How things look in Normangee
Jeff and I cruised out to Normangee after supper last night to scope things out and explode the lungs of a pig or two. On the way into the place we passed the landowner and chatted a second. Near the second gate Jeff saw a rabbit, he rolled down the window and manned the spotlight while I broke in the little ruger 10/22. We arrived at near dark parked just to the north of the wooded creek bed and snuck into the area of pig-festation. There has been extensive rooting activity since the two inch rain at the beginning of the week, localized to a relatively narrow east to west swathe along the caney creek.
Deer season kept us out of normangee for a couple months and the pigs seemed to get pretty flagrant in their destruction of grassy pastures in our absence, there were some rootings Jeff was afraid to drive through for fear of losing his truck in there.
The night was as dark as one could imagine, no moon out yet while we were hunting. What was striking however was the utter silence in the creek bottom, not even any crickets. We sat patiently waiting and trying to see things in the shadows. Finally Jeff heard something, I sat down the can I was holding and illuminated a skunk.
We baited up the trap and headed for the truck.
We drove out back, shined up a bunch of deer in the pasture and headed for home, on the way out we kept eyes peeled for more bunnies and found some just as we neared the gate on the way out of the property. Gave one of them the business but let the other walk because it was so tiny.
Took home two delicious bunnies but didn't even hear a single squeal.
Deer season kept us out of normangee for a couple months and the pigs seemed to get pretty flagrant in their destruction of grassy pastures in our absence, there were some rootings Jeff was afraid to drive through for fear of losing his truck in there.
The night was as dark as one could imagine, no moon out yet while we were hunting. What was striking however was the utter silence in the creek bottom, not even any crickets. We sat patiently waiting and trying to see things in the shadows. Finally Jeff heard something, I sat down the can I was holding and illuminated a skunk.
We baited up the trap and headed for the truck.
We drove out back, shined up a bunch of deer in the pasture and headed for home, on the way out we kept eyes peeled for more bunnies and found some just as we neared the gate on the way out of the property. Gave one of them the business but let the other walk because it was so tiny.
Took home two delicious bunnies but didn't even hear a single squeal.
posted by steven-hoffman | 2:19 PM
7 Comments:
You may have had the beef/venison stew that I make with barley. I think I am going to season and brown the legs, deglaze the pan with some red wine then dump the goodies into the crock pot on high with the barley, some celery, and carrots and go to work.
This should make the meat fall off the bones by dinner time.
both sound like variations on a theme, tender rabbit meat in thick brown sauce with something starchy
Yeah! Time to get back to the Normangee property. I will expect to see many dead pigs soon.
I am down to only two hams and one is thawing out right now.
Went out this weekend, lots more rootings, on the extreme Western edge of property in a pecan grove where we never hunted before.
stayed until it was really dark, but with no moon/tiny sliver of moon there was no activity. Trap was still empty.
Tried to shoot a coyote that surprised me by being out the in the middle of the pasture but he wouldn't stand still. I jumped out of the truck (mistake) and tried to line him up, I was getting ready to shoot him and he went behind a big briar patch. I put the cross hairs on the 3 foot opening a little ways over and wasn't quite ready when he appeared. I pulled the trigger anyways when I saw the coyote appear in the clearing. I found myself looking at him as he ran off in a big hurry, my crosshairs resting a couple inches too high.
Not sure when I will be back at it. I am a little discouraged and thinking about waiting till closer to a full moon. Furthermore, I am very busy at work, and should attempt to get more of that done so I can get my degree and get a real job so I can buy toys.
Traps are baited and staying that way while I am away.
One feeder is functional mostly as a blackbird feeder, no tracks around it.
Have not broached subject of paneling but I have my eyes out and he doesn't have any leaning against the barn or anything
Two rain events in the last week and a half, one was good for two inches or so the other less.
The creek had always been dry during the fall, it now has a little water. There are large stock ponds in each of the pastures which always hold water.
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