HISTORIAN'S CORNER: MORE ON GEORGE WASHINGTON FISHING

A few months ago I wrote a post entitled, "George Washington: What Was He Fishing For?" regarding George Washington's fishing trip to Valley Forge and Trenton during a break of the Constitutional Convention in the latter part of July, 1787, of which he wrote in his journal. This post was well received by the followers of Upland Equations, which is not surprising given Washington's compelling, almost superhuman persona. If you haven't read it yet, here is the link: http://www.theuplandequation.blogspot.com/2011/12/george-washington-what-was-he-fishing.html. I hope you enjoy it!

What I did not know when I wrote the original post was the specific gear Washington used during this fishing trip. I assumed he used some kind of a pole, line and hook, but wondered if it was in the nature of a fly rod. I came across the following intriguing information in White House Sportsmen by Edmund Lindrop and Joseph Jares:

Three times between the sessions of the Constitutional Convention in 1787 Washington took his London-made rod and line and went fishing in the Philadelphia area.

Washington at Valley Forge.

From this brief statement, I don't know for sure, but suspect that Washington used some form of a fly rod and line made in London. I wish we knew if he also used an artificial fly.

I guess it's enough just to know that Washington used the long rod for fishing. I don't know about you, but this small fact helps me to identify even more with Washington. Perhaps, like a later United States President, Herbert Hoover (a diehard fisherman), Washington agreed that

[Fishing is] the chance to wash one's soul with pure air, with the rush of the brook, or with the shimmer of the sun on the blue water. It brings meekness and inspiration from the decency of nature, charity toward tackle-makers, patience toward fish, a mockery of profits and egos, a quieting of hate, a rejoicing that you do not have to decide a darned thing until next week. And it is discipline in the equality of men -- for all men are equal before fish.

Fishing and American history . . . Did I ever mention that I love this stuff?

LATEST REVIEW OF WAYMENT'S HEAVEN ON EARTH

Greetings fellow bird hunters and fly fishers. I wanted to share with you the latest review of my book, Heaven on Earth: Stories of Fly Fishing, Fun & Faith by Ben Smith over at Arizona Wanderings. Ben is also the editor for the fairly new, but much recognized, Back Country Journal. Here is the link to Ben's review: http://azwanderings.com/2012/book-report-heaven-on-earth-by-andrew-m-wayment/.

As a first-time author of a book, this review and the others to date have been exciting to say the least. For a writer, there is nothing better than to know that someone relates to and enjoys your work. Thanks Ben!

Now for the shameless plug. If you are interested in purchasing an advanced signed copy of Heaven on Earth, here is the link to my website for the book: http://heavenonearthbook.com. Thanks for checking in and thanks for your continuing support of Upland Equations!

I guess now is as good as ever to announce my second book entitled, Roadside Revelations: Tales of Bird Dogs, Family & Other Upland Equations. Obviously, this book will be about bird hunting. My goal is to have this book done by the end of this year. The manuscript is almost done . . . now for the never-ending editing process! Stay tuned!

CONSERVATION: A RELIGIOUS PERSPECTIVE

[Author’s Note: I typically don’t post a lot of religious stuff on Upland Equations. However, as a sportsman, a conservationist, and a Christian, I felt this post was appropriate and important to share on the blog. The purpose of this article is not to push my religious views on anyone, but to show that, whether you take the Bible to be the word of God or not, conservation makes sense and it’s the right thing to do].

I learned something in church the other day that I never knew before. As part of the Law of Moses, the Israelites were commanded to leave unharvested the corners of their fields: “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the Lord your God.” (Lev. 23:22). In this passage, the expressed purpose of leaving the corners was to feed the poor among them.

As I read this, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was another purpose for this commandment. Having been to Kansas at the end of January in 2011 to hunt bobwhites, I experienced firsthand just how effective leaving the corners unharvested is for wildlife. The numerous bobwhite coveys we found thrive in the corners untouched by the irrigation pivots and the plow. Doubtless, such practices were beneficial to wildlife in biblical times also.

As I researched this issue further, my suspicions were confirmed as I also learned that the Law of Moses also required the Israelites to let their farm land lie fallow every seventh year: “But the seventh year thou shalt let [the land] rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat . . . .” (Ex. 23: 11). In this passage, leaving some food (and cover) for the beasts of the field (which could be interpreted as including wildlife) was an express purpose for the necessity of allowing the land to rest for a sabbatical year. As sportsmen have learned over the last century, programs like the Soil Bank and the Conservation Reserve Program have been a boon to the recovery of America’s wildlife populations. However, the ideas underlying these programs are anything but original. As shown by these passages, they stem from the Bible.

