The Virginia Sportsman Winter 2025

MJ LENDERMAN’S NEW ALBUM | FESTIVE BEERS AND CIDERS | WINTER GEAR GUIDE | HANK SHAW’S SMOKED DUCK

WINTER 2025

Dave Karczynski Walks on Water in New Essay Collection Alberto Rey’s Global Travelogue and Art O’FARRELL HAT COMPANY IN SANTE FE GRASSLANDS CONSERVATION

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THE WINTER 2025 ISSUE

FEATURES 24 DAVE KARCZYNSKI WALKS ON WATER IN NEW ESSAY COLLECTION A lifelong angler, Dave Karczynski is an award-winning author, lensman and educator whose new essay collection warrants reverence, praise and rinse-repeat reading.

35 AROUND THE WORLD TO ANGLE AND SAVOR

Alberto Rey, a fly fisher, retired educator, painter, writer, filmmaker and youth fly-fishing program director, shares his global travelogue through the eyes of an artist.

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DARKNESS THICKENS BETWEEN THE PINES AS M AY F L I E S S TA R T TO FA L L .

P H OTO BY DAV E K A R C Z Y N S K I

DEPARTMENTS

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54

63

THE SOUND

FROM THE FIELD

WELL FED

MJ Lenderman recently released a new solo album, “Manning Fireworks,” his first effort for the wellrespected ANTI-record label.

A bipartisan coalition of U.S. House of Representatives members introduced a bill that could be one of the most significant steps toward grassland conservation in the 21st Century.

According to Hank Shaw, James Beard Award-winning author, smoked duck is his favorite way to preserve hunting season’s bounty for the warmer months.

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PHOTO BY E RIC KALLEN

THE WINTER 2025 ISSUE

ON THE COVER

A hard-won Michigan muskie comes to hand.

Photo by Dave Karczynski

WINTER GEAR GUIDE The holidays and winter are here, and so is our Winter 2024-25 Gear Review of our favorite apparel, gear and gadget picks for the season.

20 Christmas parties and cozy winter nights by the fire call for festive libations, and we’ve rounded up seasonal offerings from some of Virginia’s best craft breweries and cideries.

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P H OTO BY N I C K DAV I S

RAISE A GLASS

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The WINTER 2025 Issue

EDITOR’S NOTE “In the best stories about fly fishing...big fish are caught or lost; people say wild and spontaneous words; event becomes memory and sometimes, in the hands of a master, bleeds into art.” The words of prolific fly-fishing author Nick Lyons are appropriate for our Winter Issue, which features two sportsmen who epitomize the intersection of passion for fly fishing and creative expression in their respective crafts.

Dave Karczynski is an award-winning author, lensman and educator who has cast to fish on four continents and written for about every fly-fishing publication under the sun. His narratives warrant reverence, praise and rinse-repeat reading. The literati have taken notice; he received the Robert Traver Award in flyfishing writing and a Zell Fellowship in creative writing.

In “Calling After Water: Dispatches from a Fishing Life” (Lyons Press, October 2024, 224 pages), his third book and first essay collection, Karczynski brings together his narratives from his time as a contributor to such iconic magazines as Outdoor Life, The Drake, American Angler, The Flyfish Journal and others.

“Words chose me,” Karczynski said, and the ones he chooses resonate with the clarity and precision he applies to both his writing and his angling, as he interweaves narrative finesse with his fishing adventures. His precise attention to words and sentences patterns his fly selection, and he patiently works with both materials with the same dedication, tying them together on his keyboard and vise.

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T H E M O R N I N G A F T E R A H E AV Y R A I N T H AT FLOODED THE STREAMS, REY WEIGHED DOWN HIS TA B L E A N D PA I N T I N G S U P P L I E S W I T H R O C K S T O C R E AT E A WAT E R C O LO R O F T H E C A L E U F U R I V E R O N T H E C A L E U F U E S TA N C I A I N A R G E N T I N A .

The outputs are a refreshing cocktail of entertainment, intellectual depth and an impressive trophy fish and explorations resume.

Similarly, Alberto Rey is a fly fisher, retired educator, painter, writer and filmmaker who has run a youth fly fishing program for 30 years. His multifaceted artistry offers an inspiring lens on the fly-fishing life. Rey’s Cuban heritage and recent global travels enrich his work with profound cultural and environmental insights, and the man’s ability to translate his experiences into visual art, ceramics and film is extraordinary.

As you’ll see on these pages, Rey shares a travelogue of his journey around the world captured by his words, imagery and art.

The trip involved 27 flights and 47 locations from South America and Asia to Europe and Northern Africa, where he fly fished 26 bodies of water.

This issue celebrates how the fly-fishing life transcends the stream, merging with literature, art and even self-discovery.

These two creatives remind us that angling isn’t just about the fish—it’s about the stories, the places and the connections that shape our lives.

Happy Holidays! Thank you for helping us celebrate sporting life and culture. We appreciate you reading our journal.

Explore the great outdoors this spring Whether you’re visiting for a long weekend or an extensive stay, there are plenty of ways to get adventurous during your trip to Berkley County.

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA is known for its lush forests, bountiful biking and hiking trails, bird watching spots, and world-class geocaching.

recreational and leisure activities. With seven miles of jogging and hiking trails and 3.5 miles of walking/bike trails, there is plenty of space to explore. The site houses the Poor House Farm Barn, a popular venue for weddings and special events.

Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area features 23,000 acres of public access land, located in Berkeley and Morgan counties Berkeley County is home to more than in West Virginia. The site offers seasonal 57 active caches and multiple geo trails bird watching, rugged bike trails, hiking for explorers of all experience levels. trails, canoeing, kayaking, and plentiful Geocaching is a treasure hunt that hunting and fishing opportunities. combines technology and the outdoors to send people looking for clues using GPS Yankauer Nature Preserve is a 104-acre tracking. Caches are hidden or are in plain preserve that overlooks the Potomac River. The site is one of the best locations sight and can look like anything—from a birdhouse to a fake rock. for a spring native wildflower walk.

Yankauer has 2.4 miles of hiking trails and Whether you’re traveling alone, with more than 188 flora and 109 bird species family, or with friends, you’re sure to find have been identified on the preserve. fun and relaxation in beautiful Berkeley County! Learn more about the area’s Poor House Farm Park is a 207-acre county-owned park, providing numerous outdoor offerings at travelwv.com/nature.

The Winter 2025 Issue | THE SOUND

MJ Lenderman Steps into the Spotlight on New Album, “Manning Fireworks” STORY BY JEDD FERRIS

M

J Lenderman first surfaced as a member of Wednesday, the North Carolina indie band that released the critically hailed album “Rat Saw God” in 2023. But this year the emerging singersongwriter and young guitar hero has stepped into the spotlight.

He was a featured guest on Waxahatchee’s latest album, “Tiger’s Blood,” which came out in March. In September, Lenderman released the new solo album “Manning Fireworks,” his first effort

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for the well-respected ANTI-record label.

Lenderman grew up in Asheville, and his dad exposed him to gritty country-rock bands from the early aughts like Drive-By Truckers. But he also took to introspective songwriters like Jason Molina, and on his instrument, there’s clear inspiration from Neil Young’s fuzzy ragged tone. With these influences swirled together (add some of Pavement’s 90’s slacker demeanor, as well), Lenderman has honed a style—some twang, some

PHOTO BY CHARLIE BOSS

distortion—that’s both original yet comfortingly familiar. In the process, he’s become one of the most exciting upstarts in indie rock, selling out large clubs across the country.

The songs on “Manning Fireworks” are filled with witty bites of humor that mingle with undertones of sadness, often giving a sly grin to the absurdity of the mundane. In the album’s lead single, “She’s Leaving You,” Lenderman offers a deadpan look at a character dealing with a midlife crisis,

poking fun at the idea that cranking some Eric Clapton and buying a Ferrari will provide the cure. The protagonists in “Wristwatch” and “Joker Lips” are also down and out, but the songs’ swelling, Southern-flavored rock arrangements provide fist-pumping catharsis.

Lenderman has a huge slate of tour dates booked through the middle of next year with his dynamic backing band, the Wind. He’ll perform at the National in Richmond on May 19.

