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A main dish, a side and even a dessert – here are 3 recipes you should try for this year’s Fourth of July gathering. VENISON CAPRESE STEAKS Ingredients: 4-6 Venison steaks 2 tsp garlic powder 1 tbsp cracked pepper 1 tsp salt 1 tsp onion powder 1 tsp dried rosemary 1 tsp dried thyme 1 large tomato Fresh basil leaves Fresh mozzarella sliced Glaze: 1 cup balsamic vinegar ½ cup honey 2 tbsp brown sugar Directions: In a heavy bottom saucepan add balsamic vinegar, honey, and brown sugar. Bring to a

As the buck that I had set my eyes on, a hit-list buck, had maneuvered himself into archery range, I knew this was it. All the time I had spent practicing and improving my shot during the hot summer months was about to be tested. As the buck made it to the 25-yard mark, I drew back my Bear Archery Redemption EKO bow and settled myself to make a good shot. When the buck turned broadside, I squeezed my shoulder blades together while simultaneously pulling on my Apex Gear Surge release with my

There are many newer, modern forms of machinery that can really help on many gamekeepers’ projects. I recently witnessed what a Caterpillar skid-steer mulcher could accomplish in a couple of days. It was nothing short of amazing. This machine helped me reclaim what I assume was an old pasture that had grown up into privet, sweet gum, and elm. It was thick and hairy to say the least, decent bedding for deer and there was a browse line on the privet…but I wanted to create a food plot. The area

1. WHAT’S THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF MANAGING A POND THAT YOU SEE OVERLOOKED? Harvest of bass and crappie is the most important, and often overlooked aspect of pond management. An owner can spend thousands of dollars stocking, fertilizing, liming, and feeding without any positive results if the predator population is too dense. The best, most productive ponds that I have the opportunity to manage are heavily used ponds that encourage harvest. Bass under 15 inches in length and all crappie should

DAY OR NIGHT, SANDY BEACHES ARE A GREAT PLACE TO FISH FOR STRIPED BASS AND OTHER COASTAL SALTWATER SPECIES. Sandy beaches are a big summer attraction for those who live in or near, or visit, coastal communities. Most hit the beach in hordes at the height of the day to soak up the sun and splash in the surf. Others prefer the off hours, not only for the solitude, but for the sport. The reel action starts when the sun sits low or is absent altogether, the beaches clear, and the crowds now form

I’m strictly a structure fisherman when I fish for crappie. I look for underwater trees and logs and places where the current has piled-up limbs, sticks and brush and find those spots on my Humminbird Helix 12 depth finder. The small dots on my screen are crappie. I can see where those crappie are holding, perhaps on the edge of an underwater creek channel where it runs into the main river channel. I’ll have the underwater trees where I’ve caught the most crappie tagged as waypoints. I also

I grew up in the ‘70s and '80s in South Carolina, and my dad fished every Saturday. He fished with friends from church a lot and would drive 90 miles to fish as far away as Lake Murray or Lake Hartwell. Until I got a little older, I usually fished with him on the closer trips to Lake Bowen, a smaller municipal lake. One of my most vivid memories from those days was when my dad started fishing with "floating worms." Pink floating worms. It was springtime, and the fish, big ones, were just

Springtime bass fishing involves days that question your sanity. Cold temperatures, high winds, and unpredictable weather can impact where and how you fish from one weekend to another. However, the odds of hooking a giant are high this time of year. As water temperatures slowly creep up and fish begin staging for the spawn, anglers can cover a majority of a lake with very few bites. I feel bait choice is most crucial this time of year over any other time. Fish can still be sluggish from harsh

Rigging plastic baits for bass fishing has evolved over time, along with tactics and the baits themselves. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular plastic bait rigging strategies that will help you adjust your presentation to be the most life-like and effective offering possible. TEXAS RIG Tried and true since the early days of bass fishing, Texas rigging allows the angler to precisely position the bait anywhere, especially in dense vegetation or heavy cover. The Texas rig can be used on

Some days in the turkey woods are better than others. We all live for and relish those magical mornings when the treetops ring with the rattle of gobblers, and revile the days when the birds seem afflicted with a serious case of lockjaw. In the latter case, you have a couple options. One is to go old school: camp out in one spot, rapping on a box call every 30 minutes and hoping something slips in silently. The other is to strike out in search of a more willing adversary. One variation of this