too sunny and warm....besides, I gotta get back to work on my own project.....the Duk Shak's new garage slab.







BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER





My native American crew (two scurilous Chippewas whom I allow to hunt with me) gets surly if Chief Thunderpants is not there to do his share.






THE FUTURE GARAGE LOOK....maybe....if the crew can read the blueprints.




GOOD HUNTING!

Subspecies: 'Mississippi Sandhill Crane' - one of America's rarest birds.

THE CREATION OF A REFUGE


Jake Valentine.

The true story of the Mississippi Sandhill Crane NWR involves the hard work and dedication of a leader in conservation. Jacob M. (Jake) Valentine, Jr. was a champion of the Mississippi sandhill crane and "father" of the Refuge.

Jake was born May 18, 1917 in Racine, Wisconsin. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, assigned to the 32nd Division in New Guinea. He received a Silver Star at age 26 for heroism in action at Saidor where, under Japanese fire, he risked his life swimming a river several times carrying wounded comrades

He received his MA in Zoology in 1950 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Upon graduation, he joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and served as refuge manager at several refuges. Eventually, he became Regional Wildlife Biologist for the Gulf Coast Region, making Lafayette his home for over 39 years.

One of his early assignments was an investigation into the effects of the building of Interstate 10 on the sandhill crane population in Jackson County.

With severe habitat decline and other problems, he realized the cranes were at great risk and called for a refuge. In the 1970s during the ensuing "cranes and lanes" controversy, stoppage of I-10 construction, and case in federal court, Jake's expertise, courage, and determination led eventually to the creation of the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge.

Without him, there would simply have been no refuge. He continued his involvement with the cranes and the refuge after his retirement in the 1980s until his passing, a period spanning over 30 years.

Jake won the Walkinshaw Award for lifetime achievement in crane conservation in 1996. His durability in the field was legendary even into his mid-70s.


Jake Valentine with Nest.

Today, Mississippi Sandhill Crane recovery efforts continue, but the bird still carries the description of 'the rarest bird in North America'.

Although the refuge and I-10 were both created, only 20,000 acres of the original crane habitat exist along the gulf coast. The good news is that the refuge was created and the population of less than 30 birds has grown to over 100. As the refuge and adjacent communities continue to work together, the crane recovery program has a definite chance of success.




ANOTHER RENOWNED SANDHILL CRANE REFUGE

North Dakota's J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge is located along the Souris River in Bottineau and McHenry Counties in north-central North Dakota. The refuge of 58,693 acres (237.5 km2) extends from the Manitoba border southward for approximately 45 miles (72 km) in an area which was once Glacial Lake Souris. The area is old lake bottom and has extremely flat topography and a high density of temporary wetlands.

The Souris River originates in southern Saskatchewan, flows southwest to Velva, North Dakota, and then generally north to join the Assiniboine River in southern Manitoba. The United States portion of the river is 358 miles (580 km) long and has a drainage basin of 9,000 square miles (23,000 km2); 371 miles (600 km) of river and 15,000 square miles (39,000 km2) of the basin are in Canada. Approximately 75 miles (120 km) of the Souris River are within the boundaries of the Refuge.



.....photos courtesy of a 'quick search'....

With a total estimated population of more than 500,000, the Sandhill Crane is the most abundant of the world’s cranes. It is widely (though intermittently) distributed throughout North America, extending into Cuba and far northeastern Siberia. Six subspecies have been described. The three migratory subspecies—the Lesser, Greater, and Canadian Sandhill Cranes—are relatively abundant. They are distributed across a broad breeding range in northern North America and eastern Siberia, with wintering grounds in the southern United States and northern Mexico. The other three subspecies—the Mississippi, Florida, and Cuban Sandhill Cranes—exist as small, non-migratory populations with restricted ranges in the southern United States (Mississippi, Florida, and southern Georgia) and Cuba. The total population is increasing in numbers, although some local populations may be declining. The species is classified as Lower Risk under the revised IUCN Red List Categories. The Mississippi and Cuban subspecies are classified as Critically Endangered, and also listed on CITES Appendix I.


At the time of European settlement the species was probably more widely distributed than at present. The remote arctic and subarctic breeding grounds of the Lesser and Canadian Sandhill Cranes have been relatively free of human impact. However, the wintering grounds of these subspecies have been extensively altered. Hunting, agricultural expansion, drainage of wetlands, and other habitat changes in the 18th and 19th centuries led to the extirpation of the Greater Sandhill Crane from many parts of its breeding range in the United States and Canada. The population and range of the non-migratory Sandhill Cranes in the southern United States have also diminished due to hunting, loss of wetlands, and other changes in its habitat. The Cuban Sandhill Crane was probably more widely distributed in the Cuban archipelago than at present.

Sandhill Cranes are primarily birds of open freshwater wetlands and shallow marshes, but the different subspecies utilize a broad range of habitat types, from bogs, sedge meadows, and fens to open grasslands, pine savannahs, and cultivated lands. During the breeding season, the three migratory subspecies may be found in a wide variety of northern wetland communities. Habitats along migration routes tend to be large, open palustrine and riparian wetlands near agricultural areas, while wintering habitats include riparian wetlands, wet meadows, seasonal playa lakes, and pastures. The non-migratory subspecies use seasonally variable wetlands, grasslands, and palm and pine savannahs. Sandhill Cranes are omnivorous, feeding on a wide variety of plant materials (including waste grains) and small vertebrates and invertebrates, both on land and in shallow wetlands.

The leading threat to the species is the loss and degradation of wetland habitats, especially ecological and hydrological changes in important staging areas. Of special concern are the spring staging areas along the central Platte River, which have diminished due to changes in the river’s flow, and which are further threatened by excessive water withdrawals and potential dam construction projects. Loss of suitable roosting habitat has increasingly concentrated the migrating cranes, increasing the risks associated with disease, disturbance, and other threats. Habitat loss continues to have a major impact on breeding grounds of the Greater Sandhill Crane and on the year-round habitats of the non-migratory subspecies. Mycotoxin poisoning, abnormal predation pressures, and collisions with fences, vehicles, and utility lines are of local concern for various populations.

We Americans are very fortunate to have so many federal and state refuges for our wlldlife. Let's hope the future will bring many more for our descendants to enjoy.

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.
John Muir

Pompano, Thanks, and have a good hunt.

Very early Sunday morning, September 25th, 2011.

Two Jack Daniels c-cktails followed by a nice glass of red with last night’s supper of seasoned, marinated, and sautéed mallard breast w/wild rice put me to sleep like a baby….

…..I got up and cried every hour.


p.s. Goose hunt report to follow 2 tummy alka-seltzers.








I need to interject a little hunting humor on this thread. It’s good for your soul, trust me.

“Vegetarian - that's an old Indian word meaning lousy hunter.”
Andy Rooney

This morning my hunting partners, Munga and Jeff, came over to pick me up at a decent five-o’clock. Hey, I’d been up since 4 doing chores, so no problem for me. (Note: I’m sure a few of you can relate to these early mornings? If you do, then you know that’s what happens after a lifetime of the daily Baja routine…meaning we go to bed and are sound asleep by 9 or 10…zzzz….then up and moving WAY before rooster-call. Hey…It’s our lifestyle and there’s no use trying to change it...we’re in the rut permanently.

