I'm dissapointed.

[Blizzard of '93]

in the lack of 'camp cooking' storys here, in the S.E. Appalachains this is the best time to be camping in the woods.
few tourists, few bugs and few snakes. I enjoy until around Christmas and then it's getting tough to be out there above 4000'. but we do sometimes tough it out.
bring a bowsaw and some kero to start campfire, and canteens to fill with hot water to put in sleeping bags to warm things up and old towels to wrap hot stones with also.
if a deer is shot we have fresh meat to eat. can't beat fresh venison stew meat, grilled liver and onions or ribs roasted over hardwood fire and 'taters baked in the coals.

 

[Many Klatch]

It's dropping down to 28 here in Indiana tonight. It's a little too chilly for camping out for my taste. We had ice in the water buckets at the Eastern a few weeks ago. Without a stove in the tent that amounts to chilly sleeping. As I get older and my parts start to creak more I find that central heat is a wonderous invention.

One nice thing about coming back home after a week of camping is an appreciation of the magic of hot water from the tap.

Many Klatch

 

[redwing]

I don't have any place close where I could get down to 4,000' thats pretty low. My place is in a valley at 7,000' and its snowing but its still warm at 26 degrees. When you camp here you take great care to stay warm and dry. Other wise it may be your last trip. :hmm:
To have fresh Elk or Moose or deer in camp is a real joy. The smell of onions and coffee and wood smoke and meat cooking thats what its all about. :thumbsup:

 

[Robert an saa fan]

Now you guys are making me hungry! :grin:

Back not many years ago there was a rondezvous each fall West of Bridgeport, California. Beautiful spot. Did not think much about the overnight temperatures, but was prepared. First morning got out of the unheated tent after a cozy night's sleep... water bucket froze over. A guy nearby had a thermometer and said it was 13 degrees. Good times.

Think for dinner I will have some store bought buffalo patties, onions, cauliflower and carrots. And reflect on camp cooking enjoyed.

 

[Mull Dover]

Bliz,
You're my kinda guy! Heading out in the morning to try to make meat myself.

Regards,
Don

 

[Bountyhunter]

Yup, I'd have to go about 100 miles to get down to 4,000 feet. Hard to beat the outdoors and real camp cookin.

 

[omarick1948]

Never done alot of high country winter camping, but here in Nebraska we enjoy cool weather camping!

I remember one weekend in January I was out camping with a few of my friends and the mercury dropped down to -26 below. Tried to make us a cook'n and warm'n fire, but my steel striker chattered on the first strike! Finally, we had to grab two rabbits we saw stuck in the snow and rub them together and got the fire going. Ya know, them durn critters shattered too, but we did get a spark!___After awhile, we had to melt snow (Here's the cooking part!)..for water in a
pot over the fire. Damn!..Takes alot of snow to get alot of water to fill that 'ol pot!..We didn't have much to eat except for a couple Snow Snakes that one of the guys shot walking into camp. We did have some hot Pine Cone Tea, so not was lost! Those Snow Snakes aren't to tasty, but you had to except the situation as it was! Someone had few Ketchup packets from a stop to McDonalds on their way to camp.....guess I should of called them packets, McKetchup packets?... Anyway, these were opened and squeezed into the Snow Snake pot also!

Even though Old Charley did freeze off only two fingers that night and "Blue", our camp dog, was found stuck to a tree the next morning..a good time was had by all!

Second thought!....guess this wasn't much of a camp cooking story?..Oh yes! Blue was OK, but he won't raise his leg near a tree or bush anymore!

Rick

 

Sounds wonderful :thumbsup:. This is the very best time of year, you can see forever in the woods and everything smells great! I envy you! :hatsoff: :bow:

 

[mazo kid]

We didn't have much to eat except for a couple Snow Snakes that one of the guys shot walking into camp...
Rick

Snow snakes!! Now that does bring back a lot of memories, haven't seen one around here for over 40 years!

 

[Robert Egler]

That sounds great!

First time I took my wife (then my girl friend) winter camping we went to the mountains and it hit 20 below at night. It retrospect it wasn't the best weather to introduce her to winter camping. She's never gone with me in the winter again. (Or is that a good thing? :hmm: )

There’s something special about getting game in the day and having it for dinner over a campfire that night. Although a friend of mine and I ran a trapline for raccoon one Christmas break at school, and learned that as far as we could figure out there is no way to cook raccoon so that it tastes good. :barf:

 

[The Kansan]

That sounds great!

First time I took my wife (then my girl friend) winter camping we went to the mountains and it hit 20 below at night. It retrospect it wasn't the best weather to introduce her to winter camping. She's never gone with me in the winter again. (Or is that a good thing? :hmm: )

There’s something special about getting game in the day and having it for dinner over a campfire that night. Although a friend of mine and I ran a trapline for raccoon one Christmas break at school, and learned that as far as we could figure out there is no way to cook raccoon so that it tastes good. :barf:

Par-boil yer 'coon in soda water before cooking it and it'll eat just as good and sweet as any piece of meat you ever stuck in yer mouth with the possible exception of Mountain lion. (Learned that trick from my dear sweet mother when I was just a youngun.) :hatsoff:

I've eaten things on survival outings that'd make a buzzard puke. Even got kinda' fond of possum on th' half-shell (Armadillo) for a while. When I'm on a scout or trek I routinely carry my "first aid kit" which consists of garlic salt and a bottle of Tobasco sauce - ain't too many things (up to and including tree bark!) that can't be made reasonably palatable with a suitable application of the Kansan's first-aid kit! :haha:

:hatsoff:

 

[Big Lee]

Coon has glades that have to be removed. Theyare under the front and rear legs and on the back.It's been so long ago that I don't remember the locations for sure. Mom used to remove them when we were growing up. When I talk to one of my sisters I'll find out for sure. Remove the glandes and the are excelent leve them in and the taste nasty. To prepare add seasoning to taste put in a roster and roast until done. Someplace I have a MUCC Cookbook with a few recipes for coon. Deer season opens here in the morning, maybe I can take a coon to if the opertunity arises.

 

How about an October evening and a venison stew cooked over an open fire up in the Adirondacks?