An "excellent" (The New York Times) modern tribute to an ageless pastime, and a practical guide to the art, philosophy, and rituals of fly fishing, by an expert, lifelong angler. In The Optimist, David Coggins makes a case for the skills and sensibility of an enduring sport and shares the secrets, frustrations, and triumphs of the great tradition of fly fishing, which has captivated anglers worldwide. Written in wry, wise, and keenly observed prose, each chapter focuses on a specific place, fish, and skill. Few individuals, for example, have the visual acuity required to catch the nearly invisible bonefish of the Bahamas flats. Or the patience to land the elusive Atlantic salmon, "the fish of a thousand casts," in eastern Canada. Pursuing these challenges, Coggins, "a confirmed obsessive," travels to one fishing paradise after another, including the great rivers of Patagonia, private chalk streams in England, remote ponds in Maine, and New York City's Jamaica Bay. In each setting, he chronicles his fortunes and misfortunes with honesty and humor while meditating on how fishing teaches focus, inner stillness, and a connection to the natural world. Perfect for the novice, the enthusiastic amateur, and the devoted angler alike, The Optimist offers a practical path to enlightenment while providing "a rueful, thoughtful, and very funny examination of an elegant obsession" (Jay McInerney).

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

WINNER OF THE JOHN AVERY AWARD AT THE ANDRE SIMON AWARDS If we can save the salmon, we can save the world Over the centuries, salmon have been a vital resource, a dietary staple and an irresistible catch. But there is so much more to this extraordinary fish. As international bestseller Mark Kurlansky reveals, salmon persist as a barometer for the health of our planet. Centuries of our greatest assaults on nature can be seen in their harrowing yet awe-inspiring life cycle. Full of all Kurlansky's characteristic curiosity and insight, Salmon is a magisterial history of a wondrous creature. 'An epic, environmental tragedy' Spectator 'These creatures have nurtured our imagination as surely as our bodies. This book does them justice!' Bill McKibben

STUDIES IN THE ART OF RAT CATCHING - With Additional Notes on Ferrets and Ferreting, Rabbiting and Long Netting By H.C. Barkley This fascinating book was first published in London 1911, with the writer relating his experiences as a professional rat and rabbit exterminator during the late 1800's. The book was written primarily as a guide to the rural art of vermin control for pupils of English public schools such as Eton, Harrow and Rugby. Despite the books title as much of the content is devoted to ferrets and rabbit control as it is to rat catching. READ COUNTRY BOOKS have now re-published this historical record using the original text and illustrations. 196 pages contain 10 chapters detailing such varied subjects as: - Ratting Tools. - Ferrets and Ferreting. - Learning Dog Language. - Rabbit Catching. - Long Netting. - Ratting Days. - Ratting Dogs etc. Although almost a century has passed since its first publication this excellent title is recommended for inclusion in the library of all true countrymen. Many of the earliest sporting books, particularly those dating back to the 1800s, are now extremely scarce and very expensive. READ COUNTRY BOOKS are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

SHOOTING AND SPORT IN ENGLAND: PAST AND PRESENT. By Colonel E.C.C. Hartopp. This entertaining but little known book was first published in London in 1894 as "Sport in England." It is a fascinating historical record of the shooting field in late 19th century England. Read Country Books has now re-published it in its entirety, as part of their "History of Shooting" series, using the original text and retaining the many illustrations. The Eton educated author was a "man of means," but was equally at home when working his ferrets, assisting a keeper with his many tasks, or taking numerous high birds on exclusive sporting estates. Thirty concise chapters illustrate the author's experiences of the above, and also include many jottings and valuable hints on related subjects: The Young English Sportsman. - Poaching of Paired Birds. - The Egg Season and its Enemies. - Landlord and Tenant Rights. - Crop Cutting. - Grouse, Partridge and "Longtails," Past and Present. - Covert Shooting. - Good Shots and Others. - Funny Facts in Sport. - Ferrets and their Management. - Trapping, Netting, and Snaring. - Poaching, and How it is Done. - Small Days and Pot Hunting. - Turning Down Live Bought Pheasants. - How and Where Rabbit Farming Can Pay. - The Gamekeeper and his Duties. - Guns and Gunmakers. - The Quarry. - Vermin. - Recipes for Diseases in Dogs. - Retrievers of the Present Day. Etc. This book will prove of immense interest to all who derive their pleasure and/or profit from the field sports of today's England. The book is a quality production in a soft, pictorial cover format. Many of the earliest sporting books, particularly those dating back to the 1800s, are now extremely scarce and very expensive. READ COUNTRY BOOKS are reprinting these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions. These editions are republished using the original text and artwork.Keywords: 19th Century England Sport England Landlord And Tenant Rights Landlord And Tenant Birds Shooting Sport Concise Chapters Country Books Man Of Means Eton Poaching Ferrets Grouse Partridge Covert Sportsman Colonel Enemies

