Poaching Raid Leads to Over 100 Charges in Multiple States

Six people are facing a series of criminal charges after a multi-agency investigation linked them to more than 100 poaching-related violations in Vermont and New Hampshire.

According to the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife (VFW), which led a joint investigation with the assistance of New Hampshire conservation officers and special agents from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the men they are accused of poaching 14 whitetail deer in Vermont. during the fall of 2021.

“This case involved seven separate search warrants to include residences, vehicles and cellular devices,” said Sgt. Robert L. Currier, a VFW detective watchdog and the lead investigator on the case told MeatEater. “We were able to execute five of the arrest warrants on the same day with over 30 rangers and special agents involved.”

While the suspected poachers were arrested and charged in Vermont, the months-long investigation turned up similar crimes in neighboring New Hampshire. Charges in the Granite state are still pending court proceedings, but according to New Hampshire Conservation Officer Heidi Murphy, several of the same suspects are also accused of taking illegal four dollars in that state.

Vermont

“His violations stretched from the Sunapee region to Lyme, New Hampshire,” Murphy told MeatEater. “We present four people with more than 20 violations. Two were from New Hampshire and two were from Vermont.”

According to Murphy, federal authorities became involved in the case when it became clear that the suspects had violated the Lacey Act.

The brainchild of a conservation luminary named John F. Lacey, the Lacey Act prohibits the transportation of illegally captured wildlife across state lines. It was introduced by Lacey in the last years of the 19th century and signed into law by President William McKinley in May 1900.

The alleged poachers in this case ran afoul of the Lacey Act when they began bringing some of their whitetails killed in Vermont to New Hampshire for false registration.

“Two deer that were killed in Vermont were transported to New Hampshire for registration,” Murphy said. “The FWS got involved because that is considered a violation of the Lacey Act.”

The defendants in the case are: Zackery Baxter, 26, of Sharon, VT; Jeffrey Degrasse, 26, of Hartford, VT; Kobe Labonte, 22, of White River Junction, VT; Casey Thayer, 27, of Hartford, VT; and Patrick Whitcomb, 24, of Hartford, VT. There is an additional person facing charges in New Hampshire whose name has not yet been released.

All of the men named above appeared in a Vermont court on April 26, 2022 to face charges including feeding deer, taking deer during closed season, possession of illegal deer, transportation of illegal deer, failure to tag large game and providing false information to police officers.

“At their court date on April 26, Mr. Baxter and Mr. Degrasse pleaded not guilty to all charges,” read a press release issued by VFW. “Mister. [Thayer] He pleaded guilty to deer hunting in the closed season, illegal deer transportation and illegal deer possession. He will be fined $1,821, pay $500 in restitution for the deer, be required to lose his crossbow and be required to complete 9-10 days of duty on the task force. Mr. Labonte pleaded guilty to hunting deer during the closed season. He will be fined $607. Mr. Whitcomb pleaded guilty to deer hunting in the closed season and unlawful possession of deer. He will be fined $1,214, pay $500 in restitution for the deer, and be required to forfeit his crossbow.”

poachers vermont nh (3)

VFW officials say the illegal taking of so many deer will have an adverse effect on the population dynamics of the area’s carefully managed deer herds.

“It will take three to four years for the deer population in Windsor County to recruit additional mature males and replace those that were illegally taken this fall,” VFW Wildlife Division Director Mark Scott said in the report. Press release. “Poaching on this scale is a blow to both the local deer herd and Vermont’s culture of fair and equitable access to publicly trusted wildlife.”

According to Currier, the activity of the accused poachers may have gone unnoticed had it not been for tips submitted to the VFW by several concerned poachers last fall.

“This research was only made possible by conservation-minded hunter councils alerting rangers to poaching in their communities,” he said. “His actions and ethics highlight the contrast between real hunters and poachers.”

AGFC Hosts Big Squirrel Challenge in January

AGFC Hosts Big Squirrel Challenge in January | Stuttgart Daily Leader







Arlo and Emmett lead the hunters on a merry chase through the Ozark woods.

MELBOURNE — If he hadn’t been 30 minutes late, Tim Weaver and I would have hunted more squirrels Monday in Izard County.

Weaver and I hunt together every year around this time, and you should know the route by now. Hwy 67/167 to Bald Knob, then Hwy. 69 through Batesville to Melbourne.