Grabbing all my gear and a road-cup coffee, I climb into Munga’s Suburban and we headed west towards the big honker feed we had scouted last evening, pulling the decoy trailer behind us. It was only about an 8-mile drive, and we took it slow and easy…..on the lookout for the highly-probable ‘pedestrians’.

As in many night-time and especially pre-dawn drives through-out ND, you must use extreme caution to avoid deer, antelope, or loose livestock that are frequently crossing the roads. Sure enough, this morning a skittish roadside doe blinded herself in our headlights…then dashed out to test our speed and brakes. This is a daily occurrence passing thru or near Clark Salyer Game Refuge. One can count on seeing at least one deer on the roadway… and usually many more. We all adjust our driving habits to favor the deer….And save ourselves a visit to the body shop.

If you’ve ever hit a deer at speed, you’ll know it takes forever to get all that dang floating hair out of the vehicle.

We drove on, having our coffee and some very tasty caramel bars that Jeff’s wife had made for us….yummm is all I can say about those. Muchas gracias, senora Jacqueline, for those special treats! We yakked about our alternate plan B to decoy the Canadian honkers and mallards this morning. You see, the feed we had spotted the evening before was Posted…No Hunting Without Permission. We tried several times to contact the landowner, but no luck. He was gone somewhere and no voicemail was set up. Well, we certainly would not hunt his field without permission, even though we know him well and also knew he would gladly give us permission to set up our deeks.

Okay, no problema.…we’ll simply improvise. ’Chance favors the prepared mind’…. a favorite quote used almost daily by my high school biology teacher….a highly anal personality.

Here’s the dilemma we faced with this goose feed the night before:

It was huge and was drawing every goose in the area to the succulent food there…fresh green sprouts in a summer-fallowed field…a wild goose’s favorite treat.

But…the field was posted…we didn’t have permission…Thousands of our geese were in that field!...what to do?

Easy …we will set up our deeks in the closest stubble between the goose feed and the refuge (where the geese roost at night and from where they are flying for their breakfast.) That wheat stubble field was NOT posted, although we politely called and asked anyway. Done deal, the farmer said we were good to go.


Great! We would be right in the flight path of all those geese….from the water to the feed behind us. All we had to do was get them to notice us, swing a little, drop down to look us over, and then we’d have them! We were flushed with our brilliant idea. (well, as brilliant as this old ploy can be after doing it about a hundred times…oh well, some gloating is always nice.) Yup…It was a shoo-in setup…and it turned out just the way we planned.

So now we arrive in the wee hours before dawn….found our entrance into the stubble field…and drove on in..keeping track on the odometer for the correct distance out into the big field. We spotted the place in the other field where the geese had been feeding the night before…and chose our decoy location accordingly…right up to with 50 yards of that other field. (50 yards being 10 yards further than we will shoot at a goose for a sure kill.)





We park the trailer on the spot…and unload 3 coffin blinds, all the Bigfoot honker decoys, a few motion decoys, shotguns, thermos, and cameras. Munga and I are old hands at setting up together and have the deeks and blinds placed in no time at all… while Jeff has driven the rig out of sight and is walking back.


Hey what the…?…How did so many decoys get SO CLOSE to my blind?


Munga’s little joke….very little indeed! Seems he thinks my diet is ‘not working too well’ and I ‘might need a little more cover to stay out of sight!’ Grrrrrr….




All three of us shoot right-handed, so we point the blinds slightly to the right of the wind... giving us the best possible gun-swing coverage. We snuggle into the coffin blinds, and check our gear.

Randy, The Purple Sage, is AWOL…celebrating his birthday today in San Diego with relatives, so we can leave his personal decoy at home…..thank God!



By dawn’s early light…

Ducks are always our very first visitors...and the first will always come way before legal shooting time at a half-hour before daylight. We have 2011 hunting regs in every blind, which includes sunrise times for this year’s hunting season.

Our first arrival.

Yup, this lone greenhead above was too early…and winged in low over our set, landing about 60 yards out. He might make a good ‘confidence’ decoy ….gratis!

We hear lots of geese off in the distance ….check the time….good to go! Lines of honkers appear way off to the east, rising over the trees bordering Clark Salyer Refuge. They’re on the way and we’re ready…getting out our goose calls and flags.





From half-hour before sunrise to about 9-9:30 we had spectacular action…managing our 3-man limit of 9 Canada geese….3 per hunter. We had geese coming in to our deeks from every quarter…some coming straight in from the refuge about 4 miles away…others swinging past us to the original feed and swinging back to glide into our set.





We had a great time picking and choosing our best shots.
There were some memorable wing-shots made…and a few NOT made, too. Hey, if life was always a sure 100% success, it would get mighty boring….at least for me. I think I deserve top shooting honors today though, if I do say so myself…and I do. Early on, there was this tight little group of 3 honkers that set their wings on a glide path directly towards my blind…Oh Boy, this will be sweet and easy, I thought. Wrong.. For some reason they flared off to my extreme right and started climbing.

Well, they are still well within good range…say 35 yards max…but I couldn’t swing that far right with the 12 gauge on my shoulder. I made a snap decision while they were still in good range…and fired John Wayne style from the waist ..swinging far right in what I judged to be the best elevation and direction. Thought, this will be a solid hit….or I’ll miss clean. Hah…unbelievably, the goose crumpled… a solid hit. Two pairs of hands did a little modest clapping over in the other blinds. Gracias, compadres! I won’t even think of trying that again…no sense ruining a good record.







As you can see above, I had my limit of 3 rather quickly. I was lucky in that, but I’m always lucky when hunting. So I traded the Browning 12 for the Nikon 40…and then some real fun started! My pals began to get the birds coming over them finally…and I was snapping photo after photo while trying to stay hidden and not spook any approaching honkers….no small feat for someone my size.




We count up all our birds….7 in all so far…we need just 2 more for our limit. And here they come…!!




Done Deal. Nice double, Munga.






We now have our limit and it’s time to pile up the deeks, and check the ground for empty hulls.

Then kick back with another refreshing cup of Joe.






Then we gather the birds together for some photos. And I kick myself for the umpteenth time for forgetting the dang camera tripod! Well, I could have used a deek or something, I suppose…but these individual ones are not that bad. We have our photo record of a fine morning’s hunt…with truly good friends….that’s all that matters.




Time to get to the chores back at camp:

A wheelbarrow is very helpful for hauling these heavy honkers.


The Cleaning Table


Sam does guard duty until we arrive to clean the geese.




All goose/duck carcasses are bagged/sealed well and ready to donate as free food to a nearby fur ranch.



In the sink go the goose breast fillets…to soak in water with a little salt, before bagging for transport or freezer.


I had noticed this old tree fort in the backyard…and it reminded me of all the time that’s passed since the kid’s built their hideaway.
The Kid’s Old Tree Fort



[Edited on 9-27-2011 by Pompano]

Pompano, Try cooking up a pan full of duck and cornbread dressing, Southern style. Have had duck every way you can imagine. It's tops!!