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PHOTO BY CHARLIE BOSS

Five Essential Songs “She’s Leaving You” The lead single from Lenderman’s latest album is a jangly rocking earworm about a character going through a midlife crisis. The theme is downcast, but the hook is super sweet and features a vocal assist from Lenderman’s Wednesday bandmate Karly Hartzman.

“Wristwatch” Another low-key gem from “Manning Fireworks,” this track finds Lenderman channeling the late Jason Molina as his lyrics blend goofy observations with sadly endearing sentiments. In the fall, Lenderman and his band, the Wind played a great version of this song on “The Tonight Show.”

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“Hangover Game” The first track on Lenderman’s 2022 album “Boat Songs” is a crunchy, comical jammer that features Lenderman re-stoking the rumor that Michael Jordan’s infamous “flu-game” was caused by the NBA legend having a few too many adult beverages the night prior.

“Right Back to It” This song comes from Waxahatchee’s latest album, “Tiger’s Blood,” which features Lenderman as a special guest on many tracks, including this slow-burning meditation on a long-term relationship.

“Women Without Whiskey” Hear Lenderman channel the influences he learned from his dad when he sings this Drive-By Truckers tune on Wednesday’s 2022 covers album “Mowing the Leaves Instead of Piling 'em Up.”

The Winter 2025 Issue | OUTFITTED

WINTER '24-'25 GEAR REVIEW

BY ERIC KALLEN

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TOM BECKBE, CANVAS TAILGATER BAG

If you are ready to up your game at your next tailgate, consider Tom Beckbe’s Canvas Tailgater bag. Made with Beckbe’s high-quality weatherproof waxed cotton, the Tailgater bag features removable interior dividers that hold six standard-sized liquor or wine bottles. The bag's high-quality leather carry handles and adjustable cotton shoulder strap make transporting your beverages easy and comfortable. For those of us who enjoy time before the big game as much as the game itself, the Canvas Tailgater bag is the perfect addition to your gameday preparation. $349.00; available locally at the Tom Beckbe store in Middleburg, Virginia; tombeckbe.com

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GARMONT TACTICAL, 9.81 ALERT BOOTS

Known for military and law-enforcement boots, Garmont Tactical’s new 9.81 Alert Boots have many of the same features as the brand’s traditional boots but with a slightly different spin. Agile, lightweight and breathable, these mid-cut boots offer plenty of support and stability for hardcore hikers and hunters—but they’re perfectly suited for a quick hike over less aggressive terrain. These are classic boots with a modern look and feel. What’s not to like? $165.00; garmonttactical.com

3 PEAK DESIGN, OUTDOOR 45L AND 25L BACKPACKS

New to the Peak Design family, the Outdoor Backpacks are functional, lightweight carrying options with wide appeal. The 45L pack has an internal frame to support its larger size, and the 25L is frameless. Both bags offer an expandable roll-top, numerous side and internal storage options and plenty of ways to secure items for external carry. Designed to function with Peaks Designs’ modular camera and packing cubes, these packs are a great addition to the brand’s product line—and your closet. As you know, when your needs change, so should your backpack. $330.00 for the 45L; $250 for the 25L; peakdesign.com BIOLITE, CHARGE 100MAX PORTABLE CHARGER

Keeping your tech gear charged while away from power is increasingly important. Biolite has a long history with portable chargers, and its latest offering, the Charge 100 Max, provides 25,000mAh of power in a compact and portable device. The gadget can charge five devices simultaneously, including laptops, smartphones, tablets and more. Light enough to carry in a backpack or glove compartment, the Charge 100 Max ensures that if your battery dies outdoors, there’s an easy way to get back online. $150.00; bioliteenergy.com

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5 IRISH SETTER BOOTS, TERRAIN SNAKE BOOTS, AND VAPRTREK HUNTING BOOTS

Irish Setter has many great options for hunters for the winter and spring seasons. The Terrain Snake Boots are 17-inch, waterproof leather boots that safeguard you from fangs and brushes. The Terrain’s soles feature a multi-directional lug pattern, which is great for traction and mud release. If you aren’t hunting in snake country, the eight-inch VaprTrek hunting boots are fully waterproof, lightweight and rugged. Built with comfort and stability in mind, the VaprTrek Hunting Boots are ideal for hunters on the go. $240.00 for the Terrain Snake Boots; $190.00 for the VaprTrek Hunting Boots; irishsetterboots.com TREK, DUAL SPORT +2 LT E-BIKE

Life is about the journey, not the destination, so why not have more fun journeying on your bike with battery assistance? Trek’s Dual Sport is a lightweight e-bike that’s well-suited for riding on roads or light trails.

The Dual Sport’s 250Wh battery can assist on rides up to 35 miles per charge at speeds up to 20 mph. The 8-speed drive train gives plenty of options for any terrain, and when you call on the battery for assistance, it feels natural and enjoyable. A word of caution: I buy online as much as the next guy, but I strongly suggest finding a good bike store in your neighborhood for this purchase to ensure the battery is safe and reliable and you get a bike that fits correctly. $2,400.00; available locally at Blue Ridge Cyclery (blueridgecycelry.com); trekbikes.com SITKA, JETSTREAM AND STRATUS JACKETS

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If you’re in the market for a functional, sturdy and attractive hunting jacket, Sitka has a couple of offerings worth considering. The Jetstream and the Stratus jackets are designed to keep the wind and elements out and the heat in. The Stratus comes with Sitka’s Safety Harness Pass-Through port, an ideal feature for hunters who spend time in a tree stand. Both jackets come with hoods for the days when the weather isn’t cooperating, and the hood on the Stratus is removable.

Both jackets are offered in various plain and camouflage patterns, and the Jetstream even comes in a few blaze-orange patterns if you want to be seen when you’re in the field. $359.00 for the Stratus Jacket; $349.00 for the Jetstream Jacket; available locally at Green Top Sporting Goods (greentop.com); sitkagear.com

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ROCKY BOOTS, ORIGINAL RIDE FLX WESTERN BOOTS

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For those of us who spend time in the field, in the seat of a tractor or walking through town in the rain, a good pair of boots is a must. Rocky Boots Original Ride FLX Western Boots are lightweight, waterproof and extremely durable. Comfortable right out of the box, these boots come with a square toe and full-grain leather, including pull-holes to assist with putting them on. Plus, the boots’ soles are oil and slip-resistant, making them stylish and safe. $175.00; available locally at Green Top Sporting Goods (greentop.com); rockyboots.com

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The Winter 2025 Issue | RAISE A GLASS

FESTIVE BEERS AND CIDERS FOR THE HOLIDAYS STORY BY JEDD FERRIS

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C

hristmas parties and cozy winter nights by the fire call for festive libations. If you’re looking for the perfect glass of holiday cheer, we’ve rounded up seasonal offerings from some of Virginia’s best craft breweries and cideries.

Port City Brewing Co. Tidings Ale

Port City brings good tidings to the holidays with this incredibly flavorful Belgian-style blond ale. This strong beer comes in at a hearty 8.5% ABV and is made with a nice array of seasonally appropriate spices, including ginger, coriander and cardamom. But all those flavors are balanced by a bit of sweetness on the backend, due to the addition of local wildflower honey. Find this one at Port City’s taproom in Alexandria or on shelves around the Commonwealth. Portcitybrewing.com

Potter’s Craft Cider Farmhouse Dry

Potter’s has long been one of the top players in Virginia’s growing artisanal cider game. For fans of fermented fruit, the Charlottesville-based outfit’s flagship Farmhouse Dry is a must-try. Clocking in at 8.4% ABV, it’s a crisp, brightly flavored cider made with Gold Rush, Albemarle Pippin and Old Virginia Winesap apples. Since it’s available in well-designed 750 ml bottles, this makes for a classy, locally-minded gift. Also, plan to visit the Potter’s tasting room— a repurposed century-old former church with stone walls and cozy fireplaces in a rural setting just three miles south of C’ville. Potterscraftcider.com

Starr Hill Brewery Christmas Ale

This pioneering Virginia craft brewery—now with locations in Charlottesville, Crozet, Roanoke, Richmond, Tysons and Lynchburg—has been making some interesting seasonals in recent years. Add Christmas Ale to the list. It’s a brown ale, with a nice blend of winter spices, a refreshing dash of orange peel and a generous amount of Columbus and East Kent Goldings hops—resulting in a relaxing holiday sipper that nods to old-world tradition and new-school brewing innovation.

