‘In Your Words’ explores the incredible stories we’ve received from Filson fans across the globe.  Send us your own experiences with our clothing or product here for a chance to be featured on the Filson Life blog.  Ralph from Switzerland discovered Filson products over 12 years ago and continues to rely on our product.

During my long travels throughout the United States in 2001, I came to know Filson products and it all started with the Highlander Boot.  An extensive fly fishing stop in Ennis, Montana lead me to buy a wading jacket, a fishing hat, a vest to store my flies, a bag to carry my fly fishing tackle and finally the trolley for travelling. The list of items is growing still. However, all items are still in excellent shape after heavy usage in good and bad weather conditions. All products are of true quality, style, and they please me each time when used or worn. For me, there is nothing else that can beat your endeavors in quality and style.

Brian Koch started Ultimate Upland in 2010 to be the most comprehensive resource for upland hunting enthusiasts. Since then it has grown into a community where bird hunters congregate and share their love for the sport. Koch strives to be the hardest working bird hunter in the country and aims to reach hunters and fans with detailed accounts of Ultimate Upland adventures.

Three decades ago my dad put a shotgun in my hands. We’d setup on the old farm hill with the hand trap and shoot clays until our shoulders were sore and cases of pigeons emptied. Then we’d go down in the pasture, pick up the unbroken clays, return them to the top of the hill and shoot some more. I’ve never had a professional shooting lesson but believe I’ve had the best shooting instruction available anywhere.

And a few years ago my nephew Zach began getting that same instruction on the same farm hill from the same man, his grandpa. The hand trap has been replaced by battery powered which is now towed up the slope with a lawn tractor. But the lessons are the same: be safe, shoot often, have fun, but listen and learn from a man who has put more rounds down range than most small armies. Needless to say, Zach has grown comfortable with a gun in hand.

As part of our Off-Season Odyssey I thought it would be interesting to pit pupil against pupil. As we drive cross country on Zach’s spring break we’ll stop whenever time allows to shoot sporting clays and hone the shotgunning skills sowed by my dad. After eight hours driving we get our first opportunity to stretch our legs and burn some powder at a clays course in Illinois.

Zach has sprouted into a young man. His reactions times will be faster, his vision better. He’s on the front end of life, the upswing. Whereas I’m fighting to stay on the right side of the hill, he’s coming of age. Needless to say, I have concerns. This is the first time I’ve had a shooting stick in hand since the close of wild bird hunting season. I don’t want to be outshot by my nephew. It’s too early for that. But the possibility is real.

It’s apparent these friendly shooting matches are just a microcosm of the purpose for this road trip. As much as I hope to broaden Zach’s horizons, there is also a growing desire to define my own legacy. There has to be something that an uncle can still offer, some nugget of experience, of expertise, that can still awe a teen. Maybe that’s besting him in sporting clays, exploring amazing new places or just driving infinite hours to stick to a self-imposed itinerary on a road trip few would attempt in this timeframe.

After the first couple shooting stations, I’m grateful some of the symptoms of youth are still at hand: small lapses in focus, and a reluctance to try the proven path. It’s these things which keep me at a small shooting advantage. But there is also foreshadowing of rounds to come – stations where my nephew whips me handily and forces me to lug the dreaded shooting bag to the next. Each round of sporting clays we shoot, the margin of victory is tight, but more importantly we both improve our own scores.

Whether it’s shooting at the foot of the Rockies, off-roading at Big Horn Canyon, peering over the rim of Crater Lake or bouldering at Devil’s Tower, I find comfort in remaining relevant. And watching Zach grow up seems less a threat than a privilege.

We complete the 6,900 mile Off-Season Odyssey loop returning to the exact same sporting clays course where it kicked off ten days earlier. A legacy of shooting that began over 30 years ago with my dad’s passion for the shooting sports has come full circle as well. What Zach will do with his love of the outdoors and shotgunning is up to him. But I expect he’ll pass it along in his own way and own time and the legacy will continue. And one day, hopefully in the very distant future, he may actually be able to best his uncle’s score.

So what’s an angler to do when the winter wind blows and the water temps chill you to the bone?  Yes, there are steelhead to chase.  And if you don’t mind standing in a cold river all day, knowing you might never hook, much less land, a fish, then be my guest.  But what if your body just aches for some warmth and some sunlight?  Then you find an excuse to take the family to the Bahamas.

