Coot

The other day I went Quail hunting. I found no Quail but stumbled upon a pond full of Coots. I knew what they were (and yes, I can legally shoot them) but they are known amongst duck hunters as a trash bird, "mud hen" and other nasty names since they supposedly don't taste good at all. However, I have also heard from other people that they do taste good, so I was a bit confused as to what the truth about these funky birds was.

I decided to shoot some. I bagged two. I only took two despite the high bag limit of 25 since I was unsure of what these things would taste like and didn't want to kill a bunch if they were nasty.

The two Coot I bagged

After shooting the Coots I realized that the rope I'd brought with me was about 10-15 feet too short. Crap. I had to go get them, there was no way I was going to leave something I killed in a pond.  So I took off my jacket, vest and valuables, left them on the side of the bank and waded in.  The water was freezing, probably something like 40 or colder since it was only about 45 at the Wildlife Area.  At one point the water came up to the middle of my chest but that was only for about three feet or so. After that it was only about knee deep.

I retrieved my Coots and went back to my things. I decided right then and there that I needed a gun dog if I were going to ever shoot a water bird again, unless it was plenty warm out and going for a dip actually sounded like a good idea.

I brought the Coots home and dressed them. During which, Conker and Juneau showed a LOT of interest. Conker wanted to eat it and tried to steal one of the coots. Juneau also tried to take them, but only got a mouthful of feathers.
I saved most of the insides for Conker and will freeze them for a while before I give them to him.

Coot legs and breast meat

The Coots weren't the most amazing smelling bird when opened up. But then again, this was the first time I've ever dressed one so I don't know what I would compare it to. However, they smelled fine after the meat had been chilled in the fridge for a while. Speaking of the meat, it's an odd, deep reddish purple color. Doesn't bother me though.
Later on I took them out and hacked them up a bit. I separated the breasts and legs from the rest and saved the frames for Conker.

I cooked up one of the legs and half a breast as a taste test. I tried it. It was good. Quite good, actually. I don't care what duck hunters say, they are wrong about this bird. If I had to describe it, I'd say Coot tastes something like a mixture of chicken and beef, only better.  It's a very strange taste but I like it enough to want to go out and get more Coots even if it ruins any chance of a reputation I could have with duck hunters.

I think I am going to train Juneau to be a gun dog.  I do not know how far I will get, she is terribly noise shy. But I've got a couple good resources on getting a noise shy dog to be habituated to the sound of gunfire and if I can do that, the rest will be cake. Juneau is already an amazing retriever.


Note: Any comments that bash me or hunting in any way whatsoever will be deleted. I will not tolerate that crap on my own blog. If you have a problem with it, write about it on yours, not mine. This is going to be a recurring subject now and if it bugs you that much, don't read it anymore.

Juneau: Snake Hunter!

She did it again!  Conker and Juneau were out in the backyard and sniffing around in the bushes.  Conker got that look, the "I'm hunting!" look and Juneau joined in.  They were getting closer to the location of their prey when Conker leapt downhill and found the snake.  It was attempting to make it into a hole and right as I got there and saw him try to bite it, Juneau swept in and BAM!  Bit the snake.  Then she did it again, and again, and ended up pulling the snake from the hole it was in.
I could tell from the small glimpses I got of it that the snake was a goner and taking it away now would only have been cruel. So I let Juneau gnaw on it until it was dead.  This snake was bigger than the last, probably two feet long.  Still a Northwest Garter.

After showing the snake to Mom (who congratulated Juneau) we tossed it into the brush on the other side of the fence and sat around the pool talking about coffee.  When all of a sudden...
Juneau was hunting again!  This time she was a lot faster than before and she got the snake and killed it in seconds.  Conker was running around like a dumbass, probably excited yet annoyed that he didn't get it first, while I examined the snake to make sure it was dead.  Remember the first snake Juneau caught?  Well, this second snake was that very same snake.  The stupid thing didn't learn and this time wasn't so lucky.

Boring lasts forever

There is NOTIHNG FUN to do around here.  I now remember why I didn't like Grant's Pass when I was here last year.  Very boring, less to do than Vancouver Washington.


We found another snake yesterday.  That makes three snakes in the backyard and one elsewhere.  All have been Northwest Garters, harmless little dudes that look pretty neat.
I knew a snake was near when I looked over at Conker and saw him doing this.

Hunting Shiba is hunting.

Like all the times before I have gotten the snake before the Shiba hunter has.  And every time he thinks I'm going to give it to him.  These little snakes have only been about a foot to a foot and a half long and aren't very fast.  I don't know why Conker hasn't gotten any of them first, but the general rule is if I get it before he does it goes free.  If he happens to catch one, I'm gonna let him kill it since I wouldn't want to take it away only to see it's got bite wounds and would suffer if I let it go.

Conker was determined to find a snake even though I took it and released it on the other side of the bottom chain-link fence.  He found an old wood thing and dug out a hole in it and found some holes that he dug out even more.  But no snake appeared.
And today I spotted him sitting near the ivy where the snakes usually are.  He would get up and sniff through the bushes a bit then return to the concrete by the pool and wait.  I guess he wants to get the fourth backyard snake before I do.


