Wild Bites #46: a 5-minute read that makes you smarter about wild food and tells you what's to come on the website, podcast, YouTube, or To The Bone.

 ~ Hank

1. What's Hot Now

Barley risotto with shredded grouse, rabbit, chicken or quail. 

2. Turkey Time! 

Turkey schnitzel with Southern tomato gravy.

Turkey seasons are opening all over the country, and if it's not open where you live, it will be soon. So to celebrate one of the best springtime activities, here are some of my favorite wild turkey recipes:

• Pictured is my turkey schnitzel recipe, a classic cutlet served with a very Southern tomato gravy. It's probably my favorite turkey breast recipe.  
• Coming in a close second for my fave turkey breast recipe is this California-style turkey taco recipe. This isn't a traditional Mexican taco, but it sure is tasty! 
• Smoked wild turkey can be amazing. Traditional would be smoked wild turkey breast, and that makes some of the best sandwich meat you could ask for. But I really love smoked turkey wings. You braise them tender first (save the broth!), marinate, then smoked. So good!    
• If you have kids, or are feeding people who might balk at wild turkey, make these wild turkey nuggets. They are to chicken McNuggets what the sun is to a fading match. Guaranteed crowd pleaser. 
• Nothing beats a good ole' turkey gumbo. Mine's Cajun style, with no tomato. 

3. Culinary Bird Hunts! 

There are still a few spots open for two of the culinary hunts I am doing this fall. 

The first is a grouse and woodcock hunt in Remer, Minnesota at the Pineridge Grouse Camp. You’ll arrive the afternoon of Sept. 19, hunt the following two days, and depart midday on Sept. 22.

You’ll learn about grouse and woodcock habitat, how to pluck and process the birds, gear, dogs and dog work, gun safety (if needed), as well as get a chance to see (and buy!) some of owner Jerry Havel’s fine Italian double guns.

I’ll walk you through the best ways to cook your birds, and will cook everyone a nice dinner each night. We will hope to feature grouse and woodcock, but it all depends on the birds! Cost is $2750, which includes all meals, lodging, guided hunts with experienced dogs, a copy of my cookbook Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail, as well as all cooking and prepping classes. Licenses and tips not included.

Contact Jerry Havel at (218) 301-6083, or grousecamp@gmail.com to reserve your spot.

The second hunt is a waterfowl hunt in Loveland, Oklahoma with Coastal Wings, and this hunt runs from Dec. 7-10. We’ll be chasing ducks, geese and possibly sandhill cranes — they can be tricky in December, so it’ll be up to owner Larry Robinson if we chase the ribeye in the sky.

Arrive on the 7th, hunt the mornings of December 8, 9, and 10, depart midday on December 10. I’ll have copies of Duck, Duck, Goose for this hunt. Cost is Cost $2500, which includes 3 nights of lodging, all meals, the school, and a copy of the cookbook. 

Email Larry and Summer Robinson to reserve your spot at coastalwings@yahoo.com

4. Uniforms

5. Winter's Revenge

Ope, spoke too soon. If you remember the last Wild Bites, I was remarking about how spring was in the air. Well, it still is: The birds were singing as we got literally a foot of snow over a five-day period this week. Glad I didn't stow my snow shovel. 

This has put a pause on my outdoor activities, but it won't last. The light has returned and the growth that started and is now slumbering under the snow will restart in a hurry once this melts off. I've already seen garlic mustard around, and dame's rocket has started, too. 

In other parts of the world, spring is in full flush. I am hearing about epic morel hunting in Oklahoma and Missouri, and the world is emerald back in my old home of California. 

Been hunkering down working on my book lately. It's a huge task and gets daunting sometimes. So I am taking my own advice about writing it: Page by page, section by section. Easier to edit later than to stare at a blank page, right? 

Hoping to report some outdoor fun here in Minnesota for the next Wild Bites. Cross your fingers. Until then, get outside and have some fun!

~ Hank

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