Dixie Chicks Cured and Smoked Burrowing Owl

I bumped into Natalie Maines on a flight to Ethiopia and she shared this recipe with me.

Now the Burrowing Owl is hard to come by but she gave me a contact who could get them for me, her Cousin Delbert. The owl is kind of small so for a family of 4 you need at least 2 of them.
Natalie said it takes 20 to feed her and the band.

Pluck, gut and clean owls. Dry them completely.

Curing
Use 1 table spoon of Morton's quick cure for each pound of bird.
Mix with 1/2 table spoon of brown sugar per each pound of bird.
Generously rub each bird making sure to get inside the cavity.
Place Owls in air tight freezer bag and store in fridge for 6 to 8 hours.

Smoker
Soak hickory wood chips in water
Fire up smoker bringing temperature to 180 to 195 degrees.
Fill water pan and pour in 1 bottle of your favorite beer.
Put a couple of hand fulls of Hickory on the coals just before putting on the birds.

Rinse Burrowing owls and pat dry.
Place bird on highest rack in smoker.
Close the door and do not open again until they are done.
Smoke for 6 to 10 hours. Internal temp should be 170 degrees.

I served this to Woody Harrelson who said it was better than Hemp Rope (what ever that means)