Ole Club Foot was born with a deformity in one foot, so running away from trouble was not an option. He learned different and better ways to survive. He grew a huge body and a world class rack. He became king of his domain. Hunters were saying that he was one of those unkillable bucks. Bruce Turner learned as a young hunter how to use all his senses to a high degree to make him a hunter above everyone else. It was said that he could track down anything and kill any buck he went after, but it will take all of Bruce's skills and knowledge to kill a buck as wise as Ole Club Foot. Bruce was at home in the woods where he never expected to find a beautiful girl in the woods with his same interest, but when he saves her life, she misunderstands and turns away from him. Would he ever get a chance to win her back? Bruce, the girl, and Ole Club Foots lives get intertwined and reach an exciting climax that you don't want to miss. Pat Jordan, the author of Ole Club Foot, has spent 45 years chasing whitetails in Northern Michigan. A lot of the material he writes about in this book was taken from personal experience or from those he's hunted with.

SOMETHING ABOUT GUNS AND SHOOTING By "PURPLE HEATHER" This commendable shooting title was first published in London in 1891, and is now a highly prized item in the libraries of many shooting men. It is always much sought after and has become increasingly expensive in its first edition. Read Country Books has now re-published it in its entirety, as part of their "History of Shooting" series, using the original text and retaining the many illustrated gun, cartridge, and equipment makers' advertisements. "Purple Heather" learnt the rudiments of shooting in the days when breech-loaders were unknown and hammerless ejectors unthought of. His name and his shooting articles were familiar to readers of many sporting journals of the day. In this, his first book, he delves carefully into the science and technicalities of a subject he has so much at heart. The book's 188 pages are divided into thirteen chapters including: Judging Distance - A "Joe Manton" - Flint and Steel Percussion Guns. - Trials of Muzzle Loaders. - Fashion in Game Guns, and their Loads. - Trials of Breech Loaders. - The Advantages of Good Guns. - Correct Fit of Guns -"Cast Off." - Suitable Game Guns. - Chokes and Cylinders. - Shot and Powder. - Shooting Trials Results and Loading Tables. - Plus the author's entertaining notes on his own shooting experiences. Each chapter contains a large fund of useful information to votaries of the gun, and the whole is written in an attractive style. This new edition has been produced to the highest standards in an attractive soft cover format. Many of the earliest sporting books, particularly those dating back to the 1800s, are now extremely scarce and very expensive. READ COUNTRY BOOKS are reprinting these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions. These editions are republished using the original text and artwork.

Gearing up for all types of trout fishing on creeks, rivers, tailwaters, and lakes Casting, selecting a fly, and reading the water and finding trout

Dave Hughes's clear and simple instruction and explanation describes 18 trout rigs and 81 methods to fish them. In moving water: rigs and methods for dry flies and emergers, nymphs, wet flies, streamers, and dry flies and droppers. In stillwater: dry flies and sunk flies.Fly fishers learn the specifics of the rig--types of fly line, lengths and tapers of leader and tippet, the flies, and split shot, putty weight, strike indicators, droppers, point flies, and indicators--and the full array of methods to present the rig to the trout. Hughes's lucid text is teamed with hundreds of instructive illustrations, including those showing how the trout views the fly. The more rigs you learn to construct and the more methods you learn to apply, the more situations you'll solve, and the more trout you'll catch.

