Thanks to everyone who participated in To The Bone’s first “Ask Us Anything”! Our answers below are free for all to see, but asking questions is a privilege reserved for paid subscribers - your support is what allows us to invest time in producing writing worth reading.
We’ve answered your questions below, including:
What's on our travel hunt/fish wish list?
Best duck and pig guns for California?
What's a good novice duck-hunting set-up?
Favorite ways to cook Gulf of Mexico fish?
Top 5 favorite books we’ve read?
Least favorite hunt? Least favorite game animal?
Must-have herbs and spices?
Favorite tools of the kitchen?
How to keep fish or game cold while traveling for several days?
CJ asked, ‘What's on your travel hunt/fish wish list?’
Holly: I have long wanted to hunt in Saudi Arabia. I’ve always been drawn to the Middle and Near East because of my lifelong interest in archeology, and my desire to hunt Saudi Arabia in particular was sparked by a great discussion thread on a duck hunters’ forum.
You can read details about the whole discussion on my old blog, but the upshot is this: Through that forum discussion, it became clear that a hunter is a hunter is a hunter. Saudi hunters post the same tailgate shots of their successful days afield as we do, only some of the animals are PRETTY WEIRD.
As a hunter in America, I have discovered that hunting brings me into camaraderie and fellowship with a lot of people I might otherwise never encounter, which I love. One of the best things about travel hunting is getting to know other hunting cultures and practices, and I would happily do that in any country that welcomes me.
Hank: For hunting, it’s the Far North — the Canadian tundra and Scandinavia.
I’ve always wanted to hunt Arctic hares, caribou, musk ox, ptarmigan and all those cool grouse they have in Scandinavia. I do have plans to chase ptarmigan this year in Alaska, but the others are, at least for the moment, daydreams.
For fishing, snook in Mexico — they are among the most delicious fish out there — California white seabass (somehow they’ve always eluded me), and big flathead catfish living in water clean enough to eat them; this, apparently, is a rarity. And I have unfinished business in the Florida Keys. The last time I was there, our trip got cut short by Covid; it was March 2020.
Cory asked, ‘So, with CA hunter safety class done, it's time to ponder two important questions: what duck gun and what pig gun for CA?’
Holly on shotguns:
Buy a type of gun (double, semi-auto, pump) that best suits your personality. (Most duck hunters, though, go with semi-autos.)
Buy the best gun you can afford, and understand that a used higher-quality gun will serve you better than a cheap brand-new gun (hat-tip to Phil Bourjaily, author of the linked piece).
If you are not close to an average-sized, right-handed (more precisely, right-eye dominant) man, you need to pay special attention to gun fit, and the ability to adjust your chosen shotgun’s fit. Here’s an article about that, again by Phil Bourjaily, and here’s a one-hour webinar I did for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife:
Hank: As for a pig gun, you’ll want to use a gun that will cleanly kill most big game animals in North America, while recognizing that recoil is a thing.
For most modern hunters, the choice boils down to .270 or 6.5 Creedmor, with the ole’ 30-06 and 300 Winchester magnum on the side. Both of these first calibers are very fast, flat-shooting rounds easy on the recoil. They are perfect for Western hunters who need to take long shots on occasion, and plenty powerful enough to put a pig on the ground. For the record, I shoot a .270; so does Holly, though she’s also trying out a 6.5CM.
The smallest caliber you’d want is a .243, which is a fun gun to shoot and certainly enough for deer, but it might not be enough to kill a big boar hog with one shot — if you’re trying to get a round through the shoulder, which is armored on a hog.
The larger calibers are fine, but could be overkill for small hogs and for most deer.
Brett Bim asked, ‘What's a novice get-started duck hunting set-up look like?’
Holly: Duck hunting can look very different not only from one state to the next, but from one region to the next. But here are some things I think will help you out, especially given that you noted that, like Hank and I, you don’t have a dog or a boat.
Find places where you can access hunting grounds on foot. Such places are abundant in California, and with the exception of ditches, all of the water is walkable depth in the places we hunt.
Find out what cover exists. We hunt in places with bulrush and cattail, so we stick a swamp seat in those and hide. People who hunt in more open water have to deploy other gear - if that’s what you’d be hunting in, ask locals for advice. If hunting public land, be sure to talk to the staff - they are usually very helpful and appreciate hunters trying to get informed before heading afield.
Find what kind of ducks you might expect to see in those places and buy half a dozen to a dozen decoys in those species. Many companies sell packs of mixed species, which is ideal. Don’t forget to buy rigging, because decoys don’t come rigged. I like pre-made Texas rigs because I’m lazy, but you can make your own.
Buy a jerk rig that you can attach to some of those decoys to add motion to your spread on windless days. You can go simple (I use this Rig ’Em Right jerk rig) or more complicated, like this Motion Duck spreader I also use.
