Written by Justin Park|
Last updated
Fidel Torres didn’t grow up hunting, but it’s become a passion that’s part of both his work and play these days.
As the New York State field representative for HLRBO, Torres spends days on the road meeting landowners, hiking boundaries, studying topography, and assessing the potential of properties that may one day be someone’s perfect hunting property. His job is equal parts scout, photographer, and wildlife observer—someone who can see land from every angle and present it honestly.
“My job is to find those little hidden gems,” Torres says. “I try to see a property from a 360-degree point of view—as a hunter, as a landowner, and as a prospective lessee.”
He’s also a chef at nearby St. John Fisher College, where he uses his dishes to communicate his love of wild game as plate fare to his highly educated clientele.
Seeing Leases Through Hunters’ Eyes
As an HLRBO Field Rep, Torres walks properties the way a hunter would, searching for sign and making notes to highlight the best spots on a particular lease.
He also pays attention to access—where a truck can park, whether there’s an easement, how far a hunter would need to hike in. He considers whether the terrain is forgiving enough for a father-and-young son weekend, or rugged enough to test someone preparing for a Western backcountry elk hunt.
Torres, who dreams of chasing elk in the Rockies and has put in for tags in states like Colorado, says New York offers some surprisingly rugged terrain. “You don’t want to get in shape when you get out West,” he says. “You want to be ready before you go.”
Torres says New York State should be on more hunters’ radar given the diversity of terrain from ag fields to hardwood forests, wetlands, and abandoned orchards.
"We have it all,” Torres says. “Whitetails, turkey, pheasant, grouse, squirrels, rabbits. Bear in some areas.”
On one property near the New York–New Jersey border, a landowner with multiple parcels—80 acres here, 100 acres there—toured Torres around in a side-by-side, recounting his family’s history on the land. From one ridge, he pointed over a hill and said, “If you go over that, you’re in New Jersey.”
Torres checked the map and realized how close they truly were. According to the landowner, when New Jersey’s season opens, deer often get pushed across the invisible border to this property. It’s the kind of hyper-local quirk you won’t find on a map, but it’s vital intel for a hunter looking for value in a property.
A Late Start, A Lifelong Passion
As a kid, Torres decided he’d become a hunter after seeing Val Kilmer’s portrayal in 1996’s Ghost in the Darkness. But at home, the idea of bringing a harvested animal into the house didn’t sit well.
“My mom was very much against it,” he says with a laugh. “She said, ‘You’re not bringing a dead animal into my house.’”
So he waited.
At 20 years old, finally able to buy his own gear, Torres finally stepped into the woods as a hunter. He started with small game but now he’s a veteran hunter sharing his passion with people standing where he was years ago.
As a first-generation Latino hunter who was largely self-taught, he encourages newcomers to start by exploring public land. “That’s your land,” he tells them. “Go do it.” He also takes groups of friends out on casual hunts such as a sit in a duck blind to give them a taste of the sport.
Torres' passion for hunting feeds into his day job as a chef.
Elevating Wild Game Table Fare
Torres also finds inspiration in modern hunting voices like Steven Rinella, whose MeatEater ethos frames hunting as a thoughtful, ethical, food-centered pursuit that is aligned with Torres’ love for food and career as a chef.
One of his favorite chefs is Mike Robinson, known for sourcing and serving exclusively wild game in the United Kingdom and for his show “Farming the Wild.”
“He’s one of the only chefs in the world who uses strictly wild game that he hunts,” Torres says. “He shows that with the proper time and care, you can elevate this to a top-level dish.”
For HLRBO’s Community, Torres develops two wild game recipes and accompanying videos each month. It’s a creative outlet that blends fieldwork with the kitchen. His favorite to date? Venison Wellington.
From deer he and a friend hunted, Torres put together a complete meal with multiple Wellingtons as the centerpiece — carefully seasoned backstrap wrapped in pastry, plated with intention — and documented it for the community to try on their own.
“It’s a big crowd-pleaser,” he says. “Very elegant.”
Many hunters save a dish like this for holidays, but Torres believes anytime is a good to put in some extra effort to elevate wild game cuisine.
To get in touch with Fidel or another Field Rep, send an email to [email protected].
Justin Park is a Colorado-based writer, editor, and avid hunter with a passion for the outdoors. He contributes to leading publications such as GearJunkie, Popular Mechanics, Powder, and Men's Journal, and serves as Editor of Wild Snow. Park is deeply involved in conservation and recreation advocacy, serving as Chapter Chair of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) in Summit County. He also represents RMEF on a state recreation committee focused on proactively addressing land use conflicts.