thevirginia sportsman - the virginia sportsman

$4.95Oct/Nov 2013

U.S. $4.95 Oct/Nov 2013

A State of Mind A Way of Life

THEVIRGINIA SPORTSMANV i r g i n i a a n d B e y o n d

DestinationFayettevilleWest Virginia

Wing Shooting in Argentina Cutting Horse FuturityVMI/W&L Fly-Fishing Tournament The Beneteau Barracuda

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3 The Virginia Sportsman Oct/Nov 2013

2013 Deep Run Horse Show

One of the East Coast’s oldesthorse shows was held June 19-23 at theDeep Run Hunt Club Show Grounds inManakin-Sabot, Virginia. The show as itexists today was founded in the early 1950sbut there are prize lists and other competitionbrochures for Deep Run horse shows datingback to the early 1930s. Paddy Downing-Nyegard, Thonotosassa, FL, Steve Wall,Waukesha, WI, and Cheryll Francella,Coatesville, PA were judges for this year’sshow, which is nationally AA-rated by theUnited States Equestrian Federation(USEF).

Many of the 250 riders and horseswere from Virginia, while others hailedfrom such states as Maryland, NorthCarolina, Florida and South Carolina.They competed in 225 classes over the fivedays, vying for championship awards andhoping to gain points towards year-endawards and/or qualifying shows for nationalcompetitions, while competing for morethan $40,000 in prize money.

One of the highlights of the showwas the Bryan Trophy Horsemanship class.

The Bryan Trophy was presented to Mr. andMrs. Lamont S. Bryan in 1962 by the DeepRun Juniors to be put into competition atthe Deep Run Show. The perpetual trophyis presented to the winner of the class basedon the horsemanship demonstrated injumping and hacking tests. The 2013 classwas won by Nora Jodrey on Cashmere(Owner: Mark Bone), with trainer VirginiaEdwards from Upperville, Virginia.

Other competitors with a Virginiaconnection included Local ProfessionalChampion: Cailler, Owner: CarilynnPeyton, Rider: Amy Nunnally; LocalProfessional Reserve Champion:Copperfield, Owner: Mary Keevil, Rider:Eric Dirks; Grand Amateur OwnerChampion: Amarillo, Owner/Rider: JaneGaston; High Performance/2nd Year GreenChampion: Falcon, Owner: The Barracks(Charlottesville, VA), Rider: MariaShannon; and High Performance/2nd YearGreen Reserve Champion: Catina, Owner:Kimmee Gottwald, Rider: Robert Crandall.

As shown by the quality of horsesand riders competing at this year’s DeepRun Horse Show, this Virginia traditioncontinues to be recognized as one of thepremier horse shows not only in Virginia,but also in the country. The show has beendesignation a Heritage Competition by theUSEF and has previously won the UnitedStates Hunter Jumper AssociationMembers’ Choice Award.

Bonnie Rhea AdamsDeep Run Horse Show

Vintage Shotgun WorldChampionship

The Virginia Sportsman, alongwith Connecticut Shotgun ManufacturingCompany (CSMC), Ithaca Gun Companyand Claybuster Wads, sponsored the 2013Vintage Shotgun Championship that tookplace June 27-30 at the Clinton CountyFarmers and Sportsmen’s Club inWilmington, Ohio. More than 200 participantsattended the four-day event, competing inthe four traditional gauges. In addition,there were special events for exposed-hammer side-by-side shotguns, 16-gaugeshotguns and light game guns. Additionalside matches were offered in all gauges fordown-the-line trap and five-stand events.

The original rules used at theNational Skeet Shooting Association’s firstWorld Skeet Shooting Championships in1939 were enforced and only side-by-sideor pump-action shotguns were allowed. Nosuperposed or semi-autos were permitted.Vintage rules also state that the gun cannotbe mounted until the target emerges fromthe house. That was the way the game wasshot in 1935.

CROSSED LINES

Winners: Jeff Neimann (foreground)(L-R) Hal Hare, Carl Balderson, Carl Harlan, RickStaples, Neil Wilkinson and Mark Douglas

Grand Amateur Owner champion Amarillo withowner/rider, Jane Gaston (Photo by David Bell)


The inaugural America’s Best Guncompetition pitted the vintage L.C. Smithshooting team against the neo-classicCSMC team, with the CSMC team claimingthe title. The 20-gauge HAA Title, sponsoredby The Virginia Sportsman, was won byCarl Harlan of Michigan. Other winnersincluded Rick Staples and Jeff Neumann ofKansas and Hal Hare of Ohio.

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The 15th Annual SouthernChesapeake Leukemia Cup Regatta

The 15th Annual SouthernChesapeake Leukemia Cup Regatta, votedBest Regatta of the Bay for the second yearin a row, took place on the weekend of July12-14 in Deltaville. Hosted by StingrayPoint Marina and sponsored by StingrayHarbour and Fishing Bay Yacht clubs,regatta participants sailed in honor of one oftheir own, Skipper Rob Whittet.

Whittet, aboard Wavelength, wasamong nearly 70 boats participating in theregatta. Together they have raised morethan $106,000 and collected more than$26,000 in in-kind donations thus far tohelp The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society(LLS) fund research to find better therapiesand improve the lives of patients and theirfamilies. Each sailor was eligible to winprizes, including the opportunity to race atthe 2013 Fantasy Sail in Captiva, Florida,

with world-renowned sailor and ESPNcommentator Gary Jobson, regatta chair-man and lymphoma survivor.

“The Leukemia Cup Regatta is agreat way for these boat enthusiasts to dowhat they love while also helping the morethan one million people in North Americadiagnosed with a blood cancer.” said SheriLambert, Virginia chapter executive director.

This year’s Honored Skipper, RobWhittet, has been a committed participantin the regatta, setting sail each year for 15years to help raise funds for cancerresearch. His involvement became evenmore meaningful in 2010 when he wasdiagnosed with Stage 4 non-Hodgkin’slymphoma. His loyal crew readied the boatand he joined the team one day after beingreleased from his first hospital stay. Afternine months of chemotherapy, he recentlycelebrated two years of remission.

Whittet says, “I’m so fortunate tohave received excellent medical carethroughout my journey, and there’s noquestion in my mind that the drugs theypumped into my body saved my life. If youlook at the list of cancer drugs discovered inthe last few decades, you’ll discover thatfunding by The Leukemia & LymphomaSociety was a vital part of their creation.My bout with lymphoma has been a wake-up call. Any wonder why I’m passionate inmy fundraising?”

The Leukemia & LymphomaSociety is the world’s largest voluntaryhealth agency dedicated to blood cancer.The LLS mission: Cure leukemia,lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma,and improve the quality of life of patientsand their families. LLS funds lifesavingblood cancer research around the world andprovides free information and supportservices. The Leukemia & LymphomaSociety’s Leukemia Cup Regatta is one ofthe ways to help blood cancer patients andtheir families. Visit www.leukemiacup.orgto learn more about the regatta, or to learnabout LLS, visit www.lls.org.

St. Mary’s College’s 40th AnnualGovernor’s Cup Yacht Race

St. Mary’s College’s 40th AnnualGovernor’s Cup Yacht Race took placed atSt. Mary’s City, Maryland, on Saturday,August 3, 2013. Sailing enthusiasts from upand down the East Coast sailed into St.Mary’s City from starting points inAnnapolis, Maryland, and Dahlgren,Virginia, on Saturday morning.

Doug Savage and his wife, Lizfrom Alexandria, Virginia, on Dark Star,had their fastest Gov’ Cup race of 12 thatthey’ve completed. “We had good windsthe whole night, all the way up to andacross the finish line,” said skipper DougSavage. Dark Star came in ninth in thePHRF A2 class.

The Governor’s Cup Yacht Race isthe oldest and longest race down theChesapeake Bay.

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Please email letters to the editor,including your full name and address,to [email protected].

Mailing address:The Virginia SportsmanP.O. Box 8376Charlottesville, VA 22906

Temptress skippered by Robert DeJong with crewKen Schmalenberger won second overall in one ofthe cruising classes. (Photo by Jiho Han)

Resolute, skippered by Francis Albert, came in10th in the PHRF A2 class. (Photo courtesy ofPhotoBoat.com)


CONTENTS9 Argentina: Wingshooting at San Ambrosio Estancia

Story by Henry BaskervillePhotos by Matthew King

13 Beneteau Barracuda 9: The Swiss Army Knife of Boatsby Joan Wenner

17 National Cutting Horse Association World Championship Futurity Story and Photos by Joe Moran

21 Novice Triumphs in Collegiate Fly-Fishing TournamentStory by Sherri TombargePhotos by Kevin Remington

25 Taking the Plunge: New River Gorgeby J. Michael Welton

33 Conservation Through Research: The Game Conservancyby Barclay Rives

37 Sportsman’s Profile: John MetzgerStory and Photos by Carol Leuder

39 The Perfect Run-in Shed: Architect John Rhettby Phil Audibert

43 Saving Lepidopteraby Ian Robertson

47 Snapshots for Straight Shooting: Teach Young Hunters Safety EtiquetteStory and Photos by Henry Baskerville

48 CakewalkStory by Hay HardyPhotos by Adam Wayland

52 Outdoors with Jim Brewer

53 Off the Topic: The Honeybee: The Sportsman’s Friend by Kenneth Walker

55 Exploration: Conservation Tourism Protects Kenyan WildlifeStory and Photos by Lauren Giannini

60 Book Review: For the Love of the Sport by Aynsley Miller Fisherby John Shtogren

62 A Country Gent’s Note: Fall GardenBarclay Rives

64 Food: A Hearty Gratin for AutumnClaiborne Williams Milde

66 Humor: Thar She BlowsJim Brewer

Cover Photo: Shooters in southern England. Photo courtesy of Game ConservancySTAFF: Publisher Virginia Outdoor Media, LLC, Editor John Shtogren, CopyEditor Fred Hardy, Jr., Equine Advisor Jane Porter Fogleman, Public RelationsJane Maddux, Advertising Anne W. Coles, Wendy Jensen, Anita Vere-Nicoll,Michelle Scott, Jill Kavanagh, Darin Strickland, Mary Tinsley, Copy ReaderDail Willis, Design Hay Hardy, Cartoonist Jerry King,

Subscription: $25 per year, $45 for 2 years or $65 for 3 years. Send subscription to: The Virginia Sportsman, P. O. Box 8376, Charlottesville,VA 22906; email [email protected] or call (434) 971-1199 or (800) 734-2980.Advertising Information: www.VaSportsman.com, [email protected]. Call (434) 971-1199 or (800)734-2980.


rriving in the early morning onJuly 7, 2013, we were exhaustedbut nevertheless excited. We nine

shooters left the Buenos Aires airport withour gun permits in order and all of ourbaggage in tow – good omens for asuccessful hunting safari. A three-hour busride took us to the San Ambrosio Estanciain the Entre Rios Province near the smalltown of Gualeguay, where we would stayfor the next four nights. After we grabbed aquick lunch, Tomas Dobie and Juan Pujana,

the resident outfitters of South ParanaOutfitters, drove us about 30 miles to adove roost where the doves were millingabout like pesky bees. We shot for twohours in the late afternoon, each manshooting nearly 250 shells in that shortperiod. It was a shooter’s paradise.

The shooting group consisted ofPeter Powell, Chip Vosmik, Philip Halsey,Jeff Maddox, Benjamin Disharoon,Ellerson Disharoon, Richard Barrett,Matthew King and me. I had organized the

trip through Mobjack Sportsman, LLC,which is directed by Roger Anderson ofWare Neck, Virginia. Having previouslyorganized hunts in Argentina withAnderson, I paid close attention when henotified me earlier in the year that he had ahot new hunting area. He added that it wasprobably the best that he had ever represented.

Following breakfast the nextmorning, we separated into multiple vehi-cles to drive to five different duck ponds.Dobie and Pujana placed two shooters

ArgentinaWingshooting at San Ambrosio Estancia

Story by Henry BaskervillePhotos by Matthew King

Peter Powell tries to shootjust one dove as many flyby him.

A


at each location, with each pond havingonly one shooter. Each shooter felt as if hewere enjoying his own private shootingclub with suicidal ducks jostling each otherfor the privilege of entering his range offire. We were allowed to shoot until 9:30a.m.; however, most hunters filled their 25-duck limit by 8 a.m. One morning, Kingand I had 50 ducks down on the water in 30minutes! I have previously hunted sixtimes in Argentina and more than 40 timesin Africa, but this hunting area toppedthem all.

Over the four days, we had fourmorning duck hunts, four evening dove-roost hunts and a short perdiz (partridge)hunt over dogs. Powell noted that ourgroup had shot 900 ducks and more than4,000 doves in that short time. We allagreed that our shoulders could not havesurvived the pounding of a fifth day. Wewere shot out! All the game was collectedand donated to the surrounding villages andthe local hospital. Nothing was wasted.

The evening meals were served in

Breathtaking sight of hundreds of ducks in the early morning light

An open-air picnic feast is just-about complete with the addition of extra coals for more heat.


a lovely dining room heated by a roaringfire and were preceded by drinks and horsd’oeuvres in a living room with highceilings and yet another roaring fire. Oneevening, King, who happens to be my sonand who has a superb operatic voice, serenadedus from the living room balcony with severalarias. The tall ceilings and stone walls createda lovely resonance, enhancing the quality of

our musical experience. Since Argentina is below the

equator, July is in the middle of theirwinter. Mornings are 40o F with temperaturesclimbing to about 65o by the middle of theafternoon. Misty rain does not affect theduck hunting, nor does it dampen the dovehunting; however, it quells the perdizhunting because they will not fly when

wet. We experienced our fair share of mistyrain and slow perdiz shooting, but that didnot suppress our spirits because we knewthat there were more ducks and doves flyingthan we could possibly shoot.

