Introduction
This season so far has been a rather productive one. With the weather finally on track, we may finally have a normal season. My tally as of October 11th is 7 wood ducks, 2 mallards, 1 bluebill, 2 geese. As far as sightings the places I suggest you go would be Birch Island, and there are lots of ducks in various potholes up by the Burnett County Forest and Crex Meadows. In the areas I hunt, (Gaslyn Creek Clam River and Danbury.) I’ve seen 6,000 ducks, including wigeon which are rare to these climbs of the country! On opening weekend I saw upwards of 6,000 ducks and this week I’ve seen 10,000 total (Only because I go look!) lots of fun to be had for those who put the work in.
I should also report that I shot a banded wood duck, and advise all to check out the website and report them. Mine came from Blane Kentucky and was banded August 8th in 2017. My buddy Al Nerby shot a banded Rossi Goose in Carthage South Dakota that came from somewhere in Iceland hatched and banded 4 years ago. It’s amazing what you find, bands are important in tracking bird movements- so I advise all to report and not hide them!
Last weekend I went hunting in New Richmond with papa Russ Shilts and Uncle Al Nerby and we tallied 9 ducks 1 goose and one dove and saw lots of birds flying including teal. Had pheasant season not opened it would have been a ball- but it’s still more fun than being at work.
Also went fishing caught me some crappies and gills- very fun fishing this weekend for those who want to try- we ended up with 30, all released.
Looking Ahead
Attention Deerhunters: the rut is fast approaching so I thought I’d throw in some reports and tips.
Lots of scrape activity in the woods near swamps or thick stands of forest. And while running a scrape Trail (a property trail with scrapes lining it) I jumped a big buck and couldn’t get a shot- I’ve left this area alone. The next week or so I’d be in a stand waiting, there will be chasing action soon. Tip: run a scent trail in front of your tree stand or ground blind- a passing buck will smell it and trail it till he finds the mark. Add scent killer to you’re clothes- even if the buck may not always be focused on you the does definitely will. And if a buck sees a alerted doe it will follow, no telling if it will return.
In Other News
Farside Outdoors decided to work on spreading the name as we attended the Burnett County Tourism Banquet at the St Croix Casino in Danbury Wi. Emily Gall and Kim Wheeler (formerly from Crex) were there as well as Officer Finch running for sheriff in Burnett. It was a fun time and the Sanderson sisters hexed the prize tickets and scored 3 in a row. They put a spell on us and now the prizes are theirs. But all the while it was fun learning how the Burnett County Fun came to fruition and it was great to see everybody having a good time. I look forward to doing more work for them and hopefully handing out some business cards will get me some work- I’m always eager to start on the next video project. Till next year, Happy Halloween BCF!
Recipe
This month with buck season rolling we’re throwing in a Bone In Blade Roast. I met up with Emily Gall at the Burnett County Tourism Banquet and promised to make her a special dish- whether it was from market or “something from the woods.” This might be the first thing I give her.
Ingredients:
- 1 whole deer shoulder
- Salt and pepper
- 2 qt. game or beef stock
- ½ cup oil
- 3 Tbl butter
- 4 carrots, chopped into large pieces
- 4 potatoes, chopped into large pieces
- 2 celery stalks, chopped into large pieces
- 1 onion, chopped into small pieces
- 2 sprigs thyme, destemmed
- 1 sprig rosemary, destemmed
- 10 Garlic cloves
- ½ c red wine
Directions
Trim shoulder of any excess fat or blood clots. Depending on the size of your venison shoulder, take a saw and cut it into 2-6 roasts. The cut is perpendicular to the length of the shoulder.
Rub one roast with a liberal amount of salt and pepper. Heat a skillet to medium-high and brown the roast in 3 Tbl oil and 3 Tbl butter.
Remove browned roast from skillet; use the same skillet and oil to cook your onions for 6-8 minutes, until translucent.
Add the garlic cloves and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the thyme and rosemary.
Place roast, onions, garlic, and wine into a slow cooker set at medium heat, and cover with simmering stock.
Cook times will vary depending on size and quality of the roast; 3-6 hours should do it. Once the roast is fork tender, add the potatoes, carrots, and celery.
The dish is ready to serve once the potatoes are cooked, approximately another hour of cooking.
Serve a hunk of the roast and a few veggies in a bowl surrounded by the stock.