tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post1427321383235037718..comments2024-03-10T01:57:38.017-08:00Comments on NorCal Cazadora: The newbie, the scavenger and by far the most bizarre duck hunt yetHolly Heyserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-55865194333334556722010-08-06T00:37:25.375-07:002010-08-06T00:37:25.375-07:00Ha ha ha ha haaaaaaaaa...
I am so sorry for what ...Ha ha ha ha haaaaaaaaa...<br /><br />I am so sorry for what we are about to have done to your bank account, your ability to sleep late on winter mornings and your perfectly normal tendency not to watch thy sky all the time.<br /><br />But really, I'm not. I'm tickled pink that you're about to understand why we're insane enough to endure the costs, the early mornings and the Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-69095814302635625162010-08-05T10:07:22.305-07:002010-08-05T10:07:22.305-07:00Hi Holly,
I have been pouring over your posts (as...Hi Holly,<br /><br />I have been pouring over your posts (as well as Helen's) and I am getting more and more excited (read: terrified) for my first duck hunt. I'm sure it's quite different to clomp around your apartment in waders and gear than it is in the field.<br /><br />Joined our local rod and gun club in San Francisco, so I can get in as much shooting practice as possible beforeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-56031739448963923762010-01-26T07:40:30.054-08:002010-01-26T07:40:30.054-08:00Woot! Changing Berkeley one hunter at a time...
I...Woot! Changing Berkeley one hunter at a time...<br /><br />I'd love to see a photo of that buck, if you'd care to <a href="mailto:hheyser@norcalcazadora.com" rel="nofollow">email</a> it. We hated canceling our trip to Catalina in December (even though we were just going for does). Hopefully next season!Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-12289456351943843742010-01-26T00:41:21.684-08:002010-01-26T00:41:21.684-08:00Haven't even finished the story but thought I&...Haven't even finished the story but thought I'd let y'all know that there are at least two hunters in Berkeley. This winter I went hunting for the first time on Catalina Island. Luck would have it that I shot the buck with the widest rack of any buck taken on the island all year! Yeah!<br /><br />Next year, you and boyfriend should make sure to get down there. The island is wecologyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03421390710042635071noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-84012763898819363142010-01-24T15:21:21.296-08:002010-01-24T15:21:21.296-08:00Well, if anyone wants to see what magic Hank worke...Well, if anyone wants to see what magic Hank worked with the spooonies and bufflehead from this hunt, click <a href="http://www.honest-food.net/blog1/2010/01/23/trash-ducks-and-the-perfect-meatball/comment-page-1/#comment-12434" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Hint: Meatballs. I'm eating some now. They're out of this world.Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-15265280931920045842010-01-18T17:47:26.264-08:002010-01-18T17:47:26.264-08:00Hutch -
Thanks for (re-)introducing yourself. Goo...Hutch -<br /><br />Thanks for (re-)introducing yourself. Good to make your virtual acquaintance.<br /><br />As a past anti-hunter and vegetarian, I wholeheartedly agree with you about the value of diverse perspectives. Heck, I'm still vehemently anti-certain-kinds-of-hunter.<br /><br />I look forward to future conversations, here and elsewhere.Tovar Cerullihttp://www.tovarcerulli.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-25430793105309248552010-01-18T10:31:20.166-08:002010-01-18T10:31:20.166-08:00Thanks, everyone, for your responses. Phillip what...Thanks, everyone, for your responses. Phillip what you say is so thoughtful and candid I won't disparage your honesty by refuting anything.