My mother-in-law’s 80^th birthday was a fine excuse.   And Long Island, one of the “out” islands in the Bahamas, was the perfect place to spend a long week.  I’ve visited more than a half-dozen islands in the Bahamas, and I have to say Long Island is one of my favorite islands simply because it offers so many ways to spend a day in the sun.  Our family consisted of three serious anglers and three non-anglers.

Long Island is the ideal place to stalk some bonefish, cast to small tarpon or strap on some hiking boots and hike to the Columbus Monument on the north end of the island.  Then, there are those deserted beaches to comb, collect shells and snorkel, or perhaps you would just like to lie by the pool, drink a Kalik beer and read a novel.

The locals are open-hearted and friendly and the food is good ol’ Bahamian down home cooking.  This must read like an advertisement and that’s really not my intention.  Next time I go to Long Island, I’d love have it all to myself.  But if you do go, my favorite place to stay is Winter Haven, in Clarence Town. A rental car may be included in the room rate, which allows you to travel from one end of the island to the other.  On your way to Sheep Beach, don’t forget to stop by the Goat Pond Bar and say hello to Suzanne for me.

After four years of constant use, intrepid excursions around the world, and endless encounters with the bottom of truck beds, duffle bags, and carry-ons, this trucker jacket speaks for itself.  Displayed next to a brand-new trucker — fresh from the factory floor — the beauty and character of age is made distinct and compelling.  The oil finish cracked and patterned, the moleskin collar softened and lightened in color, the buttons brazen and fatigued; all reminders of the memories made while worn.  From the Great Wall of China to the rocky wind-torn shores of Washington, the Oil Finish Trucker Jacket yearns for more.

‘In Your Words’ explores the incredible stories we’ve received from Filson fans across the globe.  Send us your own experiences with our clothing or product here for a chance to be featured on the Filson Life blog.  Anthony, the editorial director at Field and Stream, spent more than ten years with his Filson briefcase before needing any repairs.  This bag has been through it all.

I own a briefcase computer bag in tan (#257, I think) that I would like to have repaired. The zipper has come un-stitched from the body of the bag. Does Filson do in-house repairs? I’d rather go through you or someone Filson recommends rather than trust it to a regular tailor.

Just so you know, I’ve been using this bag hard for over a decade. I use it as my daily work briefcase for commuting in and out of New York City. I also travel extensively for my job, and this bag has been with me for literally hundreds of thousands of miles. I use it as a carry on for most flights, and I have also stowed it in canoes, thrown it into floatplanes, worn it while riding ATVs, and on more than one occasion strapped it on the saddle of a horse. I love that the bag is functional and looks totally appropriate no matter how and where I’ve used it: on an African safari, in my Park Avenue office, at a southern deer camp, on a family vacation in Paris, in an Alaskan Fishing lodge, while meeting in a Stockholm boardroom, in a wall tent in the Rockies, and on the floor of way too many Las Vegas trade shows. I take it everywhere.

What’s funny is that this is the bag’s second life, and I’m not even sure of its age. David E. Petzal, Field & Stream’s legendary Rifles Editor, used this bag in much the same manner that I have for several years before he passed it on to me in 2002 because he thought it was looking a little beat up.

That’s a long way of saying I have absolutely NO complaints about a broken zipper at this point. I just want to get it fixed.

Best,
Anthony Licata
Editorial Director, Field & Stream and Outdoor Life

For over two decades, George Hickox has shown all levels of owners how to train great bird dogs.  More often than not, the secret to successful days in the field start with top tier nutrition and a consistent feeding program.  Find out how to feed your working dogs the right way to ensure many happy memories are made on the hunt.

Sound genetics, proper and consistent training, as well as feeding a tier one nutrition are required for the canine athlete to maximize his stamina. A genetically talented dog that has developed his abilities through a successful training program will be unable to stand up to the rigors of a day of running if fed improperly.

The canine receives the nutritional benefits from eating eight to sixteen hours after ingesting his food. Feeding Pupster in the morning of the big hunt or strenuous exercise is not a sound feeding program.  Feeding raises the dog’s body temperature and pre-exercise feeding can led to gastrointestinal health issues such as bloat.  Gastro Volvulus Distention can be life threatening.

A dog should not be fed within two hours prior to exercise or within one hour post exercise.  Digesting food requires water and a dog fed prior to exercise is more prone to dehydration.  There is no plus to feeding in the morning prior to a day of activity.  We feed in the evening no sooner than an hour post exercise.  This schedule allows the dog to digest his food and receive the necessary calories that will be demanded for the following day’s activities.

