wild game

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Hank Shaw Book Tour Dinner at Antler

Hank Shaw. The man, the Chef, the culinary genius.  For those who don’t know, Hank Shaw is a chef hailing out of California, who in my opinion, has revolutionized wild game cooking.  He maintains a website that documents his numerous wild game recipes and has crystallized his extensive knowledge into several books.   Were not just talking a pot of ground venison chili either (although he has a great recipe for this in Buck Buck Moose), but elegant meals such as Duck aux poivre, venison in morel sauce and barbacoa.

Hank’s recipes exude a rare combination of worldliness and technical detail all supported by solid wild game theory.  He seems to be constantly exploring foreign cuisines and creatively merging them with wild game.  His efforts and dedication to perfection are obvious in each new recipe I attempt.  My current status of “no failed recipes” is likely due to Hank’s expertly crafted recipes more than my skills to implement them.

While cruising around on his website I noticed that his recent tour for his new book, Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail had some Canadian dates.  More importantly he was planning a book dinner in Toronto on a date I actually had a chance of making.  Even more importantly, the dinner was to be held at famous Antler Restaurant; a place I’ve always wanted to visit.  Everyone seems to know this place by its chef’s recent clashes with vegan protesters.  I imagine though that anyone who stops in soon learns that there is more behind this place than just the one dimensional media coverage it has received.  The chef, Michael Hunter, has some serious cooking chops and knows his way around Canada’s wild game species.   A simple call to Antler, and moments later I had a reservation for this event.  Now I just had to wait a few months.

The day arrived.  It was a Monday, and I had a just started a week of vacation. I left Kingston in my rear view mirror around 2 pm and arrived in Toronto an hour or so early.  I decided to kill a bit of time in the nearby bar “the Loveless Cafe”.  It was a good choice as the beverages were delicious and the decor was really getting me in the mood for the game dinner that awaited me at Antler.

The exterior of the restaurant is simple and humble.  The meal, although comprised of simple ingredients, was much more extravagant with an obvious flair that showcased species covered by Hank’s new book (Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail) and local igredients.  The menu was a combination of Hank’s and Michael’s creations and I could spend pages raving about it.  Instead I’ll let you browse the menu and give your saliva glands a workout while perusing some pictures.

(Both the terrine and duck liver mousse were light, flavorful, and worthy of praise)

(I eaten lots of rabbit before but nothing seemed to compare to the delicious Rabbit Ragu Hank and Michael pulled out of their hats for this meal)

(Much of my upland game culinary experiences have centered around grouse and woodcock.  I can honestly say that the main dish of Pheasant Cacciatore was every bit as good as the finest forest chicken I have enjoyed)

As the meal progressed, my interest in taking pictures waned and was replaced by a desire to enjoy as much of these delicious meals as possible.  You can’t eat pictures right.  Not to mention I became preoccupied with sharing hunting stories with fellow wild game enthusiasts that sat on either side of me.  In my experience, most hunters jump at the chance to tell the tale of their last seasons hunt, even if they have a full mouth and especially if they are somewhat new to the game (myself included).

To cap the experience, Hank actually made the rounds to chat with those who attended the dinner and was more than willing to share his experience and answer questions about specific meals or species.  I can honestly say I was impressed with the depth of his knowledge.  Really though, after reading so many of his articles and trying out his recipes, it didn’t really surprise me.

Thanks again to the staff at Antler and to Hank for putting on such a great event and for all the efforts put into exploring wild game and bringing it into the mainstream.

Cheers from the table,

Albert

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Forest Chicken Supreme – A Weekend Grouse Hunt North of Algonquin

Nothing gets the heart pumping like a flushing bird breaking the silence of a crisp autumn morning.  From seemingly out of no where they can turn a hunters peaceful walk in the woods into a frenzy of heart pounding action.

Its for this reason that most people who have gone grouse hunting consider the grouse to be one of the most exciting and enjoyable species to hunt ( not to mention tasty!).

So when I was offered the opportunity to travel to a rustic hunting camp north of Algonquin park, I jumped at the chance.  Nestled against the northeastern border of Algonquin Park about 11km from Highway 17, the camp has been run by my friend’s family for the better part of 50 years via a crown land lease .  The camp is situated amongst fairly dense coniferous woods which have been selectively logged in some areas.  The combination of the new growth triggered by the logging and the sheer density of the woods makes this area prime bird hunting habitat.

So in anticipation, my friend Dave and I left Kingston around 5pm on friday and made our way up highway 15.  We met the camp owner, a mutual friend, in Arnprior and made the 1 -2 hour trek across Highway 17 and then down a back road to the camp.  After spending a few minutes getting the camp in order and firing up the wood stoves, we settled in for a rest before the next days much anticipated hunt.

At the time we weren’t sure if it was a dream or not but during the evening, all three of us seemed to hear a grouse beating outside the camp.  Either a weird coincidence, wishful thinking or a very good sign for the hunt to come.

I am glad it turned out to be option 3!

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We awoke early and had a classic bacon and egg breakfast before heading out.  We loaded our two 12 gauges into the car and hit the road shortly after.  Our heading? Towards a few spots the owner was familiar with.  In my experience grouse often stick to specific areas that offer cover, food and water.  So if you have seen birds in a specific area, consider them prime candidates when selecting hunting spots on later hunts.

The action was slow to start and the crisp morning seemed to be keeping the birds in their roosts.  The temperatures were in the negatives over the evening and it was taking the sun quite a while to warm up the area.  Not to mention there was snow on the ground and ice on some of the lakes.

