Birds aren’t fish, and ducks aren’t trout. But for anyone interested in the conservation of these sporting species, a lot can be learned from a recent podcast put out by Ducks Unlimited. The show features an engaging conversation regarding ongoing empirical research on migratory birds. A story that is not unfamiliar to those who pay …
The wind and the snow/rain weren’t ideal, but it was the last day of the season. The birds hadn’t been behaving in any sort of discernable pattern, but it was the last day of the season. None of us had a whole lot of optimism, but it was the last day of the season. It …
I shot my first duck just over a year ago. I can still remember the anticipation, the excitement, and the moment. The freshness of that memory made watching him shoot his first duck all the more special. He’s 10. All my boys caught their first fish as toddlers. All my boys caught their first fish …
For a split second, my brain doesn’t comprehend the implications of the sensation. Where there was once tension – a pulsing fish pulling against the line and the current – is now simply slack. It takes a moment to wrap my head around the fact that the fish is gone. Next comes frustration. It might …
It might have been on my fourth trip to the island duck blind when I said it out loud. “I think we need a bigger boat.” The small kayak worked great earlier in the season. Then, I wasn’t bundled up and I wasn’t carrying as much gear. I was also by myself. In December, ferrying …
This fall I’ve taken some of my own advice. For years I’ve been encouraging those who read or listen to Casting Across to diversify their outdoor experience. It isn’t that I assume everyone who fly fishes only goes fly fishing. I just know that there have been times in my life when I’ve been primarily …
Outside of a rod, reel, and line, the most important (and expensive) gear for the fly fisher is waders and boots. Along with keeping you dry, waders and boots ensure that you stay comfortable and safe. For those good reasons, these items also end up costing more than everything aside from rods and reels. In …
I wanted to try my hand at waterfowl hunting for a few years. Living in Massachusetts, procuring the appropriate paperwork to exercise the most mild form of my second amendment rights wasn’t the most expedient process. Add in a pandemic, and what I planned on doing in 2019 didn’t materialize until this fall. This past …
I really like hunting. I enjoy the hunt itself, including the animals I do or don’t pursue. A hunt might have equal parts camaraderie and solitude, which I appreciate in equal measure. And then there’s being outside. It’s hard to have a bad day when I’m in the woods. Hunting the right way, you get …
