The Cook's Corner: Proper hunting attire … or not!

Over the years hunting attire has changed and adapted to hunters, advertisements and style. Back when my grandparents hunted elk in the thoroughfare and on Haymaker in the Greybull River drainage, the proper attire was regular clothes, often with a union suit underneath and topped by wool pants and a heavy coat. There was no regulation requiring any safety orange at that time.
By the time Rick started hunting in the late ‘50s, the attire hadn’t really changed much; the addition of an orange hat or vest was the biggest change. His choice of clothing included long johns, jeans and a wool shirt, topped by wool pants and an army surplus overcoat. The gear was heavy and a person had better be in good shape to carry that stuff around.
Fast-forward to the ‘80s when the out-of-state hunters came into Basin and Greybull by the hundreds (at least it seemed that way). They came attired in brand-new camouflage gear. In fact, every year they had new camo suits on. I actually asked one once if they bought all new gear every year. His admitted that they did; it was all part of the “experience.”
By then, too, the lighter insulating materials had been mastered. Thinsulate revolutionized the outerwear industry. With the lighter coveralls, bibs and coats, a person wasn’t packing so much extra weight around. It made tracking deer and elk a much more enjoyable proposition. It also made sitting on a stand much more enjoyable because the clothing was much warmer.
At first the camo gear was touted by archery hunters who had to get closer to the game to shoot it. But then rifle hunters adopted it as much as a fashion statement as anything. It was a status symbol to many to wear a certain brand of gear. And then there is winter camo for hunting coyotes. I find it kind of eerie to see persons in white suits wandering around the hills, but they tell me it makes it much easier to get a clean shot at a coyote. I have never hunted them so I don’t know, but I do know they are wily and it does make sense.
Then there is the “… or Not” portion of my title.  
We have a friend who was excited to tell us about getting his buck deer several years ago. Apparently, there had been several deer hanging out under his apple trees in the garden behind his house. One morning he got up and went into the bathroom before getting dressed, and there was a really nice buck standing not 20 yards outside the bathroom window. So he went and got his rifle, donned his orange hat so he would be legal and shot that deer from inside his house. According to regulations, he was wearing the proper attire. He had one orange garment on, his hat, but he wasn’t wearing anything else.
Then this year, a different friend had been trying to get on a nice little buck that was hanging out behind her house. Every time she saw him and tried to sneak out of the house to get in shooting position, he would get away. She resorted to taking the screen off her bedroom window. Then, a few days ago, she was ready. The little buck came out, and she slid the window open and took a perfect shot. She too had on regulation hunting attire, her safety orange hat, but she was still wearing her pajamas.
So hunting attire fits the style, the job and the person. Just make sure you are wearing the regulation safety color.
I was hungry for some caramel corn last weekend, so I decided it was time to share Rick’s sister’s recipe.

Homemade Cracker Jacks
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
½ cup corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1 tsp soda
1 tsp vanilla
6 quarts popped corn, peanuts or mixed nuts
Boil first four ingredients for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add soda and vanilla. Stir into corn and add nuts. Spread in a large pan and bake at 200º for 30 minutes or so, stirring every 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container.