QUICK CLICK: Hop to a segment of VOJ #109

Snowshoeing Catamount Trail Deeryard Snowshoe Hare Hunting

Feedback: We'd like to hear from you

Snowshoeing

Catamount Trail

The Catamount Trail winds for 300 miles through Vermont up to the Canadian border and does for those on cross-country skis and snowshoes what the Long Trail does for hikers. It provides a winter trail through Vermont's Green Mountains for all to enjoy. The longest cross-country ski trail in North America, the Catamount Trail traverses woodlands, meadows and logging roads, and connects up with cross-country ski centers to provide a huge winter highway. One of the features of the trail is the ability to plan overnight trips, traveling from inn to inn on cross-country skis. We spent some time recently on the trail with snowshoers and cross-country skiers and got a little taste of inn-to-inn skiing.

Related Links:
Blueberry Hill Inn Catamount Trail Association
Recommended Reading:
The Catamount Trail Guidebook

Deeryard

A deeryard is a wintering habitat, a dense, overhead canopy of softwood trees such as hemlock, cedar, fir and spruce. In addition to providing a source of food, tree branches intercept snow before it reaches the ground and with time melts or dissipates it as water vapor, keeping the snow to a minimum. If the deeryard is on a south-facing slope, it can be a source of heat for the herd. The number of deeryards determines how many deer the landscape can support. We spent some time recently with wildlife biologist John Buck to learn more about deeryards and why they're so important to deer.

Related Links:
Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department

Snowshoe Hare Hunting

For many Vermonters in the early 1900's being a successful hunter was the difference between having food on the table or going hungry. Snowshoe hare was a popular meat for the pot during the winter months. For some families the tradition of hunting rabbits with beagles continues. It's a challenge for both dog and hunter, with the rabbits blending into the winter snow and sometimes reaching a speed of 27 miles per hour. Host Lawrence Pyne joins Richard Huntley of Rabbit Hollow Beagles in Bethel for an exciting day of snowshoe hare hunting.

Related Links:
Discover the Outdoors - Snowshoe Hare Page Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife Richard Huntley Rabbit Hollow Beagles RFD, Box 27 Bethel, VT 05032 802-234-9817
RECIPES: Rabbit Pie 2-3 rabbits - cut into pieces 1 large onion - diced 1 bouillon cube 2 cups of water Biscuit dough (recipe not provided) Cover rabbits and onion with water; add bouillon cube. Boil until tender. Remove meat from bone and set aside. Reserve broth. Gravy From Rabbit Broth Mix 1/4 cup flour and approximately 1 cup of broth until smooth. Gradually add to broth until thickened. Optional - Add 1 can turkey-chicken gravy to enhance flavor. Season gravy to taste with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning. Add rabbit to gravy. Cooking Pour rabbit and gravy into a rectangular pan. Add biscuits on top. Bake at 350ƒ until biscuits are brown. Crock Pot Rabbit 3-4 rabbits 1 can turkey gravy 1 packet onion dip mix 1/2 pint sour cream Place 3-4 rabbits in crock pot, cover with turkey gravy and onion dip mix. Cook on low for 8 hours (approximately). Remove rabbit. Add sour cream to gravy. Pour over rabbit and serve with potatoes and vegetables. For Rabbit Stroganoff: Cut meat into pieces and cook as above (Crock Pot Rabbit). Pour gravy and meat over noodles.

Feedback

Your feedback is important to us. Please let us know what you think about OUTDOOR JOURNAL. If you have any comments about a specific episode, suggestions as to how we can make the show better, or know of something that we should be covering on the program, we want to know about it.