Hunting Widow Life + Wild Game Cooking with Failed Outdoors Mama

In this episode of The Road Hunter Podcast, we sit down with the Failed Outdoors Mama to talk about what it’s really like being a “hunting widow” during the heart of the October and November seasons. She shares the ups, downs, and how she keeps it all together when the camo comes out and the freezer’s running low.

Related: Nicole hates nature podcast on a boat.

We also dive into something every hunter (and their partner) can get behind: cooking wild game. From venison to elk, we discuss flavor tips, meat prep secrets, and our favorite recipes that turn a good hunt into a great meal.

👉 Whether you’re in the stand, in the kitchen, or stuck at home waiting for the rut to end, this one’s for you.

🔔 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with your hunting crew!

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What Actually Helps a Hunting Widow

Reframe it as meat in the freezer, not lost time. With older kids, the load is lighter: movie nights, books, manicures fill the gap. Moms with littles have it harder: full house duties, no built-in distraction for the kids while dinner’s happening. The hardest part isn’t the hunting itself, it’s the unpredictability: planning a meal you can reheat instead of serving late, and not sleeping easy until everyone’s home safe.

Wild Game Cooking: Season Aggressively, Marinate Longer Than You Think

The single biggest lesson from years of cooking deer and elk: seasoning is what removes the gamey taste, not the cut or the cook time. Marinate thin-sliced cuts a full 24 hours when possible, and always make sure meat is fully thawed first: marinating partially frozen meat cooks up tougher.

• Roasts: low and slow, longer is always better, shred halfway through to soak up more juice
• Elk tastes closer to beef and works in any standard recipe; deer has more flavor and benefits from heavier spice
• Asian-style recipes (ginger beef, stir fry, curry) consistently outperform traditional American preparations on game meat
• Smoke duck instead of any other method, it cuts the greasy reputation duck has without drying it out

FAQ: Cooking Wild Game

How do I get rid of the gamey taste in venison?

Season generously and marinate for a full 24 hours when the recipe allows. The combination of seasoning and time, not the cooking method alone, is what cuts gamey flavor most effectively.

Is duck hard to cook well?

Smoking duck rather than roasting or frying removes much of the greasiness people associate with it while keeping the meat moist and flavorful.

Get creative in the kitchen with whatever’s in the freezer: thanks for listening, and we’ll catch you next time.