College can be tough. Making grades, making enough money to get by, and often living off a cheap diet of raman noodles and bologna.
Being a hunter or angler in college can save a student some serious bucks. It is also guaranteed to create great friendships and some of the wildest college stories imaginable.
Here are some quick recipes that I have found myself throwing together, whether it be for dinner, or even a packed lunch for the next school day.
Dove Tacos
It was a few days ago. I was almost certain that I ran dry on wild game. I finished my rations of wild pig from back home, and all of this year’s elk cuts were at my friend’s house. I dug through the freezer and found an icy zip lock bag full of my former roommate’s doves. He moved out months ago, leaving me a goldmine of upland treats.
After letting the birds thaw, I diced up the breasts and threw them in the frying pan. Next step is to chop up some jalapenos and throw them in with the dove. Meanwhile, start cooking some tortillas in a separate pan or hot plate. Once both the tortillas and the meat are cooked, put the dove and peppers in the tortillas, put cheese and salsa on top, and you are ready to eat. This dish is also great as nachos. Just pile the blend of meat, peppers, salsa, and cheese on a stack of tortilla chips.
Baked Trout
If you’re like me, you are a nonresident hunter in the state you attend college in. Therefore, you may not be drawing great tags right off the bat. Though there may be some over the counter tags available, it can be tough to get out and try to fill it every weekend of the season. This is why I have found fly fishing to take the place of much of my hunting habits.
Go catch a decent sized trout after school or on the weekend for this recipe. Gut the fish and remove the head. Place it in a zip lock bag and add olive oil, salt, lemon pepper, and black pepper, along with any other seasonings that you prefer. Let the fish sit for an afternoon or overnight. Now place the fish on a cooking tray and bake it in the oven at 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit until the skin begins to peel. Now removed the bones and the trout is ready to eat.
Venison Sandwich
A big juicy venison or elk steak is great on its own, but often times folks will not know what to do with the meat scraps that were not able to be included in those cuts. Whenever I have meat scraps from a deer or elk, or even left overs from the steaks I had made the night before, I grill them up with some veggies and make a sandwich. This also works with wild game sausage if you have some on hand.
Begin by chopping up bell peppers, onions, and the meat you will use. Place the veggies in a pan on medium heat with some cooking oil. Salt and pepper the vegetables, then add the meat. Once everything is cooked through, and the veggies are nice and soft, go ahead and pile this between two pieces of bread with some mustard and mayonnaise.
Photo credit: Pixabay