As is my wont, I found a better way that wasn’t. This time I went up the highway. 5 through Heber Springs and Mountain View. I might have been just in time if not for a thick fog in Little Rock and an even thicker fog in Heber Springs that forced me to slow down to a crawl. It’s probably a good thing because deer go nuts in the wee hours of the morning, waiting to disable a vehicle.

I only saw two deer along the trail, standing on the edge of a cliff at the side of the trail, up the hill from Allison. Fortunately, they stayed in place while my truck crept past. I did see a lot of squirrels running along the trail though. Each of them made me regret my tardiness and made me yearn for a destination that seemed eternally over the next ridge and around the next bend.

Weaver was patient and assured me that starting 30 minutes late wouldn’t hurt our chances one bit. There was not a hint of wind, and the sky was a deep blue.

“Wind is what kills squirrel hunting,” Weaver said. “We couldn’t ask for better conditions.”

Our partners for this hunt were Arlo and Emmett, both mountain dog and coonhound mixes. Arlo, 7, was a boy when Weaver and I started hunting together five years ago. He was the clumsy but enthusiastic understudy back then, but now he’s a very accomplished veteran.

2-year-old Emmett was named for Weaver’s granddaughter, Emma. He wanted to name Weaver’s new gypsy Emma in his honor, but Weaver bought a male puppy instead. Undeterred, Emma named him Emmett.

Emmett has drive and desire, but he’s still learning. How he knows what he’s supposed to do, but he hasn’t figured out how to do it.

Also, he is deferential to Arlo. She doesn’t get in Arlo’s way, so she does her own thing when they run together.

“I took him out on his own and he took down his first squirrel,” Weaver said. “When Arlo is here, he does the same thing, he runs around doing his thing. Once he’s confident, he’s going to be a good dog.”

Arlo has a deep, raspy bark. Emmett’s bark is higher and sharper. If the trees barked from different places, we trusted Arlo more. Our faith was not misplaced.

Fortunately for hunters, tree squirrels tend to sit high in a tree while a dog gets dramatic. Weaver and I hear the first distant barks of Arlo. After following the direction, we sped through the rough, mountainous terrain and eventually reached Arlo. Emmett scratched and barked with equal zeal at an adjacent tree. We ignore Emmett and scan Arlo’s tree.

[Video not showing up above? Click here to watch » arkansasonline.com/1226squirrels/]

Just as we were about to declare a false alarm, Weaver said, “There it is! On the last big branch of that little V to the right. It’s all balled up!”

“I don’t see it,” I told him.

I stood behind Weaver and looked over my shoulder at the barrel of his gun, which was pointed at the squirrel. A flash of sunlight illuminated a small patch of gray fur on the squirrel’s back, making it stand out slightly from the darker gray of the limb.

My Browning Sweet Sixteen sent 1 1/8 ounces of No. 6 lead skyward, dropping the squirrel into Arlo’s eager jaws. Arlo spun like a rodeo bull to stop the squirrel from stealing Emmett.

“My squirrel!” Weaver scolded him, as if he was ending a fight between two brothers.

Relieved of the chipmunk, Arlo and Emmett ran up the hill to find the next game. Minutes later, Arlo barked again. His voice was weak.

“It’s very out there,” I told him.

“That’s something you get into with these mountain dogs, raccoon dog crosses,” Weaver said. “They tend to be wider.”

Through green brambles and bushes, we catch up with the dogs. Again, Emmett barked at a different tree than Arlo, and again we ignored him. Minutes later, Weaver stuffed our second squirrel into his bag.

We didn’t have to go that far for the third squirrel. Arlo only barked a few times, but when we caught up with him, he trotted in slow circles around the area.

“One probably passed by this morning, and Arlo’s just checking out an old scent,” Weaver said.

I glimpsed movement on my periphery and looked at a small tree next to me. A gray squirrel climbed slowly up the trunk, its body crushed.

“He is here!” I yelled. As I slung the gun over my shoulder, the squirrel spun around to the other side of the tree as Arlo did his trunk-scratching dance. The next time I saw the squirrel, it was perched on a small branch about to jump onto a pine tree. My first shot missed, but the second was true.

