wild camping....and police interest.

Channa

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Well, first time in 4 years I had a visit from the police tonight....two patrol cars in the end.

Most of you know I full time, and what you don't know is I live off the land as much as I can ...I will shoot pigeon, duck squirrel rook all for food.

Anyway tonight I shot a pigeon, made the mistake of plucking it where a casual passer by witnessed , next thing police understanably turn up to find our what's going off.

I admitted straight away I had shot a bird, it was there pan fried with mushroom in a touch of sherry ..when pc knocks at the door.

He asked were the gun was, I showed him stored away in the overhead discharged and not on view.. he seemed happy.

Straight away, he assumed or knew I was full timing. But naturally did the checks to find out I wasn't wanted.

In the meantime his mates were admiring my butchery skills and having a good look around the van.

On his return I stressed that I only shoot to eat, observe safe practice..look behind what I am shooting and as he could see I was cooking the quarry with reverance to the fact the bird had forsake its life to feed me (I actually think that is really important).

Anyway happy with explanations... He and sargeant looked absolutely bewildered when I suggested I was parkedlegitamarely....they really didn't give a hoot

In the end told me to take care they weren't going to advise as it was apparent I was sensible
Keys were out the ignition and I had a drink but didn't even register

Hopefully one off experience and next time the outcome could be different, but on this occasion at least it is proved the police are not interested if you are sensible
Channa
 
Such a shame that the casual passerby couldn't have come to see for him/herself instead of running to the law.....if indeed that's what he/she did.
I've had many friendly chats with the Police whilst wildcamping......and been eyeballed many more. Not once have I been asked to move on.
Good for you for being able to live off the land ...fish, the hedgerow and tescos are my limit. Do you use an air rifle?
 
that was a positive experience,what area were you wildcamping in,also if you cooperate with the police they can usually be okay.We wereout last night in New Brighton Merseyside,stopped in one of those barriered car parks and police turned up two of them so i went out and explained we were night fishing(which we were)and was it okay to stop there overnight and at what time do barriers get locked,they said it's fine and the barriers sometimes do get locked but wasn't sure what time.We decided on moving on though as we didn't fancy the barriers being locked,and as it happens the other reason is the police were on the lookout for a suicidal person,so we also felt uneasy about this.We eventually found plenty of spaces to overnight on the sea front,plenty of other motorhomes and even people camping in tents on the grassy areas right in front of the sea wall,never saw on any overnight parking sighns anywhere.
 
Was it this pigeon?



[video=youtube;gqAlr0pk_Gg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqAlr0pk_Gg&feature=related[/video]
 
just to add. the cops could care less about someone kipping in their van,its not any kind of problem for them unless they get a complaint.obviously they're mildly interested and may do a vehicle check.when i see them doing a drive by i find it reassuring not in any way threatening.i've had more coppers stop for a cup of tea and a look in the van than i have moving me on,and that was usually because i parked in areas i didn't realise were sensitive,like the spanish and portugese coast opposite morocco,how dumb is that?or parked up not knowing theres a nick just round the corner!now when the cops on rare occasions do ask me to move[other countries you're told not asked] i say ok mate wheres a good place not too far?
 
Such a shame that the casual passerby couldn't have come to see for him/herself instead of running to the law.....if indeed that's what he/she did.
I've had many friendly chats with the Police whilst wildcamping......and been eyeballed many more. Not once have I been asked to move on.
Good for you for being able to live off the land ...fish, the hedgerow and tescos are my limit. Do you use an air rifle?

Yes a stoeger x20 suppressor with a telescopic sight....2.2 version better for hunting I think than a 177

I miss more than I shoot, I only shoot if I am confident of a clean instant kill...particularly important with rabbit.

The rooks at the moment ...well from next week should be gorgeous, breast with mushroom in a pie......the brave climb a rookery no thanks..

I would love a 22 rifle but in a camper firearms certificates and all that more trouble than its worth.

That said a local game dealer will buy......I prefer not too...like when I fish , I only take what I can eat.

Channa
 
A really interesting post Channa,
It's a life that appeals to me but unfortunately not to the wife.
I love rabbit, she won't have one in the house.
I did all those things as a young man I had a 4-10 and later a 12 bore. My mum never new what we would bring home we were always plucking or skinning, cooking trout, grayling, pike or eels. My grandfather showed me where to get watercress, collect hazel nut, mushrooms and many other things.

I've never tried Rook though. What's that like?
 
I love Rabbit, trout, Pike is a little bit earthy but Jacks are OK. Perch is lovely, I would imagine that Rook is the same as Crow, Crow pie was popular in the war apparently. I tried it once in a pub in the midlands and it was very nice.
Never tried squirrel, but would have no qualms.
 
I love Rabbit, trout, Pike is a little bit earthy but Jacks are OK. Perch is lovely, I would imagine that Rook is the same as Crow, Crow pie was popular in the war apparently. I tried it once in a pub in the midlands and it was very nice.
Never tried squirrel, but would have no qualms.

Pike is earthy but we used to soak it in salt water that helped but you can put it in a marinade.

I'm the same I would also try these things Rob.
 
I would love to write a cookery book...

At times i am a very deep person,and things that interest me I tend to research to the enth degree.

It intrigued me what we ate before potatoes were introduced as an example , what was the British diet before supermarkets and imported foods?

The earliest reference I have found is the menu for king johns coronation and deer was on the menu no surprises... there but salad of dandelion and sorrel is intriguing.

Squirrel is quite a sweet meat on the basis they. Eat a lot of nuts and berries....it has a taste a little like wild boar.
The pigeon breast tonight tasted like steak....very tender lean on fat too so very healthy.