The amount of calories individual dogs will require varies considerably. A dog with a high metabolism will demand more calories than a pooch with a lower metabolism.  A dog that is kenneled outside in lower temperatures will need to ingest more calories to maintain his internal body core temperature than a companion living in the house.  A good guideline is that a dog will require 7% more or less calories for every 10 degree rise or fall in temperature.  If the temperature was 50 degrees on Tuesday and dropped to 30 degrees on Wednesday Fido would require 14% more calories on Wednesday than on Tuesday.

Obesity and the side effects of obesity are the leading cause of early death in canines in the US.  A good gauge for the proper weight a dog should maintain is if viewing the dog from above the dog should look like a horizontally placed hour glass.  Purina has a body scoring system on their website that will inform viewers about proper weight.  Google “canine body scoring.”

Carbohydrates heat and fat cools.  A diet of high carbohydrates and low fat will raise the dog’s body core temperature which can lead to overheating.  In addition to keeping the dog well hydrated prior to and during exercise a higher fat and lower carb diet will keep the four-legged hunting partner running cooler.

A balanced diet with the proper percentages of proteins and fats will provide the dog with the necessary fuel to perform his tasks on a day’s outing.  We feed a blue ribbon diet of 30% protein and 20% fat for the working dog.  Feed your dog a quality nutritionally balanced diet and do not let the dog become overweight.  Your dog will live a longer and healthier life.

The Switzer Ranch is a ranching operation in Northern Nebraska that has been family-owned for 105 years. Here, a true love of the land and the wildlife it supports has been passed down throughout the family.  Sarah and her brother Adam are part of the four generations currently living and working on the ranch.  Follow as Calamus Outfitters, which provides guiding and outdoor recreation at the ranch, prepares for the start of Turkey Season.

As Adam Switzer makes ready for the year’s first spring turkey hunt in the Sandhills of Nebraska three things are at the top of his list for a successful outing; his calls, his dog, and his gear.  As the owner/operator of a professional outfitting business that draws turkey hunters from across the nation, Adam takes his preparation seriously.  In fact, he never stops preparing.  Throughout the year he constantly practices his various calls, works his dogs and keeps a mental inventory of the daily habits of many wildlife species on the Switzer Ranch, the home base of Calamus Outfitters.

I accompanied Adam to set up a blind to be used the following morning by hunters from Texas.  The past week had covered the plains with snow and ice making spring calving on the ranch a bit more complicated but no one here is complaining.  The past year’s severe drought has affected every living thing, testing the resiliency of the prairie and the animals and people that call it home.  It is still hard to tell the full effect the hot dry year had on the turkey hatch, but a strong existing population will undoubtedly weather the dynamic conditions that define the Great Plains.

As we travel through the ranch on our way to Adam’s destination, he intermittently makes clucking noises with the call hidden in his mouth.  I see various calls strewn about the back seat of his hunting suburban as well.  A couple box calls, a worn slate call, and a wing bone call are at the ready.  I ask what his favorite call is.  “Depends on the birds,” he states, in a matter of fact tone.  “Whatever their favorite is, is my favorite.  And that seems to change every year.”

As we pull up to a stand of ancient cottonwood trees poking into the sky above mature cedars, Adam stops the suburban and slides out.  Grabbing his pop up blind, he strides to his selected spot.  Blind placement is key for the morning hunt.  Because Adam has studied the birds throughout the year he has learned the daily habits and travel zones.  He places the blind close to the cottonwood roosting area, angling the main opening towards the faint path nearby.

I ask about his plan for the morning hunt.  He explains that the turkeys will make the first move.  After listening to the birds, he’ll call softly as they become more active.  The objective is to draw the big gobblers in to the decoy for the prime kill zone shot.

As I picture a large tom carefully approaching the decoy my thoughts are interrupted by the excited whines of Adam’s main hunting dog, Number 2.  Contained in the back of the suburban, No. 2 pleads to investigate the area but Adam gently puts him off.  Although dogs aren’t usually associated with turkey hunting like upland game or waterfowl excursions, No. 2 is never left behind.  Not only does he find birds in areas that are hard for man to access, he is on call to quickly retrieve any wounded birds.  Although that scenario is rare, as a guide Adam must be ready to deal with a variety of situations and it seems No. 2 is the main tool for most solutions during hunting season.

As we jump back into the suburban, now on our way to a patch of pasture that No. 2 will be able to stretch his legs in, Adam comments on the predicted weather.  The early morning will be cold, but temperatures will rise somewhat quickly after the sun pops over the hill.  He mentions that his hunters will need to be ready when they enter the blind.  They need to be quiet and stay warm so their faculties will work when the time is right.  Since the blind hunt can last from 5 minutes to 3 or 4 hours he advises his hunters to wear quality gear allowing multiple layers that can be quietly manipulated.  One of his pet peeves is bulky outdoor clothing that makes loud swishing noises every time the body moves.  “It’s hard to be stealthy when the birds can hear your coat from a ¼ mile away.”