Starrhill.com

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P H OTO BY N I C K DAV I S

Blue Toad Hard Cider

Hardywood Park Brewing

Blue Toad makes a variety of hard ciders from apples picked in the Blue Ridge Mountains at their scenic outpost in Nelson County near the base of Wintergreen Resort.

Winterfest is a canned offering that’s one of the cidery’s highly anticipated seasonals only available through the holidays. The spiced hard cider comes in at a reasonable 6.2% ABV, and with festive notes of cinnamon and cranberry, it goes perfectly with the Hors d’oeuvres spread at casual Christmas parties. Bluetoadhardcider.com

Like their favorite Christmas cookies, Virginia beer enthusiasts wait for this one to hit shelves yearly.

Hardywood Park’s cult favorite is a big, boozy (9.2% ABV) imperial milk stout that has an easy-drinking creamy mouthfeel with the expected snap of baby ginger in the finish. The award-winning beer now comes in spin-off varieties, including Gingerbread Porter and Bourbon Barrel GBS—a spiced milk stout aged on bourbon barrels.

Hardywood.com

Winterfest

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Gingerbread Stout

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Dave Karczynski

Walks on Water in New Essay Collection The High-Art Life of a Fly Fisher, Author, Lensman and Educator

S T O RY B Y J O E S H I E L D S | P H O T O S B Y D AV E K A R C Z Y N S K I

CASTING ON THE DOORSTEP OF “ D E B O N A I R D I R T B A G ,” F I R S T PUBLISHED IN THE DRAKE

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THE AUTHOR ON THE HUNT FOR BRONZE BASS AMONG WISCONSIN’S NORTHERN FREESTONERS

T H E B O O K ’ S C O V E R F E AT U R E S A M I C H I G A N TROUT STREAM ON A COLD OCTOBER MORNING.

S

ome call me the “human highlighter.” Fouling prose published in all forms and formats is a regular practice. I color, underline words and scribble notes in text and margins so I can revisit pages to marvel at and learn from storytelling mastery.

I don’t always comply with this scholarly approach, but I do when I read Dave Karczynski. The author’s handle—his key grip on words and images—matches his proficiency with a fly rod and camera, not necessarily in that order. My tally: the man lives a life of high art.

An accomplished, lifelong angler, Karczynski resides with his wife and daughter on a farm in southern Michigan.

He’s an award-winning author, lensman, educator and friend who has cast to fish on four continents and written for about every fly-fishing publication under the sun. His

narratives warrant reverence, praise and rinse-repeat reading. Publishers and readers in the fly-fishing community have noticed, and so have the literati; he is the recipient of the Robert Traver Award in fly-fishing writing and a Zell Fellowship in creative writing.

His first book, “From Lure to Fly,” introduced conventional anglers to the joy of chasing fish on a fly rod, while his second book, “Smallmouth,” explored modern tactics and techniques for hunting the bronze bass. In “Calling After Water: Dispatches from a Fishing Life” (Lyons Press, October 2024, 224 pages), his third book and first essay collection, Karczynski brings together his narratives from his time as a contributor to such iconic magazines as Outdoor Life, The Drake, American Angler, The Flyfish Journal and others.

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Tom Bie, founder, editor and publisher of The Drake, penned the book’s forward. At times, Bie accurately characterizes Karczynski’s “fast, bold, efficient” manner of getting to the point with spartan language. He also appreciates when the writer goes off the reservation by transforming nouns into verbs and further instances of rogue experimentation.

“Other times,” Bie writes, “his sentences are like a slow follow on an early spring day, when the anticipatory buildup is as rewarding as the conclusion itself.”

Let that observation register.

Karczynski grew up with his brothers in the southwest suburbs of Chicago. The boys creatively fished their locale’s urbanity in anticipation of long weekends on Wisconsin’s Wolf River.

“We fished the burbs,” Karczynski said. “We targeted smallmouth bass in a strip mine behind Walgreens, fished for bullhead and catfish in the municipal pond near the police station, got skunked in apartment building retention ponds, battled carp in the mud bogs of construction sites—you name it. But for us, the most hallowed time on Earth was Wisconsin holiday time—Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day and Columbus Day. My brothers and I lived for spells on the water there, where we stalked large and smallmouth bass, walleye, panfish and northern pike.”

“Into the Mystic,” an essay in Karczynski’s collection, demonstrates how far the angler has progressed from his days casting to carp in suburban trenches. In the story, he journeys to Asia targeting golden mahseer, a prized game fish in the carp family that inhabits the Himalayas. Karczynski writes: It reminds you of a bass. But it is not a bass. It isn’t anything you know, its strangeness only growing in your hands, the same plated scales that deflect monsoon boulders now deflecting your understanding. No matter. It’s coming back to life now, and as you turn it toward the current, you can feel through its armor both the strength that is and the strength that will be, on that future day when the waters come and you are gone from this place, vanished save through this memory, which will flash and fade, flash and fade like the silver tail scything away from you, pushing back toward the mystic place in the cold, dark water that not even the mountains know.

Like fishing, words chose Karczynski, and he discovered his fondness for fiddling with them in his early teen years. He went on to complete his undergraduate studies in creative writing at Knox College in Illinois under the tutelage of New York Times bestselling author Tom Franklin, known for his compelling Southern Gothic

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O N T H E F I R S T M O R N I N G O F A F I S H I N G T R I P, ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.

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A GOLDEN MAHSEER IS HOISTED FROM A G L A C I A L R I V E R O N T H E I N D I A- N E PA L B O R D E R .

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SOME LIKE IT POPPED.

outlaw-character creations. Karczynski also earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in creative writing at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he lectures on the craft today.

“I wanted to be a hotshot novelist,” he added, “but gradually I realized I’m terrible at plot, though I could always make my peers in the fiction workshops laugh. I had just about given up on writing when I discovered fly fishing, which had this rich tradition of essay writing behind it. So, I not only swapped out the spinning rod for the fly rod, but I also swapped fiction for non-fiction. The one thing that has stayed constant is my ongoing attempt to amuse myself, and hopefully the reader, on the page.”

You’ll laugh when you read Karczynski’s essays.

“Debonair Dirtbag” is set in Argentina, where he bushwacks to fish the backcountry with our friends Justin Witt and Chris Young. Witt is a native Wisconsinite who lives and guides in Argentina via his destination travel company Hemispheres Unlimited. (Young and I joined Witt on his “trout bum” program at Lago Strobel, and my story, “Fighting Giant Rainbows in Argentine Patagonia,” appeared in the Winter 2022 issue of this publication.)

In the essay, Karczynski catches a remarkable specimen—an enormous brook trout that puts his 6-weight rod and 14-pound tippet to the test. Landing the great fish assuages the common pressures the angler feels on fishing trips. Mind and body relax after a notable catch, casting

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O N T H E B I G WAT E R S O F T H E H I M A L AYA N B A C K C O U N T R Y, T W O HANDED RODS ARE DE RIGUEUR.

and hooksets improve and subsequent rewards are gravy.

Karczynski is equally relieved from gathering details needed for his story that burden the fishing writer.

But all three men are exhausted after their longest day trip, and Witt suddenly wakes them when the rains come and rivers rise. Traipsing through darkness in steady rain in what Karczynski describes as a “Death March,” they barely make it back to Witt’s Toyota Hilux before the mountains flood.

The trio fished hard and well. They suffered and survived their wilderness exit. Karczynski then writes: “I know where we can get warm,” Justin said as he eased the truck forward. “A fishing camp run by an old Russian with one kidney, one lung, and half a liver.”

Chris asked, “Do they make Russians any other way?”

Karczynski balances wit with thought-provoking insights, drawing from his angling experiences in nature. His precise attention to words and sentences patterns his fly selection, and he patiently works with both materials with the same dedication, tying them together on his keyboard and vise. The outputs are a refreshing cocktail of entertainment, intellectual depth and an impressive trophy fish and explorations resume.