And...

Finding Nemo sheets!

Conker got beef meat and kidney, chicken leg, heart, gizzard and liver.  And he again demonstrated today why I want to get a meat grinder.  Conker decided to crunch up the bone in the chicken leg but not to chew the meat apart and attempted to swallow the whole thing mostly-whole.  I said no to that and pulled it out of his throat so he could at least chew it in half first instead of gag on it.

For a while I'd forgotten why I wanted a meat grinder then today I was reminded of the very reason.  Because my dog is a dumbass.

Conker the Almost Hunter

Today I was chilling with Conker in the backyard since there is a great lack of anything else interesting to do.  First we chilled by the pool, then on the diving board, then in the shade and lastly by some ivy-bush things.
Conker suddenly dove into the ivy, nose going a mile a minute, his eyes glued to the twisting vines under the leaves.  He jumped around rapidly, ears alert, in a stiff but limber stance.  He was hunting.

What was Conker hunting?  I asked myself as I parted some of the vines.  Then I saw it.  The slick black body, slightly kneeled scales, bright yellow and red stripes.  Another Northwest Garter Snake.  This snake was a crafty one and eluded both Conker and I as we searched the ivy for it.  I with the intention to remove it and place it in safety on the other side of the chain-link fence and Conker with the intention to kill and eat.

I spotted the snake several more times as I combed the brush for it.  Conker, much to my surprise, was actually very responsive to me while we were searching.  I thought for sure if he got the snake first there would be no stopping him.  But instead he listened to every command I gave and went where I pointed. (I directed him away from the snake.)  I guess since we were both hunting the snake we were a team.  If he was the only one doing it he might not have listened to me.

After a while of not seeing the crafty snake (I grabbed him several times but I don't like pulling on them when they are tangled) I was about to give up. Conker was off sniffing another set of ivy that snakes are known to hide in.  But alas, the snake re-appeared and I was able to snatch him before he could hide again and before the now alerted Shiba did.
I carried the angry snake down to the lower yard and to the chain-link fence where I have released the other snakes I've caught.  Conker kept trying to jump and grab the snake and chased it when I put it down near the fence.  But the snake was too quick for him and he didn't get it.


As awesome as Conker catching a snake would have been, I do not want him to think snakes are fun to chase.  There are rattlers up here, though somewhat rare, and while Conker was very fast I don't think he is faster than one of them. 


Today Conker got:

Halved turkey neck and scraps, beef meat and kidney, chicken liver, heart and gizzard.

Dog Park and Hog Hunting.

Took Conker to the Dog Park today.  When we got there a dog we've met before named Mollie was there.  She is some sort of wire-haired Terrier Lab mix.  Shortly after a gorgeous Malamute Collie mix came in.  The lady who owned her said she was probably Husky/Malamute/Wolf whatever but I definatly saw some Collie.

I can't quite remember her name but she was very nice and played well with Conker.  About 10 minutes later a Chatahoula Leopard Dog mix came in.  He may have been full Catahoula but I don't know them enough to tell.  his name was River and he was full of energy!  He played pretty rough and Conker had to step up his game to keep up with him.  River is nine months old and Conker is almost eight.

Maybe twenty to thirty minutes after the CollieMute left a cute 10 week old Chow/Lab pup I'd met yesterday came in.  His name is Percy.  The pups rolled around and wrestled for a bit until Percy began to get nippy and latched onto River's face.  Percy's owner wants him to learn not to do that so they left.  River was also being a little rough even though Percy, weighing 21 pounds, was easily able to hold his own against River.

There was also a tubby little Miniature Pincher there named Spuds.  He waddled around and growled whenever the pups got too rowdy around him but he was a generally nice little guy.


During all the dog play River's owner and I began to talk about things.  She asked what Conker was and I told her.  If people aren't sure what a Shiba Inu is I explain to them that they are small Japanese hunting dogs related to the Akita Inu.  And that the breed is a really old one since a lot of people ask if they are new or designers.
Surprisingly, River's owner was interested in the hunting part and asked what Shibas were used to hunt.  Rabbits and pheasants I guess, but I told her that there are other Japanese hunting dogs that are used for deer and boar.  Again she surprised me by saying that her husband had been wanting to bowhunt boar so we began a long conversation about boar and how here in Oregon all you need is a hunting license and you can take as many boar whenever you want.  They have no season or limit, Oregon wants them gone.
She asked if I knew where any boar were, I don't know yet, but I do know they have been sighted and even bagged in this area.  There is very little information on boar hunting in Oregon since they are a nongame animal and considered a "predator", something the state wants gone, so they aren't treated like deer and birds who have lots of info available. 
I still have no idea if hunting boar with dogs is allowed here.  I'm going to try to find out in the next few months, and if hunting boar with dogs IS legal, I hope it stays that way until I can get myself some experience and a good pair or trio of hog dogs.