As a special treat, our Argentineoutfitters presented a grilled feast for us atthe dove roost. It was on a rare sunny daywhen the duck hunting was not far from the

Estancia San Ambrosio greets visitors with its elegance.

The great hall and lounge area in Estancia SanAmbrosio where pleasant lies are told and fine

whiskey is sipped in the evenings.

Dinner at the Estancia San Ambrosio. (L to R)Jeff Maddox, Peter Powell, Tomas Dobie , HenryBaskerville, Philip Halsey (standing), EllersonDisharoon, Ben Disharoon, Richard Barrett, ChipVosmik. All are from the greater Richmond areaexcept for Jeff Maddox who is currently living inHong Kong.


dove roost. It was an extraordinary meal ofgrilled steaks, sausages, chickens and salad,wines and desserts. They even cooked ourbread over the open fire. Most of us fellsound asleep in our chairs after the mealand woke up just when the doves started toreturn to the roost at about 3 p.m.

After our four days of hunting,some of us elected to stay a few extra daysand tour Buenos Aires. We were fascinatedby a tango show which, in addition to thehandsome dancing couples, had two horsesprancing on stage. As a musician, I thoughtthe orchestra and staging were magnificentbut I never could quite comprehend thepurpose of those horses. Nevertheless, itwas an extremely entertaining evening withan excellent dinner included in the ticketprice. We also took a boat tour of the deltaregion surrounding Buenos Aires, where wesaw elegant homes and dilapidated shacksside by side. We were surprised to see boatbuses, boat grocery stores, and boat hard-ware stores.

We needed four taxis to carry usand all our gear to the Buenos Aires airportfor our evening flight. The next morning wearrived in Newark, cleared customs andcaught our final flight to Richmond. Afterwe collected our baggage and guns, weshook hands, departed and vowed to repeatthe safari. It was a hunting trip, aneducation and a rousing success allwrapped into one great adventure.

Henry Baskerville is the director ofSafaris Unlimited, LLC (804) 370-7565, organized this hunt by workingclosely with Roger Anderson ofMobjack Sportsman, LLC (804) 694-6110 cel l and (804) 693-3774 officeor [email protected].


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hat does a sport-fishermanneed if he wants to do someserious deep-sea fishing but

also keep the family excited about boating ?He may want to take a good look at theBeneteau Barracuda 9 cruiser/crossover,offered stateside by the iconic French boatbuilder. Its advertising tagline Hungry forAdventure, along with being showcased atmajor boat shows, has garnered considerableattention from knowledgeable cruisingboaters and fishing pros.

As a world leader in constructingfine sailing yachts, Beneteau is also knownin Europe as a major player in the power-boat market. As part of its entry into thecompetitive U.S. power-boat scene, the

Barracuda 9 was presented in grand stylelast year on the East Coast circuit fromAnnapolis to the Palm Beach InternationalBoat Show and at this year’s SouthCarolina In-Water Boat Show. It appearedin good company among a full array offamiliar names that included Bertram,Vicem, Ocean Alexander and Azimut.

Beneteau’s push into Americanpower markets is aggressive, and theBarracuda 9 at 29 feet can definitely becharacterized as a big fish in a really bigpond, though her draft at only 2 feet 7 inchesmakes it easy to hug the shallows. Designedand built particularly with anglers in mind,it has a flared tulip-shaped bow, but moreimportantly, it has the ability to handle up

to 450 hp with twin Yamaha electronic 225four-stroke outboards. These can power thecraft at 50+ mph with a comfortable rideeven in rough water to quickly reachpromising fishing or diving spots. Otherengaging qualities such as plenty of storagefor gear along with a good instrumentationlayout make it worth a serious lookaccording to the real angling pros.

Beneteau’s intent with theBarracuda 9 was to create a boat that couldbe used by keen anglers late into the seasonand in all kinds of weather. She is also aboat that can be a very capable cruiser fortwo people on a weekend getaway. She cancruise at high speed for long distances toout-of-the-way destinations. The cruising

Beneteau Barracuda 9 The Swiss Army Knife of Boats

Story by Joan WennerPhotos by Jerome Kelagopian for Beneteau

W

Punching though swells toreach offshore fishinggrounds, the Barracuda’sAir Step technology ensuresa smooth ride.


couple can sleep aboard comfortably. According to Boat TEST.com, an

independent online publication that tests alltypes of craft in real-world conditions, theBarracuda has several distinguishingfeatures not found on any similar packageavailable to U.S. boaters. These include thepatented Air Step hull where air is injectedunder the hull from the topside, thus reducingthe drag of surface friction as the boat goesthrough the water. Independent tests haveshown that not only does the Air Steptechnology deliver smoother performance,

but fuel economy improves as well.Another significant feature of theBarracuda 9 is the fully enclosed pilothousewith glass all around. Most other boats inthis size and class would feature an openhelm and T top. It has pilothouse doors thatopen to port and starboard, typically seenonly on much larger boats, that make single-handed docking on either side a snap for theskipper. It is also a plus for working bothsides of the boat when offshore fishing.

Behind the pilothouse is a surprisinglylarge cockpit that extends almost to the

engines, where a comfortable bench seat islocated. This aft bench can be tilted forwardinto the cockpit to allow the engines tocome up, thus maximizing the cockpit area.There is an optional galley counter that isattached to the back of the pilothouse or, inmodels with a diesel generator, a largecover box with a flat top that can be used asa table or fishing prep station. The keyelement of the deck layout is that the pilot-house does not impede movement aroundthe boat so a fish on the line can befollowed around the boat. The deck areaforward of the pilothouse features a benchseat up against the house as well as anchor-ing windlass, anchor roller and locker atwaist height, thus saving back-breakingwork up forward.

Jonathan Hutchings of AnnapolisYacht Sales South in Deltaville, Virginia, adealer for Beneteau power and sail boats,comments on the versatility of theBarracuda concept which he refers to as“the Swiss Army knife of fishing boats.”Hutchings notes that the bench seat aft ofthe helm position with fold-up tables and anoptional bar fridge below the bench makesthe perfect hangout for passengers who arenot interested in the fishing activity but stillwant to be along for the ride and remainunder cover. Adding further to the versatilityis the forward cabin with double berth anden-suite head accessed just ahead of theobserver seat. The cabin has LED lighting,a flushing marine toilet and holding tank,cuddy cabinets and under-berth storage. Italso serves as a comfortable bolt hole for anafternoon nap or as an adequate accommo-dation for couple on a weekend adventure.

Hutchings notes that theBarracuda 9 comes in two versions, eitherflybridge or hardtop. The flybridge isaccessed via a short vertical ladder on theport side of the pilothouse. For those whodo not need to helm from above, the pilot-house has helm and observer seats onadjustable pedestals and bolsters for buttrests when steering in the standing position.Instrumentation consists of dual SmartCraft


The Barracuda 9 cruisingon Jackson Creek inDeltaville, Virginia (Photoby Hay Hardy)

The ability to circulatearound the entire side

deck enhances theBarracuda’s functionality

for light-tackle fishing.

gauges on either side of the optionalLowrance 10-inch multifunction display.Electronic engine controls are mounted ona molded quadrant to the starboard side andhave a smooth digital action. VHF, stereoand spotlight control are neatly mountedabove head height where they are out of theway of the main controls, but still visibleand accessible.

A host of options such as sun-bathing hammock for the foredeck, foldingBimini top for the aft deck, seating andtable options for the aft cockpit plus airconditioning and generator are availablefrom the manufacturer. Dealers such asAnnapolis Yacht Sales are able to doadditional customization and Hutchingsmentions that a recently ordered boat to beused primarily for the fall and spring rock-fish season in the Chesapeake will beequipped with a rocket launcher-style rodholder off the back of the pilothouse, live-bait well and fish box under the cockpitfloor. The client is also considering a 12-volt diesel heater system to keep the pilot-house warm on those cold winter days onthe Bay, and air conditioning to keep thefamily cool at the dock in the summer.

Beneteau has clearly produced aboat for all reasons and all seasons.Whether one is trolling in the shoals offFlorida’s gulf coast, heading out fromNorth Carolina’s Oregon Inlet into the deepblue of the Gulf Stream in search of tunaand wahoo, casting into shoals of baitfishthat attract the winter rockfish on theChesapeake or simply heading out fromPortland, Maine for some downeast-cruising in the islands, the Barracudaappears to fit all occasions.

For additional information, contact JonathanHutchings at [email protected] call (804) 776-7575.

Joan Wenner has contributed stories onclassic yachts, boat builders and profiles forThe Virginia Sportsman and numerousboating publications.


The Barracuda 9’s interior pro-vides excellent visibility. Helmseats swivel to create an intimatedining option for four.

The cabin layout includes seating for up to five and a forward double berth with enclosed head.

uring the final week of Novemberand the first two weeks ofDecember, all eyes in the cutting

horse world were on Fort Worth, Texas. Thethree-week 2012 National Cutting HorseAssociation World Championship Futuritytook place at the Will Rogers MemorialComplex Equine and Livestock Facilities.

In the sport of cutting, each rider isallowed two minutes and thirty seconds,which usually equates to 2.5 cycles ofseparating the herd and active cutting.Separating the herd is the process of thehorse and rider gently riding into a herd of50 cows and eventually singling out one

lone cow. When the rider is ready to engagein keeping the cow away from the herd, helowers his hand, effectively dropping thereins and releasing any pressure on the bit.With the loose reins, the rider allows thehorse do its instinctive function of preventingthe cow from getting back to the herd.

Cutting is possibly the world’srichest equine-arena sport. Yes, and I didsay world. Australia is a major proponentfor cutting, and in 1972 the NCHA wasformed in Australia. Germany and Italy alsohave high participation in the sport.Cutting’s counterpart, known as reining, isa rapidly developing equestrian discipline

as well, and Oklahoma City has become thedestination for the championships of thissport. However the expenses there arenowhere near those of cutting since in orderto engage in cutting one needs access to 50cattle.

The National Cutting HorseAssociation was formed in 1946 by ranchers,stockmen, cowboys and horsemen tostandardize cutting competitions and topreserve America’s Western heritage.Today the NCHA has 20,000 members,2,200 events, and $40 million in prizemoney. The first NCHA Futurity took placein 1962 in Sweetwater, Texas, showcasing

National Cutting Horse Association

World Championship Futurity Story and Photos

byJoe Moran

D


three-year-old cutting horses. At that timethere were 35 entries competing for$18,375 in prizes. This year the numberswere 1,700 entries and the total payout forawards was nearly $4 million.

The futurity is designed for three-year-olds, since cutting is too physicallyand psychologically stressful on youngerhorses. Essentially, owners, breeders andtrainers have agreed to debut their three-year-cutting prospects in December eachyear. The horses in the futurity have notcompeted in any previous cutting shows.Prior to the futurity concept, the same horsescontinued to dominate the sport as they gotolder and better each year. Now a new cropis guaranteed each year, which keeps thesport more dynamic.

In an official cutting event thereare five judges who allocate points on a 60-80 point scale. The lowest and the highest


Texas Longhorn cattle being driven through the streets of Fort Worth

Horse auctions by the Western Livestock Company

judges’ scores are deleted and theremaining three are added together to givethe final points. The judges base scores onhow smoothly the herd is separated and thehorse’s ability to prevent the cow from gettingback to the herd. Judging criteria for thesport is highly regulated and specifiedpoints are deducted for various infractions.

Fort Worth has historically beenknown as The City Where the West Begins.The city prides itself on its Western heritageas evidenced by its twice-daily cattle drivesthrough the historic stockyards. Fort Worthhas been the site of the NCHA Futuritysince 1967 and it appears to have apermanent home here. Since 2008 the cityof Fort Worth has spent $30 million onimproving the facilities at the Will RogersComplex.

Additional attractions at the futurityincluded the Amon G. Carter Exhibit Hall,which hosted more than 175 merchantsselling everything from saddles to cowboyguns. Inside the Watt Arena, the WesternBloodstock Sales Company offered sixdays of horse auctions. The WorldChampionship Blacksmiths held its horse-shoeing competition here from December13-15. There were horse-farm tours offeredin nearby Weatherford, and several socialand musical events during some of theevenings of the three-week show.

On December 7 the futurity had adouble-header evening. Chris Cox, theAustralian cutting horseman, hosted aconference on cutting horses at Watt Arena.Cox is in the elite million-dollar rider cluband has been conducting seminars andclinics on cutting horses for 24 years. HisDiamond Double C Ranch is located inMineral Wells, Texas. He left Florida at theage of two when his family relocated toAustralia, and as he grew up he continuedhis family’s passion for horses andranching. At the age of 18 he seized anopportunity to come back to America toparticipate in the cutting industry.

