2023 Gophers

[Grain]

Unless you are in an area where bears are eating fish...

Fish fed bear meat isn't the best?

 

[starvin]

Are the young gophers out yet?

 

[JJ-65]

They are 1/2 to 3/4 grown now, easy tire targets.

 

[DFarmer]

Fish fed bear meat isn't the best?

I have never shot a bear that was eating fish, but we have shot the odd mallard that had been eating fish. You know once you are cleaning them. Not something I want to eat.

 

[Yotarunner]

Catfish and bears eat disgusting stuff, yet they taste delicious. The animals diet doesn’t always dictate how they’ll taste….

Yup prime example is pigeon. They eat nothing but grain yet taste like absolute crap haha. Still though a ground dwelling rat that carries diseases is not getting eaten by me in any circumstance.

 

[kjohn]

I am not necessarily going "by what others have told me", as I figured this out probably 60 years ago. See #25 above.

 

[Mr.Rigpig]

They can carry plague

That's why they invented penicillin, live a little... lol

 

[Mr.Rigpig]

Well, seeing as these animals do not exist in my area, yes, it was a serious question. I’m not questioning it in regards to ethics and eating what you kill. I have eaten all sorts of odd critters like raccoon, skunk, opossum, muskrat, grackles and other blackbirds, unhatched duck chicks, etc and was curious how gophers taste.

Grey and black squirrels are delicious. Very tender and juicy, much like chicken wings when fried properly.


Any of the naysayers actually tried eating gopher or are y’all just relying on what others have told you?

Buddy and I got the idea one day to see what gopher was like, so we went and harvested a few to put on the smoker.

I will say this about them, the Traeger has cranked out some absolutely amazing meals, but this was not one of them.... Maybe its in the preparation and we did it wrong? I wasn't keen on raccoon either. Will try porcupine one day when I'm feeling ambitious, beaver too.(The one that lives in the water)

 

[Grain]

Buddy and I got the idea one day to see what gopher was like, so we went and harvested a few to put on the smoker.

I will say this about them, the Traeger has cranked out some absolutely amazing meals, but this was not one of them.... Maybe its in the preparation and we did it wrong? I wasn't keen on raccoon either. Will try porcupine one day when I'm feeling ambitious, beaver too.(The one that lives in the water)

Finally first hand knowledge! Respect for going through all the hassle. I would try the meat if offered, but have never been willing to butcher and cook them. I suspect that beaver and porcupine could be better, maybe even edible with enough smoke, lol.