By: Bears Butt

Fur is fur and when there is a demand to capture up that fur it is time to do it!  Some times the demand does not require the fur to be prime, other times it does.  And so the makings of a true trapper comes out in the end.

On the muzz deer hunt this year we found Bones in a real dilemma.  She had some wild deer mice livin in her lodge and she don’t like deer mice one bit.  She didn’t have any traps even though I offered her the only one I had, she figured it might be too small to hold such a big critter as a deer mouse.  So she lived with the deer mice until her husband, Tracker, came up to camp with a whole pack of mouse traps.

Now his traps were not the mouse trap ordinaire…no sirree…these babys were meant ta kill an kill quick like.

So they set their trap line out on Friday night.  Baited them up real good with whatever they baited them with and turned off all the lights in the lodge.  Both of them expected a full trap line of fur by first light the next day.

What they found were still set traps with not a speck of bait left on any of them.  Those deer mice snuck in and very carefully lifted the bait off the triggers and got away with it all.

So, they reset the entire line with new bait, only this time they really pressed the bait onto and into the triggers…this time for sure they would have a full trap line of fur come the next morning.

Next morning….nuttin!  Well it just so happened the next morning was the day we were to head for home and so they carried the little critters home with them and would deal with them there.  What happened is anyone’s guess as I have not heard either way.

BUT, had we had our senses about us we could have built her a very effective and catch all fur trap like the one in this explanation.

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/easterly110.html

Next year Bones…Next year.  In the mean time good luck with the Beavers!

Bears Butt

Oct. 30, 2012

Written on October 30th, 2012 , Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Stories
By: Bears Butt

For most of us outdoors types, we can look up at the sky and from the clouds we see decide if it’s going to rain or snow.  We may not be right all the time but we can pretty much decide if we need a warm dry coat or an umbrella or not.

However, when we are out for a considerable time and the weather has been favorable for what our outing has been so far, and we look up and see those streaking, high whispy clouds going overhead we might not totally understand what we are seeing.

Those type of clouds have always been known as “mares tails” to me.  Mother taught me about them and she said that in a couple of days we will see a change in the weather from usually fair weather to some sort of storm.  Rain in summer, snow in winter…and so far I must say she has been pretty much spot on.

Whenever I see mares tails streaking across the sky I say, a storm is going to happen within 24 hours.

I came across an old sailor saying about mares tails today:  “Mackerel Scales and Mares Tails, cause a sailor to lower his sails”.

Mackerel Scales was a new one to me and so of course I looked it up.  Clouds that are not totally collected together, but there are a whole lot of them bunched up individually like popcorn in a bowl overhead, if you will.  They said they resembled the scales on a mackerel fish.  I suppose if you had been out to sea long enough you could imagine that.  But being a “land lubber” all my life I am not sure I have ever seen such clouds over my head.

(The saying means that when a sailor see clouds like those, he best be lowering his main sail or his ship will tip over in the high winds that are about to hit his area).

On the other hand I’ve seen lots and lots of Mares Tails and both of these cloud types indicate a storm is very likely within 36 hours.  High winds force the clouds along and these clouds are way the dickens up in the air, like higher than a jet usually goes and the air is extremely cold there.  So what you are actually seeing is frozen water vapors being carried along.

So, when you are out and about during the winter and look up and see clouds like these you might just want to stock up on some firewood for the cabin, find your warmest coats and insulated boots and have them handy to grab.  Put some extra feed out for the animals and get your snow shovel ready.  You only have about 36 hours at the most…And mother said 24 hours.

Bears Butt

Oct. 30, 2012

Written on October 30th, 2012 , Uncategorized
By: Bears Butt

I’m always looking for some way for people to survive out in the woods be it with safe fires, hunting or what have you.  Today I stumbled upon a “sling shot arrow” video from “Wildernessoutfitters”.  These guys are on top of all the things I am interested in but much more than I am.

If you have never thought about shooting small game with a sling shot it is time you did.  It might be the difference between you living or dieing out in the woods.

On an elk hunt many moons ago our very own Hunter, made an incredible shot on a grouse with a sling shot and ended up with a fine meal.

Look at this video.

Enjoy!

Bears Butt

Oct. 29, 2012

So I get a call yesterday from our friend Dry Dog, who proudly says this bow sling thing really works.  He told me all about his fight to find a Whisper Bisket and how expensive it was when he finally found one.  Had he taken more time to look he would have found one cheaper, but he was in a hurry to make one of these fine tools and try it out.