This begs the question: Do our modern ideas about land conservation and stewardship have biblical origins also? From my research, I believe so.

First, if conservation is in fact biblical, then one would assume that God cares for all of His creations and wants to conserve them. There are scriptural passages that suggest this. For example, after each of the successive days of creation, the Bible says that: “God saw that it [his creation] was good.” (Gen. 1:10, 12, 18, 21, and 25). At the end of creation, including Man, Genesis states: “And God saw every thing he had made, and behold, it was very good.” (Gen. 1:31). The fact that God expressly stated that He considered his creations as “very good” suggests that He wanted them preserved.

The nature of God in this regard and his relationship to His creations is evident in numerous passages of scripture. For example, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught his disciples: “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matt. 6: 26). Of the tiny sparrows, Jesus stated that one of them could not fall to the ground without God’s notice. (See Matt 10:29 and Luke 12: 6). Thus, the Bible clearly speaks of an omniscient God who is totally cognizant of all of his creations and who beneficently provides for them.

So then what of Man and his biblical role in conservation? One cannot start to understand Man’s place in conservation without first looking at the statements made by God at the time of creation: “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” (Gen. 1: 26). This may be one of the most misunderstood scriptures of all time. The use of the term “dominion” makes it sound like Man has unfettered control over the earth and all of its creations.

However, other scriptural references bring this interpretation into serious question. In the 2nd Chapter of Genesis, it states that “the Lord God took man, and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.” (Gen. 2:15) (emphasis added). The use of the word “keep” might mean that Man is to maintain the Garden in the same good condition, or unspoiled. Along the same lines, a “keeper” is someone who keeps, manages, or guards on behalf of another. If that is the case, then Man is more in the nature of a steward than an outright owner of the Earth and its creatures. Jesus taught numerous parables involving stewards who will have to give an accounting to the true owner of the property (See e.g. Luke 12:42 and Luke 16). If these parables are related to Man, they suggest that Man is currently only a steward over the earth and will ultimately have to answer for how he treated the earth and its creatures.

In my book, Heaven on Earth: Stories of Fly Fishing, Fun & Faith, which will be published shortly, I wrote; “When the Lord gave man dominion over the whole earth, he did not intend for man to act as a selfish, short-sighted tyrant but as a righteous steward who wisely uses the land and its natural resources for his own benefit, but also conserves, protects and preserves them to pass on to future generations.”

Other numerous passages of scripture bolster this interpretation. For example, in Proverbs 12:10, we read: “A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.” This scripture suggests that the righteous in all times have respected the life of animals. Likewise, if we consider the miracle of the quail in the Old Testament, we see a harsh punishment to the Israelites when they took more quail than they needed to sustain their lives (Numbers 11: 31-35). The offenders ended up in the Graves of Lust, which is a lesson and warning to all that we should only take from Nature what we need to survive.

While God expressly gave Man stewardship over the Earth and the animals thereof, the writer of Ecclesiastes wrote something very intriguing:

I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
(Eccl. 3:18-19).

This scripture specifically states that death generally falls on both man and beast and man has no preeminence that way. However, it could also be read to imply that there is a symbiotic relationship between man and the beasts of the earth. If man unwisely degrades the Earth and destroys its creatures, this obviously impacts Man: “As the one dieth, so dieth the other” as we all―man and animal―have to share the Earth and we all have one breath. Simply put, if Man destroys and pollutes the Earth, he is not only impacting wildlife, but also Man. Along with the principle of good land stewardship mentioned above, these ideas are significant to conservation and are found in the Bible.

We often honor men like Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, and Aldo Leopold for their contributions to conservation and for good reason. No doubt, these men, their ideas, and their actions have helped to conserve our precious natural resources for future generations. However, I think it is important to also understand that conservation has much deeper roots. If you take the Bible as the word of God (which I admittedly and unabashedly do), then conservation and being a good steward of the land first comes from Him.

TWO GREAT REVIEWS OF HEAVEN ON EARTH IN ONE DAY!

Last night felt like Christmas for me because there was not one, but two great reviews which came out in the blogosphere of my forthcoming book, Heaven on Earth: Stories of Fly Fishing, Fun & Faith.

The first review was done by Paul F. Vang, who wrote the book, Sweeter than Candy: A Hunter's Journal (which I recently read, loved, and reviewed on Upland Equations) and who regularly writes an outdoor column for a newspaper in Butte, Montana and for the "Writing Outdoors" blog. Paul is a great writer and I've really enjoyed his work. Be sure and check it out. Here is the link to Paul's review of my book: http://writingoutdoors.com/?page_id=196.

