Posted on October 28, 2015October 28, 2015 by siteadmin — Leave a comment

Angling Firsts! Freshwater to Saltwater.

Rita Schimpff with her first redfish on the fly!

Angling Firsts! Freshwater to Saltwater on the fly.

Trinchera Ranch & The Lower Laguna Madre

We set our minds to it and got it done! An IGFA Trout Super Grand Slam at Trinchera Ranch and my first Redfish on a fly on the Texas Coast were my goals.

My freshwater first!

We once again enjoyed a wonderful stay and great fishing on 185,000 acres in southern Colorado – The Trinchera Ranch.

The sprawling ranch offers 4 species of trout – wild trout – on gorgeous improved streams in the heart of the Sangre de Christo mountain range.

I wanted to catch all four in one day and I knew if anyone could help me it was our friend and guide Doc of Doc Thompson’s High Country Anglers.

We have fished with Doc for 4 years now and he knows this ranch well.

Doc Thompson guided Rita Schimpff to her IGFA Trout Super Grand Slam at Trinchera Ranch.

Doc also knows I only want to fish with only dry flies.

So the 4 trout I caught were: a Rainbow, Brown, Brook and Rio Grande Cutthroat.

I made the above vignette combining my photos with my paintings of the trout.

IGFA trout super grand slam IMG_5707 — Special thanks to my husband, Skip, who gave up valuable stream time so I could attain my super grand slam goal!

Meanwhile back at the ranch…..the Lodge at Trinchera Ranch…….

magnificent artwork surrounds your soul at Trinchera Ranch and the superb food & service feed your soul! — magnificent artwork surrounds your soul at Trinchera Ranch and superb food & service feed your soul.

The art! Remington, Bierstadt, Rungius & N.C. Wyeth originals for me to enjoy!

I was in hog heaven.

Stack stone fireplace at Trinchera Ranch - fabulous taxidermy — Stack stone fireplace at Trinchera Ranch – fabulous taxidermy

Both of these handsome rams were taken within an hour of each other in huge snow!

Heritage-Game-Mounts-Lodge-Inspiration-Trinchera-Ranch-skipdesk — Quiet spaces are designed for guests to relax, read or journal.

Every hallway, room and corner are thoughtfully designed and appointed with vintage sporting collectibles.

Heritage-Game-Mounts-Lodge-Inspiration-Trinchera-Ranch — In this hallway, one expects Hemingway to return shortly and put the final keystroke to paper.

Now to my saltwater first!

fly fishing with Rita Schimpff and Ben Paschal. — By the dawns early light, Capt. Ben Paschal leading me to my first redfish on a fly.

A redfish on the fly has eluded me for many years. Skip and I journeyed to Arroyo City on the Texas Gulf coast and the pristine saltwater flats of the Lower Laguna Madre.

We enlisted the services of Capt. Ben Paschal owner of Lower Lagana Outfitters for help with this seemingly impossible task.

He made it happen!

We returned two months later and a heated competition ensued whereby I beat my husband 8-7!

Skip has thrown down the gauntlet and vowed it won’t happen again!

Ben fishes in Louisiana from November thru March – now I want a super sized Red – stay tuned.

Posted on September 29, 2015September 29, 2015 by siteadmin — 2 Comments

Hunting Lodges that Inspire

Lodges that inspire more than the Hunt

Be it Fin, Feather or Fur – I think the decor of a hunting lodge should be as inspiring as the hunt!

We are over at the Women’s Outdoor News with a new post:

http://www.womensoutdoornews.com/2015/09/how-to-lodge-decor-to-inspire-the-hunt

Antique sporting art inspires the colors for this handsome room at Mississippi's Longleaf Plantation — Antique sporting art inspires the colors for this handsome room at Mississippi’s Longleaf Plantation

Posted on July 2, 2015July 2, 2015 by siteadmin — Leave a comment

Flying Quail on Hand Painted Oak Leaf Mount

Presenting the newest mount from Heritage Game Mounts: a hand painted Quail Mount.

This hand painted quail mount features a taxidermy BobWhite quail flying across a hand painted prairie. San Antonio artist, Rita Schimpff captures a rising quail on her large panel she calls the Heritage Stag – designed to also be used for Elk and Stag it works with birds as well.

flying quail on hand painted oak leaf panel

Do you want to remember that famous ‘quail double’ you shot on a beautiful crisp day? Well, just add one more to the board. The panel shows off the painting and quail by framing them with ornate oak leaves & acorns – Old World Style.

hand painted quail mount

Posted on March 31, 2015April 21, 2015 by siteadmin — Leave a comment

Spring News

Spring News from Heritage Game Mounts

Spring here at Heritage Game Mounts means we welcome the Sporting Lifestyle with Vintage Fishing Creels, a little Cabin Fever cooled off with some bass bugging and here in San Antonio -Fiesta!

I added some ferns, turtle grass and hydrangeas to one of the vintage creels I recently found to welcome Spring on our front door. Scroll to the end for one I made for sale!

As you know, I write a monthly column for the Women’s Outdoor News, and my latest is how to add a little painted & rustic charm to your ‘cabin’.

Here I painted some native fish on the old doors of our old cabin established in 1926.

To see more photos of our cabin and one of the old ‘great camps’ in the Adirondacks read here:

www.womensoutdoornews.com/2015/03/the-fishing-cabin-6-ways-to-add-painted-and-rustic-charm

In January we traveled to West Point, Mississippi to quail hunt on some of the remaining Mississippi Black Prairie that is being lovingly restored and preserved by the Bryan Family at Prairie Wildlife – a luxurious sporting lodge for all seasons. www.PrairieWildlife.com

Tiger Bass are known to roam in the beautiful lake in front of Bryan Lodge at Prairie Wildlife.

The new shooting tower at Prairie Wildlife is placed in a special spot on the resort – Kathy’s Hill.

While working on Easter decorations passed down in the family…

I am also trying to coordinate which fly lapel pin my hubs should wear for Easter lunch – each one is so unique and he always ‘wears’ them well. heritagegamemounts.com/product-category/sporting-accessories-2/fly-fishing-lapel-pins

Here in South Texas/San Antonio the end of April brings forth our Fiesta celebrations honoring the fallen heroes of the Alamo and Texas Independence.

So for those of you that might be rubbing elbows with Fiesta Royalty and have a black tie event or two on your calendar – why not dress up your tuxedo and show off your sporting flair with these handsome bullet & shotgun studs?

They range from 30-06, .410 & 28 gauge to a Norma Rigby 416 thrown in the mix. www.heritagegamemounts.com/product-category/sporting-accessories-2/shotgun-and-bullet-casing-jewelry

Since my last update, I was interviewd by Kevin Paulsen’s Hunting Life: www.huntinglife.com/heritage-game-mounts-rita-r-schimpff-interview

Thanks for reading this and if you want to add a little spring to your cabin – I have made this one only Fly Fishing Creel for your front door! $75.00 +tax & shipping. It is not on the website so first one to email or call gets it.

Now go make time for some bass bugging and enjoy your Spring.