It’s been one of those weeks that I’ve stuck pretty close to home and caught up on some past-due writing, mostly on an article I’m working on pertaining to predation by raccoons. I’ve spent a couple of evenings with my thermal scope setting near a corn feeder shooting digital photos of raccoons for the article. One evening I counted a total of 8 ringtails under the feeder.
My buddy who owns the land I hunt and I will soon begin thinning them out. Our area of the county was stocked with Rio Grande turkeys a few years ago and raccoons are well known nest robbers and they also prey on the turkey poults when they are young. Between the raccoons and an overabundance of coyotes and wild hogs it’s a wonder the turkeys are able to survive.
If man was taken completely out of the picture and nature left to its own devices I’m sure there would be balance in predator/prey numbers but such is not the case. I had an old rancher buddy who is also an astute student of wildlife tell me that he tries to manage the wildlife on his ranch much the way as he does livestock. If the coyote population gets out of hand it’s up to him to keep the numbers in check, likewise with raccoons and feral hogs. Left unchecked these animals can quickly get out of control.
I’m not a wildlife biologist but after a lifetime observing nature, I have come to look at wildlife in a different light, different that is from the way I perceived wild animal years ago. A coyote, feral hog or raccoon for that matter is not a bad animal simply because it does what God programmed its species to do. But the fact remains that the balance of predator/prey often swings out of control. Wild animals can create havoc when their numbers get out of control.
Another case in point is squirrels. An overabundance of bushy tails can do a lot of damage to a pecan orchard or fruit trees. I have another good friend who owns a pecan orchard and depends upon the sale of pecans for much of his income in the fall. When pecans are forming during the summer months, he and his sons keep a vigil for the large number of squirrels that come from every direction to feed on the pecans. Are squirrels “bad” animals? They are just doing what they are genetically programmed to do; eat pecans!
On a personal note, I don’t despise coyotes because they eat young deer or raccoons because they rob the nests of turkey that I dearly love to hunt but I do feel the need to reduce their numbers when out of control. I believe most folks that truly love the outdoors feel the same way. Do we want coyotes to be totally eradicated? Definitely not; there is something very special about setting out in the woods while deer hunting, listening to a distant pack of coyotes open up with their gather howls late in the day. But man has become the only predator, at least in Texas, capable of keeping their numbers in check. I shoot every coyote I can, even while deer hunting. Ole Wiley Coyote is here to stay. It’s up to us to insure his numbers don’t get completely out of hand!
I absolutely love hunting hogs and my pulse rate rises when I’m setting out at night watching a corn feeder and I hear a sounder of wild hogs breaking brush as they make a bee line for the corn. I don’t hate them but definitely see the need to attempt to keep their numbers in check. Wild pork can be excellent eating which puts the feral hog in a bit of a different light from predators such as coyotes or bobcats, but just the same, just like coyotes, we as stewards of the land have to do all we can to attempt to keep their numbers in check.
Catfish coubion
Let me share with you a simple but tasty Cajun recipe that has as many variations in ingredients as the name, Courtbullion, called Coubion (pronounced Cou-be-youn) in the Cajun culture. This past week, I made a big pot and froze enough for a couple more “feedings.”
Here’s how I make it - Begin with a roux which is nothing more than a thick flour/oil gravy. Many folks buy pre-made roux or a dry powder you mix with water.
Regardless of how you get your roux, it’s the beginning of this recipe. Once your roux is the color and consistency you want, add some chopped onion, bell pepper and celery. The veggies will release moisture into the roux but it’s important to keep stirring the roux/veggie mix to avoid scorching and add chicken broth when necessary. A can of chopped tomatoes or several fresh tomatoes go in next. I like to simmer the ingredients in a cast iron pot with a lid for about thirty minutes, making sure to stir occasionally. Some folks say cast iron shouldn’t be used for cooking tomatoes because of the acid in tomatoes but I’ve done it for years with no adverse effects. It is important to coat the cast iron with lard after each use.
In a separate skillet, I brown chunks of catfish. Many Cajun folks make bone-in steaks from larger catfish but I prefer using chunks of boneless fillets. Browning the fish in a separate pan adds more flavor rather than putting the raw fillets into the pot. The trick is to lay the catfish chunks on top of the other ingredients and push them down without stirring. Overcooking of the fish or stirring will break the fish fillets apart which doesn’t really hurt anything but I like chunky bits of fish in my coubion.
I usually toss in a couple of bay leaves and a half lemon, peel and all, while the coubion is simmering. Once the fish is in the pot, cut the heat down very low and don’t overcook. The fish should be almost completely done when added and a few minutes simmering will give it the perfect consistency. Served on a bed of white rice, coubion is a real treat. I like to serve it with hot garlic bread.
I have a trip planned to a red-hot white bass/hybrid striper lake this week with some guide buddies. We are planning a blackened fish lunch after the trip. Stay tuned for next week’s column for details!
Email outdoors writer Luke Clayton through his website www.catfishradio.org. Listen to his weekly podcast hosted just about everywhere: “Catfish Radio with Luke Clayton and Friends.”
