Category Archives: Through A Hunter’s Eyes

A life spent in the great outdoors can provide a unique perspective on the world. Do You See what I See?

Hunting in North America

A Mountain Goat Kinda’ Night

And I Lived To Tell About It…

 

Sometimes in life it is much better to be lucky than good, and that applies to big game hunts too. I was lucky enough to draw a Colorado Mountain goat tag in 2015, and that’s plenty enough to celebrate. I was lucky in the hunt too, in many more ways than one.

And I did get my billy. And I did live to tell about it.

I made the shot with very little legal shooting light remaining in the long, end of summer day. The good news is that my hunting partner was prescient enough to snap a photograph just after we found him. My camera had decided to quit working, and I would have probably forgotten anyway had it not. I was much too preoccupied with trying to stay upright.

The not so good news is that this is the only photo taken before it was caped and quartered and stowed in our packs.

Don’t get me wrong. I am quite grateful to have it.  After all, it is not an easy task to take any kind of photo while balancing upon the slick rocks of an extreme slope in a cold and driving rain. That was the easy part too, compared with the dangerous, almost death-defying hike back down to our spike camp.

We had not planned to be caught on the face of a mountain such as this, far above timberline in the deep black night. Extreme hunts can call for extreme measures, and a mountain goat is nothing if not an extreme animal. Still, I would not recommend such a predicament to anyone, except perhaps another goat hunter. Only another goat or sheep hunter would understand the beauty of it all.

It was, however, the perfect ending to a grueling and treacherous adventure. Adventure and grand pursuit before breakfast I say, or in this case, a long overdue dinner. It was a mountain goat hunt, after all, and I got all that I could have bargained for, and more. I would not have had it any other way.

I don’t mind saying that I could not have pulled this hunt off without my friends and brothers from another mother. You know who you are, and I owe you big. Very, Very big…

May you draw a tag soon – so I can return the favor, God, and screaming leg muscles willing! And for all of my friends that I have not yet met still waiting for a tag, please let us know when you do.

We can’t wait to hear about your encounters with the peaks and your mountain goat success. With luck, you will get the job done much earlier in the day!

 

Photo of a Rocky Mountain Goat taken just after dark, on a hunt in the Snowmass-Maroon Bells Wilderness of Colorado with a .30-378 Weatherby Magnum.
It Was A Dark, White Mountain Goat Night. Michael Patrick McCarty With A Hard-Won Wilderness Prize. Photo by Rocky Tschappat

 

A Hunter Poses with the cape of a Rocky Mountain Goat, taken on a self-guided mountain goat hunt with a .30-378 Weatherby Magnum in the Maroon-Bells Wilderness of Colorado's Game Management Unit 12
When Night Turns Into Day. I Took This Billy On The Cliffs Just Above The Snowfields in the Background.

 

A hunter prepares to backpack a heavy load of goat and gear, on a self guided goat hunt in the Maroon-Bells Wilderness in GMU 12 of Colorado
No Complaints Here. Just 4 More Miles To Go!

 

By Michael Patrick McCarty

You Might Also Like The Improbable Beast and The .30-378 Weatherby

Impossible Colors – Fishing For Cutthroats In The Land Of Goats

July 2015

A high country fisherman points to some rocky mountain goats on a peak in the maroon bells-snowmass wilderness area in colorado
The Mountain Goats of Flip-Flop Ridge
We Call It Planet Goat. A Long View Through The Spotting Scope

 

Flyfishing At The Top of The World for colorado cutthroat trout in the maroon bells-snowmass wilderness of colorado while scouting for mountain goats
Flyfishing At The Top of The World

Today was a big day in the grand scheme of things in this even grander adventure, for today I saw the first goats within the boundaries of my hunting unit. Two billy’s they were, hanging nonchalantly up towards the skyline and feeding on the carpet of shiny new green on the steep side of an open basin.

