New Guy Saying Hi

[MTTrapper]

Growing up in rural southern Colorado, with a father who loved to fish and hunt, I was too young to remember when my dad taught me to fish or shoot. It must have took because I've enjoyed the outdoors ever since. Big cities make me nervous and the traffic reminds me that most people live at a pace that is way different than mine.

I live rurally in west-central Montana now. I used to guide, but gave it up in 2006 when I realized just how much it cut into my fishing and hunting.

I'll likely spend a lot of time on the cooking forums.

[KILLERBEE]

nice to meet you and WELCOME to the campfire!

[flcracker]

Welcome to the campfire !!!  If you like the cooking forums you will love the cooking section on this site, it has some great stuff.

[MTTrapper]

I truly enjoy backcountry cooking. There's something special about lifting the lid on a dutch oven and pulling out a loaf of sour dough bread miles from the nearest road.

Cooking for clients who had never even slept in a tent before filled my head with all sorts of stories. Many of them made me shake my head.

I hope to share some of those stories and hear the stories of others.

[flcracker]

Yes , please do share those stories.

[MTTrapper]

I was guiding a 5-day Smith River (Montana) summer float/fish trip. We would generally have 8 clients, 4 guides, and 2 freighters. There is no public access along the 60 mile route.

I pulled this 18 pound rib eye tip from cooler and one of the clients stood at my shoulder watching my every move. He wanted to know everything I was doing. I explained to him that we bought the tips and froze them whole in order to keep the meat good until the 4th night of camping. I had duct taped the cooler shut and wrote a serious note on it so that no one opened it.

The meat was thawed but just barely.

I had both freighters peeling potatoes, including a couple of sweet potatoes (a big hit with clients). I cook and mash the two together along with butter and sour cream.

I then moved over to the firepit and after splitting up a big pile of Squaw wood, I shaved a piece of dry fir and was about to light it when I noticed the client had his video camera rolling. I was on my knees but sat up and was looking around to see what he was seeing.

I didn't see anything, so I asked him "What are you shooting video of?" He replied "I'm shooting video of you." I turned around "You're shooting video of me? Why?" He said "You're making a fire."

Well, a burst of smartass replies went through my head, but I learned long ago that if you choose your words around clients, it usually means you get better tips, so I asked "You've never built a fire before?" He said he hadn't and had never actually seen anyone do it. I couldn't help myself and said "Well, you know this isn't exactly new, right?"

[flcracker]

 

[NH Boy]

Welcome to the fire and that story is great and 110% fact.  I know a lot of people that would act in the same manner.

NH Boy - Chris

[Trapper06]

Welcome. I'm an old Soldier due to retire in South Western Montana in the near future.

Trapper06

[MTTrapper]

Thanks for your service Trapper06. I did 4 years active in the Navy.

It was 40 degrees yesterday morning at my house and it's getting me itching for the upcoming hunting season. I'll start off with 3 weeks in The Bob Marshall Wilderness cooking for an outfitter's hunters and guides. I'll ride in to set up the kitchen in a couple of weeks. The first group of hunters will arrive late on the 14th.

I can hear those big bulls bugling in my sleep, and I can smell the cowboy coffee brewing as I mix my sourdough pancake batter.