I don't mine the heart, but the liver and other organs I can do without. We fried up caribou heart on the summer hunt back in 2002 and it was great! I wouldn't go so far as to ask somebody to bring one out for me, although I have had people ask me to bring it out for them.

Been an interesting couple of weeks up here. A long storm, a new company to deal with after this merger, and my new job title is supervising my managerS. Too many cheifs in this tribe anymore, it's pretty annoying. I can't wait to get up out of here on Wednesday! 4 weeks in sunny Las Vegas, ye haw!

Phish, congrats on the spike! We finally got the traps set out on Saturday night, and will go check them tonight. We saw one red out setting, but didn't want to spook him out of the area, so we left him alone. Gonna hopefully be able to hit it hard when I come back in late January. Got these caribou guts fermenting and waiting to be set out as bait. I'm having a guy make a dozen snares for wolvering and fox for me, so hopefully I'll get a chance to see how those work. We set out half a dozen snares on Saturday, as well as a conibear.

What are you guys doing for the holidays? I get to spend 6 or 7 hours in the airport on Christmas Eve, and finally get home at 8:30 in the morning on the 25th. Got 5 family members coming down for new years, so I'm hoping to get the old ones to take the kid, and the young ones can head out and walk Las Vegas Blvd. New Years night. I plan to take the camcorder, so I might be able to make some money if there is a terrorist attack, or if I can get some shots of young girls boobies and sell them like Girls Gone Wild.

Merry Christmas all!

Well Jerry, I am minutes away from putting my first batch of jerky in the oven...well, it technically isn't my first batch, but it is the first one I am trying to do that duplicates the stuff you gave me.

Not sure if it is the same stuff as you purchased, but I picked up a few packages of the Hi Mountain jerky seasoning; cracked black pepper and the inferno blend, to be exact. Starting off with a batch of the pepper and garlic today.

My question for you is this...have you ever experimented with liquid smoke when using this cure/seasoning? I have a smoker, but the only reason I am not out using it this time is 1) we have a wind storm rolling through, and 2) I forgot to pick up lighter fluid and I am too lazy to run out right now and pick some up.

Not sure if this would work well with this type of jerky since it is more of a dry rub. Your thoughts?

Lastly, are you willing to share any of the "other" ingredients you have added to the mix? I recall your jerky having quite a bit of pepper on it. I threw a teaspoon of "spicy" montreal seasoning in with the cure/seasoning thinking this might spice it up a bit more.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM THE NORTH COAST

Well, it's the day after, but Merry Chirstmas ya'll. I finally got home at 8:30 in the morning on the 25th after 13 hours in airports and planes. We had a relaxed day, and cooked a big dinner of lobster tails wrapped in 2 pound tenderloins. MMmmm!

Jim, I don't add anything to the jerky cure, just do the directions right on the box. That's the stuff that I was using too, I've been able to find it in the stores down here, but had to order it through Cabela's back in Alaska. The cracked pepper is the blend I used on the elk. I don't know how the liquid smoke will work since this works as a dry brine. Couldn't hurt to try it on a pound or so though. I was thinking of trying a different blend, and adding pepper to it, but gotta get through this batch first. I'll probably make some more right before the bear hunt in May.

Here's a picture of the caribou I took back in November. Just a little guy, but hopefully all you Juneau folks are enjoying him. Juno, this will give you an idea of the hide as well. Do you want it tanned fur on or fur off? We can always get a scraggly one in July for a hide off skin.

HUNTING PROPOSALS ARE ON THE AKF&G WEB SITE. OH THERE ARE SOME GREAT ONES[X(]....280 PAGES. GET UM, READ UM, AND WRITE THE BOARD YOUR OPINIONS. IF YOU CAN THE BOARD METS END OF FEB. TRY TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE BOARD.

Welcome back home...what a way to spend Christmas!

