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Freedom and Whiskey
What does freedom look like? The definition of Freedom is, “The power to act, speak, or think as one wants without anyone interfering.” Sounds great, right? One thing to keep in mind is that freedom isn’t free and is bought and paid for by the blood shed of our American soldiers as well as those who are…
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Sheep Hunt for a Flatlander
There in the scope of my .30/06 were the two rams we had seen two days and two mountains back: both past prime breeding age and fine trophies. As I lay there on the side of a grassy mound, I hesitated. Not only for the purpose of taking a careful shot. Many other thoughts raced through my…
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Afghanistan Duck Decoys
I deployed to Afghanistan in December of 2001 and was operating out of Bagram Airbase. Bagram was a former Soviet airbase and the scene of intense fighting as the Taliban retreated under pressure from the Northern Alliance with the help of United States Special Forces.
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A Western Hunt
There is no better representative of the American West to me than the Pronghorn Antelope. Its the first animal that comes to my mind when I think of the Western states. The journey to hunt Pronghorn began in 2010 when my professor my professional mentor, colleague, friend and father figure Grady Stilley and I were discussing hunting when the…
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Grant’s Gazelle in Tanzania
“Clean miss”! I heard the words almost instantly after I squeezed the trigger on what I would later learn was an excellent Grant’s gazelle. “The bullet went right over his back,” my Professional Hunter JP Van Wyngaard yelled as we rushed to catch up with the ram that was now moving quickly away from us. I shook…
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Five Sporting Dogs With Southern Roots
One reason that the dog is man’s best friend is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue. If you're looking for a companion for your sporting adventures, consider one of these 5 official state breeds from the South.
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Winters Hymn
Harland stared out the windows past me,his eyes fawning over a raft of mallards swimming. A slight smile emerging,his plump cheeks rising.Stout in stature and balding, he possessed a slight lean in his gate. "Daddy thought this would be a good place to raise us boys.The fresh air good for Momma", he said. His baritone voice..
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Five Quotes About Turkey Hunting
"The turkey’s eyes are such that he can see a bumblebee turn a somersault on the verge of the horizon." —Archibald Rutledge
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Turkey in Old Mexico
When someone asks me, “Why did you go all the way to Mexico just to shoot a turkey?”, the answer is simple: the experience. The flight down to El Paso, the border crossing, traveling through a truly authentic “border town”, being stopped by the “Federales” on the trip back from camp, and all the great food, followed by some excellent turkey hunting made it a trip truly filled full of experiences. While some better than others, but nonetheless, experiences...
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Sun, Dust & Borrego Cimarron
Do you have that one animal that possesses your every-thought? I’ve hunted quite a few species in over forty years but there is no animal that holds my admiration more than a wild desert sheep. Desert sheep are survivors in the most inhospitable high places requiring the best you have to give both physically and mentally making a successful hunt all the more rewarding. It’s ironic though that such a tough survivor is having such a difficult time. The circumstances surrounding the population struggles of desert bighorn predate my existence and in many cases are still the same. In spite of the conservation success desert…
