The Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game, Vol. 2: Small Game and Fowl

Rinella (Meat Eater) replicates the tone and insight of his first wild-game cookbook in this useful second volume, covering smaller (and often more available) game such as rabbits, squirrels, and a litany of birds, including quail, pheasant, ducks, and wild turkeys. The book stands well on its own, covering the requisite gear and skills (patterning a shotgun, marksmanship, packing for a hunt, negotiating with landowners, etc.) that hunters need to develop in order to ensure a successful hunt. Tips on hunting each species are both practical and insightful and rightfully occupy the majority of the book; his coverage of turkey hunting spans 21 pages. Seasoned readers may feel tempted to skip Rinella’s advice on gun care in the field, flight patterns, the art of duck blinds and camouflage, and the art of selecting the right shotgun, but the book’s sum is far greater than its parts. Even a cursory skip through will likely offer a tip or two that readers may want to consider on their next hunt. Rinella rounds out the book with tips on breaking down quarry and a handful of recipes for hasenpfeffer, chicken-fried squirrel, corned goose breast, and a wild game pâté. This guide is as valuable as a hunting dog. (Dec.)