The second review was done by Jeremiah Wood who writes for a blog named, "The Outdoor Sporting Library," which features information regarding classic hunting and fishing literature. Since I started following Jeremiah's blog, I have really enjoyed it. This is a tremendous resource for those of you who love outdoor literature or who are interested in learning more. I expect good things out of Jeremiah in the future. I just learned that Jeremiah also writes for a blog named, "Wood's Outdoor Journal," which I am not yet familiar with, but intend to follow and include on Upland Equation's blog role. Be sure and give Jeremiah your support. Here is the link to Jeremiah's review of Heaven on Earth: http://outdoorsportinglibrary.com/?p=715.

I am extremely grateful and honored by these reviews and I want to thank Paul and Jeremiah for their insights and encouraging words about my book. Having others in the outdoor writing world read and enjoy your work is extremely gratifying. Thanks guys!

Again, the official release date for Heaven on Earth is April 1, 2012. However, advanced signed copies are available now through my website: http://www.heavenonearthbook.com. Thanks for checking in!

HISTORIAN'S CORNER: GEORGE WASHINGTON, POACHERS BEWARE

George Washington, Excellent Horseman and Sportsman.

I have been working on an article on the first three Presidents of the United States, Washington, Adams and Jefferson, and their bird-hunting endeavors. I've found some great information that I'm excited to share. The article is entitled, "A Presidential Pursuit." I will keep you posted if, when and where it gets accepted for publication.

As our second official installment of the Historian's Corner, I wanted to share a little known story about George Washington that I learned from my research for the article. Most history buffs know that Washington was a diehard fox hunter who bred his own hounds for the pursuit, but many do not know that Washington also did some wingshooting. In particular, Washington wrote often in his journal about duck hunting which he called "a ducking."

This painting depicts Washington and hounds in pursuit of the wily Reynard.

With that brief introduction, the following passage comes from the book, White House Sportsmen, by Edmund Lindop and Joseph Jares:

Washington liked to go "a ducking" in the creeks and coves of his plantation. But he gave strict orders that others were not to hunt ducks on his property without his permission. One morning when the Mount Vernon proprietor was riding, his eye caught the flutter of wings above one of the coves. Suddenly the crack of a rifle shot sounded through the bushes, and a bird fell from the sky. Whirling his horse around, Washington headed at full speed toward the cove.

The poacher, who was shoving off in a canoe, heard the horse approaching and raised the gun. "Stop or I will shoot!" he commanded as Washington rode into sight. But the angry plantation owner kept galloping toward the man. Dashing his horse headlong into the water, he swiftly lunged for the gun and tossed it aside. Then he caught the frightened poacher by the scruff of the neck, pulled him out of the boat, and beat him until he promised never to set foot again on his property.

When I read this, I couldn't help but remember Gandalf's line from the movie, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, "Sauron's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift." So it was with Washington and poachers. Heaven help them if Washington got a hold of them!

The obvious moral to the story is to respect private property and to seek permission before you hunt another's land. Otherwise, you might get the Washington Once-Over.

SWEETER THAN CANDY: A HUNTER'S JOURNAL by PAUL F. VANG

SWEETER THAN CANDY: A HUNTER’S JOURNAL by PAUL F. VANG

Back when the Upland Equations Blog was first started back in 2008, I wrote a post entitled: “A Call to Arms (Pens) for Western Authors,” (Here is the LINK) in which I lamented the lack of great literature on upland bird hunting in the West. In that post, I shared some of the few good books I had found on the subject and pled for other western writers to step up and enrich the field (pun intended).

I recently had the opportunity to review Paul F. Vang's (“Paul”) book, Sweeter than Candy: A Hunter’s Journal, which was published in 2011. I am truly glad I had the opportunity. Now, by no means, do I attribute this new great book to my plea to western writers in Upland Equations years back. Nonetheless, this book sure fits the bill of what I had in mind when I wrote that post.

By way of background information, Paul retired from working for the Social Security Administration and now hails from Butte, Montana, where he is a freelance writer writing a weekly outdoor newspaper column. In addition, Paul writes regularly for his blog, Writing Outdoors. Here is the link: http://writingoutdoors.com/. Be sure and check it out!

With Paul being a regular outdoor writer, Paul’s book covers everything from fly fishing, to bird hunting, to deer hunting, but the major focus is on hunting with his bird dogs. The bulk of the stories take place in North Dakota and Montana. For the most part, Paul’s adventures (and yes, despite his disclaimer in the introduction, he’s had plenty) span from 1970 to the present. Paul shares numerous excellent stories of hunting with his Labrador Retrievers, Sam, Alix, Candy (from whom the book gets its name) and Flicka. Together they hunted ruffed grouse, blue grouse, sharptails, pheasants, Huns, and they also did some jump shooting for ducks. I’m not a waterfowl hunter, but still thoroughly enjoyed Paul’s description of this form of hunting as it seemed more like the rough shooting I prefer as an upland hunter.

