Snow Grouse

Snow Grouse

When I stepped out on the balcony that cold, damp, late February evening to sniff the weather, the stars had disappeared. It was very still, and felt like snow. Re-entering the warmth of our little apartment, I heard the phone ringing. It was Gary calling to discuss...
Parker Whedon: The Last Of The Old-Time Turkey Hunters

Parker Whedon: The Last Of The Old-Time Turkey Hunters

When Parker Whedon died on March 16, 2012 after a long struggle with Parkinson’s disease and the myriad complications associated with the illness, the world of turkey hunting lost perhaps its final direct link to the sport’s great names of yesteryear.  From the time...
Watch: The King

Watch: The King

In the spring woods, everything revolves around one bird. The Eastern Wild Turkey. Not just because he gobbles. Because he decides the game. Where he roosts. Where he walks. When he talks. When he disappears. Every move we make in turkey hunting starts with...
Ames Plantation: Birds Gone Wild

Ames Plantation: Birds Gone Wild

In 45 American states, January is the coldest month of the year.  Frigid temperatures are challenging enough, but ladder in precipitation and you have a recipe for disaster. Wet, gnarly conditions knock down trees and limbs causing power outages and, if you’re in...
Maybe Once

Maybe Once

“I’ll send for you,” Mike said to Jackie as he kissed her goodbye. He didn’t see her roll her eyes through a big smile as she threw her arms around his neck. She’d heard the same thing every year for the 12 years he’d taken this trip. Only in the last few...
Ernest Hemingway: The Early Years (1939-1948)

Ernest Hemingway: The Early Years (1939-1948)

Ernest Hemingway is inextricably linked to both Sun Valley and the nearby town of Ketchum, Idaho. He had a special affinity for the countryside with its backdrop of the Sawtooth Mountains, which reminded him of Spain, for the excellent bird hunting he found there and...