Quote:

Originally posted by Cypress Pompano, Try cooking up a pan full of duck and cornbread dressing, Southern style. Have had duck every way you can imagine. It's tops!!

Sorry Cypress, don't have much of a liking for cornbread...never really did. I'm a little strange, I know....but...shhhh.... I love curried crane.

Oh well! Ever try duck gumbo?

Been doing my Duck Breasts "Chicken Fried". They are very good like that. The wife figured that out and now I have to share
Esteban
Interested in the Stuffing recipe Cypress can you give me a little more info on cooking 'em that way?

estebanis, Boil the whole duck till tender, debone, then mix with the cornbread along with all the rest of the ingredients you normally put into dressing. You should have lots of stock left over from boiling the duck, mix that in as well. You want it soggy but not soupy. Put in the oven and bake awhile. I might have to start duck hunting again.

HUNTING : Today’s grocery list: 2 WMDs, olive oil, rosemary, coarse sea salt, onions, apple, whole cloves, dry sherry, & cream

"I was all for leaving school and getting started in the fur trade as soon as possible, but my mother wouldn't hear of it. She said I would have to wait until I was through the third grade or reached the age of eighteen, whichever came first."

Patrick McManus - Outdoor Life/Field & Stream (One of my favorite humorists..ever.)


Hunting North Dakota…Yesterday’s events: Yup, like the title says, this thread has a hunting theme, but I never do any stalking.



It’s Sunday afternoon…and just when you think it's time for a nice little siesta, you loved one gives a grocery list to fill.

Well, at least it’s grocery/hunting/shopping, which is a heckuva lot better than going to a Safeway.

Our talented and attractive chefs said that for dinner tonight, , depending on our 'shopping' ability, they will jointly make this presentation:

"Wild Duck Dinner, Wild Rice, Wild Wings Wine… and a Wild Dance."

Well…we are hyped! Just think…Wine!


It's going to be dang hard to beat this morning’s great goose hunt, but we’re duty-bound to give this afternoon’s duck-hunt our best efforts. After all, we’ve promised the gals to fill that grocery list.

Today’s extremely WARM temps are not exactly typical duck-hunting times…it’s 80 degrees and a stiff, hot south wind! A little sticky for duck-hunting, but as Chief Dan George was fond of saying …at every occasion… “We shall endeavor to persevere.” (Methinks Chief Dan was NOT a teetotaler.)


.
Anyhoo….it was definitely HOT at the first water we came upon, and was already claimed by a huntress with a nice set of decoys.…

“Ciao, cacciatori bene! Tesoro, put down camera and bring me Coppertone...”


OO-kay.... could be I’m in deep doo-doo again for that one?? Do I hear a faint voice scolding me from Italy?


ahem...It’s probably best to move right along now……




…….a little further down the trail is our Grocery Store...in a slough.






Yeah, we are usually dressed Artic Circle style…

……..but not this fall. 2011 is not normal…not normal at all. How so, you say? Read on:



===Weather notes: Okay, this is definitely weird weather for autumn…and in North Dakota?? Not our usual climate at all. Overall it’s been a strange year Up North, with all kinds of freaky floods, thunderstorms with 60mph winds, lightning fires, hail the size of tennis balls pulverizing planted fields and killing livestock . Also took out my Southwind’s windshield and 20ft awning . Bummer event, but State Farm’s always quick to pay.



(As shown above, my ND hunting area was pretty much cut off from the outside world from late May to mid-July. A normal 60-mile drive was then a long 150-mile detour to check out my flooded Duk Shak basement.

Oh well, suck it up…..get it fixed and move on. After all, it WAS fishing season…duh. I pulled the Yarcraft to mi casa on Rainy River/Lake of the Woods.)




BACK TO HUNTING FOR THE GROCERIES:

‘The Duck Factory’


The Duk Shak has a dozen good sloughs nearby…holding hundreds of puddle ducks which feed not only on the pond’s wild rice, wild celery, and other grasses, but also they fly out to feed in any number of wheat, barley, corn, and pea fields in the area. It’s this combination of wetlands and fields that make North Dakota the Duck Factory of America. We do ducks….very well.

This is too balmy a day to even think of putting on hot chest waders, slogging through some really stinky mud, probably tripping on a cattail and pitching headfirst in the slop…and then working like a galley slave setting out the blocks on the water.

Anyway….as bright and warm as it is….the birds won’t be flying out anywhere until almost sundown….no-shooting time. So we decide to cruise the area sloughs and see if we can generate some pass shooting. Our chances are good. (Remember what my biology teacher always said about Chance?) We know about several big drainages with sloughs and prairie trails along their length…perfect duck holding waters.





The technique pays off quite well…and we get some terrific wing-shooting at the first reed-filled slough.




Pulling up on a section line between sloughs, the guys let the dogs out for some exercise after being kenneled for an hour.




Time to ….Stretch those legs! I can imagine them both thinking…”It’s GOOD to be a dog…especially during hunting season.”


This section line road, or ‘prairie trail’ as we used to call them, between the bog sloughs makes a perfect pass from which to shoot at the ducks winging back and forth, as you can see in the photo below.



Below: After the first grocery item is checked off....




Good dog, Sam! Nice redhead!



......the action continues as our English visitor scores on an overhead grocery....a fat teal.

I say! Jolly good show, Jeff (groan...forgive me, Jeff...I just had to do it....once.)








The retrievers certainly earn their bisquits today. What a great pair!



THE OVERLOOKED SPOONBILL....yes, sadly...the spoony IS an overlooked grocery item.......and usually found in the Reduced for Quick Sale department.



We have a diversion hunting up this spoonbill. Spoony? Well, they can’t ALL be greenheads and bull pintails.

We don’t discriminate while grocery shopping.






Jimmy Durante. look-a-like??






We see rafts of coot everywhere…mudhens….remember it’s still warm and the little black ducks with the sharp ivory beaks will be around till the first frost…then skedaddle south… in the middle of the night.

Nobody around here, except Crazy Alice, has ever actually physically seen a flock of coot migrating south. At least not in daylight.

Well, I know they don’t walk to Mexico, so we’ll assume they either fly or take the Red Eye Express. Not a highly-prized duck, although there are lots of coot mothers out there who love every one of the little mudsuckers.


I will only say we don’t kill, cook, or embrace coot EVERY DAY!…certain recipes like mi amigo, Steve, has are very good.....’nuff said.

I know, I know…your uncle Rancid has a killer recipe for coot….sure. He eats muskrat, too… am I right or wrong?

(Below: Update to the Coots. Last night we had a good cold snap...this morning there's not a coot in the county.)



.
.



Looking for a duck that fell out of their shopping cart, Jeff and Munga take their dogs into this stubble field to find a downed teal that sailed from the road pass…and they did their job very well, finding it with their keen sense of smell.





We stayed with the great pass-shooting on this section line between the large sloughs holding rafts of puddle and dabbling ducks.




ND duck sloughs like these have a great variety of duck species. But Clark Salyer is a mecca for all species of North American birds. Hence, avid birders from around the globe journey here….cameras, telephoto lenses, binoculars, and sketch pads at the ready.