Here are the pictures he sent me.

Dry Dogs Bow Sling. Notice the Whisker Bisket mounted.

And here is himself with his newly made tool.

Pretty nice there Mr. Dog!  Do you actually think you could hit something with that?

Ready! Aim! Fire!

Dog says it shoots pretty dang good out to about 20 yards, but it would take a lot of practice to hit something that far out.  But for close shots it’s deadly.

Great job Dry Dog!  I can’t wait to see how it handles!  Tip it with an Epek broadhead and you would have one mean killing machine!

Thanks for the pictures and the report!

Bears Butt

Oct. 30, 2012

 

 

Written on October 29th, 2012 , Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Stories
By: Bears Butt

86’d.  He is 86’d.  We are out of it, pick another menu item.  Take him 80 miles out of town and put him 6 feet under.  I’m sorry Captain, the depth is not 86 feet.  OH NO!  He jumped from the 86th floor!  Attention everyone, there is a raid about to come through the door on 86th Avenue, please vacate the premise.  No more booze for you fella, you are 86’d.  I don’t care if you did only drink 86 proof, you are just as much a problem to us now as that guy down the bar who has only drank 100 proof tonight…You are outa here!

Sherry and I were discussing the origin of the term 86 this morning and so I went on a search to find the origin.

All of the internet is saying the same things.  First off it started in America sometime in the 1930’s or 1940’s.  And all of them are speculative as to how the term started.

The prohibition days is most likely the beginning of it as the mobsters were ubiquitous (seeming everywhere at the same time).  Blasting anyone who appeared to be against whatever their cause was at the time.  And most of them were engaged in illegal activities in every category you can think of.  So, it seems like they are the most likely to have started it with the “take him 80 miles out of town and plant him 6 feet under”.

Well, on another note, the Empire State Building has an elevator that only goes to the 86th floor and everyone must get off at that point, unless of course they are going down.  It is also the floor where most suicide people would jump from.  So to 86 yourself meant you were going to fall a pretty good distance before becoming jello on the street below.

There is one story about a famous restaurant in New York City that served up a pretty good steak and everyone that went in there seemed to order it.  Of course it was the 86th item on the menu.  But they could only get so many of that type and tender of a steak and so they often ran out.  When they did the waitress’ were told to tell the customer that it was 86’d and they would have to order something else off the menu.

During the wars, the Navy would often bury their dead soldiers at sea, but someone had the brilliant idea that the depth of the water had to be at least 86 feet (there is a fathom number, but I can’t remember it) deep in order for the body to sink to the bottom and not come back up or be washed ashore.  Bin Laden is at or deeper than that as I write this…Thank you U.S. Navy for that!

Well, you pretty much have the story behind that.  I’m certain there are other ideas and heck, make up some yourself.  How about it started in the old Western days…I’ll say it took a quick draw guy one 86th of a second to remove his pistol from the holster and fire at his opponent and if you could not do that or faster, you would be 86’d.

I’ll kindly 86 myself out of here!

Bears Butt

Oct. 27, 2012

Written on October 27th, 2012 , Uncategorized
By: Bears Butt

Well, well, well, I think I have finally found a product that is truly outstanding.  I have sat on the back patio swatting at flies with my battery operated fly killing paddle and have commented on how fun it would be to have a “Raid spray gun”.  But when you think about the negative aspects of a spray type weapon in the wrong hands, it just would not be worth it.

I stumbled upon this devise this morning as I surfed the internet and boy howdy would I like to own one right now.

Our house is teaming with flies that have somehow gotten into the house and our poor little puppy MaPa’s is going crazy trying his best to make “fly poppers” out of them for his own little tasty treat.  I hate to get the fly swatter out and take away his fun, but at the same time I hate to see them crawling on the seasoned steak sitting on the counter, or the un-washed dishes in the sink.  So, out comes the cumbersome smacker and splat goes another would be popper for MaPa’s.

So, check this video out on this amazing new creation.  I’m sure Obama will put regulations on it’s purchase and use.  And I’m sure folks in California who purchase them will have to go through background checks and register them.  However, I think there might be a black market nich that could satisfy the needs of folks in all parts of the country at a minimal charge and the government would not need to know.

After you see the video, one can only imagine that there could be regulations on the use of this fine devise, limits imposed and shooting hours restricted.  This is absolutely one of the finest inventions of the times.

