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...
Eldridge Hardie: Painter of Dogs
The greatest equine artist of all time, and arguably the greatest animal portraitist, was the 18th century Englishman George Stubbs. The toast of the town in his day, when the cream of British aristocracy beat a path to his door to have him paint...
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...
Fishing Guide – My Short, Brilliant Career
The novelist John Gardner posited that there are really only two stories: A man goes on a journey, or a stranger comes to town. With all due respect to Gardner’s memory, however, I’d like to add a third: The telephone rings, and you answer it. The caller identified...
Something for the First Time
A fella posed a question the other day that caused me pause... He asked, “When’s the last time you did something for the first time?” Not when’s the last time you did something again for the first time in a long time. But the last time you did something for...
Vermont’s Hidden Gem: Dan Morgan, Gunsmith
I first heard of Vermont's hidden Gem, Dan Morgan, twelve years ago at Dave Tilden’s venue when the beavertail forend on my Philadelphia Fox BE suddenly became loose. A gunner finds many opportunities to hunt and shoot in Vermont. Waterfowlers gun both sides of the...