We stop to let No. 2 have a romp before we return to ranch headquarters.  As I watch him bound effortlessly through the bunchgrass, I survey the open hills.  Waiting for spring to fully arrive, the sand drinks in every drop of moisture.  I can smell the dampness play with the crisp air.  A sharp-tailed grouse, and then another, is flushed by No. 2.  Adam chuckles and calls him back to the suburban.  Turkey season at Calamus Outfitters starts tomorrow.

In a society where many people are far removed from the processes put in to food preparation, professional butchers like Zeph have taken the age-old craft in to their own hands.  The 31 year-old Portland, Oregon resident has spent the last 6 years developing and espousing an unique approach to butchery focusing on positive stewardship for both animal and environment.  If you’re lucky enough to procure meat from Zeph, you can literally have a hand in the preparation yourself.  Find out what else separates the Proletariat Butcher from the rest of the pack below.

What attracted you to working as a butcher?
It was a very pragmatic implementation of larger more abstract philosophical, theological and environmental convictions. I wanted to have a pursuit that integrated my life in a very full sense. I get to provide people with the highest quality meat at a very affordable price.  It’s also very hands on.  I need to be active in what I do and this most certainly accomplishes that desire [Laughs].

Where did you learn this trade?
I learned to butcher at Seabreeze Farm off the coast of Vashon Island.  At this farm, the animals were raised, slaughtered, butchered and cured all on site. So, from the seed that grew the pasture to the sausage finally offered, we were involved.  I’ve been interested in meat for 6 years, and seriously pursuing butchery for 3.

Can you describe your distinct approach to butchery?
At Proletariat, we strive to create a close looped cycle where everything from the ground in which the animals forage to the meat you eat are well taken care of through responsible stewardship. We up-cycle our edible scraps to pigs in order to create something useful, and the hides are tanned and then made available for our customers to take home. We sell animals by the quarters, and this has a few main purposes:  first off, none of the animal goes to waste because you purchase the whole quarter, not just particular cuts. It also affords the best price for the consumer. You receive a Frenched rack of lamb for the same price you buy seemingly less desirable cuts like lamb shank, ground lamb or bones. We want you to see every cut as equally healthy and delicious. In short, we take meat from an abstract commodity in a typical retail setting to what it actually is: an animal, in which we strive to honor and be a good steward of.

Where do you source your animals?
The animals are sourced from local, family farms that practice good animal husbandry. We rely on our personal relationship with the farmer instead of external rules to discern whether the animals are being raised in an efficacious fashion that focuses on good pasture management.  We prefer the term “pasture raised” instead of “grass fed” as the latter is not a very accurate portrayal of a farmer’s reality in animal husbandry.

What are a few things that you think people misunderstand about butchery?
There isn’t too much of a misunderstanding, rather than a total lack of understanding and awareness for the craft. In many ways, it’s easier that people don’t have many preconceived notions about butchery so we can help people understand the craft from the ground up. Still, people are always surprised that we cut by hand and use old carbon steel knives.  Many of our clients are also surprised at the variety of cuts they get from us. There is more to a cow than New York steaks, rib eye, and ground beef. Also, people are always baffled by Old World preservation methods.  When we salt bacon, pancetta, or hams for customers and encourage them to hang them in the pantry we receive a lot of blank stares.

What makes your company different than others?
There is little about this company that is similar to any other butcher shop. We are taking what we like about butchery and reinventing the rest. Everything is handcrafted, no accelerating the process via machinery, artificial climates, or chemicals. It’s very basic and beautiful. We harbor an intentional pre-industrial, agrarian posture toward meat consumption.  Our sales structure is very different from a typical retail setting, rib eye is the same price as ground beef.  We also strive to involve our clients by letting them be involved in the butchery if they would like to. We want to integrate our customers further into the experience and ingrain responsibility for good consumption.

What’s your favorite meat or meal?
My favorite hunk of meat would be the “butcher’s cuts.”  I take the seemingly less desirable cuts and turn them into delicious meals. It is encouraging, as it shows us that you don’t need a NY steak to be satiated.  You simply need quality meat, good cooking methods, and an open mind to provide for you and yours.