The sight of the goats and the stunning scenery took my breath away, which you could have said was simply impossible because I had already been gasping for oxygen for more than a mile already. Yet, I did have enough life left in me to grin a little grin  and dance a little jig.  It made the long hike seem but a small price to pay, and gave me more than a little hope that this quest might just all come together after all.

Still, we came to fish. A lake of indescribable beauty waited near the top of the trail, and my friend knew it to hold some great fish. He was not exaggerating.

As you can see the colors on these Cutthroat’s were almost too stunning to be true. I am sure that my inexpensive camera was simply not up to the task. When first removed from the water these fish were so bright and vibrantly red that it was difficult for the mind to believe the eye, yet, here they were in all their heavenly splendor.

I could say that they had grabbed my complete attention, but that would not be accurate. I spent most of my time fishing with one eye on the fish and the other on the goats, and soon put the rod down and sat to study them with my binoculars.

Both were mature males, and one was, to put it plainly, a bruiser of a big billy. I could see horn and heavy bases from a long way away, and his body shape and attitude told me all that I needed to know. I wanted to be up there with them, right then and now. I wanted to see what they see from their perch at the top of the world, and see it I will.

With some luck and some hard climbing, this goat and I will build some history together. I will be back a time or two before the season, and if he is as good as I think he is once the season begins he may find me quite a bit closer than he ever imagined.

And, oh yes. I will return to have another go at those beautiful cutthroat trout too!

Is their really any other place to be?

a closeup photo of the colorado river cutthroat trout, caught on a flyfishing trip to the Maroon Bells wilderness area while on a mountain goat scouting trip
The Impossible Colors of Cutthroat Trout in Full Spawn
a closeup photo of a stringer of colorado river cutthroat trout, caught while flyfishing in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass wilderness while on a mountain goat scouting trip
What Waits At The End of the Rainbow

 

 

You Might Like Our Articles The Improbable Beast and A Mountain Goat Night

By Michael Patrick McCarty

Presenting Fun With Trout By Fred Everett

My Idea Of A Good Time

 

Close-up of the spine, with gilt titles, of Fun With Trout: Trout Fishing in Words, Paint & Lines by Fred Everett
A Close-up of the spine, with gilt titles, of Fun With Trout

 

The Front Cover of Fun With Trout: Trout Fishing in Words, Paint & Lines by Fred Everett
The Front Cover, in maroon cloth with gilt titles and pictorial label. There’s Something Wonderful About Those 1950’s Vintage Colors

 

"Prospective Golden Fun". A Color Plate From Fun With Trout: Trout Fishing in Words, Paint & Lines by Fred Everett
“Prospective Golden Fun”. A Color Plate From Fun With Trout

 

A Full Page Illustration From Fun With Trout: Trout Fishing in Words, Paint & Lines by Fred Everett
A Full Page Illustration From Fun With Trout

FOR SALE

Presenting Fun with Trout: Trout Fishing in Words, Paint & Lines. By Fred Everett. Preface by Charles K. Fox. Introduction by Ray Bergman.

Published by The Stackpole Co, Harrisburg, PA, 287 pages, 1952.

Maroon cover with gilt lettering and paste down illustration by Everett of a trout fisherman with rod and netted trout. With pictorial end papers, and internal line drawings. 

An entertaining, often whimsical discussion on flytying, wetflying, dryflying, and more.

Dedicated “to the spirit of the great out-of-doors, its waters and the life therein, an ever enticing lure from the humdrum of everyday life to the body-reviving and soul-filling pastime of fishing; to the spirit of true sportsmanship and all that it means for fair play, courtesy, cooperation and real conservation; to the very spirit of angling itself, this book is sincerely and humbly dedicated”.

This copy is in Near Fine condition, without Dustjacket.

Here offered at $45, postpaid U.S. (subject to prior sale)

Please email us at huntbook1@gmail.com to order.

