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F A L L / W I N T E R
Real People. Real Adventure. Real Food. F A L L
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I founded Harvesting Nature back in 2011 as a blog discussing the intersection of wild food and cooking. Through the hard work of many people, it has grown into something far greater. We are now a multifaceted media company that touches so many areas of the outdoor world. Our primary focus is on inspiring and educating the outdoor community, experts and novices alike, to get out to hunt, fish, forage, and cook food from the wild. We want to see people step outside of their comfort zone, get off the couch, and find their own adventures for food.
Inadvertently, our growth has established an awesome community of wild food connoisseurs. The articles and recipes you find in our magazines are written by the most highly passionate members of our community with each person sharing their experiences and expertise for us all. I am continually amazed by the words I read here. Every article we publish opens up my eyes wider to the world of wild food, making me forever motivated to be both a teacher and a student. That thirst for knowledge is what really keeps me going as I look for more pathways to the plate. I hope you too find these pages inspirational, and let them serve as a guide to find your own wilderness, wherever you may be.
Thank you, Justin Townsend Founder
AARON AGOSTO - COVER PHOTOGRAPHER
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Aaron lives in northwest Montana in the foothills of the Swan mountain range. He is a photographer focusing on documentary and editorial work, fly fishing, hunting and conservation, as well as lifestyle and branding work. His work has been featured in publications such as The FlyFish Journal, Big Sky Journal, and The Backcountry Journal. He is probably on the river right now. H A R V E S T I N G
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Table of Contents
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Continuing the Collared Dove Tradition Whiskey & Wild Plum-Glazed Dove Time Well Spent: A Reflection on My First Elk Hunt Philly Cheese Elk Steak Sandwich Bird Hunting Etiquette: Be a Gentleman in the Field HOW TO: Butcher a Goose Oktoberfest Moose Heart Schnitzel Sandwich Fall Foragables: Pinon Nuts FEATURE: The Tale of Two Bulls The Art of Sausage Making Antelope Jamaican Curry The Tradition of a Southern Gentleman Squirrel Pesto Pasta Pennsylvania Flintlock Basics PHOTO ESSAY: Fall is in the Air They Rise up from the Ground
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Continuing the Collared Dove Tradition
w r it te n by
BRAD TRUMBO
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H A R V E S T I N G
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pulled the stock and barrels of the sleek Ruger “Red Label”
collared dove telegraphed the bird coming in low from right to left
twelve-gauge over/under from the green, leather-lined canvas
and preparing to land. I shouldered Marvin’s Red Label and led the
case. It had been a little over a year since the fine double gun
bird appropriately. Two trigger-squeezes hence, nary a feather
had seen the light of day, and nearly two years since it saw an
drifted from the bird as it maintained course. How expected.
upland bird season. It was odd to see it in my hands instead of Marvin’s.
“What do you think of that, Bradly?” I could almost hear Marvin kidding me with a slight hint of smug and witty play on my own
As I stepped away from the truck, memories surface of the year
words.
prior in this same cover. Marvin and his bird dog, Felix, accompanied me beneath the pines and honey locust as we roused
A wry smile crept across my face. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, I thought, all the
a staggering number of collared doves. Marvin carried the Red
while suspecting this was merely the beginning of a long season of
Label on every one of our upland hunts over the years, and our
hard lessons in the ways of handling the Red Label.
collared dove hunt of the year past was our last together. Two
Having disturbed the cover, I expected the air to fill with doves. Fol-
short months later, the cancer that Marvin had nearly beaten
lowing the first shots in seasons past, as much as ten minutes of
finally bested him.
birds circling and frantic shooting and reloading, and trying to keep track of downed birds would ensue. But this day and year were different. Only one pair circled around before the cover went quiet.
“Let’s see how I do with this thing” I spoke into the wind, as if Marvin was there with me.
I began still-hunting with an ear to the wind, but the silence was telling. Upon making a round through the cover with no further action, I
Once loaded up with steel and selecting the cylinder-
turned for the truck, nevertheless content with the morning. Al-
choked bore to fire first, I was prepared to miss my first bird of
though Marvin was not physically there and the birds were sparse,
the year. I prefer side-by-sides but don’t shoot them particularly
the hunt provided time to reminisce on remarkable moments of the
well. Even less could be said about me gunning behind an over/
past, like the time we both limited on roosters before 8:00am.
under.
A tree hanging heavy with yellow plums caught my attention when I entered the cover. Revisiting that tree to pick a handful of the grape-
Mere steps from the truck, the raspy “coo” of a pair of collared
sized fruits seemed an appropriate addition to my single dove. They
doves drifted on the breeze. To my surprise, they departed their
would make a sweet whiskey-plum glaze that I would slather over
distant locust perch and flew directly to me. It was equally sur-
the plucked bird on the grill. A meal fit for a king and sufficient hom-
prising when the closest bird fell.
age paid for the life given for my mental and physical nourishment. As the dove came off the grill, I tipped an iced whiskey sour to Marvin, and thanked him for the good times, the honor to carry the Red
“What do you think of that, Marv?” I questioned with a smile, as if I had done something remarkable.
