(One of) my Christmas project(s)

[Ian123]

When can you get hold of some eel’s…. Smoked eel is fantastic

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I've heard they shoot so many that they can't even give the birds away

these apocryphal tales of 'people hearing' of game being dumped or shoots being unable to give them away get spread around every year with little truth, there was a 'true incident' of game being flytipped on the side of the road a few years ago, it transpired it was all a set up by the usual suspects - who had stolen a game wagon and then dumped the birds, informed the press then pointed the finger at a local shoot getting rid of unwanted birds.
Game dealers will snap all shot game up (OK, their prices may not always be that good) especially since they changed the regulations on selling game, previously it was illegal to sell game two weeks after close season, now it is legal to sell frozen game all year round.

Had one fly at/past me the other day at head height and about 2' away. Wonderful experience.

even better, sat in a hedge at dusk watching them rode and mill around when the get up from their daytime hiding spots to go foraging.
some time ago I was out lamping for a problem fox not that far from where 'King' Carlo's (probably his brat's now) farm is in Myddfai, a bit like now, there had been a cold snap for a few weeks and now was mild, we were near a block of forestry (great daytime haunt for '****) and when we swept the red lamp over the fields there were tens and tens of woodcock our probing the fileds for worms, you could actually walk amongst them without disturbing them if you trod carefully.
Not long ago I was waiting as back stop in daytime at a favoured crossing spot for foxes trying to sneak away from the hounds, gun in hand, there were quite a few woodcock in that area, one was flushed by the guns further down, flew towardss me (but hadn't seen me) then just flopped down on top of the brambles a few feet in front of me (Being December, they had very few leaves) and just sunk through the brambles and sat on the bed of leaves, stock still waiting for the 'trouble' to pass (if I han't seen it arrive I doubt I would have spotted it unless I stepped on it) I just stood there for ten minutes until my radio sqwawked to say they were moving on and off it went again.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

When can you get hold of some eel’s…. Smoked eel is fantastic

that's another thing that's getting rarer, when I was a youngster you could hardly cast a worm without one going for it, nowadays fishermen think it's worth mentioning if they hook one. I remember the elvers making their way upriver not far from where I am sitting now, crawling up the sides of the concrete weir to carry on upstream

 

[JamezF]

When can you get hold of some eel’s…. Smoked eel is fantastic

Now that's got to be worth trying if I can find some. No idea where though.

Last time I ate eels was a tub of jellied eels at Newbury Racecourse, probably thirty years ago.

James

 

[Ian123]

Now that's got to be worth trying if I can find some. No idea where though.

Last time I ate eels was a tub of jellied eels at Newbury Racecourse, probably thirty years ago.

James

As a kid I used to catch a few, I still see a lot in some of the Hampshire trout puddles. I guess they get fat on half the stocked trout that go belly up.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I'd use mine even more if it weren't for the single-use plastic involved.

I use mine more than once. I’m just careful cutting them open.

 

[Wilco]

these apocryphal tales of 'people hearing' of game being dumped or shoots being unable to give them away get spread around every year with little truth, there was a 'true incident' of game being flytipped on the side of the road a few years ago, it transpired it was all a set up by the usual suspects - who had stolen a game wagon and then dumped the birds, informed the press then pointed the finger at a local shoot getting rid of unwanted birds.
Game dealers will snap all shot game up (OK, their prices may not always be that good) especially since they changed the regulations on selling game, previously it was illegal to sell game two weeks after close season, now it is legal to sell frozen game all year round.

even better, sat in a hedge at dusk watching them rode and mill around when the get up from their daytime hiding spots to go foraging.
some time ago I was out lamping for a problem fox not that far from where 'King' Carlo's (probably his brat's now) farm is in Myddfai, a bit like now, there had been a cold snap for a few weeks and now was mild, we were near a block of forestry (great daytime haunt for '****) and when we swept the red lamp over the fields there were tens and tens of woodcock our probing the fileds for worms, you could actually walk amongst them without disturbing them if you trod carefully.
Not long ago I was waiting as back stop in daytime at a favoured crossing spot for foxes trying to sneak away from the hounds, gun in hand, there were quite a few woodcock in that area, one was flushed by the guns further down, flew towardss me (but hadn't seen me) then just flopped down on top of the brambles a few feet in front of me (Being December, they had very few leaves) and just sunk through the brambles and sat on the bed of leaves, stock still waiting for the 'trouble' to pass (if I han't seen it arrive I doubt I would have spotted it unless I stepped on it) I just stood there for ten minutes until my radio sqwawked to say they were moving on and off it went again.

Not all dealers snap it up. Bird flu restrictions are apparently affecting them and where they'll take birds from and they're becoming fussier about the type of shot used.

I've heard of other instances of dumpling than that although birds may be breasted then dumped so whilst the dumping is still very wrong it's not necessary a complete waste.

 

[Ian123]

My local butcher shifted a good few but he said it fell right off after the lead scare, he was blaming Chris Packham

 

[JamezF]

All the "waste" from mine has been buried deep in the compost heap, so give it a few years and we'll even eat that

James

 

[Pembroke]

If your vac bags come on a roll then cut them long, and you can cut off the sealed part and use the bag again after cleaning.

I must admit when I started reading your thread I was wondering why your bee smoker needed a cabinet