Historically, hunting has always had its ceremonial aspects. The deer hunting club that I have enjoyed for almost 50 years has its unique rituals, mostly all-in-good-fun practices that, we like to think, set us apart from other deer camps, from the mountains of Oregon and the Dismal Swamp of Virginia to the fir thickets of […]

When the winter winds come blowing in and temperatures hover in the single digits, cooking and consuming great food warms the tummy and the soul. These venison recipes are sure to please. SEBOEIS STEW This recipe has been a time-tested favorite at a Maine North Woods deer camp frequented by a group of deer hunters […]

Here in the sun-drenched Florida Keys, the nearest thing to an ice shack is a small shed near the marina that holds two big chest freezers where boaters get their 10-pound bags of ice cubes every couple of days. As February approaches, for some inexplicable reason, I start thinking about ice shacks and the good […]

The New Year is almost always a welcome event, even if we are all a year older. The slate is clean. As we look ahead, it’s a lot like a field of virgin snow. As we move on, the tracks we leave will take us to unseen ground. This is especially sweet for outdoors people […]

Each year about this time, the Maine Warden Service urges us to use extreme caution before venturing out onto any ice that may be covering Maine’s waterways. This is timely advice. Two winters ago, three night-time snowsledders all perished one night on Rangeley Lake when they and their machines broke through thin ice. Many of […]