Rabbit has it happens has a negative nutritional value...in other words you expend more energy digesting than it gives you....the reason the fur trappers died in America they didn't supplement with greens.

Dandelion, bullrush root, nettle all tasty and full of goodness..

I would love to pick wild mushroom, but my knowledge and confidence are limited.


Soon wild blackberries will show ....what a treat.

My guru is a fella called John "lofty" Wiseman who was the lead instructor to the sas in survival.
I have mentioned it once but I will say it again...because I get so much inspiration from his words

When you kill an animal( I extend the idea to flora too) it has given its life to feed you.

Cook with reverance and respect..that it didn't give its life in vain.


I have adopted this mantra for all foods ...things in a supermarket gave their life.

Sorry to bang on but important to me .

Part of my own wildcamping code.

Channa
 
Pike is earthy but we used to soak it in salt water that helped but you can put it in a marinade.

I'm the same I would also try these things Rob.

Old esox lucius .....to give it its Latin name....I am a very keen pike fisherman only lure for old esox ...I am not comfortable with live baiting..

Steep in water for a couple of days to get shut of the earthy flavour....make into quenlles and poach in milk.

All British freshwater fish are edible, not necessarily tasty I imagine... My grandfather loved his eels, and they are my hang up...never tried one , caught a few, but never eaten one.

The easiest of fish to catch too....by all accounts using an eel bag..

Hessian sack ...filled with grass, and offal from a roadkill...eels eat there way inside and can't get out...

I am told a very efficient way of catching them...but eel just doesn't do it.


Atlantic coast of France is an industry dedicated to the little felllas...nope...almost I stress almost rather have a mc donalds ....tough call
Channa
 
Interesting post, thanks Channa. I admire your attitude to the sanctity of life.
 
Interesting post, thanks Channa. I admire your attitude to the sanctity of life.

I don't know about that slightly eccentric maybe..
I had a long conversation with my mum this week and she sort of likes the fact I do things my way but thinks I am crackers all the same.

My grandmother always likened me to my uncle Arthur , and strangely we both worked the fairs etc.....perhaps she was right.

my uncle Arthur was a chindit during the second world war...this week I read an account of what they endured.
I never knew he never told us.

But to be labelled, the same as him is an honour..the truth his I don't think I could have done what he did..

My grandad said they had to be crackers in the first place...perhaps we have that in common.

I think I would find it , indeed I do part of the settled community again..when I breathe my last, hopefully I played every card to the full
Hard to explain,

Thanks for the support
Regards

Channa
 
Firstly about the member of the public sending in a complaint to the Police. Someone (perhaps a woman, but not necessarily so) might be apprehensive about approaching a male engaged in such activity as to arouse interest. So Whilst I might not agree with what they did, I understand it.

Secondly, it is amazing what people (and the police) notice. When I was truck driving (at night) I had a regular route and was usually approaching the outskirts of Leicester around 2.00am. I did this five nights a week. There were other trucks I would see during the journey. One night my trusty Volvo was in for service, so I was driving a hired plain white box van. Lo and behold, just on the southern approaches to Leicester I was pulled over by the local copper. He asked the usual questions and was surprised when I told him I drove this route every night. "Really?" he said, "I don't remember seeing this truck before!"

I must have been amongst twenty trucks on that bit of the A6 every night, yet he spotted a strange truck and decided to investigate. I had never seen him before at all.
 
I have done quite a lot of mushroom picking and cooking in the past. If you have a couple of good books with photos it is quite safe. Just leave any you can't get a positive identification on, and those you can, eat a very small piece first and wait a day or so, the same with much other wild food.

There's very few really nasty ones. Most of the amanitas are deadly but they have many distinguishing features. I like to have different books with different photos and diagrams as just one picture can be misleading.

The only real problem is the season is concentrated in Autumn.
 
Yes I have read about skirts on aminitas being a sign etc etc.
When I was in France I really envied the locals out wildpicking....they would have children too...you know what kids are like just take it all in..

Bracken is poisnous but the young fronds aren't and quite tasty....all comes with knowledge.

Fungi is something I would love to know more about but there seems to be no hard and fast rules...so I give it a miss......but with fresh pigeon how wonderful would a wild mushroom sauce be ?

I am always surprised when I prepare mussels easiest thing in the world for me , amazing how many people shake heads and say oh no....you have to be careful etc..yet the rules are simple.
Channa
 
I would happily eat pigeon and squirrel and the rest. I don't have an air rifle though and not enough opportunity to learn to use it with my present lifestyle. But maybe someday!

I like the philosophy of just taking enough to eat. This idea should be applied across society. There is so much wastage goes on, it is a crime. Even people buying stuff from supermarkets and then throwing food away as it has passed the use by date. These dates are incredibly conservative and multibuys encourage people to get more than they need.

It's a shame you couldn't make it down to Barrow this weekend, you could have probably given me quite a few tips!
 
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The pigeon tonight was gorgeous and I derived satisfaction knowing that from branch to table were my efforts.
I totally agree about waste , and how consumers are sucked in to buying far more than they need.

Setting up a rifle is easy...you shoot at a target 30 yards away using a rest...fire three shots and work out the grouping.....then adjust.

I tend limit a target at 25 yards...to be sure of a lethal hit.

Also a case of learning what part to aim at.

I really do buy into the sacrifice to feed you idea....I think it makes you a better cook too......you think more .

I am really looking forward to the blackberry season
Pies and crumbles.

But the same applies just take what you need.

I never mentioned it , but in the mackerel thread , no one mentions that a six hook trace is impractical.

Mackerel are a true shoal fish and it is certainly not uncommon to pull three out at a time....what's the point in six? ..a bigger to land and possibly more fish than is required..
If with most things we only take what we need sustainability doesn't ever become an issue
Channa
 

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