"You can't learn anything from fishing books and videos, but once you had to buy a lot of them to find that out. Now all you need to buy is this one book!"--Brian R. Peterson A collection of the best and funniest jokes and cartoons about fishing, with special emphasis on bass fishing (and gear) and fly fishing. Companion outdoor book to Laughing it Up in Deer Camp, Hook, Lyin' & Sinker is an unusually rich collection of fishing humor not found elsewhere. A good humor book for those of good humor, smartly curated for all ages and genders. It's for people who may or not fish who need a laugh or want to give a laugh to friends and family members who fish any water, any fish species, and any technique.

"Either the whisky goes or I go." These words were uttered by the author's great grandmother after a harrowing trip by riverboat and stagecoach to her new husband's ranch on the raw frontier of British Columbia's Cariboo country. This is a memoir about her great grandson's adventures and the hazards of herding cattle over unfamiliar territory into the huge alpine back-country of Empire Valley-BC's third largest ranch. Mack Bryson's entertaining stories of life as a cowboy and rancher provide a vivid portrait of the Canadian West as he moved from using horse-drawn equipment, to diesel tractors, to airplanes to get the challenging job done. A Cowboy's Life recounts one man's journey across a rapidly vanishing landscape. From crossing roaring rivers with cattle and horses, to getting bucked off into the rocks and knocked unconscious two weeks before his wedding, to forest fires burning up camping supplies, to fights with poachers who want him out of their way so they can hunt on private land, Mack tells the colourful story of his family, their beloved dogs and horses, and the ranching life. This is an amazing story, told with humour and grace, about a young man's adventures that saw him achieve success in an industry where one misstep could ruin him and his family.

The Fly As An Art Form The purpose of this book is twofold: to trace the evolution of realistic fly tying and to feature the creations of the world's most-skilled practitioners of this art form. Some of these contemporary artisans concentrate on imitations of aquatic insects most likely seen by fly fishers. Their focus is on mayflies, caddisflies and stoneflies. For others, the sky is the limit and they tie replicas of anything, including praying mantis, crabs, bees, hornets, ants, spiders, and fish. Theirs is a small, but expanding, cadre of enthusiastic tyers whose work will astonish even those who have never tied a fly. The realism of their fly patterns, whether an art form destined for framed presentation, or a working fly intended for the end of a fly leader, will amaze.

Originally published in the early 1900s. The author was Master of the Biggleswade Harriers who followed hounds for over eighty years. He was a successful breeder of hounds and also hunted the fox and deer throughout England. This book is compiled from notes he made during his lifetime. The illustrated contents include: Early Memories - The Coaching Days - Hare Hunting - Fox Hunting - Making a Pack - Deer Hunting - A Great Run - Handing over the Horn - Shooting and Fishing - Old Friends. Many of the earliest hunting books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Home Farm Books are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

In Wild Winter, John D. Burns, bestselling author of The Last Hillwalker and Bothy Tales, sets out to rediscover Scotland's mountains, remote places and wildlife in the darkest and stormiest months. He traverses the country from the mouth of the River Ness to the Isle of Mull, from remote Sutherland to the Cairngorms, in search of rutting red deer, pupping seals, minke whales, beavers, pine martens, mountain hares and otters. In the midst of the fierce weather, John's travels reveal a habitat in crisis, and many of these wild creatures prove elusive as they cling on to life in the challenging Highland landscape. As John heads deeper into the winter, he notices the land fighting back with signs of regeneration. He finds lost bothies, old friendships and innovative rewilding projects, and - as Covid locks down the nation - reflects on what the outdoors means to hillwalkers, naturalists and the folk who make their home in the Highlands. Wild Winter is a reminder of the wonder of nature and the importance of caring for our environment. In his winter journey through the mountains and bothies of the Highlands, John finds adventure, humour and a deep sense of connection with this wild land.

Here is the most comprehensive guide to making your own Native American tools and weapons. This reference takes you through the steps of the basic flint-knapping of arrowheads and scrapers to the most complex decorating and finishing techniques of painting and fletching. Fully illustrated with photographs and line illustrations, this is the perfect book for the survivalist, historian, student, or Native American enthusiast.