We are primarily after the succulent teal for tonight’s planned dinner….but gadwall, widgeons, and mallards are okay, too.


This is what's On the Menu.



Delivered even!



Muchas gracias to a great Co-pilot, Kelly, and renowned
chef:






HER CO-PILOT'S GOOD ROAST TEAL RECIPE TO FOLLOW…THE WHOLE BIRD
Roast Wild Duck (Teal)



Hey, It’s all good Up North…!

‘Almost’ as good as Baja



[Edited on 10-4-2011 by Pompano]

Quote:

Originally posted by Cypress estebanis, Boil the whole duck till tender, debone, then mix with the cornbread along with all the rest of the ingredients you normally put into dressing. You should have lots of stock left over from boiling the duck, mix that in as well. You want it soggy but not soupy. Put in the oven and bake awhile. I might have to start duck hunting again.

Pompano, Thanks,

estabanis, Take Pompano's advice regarding the coots, you'll be wasting some good cornbread.

Wild Duck Recipe....Everyone's favorite..??

"Umm! I can’t believe this is WILD duck!....It’s so Good...and I thought it would taste like albatross!"

I've heard that a hundred times from visiting amigos. The following is our all-time favorite wild duck recipe, according to the various duck hunters who have eaten lunches or dinners at my Duk Shak over the years.

I first ate a version of this recipe while hunting in Alaska years ago at a friend's duck heaven, but hopefully improved it by moving it to North Dakota.

The method is quick, easy, and sure-fire - if you do it right. Warning and rule of thumb for any wild game: never, never overcook wild game..and especially duck……If you overcook duck, it turns into "liver"!

So easy…just follow these step-by-step photos and instructions on how to cook wild duck so it is flavorful and juicy. Step into our kitchen, please!

"How To Prepare For Our Wild Duck Recipe"

A few very easy steps – to make a superb dish!


The duck breasts are cut into 2-bite-size pieces...

(...and if you use 'coot', you're on your own!)



For the marinade, you will need fresh garlic, shallots, rosemary, olive oil, and a coarse spice blend… like my favorite, "Montreal Steak Seasoning".




Spin the veggies a few times in a food processor/blender. Combine chopped veggies, seasoning, and oil in a medium-size bowl until you have a moist paste, not too thick and not too thin. Don’t fret about a measuring cup. You have a lot of flexibility here, so don't worry about the exact amounts. Be generous with vegetables and spices.






Now add the cut-up duck to the marinade and let this sit for at least 30 minutes, up to 3 hours. If you can't cook the duck right away, store it in the refrigerator. That’s risky, business, however…because the olive oil will solidify under refrigeration. Easy to fix though….you will have to let the mixture come back to room temperature, so the oil drips off easily before you place the duck into a pan.




"Wild Duck Recipe – The Technique"

Pay attention here…This is the most important part!



Use a dry non-stick pan on the highest setting (or highest flame), and heat until it begins to smoke (or as is in my case, when your ceiling alarm starts blaring.) Okay, it’s nicely smoking….so add a few duck pieces to the pan, and let them sear in place, for..oh.. about 1 minute or so. You may want to turn the duck pieces on a paper towel before cooking - too much oil will lower the skillet temperature and prevent the meat from forming a nice fine crust.

After a minute, turn the pieces over and sear for another 30 - 45 seconds. It all depends on the size of the breast strips, but you’ll get a feel for it pretty quickly. The meat should be "rare" inside, “pink” as the carry-over heat will finish it to a "medium-rare" on the way from the kitchen to the table.

Also be careful not to "crowd" the pan with too many duck pieces. You want to retain the highest possible heat throughout the searing process. Serve these treats immediately if not sooner.





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.
.

Sometimes I like to whip up some very easy-to-prepare "Duck Nachos", for a quick Snack at the Shak. I simply heat a platter of my favorite tortilla chips in the oven - layered with shredded cheese and sliced jalapenos. The finished duck pieces go on top and along the sides of the platter. Serve with some pico de gallo and guacamole, of course!





Well, the above was MY contribution…and here below Co-pilot chimes in with another recipe. Kinda so-so compared to my ducky stuff, but I’ll humor her.


Grazie, tesoro. The Duck Appetizer Was Very Good –Mi piace…molto! But How about this for the main course? La nostra cena.





Yesterday, Co-pilot's main course was beef.. Black Angus Tenderloin with Bourbon Praline Pecan Sweet Potatoes and Buttered Broccoli. For dessert we have a fresh baked slice of Lemon Tart torta with Whipped Cream. It was all delicious, naturally! Grazie, belladonna.













Humor Section:

A duck walks into a bar and says, "Got any bread?"
The barman says, "No, this is a bar, we don't have bread."

So the duck says, "Got any bread?"
The barman says, "No, this is a bar, we don't have bread. I just told you that."

"Got any bread?" asks the duck.
"No, we don't sell bread here... and if you say that again I'll nail your feet to the table!!!!"

The duck pauses then says, "Got any nails?"
"No," sighs the barman.

So the duck says..."Got any bread?"




Here's some more fun...and a quiz to boot:

Who might write the following on BajaNomads? I'm thinking of one nomad's writing style now. Just for fun, can you guess which nomad?


“If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, we have at least to consider the possibility that we have a small aquatic bird of the family anatidae on our hands.”



[Edited on 10-2-2011 by Pompano]

Pompano, "Duck Nachos"! Good idea! According to the USFWS Duck Population Survey for 2011 Mallards and Blue-Winged Teal are having a very good year. Green-Winged Teal are down? Good hunting! Thanks for the reports.

Well, I was going to toss in a couple of my favorite recipes for duck and goose, but I see you guys using auto-loaders out there. Tsk, tsk. Even the English chap? Nope. I'll have to hold off. I give out secrets only to SxS users.

Allen R
P.S. You guys still in tee-shirts. We haven't had any cool weather here either. Two years ago we'd already had some snow flurries.

bufeo, Was taught to let 'em gather up in a bunch, then cut loose with my single barrel. Killed 5 Mallards with one shot. Wasn't hunting for sport. More bang for the buck and they sure were tasty.

Wanna correct that?

Quote:

Originally posted by Cypress Got my tree stands ready, sighting-in my rifle next week. By the way, this morning a grizzly killed a bear hunter about 8 miles from where I live. One of his hunting partners shot and killed the grizzly.

Meditations On Hunting

Pompano, Guess that explains why hunting is one of my favorite activities. Keep the pics and info coming. Thanks!

djh, Thanks for posting the "new" info about the man/grizzly killing. My earlier post was based on the info available at the time. I agree with you about the plight of the grizzly and the need for continued protection. BTW my rifle is sighted in. Hit a clay pigeon embedded in a dirt bank at 265 yards, no sweat.

bufeo, You bet!!

Pomp... Love the pics of the bird dogs in action..

I have a new pup (16 weeks) in training here ..





Loves the water.. and has good "bird sense"



Unfortunatly, she is training at Buena Vista lagoon in South Oceanside...



Her next adventure will be her first trip down to Baja later this month...