Buy calls. It takes quite a while to learn to blow a hen mallard call effectively, so the easiest thing to start with is a whistle, which will make drake sounds. Hank and I both also use the Wingsetter 8-in-1, and Wingsetter also makes an affordable hen mallard call that I liked. When learning to blow a whistle, don’t imitate other duck hunters; imitate recordings available in DU’s Waterfowl ID library.
Buy shells. The best all-around shot size in steel for ducks is #3 (best as in scientifically tested), but if you’ll be shooting mostly big ducks like mallard and canvasback, go up to #2. If you hunt with high-end metals like bismuth, which is heavier than steel, you can drop a size or two below these recommendations (“below” meaning smaller shot, which is actually a higher number).
Jacket and waders - these, aside from your shotgun, are going to be your biggest cash investment. Before investing in waders, read reviews and explore forums. There are a lot of “waterproof” waders on the market now that are porous as hell.
Practice by shooting skeet. It doesn’t matter if you’re an excellent shot at upland birds - ducks come from every direction, instead of mostly flushing away from you. I find skeet is the best preparation because it is designed to help you master how much you need to lead depending on the angle the bird is flying relative to you. This video is all about the lead:
If you haven’t shot a shotgun at all, invest in a couple lessons. Your local skeet/trap/sporting clays range can usually recommend an instructor.
Sam asked, ‘What are your favorite ways to prepare redfish, speckled trout and tripletail?’
Hank: I have lots of recipes that work with them, and a few specific to these Gulf species. But to give you a broader sense, all three are firm, lean, white fish. Tripletail is the firmest, speckled trout the softest.
The trout near Dauphin Island, where you’ll be, can have “spaghetti” worms, so fillet them. No one wants a nasty surprise when cutting into a whole grilled fish. Cut away the worms, and if there aren’t too many, proceed as normal. If the meat is riddled, toss it.
I really like cornmeal fried speckled trout fillets with a black-eyed pea salad.
Don’t keep redfish larger than about 15 to 20 pounds. The big bull reds get wormy and coarse. Redfish on the halfshell is an ideal preparation for larger fish, but small ones, like about 5 pounds or less, are the best for skinless fillets.
Both of these fish are great fried, but I don’t like to fry tripletail, because the meat is so special. It’s grouper-like in texture, and really does well seared in a pan, skin on or off. I also love butter poached tripletail.
None of these fish should be eaten raw unless you’ve frozen them for a few days first.
Liz asked, ‘What are your top 5 favorite books you've read in the last 5 years?’
Hank: That’s a hard one, but I’ll give it a go.
Eating NAFTA by Alyshia Galvez. It’s an academic book, but it details how NAFTA hastened the destruction of traditional Mexican foodways by flooding their stores with cheap, nasty junk food, comida basura. I’ve seen this firsthand in Mexico, and it’s tragic. Galvez goes into the consequences of this in health terms as well as economics. She’s a little too far to the left for me, but her information is solid.
The Bird Way by Jennifer Ackerman. I am a total bird nerd, and Ackerman’s book is a great survey of the current state of research into bird intelligence. Definitely worth your time if you, like me, wonder what that scrub jay or magpie is thinking. Short answer: More than you might guess.
1491 and 1493 by Charles Mann. OK, this is not in the last five years, but I find myself re-reading these books. This first is about what we know of the civilizations of the Americas before Columbus, and the second book is about the Columbian Exchange.
Larousse Diccionario Enciclopedico de la Gastronomia Mexicana by Ricardo Munoz Zurita. Not easy reading and only in Spanish, but this is the bible of Mexican gastronomy. Whenever I am preparing to research a Mexican dish, I start here.
What a Plant Knows by Daniel Chamovitz. Similar to the Bird Way, this book is a great survey into the current research on plants’ ability to interact with the outside world, and themselves. Fascinating stuff.
Holly: And here are mine:
Animal, Vegetable, Junk by Mark Bittman (who is also on Substack). It’s an incredibly thorough account of how we’ve come to the food system we have now - one that foists unhealthy food on people and benefits precious few with profits. It is grindingly depressing, but ends on an optimistic note about how we might achieve more sustainable, healthy food systems. This book tilts left but is worth reading even if you chafe at obligatory liberal talking points.
The Xenogenesis Trilogy by the late Octavia Butler. This sci-fi series upends the notion of human primacy when humans who have survived an apocalypse become the next target of an alien species that travels the universe merging with other species to make something new and better … albeit not necessarily with their consent. It is deep, fascinating and thought-provoking.
The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. I have always adored trees and felt like they were more “alive” - perhaps even sentient - than we gave them credit for. While Wohlleben, a German forester, wouldn’t suggest that trees would like to hug me back, he shares a great deal of science about the ways that trees communicate with and support each other. There’s a lot going on under that bark.
