by Hal Herring

Over the past fifteen years, more and more of my bird and antelope hunting has been done on Bureau of Land Management public lands. Every year, I buy a pass to Glacier National Park, and our family hikes and rambles there are some of the finest experiences of my life so far. For me, and for millions of other American outdoorspeople, no public agency has as much potential or actual effect on hunting, fishing and just the plain freedom to roam and camp and shoot as does the US Department of Interior.

On February 7th at 1 pm EDT, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will be taking questions and discussing conservation and the economy in a live webchat that should be both interesting and informative. The sportsmen and women of the US need to have their voices heard on issues that range from wolves and energy development to the restoration of the Mississippi Delta- this is a chance to make that happen. Please don’t miss it. Click here to watch it on the Department of Interior site.

Here’s a quick list of agencies under the Department of the Interior, which should inspire participation--because every one of us has a stake in here somewhere:

-Bureau of Indian Affairs
-Bureau of Land Management
-Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
-Bureau of Reclamation
-Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
-National Park Service
-Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement
-U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
-U.S. Geological Survey

by Colin Kearns

Like just about every eater (and imbiber), I have my weaknesses: cold fried chicken, bacon, backstrap, bourbon, fish tacos, sharp cheddar and pretzels. And catfish—preferably fried.

So when I saw the recipe for Deep-Fried Catfish in the new Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook, I asked the folks at Lodge if I could have it to share with Wild Chef readers. They obliged, bless their hearts. Enjoy.

Deep-Fried Catfish

Ingredients:
- 1 gallon canola oil
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 cups cornmeal
- 5 pounds catfish fillets, all cut to about the same size
- Garnish with lemon wedges.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 small jar yellow mustard
- Lemon wedges for garnish

by Colin Kearns

Every day this week the Wild Chef will feature recipes and tips from the brand new cookbook, The Lodge Cast Iron Cookbook. We'll also be giving away some great prizes, including copies of the book, a Lodge cast-iron skillet, and Lodge cast-iron Dutch oven.

How’s this for a day: The other turkey hunters and I crawled out of our tents around 4 a.m. The stars in western Nebraska hung so low, you were tempted to reach for one. My hunting partner, Jim, and I teamed up with Phillip Vanderpoole to hunt from a blind on the edge of an alfalfa field. I killed a tom at 7 a.m. A few hours later, Jim shot a gobbler of his own. We were back at camp by 11 a.m., where the kitchen crew had prepared a champion’s breakfast of eggs, pancakes, and sausage.

by Scott Bestul

I’m the first to admit that I’m no rifleman. I've always lived in shotgun-only country. While I've taken my share of deer with a gun, all have been at close range. What's more, for many years now my primary weapon has been a bow--either recurve or compound. All of this adds up to one simple fact: Deer beyond 70 or 80 yards seem a long way out there to me.

So when I was invited on a rifle hunt in Alabama last week, I did what I always do on a rifle hunt--pray the deer stay close. Oh I know what a centerfire rifle is capable of, but I'm just not enough of a rifleman to let the weapon realize its potential. On the last morning of the hunt I proved it, whiffing on a buck that was an easy target.