Happy Hunting, Happy Canning

Opening Day for deer firearm season was Oct. 29. Residents-only opening day was Oct. 27. Do you know that hunting licenses can be purchased online now? Visit the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife homepage through www.maine.gov and click on the MOSES link. The Maine Online Sportmans

Electronic System makes it quick and easy to purchase and print your license instantly. Remember to wear hunter’s orange if you’re near or in the woods. It’s also a good idea to protect your pets with an orange collar or vest.

On Oct. 20, youth hunters had their very own special day to hunt deer. The Casco AG store reports it had eight deer tagged by youths on Saturday. Six were does and two were bucks. Congratulations to our future hunters.

Here is a family recipe for canned venison. Even those who claim to hate or never eat deer meat love this recipe. If they were ever to find out I fed them venison and loved it, I’d never hear the end of it. When you take your deer to the butcher ask for a fair amount of stew meat. You will need a canner (not a pressure canner), quart size canning jars and lids, venison, butter, salt, onions and garlic. Oh, and quite a bit of time from start to finish.

Rinse meat with water

Pack the quart jars with venison, leaving only an inch of space

Add 1 tablespoon of real butter, not margarine

Add 1 teaspoon of salt

Add 1 tablespoon of chopped onion and/or a pinch of garlic

Place lids on the jars and screw on, not too tight

Set jars in your canner with enough water to maintain a boil

Let boil for 3 hours

Let cool in the canning pot. If you remove the jars while hot, the glass may break

Listen for the lids to “pop.” This means the lids have sealed

Tighten the screw lid

Store in a cool dark place. It will keep for months.

If any jars for some reason didn’t seal, place in fridge and eat within a few days.

Serving suggestion: Empty contents of jar into a sauce pan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add small amounts of flour and water to form a gravy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over mashed potatoes or biscuits. As Emeril would say, “BAM!”

Casco History: A Blast from the Past

This is the legend of Rattlesnake Mountain, fact or fiction. I was reading Melissa Jill Kluge’s book titled, “The History of Casco, Maine,” and came across this story. The tallest elevation in Casco is known as Rattlesnake Mountain. Years ago, Casco natives lived in fear of rattlesnakes. Men would organize hunts and sometimes kill more than 100 of these snakes at a time. Melissa suggests this is why they are now extinct here. Her great-grandfather was a shoe maker. It is said that he used to hunt rattlers for their oil and use it on the shoes to soften them.

A local man named John Cash would hunt rattlers for their oil, which was used for rheumatism, sprains and other ailments. This was a profitable business for John. He would bring the snakes home alive, keep them in his home and handle them freely. He became known as John the Snake Charmer. He was found dead in his bed in the company of three live rattlesnakes. Later, we learn John knew how to find the snake’s poison sac and remove it. His name then became John the Snake Surgeon. The last recorded rattlesnake killed in Webb’s Mills was in 1857.

Some Casco natives suggest perhaps rattlers escaped from a traveling medicine show. These shows used to perform at Winslow Hall, over the store in Webb’s Mill. Nevertheless, the last known rattler was killed on the Webb’s Mills church doorstep. Today, Rattlesnake Mountain attracts many hikers to its trails and beautiful view from atop. If you hear an unfamiliar rattling noise while making your hike, remember the legend of Rattlesnake Mountain… and run!

School Note

Nov. 7 is Late Arrival-Early Release Day for SAD 61.

Fall Back

It’s time to set our clocks back one hour on Nov. 4.

Flu Clinic Information

There will be a flu clinic on Nov. 1 from 9-11 a.m. at the Naples Methodist Church. For more information, call the flu hotline at 1-800-747-4358 or visit www.homehealth.org

Girls Indoor Winter Soccer

Girls under 10 years of age who are interested in playing indoor soccer should contact Heidi Toews as soon as possible. A minimum of nine and a maximum of 12 players who can commit to eight Sundays are needed to compose a team. The season starts on Nov. 4 at Howard Sports Center in Saco. Game times are between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. The cost will be approximately $100. The more players who sign up, the less the cost will be per player. This session of U-10 soccer doesn’t interfere with basketball schedules. It’s an excellent choice for skill development and fun. Call Toews at 647-3985 for more information.

Pleasant Mountain Ski Club Registration

Registration for the Pleasant Mountain Ski Club will be held Nov. 2 at the Lake Region High School from 6-8 p.m. and on Nov. 3 from 10 a.m.-noon. Registrations can also be done online at www.pleasantmountainskiclub.org. The cost is $25 per student grades 3-12. The ski program offers instructional ski and snowboard groups for grades 3-6. This six-week program is funded entirely by the Pleasant Mountain Ski Club and volunteers. Skiing and snowboarding fun begins Monday, Jan. 7 and ends on Monday, Feb. 25.

Basketball Registration

Registration for Naples Recreational Basketball for grades 1-6 girls and boys will be held at the Naples Town Office Tuesday, Nov. 6 and Wednesday, Nov. 7 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Call Harvey at Naples Recreation for more information or if you have questions, 693-6364.