Hunt, Gather, Talk with Hank Shaw

Australian chef Josh Niland is changing the way we look at fish and seafood. Young, skilled and unafraid to zig where others zag, Niland's cookbooks The Whole Fish Cookbook and Take One Fish are required reading among seafood chefs worldwide. We talk about using the whole fish, new ways of aging and breaking down fish, how Australia is different from the United States and how you at home can apply some of this new magic. You won't want to miss this one! Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

In recent years there has been a huge move to connect commercial fishermen with consumers, which helps the fishermen make more money and the consumer to get fresher, better fish and seafood. I talk with Natalie Sattler of Alaskans Own, a community supported fishery in Alaska, and Jeffrey Tedmori of E-Fish, which acts as a broker to connect small, dayboat fishermen with customers via express mail order fish. Topics include why seek out such a market, how to find one, what are the advantages and disadvantages, and where the sea to table industry is headed. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

Tommy Gomes has been in the fish business for a generation, and he knows all about how to source, select, buy, and store fish and seafood. We go into detail about how you can master the market, as well as talk about the largely unknown treasure that is the Southern California commercial fishery. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

West African food is something more Americans should get to know, although, if you know where to look, you can see West Africa all over America's Southern cuisine. I talk with cookbook author Zoe Adjonyoh about the food of Ghana, and its rich fish and seafood traditions. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode I talk with acclaimed seafood expert and fellow cookbook author Barton Seaver about the ins and outs of farmed versus wild fish and seafood. If you think all farmed fish are bad, it just isn't that simple. We bust some myths and shed some light on this thorny topic. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

One person's trash is another's treasure. So it is with so-called trash fish or rough fish. I talk about these animals with Scott Leysath, host of the TV show "Dead Meat," which focuses on offbeat fish and game, as well as Tom Dickson of the Montana Dept. of Fish, Wildlife and Parks; Dickson co-wrote a book on rough fish called "Fishing for Buffalo." We go into why some fish are hated on, as well as why this is, mostly, unjust. We also go into how to catch and eat many of North America's least liked fish. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

If Gene Wilder were a marine biologist, he'd be Milton Love. This episode is a fantastic conversation with one of the world's preeminent fish biologists, who also happens to be a really funny guy. We explore All Things Rockfish in this episode, and even if you're nowhere near the Pacific, you'll want to give this a listen. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

Hunting rabbits was what first got me into hunting. I join Jonathan O'Dell of the Arizona Dept. of Game & Fish on a deep dive into the biology, lore, trivia, habits, hunting and yes, cooking any and all rabbit and hare species, of where there are many in North America. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

A fun, spirited conversation with Lori McCarthy of Cod Sounds in Newfoundland, and Wade Truong of Elevated Wild in Virginia, all about cooking small game -- birds, rabbits, squirrels, and yep, we stray into big game, too. You asked for it, an all-cooking episode, and here it is! Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode we chase the desert quail of the American Southwest: Gambel's, Mearns (Montezuma) and scaled quail. I talk with hunter-biologist Kirby Bristow all about how to hunt these birds, and I share some cooking and cleaning tips at the end. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

To many, the ruffed grouse is the king of all gamebirds. In this episode, I talk with hunter-biologists Rocky Gutierrez and Heather Shaw all about this amazing game bird, which ranges all the way from California to the Canadian Maritimes. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

This episode concentrates on hunting wild turkeys in the fall, just in time for Thanksgiving. I talk with turkey hunting expert Tony Caggiano of World Slam Adventures not only about hunting turkeys all over North America, but also how to target autumn birds -- and then how to cook them. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

I talk with the renowned game bird biologist Rocky Gutierrez about mountain quail and a whole lot more. Rocky is arguably the Yoda of game bird biology, with 175+ peer reviewed articles going back 45 years. He is a deep well of knowledge and also happens to be one of the leading experts on mountain quail, which is the ostensible topic of our talk -- but we go into a whole lot more. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

Pheasants are by far the most popular upland game bird hunted in North America, and in this episode, Bob St. Pierre of Pheasants Forever, outdoor writer Chris Niskanen and I dig deep into the ditch parrot's biology, conservation status, hunting strategies -- both with and without a dog -- as well as gear and dog tips, and of course a lengthy discussion on how to cook these birds. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode we talk woodcock... yes, juvenile jokes aside, this game bird is an icon of the Northeast as well as the Upper Midwest, and is both challenging and tasty. Project Upland's A.J. DeRosa and Covey Rise magazine's Matt Soberg join me for an in-depth discussion. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

Scaled quail are a special species of quail that favors dry, dusty, grassy deserts dotted with yuccas. They are most common in west Texas and New Mexico, and I talk with biologist Ryan O'Shaughnessy of West Texas Outfitters -- yes, he's a PhD and an outfitter! -- about these birds. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

The band-tailed pigeon is the last huntable native pigeon in the United States, and it is the closest relative to the extinct passenger pigeon. I talk with US Fish & Wildlife biologist Mark Seamans all about this iconic bird, from conservation to biology to hunting and cooking tips. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

This episode of Hunt Gather Talk is all about spruce grouse, the grouse of the boreal forest. Joining me are biologist Bailey Petersen of the Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources and filmmaker Kevin Kossowan of the Canadian TV show From the Wild. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, I talk with biologist Ed Arnett of the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership all about sage grouse. Ed and I are acid bird hunters, and we go into depth about the conservation of this icon of the American West, as well as how to hunt them ethically given their declining populations. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe

Jorge Ramirez of Upland Jitsu and biologist Owen Fitzsimmons of the Texas Dept. of Parks and Wildlife join me for an in-depth discussion on all things dove: The habits and biology of the various species, hunting tips, the history of dove hunting -- and its controversial past -- as well as lots of information about prepping and cooking these tasty game birds. Get full access to To The Bone at tothebone.substack.com/subscribe