No honkers where I live but I never miss the first shot:

Quote:

Originally posted by LaTijereta Pomp... Love the pics of the bird dogs in action.. I have a new pup (16 weeks) in training here .. Loves the water.. and has good "bird sense" Unfortunatly, she is training at Buena Vista lagoon in South Oceanside... Her next adventure will be her first trip down to Baja later this month...

Gorgeous pup. La Tijereta..truly great form & stance.

You have your Maya in a great place for a shorthair...full of bird scents. I know that Oceanside area well, and I'll be taking my morning walks along the seaside-lagoon in a couple weeks, plus enjoying Gaucome Park and all the birds and animals there. An oasis in the middle of a congested SoCaL beach area, where I slowly unwind from I-5 and the like.

I have a soft spot in my heart for those shorthairs, having fished the Cortez often with a nice hunting/fishing pair, Chile & Pepper.





They have super personalities and are quite different.









Pepper loves the water too, and would like to swim like a fish for hours.....plus ride this porpoise if it comes just a bit closer!



Chili is outstanding as a strong, never-tiring hunter..... PLUS being a big lover.



Many years ago, I had a great shorthair named Bob...whose nose was phenomenal, but being deaf as a stone did not help his game. I loved him anyway.


Our star retriever this week at the Duk Shak is 'Sam'...and as you can see, he loves what he does.....and he does it well!





Cheyenne, my chocolate lab, is a pack rat and likes to show off her hoard.




The Boys have their own style of Action.




The jury's still out on just what kind of retrieve the Maltese Brothers will make for me? (Psst..Boys, go fetch a kindred spirit who cooks duck.).




[Edited on 10-4-2011 by Pompano]

Saturday-Sunday-Monday .... Hunting Scenes

PRE-HUNT SCENES FROM THE TURTLE MOUNTAINS - 10 MILES NORTH OF THE DUK SHAK:



Beaver lodge closeup



Beaver lodge on one of hundreds of ponds like this scattered throughout the small, low level mountain range known as The Turtle Mountains which border North Dakota and Manitoba, Canada.




Bale fields and woodlands are prime-time for us camera bugs…especially in the fall. By dusk, these hay meadows are commonly peppered with whitetail deer and moose.


BY DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT




Sunrise and incoming mallards thru the cornstalks. Ah..what could be better than to have coffee in a cornfield blind at sunrise…watching the mallards swing round and round…before setting their wings and gliding down into the decoys. Doesn’t get much better.




I let that first flock swing a few times until they circled over Munga and Gary in the deeks…they scored on 2 greenheads. The scattering flock came my way…and one mallard came within excellent range.

I now have my limit of hen mallards for the day…ONE. (Which will be costing me a fine of a round of drinks at our local pub.)



Gary and Munga gather their downed birds from the decoy set…and make ready for the next flight.




'Flying Duck' decoys




These battery-operated flying duck decoys are VERY productive. Rechargeable 9 volts batts will run them for many hours. The wings rotate very fast, a flashing wing action that imitates a duck landing in the feed, literally attracting ducks from a mile away. I, and my buds, started using these about 10 years ago..and I’d never consider hunting ducks again without them. I’ve compared with and without…I’m sold.




My day’s limit of 4 ducks…all young mallards in this case….3 drakes and 1 hen. A fine day afield for this hunter….except for that suicidal hen.




We all scored on great ducks today! Gary, Munga, and I with our birds.




Ducks in the air and on water….we spotted these camera ops on our afternoon scouting for tomorrow’s honker hunt.



Ducks in sloughs…during the scouting mission.



Sam retrieving Munga and Gary’s downed ducks in a sl
ough.



Atta boy, Sam!



Lots of these picturesque Pioneer prairie houses scattered through this area. Some like these, were deserted when the folks moved to the towns that formed along the railway.




Our casual afternoon scouting trips entail a good supply of goose and duck jerky, a few cold colas…
….. and ice water.


Nature always provides something to focus the binoculars….in this case a coyote.



Coyote spotted…and Hunter is spotted. Wiley makes tracks quickly. As coyotes always seem to do.





Whew! We got caught in the middle of a Shetland Pony Stampede!



Our ex-Navy officer tries a sneak approach on this pond for a nice drake widgeon….mission scrubbed.



Pit stop at a once-closed, now open pub…the Depot bar…for old times sake we have a cold brew. Once home to The Testicle Festival. You do what you can to bring in the tourist trade.



Back in camp….Munga cooks his specialty dinner at the Duk Shak…. “duck spaghetti”.

NEXT MORNING HONKER HUNT: OCT. 3, 2011



Sunrise in the decoys west of the refuge about 2 miles sees us in this feed we spotted on yesterday afternoon’s scouting trip.




Decoy-set scenes at dawn…geese are incoming!



Wing-shooting from coffin blind…score!



1 shell…I goose. I like the economy.



Deek pick-up scene with 3 honkers….a limit.



Picking up deeks and gear…end of a fine morning’s hunt. Unfortunately, it’s Time to Travel for Munga and Gary. They have over 400 miles to do today. Bon voyage, amigos.

GROUP PICS FOR THE ALBUMS:

Some pics from our hunts in the last three weeks. Fine times with fine friends…Bravo and Good Hunters! See ya next trip.

What’s next? Ahh…something very interesting. You’ll see.

Sitting here on the couch...

With my camo hat and duck calls hanging from my neck reading your story and looking at the photos. I closed my eyes and saw Simon the Wonderdog fetching up a big 'ol honker as we toasted with our hershey bars! The wife says I can't blow the calls in the house anymore...
I'll have to try to make some coot jerkey this year.
Esteboom, boom, boom.

GOOD ROAST TEAL RECIPE…THE WHOLE BIRD

We are lucky today…this is an old Indian recipe….shown here for our dining pleasure by a not-so-average aboriginal named, Sakakayuwanna. She told us parts of her heart-ripping and tragic past.

She belongs to this tribe: Portage la Poop Fug-arewee nation of native Americans, Chapter 8.

Her story: When just a young… but already drop-dead gorgeous child… she was kidnapped by kidnappers from her family’s teepee while her parents were busy selling Manhattan, and hence she would be kept as a love-slave for many moons. She confides that the handsome and persuasive Many Moons eventually taught her all the Moon phases over the course of her stay and/or imprisonment.





Rescued from her captors at no great risk to himself, a gnarly & lonely old duck hunter now currently engages her as a highly-applauded, non-paid Head chef and joke consultant of the Duk Shak.




.
.

Sakakayuwanna’s ‘Roasted & Really Wild Duck’. (This recipe is using Teal, but corn-fed Mallards are muy sabroso, too.)







What follows is Sakakayuwanna’s recipe in her native tongue…..Translated by yours truly.


“Welcome to my cooking fire, white-eyes. Did you know that the only way you can get a hold of wild duck in this country is by shooting it yourself, or having extraordinarily generous hunter friends who share their bounty? It's the law. Certain migratory birds can be hunted in season, but not sold.

We were the lucky recipients of some teal ducks recently from our hunting friends Munga, Jeff, Gary, and Gavin. If you have never eaten, let alone cooked wild duck, let me tell you, it is an entirely different experience than working with ducks from your local trading post.