“When I began writing about fishing, I discovered I can trade fishing words for fishing experiences,” he said. “That’s a great deal. I also learned that taking photos myself made it easier for magazines to justify sending me places—it’s just one airplane ticket, one bed at the lodge, one plate at the table for a combo writer/photographer. The economics make sense, and I enjoy photography.”

Though there is plenty of travel in Karczynski’s book, I think of it less a travelogue than a book-long effort to plumb fishing’s deepest experiences with deeply considered language. The Irish say there are thin spaces—locales wherein the distance between heaven and earth collapses, offering narrow glimpses of the divine. His writing reveals thin spaces, hidden in pockets of inspiring descriptions and cunning word usage that stretch beyond imagination—and so do his destinations.

For instance, in “Cloud, Castle, Creek,” we piggyback on Karczynski’s shoulders as he journeys to Poland to fish the Izera River:

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A BROWN TROUT HUNTER LETS ONE F LY I N A R G E N T I N A ’ S L A N D O F L A K E S .

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THE BLACK MAW OF A KING SALMON FRESH IN FROM THE BERING SEA

I find a piece of slack water for the release, then retrieve my Moleskin to take some notes. My fishing friends will no doubt ask what it feels like to catch a native brown in the land of its forging, and I will need to have a good, precise answer. I’m overcome, I scribble, by a feeling of being held together more resolutely in space, a barrel receiving bands.

The story’s finale and exchange with a local guide does not disappoint: “This is the most perfect creek I have ever fished,” I tell Arek. “I want to fish it again. I want to fish it forever.”

But he only puts his hands on my shoulders and points his rod upstream, beyond the green hills to the distant haze of the next valley, and smiles.”

“We are going farther.”

“Calling After Water” is a work of high art, a rare book that delights readers as much as it invites them to reflect on their love of fly fishing. As Bie suggests, Karczynski’s remarkable storytelling is the product of “ruthless, relentless rewriting— reviewing and revising each sentence until it has a rhythm and

flow that can’t even be adequately described.”

I can’t describe his narratives either, but I revel in the moments when his accounts reach their zeniths. In his roundabout manner, whether he lands or misses fish, Karczynski walks on water, revealing thin spaces as he takes us with him on his adventures. I see more in his future.

My signed edition arrived, and the real thing thumps my e-reader. I revisit Karczynski’s words. They’re now decorated by hand with highlighter, pencil and ink.

Learn more at davekarczynski.com. To order the book ($29.99 for a limited signed edition), visit shop.midcurrent.com. _____________________________ Joe Shields is the editor in chief of The Virginia Sportsman. He is a writer and communications executive who lives in New Orleans and Virginia. He is also an award-winning, gallery-represented artist whose work is found in private collections and galleries.

Whether fly fishing or surfing, drawing or painting, he celebrates sporting life and culture in his narratives and art.

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THE REYS TOOK A CIRCUITOUS ROUTE AROUND THE WORLD.

Around the World to Angle and Savor S T O RY, P H O T O S A N D A R T B Y A L B E R T O R E Y

I

have been home for a week. As one would expect, being away for five months would create a backlog of chores that must be addressed to bring my home and life back to order or, at least, to the condition I considered “normal” before I left. However, after visiting 14 countries on six continents, these endless tasks blur the fact that I have returned as a different person. The changes are not easily definable, but I now realize I perceive everything from a new perspective. I now understand I need to reexamine every aspect of my everyday life and question whether it can be changed to make it more interesting, valuable or enjoyable. I value life more and feel more fortunate. I am also humbled by my ignorance of the incredibly sophisticated and spiritual cultures I have experienced and the knowledge I have yet to learn. These global experiences do not remain only as memories, but as inspiration to live a more fulfilling life and to

create more ambitious and higher-quality art.

This trip started five years ago when my wife of 35 years, Janeil, and I began realistically to consider retirement. Having worked for most of our lives, we wanted to celebrate the milestone with a grand gesture. The idea of an extended trip around the world seemed an exciting possibility, and the thought of going on that adventure kept us going during our most difficult days at work.

We also started accumulating viable destinations to visit. But by the time we started planning our route, we realized there were too many interesting places to explore in the time we allotted.

We began to whittle down our list to something more manageable, although the entire itinerary was still very fluid by the time we left. The first half of the trip was organized but the second half was still up in the air. We were uncertain what day we were going to return. My priorities were to fly fish in some of the W I N T ER 2025 | T H E V I R G I N I A S P O R T S M A N

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ONE OF THE MANY BEAUTIFUL SCENES ONE EXPERIENCES WHEN T R AV E L I N G TO T H E R I V E R S F R O M M AG I C WAT E R S LO D G E I N C H I L E .

best water in the world, while my wife planned to explore locations she had always dreamt about.

We alternated our travel to include an interesting mix of cities and remote locations.

Our trip began on a cold February day when we drove to my son’s college commencement at Middlebury College, which was on our way to Gloucester, where we planned to stay overnight before catching our first flight of the adventure from Boston. The morning of the flight, I felt terrible and quickly discovered I had COVID. We returned to Fredonia, New York, where I spent the next two weeks recovering and rescheduling flights.

Fully recovered, we restarted our trip by flying into the beautiful city of Quito, Ecuador. The country was in an emergency due to conflicts between the drug cartels and the government. But Quito seemed unaffected and we felt safe enough to stay a few days before continuing to the Galapagos Islands. Santa Cruz Island had more tourist traffic than I had expected, but we soon found the solitude and connections with nature that we were looking for on the more remote islands of the archipelago.

Our next leg of the trip brought us to the Patagonia region of Chile and Argentina, where we spent the next three weeks fly fishing for trout at Magic Waters, Baker Patagonia and Caleufu Estancia. The lodges provided superbly prepared examples of authentic local cuisine while providing opportunities to fish and hike in awe-inspiring and diverse environments. After our time in South America, we continued west by taking a 13-hour flight to New Zealand, where we visited Auckland, Rotorua and Taupo on the North Island. While 36 T H E V I R G I N I A S P O R T S M A N | WINTER 2025

DIEGO, THE REYS’ SON, CASTS TO A LARGE BROWN TROUT NESTLED NEAR A ROCK UNDER THE SHADOW OF A CLUSTER OF TREES ON THE COCHRANE RIVER NEAR B A K E R PATA G O N I A L O D G E I N C H I L E .

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T O P L E F T: T H I S B E A U T I F U L PA L M T R E E MARKED THE ENTRANCE TO THE REYS’ HUT O N T H E S H O R E O F TAV E WA I S L A N D I N F I J I .

B OT TO M L E F T: O U T S I D E SAV U SAV U I N F I J I IS A GROVE OF COCOA TREES USED TO M A K E S M A L L B ATC H E S O F O R G A N I C DA R K C H O C O L AT E B A R S .

T O P R I G H T: PA L M T R E E S H A D O W S FA L L O N F L A T S T H A T P E R I O D I C A L LY H O L D V A R I O U S S P E C I E S O F F I S H T H A T E A G E R LY S N A T C H E D CHARTREUSE STREAMERS.

there, we enjoyed several examples of art and performances by the indigenous Māori culture. At our last stop in Taupo, I was fortunate to witness the threatened Whio duck frolicking in the current, in front of us, as we fished the Waipunga River for large rainbow trout. My guide, Ollie Jones of Chris Jolly Outdoors, the recipient of Africa’s Guide of the Year, also provided valuable insights on perfecting my casting and fly presentation.

Just a short hop from New Zealand was Fiji. I had dreamt of fly fishing the flats there for years, and it finally became a reality. Fly fishing is not a regular occurrence on these islands, and there is little written about it but by sheer luck, I ran into the owners of flyfishfigi.com while walking along the beach one evening on a secluded island. The husbandand-wife team regaled us with stories of large pods of giant trevally swimming in nearby flats but, unfortunately, they were leaving the next day and would not return for a few months.

While I had limited success fly fishing solo, the couple planted the seed in my mind. I plan to return and dedicate more time to exploring the exciting angling possibilities on the more 38 T H E V I R G I N I A S P O R T S M A N | WINTER 2025

remote Yasawa Islands.

