The Huntavore

Nick is joined by the creator of Musketpowder Seasoning, Ward Danger.  Ward chats about his recent funk with a rifle setup and being photobombed by a craft Tom.  All is not lost, as Ward was able to take down a bird and share some work he’s done in the kitchen to amp up a wild turkey dish.  The two guys go back a forth on some recipes and discuss Musketpowder Red, the new flavor, Ward recently launched.  This was a fun episode to record, and I bet it will be as fun to listen in on. 

Show Notes

Ward Danger’s Musketpowder is an amazing general seasoning.  His new flavor launched is Musketpowder Red, a spicier version of the original.  My midwest side got a bit nervous, but trying it out this morning, I like the gentle heat it adds, want more heat?  Just add more and brace yourself.

Another highlight to this episode is how Ward treated his wild turkey breast.  Using a pickling brine, Ward marinaded the breast that was cut into nugget sized pieces.  Through a series of trials, and getting impatient, he found 4 hours was a beautiful sweet spot for tenderness, flavor, juiciness.  The nuggets were patted dry, breaded, and fried.  Something to think about it is the breast was cut into pieces where marinating could work.  If adding a brine to a whole or half breast, 2 day soak might be required or injecting.

Our tangents also lead us to talking about traditional barbacoa.  Something about doing things the old way, gets me all excited.  Digging a pit, lining with rocks, starting a huge fire, and cooking meat sounds about the best thing ever.  Ward sent me a link of some fellas in Mexico making it happen with a store bought piece of beef.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoyU3pRbl4w

If you have to get a hold of some musketpowder, add “Huntavore” to the discount code for some few bucks off.

https://www.musketpowder.com/

Also mentioned at the lead of the show.  Amazing company, incredible people, bombproof leather and canvas made to stand up.

https://www.mercysupply.com/

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Joel Lickliter is Owner of RELOAD Rub and Seasonings and host of That Reload Podcast.  Joel is such a positive guy and fellow christ follower (we jump on the faith soup box for a bit) that Nick really wanted to connect and change his perspective.   The guys try to get a bearing on what is going on with this Covid-19 outbreak. However our discussion shifts to the positive. Listing what has been a blessing for us during this uneasy time.  The guys get onto talking turkey. The “Jake-a-nator” talks about his pursuits for a Tom, in a small window of time that he has. Another tangent is their explanation of how they approach meat hunting vs trophy hunting.  Both Nick and Joel are open about what their target goal is, meat. However, give love to the folks who go the extra mile to find the one they have sought out. 

During the discussion Joel mentions his burden of another biologic, CWD.  Part of his hunting property is in the Tennessee CWD zone. Nick shares his past episode with Dr. Brant Race on deactivating CWD with Bleach.  Joel was excited to hear this news and hoped to double check the findings. If you feel the need to double check,the link is attached:

https://sportsmensnation.com/podcasts/deactivation-of-cwd-with-bleach-with-dr-brant-race

To Find Joel and Reload Rub and Seasonings go to:

Instagram: @reloadrub and @thatreloadlife

Website: https://www.reloadrub.com/

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Show Description

Nick is joined once again by friend, and youtube creator Nate Sellers.  Nate’s channel Average Jack Archery hails from Pennsylvania and whose content is for beginner and advanced archery and whitetail bow hunting.  The guys catch up, and talk about Nate’s tag out season, how the mental game of indoor archery can fry your circuits, can “average” guys get into saddle style hunting?  Another fun insightful episode on the way.

Show Notes

Nate Sellers hails from Pennsylvania, known for great whitetail hunting history.  Both being teachers, Nate and Nick have struck up a friendship in understanding the perks and struggles with hunting and their current profession.  Nick explains his dilemma of struggling with the mental game at the indoor line. Who better to ask than Nate, who shot a 300 (top score) and captured it on film.  His tip is being able to shoot enough perfect reps, that he doesn't have to think about the shop process, but just muscle memory can take over. Non robots trying to be robots.  Nick is also motivated to get into the saddle style of hunting for more reasons than “it’s cool”. The guys lay our reasons why; being hardlined to the tree the whole time, stress off the back,and  being able to up in a tree along with a young hunter at the same time. For great archery content head over to youtube and follow Average Jack Archery.

