Hobby Sports

Another day, another try.  As always once the tailgate opens, Kaiser raises his nose and air scents.

Lou is a hunting buddy of mine.  We first met at a NAVHDA meet and became fast friends as he had a drahthaar and a Land Rover and I the same.  Discovering we have similar taste in dogs, guns, trucks, and just about all thing Teutonic, it was easy to develop a friendship.  Over the years I got him into Merkels, Meindl boots and Darnes.  Ive learned a lot about upland hunting from Lou as he hunts probably at least 80 days of the upland season (that will change now that he has a kid on the way).  We have shared a lot of our "secret" locations to on another, vowing never to reveal them to anyone else.  I have kept my part of the bargain, I believe Lou has as well.

It was 9am when Lou called us at the motel, letting us know that hed be at the spot at 10.  So we waited and done some sight seeing.  The fall colors have finally come and even though sparse with trees the area was quite a sight.
We arrive just as Lou was making his way to the location.   Lous pack was minus one dog.  Summer is in heat and was left home but the four others made the trip.  I rarely get to hunt with Lou anymore, the reason is his drahthaar Arnold is not dog-friendly.  We have had some issues with Arnie attacking Kaiser.  This never happens in the field but when we are making camp.  Its easier to just not hunt together.  Lous other dogs, on the other hand, are some of the sweetest dogs ever and a true pleasure to be around.  Arnie was purchased semi-finished years ago from a trainer.  That trainer did a poor job of socializing him which is a shame and really does the purchaser a disservice by selling such a dog.  Thankfully Lous other dogs were properly socialized since their birth and are friendly and playful.

The Pack minus one dog.

I started ahead of Lou so that we wouldnt have any issues with Arnie.  Eventually Lou was to my right a few hundred yards away.  Not long in our hunt a cottontail flushed and I fired with the IC then the mod barrel, missed. It eventually flushed again but I missed with the only shot I had.  As we moved on,  my dad was having a hard time keeping up so I told him to hunt this field as we were headed toward the mountain and planned to climb it to get to the other side.  We finally reached the mountain, as I looked at it from the base I told Lou I dont think I have it in me to climb.  So he climbed and I skirted around the base to reach the other side.  I was hugging alongside private property fence when a covey of 30 birds flush.  I took two shots missing because I flock shot it like an idiot.  They landed in the private property so I did not give chase.

The Pack backing one another.

The back side is named by me as Shangri-La.  Its been about two years since Ive been back here.  Its not hunted much by anyone as its difficult to get to and private property surrounds much of it.  There are mountain quail, valley quail and chuckar here.  Lou and I flushed huge coveys back here.  Today though we couldnt find a single one.  What a shame.  This just proves how difficult this year is going to be.  Lou managed to flush a cottontail but could not connect with his Darne R10.  After sometime in Shangri-La we headed back.  One of the pack pointed and the rest of the dogs backed.  It was quite a scene unfortunately it was just a tweety bird.  A few rabbits and jacks flushed but of course I missed all the cottontails and managed another jack.
It was almost three and Lou was don for the day ready to head back to civilization.  I didnt want to deal with Friday LA traffic and decided to wait it out and stay to hunt another area.  We said our goodbyes and I headed to another area.   The new area was colder and there was slight snow.  It was not cold enough for the frost to last.  Once the flakes hit something it basically melted.  Tried I hunted for about an hour or so before giving up and calling it a trip.

I decided to put to use the bounty of the last hunt. 

Ingredients:
Saddle of Cottontail Rabbit and liver (you can use the legs if cooking for more than one person)
Mushrooms
Diced Shallots
Green Onion
Butter
White Wine
Chicken Broth
Fresh Herbs- I used Chives, Thyme and Rosemary since that is all I had
Penne Pasta
Parmesan cheese

Dice the liver and saddle of the cottontail in bite sized pieces.  Slice the mushrooms.  Chop the herbs.  Grate the cheese.

Cook the Pasta in salted water.  Heat butter in a pan and add the diced shallots and green onions.  When cooked add diced rabbit until half way cooked.  Then add the sliced mushroom and herbs.  Deglaze with the wine and broth.  Reduce liquid to about half.  Add cooked pasta and toss. Retain the cooked pasta water. Then add the cheese and toss.  If the pasta is too dry add pasta water.  Of course season along the way.
 

The fabled rifle company, Mauser has come out with a new rifle, the M12.  Looking at the few available pictures and details, it looks like its not an upgrade to their existing M03 but rather looks more like an entry level rifle.  While pricing is not yet available here in the States, according to some on European forums it starts at €1500, which equates to about $1950 USD as of todays exchange.  If true that is a much easier entry point than its older brother, the M03 that starts at about $5,000 USD.   Although both rifles are nice, there is only one true Mauser (at least to me) and that is the M98, the pinnacle of bolt action design.  Even over 100 years later it has no equal nor has it been surpassed.  To me its the only true rifle that can bear the Mauser banner.  That being said Id like to check out one of those M12, I think it would be good addition to any gun rack.

The M12 is available in many of the common American and European calibers from standard to magnum.  It has a 5+1 or 4+1 magazine capacity and weighs approximately 6.75 or 7 pounds.  Classic wood or synthetic stocks are available. If you like more information on the new rifle, pictures or details visit the M12 website here.

I was asked today what I do with the birds I take during the season. I told him I cook them and eat them of course. Wild birds are great. He didnt believe me. What a schmuck. Of course he eats at McDonalds so I wouldnt expect him to understand. I showed him just some things Ive done in the past.

Quail:
Doves