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Breaking news, wife attends fly-fishing expo!

Breaking news, wife attends fly-fishing expo!

While not quite “fake news,” the headline tells less than the full story. A couple weekends ago, my wife and I attended the 18th Annual Virginia Fly Fishing & Wine Festival. It was held at one of the buildings at the Virginia State Fairground’s site in Doswell, Virginia. It had, as they say, something for everyone. My wife, Karen, while not a fly-fishing person herself, does like a glass of wine every once and a while. She is also interested…

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How Archery Led Me Towards Bankruptcy

How Archery Led Me Towards Bankruptcy

In the summer of 2016, just before the movers came and we left Vermont, I donated my old Parker compound bow, arrows, and accoutrements to our parish garage sale. It speaks volumes of the state that you can donate a lethal weapon to a church for them to sell to the general public as part of an annual fundraiser. Not to worry, a local 4-H archery club purchased the equipment. The Parker was a good 15 years old, but still…

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…I am an innocent victim of literature.

…I am an innocent victim of literature.

In his book All Fishermen are Liars, John Gierach writes that he “came to know about Michigan’s Upper Peninsula through the writing of Ernest Hemingway, John Voelker (a.k.a. Robert Traver) and later Jim Harrison…. Whatever the reason, the UP is enshrined alongside the Serengeti, the Yukon and Paris as a place made romantic by virtue of appearing in books. Which is to say, I am the innocent victim of literature.” I have read Hemingway’s stories of Nick Adams and Robert…

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The Employee Fishing Trip

The Employee Fishing Trip

It all started when a coworker asked my advice on what type of fishing outfit she should buy. Oceana had fished in China when she was much younger and thought she’d like to try catching some good old ‘merican fish. She had purchased a rod-reel combo online an wasn’t happy that it was a one-piece rod. She heard that I liked to fish, which is how she ended up in the doorway to my office. I suggested she return her online…

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There’s no doubting Thomas…the “birding death match” continues

There’s no doubting Thomas…the “birding death match” continues

Black Skimmer at Milford Point, CT Back on December 17, 2014, I published a post about a “big year” birding contest several friends and I started amongst ourselves. The idea was to get off our butts, get outside, have some fun, and maybe learn a thing or two. Keeping in the spirit of any guy undertaking, Jim and Tom immediately went out and bought new binoculars. No doubt the new “bins” will be crucial in securing a win. Perhaps not….

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A Bird’s Eye View to Wilderness Wildlife Week 2015

A Bird’s Eye View to Wilderness Wildlife Week 2015

Back in January, I decided to take advantage of an unspoken-for weekend and take a short drive down to Sevierville, Tennessee to visit my father-in-law, Norm Kallemeyn. The timing wasn’t completely arbitrary. For years Norm and my mother-in-law, Bobbie, had been talking about Wilderness Wildlife Week, which they had attended and volunteered for many years. Bobbie passed away this past June and I was due to visit Norm. I thought January a good time for me to try to break…

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Confessions of a Gear Whore, Part 1 – the Orvis sling pack

Confessions of a Gear Whore, Part 1 – the Orvis sling pack

Here is my not-too-secret confession, I love gear – particularly outdoor gear. Whether it’s a new fly box, GPS, hunting vest, fly rod or reel, tenkara rod (a whole other blog post there), or backpack…, I love new gear. Not just any kind of outdoor item will do.  It has to be well-made and well-designed stuff. Jim Boucher helping Kirk land a fish Several years ago I was fishing the West Branch of the Ausable River in New York with…

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Fly Tying Redux

Fly Tying Redux

My first Salmon fly – the pheasant-winged head-knocker When I started tying flies back in my 20s some people thought they were too large to be practical. Maybe I’d have better luck knocking out a fish than I would have in actually hooking one. Such hurtful words were painful and launched my 20+ years of suffering from fly-tying PTSD. My only form of solace was, of course, my mother. Once I determined that I was tying-challenged and suffering from PTSD,…

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You’re Never Too Old to Learn

You’re Never Too Old to Learn

I was disappointed in the performance of the plastic clip on the tree strap that came with the Bushnell® HD Trophy Cam. Disappointed in the way it broke in the cold. My solution was to use an old kayak tie-down (left). OK, confession, it wasn’t old, but it was available and I could replace it by the time it was warm enough to kayak in Vermont. It is generally a good idea to question your own cleverness. The new strap…

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Naked and Afraid of Fat Guys in the Woods with River Monsters

Naked and Afraid of Fat Guys in the Woods with River Monsters

My name is Kristopher Boushie and I have a late-night television problem. It is an accepted fact that most people need a solid eight hours of sleep every night to stumble through life barely conscious of their surroundings. I, however, due to my unique genetic make-up and dietary intake, can stumble through my day on less than six hours of sleep. My reduced slumber provides me with additional time in my day to worry about an unending number of actual,…

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