I have done my best to explain how unforgiving the terrain is. I have emphasized the uncomfortable fact that there is only one way in and one way out. Rain or shine, cold northern winds or hot, stale summer air, we have no control. The realities of an excursion like this have been conveyed to … Read more
Thirty-five miles down from what seems more like an endless desert trail leading to your doom than a weekend away. Random washouts, massive holes, and lots of dust. If we passed another vehicle, we all silently hoped that it wasn’t federales, or worse. Rolling hills, desert valleys, a few dirt roads peeking out of the … Read more
The 30,000 acre Continental Ranch sits just outside of Comstock Texas. Flanked by the mighty Pecos River on her west and no man’s land on her east. In 1836 Texas won its independence and the battle to settle a claim of your own was an appealing offer to young, tough ambitious men. It’s thought that … Read more
Southwest Texas is a very special place for my family, specifically, on my in-laws’ side. In 1962, my wife’s grandfather purchased a roughly 450-acre ranch in Pearsall, not for farming or ranching, but for a place the family could enjoy together, learning how to hunt, camp, and spend time just being kids and learning to … Read more
This was going to be a unique trip in a few ways. Instead of our standard four-day float, we will only be camping one night and fishing two half days. How? Why? Good questions. Through some river relationships we have developed, we got an offer to camp on some premier private land. This stretch, about … Read more
As a kid, you may have dreamed a lot about the great outdoors; things like snow-covered Rocky Mountain peaks, raging rivers, and giant wild animals. Your dreams and imagination could take you to places you have never seen before, but in your mind, it feels so familiar, having those thoughts of hiking to the summit … Read more
Cooler mornings and earlier sunsets. An extra cup of morning coffee and maybe a finger or two of evening bourbon. Time to inventory the firewood out front and spread the rye grass seed. To most people it’s probably just a break from the heat, pumpkin lattes at the coffee shop and a change of … Read more
Over the past couple of weeks, I have been concentrating on ideas for this article. I knew what I needed to write about, but I have been avoiding it. I have endless stories to share of the outdoors, and I enjoy doing so, but the truth is, I feel I owe it to myself and … Read more
With September around the corner, I am starting to let dove hunting creep back into my mind. Dove season comes about the same time as our peak exhaustion from the south Texas summer heat. The real dog days of summer.. The kind of heat that even a dip in my swimming pool won’t take my … Read more
I set my alarm for 4:30 am, knowing I will wake up with excitement before it even goes off. Then, the boat ramp anxiety sets in a bit. But all of this is so familiar to me that the love of this sport outweighs the stresses. It’s been almost 8 years now since we met … Read more
