Tag: Writer

Originally Published in Walla Walla Lifestyles Magazine, November 2024.

Crisp air, pumpkin ale, fresh-squeezed apple cider, and hunting seasons have finally returned, and you know what that means. Yes, we are living our best months of the year, but this time train we all ride is screaming toward Christmas and holiday shopping. If you have an outdoors enthusiast in your life who is “hard to shop for,” i.e. buys whatever gear they need when they need it and has a particular taste, here are a few ideas that might be right up their alley.

Vintage Shotguns

This beautiful 1951 Belgium-made CF Dumoulin 16-gauge is a fine and affordable vintage double for the traditional upland bird hunter.

Nearly every upland bird hunter dreams of carrying a vintage double-barrel shotgun. Whether their fascination originated at a young age with a family heirloom or the quality craftsmanship of vintage guns connects them to a long-standing tradition, bird hunting with a piece of American sporting heritage enhances the experience. Maybe your bird hunter has a particular brand in mind, like an A.H. Fox, L.C. Smith, Lefever, or Ithaca. Each of these can be found online and at gun shops with regularity. The Spokane area has several gun shops with a good selection of used shotguns. They even turn up in Cabela’s “Gun Library” from time to time.

I was browsing the Eugene, Oregon, Cabela’s once for no particularly good reason when a long, pewter-colored side-by-side caught my eye. It was a beautiful L.C. Smith Field Grade 00 made in 1911. I asked to see the gun out of curiosity, assuming the price tag was above my pay grade. Conversely, the gun was affordable due to a small dent in the left barrel and a refinished stock. Playing it cool, I haggled a little (yes, that’s acceptable), noting the dent and stock work, then strolled out with the superb specimen sporting an action smoother and tighter than any newer gun that I own. Whenever I swing the “Elsie” on a passing quail, I feel giddy, like it’s stolen property. The bird hunter in your life would likely feel the same.

A great source of information and where to find “hot buys” for vintage double guns is at dogsanddoubles.com.

Custom Knives

This pair of small, packable, attractive knives from the Upland Knife Company are a fine addition to any hunter’s gear collection.

Speaking of craftsmanship, all outdoorsy folks need a quality knife or two—maybe three. Knives are a dime a dozen from any typical outdoor retailer, but the blades are often made of lesser-quality steel and fail to hold an edge or take one when sharpened. Fortunately, there are knife makers nearby with a fine reputation.

Three custom knives from the same maker in Hamilton, Montana, are floating around in my upland hunting gear. Two are lightweight and slim for easy packing in a hunting vest. The third is a little larger, boasting a custom wood handle, precisely designed, cut, and pieced together with painstaking detail. The blades are of the highest quality, hammered out, and sharpened onsite—one hundred percent heirloom-worthy.

Who is the knifemaker? Michael Thomspon, owner of the Upland Knife Company (www.uplandknives.com). He accepts custom order requests, and if you’re lucky, you can find a knife or two of his design ready for purchase on the website. Follow him on Instagram @upland_knife_co for sneak peeks and product drops.

Outdoor Journals

More than a simple journal, “The Rambler” by Freeman and Sons Supply comes with an Opinel #8 knife and offers many pockets for a variety of needs.

Considering gifting the average human with a journal may not seem like a slam dunk, but I assure you, the outdoorsy folks in your life will like this recommendation. It’s a rare hunter or angler these days that doesn’t at least keep technical notes on their outings. More often, they tell a bit of the story when fish and game come to hand. If Instagram provides any reliable evidence, nearly everyone posting a pic with a fish, buck, bull elk, or brace of birds with their dogs will offer a few lines about how it all came together. That’s why “The Rambler” field journal from Freeman and Sons Supply (https://www.etsy.com/shop/Freemanandsonssupply) makes a fine gift.

The Rambler is a handsome, high-quality, handcrafted leather tool that comes with a Field Notes brand journal and iconic Opinel No. 8 pocket knife, made in the French Alps since 1890. The front pockets are designed for a pen and pocket knife. The rear pockets hold business cards, cash, or whatever else you decide to tuck into them. The Rambler goes where I go to capture the details of every outing. Sometimes, I take it to meetings where business cards and other notetaking needs are handy. Slip one into your special someone’s stocking this year. They’ll be glad you did.

Custom Fly Rods

Custom fishing rods like these Batson Enterprise Rainshadow fly rods provide a one-of-a-kind fishing experience and a beautiful, quality tool for the fisherman or woman in your life.

Okay, let’s agree that fishing rod-making technology has flooded the market with high-quality products at most price points, from the Echo starter package to the Orvis Helios. It’s truly hard to go wrong. However, a handcrafted fly rod, made to spec or off-the-shelf, takes excellence to a new level. Where to find one? The “Red Shed Fly Shop” in Peck, Idaho (www.redshedflyshop.com).

Why is it called the Red Shed? Take an afternoon drive up the scenic Clearwater River and see why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. The weathered little shed has a few fly-fishing gear banners on the front but looks more like a backwoods beer-drinking cabin from the outside. Open the door, however, and stare in awe at the wealth of gear and knowledge that packs the little shed to the gills.

Owners Mike and Linda Cummins offer everything from waders, flies, and nets to custom Burkheimer rods that line the ceiling. Handle one of the Burkheimers, inspect the detail in the guide wraps and grip, and note the rod’s balance, as it feels weightless in your hand. Whether sending dry flies or streamers or throwing “the meat” for steelhead on a two-handed rod, it will fish like a weapon if it came from the Red Shed.

Commissioned Artwork

Capture that magic moment with artwork, like this painting by Alan Rasmussen of a wild rooster that young Llewellin setter Zeta pinned on of our favorite and difficult public coverts.

Like fishing rod-making, technology has put the power of photography at our fingertips with every smartphone, and people are documenting everything. But one thing that cannot be replaced with technology is an artist’s touch. Commissioning a painting for that magic moment in the wilderness, a big buttery brown trout, Snake River steelhead, or a bird with your best pointing dog can cement the memory with elegance.

One such moment happened last fall when my youngest setter, Zeta, pinned a wild rooster pheasant in one of the toughest covers I have hunted because the birds have such an advantage. I had not taken a bird in seven years of hunting those bunchgrass hills, but Zeta held the bird while I waded through 200 yards of Great Basin wildrye for the flush. I sent a photo of Zeta and her rooster standing above the property to Alan Rasmussen (www.alanrasmussenartwork.com), a phenomenal wildlife artist in Utah. My one request was to make the fall colors pop on the deciduous trees behind Zeta. Alan returned to me a picturesque interpretation of the scene and a perfect portrayal of Zeta, right down to the freckles on her muzzle. See his work online or on Instagram @alan.d.rasmussen.

If your special someone has a favorite style of artwork, there’s an artist willing to deliver it for you at an affordable rate. You can find them on Instagram, for example, by searching terms like “commissioned art,” “upland art,” and “oil painting.” Many of these artists also offer affordable prints of their original pieces as an alternative.

These few gift ideas encompass built-to-last craftsmanship, stunning good looks, and superior skill and utility that every hunter, angler, hiker, biker, climber, etc., will appreciate, so check them out. If nothing else, they will help get your creative juices flowing. Remember, commissioned items take time to complete, so contact those vendors early if you wish to have them for the holidays. Happy shopping!