<br /><br />For Tovar and Alison, yeah, Holly's right. I've been a non-hunting flea on this message dog. I've taken a hiatus here and there, promising to leave them alone. But when it comes to Holly (as someone once said), I just can't quitHutchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-25060951878167949082010-01-16T08:34:27.243-08:002010-01-16T08:34:27.243-08:00Alison: Great to meet (virtually, anyway) yet anot...Alison: Great to meet (virtually, anyway) yet another ex-vegetarian hunter!<br /><br />Holly: Pretty much all my hunting so far has been for small game and deer. At the beginning I made mistakes and had a couple clean misses, which scared the hell out of me, as they could so easily have wounded the animal. Since then, thankfully, my shots have been quick and clean.<br /><br />So I haven't hadTovar Cerullihttp://www.tovarcerulli.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-86410857872446970012010-01-15T10:30:12.813-08:002010-01-15T10:30:12.813-08:00Thanks, Alison! I can't tell you how happy it ...Thanks, Alison! I can't tell you how happy it makes me that I could be of help to you on this path.<br /><br />You are well on your way to being an excellent hunter - you have talent with that gun (far more than I do, and I think you'll see that very clearly in a couple years), and you have an ethic that I wish every hunter had, from your desire for a clean kill (or a quick dispatch if Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-61979363225802347912010-01-15T10:18:54.197-08:002010-01-15T10:18:54.197-08:00Cork: I'd be pissed too. I was at Yolo once la...Cork: I'd be pissed too. I was at Yolo once last year and my friend's dog kept picking up dead coots. Coot after coot after coot. We found a pile of shells by one of the dirt roads. Clearly, someone was just shooting them for the hell of it on the previous shoot day. I told the wardens on the way out, but it was too late.<br /><br />Tovar: Hutch is a regular here and we have lots of good Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-64680100139911452852010-01-15T10:15:52.666-08:002010-01-15T10:15:52.666-08:00Hey Holly, I love this post (obviously)! While Ms...Hey Holly, I love this post (obviously)! While Ms. Dushku's hunting confession planted the seed in my mind that hunting might be something I could try some day, your blog gave me the information and confidence needed to actually make it happen, and thanks so much for it! There's no way I'd be out this season if it weren't for you having mentioned the women's pheasant hunt, Alisonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-71941316720359365292010-01-15T08:46:59.386-08:002010-01-15T08:46:59.386-08:00Very cool story. Why do you need a dog again? I ...Very cool story. Why do you need a dog again? I think birds find you.<br /><br />Thanks for the feathers, I'm especially impressed with the spoonie's.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05409883521642115031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-45901108176879986732010-01-15T03:38:43.949-08:002010-01-15T03:38:43.949-08:00Hutch and Holly -
I really appreciate your honest...Hutch and Holly -<br /><br />I really appreciate your honest exchange on this topic. This was certainly one of the tough issues I faced in becoming a hunter, especially coming to hunting with a vegetarian's longstanding concern over animal welfare and a horror at the idea of unnecessary suffering.<br /><br />Like you, Holly, I devote a lot of attention to minimizing the harm. So far, I and Tovar Cerullihttp://www.tovarcerulli.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-88650267966494451902010-01-15T00:47:58.549-08:002010-01-15T00:47:58.549-08:00Yes, Holly -- Infuriating!
It was actually my las...Yes, Holly -- Infuriating!<br /><br />It was actually my last opening weekend of waterfowl hunting, experienced about 10 years ago. We were hunting Sacramento.<br /><br />The natural blind my friend and I were hiding in one afternoon were littered with their little carcasses. It was evident previous days hunters just shot and once they got into bigger or larger ducks they tried hiding the more Cork Grahamhttp://corksoutdoors.com/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-74111064438342712252010-01-14T22:42:05.294-08:002010-01-14T22:42:05.294-08:00Just a note to Anonymous...
