Perfect for a spring or summer Friday night, these deer brats are amazing: Shoot deer. Gut deer. Transport deer to processor and have brats made. (These jalapeno cheese brats came from the buck I shot in the Crazy Mountains of Montana last November, and were made by H&H Meats in Missoula, though a deer you shoot and gut anywhere will do.) Simmer thawed brats in mixture of half-water, half-beer for 20-25 minutes. Do not boil brats, just a low, slow simmer on medium heat. Roll brats occasionally. As brats simmer, sip remainder of leftover beer. Heat gas grill and chill one more beer. After 25 minutes, remove brats from stove and drain water/beer mix. Reduce grill to medium-low. Add brats [...]

How was the 2015 winter where you live and hunt, and how did that impact the deer? Our friend Kim sent this report from northwest Wisconsin: The winter of 2014-15 was almost mild, and 2015-16 was beyond mild, mid-60s some days in February. Great news for the deer population, a very stress free winter. I saw a lot of 1- and 2-year-old bucks that still had their antlers as of February 19th. Does look very healthy, with fawning a couple months away. Two fawn bucks from last spring that I have been seeing are already large for their age group, both with buttons the diameter of a quarter on their heads. Average snow depth this winter for my area was [...]