The Consummate Outdoorsman, Gary Lewis, Shares His Insights

Holiday Gift Ideas for Outdoors-Types

Holiday gift ideas for outdoors-types By Gary Lewis They crossed the Blue Mountains, they floated the mighty Columbia and portaged around Celilo, they carved pathways like the Barlow Road and the Applegate Trail. And they settled in places like Oregon City, Salem and Eugene City. “We went down Laurel Hill like shot off of a […]

Gary Lewis Gathers Awards at NOWA Meeting in Sandpoint, Idaho

At the latest conference of the Northwest Outdoor Writers Association (NOWA), Gary Lewis, of Bend, Oregon, was presented with several awards in the group’s Excellence in Craft contest. In Hunting/Shooting, Lewis was awarded a 1st place award for Nine Three, published in Sports Afield. This category was sponsored by Leupold and Stevens and it featured […]

Fishing Central Oregon’s Great Solar Eclipse

Are you looking for a POT to fish in? Here are the best places to fish in Central Oregon’s path of totality. On August 21, 2017, at 10:19am, the moon will pass in front of the sun. Across all of Central Oregon, the sky will darken, the stars will shine and the horizon will glow. […]

Central Oregon’s Trophy Trout Waters

Big trout. We hear that phrase bandied about, but what does it mean? These are the fish that we talk about in pounds not inches. A rainbow that tips the scales at 10 pounds. A brook trout that weighs in at 6 pounds. An 8-pound brown trout. A 10-pound cutthroat. A 20-pound lake trout. A […]

Safari Post 6: Little Women, Big Impala

Mika already could read the track of the leopard from the back of the safari vehicle and knew enough to tell a kudu track from a waterbuck’s. Now it was the last day of our safari and the little girl who had been so shy the first couple of days was teaching us Afrikaans while […]

Safari Post 5: Dances with Snakes

Some people are afraid to go on safari because of the snakes and the bugs. I used to laugh at that. I like to plan my trips for July. On my first two safaris I saw no snakes and very few bugs. On the third trip, I chopped the head off a black mamba. On […]

Safari Post 4: Living on the Edge

There are a lot of reasons to take a knife. One hunter said he only used a blade at the dinner table. Another used a knife and his fire starter to build a fire when his PH and trackers left him alone with the carcass of a buffalo. In the dark of that night, he […]

Safari Post 3: A Poor Man’s Leopard Hunt

If you want to hunt the Big 5 but can’t afford the cost of a leopard or a lion hunt, hunt bushpig. This is exactly the position I found myself in on this safari. The bushpig is a worthy adversary and a challenge, it is a seldom-seen animal that makes its living at night. It […]

Safari Post 2: Knives in Checked Luggage

When taking knives on safari, the biggest danger to the collection is in transit from airport to airport. Knives, of course, are not allowed in carry-on bags in the passenger compartment. Instead, they should be stored away in a suitcase or in a duffel bag with a lock. The best bet is to lock knives […]

Planning Your First Safari

This is first of several blog posts where Gary shares his recent 9-day African Safari. He shares helpful tips; his adventures; and a little humor for all. We were set to board the plane for South Africa and a fellow came up to us. “Hey, I noticed you guys are all dressed up like you’re […]