Parks

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Took the dog for a run in the park this morning. He and I needed the exercise. As we were jogging aimlessly around the fields I took notice of all the natural resources this small park had to offer. It had a pond, about 2 acres of water, a feeder stream with cattails, some oak trees for acorns later in the year, it had dandelions, squirrel, geese and ducks that are fairly tame and will let you near,like slingshot close, they are also starting the nesting process so eggs will come soon,
I knew there were perch and bass in the pond and apparently coy the oversize goldfish carp. They were breeding and feeding which keeps them near the surface in the shallow warmer water in easy bow range on the small bridge that crosses where the feeder creek meets the pond. The white and orange color would make them easy to spot/target as well. I think I could possibly snag them as well for a reduced time fishing method.

While this might not be a normal hunting ground after a fall it could be on the travel route or possibly a resource to be tapped quickly before other figure it out.

[EX121]

Once again a post that makes me go hmmmm. I know that there are a lot of small ponds and such around the valley, and the fish & Game plant fish in them every years. I haven't looked at the local park, but I will now.

[goatlady]

It's KOI, Matt, just for future reference.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

It's KOI, Matt, just for future reference.

LOL and so the redneck gets educated

[rockriver]

i thought he meant the koi were coy!
but they let him take the shot,
so maybe the koi are not!

[Grand58742]

It's KOI, Matt, just for future reference.

Can they be eaten?

[Matt In Oklahoma]

Can they be eaten?

yep, fancy carp is all them is. Can eat bout any fish that aint poisonous

[rockriver]

no parks near our apartment...
but you bring out a good point that is similar..
knowing the land around you....
the ponds, streams, who owns them.
is the owner friendly or trigger happy ole scrooge?

owner may be absentee owner. i told her i'd keep an eye on her place for her... that reminds me, i need to take the deer stand down that i found in the woods...not mine. owner wants it.
or scared old lady who's sickly who told me only to come if i called her.
can you call the owners name and remind him of something we talked about before
or call his wife's name?
2 large ponds on one neigbors property, but they are wet weather ponds... no fish in it. (except for the ones i just put in there last week) bottom line, no need to fish it now. it'd be a waste of time.
good thread.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

I noticed today that there are some blackberry bushes blooming so I took a mental note of locations



There was a killed catfish about 3lbs which is larger than what I thought existed there



The cattails were housing several redwing blackbirds whos nest is easier accessed than some other birds

[Freebirde]

Goldfish are carp that were bred for color and size, even though most will reach carp size given enough food and room.
As for the semi tame ducks and geese, a casting net might be handy. I use to live near a lake and would feed the fish and ducks stale bread from the dock. Both could have been taken with a casting net.
Something to be mindful in park forageing, what kind of chemicals do they use, how often, and how much?

[Matt In Oklahoma]

The park where we practice combatives right in the middle of the city and sitting off the major highway has wild onions, crawdads and deer. The chems could be an issue as well as the fact that the onions are right off the dog trail and the tops might be a little scented

[jimmycthemd]

The park where we practice combatives right in the middle of the city and sitting off the major highway has wild onions, crawdads and deer. The chems could be an issue as well as the fact that the onions are right off the dog trail and the tops might be a little scented

Not the ideal, but it might be someplace to point folks that aren't prepared after TSHTF. May save you having to flat turn them away. Just a thought.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

I noticed last night the park where we train has bass and perch in the creek and the onions are starting to get their seed heads. I'm going to harvest them when they become ready

[tarheelsman71]

Hmmm....Cast net on the ducks...Then transplant them to your enclosed housing for them. Breed them and then duckling soup.

[EX121]

I like the idea of snaring the ducks. There are lots of geese in the parks. I bet a gill net strung between trees would work. The native tribes in S. Idaho & N. Nevada made nets and did jack rabbit drives. I read about a 2 mile long net once. Time to do some thinking.