I've only plucked ducks and one turkey and, OMFG, that's annoying...and tedious.

I have "cheated" since 1985 or so.... http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1982-09-01/Easy-Game-and-Tame-Bird-Plucking.aspx

Yeah, we basically did that...still svcked.

It's not that bad. It's a LOT better than some options.

My Mom alway's had a "steam bath" going after the bird's got dunked...which was hot rock's in a tub, with a fire under it, that my younger brother had to spray water on, but only enough to keep the steam going. Plucking svcked no matter what though, specially in the summer. Rabbit day was worse.

It's nice to know I would actually be able to eat ( in skyrim ) IF I ever got stuck w/o a grocery store.


I have mine on a table in Honeyside, for my thief. Derick the char I just did it with has it in a chest in breezehome.

Rabbits are a lot easier really, you just skin them and be done with it. Thing is, where I live, what little fat there is on game birds is attached to the skin layer. If you skin them (the absolute EASIEST way to pluck....) then you have NO fat layer, and they're dry and tough even if young.

Yeah rabbit's are easier to skin... we also tanned the hide's with fur on. Mom made purses, coat's, muff's etc. Skinning them wasn't the bad part... I never got into hunting myself, but I've also never managed to even date anyone for long that didn't. Grew it, raised it, caught it ( fish ) or traded for it, very little "food" was bought at the store. When I was growing up. Even know how to make sugar...well brown sugar, white need's a "bleaching agent".

Oh, I could manage to live quite handily if there was a major "problem" (well, if the power grid went down and I didn't have 'net access I might curl into a ball....) - but most things (clean water, heat, food, etc.) I wouldn't have issues with at all even WITHOUT the power grid. We live "out" - 80 mile round trip to the small city "local" to us. Both of us hunt, etc. I can pop a rabbit loping at 75 yard. I'm a really good shot (and I hope that any perp bent on mayhem somehow knows that BEFORE he breaks into my house.... because if he doesn't, he's dead meat, and the local cops aren't even going to blink....) I know how to sterilize water for drinking. I know how to grow crops at this atlitude, with its very short (60 days) growing season. I know how to gentle horses for riding, or hauling. I know how to train dogs for hunting and guarding.

I hope I don't need to utilize any of that in what's left of my life. But I KNOW I can do what I have to.

Same here with the local cop's, actually stopped my hubby once cause he swung his semi round and they thought he mighta picked up someone they were looking for. Cop down right said, shoot him if ya gotta then call us.

Same here, I can track as good as most of the guy's I know, I AM a very good shot rifle, pistol & bow. I have shot cyotes going after my chicken's and stuff. Bambi is safe unless the grocery store's close down. Canning that's another thing I don't miss...weeeeeell except draining off the berries.

I LOVE to bottle elk and venison (and even beef or pork). It's a lot better 6 months down the road than frozen.... Tracking is AWARENESS. I track better than even the guy who's been guiding rich Cali folks for elk the last 25 years - because ALL he knows is elk.... and that's fine, if you live where elk abound. We don't. Even deer aren't abundant, thanks to the total IDIOTS in the DWR. So we have to fill in with stuff others don't even see....

I hear ya on the Awareness. No Elk here, except in ppl's private hunting camp's. Deer & hog's are hunted the most here, though their IS other game, aside from various fowl. I think stalking Turkey here is the funnest, FL turkey aren't as vocal as some, so It's alot of listening, watching and "knowing". 42 yr's old and I still like to sneak through the wood's behind our house and see how close I can get to the wild turkey's before they notice.

I hear you.... there's something magical about becoming one with the early morning mist, slithering into the silence - and then trying NOT to die of heart failure when the damn quail covey thunders up out from under your feet! It's better WITHOUT the idiot horse though, believe me.

hmm haven't had a horse in year's, want one. I have a boxer that can sneak with the best of them...then startle the Tar out of you. She caught a Turkey one day, Bummer I had to tell her to drop it.... she was soooo proud of herself.

I love the early moring mist on the river, listening to the fish plop ( stergen jump in the spring ) The sound of a male gator "courting". The bird's as they wakeup. sigh, then the boater's...time to go.

Well.... I won't have horses any more. We're too old to deal with stuff. But believe me.... landing on your butt in a cactus patch because the horse (logically) panicked when a covey burst under his feet.... well.... I'd rather not have gone there the FIRST time....

OMG, Mountain Women, when does y'all's reality show air?

I can't even talk infront of my whole family w/o stuttering, turning beet red and totally forgetting what I was going to say.

Then there's your twist: the first ever silent reality show.

Heh. Yeah. I got through 4 years sitting on the town board, because I FORCED myself to (this was after pissing and moaning about the way the current board handled stuff, and having husband say "well, if you think you can do a better job...." *sigh* Yeah, foot in mouth BIGTIME.] It was NOT fun, and I absolutely will NOT ever put myself in the position of having to address more than another couple at the dinner table EVER AGAIN. Not to mention that I hate politics and politicians.... gah.


Hmmm.... you know, it would even make sense - because so much of what one does, living out, hunting, tracking etc. NEEDS the silence.

hmmm well maybe If I was 20 again, someone beside's my husband might injoy looking at my backside in camo as I "stalk" whatever is in season. When needed voice-over. But alas I'm 42 and slightly overweight...which would add another 20 lbs on camera...ICK noooo!

I took speech and drama in high school trying to over come the problem...didn't work. I don't like being the center of attention, that's what I have my husband for.

Oh, honey.... I hear ever word of that. I'm nearly 65, not overweight but ANY camera makes me look bloated - it's just my "type" I guess. Yeah, I'm not ever going there.... but the silent part was interesting.

Actually I alway's thought a fishing show would be great.... til I realized I'd have to be on camera with ppl watching. I love saltwater fishing.

Oh, ME TOO. It's the only fishing (and fish) worth doing! Which, since we live "interior", doesn't happen darn it.... Just - spare me those good ol' boy redneck bass tournament shows, okay?

bass...they don't even taste that good and a mudd fish put's up a better fight, IMO.

Ayup. QFT.

This thread is now about home canning.