A Hoot to Shoot: High-Power Air Guns

A Hoot to Shoot: High-Power Air Guns

Everyone was impressed with the power of 3,000 psi of compressed air blasting a big bullet down the bore. I had the opportunity to join outdoor writers Luke Clayton, Joe Arterburn and Doug Howlett for some east Texas hog hunting. The gathering was sponsored by Pyramyd...
The Sisterhood of Pheasants

The Sisterhood of Pheasants

Eight ladies, now all good friends, have a blast in the pheasant fields of South Dakota. If you can gauge how good of a day you had by the number of shells you shot, I had a blast. The sore stomach muscles from evenings of hearty laughter shared with new friends was...
A Little Known Disease that Can Affect Man and Dog

A Little Known Disease that Can Affect Man and Dog

Two days after winning an 82-dog open all-age stake in the summer of 2016, Labrador retriever Stinger was barely able to walk… We’re all suckers for a comeback story, and one is, of course, Tiger Woods. Crippled by multiple injuries, his career in limbo and his...
A Soul-Searching Hunter Must Be Prepared For Surprises

A Soul-Searching Hunter Must Be Prepared For Surprises

In reflecting on the hunts of my past, I surprised even myself with hopes for the hunts still to come. It wasn’t long ago that my personal odometer turned 60. Other than a passing mention at an unrelated family gathering, no one seemed to care. That suited me just...
The Great Jonesboro Squirrel Safari

The Great Jonesboro Squirrel Safari

We both hunched forward in the classic posture endemic to hunters worldwide when stalking dangerous game. And this was truly a dangerous beast. It was a Mahler-Besse Château Biré French Bordeaux Supérieur, vintage 1995, and I had been saving that bottle of wine for...
Granddaddy of Them All: The Sage Grouse

Granddaddy of Them All: The Sage Grouse

A symbol of the iconic West, the sage grouse fed pioneers and homesteaders and now provides challenging sport for hunters. It started with a wisp of a Brittany puppy that didn’t weigh much more than a sage grouse. My go-to bird dog, a wonderful, wacky male Brittany...
The Outdoorsman’s Playground

The Outdoorsman’s Playground

Argentina is famous for its unmatched volume of wingshooting and spectacular trout fishing – an outdoorsman’s playground like no other place on Earth. Argentina is known for its culture, cuisine, wine, tango, and for outdoorsmen Argentina offers what is perhaps the...
Safe Hunting at High Altitudes

Safe Hunting at High Altitudes

When hunting above 8,000 feet, be sure to add time in your travel schedule to acclimatize for several days, especially if you are coming from sea level. I had just finished graduate school and, as a gift to myself, I had arranged to meet with friends in Colorado for...
Back in the Saddle…After 44 Years

Back in the Saddle…After 44 Years

The hunting jacket collar was adorned with a band of gold wool, indicating that I had earned my “colors”—official membership with The Camden Hunt. I reached into the left, front pocket of my foxhunting jacket, a vintage black and grey-flecked wool frock made by...
Byme-by-Tarpon

Byme-by-Tarpon

In his struggles to get free, the silver king performed a series of magnificent, never-before-seen tactics. To capture the fish is not all of the fishing. Yet there are circumstances which make this philosophy hard to accept. I have in mind an incident of angling...