Right before humans started shooting arrows at animals we started curing meat over a fire. It is a multi-millennia strong tradition. But why? Two reasons, really. The first reason that humans began to cure things is for simple food preservation. Refrigerators and freezers in households are a very recent invention. Prior to these, [...]
Honestly, I am not all that grateful for the Butterball turkey that I eat a small slice of each year. Nor the green beans, nor the stuffing. Those are from the store; I did nothing but buy them off the shelf. While I am happy to have them, and glad for the ability [...]
The gobbler was at the top of a small draw strutting his stuff when I caught him in my binoculars—a respectable Idaho Merriam’s. It had been a frustrating weekend of turkey chasing, with stuck trucks, rainstorms, snowstorms and fog. The birds were there and I could get the toms to gobble, but they [...]
So, what does a traditional bowhunter do at the end of the bow season for big game when the cottontail rabbit numbers crash? Hunt ducks! What else? No, I don't recommend using archery tackle if you want to eat duck, but if you want to shoot and laugh a bunch... fletch up some [...]
Blame it on Duck Dynasty if you want, or maybe on the cacophonous croaking of frogs along the canal near my home, but I have developed a taste for bull frogs. Frogging is considered a summertime pleasure for many of my southern-born friends. It is a rite of passage to muck through the [...]
Bears are like shadows in the forest--to quote a famous Idaho publication. They are cautious, shy, and seldom seen. Bears are omnivores of the highest order, preferring a patch of berries to hunting a deer, but never turning down a meal. They can be bold, they can be predictable, but for me, bears [...]
The jackrabbit was only about 15 yards away when he stopped and gave me the stink eye. I had caught him slinking through the sage and he was now trying to determine if he should run or hold. He should have ran. I drew back my longbow and let my wooden arrow fly. [...]
The dirt two track was dusty and headed southeast toward a rock out-cropping known as the Rooster Comb. Under the shade of a few junipers and desert sage, we saw the flicker of ears. Dad and I froze. We had been gabbing it up for most of the walk and now we were [...]
It never hurts to have a classic recipe at the ready. The classics are classic for a reason--they are typically awesome. Caesar Salad, Fettuccini Alfredo, Kentucky BBQ Ribs, Stairway to Heaven--all classics, and all are wonderful. In the culinary world some wild game dishes have "classic" status associated with them. One clear example [...]
I could hear the screaming of bull elk so loud in my ear it almost hurt. I crept in slowly, with the wind in my face and my bow at my side. I could smell the elk before I could see them. The bedding area was thick juniper and had many rubs on [...]