Average Jack Archery Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_-RO1NuBmgoRq6gaiOlXyQ

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In this episode Nick chats with friend and newest 2% for conservation board member, Drew Youngdyke.  Drew has been a man on mission. From BHA member and NWF communicator, Drew is advocating for not just our public lands but for our wildlife as a whole.  Nick asks why a “field to forker” should care about the big picture of conservation. Along with that, what can hunters do to make a difference other than just buying a licence and grabbing a few of trash.  Drew offers some great insight and tells about his nostalgic approach to hunting and fishing. Another great food for thought episode.

Show Notes:

Drew Youngdyke was raised in northern Michigan and has a passion for the outdoors.  So much so, that Drew has found himself in the spearpoint of conservation. He was the board president of Michigan’s BHA, currently the National Wildlife Foundation communicator, and now the newest addition to the 2% for Conservation Board.  Drew is also the podcast host of The Conservation Country Podcast.

   Drew talks about the importance of conservation through the idea of a web.  That his love for game animals sparked his interest in other wildlife that lived in the same habitat.  While their focus was for fish in the lake, the loon became his family cabin’s favorite icon. It’s also these species that create a foundation for the habitat to sustain the wildlife.  While I myself may think the mosquitos are a result of the fall man, they are a food source for macroinvertebrates that are in turn fed on by the fish we love to angle for. Drew also explains the difference between non-native and invasive species, and how his work to keep the asian carp species (there are three) out of the Great Lakes is an important issue.

Drew is also a new dad and loves taking his young son into the outdoors whenever possible.  Along with another common theme of food, Drew shares a couple favorites of his, and if he were to have his wife try venison again, how he would do it.  All in all, it was a fun talk with Drew, and I'm confident he will be a positive impact for conservation in his new role.

2% For Conservation: https://fishandwildlife.org/

National Wildlife Federation: https://www.nwf.org/

Conservation Country Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/conservation-country

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In this Episode, Nick connects with the man behind the genius of @Hunt_pod, Matt Michalek.  Matt has created a directory or sorts and critique of popular hunting and fishing podcasts. Nick steps past the usual divide of creator and critic and gets into what makes a good podcast, and if our channels make a difference in listener's approach to the way they hunt and fish.

Show Notes

Matt Michalek is the critic at @Huntpod.  His handle is about breaking down hunting and fishing podcasts, highlighting the content, and sharing worthwhile titles that are informative and entertaining.  I was surprised to one day have another person sharing my content. In our discussion, Matt highlights that in an ever informative, internet connected world, it's smart to have an online presence and service.  

At his own admission, he does tend to focus on Mid-west style of hunting.  Living in Michigan, whitetails are a large focus of his interest. Like any outdoors, he isn’t held to just deer, any podcast that holds solid information and entertaining flow is what captures his attention. Matt’s service to the hunting and fishing world helps our channels get noticed.  Only seemed fitting to highlight his efforts. Please support Matt by following along @Hunt_pod on Instagram. 

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Nick took a Saturday to explore the Kalamazoo Traditional Archery Expo held each year in Kalamazoo, Michigan.  Vendors, Boyers, Enthusiasts, and first timers all gather to share a piece of archery nuance, of simple stick and string.  Being more of a collection of conversations, Nick found folks who hold different views about traditional archery; a skeptic, a full embraced, a character, cut from his own cloth, and a legend in the making.  While this episode lacks depth in how to information, I hope it invites you to fall back in time, and try simply stick and string.

*Apologies for the background noise, difficult to record at conventions and on the road* 

Show Notes

While at the “Trad Expo”  I thought I would try and capture the feel for the sport of traditional archery.  In recent years, many have gone back to shooting traditional gear as recreation or as a new challenge to themselves as a hunter.  I myself, do not claim to be an expert, but have a couple years under my belt shooting a longbow. It has brought fun back to backyard practice and, I believe, made me into a better archer.  My guests are individuals who, first had the time to chat, and are passionate about archery:

Adam Miller, Host of Bowhunter Chronicles Podcast:  http://bowhunterchroniclespodcast.com/

Adam plays the skeptic, at first not wanting to follow the crowd into some new fad, but is open minded about his own ventures into using a new to him recurve he recently acquired.