American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America by Collin Woodard. As someone who’s lived all over California, as well as in Virginia (Richmond) and Minnesota (St. Paul), I’m fascinated by regional cultural differences. Woodard details the origins of these differences in Colonial times, and how emigres from these regions then colored the cultures of the places they settled farther west.
Treat Your Own Back by Robin McKenzie. A sloppy tae kwon do back-kick trashed my lower back hard about five years ago, and has been a recurring source of debilitating pain ever since. My quest for healing brought me to this book, which my doctor recommended. It’s making a huge difference.
Cole asked, ‘Least favorite hunt you’ve ever been on/least favorite animal that you’ve hunted and eaten?’
Hank: For me, the hunt is the late season snow goose hunt. I have grown tired of big gang shoots, with 15 guys blazing away all at once, and the anything-goes nature of that conservation season, where you can have as many rounds in your shotgun as you want, extended tubes and everything, just doesn’t send me. I do like eating snow geese though.
As for the animal I won’t be purposely hunting anymore, that would be coots. Sure, skinned they’re fine, and if I were in a pinch sure, I would eat them, but Holly and I simply shoot enough ducks, so I don’t need to harass the cootie birds.
Holly: What Hank said on the gang hunts! Generally I prefer two-person hunts because they’re more civilized and calm. I want to know whether I’m the one who shot the duck that fell, and I get hostile when someone shoots across a line of upland hunters at a bird that’s in front of me.
Similar answer on game: I’m much more restrained than I used to be about shooting waterfowl that might be stinky, because you might have to toss the fat. Rendered fat is the most precious lasting resource to come out of our season; I want all I can get.
David asked, ‘What are the spices you must always have on hand? What are the spices you insist on using fresh instead of dried?’
Hank: Easy. I always need Mexican oregano, dried chiles of some sort, black pepper, paprika, cumin and bay leaves. Your choices all depend on what cuisines you cook. I cook a lot of Mexican dishes.
As for fresh-only herbs, parsley, basil, and cilantro spring to mind.
Austin asked, ‘Favorite tools of the trade in the kitchen and pre-kitchen?’
Hank: A good chef’s knife and wooden cutting board would be the first things. You always want to choose your knives in person — you need to hold them in your hand to know if this knife is right for you.
Fine-meshed strainer. I use them all the time, for a multitude of uses.
Bacon press with a flat bottom, not ridged. I use them to sear fish and duck breasts, as well as for bacon. Keeps things flat.
Wooden utensils, especially a flat-fronted paddle. I use this every day to stir, dish up food like rice, and to deglaze pans. The flat front gives you more contact with the bottom of the pan.
Steel stockpot, two-quart pot, as well as a small and a large frying pan. I have a mix of stainless steel, carbon steel and non-stick.
Comal or griddle. Vital for Mexican food. Carbon steel or iron are best, but non-stick is OK, although you can’t jack the heat up as high with one.
Holly: I don’t do much cooking, but I can speak to the pre-kitchen. My knife roll contains:
Boning knife (I like this affordable number)
6” chef’s knife
Paring knife
Break-apart kitchen shears with bone notch
I keep the boning knife sharp with a steel, but I finally sprung for an electric sharpener for my other knives.
Ben asked, ‘If you are hunting in warm weather, all you have is a cooler and it will take 2-3 days to get home, what is the best method for packing the cooler to maximize both food safety and food deliciousness?’
Hank: Easy. First, get a Yeti-style cooler, rather than an old Coleman-type one. These newer coolers keep food cold much, much, longer. Next, find blocks of ice if you can. They take longer to melt. Drain every morning. Add more ice as needed. Regular ice is fine, but you need to drain more often.
Create a barrier between the meat and the ice. Heavy plastic garbage bags work well. Make sure the openings of these bags face up, away from the melting ice. (Holly adds: Depending on the size of your cooler, a cookie sheet on top of the ice can be great for maintaining that separation.)
This arrangement will last you up to a week even.
Great questions and great answers! Holly, have you read Ursula LeGuin's exceptional book Always Coming Home? If you're an Octavia Butler fan I think you might really like it -- it's one of the least-known but most beautiful of all her books. For those who haven't encountered it, it's a kind of dreamy speculative anthropology of a group of people living about ten thousand years into the future in what's left of the Napa Valley, but the anthropologist is from *our* time (well, the late eighties, when she wrote it). I think it's one of the most fascinating, complex, and imaginative takes on humans in a post-apocalyptic landscape ever written, especially in its envisioning of human-animal relations.
The Lower Colorado might have the big flathead that Hank desires...water is pretty clean there compared to most catfish water. They get huge eating sunfish and gizzard shad, and it's the only spot in CA where you can use bluegill as bait!