I am so glad my Dad introduced me to hunting as a boy… his greatest lesson was buying me a single-shot shotgun, giving me just enough shells for a limit of grouse, ducks, geese or rabbits and telling me not to waste them; to make every shot count. And I generally always did… and to this day, I can proudly say that I have never had to put a second shot into any big game animal that I’ve been lucky enough to harvest.
My Mom loved preparing wild game for our dinners… and being Italian, she sure knew how to cook. As a young boy, I would take great pride in helping to feed our single-income family of 5 with the game I would bring home after a day in the woods. I love that my Mom gifted me with enjoyment of cooking and some of her favorite game recipes before she passed away… especially her eggplant, venison sausage & mushroom parmesan.
So wild game food security has been a way of life for me for 50+ years. I raised my own family in the same tradition. Both big game (deer, moose and bear) and small game & waterfowl (ruffed & spruce grouse, pheasants, wild turkey, rabbits & hares, ducks & geese) have all found their way to my freezers and to my table over the years.
Thanks to my very good friend Vic (and a few YouTube videos), I have also learned the art of butchering my own big game… it allows you to cut & prepare the meat so it’s cleanly packaged and ready to cook the moment it’s thawed. Yes, it’s work… but it’s rewarding work.
And more recently, my partner Janet has also picked up a knife and has assisted me with the cutting and packaging, along with us grinding our own burger and making our own sausages (both fresh & smoked) as well.
The food quality when the game is prepared properly is amazing. Roasts, steaks, tenderloins, stew meat, stir-fry trim, burger or sausages all have their own appeal when they hit the oven, crock pot, fry pan or barbecue.
The succulent aromas of roasting rabbit, duck or goose or frying up some lightly coated grouse breasts in the fry pan are a delicacy to behold.
So for those who say “eeeww – I don’t eat wild game”… I say this:“don’t knock it until you try it!”
We’ve saved thousands of dollars from having to buy all our meat at the grocery store… and the organically grown protein that we harvest, freeze, store and consume throughout the year is second to none because we care for it from the field to the table.
So if you’re up for it, get out “into the woods” and get a taste of something spectacular… my fellow hunters know exactly what I’m talking about!