 

Posted By Michael Patrick McCarty

You Might Also Like To Take A Look At Some Russell Chatham Books Here

To Search Our Online Catalog of More Than 9500 Used, Collectable, and Rare Books  – CLICK HERE

“All men are equal before trout.” – Herbert Hoover

 

A Signed Mixed Media Print of a Blue Wing Olive Parachute Nymph Trout Fly by Charlie Manus of Marble, Colorado
Christmas is Right Around The Corner

For the Fly Fisherman in the house:

A 4″ x 6″ Signed Print of A Blue Wing Olive Nymph.  Matt Size 8″ x 10″. From an original mixed media painting by Charlie Manus of Marble, Colorado.

For Sale at $28.95 (postpaid U.S.).  Matt Size 8″ x 10″. Please Email us at huntbook1@gmail.com to order.

Other fly patterns available.

https://steemit.com/fishing/@huntbook/fun-with-trout-is-my-kind-of-fun

It Was the Best of Food, It Was the Worst of Food

Close-up photo of a Brown Bear Track in Comparison to the Size of a Human Hand
A Good Reason To Look Over Your Shoulder
Close-up Photo of Cottontail Rabbit Running
Full Charge!

 

The best meal I ever ate, anywhere, featured cottontail rabbit fried hot in an electric skillet, hunted up fresh from the fields within sight of the big picture window of my friend’s southern New Jersey family homestead.

I had eaten many a rabbit by the time I had nearly finished highschool. Cottontails were our sportsman’s consolation prize. They were everywhere in our neck of the woods, and we could always count on bagging a brace or two when we could not find a covey of bobwhite quail or other small game.

But the rabbit of my experience had never tasted like a lesser prize. My friend’s mom knew her way around the kitchen, and she knew exactly what to do with farm fresh ingredients, be they wild, or not. She was, in fact, a culinary wizard, conjured up to look like an ordinary woman.

What she did I suppose I will never really know, but I suspect it had something to do with buttermilk, flour, a perfectly matched selection of spices, and hot lard. The meat hit the pan with crackle and sizzle, and it spoke of blackberry leaves and sweet clover and sun dappled woodlots.

It literally melted in your mouth, and I remember watching as a heaping plate of rabbit pieces disappeared into smiling faces around the long farm table. It was ordinary fare, dressed in high style, and I was the honored guest of their simple realm. I knew then that I would never forget that wonderful dinner, and I have never looked at the unsung cottontail in the same way since.

A long farm table setting for a large group
Farm Table Magic About To Happen

Contrast that with the worst meal I ever had, which I had the displeasure of ingesting in a windswept Quebec-Labrador Caribou camp north of Schefferville, somewhere below the arctic circle.

It was a vile concoction of rancid grease, pan drippings, and rendered fat, and we ate it with a big metal spoon of questionable cleanliness. My native guide kept it stored in a good-sized mason jar, and he carried it around like it was the holy grail of gourmet cuisine. He ate it while sporting a huge grin, and I tried it because he wanted me too, and because he acted like it was so damn tasty. Who knew?

It seems that many people in the far north country can develop a bad case of “fat hunger”, as a result of their super lean, high protein diets. This affliction is also called “rabbit starvation”, having been given its name by those unfortunate souls who at one time or another subsisted solely on rabbits.

A hefty jar of partially congealed fat can be a highly prized commodity in that world, where calories count, and the lack thereof can literally mean the difference between life and death.

One throat gagging spoonful was quite enough for me, followed by an old candy bar of some kind to dull the taste, and washed down with some lukewarm canteen water. To this day, the occasional thought of that wretched goo turns my stomach inside out, now almost 40 years later. It definitely gives one some perspective on the otherwise fine cuisine of Canada.

With that in mind, an honorable mention must go to the partially raw and burnt slices of elk heart I skewered over an aspen fire one clear, brisk night in the Colorado back country.

I should have been more than happy that lonely, star filled night. I had taken a fat four point bull elk with my recurve bow just hours before, and I was headed back to my friend’s small hunting shack when I ran out of daylight, and flashlight batteries.

I took a breath snatching fall from a low cliff, and by all rights I should have hurt myself badly, but did not. So, I gathered up some branches and hunkered down for the night, and thanked my guardian hunting angel. The animal’s heart and liver was all that I had packed with me.