What follows is a loose recipe and several notes on cooking wild duck, for my own benefit so I remember the next time, as well as for anyone else out there who may have the opportunity to cook wild duck. And for any of you who happened to be seasoned duck hunters like Chief Pompano Thunderpants, please feel free to offer cooking suggestions in the comments.


The first thing to note is that wild ducks aren't like chickens or turkey that you have to cook until 170°F. Like many other things I like, wild duck is best eaten rare. The juices run red, not clear, more like a beautiful juicy red steak. The meat itself is a deep garnet red. It is easy to overcook the meat, like overcooking a pork tenderloin or a good chateau briand. Except when you overcook duck, the meat tastes game-y, like liver. Yucky-poo.

The taste of wild duck is highly dependent on where that duck has been feeding. According to the Joy of Cooking Chief, shallow water ducks feeding on local grains, like mallards, widgeons, and teal, can be very succulent, while diving ducks feed on fish, affecting their flavor. Wild ducks are much more flavorful than domesticated ducks, as their muscles are getting a constant work-out, which is also why their flesh is so red. Kowabunga, I know that feeling. The taste is closer to steak than to chicken. No, you goose, not me…the duck.

I experimented with two recipes, one with rosemary in the cavity and a sherry cream sauce, and the other with orange rind in the cavity and an orange juice reduction sauce. We at the Duk Shak all agreed that the rosemary recipe was great and the orange recipe wasn't worth repeating. So, here is the recipe we liked, note that there are no set amounts, this recipe is more of a loose guideline than anything else.

Roast Wild Duck (Teal) Recipe







Ingredients
Wild (not domesticated) whole duck(s), prepped (gutted, head and feet removed, plucked clean of feathers, shot and any bruised areas removed by Pompano)
Olive oil
Coarse salt
Rosemary
Onion
Apple
Whole Cloves
Dry Sherry
Cream


I’ve been taught what plants to gather for all the spices in the kitchen by that devilish Many Moons…sigh….my, we sure spent some times in those meadows….

Method

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Inspect duck to see if there are any remaining pin feathers, if so, remove them. Rinse the duck with water. Thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Lightly stuff duck with a sprig of rosemary, an apple slice with a few cloves poked in them to hold them in place, and a small wedge of onion.





2. Slather the duck inside and out with olive oil. Generously sprinkle all sides of the duck with coarse salt. Lay, breast up, on a roast rack in a roasting pan. Place in the middle rack of the oven. Immediately lower the heat to 425°F.




Cooking times depend on the variety of the duck. Teal ducks typically weigh less than a pound and cook in 10-15 minutes. According to the head shaman a mallard can take up to 25 minutes. Our duck was perfectly done at 13 minutes. Another duck we cooked for 17 minutes was slightly overdone. Meat thermometers are hardly useful with the small fowl because there isn't enough flesh to put the thermometer into. But if you have an instant read thermometer and can get a good read, my pal Munga suggests cooking until the duck reaches an internal temp of 135°F. If you error on the rare and underdone side, you can always put the bird back in the oven for a few more minutes if it isn't done enough.

If you aren't using a meat thermometer, to test for doneness you can take the bird out of the oven and cut a part of it with the tip of a sharp knife. Note that the juices will run red, and the meat will be quite red. You want the meat to be rare (wild duck only); it should look like a rare (not raw) steak. The more the meat is cooked beyond the rare stage, the more "livery" or gamey it will taste. Again, that’s a yucky-poo.








3. Remove the duck from the oven and remove to a separate rack or plate to rest, breast side down, for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the stuffing in the cavity before serving.

4. While the duck is resting, if there are drippings in the roasting pan, pour off the excess fat (save this wonderful fat for another recipe). Place the roasting pan on the stovetop, heat to medium, and deglaze with a little dry sherry, white wine or other firewater. Scrape up the browned bits with a metal spatula. Use a metal whisk to break up the bits even further into the wine. Reduce and then add a little cream, (and a few wild juniper berries if you want an extra touch). Pour off into a gravy serving dish or little bowl.

Serve ducks with wild rice and gravy. Teal ducks are single serving ducks…except in Pompano’s case…sheesh, he can eat a lot of duck.

Note that you can get excellent stock from the duck carcass. Put the duck carcasses in a saucepan, cover with an inch of cold water, bring to a simmer, lower the heat to barely-a-bubble-simmer covered, and cook for 3 hours. Then strain the stock to a glass jar, let cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Use the duck stock in place of chicken stock for recipes.

Well, that’s it. Hope you like it as much as Many Moons did…. No, the roast duck, silly.

Bon appetite, white-eyes.”

Legends of the Fall...Albino Canada goose

As always....There is a story behind this wild 'albino' Canada goose and his smaller cousin, a 'blue goose':



But, it's late and I'm crashing...I'll get on it in time for manana's coffee.

"Hasta pronto y saludos, amigos."

.....zzzzzzzzzz

LEGEND OF THE ALBINO HONKER

It happened this way:

It was a dark and lonely morning....

A pair of Canada geese flew into my decoy set one cold dawn a few years back. As they approached from a very long ways away, I could clearly hear them honking in the crisp air . When they came close enough to distinguish size, shape and color I was surprised to see the two geese close-up..…one dark and one white.

“How odd that a snow goose is flying with that Canada goose?, I thought.


But now they were circling my decoy set and I could see that the geese were the same size and could even see the white one’s beak moving with it’s Honking call.

FYI Note: A snow goose is noticeably smaller than a Canada goose...about 6-8 lbs. compared to 10-12lbs, plus the snow goose call sounds more like children laughing in a schoolyard compared to the Canada's strong, throaty...Ker-Honk!









As they circled one last time before cupping their wings on a committed landing into the deek set, I knew that the big white goose out in front was indeed a white Canada goose…a honker...and definitely NOT a snow goose. I got a little excited at this rare event. While I realized the possibility of albinos happening in any species, this was the FIRST…and so far ONLY…big albino Canada I had ever seen.



This was a very unique event.


I dropped it dead as a mackerel with 3” magnum steel BB’s and had it mounted.

.

Had I known of the following Legend…would I have done things differently?






LEGEND OF THE WHITE GOOSE:

“The Old Sky Woman and The White Goose”

When winter brought the cold north wind, Up North children were always told that the Old Woman was up in the sky plucking her White Goose.

The children were very interested in the Old Sky Woman and her great White Goose, and they said, as they lifted their soft little faces to the grey of the cloud and watched the feathers of the big Sky Goose come whirling down, that she was a wonderful woman and her Goose a very big Goose.

'I want to climb up to the sky to see the Old Woman plucking her Goose,' cried a tiny boy; and he asked his mother to show him the great Sky Stairs. But his mother could not, for she did not know where the Sky Stairs were; so the poor little boy could not go up to see the Old Sky Woman plucking the beautiful feathers out of her big White Goose.



'Where does the Old Woman keep her great White Goose?' asked another child, with eyes and hair as dark as a raven's wing, as he watched the snow-white feathers come dancing down.

'In the beautiful Sky Meadows behind the clouds,' his mother said.

Then, just as large, fluffy snowflakes began to fall, the little girl asked,

'What is the Old Sky Woman going to do with her great big Goose when she has picked her bare?' queried a little maid with sweet, anxious eyes.



