Jill Beauchesne Alban

It’s spring in Montana. Two weekends ago, I couldn’t get my car out of the driveway because of a blizzard that dumped close to two feet of snow in Missoula. Then, in a matter of days, warm temperatures melted most of the snow and bumped up local rivers to what the fishing guides call “chocolate milk.” Thankfully, the water started going down only a few days later, coinciding with a spate of days in the upper 50s.

When the weather gets a bit warm, the rivers around here start to beckon me, like they’re whispering my name. It hasn’t always been this way. When I first moved to Montana 10 years ago, I was mystified by the mania of fly-fishing and the way it drove my friends to wake up at 6 AM to hit a morning hatch...

The following is a repost by Bob St. Pierre from the Pheasant Blog.

“Hunters are increasingly motivated by meat,” that’s the headline of a report released on Wednesday byResponsive Management, an international survey research firm. According to their findings, the percentage of hunters identifying “for the meat” as the most important reason for hunting participation rose from 22 percent in 2006 up to 35 percent during this year’s study.

The report attributes the 13 percent climb to three factors; 1) the recession, 2) the locavore movement and 3) the increased participation of females in hunting...

Our last book recommendations prompted more thinking so here’s our part two… Please keep sending your favorite reads and we’ll update with a part III! 

 A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold
A tribute to the great outdoors and the land we love written by one of the father’s of U.S. wildlife management – a must read for all of us who hunt and fish!

A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson
One man’s guide to the wild woods of the Appalachian trail and all its wonders, including bears…

Deer Hunting in Paris by Paula Young Lee
A humorous memoir of a vegetarian Korean American woman finding her way to learn how to hunt and sharing recipes.

The Scavenger’s Guide to Haute Cuisine by Steve Rinella
A personal tale of a man’s journey to understand the things we eat and our place in the world while also l...

AK Bear Hunt, By Loni, the Sportsman’s Wife

Something I don’t tell many people (especially men) is that I have shot a bear.  And tanned it’s hide.  In Alaska.  

How to catch and cope with, Shad Fever By: Zach Hartman, Owner and Upper Potomac River Guide of Capitol City Fishing

Zach Hartman

Whether you are an avid fisherman or someone looking to connect with the sport of fishing, the annual Potomac River shad run has something to offer you...