It wasn’t so bad, after all, if you enjoy rubbery, half-cooked offal, but it could have used some salt. And it would have been far better if I had some water, which I had run out of during the hot afternoon. The head pounding hangover left over from the previous night’s shenanigans was still with me, which did not help my predicament.

In my defense, let the record state that it was the weekend of my bachelor party, and it is fair to say that the boys’ and I had just a little “too much fun”. I had been the only one to stagger out of camp that early morning, and only then because I had somehow managed to pass out in my hunting cloths, with boots on. One downhill step, and I was on my way.

My head and parched throat told me that I was in for a rough night, but my heart said that there were far worse places to be than in the abiding lap of the Rocky Mountains, with elk bugling all around, even if the meal was merely marginal. It’s how memories are made, and I would not trade them now for all the world. We laugh about it still.

The supper I am most grateful for consisted of one big can of yellow cling peaches, packed in heavy syrup. I ate them while huddled in a sleeping bag, in the low light of a small gas lamp. I did so from a short bunk in the cabin of a small crab boat, anchored just off the beach somewhere in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

My guide and I had spent the day above timberline hunting mountain goats and glassing for coastal brown bear, and we had been late getting back to our pick up point. Loaded with the heavy hide and meat of a white-robed goat, we struggled down through the rocks and heavy underbrush in a race to beat the faltering late night sun. We didn’t make it.

Left with no easy choices, we made our way to a gurgling stream in the bottom of a canyon, and waded in. We thrashed and slipped and bullied our way down through knee-deep water for more than a few miles, while desperately trying to keep our feet under us.  It was a truly dark and soul-searching night, made far worse by the occasional loud crashes of large, big things, just out of sight. These things most probably had huge tearing teeth and long, flesh ripping claws to go with them. It was not a pretty picture, and I am not proud of the terrified thoughts and hobgoblins which danced and screamed inside my head and nearly got the better of me.

I have never been so happy to break clear of thick brush, and to see a low slung skiff waiting hopefully on an open cove in the light of a wispy moon. My father could barely speak, relieved from his duty of pacing the shoreline and imagining the worst. Once on board the main boat, and safe, I had enough energy to slurp down those aforementioned peaches that had appeared under my nose, to then lie back and fall instantly asleep.

A can of peaches is certainly not much of a meal, but it was heavenly sustenance to me. It was much better than the alternative, which most importantly meant that I had not become the hot and ready to eat snack of a snarling 10 foot beast. Thank god for life’s little graces.

Last but not least, I savored my most memorable meal on the day after my wedding in the high mountains of Colorado. We spent a pampered night or two in Aspen’s only five-star hotel, and dined in its’ fine restaurant.

The company and the conversation was grand, to say the least, as was the atmosphere, and the setting. The hotel has a grand view of the area’s towering, snow-covered peaks, and sits within close proximity of summering herds of elk, and the occasional black bear. It was a most appropriate location from which to approach a colorful plate of elk tenderloin with sun-dried cherry sauce and sweet potato fries, duly crafted by the expert hands’ of one of the world’s greatest chefs. I can only describe the entire experience, as well, absurdly, …grand…

Now that was a preparation for the ages; a far cry from a flame scorched elk heart to be sure, and almost as good as that lovingly tendered rabbit dinner of my youth.

So, these are some of my food highs, and lows, in the proverbial nutshell.

No doubt you have several of your own. If you do, we’d love to hear about them.

Care to share?

 

A close-up photo of canned peaches in a mason jar
Canned Peaches – Nectar of The God’s

 

You may also wish to see the recipe for grilled elk loin and cherry sauce here.

skeeze / Pixabay

Posted By Michael Patrick McCarty

https://steemit.com/life/@huntbook/it-was-the-best-of-food-it-was-the-worst-of-food-of-an-outdoor-life

Elk Tracks On Concrete

 

Elk Tracks Set in A Concrete Sidewalk
A Track Set In Stone

 

“Some time ago I walked around to the back of a big, empty house and came upon elk tracks on the cement patio and walkways of a hidden courtyard. Tall evergreen trees swayed from the light winter wind and murmured in the hushed overtones of a holy cathedral. It had just snowed, and the tracks stood out like a beacon in the dazzling mid-morning sun.