I have eaten merganse...Just a note to Anonymous...<br /><br />I have eaten merganser, and no, I don't recommend it to anyone. Very much like seagull, although if I had to choose between the two, I'd pick seagull every time. <br /><br />Hank, if you can make mergansers palatable to my taste, you'd truly be a miracle worker... at least in my opinion. <br /><br />By the way, if you're interested in somePhilliphttp://www.hog-blog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-69524127867262578552010-01-14T21:42:44.477-08:002010-01-14T21:42:44.477-08:00Hutch -
I'm a bit addled by a headache at th...Hutch - <br /><br />I'm a bit addled by a headache at the moment, but I'm going to do my best to give you some coherent responses here.<br /><br />Re: "I think too many people have the impression that hunting is always about fast, clean kills. I think it's important for prospective hunters to understand this." <br /><br />Interesting you say that, because the first time I Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-5674923742416921232010-01-14T18:29:29.396-08:002010-01-14T18:29:29.396-08:00Great story - I suspect it would have made a great...Great story - I suspect it would have made a great video also.garyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15146805637459962923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-26531761829611068742010-01-14T13:11:19.198-08:002010-01-14T13:11:19.198-08:00Holly,
I'm not asking this cynically. I'm...Holly,<br /><br />I'm not asking this cynically. I'm genuinely asking. And this is a question I realize can only come from a non-hunter, so I'll preface.<br /><br />First, I'm glad you're writing about this. I think too many people have the impression that hunting is always about fast, clean kills. I think it's important for prospective hunters to understand this. And why Hutchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-1821658087984363092010-01-14T12:14:17.637-08:002010-01-14T12:14:17.637-08:00My friend Scolopax from Scotland is beginning to t...My <a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/10181802929057748753" rel="nofollow">friend Scolopax</a> from Scotland is beginning to think I might be part Labrador Retriever. And he may be right. If you ever saw me when someone has just invited me to hunt, I'm sure you could detect my tail wagging...Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-39270987357824818192010-01-14T11:55:26.371-08:002010-01-14T11:55:26.371-08:00Looks like you two had a great day. And I'm s...Looks like you two had a great day. And I'm sure the guys that were hunting loved seeing two ladies coming out of the blind with that many ducks in tow. <br /><br />I seriously need to at least try duck hunting once. The only bird hunting I've ever done was for pheasant, and duck hunting sounds a lot more challenging.<br /><br />And way to be the bird dog, Holly. Too cool.SimplyOutdoorshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14074585345161430068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-8670801257158974132010-01-14T11:54:00.623-08:002010-01-14T11:54:00.623-08:00Hank,
Have you ever tried merganser? I've nev...Hank, <br />Have you ever tried merganser? I've never heard of anyone eating them. I haven't shot bufflehead or ruddies since I was a kid.<br /><br />I confess to breasting out the redheads and the cannies. That was a couple of years ago before I knew better. I haven't gotten any since due to last year's cannie closure and since I haven't done any diver shoots this year.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-38694379132258894912010-01-14T11:11:11.502-08:002010-01-14T11:11:11.502-08:00Ryan and Phillip,
First of all I was hoping for b...Ryan and Phillip,<br /><br />First of all I was hoping for bluebills, ringnecks, redheads and cans. Not spoonies, which will be fine, but will prolly be skinned and end up in a duck salami.<br /><br />Buffleheads are fine, if a little fishy. Between them and ruddies, I prefer ruddies.<br /><br />Ryan. Please tell me you did not breast out canvasbacks and redheads?! They are among the best-tastingHunter Angler Gardener Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996285578001308125noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-33440976321420853112010-01-14T11:00:31.767-08:002010-01-14T11:00:31.767-08:00I've found scaup to be pretty strong tasting, ...I've found scaup to be pretty strong tasting, though not bad. But we're probably using very different standards. We pluck everything whole, skin-on. To us, a good duck is one that you'd be happy to salt, brown in duck fat, roast and serve whole. Anything that requires adornment goes in a different category, and that's where I'd put scaup (though Hank says the scaup he killed Holly Heyserhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03134909592916671876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-47367538575188561162010-01-14T10:21:47.080-08:002010-01-14T10:21:47.080-08:00Hank may be disappointed in the "challenge&qu...Hank may be disappointed in the "challenge" of cooking a bluebill.<br /><br />Scaups and ringnecks, in my experience, aren't any gamier than other ducks, though the meat is much darker. <br /><br />I like smaking them around with a meat mallet, cubing them up, blanching them in a mix of panko, salt and spices and flash frying them in olive oil. Make great appetizers, especially Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5478505267875308908.post-28943223442565192892010-01-14T10:10:15.803-08:002010-01-14T10:10:15.803-08:00Nabs here, great write up, I met Alison on your re...Nabs here, great write up, I met Alison on your recommendation and our hunt at gray lodge was anything but a banner hunt. When I asked Alison whether she wanted to go to a quiet spot where we might shoot 1 or 2 birds or the zoo where we would get more shooting but under crowded conditions, she was gung ho and wanted to shoot the zoo. Alison has a great attitude and hopefully we can pull at least Nabs AKA Miltonhttp://www.duckhuntingchat.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=31726noreply@blogger.com