Neil Summers, Host of Chasin’ It / BHA Indiana Co-Chair: https://www.facebook.com/Chasinit/

Neil is a guy who has drank the traditional kool-aid real deep.  His pursuits include not only longbows and recurves, but flintlocks and fly fishing.  His enjoyment of the great outdoors, using equipment from days past has become a large part of his channel, highlighting the men and women who love primitive pursuits.

Tex Grebner, Host of Tex Grebner Outdoors:  https://www.texgrebneroutdoors.com/

Tex is larger than life.  His hard ass presona and choice in seriously heavy draw weight, mirrored by his fast talk and quick wit make it enjoyable to watch on youtube and talk with in real life.  He talks about why heavy poundage helps him in the field, and why real traditional bowhunters would go hungry in the name of sport and fair chase.

Henry Bodnik, Boyer / Owner of Bodnik Bows.

I'm still kicking myself on why I didn't record our conversation.  I hope to run into Henry again soon. His love for archery and hunting grew in an environment very much against hunting.  His work of creating fine bows that are very effective and beautiful at the same time. Now that I have his signature on the bow itself, it might bring me some luck in 2020.

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Nick and Dustin give a report on their lack of ice situation for ice fishing, and their hikes they call squirrel hunts.  So in the meantime they unpack unwritten rules about a couple home favorites, Chili and Hot Dogs. Nick recently found himself in an online debate about beans or no beans in chili.  The guys did some digging to figure out what this was all about. Nick also lays out a recipe for Venison Hot Dogs that quickly is becoming a favorite in his house. So sit back and enjoy.

Show Notes

The Great Chili Debate:  

A Texas saying “if you know beans about chili, than you know chili has no beans”

This is held by many chili cookers not just in the state of Texas.  According to an article written by the “the daily meal”, chili has a history of coming to the new world around the 1700’s.  Adopted by the colonies and even Mexico, the term chili is shorthand for “chilie con carne”. A rough translation calling the dish meat and chilies (touché, Lone Star)

It wasn’t till the 1920’s, at the Chicago World’s Fair, that Chili was introduced to the Midwest.  That is when beans and even tomatoes were added, Making the chili that we know today, at least here in Michigan.

https://www.thedailymeal.com/eat/there-are-no-beans-real-chili-just-ask-texan

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/food/the-plate/2015/02/05/the-great-chili-debate/

Hot Dogs:

Nick constructed the American Favorite, the hot dog out of America’s favorite wild game, Whitetail Deer.  These links came out great, but this is no beginner sausage. Some extra technique is needed to recreate the classic hotdog.

First is the casing.  Hot dogs are made with both collagen and natural casing.  Pork or lamb casings are used. If you can get whitetail casing, more power to ya.

Second is the consistency.  This offers the tricky part to making hotdogs.  During the grinding and emulsifying, temp should be below 40 degrees.  If it gets over that temp, it doesn’t ruin the dog, but gives a gritty, softer texture than expected.  So batch grinding and keeping ground in the freezer is a smart move.

Third is the emulsifying.  Taking already fine ground meat and running through a food processor will really mix in the fat and make the ground into more of a meat mousse (sounds gross, but it isn’t that bad).  This is where I skimped on the ice water and just added ice. The ice water would have helped in the emulsifying and kept more of the meat cooler.

After that i learned that after smoking the links to an internal of 145-150 degrees to quench in some ice water to set the casing and stop the cooking.  Making a snappy dog.

The guys also uncover an official hot dog etiquette council.  They list out the do’s and don’ts about hot dogs. No where does it say no wild game.  So if your up to the challenge, give it a go.

https://www.hot-dog.org/culture/hot-dog-etiquette

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Nick chats with Grill Blogger, and Meat Maven, Kita Roberts.  Kita has been blogging since 2010 and has a library of recipes at her website, Girl Carnivore.  Nick and Kita touch on a wide range of topics; from women on the grilling scene, grilling/smoking all winter long, a few mishaps, and a dive into how lamb and venison are similar yet unique.  This chat with Kita, was exactly what the doctor ordered, an invitation to bring some char back in our lives. So light your coals, sit back, and enjoy.