The sight stopped me quite dead in my stride. It was as if I had walked squarely into the solid concrete walls of some plainly obvious yet unseen building, as a great hand with a large extended finger descended from heaven to point them out in quivering disgust.

Kneeling in the snow by a gleaming steel barbecue, I felt light-headed and unsure as my eyesight blurred and the earth moved beneath me. It was all I could do to control my revulsion and rising anger as the world slowly came back in focus.

Struggling to rise, I could only begin to wonder what had caused such a powerful vision. I may never know why the full force of it all had hit me so hard on that day and at that particular moment. But it was real, and it was painful.

I only know that there is something terribly wrong about the placement of elk tracks on concrete. It is an assault on the sensibilities of common sense and a great festering wound upon all that is spirited and free. It screams of wrongness and wrong-headedness, and of human cleverness driven past it’s acceptable limit. The tracks document a trail of horrible mistakes and destructive paths. It is a mere glimpse of a dark and terrible future reality.

No man should have to witness it, nor bear it. No man should have to try. The snow will melt and the tracks will disappear, leaving behind them only the promise of what might have been. I can read meaning into most kinds of animal tracks, but no matter how hard I may try I can find no sign on the cruel and heartless soul of concrete walks and driveways.

I am, and have always been, a hunter. I must have fresh tracks to follow”.

Posted by Michael Patrick McCarty

Taken From Our Post Sacred Ground. Read More Here.

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I came across this amazing photograph recently quite by accident, and I was immediately transported back in time and place. I thought I would share the moment again, with you.

Concrete Be Damned!

https://steemit.com/hunting/@huntbook/there-is-no-place-in-this-world-for-elk-tracks-on-concrete

“Hope We Catch A Lot Of Fish…”

Kid’s Say the Darndest Things!…

 

As a long time used book dealer, I have been privy to a wide variety of personalized gift inscriptions. Most are, well, personal…Others can be educational, thought-provoking, or entertaining.

Some are quite surprising. I thought that you might get a kick out of this fishing autograph by our young fisherman here:

 

A Child's Gift Inscription and Doodle About Fishing Found In The Angler's Book of Daily Inspiration: A Year of Motivation, Revelation, and Instruction
Hope We…Have a Lot Of Fun…

As you can see, Haden had a few other things on his mind too!

 

A Child's Doodle About Fishing Found Next To A Gift Inscription In The Angler's Book of Daily Inspiration: A Year of Motivation, Revelation, and Instruction
Oops! … A Wee Pee In The River…

 

I hope that he did manage to catch some fish…

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This inscription was found in The Angler’s Book of Daily Inspiration: A Year of Motivation, Revelation, and Instruction by Kevin Nelson. There are lots of wonderful motivational quotes here by some of the world’s finest fisherman.

They are almost as good as young Haden’s aspirations for the day too!

We usually have a used copy or two in stock. Please email us at huntbook1@gmail.com for a price quote.

 

The Front of Dustjacket of The Angler's Book of Daily Inspiration: A Year of Motivation, Revelation, and Instruction
Twist My Arm…To Go Fishing

 

“Fishing lets the child in me come out.” – Mel Krieger

 

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By Michael Patrick McCarty

If You Like Books, You Might also Like Fun With Trout

https://steemit.com/fishing/@huntbook/kid-s-say-the-darndest-things-about-fishing

The Promise Of Deer

A doe white-tailed deer on alert, watches for movement.
Watching Deer – Watching You

 

October 15, 2015

 

“One hot afternoon in August I sat under the elm, idling, when I saw a deer pass across a small opening a quarter-mile east. A deer trail crosses our farm, and at this point any deer traveling is briefly visible from the shack.

