Well ... I admit I always thank the deer and apologize to it before I field dress it. But I've never thought to do the same with a fish. Does that make me a species bigot?

But yes, I agree with the comments about letting fish die on a stringer and then wondering why the taste was affected. We often fillet and bag before portaging, or, if staying in camp, putting them in a sealed plastic container and submerging it with a rock on top to hold it down.

And maybe we're getting too deep in the proverbial weeds here, but do people have recipes they prefer for one type of fish over another? A la fry the smallmouth but poach the walleye?

-- kypaddler

And ST, speaking of .35 Remington rifles, my second-oldest sister  recently decided to go deer hunting with her husband, my hunting mentor and outdoors spiritual partner of 30 years. She shot two deer during her second day in the woods with a pawnshop .35. She brought the picture -- blonde braids, camo-painted face and all -- to school to show her students. They were in awe but not surprised, being as her classroom is full of outdoors "artifacts," including a beaver-chewed stick from the Q and pieces of a pike spine.