“I don’t know how these dogs do it,” Weaver said. “You think of all the things a squirrel touches. It’s right here in this tree, and then it’s right here in this tree. And then it runs across this log and goes to this tree here. It would be a hard road to follow, I think.” .

Meanwhile, Arlo and Emmett vacuumed logs at an angle where a squirrel had clearly stepped on. The smell was stale enough that they didn’t stick around.

Around 11 a.m., the barking took on a different tone, which Weaver interpreted as a scam. As a judge, she has heard the best of them. It was Arlo trying to make something out of nothing. Finally, we caught up with him trying to get an armadillo out of his burrow.

“Hey, let’s make it stop for a minute so we can take some photos,” I told him.

“Arlo, come on!” Weaver ordered.

Arlo ran off, apparently to find another squirrel.

“He’s afraid he’s trying to get me to take him back to the truck,” Weaver said, laughing. He wants to keep hunting.

He barked at the trees again a few minutes later. We knew she was lying, but we had to check it out anyway.

‘Alone’ contestants may have found the perfect picnic

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The squirrel steak is too tough; Snail puree, too soft. Muskrat flambé could make you sick, and don’t get me started on the challenge of finding a good elk burger.

As a superfan of the History Channel survival reality show. OnlyI’ve learned that the perfect artisan kitchen simply doesn’t exist, and that every wild food has flaws. Some imperfections are due to the seasonality of a food: berries and mushrooms die once it starts to snow, and fish disappear when rivers and lakes freeze. Other problems are caused by scarcity or size: a musk ox can provide dinner for months, but killing one is nearly impossible. Catching a mouse is comparatively easy, but eating one provides only about 30 calories.

spoiler alert

After watching the first two episodes of OnlyThe ninth season of ‘s, held off the coast of Labrador, Canada, I wasn’t one bit impressed with the food from the region. Just two weeks later, some contestants were already roasting chipmunks and slurping on boiled seaweed to survive.

That changed during the final moments of episode three, when contestant Benji Hill, a pack goat handler from Bellevue, Washington, discovered beaver tracks in a swamp. Hill crouched in the wetland with his hunting bow and waited. “The best strategy for hunting most bow-and-arrow game is to find a high-traffic area and ambush them at close range,” Hill told the camera.

Benji Hill shoots a beaver.
Benji Hill takes aim at a beaver in Labrador. (Photo: History Channel/A&E Network)

So he did exactly that. When a furry mammal finally appeared, Hill shot it twice and seemed minutes away from enjoying a delicious meal of beaver chops. Unfortunately, Hill was unable to locate his victim before sunset, and the episode ended on a cliffhanger.

In the opening minutes of Thursday night’s fourth episode, Hill found the dead beaver. The animal was the size of a manhole cover and padded with a valuable layer of fat. Hill gutted him, cooked a tasty dinner for him, and smoked and preserved enough meat to apparently last him several weeks. Then, in the final minutes of the episode, cast member Terry Burns from Homer, Alaska shot an arrow at a beaver while swimming in a frozen river. Like Hill, Burns was rewarded with what seemed like weeks of food.

The episode made me wonder: Is the beaver the perfect Only kitchen? In previous seasons, we’ve seen the winning contestants rely on bunnies or salmon for their livelihood, as both animals provide food for days. A 30-pound beaver is much larger than a rabbit or a fish, and its fatty meat appears to have substantially more fat, perhaps the most important source of fuel in nature. The Canadian Department of Health and Human Services even publishes this handy document that breaks down the impressive nutritional qualities of beaver.

But unlike big game like deer or elk, beavers seem to be easier to hunt. They are slow and seemingly oblivious to a hungry human a few steps away. We’ve seen two cast members garner a truly big game during only nine-season career, and both hunts seemed incredibly difficult to pull off. In season seven, Roland Welker wounded a musk ox with an arrow before finally stabbing it to death with a hunting knife and his bare hands. And in season six, Jordan Jonas shot down a moose on the shores of Canada’s Great Slave Lake with an arrow.

I recently spoke with Jonas, who explained to me how difficult and time-consuming it was to catch the giant beast. Jonas spent 20 days exploring his region for moose tracks. He built a makeshift series of pens and fences to direct elk to an area, fashioned a series of cans to act as an alarm system, and then waited.

