Archive for June, 2007

I drew a early season backcountry deer tag!

Monday, June 4th, 2007

Well now the work begins. I found out Friday that I drew an early season deer permit in one of our wilderness areas here in Colorado – above 10,000 feet! It is a tag that I was hoping to get but I really didn’t think that I would be fortunate enough to get it this year. I am very excited. I have never been on a backcountry pack-in hunt. I have talked my girlfriend into doing the hunt with me. She says that it will be a way to finally get me to go backpacking!  I haven’t done very much of this sort of thing since I got out of the service. I am really looking forward to it. Since I was a kid I have always dreamed about packing into some remote area and hunting. I have always believed that the big ones live were people can’t get to them. Now I get to test my theory. Even if I am unable to connect on a nice deer, the adventure alone will be a hopefully not a once in a lifetime experience but truly an adventure that I can cherish for the rest of my life.

Like I said earlier, now that the easy part is over, the work will surely begin. Like I stated in earlier posts, I try and stay in fairly decent shape, but with this new challenge ahead of me I will need to really step up my workout routine.

Wish me luck; I will keep you posted on the progress. I hope that you were lucky enough to draw the tags that you wanted.

How to cook with game meat – go rare!

Friday, June 1st, 2007

One of the most enjoyable things about hunting to me is
trying to figure out new and exciting recipes to use with game meat. I love to
cook and I am always looking for new recipes. (You can see some of my cooking at My Man’s Man.)  My favorite standbys are elk chili and goulash, as well as bacon wrapped elk or deer loin
braised with maple syrup. However, I am always keeping my eyes open. With most
game meat, you can substitute it into just about any recipe that calls for
beef.  Be careful though! There are definitely some dishes that do not taste
good with venison or elk but for the most part, it will work just fine. The
problem that most people have with game meat is that they over cook it.
Especially when it comes to steaks. I hate to say it, but if you like your steaks
well done, you should probably just stick to regular old beef. Game meat is
best cooked a little bit south of medium with medium-rare or even rare being even more appealing to the pallet.

Go rare!

Is game meat a cheap way to feed your family?

Friday, June 1st, 2007

For those people that think that going hunting is a
cheap way to feed your family, I am sorry to disappoint you.  By the time
you figure in the cost of licenses, gas, lodging, gear, and food for your trip, the price per pound of game meat is quite a bit higher than the price of a good beef steak. But
on the other hand, the first time that you bite into a juicy piece elk steak,
you can’t help but feel proud of what you have achieved.  Plus you have the adventures, memories and stories to tell!