Show Notes

Kita Roberts(@girlcarnivore on instagram) started out in the North East, but now found herself in Sunny Southern Cal.  So while in the sun and surf she gives a few tips on winter grilling: prep your area, clear out the snow so you can work.  Even in winter, your fire can still get out of control. DONT GRILL IN YOUR GARAGE! Times to light and get to temp take more time.  Don’t leave unattended, layer up, get something to warm your insides(age restrictions may apply). Kita talks about a barrel type grill/smoker.  Simple description is steel drum with the bottom removed, vents and access doors on the side, and either racks or rods on top. The rods support hooks which are used to hang meat instead of laying flat.  

Nick and Kita chat lamb as well.  Underused protein, maybe by stigma created long ago.  Lamb is raised primarily on grass, making it different than most beef or pork.  The different flavors associated with lamb and the lean qualities make it similar to venison, but Kita argues, nope, both are unique and have their own flavor.  For her lamb, which i’d say can translate well into venison is a Morracan spice blend or something from North Africa where lamb is more plentiful.

Find Kita’s blog and recipes at: girlcarnivore.com

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Today Nick sits down with creator and CEO of the Sportsmen's Nation Podcast Network, Dan Johnson.  Dan harvested an incredible buck this past fall and wanted to try something new, the heart. We breakdown some of his initial expectations of the organ, and unpack the reaction from himself and the family members he served.  Along with some other banter, this is a great conversation. Enjoy.

Show Notes:

Dan Johnson is the Host of several podcasts including his own Nine Finger Chronicles.  Wanting to create a place where relatable, dedicated, and unique content would be available for a wide range of hunters, Dan created the Sportsmennation Podcast Network.  Not only has he assembled a great line up of Podcasts, but writers, videographers, and (Lord willing) a library of wild game recipes.

Dan harvested an impressive buck this year and for a chance to take something away from the gut pile he pulled the heart.  We discuss how the heart has it’s own unique characteristics that make it a desirable organ to keep, yet has a touch of odd factor that can turn away finicky eaters.  After some trimming of vessels and outer layer, the heart shows it’s unique grain. Because it being the heart, it has a richer, bold flavor. You can’t mistake the venison tones.  Dan referred to it as a slight “gamey” flavor, but not off putting. Together we draft up 3 dishes:

Dish One:  Heart Rings.  Basic, easy, hunt camp crowd pleaser.  Slice heart into ½” rings, season and sear.  On the larger rings, crack and egg on the inside, sear each side, serve.

Dish Two:  Heart fajitas.  Traditional Mexican dish, usually accompanied by tongue, liver, and tripe.  Slice thin and a quick marinade in some adobo sauce, lime, oil, or a basic mexican seasoning.  Pro Tip, add some cocoa powder to your Mexican sauces and marinade. Sear or grill, add to grilled veggies and tortillas.

Dish Three:  Iowa Jalepeno Heart Poppers

Easy on the eyes, a blast of flavor.  Half and core Jalepenos. Careful to not blast your face with juice or rub your eyes.  Fill with: cream cheese, cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked Peprika. Slice heart thin and add a slice to the top of the spread, wrap in bacon, grill poppers to a nice sear/touch of char. 

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Nick chats with friend and greenhorn deer tracker, Tony Hill.  Tony is an experienced houndsman, raising beagles for bunnies. This past summer, he jumped into the blood and deer tracking game here in Michigan.  Providing a service to hunters, Tony and his dog Fred pick up the trail where hunters get stuck. We cover a basic dog training tactics, retell the story of one particular track, and Nick grills Tony about his trips out to Colorado for chasing elk.  All in all it is a great episode.

Show Notes:

Tony is a member Michigan Deer Trackers, a network of dogs and trainers who take pride in being able to help hunters find lost deer.  As Tony mentions, they are not miracle workers, and if it's not a killing shot, the dog isnt going to be able to help. However, the amazing traits of these dogs, to track animals is what is helping hunters recover more deer.  Fred, may be only a 6 month old pup, but he’s pulling off some great tracks. Particularly, a friend of mine had a low shot on a deer. Fred covered several hundred yards, through major thick brush, and found the buck that had rolled down a cliff and into a lake, incredible stuff.  Tony reminds hunters to connect with a tracker and their dog before season, and have a number stored. If that tracker can’t make it, the network of trackers should be able to connect you with someone. If not in Michigan, check to see if your state has a tracking dog service. After the shot, the goal becomes recovery, what better alias than dog with a good nose.

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