Alex is a filmmaker based in Southern California. He recently produced the documentary Low & Clear which was hailed by Field & Stream as “The best fly-fishing movie ever.” The film is available on DVD and will be released on VOD and iTunes in June.

The point of gear is not gear. Sure, a finely made rod or pair of boots has its own allure as simply an object – the craftsmanship behind the stitching, the sense that all these years of human experience and knowledge have gone into one pair of boots to keep you dry – that’s all enticing. But on the slow days when I’ve found myself in my home office standing in my waders at 2PM on a Thursday locked into some extended steelhead daydream, even then, I’m not thinking about the gear, I’m thinking about an experience.

And ultimately this is what being well-outfitted is all about. You buy quality gear not to marvel and obsess over it but with the hope that once you’re on the river and focused it’ll be the last thing on your mind. Anyone who’s ever had painfully cold feet stuck in bad boots knows what I mean. The quiet of a big river and the long gaps in thinking that fishing provides get scrambled when you’re freezing and there’s an ache in every step.

About a month ago my Dad’s mother passed away. It was a long time in coming but that didn’t make it any easier. After we got the news we did the next logical thing – booked a steelhead fishing trip. We’ve been fishing with Gino Bernero of Confluence Outfitters for over a decade and at this point the relationship has mutated to where he’s less of a guide and more part-shaman, part long-lost uncle. He put us on the Applegate River last month in the hope that we’d land some steelhead before the season closed and they’re left to go about spawning and surviving.

Southern Oregon was unusually cold. Twenty-eight degrees in the morning and the water hovered around forty-two. I layered synthetics and down and topped it off with the Pro Guide Wading Jacket. It has weight that immediately locked in some body heat, and the exterior has a toughness to it as if the folks at Filson had set about to make synthetic Tin Cloth. This was an element of the jacket that I appreciated during a push through a bramble-thick river bank. Without the fabric, my down sweater would’ve been torn to pieces and I’d have some serious scratches on my neck.

As the day went on the jacket did what all great pieces of gear should do – it disappeared. There’s a big range of motion with it so I didn’t notice it during spey casts. The sleeves locked out any water that could have trickled in, and the only comment on the look and fit was from Gino who said two words when I put it on: “Style points.”

On our second day out we stopped at a gentle turn in the river where a heavy hole created a prime space for fish. I was nymphing with a pattern to match the March browns we’d seen rising earlier. Three casts in and all of a sudden it felt like there was a cinder block at the end of my line. This was a big fish in deep water and I was using an eight-weight single-handed rod so the fight couldn’t be too aggressive. We parried and played until she gave herself up, a 28inch 9lb hen still yet to spawn. After 110 miles of freshwater swimming her look was firmly on the trout-side of the spectrum and beautifully so.

This moment: the fish in my hand, my dad smiling and Gino laughing was what we came out here for. The rods, the reels, the flies, the boat, the waders and the jacket was all for this; so that despite whatever may be going on back at home we could spend a little bit of time unencumbered.

The jacket continued to perform well and it still does. It’s seven in the morning on a Friday, I’m dreaming of steelhead and leaving for work in an hour and I’m sitting at my kitchen table, wearing it.

This Saturday marks Fishing’s Opening Day in Vermont. As the day of reckoning for countless unsuspecting trout draws near, New York City writer, editor and veteran angler David Coggins weighs in on a day he’s had marked on his calendar since fishing season ended last October.

Serious anglers are known for a sense of imagination that borders on exaggeration, and, just as often, for salty personalities. But in fact, they’re improbable optimists. At the root of every cast is an act of possibility, one more chance, as the late great Robert Hughes wrote “for a jerk on one end to feel a jerk on the other.” As opening day arrives, that time is at hand.

That in April many rivers aren’t at ideal water levels just underscores the fact that it’s a time when it really is about “being out there” (a phrase usually trotted out when leaving the river empty-handed).

Like another rite of spring, the beginning of the baseball season, the angler is overwhelmed with what the season might bring, the fishing equivalent of your team winning the World Series.

You get your waders out of storage, you might put on your lucky shirt, you fit together your rod with care and a sense of occasion. Out on the river there may not be a hatch, but those who loathe nymphing (you know who you are) may even toss in a bead-head Prince nymph without complaint. It’s a day for open-mindedness, for the slow pace, for the long view.

That time you tipped over the canoe? Let’s not think about that. What about when you lost a big, really a mammoth, brown trout on the Madison? Again, not the time to dwell.The pursuit of fish humbles us all. So on this fine day, disregard the frigid water, enter the river and cast your line. After all, anything’s possible.