Tag Soup Recipe

If you’ve ever imagined how you could make your tag soup taste better, here’s a few helpful hints that will make it easier to digest.

It might be a little tough to swallow, but tag soup doesn’t have to leave a bad taste in your mouth. With the right preparation, you can make this dish palatable if you don’t marinate in it too long. It’s all in the process.

First, add one cup of hope. The flavor of optimism will carry you through until next season. All those smaller bucks you passed up will be bigger next year anyway.

Add a dash of reflection to taste. Just a hint of all the wouldda, couldda, shoulddas will help you learn from this season, and motivate you to be better prepared for a successful season next time around.

Don’t make it too salty or bitter. The sweet is never as sweet without the sour. You want to savor the flavor of disappointment for now, because it will make victory taste that much better when it’s on the table.

Season generously with gratitude. The outdoors provide us with countless lessons, and the experiences we take with us last a lifetime. Remember that hunting is about the journey and not the destination. Be grateful for your experiences, fruitful or not.

Serve with tradition. In the south, there’s a custom that when a hunter misses a shot, the other hunters back at deer camp cut a coattail from their shirts. If you missed, perhaps the piece of cloth might make a nice garnish.

This article was published in the December 2016 issue of Northwest Sportsman Magazine, as well as online at Wide Open Spaces