Just returned from SD….

B

benelli-banger

Well-known member
Arrived 11/7, 2 buddies arrived a day later, they left after 3 days hunting. Traveled to Fargo to bring pheasant to a farm widow who lets me hunt sharptails and huns on her ground. I returned to my SD camp and met 2 new pals that arrived, we hunted for 2 days, they had no dogs. Generally we limited each day. The weather was warm, and conditions were very dry. I adjusted the type of cover I hunted with the 2 guys who had no dogs…focused on modest or tiny chunks in picked corn…worked very well. Overall, for the totality of the hunting that was done, I pushed #5 lead, and open chokes…IC, or IC/M in doubles. One guy shot CYL….always has. about 8-9% knocked down were lost, or thereabouts…very dry conditions, as well as warm…dogs did well considering. Better #’s than what I observed opening weekend, thx to corn being harvested. Can’t wait for some moisture and cooler temps. Still shot some young birds…7-10%? One guy in first group struggled with his shooting, one guy in 2nd group REALLY struggled. One guy in 2nd group had trouble walking, I accommodated best I could. I hunted some or all of 8 days…some days it was just an hour…lowest bird count for me was 2. Can’t wait to get back! Oh, started the last day with a spectacular miss…redeemed after lunch with 2 doubles…the last of which involved a long 2nd shot…that pattern opened up good! 😆 Smoked 30 lbs of pork shoulder, netted about 16-18 lbs…gifted to about 6-7 farmer friends. We ate well, as always! Thank god for the 15-18k step days! 😆
 
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benelli-banger said:
Arrived 11/7, 2 buddies arrived a day later, they left after 3 days hunting. Traveled to Fargo to bring pheasant to a farm widow who lets me hunt sharptails and huns on her ground. I returned to my SD camp and met 2 new pals that arrived, we hunted for 2 days, they had no dogs. Generally we limited each day. The weather was warm, and conditions were very dry. I adjusted the type of cover I hunted with the 2 guys who had no dogs…focused on modest or tiny chunks in picked corn…worked very well. Overall, for the totality of the hunting that was done, I pushed #5 lead, and open chokes…IC, or IC/M in doubles. One guy shot CYL….always has. about 8-9% knocked down were lost, or thereabouts…very dry conditions, as well as warm…dogs did well considering. Better #’s than what I observed opening weekend, thx to corn being harvested. Can’t wait for some moisture and cooler temps. Still shot some young birds…7-10%? One guy in first group struggled with his shooting, one guy in 2nd group REALLY struggled. One guy in 2nd group had trouble walking, I accommodated best I could. I hunted some or all of 8 days…some days it was just an hour…lowest bird count for me was 2. Can’t wait to get back! Oh, started the last day with a spectacular miss…redeemed after lunch with 2 doubles…the last of which involved a long 2nd shot…that pattern opened up good! 😆 Smoked 30 lbs of pork shoulder, netted about 16-18 lbs…gifted to about 6-7 farmer friends. We ate well, as always! Thank god for the 15-18k step days! 😆
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Eating well is a recurrent theme in your posts BB....I like it !!
A high school friend that went deer hunting with my dad and I some 50 years ago, told me....your dad sure cooks a mean bean...never went hungry or wanting for good eats when dad was along...
Unfortunately, I never got the cooking bug/gene.....just the eating one....lol..
 
Haretrigger said:
Eating well is a recurrent theme in your posts BB....I like it !!
A high school friend that went deer hunting with my dad and I some 50 years ago, told me....your dad sure cooks a mean bean...never went hungry or wanting for good eats when dad was along...
Unfortunately, I never got the cooking bug/gene.....just the eating one....lol..
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We low/slow baked country style ribs one night…finished them on charcoal grill with bbcue sauce that caramelized nicely. Thick cut ribeyes another. Had some homemade chili purée with pork chunks that were wrapped in tortillas that were then fried in lard…turned 3 times in the pan…golden brown, and freakin amazing! Local farm kids brought fresh eggs that we soft boiled…maybe as good as anything we ate! Farm widow in Fargo sent me home with large container of pumpkin bars, frosted with cream cheese icing…I’d be her slave any day! 😆. Homemade lasagna another night with cheddar garlic jalapeño bread from great harvest bakery…paired with Canvasback Cabernet….great wine, great lasagna! I made chuck roast rubbed with cumin, and covered in salsa, then slow cooked in Dutch oven at 275 for 6 hours…serve on tortilla with all the fixings that Chipotle offers…rice, lettuce, pico, guacamole, salsa, grated cheese, sour cream, etc…simple but good! I’m not really in it for the hunting….🤪😝😜
 
