Hello, I am a Practical Sportman, I fall somewhere between a little bit more than enjoy the outdoor sports, but a lot less than a fanatic until fishing or hunting season. Here in Saskatchewan the wife says that is all 12 months of the year. She keeps telling me, "I go spotting and photography whenever I get a chance, In spring I go shed hunting, spring Snow Goose hunting and scouting, in summer I almost live at the lake for fishing, only at home to sleep and eat from Sept 1 – Dec 10, and ice fishing until end of season March 31. So where do you not get being a fanatic?"  My reply, "I do not make a profession or a wage from these prusiuts I still have to work so I can’t be a fanatic."  I grew up on a small mixed farm with raising and growing a lot of our food, and using the bounty provided by nature. The birds, animals and plants that could be used from hunting, fishing and gathering were greatly relied upon. The family income was split between farm, mom and dad working outside the farm and trapping. Growing up, I learned to do without a lot of things and what we had we needed to make the most of.  Both of my sets of grandparents came through the "Dirty 30’s as they call those days", so their frugalness and how to stretch things out was passed on to everyone of us.  

I am blessed to have been born into a family of hunters and fishers. After blessing CANADA, “GOD” blessed Texas they say, but I believe only because everyone in his circle was on his case about going south for a holiday in winter. Only problem was they all stopped in Arizona, (HA, HA, HA). My parents, all my relatives, and my Grand Parents, all hunted and fished and raised all of us children on these sports. If my parents were too busy, there was a cousin, an uncle or grandparent who wanted to go fishing, hunting, trapping or camping.

I am blessed with a father who enjoys hunting and everything involved with hunting, as well, I was double blessed to have had two grandfathers that were enthusiasts for fishing and trapping. One could not get enough fishing, we never new what quit was and would sit all day on a river bank or in a boat. The other was always out trapping and enjoying the outdoors, if it left a track I was taught to know why it was there, where it came from and where it was going, because he would ask me these questions. Somehow, I was chosen by both as their main partner in these activities.

I can remember catching my first walleye at 4 years old, using a toy rod and reel, that Grandpa Pinske had jokingly tied some real line on and then an old, paint wore off, bent, with no barb jig onto that, so I wouldn’t hook myself. It was spring and the walleye were running up the creek at the river to spawn.  Of course we had to go fishing, well I was dipping the hook in the water, not getting anything, a frog caught my attention, I caught the frog, put it on the hook, dipped it in the water and caught my first fish. I will never forget this memory I was hooked and still am on fishing. I can also remember the many trips and outings with Grandpa Parkin, his favourite question was “What do you see? Don’t just use your eyes, use your ears as well!” He taught me how to trap, skin, hunt and market fur bearing animals. My father is a big game hunting fanatic, if it is hunt-able, resides in Canada and has horns he has hunted it. I can remember almost all my firsts with him, 160+ moose taken in the Swan Hills, my first 78+ antelope, my first 200+ whitetail, my first 180+ mule deer, I also remember winning the lottery of hunting, as he called it, Elk hunting in the Cyprus Hills, each has story and memory never to be forgotten. Now that he is the great grandparent his greatest words of advice are: “It`s not the trophy that counts the most, but the memory of the hunt.“ 

Outdoor sports of hunting and fishing are the greatest activities but most people do not understand the basics, have never tried the sports or as a beginner are filled with questions, and need additional answers before getting involved in these sports. I have passed this information onto my son and daughter and now to my grandson, as well as several nephews, friends, and relatives. I am trying to provide quality practical information for all levels of experience, for these outdoor sports. Safety, is the biggest thing all have to learn, after all your life is far more important than any sport. Practical Information for the waterfowl enthusiast and the Upland Game bird hunter, for the open water fisherman to ice fishing, for the novice whitetail and mule deer hunter, the elk hunter, the moose or swamp donkey fanatic, through the mountain sheep hunter to the predator, fur bearing and varmit control enthusiast whether you use a rifle, archery or traps. Of course all of these involve day camper, weekend warrior, summer holidays, winter day camp, deer camp hunting to the full time RVer.

Hunting and Fishing are great sports, and as humans we are hunters and gathers by nature. Question is what, do you do with the results of your efforts.  Thanks to my MOM, I am a great cook, and have many relatives who ask me when I am going to cook this or that again or they could sure use some of this or that right about now.  As a result I have, created modified and recorded lots of recipes for this fish, game and gathered food. Lots of people say they do not like wild meat because of the taste or smell, but yet have never really tried it.  All of this bounty is better for you then farm raised animals or commercial food both in nutrition and health concerns.  I am trying to provide practical wild fish and game recipes. The fish recipes are mostly walleye recipes but are just as good for Perch. Walleye fishing is the first choice when fishing, be it on open water or ice fishing, but central Saskatchewan Canada also has world record pike fishing as well, therefore, I will also include recipes for pike. These are very easy how to recipes that will allow for taking your fish from the field or water to the table. With world recod whitetail and mule deer, lots of Moose, flocks of waterfowl, over abundant upland game and great fishing, here in saskatchewan, the recipes will be for these species. However, every recipe you will be able to exchange the meat choice for any domestic animal meat. Being in the center of the central flyway we have shooting access to snow and canada geese, ducks, and waterfowl in the millions. With outstanding upland game bird hunting for partridge, chicken and pheasant every tastebud will and/or can be satisfied. I have started a blog and provide simple yet tasty recipes that will have even the worst critic asking for more. Each recipe will help you take the bounty of air, field and water to the table.

After reading any article on any practical sportman site you have a question or suggestion on the article or an idea for another article, then, please fill in the form to contact the Practical Sportman. I will answer all contacts as fast as I can. If I do not have the answer I will try to or will put you in touch with the correct person or group who will have the answer.