Our next destination was Australia and Tasmania. We made stops in Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns, where we snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef and fly fished the brackish channel between Hinchinbrook Island and the mainland with our guide John Snell. Hinchinbrook Channel provided a breathtaking contrast between the mangrovelined coastline and the rainforest-covered mountains. I missed several barramundis before finally landing a couple after casting near the dead trees that periodically lined the shoreline. In Tasmania, I secured a date with Jason Barrett of Miena Fishing Village and landed many brown trout on the Tyenna River. We were also surprised by a young bold platypus that came up to us showing off its diving prowess.

We headed to Asia next with stops in Singapore and Osaka, Kyoto, Naoshima Island and Tokyo in Japan. The natural beauty of both countries was matched by the wonderful cuisine, historically significant architecture and the spirituality of their culture. I carved out some time in our schedule to fish near

BARRAMUNDI FISH HIDE NEAR THE MANGROVE F O R E S T S AT T H E FOOT OF THE S C E N I C M O U N TA I N S OF HINCHINBROOK ISLAND IN AUSTRALIA.

T H E R E Y S W O R E B L AC K S T I N G E R S U I T S O N T H E G R E AT B A R R I E R R E E F I N A U S T R A L I A A S A P R E V E N T I V E M E A S U R E A G A I N S T T H E D E A D LY B O X J E L LY F I S H .

STREAMS NEAR MOUNT FUJI PROVIDE A H E A LT H Y H A B I T A T F O R N A T I V E T R O U T ( YA M A M E ) A N D C H A R ( I WA N A ) I N J A PA N .

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REY RELEASES A RAINBOW TROUT ON THE SOCA RIVER IN SLOVENIA NEAR THE SITE OF WORLD WAR I ' S B LO O D I E S T F R O N T L I N E S T H AT FORMED THE BACKGROUND FOR E R N E S T H E M I N G W A Y ' S “A F A R E W E L L T O A R M S .” P H O T O B Y N I N A K R A M A R

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Mount Fuji for Yamame and Iwana, which are native trout and char. My guide was Motohiro Ebisudani, an expert in using the tenkara rod, an ancient, fixed-line method of fly fishing.

He advised and instructed me on using this simplified and spiritual form of fly fishing.

Barcelona, Spain, was our next stop, and it took 30 hours of traveling before we found ourselves resting in our hotel beds.

After spending a few days enjoying the food, art, flamenco dancing and the architecture of Gaudí, we headed to the Pyrenees to find zebra trout, a distinctive native species. With the help of the guides at Salvenius Outfitters, we landed several of these elusive fish and an exceptionally large brown trout. We were also treated to delicious gourmet meals with an excellent selection of local wines in a small, local restaurant in a beautifully preserved ancient mountain village.

Our adventure turned south, and we spent a week exploring Casablanca, Tangier, Chechaouene, Fez and Marrakech in Morocco. The exotic beauty of each city’s culture, food, history, art and landscape was

R E Y ' S WAT E R C O LO R O F T H E C A L E U F U R I V E R O N T H E C A L E U F U E S TA N C I A I N A R G E N T I N A .

unlike any we experienced on the trip.

Our next destination, Florence, Italy, was a stark contrast to Morocco. Florence is my wife’s favorite city because of its artistic history, architecture and cuisine. After a week of long daily walks exploring the city, we continued north to Trieste and then to the lush mountain vegetation of Slovenia. The heavily forested Krka River region provides an ideal habitat for the trout that inhabit the countless streams that flow in the steep

valleys. Large brown, Hucho hucho (taimen) and rainbow trout are found throughout the Krka River, and the incredibly beautiful Soca River is home to the unique marble trout. The Krka Lodge was our home during our stay, and I could easily walk out to the stream and have a rainbow on my line within minutes of wetting my waders.

The last portion of the trip included a week in Venice for the always fascinating Art Biennale, a biannual international arts

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festival. We left the city and reached Tirano before the train strike shut down the country. In Tirano, we hopped on the Bernina Express train through the incredibly beautiful Swiss Alps to Chur, Switzerland, before ending the trip with a weeklong celebration in Paris, France.

By the end of the trip, we had taken 27 flights, stayed in 47 separate locations and fished 26 bodies of water. The logistical complexity of this trip may have scared most travelers, but we were not too organized and made most of the reservations while on the road. There is something to be said for being flexible and lucky.

One does not go on a trip like this without being moved by the generosity of total strangers, the richness of the diverse cultures, the similarities between peoples around the world and the wealth of beautiful environments on which to wet a line. ______________________ Alberto Rey is a fly fisher, retired educator, painter, writer and filmmaker who has run a

T H E T R O U T- F I L L E D C H U LC H I U M A R I V E R H AS CA RV E D A M O D E ST G O R G E T H R O U G H T H E H I L L S O F T H E C A L E U F U E S TA N C I A .

youth fly-fishing program for 30 years. Rey’s paintings can be found in over 20 museum collections and have been in over 200 exhibitions. His films and videos have been screened internationally, and his illustrated articles and artwork have graced the covers

and pages of Gray’s Sporting Journal, Art of Angling Journal, Fish and Fly Magazine, American Angler, Fly Fishing International Magazine, The Drake, Saltwater Fisherman, Anglers Journal and Buffalo Spree. Learn more at albertorey.com.

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H AT M A K E R K E V I N O ’ FA R R E L L F I T S A C U S TO M E R D U R I N G A C ATA LO G P H O T O S H O O T. P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F O ’ F A R R E L L H AT C O M PA N Y

O’Farrell Hat Company Carries on Old-School Tradition in Sante Fe “ Your hat is the last thing you take off and the first thing that gets noticed.”

– Old Cowboy Saying

STORY BY JOE SHIELDS | PHOTOS BY ERIC KALLEN

N

ational Football League linebacker Khalil Mack once said, “I have a big head, so I can appreciate a good hat.”

Scott O’Farrell would likely agree with Mack, even though the football player isn’t a cowboy. O’Farrell understands that heads come in all shapes and sizes and crafts custom hats to fit each unique form.

From classic cowboy hats to crossover styles, specialty designs and fedoras, O’Farrell ensures a perfect fit and offers a wide range of custom creations for all tastes and needs.

“Please give Mack my number,” said

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O’Farrell. “I’d love to make the guy a hat.”

The hatmaker owns and operates the O’Farrell Hat Company in Sante Fe, New Mexico. The bespoke outfit has produced custom, handmade hats for over 30 years. O’Farrell cowboy hats have graced the heads of movie and rock stars, including Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Bruce Springsteen, Dustin Hoffman and Matt Damon, and former U.S. presidents George Bush and Ronald Reagan.

“I read about your famous clients in the Denver Post,” I said, even though I knew that’s information O’Farrell doesn’t share.

“That’s pretty cool,” he said.

The man is tight-lipped and direct when he speaks. I respect that. We moved on to his business story.

“We’re a family-run business that my father Kevin O’Farrell started in 1979 in Durango, Colorado,” he said. “He was a New Jersey boy who learned how to make hats through extensive study with hatters from Oregon to Florida, traveling throughout the South and mostly in Texas.

He learned from the old timers how to do it correctly. He apprenticed with five senior hatmakers for over six years and became a ‘master’ hatmaker.’ Then he

TO P L E F T: K E V I N O’ FA R R E L L OPENED HIS ORIGINAL SHOP IN DURANGO, COLORADO. PHOTO C O U R T E S Y O F O ’ FA R R E L L H AT C O M PA N Y TO P R I G H T: T H R E E O F S E C O N D G E N E R AT I O N H AT M A K E R S C OT T O ’ F A R R E L L’ S F O U R C H I L D R E N N O W W O R K AT O ’ FA R R E L L H AT C O M PA N Y. P H O T O C O U R T E S Y O F SCOTT O’FARRELL B OT TO M : O ’ FA R R E L L H AT C O M PA N Y ’ S S U P E R B L O C AT I O N IS HALF A BLOCK FROM THE F R E N C H R O M A N E S Q U E R E V I VA LS T Y L E C AT H E D R A L B A S I L I C A O F S T. F R A N C I S O F A S S I S I I N T H E HISTORIC DOWNTOWN.

taught me the craft.”

