Virginia Sportsman

05/01/2024

Stumbled upon our Spring 2024 issue at Filson’s Flagship Store in New York City.

03/18/2024

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We hope your holiday has been as green as our mountains in summertime🍀🌲🍀

📸: Early morning along the James River on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Big Island, VA. Photo by Joshua Moore courtesy of Getty Images.

01/13/2024

We love AD Maddox Studios' work. A world-renowned artist, Maddox lives and displays her work at her gallery in Livingston, Mont. Her oil paintings demonstrate her talent for photographic realism as well as abstract interpretations of the waters and backgrounds in her work.

Constantly evolving, her art has been featured on the covers of more than 40 magazines, including Gray’s Sporting Journal, The Cormac McCarthy Journal and The Virginia Sportsman.

More information about the artist and her work can be found at admaddox.com.

01/11/2024

David Asam has been focused on hospitality for as long as he can remember, which makes sense since he was a mere toddler when his parents packed up a station wagon in Washington, D.C., in 1977 and moved him and his brother Christian to Shepherdstown, West Virginia to start The Bavarian Inn.

“It was just a little Greystone building,” Ansam said. “My father was cooking out of a little two-car garage, my mother was the hostess, and we had one waitress. Our family lived upstairs.”

Today the Bavarian Inn Resort & Brewing Company is a 72-room chalet-style gem of a small resort perched above the Potomac River, just an hour from the heart of Washington.

Read the full story on this award-winning family-grown Inn with the link🌲

01/02/2024

West Virginia's Jefferson County is a hidden gem waiting to be explored. With its rich history, stunning scenery, and exciting outdoor activities, this county offers something for every traveler.

For the adventurous spirits, explore the majestic Appalachian Trail, hike through beautiful state parks, or brave the raging rapids of the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers. And when you need a break from the great outdoors, indulge in the many charming boutiques and restaurants that showcase the unique culture and cuisine of the area.

No matter the season, Jefferson County is the perfect destination for anyone seeking adventure, relaxation, and a taste of the wild and wonderful state of West Virginia.

If you can imagine an outdoor adventure, you can find it at River Riders Adventure Resort (riverriders.com). You’ll find white water rafting for every level of adventurer, tubing for the whole family, zip line canopy tours, aerial adventure parks, kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddle boards, a wate...

12/27/2023

More than 30 varieties of apples are grown in orchards across Virginia, giving hard cider makers plenty to work with. Accordingly, a craft scene has started to flourish in the Commonwealth, with tap rooms open in city neighborhoods and on rural farms.

For some of the most inspired takes on fermented fruit, we’ve rounded up four of our favorite cideries.

12/23/2023

Chris and Oliver Wood started on different musical paths. After the brothers from Colorado left home, Chris made a name as a bass wiz in the New York City jazz-funk outfit Medeski, Martin & Wood, while Oliver led the Atlanta-based blues band King Johnson.

The siblings were fostering careers with their respective bands for close to two decades, when one night at a North Carolina gig in 2004, Oliver (four years older) sat in with his younger brother’s band, and the family chemistry was hard to ignore.

Soon after, Chris and Oliver decided to record together, taking influence from the campfire songs and foundational blues recordings they were exposed to as kids by their parents.

Read the full story on the The Wood Brothers with the link.

Chris and Oliver Wood started on different musical paths. After the brothers from Colorado left home, Chris made a name as a bass wiz in the New York City jazz-funk outfit Medeski, Martin & Wood, while Oliver led the Atlanta-based blues band King Johnson. The siblings were fostering careers with the...

12/21/2023

Bavarian Brothers Brewing in Shepherdstown offers a rotating list of house beers at the Bavarian Inn that will please fans of light ales, juicy IPAs and hearty stouts. Here are a few of the brewpub’s solid standbys that can usually be found on the menu.

Bavarian Brothers Brewing offers a rotating list of house beers at the Bavarian Inn that will please fans of light ales, juicy IPAs and hearty stouts. Here are a few of the brewpub’s solid standbys that can usually be found on the menu. Sozial All Day Ale Sozial is named after the German word for ...

12/18/2023

Looking for a last-minute holiday gift for the outdoorsmen in your life? Sign them up for a subscription of The Virginia Sportsman!

In each issue, we cover a broad range of sporting interests—from fly fishing, hunting, and shooting sports, to land preservation and recreational land management.

Also frequently covered are equestrian activities, historic homes and gardens, destination travel, food, wine and spirits, sailing, gear, and the arts.

Stories include sporting life and culture from all parts of the globe—fly fishing in Alaska, Patagonia, and Iceland, horseback riding in Transylvania, hunting in Africa, and sailing from the United States to Bermuda.

Get the details with the link below!

BRO Print Subscription

12/10/2023

Yes summer is long over, but the season of gift-giving is here. Here's a run-down of some of our top summer gear picks for the adventurer in your life.

12/08/2023

Give the gift of Virginia Sportsman this holiday season with a subscription to the magazine!