The batch I made turned out pretty tastey. I recall your batch being a little bit more flavorful. I thought you said you enjoyed yours with a bit more spice. Did you add anymore of the seasoning other than what the directions call?

I killed a bou about that size once Wasn't near as pretty as him though.

Jim, I've added a touch of pepper on occasion, but besides that, I try and get the blends that are already spiced up. That batch I made when you came over was straight from the box though, nothing added.

It could be in the prep? I cut the meat fairly thin, about 1/8-1/4" thick at the most, then spread the cure and seasoning fairly thick accross all of it, flip it over and do the other side, then tightly pack them in a gallon size zip lock, squeeze all the air out, and put the meat in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Maybe that is why it tasted spicier, I put more of the stuff than the directions instruct to. You are supposed to get about 15 pounds of meat from a package, the way I make it, I get about 10-12 pounds of meat per package. When I first started making the stuff, it wasn't nearly as good as it tastes now.

When it is in the oven, I'll leave it in for the hour it suggests, but some chunks might stay in there a couple of hours until its done to my liking. You can usually tell by how squishy it is.

Nimrod, I went through all the proposals and noticed a few odd ones, but nothing near as bad as last time around. What is the status of the bear baiting ballot box initiative? Is that going to the ballots, or did it fail? I wrote down all the proposals I plan to write in on, but I'll be talking to you to see if there are some more you want added support on. I will be in Fairbanks on the 3rd of March, so I'll miss the public testimony unfortunately. Should be interesting. I plan to call Fish and Game and find out if any funding went into arrow weight research. Those old proposals are back up again, so that'll be a fun one to play with. Looks like Fish and Game wants to go to a one grizzly bear every year for 26B DHCMA... But, it stays as a drawing. Interesting.

ABM- MUCH NICER PIX BY THE WAY[:-]
I HAVE NOT MADE IT THRU THE WHOLE BOOK, MAYBE 1/4. THERE SURE ARE ALOT OF PROPOSALS FROM ONE GUY. SOME ACTUALLY ARE GOOD BUT MANY ARE WAY OFF. ONE ABOUT THE 1/4 MILE SEEMS VERY POORLY WORDED. I HAVE NOT FOUND THE ARROW WEIGH INCREASE ONE BUT I HEARD IT IS THERE. SOME OF THEM ARE HARD TO READ AND I NEED A REG. BOOK TO SORT OUT PRESENT REGS FROM HOW IT IS PROPOSED.
I HAVE FIXED MY SCHEDULE AND I WILL GO TO FAIRBANKS TO THE MEETING AND THEN FLY TO ANC. FOR THE BANQUET. IT WILL BE EXPENSIVE BUT IT IS WORTH IT TO BE SURE THE PROPER THINGS ARE SUPPORTED AND OPPOSED. I HOPE OTHERS WILL TAKE THE TIME AND EFFORT TO GO THERE TO SPEAK.

Nimrod, which 1/4 mile proposal was worded poorly? I saw two in there, but expected more than that. At least it is in there, and we can attempt to resolve this issue.

Good deal on going to Fairbanks for the weekend. I tried to plan a time earlier on that I could get to town, but the public testimony period was a week earlier than when I am going through Fbks. I'll try and catch some of the deliberations though.

At least it looks like we have alot more to support this year than to fight.

When's the hearing in Fairbanks? I think SEAK (should I call him the future Mr. Juno Grl? --he'd love that, huh?) was considering trying to go to that, but not sure how it fits into his schedule.

Hey, Jerry, I talked to my mother, the guru of skin sewing, and I think I'd rather have the hair off on that caribou hide....that way can use the leather for making moccasins...okay, so I know this is waaaayyyy far in advance, but that's what I'd like to make for the kids next Christmas. My mom has a caribou hide with fur on, so if I needed fur on to trim something, I could use her caribou hide. When SEAK and the kids are here, we're hoping to set out some traps, and see if we can get some mink or marten....I'd love to make the moccasins out of stuff we (that includes you!) caught/killed ourselves.