Technically, hunting is illegal in New York City. (Apartment hunting and husband hunting are notable exceptions.) But those who delight in the sporting life—its trophies and its paraphernalia—can disport themselves within the city limits at the Red Hook Bait & Tackle bar. Formerly an actual bait and tackle shop, the bar now stocks bourbon and ale instead of mealworms and chum. In addition to hanging on to some of the store's original signage, the bar's owners have decorated their saloon with all manner of stuffed fish, fowl, and mammals. Birds dangle upside down from the ceiling—fish, too. On the walls, deer and ram heads gaze down benevolently. The shelf- and floor-mounted animals are less benign: a snarling wolf, a rearing bear, a frog playing the accordion. (Okay, we suspect that last one may not be entirely real.) Those who wish to improve their hunting skills while imbibing—a confluence of pastimes not typically advised—can hone their abilities via extreme-hunting video games.

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320 Van Brunt Street
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Phone: 718-797-4892