Chase Waller - Harvesting Nature

Chase Waller May 9, 2022May 9, 2022 0 Comments Why We Hunt

Trophies and Why We Hunt

Everyone has their own reasons why they hunt. A person’s decision to go afield is a very personal one and if you surveyed 100 hunters on why they hunt, you’d get at least 120 answers. But we try to put ourselves into neat little boxes at the expense of others. Read any post about hunting in Africa and the “I’m a hunter but” comments won’t take long to find. Big game hunting with dogs is another huge divider amongst us and the anti-hunters know it. Just look at the most recent bills around the country trying to ban predator hunting and the use of dogs.

News

Chase Waller April 25, 2022April 25, 2022 0 Comments Goliath Grouper, Outdoor News

Florida Opens Goliath Grouper Season

On 3 March 2022, at a public meeting in Tampa, the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission voted to institute a goliath grouper season. This will be the first time the giant fish will be allowed to be harvested in the United States since 1990.

Hunting

Chase Waller January 28, 2022January 28, 2022 0 Comments

A First Timer’s Trip to Africa

I had always dreamed of traveling to Africa. I imagined myself following in the footsteps of John Hunter and Teddy Roosevelt chasing the infamous Cape buffalo. I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. My dad, Andy, was the same way. The difference was that his dream had been nagging at him for a good 40 years longer than mine. Going from dream to reality was simply making the decision.

Wild Recipes

Chase Waller July 10, 2021October 7, 2021 0 Comments Offal Dirty Rice

Offal Dirty Rice

I like when I can figure out how to take a maligned category of game meat and turn it into something presentable that even a picky eater might enjoy. So, when I shot my first buffleheads last season, I was immediately thinking of things to try. Many people turn their noses up at both divers and offal and that is a shame. Those people are wrong and should be shown the error of their ways. A little prep and you can make a side or an appetizer that is likely to appease anybody.

Fishing

Chase Waller June 10, 2021October 7, 2021 0 Comments Fly Fishing Panfish, Panfishing

Fly Fishing Panfish in the South

A thin ribbon of water cuts through a forest. A shadowy figure rests in a hole among the branches of a fallen tree just out of the current. A roll cast, necessary because of the limited space for a back cast, places a #10 woolly bugger gently near the fish. Slowly pulling in line, the fly moves within striking distance. The fish pounces. Grabbing its prey, it turns back to the safety of the submerged log. You set the hook and a short but ferocious fight ensues. He is very small. Too small to keep but the bright greens flowing seamlessly to red are captivating. You let the little bream go, gather up your line, and continue your trek along the clear, tannin-stained creek somewhere in the southern United States.

Fishing

Chase Waller April 13, 2021October 7, 2021 0 Comments

We Suck At This

Earlier this month, a reservoir holding byproducts from an old phosphate mining operation just south of me in Florida at Piney Point came in imminent danger of a collapse that would spill an incredible amount of wastewater into Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The situation has thus far kind of stabilized. There is no 20-foot wall of water barreling down to the ocean. The discharges are being monitored and, so far, meet water quality standards. But, sitting here thinking about it and reading reports from various news agencies, I realized something. We suck at this.

Hunting

Chase Waller April 3, 2021October 7, 2021 0 Comments

Classic English Side By Sides: Part Two

In the first installment, we explored a little bit of background in the British gun trade and shared some stories from the field. In this article, we will dive deeper into the guns themselves and how to buy them.

Hunting

Chase Waller April 1, 2021October 7, 2021 0 Comments Classic English Side by Sides, Side by Sides

Classic English Side by Sides Part One

I love old guns. I grew up admiring my great-grandfather’s Parker Trojan 16 gauge. My father had hunted with it in his youth but retired it for safety reasons long before I came along. After spending the last three years socking money away to go on our first hunt in Africa, the borders closed and we had some wiggle room in our budgets. Soon, I found myself scouring the Internet for a classic double gun. My father was the one who originally pulled me onto this train, and we were drawn specifically to English guns.

Wild Recipes

Chase Waller February 12, 2021October 7, 2021 0 Comments alligator, alligator curry, curry

Alligator Curry

Alligator hunting is an incredibly fun and unique way to spend a night on the water. A successful hunt can yield unbelievable amounts of surprisingly versatile meat. From working late nights in Hawaii to looking for a post-bar hopping meal in Korea, curries of all types have long been a favorite of mine. There are near infinite possibilities for ingredients and regional styles. This dish combines gator and curry into something that can bite long after you are out of the swamp.

News

Chase Waller January 7, 2021October 7, 2021 0 Comments covid-19, hunter decline, hunter numbers

Did Hunter Numbers Increase Due to COVID-19?

Hunter numbers have been on the decline for decades, losing hundreds of thousands of hunters each year, but was this year any different? We’ve all heard the guy on Facebook, in the bar, or a friend of yours saying, “I’ve never seen this many people in the woods before, and it’s all because of COVID.” But what does the data say?