Cover by Brian Grossenbacher

With everything going on in the world around us these days, what could be better than getting lost in fantastic words and images that celebrate our cherished upland-hunting traditions? This new issue of Covey Rise does just this, bringing you a diverse array of stories from hunting and fishing the lush valleys and quiet rivers of French Creek Sportsmen’s Club in Wyoming to savoring and enjoying wild game and local produce at restaurants in London, England.

The seemingly eternal smile of Johnny Morris, owner of Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, is a beacon of hope when times looks dire. His generous philanthropy has impacted the future of hunting and fishing in the United States and abroad. We had the pleasure of hunting pheasants with Johnny and hearing his story last fall in South Dakota.

The chefs and restaurateurs of London have embraced local sourcing of wild game and produce—featuring this cuisine to not only promote fine food but to champion conservation. Patrick Tillard, in his article “London’s Game Plan”, shows how this trend is sweeping from the countryside to the city streets and is important for the future of the dining industry—one that hopefully translates to America, too.

Our beloved gamebirds fascinate us in ways that need to be told, and the springtime rituals of the ruffed grouse are a great example. Bill Buckley’s “Wooing Henrietta” describes how a drumming male grouse proudly puts himself at peril in order to court a mate each year in grand fashion.