Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Thursday, November 7. 2013

Woodcock Shooting - and eating

Hunting Woodcock, which we usually do in conjunction with hunting Ruffed Grouse, is an interesting and challenging sport. They tend to fly in a spiral, and many of us have a moment of remorse when we take one of these lovely little tasty birds from the dog.


The dog is needed not so much to flush them or point them as to find them when shot. Their camo is perfect.


Always make a sauce for them by sauteeing all of their innards and guts in butter and shallots, and shmooshing them up with a fork with a little brandy and pepper. There's no mess in there, because they conveniently flush out their GI track when they flush.


Readers know that the best Woodcock recipe is Woodcock Ravioli in a splash of gibier sauce and shaved black truffle on top.


Currier and Ives' Woodcock Shooting:




Posted by Bird Dog in Food and Drink, Hunting, Fishing, Dogs, Guns, etc., Our Essays at 15:00 | Comments (8) | Trackbacks (0)

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I shot one last fall. The following day my brother called while I was out, he asked my wife how I had made out hunting. "He got a wooddick" my wife said. When he could talk again my brother explained that they were called woodcock. "Wooddick, woodcock, same difference" my wife answered.
#1 Santay on 2008-10-25 05:25 (Reply)
Alas,I shot them as a youth,but they've all but dissapeared here in this part of Pa.

Between losing farmland to "developement," and the Game Commisions debacle of stocking Chinese Pheasants that get hit by cars and eaten by predadtors.(they run,not fly!)

Everyone else seems quite Hoplophobic as well....
#2 chris horton (Link) on 2008-10-25 05:55 (Reply)
Some time ago the crew at Maggie's was brought to mind while I was going through some things in an old trunk. I discovered a copy of Currier & Ives: Printmakers to the American People by Harry T. Peters. It was printed in 1942 by Doubleday, Doran & Co., Inc. I thought of scanning some of the pages, but it must be worth at least 12 dollars, so I'm hesitant.

You reminded me of my find with this post and I've been thumbing through the pages this morning while the coffee brewed. (I found "Woodcock shooting"). Great fun.
#3 Jephnol (Link) on 2008-10-25 08:22 (Reply)
There is no better way to spend a morning than tromping throgh the rough with a good bird dog in pursuit of pheasant and timberdoodles.
#4 Daver (Link) on 2008-10-25 19:51 (Reply)
In companionable silence
#4.1 MTF on 2013-11-07 18:31 (Reply)
Bird guts. No.
#5 pbird on 2013-11-07 20:33 (Reply)
I think the word you're looking for is "tract" - as in "
they flush out their GI tract..."
#6 The Old Salt on 2013-11-08 00:10 (Reply)
The best hunting there is. You will walk far and work hard, and it will take you into lovely places where the hiker never goes. The birds are beautiful and delicious, and you can carry your day's bag in one hand. Deer hunting is boring by comparison.
#7 Khornet on 2013-11-08 19:37 (Reply)

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