Rummaging in my hunting cabinet the other day, I came across a sheep bell. It is the one my dad used last century to keep up with his wide-ranging dogs. The sight of it brought back memories of old Sport tearing out through the fields, conjuring sounds of the William Tell Overture and images of the Lone Ranger. The bell was handed down to me, but I have never used it.

I am not usually the first to try new technology, but I bought an electronic collar soon after they came on the market. It was the only way I could keep up with ole Leukos. The remotely triggered beeper was a giant step in quail hunting. The ability to reach out and touch an errant covey-buster with a dose of Alabama Power was a new chapter in dog training. I have owned several such devices as they improved, the locator beeper being especially useful until my hearing got bad.

Chef Kipp Bourdeau
Pine Creek Sporting Club
Okeechobee, FL

Ingredients for the Scallops
8 fresh scallops, u/10 size
1 teaspoon olive oil
Directions for the Scallops
1 Remove side muscle from scallops, pat dry with a paper towel, season each scallop with sea salt.
2 Place a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat, add olive oil and place scallops in pan. Let scallops sear for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown, remove from pan.
3 Keep warm.
Ingredients for the Grits
1 cup Anson Mills stone ground grits
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup white cheddar cheese, grated
1 tablespoon herb Boursin cheese
Directions for the Grits
1 In a medium sauce pan over medium heat bring chicken stock to low simmer; add grits slowly, whisking to avoid lumps.
2 Let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until smooth and creamy, stirring occasionally.
3 Adjust thickness with chicken stock if needed.
4 Stir in cheeses, and season with white pepper and sea salt.
5 Keep warm.
Ingredients for the Chowder
2 strips applewood smoked bacon, diced
1 white onion, small dice
1 celery rib, small dice
4 ears sweet corn, removed from cobb
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved with 2 tablespoons of chicken stock or water
1 Idaho potato, peeled, prepared in small dice
Directions for the Chowder
1 In a large stockpot over medium heat add bacon, cook until lightly brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.
2 Add onion, celery and sweet corn, cook for 4 to 5 minutes.
3 Add chicken stock, bring to a low simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes.
4 Add cornstarch, cook for 5 minutes.
5 Remove from pot to a blender and puree mixture until smooth.
6 Return to medium heat, add potatoes, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
7 Keep warm.
Ingredients for the BBQ Pork
1 pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ sweet onion, sliced thin
½ granny smith apple, peeled, sliced thin
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 cup chicken stock
½ cup barbecue sauce
Directions for the BBQ Pork
1 Season pork with sea salt and course ground pepper.
2 Place a large sauté pan over high heat and add olive oil. Place pork in the pan and sear on all sides until golden brown.
3 Remove pork from pan, and add onions, apples and thyme; cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
4 Deglaze pan with chicken stock (scrape brown bits from bottom of pan). Add barbecue sauce.
5 Return pork to pan, reduce heat to low, cover with lid and let simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until pork becomes very tender.
6 Remove pork from pan and shred with a fork; then return to pan and let simmer for 10 minutes.
7 Keep warm.
To serve, warm four pasta-style serving bowls in oven and remove. Divide corn chowder between bowls. Spoon about 3 ounces of cheddar grits in center of each bowl. Place 2 ounces of pulled pork in center of grits, and arrange two scallops over pork. Garnish with herbs; serve immediately.

Occasionally a writer comes along with a knack for putting into words aspects of the sporting experience that all hunters feel yet find difficult to describe or share with others. Gene Hill (1928-1997) was masterly in this regard. After growing up in New Jersey, graduating from Harvard, and working as an ad copywriter, he found his true métier as a sporting scribe. Occasional freelancing gave way to a full-time career in the profession and over the years he served as a columnist for several magazines.

Today he is best remembered for “Tail Feathers” in Sports Afield and “Hill Country” in Field & Stream. Although he wrote full-length features, Hill was unquestionably at his best when writing pithy columns. He took the simplest of subjects, such as an old hunting jacket or a session of winter armchair adventure beside a cheery fire, and handled them with wit, whimsy, and wisdom.