Immediately following the clinicwas the Careity Celebrity Cutting and

Concert at Will Rogers MemorialColiseum. Among the celebrities were LyleLovett, Dallas Cowboy player Jay Novacekand Dan Nevins, a U.S. soldier who lostboth of his legs during a 2004 Iraq combatmission, as well as country music top-40radio personality Bob Kingsley. Fort WorthMayor Betsy Price competed in the celebrityevent for the first time as well. Several ofthese celebrity guests had been involvedwith this event in the past. Previous celebrityguest include Christie Brinkley, JoeMontana, Michael Keaton and TanyaTucker. The evening concluded with adinner reception and concert at the Amon

G. Carter Exhibit Hall hosted by CareityFoundation with proceeds used to supportcancer care, treatment and detection.

Twenty-seven miles west of FortWorth in Parker County is the town ofWeatherford. It has become the CuttingHorse Capital of the World largely due tothe loose, sandy-loam soil that is native tothe area, which is perfect for cushioning thecutting horses’ feet. In the mid-19th century,legendary cattle drover Oliver Loving andCharles Goodnight were local ranchers whogained fame for their cattle ranching inParker, County. The Goodnight-LovingTrail was named for them. After being

Bronze sculpture outside the National Cutting Horse Association offices

Lyle Lovett competing in celebrity cutting event


attacked by Indians in New Mexico in1867, Loving’s dying wish to his friendGoodnight was to be buried in Weatherford.Goodnight brought Loving’s body back 600miles to Weatherford by wagon for burial.This was the inspiration behind Texasauthor Larry McMurty’s novel LonesomeDove. Loving is buried in Weatherford’sGreenwood Cemetery. The population ofWeatherford nearly doubled from 14,804 in1990 to 25,250 in 2010 primarily due to arapid influx of cutting-horse enthusiasts.Today there are many ranches in the areaand the majority of them are dedicated tothe cutting-horse industry.

Joe Moran works in the firearms depart-ment at Cowan’s Auctions in Cincinnati,Ohio. He can be reached [email protected].


arch 23 was the first timeVirginia Military Institute CadetJason Nave had ever put a fly in

the water. Turned out it was worth theeffort of a semester of preparatory clinicswith the VMI Fishing Club, as he and histeammate, Washington and Lee Universitystudent Oliver Nettere, won the day. Theevent was the second annual VMI-W&LFly Fishing Tournament, and Nave’ssuccess illustrates the benefit of pairing theinexperienced with the experienced –

passing on the skill and the art – and theconfidence to embrace both. The tworacked up 9,280 points during two sessionsof fishing on Dunlap Creek at EscatawbaFarms in Alleghany County. Five fish ineach of two sessions were scored, at 100points per fish plus 20 points per centimeter.

They received prizes that includeda wooden engraved fly box stocked withflies furnished by the national TroutUnlimited organization and Costa Del Mar,plus a free day of fishing at Escatawba

Farms. Second-place winners Cadet RyanDick and W&L student James Freemanreceived engraved metal fly boxes withflies for their 9,260 points. A 52-centimeter(20.5 inches) trout snared the biggest fishaward for the team of Cadet JonathanCampbell and W&L student Will Travis,who at the end of the day landed in fifthplace.

In addition to nurturing a love ofthe sport, the tournament is intended tofoster relationships between the two

Novice Triumphs in Collegiate Fly Fishing Tournament

Story by Sherri TombargePhotos by Kevin Remington

M

W&L student Oliver Nettere casts as team-mate Cadet Jason Nave holds the net ready.Beat official and Skyline Chapter TroutUnlimited board member Matt Miles observesthe team, which took first place.


neighboring but disparate campuses. Bothare located in Lexington, but VMI’s rigidschedule discourages frequent interactionbetween the student bodies. The tourna-ment pits 10 teams, each composed of onecadet and one W&L student, against oneanother. Fourteen students who competedin last year’s tournament returned to

compete again this year.The VMI and W&L clubs offer

instruction in fly fishing throughout theyear, with clinics on fly tying and casting inthe months leading up to the tournament.Alumni and members of the SkylineChapter of Trout Unlimited, who as thetournament’s beat officials measured and

released the trout, also support the clinicsand other fishing outings.

The VMI Fishing Club wasestablished in 2009 with 33 cadetmembers. In that same year, a couple ofcadets competed in a college bass fishingtournament sponsored by FLW Outdoors.Since then, VMI cadets have participated inseveral of these tournaments.

“We are not interested in turningthese cadets into fly-fishing snobs,” saidCol. Lee Dewald, math professor and facultyadviser to the VMI Fishing Club. “Somepeople go through a transition, first fishingwith live bait and perhaps a cane pole andbobber, then fishing with various types ofartificial lures and a spinning rod.Learning how to fly fish is sort of a naturalprogression in the sport,” he said, notingthat there are many techniques to thedifferent types of fly fishing as well.

The two clubs also reinforcefishermen’s ideals of clean, drinkable,fishable water through stream cleanups,often in conjunction with the SkylineChapter TU, the Virginia Department ofGame and Inland Fisheries, and the U.S. theDepartment of Forestry. In addition,students in the club take advantage of otherleadership and service opportunities,participating, for instance, in ProjectHealing Waters programs for veterans at alocal trout pond belonging to MichaelSmith, an officer in the Skyline Chapter.Smith works closely with both fishingclubs, and his pond is the home water of theVMI Fishing Club.

“We planned to create all newteams for this year’s tournament,” saidDewald. However, the members of thefour returning teams each requested thatDewald and Dr. Robert Humston, biologyprofessor and faculty adviser to the W&LFly-fishing Club, allow them to fish togetheragain this year. “We thought this was a bigdeal and exactly the kind of camaraderie weare trying to promote between fishermen atthe two schools,” said Dewald.

Tournament participants used

VMI Cadet Alex Erber nets a fish teammate W&L student Steele Burrow has just brought in.

Measuring a catch are W&L student Will Travis (L), beat official and W&L alumnus Wes Tetsworth (C),and VMI Cadet Jonathan Campbell (R).



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mostly nymphs and streamers. No onefished a dry fly during the tournament.However later that day, after the tourna-ment had concluded, there was a midgehatch in beat No. 8, and several big rain-bows were taken on dry flies.

Rules allow only one person from

each team to fish the team’s beat at any onetime, with team members switching offevery time a fish is caught or at regularintervals. More experienced students gaveguidance to less experienced teammates,and some, especially the second-yearteams, concentrated on team-fishing skills,netting fish for one another and swappingrods when lines broke.

“With only one allowed to fish at atime, their strategies kept the fly on thewater and the fish interested,” said Dewald,noting that the tournament is one of themore noteworthy fly fishing events withcollege students because it is one of the fewto involve fishing clubs from more than onecollege. In fact, Dewald and Humstonreceived the Chairman’s Award from theVirginia Council of Trout Unlimited inApril 2012 for coordinating the inauguraltournament.

The tournament serves as a high-light of the year’s activities. This year, thewaters were welcoming, unlike last yearwhen steady rain, as well as high andmurky water, dampened the fish’s but notthe students’ enthusiasm.

Sherri Tombarge is an editor and writer inthe Virginia Military Institute Office ofCommunications and Marketing.

Cadet George Liddicoat casts a streamer under the watchful eye of beat official ErikSorensen, board member of Skyline Chapter Trout Unlimited.


t’s a late afternoon in mid-May, andDave Arnold is standing behind hisFayette County, West Virginia, home,

tracing the evolution of his company,Adventures on the Gorge. For more thanthree decades, he’s been running the rapidshere. “We started as a rafting company, andit was 80 percent of our business,” he says.“Now it’s 33 percent. I tell people we’re anadventure resort – you can spend as manydays as you want in the outdoors, and we’llprovide lodging, food, beverages and enter-tainment.”

He pauses for a minute, gazessouthwest across the New River Gorge, andquietly remarks, “You know we’re standingon air here, right?” Indeed. We’re 25 feetfrom the back door of Arnold’s home,perched on a three-foot-thick slab of Nuttallsandstone that juts out 10 feet from the rimof the gorge, like a cream-colored tongue

Taking the

PlungeNew River Gorge:Disneyland in the

Wilderness

By J. Michael WeltonFayetteville is the county seat of Fayette County.

Both are named for the Marquis de Lafayette.(Photo courtesy of Fayetteville CVB)

I


The New River Gorge in West Virginia is 4,000 feet wide from wall to wall, and 876 feet deep from rim to riverbed. (Photo courtesy of New River Gorge CVB)

stuck firmly out of a mouthful of rocks. It’snot for the vertigo-challenged.

Fifty feet beneath us, soft wisps ofclouds drift by. Another 826 feet down, therain-swollen, reddish-brown New Riverroars and sloshes south to north – one of thefew North American rivers that runs thatway. And 4,000 feet across – on theopposite side of the gorge – a deep green,forested wall looms large in the distance.

Below, a coal train snakes its wayalong the New, on CSX tracks that willdeliver its load downstream to the JamesRiver tracks, and from there to TidewaterVirginia for eventual export. Coal still playsan important role in this part of the state,but it’s not nearly as dominant as it oncewas, back in the heady days of the 1920sand ’30s. “All the towns were owned by thecompany, all the mines were owned by thecompany and all the miners were paid inscrip that was redeemable only in the

Outdoor activities, like harness-rides through treetop canopies, are major drivers for the Fayettevilleeconomy.

For more than three decades, Class IV whitewater rafting has been a challenging draw for thrill-seekerson the New River. (Photos courtesy of Adventures on the Gorge)


company store,” says Carl Frischkorn,Arnold’s neighbor and a West Virginianative who’s developing 655 acres nextdoor. The last coal mine in the New RiverGorge closed in the 1960s.

Now, there’s a new industry firingthe local economy – in the gorge, in FayetteCounty and in Fayetteville, its county seat.“It’s outdoor recreation – and it’s huge,”says Sally Kiner, executive director of theHistoric Fayetteville Convention andVisitors Bureau. “We’re best known for theNew River Gorge Bridge and whitewaterrafting, but Fayetteville is much more thanthat – there’s world-class rock-climbing,mountain-biking and extensive access tothe National Park trail system.”

I nthe

About 100,000 guests sign up for Adventures on the Gorge every year. Hikes through trails and across bridges are among the activities offered.(Photos courtesy of Adventures on the Gorge)

Canoeing is popular along some of the slower stretches of the New River. (Photo courtesy of Wild Rock)


late 19th and early 20th centuries, coal-infused cash built the town of Fayetteville,its architecture clearly a cut above thetypical West Virginia village. But it’srecreation that keeps the place hummingalong today. Sure, attorneys still areplentiful, as they are in any county seat,but the town’s retail makeup has changeddramatically. Only the Ben Franklin, family-owned for 58 years, endures as a thrivingsymbol of the town’s mercantile past.“Fayetteville presently has a very healthymercantile community with numerousunique shops including a yoga studio, twomountain bike shops, an outdoor adventureshop and a rock-climbing outfitter,” Kinersays.

Then there are the restaurants –

nine in total just in the downtown area,including Cajun, Mexican and a localfavorite, the quizzically named DirtyErnie’s Rib Pit. Fayetteville is now anepicurean destination for those who hike,bike, raft, fish, climb and kayak the NewRiver Gorge – as well as those who jumpoff the 876-foot-tall bridge that spans thenearby chasm.

That’s right: one day a year, it’slegal for skydivers to jump off the NewRiver Gorge Bridge, and float all the way tothe bottom. Some land in the water andothers on the shore. In 2012, a wheelchair-bound man raised more than a few eye-brows by parachuting off the bridge anddropping safely to ground. “There aren’tmany places where it’s legal to bridge-

jump, and relatively safely,” says CynthiaDragan, Bridge Day chair at the New RiverGorge Convention and Visitors Bureau.“You have to have [done] 100 skydives tobe allowed to jump.”

Since 1980, when Bridge Day wasestablished, the bridge shuts down to trafficfor one day in the fall so those who want tojump can have at it. Normally 450 sign up,but the record number of jumpers actuallytotals 421. They leap one at a time, thoughtandem jumps are not uncommon.

Skydivers from 41 states and 10foreign nations flock to the event. It’s free,with as few as 35,000 spectators attendingon a slow day, and 100,000 on a good one.The most jumps in a single day were in2008, with a total of 1,062 multiple jumps.

On one day in September every year, skydivers are allowed to jump off the NewRiver Bridge into the gorge below. (Photos courtesy of New River Gorge CVB)

More than 400 skydivers have taken the plunge on Bridge Day, with asmany as 100,000 spectators looking on.


Still, the question lingers: Why leap off aperfectly good bridge?

“Because it’s there,” Dragan says.“For some people, it’s on their bucket list.”The wild and wooly nature of the gorge hascaught on with the very young, too. Thissummer, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA)held its first-ever Jamboree on the Summit,14,042 acres of land it’s acquired sevenmiles south of Fayetteville. From there,scouts have access to 70,000 more acres ofNational Park land. From July 15–24, about50,000 scouts and staff descended ontoFayette County to spend time in thewilderness, with an added emphasis onhelping others. “What’s really cool is thateach scout has to do one day of communityservice,” Dragan says.

Plans called for scouts to be sentout in groups of 40, on about 150 busesevery day. They were scheduled to clean upan old cemetery, build trails in the townpark and paint the law enforcement museumand jail. In all, the scouts had a to-do list of350 projects across nine counties in south-ern West Virginia. For the past couple ofyears, BSA has been building facilities formountain climbing, camping, all-terrainvehicles, and skeet shooting, as well as anamphitheater and a bridge over a majorravine. “It’s just phenomenal,” Dragansays. “Not only do they come for theJamboree, but some will come back for theadventure base.”

About 400 rooms can accommodateJamboree participants' families in andaround Fayetteville, including a number ofbed & breakfasts like the Morris HarveyHouse downtown, and three hotels alongU.S. Route 19 outside of town. Surroundingareas offer additional options.

Frischkorn, the developer wholives next door to Arnold, offers secludedresidential rentals at Wild Rock, a relativelynew community atop the plateau withviews of the gorge and bridge. It’s beenmaster-planned by Warren Byrd of theCharlottesville, Virginia landscapearchitecture firm, Nelson Byrd Woltz.

At the Boy Scouts National Jamboree in July, visitors and scouts explored a boardwalk above restoredwetlands, part of more than 14,000 acres called the Summit which is owned by the Boy Scouts.

About 50,000 scouts participated in the Jamboree, their tents set up for camping adjacent to GoodrichLake; each scout was committed to one day of community service.

