Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Woodcock 2010 opener


Finger Lakes and Forest, in all due glory.

More woodcock flushes than can be remembered.

In times like these, you learn to live again.

A brace of woodcock, old guns, true friends.

4 comments:

Yeoman said...

What do woodcocks taste like? There's nothing quite like that around here.

Path Walker said...

Yo! they taste quite a bit like upland sandpiper or black-bellied plover. Key is to serve the breasts on the rare side (dredge in seasoned flour, sear in a hot skillet); legs are delectable braised -- Dr. Dirt has the recipe.

Yeoman said...

I'm afraid that I don't know what sandpiper or plover taste like either. Here the non waterfowl game are sage grouse, blue grouse, ruffed grouse, chukar, huns and doves.

Pheasants too, but mostly on game farms.

Path Walker said...

Well, I was kidding (a little...) about the sandpiper and plover, as they of course no longer are on the game list -- apparently during the market hunting days they were highly sought after. But nevertheless, some of us think woodcock are outstanding. Next closest legal bird is probably snipe. If you ever bag some, I'd be happy to send Pete's woodcock recipe.
Good hunting!