I then realized that half an hour before I had moved my chair to the best spot for watching the deer trail; that I had done this habitually for years, without being clearly conscious of it. This led to the thought that by cutting some brush I could widen the zone of visibility. Before night the swath was cleared, and within the month I detected several deer which otherwise could likely have passed unseen.

The new deer swath was pointed out to a series of weekend guests for the purpose of watching their later reactions to it. It was soon clear that most of them forgot it quickly, while others watched it, as I did, whenever chance allowed. The upshot was the realization that there are four categories of outdoorsmen: deer hunters, duck hunters, bird hunters, and non-hunters. These categories have nothing to do with sex or age, or accoutrements; they represent four diverse habits of the human eye. The deer hunter habitually watches the next bend; the duck hunter watches the skyline; the bird hunter watches the dog; the non-hunter does not watch.

When the deer hunter sits down he sits where he can see ahead, and with his back to something. The duck hunter sits where he can see overhead, and behind something. The non-hunter sits where he is comfortable. None of these watches the dog. The bird hunter watches only the dog…”

From the chapter entitled “The Deer Swath” in A Sand County Almanac”, by Aldo Leopold.

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I read this for the first time many years ago, and the basic premise of it has stuck in my mind ever since. It is classic Leopold, whose writings always seems to leave behind more thought-provoking questions than he answers. He was, and still is, one of the preeminent teachers of the natural world.

Looking back, I realize now that I have always sat with shoulders squared up to something at my back, watching.

Perhaps I am just a deer hunter at heart. It is the promise of deer, for which I wait.

Where do you sit?

Michael Patrick McCarty

You Might Also See The Aldo Leopold Foundation

You Might Also Like Our Post called The Gift

https://steemit.com/nature/@huntbook/it-is-the-promise-of-deer-for-which-i-wait

 

Vintage photo of what looks to be a 30" plus trophy mule deer, taken in Nevada during rifle season in the mid 1960's
Trophy Nevada Mule Deer Taken in the Mid-1960’s. Photo courtesy of David Massender.

A Pheasantful of Memories

A ring-necked pheasant, in all it's colors of glory.
JanTemmel / Pixabay

Where would we be as outdoorsmen, and as human beings, if not for the people in our lives who took us hunting?

It is a question not so easily answered, though at least we get to ask it. Sadly, a steadily increasingly group of young people never get that chance. In most cases I can only grieve for the loss that they will never fully understand, while staring upward and thanking the heavens for the sportsmen of my youth.

It was only a natural way to be in the world in which I grew up. My father had been a hunter all of his life, and his father was too. To be true so were my uncles and cousins, my brothers, friends, and our neighbors. There was always someone to go hunting with and a shotgun was never far out of hand.

We hunted small game and deer and birds of all kinds, but pheasants – pheasants were a special creature. There were not many to be found in our corner of the uplands, and those that remained were wary and smarter than smart. It was a big event to bag a hefty, redheaded cockbird.

If you are like me then there is no doubt that you remember your first cackling rooster rising like a shimmering phoenix in the sky. The memory of that long-tailed vision burns brightly in the mind, ready for access at a moment’s notice. Mine is a mind full of ring-necks.

I hold my treasure trove of remembrances most dearly, yet it occurs to me that It is only right to return the favor. I am more than willing to share that long list of images in my head, though I would be most happy to help you gain your own.

One thing can be said.

Take a boy, or a girl, hunting – today. It is a responsibility and an honor, and in fact a debt that must be repaid.

We can only be as strong as the sum total of our experience, and I cannot comprehend a life barely lived without the solid grounds of woods and field beneath the boots. The pursuit of wild things is a foundational activity, built upon the realities of the natural world and the spirit of the quickening heart. It is an opportunity to learn some core moral values, while becoming part of something much larger than one’s self.

We owe it to our mentors to carry the torch; to help ignite that undying spark in the imagination and energy of the next generation. I can think of no greater reward than to be remembered fondly in the thoughts of the grateful and fortunate soul of a hunter.

It is only but a moment of memory, and a towering pheasant, away.