Label, and the continuation of our collared dove tradition.
Upland hunters hold a singular reverence for the birds they pursue. I rolled the bird in the sun, admiring its modest peach breast and stormy blue-gray tones, and the coal-black neck ring of this large invasive dove. Collared doves are less flashy than their mourning dove cousins due to their lack of color and pattern complexity, but their unique palette is nonetheless stunning. I slipped the beauty into my bag and gave thanks for the bounty. Walking the old gravel trail into the cover, I passed towering Lombardi poplar skeletons and a mix of eastern deciduous trees that belong nowhere in the Pacific Northwest. A large ponderosa pine provided concealment as both mourning and collared doves circled around. Moments later, the cat-like rah-rah call of a
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he height of summer seems an odd time for wing-shooting, but the presence of Eurasian collared doves knows no season or bag limitations. While a hint on the hot side, July and August are fine months to gun for collared doves, as a tune up for the mourning dove opener or simply to take the edge off of the between-season angst.
Old homesteads, grain elevators, and orchards provide ample opportunity, and the summer months often coincide with berry and fruit ripening, like the wild plums that can be found scattered about the Western United States. Collared doves are larger than their U.S. native brethren and make a fine dish when prepared in nearly any fashion, but if you like a sticky-sweet glaze reminiscent of a sweet honey barbeque wing dipping sauce, a whiskey and wild plum glaze is just what the doctor ordered. And while you’re at it, drizzle a little over vanilla ice cream, homemade cornbread or pound cake, and fresh peaches.
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H A R V E S T I N G
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Whiskey & Wild Plum-Glazed Dove BY BRAD TRUMBO
SERVING SIZE 4
TIME TO MAKE sous vide = 3 hours / glaze and grill = 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
4 plucked doves
Sous Vide
2 Tbsp salted butter
Ziplock or other sealable bags
¼ C packed brown sugar ¼ C of your favorite bourbon or whiskey 1 C small plums HOW TO MAKE Sous Vide:
Glaze:
Grill:
1. Program the sous vide to 140 degrees
1. When the doves are ready to remove
1. Pre-heat the grill to approximately
Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius)
from the sous vide, melt the butter in a
350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 degrees
approximately 10 minutes ahead of
small saucepan on medium heat.
Celsius).
time. 2. Seal doves in watertight bags
2. Stir the brown sugar into the butter.
bags and place them on the grill.
3. Squeeze plum pits and flesh from
(Ziplocks work well) and place in the
the skin into the saucepan and stir
sous vide bath for 3 hours.
continuously for 5 minutes.
3. Generously brush the glaze on the upfacing side, then flip at two minutes.
4. Add the whiskey and stir for 1 minute, then promptly remove from heat.
2. Remove doves from the sous vide
Repeat twice for each side. 4. Note: Do not let the doves cook on the grill unattended. Two minutes goes faster than you think and the doves will dry out quickly. 5. Increase the heat to at least 500 and sear the doves approximately 40 seconds on each side to crisp the skin and thicken the glaze.
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Time Well Spent. A
R E F L E CT I O N
O N
MY
F I R ST
A RC H E RY
S EAS O N
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COLLIN GRUIN
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he end of September marked the final days of my first archery elk season in the brutal and unforgiving Coast Range of Oregon. My adversary was Roosevelt Elk, the stockier and more elusive cousin of the Rocky Mountain Elk. While it is incredible to see a 600 pound or more
animal at any time, it is even more incredible that they can move through the dense, blackberry bush-ridden forests of coastal Oregon. Many times I surrendered my pursuit of this majestic after battling brier bushes, stabbing spruce trees, and hidden holes in the fallen timber after an hour’s trek only took me 100 yards. Although I was unsuccessful in harvesting an elk this season, it was my favorite hunting season yet. Archery elk season is almost a month long, and I made sure to end the season knowing there was nothing more I could do. Having hiked or biked 170 miles during 21 days of hunting, I had more than a few “firsts”. As a still-learning adult-onset hunter, I am positive that the encounters I had with the natural world are commonplace for the lifelong outdoorsman. However, despite an empty freezer glaring at me, these experiences were well worth it.
Oh...They Actually DO Sound Like That Archery season often leads up to and includes the rut, where they make sounds that are beautiful, bone-chilling, and adrenaline-spiking all at once. While preparing for this hunt, I spent a considerable amount of time practicing my cow calls, bugles, and chuckles, reading tips on various apps and watching countless videos of these noises in action by elk hunters. However, it wasn’t until the first day of the rut where I really understood what it all meant.