Before you pointing dog lovers turn your noses up at the use of Labs for upland game, please note that for the variety of hunting that the west provides, the Lab is the quintessential Jack-Of-All-Trades and gets the job done just fine. Paul’s Lab Candy did it all and pointed birds too! While I do not personally own a Lab, I am a big fan of the breed. Paul’s book reminded me of a statement made by Worth Mathewson in Best Birds: Upland & Shore: “Gene Hill got it right when he wrote something along the lines of when are people going to admit that the Lab is the best breed of all.” Paul’s book is tribute to the versatility of this great breed.

This is my good friend Matt's Lab, Darby, who like Candy, does it all, including pointing. She learned that from the pointers she's hunted with.

As I read Sweeter than Candy, I was continually struck by how much I related personally to Paul’s stories. For example, like me, Paul shoots a Ruger Red Label 20 Gauge Over and Under which he could not shoot worth a darn at first, but later learned to love. Like me, Paul writes of his love of camping, forest grouse hunting in the morning, and fly fishing in the afternoons in sweet September, my favorite month of the year. Like my dog Dusty, Paul writes of his dog Candy blowing out her ACL, getting it repaired, only to have the other ACL go out on her other leg. Like me, Paul struggles with shooting those little gray speedsters the Hungarian Partridge. Like me, Paul has streaks of phenomenal shooting and bouts when he can’t hit the broad side of a barn. In the chapter, “The Slump,” Paul nailed it when he wrote: “Hunting is such a psychological sport. If things are going well, I’m bursting with confidence and self-esteem and can do no wrong. But, when in a slump, nothing seems to work.” Boy, that is the story of my schizophrenic wingshooting career. My point is not to focus so much on myself as to show you that anyone who has spent days afield with bird dogs should be able to find numerous experiences in the book that resonate with them. Paul has definitely been there and done that. The way Paul writes makes you feel like you are in the uplands with an old friend. For me, that is the ultimate goal for an outdoor writer: To transport your reader to the field or stream. Mission accomplished Paul!

To sum it up, my honest opinion is that Paul’s book is great. It’s a celebration of everything that I love about the great outdoors and hunting with bird dogs in the West. It belongs right up there at the top of the list of literature on upland bird hunting in the west. I highly recommend it.

If you’d like to purchase a copy of Paul’s book, here’s a link to his website: http://writingoutdoors.com/.

HISTORIAN'S CORNER: THOMAS JEFFERSON THE TURKEY HUNTER

As you may recall, I've recently posted some short articles about famous individuals in history who hunted or fished. I've decided to try and make this a regular feature on the Upland Equations Blog. I'm going to call these features "The Historian's Corner."

In a previous post of this vein, I also mentioned that I am currently researching and working on an article about our first three United States Presidents, George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson, whom I believe were bird hunters to some extent. The name of the article will be "A Presidential Pursuit." I've found some firsthand evidence that supports my thesis and I believe most people are not familiar with this information. It should be an interesting read. I hope to get this article published soon and I will keep you up to date on its status.

Thomas Jefferson: Turkey Hunter Extraordinaire.

Today, I got in the mail, a book entitled, White House Sportsmen, by Edmund Lindop and Joseph Lares, which was first published in 1964. As I suspected, Thomas Jefferson barely even made the list of hunting U.S. Presidents. However, there is this gem of a story about the young Jefferson that bears repeating:

A story was told of how Thomas Jefferson was given a gun when he was ten years old and instructed by his father to go into the woods and not come home until he had killed some game. Young Jefferson searched far and wide, but he had no luck in finding a suitable victim. Finally he stumbled across a wild turkey that was trapped in a pen. He tied the turkey to a tree with his garter, shot it, and then carried it home over his shoulder to lay at the feet of his proud parent.

I'm not sure of the authors' source for this story, but I got a kick out of it nonetheless. Nobody can acuse Jefferson of being stupid. In fact, during a dinner for the Nobel Prize winners in the White House in 1962, John F. Kennedy said that the honored guests were probably "the greatest concentration of talent and genius in this house except for perhaps those times when Thomas Jefferson ate alone." Amen. Even as a child, we see this genius coming through--albeit a bit mischeviously.

John James Audobon, Wild Turkey Painting. Believe it or not, Benjamin Franklin proposed that the wild turkey be designated as our national bird. No offense to the bald eagle, but I don't think that was such a bad idea.