Foraging forumagers

We ate a swan once when I was little. We were out on a family walk when a bunch of swans flew over and one hit a powerline. I remember it falling virtually at our feet, and nobody else was around. Dad loaded it into my Sister's pram and we had the biggest Sunday Roast ever.

My advice with pigeon is to cut the labour and just remove the breast. Pluck it into a bag from crop to between it's legs, and, using your sharpest knife, slice off each breast from sternum to wing. You get a little fillet to fry. Good with all sorts. I've never liked plucking, even pheasantly.

Would also recommend a scope for the air gun, it makes the pellet go faster. Good luck!

I've shot rats at a good distance, mice too. I always use a good scope.

Bad Science - that story is brilliant, on many levels.
First, seeing swan electrocuted. Horrible but incredible!
Second, the idea of grappling it's smoldering carcass into a pram is ace.
Third, you roast it and eat it. Only the fucking queen mother has eaten swan. And you.

How was it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZH5GFe8Gmk

I was looking out the window this christmas this last year wishing i had an air rifle, wood pigeon, pheasant and rabbit...

...what calibre of air rifle would a deer need?

it's illegal to shoot deer with an air rifle, you need a calibre of at least .240 and 1700ft/lbs energy at the muzzle, bullet must weigh more than 50grains.

a.k.a freeganism, very popular daaahn London

As has been already stated in this thread, only if you can get anywhere near their bloody dumpsters! The level of security surrounding even the smallest local supermarkets these days is ridiculous.

Would also recommend a scope for the air gun, it makes the pellet go faster.

Ha, you wish.

Makes the target 'closer' too.

Thats a stock dove. Google image fail.

I was looking out the window this christmas this last year wishing i had an air rifle, wood pigeon, pheasant and rabbit...

...what calibre of air rifle would a deer need?

Yeah, air rifles are no good for deer!

Stick to bunnies, hares, pigeon. Careful where you shoot pheasant, though. It can be considered poaching in the most surprising of places!

On a different note, one of the best ways of finding forage food is by bike. No need to change gears, less need to brake, you can keep a good eye on the trees around you. It's taken me a couple of seasons to really find out where the good trees are - there's an amazing amount of good trees in ordinary parks and verges! A top tip of mine is to keep your eye on the road.
If you see squashed fruits on the tarmac, then look up!
I always carry a musset and a carrier bag. If you find fruit, line the musset with the carrier (to stop the musset getting foul with crushed fruit juice!) and fill it up.

A good starter for next season will be Elderflower wine, or just a lovely elderflower cordial. Once you create this simple product, you'll be hooked.

When it gets closer to the time, I'll print pointers.

Stock doves are eaters.

Nom nom.

that's a wood pigeon not a stock dove

stock dove

wood pigeon.

If you think, 'Look at the size of that fucking pigeon!!!' then it's a wood pigeon.

In Tennessee they passed a law that if you ran it down it was ok to take it home, saved them from sending the clear-up crew. Except now you get Mossy Oak™ clad crazies forgoing the .308 and driving into deer and the like on purpose in their F350s.
I can't remember what they call it but it wasn't foraging.

If you think, 'Look at the size of that white patch on its neck' then it's a wood pigeon.

.

In Tennessee they passed a law that if you ran it down it was ok to take it home, saved them from sending the clear-up crew. Except now you get Mossy Oak™ clad crazies forgoing the .308 and driving into deer and the like on purpose in their F350s.
I can't remember what they call it but it wasn't foraging.

The law is the opposite in the UK.

If you run it down it is illegal to retrieve the kill.

however, if the car in front of you runs it over it is legal for you to retrieve.

The poachers I know, however, are not too fussed by these laws! Apparently, if you kill a pheasant with your car, the chances are that the meat will still be good.
Pheasants heads are bumper height.

Figure it out!

I've shot rats at a good distance, mice too. I always use a good scope.

Bad Science - that story is brilliant, on many levels.
First, seeing swan electrocuted. Horrible but incredible!
Second, the idea of grappling it's smoldering carcass into a pram is ace.
Third, you roast it and eat it. Only the fucking queen mother has eaten swan. And you.

How was it?

I have always fancied Swan, there are more than enough around here!
(btw, it wouldn't have been electrocuted from hitting a power cable, probably broke its neck, but it would have to short circuit the wire to fry!!)
I have a ready supply of Squirrels and Crayfish, the american Signal Crayfish overrun our local river (as do the Swans!) and I trap them easily.

The Squirrels invade my garden where I put out a lot of food for the birds. I pop them off with an air rifle, and once skinned I give them to a friend who cooks them.
I will try Swan one day when no-one is looking!

Living in deepest darkest Clapton, I struggle, but my brother has a place a bit north of Winchester where he has pheasant, pigeon, squirrel and more on a pretty regular basis - turned generally into pie or stew. Add to that the River Itchen which runs about 50 metres from his house and I'd say he's pretty stocked for protein + Mushrooms, berries, nuts, wild leaves.

Fucking pikey.

Although I like the idea of eating Swan, they mate for life and I don't like the idea of splitting up a couple and leaving a widow / widower. Irrational yes considering I eat all other meats.

I've shot rats at a good distance, mice too. I always use a good scope.

Bad Science - that story is brilliant, on many levels.
First, seeing swan electrocuted. Horrible but incredible!
Second, the idea of grappling it's smoldering carcass into a pram is ace.
Third, you roast it and eat it. Only the fucking queen mother has eaten swan. And you.

How was it?

I don't honestly remember how it tasted. But I remember my Dad thinking it was the funniest thing in the world to make swan sandwiches to take to work.
I don't think it got fried by the powerline. I think that it broke it's neck when it flew into it. Birds can land on cables with no bother, because there is no way for the charge to go to ground through them.

^^Hopeless Romantic.

Birds can land on cables with no bother, because there is no way for the charge to go to ground through them.

Only if they touch only one cable. If the touch two cables (which is possible for a big bird like a swan) there exists a potential difference and hence current will flow. The lines are grouped in three for three phase electrics.

^^Hopeless Romantic.

probably.

Although I like the idea of eating Swan, they mate for life and I don't like the idea of splitting up a couple and leaving a widow / widower. Irrational yes considering I eat all other meats.

Eat both Mr and Mrs Swan then- they can be together forever.

Or pick an Emo Swan that is not understood by other swans, and is forever alone.