I really want one and Christmas is coming soon.

Be the first on your block to own one.  As for me, I just invested a small portion of my income to Morton stock.

Bears Butt

Oct. 26, 2012

Written on October 26th, 2012 , Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Stories
By: Bears Butt

There is a “Duck Street” in Randolph, Utah!

Written on October 25th, 2012 , Uncategorized
By: Bears Butt

Yesterday the news reported 17 inches of new snow fell on the town of Randolph.  That means more than 17 inches fell in the local mountains where the Dream Hunt will begin on November 17th.  17 vs 17, what does that mean? Nothing really.

But will that depth of snow melt or settle enough for the hunters to gain access to all the area that is available to hunt?  That is a tough question.

So, I propose we hire a local rancher, who has nothing to do with his time after he feeds the cattle and the horses, to take his tractor and blade up into the hills and plow out all the roads and trails.  We could pay him in beer when we get up there and set up camp.  We can also offer him a steak on steak night.

I think it’s a great idea.

Another thought is to line up a bunch of snow machines, the type they use to groom trails at ski resorts and for packing down the snow for snowmobile trails.  ANDY!  We need you bad!  Those bad boys have heaters and everything to keep you warm and dry.  I can just see the Willow Creek Free Trappers now all huddled up in those machines cruising the back roads of the Crawfords!  With those you wouldn’t even have to hike to the dead animal, just drive to it.

A third thought is to purchase ourselves some snow shoes and learn to use them.  A whole lot better idea than bucking waste deep snow like we did two years ago.

How about a fourth idea of praying for warm weather to melt what has been laid down?

It’s one thing for the Wind River Range to get a bunch of snow to help push the big boys down to the hunting range, it’s another thing to have all that snow bury the hunting range itself.

Pray for warm!

Bears Butt

Oct. 25, 2012

 

Written on October 25th, 2012 , DREAM HUNTS
By: Bears Butt

Brother Bob and I took a little drive to see about the local duck population and we found a pretty good site.  I have not been hunting ducks yet this year but it is getting nigh on to time to get the boots muddy and give it a try.

They are filling the dikes at the Bear River Bird Refuge pretty fast right now and I assume they are pouring the entire flow from the river into each of the units one at a time.  I don’t know because we didn’t drive out that far.

What we did see however was some good news.  Lots of ducks!  Not a lot of water but lots of ducks.  How long they will stick around remains to be seen, but I think with another good storm we might just see some great hunting.

With an all day venture into the swamp I think a person could fill up a limit, but it would take all day, unless of course you had a boat like an airboat that could skim across the really shallow waters we have right now.  Other than that is will require a lot of walking.

Having not gone hunting since the last day of the muzz deer hunt I’m getting the bug to go hunt something even if it’s wrong.  Coyote, ducks, geese, rabbits…just about anything that has a season going right now.

Bears Butt

Oct. 24, 2012

And it looks like boat hunting is out for this season and it’s probably a good thing too.  Check out this video

They are getting smarter!

Written on October 24th, 2012 , Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Stories
By: Bears Butt

I hit Wyatt’s BS today for a semi annual haircut and while there an elderly gentleman mentioned his Aunt liking Head Cheese.  I asked him what was in head cheese and he admitted he did not know, nor did he care for head cheese.  So that conversation ended, but I said, it looks like Bears Butt will have to do some research and post it up.

My intense research brought up a whole bunch of different aspects of Head Cheese, but all of them pointed at a pigs head or a calf head as the main ingredient.

I continued my research and even found a you tube video of someone actually making it.  But, since I have not had lunch yet, I quit watching it after just a couple of minutes.  At the point where one of the ladies said she had to shave the pigs head before she began cooking it…that was it for me.

When the job is all done it actually looks like something I would like to eat or at least try some day, but someone else will have to make it.  I will use the excuse that I don’t have a pot big enough to put a whole pigs head in it.  Nuff said.

On another site I actually found a recipe for head cheese and it’s pretty much simple stuff that goes into it, but when I really think about what is being cooked out of and off of the pigs head it just doesn’t seem like something a person should really do and eat afterwords.  I mean, think about it, the head is stuck in the pot of water and boiled.  The eye balls are removed before sticking the head in, and I’m sure there is some really bizarre thing done with them.  But the head is boiled for several hours and then the meat is picked off and that is what goes into the head cheese.  The gelatinous stuff comes from off the head and out of the brains, sort of a clear jelly like stuff when it cools.  Picture if you will a freshly opened can of Vienna Sausages or Pickled Pigs feet (I like those baby’s), that is the gelatin I’m talking about.

