Experiment with a fun way to do your camp cooking

I received a question from a reader who sent me a picture and asked about a ‘pie iron’ type cooker they saw at Menards. Pie Iron cooking is not a new way of camp cooking, but it is not very well known. It is a very easy and effective way to cook in camp.

The summer camping season is coming to a close. With school starting soon, camping tends to slow down. However, fall is a great time to still get away for a weekend trip. Cooler temperatures make camping more comfortable and cooking over a campfire is just more fun than staying at home of the weekend!

First of all, the name Pie Iron is a trademarked name. The original Pie Iron was introduced in 1964. This is not what Menards carries. There are lots of imitations on the market and you can find this style of cooker in cast iron (like the original) and aluminum. I would not recommend aluminum because it tends develop “hot spots” and burn the food.

A Pie Iron is perhaps the perfect way to cook a grilled cheese sandwich, personal size pizzas and/or fruit pies over an open fire. This is done by placing the food (in this case, two pieces of buttered bread with cheese, pizza or fruit filling) inside the cooking compartment formed by the pair of metal castings that are hooked together using a hinge. Metal rods with wood handles extend out from the castings so the user can easily hold the Pie Iron over a campfire. A few minutes over the flames or in the coals and a perfectly toasted sandwich, pizza or pie can emerge.

You can get Pie Irons in the original square shape, round, rectangle for two sandwiches/pies and they even make a model for making waffles! Pie Irons are so versatile that you may not need any other cook gear…OK, maybe a camp coffee pot.

Check out the Pie Iron website at www.pieiron.com. I guarantee that you will have a blast cooking this way in your camps.

Electronic Duck Stamp

The United States Senate unanimously passed the Duck Stamp Modernization Act, legislation to make the Federal Duck Stamp more accessible for waterfowl hunters by authorizing the electronic stamp for use throughout the entire waterfowl hunting season.

The bipartisan bill will allow hunters to satisfy the Duck Stamp requirement in the field by accessing their electronic stamp using a Smartphone. Physical stamps will remain available for purchase from the post office and other retailers.

“Duck hunters led the charge in making the Federal Duck Stamp one of the most successful conservation funding programs in history,” said Nick Wiley, DU's Chief Operating Officer. “As we celebrate 80 years and over 8 million acres of habitat conserved through this program, it’s only right that we streamline the process and allow the use of electronic stamps throughout the season. This commonsense legislation is good for duck hunters and will help maintain strong support for the Duck Stamp program. We thank our friends in the Senate, and we look forward to a supportive vote in the House soon.”

The legislation was introduced by U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS) and Angus King (I-ME). A companion bill, introduced by Reps. Garret Graves (R-LA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA), has passed the House Natural Resources Committee and awaits a vote by the full House of Representatives. For more information, visit www.ducks.org.

Interest in Angling

I think there are still a lot of people coming out of their Covid sequestration and getting back into the outdoors. Many people are getting re-connected with nature by picking up a rod and reel. Research conducted by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) found that fishing promotes wellness, fosters bond with family members, and forges a deep connection with nature that many Americans strive to achieve together. All this means is that the numbers of anglers is growing!

During Covid, the angler participation rate among children ages 6 to 12 dipped to one percentage point in 2021 and one more in 2022. Currently participant numbers have grown by 3 percent to 7.8 million child participants. That’s a good start. In the category of children ages 13 to 17 the numbers have increased 4.9 million, which represents an average annual increase of 6 percent in adolescent participation.

According to RBFF survey data underscores the importance of introducing fishing early, as 86 percent of current fishing participants fished before age 12. Participation rates fall sharply after a child turns eighteen, making families with young children the key to growing future participation. Understanding the demographics, motivations, and barriers is the key to increasing interest in fishing.

Windham

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Daily Sun sports editor

Racing action at Beatrice Speedway took center stage on Friday evening as part of the 2023 Gage County Fair and Expo.