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As I was walking to my first spot of the day near a trail camera I had
before sunrise and one hour after sunset. Because of this, I arrived
seen a couple bulls walk by the day before, I heard a low, hollow
promptly 10 minutes before that hour started. Sleep is important,
sound coming from the woods next to me. It took me a second to
after all. Two hunters exited another car and we struck up the normal
realize what it was, and when I knew it was an elk chuckling I was
conversation about where we were going, whether we’d be calling or
hooked. I stood there for 30 minutes with all the hair on my body
not, etc. After thinking we were on the same page, I began my trek in.
standing up, arrow knocked, waiting for this bull to emerge. It never showed, but finally hearing their vocals in the wild instantly made all
A few minutes later the duo caught up to me, and we continued
the hours of watching videos and practicing calls worth it.
small talk for about a mile until they stopped and asked me if I was going to keep following them or if I was going to go my own way. I
Over the next few days bugles, grunts, and chuckles cut through
answered that I was actually about to turn a few yards ahead of us
the crepuscular hours, mocking us when we ran to where a bugle
and set up for the morning, an answer that was not well received
or so we thought came from only to hear it coming from where we
since “they were at the gate first” and therefore believed they had
just were. In one encounter, Ben and I were exchanging bugles with
first rights as to which are they could hunt.
a bull that had to have been less than 50 yards from us with less than 10 minutes of shooting light left. The video is on our Instagram
As the hunter continued to tell me how I was messing up his plans
@harvestingnature. During another, I walked in on a herd of what I
and showed me the four to five mile loop of clear cuts he planned to
thought were hunters cow calling to break the boredom, only to find a
hunt, I realized this argument wasn’t worth it. I wished the hunters
herd bull staring at me through a woodland meadow worthy of Tolkien.
good luck, with a healthy dose of sarcasm, and went on my way. The second interaction was a day later and, in the same swath of
We’re Not Alone
public access land, I walked in on a hunter calling in a bull and ended up spooking his target from the woods he was in. Feeling terrible, I
The quickest I’ve ever realized I’m not the only predator in the area was when I was face-to-face with a mountain lion at 40 yards in the middle of the season. At the time it was also early deer season, so I set myself up in a corridor where I had been capturing a blacktail buck on a trail camera around the same time everyday. After glancing at my phone for just a few seconds, I noticed a new shape in my peripheral vision. Thinking it was my target deer, my heart rate increased as I took my rangefinder out only to see the distinct whiskers and lines of North America’s largest cat staring back at me. My adrenaline spiked to a place I didn’t know existed. I raised my bow, and as I began to draw back the string the lion sprinted off without making a sound. I stuck around the area for a few more minutes, partly to see if my quarry would stroll by and partly to let me heart rate return to normal. Knowing that the apex predator of the region could sneak up that silently is humbling. I had seen the cat on my cameras before, but I never expected to see it at all much less that close. This encounter, in addition to the countless coyotes, the bobcat, and the three bears I saw, provided a simple reminder that these lands and these animals belong to nature, not just to us.
tried to get as far away from that spot as I could, at least until I heard the aforementioned choir of cows about a mile away. After realizing it was the herd I had been looking for, I moved to cut them off when the hunter caught up to me. Apologizing profusely, and expecting a similar lecture from the day before, I was met with “No problem dude. It’s public land. It happens.” Relieved, “Nick” and I relocated the herd in minutes and watched the herd bull bugle at the top of his lungs from 100 yards away, surrounded by his harem just before shooting light faded. I hope he was able to go back and take that bull. While these two experiences are vastly different, I learned from both nonetheless. I’m still looking for a local over-the-counter elk opportunity, even if just for the opportunity to hunt these amazing animals again. Even though I’ll be substituting warm days with bugling bulls for cold, wet, and rainy weather, the archery season surely taught me more than I ever expected it to. Perhaps these experiences are the world’s way of telling me I’m ready for every season here on out. And if they are anything like this season, I’m looking forward to them all regardless of whether my freezer is full or not at the end.
Hunters Will Be Hunters This season’s purpose was to show me not only what archery is all about, but give me the range of experiences I’ll need for the remainder
Send in your opinions, or similar experiences, about the disgruntled hunter duo and run-ins with fellow hunters to
of my hunting seasons. I had two polarizing experiences with other hunters that provided me the best and worst parts of hunting public land. The first experience occurred when I showed up to the gate
community@harvestingnature.com
for the area I planned to hunt that day. Since it is private timberland with public access, entry into the area is only allowed one hour
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Wild Fish and Game Podcast Join Justin Townsend and the Harvesting Nature Crew as they guide you through the world of cooking wild fish and game meat, their adventures to obtain food, and the lessons learned along the way. They are also frequently joined by some of the most influential people in the world of wild food to dive deep into food conversation to positively promote the lifestyle of harvesting, cooking, and eating wild food. “I am a newish hunter and I love finding out new ways of eating and getting wild game I love this podcast it is very informative and haven’t found or seen anything like this podcast keep it up” - Jesse and Sam
“Hubby and I are avid hunters, anglers, homebased-chefs, homesteaders, homeschoolers, and we are sincerely enjoying each and every episode! Thanks guys!” - ajantti
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