A rising ring-necked pheasant towers toward the sky

Michael Patrick McCarty

You Might Also Like How It Ought To Be and The Gift

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“If Christmas came on the Fourth of July and it also happened to be your birthday, you might have some idea of what a first pheasant is like on a clear, crisp Maryland day, with the hills behind, and the tender-green meadows reaching out to black-green blotches of trees, and nothing very much to do but watch a couple of expert dogs work over the noblest Oriental stranger we have in our midst, while two mellowed old gentlemen do not interfere with a boy’s passionate effort. They were not shooting; they had been there before. It took me another thirty years to find out how much fun you have not shooting if there is somebody else around who wants to shoot it more than you do”.

-From The Old Man and The Boy by Robert Ruark

A hunter and a young boy hunt upland game

See our other favorite Robert Ruark Quote at the bottom of our post Here

*We generally have for sale some collectable copies of Ruark’s books. Please email for more information.

Read More About Black Canyon Wing and Clay HERE, and a recipe for marinade.

Shotguns, young gunner’s, and Pheasants Forever!


Wondering what do to next with your bird? Try This:

Pheasant Burritos

  • 2 pheasants (cut into pieces)
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup fig, plum, or apricot jam
  • 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in a little water until soft, then chopped
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup dry red wine
  • 2 dried ancho chiles, with stems and seeds removed and then ground
  • 2 minced garlic gloves
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 8 large flour tortillas

Brown pheasant pieces on both sides in broiler or hot skillet. Boil remaining ingredients(tortillas excluded) in a covered sauce pan. Add the pheasant and cook on low heat for 30 minutes or until done. Let cool, then pull the meat from the bones and set aside. Stain the sauce and return to heat. Reduce over medium heat by about 1/3. salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with warm tortillas, topped with pheasant meat and sauce.

Enjoy with your favorite extras and wine, then prepare to get ready for your next pheasant hunt.

*This recipe taken from At Mesa’s Edge: Cooking and Ranching in Colorado’s North Fork Valley by Eugenia Bone.

It’s a lovely read about life in this unique area of northwestern Colorado, with some wonderful recipes using the area’s plentiful bounty. It includes some wild game recipes too.

We have some copies for sale if so interested.

the front cover of At Meas's Edge: Cooking and Ranching in Colorado's North Fork Valley by Eugenia Bone with some pheasant and wild game recipes
Eating What You Catch

It’s About Time – To Go Fishing!

Summer Was Made for Fluke and The Jersey Shore

For me, the long, humid, and hazy days of summer still bring back memories of mostly one thing – and that would be of bottom fishing for flounder on a long drift somewhere off of a New Jersey beach.

I’ve been a long time gone from that particular part of the world, and perhaps there are better places to be on a summer vacation. Then again, perhaps not. We all have our favorite places to rest and relax, and I’ve developed more than a few top contenders over the years.

But New Jersey is where I grew up, and fishing for fluke and bluefish in the summer is what we did. It’s always good to return to your roots and a familiar kind of fun. Fishing is finer with family, too.

So, I say again, summer was made for fluke and the New Jersey salt. It was also built for a fresh slab of flounder fillet, breaded or battered and flash fried. We always liked ours served with a perfectly ripe Jersey tomato and a hard deli roll, with lemon and tartar sauce on the side. Be sure to be near a super chilled mug of a summer wheat beer of your choice!

Now that’s what I’m talking about…

My guess is that I now have your attention. I certainly have mine.

See you at the shore…

 