“Since the day they left me, I’ve been working hard to try and create some kind of large animal encounter. Everything was geared towards that,” Jonas said. “It is a great bet. If I missed the shot or stepped on a twig, you ruin everything.”

From the comfortable perspective of my living room sofa, killing a beaver seems like a much easier task. There was no stabbing, and Burns said he spent a week stalking the beaver, not three. However, his experience revealed a major flaw in beaver hunting: after shooting the beaver, it floated lifeless in a chest-deep lake. So Burns had to wade into 90-degree water to retrieve the animal. Imagine walking into his favorite restaurant only to find out that he must take a dip in an ice bath before receiving his steak.

“Mother, I’m sorry you have to see this,” Burns told the camera as he stripped off his underwear and stepped into the icy depths.

The agony of leaving early

In episode four, we saw a second contestant quit: Igor Limansky of Salt Lake City dropped out on the 20th, joining Jacques Turcotte of Juneau, Alaska, who left on the 15th. Limansky made a critical mistake that cost him dearly: he never got a good source of protein, and instead focused his efforts on building a shelter made of thick, heavy trees. After nearly three weeks of hauling wood eating almost nothing except seaweed, Limansky’s body gave out before his cabin was even halfway there. “This is so personal and public, because everyone is going to see this and have an opinion about it,” he said as rescue teams picked him up.

Igor Limansky leaves Alone.
Igor Limansky greets the film crew after tapping. (Photo: History Channel/A&E Network)

every season in Only, there are contestants who leave early, and those scenes are often more bitter than sweet. It is easy to understand why. Most of the cast members plan to stay there for months, and those who leave after a few days are disappointed and embarrassed. It turns out that it can take weeks or even years to get over these emotions.

I recently called Jim Shields, a Pennsylvania wilderness skills teacher who was the first contestant to drop out during season three, after spending just three days camping by a river in Patagonia. Sheilds and his wife had been in the process of adopting three children when he left for the show, and the emotional stress of being away at such an important time finally wore him down. Sheilds said he wrestled with the decision every day in the bush. .

“I was mad at myself for going this far with the show instead of being home with my wife. I had a lot of emotions and I saw this little button that I could push and go home,” Shields said. “I sat there with it for hours and said, Dude, don’t do it, you’re a loser. But you have to go home because you’re not supposed to be here.

After calling for rescue, Sheilds suffered from an intense sense of shame, which persisted for months. She felt it on the boat ride back to civilization and during the two-week process of going through security checks and then traveling back home. Shields had taken months off from his teaching job and returned to the United States with no job to distract him from his distress.

“You get this golden ticket, this great opportunity to pursue your passion, and you absolutely think about that when you hit the button to go home,” Shields said. “You know it’s over, and getting over it takes a long time.”

What eventually helped Shields get over her embarrassment and disappointment was the arrival of her adopted children. But it took her a few years to get over the negative feelings she had from the experience on the whole. Now, six years later, Sheilds is happy to have participated. But she still wonders how long she could have survived her.

“What if it had been a different time in my life?” Shields said. “I’d like to say I don’t think about it anymore, but I still do.”

OUTDOORS: Squirrel Hunting | Outdoor

Honestly folks, I’ve spent a LOT of my life outdoors. I am lucky, I know, to have hunted so much, with the people and in the places that I have. With everything I’ve done and everywhere I’ve been, I think I can honestly say I’d rather hunt squirrels than anything else.

A bunch of you are picking up the phone, opening email programs, and generally probably about to send notes to my editor about how crazy the new guy is.

“Why?” you yell!

Well, it’s simple. That is the answer. Squirrel hunting is as hard or as easy as you want. It can involve your best friends, your kids, or a solo trip. You can have dogs, walk or sit quietly. Squirrels can be hunted in swamps, river bottoms, flat land, rolling hills around my house, or mountains. Really, what more do you want from a game animal? Food? Oh good! Why didn’t you say it? Anyone who doesn’t like squirrels probably doesn’t love their mom, football, or trucks. Spicy Squirrel Wings, Squirrel and Meatballs, Squirrel and Salsa over Rice, Squirrel Tacos! Honestly, I’m about to become Bubba from Forrest Gump.

We are going to break this into a few groups to discuss it. Equipment, time of year and recipe ideas.

