The Winter 2011/2012 Issue of The Upland Almanac. Greetings all. This afternoon, I checked my email and saw the new cover for the Winter Issue of The Upland Almanac. I’m excited to announce that my article, “Discovering Tinkhamtown” regarding the story behind the classic story is featured in this issue. The fact that this article…
LIKE A FLEA IN THE WILDERNESS
By Andrew M. Wayment Man, so far, this has been the toughest hunting season I can remember! With the long, harsh winter, the blue grouse broods did not fare well. I’ve found very few blue grouse and when I have, they’ve been in groups of ones and twos―no big broods as in years past. The…
TWENTY THINGS EVERY YOUNG BIRD HUNTER SHOULD KNOW
By Andrew M. Wayment 1. Wing shooting is challenging, but fun! Missing is part of the process. Don’t get discouraged! After all, this is supposed to be fun. Shooting is 90% mental (or rather instinctual) and 10% mechanical. If you are missing, don’t stress out or over-think it. Just relax, believe in yourself, have fun,…
THE ROYAL MACNAB
THE ROYAL MACNAB By Andrew M. Wayment A fine brace of sharptails from the Royal Macnab. All hunters have observed that it’s Nature’s way for game to typically be scarce. Some years, bird populations are better than others, but sometimes― like right now―birds are just hard to find, which makes those times where we find…
BLM Nomads
I have an extreme dislike for politicians. Unfortunately…One of my favorite grouse species is the most political bird in North America. The Greater Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) or the spiny-tailed pheasant as Lewis and Clark described them in 1806 once inhabited 16 Western states and 3 Canadian providences. Their historic distribution has decreased significantly over the…
YOU MAY BE A BLUE GROUSE HIPPIE IF . . .
YOU MAY BE A BLUE GROUSE HIPPIE IF . . . By Andrew M. Wayment 1. You see every summer fishing expedition to a high mountain stream or lake as having the dual purpose of scouting for blue grouse.2. You have ever longed to be on a windswept alpine ridge in the dead of winter…
Everything Grouse Gumbo
Everything Grouse Gumbo Adapted from Rachel Ray’s Recipe. IngredientsSeasoning Blend:• 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika or sweet paprika, a palmful• 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander, half a palmful• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, half a palmful• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, half a palmful• A few sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked and chopped• 2 fresh bay…
Grouse Camp
Glorious September has commenced…days of anticipation are over and the gunning season is upon us. The aspen hues of green will soon change to gold…but as the poet penned nothing gold can stay. Nothing gold can stay, so get your bird dogs and take them into the grouse woods of Colorado or wherever for that matter. September…
Colorado Greenbacks
Here’s some photos of my favorite native Western fish in gorgeous country…
Sangre de Thomas
Greenbacks have been on retired veterinarian Tom’s mind for the past 5 years. Greenbacks on brush-choked-dead-fall-log-jammed backcountry streams like described in John Gierach‘s books. Bushwhacking his way to find those secretive Colorado gems and taking them stealthily on delicately placed dries tied by his own hands. Easy? Not if you have multiple sclerosis (MS). Tom…
ARE YOU A BIRDBRAIN?
Many Birdbrains live for the point. Have you ever been called a “Birdbrain”? Obviously, there is a negative connotation that comes with this phrase suggesting that birds, and by extension the person so addressed, are dumb. Merriam-Webster’s On-line Dictionary defines a Birdbrain as: “A stupid person” or “Scatterbrain.” This is probably not something that one…
Upland Ways 