(Photos coutesy of Boy Scouts of America)


Byrd paid close attention to the site’s topog-raphy, with a plan based on nature. Theidea was to understand the stream corridorsand rock outcroppings, and let thecommunity grow out of them, rather thantrying to force something upon them.

Ten miles of tracks and trails windthrough Wild Rock. Each lot – with viewsto stream, valley or forest – is set back torespect the vistas. “People want a view ofthat gorge, but you don’t want peoplelooking up at houses from down there,”Byrd says. That view, of course, is part ofwhat’s been bringing people to the area forthe past few decades, along with Arnold’s250 acres at Adventures on the Gorge.About 100,000 people visit there everyyear; 800 guests can overnight on anyevening, in a variety of accommodations.They range from rustic campsites toplatform tents to bunkhouses and deluxecabins with hot tubs. Meals at fourrestaurants are part of the all-inclusiveproposition. “You pay one price, excludingalcoholic beverages,” Arnold says.

Guests wake up in the morning tochoose among a whitewater raft excursion,a hike through the wooded trails in thewoods, a climb up the gorge’s sandstonewalls, a mountain bike ride down, a fishingtrip for smallmouth on the New River ortrout in its tributaries, a harnessed-by-wire ride through a treetop canopy, or – to get theheart really thumping – a rip-roaring teardown the resort’s legendary zip lines. Onein particular, the 3,150-foot-long, 200-foot-high AdrenaLine, is clearly not for the faintof heart. “It’s a tower-based zip line withbig views and a hair-on-fire, 60-mph ridethrough the air,” he says.

An even more ambitious activitymay be in the pipeline too, one that mighteasily top them all. “They’re not across thegorge yet, but they’re working on that,”says Frischkorn. He’s referring to aproposed new zip line that would stretchhigh across the gorge, wall-to-wall, forabout 4,000 feet. “It’ll take three or fourminutes to get across,” Arnold says. “We

Wild Rock, a lush and sustainable development overlooking the New River Gorge, offers a number ofrental homes in secluded settings on 655 acres.

This home at Wild Rock was designed by architects Cecilia and Robert Nichols of Formwork, based inCharlottesville, Virginia. (Photos courtesy of Wild Rock)


have to work with the Park Service to make it happen, butwe’ve been talking to them about it.”

And why not? If people can shoot a Class IV rapids onthe New River, climb straight up its canyon walls, and jumpfreely and legally off its 876-foot-tall bridge, why not build agravity line to plunge across its gorge?

Just don’t think about the height. Instead, imagine theviews.

For more information on Fayetteville and the New RiverGorge, visit www.NewRiverGorgeCVB.com or call(800) 927-0263.

J. Michael Welton writes about architecture, art and design fora number of national and international publications. He alsoedits and publishes an online design magazine at www.archi-tectsandartisans.com. Portions of this article were firstpublished there.


trongyle worms (Trichostrongylustenuis) had long bedeviled wild red

grouse living on the moors of northernEngland. Four- to five-year infestationcycles caused dramatic fluctuations in thegrouse population. No shooting could takeplace during years when bird numbers weretoo low. Although red grouse can be pen-raised, it is difficult to make released birdsadapt to a natural diet. Game and WildlifeConservation Trust (GWCT) studies in the1980s led to production of grit containingthe anti-worm medicine Panacur. Theformula was modified and improved in2006. Birds consume grit for their gizzardsto help digest tough vegetable matter. Thegrit was made available in two-chamberedboxes placed on the moors. One chambercontained medicated grit, while the otherheld non-medicated grit. The medicated gritwas removed at least one month beforeshooting season to prevent the medication’sentry into human digestive systems.

Studies compared the use ofmedicated versus non-medicated grit onvast tracts of land and dozens of moorsevery year. Results have been spectacular.Ninety percent of grouse moors now utilizemedicated grit. Worm infestation has declined somuch that researchers are recommendingreducing or eliminating the use of medicat-ed grit in areas of low infestation to delayor prevent parasite resistance to the drug.Red grouse-breeding success and popula-tions have increased, which has broughtgreater shooting revenue (an estimatedadditional £1,200 per 100 hectares—almost $2,000 per 250 acres). Researchin this area will continue, thanks to GWCT.

Conservation Through ResearchThe Game Conservancy

Story by Barclay RivesPhotos courtesy of GWCT and J. Mainelli

S

Shooters in southern England


The GWCT achieves conservationof game species and habitat through thepractical application of its research.Chairman Ian Coghill writes in the U.K.group’s 2011 annual report that GWCTspends a greater proportion of its funds onresearch than comparable organizations(over £3 million for research in 2011).More importantly, he notes that the successof the research is due to the widespreadimplementation of its findings for the

benefit of farms, estates and shoots. BruceGauntlett runs shoots and has been amember of the trust for over 50 years. In asalute to his volunteer work in the Spring2013 issue of the GWCT magazineGamewise, Gauntlett declares, “Everyonewho shoots and fishes should join the trustas its research supports a way of lifecherished by so many of us, and its workwill provide a lasting legacy for generationsto come.”

The trust’s research teamspublished 37 scientific papers in 2011,many of which involve decades of data-gathering. One subject is the relationshipbetween squirrel and bird populations.Though studies since 2008 suggest wood-land-songbird populations rise when thesquirrel population declines, researcherssuggest more fieldwork is needed beforethe findings can be considered conclusive.Another study found that woodcockwintering in the U.K. originate fromdiverse and remote locations, includingRussia, the Baltic nations, Scandinavia andcentral Europe.

Bumblebees are important pollinatorswhose numbers have declined, and aGWCT study determined how to attractbumblebees to artificial nesting sites byusing material from abandoned vole nests.Other studies include disease and mortalityin wild pheasants, wildlife in hemp fields,beetles, earthworms, fungi, effect of sterilestocked trout on wild trout populations, andfarming practices to maximize gamepopulations. The trust makes its dataavailable through courses and an on-siteadvisory service for those owning ormanaging land.

The trust was founded in 1931 byMajor H.G. Eley, head of Eley Ltd., avenerable ammunition company thatremains a premier brand. The major’sorganization first studied gray or Hungarianpartridges, an important game specieswhich generated significant ammunitionsales. Eley wanted to know what factorsaffected partridge population numbers.After disruption caused by World War II,Eley’s parent company, Imperial ChemicalIndustries, opened a new game researchstation in 1948 along with Eley GameAdvisory Service to put research results toeffective use. The organization became anindependent charity, the GameConservancy Trust, in 1980 and acquired itspresent name, Game and WildlifeConservation Trust, in 2007.

Americans who wanted to support

The accommodations for a GCUSA shooting party in 2010.


the trust created in the 1980s an Americanbranch that is now called GameConservancy USA (GCUSA), presentlyheadquartered in New Canaan,Connecticut. The American organizationprimarily supports GWCT research, whilenoting that research can be used for thebenefit of American game birds such asquail and Great Plains pheasants, amongothers. Robert S. (Robyn) Hatch is Directorof GCUSA. He wants to expand and broadenU.S. membership. While GCUSA presentlyhas over 300 members, GWCT has over20,000 members in the U.K. “The trust is aresearch organization that is practicallyoriented,” says Hatch.

Hatch explains how the trustinitiates long-term research, analyzes theresults and then promotes successful resultsto landowners and government agencies, inorder to encourage smart land use andgame-management techniques. He notesthat because game populations and theirhabitats are more concentrated in the U.K.

Shooting and staying at Highclere Castle, where the PBS series Downton Abbey is set, was one of offerings in the 2011 auction.


than in the U.S., game populations respondmore quickly to changes in land usemeasures. “The lessons learned by theGWCT over the past 30 years are directlyapplicable to managing game and wildlifehabitats worldwide, but are not well knownoutside the U.K.,” observes Hatch.

GCUSA members enjoy threeorganized shooting events every year,

though the greatest benefit for members isthe opportunity to attend an annual charityauction to benefit GWCT, held in New YorkCity each fall. The auction offers premieropportunities for the discerning sportsman,which included for instance in 2011, twodays of partridge shooting for eight gunswith accommodations at Highclere Castleas guests of the Earl and Countess of

Carnavon. Highclere Castle is the settingfor the popular PBS series Downton Abbey.The 2012 auction included three days ofgrouse shooting during a stay at TillypronieHouse in Scotland, located near theQueen’s residence of Balmoral.

Additional offerings includeshooting at other select U.K. locations aswell as adventures elsewhere such as redstag hunting in Spain, bonefishing in theBahamas and dove shooting in Argentina.Successful bidders traveling to the U.K.venues understand the high sportingstandards expected in the British country-side and the privilege of being hosted ashouse guests, and have behaved accordinglywithin castle walls and in the field. Titledhosts and hostesses, who open their doorsfor the benefit of GWCT, have come toappreciate the shooting parties assembledby GCUSA. Hatch notes. “We’ve beensucessful in that our British hosts continueto invite us back.”

Hatch does not view GCUSA asbeing in competition with other conservationgroups. Efforts of the Game and WildlifeConservation Trust complement the workof other organizations which focus ondifferent areas, such as land acquisition andpreservation. Hatch urges all conservation-minded sportsmen to support, or at least torecognize the importance of GWCT. Heconcludes, “GWCT is unique in its abilityto turn important research into measurableand practical results. We ought to be payingattention, because they have been sosuccessful.”

Additional information on how tosupport or participate in GCUSA can befound at www.gcusa.org or by [email protected].

Barclay Rives lives on a small portion ofhis grandfather’s estate in Keswick,Virginia, and foxhunts with the KeswickHunt Club.

Tillypronie House in Scotland

Walking to the moors in Scotland


he mailbox with a concrete turkeyon top is a clue. It belongs to JohnMetzger of Vesuvius, Virginia, an

avid turkey hunter and guide. If you bag aparticularly nice turkey, Metzger is also anaccomplished taxidermist. I crossed thenarrow bridge over South River and enteredthe Metzger property.

Born in New England, Metzgermoved with his family to Virginia Beachwhere he went to high school. Metzger’sintroduction to shooting was while astudent at Virginia Military Institute (Classof ’71). In the years that followed, as oftenhappens, making a living interrupted hischosen lifestyle — that of hunting andshooting. Metzger enrolled in a guide

school in Montana. He worked threemonths in the fall at an Idaho fishing camp.During a sports show, Metzger met RonNemetchek, owner and guide of NorthRiver Outfitting in Athabasca, Alberta,Canada. He hunted with Nemetchek andtook some respectable whitetails, and theirconnection grew until now Metzgerrepresents North River Outfitting at sportshows on the East Coast.

He married a girl from Lexington,Virginia, and settled in the area. Taxidermywas Metzger’s ticket to financial securitywhile allowing time to hunt. As a kid,Metzger helped a neighbor mount a seagull.So he thought, “Why not?” He studiedtaxidermy and worked with taxidermists to

learn the basics and their hidden skills. Hepracticed, watched others, attended coursesand seminars and is now recognized as oneof Virginia’s top taxidermists. A pile of blueribbons attests to Metzger’s taxidermy skill.His mounts are amazing – huge and sorealistic that you almost expect to hear asnort from a buck mount! Metzger hasmounted five of the top muzzle-loadingnon-typical whitetail bucks (those withunusual racks) harvested in the OldDominion.

Metzger also has replicas of severalof the world’s largest whitetail deer such asthe Miles Hanson buck (currently the worldrecord whitetail) or the Jordan Buck (theprevious world record) or the Hole-In-the-Horn Buck (one of the top non-typicaldeer). A replica is an actual mounted white-tail but with resin antlers attached. “Themost difficult thing about making a replicamount is finding a hide that is largeenough,” says Metzger. “World records areusually huge deer and it takes a large hideto do justice to the enormous antlers.”

Turkey hunting is also a large partof Metzger’s livelihood. “I love huntingspring turkeys when the toms are showingoff for their ladies,” says Metzger.

Turkeys, Whitetails and TaxidermySportsman John Metzger

Story and Photos by Carol Leuder

T

Don’t shoot!

Metzger in his taxidermy studio


Metzger’s guide business started with apop-up camper and a classified ad in aWashington, D.C., newspaper. He bookedhis season in one day! Now in his 35thseason, Metzger has access to privatehunting land in four counties. He convertedthe upstairs area of his taxidermy studio toa lodge to accommodate client hunters. Thewalls are decorated with those world-classwhitetail replicas, turkeys and great art.

Metzger gauges turkeys in aparticular way. Many people look at thelength of the beard, but long beards canbecome worn and break off. Metzgerconsiders the length of the tom’s spur the“trophy” measurement. “Turkeys havetheir own category at taxidermy contestsbecause they are so much harder to do thanducks or other upland game birds. A turkeyhas to have 1- 3/8-inch spurs before I willmount him for myself,” said Metzger.

As a life member of the NationalWild Turkey Federation (NWTF) Metzgerparticipates through area banquets, displays

and support. Virginia has the top Jakesgroup in the nation. (Jakes are youngturkeys and the NWTF Jakes is a youthdivision.) The NWTF was started by agroup of gentlemen in Winchester, Virginiain 1973, and now has more than250,000 members throughout the world.It is based in Edgefield, South Carolina.

John Metzger may be contacted at(540) 261-2092.

Carol Lueder worked in Chicagoadvertising agencies as a writer until shefounded her own company, Fair Chase,which specializes in hunting, shooting andequestrian books and sporting antiques.Lueder has been published in ShootingSportsman as well as various Midwesternmagazines.Metzger at work in his studio

Wake up to these in the Metzger lodge


ut behind the magnificent barn-turned-cidery at Castle Hill inAlbemarle County, Virginia sits a

simple run-in shed that is just…perfect. Itsproportions in relation to the three-boardwhite fence surrounding it, its placementwithin the paddock, the cornice returns onthe gable ends, the board-and-batten siding,the narrow windows framing trees and sky:all of it is perfect.

