- Home
- About
- Blog
- For Parents
-
Corners
- Allison’s Corner
- Amber’s Category
- Andrea’s Corner
- Ashley’s Corner
- Brandi Jo’s Corner
- Brittany’s Corner
- Brooke’s Corner
- Catrina’s Corner
- Conservation
- Desiree’s Corner
- Emily’s Corner
- Erica’s Corner
- Erin’s Corner
- Heather’s Corner
- Ivory’s Corner
- Jeana’s Corner
- Katie’s Corner
- Kelly’s Corner
- Kelsey’s Corner
- Kendra’s Corner
- Liberty’s Corner
- Lisa’s Corner
- Meagan’s Corner
- Melissa’s Corner
- Mimi’s Corner
- Morgan’s Corner
- Nicole’s Corner
- Sarah’s Corner
- Savannah’s Corner
- Shannon’s Blog
- Sharon’s Corner
- Sherri’s Corner
- Tara’s Corner
- Contact
- Guest Post
My California Adventure
I was born in California. When I was 12, my family decided to escape the “rat race” of the San Francisco Bay Area by moving to Oregon. Prior to marrying my husband, I had only been back once, and that was over 20 years ago. Aside from fond memories of my time at our cabin […]
Making Maple Syrup
In my last blog I spoke about the things that we do with our family that enrich our lives. I was fortunate enough to have my first experience with making maple syrup about a month ago. – We own about 400 acres in the Adirondack park. Our property has a wide variety of plants, animals, […]
Venison Jerky
I spend a lot of time living out of a daypack or backpack. When I’m not out hunting, I am often backpacking, goat packing, or hiking. On these outings, it is important to have some snacks along that are lightweight and nutritious. Jerky is a perfect snack to fit the bill. It is easy to make your own jerky and in my opinion, it is better than the store bought versions. This recipe can be made with venison, elk, or beef. Enjoy! – 1 lb. venison roast ¼ c. brown sugar 4 tbsp. soy sauce 4 tbsp. Worchestershire sauce 2 tbsp. liquid smoke 1 tbsp. ketchup ¼ tsp. black pepper ½ tsp. red pepper flakes ¼ tsp. garlic powder ¼ tsp. onion salt ½ tsp. salt – Slice meat into long strips, 1 inch wide and 1/8 inch thick. In a large ziplock bag, combine remaining ingredients. Place meat in bag and seal. Knead to distribute marinade. Refrigerate overnight and knead occasionally. – Jerky can be dried in either the oven or food dehydrator. In oven, preheat oven to 160 degrees F. Place a pan on bottom of oven to catch drips. Place meat strips on rack so they do not touch each other. Dry in oven for 6-8 hours or until desired consistency is achieved. – In food dehydrator, set temperature to 145-150 degrees F or follow manufacturer instructions. Lightly oil dehydrator trays. Place meat in a single layer on trays so strips do not touch. It can take from 2-12 hours or more to dry, depending on the thickness of the meat and your dehydrator. Check often until meat reaches desired consistency. Jerky is done when the meat is dark and still pliable. – Store jerky in ziplock bag. Can be refrigerated or frozen as well. – 1.Preheat oven to 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Place a pan on the bottom of oven to catch drips, or line with aluminum foil. – 2.Place meat strips on a rack so that they do not touch each other, and dehydrate for 6 to 8 hours in the oven, or until desired consistency is achieved
Caribou Bourguignon
I have written about my hunting trip with my Dad to Canada before. One thing that really stood out to me on the trip was the meals prepared by the camp chef. She was the wife of our guide and they are both native to northern Canada. This is a recipe that she prepared for […]
Down with the Litter Bugs
I am not usually a complainer, but after a frustrating hunt this afternoon, I decided I needed to vent about one of my pet peeves—people who drop their garbage wherever they feel like it. – The area I hunted today is fairly isolated. I have hunted the same area for three years for turkeys, elk, and deer, and besides my husband I have never seen another hunter. I like to think of the area as my own little hunting paradise. Unfortunately, telltale signs of previous human presence was scattered all over my honey hole today as I explored several of the trails. I came across a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup wrapper, a granola bar wrapper, a Tootsie Pop wrapper, a beer bottle, and several beer cans. – While I would love to believe that I am the only person to hunt this area, the reality is that public land will get hunted by other people. I understand this. But why do some people feel it is their right to leave their trash anywhere they want? It baffles me. How hard is it to put a wrapper in a pack or pocket? And how in the world are they packing in all of this beer? Beer is not good for hydration, is heavy, and takes up a lot of pack space. And why are they drinking beer when they are hunting in the first place? This is certainly not a safe practice…alcohol and weapons do not make good partners. If they want to drink while they are hunting, that is their choice, but I certainly don’t want to see the evidence when I am out trying to enjoy the experience of being in nature. – On one hand, it frustrates and angers me that people can be so lazy that they can’t make the small effort to pack out what they pack in. On the other hand, it saddens me that there are people who have so little regard for the environment that they feel no qualms about turning it into their own personal garbage dump. I wonder what goes on in their mind when they toss that wrapper or can. Do they think it will enhance the environment or that the trash will break down anytime soon? Frankly, I doubt they think of anything of it at all. – In the future, I am going to carry along a bag to pick up trash I find in the woods. At least I can do something to help enhance my next outdoor experience and that of someone who might follow me. As angry as it makes me that such action is necessary, it is a simple solution and might even help me feel a sense of satisfaction. Mr. Litterbug might not care about my special hunting area, but I do.
