Pheasant, Grouse, Quail
Ghosts of Prairies Past
Hunting prairie chickens in South Dakota, one of their few remaining strongholds, makes you think about how important it is to conserve this iconic bird.
Wild Game
On Plucking Birds
To pluck or skin? It's a question all bird hunters face. Most of a bird's distinctive flavor is in its skin and fat, but plucking can be tricky. Here's how to go about it.
Essays and Stories
Climb Every Mountain
Ptarmigan hunting in the Lower 48 states is an exercise in mountaineering. So if you want to hunt them, you need to climb mountains.
Essays and Stories
Hunting Mearns Quail
I complete the North American quail slam - all six species - with an unforgettable hunt in Arizona.
Pheasant, Grouse, Quail
On Eating Sage Grouse
Sage grouse have an undeserved reputation as poor table fare. Here are tips and tricks to cooking and eating your next sage hen.
Essays and Stories
Gray Ghosts of the Sage
A sage grouse hunt these days is a ceremonial act. But that does not make it less important. We need to remain able to hunt these animals, and that means doing the hard work to conserve them.
Recipe
Pan Roasted Partridge with a Winter Salad
Pan roasted partridges cooked simply and served with a my all-time favorite winter salad: radicchio, Belgian endive and bitter greens like dandelions. This is a bright, happy dinner to make on a cold winter night.
Pheasant, Grouse, Quail
Pheasant Noodle Soup
Pheasant soup. Pheasant noodle soup, to be exact. Why it's taken me so long to post up this classic I have no idea. But it's comfort food at it's best: Easy to make, satisfying, and you'll get leftovers.
Wild Game
Chaos Theory and Roast Partridge
Roast partridge, grouse or quail is a wonderful idea, but in practice the bird often comes out dry. Pan roasting is a far better way to roast game birds. This is by far the best way to cook upland birds, or small, skinny ducks like teal.
Pheasant, Grouse, Quail
Grouse Northwoods
An ode to the ruffed grouse of the Northwoods, whether they're in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan or Canada. This recipe relies on flavors familiar to this part of the world: wild rice, mushrooms, cranberries.
Pheasant, Grouse, Quail
Roast Woodcock Michigan
Roast woodcock with a sweet-tart sauce of Michigan apples and Michigan-made vinegar, served on toast. It's pure Michigan, and I wish I could get back there to hunt timberdoodles again soon...
Pheasant, Grouse, Quail
Chasing Big Blue
No other small game animal has evaded me like the blue grouse of the Western High Country. But persistence, and a healthy bit of luck, can pay off -- even at 8500 feet.
