RECOIL Presents: Carnivore Carnivore #1

Burgers can be made with just about anything that runs or flies, and are a great way to introduce the game palette to the epicurialy timid, as well as nourishing a hunter tired of the same old grilled backstrap. The patty melt, a favorite of my youth stemming from my love of rye bread, is a great way to use feral hog or even larger and more strongly flavored boars. It can also be tweaked with different meats and cheeses, though bicolor cheddars are visually appealing and traditional. Do not, however, stray from using rye if at all possible. And use the best one you can get, cutting it fairly thick to hold up to the substantial fillings of this sandwich. Though this recipe calls for the use of hot cast iron…

Welcome to the first issue of CARNIVORE, in all its bloody glory. Our ancestors have been chasing and killing animals for the past two million years, and while these few pages pale into insignificance next to the cave paintings at Lascaux, we’d like to think we’re continuing in a tradition of celebrating that most human of activities — the hunt. In a society increasingly distant from its roots, hunters are one of the few groups of people who still maintain and cherish our links to a distant past, keeping alive the very essence of what makes us human. According to Professor Henry Bunn’s address to the European Society for the study of Human Evolution, were it not for our apelike ancestors’ ability to hunt African plains game, we wouldn’t have developed…

1 MYSTERY RANCH METCALF PACK CAPACITY: 4,300 cubic inches PRICE: $525 COLORS: Coyote, Foliage, MultiCam, Dissolve Bare INFO: www.mysteryranch.com NOTES: Mystery Ranch cut its teeth making hard-use packs for the U.S. military, so it’s no surprise it also makes some kick-ass hunting packs. The new Metcalf has the capacity of a minivan, the utility of a pickup, and the comfortable ride of a family sedan. With 3,700 cubes in the body and another 600 in the detachable lid, there’s room to ruck a week’s worth of gear to camp. Use the detachable lid as a day pack, or ditch it and cinch down the main pack for a smaller load. When it comes time to field dress and pack out, the pack’s Overload Shelf holds your game bag between the frame and pack body, keeping the load centered and your…

Stop shooting pretty little groups at the range. Believe it or not, it can hurt your chances of success while hunting. Sure, good groups are required to properly zero your rifle and to test the precision and accuracy of your rifle, scope, ammo, and the meathead driving it. It’s also fun to share your amazing groups on Instagram (of course, with a coin in the picture for scale and also to cover up that flier . . . Yes, we know your secret). But the benefits stop there. Practicing to Hunt As with any other important area of human endeavor, you should practice. Ask yourself, though, are you practicing to shoot pretty little groups, or are you practicing to hunt? If you only shoot at your zero distance from a bench, then you…

Have you ever been to a restaurant where the menu is the culinary version of War and Peace? When your options become too abundant, it’s easy to suffer from paralysis by analysis. So what exactly does one need in a vehicle that’ll serve as both your daily driver as well as withstand the rigors of an off-road hunting trip? Let’s face it, most of us aren’t trust-fund babies, so we need a multipurpose vehicle. After all, we just spent X amount of dollars on a rifle, optic, clothing, license, tags … you get the picture. If we want to avoid buying another vehicle used solely for hunting (and a subsequent divorce) then let’s deconstruct what’s really important. AEV PROSPECTOR XL TRAY BED MAKE: Ram URL: www.aev-conversions.com Stop for a second and imagine you’re back in the…

Using your tactical tanto knife to skin game is akin to using a hammer to open an Amazon package — it can be done, but it’ll be frustrating and could ruin the goodness inside. Skinning blades are designed to precisely separate the, well, skin of an animal from its meat. No pierced hide, no burst innards. Just a smooth division between fur and flesh so you can eviscerate your trophy and get it on ice as quickly as possible. What makes a good skinner? Knife nuts debate whether the blade should be stainless steel or highcarbon steel. Each has pros and cons, revolving around ease of sharpening, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. Like firearms, it boils down to personal preference. However, a skinner has three requisites: it needs a nonslip handle, a…