Gear

  • Firearms: I prefer to hunt with a .22lr bolt action rifle or 20 gauge shotgun early in the season. The rifle allows for a much more accurate shot and longer range than the shotgun. However, the beginning of the season, when the leaves are full on the shotgun, is nice. If you’re hunting dogs, it’s always a good idea to have at least one friend with a shotgun for when they run or run. My .22 has a good clear range but nothing fancy.
  • Binoculars: A small pair of binoculars with 6 or 8 motors is of great help. You don’t need Swarovskis or Leicas, just a cheap pair from the sporting goods store is fine. These will help identify small ears, tail wags, and eyeballs. Great help later in the season.
  • A vest: Before you could find a good quality small game hunting vest. Today there are so few small game hunters that you have to settle for. I wear a Cabela’s tank vest from the world of bird hunting. Very comfortable vest that is lightweight. You need to be able to carry squirrels, ammo, water, etc. with you all day.
  • Seat: Have you seen those turkey hunting seats? Yes. Those are great. I am over 40 years old and let me tell you that comfort is important for my old back. Get yourself something that will allow you to be outside all afternoon or all day during cold weather.
  • Shooting sticks: Yes, I’m serious here. No, I don’t care how well you can shoot handheld. Very few people can hit a target at 40 yards that is smaller than a golf ball. I use a single adjustable pole style monopod. A guy I read and follow on Instagram uses Primos Trigger stix and loves them.
  • Calls: There are several squirrel whistles and barkers on the market. Be careful with these. Whistles really do indicate distress, and while they may make a squirrel look or run away from hiding, they will also send unseen squirrels running into a hole. Use them sparingly, but pick one. I personally use a HS call stealer.
  • Ammo – .22 ammo is just about anything you can shoot accurately. I use Aquila and Eley subsonic ammunition. Shoot lights and hit hard without actually breaking the meat. Shotgun ammo is somewhat flexible. In my 20s, I run anything from 4s to 7s. It just depends on where and how I’m hunting. I like the smaller throw on dogs because it throws up a larger pattern when they run.
  • Hunting scissors: they make cleaning the squirrels much easier.
  • Small Game Knife – A small, fixed blade that is EXTREMELY sharp makes a great skinning tool.

Time of the year

  • Early Season: Squirrels will be on the first trees to produce mast. So put on your walking boots and go after him. If you also hunt deer, I promise you if you find squirrels, you WILL find deer. The squirrels will knock down the first acorns of the year for the deer. Walk through the forest not only looking for bouncing branches, but also studying the trees for acorns.
  • Shoulder Season: This is because the popularity of deer hunting becomes increasingly difficult to find a place to hunt in October and November. However, this is one hell of a hunt. Squirrels are hard after acorns and fatten up for the winter. They will cover a good portion of the ground and really move around during this period.
  • Late Season – When winter comes it gets tough and unfortunately that is when we often go out hunting because deer season ends. If we experience really cold weather (single digits or lows in the teens), you have to wait for the sun to warm the areas. Look for sunny slopes, treetops, etc. and you will find squirrels warming themselves in the branches. However, the colder it is, the less they move. They will also dig up buried nuts, so pay attention to ground cover and look for disturbed areas.

recipe ideas

  • The squirrel doesn’t taste like chicken. In fact, chicken doesn’t even taste like chicken anymore, so there you have it.
  • One of my favorite ways to cook it is to simply skin and quarter the squirrel and fry it. Squirrel, crackers and gravy!
  • Squirrel and meatballs. Just like chicken and meatballs, but with squirrel instead.
  • Spicy squirrel wings! This is unique and impressive. Quarter the squirrels and soak them in buttermilk for at least 3 hours (overnight is best). Dry them, season them with salt and pepper and fry them like chicken wings. When they’re done, drain them, toss them in buffalo sauce, and serve with ranch.
  • Squirrel Cake – My wife learned how to make this from my best friend Virgil’s wife. Once, on a visit to the Virginia mountains, she sent me out to kill a bunch of squirrels one morning and that night we had squirrel pie with cookies and damson jam. Awesome!

When I was a kid, squirrel hunting was a big deal. Now that I’m an adult, it still is. I love it because in the end, it’s hunting in its purest form.

