Field & Stream

STEPPING INTO THE MIDdle of a tightly wadded covey of quail will do things to your heart that would concern a cardiologist. But when a ruffed grouse erupts from beneath a mantle of unblemished snow, the percussion all but drops you in your tracks. Yo

FOR ONCE, I CAN SEE THE dog. I hadn’t yet gotten a good look at my pal Scott Wood’s almost-famous beagle, Bailey. I’ve heard about her for a couple of years now, how she lives high on steak and bacon—to steal a Jimmy Buffet line—and camps on the sofa

The difference between homemade stock and commercial broth? It’s like a Harley Davidson V-Rod versus a Vespa. Both will get you where you’re headed, but only one’s going to thrill you. For various reasons (convenience, intimidation, etc.), however, h

YOU CAN’T SHOOT ducks from the couch, but you can’t shoot them with the truck stuck in the road ditch either, so I waited until the plows cleared the roads and finally ventured out around sunrise. Now that I’m here, I can’t even seem to shoot ducks f

BY THE TIME PUMPKIN-SPICE salsa and mayonnaise are back in stores, I’m losing my appetite for smallmouths. I love them dearly, but I spend so many days targeting them in spring and summer that when the temperature starts to drop here in the Northeast

You were raised in a remote Alaskan hunting camp, right? What was that like? Well, it was all I knew, so to me it was a normal childhood. When I wasn’t being homeschooled or playing with dolls, I was practicing card tricks, learning dirty jokes, and

Not long ago, I received this email from a reader: I’ve been a serious hunter for all of my 61 years. I’ve chased virtually every game species in the Western U.S. and Alaska. But I have a problem. Over the past couple of years, I’ve had trouble pulli

Clint Eastwood’s 1992 film Unforgiven not only won the Oscar for Best Picture, but also stood every Western convention on its head. All other films of the genre are filled with killing. This one shows the consequence of killing. —D.E.P. By Robert Rua

The school is strung out for 300 yards, the dark mangroves of Cape Sable in the background, the water barely ruffled, broken by silver tails, heads, bellies, and entire bodies. There are dozens of fish, 100 or better, the closest within an easy cast

Rick has always been kind of a jerk, but he’s become unbearable lately, always claiming the best stands, never showing up to the work party, and bringing his in-laws for the first week of the rut every year. Ideally, the group would sit him down and

Cali showed me three large steel ball bearings in the palm of one hand while shaking aNo. 5 duck load in the other. He winked and said, “Capybara.” I understood that he aimed to dump the shot out of the duck load, replace it with the bearings, and go

In The Deer Hunter, Robert De Niro steps out of the truck in Pennsylvania and into Washington’s Cascades, where he kills a red stag at 10,000 feet, mainly by running after it. —P.B. Cervus canadensis, the elk. —D.E.P. Legend has it my predecessor, Bo

Most folks try to avoid survival situations, but you seek them out. How come? I’m drawn to the honesty of the off-the-grid lifestyle. In the woods, life is that much simpler. There are few problems that can’t be solved with an axe and a knife. What a

I HAVE A BUNCH OF SKINLESS GOOSE BREASTS IN THE DEEP-FREEZE, AND I’M TIRED OF THE SAME OLD RECIPES. HOW CAN I FRESHEN THINGS UP? 5 lb. skinless goose (or duck) breast3 lb. beef fat10 garlic cloves, minced5 Tbsp. salt3 Tbsp. freshly ground black peppe

I know, I know—there’s always a battle for the bow, but just give it to him. Trust me. You’re not actually being as courteous as it seems. If the game is anchoring on rising fish, you’ll be taking turns anyway, so there’s no disadvantage to bringing

Some guys won’t shut up about the biggest buck they’ve ever shot. They can’t resist a little bragging, and it’s hard to blame them. But Luke Brewster doesn’t brag. It’s not like he’s short on opportunities either. Only a year has passed since the 31-

I’ve been around awhile. When I was born, there were men alive who had fought in the Civil War. I can remember bits and pieces of World War II, and I clearly remember life before television. ¶ I bought my first rifle in 1956, began shooting in organi

What’s the most important quality a PH can have? Well, the typical day is 16 hours, most of which is one-on-one with the client. That’s far more time than I spend with my wife. You need great people skills. What about the client? He needs a sense of

Tina writes: Dear Karen, For years my husband and I had a wonderful love life, but when he reached his 50s, he lost some of his old spark, especially in the bedroom. He tried every product available, but nothing worked. For the past few years, it’s f

WE LIVE IN A DUMBED-down age, in which experts are stupid, critical thinking is seen as a sign of weakness, and anything that requires scrolling is a “deep read.” Those are just a few of the reasons guys like me are thriving. To us, there’s no questi

$300 to $325 • megabassusa.com This Japan-based company first caught the attention of U.S. anglers with its unique, smartly designed lures. Now, its debut line of fishing rods is also making a killer first impression. The Orochi XX series features a

It was the morning of October 28, opening day of rifle season, and I had hunted 40 days without seeing an elk. My failure stretched over three seasons, and if I didn’t shoot the one that was taunting me in the pre-dawn—bugling a full three weeks afte