From the Editor

First impressions mean a lot. As I mentioned in my March/April article "Into the Blue(s)," this past fall I met dog trainer John Luttrell on a blue grouse hunt in Colorado. John is the co-owner of Oak Tree Kennels (605-532-4444; www.oaktreekennels.com), in Clark, South Dakota, and he and his assistant trainer, Brad Vail, made the long drive not only to hunt but also to return two of outfitter Gary Hubbell's pointers, which they'd been training. The other part of their mission was to deliver an eight-week-old Lab pup to Gary's young sons, Reed and Jake, who had saved their pennies (literally) for years to buy the dog. I met John just after he'd made the delivery, and from the look on his face as he watched the boys play with their pup, I knew we'd get along fine.

That evening at dinner I listened to John mentor the boys on caring for their dog, and later that night John and I talked for hours about dogs and handlers and the different methods for teaching pointers, flushers and retrievers-all of which he trains. During the next few days, John's obvious passion for his work carried over into the field, as I observed him coaching Gary on handling his tuned-up pointers. The other thing John did was constantly check on the dogs-not because he had trained them and wanted to make sure they performed, but because he had a genuine concern for their well-being. (Remember that these dogs had gone from South Dakota's prairies to Colorado's high country in just a few days.) He made sure they were watered, he taped up their feet, and he encouraged us to slow down to let them acclimate to their "new old" surroundings. And these weren't even his dogs . . . .

There are dog trainers and there are dog lovers, and it's wonderful when the twain meet. In a recent interview, John was quoted as saying: "I love my work and my lifestyle. And if you don't love the animals, there's no reason to be in the business." To which I say, "Hallelujah," and that if I ever need the services of a professional dog trainer, I'm going to search out someone like John Luttrell.

It's also why this issue-containing our fifth annual Special Hunting Dogs Section-is dedicated to the John Luttrells of the world: those trainers who have a love for what they do and the students who they teach. My whistle's off to you.


Now that spring has sprung and warmer weather is around the corner, it's time to start planning that company picnic. What's it going to be this year? Softball at the park? Burgers and brats on the grill out back? Last year we did something different that's worth considering.

You may know that our parent company, Down East Enterprise, does more than just publish Shooting Sportsman. It also publishes Fly Rod & Reel and Down East magazines as well as books under the Countrysport Press and Down East Books imprints. In all there are about 70 employees in our offices in Rockport, Maine. Last year we held a series of strategic-planning meetings, during which it came out that not everyone in the company was familiar with the subject matter of our magazines. At which point the light bulb went on: Why not arrange an outing on which every employee would be given the chance to take an introductory course in fly-fishing and/or wingshooting? Thus was born the Down East Cast & Blast Day.

Because we're based in Maine, organizing the event was a no-brainer: We let L.L. Bean handle it. Bean's Outdoor Discovery School (www.llbean.com; 888-LLBean1) offers a variety of programs, including introductions to fly-fishing and shotgunning, from its home in Freeport, and the staff there had no problem accommodating our large group. (Ultimately, more than half of our company accepted the invitation to attend.)

When the event finally took place, it was a huge success. Every participant seemed to enjoy the experience and appreciate the opportunity to learn. In fact, the only complaint I heard was that the day ended too quickly. I can't tell you how satisfying it was to see the smiles on the faces of people who had never shot before-some because they had been downright afraid of guns-when they pulled the trigger and broke a claybird. Priceless.

All in all, it was a day of healthy corporate stuff like bonding, camaraderie and team building. But it also gave some folks who normally wouldn't have participated in these sports a very positive experience (a number even mentioned wanting to try again).

If you would like more information on how to organize a day's introduction to fieldsports, contact the National Shooting Sports Foundation (203-426-1320). Ask about its Step Outside program (www.stepoutside.org), which "encourages current outdoor enthusiasts to introduce family, friends and special guests to traditional outdoor sports."

It sure beats dodging Jarts on the back lawn . . . .

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