Getting Started Clothing
To someone just getting started out in hunting, spending hard-earned money on special hunting clothing may not seem that important. That would be a mistake. Good quality clothing, designed specifically for the requirements of the hunter, can allow you to stay in the field longer and in greater comfort in the adverse weather conditions that […]
Read More » | May 20, 2013 |
Category: Blog | Comments: 1
Blustery Battle
A few years ago a typical fishing day turned crazy & slightly embarrassing! My husband, my mom and dad, and I had loaded up the boat for a beautiful March fishing trip; it was a little cool and windy but nothing too bad that would keep us on dry land. We hit up a few […]
Read More » | May 18, 2013 |
Category: Blog | Comments: none
Duck Gumbo
Waterfowl Hunting is one of my favorite types of hunting. So far I have only hunted them from ponds around the Choke Canyon area and the bay marsh lands of South Texas. Teal are my favorite type of duck to hunt and eat! Teal are fast and sneaky, you have to be ready to shoot fast…..defiantly have to be on “A” Game for Teal! They are also my favorite ducks to eat. They have a lighter taste to them. I usually bacon wrap them and cook them on the grill using my dove recipe. The other ducks species we shoot in – abundance down here are, pintail, widgeon, buffleheads and redheads. Some of these other ducks have a stronger game taste to them. In my opinion these gamier ducks taste best in dishes like gumbo! Below is a great duck gumbo recipe! Enjoy! – ●2 wild ducks, cut up and lightly browned on the out side ●1/2 cup olive oil ●2/3 cup all-purpose flour or rice flour for a Gluten free option ●1 pound smoked sausage, sliced ●2 cups chopped onion ●1-1/2 cups chopped green bell pepper ●1-1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper ●2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley ●1 tablespoon minced garlic ●1 can (14-1/2 ounces) stewed tomatoes ●1 can Rotel mild ●2 bay leaves ●2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce ●1-1/2 teaspoons pepper ●1 teaspoon dried thyme ●1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper ●2 quarts water ●Hot cooked rice – Directions In a Dutch oven over medium heat, brown duck in batches in oil. Remove and set aside. Discard all but 2/3 cup drippings. Add flour to drippings; cook and stir over medium heat until brown, 12-14 minutes. This part is called the Roux of the Gumbo and it is very important not to burn this mixture. Be sure to watch it very close when cooking it. Next add sausage, onion, green pepper, celery, parsley and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.Stir in the next ingredients. Add duck; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 60-75 minutes or until duck is tender. Now remove duck, let cool, and cut into even smaller chunks, then return to pan. Simmer 5-10 minutes or until heated through. Remove bay leaves. Serve over a bed of rice. Don’t forget the Louisiana Hot Sauce for those who like extra spice! Enjoy!
Shoot it!
I enjoy hunting and fishing but I also just like being outside and among natures critters. I am by personality a watcher….an animal watcher, people watcher, an observer of character. I try and take things in and find ways to be inspired and make art out of my experiences. You can learn a lot about […]
Read More » | May 16, 2013 |
Category: Blog | Comments: 1
Collect Moments, Not Things
The title truly says it all. I read that quote somewhere and thought WOW that’s exactly what I want people to understand about hunting and being outdoors. I want to drive home the message that being outdoors, hunting, and fishing is never about the harvest, the catch, or winning anything; it has and will always […]
Read More » | May 15, 2013 |
Category: Blog | Comments: 5