For 17 years, The Virginia Sportsman has been the region’s premiere sporting-life publication, covering active pursuits, culture, and lifestyle for a loyal readership that is not limited to Virginia. Our unique heritage is enjoyed by loyal readers across the country and in different parts of the world.

Get the details here: https://bit.ly/3sOnZtE

12/05/2023

Decades in the making, the first phase of the revitalization of Thomas Jefferson’s landscape at Poplar Forest is now complete.

Since the late 1980s, a team of archeologists and landscape architects has worked to uncover, restore, and preserve the grounds of the third president’s retreat in Bedford County.

Jefferson, a master architect, saw no difference between the built environment and landscape elements. “He thought of them on equal terms, despite their differences,” says landscape architect Will Rieley, founding principal of Charlottesville-based Rieley & Associates.

Read the full article with the link🌱

12/02/2023

In Florida, some fish have a drug problem, and it’s our fault. New studies have found opioids, psychoactive medications, and other drugs in Florida Redfish.

Thankfully there’s an opportunity to improve the state’s wastewater treatment facilities, which presently do not protect fish from the prescription meds we take.

Read on with the link🐟

New Study Finds Opioids, Psychoactive Medications and Other Drugs in Florida Redfish Photos Courtesy of Bonefish & Tarpon Trust In Florida, some fish have a drug problem, and it’s our fault. But nothing surprises me. Humans rely on prescription medications to combat a variety of ailments, includin...

11/29/2023

Amazing shot of a bull elk by wildlife photographer Nick Boris: https://www.livliproductions.com/

11/16/2023

Charlottesville! Do you have plans tonight? Kentucky musician is playing with at @7:30! Get your tickets with the link 🎼

TICKETS: https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/01005F15D5DA1EA3?CAMEFROM=CFC_SOUTHERNCAFE_WEB_HOMEPAGE_VINCENTNEILEMERSON&brand=southern&fbclid=IwAR1SvNVPexHOhits6KQY6zujHAY6Xxg3NUfOIDPAuGmYqcKdALDSqICmjOY

Photo by

08/28/2023

"Afield, we marveled at a Llewellin Setter and two Brittany Spaniels as we worked our way through high grasses, brush and thicket. They pointed, and we dispatched chukar, quail and pheasant. It was a fine day, and we ended it with libations and a gourmet meal cooked over an open flame: Chukar French Onion Soup, with sweet onion, gruyere cheese and brioche; “Chicken Fried” Pheasant, with pimento cheese grits, stewed pole beans and blackened jalapeño-tomato sauce; Basque-Style Grilled Quail, with wild mushroom ragout, goat’s milk ricotta, preserved Meyer lemons with tomato confit, grilled garlic bread and parsley."

Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/47JzWAc

Photo: Doc, Editor-at-Large Eric Kallen’s Llewellin Setter, points at a chukar in the preserve’s high grasses.

08/24/2023

Sportsman and Culinary Artist Showcases Virginia with Local Farm-to-Table Approach

In 2016, Walter Bundy was three or four months away from realizing his dream of opening a restaurant that showcases what Virginia has to offer, complete with cuisine inspired by Southern roots and French techniques. He also wanted a thoughtful space that reflects his love of locally sourced ingredients and materials, handmade plates and art, as well as his affinity for the sporting life. But one of his big challenges was selecting a name for his new establishment.

“I was searching for a name that spoke to me, one that no one else had used already,” Bundy admitted. “That was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Then I came up with ‘Shagbark,’ which a buddy jokingly said sounded like the title of an Austin Powers movie.”

Read on with the link below!

08/21/2023

Hats off to Brian Trom from Creek Fly Fishing for doing important river cleanup work. You're a great example to us all, Brian!

08/21/2023

New for this year, Wesley Hodges is offering four weekends dedicated to teaching new hunters everything they need to know about the uplands.

08/21/2023

Just an hour from Washington DC, Jefferson County is located in the historic eastern panhandle of West Virginia. Famous for the saga of abolitionist John Brown and the areas strong connection to the Washington family, this picturesque section of “Almost Heaven” is one of the most popular travel spots in the entire state. Urbanites flock to these scenic mountains and quaint towns to relax, enjoy great food, and play in the outdoors.

Shepherdstown is a foodies dream. Located along the Potomac river, it is the oldest town in West Virginia. But this town that claims Shepherd University is still very young at heart with a wealth of dining options.

Read on with the link below!

Just an hour from Washington DC, Jefferson County is located in the historic eastern panhandle of West Virginia.  Famous for the saga of abolitionist John Brown and the areas strong connection to the Washington family, this picturesque section of “Almost Heaven” is one of the most popular trave...

07/02/2023

Want access to our latest stories each season? Get Virginia Sportsman delivered to your door with a subscription to the magazine🦌 It's never too late to start a collection!

06/29/2023

It can be hard to find new music or even curating your own perfect playlist. Here are five essential songs to play on repeat.