'Stuff it with onions and sage,' her hunter-Grandfather said.







Postscript :

Again...Had I known of the Legend…would I have done things any differently?


"Yes...I would have used less sage...don't really care for the stuff."






"AND....I would wear a mask!"

Everything you've always wanted to know about Albinos.

Hi again, folks and welcome back to this Hunting Thread.

A slight detour begins here. We're going out on a limb from Hunting. But why not? Isn't that where the fruit is? Not to worry, you will not be too far out.

At the time of that albino Canada goose hunt, I was prompted to do some studying on the facts of albinism…and it proved to be very interesting, indeed. At least to me, hence this post:

Come on folks, if I can’t get you interested in Hunting… at least I KNOW you’re interested in albinos!

Obviously, Hunting seems to be a non-interest topic among the frequent-writer Nomads, although the total number of views suggests a much larger readership on the subject. I've received a few U2U's & emails from various states and places around the globe so I know there's lots of hunters..or an interest in hunting..out there reading. But generally hunters are not great communicators and so seldom post their views. As you know, I'm a bit different, being way-too-garralous for my own good. Just be thankful I don't talk with my hands like some piasano windmills I know....she's worse than a labrador's tail!

I realize most forum contributors are probably not reading and/or not commenting one way or the other…being most likely bored to death with this subject.....but it's a passion with me and I have always written about what I liked. I also realize this might be a case where the most contentous controversies are those for which there is no good evidence either way...just our personal views. I respect those views and will try to avoid making this a long monologue.

Anyway, hunting season is almost over… for me. Soon Baja will be my subject heading again. Looking forward to that return and the change of interest.




Now...on with the subject at hand:


ALBINOS – ALBINISM


(Note on some of this info:

" If you steal from one author, it’s plagiarism; if you steal from many, it’s ’research’.".)


This is my 'research':

Sometimes nature's color palette comes in very neutral hues. See these white wonders of the animal kingdom.


Upper two pics: A pair of extremely rare white otter cubs have been born at the Blue Planet Aquarium in the UK. The duo are part of a litter of three baby Asian short claw otters born at the aquarium at the end of March. Their siblings are a coffee brown, but these baby otters were born a snowy white.

Lower left pic: An albino mountain goat with its mother pictured Sunday, June 24, 2007, by Forest rangers in the Les Laures valley in the Val d'Aosta region, in the northwestern Italian Alps.
Bottom middle and far-right pics: In this photo provided by the National Buffalo Museum, a second white bison calf has been born in a herd on the edge of Jamestown, N.D. A small town I know very well. The albino baby's name is White Cloud, an albino buffalo born on a farm east of Devils Lake, N.D




Two left pics: Upper: This image released by Dolphin Safari.com shows an albino dolphin off Dana Point, Calif. Lower: An albino dolphin calf follows an adult, in the Calcasieu Ship Channel in La. The dolphin is still often seen in the channel south of Lake Charles, near the western edge of Louisiana.

Top right pic: Above, an albino baby kangaroo and its mother in a park in Denmark – the baby, whose sex is still unknown, has been outside of its mothers pouch for about two weeks


Bottom right pic: A white alligator is seen resting on an island of the Vista Plantation golf course in Vero Beach, Fla







Two albino raccoons, named Snowball and Nell, lay low with another raccoon, Chance. These raccoons reside in a zoo in Charleston, SC because their lack of pigment makes them an easy target for predators in the wild.




This little albino squirrel fattens up for winter and the Christmas season. While squirrels don't hibernate, they do bulk up in bodyweight to help them get through the winter. This albino is a real animal oddity, albinism only affects 1 in 100,000 squirrels.








This photo provided by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources shows John Kubisiak holding a 33-inch albino muskellunge captured during a population survey in April 2005.









*My albino Canada goose above is uncommon, not really RARE, but still VERY uncommon.

The wildlife biologists at nearby Clark Salyer Game Refuge told my amigos and me the other day that my albino Canada was 1 in about 25,000 for that species, although amongst the refuge's songbirds, upland game, etc..the percentage is much higher...one in 5000, and sometimes less depending on genetics present. The biologists were very interested in getting all my info about this albino goose...and were quite glad when I told them I plan to donate the mount to their headquarter waterfowl display.


*Well..... we know that at least ONE albino Canada is no longer rare or uncommon……it’s dead and stuffed! (See there? It's that damn humor again..getting me into trouble all over again...sigh..)


MORE INFORMATION ON ALBINOS:

(Yes, I can hear you saying...'Jesus! Will it never end?')



Animals that are white instead of their normal color quickly capture our attention and imagination. Albinos are rare, but common enough that almost everyone has seen one, or knows someone that has.

Albinos have the characteristics of other members of their species, except that their cells are unable to produce melanin, a dark pigment that results in normal coloration in the skin, scales, eyes or hair. A lack of melanin usually causes an animal—or parts of an animal—to appear white or pink, or to have a bleached look.

Animals can be pure or partial albinos. Pure albinos usually have pink eyes, nails, scales and skin. They're pink because, without coloration, the blood vessels show through. In humans and some other animals, the eyes of an albino are light blue or green because of the way light passes through the iris.

Partial albinos have some of the coloration typical of their species, but parts of their body appear white. Piebald deer, which have splotches of white on their fur as adults, are a good example. Many red-winged blackbirds have a partially white wing, and partial albino raccoons will have a white patch on their fur.

Being white doesn't make an animal an albino. The true test is whether it has pink or light blue eyes.

Leucistic animals have mostly white skin, hair or scales, but will have some dark pigmentation in their eyes and nails. Though leucistic animals are not as rare as true albino animals, many are displayed at zoos.


An Inherited Trait

Albinism is passed genetically from parents to offspring. Each cell contains numerous pairs of genes, one from each parent. These genes transmit traits through generations. An albino offspring results from a specific combination of genes.

Albinos are infrequent because the genes for that trait are recessive, while the genes for normal pigmentation are dominant. If both are present, normal pigmentation occurs. If only recessive genes occur, albinism may result. Only a small percentage of animals carry the recessive gene, so the chance of the pairing of recessive genes in an individual animal is slight.

In humans, for example, about one in 70 people carry a recessive gene for albinism, and about one in 20,000 humans are albinos.


Warning...Humor ahead!




Some Hollywood albinos....most always the Bad Guys!













This dog and master are sooo close to being Albino-look-a-likes I thought I’d include them…from the Tillamook Air Museum RV park on the Oregon Coast. They were our campsite neighbors...and What a great pair!! Together they put some proof to the theory that pet and master eventually start to resemble each other.


At least 300 species of animals in North America have albino individuals. In Missouri, people have photographed or witnessed albinism in turtles, catfish, salamanders, deer, frogs, snakes, bluebirds and raccoons.

The degree of albinism varies among animal groups. Some researchers working with mammals estimate that true albinos occur in about one in 10,000 births. Some of our Conservation Department hatcheries have seen albino catfish produced as frequently as one in 20,000 fish. Yet some researchers working with birds found that albinism occurs in 17 of 30,000 individuals, or one of 1,764 birds.


