Throughout the year, we live through seasons of change, yearning to live that feeling of opening day once again. There is always something new on the horizon as we do so, and we can never forget that this imminent change can be good for all of us. As we all grow in years, embrace these inevitable transitions from young to old, and pass the baton of upland traditions to the next leg in the race whenever you can.
We respect what has come before us while embracing the inherent change of what comes next. The same can be said about the feature “Sportsman as Writer,” where Reid Bryant describes the life of Thomas McGuane and a day afield they spent together last year in Montana. In terms of iconic outdoor writers of our era, McGuane needs no introduction. The world of outdoor writing needs the next generation to carry to the torch, and in a sense, this story signifies the passing of a baton of storytelling to Reid, too.
A common premise is that you only get one good bird dog in a lifetime, and the best ones never live long enough. The feature “The Book’s Cover” tells the story of such a dog, and one that may look peculiar at first sight but shines brilliantly in the field. At that time, this red setter was a veteran on the downhill slide of his bird-chasing days, but his rugged owner had a young dog waiting in the wings, ready and willing to spend those precious days of October hunting the prairies, too. And, so the upland cycle rolls on.