MOSES LAKE - The notion sounds interesting, fun and, yes, even romantic: Become a wildlife photographer. A person can carry the idea a step further and become a wildlife filmmaker as well.

Go into the great outdoors whenever a person wants and capture great shots of elk, deer, wolves, grizzly bears and coyotes, plus a few eagles, ravens and crows.

Well, I'm telling ya folks, capturing wildlife living their lives and interacting with others just isn't as simple as it sounds. Author Kevin G. Rhoades has presented the truth in his new book, "Wildlife Stalker; Days in the Life of Filmmaker Bob Landis," published this year by Kevin G. Rhoades.

Rhoades illustrates a typical day in Landis' life by keeping time: "It's now 4:45 in the morning. Landis is parked along Yellowstone's Lamar Highway, Near Cooke City, Montana. Wearing an Eskimo-style parka, woolen pants and winter boots, the 5-foot, 58 year old sits in the dark with both windows rolled down. At 6,800 elevation, it's only 15 degrees."

This is what Landis experiences to try and get the sounds of predators crunching bones, snarling over a dead elk. The trick is to capture the sounds before road traffic scares away the scavengers.

The filmmaker has waited six to eight hours with nothing happening, but with the patience, anticipation and sometimes only a hunch about what might occur, an unusual happening materializing in front of his camera.

Landis' father introduced him to the outdoors, hunting and camping. During these excursions, his father also pointed him in the direction of photographing wildlife and the youngster found his place in life.

This book needs to be on the reading list of every person who mentions a notion of wanting to film wildlife in still or moving form. Rhoades tell of this man who carries a 60-pound pack of cameras and gear to record the everyday and special times in the lives of the various wildlife who live on this planet.

His home turf is Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding territory. However his has traveled to Alaska and even to Africa to film other types of wildlife.

Landis sacrifices various portions of his personal life to film and eventually become internationally known and sought after filmmaker.

Every reader of this column has most likely seen a Landis photograph or watch a film produced for "Wild America" or "National Geographic." The man has secured extraordinary footage, for sure, and I'm glad he has succeeded in his endeavors.

I am simply awed by this man's dedication and perseverance, but filming wildlife as he does is not for me. It was a fun and awesome read.

"Wild Game Simple; Simple Recipes for Wild Game and Fish," by Mike Gnatkowski, published by gnatoutdoors.com.

This cookbook is full of useful recipes covering pheasant, quail duck, deer, salmon, smelt, walleye, squirrel and more.

The illustrating photos are helpful and of the proper color and in focus. This is not true of every cookbook.

The beginning chapters offer instruction of how to fillet and skin fish, field-dress squirrels, dressing grouse, breast waterfowl and butcher a deer.

This collection is the best illustrations of these subjects I have ever seen.

Recipes include some unusual ones, such as "Candied Steelhead," which involves steelhead fillets, brown sugar, butter, garlic powder black pepper and salt. I plan to try this recipe soon, only using trout.

"Cheese-Encrusted Walleye," includes walleye fillets, an onion, green pepper, butter, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, bread crumbs and Asiago, Parmesan or goat cheese. This recipe is also on my list to try.

"Wild Game" has inspired me to spend more time in the kitchen, just the book, pheasant, duck, deer meat, walleye and me.