A Deer Hunter is Born – Preface
A Deer Hunter is Born I was only 14 in the fall of 1956, but I was already a passionate pheasant hunter. Once the hunting season opened, while the other guys were at football practice or shooting pool and playing the pinball machines a Mel's Grill, you could usually...
This Is Your Rifle – True Aim
Our Editorial Director, Scott E. Mayer, called me into his office to help him mount and bore-sight a scope on a Mossberg Patriot Predator 308 Win. After a few instructions on the rifle itself and its constituent parts, he handed me an envelope and a blank “Thank You”...
Spirit of Christmas, Mamma Casada
If the Spirit of Christmas embraces things such as love of family, togetherness, warm feelings, goodness, excitement and faith, then my mother was the quintessence of that spirit. Many adjectives seem appropriate when describing her love of life in general,...
Sausage Stuffed Quail, Wine Pairing
A Fall Favorite: Sausage Stuffed Quail and Wine Pairing A season to revel in the cool breeze and crisp lowcountry air, fall is a time for gathering around the table with good conversation. After a day in the field here at Brays, there’s nothing better than cooking up...
Earthly Yuletide Decor – Natural Christmas
In today’s world, obtaining the family Christmas tree involves nothing more than a stop at a store, viewing trees stacked side-by-side in a vacant lot, or retrieving an artificial tree from the attic. Real “adventure” in obtaining the family tree involves going to a...
Hunting with Dad – Hare Hatchet
When hunting with dad, he always brought his kindling hatchet with us on hare hunts in case we needed a fire to get warm. I've been thinking about that this holiday season. Recently, I was talking with some fiends who were introducing their young children to the “Elf...
Stage for Stories – A Paean to Porches
Porches were a place where you could be at peace with the world...a stage for stories. In yesteryear one of many blessings, what folks living in my native heath, the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina, tended to take for granted was that they could enjoy their...
Thanksgiving Means Cooked Turkey – Cameron
Wow, I just noticed this week is Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving means cooked turkey, and I plan to eat my share and much more. I like turkey! While I have seen many turkeys while hunting, this past spring I got a close-up look at a wild turkey. Mike took me on his turkey...
George Bird Grinnell: America’s Voice for Wildlife
They came upon the remains of the buffalo in a thick stand of timber, six hides and heads wrapped in burlap, each strung high from a tree limb to keep it safe from wolves. It was a grim sight, but also a sure sign that they were closing in on their man. It...
Hunting Plans – End of a Season
As countless millions of outdoorsmen's and women's hunting plans are structured around the seasons, they are done so usually without spending a moment contemplating when our last season will roll around. Each year I read articles of famous outdoorsman known for duck...