But, once the sun was out in full force, the birds seemed to wake up.

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(a moment of appreciation between the author and his quarry)

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(Dave’s first grouse hunt)

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(the owner holding up a bird after the hunt)

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(possibly one of the most beautiful birds to be found in Ontario)

We shot a total of three birds in low scrub cover over the course of the day and saw another 3 that flushed a bit to far away to shoot.  The birds were taken with #7 1/2, #6 and #2 shot.  Although I have never heard of #2 for grouse, the owner insisted it was needed to penetrate the thick bush encountered in the area.  After seeing the bush first hand, I believe it.  Just make sure you try to it out on a few clays prior to hunting since #2 will pattern much differently than #7 1/2 and will require greater accuracy.  Not a big deal when shooting something that is still but becomes a big issues when trying to hit a flushing grouse.

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(In my opinion, three birds in one day is not too shabby!)

Of course, everyone who has hunted grouse knows the best part comes around dinner time.  We dusted the grouse breasts with seasoned salt, pan seared with bacon and then threw them on the charcoal grill to finish.  To enhance the flavour a bit, we threw a smoldering piece of cedar on the grill. Smoked grouse anyone? Nom nom nom

As an added bonus, I had brought a few of my home made smoked summer venison sausages from this years deer.  What a deliciously wild feast!

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We washed it all down with a couple fingers of single malt scotch and settled in for a comfortable evening beside the camp stove.

Its times like this that make me think of how lucky we Ontarians are to be able to enjoy such amazing experiences, in such a beautiful part of the world.  Not to mention being able to enjoy such an amazing meal with some of highest quality of meat you can get.   Don’t forget the low carbon footprint to boot.

Days like this are out there for the taking, so get outside and enjoy what the wilderness has to offer!

Cheers from the Wild

Albert

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Finding New Hunting Partners

I recently bogged about an awesome website concept call Huntclubber.com.

Esentially the website connects hunters together for hunts.  This raises a good question though; what qualities do you look for in a hunter or how do you go about determining if a hunting partner will work out.  Most people don’t want just anyone on a hunt with them.  Hunting is a serious matter which requires a level of trust in their partners.  After all your shooting guns and injuries can happen easily if your not carefull.

1) The Initial Meeting (s)

The first step is establishing who your hunting with.  Knowing their name, age, address, contact info and occupation are essential and will give you a basic understanding of the person.  These are the first things I discuss when meeting someone new for the first time and I can tell you from experience, this is best done over a cup of Joe or a cold beer.  To start things off I would suggest a quick meet at a local public establishment like Tim Hortons or a Pub.  Having a meeting in a public location can take some of the pressure out of a first meeting and a public establishment offers a more relaxed atmosphere.  Why have an initial meeting? Easy it allows you to take a reading on the other hunter prior to revealing your favourite hunting spots.

If all looks good I would get right into more detailed questions regarding their hunting and fire arm experience.  I enjoy sharing my experiences with others as I am sure most hunters do so this part should be easy.  You want to establish that they know how to hunt the target species, how to use their specific equipment and that their hunting objectives are inline with yours.  The easiest way to do this is to just come right out asking questions but be sure to offer information about yourself and encourage questions.  After all, you want the prospective hunter to be comfortable with you as well.  If your not an experienced Hunter, I suggest being upfront about it.  Be honest and let the other party know that you are new and are willing to learn.  Sometimes the best way to learn is work up from the bottom rung of a camps totem pole.

Finally I suggest posing a philosophical question in a meeting prior to going into the field: What is your reason for hunting?  New hunters are going out of their way to find places to hunt and this is usually indicative of passion for the sport.  This passion should show through in their response.

2) Field Visit + Hunting Terms

Once everyone is comfortable with each other, the terms of the hunting should be discussed.  These details may be better discussed during an actual visit to the proposed hunting property.  This allows for a tour of the hunting grounds and the option to discuss any boundaries or issues the land may have.  Be sure to explain any special details about the land for instance if they can expect to see other hunters in the area, hikers, farmers etc.  This will allow the other hunter to be prepared.  Some additional details to cover include: access agreements, hunting camp rules, fees, time requirements and expectations.  These are all specifics you will want to make clear to prospective hunters before hand.  If you expect hunters to follow certain rules, it is best to make them clear up font.

3) License Check

Although awkward initially, it is always a good idea to check licenses and tags before actually heading out.  Confirm the type of license they have (POL vs PAL and tag type).  I do this for anyone I hunt or fish with.  Id rather not be caught on the wrong side of a CO with a fellow hunter who is hunting illegally.  I usually introduce this check by offering it as a double check prior to heading out.  It is always a good idea to check your papers prior to heading out to save yourself the embarrassment of having to drive back for a lost tag (trust me on this one!).

Remember if for some reason your suspicious that the prospective hunter may not be completely above board, don’t feel bad about cancelling the hunt.  Hunting is supposed to be an enjoyable activity and its pretty hard to do that if your worried about illegal hunting practices in your party.   Pretty soon every twig snap will feel like a CO!

These are just a few talking points off the top of my head that I think would be useful.  Regardless of how many questions you ask, I recommend meeting the prospective hunter many times before actually hunting and try to hunt in groups for your first hunt if you don’t know the prospective hunter that well.

I for one am all about making connections and getting into the outdoors with new people. In fact I love fishing/hunting with folks new to the sport.  The satisfaction of passing on knowledge is a great feeling, however, safety is paramount in all situations and even more so when firearms are involved.  Remember, hunting Safety is everyone’s responsibility and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Cheers from the Wild

Albert