My best hunts of 2021 were close to home

The end of the year is widely regarded as a time for reflection and a stereotypical regurgitation of personal highlights. As we close out 2021, many people just want it to be over, as if turning a calendar page really means a new beginning. I’m just hoping for a break from plowing and shoveling snow, and while I don’t really think a new year means anything more than what we do with it, I find it nice to take some time to reflect on the arbitrary chunk of time we call 2021 and stop in some of the good memories created. Life is busy, and it’s very rare that I just sit back and enjoy the memories I’ve made.

The past year was filled with blessings and challenges, as well as great hunting memories. I’ll admit I had my chances blown here in Alaska, and was able to take several black bears (including one of my biggest warthogs with a bow), get my ass kicked on a sheep hunt, shoot a bull elk at 25 yards and filled the freezer, killed a large male caribou with my bow and watched my wife shoot her first caribou. I was able to take my first bull elk and aoudad and had a great year. I have a lot to reflect on, but still, my favorite hunting memories of 2021 are when I saw my five-year-old son hunting squirrels with his bow.

Faith Freel's First Caribou
Many hunting memories were made in 2021, including the author’s wife, Faith, taking her first caribou. tyler freel

My oldest son, Jed, has been shooting bows with me since he was two years old. I started it with a tiny wooden longbow and eventually graduated to a larger one. At three and four years old, he would accompany me to the archery range on winter days and blow up balloons five meters away, and he would spend a lot of time shooting at dinosaur targets in our garage. Last winter he turned five, and not long after he asked, “Can I try shooting that bow?” He was referring to an old second-hand Bowtech Rascal compound that had been hanging on the wall for about a year, waiting for him to become it.

Shooting it was awkward for him at first, but he soon figured out how to use the sights and make a repeatable shot.

“Keep a stiff hook on the string and keep pulling,” I would say. “Just let that pin float there.

Jed Squirrel Archery 1
Author’s son Jed with his first archery squirrel tyler freel

Before long he was shooting surprisingly well. From time to time, I would gradually sneak in a few turns to increase his pull weight. When spring came and the snow melted, a bountiful crop of red squirrels began their annual tradition of raiding my bird feeders. Since there is no closed season here in interior Alaska, you must save the skin, tail or meat of the squirrels. I figured it would be fun to hunt down Jed, and he could keep them at bay. We set up some arrows with small game heads and I could hardly believe it when he cut one off on his first shot. That squirrel got away, but Jed and I got hooked.

Opportunities were plentiful, and breakfast was always abandoned the moment we heard the high-pitched chatter of one of those red bandits. If we were lucky, he would see the squirrel first and tell him to calmly go get his bow and slowly sneak around the house to shoot. If he didn’t remind her, he would usually grope in sheer excitement and charge like a banzai out the back door, startling the squirrels, who quickly began to notice. I’ll never forget the first squirrel his arrow hit solid, dropping it instantly. He was excited and in disbelief, and I was even more excited than he was.

Our daily “mini-hunts” continued for most of the spring, and it was a constant source of pure joy and entertainment for me. We had lessons in safe shooting, stalking, and arrow hunting. We look for many arrows. In all, I think he killed a dozen squirrels, and I couldn’t think of a more satisfying morning than watching him stay cool as a cucumber while he hit a good shot, and then go wild with excitement when his arrow connected.

I am blessed with the opportunity to create many great hunting memories here in Alaska. But in 2021, my favorites were watching my five-year-old shoot squirrels with his bow. I think it’s safe to assume that as he gets older, my chances will become his chances, and I think I’ll be fine just watching him.

Chef Matt Rapposelli shares insights on food and culture in time for WOUB-TV’s ‘Great American Broadcast’ on June 24

Chef Matt Rapposelli shares insights on food and culture in time for WOUB-TV’s ‘Great American Broadcast’ on June 24

By: Emily Votaw

Published in:

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On a physiological level, food just needs to be converted into energy.

However, on a social, cultural, emotional and maybe even spiritual level, food is always much more complex than just your job description.

On Friday, June 24 at 9 pm, ET WOUB-TV presents the first episode of “The Great American Recipe,” a cooking competition that celebrates our complicated relationship with food and the confluence of cultural influences that make American food. be distinctively American.

If anyone can speak to the fascinating and satisfying ways a culture and its food are so intertwined, it’s Matt Rapposelli, executive chef at the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls. A few weeks before the debut of “The Great American Recipe,” WOUB asked Rapposelli a few questions about his relationship with food and culture, the unique aspects of unique Appalachian ingredients, and more.

great american

WOUB: Could you introduce yourself and tell me a little bit about how you came to be a chef in Appalachia?

