The April-May 2019 Preview
A LOOK INSIDE THE LATEST ISSUE OF COVEY RISE: VOLUME 7, NUMBER 3
Cover by Andy Anderson
The next time you are blessed with the opportunity to be afield, pay attention to your ears for a moment. Listen, and you’ll hear the inherently iconic sounds of the hunt—the deep clanking of the dog bell, the calm command of a “whoa,” the sudden burst of wings as they beat against prairie grass, and the sharp bang of the shotgun. These sounds often please the ear, trigger past memories, and inspire future stories to be told.
In this issue, we explore moments of silence from the field and beyond. As we grow old and reflect upon hunts passed, yearning to venture afield again, it is these cherished times of tranquility we will remember forever.
Chuck Holland’s piece “Later Than You Think” from this issue of Covey Rise inspires us to capture and revisit these special moments. “Enjoy each cigar,” Holland writes. “You never know which one may be your last.”
Reid Bryant continues the theme of calm reflection with his piece “A Hill Country Stillness,” as he describes the allure of Joshua Creek Ranch in Texas. “Indeed, there are birds, in number and style to suit the most discriminating sportsman. And certainly, there are amenities, details attended to, and all needs met, if not exceeded. But there is a magic here that is seemingly not manmade, something special in this place
that the Kerchevilles understood all those years ago,” Bryant writes.
Rigby, the revered London gunmaker, is featured by Marcus Janssen, who describes its young leader, Marc Newton, as something of a paradox. “He exudes wisdom and the kind of confidence that only comes with age. And yet, he is, to my knowledge, the youngest managing director of an English gunmaking firm today—possibly ever. He is a traditionalist with a deep respect for the old ways, yet he is dynamic, creative, and adaptable. He thinks both inside the box and outside of it.”
In her piece “Belonging to the Land,” Rachael McLendon brings readers to the wild west of Wyoming to meet a man of noble blood, and a unique story, at his renowned property named Canyon Ranch. “He stomped the snow off his boots and carried more papers and notebooks under his arm to show me. He had returned to Canyon Ranch many years before, not for a title or wealth, but because the tug of home was tenacious for him. The Lord of this castle fixed the fences and maintained all the homes and barns, with contentment being his greatest wealth.”
As we approach the off season, find your quiet place, maybe on your porch or next to a warm fire, and indulge in the virtues of fine storytelling—let the silent reflection describe the magic, tradition, and contentment that can be found on every page of Covey Rise.
As we approach the off season, find your quiet place, maybe on your porch or next to a warm fire, and indulge in the virtues of fine storytelling—let the silent reflection describe the magic, tradition, and contentment that can be found on every page of Covey Rise.