This simple, light dish is a perfect way to highlight the complex flavors of light meat game birds such as grouse or partridge My personal upbringing and background influences my way of preparing wild game. This recipe is no exception. It originates from Italy and traditionally uses veal but there is no reason why it can’t be used for upland game birds such as Hungarian partridge, wild turkey, chukar, or ruffed grouse. This recipe will delight the hunters that skin their game birds—skin isn’t necessary.  Piccata is a very simple, light dish. It’s often referred to as “of-the-moment” and c ..read more

Using a short and long lead to train your dog how to quarter at home and in the field. Have you ever hunted over a dog with a sixth sense for finding birds? Perhaps the dog had a higher-than-average drive to push out to find game. Or maybe it was highly intelligent and sought the most productive cover. Its exceptional nose could’ve been dialed in. Regardless of the attribute, it must have had a cooperative temperament, trusted its handler’s leadership, and would follow them to the ends of the world.  Listen to more articles on Apple | Google | Spotify |  ..read more

Liven up your springtime dinner table with ground wild turkey patties, fresh mango slices, smoky jalapeño mayo, and freshly toasted greens A common complaint about wild turkey, especially the thighs and legs, is that the meat can be tough and dry. These reasons are exactly why pitmasters cut brisket pencil-thin; we can grind or slice these tougher cuts to achieve shorter muscle striations, reducing the overall “chewiness” experienced when biting in. In this recipe, we’ll be grinding wild turkey meat to combat its reputation for toughness. You can indeed use any cut of wild turkey for this reci ..read more

This quick marinara sauce makes a hearty meal with a roasted upland bird of your choice on a bed of pasta An Italian restaurant called Luciano’s is down the street from our Kansas home. This local hotspot is renowned for, among other things, the salads they serve in toasted parmesan bowls. From what I can tell, the chef toasts shredded parmesan in bowls coated with olive oil. The crispy cheese takes on a cupped form, and his staff serves salads in these delicious edible bowls.  To recreate that savory special treat, in this recipe, I’ll tell you how to make parmesan lattices, which are ba ..read more

A citrus marinade helps to tenderize and bring out the amazing flavors of sharp-tailed grouse in this fajita recipe This recipe is the perfect way to prepare sharp-tailed grouse. I’ve prepared them this way for people that were not huge fans of sharptail, and they were pleasantly surprised. The preparation will tame the “gaminess” many people are wary of and the marinade will tenderize the meat with lime and grapefruit juice. I understand everyone has their preferences, but I find most of the time people that don’t enjoy sharptails just don’t know how to properly cook them. I like to treat it ..read more

Explore the tradition and conservation of red grouse in Scotland with pointing dogs during the spring season. July is an exciting month for us, as it signals the approach of our shooting season, which starts on 12 August—known as The Glorious Twelfth—with the opening of the red grouse season. Listen to more articles on Apple | Google | Spotify | Audible My husband Ronnie and I live on the northwest coast of Scotland with our ten Hungarian Wirehaired Vizslas. They are a huge part of our lives—they share our house and our sofas and are our family. The breed ha ..read more

Inspired by the crisp, refreshing flavors in spring rolls, this salad is a great way to enjoy light-meat game birds when the weather turns warm Here’s a light, refreshing salad to try with chukar or any light-meat game bird, such as pheasant, turkey, quail, or ruffed grouse. The salad is inspired by the Vietnamese flavors in spring rolls, like bright mint, a healthy dose of veggies, and a creamy, tangy peanut and lime dressing. Lastly, honey-roasted peanuts add crunch to the salad. If you’re substituting chukar with a bigger bird for this recipe, poach the meat longer and look for an internal ..read more

How the Wisconsin Sharp-tailed Grouse Society Conserves the State’s Sharptails and A Globally Threatened Habitat. During my time at Deerfield Elementary School in southern Wisconsin, my fourth-grade teacher taught us about Wisconsin’s geological history. I recall learning about glaciers, the formation of our local drumlins, and how unique the unglaciated driftless area is when it comes to midwestern landscapes. However, I don’t recall Mr. Meyer teaching my class about the endangered sandy pine barrens located in the northwestern part of the state.  Listen to more articles on Apple&n ..read more

Processing and preserving goose meat as jerky is a great way to make protein-rich snacks for future hunts Jerky is the go-to option for any wild meat that hunters deem unworthy as table fare. Geese, especially light geese, tend to fall into this category. Even if you deeply appreciate goose meat’s culinary potential, we all still love jerky and need to scratch that itch from time to time. The Light Goose Conservation Order is underway, which allows for additional goose hunting opportunities in some states. This helps to manage overpopulations of light goose species because they can wreak havoc ..read more

Is using long leads to train dogs a relic of the past or a timeless treasure? Dog training methodologies are vast. The long lead’s outward appearance may seem to be a relic of training days gone by. And truth be told, for some, they wouldn’t be wrong. With the invention of the e-collar and the now mainstream training approaches of utilizing classical and operant conditioning, many trainers forego the use of the long lead altogether.  Listen to more articles on Apple | Google | Spotify | Audible I’d argue that the long lead is not only relevant today but ..read more