Matt Rapposelli: I am originally from Cleveland, but my mother was born and raised in Appalachia. My most vivid memories of visiting my grandmother always came down to the food and the beautiful area. My grandmother was fiercely independent both by circumstance and by her character. This meant that she provided most of the food they ate through her gardening, foraging and hunting. My first memory of food with her was a squirrel and noodle meal. All of which she harvested and prepared comfortably by herself.

My Italian father and his family had been in the food business for a long time. I was predestined to work with food from the beginning. After I finished culinary school, I lived all over the country, Washington state, Vermont, Florida, but always came back to this region. I realized that this was a truly special place and decided to reestablish my roots here.

WOUB: What kind of local ingredients do you use that might surprise people?

Matt Rapposelli: The local ingredients that we have access to are quite varied. What may sound like an unusual or surprising ingredient to one person may be quite common or mundane to another. I think the one local food that probably gets the biggest wow factor is a papaya. They are definitely the platypus of our local foods. They’re not found in too many areas of the country, they don’t travel well, and people don’t often see whole fresh fruits in person. Combine all of that with their unique texture and tropical flavor and people are quite amazed by them.

As for other local foods that we use, the list is quite complete. Most are based on seasonal availability and available quantities. It takes a very different amount of an item to offer at the restaurant level versus one-time or home use. We use local meats, produce, eggs, fruits, mushrooms and dairy products as often as possible.

WOUB: Why is it important for you to use local ingredients?

Matt Rapposelli: For me, the absolute number one reason why I want to use local ingredients is to support real, local people. There are plenty of other benefits to using local items, freshness, uniqueness and quality are just a few, but helping someone in your community make a living while improving our lives comes first and foremost. Commercially sourced food is much more convenient to run a restaurant, but any extra effort required to use local is always preferred.

WOUB: For you, what are some of the culinary tropes of Appalachian cuisine?

Matt Rapposelli: If you mean a cliché when you refer to the culinary tropes of Appalachian food, I’m not sure many people outside of our region are capable of formulating a great description of what Appalachian food is. I think the thing that would come up most often would probably be chicken and noodles. I think if you were to ask most people outside of the Appalachian regions to describe what they think constitutes Appalachian cuisine, you would most likely get the Pennsylvania Dutch items that are the backbone of the “style of Appalachia”. homebody” of this region.

When I give talks or go to conferences across the country, I am often asked what one of the most unique foods in our area is. The example I always use is noodles over mashed potatoes. Most people are surprised to hear that this is a staple of our area. It definitely has its roots in Eastern European cuisine, but I haven’t seen it prevail anywhere else outside of our region.

WOUB: What can we learn about a culture from its food?

Matt Rapposelli: We learn everything about a culture from its meals!! What I like most in life is traveling with the soul purpose of eating food from other cultures and interacting with those who prepare it. Food is truly a universal language and what different areas do with it is the accent. No matter where you go in the world, although you may not be able to communicate through language, you can always communicate through food!

WOUB: Do you have a personal philosophy when it comes to being a chef?

Matt Rapposelli: I’m not sure what my personal philosophy is as a chef. What matters most to me is that the food is carefully prepared and well prepared. I don’t care if it’s a hot dog or a Moroccan bastille, I just want it to be done with care. I’m not the kind of chef who takes offense at any question about how someone wants their food to be prepared. I’ll be more than happy to incinerate that $65 filet mignon and give you steak sauce and ketchup to go with it. While that wouldn’t be my preferred way of eating it, I’m not the one eating it. I’ll do my part to make sure it’s seasoned correctly, looks appealing, and arrives at your table hot and fresh.

It is always very rewarding to open people’s eyes and palettes to properly prepared food. Often someone will say they don’t like something, and after talking to them, you realize it was probably because it was poorly executed. If you can get them to try again, sometimes you can see the fireworks and they have a new appreciation. I love those moments.

Commission offers free webinar on squirrel hunting on January 6

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and Backcountry Hunters and Anglers will host a free online webinar on squirrel hunting on January 6 from 7-8 p.m.

