solamente73

Went down to Port O’Connor last weekend for a cast and blast on re-opening weekend. This was our 11th year in a row making that trip. Decent numbers of ducks were flying on Saturday, and the reds were biting. We had duck diablos and redfish on the half shell for dinner Saturday night. Then that norther came through, shutting everything down and clearing the bays with 30 knot winds on a loooowwwww tide. Still a damn good time. I bet this weekend will see shit tons of birds down there.

2008. RIP, Pirate. But, 2008. I was fortunate to have an old friend in town last night to watch the game. We met at Texas 30 years ago. I knew that last night would be a slug fest, but he was already looking forward to Tech. His point - win the slug fest, then beat down Tech. So, here is what’s gonna happen. This team hasn’t put together a complete game yet. Bama was close, but we can be better. We are going to go out and flat out demolish Tech. Then we are going to bookend the Big XII by taking the title. Sark let them hang last night - “5 Star Players, 5 Star Culture. We have both, now.” Let’s do it.

Nm not sure why this posted and can’t delete. So, Texas BBQ rules!

Nm

Figured this is where to ask. Texas pride at stake here. BIL and fam moved to CA when his wife got a job there that she couldn’t refuse. One of her partners is bragging that Snake River ribeyes (and prime rib) beat anything that Texas can produce. She called bullshit and is asking for recommendations for ribeyes that can be shipped from TX to CA that would whoop Snake River’s ass. 44 Farms came to mind, but are there any boutique Texas places out there that can ship superior ribeyes etc out to CA that could be better? We aren’t talking exotic A5-like stuff or anything - just excellent grilling steaks. I shop CM and our local DFW Market Street (don’t sleep on them!) but don’t know the high end shipping market. Yes, I know cooks and method matter, but we are just talking sources on the ribeye cut. TIA.

Experimenting with elk continues. This time, marinaded top sirloin steaks with chimichurri. Leftovers made great tacos out at the farm. Marinade: 3 tablespoons canola oil 2 tablespoons dried minced onion 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon garlic powder ½ teaspoon ground black pepper (I doubled the recipe above) Probably not the Surlified recipe you are looking for, but I go fresh and simple so that the meat can do the talking: 1/2 cup parsley - chopped 4 cloves garlic - chopped 1 shallot - chopped 1 tsp dried oregano 2 tsp red pepper flakes 3 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper 2/3 cup quality evoo Combine everything but the evoo in a food processor and process until finely minced but NOT a paste. Move to a bowl and pour the evoo over the mixture. Gently mix to combine. Stand at room temp for 15 minutes and serve.

I was recently in the market for a full size 9mm to begin experiementing with pistol suppressors and red dot sights. Depending on the results, the pistol might eventually be used for HD. I looked at the threaded and optic ready versions of the Sig P320, FN 509, Walther PDP, VP9, Springfield XDM, M&P 2.0, and so on. Then I stumbled across the Beretta APX A1 Tactical at a gun show. The ergonomics/feel blew me away as did the value. A little research turned up glowing reviews of the APX A1 platform with one word appearing over and over - “reliable.” I found it for $499 at GrabAGun. On top of that, Beretta has a $100 rebate on all APX A1 pistols. That brings the price to $399, or 1/2 to 1/3 the price of others on my list of potentials. I picked it up from GrabAGun today. Optics ready, 4.8” threaded barrel, suppressor sights, three 21 round mags, three interchangeable back straps. It’s pretty damn sweet. GrabAGun has the APX A1 full-size at $299 after rebate - that’s just crazy good value from my POV. @Macanudo the APX A1 might be worth a look. @Handcruser what are your thoughts on the APX A1 family?

Hogs running wild on my place. Needed to get some work done. This is one of at least three sounders I’ve caught on camera. They came back by on Saturday evening. Got the one on the far right; DRT: Got a quick follow-up shot on one of the others and it dropped after a 5 yard run… just to get back up and disappear into the thickest brush on the property. I tracked it to where it had settled in. Could smell it and hear the flies that had already started to do their thing. No way I was digging it out. Driving back to the campers, a big sounder crossed the road right in front of me. 10+. Didn’t have a chance at a shot. Later that night, spotted a small sounder about 250 yards out from the camper on the thermal monocular, but didn’t have my NV rig with me. Need to clear these things out before deer season.

This one really hurts. My wife (no pics), kids, and I love his music and celebrate the islands. But we’re not gonna get dragged down - we are gonna celebrate his life and what he meant to so many. But now I think about the good times Down in the caribbean sunshine In my younger days I was so bad Laughin' about all the fun we had

Game steaks allowed here? Ribeyes from the elk I took last season. Served with a blueberry balsamic reduction and a Gorgonzola cream sauce. Interestingly, the sauces needed each other.

Elk steak pizzaiola with sautéed mushrooms, roasted baby reds, and sautéed green beans. Simple dish that turned out to be very flavorful. Added a little sugar to balance the acidity of he tomato, plus sweet goes well with game.

Elk enchiladas. Special thanks to whoever first posted to fry corn torts in oil for a few seconds before making the enchiladas. Always takes the enchiladas to the next level.

Elk birria tacos with cotija cheese and cilantro. Simple but excellent use for round steak. Leftovers were great with eggs the next morning (not pictured).

Getting some work done. This was a loner. There’s still a sounder of 20 (4 adults and 16 footballs) out there that show on camera but never show when I’m onsite. Pisses me off.

