Members *Light* Posted February 4, 2018 Members Share Posted February 4, 2018 1 hour ago, weary warrior said: Bear is one of my favorite game meats, IF it is black bear and taken during the right time of the year. And cleaned proper. I shot a grizzly once, (it was one of those sudden, surprise meetings that happen at times in the bush and I was forced to act) but it had been eating fish and turned out to be completely inedible. I wouldn't eat anyone's bear jerky, even if I knew them really well. Bear is related to pig, and can carry the same diseases, including trichinosis, and must be thoroughly cooked. That's why you never see commercial pork jerky at the store. I know some guys that do it, but I draw the line there. I read about a guy who ate bear's meat. He always prefers his cuts of meat extremely rare. He had all sorts of diseases as you mentioned after eating the bear meat rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Jim_Alaska Posted February 4, 2018 Administrators Share Posted February 4, 2018 OK, next on the list of seasonal harvesting after Moose and grouse is migratory birds like Sandhill Crane, Ducks and Geese. By this time of year (October) the ponds and lakes are beginning to show signs of winter freeze up around the edges. This is the time of year that migratory birds start moving south for the winter. This kind of hunting can be done in a couple of different ways. One is "jump shooting". This is where you walk in to lakes and ponds and attempt to shoot birds as you flush them. It takes a lot of time and can be frustrating because of lost opportunities when they flush before you get in range. The most productive way is sitting in a blind or boat waiting for flying birds to pass by. This can be greatly aided by using a duck or goose call to bring birds in closer. Wild ducks and geese can be very tasty, they are all dark meat. Usually I did not harvest many of these birds because the time of their migration was so short. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members *Light* Posted February 5, 2018 Members Share Posted February 5, 2018 I never really liked white meat when it came to birds. Dark meat is where it's at, and it has more flavor than DRY white meat (e.g., breast meat of a chicken). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members swathdiver Posted February 6, 2018 Members Share Posted February 6, 2018 In my town the sandhill cranes are treated like gods. They are protected, given the right of way, etc. They have no fear of humans and have been eating from my bird feeder as of late. Ever eaten one? People used to eat Ibis and Egrets but they're restricted now too. I enjoy a well prepared duck! Bear oil (black bear) is awesome for lamps and lubricants and does not go rancid. The muzzleloader guys love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Jim_Alaska Posted February 6, 2018 Administrators Share Posted February 6, 2018 I have eaten Sandhill Cranes, they are plentiful in Alaska in summer. They are difficult to hunt because they are very wary. They certainly have fear of humans in Alaska, and with good cause. I would class the meat as good, but not great, it is a dark meat and a bit tough if cooked by baking, like you do with chicken and turkey. It is a large bird so most people try to bake it for convenience. Alaska farmers produce a lot of potatoes, the climate in summer makes this a very productive crop. The farmers also have a great deal of trouble with the Cranes. They come into the fields to get potato bugs, but also ruin the plants by eating the leaves. Sandhill Cranes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Jim_Alaska Posted February 6, 2018 Administrators Share Posted February 6, 2018 1 hour ago, (Omega) said: I never really liked white meat when it came to birds. Dark meat is where it's at, and it has more flavor than DRY white meat (e.g., breast meat of a chicken). Chicken breast is not comparable to wild bird breast like grouse. But most Grouse is dark meat, as I said. The one exception is Ruffed Grouse, their breast meat is white, but not dry like chicken. The darkest wild bird meat is Ptarmigan, it is a very dark, blood red color. This is what a Ptarmigan looks like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members *Light* Posted February 6, 2018 Members Share Posted February 6, 2018 I haven't seen those before. It also appears as if it could be related to a pigeon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Jim_Alaska Posted February 6, 2018 Administrators Share Posted February 6, 2018 Omega, Ptarmigan has no relationship to pigeons. It is in the true Grouse family. swathdiver and *Light* 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members swathdiver Posted February 6, 2018 Members Share Posted February 6, 2018 That's them Jim, they are here year round. The ones that discovered the bird feeder also peck at my truck as they see their reflection in the paint. They are always blocking the roads too. Jim_Alaska 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Jim_Alaska Posted February 6, 2018 Administrators Share Posted February 6, 2018 OK, next on the list of wild meat harvesting after Moose, Grouse and water fowl is Caribou. I liked to leave this harvest until last for two reasons. The first reason has to do with time in relation to my work schedule. Mid winter was a slow time of year at work, so I could take the time needed to hunt Caribou. I needed a lot of time for this because caribou were not plentiful where I lived and I had to travel about 300 miles to hunt them on Alaska's North Slope. You have to be able to haul everything you need with you. There are no stores, gas stations or even people where you are going. The second reason had to do with quality of the meat. In mid-winter all of the rutting season is over with. If you take Caribou during or right after the end of the rutting season it is inedible. The meat actually stinks and the taste is unbearable. This is in relation to Bulls, there is no season for cow Caribou. Caribou hunting on The North Slope can be enjoyable, cold