Ancestral Farm- Herff-Rozelle House
Author: Rita Schimpff
Roads Recently Traveled: Celebrities, Pheasants & Fly Fishing
Most of our hunting dies down in late January, but I still had a few upland hunts left and the anticipation of the fishing season to come. We seemed to be on the road a lot in Jan, Feb and March traveling Texas. Along the way we met some fun outdoor celebs: Noted wildlife cook and author of GirlHunter, Georgia Pellegrini http://georgiapellegrini.com , then we attended the Ed Rizzolo Fly Tying Festival in Houston and met the wildly interesting and talented fly tyer and artist, Tim Borski of Florida. Then to Troutfest in New Braunfels, TX where we had our trade booth and were entertained by keynote guest, Pat Dorsey owner of the Blue Quill Angler of Evergreen, CO http://bluequillangler.com and then to Sportsman’s Finest in Austin http://www.SportsmansFinest.com to have some fun while learning bass fishing tips with Bob Clouser from Pennsylvania and inventor of the Clouser Minnow http://www.clouserflyfishing.com
Also, at Troutfest I had my booth for Heritage Game Mounts and introduced my new “Trout Skins” pillows. I handpaint fish and outdoor scenes on lambskin and then sew into pillows of rich trims, velvet & suedes.
Middle of February found us once again on a fabulous shoot at Gerry & Eldena Stearns’ Santa Anna Hunting Preserve. Even with the cover down from the Texas ‘exceptional’ drought, the hunt was a success thanks to Gerry’s great dogs: American Field Brittanys, German Shorthairs and a sassy little French Brittany named Lucy.
Eldena does such a wonderful job with the birds: the care and breeding. And as a special favor to me she skinned a couple of the beautiful pheasants and told me how to tan them. We will see how I do!
- Blow drying the pheasant after washing in Dawn detergent!
HAPPY TRAILS & STREAMS!
Five Women win Hunter Hills Journal!
posted by Barbara Baird Jan 2, 2012
http://womensoutdoornews.com/category/win-won
“Congrats to Rebecca Friedrich, Teresa McCullough, Rita Schimpff, Nicole Nash and Diane Hassinger- winners each of a Hunter Hills leather journal. Chosen by Random.org, these five women told us a little about their most memorable hunts in 2011. We’re hoping they have equal or even greater successes in 2012. And, we KNOW they are going to enjoy using their hand-made, beautiful and practical journals.”
I would have to say that my favorite and most memorable hunt for 2011 was the quail shoot in November that my husband and I took to follow through on a promise we made to each other a year ago. We have been hunting/fishing together for many years and when the children left the nest we were going to spend more time outdoors with each other. And the best of this years adventures was a road trip from Texas to Southern Mississippi to a beautiful quail plantation. The elegant lodges were set among Longleaf and Loblolly pines and surrounded three gorgeous ponds with wild, but resident Mallards settling in. Our every comfort was quietly and deliciously taken into account and no detail in rustic yet elegant decor was left out. We had a morning and afternoon shoot over pointers and a setter for Bobwhite, Tennesee Reds and a pheasant or two. Each morning as we rose early to try our fly rods on the ponds – we found our living room fire place crackling and the smell of fresh coffee already brewing. Each dusk we again tried to out-fish one another as we had also tried to out-shoot the other in friendly competition with our .410’s. To finish off our evening dinners with a stroll around the acreage & ponds under the moonlight only completed the picture.
It was extravagant and a splurge, but as we dine on our quail & pheasant at home by our own fireplace we tell ourselves that promises are worth keeping and I look forward to our hunts together in 2012 just as I have every year for 36 years.
See more about my review of Longleaf Plantation – scroll down to ‘Shooting in Style’
Bring the Wild Inside – Christmas
Whether you share a home with a hunter or are one yourself, this is the perfect time of the year to bring the wild inside. Gather up those items you already have and add a little rustic cabin decor. The following recipes can be altered, but here are a few to start those creative juices flowing:
List of ingredients:
GREENERY- faux & fresh PINE CONES-ACORNS
ANTLERS/SHEDS DECOYS
TARTAN RIBBON OR FABRIC FEATHERS:PHEASANT/TURKEY
Grab candles and some of that faux greenery you save every year – it looks nice & full when mixed in with fresh. This year I found Tartan ribbon out of fleece 1/2 price way before Christmas- all of this, save the greens, can be used next year.
Tip: Christmas Tree lots usually give for the taking all the greens they remove from the base of the trees.
TIP: if you like what you did, take a photo and start special notebook for holiday decorating-much easier to recreate the next year.
I like to dress up a cabinet for Christmas with a fishing theme. Garland and free greens at the top plus all our collected fishing ornaments and related decorations. Lean an old bamboo rod nearby. Add some lights to the greenery for more drama.
Tip: Store all your items for a certain area in one marked box, so next year you can finish decorating one area completely before moving on.
And don’t forget to pay a tribute to your faithful gun dogs past. I keep the tags and tie on a red ribbon and add a hook for a special ornament collection on our tree. (the kitty cats get on the tree too with their collars & tags)
This is just the start – How do you bring the Wild Inside For Christmas?