These are friends of 20-32 years….it’s my calling card! Been feeding them for years…they’re busy in the fall, they appreciate it. My smoked pork shoulder was delivered to a farmers hired man, a farmers son-in-law, a farmers son, 4 farmers, my vet (and her FIL, the county sheriff)…think that’s it. Smoked 2 rounds on the Weber….about 18 hours each round. Usually put it on around dark, feed it briquettes and wet hickory every few hours. 32 lbs = at least 16 lbs finished pulled pork…I spritz with water + apple juice combo and dust with more dry rub. That’s about 80-100 sandwiches…go smaller with buns, less pork gets wasted. Make them build another! Vinegar based sauce like Stubbs is great, cole slaw on top is the bomb! I feed people…regardless of where I am…used to bring food to the office regularly…my auto mechanic and his guys…my gunsmith…many clients…tradesmen who work on my house…it’s the rule, not the exception. People in my life know how I feel about them..
 
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benelli-banger said:
These are friends of 20-32 years….it’s my calling card! Been feeding them for years…they’re busy in the fall, they appreciate it. My smoked pork shoulder was delivered to a farmers hired man, a farmers son-in-law, a farmers son, 4 farmers, my vet (and her FIL, the county sheriff)…think that’s it. Smoked 2 rounds on the Weber….about 18 hours each round. Usually put it on around dark, feed it briquettes and wet hickory every few hours. 32 lbs = at least 16 lbs finished pulled pork…I spritz with water + apple juice combo and dust with more dry rub. That’s about 80-100 sandwiches…go smaller with buns, less pork gets wasted. Make them build another! Vinegar based sauce like Stubbs is great, cole slaw on top is the bomb! I feed people…regardless of where I am…used to bring food to the office regularly…my auto mechanic and his guys…my gunsmith…many clients…tradesmen who work on my house…it’s the rule, not the exception. People in my life know how I feel about them..
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That's awesome BB, I bring out Michigan Maple syrup to as well as baked goods from my wife to the farmer and hands whose land i hunt on. Gotta make it personal some how.
 
benelli-banger said:
These are friends of 20-32 years….it’s my calling card! Been feeding them for years…they’re busy in the fall, they appreciate it. My smoked pork shoulder was delivered to a farmers hired man, a farmers son-in-law, a farmers son, 4 farmers, my vet (and her FIL, the county sheriff)…think that’s it. Smoked 2 rounds on the Weber….about 18 hours each round. Usually put it on around dark, feed it briquettes and wet hickory every few hours. 32 lbs = at least 16 lbs finished pulled pork…I spritz with water + apple juice combo and dust with more dry rub. That’s about 80-100 sandwiches…go smaller with buns, less pork gets wasted. Make them build another! Vinegar based sauce like Stubbs is great, cole slaw on top is the bomb! I feed people…regardless of where I am…used to bring food to the office regularly…my auto mechanic and his guys…my gunsmith…many clients…tradesmen who work on my house…it’s the rule, not the exception. People in my life know how I feel about them..
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Do you smoke the meat in S. Dakota or do you bring it with you from home? I found that beer isn’t a great gift unless you know them really well since you don’t know if someone drinks or not. Once I gave a nice bottle of Crown Royal, but the farmer was in AA and while he was “thankful”, it didn’t really work as a token of appreciation
 
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I smoked it out there on a 22” Weber grill….sometimes I do it at home and bring it. I did 2 sessions…put 2 pork shoulders on per session…usually around 6 pm…add briquettes/wet hickory chips every 45 minutes or so…at nite, I woke up a few times and tended to the smoker…then, in the morning, wrapped each piece in foil and revved up the fire with more briquettes…at that point it’s about heat so the fat renders. When I pull the meat I spritz with an apple juice/water mix and dust with the dry rub. Deliver in ziplock freezer bags, looks like a pork tenderloin when it’s rolled up to remove any air.
 
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