John Rhett beams and says, “I lovethat building,” As well he should becausehe designed it.

But a run-in shed? Here is anarchitect who has designed buildings inevery style imaginable, from Jeffersonianclassical to New Mexico pueblo; yet hederives great pleasure in a lowly run-in-shed.

Rhett smiles bashfully and thenpatiently points out that it is the relationshipof the structure to its surroundings that isimportant. The little building is not placedat the edge of the paddock, nor is it smack-dab in the middle. “I placed that veryparticularly to create a poignancy of beingalone in the paddock.” Its placement in thatspace is as critical as the placement of alarge stone in a Japanese garden.

“What I like to do is both architecture

The Perfect Run-in ShedArchitect, John Rhett

By Phil AudibertPhotos courtesy of John Rhett

O

Castle Hill Cider

Pretty infinity-edged pool for a home at the top of a mountain near Charlottesville, Virginia

and landscape,” continues Rhett. Whilemany architects will manipulate the land-scape to fit the building, he will, more oftenthan not, fit the building to the landscape.He calls it “an oriental feel, where thebuilding and the landscape are talking toeach other. It’s more integrated thandominated.” In the case of the run-in shed,the building is more hardscape thanarchitecture, as crucial to the landscapingas an ancient folly, stone wall, terrace orgravel walkway.

Rhett’s journey to this way ofthinking and designing has been asinteresting as a saunter through a gardenmaze. Born in Minnesota, with an earlychildhood in the Andes and summers in theThousand Islands, Rhett spent hisformative years in Darien, Connecticut.But it was in Jackson Hole, Wyoming thathe caught the architecture bug from hisuncle, who had designed buildings in thearea since the 1950s.

Accepted to a five-year double-major program at Rice University, Rhettstudied fine arts and architecture until theHouston atmosphere literally became toooppressive. He ran off to New Mexico todesign solar pueblo-inspired buildings.That was in the late 1970s. “In Houstonthere was a lot of glass and steel, and I wasmissing the connection to the earth andmaking things with your hands,” heremarks.

Rhett eventually returned to Riceto finish his degrees and wound up inCharlottesville where he met his mentor,garden designer Francois Goffinet, whowas at the time working on John Kluge’sestate gardens. Goffinet was looking for aproject manager for a huge 11-acre land-scaping and structural redo in Bel Air,California. Rhett landed the job.

Working with gardening expert(and The Virginia Sportsman contributor)Ian Robertson, Rhett says the Los Angelesproject “is what got me into the landscape-design world.” The architect creditsGoffinet for having a magical sense of

Marchfields outside Boston is one of the traditional homes designed by Rhett.

Rhett designed the interior of Caspari,a high-end accessory store in Charlottesville,Virginia. The only otherCaspari store is in Paris.

The library at Wareham near Gloucester, Virginia


proportion and attention to details.“Hopefully some of that has rubbed off onme,” says Rhett. It was here that Rhettlearned where to place things similar to theway he did that small run-in shed. “It couldbe anywhere in that field, but it fits there fora certain reason. It could be right on axiswith everything else and it could fit therealso, but it wouldn’t be quite as intriguing.”

Flipping through a portfolio ofbuildings that Rhett has designed and built,it is obvious that he cannot be pigeonholed.On one page is something right out ofJefferson with some French influences; onanother is a modern home of wood andglass with a huge exterior stone chimneymodeled after Italian windmills. Turn thepage and you’ll find a classic Virginia farm-house.

“I can’t make up my mind,” hejokes. Then he turns serious. “If I were tomeet somebody and all I did was whiteboard-and-batten farmhouses, I would beforcing that on that person. Part of what Ilove is working with people and finding justthe right thing,” he says. “To me theexciting part is putting that little mealtogether, where you’ve got different thingscoming in combinations. It becomes a richexperience for everyone.”

He is also intrigued by thechallenges of architecture, how it combinesso many disciplines: biology, math,physics, all the sciences seen through the

eye of the artist. It’s also about solvingproblems, holding hands, orchestrating andseeing the big picture while not overlookingthe minute details. “It’s kind of fun to haveto be able to do that,” says Rhett.

Rhett likes to bring in the interiordesigner and the landscape architect earlyon in a project. “That’s really what thedesign team is there for, to come up with avision, implement it and get it done well.It’s very important that it is an enjoyableprocess for the client, for me and for thecontractor.”

In his spare time, Rhett can beseen occasionally in the hunt field, on thebanks of a trout stream, or hiking a trail inthe Blue Ridge. And he will while awayhours simply drawing and sketching, usually

buildings as part of a landscape. Several years ago, he persuaded

the current owner at Castle Hill not to teardown what had been a fancy show barn forpedigreed cattle. He calls the barn one ofthe most beautiful structures in AlbemarleCounty. It was saved and restored, andunder Rhett’s guidance, became Castle HillCidery and a special-events destination.The only problem at that time was it had noview. And so, in a reversal of Rhett’s adagethat landscape determines architecture, nowarchitecture would determine landscape. Apine barren across the way from the barnbecame an English landscape with the carefulplacement of trees on a hillside and areflecting pond at its foot. The pond itself isunique in that it is designed to flood back

A wildflower garden inKeswick, Virginia

Architect John Rhettand his run-in shed


into a natural wetland rather than crash overa riprap channel.

John Rhett jumps into his SUVand rolls cross-country through a hayfieldand up onto a knoll that has views of Peter’sMountain on one side and the PiedmontPlain on the other. If he were going to builda house, this is where he would put it. Hepoints to the cidery in the distance. “Fromhere, the barn now has the same poignancyas the little run-in shed. Their relationshipin the landscape is the same.”

For more information on John Rhett, visitwww.rhettarchitects.com.

Phil Audibert has been writing and shootingphotographs since he was 16. He has wonnumerous writing awards from the VirginiaPress Association. You are welcome to visithim at AudibertPhoto.com.

DesignedLandscapesTailored to your Lifestyle

IAN ROBERTSON, LTDCharlottesville, VA

(434) [email protected]


ative bird populations haveplummeted since RachelCarson’s Silent Spring sent up

warning flares back in 1962. One of theoften overlooked causes for this decline isthe lack of high-protein food supplies, avital portion of which is provided by thelarval stage of butterflies and moths.

These larvae, for the most part, areselective feeders and can be sustained onlyby certain native plants within their regionalecosystems. Gardeners generally plantshowy exotic species promoted by thehorticultural industry. Often these plantsare installed to replace many of the existingnative species. Due to the specific chemicalmakeup of leaves and the evolutionary timeit takes for native plants and animals todevelop a harmonious affinity, an insuperablegap in reliable nutrition arises when exoticplants replace natural flora.

How satisfying it is to experiencea flutter of butterflies around our exoticbutterfly bushes! However, though nectaris gathered by the butterflies, their larvaeare not capable of feeding on the leaves.

Saving LepidopteraStory by Ian Robertson

Photos courtesy of Doug Tallamy

NThis beautiful butterfly disappears when we remove eastern red cedars from our landscapes.

Ninety-six percent of our terrestrial birds feed their young on insects.

The thought that the anise swallowtailbutterfly larvae feeding only on membersof the parsley family, or that milkweed isthe only source of food for monarchs is notheartening. Landscapes devoid of parsleyfamily or milkweed threaten certainLepidoptera and thus, in turn, birdpopulations. Bluebirds will eat 300caterpillars a day when available. This lackof high-protein larval sustenance alsoaffects many other insects such as spidersand beetles, and even large animals such asblack bears which anticipate a seasonallarval protein bar.

Despite the dire situation, there areactions we can take. Doug Tallamy isprofessor and chair of the Department ofEntomology and Wildlife Ecology at theUniversity of Delaware. Much of his recentwork has been involved with animal/plantrelationships and their influence on localecology. Tallamy notes that even thoughthere are several causes for the decline ofnative animal and plant populations, theloss of host food for the native insects isone cause we can address.

Through his teaching, his publiclectures and his enjoyable and instructivebook Bringing Nature Home, people are

beginning to hear Tallamy’s urgent calls.Some 90 percent of our native butterfliesand moths feed only on certain specificnative flora. How many of our gardens havegood numbers of natives? My ongoingpreoccupation is to root out Oriental bitter-sweet, Japanese honeysuckle, autumn olive,akebia and porcelain vine – all of whichwere introduced as ornamentals and arepractically worthless to native Lepidoptera.I need to be rid of the imports and makeroom for the natives.

Another step I undertook a fewyears ago was to avoid mowing the entire

lawn. Leaving islands of unmowed lawnnot only increases insect populations butalso saves fuel. By changing mowingpatterns, interesting paths winding through-out the lawn are created with no extra financialinvestment. Tallamy suggests that the onlylawn you need is where you think you willwalk and a reasonable space for weddingsand Frisbees. He notes that lawn grass isusually not native to the area. However, arich deciduous oak/hickory forest is native.Indeed, oak is host to some 55,734 butter-fly/moth species; native cherry, 456; blackwillow, 455; river birch, 413, and so on.

We will not enjoy zebra swallowtails in our yardswithout its host plant, pawpaw.

It takes 6,000-9,000 caterpillars to sustain one clutch of Carolina chickadees.

The green larva of this butterfly helps nourish hungry birds in the spring. It develops only on native viburnums.

Similarly the herbaceous native aster hosts109, wild strawberry, 75; clover, 115; sun-flower, 73; goldenrod, 112; geranium, 23,and milkweed 12.

Many people plant exoticsbecause they are less prone to pests orbecause the native willow lacks interest orthe native cherry is a regular host for tentcaterpillars. Tallamy advocates creating astrong native ecology, certainly with someexotics added if wished, which will developa balanced ecosystem where species riseand fall, but for the most part, an equilibriumis sustained.

According to projections deducedfrom Tallamy’s research, reducingAmerica’s lawn area by half and replacingit with native species would create a naturalhabitat area equal to all the major nationalparks in this country. Providing naturalcorridors to connect these areas wouldallow animals and insects to interact withother populations and sustainable communitieswould have a far better chance of becomingthe norm, which is vital for the future.Tallamy notes that a 35-acre wood in thevicinity of the University of Delawarecampus, isolated from similar sites bysuburban development, saw a reduction inspecies survival – particularly for boxturtles. When one realizes the average lotsize in Delaware is a mere 10 acres, weshould be very concerned.

Tallamy will be presenting one ofhis fascinating and entertaining lecturesduring the Old Dairy Heritage Festival thisfall on October 5 in Trimble Hall at the OldDairy Community Center in Warm Springs,Virginia. For additional information, visitwww.olddairyheritagefestival.org orcontact Mary Hodges at [email protected] or call (540) 839-2407.

Ian Robertson is a regular lecturer andauthor of the book Six Thousand Years Upthe Garden Path. His articles appear in FineGardening and Central Virginia Gardener.Robertson can be reached at (434) 978-1714.


Snapshots for Straight Shooting

Henry BaskervilleTeach Young Hunters Safety Etiquette

Henry Baskerville is a NSCA- and NRA-certified shooting instructor and life member of the International Professional Hunters’ Association.He is the director of Cavalier Sporting Clays near Richmond, Virginia. He can be reached at [email protected] or (804) 370-7565.

Moms & Dads: Show young sportsmen that politeness and safety should go hand in hand

in the shooting field. When approaching or leaving the field, safe shooters alwaystransport their shotguns with exposed empty chambers. Whether right- or left-handed, a sportsman should rest his semi-automatic or pump shotgun against hisleft shoulder, or his over/under or a side-by-side shotgun broken open over his leftarm. Bill Cavey sets a fine example for his observant son, Aubrey, when he greetsWayne McClung in the shooting field. Notice that McClung carries his over/undershotgun with the action open in the crook of his left arm while Cavey and his sonboth carry their semi-automatic shotguns against their left shoulders, held in placeby their left hands. That is the polite way to greet friends because it allows the righthand to be available to shake the friend’s hand while clearly showing the approach-ing friend that the gun is empty and safe.


hen Nat Morison organized a memorial service atthe Upperville Trinity Church in May 1974, hewanted to pay tribute to his father, who had died in

1972. Holmes Morison, a native of Middleburg, Virginia, hadbeen a broker at the New York Cotton Exchange–and a jazzlover. The younger Morison and his siblings had grown up to theseductive Dixieland melodies of Bunk Johnson, King Oliver andJelly Roll Morton. The memorial service included the New

CakewalkStory by Hay Hardy

Photos by Adam Wayland

Orleans tradition of a jazz band, which led the processional with afuneral dirge and the recessional with the joyous music of trumpets.After the service, the band and congregation repaired to the Morisonfamily home of Welbourne for hours of music and celebration.

The memorial service was the start of a legacy that wouldhave delighted Holmes Morison. Nat Morison, his brother Georgeand their wives, along with five other couples, decided to gatheragain on the banks of Goose Creek with an old Victrola and someold 78 rpm jazz records. They called themselves the Goose CreekJass and Ragtime Society, deliberately choosing the original spellingof jazz because they played only music made before 1930.

Other friends were invited in subsequent years and thegroup eventually hired jazz musicians to play for a party in thetrophy room at Stoke, the home of George Morison and the familyestate of their mother, Sally Morison. The Stoke Stomp and Strutwas an instant success, and the event became an annual localtradition. The event began to attract more people, and eventually the

W

Morisons moved it outdoors. Today, it isheld the weekend after Labor Day and thelocation alternates between Stoke andWelbourne.