Five Essential Songs “Wait So Long” Easily the band’s best-known song, this rowdy foot stomper from the 2010 breakout album “Palomino” is still a singalong favorite at Trampled by Turtles live shows. “Alone” This moving ballad from the band’s 2012 album “Stars and Satellites” is ...

06/27/2023

It all started, as so many good things do, with a day at the beach.

Neill (“Captain Neill”) Holland and his partner Danielle Dawley had recently relocated to St. Petersburg, Florida, from New York to be near the ocean environment they both loved. One day they headed to the waterfront, and Danielle began gathering trash in a grocery store bag, filling it quickly with plastics and wrappers and anything else she could find. She had a lifelong passion for nature born and cultivated by a childhood and young adulthood spent around the globe as the daughter of an SAS flight attendant.

Read the full story with the link🦌

Amateur anglers, volunteers and commercial fishermen come together to help clear Florida waters of dangerous ghost traps.

06/22/2023

More than 30 varieties of apples are grown in orchards across Virginia, giving hard cider makers plenty to work with. Accordingly, a craft scene has started to flourish in the Commonwealth, with tap rooms open in city neighborhoods and on rural farms. For some of the most inspired takes on fermented fruit, we’ve rounded up four of our favorite cideries.

Read the full story and see our top 4 picks with the link🦌

Virginia craft ciders have started to flourish in the Commonwealth. We’ve rounded up four of our favorites to sip on this winter.

06/19/2023

If you can imagine an outdoor adventure, you can find it at River Riders Adventure Resort (riverriders.com). You’ll find white water rafting for every level of adventurer, tubing for the whole family, zip line canopy tours, aerial adventure parks, kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddle boards, a waterfront campground and vacation rentals on the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.

Looking for a little European elegance on the Potomac? You’ll find it at the Bavarian Inn (bavarianinnwv.com) in beautiful Shepherdstown. A favorite of travelers for more than 40 years, The Bavarian Inn will put you just minutes from Historic Harpers Ferry, Antietam Battlefield and in the very heart of luxury with award-winning cuisine and 72 rooms that feature gas fireplaces and whirlpool baths, not to mention spectacular river views. Add to that the new Bavarian Brothers Brewery with its brewpub, lounge and outdoor beer garden, and you’ve got the kind of first-class relaxation that you dream of and deserve.

Read the full story with the link🦌

If you can imagine an outdoor adventure, you can find it at River Riders Adventure Resort (riverriders.com). You’ll find white water rafting for every level of adventurer, tubing for the whole family, zip line canopy tours, aerial adventure parks, kayaking, canoeing, stand up paddle boards, a wate...

06/15/2023

My Dickinson was a great choice, and I can’t imagine parting with the gun because it was my first. But it wasn’t long before other scatter blasters caught my eye. Gradually, I was seduced by the temptations rooted in the upland pursuit to invest in specialized gear.

I have a traditionalist’s eye and appreciate the clean lines of a side-by-side, English stock, double-trigger shotgun. And while I couldn’t be persuaded by arguments for choosing an over/under or a semi-auto to improve my ratio of shots taken to birds bagged, the idea of improving my shooting with a gun matching my dimensions and aesthetic tastes to offer Lincoln more feathery rewards for his hard work appealed to me.

But when I thought about the prospect of a new, custom-fit side-by-side, I imagined the offerings of English gun makers that cost as much as modest starter homes. Could I actually buy a gun like that?

Read the full story with the link🦌

My Dickinson was a great choice, and I can’t imagine parting with the gun because it was my first. But it wasn’t long before other scatter blasters caught my eye. Gradually, I was seduced by the temptations rooted in the upland pursuit to invest in specialized gear. I have a traditionalist’s e...

06/09/2023

During a recent visit to Manhattan, I found myself on Broadway near Union Square following my wife into stores whose names and products are foreign to me and my rudimentary tastes. I left one of those boutiques and stumbled upon a 19th-century brownstone with a sign-out front that was a welcome reprieve: “C.C. Filson Co., Alaska Outfitters Since 1897.”

I entered Filson’s 4,000-square-foot flagship store and perused its goods, which are displayed in a multi-level, rustic setting that made me feel like I was home. I recognized boots and jackets that I’ve worn on hunting trips to the Maine woods; I also saw familiar bags I use to haul my gear, pants, and shirts that I wear while working on my farm in Virginia.

Read the full story with the link below🦌

During a recent visit to Manhattan, I found myself on Broadway near Union Square following my wife into stores whose names and products are foreign to me and my rudimentary tastes. I left one of those boutiques and stumbled upon a 19th-century brownstone with a sign out front that was a welcome repr...

06/06/2023

From last season's issue, check out our top gear choices from winter 2022.

Want Virginia Sportsman stories sooner? Sign up for a subscription at our site!

Irish Setter Boots, Pinnacle 7” Non-insulated Waterproof Boots 1Offering a number of technological advancements, Irish Setter’s Pinnacle boots bring a long list of comfort and stability enhancements to its new line of hunting and outdoor boots. The boots are available in a variety of styles and ...