Sportsman's Quest

As we proceed down life’s trail, as in the wilderness, it’s important to stop and look at our “back trail,” as it often gives us a different perspective.

Sportsman’s Quests’ trail this past year has given us a chance to meet new friends and greet old ones.

We started the year with Chris Klineberger, a pioneer conservationist who, through his explorations, helped open the world to modern sports hunting while educating leaders on all the major continents of the value in saving natural habitats and big game species.

I have no doubt that without him and his compatriots we would not have the abundance of animals we enjoy today. I’m also convinced we would be missing some of the larger and more easily poached animals. He is our friend and fellow sportsman.

We were also able to attend several outstanding conventions and banquets. Here we met old friends, like-minded sportsmen and found new opportunities. Our old traditional equipment manufacturers were well represented as were the latest innovations. We even got old friend and Canadian guide/outfitter, Keith Connors, to write us a fascinating story of his adventures.

And then there is Ron Cross, our good hunting and fishing partner, who shared one of his recent adventures. This year it wasn’t Africa or the Amazon, but the equally exciting Texas, where he managed to slay a gigantic wild boar, with a gigantic knife. One only wonders what we will find him doing this year; I caution you to be wary of any invitations he may offer. Read the story and you can be the judge.

Not to be outdone by Ron, friend and fellow adventurers, Bob Markworth the archer and Diane Malek the Aussie , took us tigerfishing on Africa’s Zambizi River and salmon fishing on British Columbia’s west coast. They are off on another adventure now and I’m sure Bob will have a story for us on their return.

Perhaps the premier trip of the year was visiting new friends with Professor Omar Marroquin in Guatemala and sampling some of the world’s greatest fishing for Sailfish and Marlin. The virtually untapped fishing resource and the wonderful people who inhabit this country with its Mayan culture should be on every sportsman’s list of places to visit.

We also enjoyed many fine recipes this year from some very accomplished chefs. Chris Meakings is famous not only for the culinary skills he shares at his Ashcroft, British Columbia restaurant, but for his fishing and guiding skills as well.

This leads us to a new taste for this writer: The Taste of the South with legendary fishing guide, Woody Grainger, and the amazing cuisine of Georgia. It was blackened catfish, grits, chitlins, and hush puppies.

We ended the year with a Christmas gift story about a Desert Bighorn hunt from locals, Dr. Foreman and his family.

These stories you will notice, while hunting and fishing adventures, are more about the people and places then shooting and hooking. They are the stories of all who dream, relish and experience the thrill of the chase. All can be re-read in the archives of the Pahrump Valley Times at www.pahrumpvalleytimes.com

Most importantly, start now to have a great and adventurous new year.

If necessary quit your job, sell your house, pack up the kids or find them a job and go. Well, that may not always work out so well, but realize that adventure and hunting/fishing opportunities are all around us and not just on television, so turn it off and go.

Sportsman’s Quest is conducting a survey and would appreciate your commenting on the types of stories you most enjoy and if you have a recommendation of a destination or event that you think our readers would appreciate. Email me at sportmansquestnews@gmail.com 

General Buck has sat around many campfires in his life and is also no stranger to a fine fireplace. Here is a simple but elegant recipe I look forward to trying with the harvest from our recent quail outing.



Buck Bedard’s Ash Kicking Quail

Ingredients: Eight quail; 1 Tbsp thyme; 1 Tbsp granulated garlic; 2 tsp salt; 2 tsp black pepper; 2 tsp cayenne; 2 tsp dry mustard; 2 cups white and wild rice mix, cooked; 2 jalapenos, roasted and sliced remove seeds if you don’t like it too spicy ; 8 slices of salt pork.

Procedure: Combine all spices to make a dry rub; combine rice mix and jalapenos; place approximately a 1/4 cup of rice mixture in cavity of quail depending on size ; rub outside of quail with dry rub and wrap with slice of salt pork, securing with skewers or toothpicks; cut double pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil large enough for two quail; make four packages of two quail, wrapped in multiple layers of foil; bury packages in coals/ashes in fireplace or campfire, let roast for 25 minutes or until cooked, keeping enough coals/ash to cover birds at all times.

Remove birds from fireplace/campfire, pull off first layer of foil, cut remaining foil open and serve directly from packages. A great dish to serve after a fun day of hunting.

Upcoming events

* The 2012 Grand Slam Club/OVIS Hunter and Outfitter Convention will be held at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino in Reno, Feb. 8-11. For more information go to www.wildsheep.org

Let’s not forget our local chapters:

* Wildlife and Habitat Improvement of Nevada WHIN is a very active conservation group dedicated to the betterment of all Nevada’s wildlife and their habitat. Monthly meetings are held at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of each month at Werner Family Taxidermy located at 57 Basic Street, Henderson.

* The Las Vegas Woods and Waters Club is the place you’ll want to be if “all you want to do is hunt, fish and talk about it.” The meeting is at noon on the second Wednesday of each month at Putter’s Grill, 6945 S. Rainbow, Las Vegas, NV