New Hazard: turkeys!

Tom, you are on a roll man. :) Any wild turkey involved?

The Famous Grouse… (said in my best Cheech impression voice) "You know man, i've seen that dude, dah Famous Grouse, he was hanging out with Santa Claus flying up with him and the reindeer. After Santa Claus put his face real close to his amigo the Grouse, they started to match colors, like real Rojo like. They are good buds, like inseparable. Santa always seems so much more jolly when he is hanging with that little dude."

I saw an interesting documentary a while back about a guy who raised wild turkeys, from the egg, successfully getting them to imprint on him, all went well until adolescence when most wandered off independent but on male attacked him, drawing blood.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/my-life-as-a-turkey-full-episode/7378/

Dave

"Tom, you are on a roll man. :) Any wild turkey involved?"

:) Nah, I'm a hop head. I like my wild turkey larded with bacon and garlic, rubbed with rosemary butter, roasted slowly until nearly done, and finished at 450 degrees to crisp the skin.

"We had a big influx of vietnamese refugees, and a startling decline in duck population.

Where they came from catching easy food was just something acceptable."

There was a similar incident back in the early 80's in San Francisco. A group of Southeast Asian upland refugees were settled near Golden Gate Park. One day a groundskeeper was raking leaves and uncovered a cache of skinned and dressed out neighborhood cats. What followed was a case of cultural dissonance of the first order in oh so politically and culturally correct Baghdad by the Bay. Suffice it to say that an intense cultural immersion program followed swiftly thereafter I thought it was both sad and hilarious to watch the hypocritical huffing and sputtering on the editorial pages of The Chronicle and Examiner, all feelings of moral obligation to those who had paid the price for our excellent adventure in Vietnam casually cast aside in the rush to judgment.

Funny.

I believe the Hmong immigration of the 1970s is why California has a season for squirrels.

Olsen,

It's rare to see a hen with spurs. But wings and beaks are also dangerous.

Chenault,

I'd never put turkey above whitetail!

"I believe the Hmong immigration of the 1970s is why California has a season for squirrels."

Yup. The problem in San Francisco was that there weren't enough squirrels to satisfy the demand. I guess cats didn't look all that different and, in any case, protein is protein back home. I haven't followed the issue since I left SF, but I find myself wondering if squirrels are now on the Endangered Species list down there. The group in question was, in fact, the Hmong, but I was being a little circumspect, just in case there were culturally sensitive souls here looking for an excuse to haul out the flame throwers at this disgruntled time of year. ;0)

How would this look dressed out on the Christmas dinner table?

Would a pheasant top a wild turkey for culinary appeal?

–B.G.–

I'm a long way from considering a turkey a hazard, but this might spark discussion of a trekking pole as a spear and spit in the multiple use forum.

Interesting story about the Hmong, Tom. I've given up and have stopped worrying about the emotional wellbeing of the perpetually offended.

Bob, that rooster is a unique threat to humans. I swear I've almost gone into cardiac arrest from unknowingly walking up on them and the heart stopping racket they make when they bug out.

On a related note, Washington DOC has pheasant farms including one at Walla Walla State Pen. The first prison escape I ever witnessed were several roosters who were able to breach the security. I'm sure the inmates were taking copious notes.

I just want to add that I have been following this thread on pure comedic value alone. They can be serious especially during mating season. I would be very careful during that time.

My fiance has had similar instances with frenzied birds and is quite anxious of any birds that are not already de-feathered and well cooked.

I now find it good sport to give her a good goose scare every now and then.

The solid trekking pole hit to the body will stun a grouse long enough for a good neck wringing. With a turkey I'd go for a neck shot with the pole. LT4s are probably not recommended for the later.

Pull the breast off the grouse, brine it in salt/sugar/lemon for a day, then pound flat (1cm), coat in seasoned flour, and fry in peanut oil. Turkey is good the same way.

"It's rare to see a hen with spurs."

That's what happens when corporations are allowed to pour hormone disruptors into the environment.

" I've given up and have stopped worrying about the emotional wellbeing of the perpetually offended."

And I admire you for it. But I had the misfortune to be born a bedwetting liberal who feels compelled to at least pay lip service to cultural sensitivity, which all too often results in my manhood be called into question. It's not as easy as you might think to be a liberal, even here in Seattle, especially the bedwetting kind. :(

This just posted in the city paper's FB page:

https://www.facebook.com/berkeleyside/photos/a.441014592455.227050.264579842455/10153021880327456/?type=1&theater

edit: couldn't figure out how to link to FB, downloaded and re-uploaded. Not my image. Copy and paste link (also not clickable) for provenance.