It's About Time II. A Boston Whaler Owned By Kevin McCarty, Tuckerton, New Jersey. Built for Fishing.
It’s About Time II. A 29′ Boston Whaler Owned By Kevin McCarty of Tuckerton, New Jersey
Kevin McCarty of Tuckerton, New Jersey Readies His 29' Boston Whaler For A Day of Fishing
Kevin McCarty – Ready To Roll
Boats at Rest On An Early Summer Morning At The Maritime Marina on Tuckerton Crick, New Jersey
An Early Summer Morning At The Maritime Marina on Tuckerton Crick, New Jersey
A Reminder of The Past - A Vintage Charter Boat Fishing Sign Stands Vigil Over Tuckerton Crick in New Jersey
A Reminder of The Past – A Vintage Charter Boat Sign Stands Vigil Over Tuckerton Crick
Bringing in the Mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), a Killifish, or Killies - The Best Bait Fish for Flounder
Bringing in the Mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), or Killies – The Best Bait for Flounder
The Mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), otherwise known as the Killifish, or Killie - The Best Fishing Bait for Flounder, or Fluke
A Close-up view of a Killifish, or Killie
A Fisherman Holds A Flounder, Taken Off Of The Southern New Jersey Coast Near Tuckerton, New Jersey
Looking for Lunch Off The Jersey Coast
A Fisherman Fillets A Fresh Caught Flounder Taken From The Coastal Waters of Southern New Jersey
Almost Ready For The Pan
"Fuggettoboutit!..."...New Jersey Slang for Even a Slow Day of Fishing is a Great Day On The Water
“Fuggettoboutit!…”…New Jersey Slang for Even a Slow Day of Fishing is a Great Day…
The Fish Story III, A Fishing Boat Found At Dry Dock at The Maritime Marina in Tuckerton, New Jersey
Nothing Left But A Fish Story!
“If I fished only to capture fish, my fishing trips would have ended long ago.” – Zane Grey

Teaching Your Kids About Hunting

Teaching Your Kids About Hunting

 

A man and his young son walk the grasslands while hunting birds and upland game
Carrying On a Family Tradition

 

Children and hunting are two of the greatest joys in life. What better way to have the best day than combine your two favorite things? While teaching children about hunting might prove to be challenging, it is also one of the greatest lessons you can teach your kids as well as one of the most rewarding for you. Here are a few tips to get started.

 

Put Safety First

Hunting is dangerous, so when teaching your kids, make sure they get the message. Teach your child the responsibility of handling weapons, and practice with them before hitting the woods. Remind your kids that hunting might be fun, but it isn’t a game.

 

Get the Gear

You and your child should be outfitted for the hunt, from your boots to your hat. Don’t forget lots of orange (see the safety point above). Purchase quality gear from trusted retailers like Carhartt, and enjoy it for years to come.

 

Be Patient

Remember what it was like when you were learning to shoot a gun or throw a ball? Your child will be experiencing the same things as you teach them about hunting, so be patient. Also, don’t withhold praise. If they are doing a good job, let them know.

 

Be a Role Model

Children love to do whatever adults do. It’s the plight of childhood. Be the type of hunter you want your children to be. Part of being a great hunter and role model is keeping a positive attitude. Whether the deer get spooked or the shot isn’t aimed perfectly, stay composed and positive. There will always be more deer, but you can’t replace a moment to teach your kids about positivity.

 

Teach Conservation

Hunting isn’t just about bringing home the venison. Hunters are conservationists, and that plays a huge role into the sport. Teach your child about harvesting only what they need as well as the balance of giving and taking. Explain how hunters play a role in population control and what you can do to ensure these animals, as well as the land, trees and vegetation, are still around for their children.

 

Connect with the Outdoors

Hunting is more than making a kill. It’s about connecting with nature. Encourage your kids to take everything in, from the birds chirping to the wind in the grass to the vines growing up the tall oaks. You could even take a minute to enjoy nature and discuss the hunter’s role in maintaining the ecosystem, from keeping the balance to not disturbing nests.

 

Make a Tradition

While we love passing down a good hunting tradition, you can also use this time with your kids to create new traditions. It will make the hunt even more special to the kids, and it will be a great tradition they can pass down to their kids.

 

Look Forward

Children are the future of hunting. It is our responsibility as adults, mentors and parents to teach them the right way to hunt. This way the tradition of hunting can be passed down through the generations.
We love hunting, and we hope the next generation carries on our longstanding traditions for years to come. Good luck with your young ones, and don’t forget the camo!

Posted By Michael Patrick McCarty

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And of course, get your Carhartt on!