The Last Best Day
He stood cold in the gathering dawn, peering deep into the chilled, flowing water. A sudden shiver ran through him, partly from the fresh winter wind and partly from the thrill he felt every time he came back to this secluded little stream. He had looked forward to...
Virginia is for Lovers of Fly Fishing and Wine
A flurry of snow didn’t stop new and seasoned fly anglers from venturing to the annual Virginia Fly Fishing and Wine Festival at the Meadow Event Park in Doswell, Virginia. With 19 years of operation under its belt, the festival has grown into “one of the largest...
Tawakoni Blues
Four monstrous blue catfish with a combined weight of over 233 pounds, for an average of nearly 60-pounds – all in a morning’s fishing trip. “If you can find a day to put aside your Ruger/Trijicon/Hornady combo and come of out the deer woods, you need to meet me at...
Northern Tier Part 5
Our last full day at Northern Tier was by far the coldest. Not because of the temperature. But because the camp took away our clothes. The camp had supplied the boys and me with the proper clothing to wear (fleece pants, insulated outer pants, wind pants, fleece...
Northern Tier Part 4
Ice fishing with the Boy Scouts is nothing like the movie Grumpy Old Men. In that classic comedy, Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau’s characters fish over the ice in warm and comfortably furnished shanties while watching TV and boozing the day away. Ice fishing with the...
Northern Tier Part 3
“The cooking stove is not for warmth! Back away from it!” I, the other adult leaders, and the scouts of Troop 137 disagreed with our camp interpreter Ashley C. We were freezing and the small gas stove sitting upon our makeshift outdoor snow kitchen in the back...
Northern Tier Part 2
At -18° the human body fails. Organs shut down. The brain ceases to function. Blood solidifies. At least that’s what I thought. The staff at Northern Tier High Adventure Camp in Ely, Minnesota seemed to know otherwise and quickly put me and Boy Scout Troop 137 to work...
Escape to Cabin Bluff
I will always cherish the days spent along this historic stretch of the south-Georgia coast, where the currents of friendship forever run deep. I was tired. Very tired. Pleasingly, pleasantly tired after another long and gratifying day following the pointers and...
Northern Tier Part 1
Some called me a saint. Most called me an idiot. Both labels were bestowed upon me when I explained that I’d be spending my Christmas break driving 10 Boy Scouts ranging in age from 13- to 15-years old 1,500 miles to the Minnesota - Canada Border to sleep outside in...
Eva Shockey’s Outdoor Digital Series is a Major Hit
Eva Shockey should be a familiar name for hunters and non-hunters alike. Originally from Vancouver Island, Canada, Shockey has charted her own hunting course here in the U.S., largely with the help of social media. She’s not simply the daughter of renowned hunter Jim...