Duck Camp Dinners

[sweetandsour]

A DU sticker or even a Bone Collector sticker is fine in my book if you're a hunter who's representin'. One that shows a half-dozen ducks dropping in and says "Whack 'Em" might be over the line.

I watched a Duck Camp Dinners episode last night. Pretty entertaining. They talk like Tim.

Ok, I watched part of another episode, one where the location was Tensas Parish. Evidently the episodes bounce around the state. Perhaps they do talk somewhat like me, but they don't sound like me. But, no one really sounds like me. When I listen to recordings of me, I don't even sound like me.
The episode I took a glimpse at had them squirrel hunting. Obviously they aren't from east Texas, because there's no squirrel dog, but besides that they're too loud, and hunt too fast. Obviously just an outing made for you tube. But still, it's entertaining.
BTW, in this same episode they mention the battle for Vicksburg. Quite a few of my ancestors were there, with the 27th Louisiana Volunteer Infantry. I could tell some stories but this ain't the place.

Anyway, wrt window stickers and the like, I've never used them, except for USMC decals. My two grandsons that are here locally both have a small window decal or two. I don't recall what they are but I know that they are fishing related. I know that they certainly are not Salt Life. I don't see those around much anymore, nor CCA or Yeti, and I haven't seen any DU decals here in SE Texas in years. I don't know about them personally, but in these parts DU is generally seen as a politically correct organization that caters only to large contributors, and focuses the majority of its' funding toward the short stopping of all migratory waterfowl, at least in the Central and Louisiana Flyways. I don't know that Delta Waterfowl are any better, but the hunters that I know will contribute there rather than DU.

Speaking of my grandsons, the youngest one met me for a quick outing this morning, and caught and released 2 small trout. There's a pretty sunrise in one pic facing east, but has an unknown and un-occupied vehicle of some some sort that's also there. Who knows, maybe it was a getaway vehicle, or part of a rendezvous of some sort. The other pic has Sabine Lake in the background, with the choppy east wind that we've had here for the past 3 weeks.

[Del]

I now return you to your regularly scheduled wordle

You should play Wordle with us. You know words.

[Hugo Drax]

A DU sticker or even a Bone Collector sticker is fine in my book if you're a hunter who's representin'. One that shows a half-dozen ducks dropping in and says "Whack 'Em" might be over the line.

I watched a Duck Camp Dinners episode last night. Pretty entertaining. They talk like Tim.

Ok, I watched part of another episode, one where the location was Tensas Parish. Evidently the episodes bounce around the state. Perhaps they do talk somewhat like me, but they don't sound like me. But, no one really sounds like me. When I listen to recordings of me, I don't even sound like me.
The episode I took a glimpse at had them squirrel hunting. Obviously they aren't from east Texas, because there's no squirrel dog, but besides that they're too loud, and hunt too fast. Obviously just an outing made for you tube. But still, it's entertaining.
BTW, in this same episode they mention the battle for Vicksburg. Quite a few of my ancestors were there, with the 27th Louisiana Volunteer Infantry. I could tell some stories but this ain't the place.

Anyway, wrt window stickers and the like, I've never used them, except for USMC decals. My two grandsons that are here locally both have a small window decal or two. I don't recall what they are but I know that they are fishing related. I know that they certainly are not Salt Life. I don't see those around much anymore, nor CCA or Yeti, and I haven't seen any DU decals here in SE Texas in years. I don't know about them personally, but in these parts DU is generally seen as a politically correct organization that caters only to large contributors, and focuses the majority of its' funding toward the short stopping of all migratory waterfowl, at least in the Central and Louisiana Flyways. I don't know that Delta Waterfowl are any better, but the hunters that I know will contribute there rather than DU.

Speaking of my grandsons, the youngest one met me for a quick outing this morning, and caught and released 2 small trout. There's a pretty sunrise in one pic facing east, but has an unknown and un-occupied vehicle of some some sort that's also there. Who knows, maybe it was a getaway vehicle, or part of a rendezvous of some sort. The other pic has Sabine Lake in the background, with the choppy east wind that we've had here for the past 3 weeks.

Yeah, they get skunked on ducks due to a drought and we're just effing around. You should probably start at season 1...they were produced by Meateater and it's better content and they seem to be filming themselves this year which is horsefeathers compared to the first two seasons.

Regarding DU, I'm ambivalent. Years ago they did some good work here on the East Coast, but it's most definitely an organization that runs heavily towards the well-heeled segment of the population. Jim Fergus relates going to one of their meetings and being treated like dog sh*7. At least the logo is unobtrusive, though.

Curious to hear you hunt squirrel over dogs. We definitely don't out here, but the conditions are totally different in the eastern deciduous forests. Never cared for them much so we run a sort of squirrel preserve with some real whoppers running around. I'm the only one allowed to shoot them. Occasionally, I'll shoot a few for squirrel and dumplings, but a skinned squirrel is one of the least appetizing things to look at I've ever seen.

What I'm looking forward to right now is rabbit season. My kids love coniglio alle cacciatore and they're a relatively abundant source of free meat. No dogs anymore, so it's just me walking the fence rows at dawn and dusk but still I usually put 2 or 3 down.

It's interesting how hunting traditions vary by region. Never got used to the western PA sit in a deer stand and drink beer variety of hunting. I like to stalk. Would get a kick out of seeing squirrels over dogs. When I was a kid the neighbors used to hunt coons over dogs and that was a hoot but the hides aren't worth a dang anymore and I don't know anyone that still does it.

[FredS]

Most of the coon hunters I know (or knew, back in KS, there's none in CO) spend way more time training and trialing dogs than hunting. I suppose a lot of hobbies are like that these days. I know fly tyers who've completely decoupled the activity from actual fishing.

