I'm lucky enough to live in a rural community in Newfoundland that remains unincorporated. Communities like ours are probably the last bastions of anything approaching true freedom, unless you head North of 60. Set well back from the main drag, my place is located in a thick grove of mixed spruce, fir and birch that covers acres of private land. My backyard, as a result, is a haven for wildlife. What I love about it most is that I get to take in all of nature's majesty from my kitchen table over my morning coffee. Snowshoe hare, spruce grouse, ruffed grouse, foxes, mink, the occasional moose, caribou or coyote...all drop by for a visit. And while a lifelong hunter, I'm never tempted to harvest "our" game.
That isn't to say that looking at them don't get me thinking. Reading the other thread about bunny hunting around Calgary and, coincidentally, watching about 8-9 juvenile snowshoe hare chowing down on dandelion greens off my back deck as the sun sets got me musing about one of my favorite things ever...the hunting and consumption of small game, especially hares.
So, random train of thought...
Rabbits and hares are very low in fat, that's why you hear complaints of the meat being tough or too dry when they're cooked in a similar manner as steak or pork. Slow/wet cooking methods yield best results like oven stew, soups, crock pots, bottling, etc... If you want to grill or fry it, marinating yields better results to help break down the muscle fiber, along with a good rub or sauce that will help seal in the juices in combined with high heat to sear the meat and again seal in those juices.
While I love big game hunting,-- honestly, there's nothing on this planet that gets my heart beating faster than hearing one of my beagles getting his first start on a big snowshoe hare on a crisp November morning. When the rest of the pack joins in and the woods and bogs ring with the buying of hounds hot on the scent...there's nothing like it. And it's tons more fun for younger kids and 'tweens than sitting in a tree stand for hours.
But you don't need a dog to enjoy success, or a shotgun for that matter. Teaching a kid how to snare bunnies is a rite of passage for my family. Seeing young faces light up when they discover their first bunny is a true milestone moment. They learn respect for living creatures and appreciation for the sacrifice the animal makes in order for our family to eat. It builds character and self-respect.
Looking at the calendar on the wall, it may say it's summer (still waiting for summer-like temps) but from my perspective, the fall can't come soon enough!
That isn't to say that looking at them don't get me thinking. Reading the other thread about bunny hunting around Calgary and, coincidentally, watching about 8-9 juvenile snowshoe hare chowing down on dandelion greens off my back deck as the sun sets got me musing about one of my favorite things ever...the hunting and consumption of small game, especially hares.
So, random train of thought...
Rabbits and hares are very low in fat, that's why you hear complaints of the meat being tough or too dry when they're cooked in a similar manner as steak or pork. Slow/wet cooking methods yield best results like oven stew, soups, crock pots, bottling, etc... If you want to grill or fry it, marinating yields better results to help break down the muscle fiber, along with a good rub or sauce that will help seal in the juices in combined with high heat to sear the meat and again seal in those juices.
While I love big game hunting,-- honestly, there's nothing on this planet that gets my heart beating faster than hearing one of my beagles getting his first start on a big snowshoe hare on a crisp November morning. When the rest of the pack joins in and the woods and bogs ring with the buying of hounds hot on the scent...there's nothing like it. And it's tons more fun for younger kids and 'tweens than sitting in a tree stand for hours.
But you don't need a dog to enjoy success, or a shotgun for that matter. Teaching a kid how to snare bunnies is a rite of passage for my family. Seeing young faces light up when they discover their first bunny is a true milestone moment. They learn respect for living creatures and appreciation for the sacrifice the animal makes in order for our family to eat. It builds character and self-respect.
Looking at the calendar on the wall, it may say it's summer (still waiting for summer-like temps) but from my perspective, the fall can't come soon enough!
