Get Out in the Field

Sometimes you get to that point when you think, "What next?" You've taken care of business, walked the dog, checked the news and there's an hour or so left over to do something profitable for mind, body and spirit. You could go to General Synod and get down with the pathetic fiction of women bishops. Or you can get out in the field and go hunting. I chose the latter path.

I set out under an ominous sky to find bunnies and squirrels, thinking both would complement existing meat in the freezer for a post-Thanksgiving small game feast.

Sure enough, I'd soon flushed a rabbit but by the time my rifle was up and crosshairs on, the bunny had made it to the safety of its burrow. I marked that for future reference and moved into the woods to see if I could call any squirrels in.

I did, with one coming in quite close, and on the ground too. I was just about to squeeze the trigger when off it took like a psychic. Lucky squirrel.

Then it began to thunder like the Second Front and I made my way back to the truck.

Moral of the story? Any time spent in the field is better than going to General Synod. Also, if I'd taken a shotgun I would've returned home with rabbit and squirrel for the pot. Well, I'll go out again tomorrow and see if I can't make up the deficiency.

Remember, Global Warming is settled science. Crony Capitalist, limolib NWO tax science, that is.

Shoot straight,

LSP

Mojo Rising

Perhaps you think that this post is all about the high-stepping lead singer of the Doors, who used to call himself the "Lizard King". It's not. It's about dove hunting and the Mojo dove decoy in particular.

Standing On The Runway Waiting For Takeoff

The beauty of the Mojo is that that it has spinning wings (battery powered), comes with a sturdy metal stake that you can put it on and, most importantly, brings in the dove. At least it has done, often.

Someone Else's Photo

This evening it didn't hurt and GWB shot a couple of Mojo lured birds as they came in fast over our setup in a treeline.

Blind Faith

But I wasn't having much luck, so I went for a stroll and shot a rabbit. Streak of movement to the right, shoot! One bunny for the pot.

Clean That Rabbit

As dusk set in the dove started flying in waves, high and fast. Brisk action and plenty of shots fired, but no result. The moon, on the other hand, was waxing full.

God bless,

LSP

Rabbit Hunter!

Unlike Satan, I try to take Monday "off". This means get up, drink lots of tea and coffee, say Morning Prayer on the porch, then think of something meaningful to do, like go for a shoot or a ride. Apparently there was a small pack of wild dogs loose on a parishioner's farm, so I opted for the shoot and my plan was simple. Look out for the dogs and shoot them with a shotgun and if they were sensibly in hiding, go after squirrels or rabbits.

Kit, note the Cloak of Invisibility, aka old Brit combat jacket...

First things first, get your kit together, namely a shotgun, a .22, and a scoped .243 in case there's a need for a longish range shot against the dogs. Then inspect your porch arsenal and wonder why you're strangely over-armed for this expedition -- why not take a .45 and a semi-auto, just in case, for goodness sake -- and drive out.

No Dogs

No sooner was I at the farm and out of the truck than there's a rabbit, at about 40 yards silhouetted between two gateposts. I quickly loaded the .22 and squeezed off a shot; one rabbit for the pot. The next step was scouting about for dogs, shotgun in hand, but they weren't in evidence, so that part of the escapade turned into a armed ramble about the countryside. There's nothing wrong with that, it's important, I think, to get out in the tree lines and fields and if you're in hunting mode you see and hear more because the senses are heightened. Still, no dogs, so I went back to the truck and there's another rabbit! Great excitement, as I swapped out guns, went into the brush and shot it. Two rabbits for the pot.

Two for the pot

That was plenty of action for me -- time to head off home to skin and gut then soak the meat in brine. I made the rabbits into a red wine based stew and served up over polenta, Italian style. Next time I think something to do with a grill might be in order, or maybe a curry.

Clean

Tasty, and all the better for being something I made for myself, from kill to clean to pot. A quantity of red wine didn't hurt anything either.

Simmer

Moral? Don't be a slacker, get out and hunt.

God bless,

LSP