At Welbourne, the event is theWelbourne Cakewalk, named for a jazzmarching dance that was performed at theevent in 1977. Over the years, Nat hastraveled to New Orleans, New York andChicago, even Toronto, looking for greatjazz bands to play at the event. In recentyears, bands have been mainly from NewOrleans and New York, including somestreet musicians who later went on toperform nationally. He has found bandsand solo artists who play boogie-woogie,stride and ragtime, as well as vocalists inthe style of blues singers Bessie Smith andMa Rainey.

Festival attendance is by invitationonly, with invitations sent to more than 250people who pay an entrance fee to hear themusic and enjoy a traditional barbecuesupper. Invitations specify that men mustwear coats and ties to be admitted to theevent. In 2012, attendees heard music byTuba Skinny and the Loose Marbles fromNew Orleans, and Dan Levinson's CrescentCity Jazz Band from New York. The 2013festival will mark its 40th anniversary.

The original jazz festival has now

The most enjoyablemoment for NatMorison (foreground)is when most of theparty attenders havegone home and he issurrounded by hisfamily, close friendsand his dog. (Photo courtesy ofMeg White Forsberg)

Cakewalk asperformed in 1997 (Photo by Barbara

Schulen)

become three annual events. TheWelbourne Cupcake, a much smallerversion of the Cakewalk, is held in July, ajazz and dance camp in August and theWelbourne Cakewalk or the Stoke Stompand Strut in September.

The jazz camp began in 2011, theinspiration of Amy Johnson, swing dancerand mastermind behind The Ultimate LindyHop Showdown, and Ben Polcer, trumpetplayer, piano player, and band leader. Thecamp is designed to bridge the gap betweenjazz music and traditional jazz dances.There are two week-long camps duringAugust, each with about 30 participants.Campers choose a dance program, amusicprogram or a blend of the two genres. Thedance program includes lindy hop, swing,Charleston, jazz, blues, balboa, yap andchorus girls; the music program includesguitar, banjo, bass, tuba, trombone, trumpet,piano, clarinet, saxophone, accordion, fluteand voice. There is also a combined musicand dance program, and an option for thosewho just want to experience a week of jazzwithout instruction. For additionalinformation on the jazz camp, visithttp://www.welbournejazzcamp.com.

About WelbourneThe Morison family home,

Welbourne, has a distinguished history. Itwas purchased in 1830 by John Peyton

Dulany, the great-great-great-grandfather ofNat and George Morison. Dulany boughtthe house and about 520 acres of landaround it. He added a front façade to theoriginal stone house which had been built in1770. According to the Virginia HistoricalSociety, Welbourne is a significant exampleof a late 18th-century stone farmhouse thatevolved into an imposing mansion.Dulany's son, Richard Henry Dulany, was acolonel in the 7th Virginia Cavalry of theConfederate army. Col. Dulany founded thenation's oldest foxhunting club, thePiedmont Hunt, in 1840 and the oldesthorse show, the Upperville Colt and HorseShow, in 1853. Civil War heroes Jeb Stuartand John Singleton Mosby were guests atWelbourne, as were the writers F. ScottFitzgerald and Thomas Wolfe. BothFitzgerald and Wolfe used Welbourne as asetting in their stories. The house is aVirginia Historic Landmark and is listed onthe National Registry of Historic Places.

Today it is in use as an inn. It hasfive main guest rooms, each with adjoiningrooms for children, wood-burning fire-places and private baths. Guests are offered

a hearty Southern breakfast in the diningroom with eggs, sausage, grits and friedtomatoes or apples in the morning.Cocktails are served at 6:30 each evening inthe parlor. The farm at Welbourne alsoboards 85 retired horses.

Additional information:www.welbourneinn.com or www.wel-bournefarm.com.

An historical marker on US 50 commemorates thehistory of Welbourne

This bedroom has housed some important historic figures in the past.


oodbye, dog days of summer andhello, dog days afield. Octoberand November is the time Labs

will be crashing into ponds to retrieve adowned mallards and beagles will be hoton the scent of a rabbit. There may even bea few Brittanies locked on point in anabandoned orchard with a grouse sittingtight. Dog days, indeed!

October and November officiallykick off the hunting season for deer, withbow season, muzzle-loader season andgeneral firearms season all getting underway. Of the three, the black-powder huntinglist seems to be growing in number. That’sbecause the arrival of black-powder seasonhas been coinciding nicely with the firstrut, when big bucks are most vulnerable.For the past few years, the bow-huntingfraternity has remained steady, harvestingaround 15,000 animals per year.

The waterfowl seasons will beannounced later as the time approaches,but if past seasons are followed, Virginiahunters can count on an early wood-duckseason in October with a later season inNovember. With December arrives themajor waterfowl season for both ducksand geese. The forecasts for waterfowl,especially geese, look encouraging so far.

Bird hunters, however, have littleto look forward to except for quail huntingon Virginia preserves. There are so fewwild quail remaining in Virginia that mostbird hunters no longer kennel dogs. On apositive note, grouse hunting looks a littlemore promising this fall with reports ofdecent nesting and grouse chick sightingsin the spring. Hopefully, the majesticruffed grouse of the Virginia mountains

are finally on the comeback trail. Andturkeys are on the rebound as well with arecord harvest last spring.

Fishermen also get excited withthe arrival of October and November.Especially saltwater anglers.

October is an excellent month forspot and croaker, and cobia can often beintercepted on their migrating runs out tosea. The flounder bite picks up steam inOctober at favorite flatfish haunts such asAssateague, The Cell and the BridgeTunnel. Blues are also active and occa-sionally Virginia sportsmen are privilegedto partake in a classic blitz of big bluefishpushing 16 and 18 pounds.

In October and early November,the stripers are spread throughout the Bay,well up into Maryland waters. But as theweather cools, the baitfish begin to tightentheir schools, heading for deep water.Where you find bait, you’ll find stripers,or rockfish as many call them. The aver-age striper caught in the Bay is about 24-26 inches, for the six- and seven-year-oldfish. But before the season ends, andsometimes as early as late November, thebig boys make a Chesapeake appearance –big as in 40 to 60 pounds.

One of the greatest sport fish thatswims in saltwater, the speckled trout, isking of the flats and provides spectacularaction for both fly enthusiasts andconventional anglers armed with reasonablylightweight tackle in the fall months.Puppy drum, too. The past few years havebeen banner ones for juvenile redfish –puppies. This could be one of the best fallsin recent years for red drum.

Offshore, blue-water boats load

up on king mackerel, wahoo, tuna, amber-jack as well as a few billfish, reluctant toleave the bait-rich waters of the VirginiaGulf Stream. Wow! The choices forsaltwater buffs are plentiful indeed.

In freshwater, a kinder, gentlerenvironment awaits Virginia anglers.Those annoying Jet Skis and powerboatspulling skiers are gone. Ducks, geese andmuskrats working the shoreline now sharethe water and the bass are hungry. Movingup in the water table from 18-20 feet duringthe summer, largemouth work the shallowsin fall months, trying to trap baitfish.Largemouth will absolutely tear up a top-water offering when given the opportunity.Likewise, crappie move to more reasonabledepths, sometimes as shallow as four tosix feet, and a small, wiggling shiner doesn’tstand much of a chance on lakes like Buggs,Gaston, Smith Mountain and Anna.

Smallmouth rule the rivers in fallwith terrific action on the James, New andShenandoah rivers. But don’t ignore themuskies, especially on the New Riverwhere a new state record of 56 pounds wasset a few years back.

Catfish continue to bite on riverslike the James, Potomac andRappahannock, as well as what is fastbecoming a trophy catfishery, BuggsIsland Lake. Panfish, like crappie, yellowperch and bluegills, also bite in earnest,feeding while they can before ol’ manwinter arrives. Really, all freshwater fishbite well in the lakes and rivers inOctober/November and the biggest fishbite best.

G

Outdoors with Jim BrewerA Hunting & Fishing Forecast

October/November

e have come to recognize theimportance of maintainingharmony and balance in

nature’s food chain. Even the smallestcreature plays an important role. Birds,bats and especially bees help to enhance theecosystem. Honeybees have been recog-nized for thousands of years as a majorinfluence in this balance and as a criticalpart of the chain. The Egyptians reveredthem. Both etchings of bees and jars of

honey have been found in ancient tombs;these artifacts symbolized immortality,purity and royalty. For sportsmen, honey-bees are among our greatest partners.Without them, our hunting, fishing andother outdoor pursuits would be severelyimpacted.

Since their introduction to Virginiain 1622, honeybees have become a vitalpartner to agriculture. We depend onhoneybees to pollinate our apple orchards,

HoneybeeThe Sportsman’s Friend

OFF THE

TOPIC

Story by Kenneth Walker

WQueen bee with retinue (Photo by Keith Tignor)

Rose Apiary (Photo by Keith Tignor)

pumpkin fields, wheat fields, corn fieldsand other crops. It is estimated that honey-bees enhance our state’s annual appleproduction by $43 million. Without beepollination, there would be fewer berries,brush, and wildflowers – the food and habitatwildlife depend on—and ultimately therewould be fewer quail, woodcock andgrouse to hunt as well as insects to sustainour trout and other fish. Quite simply, weneed honeybees and we need more of them.

Consider this honeybee trivia: What is the only living creature thatproduces its own food? Honeybees.How many flowers must honeybees visitto make one pound of honey? Two million.How many flowers does a honeybee visit

during each collection trip? Fifty to 100. How much honey does the averagehoneybee worker make during her lifetime?1½ teaspoons.How far does a hive of bees fly to bringone pound of honey? Over 55,000 miles. What is the lifespan of the honeybee?Five to six weeks for the female worker,four to seven months for the male drone,and five or more years for the queen.

More than a third of the U. S. dietis dependent on honeybee pollination.Nationwide, this is worth more than $15billion per annum. A typical beehive willhave between 60,000 to 80,000 bees at theheight of the summer months – the timewhen they are busy making honey. Whilethere are many professional hive keeperswho maintain 75 or more hives, we cannotunderestimate the importance of the hobbyistwho keeps only one or two hives.Consider, for example, that one hive willsupport 12 square miles in pollination.

In addition to the honeybees’impact on farmers and sportsmen, a varietyof products come from the hive. Wax fromthe honeycomb is used in making candlesand cosmetics, as well as for waterproofingleather and as a lubricant. Propolis, a resin-based product gathered by bees, is used inmaking varnish. It is said that consumptionof honey helps many of those who sufferfrom hay fever. Honey soothes sore throatsand serves as a natural alternative to rawsugar for our foods and beverages.

Keith Tignor, apiarist with theVirginia Department of Agriculture andConsumer Services, is leading the efforts inpromoting, educating and enlisting newbeekeepers. Tignor is the go-to guy forserious issues. There are others deeplyinvolved in beekeeping – people such asBob Stapleton, a retired police officer whohas been raising bees for more than 40years. Stapleton maintains over 75 hivesand has served as a mentor to dozens ofnew enthusiasts, including this author. Heanswers hundreds of questions each seasonand is always willing to answer more. Bee

clubs and regional associations haveemerged, all supported by people such asTignor and other volunteer mentors.Current membership in the state associationexceeds 1,600 beekeepers. There is even aMaster Beekeeper designation, sponsoredby Virginia Cooperative Extension atVirginia Tech and Virginia State University.

Beekeeping is becoming moreimportant than ever before. In recent yearsthe nation’s bee population has declined bymore than a third each winter. This pastwinter, central Virginia lost approxi-mately half of its bee population. This isattributable to stress on the bee coloniesbrought on by disease, infestation of hivebeetles and the volatile weather and tem-perature patterns. We are facing losses ofhoney sales, lower crop yields and dimin-ished natural cover for our wildlife.

As a beginner beekeeper, Imarveled at the honeybees’ socialstructure, their means of communication,their ability to defend themselves, thedominant role of the female workers versusthe lazy male drones, their reverence fortheir queen, and their tireless efforts oftraveling miles and miles each day tocollect pollen and nectar. I have oftenthought that mankind could take lessonsfrom the honeybee.

As sportsmen we need to supportmeadowland restoration projects andencourage the continuing improvements ineco-friendly farming techniques, particularlyregarding the impact of pesticides. And weneed to encourage our government tocontinue funding for programs and grantsthat support honeybee research at ourcolleges and universities. The beautifullittle creatures are essential to us all.

Kenneth Walker is a frequent contributor toThe Virginia Sportsman. He lives in GlenAllen, Virginia, and maintains two hives.He wishes to acknowledge the contribu-tions of Bob Stapleton and Keith Tignor inthe preparation of this article.

Keith Tignor (R) and Bob Stapleton (L) preparefor hive inspection.

Looking for the queen and brood laying pattern(Photos by Ken Walker)


ear sunset, glorious blood-orangesky: Lekopien at the wheel, me,shotgun, Barofa stands in the

back. Their sharp eyes study the rollingterrain of the Mara, the spotted plain. TheMaasai brings the vehicle to a swift halt,turns off the engine, and whispers in rapidSwahili. Barofa replies.

Lekopien leans toward me and saysquietly, “Do you see the lions? So far wesee 10 – they hunt for their dinner.”

I want to see these lions. For 12 daysI have explored Kenya as a conservationtourist, feasting senses and camera on thewildlife which local game guides havespotted for me. My astigmatic eyes arestarting to see Kenyan and pick out wildlifefrom bush, boulder or tree. This is verysawa (okay). Moved, I feel the prickle oftears and blink hard. I whisper, “Oh! Yes!Thank you!”

The elder male watches two lionesses.

