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The best and Worst Shot Ever

The best and Worst Shot Ever
I was out with my dog and gun behind the potato and onion processing plant near Boardman, Oregon. After morning fog, it was a bright, cold, windy day. We were walking downwind in a stubble field. The dog started making game about the same time the rooster jumped. He was coming straight towards me, and into the wind, making for an easy shot. As it flew, it crossed between me and the sun, and was totally illuminated. This is the only shot of my life that I wish was a photograph instead.

Roast Pheasant la Orange
If you have one of those plucking machines with the rotary rubber fingers, pluck the bird. Otherwise just skin it, cutting off the wing tips and feet as you go. Kitchen shears are handy here. Gut it and rinse it thoroughly. Then look it over for shot left in the meat, removing any feathers the shot have pulled in with them as you go. When you’ve done as much of this as you’re going to, rinse it some more, giving extra attention to bloodshot places. Now the bird is ready for seasoning.
Salt it inside and out. Add black pepper if you want (I do).
Cut an orange into one half and two quarters. Squeeze some juice into the body cavity and wash it around. Mince three or four cloves of garlic, according to your taste and rub one third to one half into the cavity, and then put two orange quarters in. This should just about fill the cavity. Squeeze the rest of the juice onto the outside of the bird and rub the rest of the garlic all over it. Use more garlic if you need it. Drape slices of bacon all over the bird, perhaps four slices, making sure one covers the opening.

Place in a baking pan and cover with foil. Roast at 350 ° F for one hour, then remove the foil and roast another hour. Less for a smaller bird.

Steve Coquet
12/02/2017

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