DAN SIMMONS Sportsman's Quest MORE COLUMNS Advertisement

We often think of far away places to hunt for big deer. Utah, Colorado, Idaho and Wyoming are popular.

But, as the saying goes, "There's no place like home," and we in Southern Nevada still have some great game, thanks to conservative wildlife management.

Sure, "It's not what it used to be," as is often said, and we would all like to have a tag each year, but we're in the middle of serious drought conditions. Realizing this and by limiting the game taken, we still have some great opportunities available.

Joe Smith and my friend, Mark Genet, discovered this on a recent hunt. It was Joe's second year applying for a tag in Nevada and he hit gold. His first call was to Mark, who spends most of his free time wandering and scouting Nevada's hills and valleys. It was a good call and Mark knew his area well. Joe would be a good student and new hunting friend.

They scouted the area for several weeks prior to the hunt, using lots of shoe leather and good binoculars; they even set-up game tracking cameras in areas with abundant tracks and along trails. It paid off. They were able to track and determine the movements of a large buck with a nice 5X5 set of antlers. They were ready.

The season opened the first week of November and they were in the field, but couldn't find the buck they were looking for, until the second week. It was Veteran's Day and they both had their young boys along. Mark and the kids had gone on ahead while Joe was "taking care of business," as he put it. Of course, that's when they saw the big buck. Joe learned another lesson of the hunt -- "Be ready, and be there."

The next week it was just Joe and his eight-year old son Alex (a.k.a. Little Man). They got up early to relocate one of the game cameras; as they were coming down the mountain, Joe spotted several doe on the hillside.

Remembering what Mark had told him, he kept alert and searched through his binoculars for a buck.

There he was, the buck he had been looking for, staring at the father and son hunters. Joe chambered a round into his 30-06 Remington 700.

The first shot struck the buck in the mid-quarters, and staggered him. A second shot dropped the big buck, and both father and son ran up the hill to claim their first deer -- together.

As Joe tells it, "I have never experienced anything like this in my life; it was awesome. I am really glad my son was there to experience this with me. As I get older I realize life is good, but life is short. Get out of the house and experience what God has created for us, and do it with your family."

What's new

Joe and Little Man have some great venison to share this winter and they also have their trophy.

Now comes the decision on how to have it displayed. A full body mount is impressive, but unless you live in a castle, or are willing to give up the spare bedroom, they sort of get in the way of traffic.

I like head and shoulder mounts too, but with my standard ceilings and limited wall space, that's sometimes difficult too.

Like most sportsmen with freezers and walls full, I have resorted to several display methods. One of my favorites is the pedestal mount.

It is a head and full shoulder mount that sits atop a pedestal, held by a secure rod projecting from the base of the mount.

This type of mount is normally then placed in a corner position and doesn't interfere with wall pictures and hangings.

One of the finest craftsmen of these mounts is someone I met while attending a Safari Club convention in Reno.

I'm talking about Jon Sylvester. He uses a variety of fine woods and is a craftsman of the highest caliber. You may have seen some of his work while visiting Las Vegas's Bass Pro Shop.

I've been impressed with his work for years and he certainly deserves your attention. Do yourself a favor and take a look at his web site. For more information go to www.custompedestals.com.

Events

*Safari Club International Desert-Las Vegas Chapter has announced banquet will be held Jan. 17, at the Rio Convention Pavilion. For more information call Dave Small at 702-383-0321.

*The fifth annual Grand Slam Club/Ovis Hunter and Outfitter Convention is Feb. 18 - 21, at Bally's Las Vegas. There will be exhibits, auctions, seminars and hunts. For more information go to www.wildsheep.org.

Recipe

Big bucks are beautiful and provide lots of good venison, but it's not always as tender as some of those spikes and forkies.

Here's a great recipe I got from Mark that makes even those trophy bucks tender and delicious. You see, Mark and his daughter, Mallory, are not only legendary hunters, but know their way around the kitchen, too.

Mark's Wine-Marinated Venison

Two venison tenderloins; 2 cups dry white wine; 3 shallots, minced; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1/8 cup olive oil; 3 Tbsp soy sauce; 1 Tbsp ground black pepper; 1 Tbsp mustard; 1 tsp dried basil; 1 tsp dried rosemary; 2 bay leaves;

Place all ingredients in a zip-top baggie; marinate in the refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours, turning bag several times; remove meat from marinade and grill over medium coals to desired doneness; slice and serve with fried potatoes and some good Dutch-oven baked beans.