and dangerous depending on weather conditions and location. It is done mostly by Snowmobile because many times great distances bust be traveled in search of a herd. Shots can be extremely long range because the country is open Tundra with little to no vegetation. The Caribou can see you coming a long way off. I addition to a Snowmobile I also pulled a sled to facilitate getting the meat back to camp. Camp??? Yes, to hunt here you have to be able and knowledgeable enough to camp out in temperatures that can reach minus 50 degrees F. I'll post this picture again so you can get an idea of the conditions. Caribou are plentiful here and the law allows for five animals for each hunter. They are also a major source of meat for the indigenous peoples of the north. These people are of two classes, The Inuit or Eskimo people and the Athabaskin, or Indian people. These people span the entire far northern continent, from Alaska and all across northern Canada. I would be remiss if I didn't include a picture of a live Caribou. Here is one of a bull caribou in his prime. Caribou hunting brings hunting seasons to their end. Now there is only the long winter wait until fishing seasons begin in mid to late summer. I usually finished out the year with trapping, which opens in November and ends in March. weary warrior 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Invicta Posted February 7, 2018 Members Share Posted February 7, 2018 23 hours ago, Jim_Alaska said: Chicken breast is not comparable to wild bird breast like grouse. But most Grouse is dark meat, as I said. The one exception is Ruffed Grouse, their breast meat is white, but not dry like chicken. The darkest wild bird meat is Ptarmigan, it is a very dark, blood red color. I have never noticed chicken to be dry. Those who do lunch when we have a fellowship lunch always roast it covered with foil. I find it very greasy like that. I usually score the skin with a sharp knife, prick under the legs and wings, then rub in a little olive oil and some ground bay leaf and ground celery and a little powdered garlic. Very tasty and I don't find it dry, like turkey. Sorry nothing to do with hunting but there is no hunting around here but rabbits as far as I know, Jim_Alaska 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Jim_Alaska Posted February 7, 2018 Administrators Share Posted February 7, 2018 Invicta, I think that when people talk about chicken being dry they are talking about the white meat breast being dryer than the dark meat. I never cover chicken when roasting. The skin being browned makes chicken very flavorful. I also prick under the legs and wings when the bird is almost done, this allows the juices to drain and makes for very flavorful gravy. I love chicken gravy. swathdiver 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members swathdiver Posted February 8, 2018 Members Share Posted February 8, 2018 That's a purty double shovel reindeer Jim and hunting them is for the hardiest of individuals! I'm afraid my constitution would never allow that again! All the hunting I do these days is with a camera: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Jim_Alaska Posted February 8, 2018 Administrators Share Posted February 8, 2018 Just one little point Swath, it' not a Reindeer. Reindeer are semi-domestic and bred for milk and meat. Caribou on the other hand are totally wild. Nice picture of the Crane on your lawn. swathdiver 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Jim_Alaska Posted February 8, 2018 Administrators Share Posted February 8, 2018 OK, now getting back to seasonal harvesting in Alaska, after the long mid-winter wait not much else is harvested until the fishing season. Because of the immense size of the state seasons can vary a lot. For the most part the seasons for fishing are self regulating. That means that you can take them at any time. Weather usually prevents you in winter. So you are limited to Spring, Summer and Fall. Many times seasons are also limited for species like Salmon because they only return to the rivers and bays when it is time to reproduce. Some species are year round residents but only accessible after winter is over, unless you like fishing through the ice, which I don't. I didn't do much salt water fishing because the coast was so far away from where I lived. But I usually made a couple of trips per summer. These trips were for Halibut and Silver Salmon. Halibut is also call chicken of the sea for its flavor. Not that it tastes like chicken, but because it is so good. probably no other fish can compare to halibut for flavor. They can get very large, but the best for eating is in the 20-30 pound range. Silver, or Coho Salmon are more than plentiful and fun to catch for recreational or subsistence fishermen. They are also a major source of income for commercial fishermen as evidenced by this net full of Silvers taken by a "Purse Seiner." There are also other salt water fish to be had such as Cod, which are also plentiful. Fishing for Cod and Halibut is interesting and the scenery is spectacular, but the actual fishing is a bit boring. Halibut and Cod are usually taken at tiring depths. 100-150 feet is not uncommon. The changing of tides creates strong currents so you have to use at least a one pound weight to keep the bait on the bottom. So even if you don't have a fish on yet, but want to check to see if the bait is still there, you have to crank two pounds of lead up 150 feet just to check the bait. This kind of fishing is done from a boat in the open ocean. You can sit there for hours on end with nothing happening, that's why I said Halibut fishing can be boring. Fishing for Coho Salmon on the other hand is fast and furious, they travel in large schools and you use artificial lures, not bait. I'll make another post in relation to fresh water fishing, which I did a lot of. My fingers get tired of typing since I only use three of them, I am not an accomplished typist to say the least. swathdiver 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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