Kevin O’Farrell sold his original business in 1992. Soon afterward, he launched the O’Farrell Hat Company in Santa Fe. The shop, now in its second generation, is located on East San Francisco Street, where his son carries on the family tradition. Its superb location is half a block from the French Romanesque Revival-style Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in the historic downtown.

Visiting the store is ideal because

the staff can take precise measurements and offer personalized service.

However, O’Farrell recognizes that not all customers can make the trip to New Mexico, so they have options to accommodate remote orders.

“We’ll take a deposit when you place your order, and we’ll send you a sizing kit with detailed instructions to measure the circumference and shape of your head. We’ll also send you color samples to consider if you’re uncertain

about your preference.”

According to O’Farrell, quality hats mean beaver. The more beaver in the hat the better because it yields a tighter, tougher felt. Most massproduced hats in the contemporary market are made from rabbit and wool.

These materials are appealing because of the price, but O’Farrell typically doesn’t deal with them much because rabbit and wool hats don’t last.

“We consider beaver felt a lifetime W I N T ER 2025 | T H E V I R G I N I A S P O R T S M A N

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T O P L E F T : F R O M C L A S S I C C O W B O Y H A T S T O C R O S S O V E R S T Y L E S , S P E C I A LT Y D E S I G N S A N D F E D O R A S , O ’ F A R R E L L E N S U R E S A P E R F E C T F I T. B OT TO M L E F T: O ’ FA R R E L L U S E S A C O N F O R M AT E U R , A M E TA L L I C H E A D - M E A S U R I N G D E V I C E I N V E N T E D B Y PA R I S I E N A L L I É - M A I L L A R D I N F R A N C E I N T H E M I D - 1 8 0 0 S .

R I G H T: A C U S TO M E R T R I E S O N T H E C O N F O R M AT E U R F O R A P R E C I S E M E A S U R E M E N T W H I L E S I T T I N G I N O ’ F A R R E L L’ S C E N T U R Y - O L D B A R B E R C H A I R .

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hat,” he added, “because it will outlast you.”

O’Farrell hats cost $725 for a blend of beaver and European hare, and $1,000 for pure beaver. Hatbands in the shop or on its website aren’t included in the hat’s price and must be purchased separately. However, O’Farrell does include a grosgrain ribbon hatband with your custom order and offers a variety of colors and widths to choose from.

“A real custom hat is one that customers design for themselves. We’ll help you through the process.

Everyone has different tastes and ideas on what a hat is, and that’s what we’re here to do. We’ll help you find the crown, the brim, the color and the material—and of course, we’ll customize it to fit your head shape. You’ll get the hat you wanted. That’s custom.”

Everyone has a strange-shaped head, O’Farrell said, from the top down. If you could see your head the way your hat sees your head, its shape can be a circle, an egg, an oval—or something entirely different. Heads also have bumps and dents, imperfections that O’Farrell staff call “nuances.” There are often “dimples” on either side of your head by your temples, which makes it difficult or impossible to find a hat that fits perfectly.

Unlike most hatmakers, O’Farrell Hat Company uses a conformateur, a metallic head-measuring device invented

by Parisien Allié-Maillard in France in the mid-1800s.

Although the contraption looks like a prop from the movie “Frankenstein” or a torture machine used during the Spanish Inquisition, there’s no pain involved, and it remains an essential tool and the most reliable way to translate the fit of a custom hat into the exact shape of your head. Few hatmakers today use a conformateur, and they’re difficult to find as they’re no longer in production.

I’d read that the left side of your skull comes from your mother’s DNA, and the right side is based on your father’s DNA. I asked O’Farrell about this occurrence.

“That’s a theory,” he said. “I do know the conformateur gives us all the details.”

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You try the gadget on while sitting in O’Farrell’s century-old barber chair the way you would wear your hat. The conformateur resembles the guts of a piano and lines up a series of pins that create a punched card with a top-down outline of your head.

The mechanism’s long metal “keys” conform to the shape of the skull, measuring a head’s girth at every longitude and punching pinprick holes into a small slip of paper stored at the top of the crown. The staff uses the punch card to create the final fit of your hat. As a result, they build the shape of your head into the hat, so your O’Farrell will fit perfectly.

“We’re here to find what fits into your world and make it for you,” O’Farrell said.

The introduction of the cowboy hat is often credited to John Batterson Stetson, who was skilled in the ancient art of felting. This process involves leveraging the natural “scales” in fur pelts, which interlock when matted together. By repeatedly dipping the fur in hot water and then squeezing it, Stetson created a dense, durable felt that is naturally weather-resistant and long-lasting. This felt became the foundation for the cowboy hat, a practical and iconic symbol of American western wear designed to withstand harsh outdoor conditions.

Stetson brilliantly named his first hat “The Boss of the Plains” and started his business in 1865 with a $100 investment. Recognizing the emerging “cattle class” in the West, Stetson fashioned his original design into a modified version of a Mexican sombrero.

Today's cowboy hat is a timeless icon in American history and continues to represent the spirit of independence. But there’s more to a cowboy hat than meets the eye. Like anything else, cowboy hats have anatomy, so it’s important to understand the terminology involved in your decision-making if you want to go cowboy.

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Q UA L I T Y H AT S M E A N B E AV E R , A N D T H E M O R E B E AV E R I N T H E H AT THE BETTER BECAUSE IT YIELDS A T I G H T E R , T O U G H E R F E LT.

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C O W B O Y H AT S H A V E A N AT O M Y, S O I T ’ S I M P O R TA N T T O U N D E R S TA N D T H E T E R M I N O L O G Y I N V O LV E D I N Y O U R D E C I S I O N - M A K I N G I F Y O U W A N T T O G O C O W B O Y.

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The Crown For hatters, the crown is the centerpiece of the hat—a defining feature that should be well-proportioned to the wearer’s face.

The crown’s creases, or indentations on the sides, allow for endless customization and personality, with variations to suit different tastes and styles. Creases affect the hat’s overall look and enhance its character, making each custom hat unique and expressing the wearer’s identity.

The Felt You can choose from O’Farrell’s Pure Beaver Fur (pure means 100%) or Beaver and European Hare blend. O’Farrell staff carefully brush, sand and hand-hone to the finest felt you can buy. This gives the hat a tremendous “memory” to keep its shape in all types of weather.

The Brim As with the crown, the variety of brim styles—the width, and whether the hat has a pencil roll or curl (a tight curl that rolls into itself and is the diameter of a pencil)—make your hat unique.

The brim has a firmer body for handling, and some styles have a ribbon “binding” along the edge. Never lay your hat down on a flat surface on its brim because you will eventually create a flat area on the front and back. Make certain to turn it upside down on its crown or turn the sweatband inside out and stand it on the sweatband if it's wet.

The Sweatband O’Farrell fashions sweatbands from superior porous goatskin or sheepskin, cut and sewn at the perfect angle to conform to your head.

This enables it to “breathe” comfortably and resist perspiration stains.

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The Hatband Hatbands are the trimmings, the icing on the cake, and aren’t just after-thoughts. O’Farrell hatbands are from the finest artisans in the Southwest, and each hatband is unique. You can pick from silver, gold, leather, bead, quill, horsehair or French ribbon.

The Lining Staff will line your hat inside the crown with fine satin displaying the O’Farrell crest.

The Fit If you accurately measure your head’s circumference (about one-fourth an inch above your ears), the staff can incorporate that as they build your hat. It’s also important to recognize your head’s shape (round-oval, long-oval or extra-long-oval) for them to make it comfortable.

O’Farrell's commitment to keeping this oldworld craftsmanship alive is refreshing, and his emphasis on materials speaks volumes. Quality, rather than expedience, is paramount, and the result is a hat that will outlast its owner.

That’s the cowboy way, and no one does it better than O’Farrell today. His old-school approach applies to any style hat that meets your fancy.

Learn more at ofarrellhatco.com.

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The Winter 2025 Issue | FROM THE FIELD

A B I PA R T I S A N C O A L I T I O N O F U . S . H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N TAT I V E S M E M B E R S I N T R O D U C E D A B I L L T H AT COULD BE A SIGNIFICANT STEP TOWARD GRASSLAND C O N S E R V AT I O N I N T H E 2 1 S T C E N T U R Y.