Normal- or random-breeding usually decreases the chance for albino offspring. Inbreeding among small isolated populations, or among closely related individuals, can increase the chances for albinism. Even among humans, albinism rates vary with geographic location.

Animals in some areas have extremely high rates of albinism. In Marionville, for example, white squirrels dominate the population. The number of these partial albinos remains high because people living there feed and pamper their white squirrels and have passed ordinances to protect them from hunters and motorists.


Perils of Albinism

Lacking protective coloration, albino animals are more likely to be seen by predators, prey and pompanos. It's easy, for example, to spot Marionville's albino squirrels against the dark trunks of the trees they climb.

Although it seems logical that albinos would have a survival disadvantage, some studies suggest that albino animals may not be as conspicuous to other predators as they are to us.

Predators such as hawks, for example, may rely on a search image for prey that primarily involves shape and movement. The color of the prey may make little difference, as long as the prey looks and acts like a food item.

A lack of pigmentation can, however, affect the vision of albino animals, making it hard for them to find food and avoid danger.


Types of Albinism

Feature - Albino, Leucistic, Partial Albino

Albino: Hair, skin, scales White or pink all over. Little or no ability to produce color.

Leucistic: White or pink all over. Small portions or patches of white. Little ability to produce color.

Partial Albino: Pink Usually blue Normal colors. Ability to produce most normal colors.



Dark pigments like melanin also help to protect skin and eyes from overexposure to sunlight. Many albino animals face a higher risk of melanomas and retinal damage. In the case of some albino reptile species that bask in the sun to warm themselves, sunlight may quickly prove fatal.

Albinism also may make life more difficult for some birds and other animals that use color to attract mates. Several of our songbird females select males based on their courtship displays. Having a display missing a crucial splash of color may put the animal at a competitive disadvantage.


Appreciating Albinos

Because they are rare, albino animals have often been given mythical status. Many American Indians, for example, considered white bison to be sources of immense power and good fortune. To do harm to them would bring misfortune. On the other hand, shooting an albino Canada goose is thought to bring great good luck with the opposite sex. This reseach is still in question.

Animals that are legal to be bought or sold can bring a higher price if they are albinos. Breeders of amphibians and reptiles for captive animal markets often test and select for albino offspring. Several zoos proudly keep albino specimens.

Modern-day hunters like pompano sometimes see albino animals. They can harvest them during legal hunting seasons, except, as in Marionville, where the albino animals are protected by local regulations. Pompano is always ultra-legal since CBS showed it's disgraceful "The Guns Of Autumn".

Because they lack color, albino animals have a ghostly beauty. Many people count themselves lucky to see one. You can increase your chance of discovering one of these rare oddities of nature by spending more time outdoors...maybe set out a few decoys?



A full (or true, or complete) albino is recognizable by the lack of pigment in the eyes, making them appear pink.
Partially leucistic Canada Geese can be found in most large flocks but wholly white birds are far more uncommon.





The presence of white feathers on a normally dark bird is the most frequently seen color abnormality. Every birder can expect to encounter white or partly-white birds with some regularity, and the more striking examples will stand out even to novices.


Terminology

A true albino is a very specific genetic mutation, rarely seen in the wild, and can easily be referred to by calling it a “full”, “true” or “complete” albino. The other terms mentioned below (leucistic, dilute, etc.), and others, can be used for specific cases, but consider all of the possibilities and be wary of false precision.

The term leucistic has a confused history. In the introductions of the Sibley Guides I said the term leucistic is synonymous with dilute plumage. That usage was fairly common among birders at the time, and I was unaware that it contradicted several scholarly publications (e.g. Buckley 1982, van Grouw 2006) which define leucistic as the total lack of melanin from some or all feathers (what I called partial albino in the guides). It does make sense to distinguish birds that are unable to deposit melanin (my partial albino, their leucistic) from birds that are able to deposit melanin but only in low concentrations (my leucistic, their dilute). Below I’ve used the term leucistic (not partial albino) for birds which cannot deposit melanin, which helps to distinguish these birds from the narrowly-defined true albino, and allows use of the term “partial albino” as a general category for any bird showing any form of reduced melanin. These terms should be corrected in the introduction of the Sibley Guides.


The True Albino

A full or true albino is a very specific mutation with a well known genetic cause similar across all vertebrates. All of the plumage is white and the skin is unpigmented. Even the eye is unpigmented, and appears pink or red as we see the blood vessels in the retina. Melanin serves some critical functions in vision and in protecting the eye from UV radiation, so full albino birds can’t see well and for that and other reasons don’t survive long in the wild. Adult full albino birds are essentially never seen in the wild. Note that the inability to produce melanin does not affect the red carotenoid pigments, so the red color appears more or less as usual on this bird’s feathers and bill.



And THAT is the end of THAT...almost..


An albino bird is not necessarily all white. Nor is a Pompano at Halloween..




"And that's ALL, FOLKS! Sorry about the lenght of this post, but I'm late getting to the Hunt and lack the time/skills to make it shorter.

So long...and Boo!"

OUTSTANDING post, Pomp!!!! Thank you for it------------loved the entire thread, and especially the pics and your "special" brand of humor.

Barry

Pompano, Thanks. One town down in the southern US has a population of albino grey squirrels.

NIIIICE!!

Swan Lake

Brava!

Many Thanks for that rendition of 'The Swan', Igor...always a treat to watch a masterful performance. Inspiring enough that I'll make a tape and play it for my hunting pals in next years goose blinds.

I agree on the choreography being less than perfect.

The darkened, silhouetted ballerina en pointe was very dynamic & truly highlighted my love of ballet....

... but that full-imaged and colored second half ...just made my toes hurt ...




....and then my tutu fell off.





We'll call this 'Swan' a 'trumpeter' and give her some company to ease her lonely sadness.





And..like 'The Sleeping Beauty'...a kiss to awaken her from her 100-year coma.






Thanks again, Igor....you brightened up my morning....and...Always glad to have some swans added to the game bag.

Moved your post over here, George. This thread's more fitting to actual hunting.

Pomp, what's a hunting thread without some pics of you know what? Still no snow here the south state, that is to change Saturday.

Contrary to popular belief there are places which remain the same or perhaps even get better. In that respect both Baja and North Dakota enjoy just such places. In the center of Baja and North Dakota, off the beaten path, on the roads less traveled, not much has changed.

Get er done.

Hey George...how's it going Up North? Getting 'chilly'?

Looks like great chops and roasts this winter in Nodaklandia...(Geez...now she's got ME doing it!)

Did you drop him in your shelter belt from the porch?



Okay, you wanted some pics of His Honor, The Purple Sage, I'm assuming? That be him on the far right...the bright-looking one.

And here's old Chief Eagle-eye Randy in person..Taking steady aim with his trusty thunderstick on some cold-water bluebills.



Unfortunately, The Purple Sage loaded deer-slugs instead of No. 3 shotshells....and sank a Lund on the far side of the lake. ..

Deer hunting in a "skiff" of snow, 10 degrees. Doesn't get any better than that.

Fly United

Virtually every dorm on campus had this poster.

We thought we were sooo risque.

I May Be Missing Something Here