You know it is funny talking with people on the phone and internet. I can not tell the number of times I have talk with people who told me how great this method is. Or how they bragged up about all they catch. Then when you really find out the truth some have never trapped or snared an animal but yet they are on the internet telling others how to do it???? Or others bragging about taking 45 fox when they took 11. The point is what happens on the internet is not normally the full truth. Anybody can sit behind a keyboard and tell tall tales.
The best thing you can do is go out in practice. If you think your chosen method works go out and prove it to yourself. Don’t prove it to me prove it to guy or gal looking back from the mirror in the morning. Make sure you can take animals with whatever method you decide. I actually go out and test things and over and over again I find the 110 conibear as the best small game trap on the market. I find real snares put more food in the pot. This is through years and years of testing. I admit they are other methods out there. But the key is can you learn to do it. With well over 15,000 folks who tried my methods I can guarantee you too can learn to put food on the table. If you are willing to work hard at it.
In real estate they say “location, location, location”. In trapping and snaring I say practice, practice, practice. You should go out at least 3-4 days ever single year and catch a few animals. Now you owe the animal the respect of tanning the hide and eating his meat. This is all very good survival training. You learn to catch the animal clean him, tan the hide, and cook it up so it taste good. Here is a recipe for beaver and ground hog. Par-boiled the meat and change the water twice. Leave it a simmer for 3-4 hours. Allow the meat to cool and it should fall off the bones. Take all the meat and mix it in with a brown gravy mix. Let that simmer for 10 minuets and serve over potatoes.
Now raccoons a little different. They are fatty animal but you can cook them up so they are real tasty. Par-boiled the meat and change the water twice. Leave it a simmer for 3-4 hours. Allow the meat to cool and it should fall off the bones. Taking off all the fat you can. In another pot have navy beans or small white beans almost done. Take all the meat and mix it in with navy beans. You will be surprise at how good this is. A very filling long lasting meal. I love this on cold snow days in December.
Or if you don’t want to mess around with medium size animals just go with rabbits if it is legal in your state to trap or snare them.
Now if you want a great recipe for rabbit. Par-boiled the meat and change the water twice. Leave it a simmer for 3-4 hours. Allow the meat to cool and it should fall off the bones. Now add this to your favorite spaghetti sauce and allow to simmer for an hour. Serve over white rice. Excellent table fare. I have serve this to folks who said they would never eat wild game and they never knew until I told them. All said the same thing your right they are very tasty.
Go out and practice have fun learn. When something works ask why? Why was this trail used? When something doesn’t work ask why stop, slow down and look. A lot of times it is simple as no animal travel by. Rabbits are real good at fooling people into thinking there is a lot around because of all the tracks in the snow but rabbits live normally in about 1/2 mile circle and 2-3 rabbits over a couple of days can leave one heck of a lot trails in the snow.
Buckshot
Here is couple of more recipe provided by our good friend Mingo.
DEER MEAT LOAF
2 Eggs
1 – 8 oz. Can Tomato Sauce or 8 oz. Catsup = “I” like catsup.
1 Medium Onion Finely Chopped
1 Cup Dry bread Crumbs
1-1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
1 to 1-1/2 pounds ground meat
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Spicy Brown Mustard
2 Tablespoons Vinegar
In large bowl, lightly beat eggs, add tomato sauce, onion, bread crumbs, salt & pepper.
Add meat & mix well. Press into un-greased 9×5 x 3 inch loaf pan.
Bake uncovered 350 degrees for 70 min.
I mix in maybe about 1/4 Cup of olive oil when I mix it up.
Yields 6 to 8 servings.
Rod’s BBQ Sauce
The amount of Celery Seed/Salt depends on what your cooking I guess. I like the full teaspoon in something like Coon but if using it to baste chicken on the grill like to cut that to 1/2 teaspoon.
1 Cup Catsup
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 or 3 dashes bottled hot pepper sauce
1 Cup water
1/4 Cup Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
1 teaspoon ground Celery Seed OR leave out the Salt and use 2 teaspoons Celery Salt.
Combine all in non aluminum pot.
Heat to boiling, reduce heat to barely simmering and simmer for 30 min.
Use to baste Chicken, Ribs, Muskrat on the grill or dilute with water and use to cook BBQ Coon, Groundhog in slow cooker.
Thank you, Mingo!!!!