The North American Grasslands Conservation Act Newly Introduced Bill Might Save Grasslands for Sportsmen and Women

S T O R Y B Y J O H N K E L LY | P H O T O S B Y E R I C K A L L E N

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n Oct. 9, a bipartisan coalition of U.S. House of Representatives members introduced a bill that has the potential to be one of the most significant steps toward grassland conservation in the 21st Century.

The North American Grasslands Conservation Act, introduced by House members Nancy Mace (R-SC), Sharice Davids (D-KS), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Mike Thompson (D-CA) is designed to set the wheels in motion to protect America’s tallgrass, mixed grass and shortgrass prairies—more than 70% of which has disappeared.

Grasslands are said to have once made up one billion acres of the United States, or half of the landmass of the 48 contiguous states. An astonishing 50

million areas of grassland have been lost in the past decade alone, with the majority being converted to croplands and much of the rest lost to commercial and residential development.

Today, according to the World Wildlife Fund, grasslands are the most threatened and yet least protected ecosystems in the world, with only a few large, intact tracts remaining.

National Park Service ecologist Dr. Dorothy Borowy recently wrote that the disappearing grasslands create a dangerous domino effect in nature.

“Plants are the basis of most food webs. So, if you diminish the diversity of plants, you’re going to affect everything connected to them,” she said. “The insects, the birds, the small mammals, the predators, everything will be

impacted. Conserving and restoring grasslands is a vital step to safeguarding the myriad of species dependent on them.”

Among the species most impacted by these losses are upland birds.

Bobwhite quail have seen a population decline of 85%, impacting generations of sportsmen and women to come, and causing a range of existential issues to farmers, ranchers and landowners.

The North American Grasslands Conservation Act will be highlighted by a voluntary, incentive-based program to fund conservation efforts like grassland management, restoration and easement. In addition, it will include dedicated funding to Tribal grasslands conservation, promoting indigenous ecological knowledge. Finally, the bill will W I N T ER 2025 | T H E V I R G I N I A S P O R T S M A N

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LAWMAKERS RECRAFTED THE PROPOSED BILL TO M O R E C L O S E LY R E S E M B L E T H E H I G H LY S U C C E S S F U L N O R T H A M E R I C A N W AT E R F O W L C O N S E R V AT I O N A C T, WHICH USED INCENTIVES TO CONSERVE UP TO 32 M I L L I O N AC R E S O F W E T L A N D H A B I TAT A N D I N C R E A S E P O P U L AT I O N S O F WAT E R F O W L A N D C OA S TA L B I R D S .

take important steps toward mitigating climate change, including a pilot program for regenerative grazing.

The concept of a Grasslands Act was introduced in the 117th Congress

by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Michael Bennett (D-CO). This new iteration, in addition to adding the bipartisan element, has also been recrafted to more closely resemble the highly successful North American Waterfowl Conservation Act which, for the past 35 years, has used a similar

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voluntary, incentive-based model to conserve up to 32 million acres of wetland habitat and has proven highly successful in increasing populations of waterfowl and coastal birds.

“The United States has over 125 million acres of grasslands that are threatened, and right here in South Carolina, we see firsthand how important conservation is to the health and beauty of our natural ecosystems,” Mace said.

“Our office has made a promise to preserve this beauty, not just for today but

for future generations.”

“In Kansas, we have grassland prairies that are well known throughout the Great Plains for their beautiful landscapes and scenic hiking trails, but grasslands once covered millions of acres across North America, stretching from coast to coast,” Davids said. “Grasslands are vital to ranchers and producers, Tribes, and folks who love spending time outdoors.

They’re critical habitat for countless species of birds, important pollinators and treasured animals like the bison.

And they’re crucial to fighting the effects of climate change, bolstering our food security, and combatting extreme weather. I’m excited for this opportunity to highlight the protection of our grasslands and bipartisan solutions that build off of successful public-private partnerships.”

“Grasslands are vital to the livelihoods of our nation’s ranchers and the health

of our native wildlife—yet they remain endangered. It’s great to join my colleagues to introduce the bipartisan North American Grasslands Conservation Act to invest in voluntary, incentive-based programs to help farmers, ranchers, Tribal Nations, sportsmen and women and state and local governments preserve, rehabilitate and responsibly manage our

grasslands for generations to come,” Thompson said.

“Grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world, with over 70 percent of America’s tallgrass, mixed grass and shortgrass prairies now gone,” Fitzpatrick said. “Our grasslands are vital for the survival of farmers and rural communities across

G R A S S L A N D S A R E V I TA L TO T H E L I V E L I H O O D S O F O U R N A T I O N ’ S R A N C H E R S A N D T H E H E A LT H O F O U R N AT I V E W I L D L I F E —Y E T T H E Y R E M A I N E N D A N G E R E D .

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GRASSLANDS ONCE COMPRISED ONE BILLION ACRES OF T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S — H A L F T H E L A N D M A S S O F T H E 4 8 C O N T I G U O U S S TAT E S . R E V I TA L I Z I N G T H E S E C R I T I C A L E C O S Y S T E M S W I L L E N S U R E T H E Y S U S TA I N W I L D L I F E A N D R U R A L C O M M U N I T I E S F O R F U T U R E G E N E R AT I O N S .

Pennsylvania and our nation, which is why I am championing this critical piece of bipartisan, bicameral legislation.

By establishing a landowner-driven, incentive-based program and investing in restoration programs, the North American Grasslands Conservation Act will protect essential habitats that support our American farmers, ranchers and Tribal Nations and revitalize these 58 T H E V I R G I N I A S P O R T S M A N | WINTER 2025

critical ecosystems, ensuring they continue to sustain wildlife and rural communities for generations to come.”

The bill is the result of a highly cooperative effort that has received the endorsements of 45 leading regional and national conservancy organizations across the country, including the World Wildlife Fund, the American Bird Conservancy and The Nature

Conservancy, to name a few.

The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership recently spoke out in favor of the measure and its impact on the hunting community.

“Hunters are among the first to see the effects of habitat loss and degradation, and for decades we’ve seen populations of bobwhite quail, prairie chickens, pronghorn and other grassland wildlife

suffer,” said Aaron Field, TRCP’s director of private lands conservation. “It’s long past time to replicate on grasslands the proven model of voluntary, incentive-based conservation that has boosted waterfowl populations for nearly 35 years.

The North American Grasslands Conservation Act puts us on that path.”

To learn more about the North American Grasslands Act and what you can do to help, visit actforgrasslands.org and quailforever.org. __________________________ John Kelly is the managing editor of The Virginia Sportsman.

He is a writer and public relations professional based in Charlottesville, Virginia, whose work has appeared in the UVA Arts Magazine, Albemarle Magazine and USA Today, among other publications. John also works regularly throughout Central Virginia as a singer-songwriter and recently released an album of original songs titled “In Between.”

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ADVERTORIAL

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STORY BY FRANKLIN HARDY | PHOTOS BY HANK GREGG AND ADAM WAYLAND

estled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the estate of Monte Ventoso is situated in Virginia’s pristine Madison County. This Mediterranean-style retreat was conceived by its owner and creator, Jennifer Price, an international holistic health coach, who, like her father, grandfather and great-grandfather, was born and raised in Madison County.

Inspired by the 2006 film “A Good Year,” Price wanted to create a space where people experience love, joy and friendship in a beautiful and relaxed setting. She envisioned family dinners and laughter by the pool forging unforgettable memories.

“I wanted to create a sanctuary much like the vineyard featured in the film,” said Price, “where beauty, relaxation and

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connection come together seamlessly.”

Price designed the 5,153-square-foot house, and with the help of a draftsman, presented the plans to local builder Bruce Bowmen in 2010, who finished the project in 18 months. The Italian-style villa has a traditional stucco exterior, terracotta tile roof and plastered interior. A handmade tiered fountain from Italy graces the center of the circular driveway.

The compound, including guest quarters, offers five bedrooms, six and a half baths, ample living and lounging areas indoors and outdoors, an indoor gourmet kitchen and an outdoor cooking area.

Thoughtfully designed interiors blend classical style with modern conveniences.

The main house and terraces feature stone floors, while the guest quarter boasts handmade terracotta tiles from Mexico with wild

dog paw prints on some tiles. All indoor spaces have radiant heat with emergency power provided by two generators.

