RECOIL Presents: Carnivore

This issue of CARNIVORE hits newsstands just as many of us are thinking about putting away the fishing rods and either working on our archery form or checking the zero on our rifles. So, perfect timing then. For me, this late summer period is one of intense anticipation, as the Arizona temperatures drop out of the triple digits and the mountains start calling their siren song. This year, the hunting gods smiled and there’s an elk tag for the Frank Church Wilderness with my name on it, so a couple of buddies, our camera guy, and I will be headed to Idaho. We’ll be dropping into the biggest wilderness area in the lower 48, inflating rafts and then floating one of the world’s best trout rivers in search of bear, wolf,…

INGREDIENTS + 1 pound sweet Italian venison sausage+ 2½ cups pork panko divided+ 1 cup shredded mozzarella+ ‧ cup fresh minced parsley, plus more for garnishing+ 2 teaspoons salt+ 2 teaspoons pepper+ 4 cloves minced garlic+ 1 (16 oz.) box jumbo stuffed shells, cooked al dente according to package directions and drained+ Vegetable oil, for frying+ 2 eggs+ 1 cup milk+ ¾ cup all-purpose flour+ 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning+ Parmesan, for garnish+ Marinara sauce, for serving METHOD 1. To prepare the filling for the shells, place the sausage, ½ cup pork panko, mozzarella, parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and minced garlic in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix well to thoroughly combine. 2. Form a meatball using about 2 tablespoons of the mixture and stuff one cooked shell. Cover the stuffed…

1 APEX AMMUNITION TSS MSRP: Starting at $53 per 10-round box URL: apexmunition.com NOTES: With more states and public lands implementing nontoxic ammo requirements, Apex Ammunition has released its Upland Bird TSS shotshells, promising strong performance from a nontoxic round. Apex says its TSS (short for Tungsten Super Shot) is denser than lead, steel, bismuth, and copper, which allows for smaller pellets per payload — and that translates to more pellets on target at longer ranges in the field. Each handloaded shotshell features clean-burning powder and a one-piece, Tungsten-grade wad system that keeps a tight pattern. This is an ideal upland round whether you’re hunting quail, grouse, or pheasants. It’s available in 12-, 20-, and 28-gauge and in 10-round boxes or 100-round cases. 2 STRAIGHT GRAIN SUPPLY HAND-POURED AXE BALM MSRP: $16 URL: straightgrainsupply.com NOTES: You can’t…

As Americans, we take great pride in our unique national treasures. The Bill of Rights, National Parks, baseball, barbecue, rock and roll — the list goes on. In addition, our cultural melting pot has given us access to a huge variety of iconic creations from foreign shores; we didn’t invent pizza or tacos, but we’ve certainly embraced them. So, it’s always surprising to come across an item that’s essentially unobtainable in America. Such has been the case for the 70-Series Toyota Land Cruiser. Produced from 1984 through the present (yes, it’s still in production), the 70-Series is an immensely popular vehicle for militaries, government organizations, and off-road adventurers around the world. However, it was never sold in the United States — we got the rounder and more luxurious 80-Series, sold here…

If you’re fortunate enough to hunt southern Africa, you’ll no doubt be familiar with the tradition of stuffing a couple of pieces of biltong in your pocket to snack on during a day in the field. This perennial South African favorite is nothing like the MSGladen and glossy-looking American version of dried meat, starting out with bigger chunks which are dried more slowly to produce a satisfying, chewy texture, paired with a distinctly tart and spicy flavor. While antelope species such as nyala and kudu are local staples, it’s easy to adapt to the process to North American ungulates like elk and whitetail. RECIPE + 4 pounds of deer or elk (we used top round from a cow elk)+ ¼ cup of vinegar (traditionally malt vinegar is used, but we substituted unfiltered…

There’s something special about eating steak. Whether a Black Angus tenderloin, Japanese Wagyu rib eye, or steak cuts from wild game you’ve harvested yourself, steak provides a luxurious dining experience that truly highlights the protein at hand. Often simply seasoned and seared to perfection at high heat, steak is presented to the diner on a plate, gleaming with juices. Then, to partake of that glorious meaty flavor, you slice off a glistening piece of meat to stuff into your piehole. Enter the steak knife. This humble piece of cutlery has the important responsibility of fulfilling the last step in the steak dining experience — cleanly cutting slices of meat, while also dressing up place settings at the dining table. Functionally, steak knives need to be sharp as well as comfortable and effective…