Exploration

Conservation Tourism Protects Kenyan Wildlife Story and Photos by Lauren Giannini

N


A male lion watching the lionesses hunt

Zebra graze peacefully, mingling with antelope, impala and Thomson’s gazelle

Primary stalkers, they slink swiftly,gracefully toward the grazing game, haltand freeze. Their gaze never leaves theirquarry several hundred yards up the slope.Farther behind, farther apart as if to flank orsweep, are two more lionesses. Youngerlions follow closely behind a darker-manedmale moving slightly to one side along withthe elder male. I am awed by their totalfocus. I take many photos, hoping for somegood ones.

The lions’ teamwork is brilliant. Howdo they get organized without charts andwalkie-talkies? Their hunt is beautiful, eventhough I know they are hungry and anothercreature must die. It is natural. It is thebush. The front lionesses are halfway up thenorthern slope where immense herds ofimpala, zebra, wildebeest, and antelope aregrazing. We watch in awed silence.

The moment my jet landed at Nairobi’sJomo Kenyatta International Airport lateSunday, June 17, I fell in love with Kenya,the wildlife and the people. When they sayKaribu (you are welcome), they mean it.Safari is journey in Swahili, but ‘amazing’should be included in the dictionarydefinition. Visiting Kenya has been a life-long dream. I love to travel, but I’m notkeen on crowds or glitzy resorts or tourist-trappy destinations. I almost didn’t go, dueto major aversion to needles (why I don’thave a tiny, discreet tattoo), but I gotessential vaccinations and malaria pills(isn’t that why gin and tonic was invented?)I’m good to go for years.

Travel, to me, suggests total immersionexperiences – exactly what I enjoyed fornearly three weeks, thanks to TamsinCorcoran, managing director of NewAfrican Territories, who designed thepersonalized itinerary that carried me intothe very heart and soul of Kenya. Corcoransaid that the red dust was hard to get out ofyour system. Longtime friend AliceLaimbeer who introduced us warned thatthis safari would be life-changing. Theywere both right: Kenya and conservationtourism transcended my wildest dreams:

Once you see a leopard tailhanging from a branch, younever forget it. This leopardis feasting on an antelope.

An ostrich fluffs out feathers toattract romance.

exciting, affirming, healing, revitalizing –and much more.

I flew on the same flights as Alice, herhusband Rick, their daughter Margot andtheir Highland School group: Dulles toHeathrow to Nairobi. I peeled off withCorcoran, who had Highland all set fortheir first stop at Ol Donyo in the ChyuluHills. They spent six days in the MaasaiPreservation Trust at Highland’s sisterschool, Enkijape Primary. They built desks,taught and interacted with the students,their families and the school staff, and spentplenty of time on game drives to view thewildlife – conservation tourism at its best.Our paths didn’t cross again until the lastthree nights in Kenya.

Corcoran has great expertise inmatching people to their dream safaris. Myconservation tour included MbuliaConservancy/West Tsavo (Kipalo),Laikipia Plateau (Sabuk Lodge), MaasaiMara (Speke’s Camp), Loita Forest/MaasaiTrails (Jan’s Camp), Tana RiverDelta/Indian Ocean (Delta Dunes), and oneweekend in Nairobi to attend Thoroughbredsales and races at Ngong Racecourse.

Wherever I went, I enjoyed thehospitality of Kenya’s people. Simplethings, like getting on the right small planeat Nairobi’s Wilson Airport: they askedpassengers to identify their luggage before

Robert and Gus, two outstanding Samburu guides, are very knowledgeable about the wildlife and localflora used for medicine and other practical purposes.

Cape buffalo, locally called “black death” and “widowmaker,” are among the most dangerous animals inAfrica’s big five which also includes elephant, rhino, leopard and lion.


boarding. Mine wasn’t there. They askedfor my boarding pass: blue, not the color forthat flight. One of their crew escorted meseveral planes over. My suitcase was there.Hakuna matata, don’t worry – Asante sana,thank you so much. I have never felt saferor so well cared for in my life.

Conservation tourism owes itsexistence to pioneers like Corcoran whomade it their business to involve the localcommunities. Traditional pastoralists, suchas the Maasai, and agriculturalists nowprotect and co-exist with their wildlife.

“Saving wildlife is what triggeredmy involvement,” acknowledged Corcoran,a veteran with 30 years of safari experiencein the bush. “In order to lease the land thatis Mbulia Conservancy and to establishKipalo, I spent four years sitting undertrees, talking with the Teita communityabout how protecting the wildlife wouldbenefit them, that they could make money,because their wildlife would attract payingguests to Kipalo.”

Three hippos frolic in the hippo pool on the Ewaso Nyiro (Black River), a short game drive from SabukLodge.

Tamsin Corcoran (Director of New African Territories), Marian Slade, Dorcas Kyeli, Mutiso Kyeli(Mbulia/Kipalo Conservancy Anti-Poaching Patrol), and Craig Allen (Kipalo manager) enjoy breakfastwith Mt. Kilimanjaro in the distance.


The Mbulia Group RanchConservancy and Lodge gave new hope tothe people and to the 700 elephants andmany buffalo that frequent this dry-seasondispersal area. Kipalo offers breathtakingviews: on clear days you can see Mt.Kilimanjaro, but vegetation provides thickground cover for snares and other poachingtraps. I was honored to spend an afternoonwith two champions of conservationtourism, Mutiso and his wife Dorcas. Fortwo years Mutusi has trained local men andled anti-poaching patrols. They haveremoved nearly 1,000 wire snares, mademore than 30 arrests, and lost only oneelephant. Mutusi and his team work closelywith Kenya Wildlife Service, which patrolsTsavo West, adjacent to Mbulia’s 12,000acres.

Wherever I went, I viewed wildlife:elephant, hippo, wildebeest, buffalo,giraffe, zebra, dik-dik, gerenuk, antelope,impala, topi, eland, crocodile, lion, cheetah,leopard, hyena, warthog, baboon, bushbaby,mongoose, ostrich, amazing birds. The onlymember of the big five I missed seeing wasrhino; we saw fresh dung but the culpritswere gone.

The final stop was Delta Dunes,

accessible only by boat on the river, theultimate “get away from it all” for beachand water lovers—no one for miles.Amazing seafood caught that day, delicacieslike mangrove crab with handmade ravioli.Breakfast and lunch in the top mess, 300feet up, spectacular views. I shared Deltawith the Highland group: a great end to oursafaris.

Returning in the dusk from the hippopool to Sabuk with Samburu guides Robertand Gus, they spot something. Robert haltsthe car, motions toward my side of thetrack. I turn. The open window frames alarge bull elephant with huge tusks about 10feet away. My camera is in my lap, the lenstoo slow for this light. That elephant staresat me. I’m spellbound. He lifts his head,flares his ears: go away! Robert turns thekey. We glide up the track.

Red dust, the magic of Kenya. Livinggreen—using solar power, not wastingwater, recycling everything. Living in luxury,comforted by the knowledge that local peopleearn valuable income and are being trainedfor jobs in conservation tourism, their childreneducated, local schools supported. Wildlife,clean air, healthy living, camaraderie,excitement. Every conservation tourist can

make a difference. I must go back.

For additional information on, visitwww.africanterritories.co.ke/

Lauren R. Giannini is an award-winningwriter, who specializes in stories and photosabout the equestrian world. Her workappears in Sidelines Equestrian, In &Around Horse Country, The Horse ofDelaware Valley, Middleburg Life, and TheVirginia Sportsman among others.

A family of giraffes peers over treetops in

Tsavo.

FAIR CHASEFine Sporting and Equestrian Antiques

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hen I was newly arrived inRichmond some three decadesago, a neighbor, a native

Virginian with a fine wit, took me aside andexplained the lay of the land: “It’s ahundred miles up to Washington. And ahundred years back.” As a MichiganYankee in the Capital of the Confederacy, Ithought for a moment his remark was some-what apologetic—but just for a moment. Iquickly realized it was said with a deep andabiding pride. History and tradition, alongwith family and a love of the land, arebedrock Southern values. And oh, how myneighbor and other Southerners I’ve cometo know do love to tell stories about whatthey love.

Aynsley Miller Fisher has writtena book about foxhunting, For the Love ofthe Sport. It is a quintessentially Southernbook in that a reverence for history andtradition and family and the land all are allevident in her presentation of 125 years offoxhunting by the Deep Run Hunt. InFisher’s article “A Sport for theGenerations” in the August-Septemberissue of this magazine, she describes howthe Deep Run Hunt has evolved since it wasfounded in 1887. Ironically, it had tochange to protect its history and traditions,constantly moving westward ahead ofRichmond’s suburbanization. As the title ofher article suggests, foxhunting with theDeep Run Hunt has often been a familyaffair, and its generational continuity hashelped it prosper even through difficulttimes.

Fisher’s book gives foxhunting ascope, depth and vitality well beyond whatwas possible in her article. The book is

presented in six parts covering sevenperiods of the Deep Run Hunt’s history aswell as the finer points of foxhunting. Thereis much to be learned about the keycomponents of the hunt in “For the Love ofthe Hounds,” “For the Love of the Fox,”and “For the Love of the Horse.” Forexample: There are four different types of fox-hounds and the goal is to have a pack bestsuited to the hunt’s terrain. Deep Run has acrossbred pack that hunts well across openfields and wooded acres in the state forest. The foxhunter is the fox’s best friend,always striving to preserve the fox to runanother day. Coyotes are the fox’s worstenemy, driving them away or worse. Horses for the hunt, field hunters, oftenhave Thoroughbred lines, but it is notunusual to see a mixed field. It was unusualhowever, to see Sir Scotty, an 18-hand pureClydesdale, towering over the other field

hunters. No one told the Gentle Giant hecouldn’t clear a four-foot fence, so he did.

“Promote, preserve and protect” isthe motto of the Master of FoxhoundsAssociation of America. The importance ofland conservation, keeping the land open,and relationships with land owners arecritical to the hunt’s survival. A huntrequires about 1,000 acres for a good run,and the days of a single owner having sucha large holding are about over. Moreover, aterritory and its foxes are allowed to rest forweeks, if not months, after a hunt, so multiplelocations are needed. Securing permissionto hunt from contiguous land owners andmaintaining permission once secured arethe primary responsibilities of a hunt’sMaster of Foxhounds, and Deep Run hasbeen fortunate to have a long history of fineMFHs.

Deep Run’s Red Dog Covington(MFH 1980-85 and 2001-) put his moneywhere his heart was in 2003 by purchasing300 acres in Fluvanna County and saving itfrom being broken up into building lots. Heinspired his neighbors to put their land intoconservation easements until they preservedan eight-mile swath of land open to thehunt. It is worth noting that Covington is acommercial developer by trade: Sometimespleasure comes before business.

Fisher shares the narrative voicethroughout For the Love of the Sport. Sheincludes anecdotes, memoirs and vignettesfrom Deep Run members that span decades.She also includes pictures of hunts andDeep Run events on every page, more than250 by rough count. The effect is not unlikewhat Ken Burns was able to achieve in TheCivil War and his other documentaries

BOOK REVIEW

John ShtogrenFor the Love of the Sport by Aynsley Miller Fisher

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using vintage photos, letters and personalaccounts— a sense of immediacy and inti-macy between the narrative voice and audi-ence. Fisher’s own voice, like that ofShelby Foote, is never far away, steppingforward to stitch together the subjects andevents when needed and then stepping backto let the true players tell their own stories.

Undoubtedly, each reader willhave his or her favorite stories from thedozens and dozens Fisher provides. Hereare a few of mine:Riding to the hounds is exhilarating butnot for the faint-hearted. It has its ups anddowns as Mary Robertson MFH (1987-2003) knows all too well:She got to her feet and looking a bit pale,insisting on remounting and jumping thefirst jump. All was fine for about 40 minuteswhen I inquired, “Mary, are you feelingokay?” To which she replied, somethingwas wrong with her leg and she would wel-come a no-jump return in the van. It turnedout to be a broken pelvis with which she hadridden on for an hour. Jack McElroy’sHunting Diary, 1993 Back in the ‘40s even the youngstersarrived at the hunt in style:We were hunting at Fullstream on a beauti-ful day from the old cottage by the road. Afour-door sedan pulled up and out of theback seat came a pony and young childready for hunting. As told by RonnieRichardson ThortonJimmie Wheat didn’t let his limited eyesight keep him from being an extraordinarybusinessman, duck hunter and fox hunter:Jim was mostly blind and would ride with ariding crop in front of his face. This was towarn him to duck from the branches. Whenwe approached an area where there wasjump, his friend Billy would holler out,“Four strides to a jump, Jim!” I was in aweof Jim’s courage. Garland Toney, Sr.Some foxhunting traditions are especial-ly enjoyable and well-worth preserving,like the stirrup-cup refreshment at the endof the hunt:At one hunt the stirrup lasted for more than

an hour. At the end of it, I remember seeingsomeone standing there holding a bridleand wondering, “Did I just find a bridle ordid I just lose a horse?” Tom Mackell,MFH (1999-2007)

Following Tom Mackell’s lead, afine way to enjoy For the Love of the Sportwould be with a stirrup cup in hand, butseated in an easy chair rather than on horse-back. Turn the pages with your free handand enjoy the stories that celebrate the his-tory and traditions of the Deep Run Hunt.

To order a copy of For the Love of theSport, contact the Deep Run Hunt Club,(804) 784-5386.

John Shtogren is the senior editor for TheVirginia Sportsman. He is an outdoorsman,farmer and international managementconsultant whose travels often take him tothe far edges and borderlands. He welcomescomments at [email protected].


