Birds in hand: Two doodles that didn't get away
Huge apologies to followers of this blog. I've been too bogged down to blog, what with the move to our new office digs and all. We're settled in now at 54 St. Patrick Street in downtown TO, though, and I'm happy to report I'm now a GO-train commuter. That's one less carbon-spewing vehicle off the road.
While I haven't been fishing of late, I did manage to get out twice for a woodcock walk over the Thanksgiving weekend. On my first hike, I put up 18 birds (including four or so repeat flushers), but my new (to me) side-by-side didn't cooperate. I bought it at an auction, untried, in the spring, but it appears to be choked too tight, as evidenced by the sapling I took out at 20 yards. It'll do for waterfowling, but it's not the right gun for close-flushing timberdoodles.
At any rate, I headed back to my secret woodlot late Monday afternoon armed with my good ol' 870. It's a tank, but at least I can change the choke tubes. In the end, I put up six birds and took two home. I'm heading out again Friday morning with field editor Al Davy, so hopefully I'll bag a couple more to make for a decent feed.
I had hoped to go after deer this fall, but the sale of the magazine has put me behind the eight ball. We'll see, though. How has your hunting been so far this season? Shoot me a line or two. Or better yet, post your hero shots on our Web site's Brag Board. Same goes for any fall fishing photos you might have. It's always great to see what's happening out there.
One of the many issues of concern for the fishing and hunting community is recruitment, or, more specifically, the greying of our ranks. In short, we are continually striving to bring new anglers and hunters, particularly youth, into the fold. And more and more, the outdoors community has also been targeting woman as potential new outdoorsfolk of tomorrow. And that’s a good thing. In
Have you made plans for National Fishing Week yet? It’s coming up fast, kicking off this Saturday, July 2, and running through to Sunday, July 10. Even if you don’t participate in an official event, it’s a great time to take a kid fishing or introduce someone new to the sport. That is, after all, the main point of National Fishing Week: to get more Canadians outdoors and
Awesome. Sweet. Dude. Those are the three new words my Dad says he learned during our four days of fishing at northern Saskatchewan’s Milton Lake Lodge (we got back to Ontario on Tuesday). That’s hardly surprising, given we were hanging with Nick Pujic, the hip young principal of Fly Max Films and Fly Nation TV (think surfer culture meets fly fishing), and our guide Naoto Aoki.
Congrats to the winners of the first annual B.C. Loch-Style Fly Fishing Championship, held last Friday and Saturday on Trojan Pond near the town of Logan Lake, B.C. Eight teams of five anglers apiece vied for the top team and individual honours. Among the winners? Outdoor Canada field editor Mark Anderson, who placed third in individual results. As well, Mark’s team (Equipe
Subscribers should be receiving the March/April issue of Outdoor Canada magazine any day now, and among the great features, they’ll find a travel adventure story by yours truly. The subject? Trophy lake trout and northern pike fishing on Saskatchewan’s Lake Athabasca (at Lakers Unlimited’s Spring Bay Lodge). As promised in the article (”A sure thing,”
///// FOLLOW ON TWITTER: @OutdoorWalsh ///// Outdoor Canada Editor Patrick Walsh grew up fishing and hunting in Bracebridge, Ontario, where he began his magazine career in 1983 as assistant editor of Muskoka Life. Since then, he has worked for a variety of media, both in Canada and abroad, earning numerous writing and editing awards. In both 2011 and 2005, the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors named him Editor of the Year, while Outdoor Canada was honoured as Magazine of the Year. Learn more: www.outdoorcanada.ca.