Late season honkers

Getting late in to the waterfowl season for me. My main goose hunting buddy and I found a field to hunt.

Have to try to hide better, smaller spreads etc. today we set up only 12 decoys and put the blinds 50 yards down wind and off center of the decoys. The birds acted like it was opening day again

Looks like fun. It doesn't look like -40 either.

Nemont, Congrats! Please tell me about your Gun and the Loads that you use. My son took me Duck hunting and we shot at some Honkers, but either I misjudged their size and they were alot higher than we thought. John

Congrats! You seem to have a pretty good handle on this waterfowl thing.

Nemont - I thought you had shared with us the recipe for smoking the breast whole. Wasn't cider or something part of that mixture? Would you mind re-sharing that recipe or post the link here.

Its been a wonderful season for you again. Its always fun to check your photos out. Congrats!

We're dealing with some crazy weary birds over here by Great Falls. It seems that when we have snow though and can camo the blinds in w/ the snow covers, the birds literally are landing at our feet with minimal effort.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JLS
Would you mind sharing your apple cider brine recipe?


1 Gallon of apple cider, not apple juice
2 cups kosher salt
2 table spoons of Morton's Tender quick
some whole pepper corns, some whole allspice berries.
Garlic powder, to taste
Onion powder, to taste

Boil together until mixed and then pour into a container with on 7lb bag of ice, I use a food grade 5 gallon bucket.

Trim all fat, silver skin and blood shot meat off of goose breasts.

Put goose breasts in a container, again a food grade 5 gallon bucket works for me, and cover with brine, The breasts have to be covered. I leave this in my beer fridge in the garage and stir daily for 5 to 6 days. Once out of the brine, rinse meat and let sit in clean, cold water for an hour and then air dry for 30 minutes. Brush with apple cider and sprinkle fresh cracked pepper on top.

Bring your smoker to 200 degrees and place meat on the racks until the internal temp of the meat reaches 155 to 160 deg. Remove from the smoker and let sit for a while. Usually you have to sample them. Slice thin and serve with pepper jack cheese and crackers.

I have standing orders for these every year and people will take them all so I don't have to worry about ever having too many birds.

Nemont

Many thanks Nemont. I appreciate you taking the time to repost the information.

looks like a good hunt! Down here we are setting up on the river and catching them in mid morning and late afternoon flights. 15-25 shells and floaters on ice islands and they are still responsive to locator calls.

sweet bunch of birds.....

Great ending to the season NeMont.