Author: Virginia Rasch
Virginia Rasch
I’m a freelance writer and editor who grew up outside as a naturalist. My first report in grade school was on birding. For another one, I cut out photos from my dad’s hunting and fishing magazines and wrote about the camouflage of birds, mammals and fish. I studied biology and received my terminal degree in the Field Naturalist Program at the University of Vermont. My summer hobbies include hiking, biking, gardening, and wildlife and bird watching. In winter, I like to cross-country ski and quilt, but my favorite adventure is to strap on snowshoes and track wildlife. I’ve lived in many places across North America, from New England to southeastern British Columbia, and I currently reside in Quebec. One of my favorite quotes is this: “I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than to be crowded on a velvet cushion.” ~Henry David Thoreau
Knowing how to handle and use a gun safely is a fundamental life skill that should be widely taught. That might be a view not commonly heard, but after talking to a professional shooter like Julie Golob, it makes perfect sense. She adamantly believes that anyone should be able to pick up a gun, check to see if it is loaded, and unload it. People should not be afraid of guns but have the skills to know how to use them safely and effectively. Julie Golob is an expert on shooting—she has so many championship shooting titles that she’d almost…
Demand is steep to participate in an annual and unique antelope hunting event in Wyoming that is exclusive to women. There’s a waitlist for this year’s hunt in October. The reason for the popularity? The hunt changes the lives of the participants in numerous and significant ways. “The biggest takeaway from my first antelope hunting trip has been this: I came back a different woman than when I arrived at Ucross, Wyoming,” said one participant. “I am stronger, empowered, and I know I can achieve anything I put my mind to in life.” Alex Shannon, Communications and Events Coordinator for the…
Over 80% of Americans believe in paying it forward: from shoveling snow or carrying groceries for neighbors, or giving big tips to deserving waiters, to paying for the food of the person behind them in a fast-food drive-thru. Random acts of kindness are alive and well, according to this February 2024 poll by OnePoll for the banking app Chime. And these acts make us feel better about ourselves and life overall as well as make us feel more confident. Big-hearted hunters are also a part of the paying-it-forward movement. As mentors, they give their time and expertise to youth and…
How the Streaming Service Keeps Delivering Great Outdoor Content We are changing the way we watch television in today’s fast-changing technological world. We now want to watch shows when the timing fits our schedule, not that of the networks. Some of us are tired of high cable bills and package choices that don’t let us decide which channels we can watch. As a result, many people are cutting the cable cord. That is showing us that the future of TV is online. At the forefront of this trend is CarbonTV, the leading online streaming platform for outdoor and rural lifestyle…
How do you accurately describe someone who is as multifaceted as Jana Waller? She’s a hardcore hunter, a TV producer, a writer, artist and humanitarian. She’s been involved in the conservation arena for 30 years. She considers one of the highlights of her life as the experience of taking disabled veterans hunting. This 51-year-old tour de force wears many hats, but the center of her orbit is her love of the outdoors and, of course, family. Jana grew up in the agricultural community of Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. She recently moved from the Bitterroot Mountains in Montana for love; she married…
Your hunt is over and you may be elated, dejected or somewhere in-between. No matter how you are feeling, what’s the last step of your hunt? Bill Brassard, Senior Director of Communications with the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), emphatically says, “The hunt is not over until your firearms are unloaded and properly stored.” Brassard has decades of expertise, stories and advice on the subject as he’s been with NSSF for 25 years. NSSF is the firearm industry’s trade association with 10,000 companies as members. Its headquarters is in Shelton, Connecticut. Brassard runs Project ChildSafe, its goal being to help…
From fashion model to role model for the outdoor community, she dreams big and encourages others to do the same Beauty opened doors for Julie McQueen (aka Jules) during her years as a fashion model, but brains are what has made her an illustrious suc- cess in the outdoor industry. She thanks her mom for that. “When I was a little girl, my mom told me I could do anything I wanted as long as I was smart, and that’s all that mattered,” Jules recalls. “You have to be educated and you have to continue your education, whatever that means…