Francis;

Great to watch the Crimsom Tide squash the sun tan crowd.

Lee;

I live in Rossford,Ohio and cavort with the Sandusky Bay duckers, the non marsh owner hunters. If you care to give me a call 419 666 8271.

Tony Packo and my dad were long time friends ie someone once mentioned bootlegging days.

Bud and Lukes was the resturant full of gags and dirty tricks in Toledo, now out of business. The last owner is a flyfisherman,phesant hunter, and aquaintence.

The Ernie Pyle comment I have no idea if he lived in the Toledo area have never heard any gossip about this.

Time for a nightcap and sleep

Roger

Roger,

It was Carlotta Monti, Bill Fields mistress that authored "WC Fields and Me", who caught him at home reading the Bible. He stood and she asked "Why Bill Fields what are you doing?" He replied, "Looking for loopholes my dear, looking for loopholes".

"Die in a vat of Whiskey? Death where is thy sting?"

Harry

Mr. Morin,
First, I can not imagine you being a 'klutz' at anything.:)
Jaqua's, I have heard nothing but good things about Bill, he sounds like another man who is very much a gentleman and that you are blessed to call him your 'dutch uncle'.:)
So you were(many say once a marine always a marine:)) a marine? I then also look forward to shaking your hand and looking you in the eye and thanking you for what you did for me. As words can not express my gratitude sir. Thank you.
Your daughter picked well then, as to have a husband that her father enjoys being with, you are blessed again sir. I will leave all instruments of defense at home.:)
I have shot many shotguns, none of which were fitted for me, so my experience has not always been pleasant, thus my hesitancy at times. Perhaps one day I shall have one that fits and feels as though were an extension of me. smiles.
I purchased this parker from a relative in 1985 for my father for Chrsitmas. He recently gave it back to me, I know not the reason. He is very much alive, is 75 and still comercial fishes. He catches the 'big' ones. I have spent many , many nights on the lake with him catching minnows. smiles. He is 'the' guy to get minnows from , from Toledo to Cleveland.
I like your prose sir, the way you describe your envioronment, another man at this 'imaginary' dinner table I would very much enjoy listening to. I have my down coat and columbia boots ready for tomorrows walk in the marsh, as today is the last day of hunting here also. So no hunters tomorrow! I am probably the only one on this forum who looks forward to the season being over! smiles. Blessings, Lee

PS...I am keeping the parker, thanks to one of you fine gentlemen on here, who I can not thank enough for assisting me with so much grace!!

The USMC- first to land, last to leave
 

Thank you as well Lee for your very nice reply. All branches of our Military are worthy of respect, and to all Veterans, brave men and women who served and put themselves in Harm's Way more than once. Our beloved Lt. General Lewis B. Puller, nicknamed "Chesty" (also the name of our Bulldog mascot) is the only Marine, whether a NCO (as i was) or a Commissioned Officer, to have been awarded Five Navy Crosses over his long 30 year career in the Corps. America has been blessed with great Military leaders over her 200 plus years- among them: George Washington, Robert E. Lee, Nathan B. Forrest, John Pershing, William Halsey, Dwight Eisenhower and my favorite, George S. Patton Jr. However, it was our beloved "Chesty" Puller who summed up all of the essence of Military "leadership by example" in four short and to the point words: "Officers Always Eat last"!!

So you do not hunt, but enjoy being out and seeing the birds and Nature- reminds me of a 30 year old (perhaps) article in Field & Stream magazine written by Ted Trueblood- entitled: "Other Values" and he wrote about the other aspects of being out with a shotgun after ducks besides the shooting, and that has always stuck into my mind when I go out with shotgun in hand.

I apologize if I mis-wrote about your "late" father, glad he is still an active outdoorsman at age 75- seven years from now I plan to be the same.:bowdown:

Lee, I too look forward to the end of deer season. But for a different reason. The start of the second grouse season. Its been one week, and I feel that I am in withdrawl. One more week to go then back to the grouse coverts. I considered going to a perserve on saturday for pheasant, I would help, but not the same as grouse hunting.

Ben

I grew up hunting with my dad, a 'few' years ago...smiles.
Is duck season I look forward to the end of, because the marsh I enjoy so much is then 'abandoned' by the owners and is then left for me to enjoy again. As the owners only pay attention to it during duck season.
The only game birds here to hunt are doves. I do not recall hearing of grouse hunting here, nor woodcock. My dad has spoken of hunting pheasant, and were a few around when I was little. I have not seen any here til the last few years. As the fence rows being gone, hawks and eagles have taken care of them. The hawk and eagle population here has increased tremendously the last few years. The rabbits have almost disappeared in my yard....good for my garden...but also good for the polecat population!!
I have dined on a variety of game. Duck(many different kinds....teal is best....), muskrats, turtle, snake, froglegs, goose, pheasant and dove. Perch, catfish, bullhead(spring only are delicious), panfish, smokedcarp(excellent if smoked right) and walleye(their cheeks are tatiest). No grouse or woodcock.
The last deer I got was with my car. I stood for about 20 minutes til
someone stopped. The gentleman that did so advised me he felt my car was drivable, I told him I agreed. That I only needed help putting the little button buck in my trunk. I do believe he was a bit shocked. smiles. The joke at work then was that I eat road kill. I then had a retirement party at my house for one of my fellow nurses. The dish I made was complimented many times. After the meal was finished I thanked them all for the compliments on my 'roadkill' dish. (a few were a bit upset....smiles)
Wow, I got a bit windy this morning.
Hope you do well with your grouse Mr. Yarian. And very much enjoy the crisp outdoors!!!