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grew up without a fall garden. Myparents, brothers and I raised springand summer vegetables. When the first

frost killed the tomato vines, we were donewith gardening until spring. The first time Isaw a fall garden, a friend had to explain tome what it was. We were riding horses up amountain hollow and passed a small house.Wood smoke permeated the chillyNovember air. The garden was a profusionof green. “That’s a good fall garden,” myfriend said. I wanted to grow one. I havehad fall gardening successes and failures inthe nearly 40 years since. I still have a lot tolearn.

Since my parents did not grow afall garden, kale, collards, and other fallgreens were not on my childhood menu.My mother enjoyed sports and readingmuch more than cooking. Feeding fourboys must have been a wearisome chore forher. I saw and smelled my first cookedgreens in my elementary school cafeteria. Idid not like the smell. I watched other kidsdouse their greens with vinegar andconsume greedily. I was unable to gag themdown. I believe well-done, vinegary greensare an acquired taste. My parents neverforced me to eat any food item. My third-grade teacher, who liked me and providedtremendous encouragement in schoolwork,would demand that I consume two bites(pronounced bahts in her drawl) of every-thing before I returned my tray. I became acounterfeit omnivore, swirling food withmy fork, rearranging, and sometimesconcealing uneaten food with my napkin in

order to pass her inspection.I briefly steam the kale, collards

and Brussels sprouts from my garden.Fresh-picked and quick-cooked greens area different vegetable from the long-simmered cafeteria offerings. I like mygreens bright green instead of dark green,retaining some firmness, instead of limp assoggy tissue. I realize the cafeteria staff hadto feed hundreds and did not have time tocater to my particular tastes. They didproduce delicious cherry cobbler and otherbaked goods.

Overcooked Brussels sproutsacquire a strong smell. I ate some Brusselssprouts at a potluck dinner last Christmas.Although lovingly prepared, they were

nothing like the fresh bunch I had picked,steamed and eaten the night before.Brussels sprouts are tricky to grow. Plantsneed to be in the ground in July, when theyare at the mercy of drought, heat andinsects. Last year, rabbits shaved some ofmy most promising stalks and left evidenceof their guilt and gormandizing. I once rodeby a Madison County garden with Brusselssprout stalks over three feet high, muchhandsomer than any I have ever produced.

During a particularly abundantfall, I gave a brown grocery bag full of kaleto an older neighbor who prepared hergreens old-fashioned country style,simmered forever with pieces of fat meat.She was happy to see the bag of greens atfirst, but then asked me, “Ain’t got nomore?” She said her cooking method wouldreduce the bag to just a few spoonsful, andshe needed much greater quantity to makethe project worthwhile. I shared futuresurpluses with other neighbors.

I have grown Swiss chard andtried cooking it all kinds of ways: steaming,frying, boiling, baking. No matter what Ido, something in it sets my teeth on edge. Isought advice from a professional gourmet,who told me, “Maybe you just don’t likeSwiss chard.” I accept his verdict. Swisschard is a member of the beet family, andI’m not fond of beets either.

My favorites in the fall garden arestir-fry ingredients: Chinese cabbage, bokchoi, mustard, mizuna, tatsoi and variousother greens. They enliven my lunch fromSeptember till at least Thanksgiving. Fall

A Country Gent’s Note

Fall Garden Barclay Rives

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peas, broccoli and spinach require luck anddelayed freeze. After years of growing allstalk and leaf, I learned broccoli needsnitrogen to produce big heads. My chickenssupply nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Humansproduce nitrogen-containing liquid, whichcan be beneficial to broccoli. In years past Ihave overwintered a healthy spinach cropin a makeshift cold frame made out of haybales and a window frame. For the last fewyears, I have had trouble getting spinachseeds to germinate. A friend, who is a bettergardener than I am, has had the same problem.Last fall rabbits ate the precious littlespinach I was able to germinate. They alsowiped out a row of lacinato (dinosaur) kale,which they apparently judged the tastiestvariety. Rabbits have their preferences likeI do. They didn’t touch the Swiss chard.

A Washington Post gardeningcolumnist advises special vigilance duringthe fall in keeping the garden tidy and freeof weeds. Weeds go to seed more quickly inthe fall, and a small weed can generatehundreds of seeds. I am no more likely tohave a tidy weed-free garden than I am tohave a tidy clutter-free desk. Both wouldviolate my nature. I received terrible marksin neatness in my early school years whenthe attribute was graded. Layers of paperson my desk are mulch for my thoughts. Ifight back the overpowering weeds, but Idon’t have the time or the inclination toeradicate them entirely.

A benefit of my neglect is theoccasional volunteer that springs from lastyear’s vegetables gone to seed. I propagateplenty of lettuce that way. I have hybridstir-fry greens that have reproduced andevolved for several years. These Franken-greens appear to be a cross between typesof Chinese cabbage and mustard. They arefrost-tolerant, quick growing and greattasting. Someone suggested I try to savethe seeds. I prefer to let the bunch fend foritself and continue to evolve.

Even when only a few bits ofgreen remain in late winter and earlyspring, I enjoy snipping something from the

garden. I especially crave something home-grown if I’ve been sick. The father ofmedicine, Hippocrates, advised, “Let foodbe thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”My fall garden plays both roles.

Barclay Rives lives on a small portion ofhis grandfather’s estate in Keswick,Virginia, and foxhunts with the KeswickHunt Club.

Continued from Page 66

“That’s the longest stream I’ve everseen,” I added.

“He musta been allergic to the tea-leaf extract,” said Red Man who was nowbattling an 80-pound yellowfin tuna.

It would have been the biggest fishHoward ever caught. Too bad he was moreinterested in Olympic hurling than he wasin catching fish..For a copy of Jim Brewer’s Dead SquirrelsDon’t Lie, a collection of his hilariousstories, visit www.vasportsman.com.

Jim Brewer is a longtime Virginia outdoorwriter who has been writing outdoorcolumns for the Charlottesville DailyProgress and other Virginia papers formore than 20 years. He was co-founder ofVirginia Sportsman and is a regularcontributor.


icture it: You’re walking the cobble-stoned streets of a village in theFrench Alps in late fall, the smell of

wood smoke and a few stray snowflakestwisting through the air. As dusk nudges inand the cold begins gnawing at your toes,you duck into the first restaurant you see, atiny, no-frills place with a few itemsscrawled on a chalkboard in looping script.Something smells heavenly — a warm,golden scent that fills the entire diningroom. When your dinner, impeccably roastedlamb, is set in front of you, the side dishcaptures your attention first: a stack ofcreamy potato slices, thin as leaves, perfectlybrowned and crisp on top. It’s a gratindauphinois, that classic dish that the mostunassuming mom-and-pop restaurants inFrance seem to pull off effortlessly.

Nothing satisfies on a chilly day,or complements winter’s hearty meat andgame dishes, like a creamy potato gratin. Agratin is, by definition, a baked dish boundby a creamy sauce, often thickened witheggs or crowned with grated cheese orbreadcrumbs. Perhaps the most wellknown, the emperor of all gratins, is thegratin dauphinois, named for the formerFrench province where it originated. In itspure form it is made without cheese — justreally good potatoes, rich cream, and awhisper of nutmeg that bubble together inthe oven to create something magical.

And while a potato gratin isperhaps the most famous variation, this

winsome dish can be made out of just aboutany vegetable you can cook: mushrooms,hearty greens, cauliflower or broccoli, toname a few. Once you get the hang of abasic formula, you can whip one up withconfidence and sans recipe.

Many of the recipes I’ve comeacross, while yielding flawless results, arelaborious and intimidating, calling for thepre-soaking or pre-cooking of the potatoes.I used to follow them diligently. But recently,out of time limitations, space constraints,and perhaps just plain laziness, I’ve craftedmy own perfectly delicious gratins by justlayering, seasoning, and pouring in a richcream mixture, sometimes arranging colorfulfall root vegetables together for a visualdelight. I do enjoy laying out my potatoescarefully in a lovely scalloped pattern, but

you don’t have to — you can just as wellspread them willy-nilly in the pan. Myfather, an avid hunter and accomplishedcook, takes a similarly direct approach tothe gratins he serves with his game feasts,while adding mushrooms and leeks to themix for another dimension of autumnearthiness; the recipe below is inspired byhis version. He probably includes somefresh herbs, but I’ve kept this ultra-simple;you can let a flavorful marinade or sauce onyour meat provide the complexity to themeal if you’d like. The resulting dish is atonce elegant and rustic, and the perfectsidekick to a fall game dish or holidaytable. Double or triple for a large crowd,using a larger casserole dish.

Andy’s Easy GratinServes 4-6 as a side dish

Ingredients 3-4 large waxy potatoes (such as Yukon

Gold), peeled2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (white,

cremini, or mixed wild mushrooms)1 large leek, white part only, rinsed,

peeled, and very thinly sliced1 tablespoon butter1 clove garlic, split in half1 cup whole milk1 cup heavy creamNutmegGood-quality Swiss cheese (such as

Gruyère), grated as needed

FOODA Hearty Gratin for Autumn Claiborne Williams Milde

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Salt to taste

Instructions1. Preheat oven to 400°. Rub butter overbottom and sides of a 2-quart casserole dishor 9-inch pie pan. Rub the cut side of garlicover the buttered surface; reserve the rest ofthe garlic for the next step. 2. Cut potatoes, as consistently as you can,into thin slices — approx. 1/8” thick. Youcan also use a food processor or mandolineslicer. Begin layering potatoes in thebottom of the casserole, overlapping slightly(you can just spread them in an even layer).Sprinkle salt on these, then scatter mush-rooms and leeks on top of potatoes. Finishwith a generous sprinkling of cheese, thenrepeat, beginning with another layer ofpotatoes. Be sure to salt the potatoes witheach new layer. 3. Once you have created at least three layers,heat the milk, cream, remaining garlic, a littlegrated nutmeg, and a pinch of salt in asaucepan until just warm (do not boil).Remove the garlic and pour the mixtureover the potatoes carefully, until the liquidreaches the bottom of the top layer of potatoes.If you find you need more liquid you candrizzle in a little more milk or cream.4. Cover container with foil, poke a fewholes in the foil, and put on the middle rackof the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, thenremove foil and move to the top rack. Bakefor another 30-40 minutes or so, or untilmixture is bubbling and golden brown on

top, and potatoes yield easily to a knife tip.Serve hot — though the leftovers are prettytasty the next day at room temperature.

Claiborne Williams Milde is a Virginian anda graduate of UVA. She lives in New Yorkand works as a writer and cook. She studiedcooking in New York and Paris. Read herblog at www.butteredbreadblog.com.


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Stone, brick and timber

Leave the Hard Work to Us

o! I am not going deep-seafishing,” Howard insisted.“I get seasick.”

If Howard didn’t go with us,there would only be three sharing a$1,500 offshore trip. But if Howardpitched in (he’s got deep pockets), he’dprobably tip the mate himself and we’deach save a couple hundred bucks.

So it was up to me, Red Manand Shultzie to figure out a way to getHoward on board while the four of usvacationed at Hatteras.

“You’re afraid to go, aren’tyou?” I taunted.

“Yes. I’m afraid I’m going tohave to pass,” Howard responded.

“You’re a wuss,” Shultzieaccused. “Only a wuss would pass up achance to fish with his friends.”

“So I’m a wuss,” Howardadmitted. “I ain’t going.”

It was Red Man who managed totrigger some interest.

“What’s the biggest fish you evercaught?” our tobacco-chewing friend askedof Howard, in a very unassuming and non-threatening manner.

“I dunno, maybe that 50-poundcatfish I caught at Buggs Island,” Howardrecalled.

“How would you like to have a500-pound blue marlin over your fireplace?That would be impressive,” Red Manpointed out.

Since Howard was a confirmedbachelor, he would actually be allowed tohave a big billfish mount hung wherever

he wished.“Hmmmm!” Howard muttered,

thinking how nice such a mount would be.“Them big marlin are hitting now,

about 10 miles offshore. Shucks, 10 miles isnothing and I jes’ happen to know a sure-fire way to keep a man from getting sea-sick. It works every time,” Red Man said ashe released a long string of spittle.

“Really? How’s that?” Howardwas nibbling. He was getting ready to takethe bait.

“It’s a threefold plan, actually,” theGreat Tempter explained. “First, you gottawear this here copper bracelet,” Red Mansaid as he retrieved what looked to be aclothes-hanger wire twisted into the roughshape of a bracelet from the back pocket ofhis overalls. “I usually wear it myself, butit’s kept me from getting seasick so many

times that I don’t need it no more.”“Second,” our outdoorsman friend

continued, “if you eat my special beansthe night before the trip, they completelyabsorb any potential vomit before it’sproduced in your liver. That’s where itcomes from, ya’ know.

“Finally, I have some medicinalchewing tobacco with tea-leaf extract init. If you chew that the morning of thetrip, you’ll never get sick, and we mighteven catch a 600-pound marlin. We’ll letyou pull him in.”

The thought of a huge marlin over-came Howard’s ability to think rationallyand he agreed to go with us the next day.

That night Red Man cooked up amess of what looked to be navy beans

and Howard ate three bowls. The nextmorning we were on the dock at five andHoward slipped his wrist through the pieceof clothes hanger – I mean the specialcopper bracelet. Then, as we shoved off,Red Man gave our once-reluctant friend abig chaw of tobacco.

Just as we were reaching the endof the 10-mile trip, Shultzie noted thatHoward was looking a tad on the green side– sort of like a martini olive without thepimento. Then as we let the lines out,Howard sent all three bowls full of anti-sea-sick beans soaring into space. The concoctiontook an eternity to land. In baseball, itwould have been ruled an infield fly.

“That’s some kind of hurling,”Schultzie remarked.

Continued on Page 63

HUMORJim BrewerThar She Blows

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Jerry King

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