Holy shit. ‘85 Magna V65 was my first road bike, too. Picked it up in the mid ‘90s off a guy in Austin for $1800 IIRC. The bike had been drag raced at one time - holes were drilled for nitrous and the rear rim had holes drilled in it to bolt on the tire to prevent slippage. I put over 20k miles on it. Rode it to damn near Alaska and back (running into grizzlies motorcycle camping is fun!). All said, rode through 26 western and south eastern states plus three Canadian provinces. That engine was bullet proof. 110 miles per tank was a beating, though, on 600 mile days. I miss that bike.

Cross-post at @Anastasis’s request. Elk ragu over pappardelle. Was heavenly. I kinda winged this one, using several recipes for guidance. The basics: 1 elk chuck roast 1-2 carrot - chopped 2 celery - chopped 3-4 cloves garlic - minced 1 white onion - diced 1 can crushed tomatoes (28oz; I prefer Contadina) 2-4 cups beef stock 0.5-1 cup red wine (optional) 2 bay leaves salt and pepper to taste Pasta of choice Parmigiana reggiano as desired Italian parsley for garnish - Salt and pepper the roast. Then sear in olive oil using a heavy pan. Remove roast once browned. - Using the same pan, sauté carrot, celery, onion, garlic. Deglaze pan with beef stock. - Transfer seared roast, sautéed veggies, browned bits, and stock to a Dutch oven. Add tomatoes and wine, bay leaves. Braise covered in oven at 325* for 3.5 hours or until roast shreds easily with forks. - If necessary, remove roast and reduce sauce further to desired consistency. - Serve over pasta of choice. - Top with parmigiana reggiano, garnish with Italian parsley. This is very easy to make. For me, the key was letting simple, bold flavors stand out on their own without getting too cute with ingredients. I find this approach lets the elk shine.

Sure, I’ll cross post over there. Forgot all about that thread. I kinda winged this one, using several recipes for guidance. The basics: 1 elk chuck roast 1-2 carrot - chopped 2 celery - chopped 3-4 cloves garlic - minced 1 white onion - diced 1 can crushed tomatoes (28oz; I prefer Contadina) 2-4 cups beef stock 0.5-1 cup red wine (optional) 2 bay leaves salt and pepper to taste Parmigiana reggiano as desired Italian parsley for garnish - Salt and pepper the roast. Then sear in olive oil using a heavy pan. Remove roast once browned. - Using the same pan, sauté carrot, celery, onion, garlic. Deglaze pan with beef stock. - Transfer seared roast, sautéed veggies, browned bits, and stock to a Dutch oven. Add tomatoes and wine, bay leaves. Braise covered in oven at 325* for 3.5 hours or until roast shreds easily with forks. - If necessary, remove roast and reduce sauce further to desired consistency. - Serve over pasta of choice. - Top with parmigiana reggiano, garnish with Italian parsley. This is very easy to make. For me, the key was letting simple, bold flavors stand out on their own without getting too cute with ingredients. I find this approach lets the elk shine.

FINALLY got my Ruger Integrally Suppressed Barrel (ISB) out of NFA jail. Mated it to my 10/22 Takedown 21133. Trying out a Monstrum Marksman 3x30 prism on it - so far, great little fixed optic. Can’t wait to deploy the rifle for varmint control at the farm. Pics to follow in the hunting thread.

Elk ragu over pappardelle. So very, very good.

Yep, sorry, edit time elapsed before I could edit post. To atone, some mild gun pron. My nightvision rig - DPMS GII Hunter 308 with ancient ATN X-Site II 5-20x that still gets the job done. Death Grip tripods are excellent. About 30 pigs down on this one. Looking forward to upgrading to thermal one day.

Which gun shop, for those who might be interested in what they have seen or might see?

First pot of 2023. Sooooooo good when the cold and wet hit DFW this week. Used elk from the culmination my 37 year quest to take a bull elk with my dad’s Weatherby. Got to say, elk makes awesome chili. Modified my venison chili a tad, trying to create more depth. Complete with three roasted hot Hatch chilis added for flavor and heat. Add onion and a mix of Mexican cheeses. Only wish I had been eating it beside a campfire on the mountainside.

I'm literally right there with you. I hunted deer a few times, but with an elk in the freezer, I just prioritized other things. Not worrying about deer, I was able to introduce some folks to shooting sports... and to eradicating pigs, of which I have no shortage. So, no deer this year, but it's a priority for 2023, if for nothing more than "managing" the local herd for meat in the freezer. Tons of fun working the farm and getting a good understanding of the deer population and its movement via cameras. I plan to build a new blind, and I hope to also hunt archery next season. Like you, I'm concerned about the coyotes, and I plan to get into predator hunting this year. I already have the nightvision rig I use for hogs, a thermal scanner, and a general knowledge of where they move thanks to cameras. I plan to use some sort of electronic predator call. Youtube has helped as @BabaYaga mentioned. Just need to get to it. In the mean time, need to find somewhere for spring turkey, 'cause we have none where I am in NE Texas.

One of my favorite things to make for family gatherings is rack of pork. Roasted over hickory. Served with wife’s “Fleming’s Potatoes” and grilled asparagus. Not pictured: smoked au ju. Highly recommend. I can usually only find them around the holidays at Costco. Buy a few for the holidays, throw a few in the freezer for the rest of the year.

Add to it spent shells and empty dip cans. Let’s just say that it was easy leaving the blind cleaner than we found it.