Venison and "Road Kills"
 

Lee- I live on the Cusp of MI counties where we have a very high vehicle-deer accident record. Although I didn't get a buck in the scope of my 30-06 rifle this past season, I have cooked many a venison roast- Firstly, where the deceased deer has been feeding makes a huge difference, as well as the hanging and aging of the carcass in a cooler--just as with game birds, waterfowl and even ground game such as rabbits and squirrels, the longer the meat can age in a cool locker, the better-

For road kills, where the trauma to the carcass can be somewhat different than a bullet or arrow "fatality" , the sooner you can dis-joint the carcass and salvage with a boning knife the usable cuts, the better- then wrap in cheesecloth and hang over a pan and every day saturate the entire section with apple cider (acedic acid)--soak in cold lightly salted water overnight when you want to remove the cheese cloth "gauze" and then simmer to a slow boil (in the same manner in which you "freshen" a salted corned beef brisket in preparation for a St. Patty's Day corned beef and cabbage feast-

Now for the best way to cook a venison haunch or roast-Marinade for at least 36 hours with the entire piece of venison emersed- I use a cider vinegar base, adding sliced onion, salt, pepper corns, brown sugar and cloves- Reserve the liquid, strain through a colander to remove the bits of clove, etc-

Pat the roast completely dry, then lighly dust with peppered flour until coated, brown in a cast iron skillet in olive oil at proper temperature until the entire surfaces are brown on all sides- then place in a coverable roasting pan ( a proper seal to retain juices and keep meat moist is essential) pour in the reserved liquid enhanced with Cavaldos if you like) and roast slowly in a preheated 350 degree oven for four hours-- Removed at let stand on carving tray, keep the reserved liquid baste for a pour-over gravy, BUT instead or adding flour or cornstarch to thicked, add finely crushed gingersnaps, stir until proper texture is developed and pour over the roast prior to slicing- and remember, all wild game is best when carved across the grain of the meat-

I like red skinned potatoes with butered parsley or German potato pancakes, red cabbage, served either cold as a side dish, or heated, Kimmel bread and a good dark beer- Leinie or Yeungling-- You might like a nice Merlot, ladies choice- Enjoy!!

Wow....and you cook too?:)
Am off to see my old friend Jack Tibbels...another man who is very much a gentleman. He owns a marina here on the western basin. He has scuba dived lake erie for MANY years, as did his dad. He is trying to get walleye season changed here, and I have volunteered to help him. And as I do will hear many stories about the 'old' days on lake Erie. Another man I could sit and listen to forever.....
Then am off to magee marsh, they have a historical room there from Cedar Point Shooting Club....no pics tho:(. Am going to meet with curator. They are inquisitive there of an island discussed in some historical documents that sat off the mouth of the Toussaint river....I am looking into for them.
Have a great day Mr. Moran!!! Blessings, Lee

Mr. Morin - that "road kill" recipe is as close to my Grandmother Ziebart's saurbraten recipe as I've ever seen complete with gingersnap gravy. My grandparents ran a butcher shop and grocery store in St. Joe. All along I thought that was beef.....

Here's another way to make a "Road Killer" a Thriller
 

-- St. Joe- MI-? You can try to cut corners, as some chefs have and use ginger powder and cornstarch- BUT- the real way to make it properly is the crushed gingersnaps--accept no substitutes--

I have also prepared some venison chops as follows- aging helps and a careful cut and prep- I keep the chop bones intact, as the old saying of "nearer to the bone, sweeter the meat" is a truism in my kitchen--I use a tenderizing mallet and break up the tissue somewhat, then pat dry, dust with peppered flour and again, sear until both sides are brown in the hot olive oil--set the heated chops aside on a platter, add brown sugar gradually to the pan drippings over medium heat until you get a fluid "glaze" that will just slide off a knife-pour off into a bowl, but leave a film on the heated pan, add a can of Hunt's chopped tomatoes and use a pastry brush to spread the glaze over the chop bones, to "seal" in the flavor, put the chops on the bed of heated tomatoes, drizzle on the remaining glaze thinned a bit with brandy or Calvados- place lid on to seal, and simmer on low heat for about 2.5 hours- depending on size of pan, number of chops- DO NOT remove lid until time is up- serve on a bed of wild rice with mushrooms, a side salad with hard rolls, and beverage(s) of your choice-I like apple Jack- recipe for that later, but in a pinch, you can add Calvados to apple cider and come close-