FROM THE GAME FIELDS. 



HOW TO CAMP AND COOK. 

 DR. H. M. VON KADICH. 



The question of what constitutes the 

 minimum outfit for a io-day camping trip 

 is one to which a categorical answer can 

 not be given. Before a decision can be 

 reached the time of year and the country 

 in which the trip is to be undertaken must 

 be considered ; also, whether or not the 

 campers are willing and able to rough it on 

 the hunting ground. Again, men differ 

 greatly in their conception of what con- 

 stitutes comfort ; one man will enjoy him- 

 self under conditions which to another 

 would mean absolute hardship. There- 

 fore, in selecting an outfit each man must 

 be governed by his knowledge of his own 

 habits, tastes and physical ability. 



I have had experience in camp life for 

 15 years and in 3 countries. From '85 to 

 '87 I was in the service of the Austrian 

 government, making zoological collections 

 in the, at that time, almost unknown re- 

 gion of the Balkan mountains. Then for 

 several years I engaged in hunting and ex- 

 ploring trips, for scientific purposes, 

 through the most remote parts of Eu- 

 rope. From '94 to '98 I was hunting, 

 trapping, fishing and photographing, and 

 studying the fauna, land and people of 

 North America. For months and months 

 I camped in Northern Wisconsin and 

 Minnesota, sometimes alone and again 

 with pine-land seekers, lumberjacks, hunt- 

 ers and trappers. Later I spent 8 months 

 on an island in the upper Mississippi with 

 clam-shell gatherers, root diggers, house- 

 boat people, river tramps and sportsmen. 



From the smallest outfit with which a 

 man can live out of doors to the smallest 

 outfit with which he can live comfortably 

 is a far step. On any river in the North- 

 west a man provided with traps, hatchet 

 and matches can live. If he has, in addi- 

 tion, a fish line and a skiff he is well off. 

 That is the everyday experience of many 

 a poor devil. In a country where big 

 game is scarce 2 dozen traps will gather 

 more meat than any shotgun or rifle. 



Now, in regard to a 10-day camping 

 trip by 2 men on foot, carrying their own 

 provisions : I do not fancy that sort of 

 trip, but I have made several. Were I 

 starting on another I should take for my- 

 self and partner the following: 10 pounds 

 hard bread; 14 pounds well smoked ham, 

 fat and not too salt ; 10 pounds brown 

 sugar ; 2 pounds salt ; 2 pounds coffee ; 

 X A pound tea ; and a small quantity of 

 lemon acid. If the journey was not 

 through a farming country; I should take, 

 also, a few vegetables, especially onions. 



This is easily managed now that there 

 are so many brands of condensed vege- 

 tables on the market. Some are delicious 

 and can not be too highly praised. 



By all means take enough sugar and 

 onions. Sugar is nutritious and healthy, 

 and will, at a pinch, take the place of 

 other food. Onions are not only preven- 

 tive of fever, but they enable you to vary 

 your plainest meal and to make the poor- 

 est game fish eatable and digestible. The 

 lemon acid crystals will take up but little 

 room, and prove of great value wherever 

 the drinking water is in any way impure. 



Of cooking utensils I should take but 2, 

 a kettle and a coffee pot. There are ways 

 enough to cook game and fish without a 

 broiler, stew pan or frying pan. In place 

 of a tin plate, so hard to keep clean and 

 bright, I should carry an ordinary stone 

 china plate. It takes up no more room, 

 will not break if handled with moderate 

 care, and looks always neat and clean. 



Concerning other articles needed, I 

 agree with the compiler of the list given in 

 April Recreation, except that I think 2 

 rubber coats and one sleeping bag or 2 

 blankets and a tent a little more than I 

 want to carry. I should prefer, at least 

 in summer and fall, 2 large waterproof 

 horse blankets, one for a tent, the other 

 for bedding. 



On the other hand, I would not start 

 out without a few candles and a small 

 candle lantern. A light is extremely use- 

 ful under many circumstances. 



Two men camping with no other pro- 

 visions than those mentioned would have 

 to eke out their meals with game and fish. 

 So shoot your game and catch your fish; 

 but be a sportsman withal. Kill no more 

 than you need, and use all you kill. 



Let us suppose our 2 sportsmen to have 

 arrived at their first camp early in the 

 afternoon. They hunt an hour or 2 and 

 get 6 plover and 3 doves. 



If the doves are old birds they will have 

 to be boiled in the kettle. To prepare the 

 plover, pluck and draw them, give each a 

 shake in water, sprinkle with salt, arid 

 lay on clean bark or leaves. Then spit 

 them, together or singly, on a clean 

 scraped stick and hang it not in nor over 

 the flame, but just at the edge of the fire. 

 Turn from time to time until the birds are 

 brown and tender. Eat as they are or with 

 thin sliced bacon. 



That is the easiest and quickest way to 

 cook sandpipers, plover, or youn<?, fat 

 doves. And here is a famous recipe by 

 which you may prepare a delicious lunch 

 from such birds : 



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