Pam and I with a freshly
harvested Idaho Elk.
Twenty-one Days in S.E. Asia (Cambodia)
Welcome to Cambodia After Vietnam we moved on to our second country, Cambodia. We flew into Siem Reap. This was an adventure at immigration and customs as there was a shortage of workers and an abundance of tourists. It took over an hour to get through immigration to purchase our visas and then through customs was another thirty minutes. We studied up on Cambodia as we knew little about the country other than during the Vietnam war incursions were made into the country. Though few Cambodians are famous within the United States, one in particular is infamous: Pol Pot, leader of the Khmer Rouge and instigator of the notorious Killing Fields of Choeung Ed in Phnom Penh. In ancient times Cambodia was the seat of the Khmer Empire which also ruled Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Like Vietnam, the French virtually took over Cambodia in the late 19th century and ruled by proxy until 1941 when
Twenty-one Days in S.E. Asia (Vietnam)
A friend asked me one time, “How do you get to do all that big game hunting with no complaints?” The answer is simple. My wife enjoys traveling and likes to go to far away exotic places. I like to go too. Time is taking its toll on us and we want to get in as many trips as possible before it is too late. A travel company we have used several times had a guided trip to S.E. Asia that lasted 21 days and visited four countries. Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand were on the agenda. We signed up and left January 30th just before all the severe cold hit our area. Vietnam was the first stop. The lobby at the Melia Hanoi in Hanoi Vietnam. We arrived late afternoon in Hanoi after 30+ hours of travel including layovers. Exhausted, we grabbed a quick bite at our hotel and went to bed.
Dining on the Fruits of our Harvest
“In a civilized and cultivated country, wild animals only continue to exist at all when preserved by sportsmen.” -Theodore Roosevelt After all the planning, preparation for going on a big game hunt, and proudly bringing home our prize to the wife, neighbors, and other people, feasting is what it is all about. Field dressing the animal, and aging and marinating are important factors in great dining of the game. Wild game, the perfect food. I am firmly convinced cooking of big game well done is one of the most violated errors that is responsible for ruined meat and that of dissatisfied diners. Big game meats, especially steaks, roasts and loins are best when cooked rare to medium rare. Cleanliness and sanitary handling are key elements to successful cooking and dining. There is the fear of bacteria but deer and elk are not known as trichinosis carriers. Cooking meats to a surface temperature of 160 degrees will prevent bacteria penetration as
Crossing the Border Both Ways and Driving in Canada
We drove across Montana on Highway 2 to avoid the mountains to the south and west of us. This was all farm and ranch land with two lane driving and was just a little boring. Montana is a beautiful state outside of the mountains with the prairies, farm and crop lands. At Shelby Montana, we picked up I-15 and drove straight north to the Sweetgrass/Coutts port of entry to Canada and exit from the U.S. This sculpture was just outside of Gladstone, ND. We drove up to a Kiosk, presented our passports, and answered questions about why we were entering Canada. We were told where to park and took our paperwork inside. The person at the kiosk was courteous, but quick and to the point. The form for declaring the firearm is available on line and also Mike’s Outfitting sent me a copy to complete. DO NOT SIGN THE FORM. I didn’t. You will