is… John Byrne

Club member for? 16 years and an Honoury Member for services to the club.

Years in falconry? 30 Years

Birds kept? 7/8ths Gyr/Saker

Dogs used? Bruno a Brittany X Setter.

Ferrets, love them or hate them? Don’t mind them

Other field sports involved in? Bit of shooting, fishing and ferreting

Vehicle used for falconry? Anyone who will give me a seat in their four wheel drive

Favourite bird? Merlin and Sparrowhawk

Favourite game to eat? Muntjac and Wood Pigeon

Profession. Pest controller

I gave a game despatch and preparation demonstration of Pheasant and Rabbit which was vacuum packed ready for the freezer.

The March meeting was the clubs AGM. The current committee stepped down and nominations were received.

Paul Gray has decided to take a much deserved break as social secretary and stood down after many years.  His contribution will be missed and all members thanked him for everything he has done for the club.

The new committee is:

Chairman : Jem Pettit

Secretary : Nicky Forrest

Treasurer : Alan Greenhalgh

Hawk Liaison Officer : Steve Forrest

Social Secretary : John Byrne

Following this meeting after learning that Alan had never tasted rabbit before, we had a tasting session of the game that was prepared at the last meeting which consisted of cold roast pheasant and a rabbit and mushroom pie.

This proved very popular and after several requests as to how I cooked the pie I have included the recipe in this newsletter.

The new committee will now look at what we can organise over the next year and report back at the next meeting.

If there is something you would like us to organise please let a committee member know.

Many thanks

Jem

Club Website

We would welcome some articles to put on the site from members, so if you feel that you have something worth while to write about please do so and email any articles to Stuart or Kelly at the site or hand to a committee member.

April 19^th, May 17th, June 21st, July19th, August 16^th, September 20^th, October18th, November 15^th, December 20^th.

Easy way to remember is, it is the Third Tuesday of every month.

Ingredients

1 rabbit

1 onion

Field or chestnut mushrooms

1 can Campbell’s condensed chicken and mushroom soup

1 can Campbell’s condensed chicken and white wine soup

Packet of puff pastry

Packet of short crust pastry

1 egg

Cut the rabbit into pieces, two back legs, two pieces of saddle and two forequarters. Place in a pan of boiling water with a pinch of salt and simmer for forty minutes.

Throw the water away and allow the meat to cool.

When cool (I help by running under a cold tap) peel the meat off of the bone.

Roll out the short crust pastry and line the bottom off your pie dish.

In a bowl empty both cans of the soup, the meat, the onion chopped up and the sliced mushrooms.

Roll out the puff pastry and place over the top of the pie

Take the white of the egg and a splash of milk mixed together and brush the top of the pie.

Place in an oven on gas mark six for between thirty and forty minute( check regularly after thirty minutes to ensure it does not burn).

Wanted. The use of a small male ferret that is working well to breed with two of my ferrets. If you have such a beast please contact Jem on 0786 3339074