Why head cheese?  Well, not everyone has the cash to go lay down for a good steak or even a burger and yet we all get hungry and when we get hungry enough we start to think of ways we can render a meal out of most anything we have available.  I picture some really poor people once seeing a butcher throwing a perfectly good pig head out into the trash and so they took that head and boiled it to make sure it wasn’t going to kill them and thus started the head cheese tradition.  Better than nothing huh?

Here is a recipe I found on one of the sites:

Hogs Head Cheese
PREP TIME: 3 Hours
YIELDS: 4 (1 pound) trays
COMMENT:
Many cooks today feel that hogs head cheese is a country rendition of the more classical daube glace. Though similar in nature, I feel head cheese is the by-product of sausage making such as boudin, and has been around for hundreds of years

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 hog head, split and cleaned
  • 4 pig feet, scraped and cleaned
  • 4 pounds pork butt
  • 3 cups onions, finely diced
  • 3 cups celery, finely diced
  • 2 cups bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup garlic, finely diced
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dry thyme
  • 1/4 cup peppercorns, whole
  • 1/2 cup green onions, finely sliced
  • 1/2 cup parsley, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup carrots, finely diced
  • salt and cracked black pepper to taste
  • 3 envelopes unflavored gelatin, dissolved

METHOD:
In a 4-gallon stock pot, place all of the above ingredients up to and including the whole peppercorns. Add enough water to cover the contents by 3 inches and bring to a rolling boil. Using a ladle, skim all foam and other impurities that rise to the surface during the first half hour of boiling. Continue to cook until meat is tender and pulling away from the bones, approximately 2 1/2 hours. Remove all meat from the stock pot and lay out on a flat baking pan to cool. Reserve 10 cups of the cooking stock and return to a low boil. Add all remaining ingredients, except gelatin and salt and pepper, boil for 3 minutes and remove from heat. Season to taste using salt and cracked black pepper. Add dissolved gelatin and set aside. Once meat has cooled, remove all bones and finely chop in a food processor. Place equal amounts of the meat in four trays and ladle in hot seasoned stock. The mixture should be meaty with just enough stock to gel and hold the meat together. Cover with clear wrap and place in refrigerator to set overnight. Head cheese is best eaten as an appetizer with croutons or crackers.

 

From this you can see they not only used the pigs head, but also its feet and some of the better cuts from the butt to make this a bit more appealing.  But for a traditionalist, I think just the head should be used.  You decide.  I think I’ll go have a bologna sandwich, at least I don’t know what all is in that cut of meat.

Bears Butt

Oct. 23, 2012

Written on October 23rd, 2012 , Recipes
By: Bears Butt

Looking to purchase some bulk raw peanuts in the shell to feed the jay birds this winter.  Since this year has been such a successful year to grow peanuts all over the U.S. I figured I could go on line and find some for less cost than buying from the local bird food place.  Well I can’t.

So, we will be heading down to Layton to buy some soon.

But in my surfing, I came across boiled peanuts and a recipe for them.  5 pounds of so of raw shelled peanuts, 3 quarts of water, and 3 cups of salt.  Boil it up and keep boiling for 3 hours.  Once boiled you eat the peanuts by shelling the soft shells and eating the nuts inside.  These are commonly referred to as “Goober Peas”!  Did you know that?  All the Southern folks do as that is where the whole thing started.

It is rumored that during the Civil War (is there such a thing as a “Civil” war?) the Southern troops had a tough time getting food and so they resorted to boiling up peanuts.  A batch of boiled peanuts would last up to 7 days in the ruck sack and provided quite a bit of protein for the troops.  At least they had something to eat.

At any rate, they were pretty good and so they kept eating them after the war and still to this day you can find road side stands that sell the boiled peanuts.  I’ve eaten some and they are quite tasty.

So, while you enjoy yourself some Goober Peas you might just enjoy this song written about them.

Bears Butt

Oct. 23, 2012

Written on October 23rd, 2012 , Uncategorized

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BearsButt.com | Stories, Ramblings & Random Stuff From an Old Mountain Man

Just some of my old stories, new stories, and in general what is going on in my life.