The spacious terrace at the back leads to a patio with an outdoor dual-sided fireplace. A gym/yoga studio is situated at the far end of the sparkling ozone pool with a hot tub and cold plunge. Across the lawn from the pool area, gardens accentuated by walkways, statuaries, arbors and trellises lead to a screened-in vegetable garden and greenhouse. The balance of the manicured 17.5 acres offers several side gardens.

Madison County is named after the Madison family from which President James Madison was a descendant. A significant portion of western Madison County lies within The Shenandoah National Park. The beautiful mountains

and pristine streams attracted the attention of President Herbert Hoover, an avid fisherman. In 1929, Hoover built a presidential retreat where two streams merge to form the Rapidan River. The camp was donated to the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1932 so other presidents could enjoy it, and in December 1935, it officially became part of Shenandoah National

Park. The county offers a variety of outdoor activities from trout fishing and horseback riding, to hunting, backpacking and birding.

Monte Ventoso, meaning “Windy Mountain” in Italian, is aptly named because of the constant gentle breeze the property enjoys. A serene environment for an idyllic life, it is only 10 minutes from the Town of Madison, less

than an hour to Charlottesville and two hours to Washington, D.C. It is offered for purchase at $7.75 million. For more information and an appointment, contact Frank Hardy Sotheby’s International Realty at (434) 296-0134.

Franklin Hardy grew up in Virginia and is a screenwriter based in Los Angeles, California.

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Virginia’s Premier Upland Hunting Experience Located minutes to Richmond and a short drive to Washington DC, our hunting preserve has been cultivated and strategically prepared for upland hunting. There are several distinct and different hunting environments including traditional pine forests, open fields, and sloping hills. We provide our exceptional and experienced guides, professionally trained English Setters and Pointers, chef prepared gourmet food and local libations set amongst a beautiful and historic setting.

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The Winter 2025 Issue | WELL FED

HOW TO MAKE SMOKED DUCK STORY BY HANK SHAW

PHOTO BY HANK SHAW

P H O T O B Y H O L LY A . H E Y S E R

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• Big ducks smoke better than small ducks, although there is no reason you can’t smoke a teal.

Smoked duck is my favorite way to save our hunting season’s bounty for the warmer months.

Holly and I spend most of our winter days hunting ducks and geese, and we eat them several times a week during the winter months. In that time, I do a lot of preserving: mostly confit, salami, cured goose “prosciutto.” But I will also smoke duck and goose and freeze them for the rest of the year.

Those who know their way around a smoker know that fat is a critical element in the process. Fat absorbs the smoke’s flavor better than the meat itself. This is why you see lots of recipes for smoked pork and salmon; both are fatty animals.

So are waterfowl. Domestic ducks and geese are essentially avian pigs, and even wild ducks will have enough fat on them to make it worth some smoke time.

I smoked a flock of ducks and geese to get to this article, so here are my thoughts on what to do and what to avoid.

For starters, if you are using domestic ducks and geese you will want to remove as much of the fat inside the body cavity and around the neck as you can. Save it, though, and render the duck fat for cooking later.

You will want to prick the skin of a domestic duck or goose all over with a needle—be careful not to pierce the meat, though. This helps rendered fat escape. I’ve even done this on fat wild ducks such as pintail and gadwall that had been gorging themselves on rice.

If you have wild waterfowl, follow these guidelines:

To brine or not to brine? I’ve done both. If you want to eat the smoked duck for a Sunday dinner or whatnot, you can skip the brining — unless your duck is pretty lean, in which case, the brine can help the meat stay moist. But brining a duck, especially if you use pink salt, will help preserve the bird longer in the fridge and will let you smoke it longer without drying out the meat.

So, if you choose to brine, do this: • Mix 1/4 cup kosher salt with 4 cups water and submerge your duck in the fridge overnight.

• If you want to cold-smoke (below 90°F) or smoke for a very long time or if you want that pretty pink color, add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of pink salt, sodium nitrite, a/k/a Instacure No. 1.

• When your duck is nicely brined, take it out of the water and pat it dry. Set it in a cool, drafty place for a few hours to dry out a bit. If you want to go the extra mile, put a fan on the ducks. After it is dry, then you can smoke it. if you skip

• Don’t smoke sea ducks, divers or shovelers you think might be fishy. Smoking will not help you. Skin these birds and do something else with them.

• Avoid smoking snow geese or any other wild bird that is über-lean; you need some fat to make this work. Even a little is OK. • Only smoke plucked birds. Remember, the smoky flavor lingers in skin and fat far more than meat. If you smoke a skinned duck, it will be more like jerky and less like a proper smoked duck.

• Smoking whole birds gives you better results than pieces. Smoking a whole goose or duck will keep the meat more tender and juicier.

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this step and put a wet duck in the smoker, the smoke will not adhere as well to the skin or meat of the bird.

If you are skipping the brine, simply pat the duck or goose dry, let it dry out for a few hours and salt it well before smoking.

As for flavors, I am in love with the combination of smoke, duck, salt and maple. And not just any maple: I prefer the thick, super-premium maple syrup from Blis, which you can buy online. If you don’t want to bother with fancy syrup, boil down regular maple syrup by half; it’s close, but not the same. I need no other flavors in my life, but honey would be good, as would a Cajun rub, something vaguely Indian, chiles, French quatre epices, etc. Use your imagination.

Wood is another choice you will need to make. I am a big fan of fruit or nut woods, like apple, pecan or walnut. Oak is OK, mesquite is too weird.

How you place your duck in the smoker doesn’t really matter. I’ve stood them on end like a beer can chicken, with a glass jar jammed up its butt, and it worked well. But I’ve also just set the duck down on the rack, breast side up, and it went fine, too. You will always need a drip pan under the birds, as they will drip fat.

Your final issues are temperature and time.

If you plan on serving the smoked duck for dinner, go with a hotter temperature, between 250 to 275°F. This renders fat pretty well and gets you closer to a crispy skin. As for time, I prefer 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours at this temperature.

To crisp the skin, get your grill or oven ripping hot — 500°F or so — and put the ducks in with a drip pan underneath for a few minutes, until the skin crisps. Check after 5 minutes, and under no circumstances should the ducks or geese sit at this temperature for more than 15 minutes.

If you want to have a traditional smoked duck, served cold as a luncheon meat or as an appetizer, keep the temperature closer to 200°F, and not hotter than 225°F. This will still render some fat but will not crisp the skin—duck skin will lose its crispiness anyway once you put the cooled duck in the fridge.

As for time, at least 3 hours and up to 6 hours. If you go to the long end of this scale, you will need the pink salt.

Allow the duck to cool before carving. Sliced thin and on the diagonal, smoked duck is fantastic as part of an appetizer plate or in a sandwich. You can also carve a whole breast, sear the skin side in a frying pan until it crisps again, and serve it with lentils or polenta. Again, use your imagination.

And for God’s sake save that carcass! It becomes the base of some of my all-time favorite soups, from smoked duck soup to classic North Dakota knoephla soup to a German duck broth with dumplings.

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P H O T O B Y H O L LY A . H E Y S E R

Smoked Duck or Goose Course Appetizer, Main Course Cuisine Cured Meat American Servings 6 Prep Time Cook Time Total Time 30 minutes 3 hours 3 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients • 1 large duck or small wild goose • Salt • ¼ cup thick maple syrup Instructions 1. Warm the shrimp stock in a small pot.

2. Salt the duck well inside the cavity, then paint the outside of the bird with maple syrup. Salt the outside well.

3. Set the bird in your smoker with a drip pan underneath. Smoke between 200 and 225 degrees over apple wood for four hours.

Baste the ducks with the maple syrup every hour. When smoked, allow to cool completely, then carve. Serve cool or at room temperature as a cold cut or appetizer or carve the breast whole and sear in a pan. Slice and serve with lentils.

no need to go far to

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Time together becomes more precious everyday. Stroll our historic downtown or explore country roads full of lovingly preserved manors. Try a wine flight, a beer flight, or a spirits flight prior to enjoying a delicious meal. Take in an outdoor concert or a live performance at our historic theater. All just a short drive away in Berkeley County, West Virginia.

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