Topics will include species habits, habitats, scouting, essential gear, effective shot placement, hunting strategies, cleanliness, cooking techniques, and dish ideas. The class will conclude with an interactive question and answer session.

“The webinar is open to all skill levels,” said R3 fighter specialist Walter “Deet” James. “However, it is especially designed for people who have never hunted and do not have access to a hunting mentor.”

Space is limited and advance online registration is required. Participants will receive a Zoom link in a confirmation email after registering. The class will be recorded and available to registered participants at a later date.

Gray, red, and fox squirrels can be hunted throughout the state. Harvest seasons as well as bag, possession, and season limits are available online and in the 2021-2022 Compendium of North Carolina Inland Waters Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Regulations.

For more information on skills-based hunting opportunities, visit ncwildlife.org/sbs or contact James at [email protected] or 984-202-1387.

Arkansas hunters can join the Big Squirrel Challenge on January 7 and 8

THE DORADO, Ark. (KNOE) – Hunters in Arkansas have a new weekend event you can take part in. It’s the inaugural Big Squirrel Challenge.

The challenge will take place on January 7th and 8th and will task small teams of hunters to bring back the three biggest squirrels they can find.

The following details are from the Arkansas Fish and Game Commission:

SPRINGDALE — The Arkansas Fish and Game Commission is launching a new event this January to celebrate small game and it is expected to become an annual celebration. The inaugural Big Squirrel Challenge will take place at locations across Arkansas on January 7-8, 2022.

Participants can start hunting at noon on January 7th until 30 minutes after sunset, then hunt again 30 minutes before sunrise until around noon on January 8th. from the following locations at 2 pm:

  • JB and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center, Springdale
  • Governor Mike Huckabee Delta Rivers Nature Center, Pine Bluff
  • Forrest L. Wood Crowley Ridge Nature Center, Jonesboro
  • Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center, Fort Smith
  • Fred Berry Crooked Creek Nature Center, Yellville
  • Rick Evans Grandview Prairie Nature Center, Columbus
  • Camp Robinson Shooting Range, Mayflower
  • Mike Freeze Wattensaw Wildlife Management Area Headquarters

Prizes and trophies will be awarded in three divisions: Juniors (two hunters under the age of 16 with an adult mentor or one adult and a single hunter under the age of 16), Adults (two hunters over the age of 16 without dogs), and Open Class ( Two adult or junior hunters in any combination with dogs). In addition to medals, the overall winners of each division will receive Gamo air rifles. There will also be raffles for all participants who turn in a squirrel after the event.

With all the focus on deer, duck and turkey in the modern hunting world, relatively few hunters take the time to appreciate a good day in the squirrel woods, but Eric Maynard, deputy chief of the AGFC Education Division, hopes that the event sparks some renewed interest in small game.

“It’s hard to imagine with all the deer being taken now, but there was a time when squirrel hunting was one of the only games in town, especially on public land,” Maynard said. “It wasn’t until after dedicated work by AGFC and other conservation agencies that deer populations recovered to the levels we see today. Meanwhile, if you were going to hunt, what you were looking for to put food on the table were small animals like squirrels and rabbits.

In addition to being abundant virtually anywhere in the state, squirrels offer plenty of shooting opportunities at most outings. Small .17 or .22 caliber rimfire rifles are comfortable for hunters of all ages to carry and shoot, and .410 to 12 caliber shotguns can be used with the #. 4 to no. 6 shots if you are able to lurk within range.

“Squirrels are a great way to introduce someone to hunting,” Maynard said. “The focus is still on having a good time and less on pocketing a trophy. This event is not looking to change that, just give people something extra to enjoy their day in the woods with a friend or family member.”

Maynard says that many of the facilities will also have fun activities for attendees from noon to 2 pm on the Saturday of the event, with each location offering something different. No registration is required to participate, just show up with your top three squirrels from the day’s hunt and enjoy some small-game focused fun at The Natural State.

Arkansas squirrel season is from May 15 through the last day of February each year. The daily limit is 12 squirrels. Visit https://www.agfc.com/en/hunting/small-game/squirrel for more information on squirrel hunting. Visit https://www.agfc.com/en/education/calendar/public-event/arkansas-big-squirrel-challenge-2022 for more information on The Big Squirrel Challenge. There are more events available in the AGFC Outdoor Skills Network Calendar.

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