From the Editor

By Ralph P. Stuart

I'm not much of an international traveler. In fact, other than a couple of jaunts to Canada in the past few years, I hadn't been beyond our fair borders since a trip to England in December 2000. That was pre-9/11, of course, and plenty has changed with airline regulations since that terrible day.

Which is why I confess to feeling trepidation this past June while preparing for a trip to Argentina. I had heard and read enough horror stories about stepped-up security measures and overzealous enforcement agents to suspect that things might not go smoothly. Add the fact that I would be traveling with a gun, and I figured I was virtually guaranteed trouble.

I couldn't have been more wrong. Other than a couple of snafus-like losing my favorite Filson jacket in the airport and getting stuck between two super-size turistas on the 101/2-hour flight south-the trek from Portland, Maine, to Buenos Aires was hassle-free. (There was a 45-minute delay at Kennedy International as I waited for one of the Port Authority's finest to bless my gun, but even then the officer wound up asking me where I was going shooting and wishing me luck.) Once in BA, our group was met outside Customs by a well-organized shoot representative, who whisked us through the gun-registration process. (It didn't hurt that the day we arrived Argentina was playing Germany in the World Cup Soccer quarter-finals, and the agents were happy to expedite our paperwork and get back to their blaring TV . . . .)

The return trip a week later was just as slick, and I arrived home with wonderful memories, my gun in two pieces (as it should have been) and a great story that I'll relate next time. Which all goes to show that if you prepare properly and hire a reputable outfitter (we shot with Miguel Medus's Argentina Wild Wing Shooting and booked the trip through Roger Anderson's Parana River, Ltd.), international expeditions still can be worry-free.

Hunters shopping for quality outfitters can find them in our pages, but they also have a great opportunity to speak with many face to face at the Safari Club International Convention, from January 24 to 27, in Reno. This year marks SCI's 35th anniversary and the 10th time we'll be exhibiting at the show. If you're able to attend, we encourage you to stop by our booth, and we'll be happy to point you toward some well-qualified outfitters who can make your next adventure a great one.

Another reason to stop by our booth is to meet the newest member of the SSM team: Jeremy Hatch. You may recall that several issues back I mentioned our search for a new advertising sales representative. Well, Jeremy got the job. A native Mainer and licensed Master Guide, Jeremy has been taking clients upland bird hunting, fly-fishing and wilderness canoeing for years. He is a breeder and trainer of German shorthaired pointers as well as a member of the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association, an Outdoor Education Instructor in firearms safety, and a former Ducks Unlimited committee member. He is a proud family man, with a wife, a young daughter and two shorthairs, Sage and Molly.

Confirmation that we'd hired the right guy came in October, when Contributing Editor Clair Kofoed and his friend Bill Cleveland ventured East for a visit. Jeremy generously offered to show us some of his grouse and woodcock coverts, so we loaded the truck and headed north. The day was warm and dry, making scenting conditions tough, but the more experienced Sage managed to find birds. It wasn't until the final covert, however, that we began hitting them hard, and within a half-hour we all had our limits of woodcock. All except Jeremy. Guide that he is, he hadn't carried a gun all day.

On the way back to the truck we heard Sage go on point . . . again . . . leaving Jeremy no choice but to borrow my gun and wade in. He eventually found the woodcock tucked beneath a stunted spruce, and when the bird sprang up through the alders, he dropped it with one shot. The wide smile on his face as he came walking out with his trophy spoke volumes.

It also harked back to a line from the cover letter he'd sent with his résumé: "My approach to guiding is that it's all about the experience-the dogs; the guns; the clean, crisp fall air; and, if we're lucky, a bird."

Yes, Jeremy, we're going to get along just fine . . . .

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