I lived in SC for a few years as a young adult and was gobsmacked when I saw men deer hunting with dogs. They had pickup trucks with dog boxes and bass boat seats in the back and would park at a likely crossing and wait for the dogs to chase deer through their shooting lane. They almost all belonged to clubs that hunted on leased land, which bugged me when I was young, but now that I'm older it doesn't seem so bad. Still, it's miles away from deer hunting with my father who knew half the landowners in the county and could go about anywhere he wanted just by asking.

My old man prepped us for deer hunting by taking us squirrel hunting when we were younger. With .22 rifles. No dogs, and not even much stalking. Hardwood forests with lots of nut trees meant you could park your keister under one tree and kill 3 or 4 over an hours time. Not that I ever killed 3 or 4 over an hours time, but I could have if I'd been a better shot.

[Hugo Drax]

Oh, you can get a few squirrels in an hour easily in these parts, but I'd need a shotgun to do it. I've heard of hunting deer over hounds but I'd have to see it to judge it. Without disrespecting my southern friends, it's just not my style, although it's a very ancient method. We drive our own here.

I do want to see a squirrel dog, though. I think that would be a hoot.

What exactly does a squirrel dog do?

[Biff]

Oh, you can get a few squirrels in an hour easily in these parts, but I'd need a shotgun to do it. I've heard of hunting deer over hounds but I'd have to see it to judge it. Without disrespecting my southern friends, it's just not my style, although it's a very ancient method. We drive our own here.

I do want to see a squirrel dog, though. I think that would be a hoot.

What exactly does a squirrel dog do?

squirrel.png (371.84 KiB) Viewed 7738 times

[sweetandsour]

Oh, you can get a few squirrels in an hour easily in these parts, but I'd need a shotgun to do it. I've heard of hunting deer over hounds but I'd have to see it to judge it. Without disrespecting my southern friends, it's just not my style, although it's a very ancient method. We drive our own here.

I do want to see a squirrel dog, though. I think that would be a hoot.

What exactly does a squirrel dog do?

A squirrel dog locates a squirrel, then barks. He or she stays under the tree(s), keeping up with the squirrel, and continues to bark until the hunters arrive on the scene. What's really neat is that any breed of dog can be a good squirrel dog. But if possible on line or elsewhere, look at classified ads from the 60s in old Field and Stream or Outdoor Life magazines, and you'll see ads for Feist dogs.

Squirrel hunting is not as popular now in east Texas and hasn't been since probably the late 80s or 90s, for various reasons. Deer leases, clear cutting of hardwood forests by timber and paper companies, and the planting of pine plantations, to name a few. In the old days there were even "squirrel camps", much like the deer camps of relatively recent years. I haven't squirrel hunted since I don't know when; all I remember is that my last squirrel hunts were with my dad.

I remember back in the early days of CPS, Uncle Bob was speaking of squirrels, I forget why, but I posted a quick little good natured jab, like, "what do you know about squirrels, you're in Lubbock?", or something similar. UB came unglued and went on a diatribe about being from Arkansas and growing up squirrel hunting, and was really offended. It really surprised me, and I found new respect for him. I mean, anyone who knows about fried squirrel brains can't be all bad.

[Hugo Drax]

Yeah, intellectual pride will make a man fight over squirrel brains. Which is probably good because it's the only thing besides starvation that would make a man fight over fried squirrel brains. I like offal: I eat the hearts and livers and kidneys of most of what I kill, but I tend to pass on brains and that bit around the eyes that's supposed to taste like bread dough. Weird, too, because I like head cheese and blood sausage and would kill for a good ris de veaux.

You and F(Ph)red piqued my curiosity and I watched some squirrel dog videos last night. Mississippi seems to like feist dogs whilst other places liked hounds of indiscriminate parentage. Convinced me of why we don't use them...the leaves are down during small game season here and, if you stay quiet, you'll see and hear the boogers insulting you behind every tree. Green leaves and I'd sure as heck want a dog.

[FredS]

I don't much like hunting when the leaves are on. KS archery deer season starts Sept 1 and I hunted it some. Thank goodness I never killed one when it was very warm or I'd have had to take to someone who had a freezer to hang it in. Besides, there's too many spider webs across trails and ticks are still out. We never killed rabbits before the first hard frost. My dad said that would kill any worms or parasites they may carry. Don't know how true that is but it's stuck with me. Did I mention ticks?

I've never hunted squirrels over a dog. I've never owned a hunting dog, but every dog I've owned would/will chase squirrels (and chipmunks out here in the mountains) but wouldn't have a clue what to do once they climbed a tree. They'd backtrack and run around in circles wondering how the heck that critter just vanished into thin air, never once thinking to look up. One time, when we were shacked up in a little rented farmhouse, I took Mrs FredS's cocker spaniel (Floyd) hunting in the woods across the road, shot a squirrel out of a tree and it landed on the dog. We didn't see the dog for a week and man was he ripe after his adventure living ferel in the woods and creeks.

My brother and I used to fashion ourselves soldiers (it was during the war in Vietnam), and use hand signals to direct one another to circle a tree where a squirrel was hiding so it'd circle back to the shooters side to be ambushed.

I hope you guys are having as much fun as I am with this thread

[Hugo Drax]

I'm enjoying the heck out of this thread. None of my gals care in the least and I'm looked at as an oddity by my friends because they're pure city folk. I have one friend that will take my game but only use his shotgun for skeet because he "loves animals." He's not an idiot, either, just not very good at thinking.

Regarding rabbits, your father was right. Remember when Elmer would get the spots over his eyes when he was hunting Bugs? That's rabbit fever and it can cause hallucinations. Eat them after a hard frost and not before, if you have the choice.